April 30, 2010
Andre Yap, Ripple100
As part of our commitment to bringing you information and opinions about the future of technology, this guest post features Andre Yap, founder and CEO of Ripple100, the micromarketing App|Agency. Ripple100 uses video microsites to turn marketing into bite-size stories that move people to action.
Andre’s post focuses on the story behind New Haven’s recent bid to become a pilot city for Google Fiber (more).
This is the story of #GoogleHaven from our Ripple100 lens. How we got involved, met hundreds of great people (and counting), did awesome things for and with our city, learned more about our own technology, and ultimately became better at what we do. All because we got involved.
Happy Hour Monday, March 8. That was the first time I heard about Google Fiber. Catching up with Dan Blake and Mike Melvin, who had worked several CUBED start-ups with me. “Have you heard about New Haven’s campaign for Google Fiber?” Mike asked, adding a quick follow up. “It’s perfect for Ripple100.”
My reply: “No thanks, no time.”
Fast-forward 3 days later, I’m slogging through early evening traffic on I-95, right where Exit 42 becomes hell on earth. Debriefing my day’s meetings while Robert Siegel, Melissa Block, and Mee-chelle Norris serenaded me with All Things Considered. Then something just clicked. Mike’s right! Ripple100 would be perfect for Google Fiber. Weird, because from Happy Hour Monday to miserable drive Thursday I hadn’t given Google Fiber so much as a second thought.
Soon as I got home I googled “New Haven Google Fiber”, found references to SeeClickFix , a fellow New Haven start-up. Then did 2 things: I emailed Ben Berkowitz, SeeClickFix founder and CEO; and I sent him this tweet: @benberkowitz i’m in east rock, wanna help google fiber new haven. Maybe our app can help: http://bit.ly/9vlCYd
Next day, Friday 5:15 am I found Jack Nork’s tweet: @andreayap spread the word about highspeednewhaven.com.
I replied: @jcnork kudos to Retail Optimization for getting #GoogleHavenhttp://bit.ly/cCYacI started. Can we get together to see how we can help?
I alerted the team: @AmyDesmarais @jwierin @derekkoch heads up! How can we help New Haven win #GoogleHaven http://bit.ly/cCYacI Answer: E Pluribus Unum
A theme was taking shape, via Twitter: Out of many 1. Entreps, NFP, studes, pros, politicos – we’ll micromobilize to make New Haven #GoogleHaven. We got 14 days. #9Q #MM2010
By 6:05 am, less than an hour after Jack and I found each other, #GoogleHaven the movement and hashtag was up and running, via twitter: Let’s do it! @jcnork #GoogleHaven tweetup! Suggest @BruCafehttp://bit.ly/a63V2Y
After which, unkempt and barely presentable, I did a Ripplecast, using our own app to declare: I want my New Haven to be GoogleHaven!
5 hours later the #GoogleHaven gang showed up at Bru Cafe, which became (whether owners Curtis and Bill liked it or not) our de facto HQ. Meeting minutes were spread via twitter and Google docs, and it wasn’t long before Giulia Gouge, aka @shesosocial, referred to us as the Get It Done Crowd:
@jcnork @Becky_Lyman @kewingct @leecruz @jrlogan @AmyDesmarais @giuliag @jwierin @prolificbobby (armed with Google Fiber fliers) @cvelardi @TheDanHealy @SheilaMC7 @brucafe, and me, @andreayap
Two months later, we’re still at it. The gang has grown. In the next installments of this series you’ll meet some of them, see the face, hear the voice behind the @names. At Ripple100, we’ve used our app to produce 15 ripples (video microsites) capturing hundreds of faces and voices of New Haven, from residents and professionals to entrepreneurs, nonprofits, men, women, children, the students, teachers and staff of the New Haven Public Schools – all saying the same thing: We want New Haven to be #GoogleHaven! We’ve tallied 5,415 ripple effects, not counting all the activity via twitter, facebook, blogs, offices, schools, homes, cafes, restaurants, bars, parks and streets of New Haven. A month after Google’s official deadline passed, we’ve done another 7 campaigns and are in line for 93 more. We’re committed to GoogleHaven100 – 100 local establishments giving 100 gifts worth $100 or more, all in the spirit of 100x faster internet.
How many opportunities is that to get involved, to do well and do good, to change the world and build a company that makes a difference in the company of great of people? Sounds like a cliche, but isn’t all that what why we startup?
Next Up: 10 Days: The Story of How New Haven Became GoogleHaven
This is a fantastic summary Andre. What a great story. I get inspired every time I think about the outpouring of support for GoogleHaven. You have captured the birth of a movement!
Thank you for capturing this for us. So awesome. And we are the Get It Done Crowd. We already found those who are creative, innovative, community-minded, with spirit and humor 100 times faster.
Giulia, Jack – let’s not forget: this story is not past tense. It’s still being written, and we are, all of us, its authors. And also its cast of characters. More faces of GoogleHaven in the next installments of this series…