Last week Facebook upped the ante on location based social networking with Facebook “Places.” “Places” provides an opportunity to for you to share where you are with your Facebook friends.  It’s been less than a week since the launch of this new, fancy tool and after a bit of confusion, like it not working in all cities including LA at launch, friends are starting to share activity. Here’s some tips and thoughts as you do.

1. You will need the Facebook app for iPhone. Sorry Android and Blackberry users, apps are on the way.
2. You can check in on the newsfeed pages, look for the balloon icon in the upper right, or go to the main screen and the look for the new “Places” icon.
3. Depending on how you manage your Facebook friends, for example some use it exclusively for friends and family while others use it as a business outreach tool, it’s important to know that when you share where you are it shares with your entire friend list. They don’t have to be using “Places,” they can just click “Places” from their device and see where you are. This differs from Foursquare in that most users who have set up Foursquare know that they are sharing their location with their friends and, if you’re like me, have been a little more aware of accepting friend requests. Also, Foursquare allows you to just check in without telling anyone or customize who you want to know. “Places” does not.
4. You can also tag friends who are with you. This is interesting and has some privacy ramifications. For instance, what if your friend isn’t as open as you about sharing or they might have told someone they were somewhere else and then pop up with you?  There’s also no verification from those you’re tagging to confirm. That may have changed but I did it twice last week and it just showed up in my friend’s feed. Read more about how privacy concerns are involved with this.

That said, “Places” is fun if you’re already using tools like Foursquare and are in the habit of telling your Facebook friends via status updates that you are at “X.” Plus it’s kinda neat to check in to “Places” and see who might be at the restaurant, concert or event you’re at.

From my perspective, I’m leaning toward primarily using Foursquare and will also add in the mix “Places” for opportunities that are appropriate and when I don’t mind sharing with my entire Facebook friend list. One thing you won’t see me doing is checking in to my house…that’s private.

For 12 days coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games dominated the news and social media with posts, Tweets, blogs and more about the athletes, the games and the spirit of competition.

Tonight is the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games…and coverage has been little to non-existent. But that’s no excuse. If you’re not familiar with the Paralympics or the Paralympians that compete, let me sum it up – living life and achieving their dreams.

I received the following message from the U.S. Olympic Committee today via e-mail and instead of paraphrasing it I’ve decided to include the entire context here.

It’s important for all of us to understand where these athletes come from, their challenges and the amazing sacrifice these individuals made for themselves, their families and our country. And over the next 12 days as they reach for Gold, they need to know that we’re cheering them on. I know I will. I personally wish all the athletes success as they strive to do more than most ever will.  

Three stories. One dream.

Dear Ronele,

The Opening Ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games begins tonight. For Team USA, these games represent years of endurance and anticipation. Let me introduce three Paralympians who share one inspiring dream.

Alexi Salamone. Adopted from the Ukraine after being born with deformed legs as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Alexi just wanted to be like other kids. Wrestling and sled hockey made that possible. Now years later, Alexi has been named to his second U.S. Paralympic Team.

Heath Calhoun. After losing both legs while serving in Iraq as a squad leader for the 101st airborne, Heath learned to ski through the Disabled Sports USA Wounded Warrior Project and the Disabled American Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. Paralympic sport became a critical part of his rehabilitation. His three-year-old son now says, “Daddy, you can run with me again.” Heath has been named to the U.S. Paralymic Team and is honored to be the U.S. Flag Bearer for Opening Ceremonies.

Nikko Landerros. A high school wrestler, Nikko and his best friend were hit by a car in 2007. Both boys lost their legs. Shortly after, Nikko toured the Olympic Training Center, visited with Paralympic ambassadors, and was introduced to sled hockey. Today Nikko is a proud member of the 2010 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.

Three stories. One dream.

For the next 12 days, your U.S. Paralympic Team will compete for Gold at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Please join us in cheering on the extraordinary athletes who make up Team USA!

Charlie Huebner
Chief of Paralympics
United States Olympic Committee

P.S. Thank you to the many who support Paralympic Sports Programs in 114 communities nationwide. Your generosity enables athletes with disabilities to participate in competition and in life.

These are my thoughts on the numerous postings and articles about the RSCVA’s new campaign. It was written before the presentation to the RSCVA Board on Sept. 24.

In the course of full disclosure, I personally have not been involved in the new branding initiative.  However, I did work with the RSCVA for close to eight years as part of promoting the area as America’s Adventure Place. Over the last few weeks, I’ve attended two presentations from the RSCVA team about the effort.  Here’s my two cents…take it for what it’s worth.

First the research is solid. 11,000 surveys say loud and clear that Reno is misunderstood. More research showed why people actually come here.  Surprise, they come here because we aren’t afraid to be who we are and for the same reasons we call it home.  Eleven years of declining visitation means our challenges started way before America’s Adventure Place campaign. But that’s not the issue here and the merits for or against that could be debated as well but as of today, that would be living in the past. 

The RSCVA started this process with an RFP–3 local firms and 3 out-of-market firms were selected to present. Mortar, the winning agency based in San Francisco, told our tourism decision makers things they didn’t want to hear but needed to. We needed someone from our primary visitor market to be straight with us. Even more importantly, they “are” our visitors residing in our primary drive market. As the owner of a PR firm, I’m saddened to hear so many people say that the RSCVA shouldn’t have gone out of market because of the talent here. True, we have exceptionally, talented individuals right in our backyard that are noted experts in their respective fields. But I’m also hazarding a guess that they have clients outside the Reno Tahoe area…I know we do.  And if they don’t, what’s stopping them? 

The tagline hasn’t been announced by the RSCVA, but was instead leaked to the media and since then there’s been speculation on the merits of the entire campaign. To judge the success of the entire campaign by a tagline doesn’t even make sense.  RSCVA said they entered the process without ever thinking the tagline would change. But the results and feedback were pointing in a new direction. Seeing the interviews of individual’s perceptions of our area is at times funny but more so eye-opening and at the same time unbelievable. Where we went wrong doesn’t matter.  What does is how to get back on track. Comparing Reno against Vegas isn’t even a fair way to begin. Comparisons are always difficult. You end up comparing your greatest weakness with someone else’s strength. We needed to own our uniqueness, be honest with ourselves and, as I’ve heard the RSCVA say, quit apologizing for who we are.

With the current economic situation, there’s no better time than now to take an inward look at ourselves, and critically, so that we can be up and running when times are good.  Sitting on the sidelines, whining and waiting for the good times is too late.  RSCVA is funded by hotel room taxes and the dollars spent to date needs to be looked at as an investment. It’s a small price that could be easily recouped after 30 sold out lodging nights…give or take. Those sold out nights translate to more than just room tax dollars. It means food, drink, entertainment, gaming, gas, etc.  Talk about a positive impact. 

As far as all this speculation on if the tagline is good or bad and what the ads look like, it’s all premature. Branding is not a tagline, new logo or advertisement.  It’s so much more.  From the responses I’ve been reading to the articles and editorials, it’s all being done without the benefit of seeing the complete picture. It’s shiny object syndrome at its finest.    

Is this campaign it?  I don’t know and we won’t know for some time. But I’m willing to give it time and see where it leads. Personally, I’m ecstatic that the RSCVA is doing something instead of sitting around and waiting.  If they were, I’m sure they’d be criticized for playing it safe and not reacting.