We end this week by gearing up for one of our favorite holidays of the year: St. Patrick's Day. Before we explore the nuanced flavors of green beer, it's time for a review of what is going on in the social media world. This week we have the lowdown on how a travel company is leveraging a Pinterest contest for free flights, Iceland's attempt to rebuild their economy with the help of social media, the breakthrough of celebrity niche blogs and 10 beer apps to help you enjoy this great holiday. Enjoy this installment of the Weekly Download and Happy St. Patrick's Day.
British Airline Launches a Pinterest Lottery to Give Away Free Flights
British airline, bmi, recently launched a Pinterest Lottery, encouraging users to "repin" images of its travel destinations for the chance to win free flights. The company is experimenting with Pinterest's "repining" function by setting up five boards that focuses on a different destination: Beirut, Dublin, Marrakech, Moscow and Nice. More and more brands are seeing the value of Pinterest and jumping on the bandwagon.
Rebuilding a country with the help of social media
Iceland is currently undergoing a resurgence since its economic meltdown in 2008 all with the help of a little social media. Iceland opted not to bail out the businesses that were partly responsible for the country's crisis, and has since created a new constitution to move ahead. This includes the country's quirky Tumblr blog (Iceland Wants to Be Your Friend), its Twitter account and its Facebook presence, Iceland has gone out of its way to spread awareness about the nation and increase tourism.
Zooey Dechanel takes niche blogs to the next level
Typically celebrities have the largest following on social networks, for example Lady Gaga has over 20,849,602 followers on Twitter. Now with HelloGiggles, a blog from Zooey Deschanel that perfectly embodies the cute-girl hipster lifestyle, and made it a guideline for others within the culture. But unlike larger publishing empires these new endeavors are driven by their niche communities with contributions from users.
10 Best Beer apps for St. Patrick's Day
To prepare you for the weekend, here are some of the best beer apps. Whether you're looking for the best craft beer in Denver, or you are unsure of what brew you like best, there will be a beer for you in one of these apps. Whatever you have planned for St. Patty's weekend make sure it includes a frothy beverage (preferably green).
