#YanegirlSmallTalks: El inicio de un experimento

Estoy iniciando un nuevo experimento con Instagram TV o IGTV, y es una serie de videos cortos que quiero hacer cada semana o cada dos semanas. 

A veces tengo ideas que quiero compartir o ganas de escribir un blogpost, pero quizás no tengo tiempo en el momento o se me van las ganas de sentarme en la computadora a escribir y todo lo que conlleva (aquel proceso que les describo (en inglés) en este otro post). 

También puedo resolver el problema de cómo presentar mis posts en dos idiomas, pues en lugar de tener que subir algo con la doble traducción, puedo escribir en el idioma que me inspire y luego crear una versión resumida para IGTV en el idioma siguiente. 

Espero que la idea les guste tanto como a mí. He reconocido que estoy consumiendo más contenido de video que cualquier otro tipo de contenido a través de las redes sociales, así que me permití darme el chance de crear algo de la manera que me gusta: sin grandes producciones, ni complicaciones, ni mucho maquillaje, etc. Ustedes me conocen. 

Éste es el primer video. Espero lo disfruten y me dejen su parecer en Instagram @Yanegirl.

View this post on Instagram

Hace 2 meses que encontré la manera de retomar el #blogging en www.yanegirl.com. Hasta el momento está funcionando. Así que mi siguiente acción es retomar videitos cortos aprovechando IGTV. Aunque me encanta escribir y leer artículos, debo confesar que en el día a día dedico más tiempo a consumir contenido en video. Y es que según las tendencias de comportamiento del consumidor, el video es ya el formato preferido por los usuarios de redes sociales. Solté mi propia creencia de que para hacer videos hace falta toda una producción y otros prejuicios, y teniendo como referente a mis chicas @clayramorales y @yosoyaisha que hacen videos orgánicos que disfruto bastante, decidí que puedo disponer de 20 minutos a la semana para probar esta idea. ¿Ustedes qué prefieren? ¿Videos orgánicos o producidos?

A post shared by Yaneris Michel 🇩🇴 (@yanegirl) on Nov 23, 2019 at 7:04am PST

Rihanna vs Victoria's Secret: Or why you should do your social listening homework

Here's a quick post I came up with after looking at some recent events happening in the world of fashion. 

News was that Victoria’s Secret cancelled its -once super popular -tv show for this year. Most likely because of this. 

Meanwhile, Rihanna announced that this year's Savage x Fenty lingerie show is now streaming through Amazon Prime. In case you didn't know, Savage x Fenty is Rihanna's new venture -another one away from the music business-, a lingerie brand for women of all kinds.

In other words: Fenty is in, Victoria is out. 

Diversity is among Savage by Fenty's core values.

I think the Victoria’s Secret brand had never generated as much uproar as in the past 3 years. It certainly had haters and critics before, but advocacy on social media was just not as strong as it is today, making the complains shine through. Or maybe, the body positivity movement was not as present as it is in today’s social conversations. Whatever the exact reason might be, all the planets aligned for a brand like Savage by Fenty to come to life, backed up by Rihanna’s powerful endorsement/involvement. It took long for society to come to this point, but the moment came. 

The situation surrounding Victoria’s Secret can be considered an interesting case study of why social listening is so important. If they had considered it on time, they would have been able to react opportunely to the demands of the audience. 

People want to see bodies that are more real; people want to see a little less perfection. And maybe they didn’t want the whole show to be created for the girl next door, we understand that the aspirational part is still important for a brand like this one, but at least they wanted a higher dose of real representation. 

How come the first model of color to walk their show with her natural hair DIDN’T HAPPEN UNTIL 2015? 

Of course, the brand can take on the excuses that they serve a specific target audience, that they have certain brand identity or standards. They could even claim that they don’t care if they lose a few customers that don’t agree with what they portray, maybe most of their customers agree with the way they think. 

But what cannot be ignored is the fact that when brands remain ignorant and so full of pride to respond to the public perception, the time will come when the public opinion will affect their reputation and ultimately their business. And even sooner, the time will come when a new competitor will rise to “offer the same” with the added benefit of taking what your brand has been ignoring and work it out to do better than you do. 

It is true that brands must have an identity, and that brands cannot please everyone, but doing social listening must help you understand the difference between having some haters  from witnessing a real change in the industry that might lead to disruption. 

