|
|
Welcome to Moped's Mileage Report
October 13, 2009
Volume III
Back in August, Moped Productions launched an e-newsletter, just to see if anyone was paying attention. Turns out yes, you were. The response has been so positive that we've decided to (re)do it up, and (re)do it right. Presenting the newly created Moped Mileage Report.
Why? Because we'd like to re-introduce ourselves to you in style. In our style. And just FYI, this re-launch edition will be lengthier than most, as we take the time to introduce all the new pieces.
We plan to bring you valuable information, news you can use, and a behind the scenes look at who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
And who are we collaborating with? Overwhelmingly, the Moped team works alongside fantastic, creative people and organizations. We strategize, develop and create dynamic communications and entertainment content that brings you closer to your audience members, wherever they are.
We have a lot of fun while we do that - and fortunately, so do our clients! Hopefully you'll enjoy learning about our work, as much as we enjoy talking about it.
In this edition we're getting techie, twice, in this double feature edition: Offering practical advice and some best practices for following blogs (including ours which is also evolving!), and we're looking at how Twitter is working to get your videos more views, more of the time.
We'll take a quick COFFEE BRAKE! to share a little food (or espresso) for thought, that hopefully makes you stop and think. Submit your own thoughts, and if featured you'll become an honorary Moped Spokes Member. Amazing!
We're also going to be sharing some of what we've been up to this month (a lot!!), and taking a ride back in time, in Rewind, to look at where we were this month in 2008.
Our Client Journey will shed light on the path our clients and creative partners have taken as we've worked together on projects of all kinds, past and current. This month we're featuring Joe Pinto of The Urban Assembly School for Law + Justice, and inviting you to watch a pretty compelling pro-bono project we've just completed together.
And yes, as promised in last month's article Remembering the Organ in Your Organization, I'm stepping out a little bit and talking about *gasp!* stuff that's not work-related. And so will everyone else at Moped in each upcoming edition of Mileage Report, because truly it takes a lot of great people to make the wheels turn.
Lastly, we'll talk about the redesign of the newsletter, and what went into our decisions in building it.
We know that our communication with you exists as an ever-evolving back and forth. So we welcome your continuing feedback, questions and suggestions!
And with that, we're off!
- Mo Isern
|
 |
|
HOW DO YOU FOLLOW A BLOG?
By Ingrid M. Alvarez
How do you follow a blog? This a question I get often. The answer is really simple; as in "Really Simple Syndication," better known as RSS.
RSS is a live feed or constantly updated connection to the posts and comments from your favorite blog.
There are three ways to get your daily dose of RSS:
Via email. Keep it simple by looking for a place to enter your email address, and sign up to receive posts and/or comments in your email inbox. It should say something like "Delivered by Feedburner" under the field where you enter your email address. You'll get an email each time a new post or article is published.
Save it to your web browser. If you're usually surfing the web on the same computer, save time by adding an RSS folder directly to your browser's menu or toolbar as a bookmark folder. Click on the RSS icon located in the very right of your URL address bar, and save the feed to your bookmarks menu or toolbar. All the articles will be saved to that particular browser and listed live in your bookmarks the moment they are published!
In an RSS Reader. If you have a lot of favorite feeds to read, get them all in one place. An RSS Reader is an online application or local application (saved to your computer) that syncs your Reader inbox with all the latest articles from the feeds you've subscribed to. While desktop feed readers like BlogBridge (Mac) and FeedReader (Windows) offer more functionality, you'll get access anywhere by subscribing to your feeds online. Some popular and free web-based Readers are Google Reader, Bloglines, NewsGator, Netvibes and of course, the services offered through MyYahoo and MyAOL.
So, want to try it out?
Follow the Moped Blog! How would you like your Moped feed delivered? We'll make it easy on you. Just click the links below:
|
 |
|
MAXIMIZING YOUR VIDEO'S IMPACT WITH TWITTER
By Lisa Smith
Do you want your video to be seen by more people? Popular social media networks are making an extended effort to maximize video sharing for businesses and non-profit organizations alike. Twitter, in particular, is consistently developing synergies with other online applications to attract more viewers to your videos. Here's how:
TwitVid and Twiddeo. Upload videos directly from the web, your camera phone or record from your web cam. The link to your video is immediately posts as a tweet, so your Twitter followers can watch it online or on mobile device with a single click. Take a look at TwitVid and Twiddeo.
