I’ve had some exciting things happen in the last few days. The most exciting of which was posting this blog post about Marvel Comics’ dominant social media presence on the internet and then finding out that Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada, passed it around to folks at the Marvel office (I even have the tweets to prove it, here, here, and here) and THEN having the Marvel Twitter account tweet it for everyone to read.
That completely rocks my world. Especially since that was not even in the least bit an expected result. As a long-time comic book fan (if I could find my homemade childhood Spider-Man and Captain America Halloween costume pictures, I'd post them here), my head just about exploded.
Thankfully it didn’t, and I’m back to post again. This time, it’s about a social media presence on which I am actually working. The concept is called “Dude to Dad,” and it’s the brainchild of my friend (and future boss) Hugh Weber.
Hugh decided that, seeing as he’ll be a father in fewer than 100 days, he needed to soon make the transition from “Dude” to “Dad,” by the time his child was born. Unfortunately, many of the “books” you can buy regarding this subject are more or less based on helping the mother-to-be during her pregnancy and not so much based on being a not-crappy father.
So, Dude to Dad is Hugh’s real-life journey into fatherhood, and it will be told through videos, tweets, blogging, and the Ning-created social networking site, dudetodad.com. The videos, which I personally think are hilarious (I’ll embed the intro video below if you’d like to see for yourself) are a huge part, but another major area we’re focused on is the back-and-forth discussion taking place on the site’s forum section. We want to know what makes a good “Dad” (both from the male and female perspectives), how difficult it is to transition from the ever-enjoyable “Dude” phase of life (I promise that is NOT me), and any other bits of information Hugh (and all dudes to dads) should know during this terrifying journey into dadhood.
Find more videos like this on Dude to Dad
So what role do I play in this shenanigans-filled combination of humor, true-life experiences, and fellowship, cooperation, and unity of soon-to-be fathers? Well, as a 22-year-old with no intentions of becoming a father anytime soon, I will be serving as Hugh’s “Dude Wingman,” and representing the urges of “dudeness” that he will need to be overcoming as he makes his transition.
Also, on a more technical note, I’ll be serving as the social media presence, site maintainer, writing editor, rap song parody writer (you don’t even know what’s coming), and eventual video guest star. I'll also help maintain the Dude to Dad Twitter account and Facebook page, all in the name of helping dudes become dads. It’s going to be an awesome ride and I definitely hope you’ll join us for it. Dude, dad, dudette, or anything else, you’re welcome to join us at dudetodad.com today and contribute to the site, the discussion, or anything else to which you care to contribute.
I could use some backup in the realm of Dude Wingmen as well, so if you’re young and not planning on being a dad anytime soon (like me), help me come up with ways to challenge Hugh to overcome the pratfalls of dudedom (all with the purpose of helping him become a better father, of course).
Bottom line, this is a big project and I’m looking forward to taking it on and changing the way dads grow into fatherhood. I hope to be on the path from Dude to Dad someday, and I have a feeling that Dude to Dad will be the first place to which I turn for advice, guidance, and friendship. Especially if this initial run goes well for Hugh. I guess we’ll find out together as we go...
P.S. - I'll go ahead and embed the latest video (which features Barack Obama, by the way). It's a pretty sweet video if you ask me:
-Then to my knees and I begged the Lord please…let me be a good daddy , all he needs…”
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Marvel - The most "powerful" social media presence on the web...
Social networking and social media make my life fantastic. Hours of my day spent on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and various blogs are actually considered “work” for me. Concepts like this drive people like my dad (killer 'stache, pops) crazy because “it just doesn’t make sense.”
But it rocks my face off. And pays me dollars. What a great, great combo!
Consequently, many organizations have yet to grasp the concept of exactly what New Media can do for them. However, a few companies have managed to approach and enter the doors that new, social, and online media can open for them, and I’d like to point one out as having done this very successfully.
