MY URBAN KVETCH

What Would Don Draper Tweet? (LAist)

[image from TheVox]

My new post at LAist, "What Would Don Draper Tweet?" shares words from Hank Wasiak, ad man extraordinaire who started in advertising during the 60s and who is now fully embracing social media's potential to enhance the effectiveness of campaigns in his industry  He's even incorporating social media into the class he's teaching next semester at USC's Marshall School of Business. 

If “Mad Men” has taught us anything, it’s that advertising is all about the client and the product. But a “Mad Man” for the technology age urges ad firms to put the Don Draper era behind them and consider the consumer in a new manner: through the lens and the interactive venue of today’s social media tools. 

By his own admission last week at the 140 Characters Conference (held at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood), Hank Wasiak has lived the “Mad Men” experience. He explained to the crowd of Twitter enthusiasts (this writer among them) that he had started at an advertising firm that he described as “the mirror image” of the fictional Sterling Cooper, an image that included similar clients, attitudes toward sex and drinking, and where they were “smoking something a lot stronger than Lucky Strikes.” It was a time, he says, when “the guys in suits showed us what we wanted to be and what we wanted to buy.” Until now, the essentials of advertising hadn’t changed. But after having witnessed everything in the business for the last five decades, he realized that “social media created the watershed moment.”

To read the rest of the post, click here.

Other posts at LAist:

Move Over, Rocky Horror: The Girl Scouts Are Coming

Oh Crap, My Parents Joined Facebook

10 Twitter Lists I Don't Want to Be On

It was supposed to be a secret, but it's the kind of secret that no one is keeping. As some of us logged into our Twitter accounts, we were blessed with the appearance of "Tweetie" (that's the Twitter bird) who bore the following message:

New! Lists. A great way to organize the people you follow and discover new and interesting accounts. (BETA) Lists are timelines you build yourself, consisting of friends, family, co-workers, you name it.

Not everyone has Twitter Lists right now, but the plan is to roll them out soon. Since Twitter Lists launched (a week ago or so), I've been named to 13 lists, among them titles like "cooljews," "ROICom," and "chicksthatlead." It's an honor, really, to be considered so essential that other people want to organize your content among the liketweeted. And in case you wondered what your Twitter friends think of you, this is a good way - as they tag your life by listing you, you get a picture of which words are associated with you (or the Twitter representation of you) most. Also, people don't seem to care how long their list names are, which may yet change.

But someday soon, I'm going to land on a list with a name that's a little less than complimentary. In anticipation of that day, I present...

10 Twitter Lists I Don't Want to Be On

10. "funnyoddnotfunnyhaha"
9.  "cheesychicklit"
8. "burninhelljew"
7. "earthgirlsareeasy"
6. "fashionemergency"
5. "jdateforeva"
4. "girlswhowearglasses"
3. "justgiveup"
2. "ohcrapnother"

And it goes without saying that the number one Twitter List I don't want to be on is:

1. "schindlerslist"

Which of course lands me on the list called "makesjokesabouttheholocaust." Great.

Fans Claim Scenes and Refilm Them for "Star Wars Uncut"

Not so long ago (now), in a galaxy not so far away (here), a small band of internet rebels stood against the evil Empire; mobilizing from separate rebel bases, they used all the tools at their disposal - PhotoShop, DreamWeaver, Flash, Java, iMovie and others - to recreate their favorite scenes in the classic sci-fi film "Star Wars."

Some scenes are animated, others re-enacted with live actors, and still others transposed favorite scenes into contemporary contexts. The trailer below provides a glimpse into what the final film might look like.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to Toschi and pick up some power converters. 

(via Mashable)

 

Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

Digital Hollywood: Publicists, Writers, Content Developers Talk Blogs, Celebs and More

For a woman like me, this Digital Hollywood conference is like a crash course in some things I know and some things I don't know, all at the same time. Obviously, being at a professional conference specifically geared for the entertainment industry in the town I moved to a year ago is a new experience for me: I don't know who the players are; how a TV writer hones her craft and makes connections; how a celebrity gets his or her press; or how Hollywood views the internet. 

And yet, I do.

Sure, there are some processes and politics that are specific to the industry of Hollywood and celebrity gossip. But publicity, whether it's for Spencer and Heidi (whatever) or for a name change at an umbrella organization of Jewish federations (see here), is about two things for a publicist: crafting the message and getting that message out. What the message is is situation-specific; and the modes used for distributing that message should be as well. One could point out a vital third component with two parts: relationship - both the relationship between the publicist and his/her client, and the relationship between the publicist/client entity and members of the press. 

