Field of Dreams gave us the famous quote “if you build it, they will come.” It’s a great line for a movie. Sadly, I’ve heard too many people use it to justify their plans to build an online community. Sure, if you don’t build it noone will come. On the other hand, the mere presence [...]
Campaigns, whether consumer goods or political, ultimately have the goal of motivating an audience to change their behaviour or perform an action. In the case of an election campaign, the goal is to get people out to vote (ideally for you/your candidate). Getting there typically involves incremental calls to action directed at some or all [...]
A few readers have pointed out my blog has become more skewed towards politics and public affairs than they’re familiar (or even comfortable) with (I tried to avoid ending with a preposition but just don’t have the time tonight). The change in direction isn’t so surprising given that’s the focus of my day job. However, [...]
LetsGetItRight.ca will be hosting a meeting at the Mayfair Theatre at 4pm to update the community on the legal challenge of the Lansdowne Park development plans. I will be there and plan to live blog the meeting. Lansdowne Legal Challenge Update
It’s become increasingly popular (and easy) to share audio and video conference content online. This brings about many opportunities to promote the next iteration of the conference to potential registrants and to allow anyone from the public (registrants and others) to time shift the conference and benefit from the content. Perhaps the most popular content [...]
They enjoyed the 2009 Plane Pull Challenge video I produced for EDC so much that the Ottawa International Airport Authority approached me to produce a video of the 2010 event. I was proud to volunteer my time to a great cause, helping to raise money for Project Clear Skies and the Sens Foundation, as well [...]
It was a scene straight out of the movies. My daughters and I were in the Portrait Gallery on Parliament Hill looking at paintings of former prime ministers before Question Period. I was looking at the painting of Right Hon. Jean Chretien and talking about his years as PM with my younger daughter when I [...]
I can’t help but feel Rick Mercer‘s speaking in metaphors about controlled skids in communications and politics in the following segment.
Perhaps the most important example of digital election campaigning in Canadian politics (to date) comes from the Naheed Nenshi for Mayor campaign. It’s not simply that Mr. Nenshi was elected Mayor of Calgary because, in my view, his campaign’s example would stand out even if he hadn’t won. No, the importance of this example comes [...]
When selecting a digital channel to deliver a message, you need to think beyond the “sex appeal” of the tool you’d like to use and consider the message and desired outcome (if any). I’ve prepared a list of tools along with a summary of how you might consider using them. Note that each tool allows [...]
Like them or hate them, personal brands exist. Especially in the world of politics. It came up in conversation yet again during a coffee meeting yesterday with Canadian Press journalist Stephanie Levitz. I made a note to write something this week. Norman Spector’s Is Harper preparing his exit? piece in today’s Globe and Mail served as [...]
Many people talk about the way digital channels and social media have changed the way we communicate. Actually, it seems to me people changed. We became more lazy. Before Twitter, Facebook and other tools came along, email messages imposed no restrictions. Yet salutations and closings suffered. Then the message body lost a lot of substance [...]
In her article An online petition with a populist twist, Globe and Mail columnist Lysiane Gagnon wrote about what she believes might be the first instance of Facebook affecting public policy. Quebec might have become the first testing ground for the use of Facebook as a political tactic that gives a 21st-century twist to the [...]
The Digital Influence Index (DII), a research study conducted by Fleishman-Hillard and Harris Interactive, revealed Canadian online behaviour skews toward current events and politics. The study found that in arriving at our own points of view, we Canadians typically seek out multiple sources of information and land somewhere of our own informed creation. So, it’s [...]
Part one of this series left off with the creation of the CreatorCamp Wiki and Sue Murphy offering to help secure a venue for CreatorCamp Ottawa 2010. The launch of the wiki was kind of haphazard — the way most wikis are launched, I suspect. The first 24 hours were filled with writing blurbs about [...]
I think it was 1997 or 1998. April. Andrea and I took a weekend getaway to Magog, Quebec. The perfect place for a quiet weekend filled with relaxation, great food and wine… and vineyards. We dressed up one night and went to a nice restaurant. Not far from where we were sitting was a small [...]
fRed has arrived. Liberal Facebook groups boast links to fRed. Liberal ministers, MPPs and staffers are, performances notwithstanding, buzzing about fRed (video appears below). So, what is fRed? Well, watching the video and looking at the website won’t really answer the question for you. Some might argue neither are really exciting enough to motivate further [...]
