Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Much has happened in the last year for which I am forever grateful.

As always, I am thankful for my family, friends, and health. This year I am thankful for growing business ventures and professional opportunities.

What are you thankful for this year?

How the Everyday Person Should Use Twitter

When people ask why I use or like Twitter, I always describe it as the "lazy man's Google". Unlike Google where you have to know what problem you are trying to solve or what information you wish to seek, with Twitter once you begin following people information comes to you. As a result, I am able to expose myself to more facets of life, people, technology, politics, pop culture or any other topic without ever having to know specifically what I want to discover. :-D

This brings me to Digital Daily's QOTD for September 3, 2010:

“Google is very good at ‘I need to solve a problem, I need to buy something, I need an answer. Twitter is more ‘I’m interested in many things, I don’t know what I need to know.’” – Twitter CEO Evan Williams

Also be sure to read a related post: Twitter for Business

The 2010 Social Networking Map / Flowtown (@flowtown)

The 2010 Social Networking Map / Flowtown (@flowtown)

This map is a great illustration of how quickly social networking platforms grow (and shrink). For most of 2008, Facebook had less than 100 million users while MySpace was the big player on the scene. Two years later Facebook has over 500 million and I can't even find MySpace on Flowtown's map.

The Battle is On! Or is it? HTML5 vs Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash is a single browser plug-in and multimedia platform popular for adding animation and interactivity to web pages. Per Adobe statistics, Flash is on almost every computer worldwide with 98 percent penetration given provides consistency in appearance from one computer to the next. However, a collection of new technologies, including HTML5, is proving more and more they can reproduce some of what Flash offers.  Bruce Lawson, Opera Software web evangelist, believes Flash will be replaced and the newer technologies as a collective are "very close" in ability.


What I find interesting is as of June 2010, HTML5 has been in the Working Draft stage for 18 months and folks expect it to stay there at least another year.  Ian Hickson, editor of the HTML5 specification, expects HTML5 to reach the Candidate Recommendation stage during 2012.  This mean web developers won't be able to start providing feedback on how to make HTML5 actually work for another two years.
Here's some background to give you a better idea of what this all means.  From conception to completion, all versions of HTML5 have to go through a distinct set of stages:

Stages in HTML development 

• Working Draft: After a private group of W3C members develops the standard, it becomes a Working Draft.  Standards can remain at Working Draft stage for literally years until some form of general consensus is achieved about how it should look.

• Candidate Recommendation: The focus at this stage is on feedback from developers about how practical or implementable the standard is.  Most significant features are locked, but the design of those features as well as minor aspects, such as syntax, may still change.  Although Candidate Recommendation stage does not typically last as long as Working Draft stage, it can still extend past a year.

• Proposed Recommendation: The standard is submitted to the W3C Advisory Council for final approval.  It is very rare to see any significant changes at this stage, which can last a few months to a year.  

• W3C Recommendation: The standard is now endorsed by the W3C and is safe to use.

Given the number of YEARS it will take to get through these stages, I apt to agree with Brandt Dainow's statement: "HTML5 is a great idea, but it's still just an idea. It's not a standard, it's not finished, and - in my opinion - using it now is just plain stupid."  Even so, it's probably wiser to take a deep breath and accept the bigger truth that both technologies will prevail and neither will conquer the other any time soon. 

UNIQLO’s Lucky Switch digital campaign from Holiday 2009.

Absolutely awesome use of digital advertising leveraging the power of social media.

UNIQLO LUCKY SWITCH from HN on Vimeo.

Introducing: One Epiphany, LLC

The website is finally up and running with a simple design that will be enhanced over time. Happy it's complete and open for business!

One Epiphany is a brand marketing company that helps businesses and associations take their organizations to the next level when they do not have the know-how, time, or resources to do it alone.

Services offered are customized for each client depending on the needs, goals and budget of the business.

• Brand Strategy
• Content Management
• Email Marketing
• Market Research
• Project Management
• Public Relations
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Social Media Strategy
• Website Consultation

Don’t see your project type on our list? Just ask. We will make every effort to accommodate you.

