Strategically Communicating

According to Facebook laws, you technically have to be 13 years or older to create a Facebook account. But let’s be real, how many tweens under 13 really abide by this law? If a tween under 13 wants to create a profile on Facebook there is not much stopping them. But are the parents going to do anything about it? I guess not, because a Reuters report has recently announced that the amount of parents allowing their 10-12 year old kids have a Facebook has doubled in the last year. Instead of 8%, (last year’s numbers) 17% of the parents questioned today claimed they had no problem allowing their child on Facebook. Janet Taylor, clinical instructor of psychology at Columbia University says that “More and more parents are allowing their children on Facebook at younger ages, it’s not alarming but it means we need to be more aware and figure out the best way to utilize social media. Most parents think that teens under 18 should not be able to keep their account to themselves while 1/3 monitor their usage. But 44% of parents limit the amount of time their children spend on Facebook.

At least parents aren’t completely ignorant to their children’s active behavior on social media websites, but is this ethical? Of course these children are breaking the law (which is something to question when it comes to monitoring) but what are the damaging effects for children that young being active on a social media website with many other people around the world. I wanted to star a conversation on this one, what do you guys think? Should parents increase restrictions on their children for social media? Or is it okay to be more relaxed on the topic when considering the changing times?

Every little girl has numerous memories about playing with their Barbie and Ken dolls. I came across an article on Mashable that details the way that Attention, Mattel and Ketchum Public Relations utilized popular forms of social media to reunite the historic couple in 2011. The campaign that they came up with was engaging, fun, and very playful. They created separate Facebook accounts for Barbie and Ken, created a Match.com profile for Ken, while also utilizing Twitter and Foursquare to promote the Barbie and Ken brand.  Although there were some print pieces, most of the campaign and outreach was done online. Normally when I think of social media and the online community I think of people 14 and older, but as our world continues to add platforms in which the masses receive their news, ads, etc., Facebook and Twitter are beginning to define generations.

As, one of the oldest toys, Barbie has changed with the times, which is demonstrated superbly with the newest campaign.  By incorporating the way in which Ken wins Barbie back, the campaign seems to really have focused on involving the brands key publics. Being able to be apart of the way the notorious couple reunited created a community that really got to identify with the brand again. The overall campaign is a great demonstration of how to utilize social media platforms in a way that appeals not only to the children that play with the toys, but also the people that are buying them. Even though I am not the six-year-old Barbie fanatic I once was, the campaign definitely brought back nostalgic feelings. The campaign helped to reiterate the prominence and playfulness of the Barbie franchise in a current and appealing fashion.

http://mashable.com/2011/05/05/barbie-ken-social-media/

A San Francisco artist, Akin Bilgic, is attempting to start a movement to put up inspirational messages on mirrors throughout the San Francisco area. According to Bilgic, the purpose is to spread a bit of random happiness with messages of inspiration, encouragement, and hope. Bilgic hopes to use social media like Twitter and Facebook to spread the word and get funding to buy more mirrors. He is using shatterproof and plastic mirrors so no one and nothing gets damaged.

View the video here.

Bilgic states:

Will the SF Mirrors Project fix the problems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant or help the rebels in Libya? Nope. But it will probably do some small part to increase aggregate human well-being.

In light of the crazy world we live in and all of the absurd things that go on in this world, this little movement struck me as inspiring, and I felt the need to share. As Bilgic recognizes, this movement is not going to end world hunger, poverty, etc; but, it has the possibility to turn someones day around.

To read more about her, go to her blog at carlysvoice.com

Brand loyalty means more than just picking your favorite product off the shelves now.  With the uses of social media and modern technology it is much easier for brands to create emotional attachments to their products.  Once a brand can work its way into a consumer’s heart, they will be there forever.  Take Apple for example.  It is no secret that Apple has a huge following, and with its wide variety of products from computers, phones, and personal tablets it is easy for customers to shape their technical lives around Apple products.  For many Apple is more than just a computer, it sends a message about who they are.  They feel as though their brand choice contributes to their own personal brand.  Apple sends the message that you are creative and perhaps a “genius”.  People choose the Apple brand because it influences their lifestyles in a way that they like.

Everyone has the products that they swear by, whether it be a computer or cosmetic brand. The women in my family are completely loyal to Bare Minerals Cosmetics.  For us it is more than just a mineral line of makeup, it’s a family thing.  I love knowing that if I am running low on something I can steal some from my mom and my sister.  We also love the natural aspect of the line.  It makes us feel natural because it looks natural.  My mom in particular is so obsessed with Bare Essentials that she believes that the company’s founder is her best friend. That is the key to brand loyalty.  Making people like my mom feel like she has a relationship with the brand.  Once the brand has a deep meaning in the minds of consumers, then the customer’s will make choices based around what your brand has to offer.  Strong brand loyalty can really influence a person’s lifestyle and create a customer for a lifetime.

A shopping center in Westfield London has introduced a new device called the “tweet mirror” to its dressing rooms. The “tweet mirror” is nothing like any other mirror available, and will forever change customers shopping experience because of  its unique innovation and purpose. The mirror is designed by Nedap, which is a retail service company that helps stores improve their operations. The mirror was created to allow shoppers to look at themselves and send a photo in real time to friends or followers over the web. Within the mirror is a digital camera with built-in web connection, so that shoppers can send photos over Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace within seconds. This allows shoppers to get instant feedback on any item of clothing they are considering to purchase. Shoppers can then send the images over email to themselves or to friends. Also, if the shopper decides not to buy the item of clothing, the image sent will link the brands website to the email so the shopper can purchase the item online if they choose.

Although this devise is currently being tested in the UK, it will be interesting to see if the mirror makes it way over to the states. I am also curious about how customers will response to the “tweet mirror.”

April was Autism Awareness month and with a loved one carrying the disorder, graphic artist for the Time-Tribune, Kevin O’Neil realizes the many social limitations that a child has with autism. He discuses all the help that goes in to taking care of a child with these special needs and questions what he would do without the help, or even if this help is really making a difference at all?

O’Neil found some hope when he noticed improvement in autistic children when using apps on the Iphone, Ipad or Ipod. Most of these are special education apps used to help autistic children communicate more easily in social environments. Although these apps will never be the “end all cure” they will certainly help, which is always appreciated when dealing with a children with special needs.

When you access the App store on ITunes and go to the special education section, there is many apps ranging from $189-$30.  Some are free, but O’Neil recommends not using those since they are littered with “annoying prompts to upgrade to the next version.” Because O’Neil’s son is autistic and has a speech impairment, he downloaded Baby ASL, an app that helps teach sign language to autistic children by uses common words with flashcards. There were other apps that O’Neil mentioned like Look-2- Learn that helps the child associate pictures with words so they can use them in social settings to describe their wants and needs.

The cool aspect of Look-2-Learn is that it is customizable, you can upload pictures of your child’s room, favorite toys, foods, and whatever they associate themselves with on a daily basis. You can even upload a picture of them as the person being associated with the item (a.k.a an apple) to help them understand the social process and connection to their environment.

This is a very innovative idea for parents with autistic children, it’s a great way to use the latest technology to truly make a difference and impact in someone’s life. If these new apps really end up helping these children get through their daily lives, it is amazing to believe what else they can do to influence our future.