Non-profits do some really exciting and dynamic work, yet their portrayal has never had the reputation of being hip, young and technologically savvy – until now.

Currently, I volunteer for an organization called charity: water, which happens to be a couple of blocks away from Glow’s office. Its mission is to provide clean water to those around the globe who don’t currently have access, from Cambodia to Liberia.

What’s different about charity: water is that you can feel an instant wave of excitement and inspiration. There is an aura about their organization that was hard to come by in the non-profit world a few years ago. They have been able to achieve an image of effortlessness and grace, behind such a robust network of people. What’s special about them is that they can portray the joy of giving visually, whether it’s in their website design, their promotional materials, the photography, their events, even their office design.

They emanate the same excitement and vibrancy of a modern tech startup, and introduce social good in a new light. In fact, that’s how they made their start, by seeking funding through the tech community. They are supported by big names in tech like Google, Bebo, Twitter, Foursuqare and more.

The group has done an excellent job of promoting their message to a tuned-in population who are geared towards technology and social networking, and demand crystal clear transparency. Their designs are clean, yet intricate and are developed in a way to provide a strong, clear message in a short amount of time – exactly what garners people’s attention in a fast-paced mobile world.

They understand the power of media and putting a digital face to their organization.  Some of their recent promotions include their anniversary project where they sent out personalized thank-you videos to their donors, and on World Water Day they created a platform for users to donate their birthdays to the cause and share that message across various social media platforms.

charity: water is a unique take on the business of non-profit, which was built from the ground up through the world of tech and understands that digital is for everyone.

Their website: http://www.charitywater.org/

Their blog: http://www.charitywater.org/blog/

Venture Beat’s charity: water coverage: http://bit.ly/vBgYpo

Personally, I don’t know if Instagram is truly worth $1 billion dollars, but if Facebook is worth $80 Billion then Instagram is worth well more than a mere billion to Facebook.

What is most interesting about this exorbitant purchase is what it tells us about Facebook. When the mobile app market began to explode, we saw an influx of innovation that resulted in an expansion of sharable content, along side a rethinking in what constituted social content. Gaming, location check-in’s, mobile video and photography began to flood our feeds.

We learned that Facebook can’t simply replicate a service and takeout the competition. Foursquare debunked this notion when Facebook Places launched and subsequently prospered. Foursquare noted that Facebook Places merely exposed more users to the concept of “checking-in” which resulted in a massive boost in their user base. Why you might ask? Simply put, Foursquare does it better.

Facebook’s biggest problem is its inability to figure out mobile. The fact remains that Facebook’s mobile app is packed with features resulting in a navigational nightmare. Accessing a single feature requires the user to jump through several hoops. My use of Instagram and Foursquare started as a matter of convenience.

It has been reported by various sources that Path, an app that allows you to keep a social journal (posting various types of media) is a source of concern for Facebook., as it should. Path is simple, elegant and easy.

I don’t have Facebook’s solution but I think the answer can be found through a multi-app strategy. Facebook is a platform, not a single application. If Facebook is looking to avoid several billion-dollar acquisitions – which doesn’t appear to be Mark Zuckerberg’s style – it had better change course, because this titanic platform has a huge hole in its hull and it’s shaped like a smart phone.

View the project on FOX here: http://www.fox.com/touch/mosaic-of-your-world/

For more information about the project, please visit: http://glowinteractive.com/project/fox_touch

Retail on Facebook cannot be treated like a traditional e-commerce experience. Facebook is as much a discovery platform as it is a social platform. Given this, e-commerce experiences need to be setup in such a way that retailers can take advantage of discovery-driven behavior.

We browse our Newsfeed in the hopes of finding something entertaining or interesting. JC Penny’s, GameStop and Nordstrom’s have all opened and closed their Facebook storefronts. This should surprise no one. These Facebook commerce experiences attempt to mirror their existing e-commerce sites – which for the most part are good,  if not better than the ill-fated 520 pixel- wide attempts on their Facebook pages.

There are two inherent problems with retail on Facebook. The first being that Facebook has not provided retailers any substantive e-commerce functionality. Third party companies understandably – given the void – provide some commerce functionality on Facebook, but this is a task where Facebook must take the lead. Facebook commerce represents a potential revenue stream that could become as vital as advertising. Given the desire by major retailers to participate and the obvious benefits to Facebook’s bottom line, Facebook needs to show some leadership and innovation in the space.

The second problem is Facebook is by no means a mature platform. Though Facebook’s growth is beginning to slow – as would be expected when a platform hits nearly 1 billion users – the platform and user behavior is still evolving. Give Facebook and its users time to understand and get comfortable with just how commercial exchanges will take place on the platform. When this happens retailers can fairly expect results.

However, it’s still early and retailers are treating their Facebook pages as though it’s their website and it’s not. Nordstroms.com is a destination, Nordstrom’s on Facebook is a discovery and the purchase of a Nordstrom’s product on Facebook will be an impulsive act.

