We wanted to see what stories we could tell with the buzz generated during Social Media Week 2012, using our SocialAnalytics platform.
Here’s one for starters: did you know that the total reach of #SMWLDN during Social Media Week was an impressive 39.9 million? That’s the equivalent of over half the UK’s population!
Check out some of the other stats and key influencers in this infographic brought to you by @AdobeUK #AdobeSocial:
We are at Mobile World Congress this week and have a lot of exciting news to share. Here’s a quick rundown of our announcements with links to more information.
Will Cavada, an educator for over twelve years, is passionate about inspiring students to create meaningful artistic work, and he is inspired by watching his students grow and develop in their creative process.
Will, who grew up in Los Angeles, feels his education was shaped in large part by the artistic and film making culture that surrounded him in his youth. He continues to be inspired by the lesson he learned from his high school drama teacher, who produced near-Broadway quality shows with his students. “I was amazed that high school kids could do this,” says Will. “It was hard to believe that I was a part of it.”
The experience demonstrated the power of believing in young people, of anticipating they will produce high quality creative material. “My teacher believed we were capable performers and so we rose to the occasion. He instilled in me the lesson that you have to give students the freedom to create, you have to believe in their abilities and the power of their creativity.”
In his work with Adobe Youth Voices, Will engages students from a diverse range of backgrounds. “Eighty percent of my students speak a language other than English at home,” says Will. Most of these students are first generation Americans. “The students themselves are amazing to work with because they are driven to succeed, and they realize they have opportunities their parents did not have.” Through the Adobe Youth Voices curriculum, Will’s students pursue the opportunity to tell stories that are not often heard in the mainstream media.
Will is among several Adobe Youth Voices Lead Educators who will serve as judges in this year’s Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards, but he wants to take the focus away from ideas of competition. “Even if a submission doesn’t win, it is important for a student to know that other people saw their work and valued it. Just by participating in the Aspire Awards, everyone is a winner.”
After several months in the planning, we’re very excited to be able to tell you about our first ever brand campaign in the UK!
You probably know Adobe for different things. In the Digital Media space – through household name products such as Creative Suite, Photoshop, InDesign and Flash – we’re working with publishers, creatives and brands to help them create great content and publish it anywhere. In the Digital Marketing space, we’re helping brands and agencies create, measure, monetise and optimise their digital marketing investments.
Our new campaign in the UK, which builds on the campaign that has been running in the US, is about bringing this all together to tell the bigger Adobe story, and showcase how we’re helping businesses transform the digital experiences they provide their customers. The campaign shows how through our innovations, we are helping businesses create better, more exciting digital experiences.
The cool new creatives visually represent this by bringing together Adobe and our innovation, or customer story, with the iconic ampersand. The first creative theme to feature in the UK is Adobe & Social and focuses on one of our latest innovations – Adobe SocialAnalytics – which helps companies measure the business impact of their social marketing, removing the guesswork and replacing it with strategies based on insight.
Vanity Fair stars in another early creative. It showcases how Adobe helped them create an interactive, media rich tablet version of the iconic magazine – taking their business into new and exciting areas.
We can’t wait to tell you about the other brands we have lined up to take part!
The campaign is running across online, print, mobile and tablet media from today, Monday 27th February, and we’d love to hear what you think.
Follow us at @AdobeUK and get involved in the conversation with #FutureOfDigital.
Meet product evangelist Johann Zimmern and learn more about the Adobe Digital School Collection on Friday, February 24, 10-10:30 a.m. PT, as the Adobe Education Team hosts the first in an upcoming series of Adobe Education Twitterview sessions.
Adobe Digital School Collection empowers students to create projects and classroom presentations that include polished photos, compelling movies, and media-rich documents and ePortfolios, and includes the recently announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10 software, as well as Adobe Acrobat X Pro.
If you’re not familiar with Twitterview, the process is simple. Join us on Twitter (@AdobeEDU) and include the hashtag #ADSC when you tweet. If you can’t make it on the 24th, please leave your questions or remarks in the comments section of this post or send us a Twitter message in advance and we’ll make sure Johann answers it.
One more thing: If you live in North America, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a $150 Amazon gift certificate when you join in.
We hope you’ll join us!
Guest Post by Peter French
So often it is just a matter of finding that moment, that perfect opportunity to totally engage with a student and give them the chance to really shine.
Matt Calvin had always been a good but fairly quiet, understated student in my digital design class in grades 11 and 12. Matt’s work has always been interesting, and as he progressed through the grade 12 projects, he showed more and more promise as an artist. However, it was when I announced the Adobe Youth Voices program and video and poster projects that he took off like a rocket.
Matt immediately came over to me and told me he had been suffering from serious depression, that he had been hurting himself but now was getting help, and that he wanted to make a video about his journey so he could help others who were going through the same horrible experience.
I was a little taken aback by hearing all of this, but I recall being very excited by this incredible prospect for a really meaningful film. I also recall recommending to him to proceed with caution. He had to be very careful about how much he revealed and the way he revealed it. All of this happened in a few brief minutes, but it led to something amazing.
