Facebook is celebrating hitting the 1 billion monthly user mark with the company’s first ad campaign. The social network hired ad agency Wieden + Kennedy — best known for its Nike work — to create the 90-second film above. The ad compares Facebook to chairs, bridges, basketball and other vehicles that bring people together. “What we’re trying to articulate is that we as humans exist to connect, and we at Facebook to facilitate and enable that process,” Rebecca Van Dyck, Facebook’s head of consumer marketing, told Advertising Age. “We make the tools and services that allow people to feel human, get together, open up. Even if it’s a small gesture, or a grand notion — we wanted to express that huge range of connectivity and how we interact with each other.” In a blog post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg added, “For the first time in our history, we’ve made a brand video to express what our place is on this earth. We believe that the need to open up and connect is what makes us human. It’s what brings us together. It’s what brings meaning to our lives.” The ad campaign will roll out in 13 countries, including the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Spain. There is no mention in the film of Facebook having hit the 1 billion mark. What do you think? Does this make you think of Facebook any differently? Let us know in the comments. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/04/facebook-ad-campaign/
Less than a week after Facebook‘s big announcement about hitting 1 billion users, all anyone can remember are the chairs. Facebook celebrated hitting the milestone with its first ad campaign, an inspired effort that compared the social network to chairs. The Internet’s response has been swift. Mashable has tried its hand at lampooning the ad and the Tumblr Are Like Facebook has had some fun comparing Facebook to bananas and boxes, among other things. This latest parody takes things a bit further into NSFW territory as well as bizarro territory. (“The universe is a big place full of things that have names. And people you can connect with. People that have a hook for a hand…”) Is it funny? We’ll let you decide. Sound off in the comments. What Facebook Is Like Bananas Via Are Like Facebook Boxes Via Are Like Facebook Chair Via Are Like Facebook Dumpsters Via Are Like Facebook Empty Chairs Via Are Like Facebook Free Throws Via Are Like Facebook Muffins Via Are Like Facebook Pelicans Via Are Like Facebook Pillows Via Are Like Facebook Politicians Via Are Like Facebook Rappers Via Are Like Facebook Sad Kittens Via Are Like Facebook Sad-Kittens-fb-600 Via Are Like Facebook Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/08/toilet-paper-heroin-facebook/
Ross Ching continues his “Empty America” YouTube series by tackling the busy streets of Seattle. The video shows Seattle in all its overcast, rainy glory devoid of two things — cars and people. As haunting as these videos are serene, they’re worth a watch if you want to experience a more somber city life. The series was inspired by Matt Logue’s photo series Empty LA. Take a stroll through deserted San Francisco in the first clip of the series, or watch a behind-the-scenes video below. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/24/deserted-seattle-time-lapse-will-creep-you-out/
Amazon is set to make an announcement this morning at an event in Santa Monica, and Mashable is live on the scene. Photos of both an updated Kindle Fire and a new Kindle Touch with “Paperwhite” display have leaked out over the past few weeks, suggesting that both devices may see an update at Thursday’s event. The Kindle Fire was announced on September 28, 2011. The 7-inch tablet made a splash in the tablet world, primarily for its $199 price tag. In December 2011 customers purchased more than 1 million Kindles each week, allowing Amazon to sell 4.7 million of the e-readers during the 4th quarter. UPDATE: Amazon Unveils Kindle ‘Paperwhite’ | Amazon Drops Price of New Kindle Fire to $159 | Amazon Announces Bigger, Bolder, Kindle Fire HD So, will we see a new Kindle? The first Amazon phone? Something entirely different? Keep your browser pointed here for the events as they happen — starting at 10:30 a.m. PT — with commentary from the Mashable crew. And feel free to jump into the discussion anytime with comments (though not all of them will be published). Amazon Unveils New Products in California 1. Amazon event stage 2. Amazon event stage 3. Amazon event stage 4. Amazon event stage 5. Amazon event stage 6. Amazon event stage 7. Amazon event stage 8. Amazon event stage 9. Amazon event stage 10. Amazon event stage 11. Amazon event stage 12. Amazon event stage 13. Amazon event stage 14. Amazon event stage 15. Amazon event stage 16. Amazon event stage 17. Amazon event stage 18. Amazon event stage Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/06/live-from-amazons-california-event/
The new iPad mini was released Friday, and Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t seem very enthusiastic about it. In a parody iPad mini commercial that aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live Thursday, first came the iPod. Then a thinner iPod. Then an iPod you can touch. Then lots of other iPods — ones that allow you to shuffle your songs, ones you can talk on, a gigantic one you can’t talk on. And today, Apple released a slightly bigger iPod that you can’t talk on. Which, according to the video, pretty much means we’re all suckers. iPad Mini at the Apple 5th Ave Store The flagship Buyers started lining up to buy Apple’s long-anticipated iPad Mini at the flagship store the day before it went on sale. All-weather Apple fans Undaunted by the long lines and the cold, hundreds waited all night for the Apple store to open at 10am. One of the first A proud owner shows off his new purchase. The out-of-towners Hundreds of foreigners stood in line for the latest iPad. Only the wifi version is on sale for now. Camping out Unlike the iPhone 5, which gathered week-long lines, no one waited for days to buy the iPad Mini. But lines still snaked around the blocks surrounding the Apple store. Survival of the fittest Possibly the first person in line for the iPad Mini — Luis Lorenzo, who was first in line yesterday, was nowhere to be found. ipad7 Reporters from various countries visited the flagship store to ask buyers about their thoughts about the iPad Mini. The queue At the 5th Avenue Apple store, lines stretched for at least three blocks to buy the new iPad Mini or fourth-generation iPad. Out with the old Apple employees enthusiastically high-fived buyers as they filtered into the store to buy their new iPads. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/02/parody-ipad-mini-ad/
