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Entertainers Finish First: Tucker Max on Twitter

“Does everybody know who Tucker Max is?” host Julia Allison asked the audience of mostly iPad-equipped twenty-somethings at Social Media Week on Tuesday evening. “Why else would you be in the basement of the Hyatt?” said Max, quick to assure his interviewer that everyone in the audience had come to hear solid, if not offensive, advice from the self-proclaimed asshole whose debut story collection “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” was made into a movie in 2009. The University of Chicago alum who turns 36 next week got into character by taking the stage with his own personal prop: a bottle of Fat Tire beer.

During his hour-long talk, Max repeatedly harped on the evils of corporate America (and the banality of their corresponding Twitter feeds), but was quick to defend his own authenticity and transparency as a prominent personality in social media. For a guy  that claims he’s simply trying to be himself, Max certainly takes a calculated and highly self-aware approach to his Twitter feed.

“The point of a Twitter feed is that people want to be entertained,” he said, adding “if it’s not funny for me, I don’t post it.” And though he insisted he’s not trying to sell anything by using social media, his Twitter feed shows that he has no problem with shamelessly plugging his new book in an August 16th tweet. He also admitted to monitoring the analytics of his feed to track exactly when his followers were most interested in his 140 characters or less.

He has over 165,000 Twitter followers, but Max, who prides himself on having made a name for himself “outside of the system” as he puts it, is perhaps his own biggest fan. When an audience member asked about the negative feedback he receives from his not-so-friendly Tweets, Max quoted one of his heroes, Eminem: “I love being hated because it lets me know I made it.”

While touting the virtues of his “spot-on” Twitter feed, Max advised that if you’re not communicating something that other people care about, “then it’s just self-indulgent” (an ironic statement coming from a guy who makes his living off indulging in his own detailed accounts of sex, exploitation, and otherwise bad behavior).

By his own standards of reasoning, entertainers are the only people entitled to such self-indulgence, and only in the name of hilarity, as the title of Max’s third book, due out in February, suggests. But at Social Media Week Chicago Tuesday night, hilarity did not ensue. Instead of laughing, I was really hoping they served beer in the basement of the Hyatt so I could take a drink for every time Tucker Max said “I’m an entertainer.”

–Jennifer Swann

Social Media Week Chicago Announces Adam Bain of Twitter, Tucker Max and Julia Allison to Join Event Schedule

Social Media Week Chicago city partners, Zócalo Group and the Chicago Tribune, announced today that Adam Bain, Tucker Max and Julia Allison will join the ranks of Social Media Week Chicago speakers.  For a full agenda of next week’s activities, please visit www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago.

Adam Bain, President of Global Revenue at Twitter, will lead a compelling session about Twitter’s future and its impact thus far. Additional speakers include Vince Casanova, President and COO at Chicago Tribune Media Group and Paul Rand, President/CEO of Zócalo Group. The event will take place Wednesday, September 21 from 1-2pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

In addition, Tucker Max, author of the best-selling book, I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell and nominee to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential List in 2009, will join Julia Allison, a nationally syndicated columnist, TV personality, and self-proclaimed social media junkie as they discuss how this growing space has transformed their lives. The event will take place Tuesday, September 20 from 7-8pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Social Media Week Chicago events are free and open to the public, but registration is required and filling up quickly. Visit www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago and choose the “LOGIN/REGISTER” tab for registration details. Events include a wide range of topics from “Always On, Always Connected, and Always Local” to “ The Google+ Project: Pivoting Around People” to “Chicago Sports Teams Talk Social Media.”

“The participation of the Chicago community and our sponsors and partners has created an impressive agenda for Social Media Week Chicago that provides something for any taste,” adds Sarah Beardsley, Chicago Tribune Editorial Events Director.

City partners Zócalo Group and the Chicago Tribune want to recognize and thank Social Media Week Chicago’s sponsors and partners for their continued support and contributions. Sponsors include Nielsen, Frito-Lay, Experian, MWW Group, Actiance, SocialVibe and Nokia. Event partners include the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), CDW, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, UIUC’s Illini Center, Rockit Ranch Productions, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Columbia College and Chicago magazine.

“The momentum of Social Media Week Chicago has been a truly amazing thing to watch,” commented Paul Rand, President/CEO of Zócalo Group. “Everyone should feel very proud of the thought leadership and energy surrounding next week’s event.”

Along with Social Media Week activities in Chicago, simultaneous events will take place in Beirut, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Vancouver.

