Browsing Tag

technology

iPhone Transition and Recommended Apps

After my last exam of the semester, I took the earliest train to Toronto the next morning, eager to finally pick up a new phone. Though my excitement was interrupted by a transportation-related delay, the shopping experience that followed was unlike any other. I finally got to browse though Yorkdale’s new extension, including Canada’s first Microsoft store, which was great because I’m a PC.

Photo Source: Mashable

Buying a black 16 GB iPhone 5, which’ll be protected by a black OtterBox Defender, was a fantastic way to start my winter break. The case is so mightily thick that my friends have been teasing me about how the phone looks, but having peace of mind makes it worthwhile. During the initial activation of my phone, it was immediately apparent that using it is as intuitive as people say. Once my contacts were transferred from my BlackBerry Tour 9630 (3 years old, with a trackwheel!), I could proudly call myself an iPhone owner.

I’ve had a lot of fun downloading and testing out apps. Here’s a list of 20 apps I recommend, sorted categorically:

Social Networking & Photo: Twitter, Facebook Messenger, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Skype

Entertainment & Music: Flixster (w/ Rotten Tomatoes), GetGlue, Cineplex, Shazam, IMDB

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December 30, 2012 by

Google+ Communities

Google+ Communities is an exciting new feature that I look forward to exploring!

Show some support for Google’s contributions to social media and log in to your account. Forget what you’ve heard about it being a ghost town; Wired reported significant recent user growth on Google+.

After all, Google+ is a place for foodies, film buffs, and whatever you’re into.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpUDWCSRQIU’]

December 9, 2012 by

Behind the Brand: Zellers

It’s one thing to “Like” a store on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

It’s quite another to learn about how Zellers uses social media while in Liquidation mode.

Name: Jennifer Zedic  

Position: Director of Marketing – In Store and Social Media

Employer: Zellers

Education: Fashion Marketing and Merchandising, Ryerson University

Favourite Zellers purchase: Pure by Alfred Sung knit scarf (I liked it so much I bought 5 different colours!)

Professional role model: Heather Reisman – Indigo: I love how she has taken the book store and made it a shopping experience and how she did not back away from technology when it threatens the business, but instead embraced it. She has built a strong and reliable brand and owns the market in Canada.

What makes Zellers a uniquely Canadian store?

History and memories only found in Canada make Zellers a uniquely Canadian store.  The fans’ comments from our Facebook page talk about their experience with Zellers growing up in Canadian communities and how the great Canadians who work at those stores made a difference in a lot of their lives.

How has the marketing department’s role and responsibilities changed since learning that Zellers stores will close?

The marketing team is focused on continuing to build great flyer deals that our customers are expecting. We have pulled away from other forms of marketing, such as TV, radio and specialty print but maintained our flyer program and invested heavily in social media. For our Liquidation stores, we are using an extensive amount of ROP’s in local markets to highlight the weekly deals to the customer.

How does Zellers decide which social media channels are worth the investment?

Social media strategy for us is to provide information to the community on what they want to hear about as it relates to Zellers.  We chose to invest in Facebook since it is the best way for us to communicate to our customer on a more personalized level and to the largest audience.

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October 17, 2012 by

Katy Perry, LinkedIn’s Thinking of You

Music icon Katy Perry, one of my favourite pop sensations, continues receiving credit for inspiring how everyone uses social media. First, she kicked off the summer with a lyric video for Top 40 hit ‘Wide Awake’ by embracing Facebook Timeline’s features to showcase her milestones, such as concerts, magazine covers and awards.

More recently, Wired shared that Katy Perry inspired LinkedIn’s global redesign. According to Wired, “One of the main goals in Project Katy is to create a cohesive experience across all platforms, no matter the device or operating system.” LinkedIn’s team began focusing on their Katy-inspired  redesign project following an update to its iPhone app. Modelling the site after Katy’s success seemed natural to Steve Johnson, LinkedIn’s director of design and web development, who loves following pop culture. Wired succinctly explains that Katy’s “irresistible pop hooks” make her a great go-to when designers need a muse.

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September 21, 2012 by

Behind the Brand: Aroma Espresso Bar

It’s one thing to “Like” a cafe on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

It’s quite another to learn about who schmoozes with espresso lovers online daily.

Name: Daniel Davidzon (@thedanield)

Position: Social Media Consultant

Employer: Aroma Espresso Bar

Education: English, York University; Public Relations, Humber College

Favourite blog: Too many to mention. Is Twitter a blog?

Favourite mobile app: Twitter – it keeps me connected to news and ideas from dozens of industries and areas, all day every day.

Professional role model: I keep track of what the top professionals in my industry are doing, and try to adopt their best practices to fit within my roles and responsibilities. My father always told me the little things can make the biggest difference, so I try to pay attention to detail, make connections, and do my job the right way.

In 140 characters or less, what makes Aroma the best option for Canadian coffee aficionados?

Besides our freshly-brewed coffee? The wide scope of healthy and made-to-order menu items available, the customer service, and chocolates!

Which menu items do you recommend for first-time Aroma customers?

If you’re a coffee lover, obviously grab an espresso. The hot chocolate is among the best in Toronto, steamed milk over chocolate pralines. Our Sweet Potato Lentil salad has a devoted following, and people swear by the Grilled Halumi sandwich. Our alfajores melt in your mouth, and of course, save room for the complimentary chocolate!

As Aroma continues expanding internationally, how does Aroma maintain a consistent online presence?

As of now, there are several Twitter and Facebook accounts associated with the various Aroma Espresso Bar locations around the world. Speaking on behalf of Canada, Toronto is the only city with an Aroma Espresso Bar (actually, 10 as of this writing and two more a mere weeks away from opening). We consolidated all our GTA locations under one common social media umbrella to facilitate reaching all our customers in a timely manner, as well as to maintain consistency across all locations.

We strive to post a few tweets a day, and a few Facebook posts a week. The most important use for social media in our case is the ability to talk directly to our customers. We try to acknowledge everyone who mentions us online, whether positive or negative. If you’ve taken the time to visit our location and tell us or your friends about it, we want to thank you personally. It’s the least we can do.

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September 13, 2012 by