Social Media - Cars and Coffee...or, "I'm feeling really old"

[zeitgeist57]

After an amazing weekend, I wanted to share my thoughts...

 

Our Cars and Coffee group, after 7 years, has really hit a place I dreamed about since coming up with the idea a few years ago. I wanted a weekly gathering that would represent as many different car genres as possible; classics to new tech, old muscle to modern. The group is vibrant, positive, and self-sustaining; people have met friends there, communicate at C&C and away, and are bringing in new people with little effort to reach out from us.

 

Throughout this time, I've of course thought of the "other" Cars and Coffee group with some disdain; the main guy is regarded by many as an a$$, and competed against us in many ways. Recently, with my positive outlook on our group and having visited their Byers and Diamond Cellar meets, I really appreciate the exotic car focus and the halo effect that has to bring in some nice cars. Honestly, my hat's off to them. Like I said when Benjamin and others were around me at Byers, "I'm just glad they don't do it every weekend!"

 

Social Media

 

but what really boggled my mind last night when I was on Facebook and Instagram was the spider web of interconnectivity and self-promoting; there seemed to be over a dozen "Columbus Exotics"-themed IG accounts, showing all the same cars through different camera lenses. Then you look at the fact that these accounts had THOUSANDS of followers and it's easy to see why they have such a following...

 

...but am I wrong for seeing their gathering firsthand...and not wanting to be a part of it or have anything to do with it?

 

As a passionate car enthusiast, I truly appreciate many different cars...and the more unique the more interested I am. But...if you have to "fake it 'til you make it" online pretending to provide content in a sea of sub-30yo's with cameras doing the same thing, is the value still there? If I look at Brian (Wagner), he's running around representing Pavement Mafia with race teams and one-on-one conversations that show passion and competition that others would have to make up. In my mind, he's truly providing content...but I also realize he has competition and has to play this game.

 

I realize this makes me sound old, but the rabbit hole of social media and cross-promotion that goes on at light speed makes my head spin. I see benefit from a flash-in-the-pan promotion standpoint; I'm just happy that pressing the flesh still works and - as I say at work - "face time is not wasted time".

 

TL;DR - Kids these days with their Book of Faces and Pictogram accounts and GET OFF MY LAWN...

[RyM3rC]

damn kids and their technology! get a job, you bums!

[o0n8]

Nobody ever got laid in the backseat of their iPhone.

- Billy Gardell

[Doc1647545523]

This time, Clay, I totally agree with you. I've stated before that your CC&C concept has been a great success and continues to evolve. I won't repeat all my thoughts on that here. But, thank you for doing this for the area car community.

 

I think you're right about the perception that if you're all about the real time reality (vs. the self-perpetuating hype of social media), you're seen as an old fogey.

 

The place needs a few of us old fogeys to remind the youngsters that life is real-time, not virtual. And that being a fanboy of some halo supercar doesn't make you as much of a "car guy" as someone who actually works on his own car and/or races his own car (even if it's a beat-dick Honda). The world is big enough for both types, but they aren't the same thing.

 

After all, it's not how you stand by your car, it's ...........

[wagner]

After an amazing weekend, I wanted to share my thoughts...

 

Our Cars and Coffee group, after 7 years, has really hit a place I dreamed about since coming up with the idea a few years ago. I wanted a weekly gathering that would represent as many different car genres as possible; classics to new tech, old muscle to modern. The group is vibrant, positive, and self-sustaining; people have met friends there, communicate at C&C and away, and are bringing in new people with little effort to reach out from us.

 

Throughout this time, I've of course thought of the "other" Cars and Coffee group with some disdain; the main guy is regarded by many as an a$$, and competed against us in many ways. Recently, with my positive outlook on our group and having visited their Byers and Diamond Cellar meets, I really appreciate the exotic car focus and the halo effect that has to bring in some nice cars. Honestly, my hat's off to them. Like I said when Benjamin and others were around me at Byers, "I'm just glad they don't do it every weekend!"

 

Social Media

 

but what really boggled my mind last night when I was on Facebook and Instagram was the spider web of interconnectivity and self-promoting; there seemed to be over a dozen "Columbus Exotics"-themed IG accounts, showing all the same cars through different camera lenses. Then you look at the fact that these accounts had THOUSANDS of followers and it's easy to see why they have such a following...

 

...but am I wrong for seeing their gathering firsthand...and not wanting to be a part of it or have anything to do with it?

