Pierpont Communications, Inc.

Well, Fabio threw down the gauntlet and challenged the Old Old Spice guy to try and become the New Old Spice guy. But he lost and you can see the hilarity here. Watch all the videos. It’s worth it.

Personally, I’d have like to have seen an outcry of support for Tommy Lee Jones to try for out for the Old Spice Guy if he doesn’t run for political office. Oh well.

And now on with the Digital Influence Weekly…



I was talking with a colleague of mine the other day regarding what’s next for Google + and other networks. I brought up a concern that many communicators (not all) are leaving Twitter or Facebook for Google +. I’m a worrier and so I worry that this leaves a gap of responsible communicators and social media enthusiasts on those existing popular networks.

What this possibly means is that NOW is the time to step up your Facebook and Twitter activity to get some new exposure. You may be more likely to show up more frequently or more prominently in news feeds now that others have left those networks or are spending less time on them.

Every experience will be different as no two social media campaigns or circles are alike. One person may see more activity from their followers, while another may see no change.

Let us know how this works out for you over the next month.

Have a great week! Remember to always have a Designated Devise User when driving.

Admittedly, I’m a bit of a space junkie. Most people of my age range are fond of the exploration of the “last frontier”. I vividly remember watching the first moon landing as a girl. I was about my son’s age and that moment is eternally embedded in my brain.

Over the years, space policy has fascinated me. Until a couple of years ago, I taught a course at UH entitled “Science and Technology Public Policy”. NASA and the public policy of taking risks was one of the main tenets of the course. This allowed me to legitimize my fascination and share my love for the space program with students for many years. Unfortunately, much like the space program, the class became a victim of budget cuts.

NASA and space exploration are truly one of the best examinations of how government must sometimes take risks in order to advance research and improve lives.

As vividly as I remember the moon landing, I also remember a couple of shuttle explosions. These events terrified the public and would always put the space program at risk. Truth be known, no astronaut would want their death to cause America to end space exploration. We would plough through Congressional hearings and public outrage and then get the program back on track.

Space funding and research have contributed so much to our society that we don’t even value. From cordless tools to freeze-dried foods to advances in medicine, the actions of our space program have made all lives better. Click here to read more about NASA’s contributions.

This week has actually been tough on me. It’s not that I’m married to the shuttle program, per se. In fact, I thought it had outlived its purpose. It is that there is nothing on the horizon. When will we go back into space? How will scientific advances continue? Will we fall behind other countries? We have absolutely dominated space research and advances. Without some change, we will default our leadership to other parts of the world.

Not to worry though, there are only a few thousand rocket scientists out of work. I hope they are up for adventure because I’m sure they will be learning about global opportunities soon enough.

Alas, dear shuttle, you have brought great joy to our lives and gut-wrenching sadness. Most of all, you have contributed to a functioning space station and helped advance science beyond our imaginations. Thank you.

And thank you to all the dedicated NASA employees. May you find a way to continue to apply your brilliance.

This entry was originally posted at Nancy Sims' blog, Ponderings.

I just returned from a trip to Colorado and found myself using Foursquare, Google Maps and Yelp way more than I do when I’m home. Personally, I found it to be a great way to find interesting things to do and to catalogue my trip. What online tools do you use while traveling? When you visit theme parks or museums, do you download their special apps to get more out of the vacation experience?

And now on to the Digital Influence Weekly…



The other day I participated in a panel discussing social media policies to IT auditors, IT managers and lawyers. I know what you’re thinking - this was a party not to be missed. It actually was one of the most enjoyable panels I had been on. Here, no one assumed IT was the enemy, shutting down access to everything online for fear of what internal legal departments would do (this is unfamiliar to us as our IT guy, Eddie, rocks). People wanted an open discussion about why employees go online at work, what they want to talk about regarding their work experience and how social media is to be used by departments such as HR, communications and management.

Here are some brief points we discussed and something for you to think about if you haven’t created a social media policy (SMP):

- Divulging company secrets accidentally has been going on long since before social networking. If you don’t trust your employees even after creating an SMP, you need to have a talk with them.
- If you monitor what employees do on their computer, you will get much more favorable results if you let them know you’re doing it.
- Bring your IT department into conversations involving social media. Their input is valuable and may alert you to options you didn’t realize you had.
- Educate the management on social media by bringing them into the social media world. Then be frank with them and tell them why it may not be appropriate to expect staff to connect with them. (You don’t have to be frank with them, you could also be steve with them. #HardeeHarHar.)
- Have a talk with your employees explaining the details of why certain sites are restricted. Be open to lifting restrictions on certain sites they may need for their job function.
- It’s understandable that employees may wish or need to work out of the office. Review best practices for taking work home and managing files off of work servers. Remind them of the safety procedures to make sure their personal computers or accounts do not get hacked.

