Celebrities | Cheryl Waller

PGA Championship 2011: How To Follow Every Stroke Online

August 10, 2011 By Stephanie Buck Leave a Comment

The 2011 PGA Championship begins Thursday morning at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia. To allow you to keep track of the proceedings at home, work or on the go, we’ve rounded up a variety of resources for following the season’s last major golf tournament.

The first featured marquee threesome, which includes Tiger Woods, Davis Love III and Padraig Harrington, is scheduled to tee off at 8:45 a.m. ET Thursday. Coverage will continue through Sunday at 7 p.m.

SEE ALSO: 8 Mobile Apps for Golf Season

Share some of your favorite PGA web resources in the comments below.

1. PGA.com Live Online

Beginning August 11, PGA.com will air live coverage of the events.

The first featured Marquee group composed of Woods, Love III and Harrington will tee off at 8:45 a.m. ET Thursday. McIlroy, Clarke and Schwartzel's threesome will tee off at 1:45 p.m. ET Thursday.

The PGA.com coverage will include a 360-degree camera that will span the panorama of the course. And the Video Highlight Hub allows viewers to customize their experience by searching and filtering by player, round or hole.

2. TNT & CBS Broadcasts

TNT and CBS Sports will broadcast the tournament from August 11 through August 14.

3. PGA.com Snap

While watching the championship events on PGA.com or TNT, viewers can "snap" coverage and share their own instant highlights on Facebook and Twitter. Turner Sports and the PGA partnered with SnappyTV to provide this service.

Note: The image of Bugs Bunny above is a preview.

4. PGA Championship iPhone app

According to Turner Media, the PGA Championship is the first major tournament to allow mobile devices on the course. Even if you haven't scored on-site championship real estate, get into the game via the free iPhone app, which offers live coverage and push notifications when a favorite player birdies, etc.

The site and its live player are also optimized for iPad.

5. PGA.com Mobile Web

PGA.com's mobile site offers nearly everything you'd find in its full browser version, including real-time scoring, player locator, spectator alerts, Twitter ticker and the aforementioned Snap feature.

6. SIRIUS-XM Radio

Hear the latest tour coverage and highlights on SIRIUS-XM.

7. PGA Tour Official Twitter

Follow the PGA Tour's official Twitter feed, which will not only provide championship updates, but also posts expert analysis, sweepstakes and player stats.

8. PGA Tour Official Facebook

On the PGA Tour's super interactive Facebook Page, you can find polls, video interviews, contests and player profiles.

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“Cowboys & Aliens” Saddles Up With Social Media

July 29, 2011 By Christina Warren Leave a Comment

The Summer Blockbuster Series analyzes the social media campaigns behind major summer movie releases and runs each Friday.

One of the big releases hitting theaters Friday is Cowboys & Aliens. Based on the 2006 graphic novel, the film was adapted for the screen by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Studios.

Starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, it’s a science fiction Western film about a loner who wakes up in a strange city with no memory from his past, only to find that he is a wanted criminal. After the area is invaded by aliens, friends and foes have to work together to save the city — and the earth — from extraterrestrial enemies.

Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau directed the film and played a large role in helping to develop the social media and digital campaign for this unique title.

Let’s take a look at some of the digital and social parts of the campaign.

Facebook

The official Facebook Page for Cowboys & Aliens has more than 200,000 Likes thus far. Universal Pictures has employed a tactic we’ve seen with Captain America and Harry Potter (and most other major films) in creating a widget that functions as a cross-channel hub, linking to the film’s other social and digital channels in a single box.

In this way, the Facebook Page acts as a mini version of the official homepage for the film.

Online Games

In addition to a Facebook Page, Universal and DreamWorks have also launched two online games for the film:

Cowboys & Aliens Arcade is a Facebook game that includes scenes from the film along with puzzle and trivia challenges. Players can also enter to win official prizes.

Cowboys & Aliens Absolution Training Grounds is a more complex (both in terms of visuals and intensity) shoot-em-up-style game that can be enhanced with Facebook Connect, but doesn’t require it.

Twitter

Although the studios have set up an official @cowboysaliens Twitter account, it isn’t the primary driver of Twitter activity for the film. Instead, the marketing teams have leveraged the personal account of the film’s director, Jon Favreau, who already has a Twitter following of more than a million.