 

As a passionate car enthusiast, I truly appreciate many different cars...and the more unique the more interested I am. But...if you have to "fake it 'til you make it" online pretending to provide content in a sea of sub-30yo's with cameras doing the same thing, is the value still there? If I look at Brian (Wagner), he's running around representing Pavement Mafia with race teams and one-on-one conversations that show passion and competition that others would have to make up. In my mind, he's truly providing content...but I also realize he has competition and has to play this game.

 

I realize this makes me sound old, but the rabbit hole of social media and cross-promotion that goes on at light speed makes my head spin. I see benefit from a flash-in-the-pan promotion standpoint; I'm just happy that pressing the flesh still works and - as I say at work - "face time is not wasted time".

 

TL;DR - Kids these days with their Book of Faces and Pictogram accounts and GET OFF MY LAWN...

 

Thank you for the kind words, I'm working on some new stuff that should be pretty bad ass when I get the new tech figured out.

 

Instagram and Facebook "Photographers" only get so far. You have to be able to provide content that spans different areas and is legit.

[vonrottes]

Damn kids and their instahams.

Sorry if I'm reading this wrong but people now days will do anything to get followers on Instagram or Facebook even if it means stealing other peoples work and throwing a filter or lens effect on it. Something about them thinking if they get so many followers/likes they will get that internet money.

 

I know I'm probably the youngest person here but for the most part my generation is a bunch of fucking turds that think life is going to be handed to them for doing nothing..

 

Kinda like all those kids my age that roll around in cars you know mommy and daddy paid for.. They just think they are better than everyone else.

[Robochan]

I have met a lot of the people who run those Instagram accounts you spoke about and the ages seem to be 14 to 20. A couple of them do not have licenses. Like many their age they believe super cars rule and everything else trickles down from them. My brother being 17 with no license calls and tells me anytime he sees a "super" car and represents a lot of their follower base.

 

My point is, nothing is truly real to them as you stated. They have never purchased their own car, never changed oil let alone upgraded anything. Its all virtual and in my opinion a just a different start into this hobby. For the kids who didnt have dads like i did who exposed me to so much, so young they are just getting into it in a different way. Not sure how this will lead the hobby but i dont think its very negative.

[Versluis]

I have met a lot of the people who run those Instagram accounts you spoke about and the ages seem to be 14 to 20. A couple of them do not have licenses. Like many their age they believe super cars rule and everything else trickles down from them. My brother being 17 with no license calls and tells me anytime he sees a "super" car and represents a lot of their follower base.

 

My point is, nothing is truly real to them as you stated. They have never purchased their own car, never changed oil let alone upgraded anything. Its all virtual and in my opinion a just a different start into this hobby. For the kids who didnt have dads like i did who exposed me to so much, so young they are just getting into it in a different way. Not sure how this will lead the hobby but i dont think its very negative.

 

Spot on.

[2 Sweet]

I don't understand why people call the pound sign a "hash tag"

[Geeto67]

So Clay, I feel like we have had this conversation before in real life but just in case we haven't....here are the two dirty pennies I found on the floor of my jeep this morning:

 

"Social media" like anything else is a tool. And like any tool there is a right way, a wrong way, and a "lazy" way to do things. think of it like a pipe or "plumber's" wrench - Some people use it to tighten the metal pipes under their sink, some people use it to tighten any kind of bolt when they can't find their adjustable, and some people use it to just hammer a nail in because the damn thing weights a ton and you haven't used it in ages and you might as well use it for something otherwise it is just going to sit there and damn it all it was just handy to grab it rather than the right tool anyway.

 

The problem with "good" social media is that it requires good content. Are there examples of this? yes they are but if you look - good examples usually go commercial pretty quick. I think Jalopnik is a pretty good example: they have a main portal (the website powered bu Kinja) with social interaction (the comments section) with ok moderation. They understand the different values to them that each social media outlet has meter out control to their individual contributors (twitter, Facebook, etc). It's also something that makes money via advertising and can afford to have full time people making sure it has good content.

 

What you are talking about with the multiple IG accounts for Columbus exotics is a good example of someone using the pipe wrench to tighten any bolt they find. The individuals kinda sorta understand the basics of how Social media works, but not necessarily how to best use it for it's intended purpose. It is more of the "let's just put a ton of content out there and hope it gets good" kind of approach. If all these IG accounts are related to people affiliated with the event it is poor promotional management and poor social media management. If they are just individuals trying to leverage the event, then the person with the event isn't managing his brand effectively. Either way, its a large quantity of content rather than good content - which oddly can still drive exposure pretty well.

