Posts tagged with youtube

Music has famously been called the “universal language of mankind.” It speaks to the soul and has a way of making those who hear it feel connected to all others in an audience and, most importantly, the musician. This connection is essential to being truly moved by music. Social media is also all about the connection. Twitter lets us see what other people are thinking at any time of day in real time. Facebook lets us learn the intentions and interests of friends or total strangers. YouTube gives us a visual glance at everything in the world deemed video-worthy. It seems only natural for the two to become inevitably intertwined; they can compliment, mirror, parody, and augment one another.

The entertainment industry was one of the first to truly sprout legs during the dawn of social media. A decade ago, some of NMS’ first campaigns promoted Pokemon and Tomb Raider. So it’s no surprise today’s network execs take social seriously – from both a developmental and promotional viewpoint. But while social data has done wonders to support the industry, in many ways it has also forced artists out of an overproduced, glitzy shell. Direct-to-fan engagement, pushing day-in-the-life content, coupled with the viral video bug it seems every brand has caught, has made YouTube the platform motivating entertainers to think outside the box.

When I walked up to the counter of BGR: The Burger Joint and asked if I could get a Stasburger the cashier answered with a resounding, “Absolutely not!” He explained that the burger was a promotional item and was no longer on the menu. I was crushed, and took my sadness to Twitter. Meanwhile at NMS, our resident Nats fan Laura was wondering if she could still try the Strasburger and I had to report to her the unfortunate news that our dreams of a cheeseburger topped hot dogs and 14 pickles would never come true. Or so we thought until BGR found our twitter conversation and came to the rescue.

This week in social media: Starbucks tries and fails with Foursquare, YouTube and Facebook launch new features, marketers try to figure out how much a Facebook fan is worth, and a new site launches covering social media and the automotive industry.