In the buildup to the film’s release, Favreau has tweeted links to articles, interviews, behind-the-scenes insights and more. The official Cowboys & Aliens account frequently retweets Favreau’s updates and, in turn, Favreau re-shares the best bits from the official account.

Even in official press statements, Universal points fans to Jon Favreau’s account in addition to its own — a smart move. After all, if you have a director with an engaged and active fanbase, why not use that person as the primary driver for your film?

Hipstamatic Lens Kit

One of our favorite iPhone apps, Hipstamatic, launched its own FreePak tie-in for Cowboys & Aliens.

Until August 8, Hipstamatic users can download the Cowboys & Aliens HipstaPak, which includes two new lenses and a camera case, for free. In typical Hipstamatic style, extreme detail went into the design of the lenses.

On its Facebook Page, Hipstamatic says that both the film’s cinematographer Matthew Libatique and director Jon Favreau contributed to its development.

“Cowboys & Aliens” Coca-Cola Round Up for iPhone, iPad and Android

We have to give the marketing team at Cowboys & Aliens credit because the Cowboys & Aliens Coca-Cola Round Up app for iOS and Android is one of the more intricate tie-in apps we’ve seen.

This is an augmented reality game in which Coca-Cola triggers are captured on specially marked cups and popcorn bags at AMC and Regal theaters in the U.S. Users can also download a print trigger to play the game. After that, it’s a bottle collection game.

This is an interesting use of augmented reality and QR-like functionality that encourage play while simultaneously cross-promoting two different properties: the film and Coca-Cola.

The Results

Cowboys & Aliens has been a trending topic on Twitter in the days leading up to the film, suggesting that the film already has strong awareness among targeted audiences.

We’ll have to wait for the weekend box office figures to see how the film performed against the competition.

What do you think of the mobile-centric approach Universal took when promoting Cowboys & Aliens? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Filed Under: Facebook, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: Blogging, Celebrities, Channels, Cowboys & Aliens, Facebook, features, Film, jon favreau, Movies, News, search engine optimization, SEO, Social Networking, Summer Blockbuster Series

Ashton Kutcher To Edit Online-Only Bonus Issue of Details Magazine [REPORT]

July 12, 2011 By Brenna Ehrlich Leave a Comment

In addition to acting, investing in various apps and heading up a philanthropic foundation, Ashton Kutcher is also reportedly getting into magazine publishing. The actor will be gracing the cover of the September issue of Details magazine, as well as creating an online-only bonus edition.

Industry sources inform us that the magazine’s September issue will include an online-only companion that can be accessed via Facebook and Flipboard (which Kutcher invested in). The issue is free, and will include content curated by Ashton Kutcher — apps, entertainment, styling products and so on.

Although the social issue seems an intriguing idea, Details has yet to launch a magazine iPad app, which seems a more natural venue for such an edition. The first iPad issue is slated to be released this fall.

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Filed Under: Facebook, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: ashton kutcher, Blogging, Celebrities, details, Facebook, Flipboard, magazines, Mobile Apps, search engine optimization, SEO, Social Networking, Web Apps, Web Design, Web Development

Is Mark Zuckerberg on Google+? [PIC]

June 30, 2011 By Lauren Indvik Leave a Comment

Tech journalists aren’t the only ones with early access to Google’s latest social product, Google+. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also apparently snagged an invite to check out the social network designed to overtake his own.

As Forbes notes, he doesn’t look particularly happy about being there. The hazy webcam shot is a far cry from the smiling photo that graces his Facebook page:

He also hasn’t imported any of his interests, noting only that he is male and based in Palo Alto, California. His introduction? “I make things.”

He has at least connected with a number of fellow Facebook employees on the service, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Zuckerberg’s interest in Google+ lasts about as long as his exploration of Twitter.

You can explore his profile — and add yourself to his growing roster of more than 800 followers — here.

You can also take a closer look at Google+ in the screenshots below.

Google+ Logo

This is the Google+ logo.

Google+ Icons

The Google+ icons. Starting top left and circling to the right: Circles, Hangouts, Home, Sparks, Profile, Photos.

New Google+ Navigation Bar

All Google sites will sport the new Google+ navigation bar. It includes notifications, profile information and content sharing options.