Join the Social Media Week Chicago conversation by following @SMWChicago on Twitter and connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn for real-time updates and to help promote the event across your own social networks. A number of events will also be livestreamed and can be followed by visiting www.livestream.com/socialmediaweek.

 

 

Sneak Peek–Nielsen’s State of Social Media Presentation

Let’s play Social Media Week Jeopardy.

The Answer:  We do it.  Our kids do it.  The media does it.

(tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick)

The Question:    What is teasing?

When Social Media Week Chicago teases, we want you to think.  We want you to react.  In this case, we want to share a little bit of content we got our hands on from our friends at Nielsen to show some of their thinking–and what you might hear during their presentations.

The fine editorial staff at Social Media Week Chicago got to review “State of the Media: Social Media Report Q3 2011.”  In it, Nielsen presents a snapshot of the current social media landscape and audiences in the U.S. and other major markets.

Among their findings:

  • Social networks and blogs now account for nearly a quarter of total time spent on the Internet
  • Social media has grown rapidly – today nearly 4 in 5 active Internet users visit social networks and blogs
  • Americans spend more time on Facebook than they do on any other U.S. website
  • Close to 40 percent of social media users access social media content from their mobile phone
  • Social networking apps are the third most-used among U.S. smartphone owners
  • Internet users over the age of 55 are driving the growth of social network-ing through the Mobile Internet
  • Although a larger number of women view online video on social networks and blogs, men are the heaviest online video users overall streaming more videos and watching them longer
  • 70 percent of active online adult social networkers shop online, 12 percent more likely than the average adult Internet user
  • 53 percent of active adult social networkers follow a brand, while 32 percent follow a celebrity
  • Across a snapshot of 10 major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over three-quarters of active Internet users
  • Tumblr is an emerging player in social media, nearly tripling its audience from a year ago

Among the….wait a minute, let’s put the brakes on here.  This was only a tease.  You want more?  Go check out their panel discussions.  While you’re at it, go register for another event.  Or two.  Or 10!

 

SWW Chicago Less Than A Week Away! Register Now for Events Sept. 19-23; Space Limited

Social Media Week Chicago kicks off in just under a week, boasting over 70 events across the Chicagoland area. Local businesses and brands will come together for this global event to discuss the changing social and mobile media landscape across all major industries.

Events are free and open to the public, but registration is required and filling up quickly. Don’t miss out on some of Social Media Week Chicago’s best in keynotes, panelists and speakers by registering for your favorite sessions today.  Visit www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago and choose the “LOGIN/REGISTER” tab for registration details.

“The participation of the Chicago community and our sponsors and partners has created an impressive agenda for Social Media Week Chicago that provides something for any taste,” adds Sarah Beardsley, Chicago Tribune Editorial Events Director.

Not sure what events to attend? Check-out some of these Social Media Week Chicago sessions:

  • Social Media for the Anti Social: Join experts for an introduction class on social media. Monday, 9:30-11:30am at the National Association of REALTORS Headquarters.
  • Perspectives from the Social CEO: Join leading CEO’s as they explore how trends in social influence and social engagement are building new markets, creating new business models and changing how marketers engage consumers.
  • Crisis Communications for the Social Age: Panelists will walk attendees through a lesson in “digital warfare” including tips on how to prevent crises before they occur and how to mitigate and contain the damage once the bad news is out.
  • Chicago Sports Teams Talk Social Media:Meet representatives from the Chicago Fire, Chicago Blackhawks, the White Sox and a Chicago Tribune sports columnist as they examine the impact of social networking on the world of Chicago sports.
  • Social Media for Small Business:  Join experts in this intermediate seminar where you will learn how to design a strategy for your business using the leading social networks.

City partners Zócalo Group and the Chicago Tribune want to recognize and thank Social Media Week Chicago’s sponsors and partners for their continued support and contributions. Sponsors include Nielsen, Frito-Lay, Experian, MWW Group, Actiance, SocialVibe and Nokia. Event partners include the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), CDW, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, UIUC’s Illini Center, Rockit Ranch Productions, Hyatt Regency Chicago, Columbia College and Chicago magazine.

“The momentum of Social Media Week Chicago has been a truly amazing thing to watch,” commented Paul Rand, President/CEO of Zócalo Group. “Everyone should feel very proud of the thought leadership and energy surrounding next week’s event.”

Along with Social Media Week activities in Chicago, simultaneous events will take place in Beirut, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Vancouver.

