Over the past year we have accomplished some amazing things:

• 500% Increase in Traffic and Sales
• 1000% Increase in organic traffic
• 10’s of thousands of happy customers who keep coming back for more

This is not the end for me and StickerYou. I will be staying on in and advisory capacity. Whenever you spend so much time taking something to the next level, you want to make sure it continues to succeed. This is a testament to the relationship I have made with so many people. They make StickerYou what it is and are its heart and soul.

To the StickerYou staff, I can say your dedication is only outstripped by your talent. While our team has changed over the year, I am more convinced than ever this is the best team to handle the upcoming challenge for the next year to continue to evolve this company.

To the StickerYou board, I have always had an excellent relationship with you. You have provided thoughtful advice both to succeed and grow personally and professionally. I look forward to both the continued personal and professional relationship that we have built over the years.

To Andrew, this is your baby. Please continue to nurture it and help it grow into the company you envisioned, when you started this journey. You are truly passionate and committed to its success.

While today is my last day I can look back and be proud of what I accomplished and the impact I have made.

Now to the Future

What does the future hold for me ?!?! Well a number of people have been already asking me whether I would come work for them, whether I would consult, whether I would start my own start-up or even whether I would escape into the Himalayas and regrown my Movember beard. The honest truth is I haven’t decided where I want to throw my time and energy just yet. If you have any ideas as to what or where I should spend my time I am open to ideas.

I leave for a much needed cruise and vacation this week, where I can contemplate these life changing decisions on a beach.

I am always available via Twitter @Jpuopolo or email joseph@jpuopolo.com. I would put my ICQ number here, but that might date me .

For the uninitiated, gamification, said simply, is the use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences. Over the last year, even large companies and enterprises are starting to get in on the game, with Gartner saying that all CIOs should have gamification on their radar, and M2 research predicting that the gamification market will reach 2.8 billion in direct spending by 2016.

Okay, so it’s on the rise, we get that, but let’s take a look at some of the players that are helping to take this trend to the next level. Three companies in particular are currently creating some buzz in the space: Badgeville, Bigdoor and Bunchball.

Badgeville started by making a big splash center stage at Disrupt in the fall of 2009. The company took home the Audience Choice Award at Disrupt, has since gone on a tear and is poised to have a great 2012. (Check out Rip’s original post on Badgeville’s prospects here.)

Badgeville Co-founder and CEO Kris Duggan pulls no punches when it comes to one of the most visible and early adopters of gamification, the check-in king: Foursquare. The CEO says that Foursquare was early in its attempts at gamification, but that its incentivization models remain fundamentally flawed.

Duggan points to the “Mayorship” system within Foursquare: “You have literally hundreds of people and only one mutually-exclusive point of recognition, the Mayor. What happens to the other hundreds of people? Not only are they not engaged, but you don’t take into consideration different types of users.” Duggan believes you need to engage not only the heavy user, but medium and light users as well. Rather than a one-size-fits-all methodology, you can appeal to each user type and incent them accordingly.

From a marketer’s perspective this is a huge hole in the way Foursquare approaches gamification for
brands. The ability for brands to own their engagement strategy is key for them to grow their model. A vanilla badge strategy will only allow them to go so far and without real control of the experience and rewards it won’t be a rich experience.

Keith Smith, CEO of Big Door, has seen large adoption of their gamification platform. And, in particular, the CEO recognizes a big opportunity selling to marketers: “Marketers today spend more money on acquiring users than working to retain those users and providing them with a reason to come back to a site”. By focusing on retention, marketers could get more value from their marketing dollars.

Big Door has been able to secure marquee customers including Dell. Dell took gamification beyond their website and used it for a live event to create multiple ways to engage attendees through Journeys, which were part of the conference tracks during the event. Each Journey was customized to a specific conference track. QR codes were located throughout the event and attendees were encouraged to scan codes and were rewarded with achievements for every scanned QR code and every journey they completed.

Big Door has even produced a very simple and easy to use widget that I implemented on my blog.
After the implementation I started seeing increased interaction on my site. For those looking to try out gamification out on their site, it is a great bet.

Molly Kittle, VP of Digital Strategy for Bunchball, notes that until recently, one of the biggest challenges for gamifiers has been in educating potential clients about the difference between gamification and social games. Molly sees a shift from education to adoption of gamification strategy in the future.

“I agree that some gamification does come off badly, and slapping some badges on a site isn’t professional or powerful, and we don’t want our customers to do that” she says. The quick-fix isn’t sustainable for most brands. Molly thinks there will be a huge change of perception across industries, catalyzed by a growing number of enterprises embracing gamification to solve real business challenges. Hey, there’s even gamify.com, with one of the best domain acquisitions for the market.

