Posts Tagged ‘Chad Ochocinco

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This week's #SoMash is here with the top stories from last week including the Uncle Drew viral sensation, five ways to be Pinterest worthy, new Apple maps on the iPhone 5, NFL players' usage of social media, and whether or not Facebook is worth the effort.   How 'Uncle Drew' Went from Viral YouTube Hit to NBA Finals Ad [VIDEO] By day he is Kyrie Irving, NBA Rookie of the Year and Cleveland Cavaliers point guard. By night? Uncle Drew. Irving partnered with Pepsi MAX and the ad campaign has taken off. What started off as an experiment has developed into commercials to be aired during the NBA Finals. Pepsi MAX marketer Sam Duboff said of the campaign:  

We had no plans at all to advertise on the NBA Finals, and no media plans for this spot at all. But people here got so excited when they saw how it performed, and we were able to produce enough metrics that finding the media budget for it just made a lot of sense.
Since launching the campaign the hashtag #UncleDrew has been mentioned 10,000 times on twitter and the video has over 10 million hits. But this ad is unique for many reasons and not just for the idea. Irving came up with the character and the backstory, executing it flawlessly. Watch below to watch Uncle Drew in action!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DnKOc6FISU   5 Ways to Be Pinworthy Pictures are taking over the world. Instagram? Facebook Camera? Twitter pics? Pinterest? How do you share your pictures? Well Pinterest is the new fad, so come on and jump on the bandwagon! Okay, so we've established now that Pinterest is your picture prerogative, but where do you 'pin' from? Here's a look at the top domains that people pin from.

And by pinning new photos you are stimulating activity on the site. According to RJMetrics more than 80% of pins are repins, and the number continues to increase. So the question remains: how do you make your images pinworthy? How do users pin pictures that make up the 80% of Pinterest activity? There are five simple ways, so find out how you can be pinworthy!   Apple Maps: Google-Free, Siri and Turn-by-Turn Nav Ready One of the biggest weaknesses of the iPhone is when you need to use the Maps app and follow directions on it. Seems simple enough, but when you're driving and you can't look at the map it poses a major problem. Until now. With more detail, the integration of Siri, and 3D views, the Maps app is about to become a thing of beauty.   The Apple maps are also moving away from Google maps and, instead, have installed the use of OpenStreetMap data. It might look familiar because it's the same map used by Foursquare. A big difference is the amount of information users are given when they look at the map. Google Maps bombards users with information of small street names, which can be really distracting when you don't need all that information. Here's a quick side-by-side view of one of the many views of the new Apple maps.

The left side is the Google Maps view, which can be overwhelming when you're on the run. The beauty of Apple maps is you can zoom in to get the same detailed view, but it doesn't initially overwhelm you.   Why the NFL Isn't Prepared for the Mobile Age Compared to the NBA, NFL players are relatively silent, but there are always exceptions. Miami Dolphins wide receiver, Chad Ochocino, is the exception. With over 3 million Twitter followers its safe to say Ochocino isn't entertaining his followers with his day-to-day activities. They are waiting for him to cause drama. He may have started the fad for NFL players, but he certainly isn't alone. Last year, Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Rashard Mendenhall, lost sponsors over Twitter comments about 9/11.   New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said:
I honestly think social media has made people cowards. Where I’m from, if you had a problem with somebody, you said it to their face and that was it. I think now people are hiding behind computers and smartphones to get out something.
  Maybe NFL players aren't mature enough to share their thoughts on the internet. Or maybe followers are only waiting for these athletes to stir up trouble, while ignoring everything else they have to say. Either way when social media headlines mix with NFL players it usually means trouble.  

Is Facebook Worth the Effort Anymore?

Yes, you read that title correctly. The leader in social media is being questioned. Three years ago this would have been unheard of, but times are changing and other social media domains are increasing in popularity. So what's wrong the Facebook? Nothing major, but problems always start small. For one it has slowed down considerably because of the number of users.

 

Facebook also has a tendency to constantly change its pages to adapt to a more modern feel. But some users are tired of the constant modifications and often struggle to keep up. The challenge Facebook has is balancing their older clients with their newer users because some of us really hate change.

 

Other social media articles from last week that you may enjoy:

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Baseball may be America’s past time, but football is now front and center as America’s favorite sport. The Super Bowl is the most watched event of the year. Consumers tune into "The Big Game" in such massive numbers that many of the world's most recognizable companies are willing to spend $3.5 million for 30 seconds of ad time. $3.5 million!

