The most useful course I have taken in the duration of my long college career has been one geared toward media design and social media. Companies hire those fresh out of college first to fill lower-level positions and second to bring the company a competitive and “fresh” edge. This week alone, I have been offered five fresh-edged positions and only because I included my blog address at the top of my resume. Employers looked, liked what they saw as an emerging trend, and presented me with jobs and internships in my PR-related field.
While interviewing (via google talk) Sin City Sinners manager Jason Green a few weeks ago, I was blown away by the large role social media plays in the band’s success. I found it so interesting, I wanted to expand on my earlier post. If you live in Las Vegas or even visit for an extended period of time, you are at least somewhat familiar with the Sin City Sinners. In 2009, they were picked as runner-up in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Best of Las Vegas local rock band category, just behind The Killers. They participate in every charity event that their schedule permits (they’ve even auctioned off dates with themselves to feed the homeless). The Sinners have also appeared on every local morning radio and television show possible and have presented the weather forecast during nightlife program 702 Scene. It is true that the band is advertised in weekly and monthly paper publications such as Las Vegas Weekly and Vegas Rocks! Magazine. The Sinners’ faces could even be seen a few months this year on a billboard while driving along the I-95 expressway.
However, according to Jason Green, each of the four band members — vocalist and guitarist Todd Kerns, guitarist Brent Muscat (of Faster Pussycat fame), drummer Rob Cournoyer and bassist Mike Ellis — felt that though they sampled many advertising vehicles in traditional media, “they weren’t personal enough. You see, the Sinners just started out jamming at Dive Bar one day. The next week they were asked to come back so they just told all of their buddies on MySpace to come out and support. They did and the band realized how powerful social media stuff really is.”
With a new album on its way, I spoke to frontman Todd Kerns about how his band is using social media to promote album sales and themselves. You can check out the interview on YouTube by clicking the link below.
Now, the Sinners play four solid gigs a week, and each band member posts their own bulletins and personally invites people they’re networked with to come out and rock. They like to do so, but they must also do so to keep attendance up. This is probably going to be a model others will follow. As bands and live entertainment continually get cut from casino and bar budgets in Las Vegas due to a depressed economy, entertainers must learn to make themselves more valuable than ever before. Talent doesn’t cut it anymore. Talent doesn’t necessarily draw people. Or bar sales. A belief that a venue in which a band is contracted with should bear the costs and weight of all advertising and promotion is flawed. Once the contract is up without history of good attendance, the band just becomes dead weight and will bear the costs of not working.
When asked for an example of how a local band can stay afloat, Green offered, “Some nights, when we know it’s going to be slow, we buy hundreds of dollars in drink tickets to give to the people we bug all of the time. It’s kind of a thanks for not dropping us as friends on Facebook even though we may over-promote ourselves,” said Green.
After typing ”Las Vegas foreclosures” into the google search engine box today, the query produced six million results. The first three pages of such results were filled with companies involved in the sale of home foreclosures. I was actually looking for statistics on foreclosure rates, but decided I didn’t really need them. All I had to do was look around me, and only in my neighborhood’s vicinity.
You see, I live in a hipster atomic-aged neighborhood filled with fabulous mod architecture and fabulous mod people. However, due to the downturn of the economy, some of the hipsters lost their hipster cocktail, bartending, promotion and marketing jobs. They couldn’t afford to continue to make payments on their hipster (Prius-like) vehicles, let alone their hipster pads. Each day I drive around the neighborhood, I cringe at the sight of another hipster loss; a foreclosure sign.
This foreclosed home was sold by Jack Levine at veryvintagevegas.com, just to be flipped and sold through Century 21
Now, I’ve gotten to know my neighbors quite well the past year, and they told me the uber-hipsters were the first to go. It wasn’t because they were younger, didn’t save or got into something they really couldn’t afford. In fact, the hipster-est were the first to spend their money wisely; they poured their money into their houses in way of renovations and restorations. Everyone from bank lenders to financial advisors suggested they do so, for it could only build equity and they’d get that money back and then some.