Google+ Stream

This is the Google+ Stream, where users share content and see what their friends are sharing. It is similar to the Facebook News Feed.

Google+ Circles

Google+ Circles is Google's version of the Facebook friend list or the Twitter List. Users can select multiple friends and drag-and-drop them into groups. This makes it easier to send stuff to friends, family or the entire world.

Google+ Circles Editor

This is the Google+ Circles editor in action. Google has created unique animations for adding and removing friends through HTML5.

Google+ Sparks

Google+ Sparks is Google's content recommendation and discovery engine. Users can search different topics and find relevant articles, videos and photos. Users can then share that content with their friends.

More About: facebook, Google, Google Plus, mark zuckerberg

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Filed Under: Facebook, Google, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: Blogging, Celebrities, Facebook, google plus, mark zuckerberg, News, search engine optimization, SEO, Social Networking

Why Marvin Gaye Is Having a Resurgence on Facebook & Twitter

June 23, 2011 By Todd Wasserman Leave a Comment

Marvin Gaye’s been dead for almost 30 years, yet he’s a viral sensation right now. What’s going on?

Universal Motown, Marvin Gaye’s record label, has launched a successful Facebook campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his What’s Going On album. The campaign asks fans to post photos of “What’s going on” all over the world.

Fans responded by loading photos, videos and even editorials. A few people posted pictures from the flooding in North Dakota. A woman named Kelly Salazar complained about segregation in Santa Cruz, California.

There are only about 20 posts, yet Inside Facebook reports that the campaign has been a big success. Gaye had fewer than 300,000 fans at the beginning of the week and, as of Thursday morning, had more than 900,000 — an increase of more than 200%. Reps from Universal Motown could not be reached for comment.

Coincidentally, Gaye’s name also popped up as a trending topic in Twitter this week as a result of Big Sean & Kanye West’s hit “Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay.”

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Filed Under: Facebook, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: Blogging, Celebrities, Facebook, Marvin Gaye, News, search engine optimization, SEO, Social Networking, Twitter, Universal Motown

10 Personal Details Revealed by Bill Gates — Including 1 Secret [UPDATED]

June 12, 2011 By Charlie White Leave a Comment

In one of his most candid interviews ever, Microsoft founder Bill Gates (the world’s second-richest man) revealed personal details never heard before, along with a little tidbit that he was probably supposed to keep secret.

We encourage you to read about his fascinating interview with the Daily Mail — it’s a rare look into the psyche of one of the most interesting people in the world — but if you’d like a condensed version, here are 10 key personal details and insights Gates revealed in the wide-ranging talk:

1. His kids like to tease him by singing the song “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars.

2. He’s now given $28 billion to charity.

3. His three children, currently aged 15, 12 and nine, will reportedly inherit $10 million each (although Gates wouldn’t disclose that amount in the interview), a slender sliver of his $56 billion net worth, because Gates says, “I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them.”

4. Did U2 star Bono invite Gates backstage when U2 was performing in Seattle? Not necessary, because Bono was staying at Bill’s house that night.

5. Now dedicating his career to his $37.1 billion charitable foundation, Gates says when asked if he’ll return to Microsoft full-time: “No. I’m part-time involved. But this is my job now.”

6. Why try to cure malaria instead of cancer? Says Gates, “The world is putting massive amounts into cancer, so my wealth would have had a meaningless impact on that.”

7. He haggles for good prices on vaccines: “We are super-smart about what we pay. We get price reductions. We can track how many kids get the vaccines.”

8. People in Third World countries have no idea who he is. “They don’t know who I am, because it doesn’t relate to their world. I went to one place with the chief minister and someone said, ‘Who is this guy?’, and the chief minister said, ‘This is a white-skinned guy I brought with me.’”

9. He has a Twitter account, but had a problem with Facebook: “… Because the friend requests got out of hand.”

10. And the secret: Gates inadvertently revealed that his friend, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, is engaged to longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan. During the interview, Gates was talking about Zuckerberg and referred to Chan as Mark’s “fiancée Priscilla.” Oops.

Update: On that “fiancée” slip-up, it could be that Bill was wrongly assuming the couple was engaged. According to Business Insider:

“Facebook’s head of communications Elliot Schrage suggested that Bill Gates was mistaken. ‘If [Mark is engaged, Bill Gates] knows something I don’t know. Gates’s communications guy just wrote to apologize for the misunderstanding.’”

