2 posts tagged “new york times”
It doesn't get more niche than this - a new invitation ONLY social networking site called aSmallWorld has recently appeared in the spotlight. It is basically a facebook for the elite - a private online community described on the site as being "...designed for those who already have strong connections with one another".
The main difference between this and other social networking sites is that this is not an open site and not just anyone is free to join - and could be described as breeding a form of elitism and endorsing an 'us and them' culture. It's members include business opinion makers, entrepreneurs and those at the top of the media, fashion, entertainment, arts and sports game.
An article in the New York Times recently published several comments that influential, high-brow members of this site posted on the forum: "I need to rent 20 very luxury sports cars for an event in Switzerland on the 6th September...The cars should be Maserati - Ferrari - Lamborghini - Aston Martin ONLY!" and another which I have taken a particular liking to, "If anyone is looking for a private island, I now have one available for purchase in Fiji."
If we were allowed in, I highly doubt we would see pictures of big/ messy nights out with friends, videos of Tom, Dick or Harry falling down the stairs, nor would we see the quizzes or applications that our dear friend Facebook is well-known for.
Is this going to create marketing opportunities? Absolutely! These members now have direct access to socialise with other influential decision makers. Fashion and brand publicists are in direct contact with other high profile players which they can invite to their high brow social events and can negotiate leave behind gifts from other members managing luxury brands. The site is a personal address book and contact list for the rich and famous.
Luxury brands such as Burberry, Aston Martin and so forth will pay big bucks to advertise on this site - knowing that their job is done and that they are reaching their appropriate target audience and have the opportunity to generate true business. Similarly, the site will generate strong ad revenue from the likes of these luxury brands.
Not sure what it says to the rest of us - work hard to climb social ladders and reap the benefits or you are not good enough to join our group, nor will you ever be. The elitist culture it creates is not necessarily what you and I are akin to with social networking sites that we frequent, however fair call to state that it does meet the principles that social media is founded upon.
aSmallWorld has built a community of trust around an extremely niche group of like-minded individuals who share the same circle of friends and interests. More and more niche social networking sites are popping up each day -commonality of interest around money/influence, cats, dogs, movies, cooking, sport, art, fashion etc...
I pose a question to you, if you could launch a networking site what would your niche be?
I'm open to all sorts of crazy answers.
Cheers for now.
Anyone that has been following the Fake Steve blog over the past year would be interested to know that the cover of Fake Steve has been blown and his identity revealed by a Mr. Brad Stone from the New York Times! Fake Steve was formerly an anonimous blogger that took on the persona of Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs. Postings that have appeared on The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs have conveyed the real Steve Jobs as both egotistical and arrogant.
Fake Steve has been revealed as none other than Daniel Lyons, a senior editor at Forbes Magazine.
The blog has had a cult following and according to the New York Times, Daniel Lyons receives approximately 50 emails per day of people sending him suggestion topics on what to blog about, and the site had more than 700,000 visitors frequenting the site last month alone.
Daniel's response to being discovered - "I'm stunned that it's taken this long...I've been sort of waiting for this call for months."
Daniel Lyons has since posted a 'Damn, I am so busted' message on his blog. Too funny!. I think I laughed for 10 minutes non-stop. Excerpt as follows:
"Well, tip of the hat to you, Brad Stone. You did the sleuting. You put the pieces of the puzzle together. You went through my trash, hacked into my computer, and put listening devices in my home. Now you've ruined the mystery of Fake Steve, robbing thousands of people around the world of their sense of childlike wonder. Hope you feel good about yourself, you mangina."
Keep tuned to the FSJ blog for upcoming posting on his latest target, Brad Stone. There is a game being started about cool ways to use the name Brad Stone ('all' or 'part') as a verb. So far we have the following:
1. To bust a fellow filthy hack without mercy and spoil the fun for everyone, in a quest for personal aggrandizement
2. To urinate in a pool
I must say with this secret blown, I am little disappointed to see the Fake Steve come to an end!