Travel companies, too, are getting in on gamification, with Trippy, Gogobot, and more offering gaming elements to their user experience. But, again, for startups and companies to be successful in this approach, gamification has to go beyond badges.

There are some common threads to the trends that Badgeville, Bigdoor and Bunchball see in the
gamification space:

1. The space has quickly evolved from place where they are educating the customer about gamification to earlier customer understanding in their offering
2. Frictionless installs are a necessity. They all recognize that if it is difficult to implement, then clients will not want to implement it.
3. A world beyond badges: Badges will increasingly become less and less important, and the rise of true virtual currencies will become more prominent to offer users more than vanity accomplishments in the form of badges.

So what does the future hold for Gamification?

It is clear that it is unveiling a far larger market opportunity — the concept of what Duggan calls “behavior lifecycle management.” Some of the elements of gamification will further permeate into other applications. In the interest of driving increased user interaction, expect to see some form of game dynamics coming to a business application near you. Over this past year, gamification has shed its acne and awkward voice to come of age.

The Internet is a key segment within this postindustrial world identified by Florida. Since the emergence of Webernets, two distinct classes that have emerged — those that create content and those who consume it. For every content creator there are far more individuals that consume content. Like other class systems, there are inherent advantages or disadvantages with each class. While content creators have had their share of benefits, the concept of mass content creation also comes with its own risks.

The rise of the content creation class

Content creators have enjoyed advantages over content consumers since the dawn of the internet. They enjoy higher amounts of influence; they have the potential to earn more money and fame. The only prerequisite to be part of this class is to create content; you do not need to be creative, correct or even factual. Bloggers are a great example of this — some blog just for blogging’s sake, while others have made it into a career or in some cases a successful business.

Whether it is through paid promotion, advertisement or Google Adwords, people make thousands or tens of thousands of dollars monthly creating content on their blog. This system is has been used and abused by paid bloggers and those looking to bend the Google algorithm to their will to bend a torrent of traffic to their respective site. Thin content is a common problem, and parasitic to the Internet as a whole. It is still however, a part of content on the web, good or bad.

Filling the content vacuum

The content vacuum requires new content and it doesn’t seem to matter what it is. People will consume it. This isn’t to say that the better content won’t command more eyes, but even bad content will find viewers. This is another key differentiation between the creative class, you don’t need to necessarily be creative or factually correct to create information on the Internet.

The reality is those that create either good or bad content will still see a benefit from it. A prime example is YouTube, there is tons of questionable videos that garner hundreds of thousands of views. As eyes continue to shift from traditional channels and to the Internet, there is tons of potential to fill the web with content good and bad, which in reality mirrors society on the whole.

Social media has changed the content creation paradigm

Social media has added a new dimension to content creation and changed the paradigm. While it has allowed many more people to become creators, it has also magnified existing content creators to previously unheard of levels. Whenever a key creator puts out a new piece of content, hoards of followers are ready and waiting to magnify that content even further.

There is also a question of equivalency, what is more important or relevant, 10,000 microblogs (140 character tweets) or 10 to 20 2,000 word blogs? While the barrier to become a content creator is now lowered, it also increased the ability to adept content creators to be even more effective using new tools. These tools have been used to push people from the background to center stage.

From obscurity to fame or infamy

People can literally create their own 15 minutes of fame (or infamy) through content creation on the Internet. There have been countless pieces of content that have come from obscure blogs to become national news. Bloggers without an established network to distribute their content have had various distribution mechanisms tip influence to their favor. Teens have been able to distinguish themselves from the crowd and gain further notoriety by building a blog presence — heck, Justin Bieber was discovered via his videos on YouTube.

Internet content creation has almost become a feeder system to more traditional media outlets. The content creation class is driven by a sense of meritocracy and the thrill of letting the mob decide whether you get a thumbs up or down. While cute kittens are driving eyes, it isn’t just the cute and cuddly that is catching attention on the web. A content creator has emerged to serve each niche and some are finding big business around it, especially mom bloggers.

As new trends emerge, new laws follow

This rise of the content creator class has led to the rise of some new issues, though. For example, those who record videos have been opened up to prosecution. In the last two years there have been incidences of people being arrested for filming activities of policemen on duty.

The reality is, in today’s world you have to assume if there is something going on, there is likely a person with a camera or a video camera in their phone to capture it. Courts have now become involved in determining what content is legal. Recently, the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a ruling that would make it illegal to film on-duty cops. Content creation has become an important check and balance for democracy or internationally, those trying to achieve democracy.

Content creators internationally

Internationally, content creators were simultaneously exalted and persecuted this year in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East. One could make the argument that without social media and content created by individuals, people vying for freedom would not have been able to maintain momentum in their cause. Yet at the same time, anyone posting content in these situations has cause to fear for their lives.

