1989 Genius

On Aug. 18, Taylor Swift revealed that her new album, titled 1989, will debut in late October of 2014. While most people gawked over the new information they had been waiting for since her last album hit stands, I couldn't get over the social media genius behind Taylor's empire.

Here are four ways that Taylor Swift is beating everyone else at the social media marketing game:


1. The lead-up to the Worldwide Live Stream on Yahoo! album reveal.
Any of Taylor Swift's followers know that she posts to Twitter or Instagram seldomly--which is social media genius in itself, seeing as her rare tweets and photo updates are worth even more to fans--so when Taylor first started posting "hints" about the undisclosed Live Stream Yahoo! album reveal, fans flocked. By the hundreds of thousands.

You should have seen the comments of her followers desperately trying to figure out what was going to happen. It sparked debates and curiosity among most of the social media world. Genius.

2. The exclusive #1989ers.
With adoration that reaches across the globe, fans know that meeting Taylor is becoming more of a distant dream than a reality. Therefore, TaylorSwift.com has created a new club on the website where fans can enter to win 1 of 1,989 prizes, which include the greatest prize of all: meet and greets with Taylor. How do you enter, you ask?

Well, first you have to register with either your Facebook or Twitter account. Following that, members can earn one point for each social media platform they choose to post to or follow (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter). You can also gain one point for each friend who you refer to the 1989ers and by checking out Taylor Swift's new merchandise on the site. (I have 15 entries so far..)

Talk about a trending hashtag and worldwide awareness of the singer and her new album. Genius.

3. The Polaroids that will come with the CD.
During her album reveal on Yahoo!, Taylor mentioned that Polaroid pictures were an inspiration for this album--even the album cover is a Polaroid. So, her and her brilliant team decided to include one of five different sets of Polaroids in each CD. Genius. 

This will lead to super-fans around the world being inclined to buy more than one copy in hopes of getting a different set of photos of Taylor. Marketing and financial-gain GENIUS.

What will this do for social media? Well, perhaps each different set will come with a unique hashtag, enticing fans to post about which Polaroids they found in the case.

Easy-Peasy Chicken Lo Mein

If good food is something you are interested in, definitely try out this recipe. I got it from Pinterest, but I added a few more ingredients to make it even more delicious. The added bonus is that it's healthy! Wahoo!

*I have changed the original recipe a bit. My recipe has more protein (chicken) and vegetables.

*sans mushrooms!

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 12-14 oz whole wheat linguine, broken in half (I use a whole box of Dreamfields linguine)
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thin strips (approx. 3 inches long)
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut in thin strips
• 1 bunch green onions, white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
• 5 cloves minced garlic 
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (healthier substitute: Bragg's Liquid Amino Acid)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper (add 1 teaspoon for more of a kick!)
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (3 cans)
• 1 cup water
• 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

*Add 1 cup mushrooms (halved) if that's something you're into!

Cooking Instructions

• Put chicken then pasta into large ir extra large saucepan/stockpot
• Add all other ingredients
• Cover pan and bring to a boil
• Stir and reduce to a simmer
• Cook covered for 25 minutes, stir occasionally (make sure you stir enough so the noodles don't burn!)
• Cook until chicken is cooked through

*Add a small amount of water when reheating leftovers; otherwise, it might taste a little dry, and nobody wants that!

Enjoy!

-j.Clarke

Virgin America Makes Safety Entertaining

By: Jillian Clarke

If you have ever flown in an airplane, then you can probably recall hearing a boring speech from the flight attendant or watching a mundane safety video. Recently, Virgin America challenged the boring flight safety routine and released the new video that will now be shown to their customers before takeoff. 

While watching the video, I was really interested the whole time. A handful of good-looking people parade around the screen while singing and dancing to a rather catchy song that explains all of the flight safety information. I think my favorite part is when the little kid sings about no smoking on the plane. I have a feeling he'll grow up to be extremely cool. 

Entertainment was definitely the main focus of this video, and although I enjoyed the video, I can't help but wonder if it could be a distraction. The video tells you to put away your electric devices, but I feel like some people might take extra time to update their social media on their electric device to tell their friends about the cool video. But maybe I'm just looking into it a little too much. Only time will tell if Virgin America customers give it a thumbs up or down!

Watch the video for yourself. Do you think it's clever? Or something that won't be cute the second time you see it before takeoff? 