So here's a free piece of advice for you: 

• Check your comments and check them right. The good, the bad and the ugly. 
• Make sure you have justified answers to the “Whys” you are being asked. 
• Check the comments on the articles that talk about you on the media. Your PR efforts get you to the media, but the real people get to the comments. 
• Make sure your team is DIVERSE. Bringing in people from different backgrounds is the only thing that will help your brand understand the opinions of your customers and the different meanings your messages can have to your audience, their struggles and their needs. 
• Don’t think things will just pass. Keep on listening, and if the same claims persists on and on, then you MUST take action before it’s too late. 

I'm Yaneris Michel. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn to share more thoughts. 

Is sharing killing your blogging creativity? Here are 3 things you can do about it:

While I started my “30-minutes brain break", I realized that usually it is not a problem for me to find the time to write. What really kills my mood is the whole process that follows. You know… that process that someone working with digital communications considers important in order to get the content “out there” and read by someone else (which should be the ultimate goal, right?). 

Knowledge can be a double-sided weapon (un arma de doble filo, we say in Spanish). Becaus I know how blogging works, how SEO works, how social media works; and because I work with these each and every week for a minimum of 7-8 hours-a-day, thinking of it makes me anxious before I even start typing. 

I wrote this post while I was waiting in the mall, so I took this photo to remind myself that I can make time to write anywhere, anytime. 

That process is the following:

1. Finding a topic and writing about it

This is the easy-piecy part for me. I get writing ideas flowing every day. I find inspiration in many things. My favorite sources of inspiration are books, because the lack of image leads me to various trains of thoughts that can turn into different topics. My second favorite source of inspiration are good conversations. Do yourself a favor and get friends or a SO you can have serious, deep conversations with. Listen to other people’s life stories; meet people with different cultural backgrounds, etc. I find a lot of art in others. Last but not least, traveling is my third favorite source of inspiration. I don’t mean only going too far. Just commuting in the silent wagon from home to work, or having a walk through a new park, can spark some content ideas. But of course, the further you can get, the more you discover. 

2. Proofreading 

Then it comes proofreading. Which I hate, but I know how extremely necessary it is, especially as I am writing in a language that differs from my mother tongue. I wish I had a permanent editor to do it for me, but I can’t afford it, yet…

3. Sourcing

I’m a journalist. I like to read articles with credibility, and I like to write articles with credibility. Therefore, I like to know the sources of what I read and I like to include my references when I write. For that reason, I tend to include links to what I mention in my articles. Not only this is good for SEO purposes, but it’s the right thing to do.   

4. Finding a suitable image

In today’s day and age, the competition for getting a reader’s attention is fierce. I myself tend to scan articles with images that tell a little more than the headline, and I bet you do it too. After all, we are the generation of Instagram, right? So finding a suitable image for my blog posts or social content is important to me, at least until I reach Gary Vaynerchuck’s level of influence. He is the only one who shares LinkedIn content without pictures that I constantly read. 

5. Sharing it!

And then, after all that I’ve just described, comes the moment of actually publishing the blog post. I use Blogger, which I personally consider very easy and user friendly. But publishing your blog also takes time: adding a title, making sure the format is right, making sure the links and photos look right and in the right place, thinking of the byline or short description, etc… 

And even after that, comes the process of sharing it on social media. Which, as told by the real experts, supposes a totally new process in which you should adapt your message to the corresponding social audience, be it your family on Facebook, your friends and acquaintances on Instagram, your professional network on LinkedIn, and so on…

See, my job is not that easy, and if you are thinking of blogging, or vloging or podcasting, the process is similar only in a different format.

Now let’s get to what I’m currently doing to take things easier for myself and not to kill my inspiration with the thought of “all I have to do”. 

1. Write first, share later

Through my 30-min writing challenge my main concern is to find time to write. My priority is to exercise my creative writing; to give my brain “a walk”, and ultimately to do something that I enjoy a lot. Therefore, sharing shouldn’t keep me awake, and I’m not forcing myself to share things right away or to figure out how to put it across all my social networks in an hour. 

Instead, I give myself a window of two weeks to do so. Within two weeks after writing the post, I must find the time to upload it to Blogger one day. Then in the days following that, I find the time to share it on social media, and sometimes by the time I get to publish it, I can already tease my readers on what the next topic will be. 