How the Smartphone Evolved by HTC

Quietly I'm becoming a HTC fan...

Hindsight is Always 20/20

An unintended birthday present to me: no blogging for the month of April :-D

Written: June 13, 2010

Social Media: Is it a fad?

Because I see social media as an innovative form of word-of-mouth marketing, social media is no more a fad than marketing via television, radio or print.  Each is a type of communication channel that came to be and later evolved based on society's needs.  In marketing & advertising, fads are born figuring out how to connect with as many people as possible using the communication channel of choice while seeking the biggest return on investment (ROI).

Here’s an analogy:
If social media was a highway, the automobiles would be the applications (Ning, Second Life, Vimeo, Facebook, Posterous , Digg, Yelp.com, Blogger, Flickr, etc.) developed to maneuver the channel.  The number and types of applications depend on the ever-changing likes and dislikes of the target audience as well as the desire to standout from the rest and try something new.  Just like automobiles in real life, some applications peak and fall in popularity quickly (i.e., the fads).  On the contrary what doesn’t disappear, even with improvements and refilling of potholes along the way, is the highway or communication channel (i.e., social media.)

Do you agree or disagree?  Don’t just stop there. Tell why you feel one way or another in comments.

You can also click on older posts to read my thoughts on Social Media, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Lemonade: Movie Review

After Eric Prolux, a 37 year-old copywriter, is laid off from a large ad-agency in 2008, he starts a blog for other unemployed ad professionals. Once the site launched, he decided to create a promotional video featuring the faces and stories of other laid-off execs.  Lemonade is NOT a film of people complaining about being laid off.  The movie is also a film for unemployed professionals in ALL industries.

Lemonade reminded me of when I was laid off in 2002.  At that time, I decided to make the best of it and pursue my interest of knowing what goes on behind the camera and entered the film industry.  It was one of the best experiences I ever had as it was freeing to be doing something that I wanted to do.  My time working at a small production company in TriBeCa made me realize that previous work experiences weren't as fulfilling as I had thought.  An element had been missing - my personal interests...my personality...ME.  It took a while before I completely jumped ship and dived into the world of advertising by attending the VCU Brandcenter.  The two year swim (i.e., grad school) was one of the most challenging events of my life and I enjoyed almost (let's be real about it) every moment of it.  Now it's 2010 and fast approaching a year after graduating from the Brandcenter and I have yet to secure full-time employment.

Am I bitter? A little. 

Am I scared. You're darn right I am. 

Am I doing something about? I was slow at the start, but picking up speed.

Lemonade is yet another confirmation that establishing a business was the right thing for me to do.  Here's how you can watch the film and get inspired too:
1.  Click to find a screening near you
2. Go to Lemonademovie.com and buy the DVD
3. Buy the DVD from Amazon
4. For those without a steady stream of income, watch it on Hulu below

A must watch film (less than 40 min):

Do the Potty Dance!

Remember when you were a kid and you loved to sing along with TV commercial jingles? And remember when you would dance along with the commercial too?  Do you remember why you did that?  Well let me remind you....because you were a kid and didn't know any better.

We're all adults now and even if we still have childish tendencies it doesn't mean we want to be advertised to as if we were a child.  Huggies Pull-Ups is the culprit that prompted these thoughts to surface.  See the long-version of the TV ad below.

Am I wrong to think what the marketing strategy is: target young or first-time mothers by grabbing the attention of the child through song & dance?  Perhaps I'm missing something; however, I don't see kids running to mom or dad asking for Huggie Pull-Ups.  Then again if a parent saw her child doing the "Potty Dance" perhaps that would serve a reminder to go out and replenish the diaper or pull-up supply before it's too late.

For all the parents, guardians, and childcare providers: What is you consumer perspective?  Does this the video win you over or turn you off?

The Person I Secretly Admire (or use too)

This post is written to recognize a person online who has positively influenced me.  Since it is difficult for me to select one, I decided to pick the person who has inspired me most recently - Ms. Lauren Hornes, Owner of BeSpoken Spaces.  

