These days, we’re coming to expect information instantly when news happens; and our primary source of information has become other people… not the in-depth, thoughtful perspective of traditional media.

Which raises the bigger media studies questions about whether we’re sophisticated enough to filter the good and bad/reliable and unreliable sources of our information. Is our thirst for instant information overriding the ability to get *good* information? Are we allowing ourselves to be more susceptible to being fooled by rumors and misinformation?

There’s still a valuable place for in-depth, thoughtful reporting to give us the perspective that Twitter updates can’t. But, when epic events like Michael Jackson’s death happen… of course we want to know as much as we can right away. Instant, online communication is still pretty new, and I think we’re still figuring out the ideal balance of how we get our information.

I’m sure many thesis papers will go into this with greater depth than I am here.

In one of the sweetest surprises, I made it two years in a row being awarded an IABC London Virtuoso Award. Virtuoso is an annual competition for professional communicators, where projects are judged by a jury of seasoned experts. (the only bigger surprise was finding out that I was hired in 2008 to travel the world on a cruise ship).

I submitted the retrospective strategy behind my “where is Andrew now?” travel/photo blog that I used to keep my friends and family connected to my globe-spanning cruise ship employment adventure in 2008. When I kept the blog, I never imagined entering it for a communications award. And I certainly didn’t imagine being recognized with an Award of Excellence (the highest level of evaluation).

Further to that, I received the highest mark of all the entries in the Communications Skills division and was presented with one of three “Best of the Best” awards.

I’m humbled and, frankly completely surprised… ‘the little blog that could’ I call it. But, I think what I discovered, is that no matter the communication project - big or small, knowing what your audience wants to hear and delivering with content content content is the way to success.

(read the blog if you haven’t… but be warned, it’s REALLY long!)

It’s been a far shorter gig at United Way than I anticipated, and my time there has been a tremendous career boost in my confidence and skills, so it was a hard hard decision to leave. But this opportunity at St. Joseph’s is something I’m very excited about.

**But Andrew, you didn’t go to school for web/computers/i.t./etc?

This is why I’m so excited about this job: online communication has caught up such that really good online communication isn’t just about designing a website. In fact, I won’t really even be doing that for St. Joseph’s… the job isn’t a web designer or developer. A web producer is more like a newspaper editor or tv producer who brings the right ideas together, gets the stories and content and puts things together in a way that tells information and generates interest. Trust wikipedia for a good definition.

I’ve always been interested in the bridge between communication strategy and technology/design/web… right from when I got my first desktop publishing software in grade four. I’m glad to be moving my career towards online communication.

All the more so for an organization I admire; and I find healthcare particularly exciting to tell stories about. United Way is a great, meaningful organization that’s really important in our community - and so are the hospitals.

St. Joseph's Health Care, London - enhanced online communication coming soon

I also reflected on what it was like to stage my own mini social marketing campaign to promote my own application, allthewhile becoming a small part of the whole in this major campaign success.

Read:
part one
part two

Moral of the story: social marketing works, and in concept it’s a lot easier than you’d think!

Ben from the UK is awarded The Best Job in the World

Read my blog entry about the results of the most exciting job application in the world, and the most impressive social media campaign in history.

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Thanks for all of your support along the way as I went through my application for this dream job. I had a blast creating the video [click link to see my original video application] and indulging in a little self-promotion.

Make yourself unforgettable - like a sticky note!

Well, this post here is about going back to the basic meaning of my personal brand, Impression One. When developing this brand concept, I thought about how at its very core communication is about an impression - and the most important communication of all is your first impression.

I read an article this evening from one of my favourite blogs The Art of Manliness that was all about tips for leaving good first impressions. The key part of the article: “make yourself stick.” A good first impression lasts. >>read the article

But, a bad first impression lasts too (the person will surely remember you; you just might never hear from them again!)

So the secret is to get your impression just right and create a truly great impression. You’ll not simply be remembered; you’ll be remembered fondly.

And when you leave a great impresion, your first impression grows into a relationship.

It’s the greatest social media/internet marketing campaign yet, and probably one of the most successful. At least one of the most fun.

You may have heard of the “Best Job in the World” - a worldwide contest where people submitted 60-second video applications to vie for literally the best job imaginable. One lucky person will get a six-month $150,000CDN contract to be Island Caretaker of the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia. They’ll clean the pool, live by the ocean… and ultimately serve as a global tourism ambassador: reporting back to the world on why the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef are awesome (info on the job itself: www.islandreefjob.com).

