I’ll highlight two specific applications that I’ve had personal experience with, but that does not necessarily mean these will be the ones that win.

Group.Me is a free group messaging platform that “makes life easy for you and your groups.” To start, you head to the homepage, type in your name and phone number and hit “Start Group.” Group.Me sends you a unique phone number to serve as your group. Each time you text that number, your message appears to everyone that has access. Think AOL chat room but through a mobile interface.

I’ve already used Group.Me in two separate instances. First was with a group of guys that play basketball on Saturday mornings. We used Group.Me for trash talking throughout the week and also for figuring out weekly attendance. We ended up deciding that an email chain was better for what we wanted, simply because it was easier to track and already had the complete group of guys on it. We found that getting people to join the Group.Me group was a challenge, and so it wasn’t as effective as the email chain was.

The second instance was when the Phillies made the postseason this year. Since I live in New York City and know a lot of Phillies fans that live in other places around the country (and the world), I thought it would be fun for us to be able to watch the games “together.” After a big hit or a big out, it would be fun to cheer together. Similarly, we could feel each other’s pain in times of sadness. Unfortunately, the group never came to fruition. Only one brave friend joined, and we ended up just using the group as a normal text conversation. I don’t think the others were ready for it.

So, in both cases, the groups did not succeed because of an inability to adopt the platform. To be fair, in the second instance, I was asking a bunch of friends who were not necessary tech-savvy to join a platform they’d never heard of. So I wasn’t surprised the Phillies group didn’t do well. But in the first instance, my friends were a group of early adopters (mostly in the tech space, we used the hashtag #geekbasketball on Twitter), yet they still did not join at a high rate. In any case, group texting is not here yet, but it soon will be. There are just too many practical applications for it not to work.

Kik is a mobile application that acts very similarly to Blackberry Messenger and has seen tremendous growth despite only going live recently. They reported to have 450,000 registered users within 10 hours of launch, and not too long ago picked up 150,000 new users in 15 hours. Kik is a cross platform (works on iPhone, Blackberry, Android, iTouch) messenger application that allows users to create accounts and start messaging friends in the same fashion as they would in IM. Kik does not use text messages and allows users to see when their messages are sent, received, and read by the recipient. While currently focused on messaging, Kik’s technology will allow it to branch out to sharing media across mobile phones and Internet browsers.

Kik has been really interesting. I joined last week, so I don’t have a ton of experience, but I like it so far. Kik notifies you every time it thinks someone you know joins. In the past week or so, I’ve seen an interesting variety of friends join the platform, from early adopters to friends still in college to a professional basketball player I happen to have in my phone book (yeah, I’m that cool). It seems like Kik is catching on with a wide range of people. I think the BBM concept is a brilliant one. People appreciate real-time interaction. So, I’d think that Kik will do quite well.

Obviously, they need to make improvements in some areas, but what impresses me is that the technology seems to be pretty darn good. I’ve had several conversations on Kik and the messages seemed to be going back and forth in real-time. There have been occasional issues, but it’s a young platform and that is to be expected. Between the crowd I’ve seen join Kik in the past week and my experience with the technology, I think the platform will only continue to grow.

What do you think about group messaging and real-time mobile messaging? Are they just fads or do you see them catching on long-term? Have you personally used either platform? What do you think? As always, would love to continue the conversation and hear your thoughts below in the comments section!

Communicate & coordinate. In dodgeball, it’s essential to communicate with your teammates, understand the plan of attack, and know where & when to throw the ball. Without proper coordination of throws, you’ll likely lose the game. The same goes for the workplace. Proper communication with coworkers, clients, and/or consumers is essential. Plain & simple.

Understand & embrace your role. Some people can throw the ball really hard. Others can catch the ball really well. Some people are excellent dodgers. Others can do it all. On a dodgeball court, everyone has a role. And the team has a better chance of success when everyone does what they’re supposed to. If Dwiddy, one of our best catchers, gets out on a stupid throw, we’re losing one of our best players because he didn’t stick with his role.

The same concept goes for the workplace. Companies function best when employees understand their roles and do the best they can at what they’re good at. I’m a decent designer, but I’m better at communication and idea generation, that’s why I’m a project manager. I get more done for our company in my project manager role than I would in a designer role. On the dodgeball court, it’s a different story. I like to think I can do it all!

Don’t lose your cool. I’m competitive, to say the least. In my first season of dodgeball, I was known by the refs as a complainer. I’d see someone cheat, or I’d disagree with a call, and I would start yelling and whining. The refs didn’t love on-the-court-Sam, to say the least. This season, I’ve been better. I learned that losing my cool only hurts myself and my team. I played worse when I got upset.

The same goes at work. People make mistakes. The Internet goes out. The heat is too hot or the air conditioner is too cold. Things won’t always be perfect, it’s just the way it is. The important thing to remember is that losing your cool won’t solve anything (most of the time), and staying focused on your goals and the task at hand is simply the best option. Further, your coworkers and superiors won’t react well to complaints and whining.

(Work hard.) Play hard. The dodgeball league is full of young professionals, who work all day and come to the gym at night simply to have fun. The ironic thing? Apart from my coworker and teammate Dave Zhang (thanks for re-introducing me to the game!), I have no idea what anyone I play with does for a living. Why? Because when we get to the gym, it’s all about dodgeball. Work hard during the day. Play hard on Wednesday nights.

Never turn away from the action (or risk being hit in the back of the head with a fast-flying rubber ball). Don’t be afraid of a challenge. Don’t be afraid to try and fail. When the other team’s fastest thrower sizes you up and launches the ball, open your arms and make your best effort to catch it. If you turn away, you have no chance; you’re going to get hit in the back of the head.

I feel the same way about challenges at work. Sure, you won’t always succeed. Sometimes you’re going to drop the ball. But better to try your best and approach scary situations with confidence than to turn away. You’ll gain from your experience. Maybe you’ll learn something you wouldn’t have learned otherwise. There’s nothing to be afraid of, apart from maybe a couple of bruises.

So, without further adieu, I give you the five ways I stay productive:

Embrace your internal clock. I am an early bird. I’ve always been an early-to-bed, earl-to-rise type of guy. Through my high school and college years, I tried to fight it. But it’s no use, it’s just who I am. I like to wake up early. In fact, I feel stressed when I wake up late. I feel like I missed out on too much of the day. As a result, I tend to come in to work between 7AM & 8AM every morning and crank out as much as I can during the early and middle parts of the day. I do most of the important / brain cell-consuming work before 3PM or 4PM, because once it hits late afternoon, my productivity takes a dive. It’s important to know yourself, understand your peaks and valleys throughout the day, and plan your work accordingly. You’ll do better work on the things that really matter if you do it that way.

Stay organized.

One of my biggest challenges is organization, which is unfortunate, because one of the most crucial aspects of being productive is staying organized. Slip for even a day, and you’ll find yourself fighting to catch up, spending exponentially more time down the line on getting back to where you should have been had you just taken the time to stay organized in the first place. Staying organized can help alleviate a lot of unnecessary stress and open up time you never thought you had.

Keep well-fed & hydrated.

Hungry? Thirsty? Have a headache or low energy? You probably need some food! I know, I know. You don’t have the time. Or maybe you get in such a groove that you forget. Food and water are essential to keeping your energy and motivation up throughout the day. For example, it’s 8PM as I write this post. I’ve been in the office for over 12 hours. I hit a point about an hour ago where I thought I needed to call it quits for the day, but after a nice meal and glass of water, I feel like a new man. Can’t stress this one enough. There is always time for food and water. And don’t forget!

“Step away from the vehicle!”

