What caused such a technological evolution of this this true lie language we hold so dear? Social media. When have we ever had to try to put a sarcastic thought into 140 characters like we do now? Making a witty, dramatic or moving point using only sarcasm and only a couple of sentences used to be a somewhat daunting task for most. What was even more difficult is trying to decipher through the sarcasm without hearing the tone of voice of the deliverer.

Compared to old Elizabethan speak, sure, we can’t even pretend to have any sort of mastery of vocabulary. But what is vocabulary when we express, market and advertise ourselves through a keyboard? What’s more important is your command and placement of the words you use, rather than how many syllables you can jam into one sentence.

The use of sarcasm through social media has really blossomed our ability to put our own personal stamp on the world. Sure, being able to make your mark in human form as well as on a screen makes you exponentially more influential and maybe even successful. However, our wealth of social media knowledge has bred a new era of online success stories that would otherwise be misunderstood. From twitter comedians to graphic illustrators to freelance journalists, people are finding away to utilize their most abundant skills and create a niche that can help them with self-expression and success.

So, as the saying goes, give our generation 140 characters and they’re going to want a paragraph? Yeah, right.

Yours Truly,

Aundria

So far in the 21^st century, we’ve lived and died through social media outlets. We saw MySpace go six feet under, and we saw Facebook slip through the fingers of us college kids and end up in the tight grasp of our Aunt Judys and Grandpa Dons.  And who can honestly say they didn’t learn about Bin Laden’s death via Twitter? Or about Justin Bieber’s alleged baby’s mama?

Few companies are iconic enough to stay from TV and the internet. That being said, when is honestly the last time you can say you saw Cirque de Soleil advertise?

I can tell you I’ve never seen one of their ads, but I’m positive that just about everyone knows what they’re about. It’s because they are one of the most effective users of the oldest advertising techniques we know: word of mouth.

Word of mouth allows them to enter the vast social media world without putting out any effort themselves. They have created a product that they own but everyone else talks about. Without in-your-face marketing which has become the norm in our modern society, they give their shows a sense of mystery that is so effective its drawing in customers. It also makes us pay attention to blogs and reviews about the various shows to see if they are worth going to.

The social media epidemic has finally produced some advertising we can trust. Instead of celebs like Lady Gaga shoving useless links and advertisements down our throats through twitter, Cirque de Soleil lets US do the marketing for them. Cirque de Soleil has 23 unique shows globally (which I didn’t know and I bet you didn’t either) and you and I probably couldn’t distinguish between three of them. Their product is such a rare and unique resource, and their method of entry into the massive social media world is exactly the method that keeps their product so dominant.

Yours Truly,

Aundria

Well I’ve been freaking out, crying a little too much in the shower, worried about getting a job after I graduate. And after reading this article, all I could do is think about how I’m going to end up working at a truck stop (not really, but I tend to exaggerate). I mean putting down that I’m a ‘creative strategist’ on my resume, portfolio or whateves seemed perfectly fine to me, but no, I’m wrong. Glad I realized this now before I had my first big girl interview and made an ass out of myself. But seriously this is the type of thing that college graduates need to worry about.

So I guess my dreams of instantly becoming a successful business woman like Samantha Jones is thrown out the door (I mean she’s fictional but not in the minds of any Birkin, PR loving girl). But oh well, I like getting coffee anyways, why not make that my career for the next few years.

But when I think about it, doing the actual work of an entry-level job, learning the ropes and working your way up is how you actually gain the knowledge to become a ‘master strategist’.

This being said I need to stop stressing about all of my strategic planning assignments because well, what I really need is real world experience. I wish that was the case, but then again I would be a punk for thinking that way.

Yours Truly,

Aundria