I caught this article on CNN.com entitled “New Zealand police use Facebook to stop crime.”
The Queenstown police set up a Facebook fan page for their office where they post footage of criminals who have fled the scene of a crime. On Monday morning a masked man broke into a pub through the roof and tried to break into the safe, because the criminal was hot he took off his mask and continued his task. When he failed to open the safe he got up to leave and managed to look directly into the camera as he was leaving.
The Queenstown police took that photo, along with video footage and posted it on their Facebook fan page. The next day the criminal was in custody because of Facebook users who recognized the man in the picture.
Social Networking at its finest. You can become a Fan of the Queenstown Police department here.
Ready for your close up? The cast of ROCK OF AGES proved they were BORN ready when we asked them to create their own footage for the production’s exclusive video diary. They performed like true troupers, providing hundreds of handmade videos chronicling all kinds of backstage folderol and giving fans a peek into what it’s like to be in a hit show. They took their cameras on the town, too, filming in restaurants, at the closing party of HAIR in Central Park and Lauren Molina even took viewers on surfing safari to Far Rockaway beach. “I had a blast using the cameras,” says Molina. “It was fun and easy. Fans at the stage door told me how much they loved watching the videos, too. Certain women didn’t want footage taken in the dressing room, though, because people get naked in there!”
We gave the ROA-ers Flip cameras (www.theflip.com), which cost a little more than $100 apiece. They’re small, light and hold up to an hour of footage; plus they’re simple to use—just point and push record. We ended up posting about 40 videos, uploading them to Youtube and embedding them on the official site. At AMC, we’re starting to include Youtube videos on sites, rather than creating custom players: They’re cheaper, load more easily, are more reliable and have all those nifty “social” features like sharing, rating and auto-loading related videos built right in. It’s also a user interface that people already know how to use, which helps increase functionality—never a bad thing.
The fan response to videos from cast members Molina, Constantine Maroulis, Tad Wilson and Will Swenson was amazing. In fact, the Diary quickly became the most popular feature with users, garnering 35,620 views since the campaign launched last October.
Video Diaries are an easy, fun way to build brand loyalty for a show, to keep people on your site and generate viral attention for your production—and your cast. Best of all, they’re CHEAP! What’s not to love, right?
I have seen product placement in Broadway shows before, Legally Blonde comes to mind with mentions of Tiffany & Co, Match.com, JetBlue, Elle Magazine, Red Bull, and the Olive Garden. I saw The American Plan at the Manhattan Theatre Club on Sunday. One of the main things that have stuck in my mind more than anything else about the show.
As people took their seats for the top of act one, the traditional announcement came on about turning off cell phones and unwrapping any candy you may have (and at a Sunday Matinee where I was easily the youngest person in the theater by 30 years, there were a lot of Werther’s Originals to be had). At the end of the announcement the man said “this announcement is brought to you by Dentyne.”
Huh? What was that? This has been the first time I have ever heard of a company advertising in the pre-show announcement. People around me were asking if that was a joke. I also wondered if it was a joke but the print out in the Playbill was also sponsored by Dentyne.
First, I am curious to know how long this promotion will run and how much something like this costs. I have never heard of something like this done before so I would like to know the details behind the promotion. Also, this is kind of a great way to use promotions without sacrificing your show to product placement or commercials/previews before a show. What else can you sell to companies besides the pre-show announcement? There is the intermission, the announcement before the second act?
I don’t think that this Dentyne promotions is necessarily a bad thing, I mean it must work since everyone in the theater was listening and talking about it, and this type of promotion may actually help Broadway out through this tough economic time (and the extra cash may lower ticket prices…?). I wonder if shows will pick up on it.
The AMC video department is proud to present the very first incarnation of our demo reel. Check it out! In 36 breathless seconds it showcases the best of what we can offer in video production and marketing. Just imagine what we could do for your show!
I wonder how many people are going to call in sick on January 20, 2009. I can not imagine too many people, whether they love or hate Obama will not watch this historic event in American history.
CNN.com and Facebook are joining forces to let you tell your friends (who you will probably be with watching the inauguation) that you are watching the inauguation. If you visit www.cnn.com/live on January 20 you will be able to update your facebook status, and follow your friends updates directly from CNN.com , now you don’t have to worry about missing anything to update your facebook status!
Ahhh…the internets! Where did it come from? Turns out It wasn’t all Al Gore’s idea, but a series of communication milestones beginning as early as 1957.
Here is an animated short doc that explains it (with a charming British voice-over, of course):
We have been working with the fabulous Mark Blankenship on The Critical Condition. The site offers a solid platform for his criticism about movies, music, tv and even advertisements. The site is in full swing with videos and guest bloggers.
