*Originally posted Wednesday, November 26, 2008

I’m Kelcy … recent addition to the JSH&A team and native Nebraskan, living in Chicago.  It’s nice to meet you!

As you may have noticed, each JSH&A blogger has a special area of interest … mine?  Social media (and newly tapped advocate for the agency’s Social LiF platform, but more on that to come) and all things viral.  As an early adopter of mediums like Tumblr, Twitter and even the now-archaic Facebook, and a marketing public relations professional, I’ve been fascinated to see how brands and companies are integrating themselves into consumer’s personal (and increasingly online) lives more and more every day. 

One of my first brand connections on Twitter was with an 80’s style Teddy Ruxpin-esque “twittering teddy” from Verizon.  The techno-bear interacted with me so much as to respond to a statement I “tweeted” (I wasn’t a big fan of his hair color … excuse me, wig choice) by changing his wig live, on streaming webcam, moments after my “140-character or less” update was posted.  While not teaching me much about Verizon’s new 2.0 web services (I really don’t understand it), this bear taught me a lot about a brand’s ability to communicate, spark conversations and interact with consumers.  I also follow FLOR, Best Buy and Bells Beers, because they are brands that I am interested in personally (and wouldn’t mind a discount code for once in awhile). 

Another instance when I have been amazed by the power of a “tweet” is the power of the microblogger on both Twitter and Tumblr in August 2008 when users of both mediums beat CNN.com’s as-it-happens “breaking news” icon to the news of a 5.8 scale earthquake in L.A. by at least 10 minutes.  In a news climate where news is stale almost as soon as it’s news, that’s a big gap.  The first Tumblr to break the news was literally on the phone with a friend in L.A. when the earthquake struck.  You can bet it took her no less than 10 seconds post-incident to post the information to her personal blog, informing a legion of bloggers who follow her.  A fellow Twitter user gained more than 300 new followers that day, after her witty (140 characters or less) earthquake comment began circulating virally.

I could go on for days (and will, soon) … but it’s just a few short hours until Turkey Day, and I am hungry for some quality offline socializing time!  Happy Thanksgiving!