I’ve always heard that after every hour or so of work, you should take a ten minute break. I’m not sure of the exact formula, but I do know that short breaks in between focused work sessions is something I would highly recommend. And I don’t mean simply clicking over to your favorite leisure website (e.g. ESPN or Perez Hilton), I mean getting up out of your seat, taking a walk, or grabbing some fresh air. In my opinion, a change of scenery goes a long way. It’s nice to clear your mind; think of it as a quick reboot of the system, much like your computer gets (or deserves) when it’s been working for a while.

Understand your optimum working conditions.

Do you prefer complete silence or some background noise? Are you more comfortable when the temperature is a bit cool or do you like it warmer? Are you more focused when you’re working alone or when you’re side by side with coworkers? Think about the environmental conditions around you at your workplace. Is the mess on your desk forcing you to lose focus? Take ten minutes to clean it up, you might feel a lot better. The point is that everyone works best under different outside factors. Do as much as you can to help your surroundings help you.

There are clearly more than five ways to stay productive. These are just the ones that have most helped me. What else helps you stay effective while at work? Would love to hear your thoughts on the topic, so please share them in the comments below!

That’s all well & good, but what about those of us who want branded pages? What do we do now? What does VaynerMedia tell our clients to do? No longer can we fit the amount of branded information we previously could – there just is not enough space. Take a look:

My Twitter profile when viewed through old Twitter:

My Twitter profile when viewed through new Twitter:

It’s quite clear that the branded backgrounds we created for our Twitter profiles last year are no longer effective or attractive with the new layout. And the backgrounds we’ve created for clients won’t work either. So what do we do? It’s not quite as simple as when Facebook resized their pages from 760px to 520px.

We’re not sure what we’ll do in light of Twitter’s layout changes and we’re not sure what we’ll recommend for our clients. But either way, it does not make sense to make background changes until the new layout has been rolled out to everyone. So, there’s still some time left on the clock. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks to see what we do (possible follow-up post to come)!

What are your thoughts? Are you planning on changing your background? What would you recommend brands do with the limited space they still have left?

Note: Overall, the new Twitter is a good move for brands, both consumer and personal. The changes will keep more users on Twitter.com rather than on third party applications. Search is easier. Trending topics are easier to see. But, I haven’t had a chance to mess around with it too much yet, so “New Twitter’s Implications for Brands” will have to wait till another day.

Kanye has been creating buzz ever since he joined Twitter. He’s just that kind of a person. He speaks his mind, but not in a ranting, nonsensical kind of way. Kanye uses Twitter as an outlet, as a bit of a venting mechanism. The result? We get a glimpse into the mind and thought process of one of the most gifted and creative musicians of our time. That’s not to say his tweets are always newsworthy, but from, “Yo I ain’t gone lie… the diamond teeth be looking crazy dope with tux jackets. The juxtaposition is what I live for,” to “Just wrapped for the day… been shooting 16 hour days … I’m so excited … it’s like a child’s delusions become reality!,” Twitter has given Kanye a place to just say what he wants. And on this particular Saturday morning, Kanye wanted to say a lot.

Kanye West was apologizing to Taylor Swift, and to all the world, for stepping on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards and interrupting her acceptance speech for ‘Best Female Video.’ More than that, he was giving us specific insights into how the incident impacted his life, and how that moment had affected him as a person. He was truly remorseful, it seemed. Around 10:30AM EST on Saturday morning, he said it:

Throughout Kanye’s Saturday morning discussion, he talked about larger issues: racism, the entertainment industry, ego (at one point, he called himself a 32 year-old child), the media. It was all quite thoughtful, intellectual, open and honest. I tweeted, “Love what @KanyeWest is doing on Twitter right now. Honest. Raw. Emotional. Public. Follow along.” And the majority agreed. Everyone was talking about Kanye on Saturday morning. He could not have picked a better platform to deliver his apology, and he knew it. Kanye chose a platform over which he had complete control. There would be no interruptions, no secondary agenda. Twitter was the place where he could say what he wanted, when he wanted, and without the bells and whistles of say, a TV special. It was perfect.

I’m not saying that just anybody can deliver a short novel and get away with it, but the lessons are there for all to see. Honesty and transparency win. Those characteristics are attractive, more today than ever before, in an age where everyone has, or is capable of having, a public voice.

I feel like there is a tendency in our space (and maybe in life) to prove how busy we all are. We’re afraid to admit when we’re not working, or even worse, when we’re off the grid. Gasp! However, we’re quite likely to tweet when we’re working overtime. We pride ourselves on our lack of sleep and our lack of vacations. Some of us stay up until 4AM every night. Others wake up at that time every morning. It’s all about the constant hustle, the never-ending grind…

Trust me, I am a firm believer in working hard and working long hours. I work for a company that expects much more than the typical 9-5 out of its employees, and we are beyond happy to put in the time. From the VaynerMedia.com About Us page, “We do not believe in the ‘work smarter, not harder’ ethos. Rather, everyone is expected to work smart and work hard.” Most VM employees are night owls, but I’m an early bird. I’m generally awake by 6:30AM and in the office by 7AM. One way or the other, we all put our hours in. And we all work smart and efficiently (60 hours per week of procrastination won’t get you too far).

When it comes down to it, we know how to play hard, too! Did I mention the time we went to Vermont and competed in activities like manhunt, volleyball, and homemade golf, from the moment we got there until the moment we left? Or how about the fact that once a week after work, a decent chunk of the office plays organized basketball in the New York Urban Professionals League? You may not believe it, but we do take weekends. Most of the time.

I’m not talking about the corporate concept that working hard from 10-5 means a job well done and it’s time for happy hour. I’m not talking about companies providing performance targets so that their employees will work harder. I’m just saying that life is about balance. Work hard. Play hard.

I’m going on vacation next week with my family, to Martha’s Vineyard. The Vineyard is maybe my favorite place on planet Earth. It is the definition of relaxation. I’ll bring my phone with me and I’ll check email as I can (and maybe tweet a couple times throughout the week). But vacation is no time to focus intensely on work. Vacation is time to play.

Playing hard means different things to different people at different moments in their lives. For me, right now, it means I’ll read some books (have Delivering Happiness, Outliers, and The Book of Basketball all lined up), take naps on the beach, hang out with family and family friends, and enjoy every single moment. Why? Because when I get back, it’s time to work hard again!

It’s all relative. Some people truly do not enjoy vacation. They get stressed out and feel unproductive. And that’s fine! The key is to not burn out. Find your 30 minutes or hour per day, or a whole day on the weekend, to do something you truly love to do. If you really work hard, and work smart (efficiently), you deserve that time.

What are your thoughts? Do you abide by this philosophy? Do you make sure to keep a balance in your life? And please, feel free to share any tips you might have about this discussion (e.g. working hard, working smart, playing hard, relaxing)!

The Website

Carrot Creative put together a great site for the game, socialmediabasketball.com. They included both teams’ starting rosters, complete with names, nicknames, and the ability to follow all of us on Twitter. Even cooler? Visitors have the ability to “Like” which team they are rooting for / think will win (VaynerMedia currently leads 100-63). Finally, a live feed features anyone who tweets about the game with the hashtag #CCvsVM. So, props to Carrot Creative for a job well done.

The Game

Tip-off is tomorrow, August 12th, 2010, just after 3PM EST. If you are would like to attend to watch or to cover the event, please email info@vaynermedia.com.

The good news is that we’re live-streaming the game for all to watch, and having our good friend Owen JJ Stone (aka OhDoctah) announce/commentate/emcee. You can watch live at bit.ly/ccvsvmlive. Also, you’ll be able to follow along with anyone live tweeting from the game by keeping track of hashtag #ccvsvm.

So, what do you think? What’s your prediction? Who will you be rooting for?

