From What’s Now To What’s Next

LPP is keeping a finger on the pulse of top industry headlines and conversations buzzing around social media, so you don't have to. Below is this week's round-up to serve as information and inspiration for discussions around real-time trends.

Did we miss anything? What are your thoughts on what’s happening this week?

Top Stories

Obama’s State of the Union Address: The President pledged to help the middle class achieve prosperity. Obama also made proposals for investments in schools, technology and clean energy; called for equal pay and an increase to minimum wage; presented plans to tackle immigration and gun control; and stated that his proposals will not add to the country’s deficit. Obama also gave nods to Apple and Intel for bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.

• Pope Benedict XVI Resigns: The Vatican announced the Pope will step down because he doesn’t have the strength to carry out his post. The pope’s last day will be February 28 and the process to elect his successor will begin the week after March 15.
• Asteroid Watch! : On Feb. 15, an asteroid will pass within just 17,200 miles of Earth. Life as we know it is not in danger, but stay tuned for reports and photography that will follow.
• Lebron James is Ridiculous: On Tuesday, James became the first player in NBA history to score 30 points and shoot at least 60 percent in six consecutive games.

Top Conversations

• #SOTU: State of the Union highlights on Twitter included Marco Rubio reaching for the water bottle, and Obama’s bipartisan fist bump.
• #ValentinesDay: Love is in the air, and the Twittersphere. Be on the lookout for geeky gift ideas, love memes, visualizations and even #CreepyCupid.
• #Oscars: The awards are February 24, but the buzz has been building!
• #SXSW: March is just around the corner. LPP will be at SXSW Interactive, covering sessions, providing recaps, catching up with fellow digital pros, and more.

Technology

• Austin’s Clean Energy Ecosystem:  Chamber of Commerce discusses the city’s unique position to lead the clean energy charge, encourages organizations to collaborate to identify new technologies, make energy use more efficient, provide new power and sustainable solutions, drive job growth. 
• Toy Fair 2013: High tech toys debut at the annual event. Big themes included robots, toy-smartphone interaction, and game-toy mixing.
• AOL buys gdgt: AOL will leverage the website’s product database, community and core technologies as well as team up with others such as Engadget for tech events and coverage.
• Netflix favors big data over ratings: With House of Cards and Arrested Development, Netflix claims that catering to customers preferences, no matter how niche, is more important than ratings.
• Apple Cuts Prices: 13-inch Retina MacBook and MacBook Air still ridiculously expensive.
• Apple Watch: The tech rumor mill has ground up gossip, including possible design, features, etc.
• Cyber security: During the State of the Union address, Obama pledged to bolster the nation’s defenses against cyber attacks.

Public Relations

• Social media addition: Study by the University of Chicago last year found social media can be even more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.
• Tapping Out: Wrestling was pulled from the 2020 Olympics. How can the sport leverage PR to mobilize enthusiasts despite the snub?
• Pope Resignation: Thoughts on how the Vatican could have handled the announcement, and tips for handling the crisis communications situation that has followed.

Social Media

• Google+: Let’s you adjust bandwidth for Hangouts and join via audio-only. 
• SlideShare: New Send Tracker feature for SlideShare PRO accounts allows users to send content to someone by email, see when they opened it, how they engaged with it and gain better insights on which pieces resonated most.