Spreading out the process takes the pressure out of me, and actually gives me more liberty to create fresh approaches to share my blog on social. While having an actual deadline still keeps me focused on the goal. 

2. Do I really need a picture?

Again, I know I’m not Gary Vaynerchuck, but honestly who cares? Having a picture is very important for the reasons I explained above. But if I can’t have one that’s original or not burned by Pexels users across the world, then I don’t sweat it anymore. Again, my goal is to write and I want to stay focused on that purpose. 

3. Remember this is your hobby, it’s supposed to be fun

Finally, I repeat myself that this is my hobby. For my work, I can and I must follow the whole process, but for this, it’s more important for me to have fun and stay engaged in the task. Authenticity matters, and forcing things to look perfect doesn’t help my cause neither helps my potential readers. 

In simple words: Take it easy, start somewhere, focus on creating, and keep working towards your main goal. 

Is the process killing your creativity? What are you doing to avoid it?

¿La democratización del narcisismo?

Este post se lo voy a dedicar a mi amigo y colega Moisés Balbuena, quien siempre ha sido muy transparente en admitir cuando sus fotos son un "culto al ego" :D.

Porque esta foto es justo eso -"culto al ego"- aunque en ocasiones no lo queramos decir. Mejor pegamos la frase célebre correspondiente para sustituir el caption real que debería ser algo más o menos como "esta es mi foto y me gusta cómo me veo en ella", "estoy que no me aguanto", o como dije en mi Instagram "agárrate Jlo"- que me toca a mí jajajaj. En fin, puro "culto". 

Mi secreto: 3 apps para programar Instagram

Shhh... Les voy a contar un secreto: Uso apps para programar Instagram. Quiero compartir con ustedes estas tres apps que están haciendo más fácil mi vida como community manager.

En realidad no es tan gran secreto. Estas apps ya son muy conocidas en el mundo del social media, pero creo que puede ser de mucha utilidad saberlo si eres un simple mortal. 

Why should influencers retrieve their #BestNine?

Is that time of the year. Time to wrap up and evaluate. Time to take a look at our accomplishments and to start making new resolutions. 

In the world of social media, it's time to show off (even more), and time to retrieve your "best nine" pictures if you are an Instagram user. 

These are my 2016 Best Nine

Best Nine, is a trendy and simple online platform that allows you to share the best nine pictures you posted on your Instagram account, based on likes. 

After seeing a few shared by my friends, I decided to take a look at how it works since it wasn't clear to me and it was not just popping up on Insta for me to do it on a simple click. It's still very easy, but it takes a little more. To retrieve yours, you gotta go to 2016BestNine.com, and insert your insta username. After a few seconds, you'll have your grid with the nine pictures that your followers liked the most. 

What caught my attention, is that you have the option to request a "full version" of your Best Nine. And this full version offers a couple pieces of information that are good for influencers to show. 

You can see on my own 2016 Best Nine that I had 6, 661 likes to 314 posts that I shared in 2016. In mathematical terms, those numbers would represent an average of 21 likes per post, and I would dare to say that I could presume a reach of at least 40 people, if I speculate on those who watch and stalk without giving away a like or comment.

While in 2015, I had 5,055 likes to 222 posts, which means approximately 22.7 likes per post. And let's presume and average reach of 50 per post. 

Yes, I know, I've "relatively" decreased my reach and engagement in 2016. Did I expected it? Yes. 

In 2016, I shared a lot less selfies and a lot less personal captions. In the past couple years I felt that I was giving away too much of my personal life so I've shifted my approach a little. Besides, I shared more single pictures in a 6-grid format, which I like from an aesthetic perspective, but it means probably 5 less pictures for my fans to like, since people usually like just one picture on the grid after they see the full ensemble. 

And that's why I say my engagement decrease was "relative". Because it truly wasn't if it corresponds with my "strategy" and the results expected. 

Example of one of my grids. 

My point is that, simple tools like the Best Nine can give you a lot more information than  you think, but most importantly, I think upcoming bloggers are failing in taking data into account and only focusing on the content strategy without keeping an eye on metrics. I might say some have no strategy at all, especially in the Dominican Republic. 

So my humble advice is to start looking at what your fans' feedback is telling you, not only by their textual words, but by the metrics you are getting. Start with your Best Nine. 

