I’m guessing the camaraderie of rugged sophistication that Chuck Norris and The Most interesting Man in the World share got a bit stale.   They need to add a third counterpart to firm up a mantastic trio….thus…we have the Old Spice Man.

The “Old Spice Man”…the wildly tallented and a bit obscure Isaiah Mustafa hit us with a new Old Spice commercial where he is effortlessly landing on top of the most manly moving objects all will speaking at 200 words a minuet (making perfect sense).  Needless to say this commercial is ridiculously funny and going to extend the Old Spice Man Meme beyond a one hit wonder.

But to launch this meme into iconic status and to earn its seat in the Chuck Norris, Most Interesting Man round tabel…it took one of the most incredibly creative and bold social media campaign a large brand has executed!

A team of tech geeks, writers, social media folk, media mavens, film makers and Isaiah Mustafa committed to an organic video response campaign that would be written, acted and produced in real time (brilliant!).  The goal was to allow the Old Spice Man to spread his infection charm and wisdom across the web, responding to real life people’s responses to Old Spice videos.  Web developers created a program that fed all related video comments throughout the social web to their team and categorized those responses by user influence, time and the quality of content.  Then the writing began…the social media folk and the writers began creating ridiculously awesome content.  Like this…

After the writing, the magician himself sprinkles his Old Spice goodness across the set…and a You Tube video was created!  This was done over 80 times in one day!  Short 20-60 second videos directed at one person who engaged Old Spice on the social web in some way.  From online icons like Kevin Rose and Perez Hilton to people like… anonymous.  They touched all different levels of influence, demographics and types of sediment…all while exuding that unique Old Spice grandeur.

Why Old Spice’s Video Campaign is the Most Genius Ever!

1. They involve everyone!

From the big timers to normal folk, the Old Spice Man does not discriminate.

Everyday internet users who have at most 17 Twitter followers were able to comment on an Old Spice You Tube video, their Facebook Page and other social profiles they have on the web and get a personalized response from the man himself.  The genius behind this is, one, it took a big brand down to a real personal level, taking an icon you see on TV and having them interact with everyday people can only be a favorable PR move.  Two, it made everyone think…”Hey, I should comment on this video…maybe he’ll talk to me”.  This notion allowed these videos to spread through the social web like wildfire.  Can you imagine how many @ tweets the Old Spice handle received yesterday?

By creating personalized messages for some of the authorities on the web Old Spice proved two things.  One, they understand who the influencers are, which gives them credibility among other influences (possibly with large networks to share cool stuff with).  Two, they won the hearts of those influencers by giving them attention beyond a typical praise email they read everyday…making it highly likely for the influencers to spread their message across their large network.

2. Long terms brand building

Remember when everyone spoke with that Ron Burgundy intonation and eyebrow raise (maybe it’s just me)?  Well, I have a feeling the Old Spice man has now became the new age Ron Burgundy.  Beyond the credibility the brand has gained in the media world for trying something extremely creative and at the same time risky, they have built the foundation for a long term branded figure. I have a feeling that Kyle Rutty will be digging deep in his diaphragm to produce the manliness of sounds and witticism for a long time.

3. Pure Humor

Not to be overlooked, these videos were some of the funniest internet content ever to grace the cloud.  From large silver fish, to the very appropriate eye brow raise, every single video hit the mark.  The writers of these skits should win a Webby and Isaiah Mustafa deserves to be forever released from his “struggling actor” tag.  I still cannot stop laughing…

From one gentleman to another, I solute you Old Spice…while wearing a gentleman like top hat.  Well done!!

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As an “aspiring” entrepreneur I constantly asked myself,  “How do I know that I am an entrepreneur?”.  Being conditioned to “know” something is something through tangible and transitional reasoning I had no way of identifying myself as an entrepreneur.

Today I can confidently say that I am an entrepreneur. I am one, because I say I am, I feel I am and I make a unique contribution to the world.

Here’s me diving deeper into this topic…

When did you know you were an entrepreneur?  What is an entrepreneur in your mind?

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For the past couple weeks I have been traveling, building business, ideating…all requiring alot of mental and physical energy.

Realizing that coffee is a short term fix for eye droopiness…I found a high powered recharge over the weekend.

At GenJuice San Francisco I was able to connect and collaborate with an incredible group of passionate innovators who loved to help others and share ideas.  Emerging yourself in an environment like that does something for your mind, body and soul.  You feel the positive wave of possibilities and can’t help but to ride it.

