The Social Media Holiday Cheer Award Goes To....

One of my favorite things in the digital scene during the holidays are the creative campaigns and acts of good cheer that people post!  And I am awarding my first ever Social Media Holiday Cheer Award!! This act transforms one of the worst things that can happen in a day to one of the best.

Ever been pulled over?  Not that I have (wink wink) but I would imagine that the feeling you get in your stomach when you see police lights behind your car is TERRIBLE.  Well, in Lowell, Michigan, the local police teamed up with UPtv (short for Uplifting TV) to transform that experience. 

The police pulled over drivers on a snowy afternoon for supposed traffic violations.  The video then shows the drivers getting out their license and registration while the police office makes small talk with them, namely about what they or their children want for Christmas.  Then, in an incredible sneak attack, the officer stalls the fake ticketing process long enough to radio to his co-workers at the nearby toy store who bring the exact wish-list gift!  Instead of getting a traffic ticket, the unassuming drivers get a wonderful holiday surprise!

The video is awesome and guaranteed to make you smile!!

Have you found other uplifting stories on social media this holiday season?  Share them below!!  Maybe I'll award another Social Media Holiday Cheer Award next week!

A More Serious Side of Social Media

In Public Relations, social media is often highlighted on the softer side of a brand or cause.  Large social media campaigns are often used to increase brand awareness, positioning or help influence thought leaders in an industry.

But the recent explosion of the Bill Cosby accusations have highlighted the more serious side of social media and its effects on public opinion and mass media news. 

Longstanding accusations against Cosby for rape were highlighted in social media last week due to an onstage "joke" that went viral about Cosby's rumored actions.  In a perfect storm of happenstance, Bill Cosby had just put out a challenge to those who followed him in the digital world to meme pictures of him. Little did he know he was adding fuel to the fire, and most who participated "memed" him with allusions of Cosby drugging and raping women. Probably not what he had in mind when putting that challenge out there!

These two actions, the onstage joke and the memes, both went viral, bringing a long dormant accusation to light and blowing up the mass media everywhere.  Essentially, shredding Cosby's reputation and leaving many asking why this didn't get more attention earlier.

The answer is because social media is now bringing issues to light.  There is far less space to hide anymore- and some argue that there is nowhere to hide!  It will be interesting to see if this sad revelation brings more issues in Hollywood to light.  And for Cosby and his accusers, this trial by Twitter seems to have just heated up.

Is GIRL POWER the fastest way to go VIRAL?

We've gotta talk about #AlexFromTarget. 

I mean, if nothing else, we have to just bring it up.  It's only been a week since this young man's picture was tweeted as a "cute" bagger from Target.  But the week has certainly been eventful.  With his handsome smile and boyish good-looks, Alex has - without doing a single thing other than unknowingly had his picture tweeted - gained half a million followers on Twitter, been featured on the Ellen show and CNN and become one of the fastest and most popular memes of all times.

But perhaps the most unique aspect of the #AlexFromTarget phenomenon is that it might have been set up.  Strangely, earlier this week a company called Breakr claimed that it was behind the rise to fame of #AlexFromTarget.  

Breakr's CEO, Dil-Domine Jacobe Leonares, claimed that his company's goal of helping small content creators spread their content was the force behind the viral sensation of #AlexFromTarget.  And the key to this viral nature, Leonares claims, is girls.

"If you rally the fan girls, you can translate that following into a career," Leonares claims.  Sure enough, "fan girls" are powerful.  A lady sees a cute boy and tells her friend who tells her friend who shares it with everyone she knows.  I mean, really, the Jonas Brothers and Justin Beiber are just modern day version of Beatles fandom!  And, with social media today, the fandom rise is just that much faster.  Or in the case of #AlexFromTarget, takes place in a week!  Heck, he is in LA now looking for an agent!

So, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding #AlexFromTarget, who tweeted this morning that he had dever heard of Breakr. Hmmmm.  Well one thing I can agree on is that fan girls are really the key to getting anything to go viral.  That's why our firm, Casey & Sayre, always strives to bring young celebrities that appeal to teen girls to our client events!  Their tweets and instagrams go a long way in attracting interest and building fans!

What do you think of the sudden fame of #AlexFromTarget?

Is this real life, or a plot for the latest RomCom?!

I’m sure you’ve heard of people using social media to help with their vacation planning before.  But a popular story this week takes that to a whole new level!

A Toronto-based man, Jordan Axani, has used the popular social media news site, Reddit, to post a once-in-a-lifetime offer: a free, round-the-world trip to one lucky female!  There’s only one catch.  Your name has to be Elizabeth Gallagher.