But then, something happened. Their mortgages coupled with home improvement loans began to cut off their air supply as the value of their homes plummeted. They began drowning in debt without any equity. And then the hipsters had to make a choice: Drown or Swim the seven-year bankruptcy/poor credit relay. Most of them decided to live, but left remnants of their near-death experiences all over my neighborhood. Consider my recent photoblog a memorial to those brave enough to attempt the seven-year swim.
I adore downtown Las Vegas. Drinks are cheaper, the $1.99 shrimp cocktail still exists, unique entertainment can always be found and its businesses embrace a sense of community. Much effort and press have been given to promote the artsy and cultural Fremont East district. Mayor Oscar Goodman and his public relations consultants strive to make downtown appeal to tourists and locals alike by holding many ceremonies and events on location. Just as I’m hooked on good deals and a taste of culture, so are small business owners looking to start up by way of tax incentives. Fremont Street glitters with promise and effort for revival. Why then, don’t the Web sites belonging to downtown’s casinos and hotels reflect such effort? They all possess the same general errors.
Take the Four Queens Resort and Casino for example. The property is located smack-dab in the middle of tourist destination Fremont Street. Great location, right? There’s much opportunity to take in guests and gamblers from passerby. And there’s always money to be made from those brave or frugal enough to stay downtown despite of its bad reputation. However, there is unlimited potential and opportunity to reach people through their Web page. I mean, doesn’t Four Queens want to snag people before they tour Fremont Street? Even with the current economy, a Las Vegas hotel with a small capacity should still be booked to capacity on New Year’s Eve. I called the reservation desk. It’s not. And with the current Web site, I’m not too surprised.
When first entering the Four Queens site, a pop-up appears. A tourist searching for a place to stay for an upcoming vacation is probably instantly turned off, especially if he or she has no interest in the game Texas Hold ‘Em. ONE CLICK.
After discarding the pop-up, twenty moving images come at the potential customer at once. Seriously, I counted them. Search tabs, page dividers, text, logos, images of the hotel’s amenities all move. Very showy and expensive-looking. Very annoying. Even the links move and seem to emit strange sound when the arrow runs over them.Another pop-up appears and states, ‘download this video.’ Which video? More importantly, why? Discard that. TWO CLICKS.
A banner states that Halloween festivities begin October 2nd. Interestingly, it’s rounding the second week of November. Ignoring that, a customer simply has to wade their way through the moving images and find the ‘hotel’ tab on the left, which probably leads to room reservations. Or, once the eyes become used the video, they will be able to find an online reservations icon in the upper left corner.
THREE CLICKS. But wait. The page needs time to load. About eight extra seconds on high-speed internet. The site is cordial enough to communicate that it’s loading, though. Unfortunately, that is about all an average potential customer is going to want to handle. Forget about that shrimp cocktail. The tourist is going somewhere else, and probably not downtown. FOUR CLICKS and lost forever.
When writing about Web design, I’ve often given props to portfolio designers and Wordpress theme creators. Some designers have inspired me to put my personality out there and others have made me appreciate their own unique online presence. This time, I feel I should showcase and give thanks to another designer for simply creating a wonderful and easy-to-navigate site which I use practically every day. Craig Newmark, thank you for sharing (free of charge) with communities a phenomenon called Craigslist.org. Because the site offers up so many services to barter, a savvy college-aged Craigslister can live comfortably even if they don’t have the means to do so. Moreover Mr. Newmark, I just want to extend thanks for some specifics regarding your site, which I understand hasn’t changed much since the 1990s.
Photo of Craig Newmark borrowed from businessweek.com
By not subscribing to some modes of Webification, you have stuck to your guns. I never have to download another version of Flash Player, or wait extra precious seconds to upload pages. You have made it simple enough for people my grandparents’ age to upload photographs of their vintage wares for sale. Please continue to stick to the basics of text, photographs and hyperlinks.
You have built communities. People with common interests and zip codes have an easy way to participate in online forums and plan events. People who meet up to buy or sell items occasionally build relationships (I’ve built many friendships based on Las Vegas nostalgia).
You have made your site extremely user-friendly. Using breadcrumb navigation which everyone is familiar with, there isn’t any process-learning. Web minimalist and author Steve Krug would probably thank you, Mr. Newmark, for not making him think! Craigslist.org takes a common sense approach to Web usability in that it follows conventions while shifting any marketing extras to the side. To cater to conventions, minimalism and simplicity, Craigslist.org must suffer a little bit. Some would say your site is ugly and not aesthetically pleasing. Personally, I’m one of those people who believe it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Yeah, you might say I’m crushing on you right now.
