{"id":34854,"date":"2013-04-21T15:19:08","date_gmt":"2013-04-21T14:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=34854"},"modified":"2013-04-21T15:29:22","modified_gmt":"2013-04-21T14:29:22","slug":"social-media-publicity-watch-play-hockey-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/social-media-publicity-watch-play-hockey-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media Publicity \u2013 Watch, Play Hockey First"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[ google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-5104669416173387\"; \/* post2 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"2978704951\"; google_ad_width = 234; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ < ![CDATA[\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Social Chaos<\/h1>\n<div id=\"attachment_34858\" style=\"width: 314px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34858\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34858\" alt=\"Untitled-4\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-43.jpg?resize=304%2C203\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-43.jpg?resize=304%2C203 304w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-43-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-34858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source \u2013 picarena<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A few weeks ago my in-laws were in town and we had to watch \u201cher\u201d Blackhawks play.<\/p>\n<p>Watching the game (the Blackhawks won by the way) made me think that social media is similar.<\/p>\n<p>Fast moving, requires a lot of thinking\/talent, can be rough.<\/p>\n<p>People play hockey to win.<\/p>\n<p>People play at social media to win (show folks how good they are).<\/p>\n<p>Social media folks love to score (count their followers, fans, retweeters) to prove their value and watch the other guy\/gal get beat up.<\/p>\n<p>Admit it; you love to watch the fights during hockey games as long as you\u2019re not out there on the ice.<\/p>\n<p>When someone gets in a social media fight, you can\u2019t take your eyes off the screen (whichever one you\u2019re watching).<\/p>\n<p>In both the one who strikes the first blow usually wins because the second person is defending him\/herself.<\/p>\n<p>Take the recent GDC (Game Developers Conference) social media run-in.<\/p>\n<p><b>Vibrant Industry<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s GDC looked like a real industry tipping point:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Record attendance of over 20,000 creative folks from around the globe<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mind- boggling list of interesting educational, informational sessions<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lots of indies gathered to find out how they could make a living doing what they liked without having to assign their creative efforts over to large studios and earn only a small portion of the cash flow<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Female developers were there in record numbers and it looked like they were well on their way to being equals<\/p>\n<p>It seemed like everyone was posting, tweeting about how great the event was, how they were learning\/enjoying everything and how indies were going to make life better for \u2026 everyone.<\/p>\n<p>It was so successful IGDA (Independent Game Developers Assn) held a party for the attendees.<\/p>\n<p>Great except\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Brenda Romero, a well known and highly respected independent developer, tweeted a complaint about the party, included a picture and said it was all the fault of IGDA and one of the exhibitors, YetiZen.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34856\" style=\"width: 236px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34856\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34856\" alt=\"Untitled-2\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-23.jpg?resize=226%2C294\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-34856\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source &#8211; gamasutra<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The issue was the female dancers at the party.<\/p>\n<p>The president of YetiZen (Sana Choudary) responded they hired avid gamers who happened to be models and \u201cclarified other points raised.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not condoning or condemning the \u201centertainment.\u201d \u00a0Fortunately, most of the shows we go to have become more grown-up, more serious over the years.\u00a0 And I do think it\u2019s a lot better than if you go to E3 or Comicon (two other \u201cboys club\u201d events).<\/p>\n<p>Hey, who knows they may be ardent gamers and models!<\/p>\n<p><b>Reinforcement vs. Facts<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The \u201cdiscussion\u201d was on the Internet, which means it is now everywhere and it only reinforced the industry\u2019s image:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Development people are guys who make no money, are chained to their desk and drink nothing but Redbull, eat Oreos (Twinkies are gone for now)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Games are addictive like cocaine and the hooked play for 20 hours plus straight with no bathroom breaks or food\/water<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Young boys play the games and think sex, drugs, murder is normal, cool<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our youth act out their game play in the real world harming themselves, others<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The truth about the industry:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 65 percent of American households play computer, video games<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The average game player is 35 years old, not a lusting, killing focused, acne-ridden kid<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One out of four gamers is over the age of 50<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nearly 50 percent of the gaming population are women, 18 and older<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 30 percent of players of violent games are women<\/p>\n<p>So who won?