[via the Daily Mail]

Graphic courtesy iStockphoto

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Filed Under: Facebook, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: Bill Gates, Blogging, Celebrities, dailymail, Facebook, interview, mark zuckerberg, Microsoft, search engine optimization, secrets, SEO, social good, Social Networking, software, trending, Twitter

4 Facebook Marketing Tips for Entertainment Brands

June 6, 2011 By Leyl Master Black Leave a Comment

The Facebook Marketing Series is supported by Buddy Media, Power Tools for Facebook. Fans see when you post content on your brand’s Facebook Page, right? Wrong. Cut through the mystery of Facebook’s Edgerank — download the white paper now.

While some businesses are still figuring out the value of building a fan base, entertainment brands have long understood that a vibrant fan community is critical to their success. Perhaps this why entertainers were among the first to embrace Facebook as a way to attract, engage and communicate with fans. And because the most effective Facebook marketing programs often combine compelling content with personality, entertainment brands are uniquely positioned to succeed with this medium.

But even for the most popular entertainers, creating a robust fan base on Facebook requires more than just creating a Page and posting content. Here are four ways entertainment brands can accelerate their Facebook success.

1. Use Questions, Polls and Quizzes to Engage Your Community

If you post a piece of content on your Facebook Page, you might generate a good number of comments. But if you post your content in the context of a question, a poll or a quiz, you make your content interactive and provoke viral distribution.

Sarah Hofstetter, SVP of brand strategy and emerging media at digital marketing agency 360i, recommends trying out the new Facebook Questions tool to engage users around a question. 360i is using Facebook Questions in its work with BRAVO Network. For example, this recent Facebook Questions post on the Real Housewives of New Jersey Page encouraged fans to pick a side in a family feud that has emerged in the show’s storyline, generating over 15,000 votes.

GLEE is also a fan of this approach, posting a poll every Tuesday to spark conversation around the show prior to its airing that night. These weekly polls routinely generate thousands of interactions.

Also consider embedding a promotional offer or a download in a poll or a quiz — this tactic can work to drive very high conversation rates, since fans are already actively engaged with your brand.

For example, Glenn Beck is promoting his magazine Fusion through a series of polls and quizzes on Facebook. After taking the poll or quiz, fans are presented with a custom page promoting Fusion and enabling fans to click through to subscribe.

2. Reward Your Fans

facebook marketing entertainment chris webby

Engaging fans is one way to keep them happy; rewarding them is another. While there are many ways to reward your Facebook fans, many entertainers have found that sharing exclusive or free content gives fans a reason to come back time and again.

“I think the best piece of advice to give someone who is looking to build a fan base on Facebook is to tell them to figure out what they do best and give it away for free,” says Chris Taylor, co-founder of MicControl, a blogging platform for the emerging music community. “Social media has made ‘free’ a word that consumers have begun to expect.”

Taylor points to Chris Webby as a great example of how this strategy can work. Webby, an up-and-coming rapper, regularly releases free mixes via Facebook. This approach has helped Webby reach the 100,000 fan mark.

Webby’s fans “are some of the most dedicated fans you will see in the emerging music industry — they buy all of his merchandise, they buy tickets to shows and will travel hours to see him perform,” says Taylor. “By giving his fans free music, interacting with them on Facebook and Twitter and showing how much he truly cares, his fans are more than happy to show him how much they truly care.”

Rewarding your fans can also be as simple as making sure your Page provides valuable information, such as upcoming show dates or releases. For example, DJ Jody Wisternoff keeps his fans current with custom tabs for both his gigs and new music releases, and he posts personal updates in the run-up to each show, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows of life on the road.

3. Let Fans Behind-the-Scenes

Letting fans get behind-the-scenes is not only an effective way to reward them, but also a great way to take more ownership of your personal brand.

Jessica Sitomer, CEO of TheGreenlightCoach.com, encourages entertainers to use their work as an opportunity to promote themselves creatively on Facebook. Sitomer suggests doing a “behind-the-scenes” video before a shoot or a show.

“Get creative with your videos; they can be of you getting ready at home, getting your make-up done in the trailer or prepping your equipment on set,” says Sitomer.