  Meanwhile the NBA has fallen behind the MLB, making it America's third favorite sport, but has found huge success off the court in the world wide web.   So the question becomes why is the NBA arguably more successful than the NFL in social media when it's the opposite on the field?   Here’s a look into why:   Let’s start with the how these games are played.   Football is the ultimate team sport. No team can succeed with just one star. Players need help from their teammates.   I know what you’re thinking: Tom Brady didn’t have help when he won those three Super Bowls early in his career. Really? So when he dropped back in the pocket and 250+ pound linebackers from the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles blitzed him who was there to help? His linemen. And who caught those beautiful passes that Brady threw? His receivers. And what about those field goals? Brady didn't kick those. That was Adam Vinatieri. Football cannot be won alone.   Football also has the nature of being very carefully thought out and slow-paced. Quarterbacks read the defense, make their adjustment, and run the play. Every so often things break down and defenses are surprised by trick plays and offenses are surprised by hidden blitzes, but at the end of the day fans don’t expect football to be fast-paced and surprising. (Here's a crazy fact about the pace of football: During last year's Super Bowl there were only 12 minutes of actual playing...See how slow it is?)   Basketball, on the other hand, can be won with one player. NBA teams almost never have five players with 20 points (Well, maybe the 2004 Detroit Pistons). But normally that isn't how the NBA works. During basketball games, any player can take over a game and become the reason his team wins. It happens. Dirk Nowitzki won the championship for the Mavericks last year. Sure he had help, but no one doubts that it was him who did the bulk of the work. When Kobe Bryant won without Shaq, it was his victory. Not Pau Gasol’s, but Kobe’s.   Where the NFL is disciplined and meticulous, basketball is unpredictable and dramatic. The fast-paced nature of the sport makes every game creative and exciting. And the longer athletes play these games, the more they embody the culture of their sport.   Here’s a classic example: LeBron James’ “The Decision” was an over the top, unnecessary, egocentric Hollywood production that showcased many of the problems the NBA has with their superstars. Meanwhile in the NFL, this past summer, an NFL equivalent to LeBron, Peyton Manning, was released from the Indianapolis Colts and embarked a quest to find another team. Yes, it was broadcasted all over sports media outlets, but not per Peyton’s request. He wanted to make it private so that the teams involved did not damage existing relationships with their quarterbacks. He quietly interviewed with coaches and owners until he found the fit he wanted in Denver.   Yes, these are extreme examples, but they embody the nature of their sports: individual and thrilling versus methodical and predictable. Of course there are exceptions such as the quiet nature of Kevin Durant and the loud voice of Chad Johnson Ochocinco, but for the most part this generalization holds true.   So what does this have to do with social media? Everything. Basketball players are loud and dramatic like their sport has taught them to be, so they share their voice on Twitter and Facebook. They hold contests and promotions to share their brand with fans. The NBA alone has more than 15 million followers on Facebook and Twitter, which is more than the NFL, NHL, and MLB combined. That doesn’t even begin to address the individual players that promote their accomplishments and teams.   Another reason the NBA is so successful is the accessibility of the sport. With only 10 players on the court at once, players stand out in a way that could never happen on the football field where 22 players are on the field, constantly being substituted between plays. In addition NFL players wear pads, helmets, and more pads to protect themselves against the violent nature of the game, driving a wedge further between the connection between players and fans.   The proximity to the action also plays a role in accessibility. The average capacity of NBA arenas is 19,145.3, while for an NFL stadium it's 70,216.2. As a fan at a baskteball game you are only 1 of 19,000, making it much easier to see players and giving the game a much closer feel. This ability to recognize and know basketball players gives the NBA a leg up in the realm of social media. It gives fans the feeling that they know the players on their favorite teams and, therefore, makes them want to continue to interact with them far beyond the confines of the actual game.   The NBA has finally recognized this advantage and has capitalized on it. It's more than just having a fan base on Facebook, it’s engaging them. NBA teams do an excellent job of posting on the Timeline posts such as: "Thanks for coming to tonights game!" Or: "Tough loss, we’ll get ‘em next time!" Facebook has become the second biggest source of traffic to the NBA’s website when two years ago it wasn’t even ranked in the top ten. They run instagram promotions, such as the Phoenix Suns’ “Show us your game face” and the Miami Heat’s “Hot Heat Fan” contest.   The NBA makes the effort and it goes a long way even beyond social media and digital. Did I also mention that we love the league's "BIG" advertising campaign too? They are brilliantly orchestrated.   NBA Playoffs 2012 - Boston Celtics TV Ad NBA Playoffs 2012 - Finals TV Ad NBA Playoffs 2012 - OKC vs MIA TV Ad NBA Finals 2012 - LeBron James vs Kevin Durant This is where amazing happens. A champion will rise. Who comes up with this stuff? It’s incredible. It gives the average sports fan chills just watching it. It makes you want to watch the game and talk about it through social media. These ads engage fans in a way that the NFL and MLB rarely do. The NBA is playing to its strengths, and the NFL should be taking notes. Hopefully the success they have found off the court will translate to the kind of success the NFL has found on the field. Thanks to Kelley McGrath for helping!

