Available for: iPhone and Android

Facebook seems to finally have done something with the group messaging application it bought called Beluga. Yesterday the social media company launched its Facebook Messenger app.

At first, the application seems like a duplicate of your “Inbox” on your normal Facebook app, however, there are a few slight improvements/differences. For example, it not only allows you to message people on your Facebook list (and who the heck isn’t on Facebook?!?!), but you can also add anyone from your SMS list! The app also allows you to tag your location to each message using your phone’s GPS.

For example, I come from a small town, and I have some friends who refuse to use Facebook, and believe it or not, I also have some that don’t have a cell phone, but do use Facebook. This application is perfect because it enables a group conversation between all my weird friends.

Another thing I like about the application is that sometimes I really don’t care, or have time to go into the full, bloated Facebook application, so this snapshot of my inbox is very handy.

Just search for Facebook Messenger in the App Store or the Android Market to download now. Let me know what you think about it.

This shindig’s smack dab in downtown Hamilton, just over yonder from the Locke Street district. (Corner of King and Locke streets)

There’s fun aplenty and a chance to satisfy yer hankering for some Southern fare with all the fixins!

Get three sheets to the wind with $8 mini-pitchers of beer!

As per usual, HYPE is a free event for professional young bucks where both howdya do’s and sass are welcome and business card stickups are considered real tacky-like.

Wednesday, September 7^th from 5:30 p.m. till whenever we get tuckered out!

Rolly Rockets
470 King Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8P 1B7

Ya’all better give us a head’s up on Facebook and invite yer friends, ya hear? (Check out the invite here!)

Gotta question? Email meg@kitestring.ca or tweet @Ettiekit

There’s nothing like the smell of career speed-dating in the morning. Yesterday at the 2011 Communication Studies and Multimedia Networking Breakfast, students were hungry for a taste of what its like to work in the industry. And for those students who’s worst fear would be having to ask, “Would you like fries with that?” this means serious business and serious questions. I tried my best to tell each table everything I knew about how I nabbed a gig at kitestring almost two years ago. I also emphasized that not all jobs are created equal; and that there’s a lot to say about good fitting workplace culture and the other professionals you’ll be sharing it with.  It reminded me how far I’ve come since leaving school and how lucky I am to work with such amazing strategic thinkers who have become the best creative comrades anyone could ask for!

This year, keynote speaker Steve Levy, President of Ipsos Reid Canada, shared his passion for market and advertising research (cool!) while posing the question, “Will change screw you?” This question was really an opener to caution students about the importance of staying on top of ever-changing digital, social and interactive trends as a way to get ahead in their careers. I loved how these points were echoed by Denis Dyack, President of Silicon Knights, who challenged us to own our smartphones without letting them outsmart our ability to manage our own down-time. Nicely played.

Thanks for inviting me, McMaster! #alumnirepresent

Meet Swatch 383. It’s kitestring green.
We like to think it speaks volumes about our brand’s personality.
Then we put our ears up to it and took a listen, and realized it was trying to tell us something.

We’ve been getting ready for this for a long time and now we’re ready to take it on. Swatch 383 wants kitestring to go on a mission to try to become as green as possible in 2010.

How fitting it is that Earth Day is the kick off to the Swatch 383 campaign.

kitestring invites you to watch us as we’re taking eco-friendly trip to the Green Living Show tomorrow (Friday, April 23rd) beginning our day at 9:30 on the GO Train. Ask us a question or read our updates on twitter (@kitestring), send us messages and view our photos on our blog and on twitter throughout the day (Follow all of the conversation even here #swatch383).

We know there is a lot a small creative studio can do to make a big impact. Check back in the Swatch 383 section to see how although it ain’t always easy, it’s worth it trying to be green.

Chris and I had the pleasure of meeting with a potential client this morning. During our conversation, the idea of ‘building your business success on your own terms’ came up. I actually jotted this line into my notebook as it really stuck with me – what an important concept!

Often new entrepreneurs are faced with the necessity of taking on any work that comes their way in order to build the business – it may be outside of your area of specialty  and it may be for clients that frankly, aren’t fitting into the landscape of what you envisioned. You can’t turn it down, right? YOU NEED THE BUSINESS!

It’s easy to understand this logic and quite honestly, it is most likely necessary. It provides you with work, a track-record and most importantly, capital to keep building your dream. The important thing to remember as you’ smile and service’ your way through these projects is that all of these ‘experiences’ help you define and build your business – and your brand.