Have a great weekend and stay safe out there. Remember, if you plan on driving with your mobile device, always have a DDU - a Designated Device User.

My mom once told me, “Sarah, you’re kind of like a shark, which dies if it’s not swimming. In your case, if you’re not active, you go crazy.”

Lucky for me, Austin has plenty of amazing organizations and events to keep me busy. While I am involved in several organizations, one of my favorites is the Young Women’s Alliance (YWA).

What’s so great about YWA? Read on to learn more…

About the organization – If I were to give you a formal introduction, I would say YWA’s mission empowers its members to develop personally and professionally through educational programs and opportunities to lead, network and serve.

However, we’re all friends here, right? So let me give you my informal introduction. YWA brings together everything a young professional woman needs to achieve her full potential. It provides the perfect blend of networking, education, leadership and community service opportunities. This diverse range of activities allows members a truly well-rounded experience so they can get involved in what specifically interests them.

Why I love it –I love everything that it offers to me personally, but what makes me truly enamored with YWA is its commitment to cultivating tomorrow’s female leaders. Through its non-profit arm, the Young Women’s Alliance Foundation (YWAF), YWA supports local non-profits dedicated to empowering, educating and enriching the lives of girls in our community through service, mentorship and grants. In fact, one of YWA’s largest annual fundraising events, Fashion Evolution, is just around the corner – August 12, if you’re interested in having fun and supporting a good cause!

How I’m involved – I live by the idea that the more you put in, the more you get in return. Therefore, when I first joined YWA, it was important to me to take on an active role within the organization. I had the pleasure of serving as the Public Relations Chair of the Marketing Committee where I promoted YWA and the YWAF and learned the inner workings of the organization. This year I am serving on the Board of Directors as the Co-Vice President of Marketing.

How you can get involved – The best way to learn about YWA is by attending a monthly General Meeting, which provides prospective members the opportunity to experience the development and networking opportunities offered by YWA first hand. You can check out the YWA Calendar to see what else we have coming up.

Interested in learning more? Visit http://www.youngwomensalliance.org/ to learn more about the Young Women’s Alliance and why it’s an Organization I Love!

Today is the day Harry Potter-crazed fans (myself included) have waited breathlessly for – the final chapter on our favorite lightning bolt-scarred, bespectacled wizard on the big screen.

Mashable’s Summer Blockbuster Series takes a look at the social media campaigns behind the season’s hottest movie releases, and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” may be the summer’s most anticipated film yet.

To say the Harry Potter franchise has a devoted following would be an understatement. Fans have historically lined up for hours and dressed in their favorite character costumes for each film’s midnight premiere – and the release of the series’ final installment was no different.

The social media buzz leading up to Part 2’s premiere has reached a pinnacle, with more Facebook likes, tweets and YouTube hits than ever before. Here’s a quick look at the stats (at the time of this writing):

• 29,195,639 fans have “liked” the Harry Potter Facebook page
• 349,110 fans follow the @HarryPotterFilm Twitter account
• 8,520,987 fans have viewed the Harry Potter YouTube channel

The Harry Potter franchise significantly ramped up its social media marketing activity for the eighth and final installment, incorporating new interactive features, behind-the-scenes footage, cast interviews and movie trailers on its social media sites. Due in large part to this frequently posted bonus materials, the Harry Potter Facebook page gained nearly 100,000 new fans per day in the week leading up to Part 2’s London premiere in early July, building the buzz for the film’s release both abroad and stateside.

The loyal Harry Potter fan base has also created a slew of wildly popular fan sites (including the The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet), which have helped fuel excitement for the premiere. These sites, combined with the recently announced Pottermore (created Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, coming later this year), are a sure sign that the series’ fan following will continue to surge even after the film’s credits begin to roll.

While the social media campaign’s impact on box office sales is yet to be seen, Part 2 is already on track to gross the series’ highest tickets sales ever and break opening-weekend records set by “The Dark Knight” in 2008. According to the Los Angeles Times, thanks to 10,000 midnight screenings on Friday and nearly sold-out IMAX shows through Saturday, the movie had already garnered an estimated $45 million before the doors had opened for a single showing.

Are you planning to check out “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” this weekend?