How Tweet It Is! Top Tweets of 2011 (So Far)
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” – John Wooden, famous UCLA basketball coach
Twitter’s Top 10 Tweets of 2011
More than 100 million people around the world log in to Twitter every day to tweet about everything from their daily commutes to the meals they eat – but many have used the social networking tool this year for something much more important: share important events with people who could be thousands of miles away.
Every year, Twitter compiles a year-in-review to recap what the company believes were the most important tweets. They highlight the “best” according to the level of “impact, resonance, and relevance,” and take into account the big stories that first broke on Twitter — not by news agencies — but by people looking to share a photo, a thought, or a moment in time with people they may never meet.
Here is the bottom half of the Top 10 tweets of the year as ranked by Twitter:
10. “Hey @Mortons – can you meet me at the newark airport with a porthouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks. 
”
On Aug. 17, Twitter proved it could not only connect people, but also grant wishes. Peter Shankman tweeted: “Hey @Mortons – can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks. .” When he landed at the airport, a tuxedo-clad Morton’s waiter was waiting for him with a steak, shrimp, a side of potatoes, bread, two napkins and silverware.
9. “Ercis central mosque behind the apartment building…”
After the earthquake in Van, Turkey, news anchor Okan Bayulgen sent relief and aftershock information via Twitter. One of his followers gave him an address where people might be trapped alive under the rubble. Bayulgen shared the address with a relief agency, and two hours later the agency rescued two people at the location.
8. “Subtitles are always so bad. England, America, Switzerland put one uv repeat Scrollingverfahren + = high quality!”
Julia Probst, a lip reader and soccer fan, reads the lips of soccer players and coaches during matches and tweets them, providing fans with a running dialogue that they would otherwise not be privy to. Her efforts extend beyond soccer to raise awareness for deaf and disabled people in politics and media. “It’s completely uncensored and you never get to see that unless you are on the playing field,” said Dorsey.
7. “Earthquake”
On March 11, when an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan many people used social media sites to make sure friends and family were safe and to publicize emergency response information. “You want to feel like you’re not alone in this massive, massive experience that is potentially very scary,” said Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. “To me it’s about being able to reach out instantly and know that others are with you and others are experiencing the same thing and others are out there supporting and that’s what you saw in Japan. You saw people reach out and say we’re in an earthquake right now and then all around the world you have all these replies coming in to these Japanese people saying we’re watching…it’s OK…are you there?”
6. “Here’s another Photo of the shuttle from my plane.”
In May, NASA launched the space shuttle Endeavour. Stefanie Gordon, aka @stefmara, took a photograph of the launch from a plane and tweeted it, capturing the launch from a new perspective.
Stay tuned for the Top 5 Tweets of 2011!
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
Sometimes, You Have To Fire Your Client
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“Fish and guests stink in three days.” — Benjamin Franklin
Ad Agency Throws Captain D’s Overboard, Grabs Golden Mic
Earlier this week, advertising agency Zimmerman threw its Captain D’s restaurant account back into the sea, saying its staff is “clearly on a different page” from newly hired Captain D’s marketing chief Monte Jump.
Zimmerman, a unit of global ad group Omnicom — which was brought on board less than two years ago — has clearly cut bait with the seafood restaurant chain.
Michael Goldberg, the firm’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, cites differences — strong ones, apparently — with Monte Jump, Captain D’s executive vice president of marketing, who came on board in April.
“It is unfortunate that Captain D’s has brought on a new CMO (chief marketing officer) that has a history of quick reviews and short stops on his resume. While we think there may be a correlation between those things, the ‘kiss my new ring’ game is one that we simply refuse to play – especially since we have had an unwavering mission to help the brand regain its focus on seafood and commitment to kitchen fresh quality. We are clearly on a different page than the CMO. It is our hope that our mission with Captain D’s will continue if the carnage is kept in control during this CMO’s stopover.”
Wow, can you say fried fish!
Zimmerman had made great waves in strengthening the Captain D’s brand in the marketplace and restoring luster to its image – through a laser focus on fresh seafood in its restaurants nationwide.
Good for Zimmerman, Omnicom and Goldberg for sticking to their guns, er, tackle box, and casting their strong reputation elsewhere! By holding their line to a higher standard, they are certain to reel in a bounty in the court of public opinion.
In doing so, WordSmith is proud to bestow its Golden Mic on Zimmerman, Omnicom and Goldberg!
Stay tuned to see if Captain D’s makes CMO Jump walk the plank – or whether they will continue to throw him the life preserver!
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
Congress KO’d By Public On Federal Budget/Debt Ceiling Work
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“They can’t sit down and agree about what’s best for America. It’s all politics.”
– Ron Raggio, Vicksburg, Miss
Disapproval Highest Level On Record
Congress is taking a beating in the court of public opinion!
The debate over raising the debt ceiling, which brought the nation to the brink of default, has sent disapproval of Congress to its highest level on record and left most Americans saying that creating jobs should now take priority over cutting spending, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.
A record 82 percent of Americans now disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job — the most since The Times first began asking the question in 1977, and even more than after another political stalemate led to a shutdown of the federal government in 1995.
More than four out of five people surveyed said that the recent debt-ceiling debate was more about gaining political advantage than about doing what is best for the country. Nearly three-quarters said that the debate had harmed the image of the United States in the world.
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
In Midst Of Federal Budget Talk, Coalition Emerges To Promote Sensible Fiscal Policy
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“Budget … a method for going broke methodically.” – Anonymous
As D.C. Turns To Steep Deficit Reduction Measures, A Voice of Reason Is Heard
Now that Congress has passed a new federal budget and increased the debt ceiling, D.C. lawmakers are now debating how to implement steep deficit reduction measures.
Recently – as the debate raged – a group of Tennessee membership and advocacy organizations banded together to encourage and support sensible fiscal policy at all levels.
The Coalition to Control Spending with Care launched a statewide awareness and advertising campaign to educate the public – and elected officials – on the dangers of cutting spending without addressing the real issues, specifically on health care spending.
The newspaper ad campaign, “Don’t Throw The Baby Out With The Bathwater,” ran late last month in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson and Tri-Cities, urging Congress to take a level-headed approach, and carefully consider the consequences of all spending cuts.
“We must rein in federal spending, however, simply cutting without considering the repercussions is a bit like throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” said Tony Garr, policy director of the Tennessee Health Care Campaign. “In our urgency, we have to consider the human cost to our most vulnerable citizens and those who care for them.”
The coalition aims to put a human face on the results of haphazard policy, and seeks to make the patient the center of the discussion.
“Controlling health care spending over the long run is critical in securing our country’s financial future,” said Craig Becker, president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Hospital Association. “However, a narrow focus on just federal health spending will cause serious harm to Medicare and Medicaid patients and their families, while placing tremendous financial pressure on states and providers.”
Current measures could be detrimental to healthcare in America. Legislation could cut anywhere from $100 billion to $300 billion in Medicare alone – and $2.8 to $4 billion in Tennessee – a very tough pill to swallow, Becker said.
Instead, the focus must be on the drivers of health care spending and shared sacrifice.
The coalition advocates public policy aimed at: reducing clinically avoidable spending in public insurance programs; increasing patient-centered, integrated and coordinated care; aligning provider incentives to achieve the best long term outcomes for patients; improving administrative efficiency and ensuring adequate coverage across the board for patients.
Coalition FB Page
Check it all out on the coalition Facebook page.
About the Coalition to Control Spending with Care
The Coalition to Control Spending with Care is a group of Tennessee membership and advocacy organizations that have voluntary joined forces to encourage and support sensible fiscal policy at all levels in the U.S. Members include: AARP, American College of Physicians Tennessee Chapter, Children’s Hospital Alliance of Tennessee, Common Cause Tennessee, Hospital Alliance of Tennessee, League of Women Voters of Tennessee, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee, National Alliance on Mental Illness Tennessee, National Association of Social Workers Tennessee Chapter, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations, Tennessee Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics, Tennessee Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, Tennessee Citizen Action, Tennessee Coalition for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare, Tennessee Disability Coalition, Tennessee Health Care Campaign, Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Justice Center, Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association, Tennessee Mental Health Consumers’ Association, Tennessee Nurses Association, Tennessee Perinatal Association, Tennessee Primary Care Association, Tennessee Public and Teaching Hospitals Association, Tennessee Voices for Children, The Arc Tennessee, United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and the Urban League of Middle Tennessee. For more information on the coalition, and to find out how you can help, visit the coalition website.
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
Online Advertising Continues Astronomical Growth
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“The growth of online advertising is showing no sign of slowing down.” – Paul Pilkington, author
Facebook Ad Rates Skyrocket
If you’re thinking about advertising on Facebook, you should probably set a strategy soon . According to the Financial Times, the price of advertising on Mark Zuckerberg’s social network has risen 74 percent over the past year, with costs continuing to escalate as big brands take their ads online.
The precipitous rise is in cost-per-click, marketing firm TBG Digital told the Financial Times, with display ads rising “just” 45 percent in the last 12 months, an increase likened to another giant by TBG’s Simon Mansell:
“In my experience of digital advertising this is the biggest growth that we have seen since Google. The main difference is that this is being fuelled by brand spend rather than [direct] response spend. That is an inflection point for the whole digital marketplace.”