Over breakfast earlier this week, David Hicks and Vincent White (both of CNW) and I talked about the number of communications associations and the regular stream of events taking place in the Ottawa area. Among those we named are CPRS, IABC, Social Media Breakfast and Third Tuesday. Each of these groups, others and conferences, offer [...]
Since announcing CreatorCamp Ottawa, there has been a bit of buzz about the idea and several people have approached Bob and me to ask about the event and the possibility of organizing one in their own city. So, I’ve decided I’d use my blog to go behind the scenes of organizing the first ever CreatorCamp. [...]
Calling all creators — anyone who cooks meals, makes quilts, produces videos, paints, writes books, designs spaces, composes music, sculpts, takes pictures, etc… The first ever CreatorCamp, an event that celebrates the creative part of creative pursuits, is taking place in Ottawa in exactly three weeks. CreatorCamp has one organizing principle… sessions MUST be about [...]
My recent wave of speaking engagements on social media in politics and public affairs turned into an invitation to deliver a webinar to Fleishman-Hillard colleagues around the globe. It had been quite some time since I last delivered a webinar. When I had it was a made-for-web presentation so it was information driven. My current [...]
Here’s a little trivia on the increasing role of digital in Canadian politics. I present to you first appearances in the House of Commons (according to the full-text searchable Hansard database). Google Surprisingly, Google didn’t get its first earned media appearance in the House of Commons until September 9, 2009 when Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla [...]
Chris Brogan issued permission, yesterday, for bloggers to make mistakes (see How to write three blog posts a day). Listen up: you are hereby granted permission to write imperfectly. You are hereby granted permission to write clunkers. You are hereby granted permission to write posts that you don’t think are finished, and push publish anyway. [...]
Ever since that guy baked digital into his campaign strategy, articles and blog posts about social media and politics are becoming increasingly popular. Many of those articles are written by people who prognosticate the importance of creating viral videos. Ugh! I’m familiar with PR campaigns in which clients were promised viral videos by the advertising [...]
Podcasting pioneer C.C. Chapman will be in Ottawa on December 8 to kick off the tour for his first book, Content Rules which he co-wrote with Marketing Prof Ann Handley. Specifically, CC will be the featured speaker of Social Media Breakfast Ottawa #20 (register here). I had the privilege of speaking with CC about the [...]
Cooking is not my favourite activity. Most of the dinners I make involve pasta, vegetables and sauce from a jar. I know! My contribution is at the bbq and the occasional fit of inspiration when I immerse myself in making sweet potato quesadillas — thank you Moosewood! Today, though, I’m breaking new ground. Inspired in [...]
Sysomos blogger Mark Evans recently asked if anyone uses browser bookmarks anymore. I have to admit, my bookmarking (local and social) has dropped significantly over the last year or so. I notice I open websites in new tabs with the intent (note the intent) of spending time on the site at a later date. Once [...]
Andrea and I share a special language and elevated understanding of the world thanks to the TV show Arrested Development. Despite the fact it lasted only two-and-a-half seasons. the dialog and context of the show is the gift that keeps on giving. Thankfully, word is the movie is still in the works.
December 1 has been selected as the one-time, no money down officially unofficial Canadian National Day of Podcasting. The idea is to have every Canadian podcaster, particularly those who have retired or otherwise killed their podcast, from all time will dust off their gear and show to produce a one-off episode in the style they [...]
During my presentation to Social Media Breakfast Ottawa, yesterday, I was asked about the role of social media in Naheed Nenshi‘s mayoral victory in Calgary. My research has been limited and I often feel I need to speak to the source to properly form my opinion of “groundbreaking case studies” — something I started to [...]
Whether for a consumer marketing or political election campaign, short-term social media strategies need a post-campaign plan. Call me sentimental, but I don’t think shutting things down is an effective use of the effort required to build a community, nor does it send a particularly rewarding message to the people who opted-in on your encouragement. [...]