Your Phone is the Future

Plain & simple. I don’t know when (soon, though!), but that’s where things are going. Last week, Bloomberg released an article titled AT&T, Verizon to Target Visa, MasterCard With Smartphones. The article talked about plans to test a system which would allow for consumers to pay with “the contactless wave of a smartphone.” Imagine walking into a 7-Eleven to buy a late-night Slurpee® and chili cheese dog. You head up to the register, take out your smartphone, open your Visa app, swipe the phone in front of a scanner, and you’re off. Done. That simple.

Sound crazy? Why? The service is essentially being offered in Japan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom already. And in June, Citigroup released MasterCard PayPass stickers, which can be attached to the back of a mobile phone, to allow for swipe payments. Contactless payments already exist with credit & debit cards, so why not on a phone? Mobile payment is clearly the next logical step.

Said Gary Townsend, CEO of Hill-Townsend Capital LLC, “What is a cell phone, except for a mechanism for consumers to address their lives in whatever way they choose? There’s certainly no reason if an AT&T account can effectively be carried on a phone that a JPMorgan or a Wells Fargo card can’t be there, too. In fact, the antitrust issues would demand that be allowed.” According to Gary, it might be illegal not to have mobile payment not exist in this capacity.

Note: If you are interested in the further implications of this concept, take a look at the article I reference above. You can find much more on market dominance, transactional/interchange fees, and security.

The Future is Here if You’re Ready for it!

Applications and platforms such as Venmo (in interest of full disclosure, VM is an investor), PayPal, & Square already allow for mobile transactions. Not sure what these are? OK. Quick summaries:

Venmo is “an easy way to pay for things using your cellphone.” Venmo works with any cellphone that can send and receive text messages. (example use: I paid a coworker for lunch the other day by sending a text message, “Pay MarcusKRZ 12 for Indian Food.”)

PayPal allows users to send money through SMS or through a mobile application. Every payment is confirmed by a PIN or password, so there’s no need to worry if you lose your phone.

Square is a personal credit card reader that attaches to your mobile device. Square focuses on providing the best payment experience in the world.

These are just three of many, many platforms that focus on the mobile payment experience. The fact is that they exist already and are being adopted.

The End of Paper Money? Not Yet.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me state that I don’t think that paper money is dead… at least, not yet. The rate at which current mobile payment apps and platforms are being accepted is very low. Of course, once major, trusted financial entities get involved, expect the adoption rate to explode. But then, still, the smartphone user base is relatively small compared to the general population.

Paper money will be around for decades longer, but the end may be in sight.

A Final Thought

From industry consultant, Richard Crone, “A mobile device is online, real-time interactivity that changes the customer relationship. A card is dumb.” We live in a world that is more and more social, and more and more about customer service. Think about the ability of a phone to create long-lasting, interactive customer relationships as opposed to a simply piece of plastic. The phone is the next logical step in terms of transactional payment.

What do you think about the future of money, in this aspect? How soon do you think we’ll see mobile become a serious player in terms of merchant transactions? Do you currently use any of applications or platforms? What are your early thoughts?

The tech space has its fair share of entrepreneurs who never went to college, spent several years working their butts off to build amazing products, and sold them for millions. And as the mainstream becomes more and more informed about the space, more and more people think they can achieve the same result in a few short years (or less). It’s easy to highlight those success stories, but remember, for every entrepreneur who sold their product for millions, there are thousands who worked just as hard but failed to see results (at least of that nature).

Believe me, I know, it’s sometimes difficult to be in an industry where one great idea plus stellar execution equals $$$$$ (at a very basic level). You get anxious, you want the same for yourself. Just think, the next Facebook is just sitting out there, waiting to be had by anyone who wants it. Not as easy as it seems.

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Gary V. says a lot of things. One of the ones that has stuck with me most is when he talks about branding with social media. In an interview last year, he said:

The quicker people realize that this is a marathon and not a sprint, the quicker they’re gonna win. Way too many internet marketers want everything to happen in one minute. You don’t build million dollar businesses in a minute. That’s something I wish a lot more people understood.

No matter your profession or your spot in life, it’s important to remember that we are all running our own marathons (so stop trying to get to the finish line in two hours).

As with anything, success takes hard work, a good team, a little bit of luck, and time. It takes most of us eighteen years to even be in a position to leave the comfort and security of our parents’ homes. Life is not one big get rich quick scheme; it’s a process, and it’s important to remember that from time to time.

Set small goals and knock them out of the park. With every action you take, as yourself if it’s going to be beneficial for your long-term success. Surround yourself with people that will encourage you and make you better, and then work together to make it to the finish line. And when other runners seem to be passing you by, don’t get frustrated or anxious or worried. We are all running our own marathons.

Edit: My friend, Kade Dworkin, wrote a really interesting post highlighting a crucial point I failed to address. Make sure your daily actions coincide with your long-term goals. A marathon is quite an ambitious task, but it becomes more manageable when you break it down into smaller steps. Think to yourself, “How will I get to the one mile marker? The five mile marker?” And so on… The actions you make day after day after day are what will determine your long-term success, in the end. Thanks, Kade, for pointing that out!

What do you think? Where are you on your marathon (don’t worry if you’re still just training)? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Let us know what you think! Have you ever seen an ad highlight social media / geolocation like this one does? Let us know in the comment section below!

The Wall (34th & 8th)

VaynerMedia’s Influence: Extending the Story

Follow the Nets on Twitter!

Like the Nets on Facebook!

Follow the Nets on Gowalla!

And if you’re in the NYC area, definitely check in!

Why had I chosen those two products over all other options? When I thought about it, I reasoned that both were pretty “standard” and widely-liked. They weren’t too strange. They were a safe bet, in my mind. But why did I have those specific connotations with both products?

The fact is that we are faced with many, many of these types of decisions every single day. From the toothpaste you use in the morning, to the socks you put on before heading out, to the food choices you make all day long, we are all constantly deciding between brands. But what goes in to these decisions? Why choose Crest over Colgate, or Hanes over Fruit of the Loom? In the end, the products aren’t all that different, yet most people have clear preferences.

Consumers make these decisions for a variety of reasons. Maybe their parents brought them up using a specific brand. Maybe they got a free sample when they turned 18 (e.g. Gillette). Or maybe the consumer was caught by a great advertisement or commercial. These are just a few examples.

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Today, brands have an opportunity like never before to influence consumer decisions and behavior. For example, here’s a tweet from a couple of hours ago, “Someone bring me some #Snapple, #MangoMadness if possible! Pleeeaaaaase?!?!” Here’s an opportunity for Arizona Iced Tea to tweet back to the user and say, “Have you tried our Mucho Mango? Here’s a coupon code for 50% off, in case you want to give it a try: link.” Sure, maybe the user wouldn’t take advantage and that would be the end of it. On the other hand, the user might take the coupon, buy the product, and become a lifelong fan and consumer.

This was just an example, but the point is that consumer decisions don’t just have to be left up to the consumers anymore, and they shouldn’t. Brands have an opportunity like never before. Simply interacting with potential consumers via social media is incredibly powerful stuff, and is changing the way that we make decisions.

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Question 1: If AJ had asked you to buy him a bag of chips and a non-carbonated drink, what would you have chosen and why?

Question 2: What goes into your decision-making process when choosing between brands? Has a brand’s presence on/actions via social media ever influenced a decision?

Please leave your answer in the comment section below, would love to see if there are any trends or similarities.

John Wooden was the men’s basketball coach at the University of California Los Angeles, from 1948 until 1975. During his tenure there, Wooden led the team to ten national championships in twelve years, an unbelievable feat which will never be matched. He coached some of basketball’s greatest all-time players, including Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Wooden was unquestionably one of the best coaches the world has ever seen, in any sport.

