IT’S A FACT, in business there are people who are forever promising to catch-up with trend setters, yet they never quite get there.

As a result, I usually get a confused look trying to tell people their precious customers are writing good and bad things about their brand or products, on blogs and social networking sites. 

Its okay, I realise that not everyone is comfortable with social and digital media, but I know that they’ll regret it.

With this in mind, I was so happy and interested to hear and join an online conversation to rev up Qantas' new Frequent Flyer ‘Its Time To Choose’ campaign before it even started its traditional advertising.

Qantas' use of social media dare I say it "moves social media now clearly into the mainstream."

Developed by Mark Sydney from M&C Saatchi, the ‘Its time To Choose’ campaign is soon to be launched, its key objective is to alert millions of Qantas Frequent Flyer card holders that they have a choice, a choice to transfer their credit card points to their Frequent Flyer card before the end of March or lose the benefits with Qantas Frequent Flyer.
It is my understanding their inspiration came from the highly successful social media campaigns ‘KEVIN 07’ and Barack Obama’s ‘Yes, we can’.

Read the rest of this entry »

For me, the past 12 months have been about growing my personal and business network online with the help of Twitter and less about attending local business networking events.

Social-Media-Campaign
Originally uploaded by Gary Hayes

On the face of it, micro-blogging sites like Twitter or Plurk are seen by some senior executives as an indulgence with no real benefit, but if they took a closer look they’ll find a whole new business world, where distance and corporate gatekeepers don’t really matter.

My poison of choice is Twitter. Arguably the biggest and best, but the main thing for me is I’m engaging people with similar interests and tastes – welcome to my new improved personal and business network.

A personal and business network stretching across borders, oceans, cultures and industries. A personal and business network without a glass ceiling or that discriminates due to social status, business title or where you live. A personal and business network designed to give you the freedom to connect with people you like and have a chat.

Read the rest of this entry »

Squared Circle Poster as Millifiori
Originally uploaded by cobalt123

Some great marketer or advertising guru once said “By the time we die, we will have spent an estimated one and a half years just watching TV commercials.”

Maybe my generation…but what about future generations?

TV Advertising is still king and yet, social media and the power of social networking is making huge inroads into the way brands are trying to communicate and influence us.

Like the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that had a profound effect on agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation in Britain. Today’s social media revolution will have a profound effect on all industries not just advertising.

With this change, I’m seeing a serious social media knowledge gap in the workplace and a resistance to change by business/management – not forgeting our loveable politicians.

As an example of this GAP and resistance – eighteen months ago, I sat on a government advisory board that was set-up to help Regional Australian exporters. When the subject of the Internet was mentioned, I had a continual battle with other board members on the benefits of exporters using the Internet. I remember one senior board member stating that he exports and didn’t see the need to use the Internet…if he wanted to speak to a client, he’d just jump on a plane.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking to break in to the social media industry…where do you go?

Well that answer has been solved…solved by a new online job site called SocialMediaJobs.com.au and I’m proud to say that my blogging and twitter buddy, Gavin Heaton is the brains behind the whole idea.

Gavin has launched SocialMediaJobs.com.au to help job seekers and potential employers to find one another.

At present, the site is free for both employers and job seekers. Of course, this may change at some point in the future.

Gavin has asked for any ideas on how to improve his site. It’s well worth a visit!

Knowing Gavin and how there’s such a shortage of experience in the social media industry, I think the word will quickly get round and Gavin will have a big success on his hands.

SocialMediaJobs.com.au gets my vote!!!

  The Coffee Cup Club 
  Originally uploaded by Miki, Queen of Planet Goodaboom

This week, I certainly had my share of excitement, but the pinnacle
had to be the social media gathering in Sydney, on Tuesday night.

A gathering of Australia’s blogging glitterarti to meet Joseph Jaffe
and welcome Julian Cole and Marketing Mag’s online editor, Scott
Drummond to New South Wales.

Sorry Victoria, it looks like Sydney is the
social media capital of Australia or is it Newcastle?

However, less about me and more on some bloody good blogging reads:

• Media Hunter, Craig Wilson covers our social media soiree
• Servant of Chaos, Gavin Heaton this week has reminded me that my blogroll is not dead. Thanks, Gavin I’m onto it.
• Adspace Pioneers, Julian Cole’s crusading social media blog gives some constructive criticism on a new viral campaign
• A Blog About Digital Media, Ben Shepherd looks at a few Olympic video frustrations
• Mathew Packer’s great Newcastle ranting blog on everything and everyone

Now back to drinking my coffee:)

Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton are up to their old tricks again.