Join the Social Media Week Chicago conversation by following @SMWChicago on Twitter and connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn for real-time updates and to help promote the event across your own social networks. A number of events will also be livestreamed and can be followed by visiting www.livestream.com/socialmediaweek.


Social Media Week Chicago Makes Last Call for Community Involvement; Speakers

Event Submissions Accepted until August 31 as Organizers Prepare for a Full Week of Activities, September 19 – 23 Throughout the City

Social Media Week Chicago hosts, Zócalo Group and the Chicago Tribune, today announced that event submissions for the weeklong event will close on August 31. Registered sessions will be included in a special-edition Chicago Visitor’s Guide, produced by Chicago Magazine and available for download from the http://socialmediaweek.org/chicago website in September.

Social Media Week is a global initiative that will connect 12 cities for one week on topics important to advancing, educating and inspiring innovation for social media. Along with Social Media Week activities in Chicago, simultaneous events will take place in Beirut, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Vancouver.

Social Media Week Chicago’s current session lineup – featuring 30 events and counting – can be found by visiting the SCHEDULE tab at http://socialmediaweek.org/chicago. Social Media Week Chicago events are free and open to the public, with registration for sessions opening online September 6.

“The variety of sessions and involvement by area leaders and brands is impressive,” says Andrea Wood, Executive Vice President at Zόcalo Group. “Chicago’s Social Media Week should prove to be a unique opportunity for attendees to gain new perspectives into social media, mobile and word of mouth marketing.”

Events and speakers will continue to be added to the agenda until August 31, providing attendees with an opportunity to join industry leaders as they share best practices, upcoming trends and success stories in a variety of presentations, panels and networking events.

NEW EVENTS
Some of the newest events to join the Social Media Week Chicago agenda include:

• Improvised Innovation: The Chicago Tribune and The Second City featuring the people and stories behind the live stage and radio program “Chicago Live.”

• Politics of Social Media with the Cook County Commissioner, 12 District, and others sharing their perspectives on how social media is shifting the political landscape.

• Mobile Applications and Social Media featuring leaders from Facebook, Local Guide Chicago and Vienna Beef who will discuss the impact of mobile applications on social media.

• When Integrated Marketing Met Social: Love at First Like featuring a discussion led by Experian and joined by Facebook and others, exploring how social media has ushered in a new era in digital marketing.

• Social Media & The Next Generation: OMG! U’LL totally LOL! with speakers from Newcity, Golin Harris, Ragan Communications, Tweet Networking, Soaring Solutions and Catalyst Ranch sharing an in-depth snapshot of how Millennials perceive the world (and brands) around them.

• Pay Me to Like You: An Overview of the FTC Disclosure Rules as Applied to Social Media with leaders from CMP.LY and Saper Law Offices, LLC discussing how to navigate the FTC’s disclosure guidelines.

NEW FACES
Social Media Week Chicago also welcomes to its team some new Advisory Board members: Sosti Ropaitis, Global Digital Communications Manager at McDonald’s; Jeff Plaisted, Sr. Director of U.S. Sales and Strategy at Microsoft Mobile Advertising; and Howard A. Tullman, president and CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy. These individuals will work with event sponsors and volunteers to plan, manage and execute event activities.

GET INVOLVED
Interested in submitting your own topic or event for Social Media Week Chicago? Organizations or individuals interested in serving as an event sponsor – and promoted throughout Social Media Week as a key participant – should visit http://www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago and choose the SUBMIT EVENT tab. Please keep in mind that event submissions will close on August 31.

If mixing and mingling with some of the best minds in Chicago’s social media community is more your scene OR you have a cool product, or service that can help make events more fun, functional or productive, please visit http://www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago and choose the GET INVOLVED tab to volunteer or become an in-kind sponsor.

FOLLOW US
Please follow @SMWChicago on Twitter and connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn for real-time updates and to help promote the event across your own social networks.

Social Media Week Chicago Gaining Momentum with High Profile Advisory Board



City Partners Zócalo Group and Chicago Tribune Welcome Industry Leaders to Planning Team

CHICAGO, JULY 15, 2011 ― This fall, as experts from a variety of industries come together at Chicago’s very first Social Media Week (http://socialmediaweek.org/chicago), area businesses and organizations will have a unique opportunity to impact the next evolution of social communications. As city partners of the event, Zócalo Group and the Chicago Tribune announce the involvement of a number of prominent influencers from Chicago and beyond.

