Category Archives: social media

social media, Toronto

Hockey – The new battleground for social media.

Hockey is top of mind for many people these days. Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins are providing hockey and NHL fans with a great display of technique, passion and skill.

Then there is the “battle” taking place in Arizona. Balsillie versus Bettman.

Whether you or I believe or agree with what Mr. Blackberry is doing with his makeitseven.ca campaign is not the point of this post.

What Jim and his team do understand is that the power of social media tools are helping them to make a concerted effort to bring a hockey team to the Hamilton, ON residents. And it’s not just the makeitseven Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Here is a list (without links because you can find most if not all if you enter makeitseven.ca in your web browser of choice 🙂 ) of the “tools” he is employing:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • makeitseven.ca
  • Email updates to supporters (just sign up and become one!) on each and every legal and non-legal moves and initiatives
  • the makeitseven.ca shop where fans can buy merchandise
  • the HaveAVoice blog and community where fans can interact and share with each other
  • Photo and video galleries
  • Corporate partners (which are listed on the site) have also put out radio and tv commercials (at least in the Toronto area) which ask their customers to support the makeitseven campaign

This may sound like much ado about nothing. Here’s the thing though: Mr. Balsillie is a billionaire who does not have to garner public support in his bid to buy a hockey team. He just has to pay his lawyers enough and buy the team. He has the financial resources.

Why is this campaign a study in social media then? Because of what Mr. Balsillie has learned from running Research in Motion: In short, it is the public – the Audience – who is responsible for either the success or failure of any business, team or campaign.

This story and fight are far from over. I believe this is just the beginning of both this campaign and how future corporate sports battles will be fought.

What are your thoughts? What do you think of the makeitseven initiative?

social media

Social Media – Superhero? (updated 6/1/2009)

Here’s our team picture from yesterday’s events courtesy of http://www.casiestewart.com/:

My brother is Mr.Facebook on the right. Was part of a team of... on Twitpic
(original photo can be found here – http://twitpic.com/6eex3)

I have had the great opportunity to participate with numerous fund-raising events this past year. TwestivalTO, GREENtuity, GetInLine and now the World Partnership Walk with the A Social Movement Team.

The one thing they all have in common – besides helping to raise funds for worthy charities – is their use of online social media tools to raise awareness, a following and funds.

I could go into a discussion about the relevant merits of these tools. Do they work? Does joining an online cause really translate to much needed awareness, co-operation and funds? Why do they work/not work?

The one thing they absolutely do is engage more people that were never involved before. There is a generation of people who love to engage in social causes that used to be marginalized. No matter the reason they were. Today, however, more charities and other causes are embracing the “wired generation”. So much so that these same techie folks are now leading the way.

The more people we have helping out the more people that end of being helped. And that’s a good thing!


So, I am inviting all of you to this Sunday’s World Partnership Walk in Toronto (If you live in another city please click HERE.). Look out for this year’s Super Hero’s and thousand of other Torontonians as they walk towards smart solutions to solve global poverty.

Are you walking?
social media, twitter

Anemometer and Digital Democracy

Don’t know what an anemometer is? That’s not the important thing. Okay. Go and google it.

The important thing is that today I just witnessed democracy in action via Twitter.

The players:

Michal Hay and John Laforet.

The issue:

Whether we should investigate having wind turbines in Lake Ontario 2 miles off the Scarborough Bluffs.

The link to the conversation between the two is below:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=michalhay+laforet

Sometimes I feel that the techno elites are the only one’s making headway in business, public policy, and social change. However, following the conversation today on Twitter and actually engaging with the both of them has given me a glimer of hope. If we want to make changes, a difference, an impact or even a suggestion, the advent and use of technology tools like Twitter and Facebook are levelling the playing field.

Want to participate in your democracy? Jump in.

social media, twitter

Strawberry Ghetto

A few posts ago we featured a guest post on “Love” by Strawberry Ghetto resident Mehnaz. Well, today she has returned the favour.

You can read about my thoughts on social media, the Facebook vs Twitter debate and whether or not these things really matter.

Check out the Ghetto HERE.

social media, twitter

Retwitteral Estate


Are you on Twitter? One of the most popular micro-blogging sites has taken the social media world by storm. And people are participating on conversations here.

People are your business. If people are talking on Twitter, maybe you should be listening.

Are you on Twitter? How are you using it to promote yourself and your business?

@karimkanji