Maurice Sendak had an incredible opportunity as a children’s author; he wrote stories that touched the lives of (probably) millions of children. I know that Where the Wild Things Are had a very regular spot in the rotation of books we were read as kids.
When I heard that he had passed away on Tuesday, it made me sit back and think of the role Where the Wild Things Are played in my life. And aside from the great morals it has for children, it has some valuable lessons that apply to the advocacy work that I do now at amplifi.
Don’t be afraid to speak ...
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In January, I had the pleasure of speaking to CSAE Trillium Chapter members about Digital Advocacy, and how they can use social media to mobilize members for change.
The presentation covers examples of how social media has enabled grassroots organization leading to major social change; a discussion of what digital advocacy is; the important parts of a digital advocacy strategy; and a couple of case studies showcasing how digital tools have been used to advocate change.
The slides (all 130 of them — but they’re quick, I swear) can be seen below. Or, you can access an audio recording of the presentation here.
Digital Advocacy: ...
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You have to give credit to the people involved in the #occupy movement for two things: They are extremely committed to their cause (as vague as it might be); and they are adapting technology to make themselves accessible to just about the entire 99%.
It didn’t take long for the larger occupy groups to realize that they were facing a challenge of communicating with the hundreds (in some cases thousands) of people that were coming out to support them. When it came time to relay information to the crowd, a traditional bullhorn just wasn’t going to reach the people that occupied the back rows.
So someone ...
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In such a message-saturated world, how do you motivate your audience to take action for your brand, issue or cause?
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What is digital advocacy? On April 12, I had the opportunity to give a quick intro on digital advocacy to members of the Health Care Public Relations Association at the annual conference in Ottawa.
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On Sunday, April 3, the Liberal Party of Canada presented their Platform for the upcoming election. I’m not going to comment on the validity of the platform overall, but there are a few things in the way it was presented, and one idea contained within it, that I think put Canada on the right track.
Initially, I was very disappointed with the launch of the platform. I happened to be in Ottawa on the morning of the launch (actually staying in the same hotel as the event), and made my way downstairs to see if I could attend. Being a follower of politics, and on-againoff-againLiberal Party member, I thought it would be cool to take in. Unfortunately, I was informed ...
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So what is likenomics? It's the acknowledgement that social capital is one of the most valuable assets that individuals and organizations can possess in today's online environment. We all know that it's simple to post something online, but it's not so easy to gain and maintain the respect and popularity that is needed to really see your efforts explode (in a good way).
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Gladwell claims the revolution will not be tweeted…
In his Oct. 4 article in the New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell goes to great lengths to demonstrate how social media lacks the ability to build the relationships that social change has relied on for decades.
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