Matt had lost a dear relative with whom he had been very close, and it had upset him more than he had realized. Unfortunately he had not found ways to communicate this to anyone else, and it had remained bottled up inside. The eventual outcome was a case of serious depression that was finally expressed through cutting himself. Ultimately he made a very deep cut that required him to be rushed to the hospital for several stitches. That was the tipping point which made his parents realize what had been going on and reach out for help. The support he found was rich and deep. I believe that he came out of this as well as he did because of the support he received, and because he is a very strong young man.
As Matt and I talked, I realized that there were several reasons for making this video and poster. Yes, it was a major class project but there were bigger issues here. It would be a part of his healing process – a cathartic release from the depths of this experience. And, it would allow him to turn this very negative experience into a strong healing film that could help others.
The poster and the video are fabulous. He scored a near perfect mark for each item. When I showed this video to my peers at the Adobe Education Leader’s Summer Institute in July 2011, they were very impressed and moved. It is so simple and yet so compelling:
This past December The Toronto Star, a major newspaper in Canada, featured a series about teen depression and suicide. I sent them Matt’s video and asked if they would like to publish it so other teens could see it and hopefully be helped. They did that, and more, ultimately publishing the video and a feature about Matt’s journey with depression and healing through creativity (click to view the article).
In conclusion, it has been an amazing process and a privilege to support Matt on his creative journey. Teachers dream of working with students at this level. The Adobe Youth Voices program not only allows it – it encourages it by creating the environment and opportunity for this type of work to start and then take off.
Peter French
Adobe Youth Voices Lead Educator
As part of the annual Social Media Week, we were excited to host a day dedicated to social data and analytics. The jam-packed agenda was all about how to take social media measurement to the next step by leveraging social data to impact business strategy. We had a great lineup of speakers, including our very own SVP of Global Marketing, Ann Lewnes, Jeremiah Owyang and Susan Etlinger from Altimeter Group, John Yi from Facebook, and social practitioners from SAP, Cisco, eBay, and Intel.
Watch some of our favorite highlights in the video below. You can catch all the recordings from the sessions here.
It’s always exciting for us when a new batch of student work gets added to the Youth Media Gallery.
Today we uploaded student work from the Adobe Youth Voices programs in Bangalore, amazing creations that have been in the works since June 2011. This upload comes just on the heels of the 2012 AYV Live! celebrations in this city, where hundreds of aspiring young media makers showcased their videos and graphic design at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall. Actor Ramish Abundance joined and inspired the young people to continue to create and share their story.
You can read more about the Bangalore Live! event in this feature by the Indian Express. We also encourage you to visit the Youth Media Gallery to view the student creations uploaded today!
We’ve teamed up with OMN London to bring together London’s most passionate digital marketers on 16 February, during Social Media Week.
Join us to meet other digital and social media marketing professionals over a drink (or two!) on the HMS President, one of the permanently moored ships on Victoria Embankment, and a fantastic venue.
It’s free to attend. Hope to see you there! Join Us.
Win a Samsung Galaxy Tab
If you’re attending on 16 February and have RSVP’d to join us, then enter our Twitter sweepstake for a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab!
Simply tweet #AdobeSocial #OMNLondon and let us know you’re coming!
We will announce the winner at the event.
Good luck!
The competition opens at 12pm (GMT) on Monday 13 February 2012 and closes at 12pm (GMT) on Wednesday 15 February 2012. The prize draw is open to attendees of OMN London on 16 February 2012 only. View the official rules below.
OFFICIAL RULES
Adobe Social Media Week Sweepstake Official Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The “Adobe & OMN London” Sweepstake (the “Sweepstake”) opens 12pm (GMT) 13 February 2012 and closes at 12pm (GMT) 15 February 2012 (“Sweepstake Period”). Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules. The winner’s name will be randomly drawn from eligible entries as described below. The Sweepstake is sponsored by Adobe Systems Europe Limited, Market House, 34-38 Market Street, Maidenhead, SL6 8AD, United Kingdom (“Sponsor”).
(1) ELIGIBILITY: To enter participants must be legal citizens of the United Kingdom age 18 or older as of the date of entry, with internet access. Participants must have RSVP’d by 12pm (GMT) on 15 February, 2012 and join us at OMN London on 16 February 2012 to be eligible. Employees, independent contractors, officers and directors of Adobe, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfilment agencies and legal advisors, and the immediate family members and persons living in the same household of such persons, are not eligible to participate in the Sweepstake. Void where prohibited.
(2) HOW TO ENTER: Participants may enter the Sweepstake by visiting the Adobe Blog located at (blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2012/02/adobe-social-media-week-london.html), and post a Tweet via Twitter including the hash tags, #AdobeSocial #OMNLondon. Participants should follow Sponsor’s Twitter handle @OmnitureEMEA to get the latest Sweepstake announcements and details.
