I Am Spartacus

The power of the Twitter community is famously known for breaking news and highlighting issues. The recent hashtag, #Iamspartacus has added something new to that list - political activism.

Twitter user Paul Chambers was recently convicted and fined for posting an angry joke on Twitter :"Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week to get your shit together, otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"

Even before his court appeal failed, the Twitter community was already deep in debate about the saga, tweeting under the hashtag, #twitterjoketrial. Shortly afterwards, one Twitter user under the name christt decided to retweet the exact same phrase that got Paul Chambers into trouble, and encouraged others to do the same in protest against the charge.

This 'Spartacus' style show if solidarity spread so quickly that the phrase was a key national trend within hours. Even social media addict Stephen Fry tweeted that he would pay Chambers' fine after the hearing.

If the government does decide to convict and fine every Twitter user that repeated the phrase, at least it'll be an easy way to solve the deficit. We could have all have a glass of bubbly on the NHS. Just saying...

What the new Twitter means to me

Last week the new Twitter began a phased-in launch which will be completed over several weeks, and though I don't yet have it on my account, I think it may actually make my life a lot easier. Very excited. If you're reading this Twitter, me next please.

The main difference is that there will be a double-page instead of a single page home screen, which will allow you to view more information without having to click away from the homepage, a bit like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite but less complex. This is how Twitter puts it:

"On the site, you’ll see the familiar timeline, yet underneath each Tweet is a handful of information, deeper context and even embedded media. Simply click on an individual Tweet and a details pane slides out on the right and reveals this content"

(Aside, I feel I ought to give an old friend a mention; the new Twitter also means it's time to say goodbye to the fail whale)

R.I.P. FAIL WHALE!

I think I am most excited about being able to view multimedia more easily and view profiles without leaving the homepage (Usually I painstakingly right click and 'new tab' to avoid losing my page). My only concern is that the new Twitter won't be available on my Blackberry app. It probably wouldn't be practical anyway. Life goes on.

I lied. I am actually most excited about the first ever Twitter advertisement to promote the new Twitter. Impressively, this video gained over a million views on its first day on YouTube. I can understand why. It's the happiest video ever and I want to watch it over and over and over...

PR in a digital world

I just found this video on the KetchumPleon website and found it really interesting. Those featured are discussing what social media means for the PR industry, and they raise some interesting issues:



These are the most poignant for me:

• "Do a lot of stuff and see what works" - Many PR professionals are afraid of getting it wrong in social media and creating a reputational disaster. What they forget is that everyone starts in the same way, so they should probably get stuck in and make a few mistakes now so that they're not the last ones off the starting block.

• "Content is KING" - This is really interesting, because PR professionals should already know this. Maybe some think that because the platform is different the rules have changed. It's still not about vanity, it's about engagement and mutual interests.

• "Social media is always on" - And PR professionals are always working, in my experience. They might say that they do 9-5 hours, but more often than not their phones are ALWAYS on and they will ALWAYS answer, and they've always got their ears to the ground - they can't help it!

• "There are a lot of institutional barriers between the PR industry and social media" - This is the problem. With large companies particularly, there are too many rules for online engagement. I understand the need for guidelines, but when there are too many rules, people often don't bother INCASE they get it wrong. And there goes that missed opportunity. Shame.

Oh My Lady Gaga.

OMLG. I understand that it's all part of Lady Gaga's image to be outrageous, but she is in real danger of crossing the line from eccentric to psychopath. A meat dress?? I know she likes it rough but this is sadistic. Next she'll be sawing off her poker face for the paparazzi. Not all publicity is good publicity Gaga.

Picture from Metro.co.uk

How to get a first in PR

I can't believe I completely forgot to brag about the article I wrote for Behind The Spin: 'How to get a First in PR' a few weeks ago. Have a look and let me know whether you agree with my methods.

I wrote it as a list of rules, all of which worked for me but I had to discover them on my own. Despite my previous claim, I didn't write the article to brag. I think I would have found my degree a lot easier had someone told me those rules when I started.

Signature PR: Sophie Blecha, Marte Semb Aasmundsen, King Houndekpinkou, me and Catherine Birch

Sofa surfing in London

I've never been to London for more than a few days before now. I've also never been sofa surfing before. Yet I have come to London for 4 weeks to surf various sofas whilst working an unpaid full time intership, and with an overall budget of £100. Luckily for me it's working out just fine.

Here are my tips:

1. Try and stay with people you already know so that you can relax.
2. Pack as little as possible and be mindful that you will have to live out of your bag - no wardrobes in living rooms!
3. Find a supermarket and stock up of cheap food because buying lunch every day is simply too expensive.
4. Stock up on early nights where you can because you never know what the next day will bring.
5. Be sure to thank your hosts with chocolate, flowers, cards, and/or by cooking them a scrumptious supper.

Simple. Happy surfing! :-)

Video: The Last Exorcism on Chatroulette

I am so impressed with this viral. Not just because it's hilarious to see young men jump out of their skin, but because it's highly creative and it communicates the right message for the film genre.

Everyone knows that Chatroulette is not about meeting people from all over the world and engaging in intellectual discussion (I made that assumption once with a friend...we were shocked to say the least). If you don't already know, Chatroulette is crawling with horny males looking for hot women.

This viral plays on this perfectly. It's sick, it's hilarious and you won't forget it in a hurry...