Several ideas and experiences seemed familiar or intuitive to me, but were hailed as innovative by the audience, which consisted of an eclectic group of underemployed, self-employed, publicists, writers, editors, actors, producers, content developers, web designers, techie coder geeks, advertising representatives, lawyers, event planners and professional schmoozers. With a group that large and diverse, programming had to be similarly diverse in terms of appeal and approach, and in many cases it was. But it's hard to speak to a group with so many degrees of online literacy

For instance, if you didn't realize that making it in Hollywood was hard, well, you would after attending the conference - at one point I imagined Debbie Allen in the corner, leaning on a dance stick, giving her monologue ("You got big dreams? You want fame? Well fame costs...and right here's where you start paying -- in sweat." FAME!). Also, did you know that "Glee" was popular in part due to its premiere over the summer and then the anticipatory build until the season began in September? Or, that "The Office" didn't have that strong a following at first, but then built because of the online audience? Or that "Dr. Horrible" was financed personally by Joss Whedon? Or that the "Mad Men" characters have been Tweeting, but that they're not supported by AMC - they're a fan initiative? I've never been to a tech conference before, but I, in fact, did know all these things. But the oohs and aahs of the audience proved that not everyone reads Entertainment Weekly like I do.

There also seemed to be unrelenting criticism of bloggers as panelists and attendees seemed to alternately thank the bloggers for mobilizing fans online and condemn them for their unpredictability, and for not following traditional journalism's rules. This constant reference to all bloggers as unprofessional (which is not the same thing as calling them "not journalists") highlighted the fact that people don't get it: blogging is a tool, and all kinds of people use that tool to do all kinds of writing. (This disconnect is something those of us in Jewish journalism/commentary have seen before, if you remember "Jewish Bloggers Are Not the Enemies of Jewish Storytelling.")

Some bloggers write journalistically, others juvenilely.  And there's a continuum, of course. Many of us do employ a different tone than traditional journalism, and write in this tone because the medium's democracy and immediacy lends itself to the personal lens that most bloggers take to the subjects about which they're most passionate. But for the most part, I heard people blame bloggers more than thank them: for leaking stories, for lying, for being a source of negative press, for being uncontrollable, for being unprofessional, for ushering traditional journalism toward its deathbed...I was waiting to hear how bloggers were responsible for higher taxes, Michael Jackson's death, and 9/11, but I guess I missed that session. 

Digital Hollywood Content Summit: Initial Observations

So, in case I haven't mentioned it, I'm at Digital Hollywood's Content Summit this week in Santa Monica. This is exciting a) because I love learning about how technology has impacted the entertainment sphere and b) because this is the first conference in a while that doesn't feature the term "good for the Jews" anywhere in the program.

Here are some initial "shorts," just perfect for you short-attention-spanners for whom a 5-minute YouTube video seems too long:

• Jewish conference: "What? Food again?" / Hollywood conference: "Where's the bar?" (There was no food anywhere that I saw during this conference. Tomorrow, I bring sandwiches. And sell them.)
• One thing that Jewish conferences and Hollywood conferences seem to agree on? Sarah Lefton and G-dcast are awesome. Sarah pitched G-dcast to a panel of Hollywood tastemakers and content producers...and they liked it.
• There was some debate over whether, when it comes to viral video, it's better to be first than be best. Thoughts?
• Saw Justine Bateman within ten minutes of my arrival. She was already surrounded, so I chickened out of talking to her. 
• Several people predicted that online space would totally take over the entertainment world in the next five years. Others thought it already was taking over the entertainment industry, but that the money models aren't really set yet - we have to figure out when doing our projects what people are willing to pay for in order to monetize the product. I know my money models aren't set yet. :)
• In "We Live in Public," the film's subject - Josh Harris - made a ton of money in the dot com boom, and engaged in experiments regarding living in public, having every moment of their lives taped. He's alternately hailed as a visionary, an artist, and a genius (often all by himself), but the truth is that he's accurately foreseen the trends that today's internet users embrace: self-exposure, the need for community approval, connection to people without really connecting to them.
• Harris admitted after the screening that he had never experienced real "intimate love," despite the fact that one of his experiments was him and his girlfriend - or as he referred to her, his "fake girlfriend" - living together and being taped in every moment. And the moment when it all clicked that intimate love had evaded him? When he watched "The Truman Show," and saw Truman's wife in their wedding picture, with her fingers crossed behind her back. 

