2/18/10

 

Chris Dovi, Fall Guy.

If only I had waited to send my updates yesterday... then I could have mentioned the Style Weekly / PR / Fired Reporter snafu.
*SIGH*... (files nails...)

Now, for someone who was just last summer called ugly words by the editor of Style in an email that cc'd other staffers (because I asserted that a ReTweet with no contradictory commentary implies endorsement of that content you are then spreading to followers), I have to say I found it ironic that that same editor who sent me those ugly emails (and had no professional repercussions for it) was the same person who, in this article, released the statement saying,
"disparaging language 'violated the core values we hold sacred...' ".

Read the reporter's email and the PR firm's take on it:
http://www.goldmanandassociates.com/2010/02/reporters-obscene-e-mail-reveals-societys-prejudice-against-the-disabled/comment-page-1/#comment-238

Sooooo... let's look at the issue.
The PR firm pitching to the Style Weekly reporter sells their client as a BLIND motivational speaker.

YET takes offense when the reporter refers to the client as blind in his email, after weeks of the PR firm bugging the reporter about what they refer to as their BLIND motivational speaker client....?

Curious: 
So it's ok to be called a blind motivational speaker but not ok to be called a blind jerk?
What do you think?

I think the reporter's publication let him be the fall guy.
Nice.

In the meantime... ponder this:


Thanks for listening…

I'm Copeland Casati, of Copeland Casati Media,
the original C3 in Richmond creative arts and media since 1999.

You can reach me at copeland@copelandcasati.com, or on twitter, @copelandcasati.

Facebook  Twitter  Google Profile  Posterous

Labels: personal brands, press

10/9/09

 

Richmond Media Musings October 9th:

The FTC's new rules on social media, especially in regards to the "up to an $11,000 fine" had bloggers everywhere talking. I thought of the trend towards aggregation of content, of local Richmond aggregators such as RichmondBizSense.com, RVABlogs.com, RichmondGoodLife.com... and wonder about FTC liability.
I spoke briefly with NBC 12 regarding this subject, but would like to also add some excerpts from my twitter feed for more thought:

1. @dbrowell I suspect it will be up to the blogger to prove their innocence, and that is what I've never liked @ govn't entities..
   
   
2. Let's also bring in the RT - if you rt, that implies endorsement. How does RT affect product FTC liability? #nbc12
   
   
3. [And how that heck are ya supposed to disclose within 140?!?] #nbc12
   
   
4. #nbc12 And b/c of aggregation- if your blog is posted elsewhere and you didn't disclose in that particular area pulled in, are you liable?
   
   
5. #nbc12 1st they start with the @dooce's and big bloggers, but think: has any govn't agency ended in 30yrs? So after they get the big fish...

(Thanks to Chip Temple of McSweeney, Crump, Childress & Temple for furthering the FTC discussion off line...)

And finally, for all of the non-organic keepers of the gate:
Thanks to Google's SideWiki, you no longer own your web site.
Put that in yer corncob pipe & smoke it. Can't wait to see what spam & pornbots will do with this...

I also thought about health care and twitter this week when I ran across this:

I'm still not seeing health care professionals on social media locally as other industry counterparts (like lawyers in 2008, for example, although a recent article states only 6% of lawyers are on twitter, yet look at the advantages!).  I thought of the benefits Richmond doctors could similarly use this way to engage their community, branding themselves locally, when I spied this feed, pictured above, quoted below, earlier this week:

1. Metrics: After Twitter event, 20 people requested info/consults; 16 were surgery candidates; 14 surgeries performed. That's ROI!
   
   
2. Interesting: a couple of Aurora's nurses are heavily involved in Twitter
   
   
   
3. The Numbers: Before the surgery, Aurora had 900 Twitter followers. Immediately after, they had 2K. Now, they have over 5,300 #smhc
   
   
4. Aurora Health did a live broadcast of a double-knee replacement on Twitter. Helped position hospital as tech & ortho leader #smhc

@riggrl has quite a bit of good social media health care advice, so if you are in a medical / hospital field you might enjoy following her on twitter.  Through her, I also discovered @EdBennett, who has some good social media policy advice and more for a hospital environment.

Richmond Grid had a nice mention of our hard work with Richmond's twestival, benefitting Tricycle Gardens:
@ThatJonesGirl and I are always willing to shout over a rowdy crowd for a good cause... : )

[Up next: More on branding. And ethics.  We tend to find those subjects fascinating. Don't you?]

Thanks for listening!
...If you note any trends or local media items of note, feel free to send 'em on!

I'm Copeland Casati, of Copeland Casati Media,
the original C3 in Richmond creative arts and media since 1999.

You can reach me at copeland@copelandcasati.com, or on twitter, @copelandcasati. If you are a Facebook user, we can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Copeland-Casati-Media-C3/52352550685

Labels: press, social media, social networking, twitter

9/16/09

 

Weekly Media + Technology Richmond Roundup

Another frenetic week... typing fast. This week at work we have been teleconferencing through Paris, Colorado, Los Angeles, and... and... I know I'm forgetting... oh, yes:
Canada!
*Phew.*

I, for one, am looking forward to camping; not in our prefab house kit, but like we did, before: In the '60s aluminum teardrop camper, this time exploring Virginia state parks.


Like an earlier post on Personal Brands, we revisit some similar topics this week as the subject continues...


Here's our weekly Richmond roundup:

• Facebook added @mentions... Watch out, twitter! As Facebook continues to implement new functionality, it would behoove businesses to keep an active presence there.
  
