World Bank + Social Web

You expect consumer brands to embrace social media – it is where their customers are communicating with each other and gathering information for purchase decisions. But, what about other organizations, like international non-governmental organizations?

The World Bank has become an active participant in the social web. Through the Open Development program the organization is encouraging transparency and sharing their data with the community to promote innovation. The data for organization's projects is available online and via the World Bank DataFinder App for iPhone, iTouch, and iPad.

Recently the organization announced a contest – Apps for Development – to build an app for any mobile platform that displays their data in a useful way to the community. Here is how the competition is described by the World Bank:

• “We're challenging the public to create innovative software applications that move us a step closer toward solving some of the world's most pressing problems.”

This is an ambitious effort to harness the collective creativity of the global community. And it is a way for the organization to transform from a large non-governmental organization to a tangible entity in the eyes of the individuals it interacts with around the world.

The World Bank has also embraced blogging and has a number of active blogs on its website. In addition, the organization is actively engaging the community on a variety of social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. On Twitter the organization encourages discussion of Open Development with the #opendata hashtag.

Reaching out – virtually – to the global community and participating in conversations on the web is important for all organizations, including for profit companies, governments, and non-governmental organizations.

If a large international organization like the World Bank can become an active participant in the social web so can you.

Luxury Shoes? Yes, there is an App for THAT...

All Apple fans have seen the commercials and know the tagline – “There is an app for that”...

Today there seems to be an iPhone application for almost everything!

What is the weather halfway around the world? There is an app for that. How do you translate a word from English to Tagalog? There is an app for that... Looking for the closest Spanish or Mediterranean restaurant? There is an app for that. What are the ski conditions at your favorite mountain? There is an app for that too! (Thanks REI and North Face.)

Which brings me to what I want to talk about here – many apps for the iPhone were created by or sponsored by brands. REI and North Face offer free applications through the iPhone apps store that allow you to check the current conditions at your favorite slopes. And remind you of their brands. There are many other brands that have created or sponsored apps, including Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa, Omni Hotels, Major League Baseball, eBay, Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, New York Times, USAA Federal Savings Bank, and author Paulo Coelho. Yes, now having an iPhone app is an important part a social media campaign or strategy.

Most of the brands that have iPhone apps are everyday brands – travel brands, outdoor equipment, sports, services companies, and media brands. These apps help you read the news, find a restaurant, look up the weather, and connect with friends. Now, there is an app that can help you with something else – shopping for designer shoes. Bergdorf Goodman, the luxury goods department store on 5th Avenue in New York, has created an iPhone app that is a virtual extension of their shoe salon. The Bergdorf Goodman app is free and displays a new couture shoe each day. Users can create an account and log in. Then they can email the shoe to a friend or actually buy the shoe of the day – all with a touch of a button.