Crowd Surfing VS. Crowd Sourcing
Greetings from beautiful downtown Urbanna, Virginia where I am celebrating all things oyster and desperately trying to get rid of a hangover. I’m camping out at the 62nd Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival after a raucous Halloween night and I have chosen to celebrate my birthday this year with 60,000 of my closest friends.
Earlier this week, I was involved in a discussion with several board members of a non-profit organization. I will not name them or the organization so that we can protect them from embarrassment. They were trying to brainstorm some ideas for fundraising and called me for some ideas. On the call, one of them said, “Maybe we should try one of those crowd surfing websites to raise some money.”
For those of you who do not know the difference, let me explain the difference between crowd surfing and crowd sourcing. Crowd sourcing is the practice of enlisting the assistance of a large number of people through the internet. Crowd surfing, on the other hand, is when you get so drunk that you dive off a stage and get passed around the crowd like a bowl of grandma’s biscuits. In this practice, people raise their hands together to hold you up and distribute the weight…and last night they hoisted a hefty 243-pound man.
Monday morning, I used a crowd sourcing website to fund my crowd surfing. I created a GoFundMe fundraiser entitled “Help Dave Get Drunk at OysterFest.” It was a joke and the fundraiser’s primary appeal was, ”Please give generously to make sure we get the alcohol and oysters we so desperately need.” Much to my surprise, the fundraiser was shared 86 times and nine different donors contributed a whopping sum of $75. Although I did not reach my $1,000 goal, I was happy to buy a cooler full of beer, which then caused me to triumphantly dive off the Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department music stage last night and then get carried down Virginia Street high above the heads of those assembled.
So to recap today’s lesson, crowd sourcing is using people to help you raise money and crowd surfing is using people to carry you home.
Now I need a fundraiser for Tums and Gatorade.
Monday, October 28 – Put Fun On The Map
This week our clients at Compass Entertainment Complex were excited to see their company front and center in the November issue of Virginia Business. As they ramp up to open their doors, they’re still on the search to hire team members who are engaged and eager to be a part of something new in the Northern Neck. They offer competitive pay, flexible scheduling, employee discounts, and a great atmosphere to point your career in the right direction. If you’re ready to take family fun to the next level, apply online today!
Tuesday, October 29 – Keep Calm And Pitch On
This week we welcomed a handful of PRSA students into the Worldwide Madison+Main Headquarters. We took them on a tour of every floor, let them experience a day in the life, and likely scared them away from the biz completely. Just kidding. Our PR pro Kent “Not Every Story is Newsworthy” Brockwell gave them the real world rundown and shared 10 years of public relations tips to help them perfect their pitches and join forces with journalists.
Wednesday, October 30 – Lunch & Learn
Still tapped in with our pals from PRSA, our Communications Director Kent Brockwell attended their October Luncheon at the Jefferson Lakeside Country Club on Wednesday afternoon. While destroying a fantastic pre-Thanksgiving feast, he enjoyed hearing Editorial Director of PRWeek, Steve Barrett talk about the dynamic between communications and marketing, industry trends, and share future PR predictions. Once he returned to the office, he slipped into a food coma and fell asleep on the staircase.
Thursday, October 31 – Happy Halloween
Iconic or ironic, we know good brands when we see ‘em! This Halloween, the Madison+Main-iacs dressed up as advertising mascots and a few of our eye-catching costumes even went viral. Art Director Carissa Ghaffari sparked the fire when she was highlighted on Wendy’s Instagram story. Later in the day we were all raisin’ the roof when Director of Account Services Kaitlin Thomas’s SUN-MAID spin was also shared on the company’s social stream. If you want to see close-up comparisons of our boldly branded costumes, head on over to our Facebook page.
Friday, November 1 – Cookin’ Up
Warning: Do not eat. This is not food. It’s just an attractive magnet that the Madison+Main-iacs created for Lynchburg’s famous Texas Inn. As the loyal Weekly Report readers know, it’s one of my all-time favorite spots. For obvious reasons. But if your company wants to go #AllTheWay with cool marketing merch, give us a shout. We’re hungry to create. https://texasinn.com
A Few of Our Favorite Events
Sampling The Centuries
VMFA | Richmond, VA
November 2, 2019 | 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Join us and more than 20 chefs with ties to Virginia as we all participate in this memorable event at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts — as part of TowneBank’s Customs, Cultures, and Cuisine month. Go on a journey through small plates of Virginia’s bounty, along with paired cocktail, wine, beer, and desserts, Lean more about the Sampling the Centuries event and be sure to head out there tomorrow!
Got an upcoming event you want to share? Can we come? Send us the deets!
“The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.”
— Andrew Carnegie