In The World Of Social Media

Social Media may be a phenomenon but it certainly isn't a fad. Year on year as Internet usage grows and more and more people become connected through high speed broadband, the amount of people using Social networking channels increases in huge leaps. While most of this growth is concentrated in the high profile, established social networks such as Facebook, there continues to be growth in new niche networks designed to cater to a singular commonality between users.

Two of the most interesting new social networks to spring in the last month are FSID's Bubbalicous and Jean-Luc Thiébaut's Connosr.


Bubbalicous

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), who are a cot death charity, have just launched the social networking site Bubbalicious for teenage parents. The network has been developed and designed by digital marketing agency Neoco, and is primarily aimed as a place to find advice and tips on safe sleep, for both mums and young dads. Users of the site can chat to each other, upload photos, win prizes, and take part in a 4-level baby-care challenge. Participants of the challenge, if successful, are the title of "Top Dad" or "Big Sister". This in turn allows them to give advice to other parents on the site.

The site launch comes off the back of recent survey results released in August by the Office of National Statistics, which show that mothers under the age of 20 are over 4 times more likely to have a baby die as a cot death than older mothers.

Joyce Epstein, FSID's director, said: "Sadly, the latest research shows that teenage mums have the highest rate of cot death, but we think that many are missing out on safe sleep advice. We developed bubbalicious after consulting with young parents across the country, and we really hope that the support available on the site will help improve the life chances of the UK's most vulnerable babies."


Connosr

Jean-Luc Thiébaut, a web developer and whiskey enthusiast, has launched the independent website Connosr as a social network for Whisky drinkers to call their own. With a simple aim of breaking down the snobbery and barriers in the whisky world, Connosr offers members a Google Map of where each whisky comes from, whisky-related event listings and discussion boards.

As a site add-on, members with iPhones can access a mobile version of the site, allowing them to pick whiskies and post reviews while at the bar. Ultimately users can then create a wish list of whiskys they would like to own. This of course can then be shared with other users. The site has been built with the open-source CMS system Symphony.

Thiébaut said: "Connosr is a buzzing social space for a new generation of web-savvy whisky enthusiasts - an antidote to the stuffy image of whisky being an old man's drink."

Swedish Fish: A Friend You Can Eat

Advertising may be strange, even a little odd, but every now and again you come across something that is just so far out there, you wonder who and how on earth anyone ever sold the concept in.

In 2008 when Swedish Fish went looking for an advertising campaign to market its line of chewy winegums, JWT New York developed a campaign so wacky it was brilliant. The integrated campaign was intended to revamp the sweet's image and connect with the 18 to 24 year old market.

The campaign was simple overall, and asked just a single question with two possible answers, “Nej” and “Ja”. Their tag line: “A Friend You Can Eat”.

The campaign utilised print, outdoor, TV, radio and online, to show customers which of their friends they could eat, and which they could not. The above print ad and below TV commercial show the campaign's Kitten Burger execution (my favourite). Overall the look and feel of both are designed to be reminiscent of 1970s Swedish art direction, as a homage to the cultural history of the brand.

In JWT's Titanium entry at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, it was pointed out that not only was the campaign a success, driving huge awareness and sales within the 18 to 24 year old market, but the campaign ultimately went viral on a number of levels. People began trading plates and T-shirts on craigslist and other sites, and the words ‘Nej” and ‘Ja’ entered into the online chatter vernacular as part of a subversive pop culture movement. The TV commercials were so well received that people began imitating on YouTube with their own versions.

Paulaner Oktoberfest 2009

The Irish may be the stout kings of thew world, but when it comes to beer the Germans know a thing or two about brewing. Specifically those clever folk in Bavaria. Luckily you don't need to go all the way to Bavaria to enjoy some of the finest German beers and foods. It's that time of the year again and Oktoberfest is upon us!

The annual Paulaner Oktoberfest kicks off next week on the 8th October and runs for a full 10 days until the 18th. This is the second year that the festival has travelled to Ireland is not to be missed. It's a free event, and is absolutely family friendly. You can experience traditional German fun, food and entertainment. Even better news, for those of us living in Ringsend, is that the Paulaner Oktoberfest will again be located in Dublin’s George's Dock. Perhaps even better news is that the festival will feature its famous marquee (representative of the Munich Oktoberfest), a host of German market stalls, and over 24 Munich barmaids, all aiming to share some German fun, food, entertainment and seriously tasty Bavarian beer. The Paulaner Oktoberfest will also offer visitors a taste of authentic Bavarian brass and dance music from the German group, Mostland Stürmer.

The traditional German market will feature over thirty German speciality food traders, all of whom are travelling to Dublin specifically for the festival. So make sure to try the speciality sausages, meat, Käsealm and candy and ginger bread hearts. The festival will also offer visitors the chance to try Paulaner and Paulaner Non Alcoholic, as well as the special Oktoberfest brew.


Last year over 70,000 people visited the festival and don't expect it to be any different this year. Whatever you do, don't miss this great opportunity.

For more information check out the Paulaner Oktoberfest website, or email info@paulaner-oktoberfest.com

Alternatively, why not join the 190 festival fans already on Facebook?

For a taste of what's to come, check out this video of last years Oktoberfest:

OmniZero.9

I found this great video over on Engadget. A robot turning itself into a red car, how incredibly awesome is that!

This is the OmniZero.9, the latest iteration from Takeshi Maeda of a humanoid looking robot. The robot has wheeled shoulders and knees that allow it to drive around. Its head can also flip back to create a seat for a passenger. OmniZero.9 competed at ROBO-ONE in a number of different categories.

Interactive Advertising: Shelter - Be Happy At Home

These are two online ads for the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. The ads were launched as part of a suite of four different creatives for their “Be happy at home” campaign, promoting their online advice service, Know Your Rights. Each ad features a different scene of someone who is happy at home.

Each advert has the tagline “Be happy at home” with a scrolling ticker tape of things that Shelter’s Know your rights service can help you with, from your rights as a tenant to where to go if you are faced with homelessness.

Lean Mean Fighting Machine is the agency behind the campaign. The media plan concentrated on the social networking sites MySpace and Faceparty, with additional coverage across NME and MTV.

Imogen Wilson, Shelter’s head of marketing and brand, said: “Shelter’s Know your rights website is the only dedicated online housing advice service for young people. Since the site’s launch in 2005 we have successfully supported thousands of young people every year with housing problems. Lean Mean Fighting Machine has come up with a fresh, positive and engaging online marketing campaign which will continue to effectively target young people and make sure they get access to the advice and support they need to help keep a roof over their head.”

Know Your Rights, is supported by The Vodafone UK Foundation. It is the first ever dedicated online advice service for 16-25 year olds. It provides expert, in-depth and practical housing advice online on issues from rent arrears and deposit protection to preventing homelessness.