The “Island Caretaker” will promote the islands well when they start work in June… but the tourism folks already scored a touchdown in their marketing. Hands down, this is the greatest social marketing campaign ever. After the global media attention announcing the job offer, 34,000 people submitted videos. Each of these people told their friends and family to vote for them. And every mom an dad told their friends… and on and on it went. Talk about using the power of social marketing!

*****

I heard about this contest and thought “well that’d be neat.” I tried my own little bit of social marketing, and changed my Facebook status to looking for a videographer. Soon enough, a friend of a friend contacted me and I put together a video application. I also made a blog site to share my biography and track my application. Within 36 hours, more than 100 people had voted for my video, and I got to bask in a little self-promotion.

Ultimately my application wasn’t a finalist (if you want to see the ultimate case of “yeah, I couldn’t top that, check out Michell from Ontario with his musical application). I had a lot of fun making the video, and being a part of an amazing social marketing campaign.

Kudos to Tourism Queensland, and thanks to my videographer Megan Oquais.

The last few months were an enjoyable - and necessary - transition to figuring out what the next chapter of life would look like. I had the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, reflect on what I’d learned during my travel adventure and decide where I wanted to “land” on the flip side of the journey. That included a careful job search.

I knew after my time on the ship that I wanted to keep being a man who sought adventure; but I also wanted to advance my career and plant a few solid roots [which is obviously hard to do when you’re traveling all over the place].

So, after exploring my options, I’ve ‘landed’ and am now turning the page. For this chapter, I’ll be advancing my career and laying down new roots in my hometown as Communications Coordinator for United Way of London & Middlesex. I’m helping to tell the story of how generosity enables United Way to create real, lasting change in people’s lives. My role oversees external communication including media relations, publications, advertising and marketing, and online communications. It’s pushing my thinking and expanding my abilities: exactly the challenge I was looking for.

I’m phasing away a bit from freelance work as I wrap up a few current projects, with the aim of focusing on my career and laying my new foundation.

The thirst for exploring life’s adventures will always be a part of me: travel and new excitement will always be a part of my quest. But I’m learning how to keep that quest alive while staying somewhat grounded, too.

After four months aboard Crystal Serenity as Assistant Editor of Guest Publications for the 2008 World Cruise, plus an extra month backpacking Europe… I have now been to a total of 36 countries in my life – if you count the Vatican City (and before this trip I had only been to 5!)

The last month has simply been a whirlwind of readjusting to “land-based” life. After unpacking, visiting friends and recharging, I am now checking out the job scene and finding out where the next chapter of life will take me. Certainly, I’ve satisfied a lifetime’s worth of adventure in the last half-year… so currently something like that is not in the cards again (at least not right now - never say never!). Going away and living the dream makes coming back rather pleasant, calm and enjoyable. And, actually, exciting!

I am also working hard on finishing off my blog and online photo album of the adventure. It documents the nature of the journey - with tonnes of photos to show it all.

In sum, it’s really great to be back… and please continue to read the blog to get the feel for what the adventure was like. Otherwise, if I get bombarded with “How was the trip,” questions, I will be forced to sit you through a three day week-long photo show!

Here’s a few FAQs to further reduce the number of “how was the trip?” questions:

1) What was your favorite place?
A: I learned that it wasn’t so much where or what… but, rather, the overall experience of it and the atmosphere. That’s what leads to memories. My favorite place was Rome, and that’s because of the complete atmosphere. I saw many great sites around the world, but Rome… it was the complete package. The whole city is atmosphere. People playing accordion on the subway; going to a restaurant near the Vatican and it’s filled with priest and nuns. Yeah, authentic! I loved it… as you’ll see from the photos when I post them on my blog site.

2) What are you going to do now?
A: No idea, really. I half-dreamed that I would get hired by a billionaire or marry someone on the ship… but lucky breaks don’t happen every day (getting on the ship was a lucky break already!). So now, I’m going to go for a job that’s a great fit, and make the best of it. Wherever it ends up being.

Now, go visit my travel blog!

It’s truly nice to come back from traveling around the world and learn you’ve received an award.

Late last year, I had the opportunity of working with London grassroots charity “Bethanys Hope Foundation” on the redevelopment and publication of their Annual Newsletter. You can view the newsletter here, and you can read more about this meaningful charity and the work I did for them in my previous update.

I am very proud that this work was recognized with a 2008 IABC London Virtuoso Award of Merit in the Publications Category. Virtuoso is an annual competition, where a jury of seasoned communication professionals judge communication project entries.

It’s certainly terrific to be recognized by the communication community. Moreso for work representing an organization that means something to me.