As scheduled, Apple debuted its highly anticipated tablet device on Wednesday — for many, representing the dawn of a new age in media consumption.
Christened the “iPad,” the device is expected to be available in March for a (surprisingly low) minimum price of $499 (Wi-Fi enabled, with a 3G version to follow a month later). With it, users can browse the Web, read and send email, view photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, and read e-books.
“iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices,” said Apple head Steve Jobs, who unveiled the product at a private event at the Yerba Buena Centerfor the Arts in San Francisco.
The iPad will come in two versions: one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G.
An amazing aspect of social media, for brands, is the ability to listen to your fans and customers. They will tell you when you do something great, but more importantly, they will tell you when you fail. The real-time web has given brands an opportunity like never before, the chance to listen and respond to actual people making legitimate claims about your product or service. The information is there, it’s the brand’s job to pay attention.
If you don’t already know, I work for VaynerMedia, doing online and social media consulting for brands, with a focus in the sports industry. Two of my clients include the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association, and the New York Jets, of the National Football League. I find it important to check out the competition. Sometimes, it’s from a competitor’s weaknesses or mistakes, that you find the keys to success. Yesterday, while I was running through the social media outlets of teams in both the NBA and the NFL, trying to find things they were doing right and wrong, I found this:
This week Matt Crevin from Voice of the Box interviews veteran radio correspondent Ryan Leong. Ryan discusses his role, how he got his start and pearls of wisdom on how to break into a career in the sports radio business.
Football fans everywhere enjoy a special camaraderie; we join forces in unwavering support and devotion for our team, despite geographic location or economic status, we’re all on an even playing field (no pun intended) when it comes to rooting for our favorite team.
There are three important fan traits that explain the frenzy of fan dynamics:
1.Fans tend to immortalize coaches and players. I’ve witnessed football fans standing for hours at training camps and hotels, nervously clutching hats, jerseys, posters, and footballs, anticipating players and coaches to amble by, in hopes of grabbing an autograph or even just a close-up look. Sometimes though, it seems as if we believe coaches and players are Demigods – half human and half god. We hold them up on an unachievable pedestal mounted with unrealistic expectations.
I’ve decided to take a detour from writing about current issues and events surrounding sports public relations to provide some simple tips to young people entering the business.
I recently read a query from a college-age man who is set to graduate this spring. He asked for advice from the panel about how to get a job in sports the sports industry. I asked myself, “What took you so long to ask?”
My post today is an effort to help people who are preparing for this stage of education not have to ask that question. You’re read it right – as a second-semester senior in college, you will hopefully not have to ask how to break into your field of choice because you’ll have already done your research, laid a foundation for your own brand and even completed an internship or two. In essence, you must create your own public relations campaign and pitch yourself.
Super Bowl advertisements have long been one of the best ways to get your brand exposure and eyeballs. Take Go Daddy for example. The company, known for its racy advertising, began airing 30-second commercial spots during the Super Bowl in 2005. Since then, Go Daddy has become the largest certified domain registrar in the world, with more than 36 million domains under its management.
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched television events on a yearly basis, with somewhere between 40 – 43% of households watching (98 million viewers in 2009). Two days ago, Nielsen released survey results that stated just over half of the audience that tunes into the Super Bowl enjoys the commercials more than the actual game. “This survey reinforces the value of the Super Bowl as a marketing bonanza, featuring one of the most receptive TV audiences in the world,” said Randall Beard, executive vice president of Nielsen IAG. “With so many viewers waiting for the pitch, the pressure is on advertisers to create and place ads that will have a lasting impact.”
Leverage, Top Rank partner for boxing upfront presentation
By Jon Show
The Leverage Agency and Top Rank will partner this Saturday on what they are calling the first advertising and sponsorship upfront in the history of boxing.
Other boxing promoters and networks like ESPN aggregate the rights to multiple fights as part of advertising and sponsorship sales, but industry insiders believe this is the first time a promoter has partnered with an agency and television networks to package rights for a formal upfront-style boxing presentation.