Sitomer points to Juliet Landau, best known for her work as Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, as a great example of this approach. “Landau wanted to break out of her genre,” says Sitomer, “so when she got a job as an action hero in a film, she leveraged her connections from her Drusilla promotions and contacted a magazine to do a shoot of her as the action hero. She then had a cinematographer film the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of the photo shoot.” Landau then shared the video broadly on her own Facebook Page as well as the fan pages her fans created.

Some entertainers are even tying this behind-the-scenes content to becoming a fan, requiring that fans Like their page to access it. For example, actor and author Rob Lowe created a custom “Fan Wall” on his Page, where he shares exclusive content and excerpts from his new book Stories I Only Tell My Friends with people who “like” his Page.

4. Use a Facebook Storefront to Turn Fans into Buyers

According to Sumeet Jain, principal at CMEA Capital, more business will be done on Facebook than Amazon within the next five years — which means that the value of transactions completed within Facebook may exceed $34 billion within five years.

But there’s no need to wait; many entertainers are already tapping the tremendous value of their existing fan base today by launching a Facebook storefront, turning their fans into buyers and product evangelists.

“Shopping on Facebook is the next step in the evolution of e-commerce,” says Christian Taylor, co-founder and CEO of social commerce company Payvment. “Facebook is the perfect place for musicians, comedians and other entertainers to promote and sell their content and merchandise. Their fans are already there, and Facebook users don’t like to leave Facebook … so why send them to a separate website to transact?” he says.

Actress Molly Sims is using Payvment’s free Facebook commerce storefront to promote and sell her “Grayce by Molly Sims” jewelry to her more than 150,000 fans and others on Facebook. The storefront also includes Sims’ personal posts, updates and pictures to create a more integrated and social shopping experience.

Other entertainment-focused applications, such as Nimbit, offer musicians, managers and independent labels a storefront for Facebook. Nimbit’s free store allows musicians to sell or give away digital music, and for an additional subscription fee, they can also sell CDs or vinyl, merchandise and e-tickets.

“We’ve found that musicians who use Facebook to launch their releases can benefit greatly from the viral nature of the sharing that goes on,” says Carl Jacobson, VP of marketing at Nimbit. “Fans become promoters, and we’ve seen some artists more than double their expected sales as a result.”

facebook marketing entertainment 880 south

What other best practices have you come across on entertainment-related Facebook Pages? Let us know in the comments.

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More Facebook Marketing Resources from Mashable:

- 4 Ways to Set Up a Storefront on Facebook
- HOW TO: Create a Facebook Engagement Policy
- HOW TO: Engage and Mobilize Facebook Fans Beyond the “Like”
- 5 Creative Facebook Places Marketing Campaigns

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Filed Under: Facebook, Facebook Pages, search engine optimization, Social Networking Tagged With: Blogging, business, Business Lists, Celebrities, ecommerce, Facebook, Facebook Lists, facebook marketing, Facebook Marketing Series, Fashion, features, Film, Glenn Beck, mashable, Music, payvment, search engine optimization, SEO, social media, Social Networking

How Lady Gaga Created a Web Marketing Spectacle for Born This Way [PICS]

May 24, 2011 By Brian Anthony Hernandez Leave a Comment

“The web is what you make of it,” reads the parting text in Google Chrome‘s latest commercial featuring Lady Gaga.

It’s a simple eight-word slogan for Google’s web browser but it represents so much more when you connect it to Gaga, who took to the web this year to create an inescapable marketing spectacle for her Born This Way album.

In the months leading up to the May 23 album release — and even now — Gaga has paved a path for stars and brands to get inventive with the ways they use digital and social media to promote themselves and connect with fans.

The 25-year-old is no stranger to success on the web. She remains a heavyweight on major social networks: In the past year, Lady Gaga was the first artist to reach 1 billion views on YouTube; she beat President Barack Obama to 10 million Facebook fans (she’s now closing in on 35 million); and most recently, she was first Twitter user to acquire 10 million followers.

The promotional juggernaut further ramped up her all-encompassing web presence, fostering partnerships with Zynga for the FarmVille-inspired GagaVille, Starbucks for a massive scavenger hunt, VEVO for exclusive premieres, HBO for a concert special, Rdio for free lifetime subscriptions, iTunes for a promotional countdown, Best Buy and Livestream for an album signing and Gilt Groupe and Amazon Cloud Player for deals.

