One more bit of YouTube today, though this one’s audio-only rather than video: a rewrite of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” but this time with lyrics about the BP oil spill.
Okay, the results might not be quite as funny as one would hope, but it’s still solid work. And here’s what really jumped out at me — check out the details the author’s included on the YouTube page along with the song itself (click the little arrow right below the video window to make them drop down). Lyrics, yes, but also links to her podcast and Twitter feed, plus info on Louisiana relief organizations, an explanation of why she recorded the song and (soberingly) a list of the men who died when the drilling rig exploded. It’s an excellent example of how to get the most follow-on results possible from a piece of content placed on a social media site, and something that campaigns and nonprofits can learn from. Thanks to fellow NMS-er Brooke Oberwetter for sending this around.
My friend and long-ago college roommate Brad Terrell passed this mind-blowing piece of political video/advertising along the other day:
Sheer genius! A gun, a horse, a hat and a Real Man for Alabama…one of the Finest pieces of video ever produced, no doubt. Plus, dogtags! But alas, Alabama Agriculture Commissioner candidate Dale Peterson lost despite his profound understanding of resonant cultural symbolism, and apparently he got whupped real bad, too.
So let this ad stand as Peterson’s political epitaph, his own personal statue of Ozymandias. Internet angle: besides the fact that this thing’s closing in on 200,000 YouTube views, note the (anachronistic in context?) mention of his opponent’s “bragging on Facebook” about political donations from regulated industry; nice reaction shot of the horse then, too. For more video wackiness from the Alabama primaries, see this overview piece from Salon’s War Room.
Capitol Hill Democrats and Social Media: The Sky is Not Falling
Martin Matheny
Heads up, Democrats. Apparently, we’re getting our derrieres handed to us in terms of social media, at least according to this piece at Mother Jones. Here’s the lede:
“Who’s winning the social media war on Capitol Hill? The Republicans — and they are slaughtering the Democrats.”