Wooden was born in 1910. He died last Friday, at the age of 99. Known for his wisdom and kindness, Wooden left his mark not only on the game of basketball, but on millions of people around the world. Wooden will forever be known for his brief maxims, a byproduct of his midwestern upbringing. Among them, “Never mistake activity for achievement,” “It isn’t what you do, but how you do it,” and “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Part of his coaching philosophy was to teach his kids valuable life lessons. In an interview after Wooden’s death, both Walton and Abul-Jabbar said that Coach’s teachings transformed their careers and their lives.

I had the chance to meet John Wooden nearly three years ago when he came to speak to my Sports Business class at the University of Southern California (crosstown rival of Wooden’s UCLA). Rivalry was the last thing on anyone’s mind that night. At 96, he was physically frail, but his mind was as sharp as could be. The room was absolutely packed (this particular night was one of the few where family members of students were allowed to attend class), and for two hours, we sat and watched him speak. Just to be in his presence was surreal. After class, I shook his hand and let him know what an honor it was to meet him. It was a moment that lasted less than a minute, but one I will remember forever. The man was a legend. It’s not often you get to meet someone like John Wooden.

While he is no longer with us, through his maxims and other lessons, we can all still learn something from John Wooden. His maxims are simple, but quite powerful. Here are some of my favorites.

On Success

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

On Failure

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Inspiration & Motivation

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

On Work Ethic

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

For more on John Wooden, here is his Wikipedia entry. I highly recommend reading more about Wooden and reading through a list of his quotes.

Did you know about John Wooden before reading this post? If so, what did he mean to you? Would love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation below.

Last Thursday, a friend of mine (and basketball nut/blogger) Peter R. Casey retweeted fellow basketball nut/blogger Lang Whitaker about a video that I was not prepared for (in a good way). “Yup, that’s going viral,” Peter commented, then retweeting Whitaker, “Here’s the YouTube link to that Nike World Cup spot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE.”

I like sports. I like viral videos (Put them together, that’s what I want! <<< Inside Joke), so I clicked on the link. 450ish views? Viral, you say? What made this video so good that Peter was determined it would go viral? It only took me 7.3 seconds to get sucked in and 30 total to realize Peter was right. This video is epic, and quite possibly the best commercial (hard to call it a commercial) I’ve ever seen. Just watch:

As of 5PM Monday, May 24th, the video had 6.85 million Youtube views. As of 8AM Tuesday, May 25th, the video has 7.65 million Youtube views. So, as predicted by Peter, the video has gone viral. Why? First, the concept is brilliant, and universal. Whether you’re a football fan or not, everyone can understand and get lost in the idea of changing the world and writing the future. Second, Nike is a massive brand. Anything they do is seen by a good amount of people. Third, the event around which the video was centered, The World Cup, is a beyond-massive brand. The World Cup is unquestionably the world’s biggest sporting event, even though we Americans would like to think it’s the SuperBowl. No other sporting event affects the world’s population as much as the World Cup. Fourth, Nike Football hired famous Hollywood director and producer Alejandro G. Iñarritu (21 Grams, Babel) to direct the commercial, and he crushed it. The cinematography & art direction is brilliant (loved the Ronaldinho Youtube touch). Finally, the cast is insanely star-studded, including appearances by world-class footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, Landon Donovan (to name a few), as well as special guest cameos by tennis great, Roger Federer, NBA superstar, Kobe Bryant, and fictional cartoon character, Homer Simpson.

After watching the commercial (four of five times), I headed over to Nike Football’s Facebook Page to see what they were doing there. Since I hadn’t yet liked the page, I landed on a custom tab titled, “Write the Future,” and was directed to “Hit the Like Button. Watch the Future.” I did so, and proceeded to watch a ten minute video about the making of the commercial (which included the actual full-length commercial not once, but twice). Nike Football also integrated one of Facebook’s new plug-ins, the Activity Feed, into the tab. Pretty cool!

I don’t even like football, but this commercial got me amped. So much so that I tweeted about it, posted the video on my blog, shared it with the entire VaynerMedia team, and now have written a VaynerMedia blog post about it. While I still probably won’t watch that much of the World Cup, I guarantee I will watch more than I would have prior to seeing the commercial. I also know that my co-worker, John Oates (who on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of how much he likes football, is a self-professed ~5.25), just said, “I want to cry” and “I just want to keep watching it over and over again” after watching the commercial. Another coworker, Keith Holjencin, who (designed the image for this blog post and) “knows nothing about soccer,” said he was “blown away.”

The point is, the world is talking about this commercial, and this campaign is an absolute home run… or game-winning goal? It’s a fantastic concept (“Write the Future”), it was incredibly well thought-out and well-executed, and its target audience was pretty darn widespread, which couldn’t have hurt. And if I, a non football fan, feel this way about the commercial and the campaign, imagine how passionate football fans must feel (kinda like how Philadelphia hockey fans must feel about the Flyers right now). The commercial just sucks you in until the very last second.

I have so many questions. How much money did Nike spend on this campaign? How much time did it take to conceptualize, plan, and film? Who was the decision maker that said “go ahead?” I would love for Nike to release an article with all of this information, and I have a feeling I’m not alone.

What do you think about the commercial? Had you seen it before this post? Does it change your views on football? Who was the biggest winner because of the campaign? Nike? The World Cup? The game of football? What other campaigns have you seen centered around the World Cup? Would love to hear your thoughts and continue the conversation below!

Tonight is the NBA’s Draft Lottery, where the league’s bottom fourteen teams (every team that did not make the Playoffs) find out their picks in the NBA Draft. The Nets finished the year with the league’s worst record, and thus, have the best chance (25%) at the enviable #1 pick.

It is customary for each team in the Lottery to bring a good luck charm to the event. Each team’s representative typically gets a chance to display the good luck charm on television. In the past, teams have brought everything from a horseshoe to a crystal ball.

While the Nets’ representative, new owner Mikhail Prokhorov, will bring a good luck charm to the event as expected, the team has a second (digital) good luck charm this year as well. This morning, we helped the Nets launch www.NetsGoodLuckCharm.com, a site that will only exist until shortly after the end of the NBA Lottery later this evening. The site is a place for Nets fans to come wish the team good luck in obtaining the first pick in next month’s NBA Draft.

NetsGoodLuckCharm.com takes advantage of several of Facebook’s new social plugins (Activity feed & Like button) as well as Twitter OAuth, to give Nets’ “like”-ers and followers the chance to wish their team good luck without leaving the page.

Overall, the site is really a tribute to the fans who withstood a difficult season and have shown continued support through social media (and elsewhere). And we’re all hoping they can bring the team some good luck!

What do you think about this initiative? How have you seen other sports organizations incorporate their fans into significant moments? Let’s discuss in the comment section!

We live in a world where we can now see, and even better, participate in conversations that would only have happened behind closed doors even just a few years ago. How times have changed! In the past few weeks alone, I saw three tweets from professional athletes that really made me thing about how lucky we as sports fans are, to live in today’s world.

Chris Bosh

Last week, Chris Bosh tweeted, “Been wanting to ask. Where Should I go next season and why?” Later, he clarified, “Ok… Let me rephrase the question. Should I stay or should I go?” If you weren’t aware, this is a massive summer for the National Basketball Association. Several of the leagues stars and superstars are on the free agent market (e.g. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh), and their decisions will have a major impact across the league (Some argue, and I agree, that LeBron’s decision of whether to stay in Cleveland or head elsewhere has implications far beyond basketball. If LeBron leaves, the team folds, fans stop attending the games, the city’s morale takes a hit, and so on, and so on).

