#RedCups and Secret Emojis

Move over, Halloween.  If Starbucks has a say, we are officially in Holiday Season!

This weekend launched the Starbucks Holiday Cups, lovingly now called "Red Cups", and the internet's going crazy.

Starbucks'  #RedCups hashtag has been trending on Twitter since the cups launched on Sunday, and the company created a Twitter-specific emoji just for the launch! Here's how it works, because you can't just go searching for the secret emoji.  Twitter users simply type the hashtag #RedCups within their tweet, and the special emoji will pop up next to it!  I love this idea and think it is a fun and interesting way to promote a hashtaginto trending zone!

Even though we have at least another month before winter starts, I am always in favor of a little festivity, and some great marketing techniques!

What is your vote?  Too early for the #RedCups, or just in time?

Dangerous Trending Beauty Tip #SunArt

A new beauty trend has doctors saying "Stop!"

There are a lot of questionable trends these days - overalls, mega wide leg pants and clown contouring, just to name a few. But a questionable fashion choice usually doesn't hurt anyone.
But beware of the latest beauty trend that has doctors and dermatologists worried:  Sun Art.  The trend, which has generated social media buzz and hashtags like #SunArt, #SunburnArt and #SunTattoo, is exactly what it sounds like.  In lieu of normal sunscreen application, people are putting on sunscreen in strategic designs so that they get burned to create an illusion of a design, or "tattoo".

YIKES.


Not only would this hurt like the dickens (I don't want ANY sunburn, thank you very much), but doctors are saying it can be very dangerous.  Some doctors are going on the news claiming that, if this craze continues, people run the risk of much higher instances of skin cancers.


Look, some might call me a slave for fashion and trends, but it is definitely not worth losing your health — or your life — over!  People, if you really want a tattoo that badly, you can get a temporary tattoo at the store for a dollar!!

This is one trend I just can't support.  What do you think of "Sun Art"?  Is it cool and edgy or downright dumb?

Facebook/Twitter War Continues!

Or, shall I say, #TheWarContinues

The Twitter vs. Facebook war- that heated up at the end of last year with the Instagram debacle - is still raging.

The latest line of defense to be violated may be Twitter's infamous icon, the hashtag.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Facebook is working on fully incorporating the hashtag into the site. 

First reading this, I was unimpressed.  So what!? People already post tweets to Facebook and replicate the hashtag in their status updates, right?  Why does this matter?

But think about it, Facebook doesn't really DO anything with the hashtags that end up on the site. They are just there as a leftover from a tweet or a byproduct of an automated service that lets users update statuses and tweets simultaneously. Now, it looks like Facebook is realizing the goldmine that these leftover hashtags could create.  According to the article, the hashtags will soon be used as a way to group conversations within Facebook.  So, similar to Twitter's current hashtag capabilities, you will soon be able to click on a Facebook hashtag and pull up all posts about similar topics or events.  The hashtag also will serve as an index to conversations around trending topics.  Note that this could ALSO allow Facebook to better develop user conversations about those topics, increasing the chances for advertising on the topic's main pages.  And of course Facebook is under enormous pressure from Wall Street to increase its revenue streams.  

I'm still not sure if this seems like a breakthrough plan.  Facebook already groups conversations and has pages devoted to just about everything.  But it definitely shows the turf wars going on between the two social media giants.

What do you think, are #hashtags really valuable to Facebook? 

Tailored Trends on Twitter

Thanks to new tailoring, your trending topics will suit you even better!

“Trending topics” are valuable tools to help tweeters discover the most popular topics on Twitter but, until now, have been sortable only by geographic region. 

Yesterday, Twitter announced on its official blog that you will now be the center of its trend algorithm.  In other words, trends will now be displayed based on who you follow as well as on geographic location.

I am thrilled by this news.  Fingers crossed that it means less trending topics like “#URGhettoIf or #BeliebersUnite” --  Really, Twitter!  These are trends social diva and her BFFs find unappealing.  We want to know what our buddies are talking about most and trends early adopters are jumping on.

Of course, the general trending topics will be there if you want to check them out.  The tailored trends will be rolling out as a default setting, but Twitter reports that, if you “want to see a more general list of Trends, just change your location on twitter.com”.

Is your twitter account more au courant with better fitting trends?  Enlighten us, how is it?