SHIFT Tribute to Movember

Post by Bob Collins

A few good men at the Boston office of SHIFT grew out and sported all types of facial hair to support Movember - the  mustache growing charity event held during the month of November each year  to raises funds and awareness for  men’s health.

SHIFT worked with Canadian Club Whisky to promote awareness of men’s health issues, through their sponsorship of “Movember“.

Beyond the Mo’ Marketing Facebook app we created and subsequent cross over to Twitter with Moustachioed Tweeple showing up everywhere – these brave men also raised some good monies to support the men’s health charity.

Thanks to all who joined the Movember crusade and their families and friends who supported their fundraising efforts.

SHIFT Welcomes Stephanie Bullis & Sarah Bergeron

You’ve seen them out and about the Boston office – but do you really know what lurks in the minds and pasts of these two latest SHIFTers.

Did you know that Stephanie Bullis used to to ride Rodeo out in Calgary, Alberta Canada or that Sarah Bergeron used to work for a secret special unit of the Government that shall remain nameless for the safety of our nation.

Well – perhaps these are their back stories before joining SHIFT – perhaps not – you be the judge -for only they and this video hold the answers.

Surf’s Up – SHIFT Welcomes Charlotte Cavaretta

Interviewed and Posted by Bob Collins

Another amazing PR talent joins the SHIFT Team in Boston – working with the ever stellar Catherine Allen on Team Cha-Cha.  Please welcome Charlotte Cavaretta - as Senior Account Executive to SHIFT. 

All I can say is “Surf’s Up” as another California native – makes their way and their mark out East.   And there are a few other surprises you may not know about one of SHIFT’s latest new talents.    Please Roll Tape —>

 

I Just Voted – November 4, 2008

Posted: November 4, 2008 – Bob Collins 

Just thought I’d capture the moment on this historic day – November 4, 2008 Election.

As long as you didn’t capture any names, how people marked their ballots or caused a disturbance - people were allowed to capture video and photographs of their voting experience.   

Now if you haven’t yet – Find the Time to VOTE TODAY.

SHIFT Communications – New Managing Director – Boston

Posted July 9, 2008 by Bob Collins

The staff at PR agency SHIFT Communications’ Boston office gathered last week – July 2nd as Principals Todd Defren and Jim Joyal announced the new managing director of the East Coast Headquarters.

Congratulations to Agency veteran Amy Anderson as she takes on the new role to help lead the next wave of growth and success for SHIFT.

Video Breakfast of Champions, Social Media Breakfast 8

Posted July 1, 2008 by Bob Collins

There was another great turnout at last week’s Social Media Breakfast 8, with around 90-plus people joining us at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge. SMB8 was all about video and using video to engage and build communities.

The lineup for the panel discussion part of the breakfast gathering was:

• Emily Belyea and Ben Grossman, principal at The Plenary Group
• Jeff Glasson, director of social media & technology at PerkettPR
• Larry Lawfer, YourStorys founder and president
• Rob Lane, CEO/co-founder of Overlay.TV

The presenters repeatedly mentioned authenticity when discussing why video is one of the fastest-growing media used in social media community building. It’s hard to fake being genuine and transparent when trying to connect through a visual medium. People can see through scripted, over-produced, and controlled messaging. They want to be engaged through raw, honest, passionate and creatively captured and shared moments on issues that they connect with and interest them. It’s important to remember, first and foremost, that consumers and communities are not demographics, markets or influence groups – they’re people.

Thanks again to Rob Lane and Overlay.TV for sponsoring the breakfast. (Want to create your own overlay for a video? Here’s how you do it.)

For a nice synopsis for each of the presentations, please check out Just Kate’s blog post.

Video Presentations

Ben Grossman & Emily Belyea Presenting at SMB8 from Bob Collins on Vimeo.

Rob Lane Presents at Social Media Breakfast 8 from Bob Collins on Vimeo.

Links to online conversations and mentions of SMB8

Also, Len Edgerly, one of New England’s finest podcasters, featured SMB8 in the most recent episode of his Audio Pod Chronicles podcast: “Breakfast of Videos.”

What’s next?
We’d like to keep the conversation going. How are you using or seeing video used to engage and building communities? Share examples of great works and good deeds in this area with us.

And of course, independent of the tools or media, what other community-building initiatives are you seeing that inspire and interest you? There are enough examples and time spent on programs gone wrong, so let’s focus on sharing initiatives done right.

Share your examples.

Bringing the Thunder – Bring on @GaryVee

June 23, 2008 — 10:22 PM EST — by Robert Collins

Last Thursday (6/19) was the much anticipated Gary Vaynerchuk Boston Book launch gathering. Hosted and promoted by the ever present Dmitri Gunn – the buzz about this gathering around the SHIFT HQ was amazing. The word of mouth about the event itself – led to increasing the size of the venue – landing us at the luxurious Hotel Commonwealth downtown Kenmore Square.

The Twitter community was in a fever about the show – with a seemingly new Tweet every other minute.

Why all the hype – why all the excitement? Because Gary has engaged his community like no other wine aficionado – leveraging his natural, gregarious, outspoken self to promote his TV Wine Library Show and new book, 101 Wines. Love him – hate him, you can’t deny is authenticity, passion and spirit.

Leveraging just about every Social Network and web 2.0 community engaging resource to build his brand – Gary has grown his family’s Wine Library business from $4 million to a $45 million enterprise – through Word of Mouth.

Here’s to you @garyvee – You brought on the Thunder and brought out Boston’s top social media savvy personalities to support and share in your success.

And when these new media communities gather – there is sure to be a ton of original and innovative content created to capture the moment – keeping it alive and moving forward.

Thanks to Steve Garfield for sharing his photos from the event.

Other great photostreams from the @garyvee Boston event

Doug Haslam (@DougH)

Shelley Greenberg (@thespottedduck)

Steve Hall (@stevehall)

And the most original work inspired by the event goes to Steve Garfield who unearthed some original Wine Library Theatre footage in this recently discovered film.

Wine Library Theatre with James Fritland

Boston Tweet Up @Barking Crab June 9th

June 10, 2008 — 09:33 AM EST — by Robert Collins — Add a Comment

A Hot Night in the City – but ooh so cool by the water at the Boston Tweetup at the Barking Crab.

Amanda Gravel and Brian Solis – Tossing up Tag Signs

Doug Haslam – First Night Out as a SHIFTer

Steve Garfield and Brian Solis – “We are Social Objects”

Lisa Dilg, Joe Cascio, Heather Mosley, Ann Handley and Chris Brogan

Great time had by all in Boston with some visitors from the Left Coast
in Beantown for the Enterprise 2.0 Conference.

Special Thanks to Brian Solis for the photos – Boston has never looked so
good through your fresh eye. Be sure to check out Brian’s other photos of
the Boston Landscape.

POPSignal – Boston – May15th @Tequila Rain

May 23, 2008 — 2:27 PM EST — by Robert Collins — Add a Comment

There were so many great people at POPSignal this year – thought I’d recapture some of the fun and faces from the social media event that kicked off the summer in Boston. I’ve captured just a few of the Twitter names from some of the people in the video – if you in the video or were at POPSignal – I’d love to add you to the credit scroll at the end.

Bob@shiftcomm.com or @robertcollins

Social Media Breakfast 7 – May 1st @ Ryles in Cambridge