5 Things to Learn from Nintendo This Holiday Season

With the release of two new campaign videos on YouTube, Nintendo makes new statements that are worth observing more closely. 



1- Games are clearly not just for kids anymore

We all know that since the invention of the PlayStation and the XBox, gaming stopped being just for kids. The majority of players with real purchasing power are adults, who once were 80's or 90's kids that had the first video games in their hands back then and grew up to become adult players. 

But despite everyone knowing this, commercials about video games were not so openly targeted to these adults. You'd either have commercials where you could actually see the game interface or the new additions to the consoles and how they work, or you would have a mix between settings where kids interact or adults interact.... all these depending on the kind of game or console being pushed. 

This time there's no dissimulation. The first look at the Nintendo Switch Ad does not present a console that is meant for kids to entertain themselves while in the car or after they finish their homework. It is meant for adults to do so. 

As you can see these are all adults playing in the commercial, with no kids group subtly slipped in to make it more diverse. 

2-Pay attention to the ladies playing
For many, many years, the majority of gamers were men. But within the past 5 years, the numbers are getting even. 

Take a look at these stats by istance:

Distribution of computer and video gamers in the United States from 2006 to 2016, by gender

The reasons causing the rise of more female gamers are many, but they are mostly related to the fact that more options are being offered to them, think about the Nintendo Wii's workout options, sports playing options or, my personal faves, the new versions of Mario. Think of all those women who were playing FarmVille and Candy Crush on Facebook and their Mobile phones. 

An article in The Guardian gives them even more predominance: "Cast aside the old stereotype – women are now the majority among games users. But as characters and creators they are still largely absent".

Going back to Nintendo's Switch commercial, the female crowd is clearly being targeted by the brand and that's something that all gaming companies should consider. 

3- It's not about what you play but who you play with, and where

But don't think I'm a "Switch" enthusiast. My first thought when I saw the Nintendo Switch commercial was "these people want you to think that this game is so cool because you can share it and play it with more friends, and take it to all parties. But don't fool me, it still looks like you would be missing out on everything else, because now all you will do is play Nintendo "anywhere, anytime".  

Yeah! I thought all that, and yeah, my boyfriend thought I was very cynical. 

But for some people that works, and that's what they want. Nintendo is giving it to them.

4- Create expectation

This is basic marketing, no need for big explanations. Black Friday is coming, Christmas is coming, but Nintendo is saying "Hey, don't spend all your money there because our game won't be released until next spring". 

So they keep you hooked and on the look, and they'll surely be dropping more commercials like this that we would have to see for 5 more months. 

5- Engage with the Holidays

In case you didn't know, the Pokémon Go app is a huge success around the world, and it's revolutionizing social gaming trends with a very clever use of augmented reality. 

The game, developed by Niantic, keeps surprising those who are paying attention to it. Like me. 

Thanks to my boyfriend, I've been looking closely at everything that has been going on with it. This week, they are having a Pokémon Go Halloween Weekend, meaning that the "spookiest" Pokémon will be available, and they will even go "trick or treating", because the players can collect more candy within this period. 

I know, the video is horrible and I really think Pokémon Go could use a better video maker for these purposes, but the idea is a good example of a well-timed engagement strategy.

Zoe Saldaña y sus hermanas se pasan a YouTube!

La actriz Zoe Saldaña compartió ayer en su instagram la noticia del nuevo canal de Youtube que ha iniciado junto a sus hermanas Mariel y Cisely.  Con este divertido video, las chicas nos dieron un adelanto de qué se trata. 

Cinestar es el nombre de este canal del cual ya se habla en Facebook e Instagram. La iniciativa se desprende de Cinestar Pictures, compañía productora ya fundada por las tres chicas del #TeamSaldana, como se hacen llamar en las redes. 

Justo en septiembre del año pasado, el trío anunció la creación de esta nueva propuesta tras un acuerdo de producción para AwesomenessTV, informó la revista Variety.

Tal como dije en mi Instagram, es interesante ver a Zoe emprender en este proyecto que reafirma el auge de la televisión social. Por supuesto, también sabemos por su instagram que Zoe es madre a tiempo completo y le gusta aprovechar al máximo el tiempo con sus gemelos, por lo que no me sorprende que prefiera participar de algo propio que al mismo tiempo le permita estar cerca de la familia, mas que ambiciosos proyectos para la pantalla gigante que la alejen de casa. 