Continue to build a strong brand that clearly articulates what your business is and the experience that you promise to your clients. Most importantly, infuse all of this into the marketplace! Ensure that your unique brand is being consistently used in all of your marketing materials (both in print and online) as well as your social networking efforts, face-to-face interactions, your physical environment, the style in which you answer the phone, your business card…I could go on and on.

By doing this, you’ll have your first filter in qualifying clients. The right clients will be naturally attracted to you. Your cultures will align, the work will excite you and TA-DA – you’ll start to build ‘success on your own terms’.

It’s a lovely place to be – you should try it!

- jenn

Remember when you didn’t need an Apple or a Blackberry to tweet your heart out with little blue birds?

kitestring is pleased as punch to announce that the social media mavens from Mabel’s Labels will be the belles of the Snow Ball: A Social Media Social

Along with kitestring, Mabel’s Labels will share their fresh approach to social media at the event, which includes an interactive workshop, and a tea social that includes all that you would expect a dainty lunch to include.

Oh my! How swell!

The social will be held at the beautiful Staircase Theatre (27 Dundurn Street North) on March 3rd, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

kitestring welcomes marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, social media newbies and pros, groups and singles to the Snow Ball! We’ll learn from each other by building on shared experience.

kitestring’s first ever social media social has limited seating, so please register here by purchasing your ticket.

Snow Ball: A Social Media Social
Hosted by kitestring creative marketing + design
Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn Street North, Hamilton, Ontario

Snow Ball: A Social Media Social

Remember when the word “social” inspired visions of teacups, friends and dessert? Can you think “social” today without wondering what the tweet to do about social media?

Bringing old and new together for the first time, kitestring is pleased to host Snow Ball: A Social Media Social!

In celebration of all things worth juxtaposing, Snow Ball: A Social Media Social will feature a collaborative, interactive workshop where guests can learn and share their modern social media know-how with the kitestring team, followed by an old fashioned tea social, accompanied with all of tea service accoutrements like scones, jam, tiny sandwiches and doilies! Oh my!

We’re pleased as punch to announce that the social media mavens from Mabel’s Labels will be the the belles of the Snow Ball, presenting their fresh approach to successful social networking for business.

The social will be held at the beautiful Staircase Theatre (27 Dundurn Street North) on March 3rd, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

kitestring welcomes marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, social media newbies and pros, groups and singles to the Snow Ball! We’ll learn from each other by building on shared experience.

kitestring’s first ever social media social has limited seating, so please register here by purchasing your ticket.

Snow Ball: A Social Media Social
Hosted by kitestring creative marketing + design
Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn Street North, Hamilton, Ontario
Purchase Tickets online at kitestring.ca for $25 per guest, limited seating

…what kind of twitter strategy really “works”? And what defines tweet success for organizations really?

I know, I know, awareness, image and reputation management, being able to reach a customer with a good or bad review in real time and being able to respond in an instant.

I guess, more specifically, I’m wondering what comprises a successful twitter follow for an organization’s twitter?

Today I tweeted about a kijiji link to someone selling a group of vintage cameras. Two minutes later I was followed by DigitalCamFan and UniqueAntiques. This makes sense right? Camera. Antiques. Antique cameras on kijiji.

Really?

Although I understand why this type of following on twitter occurs (mention + connection= profit), and could make sense in someone’s business mind, I have a hard time finding the time spent on following anyone who tweets about bananas as a banana company’s best investment. How do you measure the time spent by the banana company’s social media specialist against banana R.O.I?

For some organizations twitter is an excellent tool to reach, poll and even persuade their target audience to create, collaborate and even consume. But for DigitalCamFan and UniqueAntiques, that ten seconds they spent searching “antique” and “camera” was totally lost on me. And believe it or not, ten seconds can really add up.

Maybe our searches should be more specific than a noun and a geographical area. Maybe twitter is just a small step towards something even better. A social media that instinctively knows what you want, like that E-Harmony website claims to do for dating. Sometimes I wonder…

Nowadays, with social media and branding being so important to a company’s image, it is crucial to have a presence on some of the more popular websites out there.

The application is surprisingly fast and fun to watch it go through each site and scour them for your chosen username.

Having a presence and active profile on these sites can help your Search Engine Optimization, and get the word out.

Now, mind you, not all of them are important in a business sense, and some of them are not even around any more, but some of the notable ones are behance.net, Blogger, Flickr, FriendFeed, Twitter, Xing, and maybe even YouTube.

Check it out at namechk.com