Social seating: using Facebook for real life connections

A common criticism of Facebook and other social media platforms is that the interaction is impersonal. For example, the New York Times recently wondered if high school reunions were even necessary anymore? Everyone knows what’s going on with each other. There’s no incentive to meet physically. Businesses are running into the same dilemma.

For businesses, every social media ROI article encourages “interaction” with your fans. However, what does that mean and how do you get them to not just “Like” you, but also buy what you’re selling? Try this: Instead of interacting B2C, facilitate C2C.

Malaysia Airlines developed and recently launched MHbuddy. It’s a Facebook-based service that allows passengers to choose their in-flight neighbors based on their occupation, mutual interests and appearances. Also, when booking a flight, users of the app are reminded of friends who live near their destination, and if they want, they can share their itinerary with friends.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and others aren’t far behind with similar applications. For KLM’s “Meet and Seat” service, Linkedin and Facebook are providing the information. These airlines believe that the added value will provide opportunities for networking, while others suggest it’s more likely to be used as a matchmaking tool. Regardless, these airlines are using social media to get what businesses really want: a meaningful connection to customers in the real world.

How could you add a physical, social twist to your own offerings?
-Adrienne

The curious power of the mind

It is a personal passion of mine to understand how we take in information and what we choose to do with it…how our thoughts and beliefs shape our reality.

This short video is mind-blowingly simple in demonstrating the point.

Enjoy!
Lynne

2012 Pantone Color of the Year!

As the new fresh air of a new year washes over us this January, we look toward what this fresh start has to offer. Economic recovery? Political unity? Possible apocalypse?

It’s quite a mystery, but the folks at Pantone, the authority on everything color, tell us we should at least make a splash in the new year. That’s because Pantone has named the 2012 color of the year Tangerine Tango (Pantone 17-1463 for all those curious creatives out there).

I look forward to this annual announcement, not just because I’m an enormous geek, but because I love the reasoning they come up with for each color selection and the implications it has within the economy, fashion, pop culture and our social consciousness.

By comparison, the 2011 shade (Pantone 10-2120 “Honeysuckle”) was a saccharine pink that symbolized an optimism and surge of energy necessary as we confront some of life’s not-so-fun challenges (economic recession; political stalemates; possible “Rapture”). It looks like Tangerine Tango maintains that sort of “shot in the arm” mentality with a little more playfulness and edge. It feels like we’re slowly regaining our confidence, and this color is armor we should wear as we continue the long road ahead.

2012 could be our springboard toward something great, that is unless you’re banking on the apocalypse in December, in which case, at least you’ll go out with some pizzazz!

Cheers,
Robyn