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As you might know, I’m quite active on Twitter (as @tomewing). So is this very site, as @researchlive. In fact there’s a growing number of market research people using the service: it’s becoming an extremely useful tool for swapping research-related links, opinion and news. And kitten pictures.
So it seems like an excellent time for the UK’s first ever - so far as I know - Market Research Tweetup. It’ll be on Wednesday 23rd September, from 6.30, at the Slug And Lettuce on Hanover Street (http://www.slugandlettuce.co.uk/hanover_street/) Free entry.
What’s a Tweetup, you ask? No, you don’t ask, because you can guess: it’s a meet-up of people on Twitter. If you’re on Twitter and you want to come along and meet people you only know via a profile icon, come along. If you’re in the market research biz - or a related one - so much the better. If you’re not on Twitter, consider this an excellent incentive to sign up. The Tweetup will be informal, friendly, and a good opportunity to put faces to names, network and natter about industry issues.
I’d love to take credit for this idea but I can’t - it was organised at the behest of Diane Hessan, CEO of Communispace, who is one of the most prominent research industry voices on Twitter. She’ll be there on the 23rd, and I hope so will a lot of you.
Tom Ewing
I work at Kantar Operations, thinking about social media, market research and their overlap. I write more widely about this stuff at Blackbeard Blog. I'm also a music critic and bear the scars from many years running online communities.Tom Ewing writes about
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Readers' comments (9)
Charlie Osmond | 7-Sep-2009 10:30 pm
great plan.
@cosmond will be there. And I'll try to drag along @mattrhodes too.
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Anonymous | 8-Sep-2009 10:15 am
Tom,
I am a little concerned that as an industry, we are creating way too many networking platforms in addition to the many that already exisit. As a brand marketing person, I really feel there are too many industry/sector and issue based forums out there - and many are merely created as a personal route for business development (sorry but it is what I feel). Why bother with another event?? Do I really need to meet other Tweeters? Is it really going to benefit me in my role? or should we try and focus on the main platforms that exist within the research industry.
Thanks
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Tom Ewing | 8-Sep-2009 12:58 pm
Well, I can't speak for Diane, anonymous, and it was her idea. But my take on this is that I'm just doing what I've done on every online forum or channel I've ever been part of: once I find a bunch of interesting people the idea of going for a drink with them begins to form naturally. As far as I'm concerned we might not even talk about market research!
Will it benefit you in your role? I've no idea! Will anyone turn up? I've no idea about that either (eek!) If people do, and it works, we'll do it again. I feel that the main platforms that exist in the research industry will survive fine whatever happens with this.
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Diane Hessan | 8-Sep-2009 1:14 pm
I didn't mean to cause controversy, but I confess I thought a party would be fun. TweetUps have become very popular social events in the U.S. For instance, there are usually 3-4 TweetUps in Boston each week for those in marketing and social media. And, friends in the U.K. tell me that they have attended a few successful TweetUps recently. They are rarely focused on business development, although I do know of many people who have found jobs from a TweetUp.
In essence, the idea is to take an already-existing network and give us a chance to meet -- finally -- in person. I look forward to meeting the real Tom Ewing as well as others in the research, marketing or social media space.
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Katie Harris | 8-Sep-2009 1:35 pm
Oh I wish I could make it! Bit too much of a hike from here though...
: P
For anonymous; I've been to quite a few marketing/social media related tweet-ups in Sydney. While they aren't specifically research-only tweet ups, a few researchers do attend.
I find they're a great way to meet a wide range of interesting (and interested) people.
Most people who attend are passionate about what they do; makes for a wonderful buzz and energy. I always leave feeling that I've learned so much. These are, for the most part, people I may not ever have otherwise met.
Go check it out! You can always leave if you find you aren't enjoying yourself.
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Alison | 8-Sep-2009 1:36 pm
I'm also on Twitter, as @alisonmacleod; really looking forward to it - sounds like a nice idea. I'm not really involved in any industry networks so personally it will be a nice chance to er, get out more, and put some faces to some interesting names.
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Diane Hessan | 8-Sep-2009 10:02 pm
I didn't mean to cause controversy, but I confess I thought a party would be fun. TweetUps have become very popular social events in the U.S. For instance, there are usually 3-4 TweetUps in Boston each week for those in marketing and social media. And, friends in the U.K. tell me that they have attended a few successful TweetUps recently. They are rarely focused on business development, although I do know of many people who have found jobs from a TweetUp.
In essence, the idea is to take an already-existing network and give us a chance to meet -- finally -- in person. I look forward to meeting the real Tom Ewing as well as others in the research, marketing or social media space.
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Simon Kendrick | 8-Sep-2009 11:05 pm
Beer and frenemies is always a good mix - I shall do my best to attend!
@curiouslyp
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Martin Vovk | 17-Sep-2009 2:41 pm
I'll try and make it, and see if I can drag along a few other office tweeters too...
@martinvovk
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