TubeMogul. This established video uploading service has now enabled a similar service. As soon as you upload your video to your primary host site, TubeMogul tweets a video link to your Twitter followers. Check out TubeMogul.
Twitter wins maximum attention for your videos! Research shows that users who find video via Twitter tend to interact more with the video than on other platforms. For example, Twitter users spend almost 60% more time with shared video than Facebook users! Read more about these stats on Mashable.com. |
 |
|
Right now, everywhere!
We're knee deep in a 3-day shoot and 2-week edit for a TV pilot that we hope to bring you soon. Character and network-names are confidential at this point, but we're excited to be working with Executive Producers Michael Rourke and Gerette Allegra, both former Sony Entertainment execs.
And MTVN's Supervising Producer Paul Ricci hooked us up with Candida Boyette-Clemons, Producer, and Trinket L. Lewis, Executive Producer, on BET's "Access Granted - Jay Z for a Day" half-hour show. This month, we're wrapping up the edit with Candida and Trinket for the behind-the-scenes look at the making of Jay Z's 10-Year Anniversary Rocawear commercial, directed by Spike Lee.
Also working with producer Paul Ricci, Mo Isern just edited two commercials and the second episode of the Making the Nike Plus Human Race show, airing on mtvU this week. Check out how Ohio State and USC students are doing everything they can to recruit the most students and log the most miles, all the way through to the big race on October 23rd and 24th.
We've also just finished up an edit for San Francisco's Mark Thornton, motivational meditation expert, author and speaker. Check out his promotional reel! We'll be catching up with him soon when he visits us in New York.
|
 |
|
THIS MONTH IN MOPED HISTORY
October 2008
Looking for Miza is the true story of a lost mountain gorilla,  rescued by his own family.
Alongside Scholastic and Turtlepond Publications, we co-produced and edited a series of short videos to be shown throughout The Clinton Global Initiative Annual Forum Kid's Day, as a way to get kids involved in conversations and activities surrounding deforestation issues in Rwanda. The story was also featured in the New York City Bloomingdale's windows as part of the continuing awareness campaign.
Check out all the videos on Miza's Gorillavision!
|
 |
|
Joe Pinto
Executive Director, Adams Street Foundation, a non-profit partner in residence for the Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice (SLJ)
The Journey:
 SLJ was in need of a tool to bring potential donors and strategic partners into their world to see the change they make daily and get people thinking about how they could join the cause. So Joe did what many of us do when we need something: he sat down one evening and composed an email to his network of friends, asking for help.
The call-to-action email entered Moped founder Maureen Isern's inbox through a friend of a friend, and the connection was made.
"From the word 'go' they were responsive; they just got it," Joe reflects. "This was a colossal project, attempting to convey the uniqueness of SLJ adequately and accurately through condensing a 90-minute school visit into a 9 minute video; and it is spot on!," he continued.
Moped was able to create an engagement platform that increased opportunities and eliminated barriers, such as time and travel constraints for supporters wanting to make a school visit, and improved organizational efficiency through the use of technology (i.e., creating multiple distribution channels to reach prospective friends).
When Joe was asked to name three words to describe this experience, he responded enthusiastically with, "WOW!, intuitive and diligent." Then without hesitation, he asked to add an additional word. "Dedication."
Joe continued, "Moped staff members were professional and easy to work with. They brought with them the ability to see the whole picture, and then conveyed the organizational impact and all of the salient points through personal stories.
I am excited to share SLJ with the world!"
And so are we! To see the full 10-minute version of SLJ's story, watch it on YouTube or on Moped's Facebook group. |
 |
|
Take a moment why don't you...
By Mo Isern
Recently, I got the distinct pleasure of meeting TV & film producer, and entertainment executive, Frank Siebert at one of Adrian Miller's Long Island events. Yes... I made it out to Melville, Long Island!
Fred, who master-connecter Bill Sobel warmly introduced at Adrian's event, is now the Creative Director and co-founder of Next New Networks, and is a leading producer of independent animation. Much of his reputation has been built on taking properties that have been struggling, and making them thrive. Back in the day, he was positioned as MTV's first creative director, and in 1985 was looking at how to overhaul the then-flailing Nickelodeon.
At Adrian's event, he talked about how he had asked the questions when facing Nickelodeon's possible downfall: 'What do kids do at night? They sleep. So what are we going to do while they're sleeping?'
That's when the idea of Nick-at-Nite was born, an evening, grown-up programming idea that was revolutionary at the time, and is today, one of the most well-known components of the MTV Networks brand.
