My life is a lie

In this world of Facebook status updates and Twitter-led microblogging (and, hey!, full length blogging too), it's easy to feel like everyone's always all up in your business. But, lately, real life has gotten in the way of this for me.

In March, Trevor and I decided to apply for staff positions at the camp in San Diego County where we met and got married. This set off a chain of events – this wasn't just a decision to think about changing jobs; if accepted, we would be moving across country. It's beyond ironic that with this going on in our lives, not once could I gather opinions, vent or share excitement on Facebook and Twitter. These are communities that know what I'm eating, drinking and reading on a minute to minute basis, but actual life decisions are off limits for discussion?

This begs the question: Was this really off limits? Should I have been perfectly comfortable sharing every step of the process with friends, strangers and co-workers alike? Is this where the world of social media is leading us - this is my life, accept it?Already, most of us have a filter through which we share information online, but is that filter getting thinner? How long before all of us (not just the attention starved) are posting:

• Off to meet my mistress
• I can't wait to quit this job
  
• Hooking up with a co-worker
• I'm thinking about breaking up with my girlfriend
• Proposing tonight!

How involved you want the anonymous interweb to be in your life is a personal decision. Maybe it’s just the marketer in me, but I think that those of us who choose to participate in social networking have essentially created our own brands. And just like major organizations have to carefully cultivate their brands – allowing for evolution, while also keeping them under tight control – so do we. Unlike any generation before us, we are creating records of ourselves that will be incredibly easy to access for years to come (even when we un-tag photos of ourselves, and eventually delete our profiles, highlights can be preserved on any number of websites) – so it’s essential that we be conscious of what we’re putting out there now. While it was hard for me at first to deal with my Dad being on Facebook, I now think about it this way: If I’m not okay with my Dad seeing it now, I probably won’t be okay with my kids seeing it in 15 years. That’s my own personal Brand Test.

Another, more current, Personal Brand Test is: Do I want my boss to see this? And that’s the question I was answering by leaving the job/move decisions off my social networks. Yes, I would have preferred to give notice at my current job 3 months ago, but that’s just not practical – why pay to keep someone around when they have no future at this company? I also could have maintained my social media brand as a personal space only, without connecting to anyone I’m involved with professionally. It’s a feasible alternative that many people use, but for me, someone who works in marketing, is interested in communities, and would like to use social media in her career, it doesn’t make sense to leave professional connections out of my social network.

So the solution was to just keep it all a secret (and be near-paranoid about what was getting posted on my Facebook wall). Without using social media, we dealt in traditional ways – you know, finding condo tenants through Craigslist and spreading the news via email. But now it’s all out there (hey! We got the jobs! Moving in August!), and not only can I start sharing this new part of my life with all of y’all, I can also start getting input from the smart people who surround me virtually each day on a whole bunch of decisions. Let’s make up for lost time:

• What are the three things I need to make SURE I’ve done in Boston before I move?
• How should we prepare our poor cat for a cross-country road trip?
• Do you know anyone who needs their car moved from New England to the West Coast in August?
• And while we’re at it: Have you had a circumstance where you struggled with the line between your internet life and your real life? How have you dealt?

Weeks have passed.

A few weeks back, I participated in a Spin-a-Thon. Perhaps you saw my extensive blog about the subject. Well, I just attended a company-wide meeting that involved me sitting on a window sill, and, about 10 minutes into sitting on that very not-pleasant surface, I realized that, yes, in fact, my butt still hurts.

Here endeth the TMI portion of the blog.

Things that make me die inside

Check out the banner at the top of this Entertainment Weekly TV Watch:


First, I was enraged. I don't need to see some barely dressed women as I get my American Idol rundown - and I certainly won't be convinced to listen to their "band." Then, I thought – “Oh, this is just a fake band for some new Victoria’s Secret campaign. Okay. Lame, but okay.” And then I clicked, and now I’m back at enraged.

This is a real band that Vanity Fair (the bra company, not the magazine) scoured the country for. The main criteria: Women “confident enough to perform in their bras.”

Listen. I get that when you’re struggling to make it as a professional musician, you take your breaks where you can get ‘em. But this is just too much. Music as a boy’s club? This’ll show them! Nice step forward for feminism y’all. Way to take back the music industry from lip synching, scantily clad “ladies” with no instrument proficiency.

Here’s a snip from the website: “I love being a Vassarette, because I get to sing and dance in front of a ton of people.” Wow, really? That’s what you’re looking for – attention? There’s a surprise. What’s also awesome is that in each of these girls’ bios, it says at what age they got their first bra, and it compares their "biggest inspiration" to their favorite bra type: “My biggest inspiration? That’s easy. My mom. She’s the strongest, most beautiful woman I know. She taught me women can love their bodies and be sexy at ANY bra size. Wearing my RedSexy Double Delight bra on stage makes me understand that more than ever.” I cannot make this s*** up. Not only is this ridiculous, it's also incredibly lame marketing.