The company to which I’m referring is my life-long (metaphoric) friend, Marvel. Yes, Marvel as in Marvel Comics. Here’s why (and don't forget to click a link or two)…
The Marvel Twitterverse…
Marvel isn’t just on Twitter…it basically dominates Twitter. 80+ affiliates of Marvel (comic writers, artists, art directors, editors, online creators, audio and video production staff, interns (EDITOR'S NOTE: @ldnallen721, as formerly linked to on the "interns" link, is NOT an intern, she is a web developer...my sincerest apologies...I only know past interns like@nogs), Skrulls, and more...even Senior VPs!) range from light/moderate usage to downright living on Twitter (much like myself) in terms of the number of tweets they send out. Courtesy of @Agent_M (arguably the most active-online facet of Marvel.com’s editorial staff), the Twitterverse has been blessed with a bevy of benevolent Twitterers who are willing to share their lives online (and, consequently, draw me in even closer to the organization that is Marvel). Beyond that, the Marvel account itself (@Marvel on Twitter) is constantly present and available to share new developments, teasers, links, and, most importantly, the account actually ENGAGES Marvel fans by answering questions and sharing in conversations with its 2,500+ Twitter supporters (yes...that's Marvel telling me that it loves me).
On the flipside, I don’t know if the Distinguished Competition (DC Comics) even has a single Twitter account. If so, it hasn’t caused much of a buzz at this point as far as I can tell. Which is quite typical of them, but we’ll get to that later.
Bottom line, @Agent_M got on Twitter long before many people in general, and Marvel has reaped the benefits of being willing to let him encourage anyone and everyone to jump on and share a more personal side of the organization. They’re also wise enough to use Twitter to find stellar interns and other talented individuals in order to stay atop the comic book industry.
Marvel and Facebook/MySpace…
Another thing Marvel does very well is cover its bases with the older social networking sites like our dear friends Facebook and MySpace (both of which are networks you’ll quickly abandon once you spend a few weeks on Twitter). Not only do they use these sites effectively, but they also work hard to incorporate various methods of keeping fans engaged. For example, a Marvel employee might ask for questions for the weekly “MyCup o’ Joe" Q&A with Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada via Twitter. Those questions, asked for on Twitter, can then end up being asked in the Q&A which is featured on the website. This engagement takes you beyond having an interview shoved in your face and creates a conversation between the fan and the Marvel organization. As a comic book fan, having your question asked to Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief is just sweet (I mean…the dude goes on the Colbert Report all the time). The next step they take is putting these interviews up on MySpace, adding links on Facebook, and, most importantly, keeping all of these networks fresh and updated. Marvel works hard to accomplish this, which is certainly no easy task for a company that creates comics, movies and TV shows, video games, toys, exclusive interviews, exclusive art, and dozens of other things I could link to if I had time.
Bottom line: Marvel maintains a strong presence on various internet fronts. And that’s not even on the Marvel.com site itself…
The Marvel.com site…
Speaking of the Marvel.com site, just check it out. Marvel.com presents, provides, and shares as much content as any other company’s website you can find on the internet. From news releases to writer and celebrity interviews to wallpapers to games (and an entire site devoted strictly to kids), Marvel.com is vast, powerful, and full of reasons to keep coming back. Most importantly, the comments and replies are unrestricted. If you don’t like a certain comic, let that comic's editor know in the comment section of his blog. If you loved the Iron Man movie, share your thoughts on an Iron Man news story comment section. It’s all open (although I believe it might be edited to keep out profanity/vulgarity/etc.), and that’s what makes Marvel’s leap into the social media world even more impressive. Right now, in December, 2008, the number of companies willing to be that transparent is very small in the relative sense of how many companies in the world have an online presence.
The rest of Marvel’s depth…
Beyond these social and online media elements of the site, Marvel does plenty of other stuff to engage people. From the entertaining Mighty Marvel Podcasts (hosted by Twitterer @Suterman himself) to an EXTENSIVE Online Digital Comics archive (where you can read thousands of comics straight from your computer) to other cool, fan-interactive tools like @Agent_M’s CoverItLive liveblogging at some of the recent ComicCons (comic conventions…which are awesome…just ask Johnny Drama), Marvel is unafraid to dabble in all sorts of new technologies. This leads me to believe that they will continually be on the cusp of technology in relation to the comics industry and beyond. Which is awesome as a Marvel Comics fan.