Fred and his then partner, Alan Goodman, became known as the first 'branders' in television. They asked questions that people weren't asking. They stepped away from the center, and looked at what was and wasn't connecting. The idea of programming a kid's channel differently while children are sleeping rings as common sense now when we see how the idea works. But at the time, no one else saw the gap.
Their best decisions came from having the best perspective.
Which brings me to the purpose of our Coffee Brake! section. This new section will be our chance (all of ours!) to stop -- and muse over ideas and insights, mull over inspirations, and in this case, get your wheels turning as you think about what is and isn't connecting.
It's easy to sit in a pattern and say 'This is how it is.' But try asking 'How is it working for us?'
Ask why? Ask why not?
Submit your ideas, inspirations and insights to spokesmember@mopedproductions.tv and we'll reach out to you if we include it in our next newsletter!
|
 |
|
Maureen "Mo" Isern
Founder, Executive Producer at Moped Productions
What That Means: Started the company in 2007 and has since been plotting world domination and a long-lasting alternative to paperwork and Excel sheets.
What do you do at Moped? I like to think that I make each year better, more interesting, and really fun - which builds a dedicated team. Since I had a family-style Hispanic upbringing, I like to make sure everyone has eaten lunch, is happy and will tell me if they aren't. I also keep on keeping on under any deadline, on any day! Who are your heroes?Well, I have a big family, so I have too many to name! I can start with my brothers, whom have both served in the armed forces for the last 7-9 years.
What is the last documentary or film you viewed? Oh, it's been a little intense lately. I just went through a Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky phase and watched Paradise Lost 1 and 2, as well as Metallica: Some Kind of Monster. And apparently there's a third Paradise Lost in post-production. What is your favorite dessert?Anything listed under dessert. Or anything key lime, peanut butter, caramel, pumpkin or iced with butter cream. Or anything oatmeal-raisin, red velvet, cheesecake, orange, strawberry ... Um. This is embarrassing. What are your hobbies, outside of Moped?Haaha. I don't know what you're talking about. Is that a dessert? What is your creative process? I always thought I was spontaneous - until I realized I was hyper-systematic. I mentally launch into outer space for a second and imagine what this thing (what ever it is) could be if it was huge. Then I rush back down to Earth and become super logical and logistical in getting it done. Creativity is one thing - next step: production! Where is the last place you traveled?Technically, Montauk, Long Island. And let me tell you: when hotels say it's 'Deluxe Peak Season' and that they're sold out, they really mean it. Don't expect to show up on a Saturday afternoon in August and luck out. You will be turned away from 40 hotels. |
 |
|
MOPED'S MILEAGE REPORT
By Ashley Faison
A company with consistent, steady design conveys reliability and confidence. When you think of Moped Productions as a brand, what do you think of? I think of smart, humorous, creative change-makers with vast experiences and a deep knowledge-base of expertise. The colors burgundy and gold come to mind - (hmmm, did someone graduate from Florida State University?), sophisticated yet comfortable, and fresh contemporary design elements with an attention to detail.
So how do we convey that personality through multiple digital media platforms? Well, here's what we did... we started with identifying our primary and secondary forms of electronic communication. For example, we defined our website, e-newsletter and blog - which links to our Twitter and Facebook pages - as primary sources of interaction. The broader digital community including Idealist, Media Rights, and Just Means as secondary. We then looked at our target audience, current subscriber list, communication goals, design objectives, content generators, publication layout and an appropriate production schedules for each. Whew!
Moped's Mileage Report, this very e-newsletter, is one of the first results of this review. So let me take a moment to point out some of the re-designs! First off, we defined our editorial content by analyzing the message and intent behind each article, giving consideration to the continuity of layout. Second, you'll notice subtle graphic illustrations for article segments that were created to visually convey the content quickly and easily. And lastly, we paid great attention to maintaining our creative branding with compelling and consistent product representation.
So... what do you think? Our hope is that we created an engagement platform for creative communicators (like yourself!) that successfully delivers and promotes the exchange of personable, practical and entertaining information, reflective of Moped's personality. Wow, that's a mouthful!! Do I dare ask how we did? Oh, it's difficult being transparent, but so very crucial to creating an open forum for discussion. I'm sure the newsletter will morph throughout time, but I feel confident that we now have a firm foundation to grow from. Next up: overhauling the Blog!
|
|
Moped Productions - Mobilize Your Mission
phone:
718-395-1406
|
|
|
