Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.
Benjamin: Just how do you mean that, sir?

To me, corporate social media astroturfing is about as interesting as Benjamin Braddock being recruited into the Plastics industry by his dad's friend.

I've long held the belief that "more" is not necessarily "better". I recently overheard two women having a lunch discussion about how they can best utilize "as many free tools and communities as possible" to help "socialize the corporate message". (Ok, enough with the quotes, before I go all Matt Foley here.) One thing companies need to realize is that most people are at least a tad hostile to the ham-handed corporate presence at what are typically non-corporate environments. It's not hard to figure out why people ignore your corporate-shill facebook posts with titles like:

"Attending [name removed] Conference! Come by and say Hi and get a free mousepad!"
"Looking forward to version 6.6! Great new features you should check out!"
"[name removed] receives an analyst upgrade!"

To me it's the equivalent of a chiropractor at a street fair giving out "free spinal evaluations" (there I go with the quotes again). Do you think he's going to tell you there's NOTHING WRONG with your spine? It's more than a little creepy having a stranger offer to put his hands on you to drum up business. Ok, maybe it's a stretch but...I think you get my point.

Don't get me wrong...there are plenty of reasons why companies SHOULD make use of social media sites to socialize the corporate message (!). If you're a company like Apple, it certainly makes perfect sense for obvious reasons.   People actually care and want to actively consume the information Apple is providing.  For far-less-sexy companies...not so much.  Who knows?  Maybe there actually ARE people who care very deeply about their storage strategy to the point where they would want to actually tweet about it.  I've not these people, and I've been doing this kind of work a pretty long time now.

To be fair, I do understand that people can choose to ignore the information these companies are bombarding the social media sites with, but to me it comes down to good manners.  If you display good manners and concentrate on goods and services that people will get excited about, you have less of a need for tacky PR and astroturfing.  If you want to articulate your marketing message to an unaware public, buy advertising.  I've never purchased anything I've learned about via social media.  I think that says a lot.

Source http://dyallo.wordpress.com

To the consumer the world's technological advances are terrific, but to a designer they can pose a creative nightmare. I came across this picture recently and it really exemplifies just how difficult designing around technology can be.

Okay, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration. Still, it shows one of the many reasons I love to work with creative companies who provide innovative solutions to problems just like this.  One of my favorites is Byrne Electrical Specialists. A world class provider of power and data solutions for the commercial, hospitality, home and healthcare environments, Byrne offers ideal ways to help designers, homeowners, businesses and everyone else tackle their messy cable issues. Best of all, they make it look easy and beautiful. It's where form meets function. As a designer, I love that!

Located in Rockford, Michigan, Byrne's team has more than 35 years of experience solving power and data distribution problems. They are a vertically integrated supplier with capabilities in product development, tool building, injection molding, light assembly and testing, including a UL certified test lab.  For more on Byrne visit their website at http://www.byrne-electrical.com.

If you're all tangled up and not sure what to do with your design dilemma, let's work together to create a solution. 

I recently attended an annual fundraiser in San Francisco for a nationally known nonprofit organization. The tone of the evening was set at check-in and the mission was clear from the get-go. There was one agenda and it was straightforward... raise money.

The atmosphere was comfortable, warm and friendly... you felt welcome. It was a social event, but with no pretense. The venue, a historic landmark, helped set the stage for a beautiful and heartfelt evening. A gathering of friends and family all coming together in support of a cause close to their hearts. All the right ingredients carefully blended to create the perfect fundraiser.

After check-in, guests were escorted to a reception that was set up as a meet and greet for donors, supporters and members from the organization. There was the usual networking, but it was lighthearted and without the heavy sell you normally experience at a convention or conference.

Guests enjoyed an array of sumptous hors d'oeuvres and whet their palettes with a variety of fine California wines. It was during this time that the stage was set for the real party, and the part of "giving" came into play. The script was simple and direct. There was no guessing as to your role... everyone had an opportunity to take the lead if they chose... and the bidding commenced.

During the reception, a select number of silent auction items with a high perceived value were offered. Also added to the mix was a limited number of $50 tickets for a chance to win a half-dozen items worth at least five times the price of the ticket. The key words were "limited" and "select", both of which attributed to the success of this part of the evening's program. Less is more.

After the reception, guests were escorted to the main ballrom for a short 20-minute awards ceremony to recognize the outstanding contributions made by constituents and to highlight the organization's accomplishments. It was during dessert and coffee that the live auction took center stage and the real bidding war began.

Twelve signature packages were placed on the auction block, from dinner parties prepared by celebrity chefs, tickets to concerts performed by Grammy-winning artists and vacations to five-star resorts located around the world... everything within reach and everyone engaged.

To add to the excitement, the auctioneer asked the audience to pledge additional dollars to help fund the cause. It was the perfect opportunity for those who did not win the items they had bid on to still make a donation. Pledges ranged from $250 - $5000 and created a bidding frenzy that generated an additional $100,000+ that was added to the coffers. The evening was truly an experience to remember and proved to be a win-win.

The bottom line: Today, less is more. Be select, offer fewer items with a higher percieved value. Don't waste time and resources begging for a ton of in-kind donations and gift baskets that take up valuable space and force your guests to secretely scribble a bid in hopes they might be a "lucky" winner. Create a fun and interactive atmostphere that will engage people face-to-face and encourage them to step up. Most important... keep it simple.

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