Even though the latest film version of The Thomas Crown Affair was released 10 years ago, people still have something to say about it. Just today, I was reading some Facebook profiles belonging to some of my friends and family members, and I was surprised at how many listed The Thomas Crown Affair among their favorite flicks. I’m guessing they’re not referring to the original 1968 Steve McQueen version, (my personal favorite) but the racier, updated version.
So, what is it about the more recent film which cultivates adoration from those aged 20 through 60? One blogger may put it best: In a recent review, Alex’s Random Thoughtssaid of the film, “This chess game of love and extravagance is sure to sweep all movie-lovers off their feet with its unmistakable charm and scorching hot plot line.” The blogger also attributes its continued success to its award-winning soundtrack.
Call me crazy, but I feel the film’s success might have something to do with the leading man, played by Pierce Brosnan. He’s tall, dark and handsome, has a British accent, and has an irresistable James Bond quality (yeah, he played that character as well in a few films). To be sure, Brosnan’s character, Thomas Crown, appeals to a vast audience. He’s suave, good-looking, funny, and smart. The gals like him because he’s dreamy. The guys like him because he’s bad-ass. The kids like him because, well, their parents let them watch the film which is more PG than any other in its genre. The film’s tasty formula includes mystery, a love story, a killer soundtrack, and a little film noir. To be sure, Brosnan was the “it” man for a while, and was the perfect choice for the film.
And ten years later, he has again been casted as Thomas Crown, in The Thomas Crown Affair 2 due to hit theaters 2012. Even though Brosnan has been out of the limelight for some time, he’s been gaining popularity through the independent circuit. According to screenrant.com, Brosnan is currently getting rave reviews at festivals for his turn in the drama The Greatest co-starring Susan Sarandon.
As you may know, I’m a big fan of anything mid-century. This goes for architecture, furniture, film, books and even foodstuffs. Because I live in a neighborhood which prides itself on such representation, it is no surprise that 50’s Diner Omelet House has found success while planted in its center. Even though situated in the corner of a strip mall, from the outside the breakfast joint still screams legitimacy, for its posted hours are 7:30 am – 3:00 pm and its parking lot is packed. In addition, the restaurant’s wall of windows are covered by blinds. Only one thing comes to mind: ”Must find the treasures inside!”
Upon entering, I noted the elements of the usual diner spread; menus, sugar canisters, and single-serving jellies on tables, seating for 50 people not including the bonus room, a sign directing me to seat myself, a blackboard listing of-the-day specials and a black and white checkered floor. However, it was super clean, the walls were painted pink, valuable vintage records lined shelves, oldies music filled the air, and eclectic period memorabilia adorned the walls. The most interesting part of the collection was perhaps a 60-year-old candy machine brimming with weekly magazines.
Even though I entered the diner right before closing time at around 2:30 pm, I was still greeted kindly by the host, server and cook. I sat in a booth made for six and started analyzing the menu. It offered up the usual diner fare, like sandwiches, burgers, chili and breakfast items. But there was an entire page dedicated to 39 specialty three-egg and six-egg omelets, served with house-recipe-spuds and choice of bread. Because ‘omelet’ is included in the diner’s name, I decided to go for it, and picked a meat lover’s omelet ($6.50) listed as one of the blackboard specials, along with the risky cream of cilantro ($2.00) listed as the soup d’jour. I also ordered a ‘Doo-Wop’ soft drink ($1.70), which consisted of picking a flavored syrup to compliment a soda. I decided on a vanilla Coke.
The soda arrived in less than a minute accompanied by a small cup of extra syrup which wasn’t needed but appreciated. The cream of cilantro soup arrived a minute later and I was surprised at how layered the flavors were. It was light and broth-y, yet there was a hint of onion and cream. The fresh pieces of cilantro melted in my mouth. I finished my last spoonful just as my meat-lover’s omelet arrived with fresh spuds and homemade pumpkin nut bread. The omelet was massive, for it was made with six eggs and filled with applewood smoked bacon, crumbled sausage and cheddar cheese. The spuds looked like and had the consistency of kettle-cooked potato chips, which complimented the soft and cheesy omelet. I enjoyed the pumpkin nut bread the most, and the kind server even shoved an extra slice into my take-home box which I didn’t discover until the next day.