<\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t really matter, game developers and the industry lost.<\/p>\n<p>What it did prove is that social media is an open playground that can go from being a whole lot of fun to an ugly name-calling event or brawl in less than 140 characters.<\/p>\n<p>When it happens, all you remember is <i>\u201che\/she beats his\/her significant other\u201d<\/i> or in this instance <i>\u201cthere were scantily dressed, hot dancers at the party.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter if the story is true or false, right or wrong.<\/p>\n<p>What matters is how well and how quickly and thoroughly the complaint, issue was addressed.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is most publicists are only capable of one-sided pitches.\u00a0 You know, lobbing out neat messages to folks.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t agree?<\/p>\n<p><b>PR Shortcomings<\/b><\/p>\n<p>According to Flurry, more than 50 percent of the people who respond to an outreach or request information\/assistance using social media \u2013 Facebook, Twitter, Printerest, LinkedIn, you name it &#8212; <b><i>never<\/i><\/b> get a response.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is (obviously) anyone can be an expert.<\/p>\n<p>And if you want to be in \u2013 really in \u2013 you need to say you\u2019re a social media expert.<\/p>\n<p>By definition, the key to social media is a two-way conversation.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s okay until something goes wrong because there are no private conversations \u2013 especially with things like Twitter.<\/p>\n<p>Twitter isn\u2019t like email \u2013 one person to one or more individuals \u2013 instead it\u2019s more like a phone conversation on a party line \u2026 a really big party line.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34857\" style=\"width: 314px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34857\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34857\" alt=\"Untitled-3\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-33.jpg?resize=304%2C157\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-33.jpg?resize=304%2C157 304w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-33-300x154.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-34857\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source &#8211; Rowan &amp; Martin&#8217;s Laugh-In<\/p><\/div>\n<p>People forget it\u2019s not a simple conversation but organized eavesdropping where anyone can add his\/her two-cents or caustic response \u2026 and they do!<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s there&#8211;forever (do a little online search and you can read the complaints and responses to the GDC \u201cincident\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>In this on-ice brawl there were no winners.<\/p>\n<p>The most the professional can do is quickly, clearly address the points and then encourage the individual to help you solve\/resolve the problem offline.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_34855\" style=\"width: 314px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34855\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34855\" alt=\"Untitled-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-13.jpg?resize=304%2C240\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-13.jpg?resize=304%2C240 304w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/Untitled-13-300x236.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-34855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source &#8211; HockeyWorldBlog<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In this instance, anti-video gamers \u2013 especially the more violent games \u2013 are saying the incident only reinforced all that is bad with games.<\/p>\n<p>People interested in games sat in the arena and cheered as the battle of words played itself out.<\/p>\n<p>Social media experts probably didn\u2019t think twice about it because they were too busy getting Likes and Twitter followers.<\/p>\n<p>They probably don\u2019t think twice about hitting the send key and taking their best shot.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s important to know that when you\u2019re on the ice; someone, some time is going to take a swing and how you respond reflects not just on you but your company, your brand.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re going to simply duck the blows \u2026 get off the ice and into the stands.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"># # #<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">G.A. \u201cAndy\u201d Marken<\/h1>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong>Marken Communications, Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social Chaos A few weeks ago my in-laws were in town and we had to watch \u201cher\u201d Blackhawks play. Watching the game (the Blackhawks won by the way) made me think that social media&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":34858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533],"tags":[6544,4515,506,6545,6543,1689],"class_list":["post-34854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","tag-brenda-romero","tag-game-developers-conference","tag-gdc","tag-pr-shortcomings","tag-sociall-media-publicity","tag-twitter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34854"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34854\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}