Strange as it sounds, it’s true.  Axani, a 28-year old adventurer, booked this dream trip earlier in the year for himself and his then-girlfriend named... you guessed it, Elizabeth Gallagher.  Well, since then, the couple has broken up, leaving heartbreak and some open tickets!  Due to restrictions around the plane tickets and cancellation policies, it is apparently a mega-headache to try to get anything for cancelling the tickets.  So, like a good millennial, Axani went to social media to try to salvage some good from the tickets.

His Reddit post, just published Monday, has been shared thousands of times and it looks like several Elizabeth Gallaghers (with Canadian passports, the other element needed) have come forward.  I’m not surprised, Axani’s post actually sounds pretty convincing, he sounds normal and realistic that he isn’t looking for anything in return, just doesn’t want the tickets to go to waste!  No “winner” has been selected yet, it seems.

Fingers crossed that he finds a great trip mate.  And, of course the romantic in me sees this as a great plot to a romantic comedy movie!  What if he and the woman who claims this fall in love and then have a great story to tell the grandkids!!

Seems too good to be true!  Possibly even worth changing your name for!? 

Renee Zellweger Edition

Plastic surgery and celebrities go together sort of like peanut butter and jelly these days.  It’s not a big shock anymore when someone gets a nose job or lip injections or a nip or tuck here or there.  Yawn, old news.

But not so much this week with Renee Zellweger.  Social media went CRAZY after Renee made a rare red carpet appearance on Monday at the Elle Women in Hollywood party, and debuted her new look. I don’t even want to speculate about what surgeries were used to get the new look (though I kinda just think it’s an eye lift!?),  but let’s just be honest, she definitely looks different.  

This change has led to quite a few conversations on Twitter, blogs and Facebook.  Of course, "do we like it or not", but those who don’t like the new look have been very vocal about their opinions, spurring Renee’s defenders to start hashtags like #StopBullying and accusing nay-sayers of cyber bullying.

What do you think of Renee’s new look?

10 Things NOT To Be This Halloween!

Ever experienced the social faux pas of wearing the same dress as another friend to a party?  Well, gentlemen probably not so much, it's a bigger deal for us ladies.  But let me promise you, it's never fun.  You awkwardly laugh and compliment each other's taste- but you know in the back of your head that everyone at the party is secretly doing a "Who Wore It Better" comparison!  

Well, my friend, let me save you from that- at least for your upcoming Halloween parties! Thanks to digital trend tracking, we can now determine ahead of time the most popular Halloween costumes of the year so you won't show up at a party with 20 people to be compared to!

An analysis of most trending Google searches for Halloween costumes resulted in this list of the most popular predicted trends for this year's costume parties.  The culprits are mostly from popular movies and television (Frozen characters are taking over!).  But even some social media viral videos are on the list! (Spider Dog, anyone!?)

So check out this infographic of Google's predictions for the most popular Halloween costumes!  And if you are looking to be truly unique this Hallows Eve, steer clear!

What The New iPhone Means For Your Jeans

It's normal today to see technology trends following fashion.  Anyone's who has ever seen a smartphone cover with a posh designer label on it could tell you that.

But we've gotten to the point now where technology trends are so influential that they are affecting fashion trends.  And better yet, doing so in very untraditional ways.

The new iPhone 6 Plus is following the trend of larger, phablet sized phones.  And as many are saying, this is beginning to look like the future of mobile technology. 

Some people don't like the larger phones, claiming they are hard to hold in their hands, or they bend in their pockets, or (gasp!) don't fit in their pockets!

That's where clothing designers come in!

No clothing brand wants to be out of the running for purchase because someone's new, state-of-the-art smartphone no longer has a home in their jean pocket!  

Mashable published yesterday several conversations from designers claiming they were creating new clothing with that exact problem in mind. 

J. Crew, for example, considers each aspect of the customers lives during their design process.  The head of women's design, Tom Mora, said "We think about all of these details- whether it's introducing new tech accessories for the iPhone 6 - or special interior pockets to carry the various generations of iPads or tablets."

It's pretty cool that the designers are making such a big deal about catering their products to our technology needs.  Though, I have to say, iPads in interior pockets of our pants!?  J. Crew needs to rethink that one!!  Most women don't even wear pants with enough fabric to cover an iPad let alone hide one inconspicuously!!

J. Crew isn't alone in planning their fashion around tech trends, though. Lee Jeans, L.L. Bean, Levi's, American Eagle and Japanese brand Uniqio all are also on board planning their designs for iPhones, Galaxy Tablets and phablets.  

What do you think?  Would you buy jeans if your smartphone didn't fit in the pocket?