“MacGyver” was a popular action adventure television series in the late 1980s. The show followed Angus MacGyver, a resourceful secret agent who would famously escape seemingly impossible, life threatening situations using only common household items. In one such episode, MacGyver uses an ordinary
paperclip to disarm a bomb that is about to explode. But even MacGyver would have scratched his head when faced with my latest endeavor: Help 3 million victims in Haiti recover from a devastating earthquake using only 5 packs of blank, yellow Post-it notes!
Earlier this week I felt like a modern day MacGyver while trying to tackle this challenge as part of my latest class assignment: create as much value as possible using only Post-it notes. The end result was a social awareness campaign focused on getting donations for the Red Cross to support their Haiti Relief Campaign.
Post-its at work
The process that led to this result was sporadic, and far from scientific. The team threw out ideas as they came; some ideas were considered, some were immediately rejected. Our primary obstacle was deciding our definition of “value,” since value is so subjective. One man’s trash is indeed another man’s treasure. It was obvious that the actual Post-it, a simple piece of yellow paper, wasn’t worth very much. We decided it would be too difficult to convince people otherwise, that the physical piece of paper had great monetary value. Instead we decided to create social value by making the post-it represent something important and valuable: human welfare.
Armed with post-its, video cameras, a few hours time and a mission, our class employed unconvential means to make the front page of the newspaper, raise hundreds of dollars, and make people take notice of many pressing issues. This is the epitome of the entrepreneurial spirit. I can only imagine what else can be achieved with common things and a little MacGyver thinking? Who needs expensive commercials and elaborate marketing campaigns when you have a pack of playing cards and a stick of gum at your disposal? What heights can be reached with a rubber band, a turkey baster, and a pack of ice? How can you change the world with a DVD player, a diaper, and a paperback copy of “The Taming of the Shrew”? Anything is possible, if you stop and ask yourself: What Would MacGyver Do?
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Christopher Howard
Texting in today’s society has become a staple for communication. It has nearly replaced calling, and is a quick and easy way to communicate. However, today, texting can be used for more than just an “lol” or “ttyl”, by texting HAITI to 90999, you can donate $10 towards Haitian Relief.
Our project focused on the concept of creating value using only sticky notes. At first this task seemed daunting and ridiculous but after much brain storming, our group came up with an idea to create awareness about a portal to donations. Everyone is aware of the earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12th, and many want to help but don’t know how. Our project helped make available an easy way for everyone to donate a reasonable amount within seconds. We covered Christopher Howard with sticky notes, each with the words “Text ‘HAITI’ to 90999″ written on them. We then walked around campus and allowed students to take sticky notes off of Chris.
While this idea may not seem as extreme as other groups ideas, our point was well made and well received. Sticky notes are traditionally used as reminders, and in this case, they served their purpose in a big way. By having something tangible to hold on to, students were more likely to actually text and donate to Haitian relief.
To see a video of our project, click on the link above. This cause is extremely important and needs to be taken seriously. Haiti needs all the help it can get, and by texting “HAITI” to 90999, you too can help.
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After only a few weeks of class I think we can all agree on at least one thing: Social Media has incredible potential. If the World Wide Web is just in its infancy (it has only been around for 19 years!), then Social Media is but an unfertilized egg, fixed with the capacity of thriving life, yet only just a speck of what it can grow up to be. Poised for greatness, the inevitable question arises: who will be the father of this child?
There are forerunners in this scuffle for parenthood, like Apple, which has reaped the early benefits of the social media movement by building a large, loyal following. They seem to have it somewhat figured out. However, the DNA test is inconclusive. At the end of the day, we are still figuring all of this out. There are no time honored ground rules to using Social Media, like those that govern traditional forms of marketing. There are no experts on Social Media, as it is so young. No one is anymore closer to being the father of this illegitimate child than the mailman. So the question still remains: who will be the father?
Social media centers on the greater community of people, communicating and sharing content and thoughts. Indeed, we have shown that the abilities/ knowledge of the group is greater than that of the individual. Accordingly, perhaps we will all be the parents of Social Media. Perhaps, in one giant orgy think tank of innovation, we will all collectively build upon each other’s ideas to create a booming system of social interdependence. So, will there be one father, many fathers, an Immaculate Conception? Regardless, it is clear that Social Media is the Way of the Future.
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My name is Christopher Howard, and I am a “first year” Business Administration-General Studies major. My experience with technology is basic, consisting mainly of Windows and Microsoft software usage. When I think of Social Media, I am reminded of a popular Twix commercial, where a man quickly uses blogging as an excuse to convince a girl to come back to his apartment (watch below).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQJ2SegGWyc
When I first saw this commercial, I didn’t even know what blogging was (though I laughed anyway). I am taking this course because I don’t like to miss opportunities. I see this class as a golden opportunity for me to hone my tech skills, which are currently my least marketable quality, and have fun along the way.
One of my favorite companies is Amazon, because they helped make e-commerce what it is today. I am an avid fan of their e-book reader, the Amazon Kindle, as it started making e-books popular and accessible. Now, many other companies, notably Sony and Barnes and Noble, have flooded the market with their own e-book readers. Still, I remain loyal to the original. I think that e-books are the future of reading and print. One day, all students will be downloading their textbooks into their e-book readers. No paper, no shipping, no heavy book bags, and lower costs.
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