A new edition of the Age of Conversation is under construction and here is a few of the contributing authors already talking about the second edition courteous of Angela Maiers:

Drew McLellan, Luc Debaiseieux, Ryan Karpeles, Greg Verdino, Lori Magno, Gavin Heaton, Connie Reece, The Kaiser, Katie Chatfield, Tim Jackson, Doug Meacham, C.B. Whittemore, Becky Carroll, Gordon Whitehead, Daniel B. Honigman, Daria Rasmussen, Jay Ehret, Jasmin Tragas, Jamey Shiels, Organic Frog, Bill Gammell, Nathan Snell, Stephen Landau, Stephen Collins, Stephen Smith, Mark Earls, Steven Verbruggen, Neil Perkin, Brett Macfarlane, Dino Demopoulos, Chris Wilson, Asi Sharabi

Here are the authors of the first Age of Conversation:

Gavin Heaton, Drew McLellan, CK, Valeria Maltoni, Emily Reed, Katie Chatfield, Greg Verdino,Mack Collier, Lewis Green, Sacrum, Ann Handley, Paul McEnany, Roger von Oech, Anna Farmery, David Armano, Bob Glaza, Mark Goren, Matt Dickman, Scott Monty, Richard Huntington, Cam Beck, David Reich, Luc Debaisieux, Sean Howard, Tim Jackson, Patrick Schaber, Roberta Rosenberg, Uwe Hook, Tony D. Clark, Todd Andrlik, Toby Bloomberg, Steve Woodruff, Steve Bannister, Steve Roesler, Stanley Johnson, Spike Jones, Nathan Snell, Simon Payn, Ryan Rasmussen, Ron Shevlin, Roger Anderson, Robert Hruzek, Rishi Desai,Phil Gerbyshak, Peter Corbett, Pete Deutschman, Nick Rice, Nick Wright, Michael Morton
Mark Earls, Mark Blair, Mario Vellandi, Lori Magno, Kristin Gorski, Kris Hoet, G.Kofi Annan,Kimberly Dawn Wells, Karl Long, Julie Fleischer, Jordan Behan, John La Grou, Joe Raasch, Jim Kukral, Jessica Hagy, Janet Green, Jamey Shiels, Dr. Graham Hill, Gia Facchini, Geert Desager, Gaurav Mishra, Gary Schoeniger, Gareth Kay, Faris Yakob, Emily Clasper, Ed Cotton,Dustin Jacobsen, Tom Clifford, David Polinchock, David Koopmans, David Brazeal, David Berkowitz, Carolyn Manning, Craig Wilson, Cord Silverstein, Connie Reece, Colin McKay, Chris Newlan, Chris Corrigan, Cedric Giorgi, Brian Reich, Becky Carroll, Arun Rajagopal, Andy Nulman, Amy Jussel, AJ James, Kim Klaver, Sandy Renshaw, Susan Bird, Ryan Barrett,Troy Worman, S. Neil Vineberg,C.B. Whittemore, Mike Sansone

Not quite a year ago, Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton asked a question — would you like to write a business book. And over 100 people responded from all over the world … contributing 400 words each to the book Age of Conversation.

Part way through the project, Drew and Gavin decided that they would go ahead and do it again in 2008. That’s right, they are now looking for contributors to another collaborative publishing project.

The rules and approach for all authors will be the same:

• You will sign over all rights to your chapter
• You understand that all proceeds of the book will be donated to Variety, the Children’s Charity
• You will promote the book, throughout the process, on your blog if you have one
• You’ll embrace the cooperative, collaborative spirit that defined Age of Conversation
• You’ll honor deadlines so Drew does not have to be a nag
• You’ll honor word counts so Gavin doesn’t have to be a nag

And while they are taking the same approach to the Age of Conversation, this time, they are also turning the topic over to you. The guys have come up with a short-list:

• Marketing Manifesto
• Why Don’t People Get It?
• My Marketing Tragedy (and what I learned)

And now they want you to vote for the topic that interests you most. Please go HERE to cast your vote (you have until the end of January to vote).

Please note: you can vote regardless of whether you want to contribute or not.

Now, this is something to talk about! Please discuss with your friends, write it up on your blog, encourage your colleagues and rope in every man and his dog … or even his horse. And if you are keen to CONTRIBUTE, email Drew and let him know.

As I’m writing this, Media Hunter is in the other room talking to Gavin Heaton over the phone about the impending launch of their marketing ebook, ‘The Age of Conversation’.

So…it got me thinking, should I do a book review or do I let the blogging buzz spread the word. In true blogging fashion, I’ll let the experts do the talking and I do what I do best…cut & paste!

Oh…before I cut and paste, have you tried to Technorati ‘The Age of Conversation’?  You can choose from over 160k links…not bad for something that only started 3 months ago…

The book review I’m going to repeat for you is from the ‘Advertising Age’- enjoy:)

Read the rest of this entry »