If you happen to be in the Dallas/Forth Worth area before the end of May 2010, pop into the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum. The museum has paired with HBO to launch a video campaign in tribute to veterans and active military. The SmartBrief article, HBO and American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum Invite Visitors to Thank World War II Veterans and Active Military Via Video Tribute Kiosks describes the campaign and how HBO is using the museum to house their video kiosks. The museum, founded in 1993 by aviation enthusiast, Gerard Arpey, is dedicated to the history of the commercial aviation industry. It is also known for being interactive, hands-on, and great for the entire family.
The HBO Pacific Tribute Campaign Kiosks will further the museums interactivity by allowing visitors to record a video thanking veterans and active military. The visitors can record their message onto one of the kiosks that uses a new technology called, MeTV. MeTV is the first ever location-based two-way broadcast platform. It enables users to record 30-second video messages and send them to any location in the connected MeTV world. Users have options after recording their “thank you” message to the soldiers. Users can send their video to any e-mail address, Tweeter feeds and Facebook pages, and even directly to a soldier. HBO will then select videos to be part of a montage that will be aired on HBO.com. The montage will then be sent to troops in efforts to show our thanks and appreciation.
The use of Web 2.0 as well as new technologies, such as MeTV, has made this entire campaign possible. All stages of the Campaign create interactivity. MeTV enables users of this technology to connect their recordings to social media networks. HBO is using web video to air their video and American Airlines is enabling users to be a part of this phenomenon. MeTV, HBO and the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum have the right idea. What better way to make veterans and active military feel appreciated than a video montage of thousands personally thanking them?
Poster of the HBO new series "The Pacific"
This reminds me a lot of your Newseum post and how just like them, the American Airlines Museum allows thank you messages to be shared with everyone. I think this is an affective way to thank the military because many of them are overseas and the internet may be one of the few connections they have. It is amazing that these messages can be so direct and can be sent to Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. I am glad HBO has made this possible by housing their video kiosks there. I’m a little disappointed that their Facebook page does not have many fans and the only ones writing on the wall are the museum representatives.
I love the Pacific and I am so excited to here that his is finding a place into history! I think the MeTV is a great social media tactic and I think museum will benefit greatly for bring in this new media. This videos will have a chance to gain attention in different social media platforms and will create connections among people. This new interactivity will also create a stronger connection between HBO and the museum and veterans of the war. I think these veterans will be able to appreciate it.
The idea of MeTV sounds like it will be very successful, because it will only allow for people to connect and converse even more. I hope the HBO Pacific Tribute Campaign Kiosks are well-received among the public, because it is such a thoughtful and important thing to thank military and veterans– even ones we have never met. And a short thank you video is such a special way to share genuine gratitude. Plus, if the users can decide where to send their message, it seems to me that it is even more powerful. People don’t like to do things that are just cookie-cutter plans for them. They prefer choices and options, and it makes it more personal to choose where the message actually goes. I also think the montage will be especially powerful.
On a personal note, I am so glad HBO is doing this, because I believe that now, more than ever, we should be supporting our troops, both active military and veterans. In the midst of a war that has gone on longer than many expected, we have to remember to thank those serving in the armed forces.
Isabella, I did notice the small number of fans on the Facebook page. I also couldn’t find anything on the Facebook page about the tribute, just information about the television series itself. The tribute is fairly recent so maybe with more time it will be better exposed!