We've devoted much of the last couple of decades to convincing you to log on, click here, call now, surf, search, pay bills in your underwear, trade from the beach, add "friends" to your digital network and, as AT&T once famously promised in their "You Will" campaign, tuck your children in from your mobile device.
Then one day we made a mistake -- we looked up. We took our eyes off the screen long enough to see. We noticed we had kids and wives. We took in the way leaves open their faces to the sun. We reacquainted ourselves with the sounds birds make. And we realized these things could no longer compete. Click to continue reading
In my late November Blog I reported on the Thanksgiving “Offlining” Challenge—now here’s another good reminder to just say “NO” to technology, at least every now and then! As a Valentine’s Day gift to the public, the folks at Offlining have suggested that people take the opportunity to Pledge to have Device-Free Dates—as many as possible by February 14th–and then why not continue on into the future? After all, who wants to be interrupted or ignored by texting, tweeting, and cell phones that sing as they ring? for more click here.
We’ve all been there: At the dinner table with family, grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend, when, in an instant, your companion’s attention is diverted to their device of choice. ”How many times has it happened to you,” asks Eric Yaverbaum, “when you’re in a conversation with someone and suddenly you want to ask, ‘How many of us are there here? Me, you, and who else?”’ Yaverbaum and his business partner, Mark DiMassimo, are the founders of Offlining, a site devoted to getting people to unplug at least once in a while in favor of interacting with the world right in front of them. The duo uses clever ad campaigns and online pledges to encourage people to put devices and screens aside. One of their campaigns offers this advice.
Last week my friend “Julie” and I finally went out to dinner. I had not seen her for a couple of months and we were particularly excited to have a chance to spend some quality time together. No sooner did we sit down at our table than out came her Blackberry. I felt a twinge in my chest, but held my tongue. A few minutes later, I was sharing some exciting news with her and heard that irritating text sound go off. She immediately reached out to check the message and began to respond. I suddenly felt invisible; it was as if I didn’t exist. When she finished, I asked her if there was an emergency or something critical that she needed to attend to. She said yes but gave me no further details. A few minutes later her text went off and she responded again. At that point I requested that — unless there was a life or death issue, I’d appreciate it if she turned her phone off. I could see how hard it was for her to let it go. It was clear to me that there was no emergency, and that my otherwise very sensitive and caring friend was at the mercy of this little gadget… More.
In today’s day and age, it is hard to imagine going a day without checking our emails, phones and other tech gadgets. And, in the honor of Valentine’s Day and Love, the folks at Offlining are asking that people succumb to the seductive suggestion to take the Pledge to have 10 Device-Free dates by February 14, 2011! This can be done at the Offlining website. Here you can also send e-cards and gifts as part of this campaign.
Do you interrupt dates to look at your iPhone? Have you sent a text during a romantic conversation?The people behind Offlining.com are using the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday as an excuse to disconnect. They ask people to take the Pledge to have 10 Device-Free dates by February 14, 2012! This can be done at the Offlining website – www.Offlining.com – where four Valentine’s Day ads/E-cards can also be viewed and e-mailed to others, to remind them to consider using the ‘Off Button’ on Valentine’s Day. Plus – red, heart-shaped Valentine’s Day chocolate boxes and hand cut to cradle a cell phone or Blackberry are available for sale at the website read more here.
On Wabi-Sabi Wednesdays, I feature excerpts from my upcoming book, Simply Imperfect: Revisiting the Wabi-Sabi House,which will be released in April. I chose today’s excerpt after reading this morning about Offlining’s new Valentine’s Day campaign, which urges people to commit to 10 device-free days (yes, that means no Blackberry) by February 14, 2012. Think you could do it?
In the early 1800s, led by a fictional leader known as King Ludd, angry craftsmen attacked English factories and smashed the mechanical looms that they believed were usurping and destroying their way of life. The Luddites, as they became known, were unsuccessful in halting the Industrial Revolution’s sweeping changes, and the movement eventually died out. Luddism emerged again in the 1970s, as computers and technology began to significantly change the way people work. To read more…
The gift of intimate time with your loved one (minus the Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, laptop etc.) may be the best gift you can give this Valentine’s Day. The team at Offlining.com suggests that you take a pledge to have several offline dates by Valentine’s Day and is offering a box of chocolates ($24.99, Offlining.com) hand-cut to cradle your Offlined phone or mobile device. Unplug and reconnect with your loved one to have one of the most memorable Valentine’s Days in years. To read the rest of the srticle click here.
PR is reaching a golden age, triggered by the growth of social media and new, more relevant metrics. PR is dead, a bridesmaid in the hot pursuit of larger budgets and sexy social programs. The predictions are all over the map, but, as usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Here’s our list for the top trends that will have an impact on how we do our jobs in the coming year.
1. Curation, not just content, is king. For social media platforms to maintain their hypergrowth, they must make it easier for us to organize, filter, and customize the content coming our way. And, as creators and aggregators, we’ll fill that role for the content we distribute to client and corporate audiences.
2. Digital storytelling is a big story. As mainstream media opportunities shrink, communicators are increasingly the producers and packagers of our own content. Use of images, video, and particularly infographics, to impart news and track trends, will be differentiators. Check out Bob Pickard’s blog for excellent insights on digital storytelling, and the more scientific approach he forecasts for public relations. For more click here.
THE MORNING CALL
November 24, 2010|By Kathy Lauer-Williams
According to a recent poll of over 900 teenagers, 64 percent say they’ve texted at the dinner table. Experts have said that families who eat dinner together have better communication and stronger connections – but not if no one’s talking to each other.
Now a pair of New York ad executives are asking families to “give thanks not thx” on Turkey Day and just turn off the cell phones.
Mark DiMassimo and Eric Yaverbaum even will send free turkeys to select people who sign the pledge to go offline on Thanksgiving at Offlining a website they created to encourage people to take a break from electronics and reconnect with the family. For more click here.
