A chance to win $200! & New Indigenous Arts + Culture News Site Launching Soon!

This photograph doesn't really relate to my project, but I adore it. (As you can see by my Twitter account: @amystretten)

As some of you may (or may not) know, I’m a Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism fellow (please excuse the horrid photograph- I didn’t get to choose it!) and am creating a multimedia arts + culture Indigenous news site for Indigenous youth of the United States and Canada called NativeRemix.com.

Below is a video about our “pitch day” – when I won a seed grant to fund the project!

The mission of the site is to provide creative, culturally relevant content to Native youth, highlighting the growing international Indigenous artistic movement.  (So, instead of focusing on sad, depressing news – you know, those stereotypical stories EVERYONE has heard over and over again – we’ll focus on the inspiring, uplifting stuff.)  And, I’m lucky to have an amazing team of Native content producers on board to help me get this project off the ground!

NativeRemix.com will feature profiles on cutting edge Indigenous artists like Aboriginal DJ group A Tribe Called Red, singer/songwriter Kyra Climbingbear, rising fashion designer/artist Sho Sho Esquiro, burgeoning comedy group The 1491s, and accomplished “Thoshography” photographer Anthony “Thosh” Collins!

Those are just some of our ideas…We want your ideas, too!

The purpose of the site is to expand the platform Native artists currently have and be the “go to” place for creative Native content from all corners of Turtle Island!  We’re taking a for us/by us approach to reporting on the Native art world.

With that said, we’re still looking for writers, content producers, and advertisers.  If you want to share your take on the latest Native fashion trend or artistic movement in your community, send your thoughts to us at editor@nativeremix.com.  We welcome content submissions from any and all Native writers, bloggers, journalists, artists, and fans alike!  This is your opportunity to add your voice to the conversation and have people take note.

If you have a product or business (say, an Etsy store or t-shirt company) that you would like to advertise to Native youth (age 14-34) and the young at heart!, consider being one of our founding advertisers and e-mail editor@nativeremix.com for more information about incentives and our ad rates.

Please sign up for updates on the site and our scheduled launch date, by signing up at NativeRemix.com!  (You will be rewarded with a free A Tribe Called Red album download for doing so.)

…Please help us out and spread the word – Our success depends on you!

You can follow NativeRemix.com on Twitter (@TheNativeRemix) and “like” us on Facebook (FB/NativeRemix)!  Your support is much appreciated!!!
And, again: If you, or someone you know, would like to contribute to the site or be featured by one of our writers/content producers, please be in touch! E-mail editor@nativeremix.com to submit comments/questions/suggestions, story ideas, etc.

[NativeRemix.com = Native culture...Remixed!]

Now, for the important stuff…

So, how can you win $200?  It’s easy! – Just enter my contest at 99designs.com and create a winning logo for the NativeRemix brand!  If you’re not a designer, you could encourage a friend who is a designer to enter and split the winnings however you see fit!

I would LOVE for a Native designer to win, so please tell all of your friends to take a shot!

Have a great weekend…and good luck to anyone who enters!

-NativeJournalist

Read Full Post »

Startup Marketing Plan: Trend or Coincidence?

I read an interesting article this week on TechCrunch about a troubling trend in (unintentional?) marketing plans of digital startups.  According to TC writer, Alexia Tsotsis, some of the hottest, new startups use “scandal” (and then public apologies via Twitter) to broadcast their new internet presence and commitment to their customers/users.  Case in point: airbnb‘s public apology after one users home was trashed.  The site issued several apologies and then improved upon and reiterated their commitment to listening to and addressing the needs of their community.

Shortly after this incident, airbnb made the following policy changes:

• Hosts who book reservations through Airbnb will be covered for loss or damage due to vandalism or theft caused by an Airbnb guest up to $50,000 with the Airbnb Guarantee. This program will also apply retroactively to any hosts who may have reported such property damage prior to Aug. 1, 2011.
• Airbnb has doubled its customer support team from 42 to 88 people and will be bringing on a 10-year veteran from eBay as its director of customer support next week.
• Beginning next week, Airbnb will have 24-hour operators and customer support staff ready to provide around-the-clock phone and email support.
• Airbnb now has an in-house task force devoted to the manual review of suspicious activity. This team will also build new security features based on community feedback.
• If hosts cannot get in contact with anyone, they are urged to contact the CEO directly at brian.chesky@airbnb.com.

Perhaps this is the modern, digital version of “There’s no such thing as bad publicity?“

After noticing this trend with other startups, Sean Percival, guru of all things tech and prior colleague of mine at MySpace, created this amusing(/troubling?) form letter that startups can use to address issues that arise.

Form created by @Percival for TechCrunch.com

What are your thoughts?  Do you know of any startups that have issued mass apologies similar to the one above?

I look forward to your comments.

-Amy Stretten

Read Full Post »