June 25th, 2009
Soundtrack:
Artist: Tosca
Album: Hassle
I need to start this blog post by giving props to Air Canada (pardon the airplane pun). If you have been following my blog you would remember that I lost my Aeroplan Elite status. This means that poor ole Greg couldn’t get into the executive lounge, couldn’t get the free drinks, couldn’t arrogantly walk past everyone in line and have priority boarding, you know, all the stuff I used to be spoiled with. Well I did an experiment, and I think it worked…if you work for Air Canada and are reading this, and then I would like to buy you a beer!
I had a chat with social media guru David Alston of Radian 6 a couple months ago in Halifax; he was explaining to me exactly what it was that Radian 6 actually did. I know they are always on Twitter, and are true digital media renegades, but I was still not totally sure what their products were. David explained that they have a very edgy product that tracks info on the web similar to Google Alerts, but far more robust of course. For those who don’t know what Google Alerts are, check them out…if you are interested in seeing if anyone is writing about you anywhere on the internet, then you can enter your name in Google Alerts and you will get a notification every time your name is mentioned. Or if you were a company like Air Canada, and you wanted to know if there were bloggers bitching about loosing their Elite status, then something like Google Alerts would be very beneficial for you. Google Alerts is a very elementary product however in comparison to Radian 6’s product. I am not about to explain their product to you because I have no clue of what else to say, but if David Alston or any one of our friends at Radian 6 get a notification about my mentioning of you, please feel free to explain in the comments field in this blog! Let’s see this in action!!!
When I wrote that initial Air Canada blog, I made sure that I used tags that would help me make sure that someone from Air Canada would find the blog; I used words like “Air Canada”, “Maple Leaf Lounge”, “Aeroplan”, “Elite Status” etc. I was hoping someone from the marketing team at Air Canada would read it, feel pity for my case and re-upgrade me back to my sacred Elite status…hey don’t roll your eyes at me, this is serious stuff…when you travel, and have the privileges and the ability to go into a comfy room with comfy leather chairs, free scotch, internet, food and a shower, you can’t imagine travelling any other way! Can’t you see? Its like my brother Mark who was always an incredible snowboarder, when he rode out West in the powder fields of the Rockies, he had a very hard time snowboarding again on our dinky east coast hills. I can relate with him! Ok, I’m just being a spoiled brat, but I love travelling in comfort.
So what happened? Well I show up at the airport Sunday night, got to the ticket counter, and as it turns out I have my ELITE STATUS BACK!!! I don’t know how it happened but it did! The magical Aeroplan Fairy must have paid me a visit whilst I was asleep. I am impressed! I proudly walked into the Maple Leaf lounge, tipped my hat at the staff at the front desk and poured myself a glass of Port, brewed an espresso, and ate a pickle…breathe it in baby! I might not have this forever! I also got an upgrade to the blue lit “Tron”-styled comfy pod beds in first class, there is nothing like stretching out 6 feet and having a full nights sleep on a red eye. Out like a light after the stewardess welcomed me with a glass of Champagne.
I have a theory that some social networking savvy cat from Air Canada read my blog, and gave me my Elite status back….to that I sad “RAD!!!”. Thank you! Hey, if you are the Air Canada guy or gal who hooked me up, let me know in the comments area, I want to prove that tag words work. If Air Canada never did read my blog, then I think Radian 6 should give them a call and get them to read my blog and sell them their product…I can see the POWER!!! The power of communication on the web never ceases to amaze me. TARGET THAT MARKET!
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