What’s so awesome about Bosh is that he has given the fans a chance to have a say in his decision on whether to stay in Toronto or sign with another team. Who knows how much the fans will influence his decision, but I can tell you this, if one team’s fanbase really steps it up and shows love for Chris Bosh, their support could have a very big impact on his decision, so long as the team itself is a good fit in his eyes. What player wouldn’t want to play in front of a team whose fans showed you tremendous support from the beginning? Thousands of  fans have responded to Bosh so far. It will be interesting to see where he goes!

Jeremy Shockey

Fans aren’t the only people who can sway the decision of a free agent. Last week, Jeremy Shockey tweeted, “Dear Sharper pls dont sign with the Jags.. you have a home in New Orleans!!” Darren Sharper, veteran NFL Safety, became a free agent after the 2009-10 and had several suitors during the offseason. Shockey, understanding the importance of Sharper remaining a New Orleans Saint, voiced his opinion and his concern publicly to his 48 thousand Twitter followers.

Several days later, Sharper reportedly re-signed with the Saints. Now, again, who’s to say how much Shockey’s tweet influenced Sharper’s decision? In the end, it probably had very little do with Sharper’s return. However, the point is, that we as fans were able to see this simple but personal message sent out from Jeremy Shockey to one of his teammates, which probably wouldn’t have happened before the Twitter era. Athletes are simply more wiling to speak their minds about previously private matters in today’s world.

Chris Harris

On April 27th, Carolina Panthers Safety, Chris Harris, was traded to the Chicago Bears. The crazy thing is, Harris himself tweeted about the trade, before it even happened! ““Breaking News,” he said, “I will be traded to Chicago Bears. Carolina u have been great and deeply missed. I have a special place in my heart for you.” Just moments later, he tweeted, “Oops!! I jumped the gun! Trade isn’t confirmed yet. I’ll confirm or deny on http://facebook.com/nfl.chris.harris.” And later that afternoon, Harris posted to his Facebook wall, “The deal is done. I’m now a member of the Chicago Bears. I’ll be back here on Facebook a little later to tell you Carolina Panthers fans how much I love ya and you Bears fans how much I look forward to playing for you again.”

I’m not sure exactly what happened, whether Harris did really jump the gun, or if his representation just got nervous about him tweeting the news himself. Whatever the case may be, it happened. Prior to social media, players would never have the chance to personally break news about this kind of thing. Sure, maybe they could feed it to a reporter who would break it himself, but now players have the ability to control the message. You may not have heard about this, because Harris is a relatively low profile player in the league, but imagine if it had been someone the mainstream media cared about. Or maybe, just maybe, the media didn’t pick this story but because of fear that their job just became a little more obsolete.

Conclusion

My point is this: social media has forever changed when and how information is distributed from leagues, teams, and players, to the fans. We are seeing and influencing conversations like never before because there has been a shift in who controls the content. Please don’t take any of it for granted.

While I titled this post, “Sports Fans: Don’t Forget How Lucky We Are!,” I easily could have dropped “Sports Fans” from the title, or even called it, “Brands, What a Massive Opportunity You Have!” The point is that 1. This post can apply to all industries, and 2. Brands need to realize that they have the opportunity to engage customers and fans on a completely different level than they previously could, and in some instances, let them (feel like they) have a part in a real-life decision.

Since its early April release, the iPad has been making a lot of noise, and understandably so. Several hundred thousand devices were sold on the first day the iPad was available for purchase, and hundreds of thousands have been sold since then. There have been many claims – articles & videos – as to why the iPad is so great. However, two videos stand out in my mind as proof as to why the iPad is such a phenomenal product.

The first video (~ 900,000 views) shows a 2 1/2 year-old girl experiencing the iPad for the first time. From the video’s description, “My daughter likes playing with my iPhone, but this was her very first encounter with an iPad. As you’ll see, she took right to it… although she too wonders why it doesn’t have a camera!” Pretty amazing to see a young child utilizing a brand new piece of technology so effortlessly!

This March, PC World went so far as to call the iPad the ‘Children’s Toy of the Year.’ Just take a look at the iPad app store. There are tons of applications – games, interactive books (sidenote: the book industry is about to be revolutionized), drawing & coloring apps – geared directly to kids! Imagine as a child, being able to read one of your favorite books, but instead of just reading, having the chance to interact with the characters, or watch a video, or listen to sound effects as you read along.

The second video (~ 450,000 views) is of a woman nearly a century old, experimenting with the first computer she ever bought, the iPad. Because of failing vision, she had a hard time reading and writing. However, that all changed with the iPad.

For older people, the iPad provides a lot of amazing features. First, it makes reading and typing a much easier process. If the text is too small, simply make it bigger! If a traditional keyboard is too cluttered, the iPad’s larger touch keyboard is perfect. Also, new technology can be a scary thing for people who didn’t grow up with it in their lives. The iPad provides an intuitive user experience for novice computer users, opening up a whole new world to them in the process.

For me, these videos explain a lot about what makes the iPad so phenomenal. Two people at the opposite extremes of life, both with little-to-no experience with computers, were able to utilize the iPad with ease, and for completely different purposes.

I know that using these videos may make it seem like I am generalizing. I do not assume that every 2 year-old and every 99 year-old would find the iPad easy to use, but I think the videos show how useful a device the iPad really can be. It’s hard to find any product that can be utilized so effortlessly by such a wide range of ages. Even a TV, one could argue, is harder to navigate.

What do you think? Have you had experience with the iPad? What are your thoughts on the device as compared to other Apple releases? For you, is it a revolutionary product, or “just a big iPod Touch?”

In reality, if you’re at all concerned with personal branding (and I assume that you are if you’re reading this post, on this blog), you really should own “yourname”.com. For example, if your name is John Smith, you should own JohnSmith.com. If your name is Xjambo Balbado, you should own XjamboBalbado.com (or maybe just change your name!).

Even though the site isn’t nearly as robust as I would like it to be, I own “myname”.com. And I wouldn’t want SamTaggart.com to be anything other than my personal site, just like Coke wouldn’t want Coke.com to be owned Pepsi (even though that would be illegal and couldn’t happen). Why let others, possibly competitors, take control over your name?

Maybe you truly don’t care, but then maybe this post is not for you. I’m not really trying to convince you of the importance of personal branding, but if you do care, then you should own “yourname”.com.

The point is, we live our lives more and more on the Internet, where we publicly display our identities in the form of Facebook profiles (full of biographical information, photos, thoughts, etc) and Twitter accounts. But what if Facebook and Twitter disappear tomorrow? The next step is to control your identity in its purest web form, and that is through a domain name and personal website. “YourName.com” can become your home on the Internet.

Do you own “yourname”.com? If so, why did you find it important to own it? If not, why not? Have you seen a situation where a person (or company) was negatively affected because he, she, or they didn’t own “theirname.com?”

My mom is a creative director for a healthcare communications agency in Philadelphia. Not only is she a fantastic designer, but she really knows how to work with coworkers and clients to create a powerful message. Ever since I started to show an interest in communication and marketing, my mom has constantly stressed three simple rules, rules that she says far too few people think about.

1. Who is your target audience?
2. What is the message you want to convey to them?
3. What do you want them to do (call to action)?

Sounds pretty fundamental, right? In fact, it seems insane, that anyone would send an email or launch a campaign (or release anything, for that matter) to the public without knowing the answers to these three questions, at least on a subconscious level. However, we constantly see messaging that is a little “off” because their creators don’t truly do their due diligence. Are you speaking to the right audience? Do you even know who your audience is? Are you sending the proper message? Are you clearly telling the audience what you want them to do?

We live in a world of information overload. There is just too much out there to process it all. Companies are wasting millions and billions of dollars on ineffective messaging, and it just doesn’t make any sense.

