“There is Work to be done”: My favorites from the Inauguration Speech

I, like so many of you, was so refreshed to hear such an eloquent, inspiring and grammatically correct speech from the new President. I was on Twitter and Facebook, following the posts of others when I noticed someone wrote the funniest comment, “So THIS is what a President is supposed to sound like, I seem to have forgot”. Too true my friend. To that note, I wanted to post a few snippets of Obama’s speech, especially the bits that really stood out to me.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

The imminence of next generation reporting

A couple of events have inspired me to write this blog post, most recently the stepping down of Steve Jobs from Apple (relax, only for a couple of months while he recovers from an impending health concern) and the US Airways crash into the Hudson River, both occurred 2-3 days ago. What I realized is how quick I came to know of these events, and more importantly, how I managed to be informed in such a short period of time. In more traditional times I probably would have been privvy to such news from word of mouth, when I pick up the newspaper on my way to work (which, I have never done but i’m taking you through a typical user journey), or if I just so happen to turn on the TV for some news (which again, I *rarely* have done… work with me here though). Now, not only am I able to be in the know as it happens, I have access to a much richer library of resources to accompany the news: People, Live, Meaningful. I wouldn’t have been able to be part of a real time reporting unless I accompanied Christiane Amanpour from CNN during the siege of Sarajevo, for example. Whilst on Twitter last night, I came across a live Twitpic (a Twitter program that allows you to snap shots on your BB or iPhone, which then automatically embeds itself into a link that you can automatically send through on a Tweet/post.) Anyway, I came across a live Twitpic of someone who was part of the rescue aid for the US Airways crash. He was on a boat approaching the crashed plane, took a photo of what he was approaching and sent it to his followers on Twitter, which virally resulted in me seeing this! This picture was realtime, it was personal. Beat that New York Times! 

So what’s the point? There is one. The Financial Times yesterday reported on emerging digital media trends that are prompting agencies to re-think their current brand communications and adjust to the online world. The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, which will publish the “Social Media Futures” report compiled by Future Foundation next week, has warned that advertising agencies face growth of just 1.2 per cent a year by 2016 if the industry fails to tackle the changes to the media created by sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. 

The article highlights the imminence of next generation reporting through social media, with specifics to Twitter in this case. I think this exemplifies quite nicely the power of conversations online and how this opportunity should affect brand communication agendas. Over and out. 

 

The exhausted topic of Sarah Palin ala Dad’s opinion

Yes we’ve all witnessed the tidal wave of controversy that is Sarah Palin. I’m sure yet ANOTHER blog might not add incredible value among the oodles of opinions that have amounted as a cause of this joke. Nonetheless, I have an opinion, about my Dad’s opinion, about Sarah Palin. Sigh, my father is an avid supporter of the Republican campaign. He thinks McCain is the man and that Sarah Palin is, how can I put it, a “good choice”. Why oh why do you ask? My father thinks that Sarah Palin is simple and courageous, and THAT ladies and gentleman, is supposedly enough to warrant her being appointed VP of USA under McCain if he wins. “She comes from humble beginnings and she’s NOT afraid to expose that or her seemingly off putting family. Yet, she is very sharp and is not afraid to make decisions”. Come on Dad! Give me a break! A woman with NO national (except for winning a beauty contest at some point, servicing her people of Wasilla in THAT capacity) or foreign policy experience is supposed to know how to make the RIGHT decisions (its not enough that she might be ready to make A decision) at times of turmoil or challenge? Lest we forget, the Off Bush Administration has left the US and World in shambles and she would essentially have to pick up the pieces. Its not like she’d be gracing her presence in a time of tranquility.

This is the irony: my father is an Oil Economist – his job by default immerses itself into politics in order to stay afloat. The fact that my father has such bizarre judgement, especially when it comes to the US presidential and vice presidential candidacy, is beyond me.

Palin = disaster (a pig with lipstick as she’s so fondly dubbed). She didn’t even make it to become Miss Alaska from Miss Wasilla however is only a heartbeat away (pun intended) from being President of the United States. Oh Lordy. (Palin on the right)

What’s troubling is, and let’s not include my father in this mix b/c I think he is bewitched at this time (suffice it to say he is with McCain for his own, admittingly legitimate reasons, which I do not prescribe to), the very same people who will vote for Palin are the very same numb skulls who had voted for Bush – IMHO. If history repeats itself, we are in deeper shit than we are in now.

BUT there is hope b/c after this falacy of an administration that will soon come to an end, I think the American people are going to be smarter this time around. In light of this, Obama’s “The Change We Need” is such an opportunistic (in a positive way) marketing campaign – feeding from the emotionally exhausted American folk. SOOOO, with that in mind i’m thinking that a Circus trend at the White House will not sustain itself = McCain/Palin. Sorry Dad.