Just about every night, while I’m watching TV or reading in bed, something on her phone will inevitably make my wife giggle. Or crack up, laughing. We share a similar sense of humor, so eventually I cave and ask, what’s so funny? Check your phone, she’ll respond. I’ll click on the notification and, even though I’ve told her many times that I don’t have that app, it will be a link to a TikTok video. Should I just download it, already?! TikTok has grown to be more than just funny dance videos, of course. It’s a marketing machine. Despite the …

I had just spent the previous four weeks crafting the perfect social media campaign. That’s what I thought it was, at least.  The idea was to raise money for a local entertainment venue with an easy social challenge — help name the theater’s main stage. It was mentioned during a client conversation about branding but came to fruition in a class devoted to social media for the public good. I remember thinking, what a fantastic opportunity to test educational theory with professional practice. The concept was simple: Ask users to share their stage name idea using #upstagenewtown. Donate to the …