Take a step back. Do you take the time to think about these questions, in some form, before you write an email, a term paper, or create a national advertising campaign? It’s ok if you don’t, but I hope this post helps you start. Also, thanks mom! I love you!

On June 29th, 2007, the first iPhone was released to the public. I wanted nothing more than to get that phone, but at the time, I was rocking a pretty sweet T-Mobile Sidekick, so I couldn’t complain. Then, in early 2008, I switched over to my parents’ family plan on Verizon, and my iPhone dreams were squashed for two more years. Two weeks ago, after my Verizon contract came to an end, I finally manned up and bought the iPhone. The coolest aspect of owning an iPhone is having access to a robust application market. When it comes to apps, there are really two types: apps to stay productive, and apps to waste time and stay entertained. Like we say at VaynerMedia, “Crushing it is overrated.” So, without further ado, let’s get into the “Top 10 Entertaining (Time Wasting) iPhone Apps.”

Doodle Jump
Price: $0.99
Rating: 5/5 stars

By far the most addicting game I’ve found for the iPhone. According to the app’s description, “in Doodle Jump, you guide The Doodler – using some of the most subtle and accurate tilt controls in existence – on a springy journey up, up, up a sheet of graph paper, picking up jet packs, avoiding black holes, and blasting baddies with nose balls along the way.” Add in the ability to upload your high scores to Facebook & Twitter, and the chance to see other players’ score markers as you spring above them, and you’ve got a truly addicting game.

Words WIth Friends
Price: $2.99
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Basically Scrabble with friends over your iPhone. If you’re not a big scrabble fan, you won’t be a big Words With Friends fan. But, for those word nerds out there, this is the app for you.

Facebook
Price: Free
Rating: 4/5 stars

Facebook goes mobile. Need I say more?

FML Official
Price: Free
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

You have to have been living under a rock for the past several years if you’re not aware of the FMyLife. According to the site, “It’s a collection of everyday anecdotes and stories likely to happen to anyone and everyone, sent to us exclusively by our users. It can be pretty funny, it can also be pretty depressing. Take a look for yourself. (Ages 17+)

I Am T-Pain
Price: $2.99
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Just one of those apps every iPhone user should have. With the autotune craze taking over in the last year or two, this app gives the user a chance to speak or sing into his or her phone with an autotune effect.

Peggle
Price: $2.99
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

A friend introduced this game to me as “a great way to waste time when you’re standing in line.” Turns out it’s great for subway rides, too! The game’s info section says, “Want to be a Peggle Master? Take your best shot! Shoot and clear all the orange pegs in the peg-busting phenomenon from the makers of the award-winning Bejeweled.” Fun game, accompanied by epic level-ending music and rainbows. Buy it!

The Oregon Trail
Price: $4.99
Rating: 4/5 stars

If you grew up in the 70′s or later, you know that this game rocks. Totally worth it, unless you die of dysentery.

ESPN ScoreCenter
Price: Free
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

There are some cool sports-related apps in the app store, but this one is the most general and all-encompassing of the bunch. ScoreCenter sends scores and headlines directly to your phone, and allows you to choose which sports and teams you want to focus on. Simply lets fans stay in touch with the world of sports, on the go.

iGunLITE
Price: Free
Rating: 4/5 stars

Fun app, only on this list because it’s free. Choose from a variety of gun options, then tap your screen or shake your phone to “pull the trigger.” The sound and visual effects are good, and it’s a fun app to load up every once in a while just because.

Texts From Last Night
Price: $0.99
Rating: 4/5 stars

Texts From Last Night is an FML style site, where users submit funny or strange texts they received to their cell phone. Just a fun app, especially if you’ve seen the site. (Ages 17+)

Obviously this list is very subjective. Which of your favorite fun, entertaining, or time-wasting apps did I miss? Let me know in the comment section below!

I went to my first SXSW last year and it was one of the best experiences of my life. For those of you who are attending, I’ve come up with a list of ten quick notes – facts, tips, and words of wisdom – that I think will help you while you’re down in Austin. Enjoy! (Obviously, a lot more info at SXSW.com or @SXSW)

You probably won’t go to a lot of panels…

I bought a pass last year and proceeded to spend hours and hours planning each day out, deciding on which panels I wanted to attend. End result? I went to four panels. That’s not to say the panels aren’t worth it, because some of them were a blast. You just probably won’t go to too many of them.

…because you’ll be too busy networking.

The real value of SXSW is meeting all of the amazingly cool people in attendance. I went down to SXSW ’09 a semi-n00b in the space, following Gary V. & AJV around everywhere they went. While in Austin, I met so many awesome people, made a ton of connections, and most importantly, left with three great new friends (can’t wait to see y’all!).

If you’re not up until 4AM every night, #youredoingitwrong.

Every night, there will be a bunch of cool parties going down. But the night won’t end just because the parties do. You’ll end up heading to another bar, to a hotel lobby, or to someone’s hotel room to party some more, or just hang out and talk until you can’t stay awake any longer. My favorite night of last year’s SXSW was spent talking with some of our space’s leading thinkers until 6:30AM.

You can’t miss the Gary V. secret wine party.

This about says it all: “OH: it’s a social experiment to see how many geeks @garyvee can get into a gay bar,” Matt Van Horn, 10:10 PM Mar 15th, 2009 via txt.

And keep an eye out for what else Gary V. has up his sleeve.

Don’t count on reliable wireless or cell phone signal.

Cram a couple thousand geeks into a mile (or so) radius, and what do you get? No wireless. No cell phone reception. Especially if you have AT&T. I hope I’m pleasantly surprised this year.

Bring your basketball sneakers, we’re hooping!

We’re going to try to get a game at some point during the conference (I’m thinking Sunday or Monday). If you’re interested, watch out for tweets from me (@gosam). Gary V, AJV, and The Professional Wingman are already confirmed!

Unless you’re VIP, you need to arrive way early for “The Bigg Digg Shindigg.”

Got there last year about an hour before the event. Luckily, I had a duffle bag full of several hundred Gary Vaynerchuk branded wristbands, so I got through. However, the line was around the block, and anyone who arrived as late as I did (and had to wait in line) probably had a pretty crappy view.

Pack lightly. Leave space for free schwag you’ll inevitably obtain.

Shirts, water bottles, stickers, and even cameras, iPhones, or sneakers if you’re lucky. Leave some room, just in case! If you don’t grab any schwag, you’ll have room to bring back some of this.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you’re going to feel left out.

Just a warning. I went down to SXSW last year with a sweet LG EnV. Foursquare launched. Everyone was having a blast. I felt left out. It definitely wasn’t as fun as it will be this year, having an iPhone. Then again, there won’t be any reception anyway.

Bring shorts & sneaks, it’s going to be 75ºF.

And sunscreen! Just a friendly tip.

Other SXSW “veterans,” feel free to chime in. What are some of the best facts, lessons, or pieces of advice you could pass on to other SXSW attendees? Can’t wait to see you all there! Hit me up if you want to hang.

Oh, and eat a lot of BBQ!

Revamped Site

Oscars.com has a nice, new look. The black, white, and red color scheme, along with the crisp feel give it a modern vibe. Add the ability to sign in with Facebook, Twitter, & MySpace, and you’re getting somewhere! The site offers a variety of features, including an exclusive web video series, behind the scenes looks at the 2010 show, as well as message boards, “Oscar tweets,” and the chance to predict this year’s various winners. By encouraging interaction, the Oscars are attempting to get more people invested in this year’s show, and hoping to convert more site visitors into television viewers.

