Drew B's take on tech PR

Web 2.0 PR guide and FOI act issues

I was asked to take part in a couple of discussions this evening. First one off, journalist Dennis Howlett (if you don't know him, he's Joe's Dad) has pointed out that there is a petition on the shortcomings of the freedom of information act which you should take the time to understand and sign. I totally agree with Dennis. I will shortly go and sign it. 

Secondly, Web 2.0 book writer Ian Delaney has flagged a new paper out from an organisation called Squiz. He's written up the key points - it's a pretty good ten point guide to social media, but the full paper is hidden behind a couple of annoying walls so I've chosen not to download it. Shame for Squiz... but Ian's write-up is well worth a read.

Brits don't buy the brand blog

Marketing Week's feature on marketing people's blogging tactics raises a few good questions about some brands' me too attitudes. It shows how blogs can persuade a consumer to buy, but why it isn't for everyone. The article's online here, but subscription's required.

Social Crimewatch... pass it on

This is Crimewatch meets social media... Please go take a look at PR blogger Jackie Danicki's blog, as she's posted a photo of a "POS" who verbally assaulted her for about 15mins on the tube the other day. Now she's talking pepper spray and everything. She took this pic while he was shouting names at her. So now she'd like someone to tell British Transport Police (0800 40 50 40) who he is. Not sure us media bloggers will know, so please pass this on and link to Jackie's blog to help nab the nasty, social media stylee.

links for 2006-11-25

• Vodafone expects social media to make it billions
  After E4 decided to use Big Brother as social network bait for its new E4 branded social network, Vodafone says it will make it easier for customers of its mobile services to access social media.
• Telegraph Ignore your 'inner tosser', Tories demand
  Conservative party online campaign to address yout market launches in the UK
• CIPR launches social media code
  The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has just published its draft (PDF) for consultation of its proposed code of conduct for social media.
• MediaGuardian launches viral video chart
  MediaGuardian is to publish a weekly chart of the most talked-about videos being linked to by bloggers.

Jason Calacanis leaves

Just saw this on MicroPersuasion - Jason Calacanis, famed for Weblogs Inc fame and snapped up by AOL, has left. This was broken by TechCrunch last Friday. Steve says AOL / Weblogs Inc's main rival, Gawker, home of Valleywag, is far better, and wihout Calacanis, there's no competition. I totally agree.

Over at Jason's blog, He suggests a few things he may do next. Become a VC? Become a pro poker player? Looks like fun.

Drew B and Clogger to be blogging live from session tomorrow

My colleague Clogger and I will be at the LEWIS industry forum in the morning blogging live through the various presentations on how to get value from a PR campaign. We'll both be writing up the sessions over at our agency blog so you can see what Virgin, salesforce.com, Metrica and Net Reputation have to say about online and offline PR. Net reputation's CEO is going to be covering social media, so I'll be paying special attention to that one. The attendee list includes some big social media brands so I'll be asking them what they think too.

Smash my PS3

One story that's been running and running over the past week has been the one about how people have been queuing longer than ever to get their mitts on a PlayStation 3. Then a story in the paper this morning pointed me to this site, www.smashmyps3.com , where they're smashing up a PlayStation 3 with a sledge hammer in front of horrified onlookers. What a stunt.

Student blogger's PR research on blogs and crisis PR

Student Joey Zhang dinged me last week saying she was doing a survey on blogs and crisis PR. Would I help by filling out her form? Course! Here's the survey online - please do go and take a minute to help Joey out. And since then, Joey's started blogging too. Although some of it is in mandarin (I think) the english bits give an individual perspective of someone experiencing both the UK and Chinese PR market. She's also blogging here. Incidentally she's studying at Cardiff uni which is where about half my office studyed, me included.

(update - I fixed the broken links, and Joey, I think, lives in Cardiff but studies a course at Central Lancs Uni)

Some new UK social media blogs

After reading a few good write-ups of the social media club event last week at Fleishman Hillard PR's London Office, I've come across some new media-related UK blogs I'm subscribing to.

• Bubble Generation - a blog by media consultant Umair Haque
• Jackie Danicki - an American in London, organiser of last week's social media shindig
• Broadsight - by social media person Alan Patrick

Arab UCLA student gets shot with a taser in the library

User generated content / social media at it's most powerful. There's a vid creating a lot of buzz on YouTube right now - it's of a student in a library catching with his camera the police using a taser on an Arab student. Now I'm not 100 per cent of the story, but be sure it'll be on the news soon.... here it is