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The most clicked stories from this week's #Sports e-newsletter includes a Mashable's 10 "must-follow" Twitter accounts for sports fans, Nike's Fuelband, Puma sends sailing fans to race who use Instagram and Tumblr, StatSmack provides breakthrough in sports social media, and key metrics on Facebook Pages. For these stories and more, read below and subscribe to #Sports. #Sports is a daily e-newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on the latest stories in sports and social media. Click the subscribe button to the right to start receiving. (more...)

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Although NFL players might not have the same Klout as Justin Bieber (he's only 100 out of 100), they are pretty influencial. The end of the lockout brought happiness to households all around America and proof that Sunday might not really be the day of rest. No one questions that the NFL dominates Sunday and most of Monday night, but just how much do NFL players influence us online on a daily basis? Well… Klout has recently released a blog post highlighting the top 10 Klout scores in the NFL.  

1. Chad Ochocinco • @OGOchoCinco • Facebook

  What can be said about Ochocinco that hasn’t already been said? He is the NFL’s Social Media king. He even created @Priusgangordie to promote the Toyota Prius. The only question that remains is will Ochocinco still be Ochocinco in “Heaven?” Heaven of course being the name that Chad has given to his new home in New England? Will Billicheck keep 85 on a tight leash monitoring his constant communication with fans and propensity for saying whatever he feels like saying.  Word on the street is that Chad is still looking for a Roomate in Boston, so maybe some lucky Bostian will learn his social media secrets.

  2. Reggie Bush • @Reggie_Bush • Facebook   Activ8Social has helped shape Reggie's social media strategy more than two years so we are particularly proud of this Klout rating. Back in September 2010 when the Saints played in the NFL season opening game against the Vikings, A8S was there with @redbull athlete Reggie Bush to give back to fans in the streets of New Orleans. We can't say for sure but we think the #RedZones scavenger hunt helped Reggie's Klout! When he was wearing #5 at USC, we all knew we were watching an athletically gifted football player. While Reggie never grabbed the started running back role, he did play a critical role in the New Orleans Saints road to Super Bowl victory, including his SI magazine cover moment on the field (ironically against the Miami Dolphins). With Reggie moving his talents to South Beach, it's only a matter of time before @KingJames and @DWade chat it up with Miami's newest sports personality. Between his enigmatic play on the football field coupled with his @KimKardashian aided celebrity status, who wouldn’t want to read this guy's tweets?  

  3. Mike Vick • @MikeVick • Facebook

Regardless of your personal feelings or convictions about Vick, there is no denying that the man is an exciting football player. Playing in the city of brotherly love is exactly what the doctor ordered for QB #7 ... winning sports games in Philly is to win the hearts of the people. There's no arguing that point. Whether it's to criticize or to admire, Americans are hanging on to this man's every move given the enormous amount of controversy surrounding his return to the NFL after two years in prison. Now with Philly looking at a Super Bowl or bust this year, Mike Vick is positioned to become the epicenter of attention among NFL players online thus lending himself to a case study of brand image rebuilding 101, good or bad depending on the outcome.  

 

4. Tim Tebow • @TimTebow • Facebook

  Who says you need to start at quarterback for your NFL team in order have one of the top selling jerseys in the league or even have influence on line for that matter? At the age of 24, Mr. Tebow, affectionately known as "Football Jesus" to many, already has a biography to his name and yet he has only scored a handful of touchdowns. From the University of Florida to the Mile High City, everyone in Denver and the sunshine state is ready to get behind the Facebook and Twitter accounts of one of the most beloved college football players in recent memory. Whether Tim is Twitter battling with ESPN analysts named Merril Hoge or running the Wildcat, fans are following his every move. Soooo, at this point, we’re just wondering if Kyle Orton follows Tim on Twitter and if he’s worried that the more people Tebow influences the more people will want to see number 15 star.  

 

5. Braylon Edwards • @OfficialBraylon 

 

Former University of MIchigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards is no stranger to controversy. He's certainly no Chad Ochocinco or Terrell Owens, but catching footballs in the NFL apparently doesn't something bad to the prefrontal cortex because Edwards doesn't seem have the appropriate social filters at times. Earlier in the month, the Pro Bowler tweeted before and after a bar fight that he has adamantly denied involvement or any wrongdoing. Nonetheless, Braylon Edwards boasts over 100k followers backed by fans from one of the largest public universities in the United States. When it all comes together, people listen and respond to the free agent soon to be 49ers wide receiver, whether good or bad.

 

  For the rest of Klout's Top 10 most influential NFL athletes using social media, go ahead and take a look at the graphic below:  

  Who's your favorite athlete to follow on Twitter and Facebook and why do you follow them?

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