Facebook.com/TheAcademy

The Oscars have a Facebook fan page for the first time ever, with 83,000 fans and counting. Each day, they’ve been posting status updates with videos and various calls to action, trying to get visitors excited for the show. The fact that they’ve created a Facebook page is pretty cool, but I’d like to see them doing a bit more with it. A custom Welcome tab for non-fans would have been nice, and there isn’t any engagement from the Oscars’ end, with Facebook commenters.

Live Streaming the Nominations

On February 15th, the Academy live streamed the Oscar Nominees Luncheon on Oscars.org and Facebook. More than 170,000 unique visitors watched some or all of the event. It’s a pretty cool idea to get people interested in the show a couple of weeks ahead of time. Even if people didn’t watch it, they may have heard about the idea and been intrigued by it.

iPhone App

The Oscars also released a free iPhone app, which offers users a chance to “make your Oscar® predictions.” The app comes with a complete nominees list, insider information, trailers, and more. Oscar pools are pretty common among people who watch the show, so it was a good job by the Academy to finally take advantage of that and develop this application. This feature also appears on the website for non iPhone users.

“You’ve never seen Oscar like this.”

That is the Oscars’ tagline for the 2010 show. The Academy wants to highlight everything they have and will done differently this year to make the show a spectacle like never before. There are two hosts, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, there are ten nominees for best picture, a decision that has caused a lot of commotion. Further, the Oscars are giving viewers a more behind-the-scenes look at the show, and trying to get viewers more involved. The tagline does a good job at getting people excited.

Overall, I think the Oscars are making a good effort to revamp their show and “get with the times.” They’ve admitted that they won’t achieve all of their goals with this year’s show. One issue I have with the Academy is that they chose not to engage the younger crowd on Twitter & Facebook. They aren’t interacting with Facebook fans and they aren’t active on Twitter. It’s one thing to make changes, but by not using powerful social media tools to make people aware of them, they’re making a pretty big mistake.

What do you think about the Oscars’ makeover? Do you think they’re doing enough with social media, or could they do more? Are you more likely to watch the Oscars because of their efforts to modernize the show?

Chat Roulette is a really interesting concept. Basically, the site allows you to interact with complete strangers through video chat. You’re not required to have a video camera, but that’s kind of the point (see Omegle, if you’re interested in text chat with strangers). The way a friend first introduced Chat Roulette to me was as “a snapshot of the Internet.” While the demographics of Chat Roulette probably don’t line with the demographics of Internet users in general, that statement is kind of true. Chat Roulette does not discriminate by age, race, gender, location or any other attribute. You never know who, or what, you’re doing to get.

I can only describe my visits to the site as “weird.” In my experience, Chat Roulette has been full of males in their 20′s who immediately click “next” upon seeing another male in his 20′s. There is a good amount of X-rated material, specifically male genitalia, and also hand-written signs asking girls to “show your boobs!” So, Chat Roulette may not be the most sophisticated of platforms, yet, but is there something there?

Too “Dangerous” for Brands?

This past weekend, there were reports on Twitter that the Jonas Brothers were on Chat Roulette connecting with fans. While testing out the platform, our co-founder, AJ Vaynerchuk actually landed on them. Later on, AJ landed on Soulja Boy, and began to talk to him. Turns out it they both were fake, just some hacker messing with us Chat Roulette n00bs.

Yesterday, ScreenCrave reported that Ashton Kutcher made an appearance on Chat Roulette. As far as I know, Kutcher has made no official statement as to whether or not it was actually him. I’m actually fairly confident it was Kutcher, he’s big in the online / social media scene, a huge Twitter user and an early adopter.

Whether or not AJ actually talked with the Jonas Brothers or with Soulja Boy, or Ashton was actually on Chat Roulette, that’s all irrelevant. The fact is that brands really could be utilizing Chat Roulette to reach out to fans, and fans could be given the chance to interact with and ask questions of their favorite brands. But is it too risky, too crude of a platform for brands at this point? (To be honest, I don’t think the Jonas Brothers’ mother would approve of some of the material on the site!) Or is it just too random?

A more closed, private, and brand-centric platform?

Imagine being able to have a Chat Roulette that only consisted of your Facebook friends or your Twitter followers. Even better, imagine being a brand, and having the ability to tell your fans and followers that you were live on this site, willing to give every person 30 seconds to a minute of personal video interaction.

Part of the problem is that the appeal and mystique of Chat Roulette is that you connect with complete strangers, and the conversations are 100% random. I don’t get on Chat Roulette expecting to talk about anything in particular, because I have no idea who might be on the other side next.

Final Thoughts & Questions

Who knows where Chat Roulette is heading and if it will ever reach critical mass. AJ actually wrote a nice post summarizing his experience on the site, and asked some really interesting questions. Have you had any experience with Chat Roulette, and if so, do you see any potential for brands? Do you think Chat Roulette will become one of the next “big things” or is it a fad that will never go mainstream? This is more of an open-ended post because of how new and rugged Chat Roulette is at this point. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

As some of you may know, the New Jersey Nets are not having a great season. Through forty-six games, the Nets are 4-42. They are on pace right now to break the record for the most losses/least amount of wins (not good either way) in an NBA regular season. As a result, you can imagine how the fans are feeling at this point.

Remember this: winning cures everything. VaynerMedia also works with the New York Jets of the National Football League, whose season came to an end two weekends ago. The Jets had a great season, exceeding most people’s (apart from a few crazy and unrealistic fans) expectations, making it to the AFC Championship with rookies in many key roles, and two detrimental injuries early in the season. A majority of fans were very happy with the way the season went, and made their voices heard. However, despite the team’s success in the end, it wasn’t always pretty. When things were ugly, and the Jets looked to be out of the playoffs, the Facebook wall and Twitter feed were full of very negative comments. Just the way it is.

Anyway, sorry to go off on a tangent, but it’s all related. You see, the Nets aren’t winning at the moment. If winning cures everything, then losing just makes things that much worse. On Facebook and Twitter, many fans have understandably expressed constant disappointment in a team with a lot of young talent, but nearly nothing to show from it.

Last week, one fan left several comments on the Nets’ Facebook wall, explaining his frustration with an organization that, from his point of view, was failing to make the moves necessary to win games, and even worse, did not listen to the people who paid hard-earned money to support them: their loyal fans. For this fan, responses from the Nets’ Facebook account did not really count as listening, because he felt that whoever was in charge of the account was not in a position to make decisions. The real decision-makers of the organization, he thought, were unaware his complaints.

Bobby Marks, (decision-maker extraordinaire) Vice President of Basketball Operations for the New Jersey Nets, caught wind of the fan’s comments. He wanted to film a video for the frustrated fan, and all Nets fans, to let them know their comments were being seen and taken into consideration by high-level executives within the organization. The Nets may not be winning many games, but they care a great deal about their fans.

Sports fans complain a lot when things aren’t going well, and we are entitled to do so. Believe me, I’m a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies, Sixers, and Eagles fan, and Philadelphians complain more than anybody. Fans are also entitled to have their comments, questions, and concerns be seen by the decision-makers of the teams they support. The fans are the reasons professional teams and leagues exist, we pay a lot of the bills. Our opinions should count.

We now live in a world where brands (not just in sports) have a responsibility to listen to and interact with their fans. In sports, we have reached a point where the barriers between fans and teams/professional athletes have been broken down. It no longer takes a letter or a phone call to maybe receive a letter back or reach an answering machine. Twitter and Facebook allow for real-time commentary.

My message to fans: Speak up. You’re entitled and able to do so, now more than ever.

My message to executives and team personnel: If your fans matter to you, pay attention to social media.

Let’s take a look at the four teams that are remaining, and why the NFL has reason to root for each of them.

Who’s left in the NFC?

The New Orleans Saints is a team with a high-powered offense, a much-improved defense. After starting 13-0 this season, they lost three in a row, but dominated the high-flying Arizona Cardinals this past weekend.

