Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry, meet Osmosis

Technology, like the Osmosis brand, has evolved. The Mad Circle trio - Deane Shepherd, Jermaine Brown and Philip Palmer - share with us how social media has helped to keep Osmosis in the public eye (and ear).

In its baby stages, how did you guys promote Osmosis?

In the beginning, flyers were our main promotional tool. We used to go around to all the parties, personally handing out flyers to our friends. In addition to this, we used text messaging a lot, as there was no BlackBerry messenger at the time. These were the main activities, along with emails, street promotional teams, and word-of-mouth marketing.

At what point would you say promotion really went 'global'? And via what medium in particular?

We would say in 2003, with the introduction of a very powerful radio ad done by Beast. His high-impact voice resonated with patrons and that staging on Friday, September 26, 2003 was an overwhelming success. We also did an ad created by Zawdie, on RE-TV which was recently launched. It is at that point that we realised we had outgrown our Beverly Hills home.

Over time, how have you been able to incorporate the various media into the Osmosis routine?

Radio became our main tool to connect with people, as we would do a mixture of popular dubs by local DJs, along with our main ads. This helps us to communicate the essence and vibe of the party, which can't be totally done through a flyer.

We have stayed in touch with how our patrons get their information, so as they evolve with a particular new media, or new behaviour, we adapt our campaign to ensure the Osmosis message is relevant and available. So a typical Osmosis campaign has been expanded to include not only radio, but outdoor billboards, promotional CDs, an Osmosis Magazine, social media marketing, and for broader appeal, The Gleaner.

Which social media/unit/tool has served Osmosis best?

We would have to say Facebook has served us best, as at this point it is the most widely used, and it offers a lot of functionality that you can't get with the other social networking sites. Facebook allows you to display text, videos, pictures, and other visuals that can immerse the viewer in the essence of your event.

Each social media tool is different and has its own unique advantages that we use in conjunction with the main Facebook platform. We have a presence on Twitter, as well, which allows us to do a few things that Facebook can't. So Twitter allows for a more on-the-go update and interaction with our patrons.

In addition, the partnership with The Gleaner allows our articles to reach a wider Internet audience, as persons from far and wide read The Gleaner online, and we can post links to our stories in The Gleaner to our Facebook and Twitter pages.

With the proliferation of different avenues to get the word out, how do you control the flow of inaccurate information, let's say from hackers?

We are very careful about who we provide with admin access to our various accounts, and we each have responsibility for specific information areas. So only one person uploads venue information, one person uploads pricing, one person handles food and bar, and another handles sponsors. This allows us to keep a tight grip on the accuracy of information that is put out. We also pay special attention to content posted on our pages to ensure hackers, or other persons, don't mislead persons with incorrect content.

How have your 'everyday' jobs helped to grow Mad Circle and, by extension, Osmosis?

Each member of the team has expertise in a distinct functional area which, when combined, has allowed us to deliver exceptional results.

Jermaine works in branding and setup, and therefore has a knack for setting up a venue, from its initial design to the installation of the final truss. As a result, he spearheads our execution arm, and has delivered the constant improvements in the level of execution visible over the years.

Philip has been the mind behind the creation of a number of popular events for a number of years, and this creativity allows him to always come up with relevant marketing ideas which are sure to connect with our target patrons. He is also an event planner and an entrepreneur in electrical contracting and salvaging, and because of this experience in these different business fields, it allows for successful negotiating with suppliers, sponsors and also with the event logistics.

Deane runs his own event-planning and marketing company, and this helps the team to stay on track with the timings for the event, strategic direction and also to manage the dynamic Osmosis budget. Each person's skill set complements the others and results in the production which is Osmosis.

Where can the uninitiated find the Mad Circle team and get the latest on your activities?

The best place to start is with our page (Osmosis - Super all-inclusive Vibes and Beautiful People) and our Twitter page @osmosis_svb.