I’m sure there’s some way I can blame this on Fox/American Idol/Bikini Girl, but I just don’t have the energy to get into it this morning. I can't decide which part of me is more angry - the marketer, the music fan, or the woman.

Social Media Experiment, Parts 1 & 2

Let’s start small. First, I’ll be seeing what application options Google has, so membership to one site is all that's required of you (If you are a Gmail or Blogspot user, or a Google account holder, you're all set. If you're none of the above, it's easy and completely painless to link your existing email account to a Google account, so you can use Google apps like Google Docs. You're not getting a new email address or anything, just a whole new world of Google-invented opportunities.)

In order to install any number of Google Social Media apps, the first thing I needed was the Google FriendConnect app you see at the right. It appears that everything else runs through it. You can become a “member” of my friend network, and then experiment with any of the apps I add going forward.

App #1 I am especially excited about – it's an interactive playlist creator, through iLike. I’ve started a playlist of some of my favorite songs of the moment, which you can listen to on your own, or to which you can add your own favorites. Why is this a cool social networking option? I could also embed an individual playlist in one particular entry, and people could submit their own choices for, say, Song of the Year 2008 or Best Songs to Workout to. Cool, right?

Try it out, let me know what you think.

(Also, I think Google should pay me for the number of times I namedropped them in this post.)

Up and coming

Hello loyal blog readers & thank you for your patronage,

This blog was my first real step into the Web 2.0 waters, after years as an event marketer telling people to pay a lot of money to attend conferences and become fully trained to navigate said waters. Choose your own adventure time: If you find yourself asking, “What does she mean, Web 2.0?” read on. To skip to the good stuff, please go to Paragraph 3.

Web 2.0 used to really mean something, but now it’s something that people like me throw around to try and prove that they know what they’re talking about when it comes to the internet and cutting-edge technology. These days it's essentially a euphemism for social networking. Think about it this way: When the internet first started, it was an email platform and a destination for information. Now, the internet is completely different (as pioneered by things like Wikipedia and constantly being shaped by things like Twitter) – and is all about the two-way exchange of information. It no longer just tells you things; you use it to say things as well – and not just to people you know via email and IM – to the world at large with status updates and blogs and Wikipedia entries. So that's what social networking & Web 2.0 boil down to: How we interact with the world at large via the internet (and social media just means the platforms on which we socially network). Got it?

For me, this blog has been a great intro to what social networking can really be about beyond Facebook (Yes, you can now find me on Twitter, BrazenCareerist.com, LinkedIn and much more). I've realized it's something I’m interested in learning and doing a lot more around (maybe even – yikes – as a career!), so I’m making a full-blown effort to be on the bleeding-edge of this stuff.

With that in mind, you’ll notice some changes round about these parts as I try some things out. On the right toolbar I’ve added three new boxes – they start with the heading Social Media Experiments of the Week, and that’s just what they are (though, week might be a bit generous): Forays into new ways to interact, engage and participate on the internet. Some of the new features will be an attempt to drive more traffic to this blog, some I’m hoping will make it a more interactive, fun experience for you existing readers, and some are just kind of neat. I will make every attempt to streamline where these applications are coming from, so you’re not constantly being asked to join new sites or add new functionality. And when I find things that work or really don’t – you can bet I’ll be talking about it. So, please tell me what you think – What you use, what you’ve tried, what you love and what you hate. That is what social networking is all about after all.

Hoping not to drown in Web 2.0 waters,
Ashley

I Want That Job

I would like to introduce a new segment that we’ll call “Jobs That Should Be Mine.” (It’s so important, I’m capitalizing un-deserving words.) Alternate title/tagline: WHY IS THIS NOT MY JOB?

1) I originally thought of this idea when I saw this book at the LAX airport: A book about travel, random facts and movies? WHY IS THIS NOT MY JOB?

2) PopWatch writer on EW.com.

Poor Trevor, to whom I send countless links every day for an entry that I particularly relate to. Most of the time, because they express thoughts that I have had. Like:

I got an email from one of my coworkers tonight saying this may have been the best Office episode ever. And while I have to respectfully disagree with that assessment (I'm going "Office Olympics", if not "Christmas party"), I will go out on a limb and say it was the most Office-y Office of all time. You kinda got it all: ambiguous conference room party, awkward dialogue, hysterical behavior, circumstances so heightened it's unlikely they'd occur in the realm of reality, and a painful gap between Jim and Pam. (We'll get to that at the end.) Whether it totally satisfied as an episode depends on your personal tolerance for all those things.

Seriously. Parenthetical writing. Opinions about 'The Office.' Rambling sentences. WHY IS THIS NOT MY JOB?

More to come, I’m [unfortunately] sure.

Good morning!

I’d like to introduce you to someone. This is my little buddy, Conversation Starter.

Picture this: It’s 8:15 in the morning. You’re relatively new at your job, and terrified of going into the kitchen where you know you’ll have to interact with people. Just grab this handy little fellow, and march in there with head held high, ready for the conversation starters to come flying at you:

“I looooove your mug.”
“What a great mug!”
“I need one of those!”
“That’s so cute!”

The beauty of this is that you can respond with a simple “Thanks.” But, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can make some comment about how he helps you get your morning started – everyone loves talking about how much they need caffeine.

Someone might even begin regaling you with a story of how they too used to have a mug much like this. Don’t reply with sarcasm: “Oh really? You went into a CVS in 2005?” Instead, ask them which face they had, and enjoy a little lively banter about the Grumpy Face versus the Happy Face and what this might mean about your differing morning personalities. And then, next week, when the same person starts the exact same conversation with you again, you can lead with the sarcasm.

However the conversation starts (and, oh, it will), when it starts dying off, your mug will be full and off you go, with a hearty "Good luck!" (Another tribute to the 'Arg, don't we all hate mornings' common ground).

Seriously. This is the best 99-cent gift I’ve ever received, and it makes the two years I spent employed at the personal injury law firm totally worth it. Thanks Paulina!

It's everywhere.

As I’ve mentioned, a new initiative at work involves the marketers writing [insightful] blogs about the state of the market, industry, etc. Now, because I know my SEO (that’s search-engine optimization, yo), I would never duplicate content online, and jeopardize the search rankings of my company’s website. But because it hasn’t been published yet, I thought I’d share here for now.

Mixing it up, marketing-style

Finding creative ways to reach consumers isn’t new. From sponsoring radio shows, to the ever-present green screen ads behind home plate, advertisers have always been looking for the newt, creative way to get in front of their ideal audience. The past has brought us such advertising gems as:

• Billboards inside bathroom stalls: The best one I’ve ever seen of these was for some kind of liquor – it listed random trivia facts, for no other reason than to occupy your time (Did you know that Donald Duck is banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants?) The worst? An ad for the boxed DVD set of “Sex and the City” that started playing the theme song as soon as you entered the stall. I couldn’t get out of there quickly enough.
• Commercials before movies: Remember when these appeared out of nowhere and everyone was in an uproar? Now, we’re used to the complete branded experience that theaters offer – sneak peeks at a television show that you can chat about with your date, while seeing a car ad while texting the cinema radio station to tell them what song you’d like to hear next.
• Text ads that populate based on what you’re writing an email about: The talk of the town when Google introduced these, they allow advertisers to contextualize their product. Writing an email about a new CD you bought? Go see that band in concert! Creepy, or helpful?

The newest trend is what Forrester research has deemed “ubiquitous marketing,” a varietal of marketing that acknowledges that today’s consumer environment is all about interactivity. We text message to vote for pop stars, choose interactive kiosks over human interaction, read magazines online so we can share our comments, and check review websites for everything from doctors to bars.

To reach consumers in such an environment, it can’t just be about broadcasting more ads out into the world, and it’s certainly more hopping on the Web 2.0 buzz train – effective marketing must be about providing targeted information to your audience and knowing how that audience expects to receive information. Let’s not rehash how the internet has changed the way the world works. Beyond the changing face of online advertising, there’s a world of interactivity options out there for your marketing message – and a slew of compelling reasons that your brand should consider them:

MOBILE. While Japan and Europe are already aboard the mobile train, American brands are running a little late. Mobile marketing doesn’t have to mean a promotional text message that most consumers would align with SPAM. Rather, start to think of phones and BlackBerrys (how are those for ubiquitous?) as a way for consumers to interact with the rest of your marketing mix. In field marketing, use a bar code or SMS to provide your audience with an additional branded experience – or to gather more information from them. Mobile couponing – already widespread in South Korea and Japan – truly shortens the distance between your audience and point of purchase by allowing the consumer to carry your promotion around with them.

OUTDOOR. A time to interact with your audience that was once lost can now be filled with out-of-home advertising. Is your message particularly relevant to a certain audience or environment? Align it with content offered via videos or interactive kiosks in sports clubs, bars, restaurants, elevators, amusement parks, taxis, trains, at gas pumps, etc. Your customer is already engaged, this type of interactivity enables a natural call to action. Digital outdoor displays kicks the billboard business up a notch (or 50) by delivering content in real time, to truly relate to its viewers in an and actionable way: In Times Square during lunch time? Stop in at Friday’s.

Effective marketing shortens the sales cycle and/or narrows the space between point of purchase and consumer. For your message to reach the right consumer and elicit the right reaction today, your marketing must be service-oriented and truly facilitate the consumer experience. Ubiquitous marketing allows you to do this by relying on digital technology that is inherently easier to track, evaluate and update.

