Category Archives: Media

Iconoculture’s SocialIQ gets you closer to the conversation

February 9, 2010 – 1:27 pm

We’ve been using social media analysis tools to follow online conversations, and to try to make better sense of the blogosphere. Recently, we tracked conversations centered around the blue dudes populating James Cameron’s movie Avatar (as well as examining topics around 3-D technologies and the IMAX experience). Using data from our partner, Collective Intellect, we saw [...]

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Internet streaker catches media with their pants down

November 18, 2009 – 9:27 am

by Sean Captain
WHAT’S HAPPENING

A New Yorker purporting to be the “world’s fastest nudist” flashed across computer screens in about a dozen YouTube videos. The story was picked up by blogs Gothamist, Gawker, and the Huffington Post as well as CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The media had egg on their faces when it turned out that the [...]

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TWITTER IS FULL OF TOOLS: More than just snark, the social net offers useful utilities for everyday life

November 3, 2009 – 3:29 pm

by Katie Elfering

Twitter gets a lot of grief for letting people share the most mundane aspects of their lives (“I just ate a Pop-Tart”) or for being a tool that encourages self-promotion and narcissism. But lately, Twitter has started shaping up into an almost (gasp!) practical utility for consumers’ lives.
One of the most [...]

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Tweet! The phone is ringing

October 7, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Anna Otieno
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Forget 140-character text-based tweets. Twitter users can now send audio tweets to each other using a third-party service from Internet communication provider Jajah.

The service, whose beta name is Jajah@call, gives Twitter users the chance to make two-way calls with other users by typing “@call @username.”

Jajah’s free service allows Twitter users to tweet [...]

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ESPN Deportes striving for dominance in Spanish-language sports broadcasting

September 14, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Rocio Zamora Arzola
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Sports en español ESPN Deportes-style is getting a boost as the cable and radio network launches its first marketing campaign, simulcasts legendary sportscaster Jorge Ramos and broadcasts games from Spain’s elite La Liga soccer league.
Big names on the sports and entertainment front, including soccer star Lionel Messi, boxer Juan Manuel Márquez [...]

By Iconoculture | Also posted in Consumer Trend, Latino | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Automotive philanthropy takes a social media spin

September 10, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Rob van Alstyne
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Cash for Clunkers may grab all the headlines, but Free Charity Cars has the gratis whips. After donating more than 4,000 cars to consumers since 1996, the service is now expanding its operations into the social media sphere with FreeChartiyCars.org.
In order to get in on the free auto action, users must [...]

By Iconoculture | Also posted in Consumer Trend, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Online platforms report, analyze and criticize immigration policies

August 24, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr.
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Discussion on the hot-button issue of immigration is wide-ranging on the Web, as journalists, pundits and activists go online to report, analyze and criticize.
Joaquin Ramon Herrera, a.k.a. Nezua, offers nuanced perspectives and commentary as The Unapologetic Mexican. The writer/filmmaker/illustrator writes on immigration with regularity, including a recent post on [...]

By Iconoculture | Also posted in Consumer Trend, Latino, Multicultural | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Smart billboards know the difference between boys and girls

July 9, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Paul Katz
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Smart billboards that can tell apart the men from the ladies are on the way.
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research has developed facial recognition software that can separate the sexes and then program a digital board to display gender-specific ads (CNET.com 6.17.09).
The software is in Beta but the company hopes to [...]

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Cellphones emerge as mother’s (and father’s) little helper

June 10, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Cree McCree
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Baby getting fidgety? Hand him Mommy’s iPhone and let him play with Baby Rattle Bab Bab or listen to the soothing sounds of White Noise Lite. A plethora of new mobile apps help consumers distract and amuse the kids.
Some parents use souped-up phones to play learning games with their toddlers. Others buy [...]

By Iconoculture | Also posted in Consumer Trend, Moms, Parents | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Millennials grow wary of Facebook

May 6, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Cree McCree
WHAT’S HAPPENING

OMG. I can’t believe I posted that on Facebook! Whether it’s a compromising spring break photo or just a snarky comment they let fly, many Millennials are experiencing Facebook remorse.
Over 60% of 12- to 24-year-olds think their friends’ Facebook profiles could hurt their reputations, while 48% say they’ve been embarrassed by their [...]

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I DON’T KNOW WHAT TWITTER IS

April 28, 2009 – 1:57 pm

by Josh Kimball
Twitter broke up Jen and John. It helped spread the word (and, at times, some misinformation) about the recent swine flu outbreaks. Shaq is on Twitter; he calls himself the King of Twitteronia. Oprah, of all people, is on Twitter. Your mom is probably on Twitter. Unless your mom is Maureen Dowd, in [...]

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Consumers fashion Twitter updates to T-shirts

April 1, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Katie Elfering
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Consumers can wear their status on their sleeves … er, chests, as two companies put Facebook and Twitter updates on T-shirts.
Status King is a Facebook application that lets consumers order T-shirts with their favorite status updates (Mashable.com 2.6.09). There’s no Facebook branding on the shirt, since it isn’t sponsored by the social [...]

By Iconoculture | Also posted in Consumer Trend, Fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Radio connects Latino prisoners with their loved ones

March 23, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr.
WHAT’S HAPPENING

Sweet, sweet music brings light to the darkest places. A Boston radio show host connects Latino prisoners with their family and friends by dedicating and playing songs, giving news and sending love over the airwaves.
Jose Masso’s “Con Salsa!” show on Boston University’s public radio station, 90.9 WBUR-FM, transmits messages [...]

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Latino bloggers in L.A. rest the keys to meet offline

March 9, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr.
WHAT’S HAPPENING

L.A.-based Latino bloggers are getting out from behind the computer in favor of face-time at monthly group meetings.
Loosely known as Los Blogueros, since mid-2008 they’ve gathered at various locales in the city’s downtown and east side. A typical meeting: Introductions all around — new bloggers show up monthly — [...]

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Shelter in the Storm

March 3, 2009 – 3:10 pm

by Nissa Hanna
Over the past few years I’ve subscribed to a number of home magazines … you know, for research purposes. When many of those subscriptions recently ended, it hit me that the slow crumbling of shelter titles has significantly reduced my renewal options.
Home design mags haven’t been protected from this [...]

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