Tomorrow’s thupr at The Square Pig in Holborn will be the last thupr event.
It was an accidental series that has spanned two social media weeks and produced one of the very first Google + events. We’ve gamified. We’ve played. It’s had its highs and lows, big events and small events, mostly free, but the time has come for me to say ‘farewell’ – that it was fun while it lasted, but it’s outlived itself.
It’s demise is down to me: I have a busy life as a freelancer and my clients needs have to come first, so the poor event has never had the love it should have had. Communities need time, love and attention to thrive, and although it’s been a big call on my time, I haven’t given it what it needs. Which is a shame, because the events have brought together some brilliant, brilliant people with brilliant, brilliant mins, products and services.
I’ve had sporadic and invaluable help along the way – ipadio took on an entire event, I’ve had a lovely intern working with me, help from community specialist Alexander Nikolov, and more recently some really focussed, invaluable behind the scenes support from Stephen Haggard. I’d like to thank them hugely for all they’ve done.
I have been really lucky this year to be working alongside the awesome Tweetcamp team.
Like all journeys, all events including volunteers, behind the scenes, of course there have been lots of ups and downs. Anyone who’s worked on a Twestival will know exactly what I mean by that! It’s all been done by busy volunteers with a commitment to make it happen, and I tilt my hat at them!
But it’s come together beautifully,with an incredible cast of sponsors meaning that the whole thing is entirely free, even the food and coffee – and there are schwag bags!
Global Integration, an international management training consultancy, who I work with half time, have, somewhat unexpectedly, became a sponsor for the event, largely due to the vision of CEO Kevan Hall, who sees it as a real opportunity to learn. It’s absolutely not their audience, but he absolutely sees it as a way to engage and catch the vibe.
Thought I’d share here that I’m going to be writing a monthly PR column for State of Search.
Mostly read by online marketers, it’s a daunting prospect: SEO PR Training is teaching me daily how complex SEO is, and how different agencies each offer a very different ‘brand’ of SEO.
The first column was on approaching local media. Although it was written with SEO teams in mind, many small or start up businesses could find the same information useful
You can have a peek at it here: Local Media Love. I hope those with experience of local PR will share in the same space.
At this weeks thupr event, amongst the stand out things was a live call to explorer, Mark Wood, in Kathmandu.
As a PR consultant, this kind of ‘live link’ is terrifying – you know that it can all go horribly wrong whenever you’re reliant on various pices of technology which may, or may not, perform on the day. First rule of PR: always have a Plan B.
But using Mark Smith of ipadio’s mobile, Mark Wood in Kathmandu’s satellite phone (notoriously narrowband technology, prone to foibles), ipadio and speakers, they pulled it off. Live.
You can hear the interview here, including the afterchat we didn’t hear over the speakers. (Second rule of PR – make sure the microphones are off: remember Glenn Hoddle?)
communications, PR practise, thupr | claireatwaves | 
October 13, 2011 5:02 pm | 
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