Most new media channels have measurement built in – gone are the days where a media plan that was crafted 18 months in advance can see your fiscal year through. The successful brand must be nimble – able and willing to react to data as it comes in. Imagine the possibilities of performance-driven advertising: No longer do you have to cast a wide net or be satisfied with brand awareness. You can follow your consumer through the marketing funnel and fine-tune your message – and investment – to maximize sales.

Does your brand have an identifiable audience, and a goal beyond building awareness? As consumers flock to DVR capabilities, upgrade to the latest phone with the gamut of interactivity offers, and become more and more immune to the One-Size-Fits-All mentality of traditional advertising, not supplementing your media mix with some cutting-edge capabilities becomes dangerous. Ubiquitous marketing is a challenge, but an exciting one that promises a more practical return on your investment, as well as productive data that you can use to establish workable campaigns, procure more budget, or justify an unusual spend.

Just breathe.

I just had a 90-day "mini-review." It’s a good idea – after 90 days in a new job, both parties should have an idea of how things are going, what should come next, and any looming issues that could be nipped in the bud (Hey, not unlike in a relationship).

Things are going well – my boss thinks that I am organized and efficient and have a solid grasp of the business and processes. And we’re finally going to start splitting up responsibilities, so the other manager and I aren’t constantly overlapping efforts. Here’s the problem. The two initiatives that I am supposed to work on are:

• "Getting out there": At least a few times a day, walk to someone’s office and have a conversation instead of emailing.
• Breathing: Talk more slowly.

He could have told me that I needed to double company revenue and I probably would be equally concerned. I mean, he really summarized my workplace shortcomings, right?

Yes, I prefer email as a way to communicate and, yes, I may have heard once or twice that I need to slow down when speaking (Let’s not let this little ironic tidbit pass without comment: Because I talk too fast, email really is the most effective way for me to communicate.). This office is relatively small – 70ish people – and people are always gathering in the hall, eating lunch in the kitchen together, etc. I know that not strictly work-related conversations can actually be productive. So, it’s not that I couldn’t see this coming.

But here’s the thing – I’m not exactly a “visitor.” Email was invented for someone like me – I feel like I am interrupting people or being a micro-manager if I pop into someone’s office. I mean, we’ve had a kick-off meeting and then an email outlining next steps, how is it not overbearing for me to check in with you? But, according to my boss, that’s how things get done around here and people will appreciate me making the effort. It will help me become a fully-engrained part of this team. Really, it’s not about getting more done professionally, it’s about being more involved personally. And that’s making my heart beat really fast.

But, this is a new job, and my boss is right – even getting here was a huge leap outside my comfort zone. So, if I’m going to be good at this, which I think I could be (whether or not I want to be, well, that’s a story for a different day), then I need to play by these rules. Um, wish me luck.

When it rains, it pours.

My company is re-launching its corporate website, and part of the new initiative is weekly marketing blogs. (Note to self: If ever asked about personal blog, ignore, until entry using 'What a hottie' is far enough down.')

The first step for the corporate blog is for each marketer to fill out a biography questionnaire that our senior copywriter will then craft into an introductory bio for our first entry. I just finished mine. What better way to feel young and unqualified than to answer questions about what makes you nimble, quick, fiercely independent and inquisitive without talking solely about pop culture and drinking?

What personality trait and/or talent and/or hobby and/or life experience demonstrates your ability to be quick and nimble? I type the way I talk – very very quickly. This helps ensure that I can do my work, call a client, play Word Twist online, IM, and read Forrester Research all at the same time.

What personality trait and/or talent and/or hobby and/or life experience demonstrates your intellectual or practical impatience? Almost nothing makes me madder than hearing someone say “I don’t read” (don’t get me started on not voting…). First of all – yes, you do. If you mean that you *can’t* read, then fine. But if you know how to read, you do it every day and are constantly absorbing information through words. So don’t be so stubborn about not reading books because you were forced to read high brow literature that you didn’t get in high school. There is something valuable to read and absorb and learn about on every single topic you could possibly be interested in. And, yes, magazines count as reading. Even US Weekly. I guess.

Any major fears or phobias?
Dance clubs.

Favorite thing to do on the weekend?
Go out to eat, try a new beer, spend time outside.

This shows personality, not immaturity, right?

The two topics that I am working on for my real entries are “Marketing Cliches for the Web 2.0 World” and “Is that an ad?” I think it could be really interesting – and I like the idea of having a “professional” blog out there in the interweb, but I’m also pretty nervous about being even a part of the face of the company. We are supposed to:

• Write from the heart.
• Be insanely useful.
• Keep the reader’s problems in mind
• Write with a tone that is upbeat and on strategy, reflecting that we are an agency on the cusp of what’s next, forward-thinking and strategic.

But no pressure.