¡Enhorabuena! 

December Update: Strengths and Weaknesses of Social Media Managers and other stories...

Which  type of social media manager are you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why is Forever21 at the top of mind of this generation? Why is social media important for designer Zac Posen?... and more in today's Yanegirl's Week Update.

Which type of social media manager are you?

The topic: An infographic with 7 types of social media managers.

Because, of course, there are many and each one takes a different approach, sometimes without even realizing it. Therefore I found this infographic very interesting to take a look a some of the traits that shape the behavior (and the success) of some social media managers.

The source: Social Media Today
 
What I’m taking notes on: The strengths and weaknesses identified for each one of these characters. Check'em out yourself.


Why is Forever 21 at the top of mind of this generation?

The topic: Why Forever 21 is dominating millennial fashion

Not surprising. I’ve always said it. Being on a budget, if you have taste and sense of style, it doesn’t matter what brand you are wearing but how you’re wearing it. If the clothing meets the purpose, I wouldn’t sacrifice half of my paycheck to get something else. Of course, this is until you become a more conscious buyer, but by that time, you’re someone else’s target, not Forever 21.
 
The source: Business Insider India
 
What I’m taking notes on: <<“Why would a brand that offers low-cost, low-quality apparel rank so high with fashionable teens? The answer might be simple: Forever 21 is targeting a girl who is not yet interested in purchasing quality clothes. She just wants to look good. And when that girl moves on, another crop of girls will enter Forever 21's throes. This cheap, ephemeral fashion doesn't bother this consumer. After all, this consumer is more interested in spending money on technology and experience than apparel, anyway.">>

The Zac Posen strategy

Me as many others, discovered Zac Posen after he designed that Natalie Portman dress he mentions in this article, but really fell in love with his designing skills after his role as a judge in Project Runway. He's a young designer that has made great use of the media and network connections to build his brand. So reading this interview is a must.

The Source: WWD

What I’m taking notes on: <<“So the red carpet helped establish your company. What kind of impact does it have today on your business? Is it a mandate for designers?

Z.P.: It’s very important for the right brand. Not every brand is a glamour brand. Not every red carpet is a glamour moment. For me it’s hugely important. It’s enabled my company to have global visibility and synergies with media. It became an essential building block and in terms financially, it can make a piece a bestseller worldwide.

Z.P.: Social media has evolved the whole game. People are addicted to their phones. You have to think how a piece photographs. The more I grow as a creator; I have to say that I get less worried about that and more focused on the experience of the garment itself. But for the red carpet, it’s essential. There are visceral things that humans react to. There are colors that are emotional, clothing that expresses things about vitality, emotion, sex. You can play with that and it becomes a dialogue. I don’t ever feel pressure to keep up the game because I think having pauses from dressing sometimes creates more anticipation and excitement.>>

Event e-mail marketing tips

The topic: Useful tips to successfully promote events using email campaigns.

This upcoming year I might have the possibility to start exploring the world of event marketing. I've been flirting with a client, so while I seal the deal, I'm saving useful information like tips provided in this article.

The Source: Search Engine Journal

What I’m taking notes on: Creating a timeline for an event e-mail marketing campaign. Types of emails to send prior the event and how to highlight the event main person/speaker/attraction.

Follow me on Twitter @YanerisM to follow-up on more interesting fashion marketing news and articles.

El sexo, ¿ya no vende?

La decisión de la revista Playboy de no mostrar más desnudos en sus páginas puede convertirse en un interesante caso de estudio en la historia de la comunicación publicitaria.

 

Durante décadas, la premisa “el sexo vende” ha marcado la pauta de muchas campañas publicitarias y de mercadeo, así como artículos y contenido en los medios de comunicación.

La misma premisa que dio sentido al contenido de la legendaria revista Playboy, hoy parece encontrar su antítesis. El pasado octubre, Playboy anunció que ya no habría más chicas desnudas en sus páginas. Ahora se van a concentrar en ofrecer más artículos exclusivos y contenido de alta calidad. Interesante. 