“Gaga and her team are some of the best marketers around; they understand the importance of integrating social with traditional media, engaging audiences in real-time, and most of all, telling a story that is relatable and worth spreading,” said Alexa Scordato, a Gaga fan, digital strategist and community manager for MAT@USC.

Even Lady Gaga’s critics have to acknowledge the magnitude of her marketing medley: “I’ll probably get cyber bullied after this from all her Little Monsters, but I’m not a huge Gaga fan,” said Romey Louangvilay, senior account executive of digital and social media at Euro RSCG PR. “With that said, I give her credit for her artistry and marketing genuineness.”

Below, we’ve compiled a huge swathe of the digital and social media initiatives behind Gaga’s Born This Way. Flip through the roundup and then let us know in the comments which tactics you thought were most creative or most ridiculous.

Zynga's GagaVille

On May 17, Zynga launched the Farmville-style GagaVille, which garnered much ridicule from Gaga haters and laughs from even the most devoted Little Monsters.

Jokes aside, Lady Gaga like other big brands this year found a way to leverage the enormous social gaming population, which is expected to reach 68.7 million players by the end of 2012.

Gamers were able to unlock and stream unreleased tracks from Born This Way and bonus remixes. The game incorporated Gaga's style and personality with users having access to crystals, unicorns and sheep on motorcycles. The GagaVille campaign also incorporated Zynga game cards (buy a $25 card and receive the Born This Way album and bonus tracks for free); Words With Friends (use a Gaga word of the day and be entered for concert tickets); and RewardVille (win virtual goods to use in other Zynga games).

Starbucks Scavenger Hunt

Starbucks and Mother Monster teamed up on May 19 for “SRCH,” a two-week digital scavenger hunt in which participants can scan in-store QR codes, visit blogs and Starbucks digital properties, decode cryptic messages and answer trivia questions to earn prizes.

Yahoo joined the fun on May 23, helping transform the Starbucks Digital Network into all things Gaga. Visitors to the site had access to a special edition of the Born This Way for one day. They also received a free “Edge of Glory” download and an exclusive video by Lady Gaga singing a cappella.

"Considering that Lady Gaga may be the world’s hottest star right now and an innovative creator unlike anyone we’ve seen, imagine our delight when we learned that she’s also a big Starbucks fan," said Alexandra Wheeler, global digital strategy director for Starbucks, in a recent blog post.

The hunt ends June 7.

Google Chrome Commercial

In the this commerical, Gaga is shown at a computer typing inspirational messages such as, "This is our moment. ... Stay strong, Little Monsters!"

The video highlights two things other than the capabilities of Google's web browser: The extent to which fans will broadcast their adoration for Gaga and also Gaga's willingness to return their positive sentiments.

The song for the video is "Edge of Glory," a song from the new album.

Amazon's $0.99 Sale

Gaga fans woke up May 23 to a nice surprise: Amazon was selling the 14-song album as a digital download for a mere $0.99. Fans also received 20 GB of Cloud Drive storage from Amazon.

News of the massive sale spread like wildfire and consumers quickly started experiencing technical difficulties. With servers overwhelmed, people who bought the digital download were unable to immediately access all tracks.

In time, all songs became available, but Amazon users had already unleashed their anger by leaving one-star ratings due to Amazon’s slow service.

Amazon has not disclosed the number of downloads for Born This Way.

Best Buy Live Feed

On album launch day, Lady Gaga stayed up into the wee hours of the night to meet fans and sign autographs at a Best Buy in New York City.

Best Buy promoted the event with a live video feed from Livestream. The video was surrounded by interactive features for fans who couldn't make it to the event.

Google Interview

In March, Google executive Marissa Mayer interviewed Lady Gaga as part of the “Google Goes Gaga" event. She helped promote Google Moderator, a tool that allows fans to submit questions via text or video on the musician’s YouTube channel and subsequently vote for their favorites.

During the Q&A, Gaga talked about her forthcoming album and revealed that she would make her directorial debut alongside choreographer Laurieann Gibson for her second single, “Judas.”

Through Google Moderator, her fans asked 643 questions about the single.

Near the end, Gaga asked a rhetorical yet fitting question to the audience of Google employees and online viewers, “Don’t you love the Internet?”