The Social Good Summit continues Sunday in New York — but you can still join in the global conversation even if you couldn’t make it to New York. This year’s livestream is available in seven languages — English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian and Hebrew. This year’s Social Good Summit expands beyond the 92nd Street Y’s New York walls. Partner events, forming The Global Conversation are taking place in Beijing, China; Nairobi, Kenya; and Mogadishu, Somalia on Monday. One of the early Meetups took place Sunday morning in Madagascar: @thierry_ratsiz partage son exprience du web et des médias sociaux au #sgsglobal #madagascar twitter.com/saveoursmile/s… — Hery Zo (@saveoursmile) September 23, 2012 All Meetups in dangerous regions of the world have been cleared with U.N. security officials, who are taking responsibility. Are you taking part in a community Social Good Meetup? Let us know what’s taking place your region in the comments. About Ericsson Read more of Mashable’s coverage of the 2012 Social Good Summit: Day One: Hillary Clinton Opens the Social Good Summit [VIDEO] How the U.S. Chief Technology Officer Is Making Data Awesome Can Mobile Phones Help Fight Pediatric AIDS? How Is Social Media Changing Diplomacy? Peter Gabriel Makes Case For Internet Freedom ITU Secretary-General: OK to Make Profit When Helping Developing Nations 8-Year-Old YouTube Sensation Performs at Social Good Summit Social Good Summit Day 1: Highlights and Pics Day Two: ShoutAbout Aims to Inspire Social Action Based on News Stories Tim Pool, Guerrilla Journalist of the Digital Age [VIDEO] U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice: Twitter Crucial to Her Mission How Social Media Is Empowering Women in Haiti How to Use Mobile Devices to Solve Global Problems How Forest Whitaker Is Using Technology to Spread Peace Social Good Summit Day 2: Highlights and Pics Day Three: Napolitano: Congress ‘Got Stuck’ on Cybersecurity U.N. Foundation Challenges the World to Take Action Nick Kristof Takes Social Good Gaming to the Next Level Why Tech and New Media Can Help End Modern Slavery UNICEF Launches Online Campaign to Reduce Child Mortality Rates What It Means to Be an Advocate in the Digital Age What Non-Profits Can Learn From Cat Videos Wikipedia Founder: Online Connections Foster Real Change Deepak Chopra: Social Media is the Next Phase of Humanity [VIDEO] How Social Good Summit Sparked the Largest Conversation on Earth Social Good Summit Day 3: Highlights and Pics 10 Inspiring Quotes From Mashable’s Social Good Summit Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, skegbydave window._msla=window.loadScriptAsync||function(src,id){if(document.getElementById(id))return;var js=document.createElement(‘script’);js.id=id;js.src=src;document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0].parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}; _msla(“//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”,”twitter_jssdk”); Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/23/social-good-livestream-summit/
Halloween has always been a good chance for parents and kids to bond. But this dad took it to another level — or shall we say, to another planet? Inspired by the movie Aliens, YouTube user Jason Smith built a Power Loader robot suit, so that he and his daughter could go around at Halloween wearing the same costume. He became the suit, while his daughter basically became Sigourney Weaver. The costume, constructed of cardboard boxes and hot glue, took two nights and a day for Smith to make, according to his video description. “My highest priority was keeping my little girl safe, so the costume was designed for mobility and quick exit in case of emergency,” writes Smith. Bonus points for being an imaginative and responsible dad. Watch the video above to see this amazing two person costume in action. have you ever seen anything like this? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/10/31/dad-makes-awesome-aliens-halloween-costume-for-daughter-video/
Is “Gangnam Style” too legit to quit? With more than 766 million views, MC Hammer seems to think so. The rapper joined Korean music sensation Psy on stage at the 2012 American Music Awards on Sunday night. Both performers, donned in Hammer pants, collaborated on a mashup of “Gangnam Style” and “2 Legit 2 Quit.” Cameras caught stars like Justin Bieber, who won “Artist of the Year,” dancing along to the epic performance. You can also purchase the mashup on iTunes. What is the best mashup of Gangnam Style you’ve seen so far? Are you ready for another single from the artist? Let us know in the comments below. Gangnam Style Video Roundup Klingon Style Gangnam Style with Eric Schmidt Gangnam Style at York University Bill Nye the Psyence Guy Kim Jong Style Quad City DJ’s vs PSY Hey, Sexy Sailors! Psy Performs Gangnam Style at the TODAY Show Gangnam Style Sans Music CPDRC Inmates RaOn acoustic cover Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/19/mc-hammer-and-psy/