Costs are expected to keep rising throughout the year, with one analyst suggesting an 80 percent overall rise by the end of 2011.
WordSmith’s words of advice to Google: Start looking at the possibility of ads in Google+ now.
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
Fabio Spices Things Up For Men’s Deodorant, Cologne
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“In advertising, not to be different is virtual suicide.” – William Bernbach, American ad executive
Old Spice Goes Italian For Pitchman
You’ve got to be kidding! This makes no scents to WordSmith!
Fabio – that iconic Italian model and fake butter pitchman who ranks highly on the Velveeta scale – is the new Old Spice Guy.
Fabio appears in four new ads on a YouTube channel called NewOldSpiceGuyFabio. He’s borderline unintelligible, although that seems to be the schtick. He almost ends up looking like Will Ferrell playing Fabio more than Fabio playing Fabio. Oh, he’s also on Twitter. Tweet spice!
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
Are Smartphones, Tablets, e-Readers The New Billboards?
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“What you say in advertising is more important than how you say it.” – David Ogilvy, famous ad executive
New Survey Reveals Mobile Ad Spending On Increase
A new survey commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau shows that mobile ad spending has become an integral part of the advertising industry – for some 51 percent of brand marketers.
The study, “Marketer Perspectives on Mobile Advertising” was conducted by Ovum and the results were presented at the “Mobile in the Mainstream…and as the New Main Screen” conference in New York.
Of the marketers who weren’t completely on the mobile bandwagon, 35 percent said they were “experimenting” with the medium, while 14 percent are still navigating the landscape.
Top reasons for going mobile:
- Immediacy (considered of high importance by 57 percent)
- Cost-effectiveness (54 percent)
- Increased engagement (52 percent)
The downside to mobile advertising:
- Device fragmentation (cited by 72 percent)
- Privacy issues (70 percent)
- Lack of standardized metrics (69 percent)
For 60 percent of respondents, smartphones are the main target, 31 percent are doing the tablets ads thing – and a surprising 10 percent said e-books were part of their plan.
Looking forward, 72 percent of ad spend decision-makers say they’ll be increasing their mobile ad spend in the next two years, and 35 percent expected the rise to be more than 50 percent.
About IAB
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86 percent of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.iab.net.
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com
President Obama, Republican Candidates Go Social For 2012
“Pithy PRognostications from a recovering journalist …”
Words of the Day
“The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that is untrue.” – Edward R. Murrow, famed American Journalist
Twitter-In-Chief
Call them the Digital Candidates. President Barack Obama – and his Republican presidential counterparts – are going social to secure the White House in 2012.
Obama version 1.0 broke new ground in 2008 using e-mail, texts messages, Twitter and Facebook to reach voters. Obama version 2.0 is taking his Web campaign to new levels, harnessing the expansive roles that social media and the Internet are playing in voters’ lives.
Obama is asking supporters to use Facebook to declare “I’m In!” for his re-election campaign and is using Twitter to personally blast messages to his nine million followers.
He’s also taking a more active role on Twitter, 140 characters at a time. Obama’s campaign said in a posting on its website recently that Obama will tweet regularly from the popular social media service and his personal tweets will be signed “-BO.” The campaign said it will now manage both Obama’s Twitter account and Facebook page.
Obama tweeted personally, welcoming followers to “a new @BarackObama. From now on, #Obama2012 staff will manage this account; tweets from the President will be signed “-BO.”
The campaign said on its website that the changes “will give us new opportunities to make the most of these channels, using them not only to report what the president is doing every day but to connect to the millions of supporters who will be driving this campaign.”
Obama has nearly 9 million followers on Twitter, making him the third most-followed account among Twitter users, according to Twitter statistics website twittercounter.com. Obama trails only entertainers Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber in followers.
Digital media experts said the changes will give the account more authenticity and could lead to the president interacting with followers, using the account to seek contributions or asking them to volunteer for his campaign.
The Republican presidential field also has embraced social media, turning to Twitter and Facebook for videos, messages and online discussions.
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Golden Mic
Each week, WordSmith will bestow a Golden Mic Award to the person, group or company in the court of public opinion that best exemplifies the tenets of solid PR, marketing and advertising – and those who don’t. Stay tuned … and step-up to the mic!
The WordSmith News Bureau is based at Deane, Smith & Partners, a full-service PR, marketing and advertising agency. Got PR? Need marketing strategy? Ad consulting? Message Wordsmithing? Creative & online initiatives? Reach the WordSmith at wordsmith@deanesmithmedia.com.
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