Pero más interesante aún es observar el comportamiento de la nueva audiencia de Playboy y cómo cambios en dicho comportamiento han dado lugar al diseño de toda una nueva estrategia que ha impulsado la popularidad de la revista en el mundo digital.

La revista Forbes ha publicado algunos detalles de la estrategia que me parece importante destacar:

• Al frente del equipo de mercadeo se encuentra una mujer, Robin Zucker, SVP de Marketing y Digital Media de Playboy.

• Playboy ha sabido poner atención y responder a las demandas de una nueva generación de lectores: Los Millennials.  “En enero del 2014, la edad promedio del lector de Playboy era 47 años. En el 2015, la edad promedio es 30 años”, indica el artículo de Forbes. 

• Podría decirse que para esta generación, la desnudez está a la vuelta de la esquina. La pornografía es más accesible, y por tanto ver desnudos en Playboy no genera tanto morbo como lo generaba para un hombre de 30 años durante los años 50's y 60's. 

• Playboy lo ha entendido y respondiendo a este comportamiento de su audiencia ha tomado la tan irónica decisión de cambiar lo que una vez fue el eje principal de su contenido, como una manera de evolucionar y adaptarse.  

Ciertamente esto, acompañado de una estrategia integral de marketing digital que ha dado mucha importancia a las redes sociales (uno de los mejores canales para conectar con los Millennials), ha impulsado un nuevo crecimiento en los ingresos de Playboy.

Por supuesto, aún es temprano para cantar victoria, pues no todo negocio que cambia su naturaleza llega a tener éxito. Pero por el momento cabe destacar que la revista ha vuelto a sentar un precedente al entender y responder a este cambio en la sociedad actual. Pienso que todo este proceso merece que lo observemos de cerca, pues marca una interesante era en la historia de la comunicación publicitaria.

#BreakTheInternet...or not?

Hint: Do you recognize Homer’s mouth?

Knowing that this post is out of time, I decided to write it anyway. I usually don’t go over topics that seem like clear desperate calls for attention to me -because writing about it is granting that attention-, but I could make an interesting point out of this one.

I’m talking about KimKa’s Butt (with capital B, since it has kind of a personality on its own now), and Paper Magazine’s attempt to break the internet. Now allow me to walk you through my mental process while reading the news:

1) I thought: “Oh, so now she’s totally naked! I wonder why it doesn’t really surprises me. 

2) I wondered what the reasoning behind the magazine cover was. Since this is not a “gentlemen’s” magazine I wanted to believe that there could be much more behind it than just the fact of creating “breaking news” with KimKa’s Butt. After all, there should be an article supporting the pictures, no?

3) There was an article and I read it. And I found it clever, although pitiful.

4) I also found hilarious memes withKimKa’s Butt, but that's not the point. 

Now let me share my conclusions with you all.

1 – Apparently, seeing KimKa’s totally naked not only didn’t surprise me, it didn’t surprise many people. Like, this was the next thing she had left to do. You sort of would expect it from her; therefore, seeing her wasn’t as impacting as it would have been if it was someone else. Let’s take “Gisele Bundchen” as an example. Even though Gisele is a VS top model always appearing in her underwear, she has never even showed her boobs and she keeps an apparently very normal personal life with her husband and kids, usually away from scandals. KimKa’s on the other hand, with the “lovely” support of her soulmate ‘Ye, is always all over the place. I wouldn’t doubt if their next move is to appear naked together.

So, conclusion #1: To create real outstanding impact, you better surprise.

2 – Paper Magazine said their goal was to “Break the internet”. Although a little cynic, the whole thing was interesting as well. I don’t know if I’m the only one who felt like there was something unsaid between the lines, but my interpretation of the situation and the article shifted more towards them not trying to “break the internet” really, but kind of criticizing a society who tries-so-hard every day to do it. And there is people like KimKa’s who likes the attention, being used sometimes somehow by others. People who would do anything. And people who would love to be like her. Because “there’s people and there’s people”, says a Spanish refrain.

Conclusion #2: Don’t take anything for granted when reading the news, you would be surprised.

Of course, as a journalist I always knew this. But sometimes I also get carried away and dragged by what everyone is talking about and forget to do my own research.