 

I get the knee jerk Luddite reaction to it, and it can be frustrating. Plus you have had great real world success with the event doing things the old fashioned way, which I totally dig. However, I do think there is still value to CC&C's social media presence - the problem is neither you, nor I, nor Wes, nor anybody else have any real time to devote to make really good content for it. If you want to have a longer conversation about I am more than happy to show up to your driveway and drink your beer and pontificate for hours on end enjoying the sound of my own voice.

[LJ]

I don't understand why people call the pound sign a "hash tag"

 

It creates a link that brings up other posts with the same tag

[mrs.cos]

I don't understand why people call the pound sign a "hash tag"

 

Because like many words in the english language- it has mulitple uses.

 

I do believe that it stems from this; Wiki.

Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie used # in the C programming language for special keywords that had to be processed first by the C preprocessor.[5] Since before the invention of the hashtag, the number sign has been called the "hash symbol" in some countries outside of North America.[6][7]

 

#= Sharp

#= Pound

#= Number

#= Hashtag

[Vulcan900]

I wish the term hashtag would die in a fire.

 

Old and grumpy too, I guess.

[2 Sweet]

I heard a Zoombezi Bay commercial on the radio trying to promote their social media thing, and there's some old mom having trouble understanding young people slang, and she's talking to her daughter and it's supposed to show that she's out of touch with what's hip or whatever. She calls a hashtag a "little tic tac toe thingy" and it's supposed to be so funny I guess?

 

Here's the thing, she would have called it a fucking pound sign, or number sign. The fucking "hashtag" symbol wasn't invented yesterday. I hope the fucktards at the agency who came up with that commercial and the Zoombezi Bay marketing mouth breathers all got fired for it.

[Geeto67]

I hope the fucktards at the agency who came up with that commercial and the Zoombezi Bay marketing mouth breathers all got fired for it.

 

Why? look at how much you are talking about it - I'd say it's pretty darn effective.

 

It's a cheesy lowest common denominator joke. get over it. They can't all be Proust.

[2 Sweet]

Why? look at how much you are talking about it - I'd say it's pretty darn effective.

 

It's a cheesy lowest common denominator joke. get over it. They can't all be Proust.

 

I didn't go to Zoombezi Bay, didn't take a selfie, didn't post it on twitter with whatever tag they wanted me to use. Survey SAYS....not effective

[ForeverMaker]

I didn't go to Zoombezi Bay, didn't take a selfie, didn't post it on twitter with whatever tag they wanted me to use. Survey SAYS....not effective

 

never heard the commercial. now I have learned about it thanks to you.

 

I forgot I haven't taken the kids there yet this year. now it is on my mind and I will probably buy tickets.

 

survey says... effective.

[2 Sweet]

never heard the commercial. now I have learned about it thanks to you.

 

I forgot I haven't taken the kids there yet this year. now it is on my mind and I will probably buy tickets.

 

survey says... effective.

 

Maybe Zoombezi Bay should hire me to talk about them instead of wasting their money on a really dumb commercial

[Geeto67]

Maybe Zoombezi Bay should hire me to talk about them instead of wasting their money on a really dumb commercial

 

Why? they just got you for free.

[2 Sweet]

Why? they just got you for free.

 

Imagine what I could do if they paid me!

[Dr. Pomade]

I think CC&C should have an event at Zoombezi Bay and promote it on Twitter.

 

P.S. Ampersands are legit.

 

P.P.S. #&&&&&

[Rustlestiltskin]

2sweet taking bombs to the face left n right. LOL

[Dr. Pomade]

OT: Clay, I'm totally with you.

[zeitgeist57]

OT: Clay, I'm totally with you.

 

http://38ccda.medialib.glogster.com/media/aaefa26867f6758d150e67a8a8b21bfb19351a2b79a94aa2f3cab3c066ad837b/hand-heart.jpg

[Miller]

And that being a fanboy of some halo supercar doesn't make you as much of a "car guy" as someone who actually works on his own car and/or races his own car (even if it's a beat-dick Honda).

I had to quote doc saying "beat-dick Honda"

 

Also, I'm not a huge fan of the CC&C/exotic guys but it's there thing and they will do what they wish. They've had a great boost to the momentum of their scene with the recent absence of Big Wiggy style leaving our state.