If you’re a fan of diners, omelets or both, 50’s diner Omelet House is a must-visit. I’m hoping to become a regular, for it is centrally located in my neighborhood. Moreover, I want to make the owner an offer on some of that vintage vinyl.
50’s Diner Omelet House is located at 3050 E Desert Inn Rd. #140 Las Vegas NV 89121. It is open seven days a week 7:30 am - 3:00 pm. Directions
I’ve written about minimalism in Web design before. I’m a fan of simplistic designs and don’t like to navigate. I appreciate to see options organized neatly in front of me. That’s all I ask of sites. And it’s probably all potential employers will ask of me when trying to figure out if I’m the one for the job. Soon, I’ll be creating a Web portfolio from scratch, and you can bet your buttons I’m keeping minimalism in mind. I’ve found three examples of Web portfolios which I found interesting, well-designed and to-the-point:
CLAIRE IS COLORFUL
In Claire, it’s a no-brainer for the navigator to find what he/she is looking for. The tabs are easy to find. The bright colors exhibit the page-owner’s personality while the ‘about’ section is located smack-dab in the middle. User friendly means employer friendly.
CHAMA IS PROFESSIONAL
Chama is love at first sight. The black and white scheme presents itself as no-nonsense professionalism. The tabs running along the top make this a one-stop shop. There’s nothing to wade through. Funny, this portfolio was created while the company was re-creating their real Website. I’d like to see how they improve on this.
SARAH BETH IS SIMPLY CREATIVE
Sarah Beth gives the creator the option to change the overall effect of the portfolio whenever they choose. They just have to insert a new photo. This portfolio example is my personal favorite, for it can be colorful and creative while getting straight to the point: Showing what I’ve got to offer.
As interactive media design students, we are only on the cusp of what is to come. We have seen and comprehended that social media isn’t just used for social communication. It is used for professional collaboration, in citizen review of services, branding and marketing, up-to-date news, and education. Of course, the list goes on. There are even industries out there which rely heavily if not entirely on social media. Take the Las Vegas band scene, for instance. One such band, Sin City Sinners, owes a large part of their success to social media. Sin City Sinners’ manager, Jason Green, granted an interview to Rebecca’s World to speak about the importance of social media in local music and in his budding company.
Jason Green and K-Fed
JASON :I googled “social media” to figure out what it was. I was a media major drop-out in college and it turns out I didn’t need to graduate. I know all about this stuff.
REBECCA: Don’t worry. I just figured it out, too. I don’t even know why I’m trying to finish school.
JASON:Does that mean this interview is over?
REBECCA: Absolutely not! Let’s get to it. As a manager for a local band, how important is the use of social media for promotion?
JASON:The band I manage, Sin City Sinners, was basically built through Myspace and it is still our number one method of promotion. It is a great way to target an audience. Many fans come to shows because they read a Myspace bulletin or blog. Youtube and Twitter have also been very useful for promotion.Youtube is good if you have a good product, because everyone can actually see your band. If the band is just all hype people will figure it out and not bother going to the shows.
REBECCA: When did you begin using social media for the purpose of promotion?
JASON: Two years ago and I would say that was getting onboard late. But, as soon as we started, we just took off.
REBECCA: Which tools do you use to network the band? Is word of mouth as important as it used
to be?
JASON:We find Myspace and Reverbnation.com to be the most useful, in addition to press releases. For a local band, word of mouth is still huge, but many people spread that word of mouth through social media.
REBECCA: Do you use social media to land the band gigs? Do you communicate this way with professionals in charge of venues?
JASON:In the beginning many gigs were booked and communicated though Myspace. Nowadays the band is playing four solid gigs a week, so we are not looking. But there are still gigs to be found for bands on Myspace.
REBECCA: Myspace is supposed to be music-oriented. Is social media something you use in your personal life
JASON:I keep a personal account to try and talk with friends, but I spend more time on my band and other business accounts that I don’t check it very often.
