Tuesday 21 December 2010

The Digital Story of the Nativity

Love love this so had to share, the video from the clever http://www.excentric.pt tells the story of the Nativity through social media, the web and mobile. The integrated approach is something I have been talking about all year, so it really suits my mindset.

Happy Christmas

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Blog Log: November 2010

What I blogged about in November over at the Rocktime Blog, feel free to click through on the header for more info:

Social Media Meets Commerce:
A blog introducing the Ebay Group Gift Service (launched in the US) and the fact that the UK aren't ready for it yet.

I really like this blog post. I am banging on that great content is key on Facebook Pages and along with talking about building a community, I share some lessons in engagement, sharing these below:

Lessons in Engagement

  • Give your fans a reason to visit
  • Get them to love your page so they can recommend you to others
  • Provide interesting insights of value (to the fan)
  • Share news
  • Competitions
  • Deliver informative information which indicates that you know your industry and don't constantly promote your products or service
  • Give people a reason to talk about the page
  • Introduce people to the reasons as to why they should be visiting or liking the page
  • Be chatty & human to encourage conversation and ensure ongoing interaction
  • When delivering Facebook Ads, keep the target audience in mind, deliver an ad that will resonate with your fan rather than shouting about how great you are
  • Advertise on the Facebook page to encourage further interaction on your site
  • Make a note of all your customer touch points (Newsletters, Lost password, Page 404 not found) and how you can advertise your networks of interaction there to encourage Facebook Page fan growth
  • Finally, keep it real (think topical stories and conversations)

I also introduced Amazon Black Friday. News is I didn't manage to get any of the deals, went for the Flip Cam and Xbox Offer. However I did have a giggle over at the Facebook Amazon UK page, when an Amazon Friday winner bragged about all products he managed to get, to then be shamed by the Amazon UK Facebook Page Fans, with "we will find you on Ebay comments". Pretty funny.

Wednesday 1 December 2010

P P Pick up a #sHamleys Penguin Story

If only Hamleys had a social media strategy, this would never have happened.

I found out about the story last night on Twitter, it really wound me up, that Hamleys weren't responding via Twitter and I was more wound up by the morning to see they were still keeping silent.

For someone passionate about social media like me, this was a hard pill to swallow.

This morning I saw the events unfold, as the media got hold of the story and more bloggers started to blog about: what Hamleys are planning to do.

It would have been so simple to fix, @Jamesmb (from: http://www.socialholic.co.uk) tweeted last night, that one tweet could have fixed this and I agree with him.

Along with "if only they had a social media strategy", the other "ifs" include:

If only they educated earlier about the penguins welfare, provided positive information for people to share !

If only they spoke to the people who had concerns promptly.

If only they understood the point of Twitter!!

My recommendation for #shamleys was to ditch n slide the live penguins and to put up a big screen on the Ground Floor to show Penguin Webcam at Edinburgh Zoo > http://bit.ly/eIIwDN which was (incedently) an Internet Hit on Monday. Have they got back to me. No they haven't, this isn't social media !!

As the above image of the Penguin Pile Up image shows "Some will stand firm, some will wobble and some will tumble down" - the same rings true for those entering social media without a strategy.

Thought to share a collection of a few blogs, news stories, forum posts and tweets that cut n pasted over a Greggs Pastie at lunch time.

Power to the People ;) Will check the links out later - as busy at work now...

Tweets

@Wildlifephotog - We'll update the blog on #sHamleys as and when thing happen today http://bit.ly/d5BqaI

Via @achrisevans Final call for should real penguins go to hamleys for a spot of Xmas fun. First fruitcake poll. #fruitcake YES #fruitcake NO. about 7 hours ago via ƜberTwitter Retweeted by WildlifePhotog and 4 others

Blogs

Please keep telling Hamleys this is wrong – Wildlife & travel ...
30 Nov 2010 ... Please keep telling Hamleys this is wrong. by Darren. Well, it's been a busy 24 hours since last night I tweeted about Hamleys outrageous ...
www.wildlifephotography.tv/please-keep-telling-hamleys-this-is-wrong/

Born Free Blog
Please e-mail Hamleys at customerservices@hamleys.co.uk or contact the store via their Facebook page ...
www.bornfree.org.uk/blog/

Hamleys' penguin and reindeer show angers animal welfare supporters
ParentDish UK - Kelly Rose Bradford - ‎3 hours ago‎
Hamleys on London's Regent Street had advertised an in-store event featuring live penguin and reindeer as a Christmas treat for youngsters. ...

Hamleys – the world's most appalling toy store #sHamleys at ...
1 day ago by Socialholic
Take a look at this website – yes, it's Hamleys and, yes, you too can go to a central London store, possibly one of the busiest London stores that exists (especially at this time of year), full of excited and loud ...
http://www.socialholic.co.uk/

Naughty Hamleys, Penguins and Reindeer Are Not Toys
1 day ago by Mat
Not only are Hamleys having a week long “Reindeer Park”, where for two hours per day you can “pat and feed our beautiful mummy and baby reindeer!“, but for four hours on Monday 6th December, you can “see the penguins swim, interact with ...
http://matstace.me.uk/blog/

Hamleys Toy Store Of London, A PR Disaster For Christmas?
1 day ago by admin
Hamleys are having live Reindeer and Penguins in store at what must be one of the busiest times of the year and the Animal Welfare groups are not happy. People are creating enough negative noise via social media about Hamleys Christmas ...
http://blog.pauldaviddrabble.co.uk/

News

Outrage Over Hamleys' Live Penguin Display
Sky News - Pete Norman - ‎1 hour ago‎
Hamleys toy store in London has sparked outrage for its plans to bring real penguins and reindeer into the shop as part of a Christmas promotion. ...

Hamleys defies animal rights outrage at live penguin show
This is London - ‎2 hours ago‎
Hamleys today declared it was pressing ahead with plans to have live penguins in the Regent Street toy store despite protests from animal welfare groups. ...
(NB: Image taken from this site)

Fury over Hamleys' live penguin show
The Sun - Virginia Wheeler - ‎12 hours ago‎
HAMLEYS sparked fury from wildlife groups and animal lovers yesterday - over plans to have LIVE penguins and reindeer in the toy store ...

Forums

Live penguins in Hamleys Central London toy store? - Pet Forums ...
14 hours ago by shibby
Has anyone heard this story yet? Live Penguin Show at Hamleys Criticised by Bloggers, Tweeters Londonist Hamleys – the world's most.
http://www.petforums.co.uk/general-chat/134932-live-penguins-hamleys-central-london-toy-store.html

Live Penguins + Reindeer in Hamleys - Wild About Britain
1 day ago by Ukwildlifeo
Sorry not sure where to put this, but Hamleys toy store London are currently advertising a display of real reindeer and penguins in their shop.
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/79003-live-penguins-reindeer-hamleys.html