How to Crash Parties using Social Media
[by Ian Tien, cross posted on WorkPlayLove.com and PowerOfSocialTechnologies.com]
To attend the Sundance Film Festival, I had to unfortunately miss @aaker’s Power of Social Technologies class. Transforming truancy into opportunity, I got to write up a special assignment: Reflect on the use of social media channels applied to a real world experience—specifically, select a number of social media channels, use them throughout my excursion, and note highs, lows and future recommendations.
Here’s the replay:
Twitter (many-to-many conversations)
A quick Twitter search of #sundance and #sundance party led me quickly to the Sundance Party List by Variety, and buzz about Howl and Tao parties in real time as they happened. Every time I searched, Twitter was buzzing with different topics in real time, keeping the content fresh but making it difficult to find a previous Tweet I liked.
Highs: Knowing which Tweeters are crowding into which venues. Finding out about free vendor giveaways at various booths throughout the day. Seeing how Bill Gates, new to Twitter as of Jan 19, uses Twitter to draw massive attention to the causes he believes in:
I’d note Kevin Winston of IVY Entertainment (mentioned later) did a better job following Bill than I did:
Lows: Not being able to distinguish cool people I want to follow from random strangers screaming into the ether. Because I didn’t really know anyone on Twitter other than the friends I was travelling with it never made much sense to use. I’d randomly post to the #sundance discussion, and the feedback was scant with the exception of one positive thank you comment when I Tweeted the phone numbers for Taxi Cab companies in Park City,
Recommendations: Figure out who you want to follow and engage with before going to Sundance. It’s super hard to do once you’re already there and nearly impossible to poke through a tiny iPhone interface to figure out who you want to talk to.
Facebook (friends-to-friends)
The dynamic of Facebook is both similar to Twitter (in back and forth updates) and yet opposite (in the sense of privacy and intimacy with the people you friend).
Highs: Seeing what friends are doing. Sharing updates and photos on who you’re meeting/what you’re doing.
One interesting note, I used to have Twitter connected to Facebook, and then I disconnected because they were really two different audiences—but I continue to use hashtags in Facebook as a simple of way of referring to a topic.
Other highs: Finding about and RSVPing for parties on Facebook. Viewing post-party photos complete with people tags so I can actually remember who I met, and even get their contact into. Below, Facebook page for IVY Entertainment Mixer by Kevin Winston—here I met the filmmakers and Sundance veterans to get me where I needed to be at the festival.
Lows: Finding out about parties a little too late, and missing the RSVP date. People I just met and don’t really know trying to friend me on Facebook.
Blogging (one to many)
Prior to Sundance I blogged my itinerary and sent it the rest of the Stanford MBA group coming to Sundance in case anyone wanted to see the same movies or events. I wasn’t sure what reaction I was expecting, it was more an experiment as I’d never done it before.
Highs: Classmates at Sundance mentioned they read my Sundance post and it was a warm fuzzy that someone did care to take a look.
Lows: I’ve yet to really have a conversation on my blog. I’m not sure if it’s because of audience, audience size, content, the design or WordPress or some other factor. When I was at Microsoft I couldn’t get people to stop commenting on my blogs, but I guess my content is a lot more neutral these days.
Recommendations: Figure out if blogging is actually a useful medium for what you want to get done in a real world experience—it was the most difficult medium for me to use at Sundance.
Email (one-to-many/one)
Emails are personal, and they’re great for announcements and info sharing. The Stanford MBA group organizing the Sundance trip as part of the Arts Media and Entertainment Club sent out an array of party options for us.
Highs: Feeling like I had a bead on what colleagues were up to. Being able to communicate with the group at large. It’s also the best way to communicate with people who’ve travelled internationally. I got to meet David O’Reilly, an award-winning computer animator who’s work was literally my favorite of the festival. He’s Irish, knows Bono and designed music videos for U2. He’s visiting Pixar in a couple weeks and we’re going to catch up then.
Lows: Occasionally overloaded by the “Anyone driving to SLC right now?” blasts.
Recommendations: As with Twitter, get on email lists with people you know coming to Sundance. It’s super useful getting mail blasts about things that are happening—and make sure to share what you’re up to with the appropriate audience as well so they can join in.
SMS (one-to-one)
Perhaps the most intimate and useful social media there is. There’s a level of trust, authenticity and speed with SMS that’s hard to beat.
Highs: SMS messages from people that I met/know inviting me to crash celeb lounges (where Tom Arnold, Lisa Edelstein and Jonah Hill hang out)
and corporate events complete with oxygen bars, free seated massage and trainers from a local fitness club ready to instruct festival patrons on the prestigious art of pole dancing (tip: Take your iPhone out of your pocket before attempting the latter).
Lows: Awful phone coverage at Sundance (btw, Park City resident blame the tourists for this, usually they’re coverage is fine).
Recommendations: Get an unlimited texting plan for your phone if you plan to be social on SMS.
Bottom Line
The conclusion I draw is that different social media channels each have pros and cons. They key is being in conversations with people who’s company you genuinely enjoy—whether in person or through some piece of technology.
The most effective channel is going to have a lot to do with what your friends use.
