Inside the mind of John Fitzpatrick

Looper Kinetic Typography Test

March 7th, 2013

As I am becoming more comfortable in After Effects, I'm starting to really appreciate the fine art of kinetic typography. It really is fun to try and create unique pieces to follow audio clips. Anyway, here is a quick look at my latest attempt to enter the kinetic typography world!

Looper Kinetic Typography Test from John Fitzpatrick on Vimeo.

The Elementary Appeal of Get Glue

January 25th, 2013

Just 3 more stickers and I will have a grand total of 20 stickers, at which point I can request to have my stickers sent to me. Therein lies the appeal of one of the newer social media applications, GetGlue. GetGlue, which functions much like Foursquare and Facebook, allows users to “check in,” but not into locations like with Foursquare. GetGlue has users check into TV shows, movies, music and books. Then the fun begins. As users check into various shows, etc…, they have the opportunity to earn “stickers,” which are very much like Foursquare badges. These stickers are all unique and are representative of what they’re for. So, for example, if I check in and say I’m watching Parks and Recreation on NBC, I will earn a sticker of some unique aspect of that episode. Collect 20 stickers, and GetGlue will mail you all the physical stickers.

While this seems fun, there are really 3 major aspects of GetGlue that will make it a very viable, successful company and application.

1) A major drawback of most other social media sites is the following: If none of your friends are on the site, then why would you be there? Take Foursquare for example. If no one you know is on Foursquare, how appealing is the site? Aside from the occasional free appetizer you may receive from Chili’s, Foursquare just simply would not be fun without any friends. This is where GetGlue is different. Even if none of your friends are on the site, it is still fun to check in while listening / watching your favorite things in an attempt to possibly unlock a sticker. GetGlue has turned social entertainment into a game, where users can unlock various (and hidden) prizes. This makes the site fun for something other than connecting with friends. Even with the stickers, though, having friends on the site makes it that much more exciting. You can listen to their recommendations, see what they’re watching, and much more.

2) The content is always changing. There is not a finite, set number of stickers you can earn. Every day new stickers are being added. This encourages users to always be on the site and always be checking in to see whats happening in the world of entertainment. The constant state of motion excite the users. As new movies come out, new stickers come out, and users will run to the site to see if the movie they just saw would get them a shiny new sticker.


3) Lastly, and probably most important for the company itself, GetGlue is a very lucrative advertising opportunity for marketers. The stickers, are in a sense, only advertisements. So if a user receives their 20 stickers, and places 3 Mad Men stickers on their laptop, that is a free advertisement for Mad Men. The same holds true for the other forms of entertainment on the site. Some shows promote themselves on a show by show basis, like FX’s show Archer. During the running time of each episode, if a user checks in they will receive a special Archer sticker for that specific episode. This is a great idea to encourage users to watch your TV show.

Overall, while GetGlue may not ascend to the top of Social Media Mount Olympus with other gods like Facebook and Twitter, this is a site that will be around for a long time, and continue to build a large audience and following. With a strong backing from major businesses and site which remains in constant motion, GetGlue will continue to appeal to everyone and anyone.

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