Getting together with amazing people that empower others is my new energy source of choice.

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The video below dives into 4 absolutely vital principles to adopt when building your personal brand online.

Build a platform

We’re not talking about building your own Facebook or a massive blog.  Instead we are talking about a more figurative platform.  Build a platform by leveraging all the cool stuff you are doing right now.  If you work for a big company let people know what you’re doing (it got Scoble pretty far).  If you own a company…associate yourself with your company and the company with yourself.  If you have passions, shout it from a mountain top and see who you will connect with!

Don’t be bashful

I love that word…bashful.  In this case we’re going to treat it as a bad word.  For some people, such as myself, it can be quite difficult to talk about yourself.  Especially if you don’t feel like you have accomplished anything worthwhile.  At that point, you must think from this perspective: “there is always someone who wants to be where you are and wants to know how you got there”…cater to these people now and expand your audience as you grow.  Don’t be bashful, talk about your accomplishments, build up your credibility but please always put humility first.

Build up others

Focus on others before yourself.  When you connect two people that will benefit from each other you are building up your own importance indirectly.  When you showcase someone’s good work by tweeting it out to the world, you are validating their efforts.  When you focus on others, new possibilities open up, paths to new people emerge and you can now identify more opportunities and how it relates not just to you but to everyone else you are connected with.

Add value to the community

Have something uniquely valuable to say.  What you do online should be governed by the question “how am I adding value?”.  You can talk about yourself, your accomplishment but if it doesn’t help anyone else…no one will care about what you have to say.  Find ways to differentiate yourself and find new perspectives that not many have.  If you focus on adding value first, you will be moving in the right direction.

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Walking through the mall over the weekend I ran into a conspicuous print advertisement of a soon to be brand new Show coming to TV this summer.  The print ad naturally snatched my eyes from the walk way ahead as it showcased shinny skinned, 25 year old girls, in short catholic school mini skirts, swagged out (like hips pointed in all types of directions swagger).  First thing that came to mind isn’t fit for my blog, but the second thing is “why is this in a mall?”.  Girls wearing barely nothing placed at a mall with families and impressionable  young girls didn’t sit well with me.  I can just see my future 7 year daughter (wayyyy future) tugging on my arm asking me to take her to Forever 21 so she can look just like the orange one (the crispy tan girl).  What was even more disheartening was after looked a bit closer I read “Coming to ABC Family this summer: Pretty Little Liars“.

I don’t watch ABC Family but I am savvy enough to know that this channel is for the American family.  I am sure mom and dad are comforted by the fact that their children watch “ABC Family” instead of Spike.  However, I feel like it’s safe to bet that parents will prefer their kids leaning about the greatest warriors in history rather then about promiscuity, deceit and what Paris Hilton showed to the camera this weekend.

Who is responsible for these misguided values and destructive priorities?

Is it the media moguls as they are the final say in what gets pushed out to the masses?  It does seem like their agenda is dictated by nothing else but the dollar sign.

Or is it our fault for casting our “vote” and handing our money over to the networks asking for more of the same garbage?

Who is responsible is only secondary.

Instead, the pressing issue is how freakishly awful the content is that the majority consumes.  What does it say about our priorities as a society if we would rather watch Jersey Shore than spend quality time with the people we love? (I have feel victim to Jersey Shore my fair share of times).

The answer to the “secondary” questions is that we are all responsible!  With the democratization of media happening right in front of us…we all have a say!

Social Media is different?…

In the upcoming year we will truly see who is responsible.  Why?  Because with emergence of social media becoming a preferred broadcasting center for businesses, politicians, large organizations and individuals alike…the “good” rises to the top.

Now more than ever can the general public: publish, vote on, comment on, rate, alter, augment the content on the web.  Not only can they affect the media but the masses are doing it more and more each day.

The voice of the people is now undeniable and to a certain extent uncensored.

Years from now if my future daughter watches Pretty Little Liars, I have no one else to blame but everyone!

What are your thoughts on the impact of media on our actions, values and priorities as a society?  How can we do better than this?

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Social media seems to be in a consolidation phase. Although social media is built on the principle of open collaboration between many parts creating a stronger whole, I can’t help but to feel that social media is beginning to resemble any other fast growing industry; with some of the tech heavy weights racing to become the super power of the social space. The battle to become the preferred social platform is becoming more and more interesting as days pass (yes…the pulse of the industry changes daily). If it’s not becoming the default social platform that these tech Titians covet, it is becoming the most powerful social ad platform, creating a universal social currency, or the most use app platform. Whatever it is, companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter and Apple are widening the reach of social media all while making barriers to entry for startups much higher.

