When the Alzheimer’s Association was called upon by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to solicit feedback from caregivers and those affected by the disease for input on the first draft of the National Alzheimer’s Plan, they called on Beekeeper Group to help them generate some buzz.

Our work for the Alzheimer’s Association was recently honored by the Webby Awards, often described as the “Oscars” of online media. We were recognized in the Webby’s “activism” category and are very excited to have our work be judged among the best, plus we couldn’t resist bragging a little.

The awards didn’t stop there, Beekeeper Group also received a Pollie Award from the American Association of Political Consultants and is a nominee for a public relations industry SABRE Award. Beekeeper Group also snagged a Communicator Award for creative web design on the Alzheimer’s Association project, as well as three other projects – two for video work and one more in creative web design.

We are grateful to these organizations for their recognition of Beekeeper Group, and will keep you posted on these and future awards!

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Winning with Twitter in 2012 panel (or #TwitterDC) just a few blocks from the Beekeeper Hive.  Even though Twitter feels like a very familiar platform to me, I found the panel to be interesting and informative, and I learned a few new things along the way.  For example, did you know that the Twitter icon is named Larry Bird?!

In all seriousness, the #TwitterDC presentation provided many substantive takeaways, especially for those of us in the public affairs and advocacy space:

Dual platform consumption: One trend emphasized during the event was dual platform consumption, where an individual is taking part in two forms of media simultaneously (i.e. watching a political debate on TV while live tweeting responses).  According to Twitter’s Mindy Finn, the spread of dual platform consumption signals a need to think about ways advocacy groups can integrate television, the most widely consumed media, with Twitter, which is primarily an interest network.

Prioritize mobile: The folks from Twitter also discussed some interesting data relevant to the public affairs space.  For example, 55% of active mobile users utilize Twitter, while 16% of new Twitter users start on a mobile device.  This highlights the importance of sharing mobile-friendly media on Twitter, as well as the need for an easy-to-use mobile site for your advocacy campaign.

Keep it fun and engaging: During the panel presentation, digital strategists from AARP, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the US Travel Association shared best practices for crafting highly engaging tweets.  They agreed that common factors of the most engaging tweets include links, hash tags, and direct calls to action.  Tammy Gordon of AARP also used her organization’s Happy Birthday Betty Twitter campaign – featuring cultural icon Betty White – as an example of using something fun to bring awareness to an issue.

All politics is local: Some of the panelists also noted the importance of localized Twitter campaigns.  For example, the AARP’s state offices use their own Twitter accounts to engage and mobilize activists at the local level, which can be more effective than broad, nation-wide campaigns.

Followers as activists: Towards the end of the event, an audience member asked how advocacy groups can turn Twitter followers into activists.  In my opinion, the best answer came from Nick Schaper of the Chamber of Commerce:

[Image courtesy of MapBox.com]

I recently had the opportunity to attend NetSquared DC’s meet up on modern mapping and new data visualizations.  The focus of the event was to provide non-profit organizations with tips on how to use open source mapping tools to promote their mission, so there was considerable overlap with the work Beekeeper Group does in the advocacy community.

Here are some of the key takeaways I had from the meet up:

1. You don’t need a technical or GIS background to use many open source mapping tools.  This highlights the accessibility of these technologies, even for smaller organizations.  Map Box, with the TileMill application, is one example of these easier open source mapping programs.
2. One of the worst mistakes a group can make when using a map is “polka dot fever,” where a map is filled with data points with little or no context.  Think about the end goal of your map before you make it, and use visual tools that will best tell that story to your audience.
3. Mapping is a great way to make quantitative data visual, personal, and relevant. Danny Harris’s work in using maps for storytelling at People’s District is a great example of this practice.
4. Make sure your maps can go mobile!  Since many of your users will access maps on an Android, iPhone, or iPad, it is crucial that your maps are designed to respond to various devices.  When creating a mobile map, prioritize speed, bandwidth detection, and ensure that the touch interface is functional.

For inspiration on how to create an awesome map for your organization, the presenters recommended books such as Edward Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information and online resources like Visualize This.  Since I’m a bit of a map nerd myself, also I think blogs such as Big Map Blog and Strange Maps can provide unique inspiration.

Has your organization ever leveraged maps for an advocacy campaign or cause?  What recommendations would you add for others who are interested in using cartography within their organizations?

In our first blog post as new members of the Beekeeper team, Salomone and I discussed our shared experiences with allergies to tree nuts.  Since that time, my colleagues here have encouraged me to pursue something I have wanted to do for a while now: start a blog with tips, advice, and recipes for people like me who have restrictive food allergies.  (I am hoping to officially launch the blog soon, so stay tuned!)

The process of developing my personal blog led me to ponder what intersections exist between our individual food choices and how we use social media. For example, if we consider personal memories surrounding food, we see deep social connections being made around what we eat. This could include anything from telling stories about old family recipes to sharing a special meal with friends.  It makes sense that social networks, which play an important role in today’s social connections, could conversely influence the way we think about food.

For the members of the food allergy community like me, there are many resources available through blogs and social networks that can provide support. I have found a lot of success finding groups that cater to specific food allergies on Twitter.  For example, hash tags such as #gfree, #glutenfree, and #celiac can lead to innumerable resources from the gluten-free community.  These communities on Twitter tend to be highly responsive, so ask a question using one of the popular hash tags, and hopefully you will get some helpful responses!

If you’re interested in this topic, then check out these tips I found in an article about key trends in this intersection of food and technology:

•    Customized recommendations: Based on previous choices, diet preferences, and the like: Food On the Table and Foursquare Explore
•    Food source transparency and education: Food Sprout, QR codes on vegetables, Snooth (wine education)
•    Networked objects, cooking instruments: There may come a day when we receive mobile alerts that we’re running out of milk or eggs. For now, the iGrill is the first grilling/cooking thermometer and app that transmits temperature measures to your smartphone through a Bluetooth connection
•    Reviving food traditions and DIY craft: Learning to make kimchee or cheese, brew beer, or grow a hydroponic vegetable garden is more accessible than ever. Enter David Chang’s Lucky Peach, Lovefre.sh, and Maangshi’s Korean Cooking Show
•    Increasing accessibility to locally-grown foods: Real Time Farms, Greenling and Relay

President Obama with Facebook President and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (AP)

This week, Facebook filed the paperwork to form its own Political Action Committee.  The proposed “FB PAC” would advocate on behalf of social networks in the political sphere and use company funds to support candidates in upcoming elections.

Though Facebook has sponsored lobbying efforts in the past, FB PAC would allow the social networking site to financially back political candidates for the first time. Given last year’s Citizens United ruling, which removed limits on how much funding corporations can put behind candidates through advertising, this could be a real game-changer for conglomerates like Facebook, Twitter, and Google.

A company spokesperson said that the PAC will “give our employees a way to make their voice heard in the political process by supporting candidates who share our goals of promoting the value of innovation to our economy while giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.”

Recent changes to Facebook have drawn complaints from many users who believe the new Facebook intrudes too much on individual privacy.  Could the creation of FB PAC bring greater transparency to the company and ease these concerns? Or does FB PAC simply represent the collusion of big business and government, which may alienate the average Facebook user?

We look forward to hearing your comments on this hot topic, so please share your thoughts in the comments section below.