This article speaks to that some of the issues surrounding this. When journalists are not able to expose what is going on during uprisings, citizen journalists take on a lot of risks to ensure the world knows about their plight. They have adeptly help cut through the fog of war. That ability to shed light on dire circumstance provides those individuals with power and influence over many both locally and internationally. This is especially true when this information becomes the fuel for governmental policy or even military action.

In Summary

While handheld devices has made it easier for all to become content creators there will continue to be an inherent divide in who chooses to participate in content creation shared to the masses. A new class system has quietly emerged. The content creation class will continue to enjoy greater advantages, but like anyone sticking out their neck they will also face challenges. Anyone who creates content has the potential of being judged, either by a snarky comment or a legal court and that fear is what segments the Internet into two groups, the content creators and the content consumers.

It is the hope that people at the party, will Tweet, Facebook and share products they like during the party while watching the big game. We have our first sponsor Hollywood Gelato, that will be providing Gelato for the event.

Looking for Sponsors

We are looking for a variety of sponsors, whether it be food, drink or swag. If you want to share your product with social media savvy people this is your chance. Contact me at joseph@jpuopolo.com

Sponsors 

	Hollywood Gelato is a favorite of mine. We have been going to them for years to get amazing Gelato.At Hollywood Gelato we are proud of creating innovative, fun, delicious and authentic gelato. Developing new flavours is a science that takes time, dedication and persistence. We have over 200 recipes in our repertoire and are continuously adding more. Of these recipes you will see 22 of the top selling flavours in our display case. Follow @hollywoodgelato
	St. Louis Bar and Grill is a Mainstay for wings and BBQ in the city.St. Louis Bar and Grill 528 Yonge St, 595 Bay St and Fairview Mall locations are the best places in the city for Wings, Ribs and Raptors Games.  If you are a NBA fan, this is on the only in the city that shows more love for NBA.Follow @stlouiswings
	I just learned of Black Oak and their great craft beer.Black Oak has been brewing award winning beer since the last millennium! We make slow brewed, all malt, authentic hand crafted beer that’s true to style. Focusing on quality, character and consistency, our Pale Ale and Nut Brown are gold medal winners at the Great Canadian Brewing Awards. We also make seasonal beers in limited quantities, each suited to the season they represent.Follow @BlackOakBrewing
	Dufflet has been providing me with cakes for years for all my family events.Eat More Cake! Dufflet Pastries’ 3 locations are renown as Toronto’s source for fresh baked desserts that are hand-crafted from scratch using no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. Along with signature cakes, chocolate confections, and sublime wedding & celebration cakes, Dufflet cafés also offer light lunches and specialty coffees for eat-in or take-out. Follow @dufflet
	Pizza Pizza is a staple for anyone who wants a pizza 24/7. Ontario’s largest chain of pizzerias with locations extending from Thunder Bay to Windsor to Ottawa. Pizza Pizza has just launched the NEW Buffalo Chicken Pizza is made with our Buffalo and Blue Cheese sauce, Buffalo Grilled Chicken, Red Onions, Roasted Red Peppers & Mozzarella Cheese. Follow @pizzapizzaltd
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Thanks to Tom Petty, a California original lending some music to the video. This music is not owned or created by myself.

I will state honestly that I did not know what provoked this incident, but having been to over 10 NFL games previously (in cities across the country – Oakland, Buffalo, Foxboro and even Toronto) I have never seen a police response like this, which is part of the reason that I am writing this post. I can say in all of my dealings seeing the SFPD they have accorded themselves with professionalism and compassion. This, however, really shocked me.

The police, after not being able to get the person in question to leave their seat, proceeded to club the subject repeatedly. Everyone in our section was aghast at this. I grabbed my video camera to capture the tail end of it. What I captured was an office taking multiple swings at a seemingly unarmed with a blunt weapon in an apparent attempt to remove the man from his seat. I have seen drunk fools removed from their seats before at NFL games, but I have never seen anything like this. I was then accosted by the Usher 137, who yelled at me for recording this on video at the end of the video, seemingly knowing that she had precipitated this incident to spiral out of control with her attitude.

For the rest of the game, Usher 137 continued to harass and intimidate paying fans who were there to cheer their team to a Superbowl. She seemed to relish her position of power and was using it to lord over people there just looking to have a good time. Now those saying that I am just doing this to get attention, I first attempted to go through the official channels to notify the right authorities about this.  I sincerely hope this issue is appropriately addressed.

Here was another video showing more of the incident and the usher yelling at me when I shot video of the incident.

I then took to Twitter to notify the official 49ers #Hashtag about the incident and got no response. (PS meant to say Usher not User)

Earlier today I then sent a note to the official Twitter handles of the San Francisco Police Department, the 49ers and the NFL about the incident and got no response.