Facebook has launched the ambitious Open Graph protocol in efforts to create the semantic web. This will increase the web’s dependence on the largest social network in the world.

Google launched Buzz a few months back in attempts to begin indexing all socially driven data while giving users the utility of updating people on all their happenings throughout the social web (excluding Facebook). The Buzz began to fizzle as it was a duplication of what many Twitter clients can do with a less appealing interface.

Twitter’s open model is now proving to be beneficial to not just users but them as a company as they are beginning to push out their powerful ad platform, Promoted Tweets.

Apple launched another hardware product that is proving to carve out another new product niche. The iPad also indirectly is positioning Apple as a front runner to take over the social gaming space.

Each company seems to have a different point of entry as they move towards domination of the social space. Others seem to be progressing better than others. As these companies continue to tinker with new ideas and products, the users begin to benefit more and more. This means more quality products, stronger communication platforms etc. However there is someone that suffers and that is the entrepreneur.

With the larger companies looking to expand their reach in the social media space, it makes it harder for startups with limited resources to compete. Startups are forced to do something incredibly novel, piggy back off a larger platform or deeply niche themselves. Doing something cool and different is always admirable, but will people use it? Developing with an API is savvy but you are at the mercy of the platform that servers the API. Niching yourself can allow you to compete but can also make you lose revenue potential due to the shrinking of your market.

Forgive me for sounding overtly pessimistic because that is not typically in my nature. On the contrary I am very excited to see what takes place in the upcoming months. We live during a time where the very way we communicate is ever changing. With change and shifts in power comes opportunity…I am just not exactly sure where yet.

Where do you think the next big opportunity for web based startups will be?

Which company do you think will take the crown and become the king of the social space?

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Last week I declared that I have made the full fledged nose dive into self-employment.  This week it’s time to reveal the company behind the entrepreneur (at least more extensively).

I have been fortunate enough to partner up with some amazing business people and friends to create ConvoSpark; a social media agency that focuses on creating social technology that engages and sparks conversations about our clients’ companies.  What exactly does all that marketingy copy mean?  It means that if you have a conversation that needs to be started with a group of people, we help you craft your message, customize an application that will carry your message and execute a strategy to spark a conversation with the right groups.  We leverage platforms that consumers socialize on like Facebook, Twitter, iPhone and the Android to help build out polished social media presences. To sum it up, we bridge the gap between our client’s current digital properties with their future social properties.

We have already been fortunate enough to work with some Fortune 500 brands and some ultra creative agencies.  We look forward to building relationships with many more to come.

If we can help you or anyone else you know, you can drop us a line and schedule a free initial consultation.

Thank you to everyone for your unyielding support with the building of ConvoSpark.  Don’t you worry, you will get your fair share of updates along the way.

You can follow ConvoSpark on both Twitter (@ConvoSpark) and Facebook .

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Last Wednesday:  I Left my job at a social media agency.

Today:  I write my own paychecks (assuming that I can)

And I feel more alive then ever.

There is something thrilling about uncertainty.  Ask my two partners at ConvoSpark and myself about it.  We are now moving full force into a dualistic world of well known work (social media marketing) followed by the unknown self-employment arena.  An uncertain future is sparking an invigorating present.

Not knowing if I can pay rent or buy food makes me hustle harder, conjure up some deep seeded creative juices and value my clients more.   Sometimes you have to make yourself uncomfortable to grow…and now is the time break through the threshold.

Becoming a full time entrepreneur is a whole different ball game than the part time gig.  Of course, entrepreneurship is a state of mind therefore being a full timer doesn’t entitle you to a state of superiority.  However, it does pose a whole new set of circumstances that you have to take into account.

Making a living

You know when people ask you “How do you make a living?”.  Typically, you reluctantly give them a templated version of your day to day.  Nowadays, I can literally say: “anything”.  To most that may sound snarky or overtly existential…however, today, I do “anything” I can (within the confines of the law and the positioning of our business) to make a living.  It’s kinda fun to respond to that question by saying…”anything I want”.

More time=Different time management

When you are an entrepreneur that works a 9 to 5 you also have a 8 to 1. It takes incredible discipline, preparation, task management and delegation to make that schedule work effectively.  When you jump ship and start working full time on your own business you automatically assume that you’re freed up time will lead to greater productivity.  That usually is the case, but for me it took a while.  It took schedule adjustments and equally focusing on a “work life balance” (I live more of a homogeneous model).  Most importantly…focusing on what is most important.