If you have a retail experience on your Facebook page ask yourself a few questions and decide if retail on Facebook is right for you:

• Does the experience accurately reflect your brand (visually and experientially)?
• Are you getting a return on your investment?
• Could your Facebook commerce resources, be reallocated for a bigger return elsewhere?
• What is the goal (beyond selling things) for integrating commerce with social

By engaging in the social space you’ve already committed yourself to a certain level of transparency. Intrinsic to this transparency is a level of vulnerability, thus making honesty and authenticity more important than ever.

Consumers are smart. They understand that brands evolve. They understand that most companies are in the business to make money. The new consumer appreciates and desires this honesty and authenticity. Above all else, they reject pandering.

When you consider switching to Timeline, construct your story so that individuals can see the evolution of your brand. Cadillac is an example of a heritage brand that has reshaped its image and re-targeted it’s efforts in a drastic way. At one point in history, Cadillac was the gold standard of American luxury. Yet over time the brand morphed into the preferred boat-car for the 90 year old retiree. Today, Cadillac has transformed itself into a sexy, luxurious road-beast. Seeing this evolution is both interesting and inspiring.

Many brands who’ve gone through radical changes and feel weary of embracing their former selves are encouraged to fight the urge to reject or abandon their past. Our past, whether it be a brand or person, represents who we are today. Paying homage to past iterations of your brand is a record of your growth as an organization and helps play a role in creating a connection with your consumer.

Launch Timeline, but do so thoughtfully. Consider your story arc and accurately identify marquee moments that play a role in who you are today.

Taxes, unemployment, class warfare: The haves and have-nots have consumed much of the rhetoric in this year’s election cycle. Today’s political discourse would have many believe that most of the country is wildly divided, occupying opposite ends of a political spectrum with little to no overlap; however, the truth is very different. Most Americans are moderate, and though political ideologies may differ, we generally seek similar goals.

Throughout what has seemed like an endless procession of debates, a comment made by one candidate was particularly jarring as it highlighted a troubling trend: a growing gap between politicians and the people they represent.

Newt Gingrich recently said of the poor, “You have a very poor neighborhood. You have students that are required to go to school. They have no money, no habit of work… They have no habit of showing up on Monday and staying all day or the concept of  ’I do this and you give me cash,’ unless it’s illegal…What if you paid them in the afternoon to work…What if they became assistant janitors, and their job was to mop the floor and clean the bathroom?”

Forget for a moment the disregard for child labor laws, even the displaced workers (replaced by a cheaper child work force). His solution centers on the premise that there is an inherent flaw in the poor that is best fixed through imposed manual labor.

How is it that in a society more open and connected than ever before the gap between politicians and voting Americans has never felt larger? If politicians (not their staff members) actually used the Web, specifically social media sites, they’d begin to understand their constituents more intimately. It’s something that can easily be done everyday, not just during election cycles. President Obama’s recent Google+ Hangout – albeit during a campaign season – is a perfect example of a politician using social media to connect with his constituency.

Obama was recently challenged by the wife of an unemployed American semiconductor engineer on his visa program that allows highly skilled foreign workers to gain employment within the US. Obama, perplexed, insisted she send her husband’s resume so he could look into this matter further.

We watch politicians debate bills like SOPA and PIPA and believe these moments expose how far removed and out of touch they are with technology, the Web and social media. But the truth is, false statements, outrageous stereotypes and inane proposals expose their disconnect.

As a politician, it is your civic duty to be in touch. Rejecting the vessels that connect you to your constituency is a failure of responsibility as a candidate and elected official.

The comments made by Gingrich offend me not because they are representative of Republican values, because they aren’t. Rather, they offend me because it is yet another glaring example of a politician pontificating while ostensibly removed and out of touch with the real issues and the people he claims to represent.

http://perezhilton.com/2012-01-31-adele-turning-tables-live-performance-live-from-the-artists-den#.TygSyePHtpY

Over Christmas most of my friends were out of town  and while the streets may have been quiet and empty, the overall feeling was anything but. Thanks to my other friend…the Internets!

It’s times like this that being connected is nice. It allows you to have a greater appreciation for what social media can do for grandparents or friends whose lives have taken them to places remote and far away.  In NYC its easy to become spoiled and take for granted how close everything and everyone is.

Once Christmas had ended and everyone had landed back in New York, the second half of my annual ‘week off’ was to begin. I planned a ski trip to Vermont with a fairly large group of my closest friends. After having spent the last few New Years in NYC, I was ready to avoid the crowds and do something slightly more low-key.

With the expectation that I’d have to do some work over break, I brought my computer and all my gadgets. Even without the expectation of work, parting with these things can bring about a great deal of anxiety. I know… pathetic.

Upon arriving at our cabin, I realized that – much to my chagrin- we had no Wifi. Panic set in.  I calmed myself with the knowledge that I was with friends (and humans) and my reliance on my devices would be pushed aside by quality time with people I cared about. As I went about my week, in the beautiful mountains of Vermont – skiing, building fires, cooking food, playing board games etc. I found what I had originally viewed as a ‘disconnection’ became contrarily, refreshing. By week’s end, I hadn’t so much as glanced at my laptop.