I first "met" Lauren via email in 2004 while she was attending our alma mater the University of Michigan (Go Blue) and after her initiation into Nu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service organization I am still active in today.  Our communications would be sporadic at best the next few years.  Then in 2009 Lauren began sending out emails to reconnect, letting me and others know of her ambitions.  Last year she launched her professional organizing business - BeSpoken Spaces.  This is her SECOND business since graduating from U of M almost 3 years ago. 

It's amazing to me as to how much she has accomplished in such a short period of time.  Not only is her sincerity in thought, positive outlook, and constant enthusiasm for her business refreshing, it is also my own personal reminder to take more risks and demand more of myself. 

Although Lauren isn't the only person who motivated me into action, she is the person who got me to thinking long & hard "why the heck not?" and "what's stopping me?" As a result, I made it official and founded One Epiphany, a brand marketing company.  I'm still in the beginning stages of organization, but I have gotten over the first hurdle and for that I am thankful.

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This is a post for the contest Win A Free SOBCon Weekend #SOBCon2010. You can enter too. “Write a blog post about a person (or people) online who has (or have) made a difference in your life. Celebrate how they have made your life easier, better, smarter, more productive, more meaningful.”

For the Lover in You...

Source: FunMunch

We Are The World 25 for Haiti

The song gives me chills as did the original in 1985 and will effect so many lives with the donations.

Olympic Coverage: Do you value story more than sport?

On Facebook today Redscout asked the following question:

NBC’s Winter Olympic coverage will no doubt be engineered to deliver emotion in spades. Do you value story more than sport?

As a fan of both the Summer and Winter Olympics, I was immediately inspired to answer with the following:

When it comes to the Olympics....yes. Most of the athletes are not front of mind for even the biggest sport enthusiast. By offering a story it allows sport enthusiasts, Olympic lovers, or channel hoppers alike to become connected with an athlete and cheer them on as if they knew them all their lives.

What are your thoughts? Do you value the story more than the sport?

Too Many Things Are On My Mind

Too many things are on my mind and there is too little time to get them organized and write a post or two. Let's hope February will commence a less chaotic mental state as there are a couple of prongs in the fire that you may find interesting and I wish to share with you soon.

It's a New Year!

After spending time with my family over the holidays, I am looking forward to the many blessings 2010 has to offer.

What are you looking forward to in 2010?

In the spirit of the holidays

 A Charlie Brown Ad Agency:

Google Wave and Marketing

This morning I came across this question by Darya B. on LinkedIn.com:
"Has anyone thought of any ways that Google Wave could be used for marketing and similar business purposes? Thanks"

My response:
Google Wave is a great tool for project management. Use it during every meeting to document meeting notes, brainstorming ideas, take-aways, and next steps. Use it to share and track file drafts and associated changes.

When a new person is added to the team or Wave they can use the playback feature to get up to speed on all that has been discussed and done to date. There is less feeling out of the loop, or waiting to meet with someone before you can start. Google Wave allows the delivery large files to a client and tracks client edits more easily compared to regular email.

The biggest con is the current exclusivity of Google Wave invites; however, this will change once Google Wave moves out of Beta.

Before reading this question, I hadn't thought about how to use Google Wave for marketing. Off the top of my head, I think Google Wave could be used similarly to how podcasts, blogs, YouTube videos, and Wikis provide information to the end user.

In what ways do you use Google Wave? In what ways do you want to use it?

I'm A Fan? Are you?

I am TOTALLY diggin': We're All Fans. It's a user (fan) content generated website promoting the GRAMMY Awards . Content comes from the web as well as fan submitted photos, tweets, videos, etc.

This campaign is a great example of how traditional media channels can be complemented by strong social media strategies.

We're All Fans combined with the GRAMMY Nomination TV Special (aired Dec. 2, 2009), Facebook, Twitter, print ads and more will encourage interaction with the intended audience and build anticipation that will hopefully translate into increased viewership on January 31, 2010.