Robin Hood Charity

In April, Gaga once again dipped her feet into social good by working with the Robin Hood Foundation to launch two Facebook contests in support of the New York-based charity, which benefits the poor and homeless between the ages of 16 and 24.

The contest — to decide how Lady Gaga should split $1 million among five charities — ran from April 26 to May 6 and received 1,057,101 votes.

She also lent her hand to the victims of the March 11 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, providing an exclusive remix of her single “Born This Way" for the Songs for Japan charity album.

Gaga also donated $1.5 million to Zynga’s fundraising initiative with Save the Children and the American Red Cross via sales of her Japan Prayer Bracelets.

Gilt Groupe Deals

Gilt Groupe offered sales curated by Gaga's fashion director, Nicola Formichetti, as well as charity sales of a Mugler dress worn by Gaga, entrance into the Paris Mugler fashion show and access to a performance from Gaga.

HBO Concert Special

HBO aired Gaga's Monster Ball concert at New York City's Madison Square Garden on May 7.

The 120-minute concert special included the "Born This Way" single and teased the then-unreleased track "Marry the Night."

Rdio Free Music

Rdio created a BTW playlist and a corresponding contest to give away a free music subscription.

Facebook Engagement

Gaga ended 2010 as the celebrity with the most "Likes" on a Facebook Page with 24.7 million Likes.

She has one of the most active and engaged Facebook Pages not only because of her fans but also because she frequently shares status updates, photos, videos and news through the platform. On May 18, for example, she posted a photo collage that displays her album art on buildings, cars and even in and around a New York City subway train.

Vevo Exclusive Premieres

Vevo has so far exclusively premiered each of the official music videos for Born This Way.

The song "Born This Way" has racked up 52.7 million views on Vevo's website and "Judas" has accumulated 35.6 million.

VEVO also recently put together a Lady Gaga playlist available online, on the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or Android devices using the VEVO for iOS or VEVO for Android apps. The playlist includes live versions of "Edge of Glory/Judas" and "Born this Way’ from the May 21 season finale of Saturday Night Live.

iTunes Countdown

The title track of Born This Way in February became the fastest-selling single ever on iTunes stores worldwide.

Capitalizing on her success, Lady Gaga released two additional songs in advance exclusively on iTunes. Fans got to hear "Edge of Glory" on May 9 and "Hair" on May 16 ahead of the May 23 album release.

GagaVision Videos

A fan favorite, GagaVision gives her Little Monsters a behind-the-scenes look at Gaga. In some of the videos, which are posted on YouTube, Gaga candidly discusses the creative process behind BTW. In other clips, fans get to see the people and places surrounding Gaga.

Twitter & TwitPic Trends

In May, Gaga hit a Twitter first by becoming the only user to rack up 10 million followers.

The messages she posts incite a tweet storm from her followers who retweet and @mention her comments, pictures and videos, as well as promote the hashtags she uses.

In April, for example, she revealed the BTW cover art via a Twitpic photo (seen above). The image garnered hundreds of thousands of views in mere minutes.

And More ...

As if that wasn't enough:

Gaga scattered QR codes (pictured) on the web that led back to iTunes where users could download a ringtone of "Born This Way."

Tapulous, a Disney Mobile venture, launched Born This Way Revenge, a Tap Tap Revenge app game for iPhone and iPod. The app features 17 tracks from the deluxe album version, access to GagaVision, Lady Gaga's Twitter feed, three exclusive chat rooms, the official lyrics and Haus of Gaga event lists.

Gaga became creative director at Polaroid.

Gaga gave comedic musician Weird Al Yankovic permission to include a parody of "Born This Way" called "Perform This Way" on his new album.

Gaga won MTV OMA awards for "Most Innovative Artist" and "Must Follow Artist on Twitter."

What Can You Learn From Gaga?

“She’s mastered the art of [the] launch,” Scordato said. “Every new video or album release is always an event. She and her team recognize that millions of views or album sales don’t come overnight.”

The takeaways are:

You need to build momentum with elements of surprise along the way.
Integrate. Make sure all your marketing channels are working together to promote a single brand identity and message.
Use your fans as your best marketing asset. Encourage and remind them to tell your story and never forget to thank them along the way.
Give people something to love. If you can do that, you’ve won half the battle.

For more lists, how-tos and other resources on this topic, check out Mashable Explore!

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