Last (and probably least)…
This is the website for DC (Marvel’s largest rival): http://www.dccomics.com/
No, I’m not kidding. That’s it. For the company with the second largest market share of the comic book industry, that is what they consider an online presence (apparently they do a podcast, but I couldn't find them on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter). My instincts tell me that they MUST have a site revamp coming sometime in the near future but…if not…wow…
Even non-comic fans can agree - it's "Spectacular"...
Honestly, I challenge you to find companies with such an engaged, engaging, and innovative online presence as Marvel. I’m sure you’ll come across a few that can compare, but I honestly doubt you’ll find many that surpass Marvel by much. You may not be a comic book fan, but in an age when forming tribes, communities, and conversations is a key to business success, Marvel has managed to do so with a group of individuals who are fiercely loyal, with or without superpowers. On that, I commend them. And thank them.
So, if you have any examples of good social media efforts, I'd love to see them in the comments section. Disagree with my post? Let me know. Want to talk about comics? Drop me a line. I could talk about comics all day, so I'd be happy to discuss them with you. Share your thoughts and I'll be happy to respond, no matter what the topic may be.
And now, I’m off to go spend too much of my money on the non-digital aspect of Marvel - comic books.
“I’ve been browsin’, inspectin’…X-Men comics, you know I collect ‘em…”
UPDATE (12-5-2008): It has come to my attention that Marvel's Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada, is now on Twitter (@JoeQuesada). That is so awesome. Not that it was in question, but I will forever be making mine Marvel...
UPDATE 2 (12-16-08): As of today, DC has joined Twitter with the name @DC_Nation. A little late to the party, but it's still a better late than never kind of thing and I can commend them for starting now. They just have a LOT of ground to make up. Make mine Marvel, either way!
But it rocks my face off. And pays me dollars. What a great, great combo!
Consequently, many organizations have yet to grasp the concept of exactly what New Media can do for them. However, a few companies have managed to approach and enter the doors that new, social, and online media can open for them, and I’d like to point one out as having done this very successfully.
The company to which I’m referring is my life-long (metaphoric) friend, Marvel. Yes, Marvel as in Marvel Comics. Here’s why (and don't forget to click a link or two)…
The Marvel Twitterverse…
Marvel isn’t just on Twitter…it basically dominates Twitter. 80+ affiliates of Marvel (comic writers, artists, art directors, editors, online creators, audio and video production staff, interns (EDITOR'S NOTE: @ldnallen721, as formerly linked to on the "interns" link, is NOT an intern, she is a web developer...my sincerest apologies...I only know past interns like@nogs), Skrulls, and more...even Senior VPs!) range from light/moderate usage to downright living on Twitter (much like myself) in terms of the number of tweets they send out. Courtesy of @Agent_M (arguably the most active-online facet of Marvel.com’s editorial staff), the Twitterverse has been blessed with a bevy of benevolent Twitterers who are willing to share their lives online (and, consequently, draw me in even closer to the organization that is Marvel). Beyond that, the Marvel account itself (@Marvel on Twitter) is constantly present and available to share new developments, teasers, links, and, most importantly, the account actually ENGAGES Marvel fans by answering questions and sharing in conversations with its 2,500+ Twitter supporters (yes...that's Marvel telling me that it loves me).
On the flipside, I don’t know if the Distinguished Competition (DC Comics) even has a single Twitter account. If so, it hasn’t caused much of a buzz at this point as far as I can tell. Which is quite typical of them, but we’ll get to that later.
Bottom line, @Agent_M got on Twitter long before many people in general, and Marvel has reaped the benefits of being willing to let him encourage anyone and everyone to jump on and share a more personal side of the organization. They’re also wise enough to use Twitter to find stellar interns and other talented individuals in order to stay atop the comic book industry.
