Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:33 — 29.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Email | RSS | More

Jeff Herrington and FIR host Shel Holtz discuss whether content marketers can encourage people to read rather than skim. Cyrus Mavalwala joins Shel to talk about whether Facebook can encourage people to view Watch videos together. Also in this week’s episode:

• Was Nike’s controversial new “Just Do It” campaign an example of corporate activism or just a cynical ploy to boost sales?
• The four biggest multinational tobacco companies are paying influencers to convince young people outside North America to take up smoking.
• Pizza Hut and 7-Eleven have launched new Augmented Reality games.
• KFC is using a Virtual Reality game to train employees.
• A $1 billion real estate company does all its face-to-face via VR.
• Pew reports not many people understand how the newsfeed works and those who do are more likely to abandon the platform.
• After 7 years, Sweden takes back control of its amazing Twitter account.
• Dan York reports on developments at Mozilla and live audio streaming via Twitter.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog.

About this week’s conversation partners

Jeff Herrington is a dynamic, internationally renowned presenter, instructor, and corporate writer. He is an award-winning communications professional with superior web, news, feature-writing, and social media skills.  Jeff is well-known in corporate circles as a top writing coach and corporate writing workshop facilitator. He is expert in how to express one’s brand through professionally crafted marketing and employee communication programs, akilled in helping corporate communication teams infuse storytelling in all of their communication vehicles. Connect with Jeff at his website.

Living at the intersection of business and communication, Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC, is an award-winning communication strategist, trainer and speaker who has been helping organizations achieve their business objectives for 20 years. After leading teams at global agencies, Cyrus founded Advantis Communications, a B2B PR and content marketing agency that delivers measureable value by integrating traditional, video and social strategies. He also co-founded Act Like An Agency to train communicators on how to evolve from tacticians to strategists within their organization. At the University of Toronto School for Continuing Studies, Cyrus develops curriculum and teaches social media strategy and communications management.

Links from this episode:

• • CEO Activism in 2018
  • Assessing the Fallout — Good and Bad — from Nike’s Kaepernick Ad
  • Shoe Burners Flameout: Nike’s Kaepernick Ad led to Sales Uptick
  • A Lesson in Listening: What can be learned from the NFL’s response to Colin Kaepernick and #TakeAKnee
  • Colin Kaepernick, Nike, and the Myth of Good and Bad Companies
  • Nike sees 1,400% surge in social buzz after Kaepernick ad
  • Nike Unveils Lengthy Kaepernick Spot
  • Kaepernick Campaign Created $43 Million in Buzz for Nike
  • Nike ad wedges Colin Kaepernick back into the NFL, but money muddles the message
  • Big Brands And Political Activism: What Do Marketers Think?
  • Ford: We respect the right of NFL players to protest
  • Levi Strauss CEO: Why Business Leaders Need to Take a Stand on Gun Violence
  • Big Tobacco Accused of Using Social Media ‘Influencers’ to Target Youth
  • Skim reading is the new normal. The effect on society is profound
  • Facebook “Watch Party” lets Groups view videos simultaneously
  • Facebook says social video watching will set it apart from Netflix and YouTube
  • Is Facebook Watch a Serious Streaming Platform? These 6 Shows Say Yes
  • RealNetworks’ Scener lets fans leave Twitch-like comments on Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu shows
  • Pizza Hut Teams Up with NFL for Scannable Pizza Boxes & Augmented Reality Beanbag Game

• 7-Eleven Puts Augmented Reality in the Game to Attract Football Fans
• KFC Fries The Chicken VR Style – Finger-Lickin’ Good
• Inside a $1 Billion Real Estate Company Operating Entirely in VR
• IDC expects rebound after VR shipments fell an ‘artificial’ 33.7% in Q2 2018
• The people who get how Facebook works are also the most likely to leave it
• Half of Facebook users say they don’t understand how news feed works
• So Long @sweden — Here Are Some Highs And Lows From The Country’s Shared Twitter Account

Links from Dan York’s Report

• Firefox To Block Third-Party Trackers That Harvest Your Data and Slow Down Your Internet
• Firefox Public Data Report
• Twitter Rolls Out Audio-Only Live-Streams on Twitter and Periscope

About Shel Holtz

Shel Holtz, ABC (Accredited Business Communicator), is director of Internal Communications at Webcor, a commercial general contractor headquartered in San Francisco. Before joining Webcor, Shel spent 21 years as principal of Holtz Communication + Technology. In addition to integrating technology into communications strategies, his expertise includes strategic communications planning, change management, organizational culture, business initiatives and communications research. Full bio