English — Martin Hofmann

Three Questions for Lee de Lang

November 29, 2010 By Martin 1 Comment

Mike (left), Lee (right) Having recently switched from the private sector to the public sector, I am interested in perspectives on how governments can use social media to improve information sharing and dialogue with citizens. I asked Lee de Lang, partner at video production company Flashframe Digital Media, three related questions.

1) Have you seen an example of social media integration in the public sector that you really liked?

Lee: My partner Mike and I have been impressed with a couple of programs we’ve been exposed to through our client work. One recent project that really stands out is the City of Ottawa’s launch of their green bin program in 2009. The campaign was designed by High Road Communications, who subcontracted us to shoot and edit a series of YouTube videos to help educate Ottawa residents about what should (and should not) go into their new green bins. To this day, the City continues to stay connected with Ottawa residents via their website as well as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. I remember being very impressed with that campaign, and it was so much fun to play a small part in it (especially because we got to rock out with Ottawa-based band Loudlove and play music-video directors for a day).

As far as my personal experience with public institutions, I can’t say that I’ve seen any really compelling social media programs here in Toronto; however, during the recent municipal election I did rely mostly on Twitter for my election news and I followed the tweets of several candidates; I have to say, I felt more engaged and interested in a local election than ever before.

2) What is the “one thing” you think government could do better using social media, digital communications or web technology?

Lee: Oh that’s easy: more online video! Kidding.

No actually, I think that in recent years governments at all levels have made pretty good strides towards offering more information and services online. Moving forward, if governments want to build relationships and trust with their constituents, they should focus more on engaging and dialoguing with people via two-way communication channels like blogs, live chats, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

And at the risk of blatantly plugging our product, I of course believe that when it comes to telling your story online in an engaging and entertaining way, video has to be part of the mix. Create a YouTube channel, embed video on your website, send video links by email. Video is more accessible and cost-effective than ever so it’s a whole new world of possibilities.

Also, I see an increasing demand among consumers for ways to connect and do business via mobile phones, and there is no reason why this shouldn’t apply to the public sector. The day that I can pay my parking ticket by scanning the barcode with my iPhone will be the day that I pay that ticket on time – and I actually think I won’t mind it that much, ‘cause that would be just so cool.

3) How has social media helped you in your professional life and do you have any tips or tricks to share?

Lee: As producers of online video content, social media surrounds everything we do at Flashframe Digital Media; our work lives on YouTube, websites and blogs, and travels via Facebook and Twitter. For our clients, we know that social media is beneficial in to helping them monitor and measure consumer preferences and behaviour, and for building lasting relationships between consumers and brands.

As for tips or tricks: I try to do most of my online socializing through my mobile phone. Engaging online can become a huge time-suck if you’re not careful but with my iPhone apps like (Facebook and TweetDeck for iPhone) I can carve out time to read tweets or check out a friend’s Facebook page during slower moments, like when I’m standing in line for a latte or waiting for video footage to render. It’s not just about multitasking; I also find it also helps me limit my social-media screen time.

Lee de Lang is a partner at Flashframe Digital Media, a Toronto-based video production company specializing in viral and internet video for social media campaigns. Flashframe was recently named to the PROFIT HOT 50 list for 2010. Lee can be contacted at www.flashframedigital.com.

[Disclosure: I've worked with Lee on video projects during my time at High Road but not on the example he mentions.]

Filed Under: Communications, English, Ongoing, Public Sector

Tips for better presentations

November 25, 2010 By Martin Leave a Comment

This is a great presentation about creating great presentations by Toronto-based digital strategy consultant Jesse Desjardins.

YOU SUCK AT POWERPOINT!

View more presentations from @JESSEDEE.

Found via blogTo

Filed Under: English, Ongoing

A blog for my old and new photo galleries

October 23, 2010 By Martin Leave a Comment

I’ve been putting up photos for friends and family for the past decade, and created a number of differently designed pages for them over the years. A while ago I started to work on bringing the photos together in a new photoblog. I had first considered adding the old photo galleries to martinhofmann.net here.

But then I decided to organize all the old photos in a new, separate WordPress blog with a gallery plug-in and a nice overview homepage. I will continue to use if for new photo galleries but keep the actual blogging here. The photoblog is still a bit of a work in progress but it’s getting there. I like the layout from the StudioPress template that gives it all a consistent look & feel.

It was fun to go through all the old HTML-pages with my different amateur design approaches. As much as I posted the photos for Lori, my friends and family to see, half the fun was definitely in fiddling around with HTML.

Click on the image of the screenshot with the new design or here to go to the new photoblog.

Filed Under: English, Ongoing, Personal, Photos

Now is the time

October 15, 2010 By Martin 6 Comments

After 15 years of working in the agency world, I am joining the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in a communications role.