3- Surprisingly, the interview was empty but interesting from a communication stand point. If you read it thoroughly, you’ll note that KimKa didn’t say anything really. She didn’t answer the questions widely. She didn’t disclose any interesting information. It made me wonder if she’s really empty headed or she’s so smart that she knows how to play it. Surely we see her life and her “real self” in her show, but it has always been said that her mom is the master mind behind the whole family success. What’s reality? We’ll never know. “But you know that she is very, very famous. Some would say that’s all you need to know”. I know how it is to have an interview with no real answers and how creative a journalist has to get in those cases.

Conclusion #3: Amanda Fortini, the author, was very creative. I applaud her for that. And we are all playing along: Kim posing, Amanda building on her scarce answers, you reading, me criticizing…

24 hours of happiness!: Social Media lessons from Pharell's new video.

After years of success, there comes a time when some people can just start doing whatever they want. Pharell Williams is one of those people, although despite how many years have past, he still puts passion and innovation to his work to break the boundaries.

Just today, I shared on Twitter this article which first lesson to become socially engaged is to “dothings differently”. Well, Pharell has (and lets considerate him as a brand). 

He launched the first 24-hour-long music video. And anyone would think “what the heck for?” No matter his reasons, the video made it to every news channel, just for being the first of his kind.

It is not on YouTube, but it’s own platform called 24hoursofhappy (“Happy” is the performed song by the way). 

This means:

Direct clicks

What every brand wants. People are actually going in to this page designed exclusively to showcase Pharell’s new idea. If he made a bet with any brand to prove he could make it and get those direct clicks, he won.

Impact

You must have seen it in the news. Everywhere. Shared by your friends. And now in this blog. I bet, if you haven’t; now you want to see it.

“Shareability”

That 24-hours-long doesn’t mean you can share it. Actually, Pharell thought about this strategically, and the platform is designed so that you can share just your favorite part.

Viral and catchy

The tune gets deep in your subconscious. I’m sure that if you see the whole video, not at once but a few hours at the time, you’ll easily learn the whole Happy song that is constantly repeated along.

I read in “The Guardian” that by the end of the video Pharell has exhorted the viewer to “clap along” 8,640 times (would this involve a subliminal message?).

A little influencers help

The video also involves the appearances of some celebrities like Magic Johnson, Odd Future, Jimmy Kimmel and Steve Carell.

In the end I think I shouldn’t ask what’s your favorite part of Pharell’s new video, but what’s your favorite “time”?

Why social models are becoming the top!

We are sure that the social media boom has become pretty rewarding for famous figures that receive endorsements while using their private accounts. Athletes, actors, bloggers, experts and many others have found their ways to take advantage of self-advertising on the social web.

@CocoRocha on Instagram

But there’s another group for whom social media has totally changed the game, and I’m talking about models.

For years, models where meant to remain silent, speechless and expressionless, by assuming the heterogenic concepts of the brands they represented. Being promoted under the mercy of their modeling agencies, until they where hired for enough campaigns and shows to pay their own reps.

But today the game has changed, and younger models can find their own way to breakthrough if they know how to take advantage of their social networks.

The perks of being a social model:

-Paid to be socialites

Models are paid to walk down the runway, but at the same time, the get to by part of the parties and the entertainment around the fashion industry. Which is a great subject to showcase on social media.

-Fashion insiders

They get to see, feel and comment the trends with information from the primary sources, the designers. Besides, they can create expectations on upcoming campaigns, keeping their followers posted and waiting for more.

-Networking

Do you have any idea of how many people you get to know around any fashion event? From photographers to stylists, journalists, editors, brand directors… Just a quick snapshot with any fashion icon, and you’ll have some word-of-mouth.

These and much more kind of content that models can have access to, easily generates conversations that lead to more social media awareness and faster exposure than ever before.

And of course, all these lead to worthy endorsements from small and big brands that models can take advantage from at any level.

"Models, paid to be expressionless, are finding a new way to express themselves". –The Wall Street Journal. 

Who did it right last Fashion Week?

@cocorocha

@missjourdandunn

@caradelevingne

@karliekloss

@MirandaKerr

@AngelCandice (Candice Swanepoel)

@HillaryHRhoda

@JoanSmalls

The legendary keep their social media going on too.

Famous top models don't let it all to the young newcomers. This women are rockin' it too on the networks. 

@GiseleOfficial (Gisele Bundchen)

@HeidiKlum

@KarolinaKurkova

@NaomiCampbell