Marvel and Facebook/MySpace…
Another thing Marvel does very well is cover its bases with the older social networking sites like our dear friends Facebook and MySpace (both of which are networks you’ll quickly abandon once you spend a few weeks on Twitter). Not only do they use these sites effectively, but they also work hard to incorporate various methods of keeping fans engaged. For example, a Marvel employee might ask for questions for the weekly “MyCup o’ Joe" Q&A with Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada via Twitter. Those questions, asked for on Twitter, can then end up being asked in the Q&A which is featured on the website. This engagement takes you beyond having an interview shoved in your face and creates a conversation between the fan and the Marvel organization. As a comic book fan, having your question asked to Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief is just sweet (I mean…the dude goes on the Colbert Report all the time). The next step they take is putting these interviews up on MySpace, adding links on Facebook, and, most importantly, keeping all of these networks fresh and updated. Marvel works hard to accomplish this, which is certainly no easy task for a company that creates comics, movies and TV shows, video games, toys, exclusive interviews, exclusive art, and dozens of other things I could link to if I had time.
Bottom line: Marvel maintains a strong presence on various internet fronts. And that’s not even on the Marvel.com site itself…
The Marvel.com site…
Speaking of the Marvel.com site, just check it out. Marvel.com presents, provides, and shares as much content as any other company’s website you can find on the internet. From news releases to writer and celebrity interviews to wallpapers to games (and an entire site devoted strictly to kids), Marvel.com is vast, powerful, and full of reasons to keep coming back. Most importantly, the comments and replies are unrestricted. If you don’t like a certain comic, let that comic's editor know in the comment section of his blog. If you loved the Iron Man movie, share your thoughts on an Iron Man news story comment section. It’s all open (although I believe it might be edited to keep out profanity/vulgarity/etc.), and that’s what makes Marvel’s leap into the social media world even more impressive. Right now, in December, 2008, the number of companies willing to be that transparent is very small in the relative sense of how many companies in the world have an online presence.
The rest of Marvel’s depth…
Beyond these social and online media elements of the site, Marvel does plenty of other stuff to engage people. From the entertaining Mighty Marvel Podcasts (hosted by Twitterer @Suterman himself) to an EXTENSIVE Online Digital Comics archive (where you can read thousands of comics straight from your computer) to other cool, fan-interactive tools like @Agent_M’s CoverItLive liveblogging at some of the recent ComicCons (comic conventions…which are awesome…just ask Johnny Drama), Marvel is unafraid to dabble in all sorts of new technologies. This leads me to believe that they will continually be on the cusp of technology in relation to the comics industry and beyond. Which is awesome as a Marvel Comics fan.
Last (and probably least)…
This is the website for DC (Marvel’s largest rival): http://www.dccomics.com/
No, I’m not kidding. That’s it. For the company with the second largest market share of the comic book industry, that is what they consider an online presence (apparently they do a podcast, but I couldn't find them on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter). My instincts tell me that they MUST have a site revamp coming sometime in the near future but…if not…wow…
Even non-comic fans can agree - it's "Spectacular"...
Honestly, I challenge you to find companies with such an engaged, engaging, and innovative online presence as Marvel. I’m sure you’ll come across a few that can compare, but I honestly doubt you’ll find many that surpass Marvel by much. You may not be a comic book fan, but in an age when forming tribes, communities, and conversations is a key to business success, Marvel has managed to do so with a group of individuals who are fiercely loyal, with or without superpowers. On that, I commend them. And thank them.
So, if you have any examples of good social media efforts, I'd love to see them in the comments section. Disagree with my post? Let me know. Want to talk about comics? Drop me a line. I could talk about comics all day, so I'd be happy to discuss them with you. Share your thoughts and I'll be happy to respond, no matter what the topic may be.
And now, I’m off to go spend too much of my money on the non-digital aspect of Marvel - comic books.
“I’ve been browsin’, inspectin’…X-Men comics, you know I collect ‘em…”
UPDATE (12-5-2008): It has come to my attention that Marvel's Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada, is now on Twitter (@JoeQuesada). That is so awesome. Not that it was in question, but I will forever be making mine Marvel...
UPDATE 2 (12-16-08): As of today, DC has joined Twitter with the name @DC_Nation. A little late to the party, but it's still a better late than never kind of thing and I can commend them for starting now. They just have a LOT of ground to make up. Make mine Marvel, either way!
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