The supporters, the envious and the non-believers

In the minds of many spectators, your entrepreneurial efforts will go from “aww that’s cute” to “what’s this guy got up his sleeve”.  You should be prepared to handle all types of commentary.  Some are going to love what you do and will do anything to support you, others will want to be in the position you’re in and some will think you’re doomed to fail.  You’re mom’s going to want to make sure you can eat from month to month.  Your dad will want to know if you’re making the right career decision.  It’s always of the utmost importance to surround yourself with positive people that believe in your cause but will give you the harsh realities when needed.

Well everybody…here’s to ramen noodle and 14 hours days (I am being a bit dramatic).  Really…here’s to freedom of choice, possibilities and making good things happen.

Check out ConvoSpark.com to see a bit more about what I am doing.

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There is alot of noise these days.  Probably more than ever. The good thing is that filtering the noise is actually possible.  In the conversation age you have a choice of what you consume.  With choices comes decisions…asking yourself “what do I read”, “who do I become friends” with “what business opportunities I pursue”.

While chatting with Shane Mac the other week, he made a point to say he follows those who “get it”.  I mean we only have some much information we can consume, so many people we can stay in contact with (148 to be exact), we must discriminate some how for the mere fact that our time is finite.  So why not discriminate based on “who gets it”.

If someone “gets it”, then they have an understanding of who they are, what moves them, what their goals are.  They have reached a level of mental clarity beyond the norm.  These people or sources have genuine value to add to the world and a perceptive that differentiates them from the “normalized” majority.

So when you are choosing who or what to follow…keep the filtering process simple.  Don’t judge based on popularity or blind reciprocity, instead make sure they “get it” and just as importantly, that their followers “get it”.

If they leave you feeling awakened and slightly confused, you are heading down the right path.

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This is a guest post from a great friend of mine and the most talented writer I know, Kyle Rutty. You can get his take on relationships, Facebook stalking and the rest of his world views at his comedy blog FindgingWood.com.

The movie Hangover was similar to my college experience: hazy, hung over, blurred, and a complete disregard for responsibility.  Now my out of college experience is a little different.  If I had to compare it to a recent movie, I would say it is similar to the movie 2012; a catastrophe that brings about absolute chaos in my life.

I say this because college was safe. Not physically safe, shots of tequila at 4am isn’t real safe, but mentally safe, because I did very little to expand my horizon as a person. If you asked me “Who I Am” in college my response would pay a lot of homage to my personality and little to do with goals, passions, and what I want out of my life.  Of course, ask me “Who I Am” on a Saturday night in college and I would probably given you a drunkenly profound response as I shove a burrito in my mouth and spout out Anchorman quotes. AKA: I had no idea who I was or what I wanted.

However, from the moment I grabbed that diploma and left the bubble I call college, I was forced to honestly face myself; the one person I was successfully able to avoid with booze, girls, midterms, and a “what are you doing tonight” text every two hours.  And with all the distractions removed from my life, what I found wasn’t pleasant. Now the easiest thing I could have done was just kept my safe job out of college, find more distractions, and live an uneventful and uninspired life.  Deep down I would have known I settled, I would have known that I could have been more, but as long as I had a bubble of distractions, I would have been just fine.

But I chose a different route, and in doing so, was forced confront those deep hidden insecurities that lay dormant within me for years and years. But when the layers began to fall away, so did the insecurities, and so did the desire to just “fit in,” or to meet everyone else’s expectations of who I should be.

And this led me to my passion– my answer to what I wanted most out of life.  Surprising enough, it wasn’t a really hot girlfriend or a million dollars; it was to reach people through writing. Suddenly I had a purpose, it all seemed so clear. In a crazy turn of events, I left my safe job in one of the economically worst situations we have seen in decades. But it was what I needed to do. It was what I had to do. I will never say it’s easy to do what your passionate about, because passion is synonymous with you — you meaning everything that encompasses yourself, not just the good stuff, but the bad stuff as well.

Am I doing what I want to do now? Yes!  Am I successful from a business standpoint? Not yet, but I don’t care, and that’s all that matters.  If you told my college self that he would want to be an aspiring writer at the age of 23, he would have laughed at you and then asked you if you wanted to take a shot with him.  But that’s the best part about my out of college experience. The fact that I was able to remove the fake insecure shell I carried for years and came to discover the real me, the one that is ultimately being true to himself and chasing what he wants most out of life.

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