Carey Says Ums | Betwixt Ideas | Blog

Out-of-Touch Tweets

Carey Says Ums — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:13:32 +0000

On Twitter? Do you Tweet, re-Tweet or @reply? Ever have a conversation?

Nearly 700 million people now integrate social media check-ins or interactions into their daily routines, especially on Facebook and Twitter. With this sudden rise in social networking popularity, many businesses have jumped on the brandwagon, but few know what to do. Some just piss off their brand.

I sometimes Tweet to help desks or CSRs about service or product issues.

After the latest update, my Hootsuite iPhone app no longer launches. I tap it. No response. On Wednesday I ask @Hootsuite_Help how to fix it. They fail to get back to me by Monday, so I re-Tweet my question. “^CT” @replies: “Delete the app. Reinstall it.” Translation? Pay another $2.99 to try again.

Want to build brand value on Twitter? Maybe give a hoot about your brand.

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Impromptu Song Lyrics

Carey Says Ums — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:53:17 +0000

I often strum my guitar and sing. This chorus popped into my head today . . .

“Sunday comes. Monday goes. And Tuesday. What the f**k. It’s Saturday again. Another week gone.”

Not the best poetic anecdote I’ve come up with on the fly, but It does express how time quickly slips away.

“What the f**k” is my mnemonic teaser for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

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997,136-1=997,135

Carey Says Ums — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:15:55 +0000

Starbucks is the king of all social media. This news is all over Twitter like a cup of Clover® on a crisp white shirt. Why do I care? @Starbucks won’t respond to my Tweets. I’m a card-carrying regular. I dig rich pungent Arabian coffee. My blood is likely made of milk, sugar and cocoa, but there’s something about my Starbucks card questions that just doesn’t jive with their “social” networkers.

I’m just not supposed to be a part of the Starbucks klatch. Hi, @BlenzCoffee.

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¿Face-to-Face Chat?

Carey Says Ums — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 01:06:23 +0000

It’s nice to step away from the laptop and meet face-to-face.

For the past couple of years, I’ve spent long days at two computers, juggling analytics, content marketing best practices and the latest online branding techniques. Other than a few daily Tweets and a Facebook post, my social life has been left in ruins.

An opportunity to meet a likeminded social media strategist presented itself. Jason Baker, or @Jason_Baker on Twitter, is the founder of Digicate, and he has an intuitive sense of what makes cliques click. His aim is to help shifting agencies gain a new awareness of social media.

We shared our experiences and portfolios over green tea and coffee. I swapped one of my cheeky coffee mugs for a moo card, featuring a flickr photo from travels across Canada. We ended the chat empowered, refreshed and ready to dive back in.

Social media is groovy, but even e-socialites need face time.

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My Second Layoff

Carey Says Ums — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:45:32 +0000

It happened to me again today.

For the second time in two laboriously long years, I’ve been hired, told that I’m an exceptional copywriter and subsequently laid off when the money ran out—or as in this latest scenario—the boss ran out with our vacation pay.

It’s not easy being a copywriter, but I dig the craft and love the business. So much so that I walked into two dead-end opportunities. They were tempting, though. Breaking into this business is akin to a Mexican waltzing into Arizona. If a big shiny car with a roomy trunk pulls over, you know Pedro’s gonna hop in.

Somehow. Someway. I’ve gotta keep working, walk farther and nab just thirty seconds of attention from a creative director or art director who must find a better collaborator, a new concepting partner and talented writer.

What now? Improve my book.

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Biodegradable: Hot or Not?

Carey Says Ums — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:19:26 +0000

Biodegradable in advertising . . .

Since when did we start selling something by how well it turns back into dust?

Copy boasts that it’s fairtrade or made from recycled plastics. I get it. We’re selling the positive feeling of doing good.

But biodegradable shoes? We’ve taken it one step too far with this product in our eagerness to kick it with Earth Day.

“Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Try on these biodegradable shoes.”

What about biodegradable ads?

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Google Search: 2012

Carey Says Ums — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:35:37 +0000

Last night at Tinseltown, I saw a movie trailer with a marketing twist.

It wasn’t the doomsday music. It wasn’t the monk or the mountain. It wasn’t CGI. It was the call to action: “Find Out the Truth. Google Search: 2012.”

Besides placing truth and Google in the same sentence, search is a way to use O.P.C. (other people’s content) and some of their own to find out more.

BTW: This is really a piggyback ad for Google Wave. View it. See?

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CrackBird Fists Fly

Carey Says Ums — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:22:01 +0000

Twitter is now CrackBird.

Old-fogie bloggers still married to 1,000+ characters fly off the handle at smart, legit web marketers who use CrackBird to connect and prosper.

Maybe it’s raging hormones. Maybe it’s that time of the market. Maybe it’s Canada. Whatever whippersnapper or other worldly evils caused this, everyone now shakes @replies at each other over the fate of CrackBird’s flock.

Here’s an idea. Want to reach anybody in 140 characters or less? Stop complaining. Nobody wants to hear it. Case in point: my blog post.

New stats? 10 less visitors.

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How Copywriters Dream

Carey Says Ums — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:44:46 +0000

Here’s a befitting cartoon.

Finishing up a sexy dream with the same old call-to-action isn’t cool.

I roll over and wonder if Monday’s copy might get the same reaction.

I’m up. Time for a rewrite.

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Go Draw Yourself

Carey Says Ums — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:49:28 +0000

CREATIVEMIX shared this first. Not that blog. This blog.

Clive Goodinson has a program that let’s anyone—yes, even lazy West Coast copywriters—create comics to share with kids, co-workers, family, friends, foes, mo-fos, old fogies and, I presume, even monkeys. Here’s my avatar . . .

. . . It only took a few minutes to create. Now I’m trying to figure out which comic strip to draw up first. A “hang in there” comic to my copywriting pals? A self-serving ditty to send to clients? Or something silly for my Facebook page?

How will you draw your Pixton powered comic strip?

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