Leaving High Road is tough. It’s a special place. I have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot of colleagues, clients and partners to thank. My seven and a half years at High Road were full of change and growth. The agency tripled in size, expanded from three to five offices, and won big Canadian brands and interesting U.S. clients. During that same time, digital technologies and social platforms have added new ways for people to communicate, connect and search for information. High Road has trained, hired and acquired to stay ahead of these developments and make sure the right skill sets are in place to help clients benefit from them.

What has stayed consistent throughout all the change is a corporate culture that combines leadership with team work, risk-taking with sound advice, and entrepreneurship with fun. I am lucky to have benefited from it; I learned a lot from High Roaders. Another thing that won’t change: the fact that High Road is an agency. This is why I have decided to make a move. I started my career in the public sector (on a different continent), and always considered it something worth revisiting. Well, now is the time.

I love that governments are increasingly going digital to communicate or seek input. For example, Canada recently let people and organizations submit and vote on ideas for its Digital Economy Strategy; Germany’s chancellor and some ministers are answering citizen’s questions using “many-to-one communications” platform DirektZu.de; the U.S. Department of State in 2007 launched its DipNote blog and added other social media services over time. A lot is already happening across the world, and we need more of that. I want to contribute to it here in Ontario. But it’s not simply about choosing new ways over old. It’s about looking at all aspects of communication, and choosing the smartest ways to inform and interact. Digital, social and mobile ideas can play a big role here.

Yet, my best personal experience with government communications is still a handshake. When I arrived in Canada ten years ago, I was greeted at immigration with an extended hand and the words “welcome to Canada; glad to have you here.” Whether it was based on a customs officer’s individual effort or official guidance, I don’t know. What matters to me is that the welcome handshake made me both feel excited about my future in a new country and think about my responsibilities as a new resident.

It was a simple, powerful act of government communication. As a public relations professional, I always thought it is an example of something to aspire to. Granted, interaction between government and citizens is usually more complex and less heart-warming. But I’ll carry the spirit of the handshake and the passion for new ideas with me when I start my next job on Monday at the Government of Ontario. I can’t wait to meet my new team and get going.

If you have suggestions or examples of great government communications, I’d love to hear from you.

Filed Under: English, High Road, Ongoing, Personal

The Word on the Street festival

September 26, 2010 By Martin 2 Comments

Enjoyed spending a couple hours away from my desk at the Word on the Street festival at Queen’s Park in Toronto. Great to see that literature is still such a draw, and how many different independent magazines and publishers are out there.

Sony and Kobo used the occasion to show off their e-readers. Smart move. In a couple years people might all be bringing their Kobos, Kindles and iPads to the festival, and download the latest books directly in the publishers’ tents. And people will line up for authors to do e-signings of their e-books after the readings? Maybe not.

Strange: I switched from newspapers to online news without hesitation, and embraced blogs and social media early on. But I am very attached to printed books. I was given a Kobo earlier this year, and I do use it – but almost exclusively for business books. Novels, stories and poems I still like to read on paper. It will be interesting to see if/when/how my reading habits will change over time. I hope both worlds will co-exist for a while. Can’t imagine giving up printed books. Life is much better with book stores like Ben MacNally Books and The Sleuth of Baker Street.

Canadian authors Giles Blunt, Howard Shrier and Linwood Barclay during the “World of Crime” readings and audience discussion.

University Avenue was closed down for the festival.

Filed Under: English, Ongoing

The ROI of putting your pants on

August 31, 2010 By Martin Leave a Comment

“The notion of saying, ‘What’s the ROI of social media?’ is, at its broadest sense the right notion. But it’s the wrong question. You may as well ask what the ROI of putting your pants on every day is. You know there’s a value to it, but it’s hard to measure. It’s about what specific objectives we’re setting out, how we measure against those objectives, and how those all lead to a better reputation for the company, increasing market share, increasing excitement about the brand.”

Scott Monty, head of social media at Ford, in an interview with Marketing Magnified eJournal, August 2010

Filed Under: Articles of Note, English, Ongoing

Social intranet is not just about adding social features

August 24, 2010 By Martin Leave a Comment

Oscar Berg’s article is a recommended read for anyone interested in social intranets. Read it here.

Most people will, if they’ don’t already, come to understand that a social intranet is not just about adding features such as blogs, wikis, activity feeds, social bookmarking and micro-blogging on top of a traditional intranet; it’s about rethinking the purpose of intranets with the intention of bringing the paradigm shift in how we communicate and collaborate that is taking place on the web to the very core of how enterprises are operated and managed.

From The business case for social intranets by Oscar Berg

Found via @thumbtackhead