-j.Clarke

#NotSuccessful

By Jillian Clarke

The trend that began all trends: the hashtag. Twitter was the first social media outlet to use the hashtag to connect its users to related content. The simple # has proven to be a successful marketing tool for businesses and topics alike, which is why other social media sites have adopted it, such as Vine, Instagram, and now Facebook.

Because the hashtag has been around for a few years, most of us have become accustomed to how it works and connects us to content; however, Facebook has thrown us a curveball. An article on Entrepreneur.com has explored Facebook's unsuccessful attempt to implement the trend into its network. Instead of connecting users to related content, clicking on a Facebook hashtag will only take you to content that you are connected to on Facebook. The article goes on to explain that the Facebook flop will most likely switch to the original use of the hashtag.

We can only hope.

Personally, I would be just fine if Facebook got rid of hashtags altogether. A lot of times, hashtags are made up, too long, not relevant, or plain stupid. So, if I only had to see them on three social media outlets, that would be great. Only the future will tell!

What do you think about hashtags on Facebook? #lovethem or #leavethem?


-j.Clarke

Demystifying iOS 7

By Jillian Clarke


Huzzah!! The greatly anticipated iOS 7 was finally released last week, and the reaction has been...

Drum roll, please...

Split. Some people love it, some people hate it and some people are still simply trying to figure it out! For those of you who are still trying to learn about it, this post is for you! The look and the overall feel of iOS 7 is a lot different from the previous software Apple products used. The design received a makeover and features were added or changed to make products more in tune with people's digital daily life.

Like millions of other people, I downloaded iOS 7 minutes after it was offered, and like millions of people, I waited 3+ hours for it to finally install! Once the thin white bar made it from the left to the right of the screen, I was a little taken back by how different it really was. When I tried to swipe certain ways and nothing happened, I got quite frustrated, and I ended turning to the Internet for some helpful advice.

After finding a lot of results about the new software's appearance, I finally came across a very helpful article that explains all the new features of iOS 7. The website displays 90 different tips about how to handle the Apple update, and it includes pictures along with a short description of the change! While this website about mobile devices isn't the best to view on a mobile device (ironically), make sure to check it out when you are sitting at a laptop or desktop. These tips will definitely help make anyone's iOS 7 experience cooler and more enjoyable.

Personally, I'm loving the new control center that appears when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen!

What's your favorite new feature? Are you loving iOS 7, or could you live without it?

~j.Clarke
ps- Am I the only one having trouble with my touchscreen after downloading iOS 7? A lot of times, my phone doesn't register touch. Help!

A Night in Nashville & the Thomas Wedding (in pictures)

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Phi Sigma Pi, Brothers are we.

Bonding with many of my Brothers this weekend was a true blessing.

Congratulations, Cody!

~j.Clarke

Wearable Fall Makeup Trends from the Runway

Let's be honest- not all looks from the runway should be worn in public. However, most of the looks of Fall 2013 can be revamped and made acceptable to wear when you are out and about. I didn't get to take as many pictures of the makeup as I would have liked this week, but you are more than welcome to comment on the post if you want me to recreate any of the looks!

Styles to lookout for:

-cat-eyes

-red lips

-purple/plum shadow
-deep red nails

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First up is the cat-eye. If you haven't tried this look before, it might take a few tries before you get it right. A steady hand and the right eye liner are key ingredients to making the perfect outward swoosh, as well as some cotton swabs. Thick and thin cat-eyes have been shown, but I've seen more looks using a thinner line.

*Products I love: 

-Maybelline Unstoppable eyeliner

-Maybelline Line Stiletto (liquid)

-Maybelline Lasting Drama by EyeStudio (gel)

The next look is red lips. The best part about this trend is that there are so many different shades of this statement color that can make your look complete. Runway models have sported both bright and dark reds for Fall. I suggest experimenting with different colors in order to find the perfect bright and dark shade for yourself. Stores such as Ulta, Sephora, and makeup counters in department stores usually have a way of letting you try on different colors before you make a purchase.

*Products I love:

-L'Oreal Infalible Never Fail Lip Colour compact 

-Mac Matte colors

Last but not least is the color plum. Expected to be a big part of Fall fashion this year, this color is a perfect way to make an outfit complete. Purples can be tricky to work with because you don't want to look like you got punched in the face.. So just make sure to blend well and keep it light especially when doing a dramatic look!

*Product I love:

-NYX Love in Paris Eye Shadow palette



Which trends will your try this season?
~j.Clarke