REBECCA: When you’re not busy dealing with band stuff, you also run a business with a partner. What is the name of your company and what do you do?
JASON: I am the co-owner of the classic film company Paradise Visuals. We release and distribute movies from the 1980’s to DVD for the first time.
REBECCA: Do you also use social media when dealing with your company?
JASON:I use all the same methods of social media that I also use with my band.
REBECCA: As a business-owner, would you pay someone savvy in search engine optimization to ensure your business tops google’s searches?
JASON:In the past I have done it, but it seems not to be necessary anymore. As most Myspace and Twitter posts already rank high in google searches, so do reviews.
REBECCA: This question pertains to the band: Do you live-stream images and video to any websites via your phone?
JASON:I put up photos on Myspace of the band with my iphone. At one particular show Britney Spears’ ex husband K-Fed got on stage and I was able to have the photos on myspace within minutes. Another time we had members of No Doubt on stage and I got photos up asap. It’s a great way to show people what they are missing. Some of those images were even used by the L.A. Times later on.
REBECCA: You know that makes you a citizen journalist, right?
JASON:Please. I don’t want to google any more terms today.
All professional photographers possess a portfolio of some kind. Even an aspiring photographer has a place in which they store their work, whether it be a refridgerator, photo box or memory card. In this digital age, it would be silly not to take advantage of the free technologies which may exhibit a photographer’s artistic, and/or skilled eye. Not only can an infinite amount of people access such works, but because of the limitlessness associated with the Web, taking advantage of such technology can only invite opportunity. Here, opportunity can be defined simply as gaining an admirer, constructive criticism, or an easier way to share life’s moments with family and friends. It can also be defined as a way to reach potential employers and gain recognition.
More than ever, photoblogs are taking part in creating unique online presence. A photoblog (photolog or phlog) is a style of photosharing in blog format. A photoblog deviates from the typical composition of a blog in that it focuses on photography first and text second. Just like textual blogs, a photoblog can be as objective or subjective as the creator likes. Serious photobloggers behave as citizen journalists or esteemed experts in the art world. Other photobloggers openly record their lives by publishing imaged diaries.
Beginning the photoblogging process is quite easy, and it’s entirely up to the indivdual to administer any potential. Here’s a few tips for getting started:
A digital camera is highly suggested, though not entirely necessary. Since a computer is normally required to photoblog, something easily accomodating to the instrument of production is recommended. However, the process of scanning a photograph into a computer for sake of quality is never snubbed. It just takes longer. Megapixels and memory card storage are items to consider when using a digital camera, though those of lower caliber still work well in photoblogs.
There are a variety of photoblogs out there in cyberspace; those contained on private domains, those on hosted blogging sites such as WordPress and Blogger, and those on photo-specific sites such as Flickr.
When using a blogging site such as WordPress, one should research and dowload the wealth of plug-ins which better display photo galleries and portfolios inside the text-based application.
Photobloggers should use any application they can get their hands while searching for exposure. Beginning with social networking sites, they can sharpen their skills and know-how with the gentle guidance of their friends. After that, it’s go time.
Lastly, photobloggers should practice using their cell phones to take photographs. Depending on the phones, the picture quality can be quite fantastic. If they own phones with ability to send photos to each other and computers or better yet — live stream to blogs, the photobloggers are ahead in the game. It’s clear that Web 2.0 technology is guiding artists and professionals alike to share with the world instantaenous moments of inspiration and information. Everyone is on the NOW train. Photobloggers need to make sure their work holds a passenger ticket.
Call me crazy, but I feel the film’s success might have something to do with the leading man, played by Pierce Brosnan. He’s tall, dark and handsome, has a British accent, and has an irresistable James Bond quality (yeah, he played that character as well in a few films). To be sure, Brosnan’s character, Thomas Crown, appeals to a vast audience. He’s suave, good-looking, funny, and smart. The gals like him because he’s dreamy. The guys like him because he’s bad-ass. The kids like him because, well, their parents let them watch the film which is more PG than any other in its genre. The film’s tasty formula includes mystery, a love story, a killer soundtrack, and a little film noir. To be sure, Brosnan was the “it” man for a while, and was the perfect choice for the film.