Under a multiyear relationship, Top Rank and the Leverage Agency are pooling sponsorship and advertising rights to 48 fights in 2010, including 12 pay-per-view events and 36 events on FSN or Fox Sports en Español. The 12 PPV events will feature three “super fights,” including Manny Pacquiao’s bout at Cowboys Stadium against Joshua Clottey on March 13.
Matt Crevin from Voice of the Box interviews One of Westwood One’s top radio producers Mike Eaby. Mike details what exactly happens in the radio booth during an NFL broadcast. Mike is one of the best in the business and describes his behind the scenes role and how he got his start.
It is unlikely for the Marlins to make news in January. Usually they handle their in-house business around this time of year. Trying to keep guys like Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson are priority number one for this so called small market team. However, this past week, the players union and the Florida Marlins have reached an agreement for this cellar dweller franchise to up their payroll. I guess the one big question can now be asked; did baseball just wake a sleeping giant?
For as far back as we can remember, the Marlins are a draft and trade team built on their pitching and a few scattered all stars in the lineup. Just look at their championship teams. The 1997 team had up and coming stars like Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria, Moises Alou and a few others, but they won because of their pitching. With the likes of Kevin Brown, Al Leiter, and Livan Hernandez anchoring their rotation they were obviously good enough to go all the way. The same argument can be made for their 2003 campaign. This team supposedly won by accident. Or did they? Once again they did it with budding stars on the field like Juan Pierre, Derek Lee, Mike Lowell, and Luis Castillo who was there for both titles. Yes they had the leadership of Ivan Rodriguez, but that wasn’t why they won. They won again with a rotation that when healthy went five deep. Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett, Brad Penny, mid-season call up and phenom Dontrelle Willis, and yes Carl Pavano, were the biggest reasons why the 2003 Marlins won the World Series.
Last night I hosted the first ever Sports Networker event in London along with my good friends over at iStadia. It was a big success with nearly 200 top sports professionals in the area who attended (along with two world record holding athletes… see images below).
It was fun for me to throw an event over seas, seeing that I hosted close to 20 events in the U.S. last year. I was amazed when a few people told me it was the best networking event they had ever been to (they must not go to many networking events in London
The venue was extremely nice, but too small, and nearly impossible to find since there was no sign on the door and it was down a dark alley. There was a major traffic jam in the doorway as people were trying to find their name tags and head on in. And we were unable to make any announcements, as previously planned, due to the loudness of the venue and no mic to communicate with.
I guess my point is, you don’t have to have everything perfect to create an event where people find massive value in. As long as you bring quality people together, and help them make positive connections, then you have done a good job. I doubt there has been one event produced where everything went as planned.
Make sure you start bringing people together locally, nationally, or globally. We already do this online through our various blogs, and social networking sites, but let’s get more personal, intimate, and build stronger relationships by connecting face to face. What do you say? Watch my video below where I share more on this topic, and I would love to hear your thoughts about throwing events in the comments section.
Here are some images from the London Sports Networker Event. Thanks again to Eight Club, and David Fuller for giving us the venue. And thanks to our sponsor Tim Gentles from Brands in Football and Football Fans Census for helping make it an even greater event! Here are some pictures from London.
Jobs Unveils ‘iPad,’ Fate of Universe Still In Doubt
An amazing aspect of social media, for brands, is the ability to listen to your fans and customers. They will tell you when you do something great, but more importantly, they will tell you when you fail. The real-time web has given brands an opportunity like never before, the chance to listen and respond to actual people making legitimate claims about your product or service. The information is there, it’s the brand’s job to pay attention.
(This is a guest article by 
I’ve decided to take a detour from writing about current issues and events surrounding sports 
Super Bowl advertisements have long been one of the best ways to get your brand exposure and eyeballs. Take Go Daddy for example. The company, known for its racy advertising, began airing 30-second commercial spots during the Super Bowl in 2005. Since then, Go Daddy has become the largest certified domain registrar in the world, with more than 36 million domains under its management.
Leverage, Top Rank partner for boxing upfront presentation