  
• Richmond was discussing manners.
  I have my own thoughts and recent experience on that subject, for a later post in more detail. I *do* expect people can debate, even heatedly, without being impolite. And I do see emails, twitter, and other new media on the same level as if they were written on traditional company letterhead. Even in conversation, decorum is expected. If you, or your employees, use impolite words, it sticks... it gets around, it reflects on your brand.
  
  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
  
  
• Going back to industries that "get it" re: decorum in public and private- Local hat tips to @constructionlaw @valaborlaw, @gatewood5000, and @valw, legal voices providing good content. I don't know why, maybe it's because I have a lot of friends in law, but I particularly enjoy following voices in this field.
  (Believe me, doctors and many other industries currently in new media are not nearly as compelling! ...Yet. )
  
  
• If we are losing our manners as they say, is there also a reciprocal swell of kindness on twitter / Facebook?
  
  [ Or is it that people discovered and embraced the No-Follow and those in "our crowd" just seek happier voices? ]
  
  
• We are in post-Twestival wrapup.
  Richmond raised over $2,000 within 2 weeks to unexpectedly give Tricycle Gardens money to help Richmond have more food-producing community gardens!!!
  
  There were nice write-ups of the mission / event... none of it could have happened without YOU. (Check out hardworking @lalamax and @thatjonesgirl setting up for the Twestival on your right!)
  
  The sponsors, the generous auction item donors, the Richmond musicians (and especially, @rvajazz) who donated their talent to make a cool CD, the nice bloggers / news outlets who promoted the global AND local cause, and every. single. ticket. you. bought: It made a difference.
  
  
  • http://www.richmondgrid.com/index.asp?ID=107
  • http://social.richmond.com/blog/csheppard/2009/09/richmond-twestival-benefit-tricycle-gardens/
  • http://floricane.typepad.com/buttermilk/2009/08/richmonds-twestival-lands-first-sponsors.html
  • http://m.richmond.com/richmond1/db_19531
    /contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=0D4C11C5D6436865A6313956387D7D9B?contentguid=kp2g6M6U&storycount=83&detailindex=1&pn=&ps=&full=true
  • http://rvanews.com/features/5-things-45/21075
  • http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/4229136/
  • Some great pictures of Twestival taken by Richmond's Paul Spicer!
    
    
• If you enjoy volunteering, social media is a great way to connect, galvanize.
  Right on the heels of Twestival, new worthy events spring up, a never-ceasing opportunity to ACT.
  
  Do you think people get jaded, overloaded with the Facebook events, the twitter hashtags, imploring participation? Somewhat.
  
  Considered spam?
  
  It depends on how it's approached, and it depends upon the person broadcasting, and the person receiving the information. Don't forget, YOU opted in to listen to these voices, vs. unsolicited spam.
  
  For myself, who has always enjoyed doing, I might not participate or acknowledge each event but I appreciate knowing about the cause, having the option to get involved. I don't mind the multitude of event requests on Facebook, in fact, I like to see 'em on my calendar and pretend that *maybe* I just *might* get a sitter!
  
  And really, so much of it is SO easy to do- in this case, just drop off some cans to kind retailers helping the Food Bank!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Speaking of events, and good gatherings locally:
  Tonight we have Green Drinks at Savor! (I can't wait to finally meet Chef Ellie! Follow her on twitter or Facebook!)
  
  Green Drinks info here: http://bit.ly/pUN32
  The five minute topic before we break for beer is, "Reuse of materials with Habitat for Humanity!"
  
  
• Well... it has been a busy summer.
  We were so focused on our clients it took me a few months to notice I had been nicely mentioned on Planet Green... oops. : )
  
  Solar cooking is one of my favorite hobbies and I am always happy to share my experiments! [Not. All. Successful. ]
  

Thanks for listening!

...If you note any trends or local media items of note, feel free to send 'em on!

I'm Copeland Casati, of Copeland Casati Media, the original C3 in RVA media since 1999.

You can reach me at copeland@copelandcasati.com, or on twitter, @copelandcasati. If you are a Facebook user, we can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Copeland-Casati-Media-C3/52352550685

Labels: facebook, press, social media, social networking, twitter

8/24/09

 

Twestival Covered In Richmond Grid Magazine!

I was thrilled when Richmond Grid asked me a few questions about the upcoming Richmond Twestival on September 11th, a wonderful entity (learn Twestival's history here), this time benefiting our local Tricycle Gardens!

Read the Richmond Twestival article here...

Check out Twestival's

• Fabulous Auction Items
  
• Sponsors!!!!!
• And Don't Forget To Buy Your Tickets! : )

See you soon at Richmond's TWESTIVAL!

Labels: press, Twestival, twitter

7/8/09

 

Copeland Casati Media C3 in Inform Architectre + Design Magazine

We were recently asked to participate in Inform Architecture + Design's "Design Dialogue" column, and enjoyed the questions they posed to us. Here's the article, above. Click on the thumbnail to see the larger version and our thoughts on design, information architecture, and more.

About Inform:

"Inform was launched in 1990 to serve as an active voice for enlightened design practices. The magazine speaks to its readers -- design professionals, government officials, corporate decision-makers, and everyday consumers of design -- in a way that engages the mind and cultivates a heightened sensitivity to issues concerning architecture, preservation, community planning, and the environment. Good design matters to everyone, and Inform takes that mission to heart."

Labels: press