As members of the Social Media Week Chicago Advisory Board, these individuals will play a pivotal role in shaping the events that take place throughout the week. Advisory Board members will collectively promote Social Media Week Chicago and work with session organizers and sponsors, volunteers, and hosts to plan, manage, and execute a variety of events.

To date, Social Media Week Chicago Advisory Board Members are:

Geoff Alexander – Vice President & Managing Partner, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Todd Blecher – Communications Director, Boeing
Blagica Bottigliero – Director of Social Media, Motorola Mobility
Adam Brown – Executive Director, Social Media, Dell
Christine Cea – Marketing Communications Director, Unilever
Maegan Carberry – Political Analyst
Tom Collinger – Associate Dean of the Medill School, Northwestern University
Billy Dec – CEO/Founder, Rockit Ranch Productions
Rich Gamble – Publisher & General Manager, Chicago Magazine
Emigdio Gamboa – Vice President, Chicago Fire Soccer Club
Kevin Hauswirth – Social Media Director, Office of the Mayor at City of Chicago
Maria Katris – Executive Director, Built in Chicago
Jennifer Kedinger – Social Media Marketing Manager, Hyatt Regency Chicago
Jim Lecinski – Managing Director, US Sales & Service. Google, Inc.
Kelly Leonard – Executive Vice President, Second City
Venetta Linas Paris – Social Media Specialist, Aon
Lauren McCadney, Director of Social Media,CDW
Stephanie Crase Moritz – Senior Director, Public Relations, ConAgra Foods
Harvey Morris – Director, Digital Marketing & Social Media, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
Sarah Personette – Director, Global Agency Relations, Facebook
Pamela Robertson – Director of Marketing, Experian Marketing Services
Daliah Saper – Intellectual Property & Business Attorney, Adjunct Prof., Loyola University Chicago College of Law
Jan Slater – Interim Dean of the College of Media, University of Illinois
Kristen Smith – Executive Director, Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA)
Matt Spiegel – Managing Partner, Annalect Ventures
Jaime Vasquez – Vice President, Consumer Marketing, Cricket Communications
John Wallis – Chief Marketing Officer, Hyatt Corporation
Brad Williams – Vice President, Global Communications, Groupon
Melissa Giovagnoli Wilson – Founder/President, Networlding
“We’re energized by the wonderful response Social Media Week is receiving in Chicago,” said Paul Rand, President & CEO of Zócalo Group. “The addition of our esteemed Advisory Board is evidence of both the importance of social media to the city and of the commitment each board member personally has to advancing the practical and business applications of social media and word of mouth marketing.”

Far more than just a conference, Social Media Week offers a global perspective on emerging trends in social and mobile marketing. The event will take place at various locations across Chicago from September 19-23. Along with Social Media Week activities in Chicago, simultaneous events will take place in Beirut, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Vancouver.

“The Advisory Board members demonstrate the diversity of how Chicago’s businesses, government, and non-profits are using Social Media for our city’s growth and development,” comments Sarah Beardsley, Newsroom Events Director at the Chicago Tribune. “We are excited to share what great talent and insight Chicago has to offer.”
Interested in organizing an event or speaking on a panel to share your thoughts on social media? Looking to create visibility for your company or your clients? Love to volunteer? Opportunities to participate are broad and scalable based on need and resources, with both free and sponsored options available. Join the Social Media Week Chicago team and share your unique contribution to this week-long event. Please follow @SMWChicago on Twitter and connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn for real-time updates.

A preliminary event schedule is due to release on August 3 with event registration opening at the beginning of September. Events are free and open to the public. To get involved, visit http://socialmediaweek.org/chicago/

About Zócalo Group
Zócalo Group is a full-service word-of-mouth and social media marketing agency, helping leading consumer and business to business brands become the most talked about and recommended in their category. Based in Chicago, Zócalo Group has received numerous industry awards for brand programs and measurement initiatives. Zócalo Group is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Ketchum. For more information, please visit www.zocalogroup.com.

About the Chicago Tribune
For 164 years, the Chicago Tribune has been a market-leading publication of the Tribune Company. Reaching five million readers each week in print, online and through radio, television and live events, the Tribune is known for its public service journalism and watchdog reporting. In 2010, the Tribune launched Trib Nation, a community outreach and audience engagement program that includes a broad menu of live events such as Chicago Forward: Conversations About the Future, a series of public policy discussions; programs by columnists and other journalists; literary events including Author Talks, Lit Fest, and Literary Awards; and classes and seminars under the banner TribU: Lessons for Life.

