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In my latest post over at Marketing Magazine, ‘Dear Connex, We hate you.’ I got a response from fellow blogger, Stan Lee (Brand DNA)

He suggested that my Open Letter to Connex was too much and to stop with the whining about the collective power of online.

One remark that he said got me thinking.

“Do you think we would remember Tiananmen Square if that lone student had decided to start a Facebook group rather than stand in front of a tank?”

When I thought about it more, it made sense to me that a Facebook group would have been the communication tool used to call students to action if the protest took form today.

In terms of Tianemen Square massacre it was not just the actions of the one lone student that was protesting but it was the 100,000 students who marched on May 4th for free media reform. These students found out about the protest through student newspapers, university posters and friends.

Today Facebook has taken the role of dispersing information through masses of students. This is evident through the recent response to the 2AM lockout proposed by the Victorian Government. In response to the new ban, two students set up a Facebook group protesting the new ban. They then created a Facebook event that suggested that at 5pm on Friday May 31st, 7,836 people will attend a protest at the steps of Parliament.

Therefore I am willing to put my reputation on it that this will occur!

Therefore if there are not at least 7,836 people at the riot, the title of my next blog for Marketing Magazine will be ‘GUILTY of whining about the collective power of online’

However, I do believe in the collective power of online and I don’t think I am whining about the subject for the simple fact that A) People don’t know about social media and what better way to educate them give them real life example of the power of the medium (Connex) or B) they underestimate the power of this channel.

I cannot think of the last time 7,000+ Gen Yers stood for anything collectively against the Government. Therefore if this actually occurs it will prove to me that Facebook is the tool that is being used to motivate Gen Yers to action and we still do care!

I was listening to the Gen Y Marketing Podcast the other day and they were talking about the tipping point of Twitter. Suggesting it will be when a famous person starts twittering.

It appears another online site just got their tipping point thanks to a celebrity. The site I Beat You just got there tipping point in the form of Jessica Alba recording a video stare challenge. With over 3 million hits on the video in 5 days. The site has kicked a major goal in getting traffic to the site even if it is 14 year old Jessica Alba loving boys.

It actually had some other interesting content on the site too. With the Best Motivational Poster competition, I love these posters!

Is there any better way to inform a disinterested Generation Y than to inform through a cult classic movie? The Barack Obama camp have recontextualised the Rambo movie to tell the story of the last 12 months of fighting between Hilary and Barack.



Another great story telling campaign, is the History of AFL campaign that is running. A great ad and a real coup getting Bill Hunter involved.

Video Music Clips are;
1. Good guides to predict future trends in Fashion, Technology and the Arts
2. Perfect grounds for companies to promote their products.

It seems these days gangsters rule MTV. This is no problem for me as I have a high tolerance for watching smoking hot woman dancing on camera. However recently something struck me as a little odd.

What the hell were all my Gangster hombres (Bow Wow, R Kelly, T Pain, Kanye West, Omarion) doing wearing sunglasses at night?

Clubbing with sunglasses was for a long time part of rave culture and to onlookers it helped communicate 'I am on some serious drugs and I will save you the pain of looking at my dilated pupils.'

However it does not seem like there is a drug or rave connotation with this new hip hop trend. Without this stigma it seems that Oakley have jumped on this meme, sponsoring famous rapper T-Pain. His clip (above) looks more like an ad for Oakley than a music video clip.

Poor Ravers, what is next 50 Cent glow stickin and Melbourne Shuffling his way around a LA nightclub?

Below is a collection of the more hilarious sunglasses choices from recent music video clips.

R Kelly - I'm a Flirt (0:07: R Kelly Diamond Sunglasses)


Souljah Boy - Crank Dat (0:17 Souljah Boy got his name in crystals on his glasses)


Omarion and Bow Wow - Girlfriend (1:20 driving at night with sunglasses)


Kanye West - Stronger (0:42 Kanye windowshade glasses)