It wasn’t until I got home and saw my Facebook wall, Tumblr blog, Instagram posts and tweets that I realized… I hadn’t disconnected at all. We talk about social media as though it’s a special thing that takes place in a vacuum. The truth is that social media doesn’t exist. ‘Social Media’ is a behavior, an attribute that we apply to forms of media, which have existed for a very long time.

The ubiquity of distribution and sharing by individuals has contributed to the erosion of this notion of ‘connected’ and ‘not connected’. In turn, the distinction between ‘media’ and ‘social media’ should erode as well.

If you are still relegating your social media team to some far away understaffed corner of your office in 2012, you’re doing something wrong. Your social teams of 2012 should be integrated and with the rest of your marketing department and have an equal voice at the table.

Social media is dead because it never actually existed. The truth is that your marketing departments needed to label something they didn’t understand. They stopped evolving and the new kids at the table needed a title. Assimilate your teams and let knowledge sharing trickle up and down. 2012 is going to be a fascinating year – start it off right.

New York – Dec. 2, 2011 – Glow Interactive, a leading New York-based interactive marketing, advertising and creative agency, today announced it has signed on as the agency of record to drive online marketing, public relations and digital content strategy for the fourth season of public television’s hit show, Live from the Artists Den. The digital campaign is being led by Glow Interactive’s Social Communications group and will kick off on December 2 to drive tune-in and viewer engagement in advance of the show’s season premiere on February 3, 2012 featuring multi-platinum artist Adele.

“For our new season, we’ve enhanced and expanded our social media and digital channels to allow us to more effectively interact with and entertain our audience outside of the actual broadcast,” said Mark Lieberman, Live from the Artists Den creator and executive producer. “Glow Interactive’s Social Communications group has worked with us on an outstanding campaign to make Live from the Artists Den more of a social television experience.”

The campaign focuses on utilizing digital and social media channels – such as Facebook, Twitter, third-party blogs, digital properties like Hulu, as well as music, general entertainment and lifestyle outlets – to increase user engagement, introduce the show to new fans outside of the traditional music scene and ultimately drive TV show tune-in. To do this, Glow Interactive is connecting writers and fans to the compelling stories and memorable music experiences of Live from the Artists Den through site and blog partnerships that leverage exclusive video footage for editorial placement; facilitate personal interviews with the artists and executives of the show; enable content distribution and social content activation; and drive social community growth via content and creative access.

“This is a major new initiative from previous seasons of Live from the Artists Den,” explained Howie Kleinberg, president of digital communications for Glow Interactive. “There is something inherently social about music, and the executives of the show recognize social media as a powerful way to interact and engage with their viewers on a more personal level than ever before. That’s what this campaign is about: bringing the musicians, the fans and the show all together through social media for an enhanced experience all around.”

The fourth season features Adele, The Fray, Death Cab for Cutie, Kid Rock, Iron and Wine and Amos Lee with special guests Calexico and premieres nationwide on public television beginning February 3, 2012 (check local listings at www.artistsden.com).

ABOUT GLOW INTERACTIVE:

Glow Interactive is an award-winning, digital marketing and creative agency based in New York City that is driving an online evolution that puts consumers first, ensuring they’re engaged, entertained, challenged and connected no matter the medium. Over the last decade, Glow has focused on using the latest design practices and technology to develop successful, dynamic interactive marketing and advertising campaigns, branding initiatives, games and viral applications. The company’s success is illustrated by its long list of Fortune 500 and 1000 clients, including USA Network, Toyota, Showtime, Canon, Discovery Channel, Avon, The History Channel, A&E, Condé Nast, Wendy’s, Microsoft and others. Divisions of Glow Interactive include Glow Productions, Glow Play and Glow Social.

For more information about Glow Interactive, please visit www.glowinteractive.com.

ABOUT ARTISTS DEN:
Since its launch on U.S. public television, “Live from the Artists Den” – created by Mark Lieberman – has become a three-time New York Emmy-nominated series, has expanded digitally to include Hulu, Pandora and Vevo and internationally, through Northstar Media, to include Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Latin America. Past artists include Robert Plant, Ray Lamontagne, Elvis Costello, Ringo Starr, Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette, The Black Crowes, Ben Harper, Regina Spektor, Corinne Bailey Rae and David Gray. Interviews at each show are conducted by noted music critic Alan Light, the Artists Den’s Director of Programming.  Concert events take place throughout North America and are by invitation-only. Artists Den Records offers live concert CDs, DVDs and now digital episode downloads from its shows. For information, and to join Artists Den’s guest list, visit ArtistsDen.com

Press Contact:

Jamie Larson

Intersect Communications for Glow Interactive

PH: 512-296-9611

jamie@intersectcom.com