The phenomenon that is FACEBOOK!

Social networking has seem to become quite a big interest of mine as it has become such a quick and largely growing industry phenomenon.
I've highlighted Mark Elliot Zuckerberg facebook ( launched in 2004) as I've never been one for sharing all my details with random people online but even I find myself using it!

I remember when I started University ( 3 years ago) teachers and students suggest we all join this website as it was not a public networking site but a private network mainly for university students, so I thought yeah why not it;s a good way of getting in touch people on my course etc.

Since those three years it has become a world wide public site and anyone of any age can join( so yeah its like any other social networking site)!
Well no, the speed in which facebook has grown is immense in comparison to similair sites such as bebo and myspace which have been around for years. The publicity facebook has developed is massive, I think this is only website that has developed mass awareness in a positive way. I would say its one of the most most popular and commonly used site with people having their parents as friends!

Even having a separate facebook application on the iphone and blackberry goes over my head.





Large companies, organisations and business's are using facebook as a platform for promotion and advertising with links like ' find us on facebook' and setting up their own facebook groups and pages which allowing the general public to 'join' groups or 'become' fans.


Ive seen facebook used in product placement through different forms of media, through song a more commonly the TV. For example I was watching Hollyoaks ( not the most broad porgram, I know) and they were discussing facbook updates.




I often find myself hearing and reading terms such as 'facebooking' ' facebook stalking' and 'facebook raped'. When did something like rape become a part of popular culture?

I've got a few questions that I think I need to research

Is some like facebook and social networking going to take over meeting up with someone and having a real chat face to face?
What is peoples need to social networking?
Is it craze or do people have a real dependancy to it, if so why?
Is social networking bringing about a whole new language?

By Lauren Luke

I know its not an inspiring piece of art but I think it's inspiring to see how a regular woman has got the opportunity of a life time and created a career out of setting up make- up tutorials through using viral online media ( youtube).
She has been approach but one the the largest cosmetics brand Barry M (who are well knows for their use of colour and artistic flair) to complete on-line tutorials for their website.

She is now a celebrity in the cosmetic business and has now launched her own make- up brand Lauren Luke and has her own website www.bylaurenluke.com where she has designed pallets that create individual looks ( supporting the tutorials she originally uploaded on youtube).

I'm also liking the artwork on her website and her make-up brand, its fresh and funky instead of being professional and expensive, I think the reason why she's such a hit is because she's an average joe doing something she loves, I like the idea of aspiring to something that is real and not out of reach

Telling Tales

Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design- it is the work of of a new generation if international designers, it was inspired by the spirit of story- telling through decorative devices, historical illusions and a choice of materials.

The exhibition is in three sections:
The Forest Glade is inspired by fantasy and nature evoking the spirit of fairy tales. The Enchanted Castle exaggerates and parodies historical design styles often associated with displays of status. Heaven and Hell is concerned with themes of mortality and the afterlife. The exhibition has its own own micro site www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/telling-tales/

The micro site allows the audience to interact and click on different section of the exhibition, the integrated flash components allows the user to explore a virtual version of the exhibition . Check out the " tell a tale" section, I think it's a great way of getting peoples imaginative flowing and integrating different ideas.
Unfortunately it doesn't have any real images of the furniture
displayed ( a great way of making the audience go to the
exhibiton and see it first hand), the pieces were so imaginative and elaborately designed, each section has sound as you walk into each area creating and enchanting atmosphere.

I managed to get one extremely blurry shot of the one of the pieces of furniture in the Forest Glade section before I got shouted at for having my camera out.

The artists are inspiring in the way of they childhood fairytales and turned them into furniture, I really enjoyed it.

GOSH

I really love the way the make- brand gosh has managed to bring so much like an artist flair to the everyday retail consumer. They use a face as a blank canvass, the consistency of the colour is strong and potent.
They've pushed the boundaries of going for the typical pretty,dewy girl next door look that many make -up brands support instead going for a much more edgey, funky campaign. They bring a bit more vibrance to the industry quite an inspiring way of breaking the mould of highstreet trends.
They seem to support a sort of futurists style, please see below some really great examples of using art in every form of daily life:




















Seeing the use of artist flair an colour used makes me want to explore more using different mediums and the need to experiment more with everyday objects and imagining everything as a blank canvass. Do not shy away from using real colour. Check out there website at www.goshcosmetics.com/

Social Media

When a young singer used United Airlines as a means of travel, traveling with him was his beloved guitar. During the flight his guitar very badly handled and cost him over $12,000 to restore it back to its original condition..
So instead of a complaint letter, the band "Sons of Maxwell" decided to post a music video about the experience and the destruction of his guitar it was aimed at United Airlines .



According to the BBC United Airlines Stock is down 180 Million dollars this only goes to prove that bad cutomer service costs you in the end.
I along with companies didn't realise how strong and influential the power of online media can be .
Media through press and TV on its own if a very powerful thing and can help the growth or demise of anything they please, but I think now with this new information business will be more aware.

When i came to work today I overhead some of my colleagues discussing the song and forwarding the youtube links to one another. Its amazing to see how something like this can spread so quickly the resources are so readily available through the internet.
Yes it is word of mouth, but now is is so easy to know what is going on socially and quickly check it out on the internet instead of having to read a newspaper or what the TV.
Most people in this modern era use the internet, people rely on it as a daily dose of gossip, if its not through the computer its on their blackberry or iphone.
I do wonder what society would do if they only had basic amenities would they be able to survive?

We are what we do...

We Are What We Do is a new kind of movement inspiring people to change the world one small action at a time.( Developed by Eugene Harvey and supported by the Joffe Charitable trust.)

Our philosophy is simple:
small actions x lots of people = big change

We have the 130 small things that you can do to change really big things

I found out about this website when I was given one of their ir books

" Change the world for a fiver''. Features 50 simple actions to change the world and make you feel good.

"It is an ingeniously executed book aimed at galvanising alienated Britons to do something for a society devoid of fellow feeling and good neighbourliness." - The Guardian

"The book's themes and ethos really appealed to me," says Pauline Ireland, a drama teacher and citizenship co-ordinator at the Thomas Lord Audley School in Colchester, Essex. "They are things that young people ought to know, such as manners and helping others, but schools don't have the time to teach." - The Daily Telegraph.

The way the book stressing or gives examples of each point are unique and quirky.

The book they range from hand drawn illustration to photographs, it using ambient media to stress certain subjects. Its as if every page has a different concept, there are tearaway pages and products that you can use in the book so it interacts with the reader. It was designed by Antidote with a creative team of 9 people each creative individual that contributed to the book has done for free ( which reinforces the whole concept of ' "we are what we do'".)

If you can get your hands on this book I would strong recommended using it. I has some insignificant tasks in your day, but with some of these smalls actions your could make someone else day that much better.

Here's a couple of examples:

* recycle your mobile phone

*send time with someone from a different generation..

* Pay more when you buy a charity shops.

* take time to listen (combating derpression)

Take a look at the website:
http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/

and start to change the world!

Quirky

Quirky is a company that basically helps make product ideas into reality. It can be any product that someone feels passionate about they encourage you to submit idea and urge you to give your opinions on produccts they are about to release.

It was founded by 22-year-old entrepreneur-in-chief, Ben . He states:
the solution to bringing virtually any product idea to life and putting it into the hands of consumers. Part process, part platform...we're pretty sure quirky will change the way people think about product development forever.

Take a look at the website: