jump to navigation

Nike+ Human Race for A Better LA December 9, 2009

Posted by lborodkin in : Uncategorized , add a comment

So December 1, 2009 has come and gone and I’m going to put some of these new FTC guides in action with this long-belated writeup of the Nike+ Human race last October 24.

Nike had some extra spots on the eve of its 5K/10K midnight running event on October 24, 2009 through downtown LA and invited a few bloggers. The event took place in some 30 cities worldwide. In Los Angeles, the event partnered with USC and USC football coach Pete Carroll’s charity, A Better LA.

I had been interested in running one of these “something-K” races in general, and in seeing how a coordinated multi-city event like this worked, so when a fellow LAist staffer said Nike’s coordinator had room for a few more bloggers, I jumped at the chance (and recruited a second into the mix).  And like magic, boxes of Nike shoes, performance wear and a funny “Nike+” race timer appeared at the designated drop point.  They also gave us passes to the pre-game tailgate for the USC-Oregan State game happening the next day.  And media parking passes, a hot commodity in downtown LA. So like good little bloggers, we put the stuff on that seemed to fit, and did the run.

Here are some sights and sounds from that night:


Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

While I do agree with those that thought the loud DJ music and bright strobe lights might be a bit unnecessary, when I asked the Nike rep who helped us register “why midnight?” she replied “because it’s fun!” And my other cavill was that the lyrics in the music at the pre-Oregon State tailgate party were less than family-friendly. Still, they were very nice and let our plus one in. Also they had some interesting folded and perforated burgers, beer and cupcakes at the tailgate (why cupcakes, always?).

Thanks again to Nike for inspiring 7,000 to 8,500 of us to get out of our cars and run for a while, to the local law enforcement for clearing our paths, for the scattered bands of musicians, singers and other entertainers who lightened our hearts in running the course, and to the local residents for putting up with us passing through their residences and workplaces.

Takeaways to ponder: why do we run?  What is your idea of a better LA?

More coverage by LAist and Caroline on Crack.

Thanks to Nike, USC and a Better LA.

3 Pithy Thoughts from 2008 January 5, 2009

Posted by lborodkin in : Uncategorized , 8comments

Here are props to the authors of three pithy sound bites that shaped my use of social media in 2008.

1.  “Don’t drink the haterade.”

Gary Vaynerchuk BWE 08

—Gary Vaynerchuk, Keynote at Blog World Expo ’08.

Gary Vaynerchuk (aka “Gary Vee”) of Wine Library TV gave a captivating and inspiring keynote address at Blog World Expo in Las Vegas in September 2008. If you can find a recording of it, please watch and link to it. Other advice from Gary is that if you’re going to podcast, update every day, or try to do so at least three times a week. That’s what you need to do to keep people’s attention. Another point he made is to give away as much as you can and still make a profit.

What Gary was referring to with the “Haterade” comment is his advice not to waste energy envying, hating, or criticizing those who are successful. Don’t turn away from others with a huge following merely because they are successful. Join them. Try to learn what works for them. Don’t drink the Haterade. Just don’t.

2.  The secret to Twitter is who you follow, not who follows you.

Twitter/No Twitter Stickers at SummerMash

—Robert Scoble, from The Secret to Twitter, Scobleizer, March 23, 2008.

(photo of Twitter/No Twitter stickers from SummerMash LA)

This neat little article wraps up what is so cool about Twitter. Follow because you want to hear about things you don’t know. Never mind the numbers.

3. “The Asteroid is coming.”

Cory Ondrejka at Digital Music Forum West

—Cory Ondrejka, Keynote at Digital Music Forum West.

This little sound bite was taken from Corey Ondrejka’s keynote speech at Digital Media Wire‘s Digital Music Forum West last October. This conference was extraordinary in that it actually got leaders from clashing industries — the recording industry and the consumer electronics industry — on stage, face to face, frankly debating their mutually incompatible business models with no punches pulled. (Incidentally, it was the only time I ever heard someone answer the question of where the money from RIAA settlements goes. The answer, according to the panelist from one of the major record labels, is that it is split 50/50 with the artists after costs are taken off the top.)

Corey Ondrejka asked people in the audience to raise their hands if they know anyone who has an assistant printing out their emails, i.e., the dinosaurs. He was making a point about business models. “The asteroid is coming.”

Who shifted your paradigms in 2008?