About Social Media Week
Social Media Week is owned and operated by Crowdcentric Media LLC and is a global platform connecting people, content, and conversation around emerging trends in social and mobile media. Delivered primarily through a network of internationally hosted conferences and online through social media, Social Media Week literally connects hundreds of thousands of people every year through learning experiences that aim to advance our understanding of social media’s role in society. To learn more, visit http://socialmediaweek.org/.

# # #

How to become involved in Social Media Week Chicago

Social Media Week Chicago offers many ways for individuals and organizations to be involved:

Twitter
Follow @SMWChicago on Twitter for event and participant information, industry news and resources. Use hashtag #SMWChicago to help connect with other users also discussing and following the event.

Facebook
Join the Social Media Week Chicago discussion on Facebook for event information, resources and to connect with others involved with Social Media Week Chicago. Also, utilize the “tagging” feature when posting about your involvement with the event on Facebook.

Flickr
Share photos and video from Social Media Week Chicago on Flickr. Use tag SMWChicago on your content, and add items to Social Media Week Chicago flickr pool, which is open to all users.

‘Get Involved’ as a speaker or volunteer
Social Media Week Chicago offers many ways to become involved, as an administrative or event volunteer or as a speaker. Go to Social Media Week Chicago’s ‘Get Involved’ page to learn about available opportunities.

Sponsor
Social Media Week Chicago offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities at many levels. Go to Social Media Week Chicago’s ‘Get Involved’ page to learn more.

Attend
Event information will be made available through Twitter, Facebook and on the Social Media Week Chicago event schedule and will cover a variety of topics including business, communications and media; entertainment, sports and gaming; art and culture; people and social issues; and mobile, tablet and other connected device applications and usage.  All events are, unless noted otherwise, free to the public.

Social Media Week Chicago: an introduction

Chicago Tribune and Zócalo Group have partnered to host the city’s first-ever Social Media Week, part of a global initiative to explore and elevate the role of social and mobile media.

Social Media Week organizers selected Zócalo Group, an Omnicom company and the Chicago Tribune as Chicago market hosts for the series of free-to-the-public events to be held September 19 through 23 at locations throughout the city.

Through a series of interconnected activities across the world, Social Media Week offers global perspective on social and mobile media across all major industries. Along with the Social Media Week activities in Chicago, similar events will be held simultaneously in Berlin, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Glasgow, Los Angeles, Milan, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

For one week, Social Media Week Chicago will include involvement from local companies, national brands, academic institutions, non-profit organizations and government agencies in venues throughout the city. These events will address and explore current issues within the social media industry including: business, communications and media; entertainment, sports and gaming; art and culture; people and social issues; and mobile, tablet and other connected device applications and usage.

Sponsorships and speaking opportunities are available. Go to Social Media Week Chicago’s Get Involved page to learn how individuals and organizations can become involved with the week-long event.

Follow @SMWChicago on Twitter and join in the discussion on Facebook.

Announcing Social Media Week Chicago, September 19-23

We’re excited to announce today that Zócalo Group will be partnering with the Chicago Tribune to host Social Media Week Chicago – a week-long assembly of events featuring the highest caliber thought leaders in social media, mobile marketing and word-of-mouth communications.

This will be the debut of Social Media Week here in Chicago, and represents an incredible opportunity for our city’s businesses, brands, academic institutions, non-profit organizations and government agencies to gather simultaneously with social media leaders around the globe. Social Media Week will be happening in Chicago simultaneously with events taking place in Milan, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Bogota, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow.

All of Social Media Week’s events are free and open to the public. Topics and guests will include brands, businesses and companies; entertainment; government and social policy; education, science and technology and mobile applications. As September approaches, we’ll be announcing speakers, venues and the week’s full schedule. Videos, articles and highlights from February 2011’s Social Media Week in New York can be found here.

Please join in the conversation with @SMWChicago on Twitter and Facebook, and visit www.socialmediaweek.org/chicago to learn how to get involved by sponsoring, speaking or volunteering.

Looking forward to talking with you online and seeing you in person in September.

Social Media Week Chicago

Welcome to Social Media Week Chicago. Social Media Week is a global event that brings people, content and social media conversations together for one week, simultaneously, in each host city. Chicago Tribune and Zócalo Group are proud to partner as local hosts of Social Media Week to Chicago.

Initially held in 2009 in New York City, Social Media Week was launched with events taking place in locations throughout the city. Over 2,500 people attended over forty individual events, and thousands more participated online.

Please follow @SMWChicago on Twitter and connect with us on Facebook for real-time updates.

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