Attending Social Media Week was a great experience. I got to hear people like Kirstine Stewart and Claudia Oshry AKA @girlwithnojob on Instagram. The session with Michael Landsberg stood out the most, as it made me think about not just social media, but what it means to be an influencer today. When I say influencer in this context, I mean it in the sense of being a powerful public figure that connects well with fans on a personal level. In today’s culture where everyone’s busy, 1:1 relationships with people you admire and respect can be rare, so that’s what I’d like to explore.
In 2009, Michael Landsberg interviewed an athlete named Stéphane Richerand and convinced him to acknowledge his experience with depression on-air. Once they both publicly confirmed they were dealing with mental health issues, emails started pouring into Michael’s inbox. People started confiding in Michael via email because they connected with him in the interview.