More than one entry per person is permitted. All entries must be received by 12pm (GMT) on 15 February 2012. All entries become the exclusive property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged. Personal data is collected in order to administer the Sweepstakes. Personal data will not be used for marketing purposes unless the entrant requests to receive such marketing information by checking the appropriate box on the entry page. For more information about Adobe’s Privacy Policy, please go to www.adobe.com/uk/misc/privacy.html.
(3) PRIZES: One (1) winner will be selected, to receive one (1) prize: a Samsung P1010 Galaxy Tab WiFi valued at approximately £335.00. No alternative prize, cash equivalent, or other substitution is permitted except by Adobe in the event of prize unavailability. Prize is non-transferable. All taxes, and any incidental expenses associated with collection of the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.
(4) SELECTION OF WINNERS: The winner will be determined by random drawing of all eligible entries received. Odds of winning a prize are based on the number of eligible entries received. The selection of the winners will take place on or about 12pm, GMT on 15 February 2012 and the winner will be announced at the event. Additionally, the winner will be notified by Twitter within one (1) business day of the selection. The prize will be awarded at the OMN London event on 16 February 2012. Sponsor is not responsible for late, lost, misdirected, or unsuccessful efforts to notify the winner. Winner may be required to sign and return a release of liability, declaration or affidavit of eligibility, and where lawful, a publicity consent agreement, as a condition of receiving the prize. If the selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible or fails to claim the prize, or fails to timely return the completed and executed delaration and releases as required, the prize may be forfeited and an alternative winner selected. Prize will be sent no later than 6 weeks after acceptance.
(5) TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Conduct of Sweepstakes and selection of winner is in Sponsor’s sole discretion, and Sponsor’s decision is final and binding. Sponsor and its agents, representatives, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion and fulfilment agencies, and legal advisors are not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (i) late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, or postage-due entries; (ii) any condition caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor that may cause the Sweepstake to be disrupted or corrupted; (iii) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Sweepstakes; (iv) any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of the prize, or acceptance, possession, or use of the prize, or from participation in the Sweepstake; (v) electronic hardware or software program, network, internet, or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind, and (vi) failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions. By participating in the Sweepstake, each participant agrees to release and hold Sponsor and the employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfilment agencies, and legal advisors, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims and actions of any kind in connection with the Sweepstake or resulting from participant’s Sweepstake participation, acceptance, possession, or use of any prize, including without limitation, personal injury, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy. Adobe reserves the right to permanently disqualify from any promotion any person it believes has intentionally violated these rules. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of participant and Adobe in connection with Sweepstake, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of England. To obtain a copy of these Official Rules, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Official Rules, Adobe Social Media Week Sweepstakes, Market House, 34-38 Market Street, Maidenhead, SL6 8AD, United Kingdom
(6) WINNER LIST: The winner of the Sweepstake may be obtained by sending a stamped, self- addressed envelope to Winner List, Adobe Social Media Week Sweepstake, Market House, 34-38 Market Street, Maidenhead, SL6 8AD, United Kingdom. Request for winners list must be received by 15th March, 2012.
As a full time teacher, Adobe Youth Voices lead educator, and father of two, Gregg Witkin has a full schedule. And while he would normally spend what little free time he has pursuing his passions for ice hockey, scuba diving and underwater photography, Gregg has agreed to invest his time this spring into being a judge for the Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards, a global youth media competition.
Gregg knows first hand the power of arts education to ignite a lifelong interest. “When I was in school, I struggled with my traditional art courses, because I have always lacked skill in things such as pencil drawing. Even today, my students tease me about what a terrible artist I am.
“But when I was in 6th grade, the school librarian taught an after school program on making stop motion Claymation using a Super 8 camera. This was brand new technology at the time, and I remember thinking it was pretty cool. It introduced me to a creative process that I could get excited about.
“Creating art using stop-motion animation is still an important process for me, it’s a major component of what I teach, and in fact I am working on setting up a full Claymation production studio at my school, which we hope to have up and running within the next three years.”
Gregg’s love of creative education not only shaped his own story, but is now fueling his passion for his own students and their future successes.
When asked how Adobe Youth Voices has impacted his students, Gregg shared that bringing current technology into the classroom provides students with a new way to express themselves while learning how to use new tools and resources that will benefit them both in and out of the classroom. Adobe Youth Voices gives students competitive skills that they can take to the marketplace in the future for a job in graphic design or video editing.
“In my 15 years of teaching,” says Gregg, “I have seen other programs and initiatives come and go, but the Adobe Youth Voices curriculum of ‘create with purpose’ is the foundation for my digital media classes and will continue to be so for the remainder of my career.”
What does Gregg love about his work with Adobe Youth Voices? Near the top of his list is the opportunity to see young people develop a passion for something, especially if it is something they didn’t even realize they enjoyed prior to his class. “My students are at-risk youth; they are good, kind-hearted kids who perhaps made the wrong decisions academically or in their extracurricular life, and who got off track. Now they are looking to reinvest in their education, and they are striving for greatness.”
Want to see first hand the work Gregg and his students have created? Check out this trailer of student work created in Gregg’s Adobe Youth Voices classroom!
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