There's much more to say on this film and the issues it brought up, but that'll have to be tomorrow. Writer's Boot Camp starts early in the am...

Good night, Hollywood. 

Connecting to Jewish Community: In-Person and Online

This is a tough time of year, for anyone who's encountered loss in the last year, for anyone suffering from the weight of their own circumstances, for anyone who feels restricted in movement, stagnant or inert in some way. It's a tough time for people who have a tendency (or an overabundance of free time) to think about their lives, how they got to be where they are, and what they'd like to change in the months ahead. 

The liturgy feeds the introspection, urging us to go deeper and deeper into ourselves, even as most of us do so in a crowded synagogue with many people who won't show up there again until next Yom Kippur. For some, this connection is organic and part of their calendar year. They show up as long as they are able.

But what if they're not able? What if circumstances - emotional or physical or financial - preclude their ability to seek out synagogue services for Yom Kippur? Some communities might organize other congregants to hold a mini-minyan in the home of someone who can't travel to a synagogue. But most don't. 

And so it is to fill this void that technology can step in, helping people connect to the holiday and feel like a part of a community in a way that doesn't embarrass them, or bankrupt them, or cause them additional emotional or physical pain.

This week, as I've been helping JewishTVNetwork.com to promote their online Kol Nidre service, I've heard and read reactions ranging from enthusiasm to vehement opposition. There are discussions around such services, as to whether they're diluting or canceling the messages of the holiday, or whether they are permissible according to Conservative halakhah. 

Using Social Media to Stalk Your Kids

It's funny because it's true. And what's even funnier is that I was sent the link to this video by my parents. Gotta love the Onion - this broadcast is pitch perfect, capturing the super-sunny morning vibe of the AM talk show, complete with chipper hosts and manufactured banter between them and the expert. Seriously: remember, I've been there myself.
Facebook, Twitter Revolutionizing How Parents Stalk Their College-Aged Kids

You, Your Laptop, and...Where, Exactly?

A few days ago, the Wall Street Journal printed an article about how coffee places are becoming increasingly less tolerant of their laptop toting customers. And mediabistro, undergroundish-insiderish site that they are, have launched what amounts to a quasi-countercampaign, asking New Yorkers to send in the names of their favorite laptop-friendly venues.

I can't wait for that list, so I know where to go when I visit, but I'd love to see a similar list for LA. Of course, there are lots of places to go here that have free wifi (a distinct difference from New York), but I haven't found the perfect place. For me, an ideal laptop work environment includes most, if not all of the following:

a) free wifi
b) copious seating
c) not too crowded on a regular basis
d) proximity to outlets/power strips for charging laptop batteries
e) good coffee or other beverages, reasonably priced
f) relatively quiet, but with no policing squad of librarian-like shushers.

Where do you and your laptop go?

6 (Not 61) Ways to Celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut

Halfway through Yom Ha'atzmaut in Los Angeles, nearing the end of the day in New York, and with the celebrations already behind them in the Birthday country, most people have already found a way to celebrate Israel's 61st birthday. For instance, I like to take this moment during the calendar year to look through my photos, and revisit the real promise of the Promised Land: "Almost-Free Pizza."

But just in case you haven't yet celebrated, or want to celebrate more, here are a few ways to connect with the land and people of Israel in the remaining moments of the day and throughout the year ahead, as we look forward to 62 and beyond.

"About That Email..." - JTA Posts Apology for Email Language

The JTA posted a response today, calling Friday's solicitation letter "ill-advised," which it certainly was, and creating more of a context for the "ask" than recipients of the letter were originally given (this from Dan Sieradski's post on the subject):

I will therefore be the first to admit that Friday's fundraising letter was ill-advised and regrettable. The characterization of bloggers and Twitterers as "non-professional" and unreliable was not only counterproductive but arguably false. Worse yet, by seemingly attacking the blogosphere and Twittersphere, JTA has turned itself into a straw man in the battle between old and new media.

Over the weekend, there's been a lot of angry responses from bloggers and other outraged users of new media. And the JTA realized almost immediately that the email was a mistake. So now that we've had the outrage and the apology, how can we all learn from this experience and move on? What's the lesson, for JTA, which contributes Jewish journalism's mainframe, and for the "bloggers, Twitterers and unprofessionals" whose work complements "just the news" with personal opinion, insight, irreverence, reflections, humor etc?