Why the NFL wants them to win: The Saints are a feel-good story. Their success over the past few years has helped to bring the city of New Orleans together after Hurricane Katrina tore it apart in 2005. Combine that with a team that scored 45+ points five times this season, and you are set.

The Minnesota Vikings are another high-powered offense, led by 40-year old Brett Favre. They faltered late in the season, but then beat down a very hot Dallas Cowboys team this past weekend, proving they are for real.

Why the NFL wants them to win: Love him or hate him, Favre has been impressive this year, and he is a huge reason the team has had so much success. He may have lost a few fans with his antics over the last few years, but having the chance for Favre to go out on top with a Super Bowl win would mean big ratings.

Who’s left in the AFC?

The Indianapolis Colts just found a way to win, all season long. They started the season 14-0, then lost to the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills as they rested their starters the last two weeks of the regular season. Last weekend, they mastered a great Baltimore Ravens defense. Now, the Colts’ offense will have to find a way to beat the number one defense in the league in the AFC Championship game.

Why the NFL wants them to win: This season, Peyton Manning won the NFL’s MVP award for a record-setting fourth time. Manning is the NFL’s darling. Not only is he arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game, but he is a great role model with a clean record and a very marketable and brand.

The New York Jets have had the quintessential roller coaster season. Their own coach, Rex Ryan, publicly accepted that his team was out of the playoffs after a late season loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Then, the team caught some breaks, won its last two games, and caught the fifth seed. Led by a dominant running game and shutdown defense, the Jets have won four straight, and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez is turning it on in the postseason.

Why the NFL wants them to win: First of all, New York is a big, big market. While the Jets may be the clear underdog of the final four teams (many football fans believe the Jets don’t even deserve to be in their current position), if the Jets were to win it all, it would really reflect the parity in the NFL, the fact that any team can win on any given Sunday.

The Super-est of Scenarios

You could argue for each of them, but in my opinion, the best match-up the NFL could hope for is the Indianapolis Colts and the Minnesota Vikings, a game that would be billed as Peyton Manning vs Brett Favre. As previously mentioned, Manning is a four-time league MVP, he is one of the best quarterbacks ever, and has a clean, likable image. Brett Favre is a three-time league MVP, and is also one of the best quarterbacks ever. He had one of his best seasons ever in 2009, the same year he turned 40 (quite impressive). Peyton has a Super Bowl victory, but one more would add to his legacy considerably. Favre has one as well, and now has the chance to go out on top.

Both teams have very, very good defenses, but they won’t get talked about too much. If the Colts and Vikings play each other, it will be the offenses that get most of the glory. In a recent interview between ESPN’s Kenny Mayne and Colts’ star defensive end Dwight Freeney, Mayne asked, “Does it feel like defensive players get overshadowed by Peyton’s greatness?” Freeney responded, “Yeah, we don’t get our due. We could give up no touchdowns in a game, but the highlight on SportsCenter would be a seven-yard pass by Peyton to set up a field goal. But that’s how it goes in the NFL. Defense wins Super Bowls, but it doesn’t sell tickets.”

We shall see.

What do you think about the four teams left in contention for the Super Bowl title? Which match-up do you think is best for the NFL? Which do you most want to see?

Some athletes choose to retire, move away from the spotlight, hang out with their family for a while, and make up for lost time. Others (not many) have made enough money in their playing career to support themselves and their loved ones for the rest of their lives without doing much of anything, and are content doing so. However, for most athletes, the money will run out, and more importantly, they aren’t happy just ‘doing nothing.’ Those are the athletes I’m speaking to now.

Building an Online Presence Will Help You Stay Relevant

The eyeballs are shifting. People are spending more and more time on the Internet rather than in front of the television, and that trend won’t change. If you want to stay relevant, maintaining a personal site and building an online presence is the best option. Through social media, you can interact with the fans who supported you throughout your playing career, while earning new fans along the way. The content you create is up to you. If you no longer want to talk about or associate yourself completely with your sport, you don’t have to.

A Case Study: Jalen Rose

Let me talk for a moment about a retired athlete that I’ve had the chance to work with and get to know over the past six months. His name is Jalen Rose. In college, he played for the University of Michigan, and was a member of the Fab Five. He went on to play 13 years in the NBA and is now a studio analyst for ESPN/ABC. When Jalen retired, the decision on ‘what to do now’ was easy. He knew his second career was as a member of the media.

As a former pro athlete, he has always been known for his time on the court. When you hear Jalen Rose, you think basketball. His goal was to change that. In 2007, he started Three Tier Entertainment, an LA based management and production company, centered around the entertainment industry. Then, earlier this year, he began to really focus on his online brand. With the help of VaynerMedia, he revamped JalenRose.com, and started producing content on a regular basis. He has a Twitter account with over 40,000 followers, as well as a strong Youtube account, a Ustream channel, and a Facebook Fan Page. And through weekly Mashable posts, he reaches millions of people in a much different demographic than he was used to in his playing days (yeah, yeah, many Mashable readers may be sports-loving geeks, but many are not). Most importantly, he is talking about sports, entertainment, politics, and current events because he is knowledgeable and passionate about more than just basketball, and wants to share his opinions.

Conclusion

Just because your playing days are over does not mean you have to leave the spotlight. In fact, your retirement is a chance to expand your brand, and to connect with the people who showed you support during your career.

Which retired athletes who’ve left the spotlight would you most like to see online? Which retired athletes have done a good job of maintaining their presence through a personal website and/or social media?

In my opinion, any current athlete not on Facebook or Twitter is out of his (or her) mind. Social media can provide incredible value and opportunities for pro athletes. These are the top five things that every pro athlete should know about social media.

1. Produce content and interact… Consistently!

Effective use of social media depends on two things, the consistent creation of content and consistent interaction. Content can be anything. Ask a question, write a blog post, take a picture, film a video, or record some audio. Give your fans something to interact with. Then, once you do that, engage! Respond to as many people as possible (shoot for everybody who talks to you) across all of your social media accounts. That one dude who said your Youtube video was funny? He deserves a response, too.

2. Authenticity is incredibly important. (To the same effect, watch what you say)

If you are going to use social media, really use it. Don’t let your PR team or your assistant take control of your accounts because people expect you to be behind them. If a tweet comes from your account, or a status is updated on your Facebook fan page, we assume it is you. You don’t want to catch fire for a message you didn’t send out, right? Social media is finally giving you direct access to your fans. Take advantage of it.

3. It doesn’t take much to please your fans

All they/we want is a response. Take a look at the Twitter feed for Kerry Rhodes. It is full of @replies to fans who have taken the time to say hello or ask him a question. Sure, most of the responses are only a couple of words long, but it doesn’t matter. A simple “yes,” “no,” or “thanks” is all it takes to make your fans happy.

4. Social media can (and will) make you money (if used correctly)

Think about it. Two athletes of the same ability and demanding the same amount of money are on the market. One of those athletes has 250,000 Twitter followers and 45,000 Facebook fans. At some point soon, those social media numbers will give that candidate the edge. He will win because of his following, because he has all of those people to reach out to when the team is running a campaign or trying to sell tickets. Similarly, that candidate will look more attractive to sponsors.

5. Patience

Your numbers won’t come in a day. Or a week. Or even a month. You weren’t a professional athlete when you were six, twelve, or fifteen (unless you are Freddy Adu). It took time, effort, and endless practice to hone your skills, attract attention, and make it to the big show. So, be patient and work hard or you won’t make it. End of story.

What are the biggest lessons you have learned from using social media? How do they match up to this list? What other advice would you give a pro athlete, or anybody, trying to use social media for personal branding?