Tag Archives: movies

Five Truths

18th May 2013

While I’m certainly behind on sharing this post, I’m so honored a dear friend of mine, Lauren with Mason Jar Moments, included me in her post for the “Five Truths” Challenge.  And a challenge it was! It took some thinking, but here are my five truths in no particular order:

Truth one: I’ve always been a big bow kinda girl. 

That would be me, giant bow in my hair, too much makeup on my face and my foot behind my head.

 

I try my very hardest to keep a smile on my face throughout the day, and I guess you could say my “big bow” past has a little to do with that. From middle school through my freshman year of college, I spent my evenings (and Saturdays and Sunday afternoons) being tossed around and knocking out countless triple toe-backs (thanks for that Jamie). Truth be told, I didn’t even own a t-shirt until I got to college. Cheerleading seems to be the perfect metaphor of who I still am today: determined to brighten those around me and a little stubborn when it comes to sticking the landing.

 

Truth two: I wanted to be a fashion designer. 

As a child, I made my own barbie clothes. I was determined to head to The Parsons New School for Design in NYC and live out my days in a magazine. While I’m certainly far from that aspiration today, I’m still a big fan of anything DIY-able. You’re certain to find my Dad and I in the garage designing something on the weekends. My most recent interest involves anything where I can get my hands on learning how to use a saw.

Truth three: I’m my family’s number one fan.

I’m the oldest of four and couldn’t be more proud of it. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by two wonderful parents, three fantastic siblings and cousins that I can’t even begin to count on two hands (my Dad is one of five children and my Mom is one of seven). The memories you make with the people with whom you share DNA simply cannot be put into words. Experiences like skydiving for the first time with a cousin from Colorado, simply because a “family tradition” of the exercise was started the morning of another’s wedding, become more than just memories and I am beyond blessed to have that.

Truth four: I can’t go to sleep without matching pajamas. 

I have this irrational (or maybe terribly rational) fear that if something were to happen during the night and I had to run outside, I would hate for anyone to catch me in hideous pajamas. It’s silly and slightly embarrassing. There’s nothing more to it than that.

Truth five: There is no better date night than movie night. 

I’m certain my Mom passed along this one to me, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a movie night I didn’t like. Between my family and boyfriend, I make it to the theater at least three times a months and movie theater popcorn + Sour Patch Kids are always worth the splurge. It doesn’t stop there either. I still buy DVDs and if it’s raining and a weekend, my sister and I are probably watching Sweet Home Alabama. TV movies always seem like some special treat that can’t be planned, and the commercials are just part of the fun to get things done in between.

So there you have it, thanks Lauren for inviting me to participate in this one. And now, to pass the challenge along to a few of my favorites: Jessica, Drew, Kelly and Abby, you’re up next.

How The Hunger Games is tapping social for teens

25th January 2012

1. I am mildly obsessed with the Hunger Games these days, having finished all three books in a two-week timeframe.

2. I geek out far further than I ever should admit over the ever changing mold of what communication means to different demographics.

OK, so those may not be the juiciest of secrets and I may be a total nerd for sharing both, but I love it even more when the things I’m in love with collide perfectly.

The Hunger Games, the first book of a wildly popular teen book series will make its film debut this March and, to no surprise, there is no shortage of promotion taking place. However, outside of your typical TV spots, product promos and sneak peak YouTube trailers, the team behind this blockbuster is building connections with their target teen audience through personal, whimsical content.

This week the film added Tumblr to its growing list of social and digital outreach, which already includes Facebook, Twitter and an interactive site to name a few.

By offering up content on Tumblr through a pseudo magazine, fans are taken directly into the world of the Capitol, the reigning government of the country of Panem, by sharing the fashions and culture of the society. I could go on about the wonderful behind the scenes clips and “articles” profiling the story’s main characters, but the true spark within this presence is the pure match that has been made to the film’s most valuable demographic.

According to Qantcast, nearly 50% of Tumblr’s visitors are under the age of 24 within the US. We also know the teen demographic does not view advertising the same way as their parents or grandparents once did. They want to make a connection, support things they believe in and share genuine content.

The Hunger Games is using Tumblr to do just that. Yes, they could share bland by comparison examples of products supporting the Hunger Games logo or a quick clip from the movie. Yes, it would still be shared 1000’s of times. However, by displaying a product as if it were a real ad in a real Panem government magazine or sharing a gif as if the paparazzi has spotted characters in real time, the content now embodies everything this generation seeks in the brands followed. The advertisements, brands and content featured within the posts to come will also bring a new air of whimsy, passion and sharability to the same content, which in a different voice may have been lost to this audience.

As we as marketers look to realign how we think of brand personality, consumption and real life translation, we must consider how this shift in the consumer mindset will not deter us from connecting messages for brands, but to think of new ways to create a build relationships with those consumers who desire them most.