I took this action because I don’t think any fan should be beaten with a club unless they used significant violence against an officer or another fan. I can appreciate what has occurred this year and the sensitivity about creating a safe environment. That said, I think when a playoff game where people are paying hundreds of dollars to cheer on their team, it should not be turned into police state. I hope that a balance can be struck between fan responsibility and maintaining appropriate security. I write this to hopefully stop future fan abuse, and demonstrate what happens when power gets out of control.

I encourage you to share this in the hope that action can be taken to prevent this in the future.

Here is a little video I shot. Sorry for the crappy camera work, it was freaking cold out there. Thanks to Axel Rose, Slash and the rest of GnR for the music.

Random shots of us Tebowing around:

Tebowing in the Airport

Tebowing at Gillette Stadium

The guys celebrating. In order (Me, My brother, and my Dad) Special thanks to both my dad and brother for making this trip unforgettable.

Amy works with people like Dana White of the UFC, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson of acting/WWE fame and brands like Nike and Fox Sports (and now Joel Stein). Her specialty is working with organizations or individuals and making them look good online. Since the online world is in perpetual flux, I wanted to get Amy’s take on the social media landscape for 2012.

Here were a few key trends Amy said we should look out for in 2012:

1. Social TV Integration

Many shows have already begun to integrate social TV, either through polling or integrating social elements within the show. See my example of how both the UFC and WWE are integrating social media into their programming. Social media played a pivotal role in the last presidential election, and it will likely be more integrated into political broadcasts.

As each news channel fights hard to keep their viewers engaged, networks like CNN and Fox have made significant strides to engage their audience, although some would argue that this social media integration has come at the expense of hard-hitting journalism and analysis.

2. TV Is Going Online in a Big Way

2012 will be the first time that the Super Bowl will be streamed live to the world. Since the Super Bowl is generally viewed as the mother of all advertising spectacles, it will add a new dynamic into the digital component to advertising and social media integration.

3. Facebook Credits Take Center stage

Facebook in 2012 has the potential to project its power and truly take Facebook credits into a viable currency. Amy puts it quite well when she says “they’re building an online destination we’ll never need to leave, and my guess is they’re only about 8% of the way through their product roadmap.”

4. Big Business Has Woken Up

The way corporate entities approach social media is shifting. Many companies realize that setting up Twitter, YouTube and Facebook accounts is not going to cut it as their social media strategy. Brands will need to seriously shift their perspective by treating social channels more like communication channels and less like an advertising channels in order to make a difference. From my perspective this transition has already occurred, judging by the extent to which brands’ Twitter accounts are now used as channels for CRM and customer support, managing pissed off or happy customers in near realtime.

5. ROI Is Still Huge

ROI will remain a key metric to any social media strategy. The concept of engagement is now becoming more and more an excepted metric. CEO adoption of social media is improving, and more CEOs are recognizing the benefits of humanizing their brand by taking to Twitter.

Customer service, research and image branding could all be considered social media intangibles, yet all three are obviously important in business. Social channels impact every single aspect of business from human relations to finance, sales, operations and legal. It’s important for everyone to understand how social media affects their role and responsibilities. Opposite of television, social media is a dialogue vs. a monologue and if a brand is able to collect opinions real-time in high volume via social channels like Facebook polls, they can save a great deal of money on formal research studies.

There have been a lot of discussions about social media fatigue and whether brands refuse to play for that reason. With over a billion people on social media it’s irresponsible for any brand not to have some sort of presence. 2012 will be the year for brands to go beyond cookie cutter campaigns and really determine how it not only adds value to their company, but how it adds value for their customers. 2012 will be crucial for companies and social media. For those who don’t see a direct correlation between social media and sales consider:

“Social media is an ideal tool for moving people up the fan ladder, from being a casual fan of a brand to a loyalist, because the communication channels allow people to build stronger emotional connections with brands.”

So in 2012, the question is, how will your brand use effective strategy to move people up the fan ladder from interested to foaming at the mouth brand zealots?

Originally posted on TechCrunch here.

This year has not been without its share of ups and downs. The highs of watching Anna taking her first steps have also been counterbalanced with the stress of her surgery and everything that followed. The reality is that we have entered into an amazing roller coaster, with the highest highs and the lowest lows. Parenthood is an amazing journey and it has only just begun. Our family will change and continue to grow, and we know that this unforgettable year will be followed by many more .

I think my wife Laura said it best when she said:

One year ago today, I was in the hospital about to give birth. Anna joined us at 12:37 am on January 9. I can’t believe my baby is one! What a year it’s been – joy and frustration, laughter and tears. I wouldn’t change a minute of it!

We love you Anna!