This document provides an overview of an upcoming class titled "Friends Tweets & Change" that will focus on grassroots movements and how tools like social media, guerrilla marketing, and personal branding can help achieve movement goals. The class will be taught by Andrew Hoffman and will involve students learning about various communication tools, choosing a cause to support, maintaining social media profiles to promote their cause, and participating in discussions. The goals of the class are for students to gain knowledge of grassroots techniques, understand the power of social media, be able to teach others, and be better qualified than peers for the future. Participation and papers will determine grades.

1. Friends Tweets & Change
THE CASE FOR GRASSROOTS COMMUNICATION
J-TERM 2011
Instructor: Andrew Hoffman
Monday, January 3, 2011

2. CLASS DESCRIPTION
This course will focus on grassroots movements and how utilizing web-based and creative
communication tools are vital to their success at compelling us to make a difference in our
world. We’ll cover topics such as Guerilla Marketing, social media, texting campaigns, web
2.0, and how personal branding all work together towards accomplishing the established
goals.
In a competitive marketplace for college graduates, having the knowledge of how to do a lot
with very little by using these accessible technologies will help differentiate you from your
competition. It’s not only important for you to know how to effectively use the tools for your
future employer, but your ability to get a job in the future.
Monday, January 3, 2011

3. Andrew Hoffman
Monday, January 3, 2011

4. Andrew Hoffman
Background: Contact Info:
HU Graduate in 2003 Andrew-Hoffman.com
Former advertising agency guy Facebook.com/AndrewDewey
Executive Director of NeighborLink Fort Wayne Twitter.com/BeTheLink
& NeighborLink Network Twitter.com/NeighborLinkNet
Communications Consultant Co-Founder of The Andrew@nlfw.org
Intentionals - theintentionals.com 260.710.7611
Executive Committee member of NextGen
young non-profit network group in Fort Wayne
Monday, January 3, 2011

5. Tell Me About You
Name
Major & Year
How Do You Use Social Media Currently?
What Do You Hope to Get Out of This Class?
Monday, January 3, 2011

6. Grassroots Defined
A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a political movement) is one
driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the
movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the
differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power
structures.
Grassroots movements are often at the local level, as many volunteers in the community
give their time to support the local party, which can lead to helping the national party.
For instance, a grassroots movement can lead to significant voter registration for a
political party, which in turn helps the state and national parties.
Definition provided by Wikipedia
Monday, January 3, 2011

7. Grassroots Defined Continued
Grassroots in today’s terms is more defined by the type or size of an organization rather
than purely political
Better Definition
A grassroots movement is a group of people, typically volunteers, organizing around a
particular social cause to advocate and work towards change using whatever means
necessary.
Monday, January 3, 2011

8. Grassroots Movement Examples
Invisible People
Homelessness Awareness Initiative
Mark Horvath - Twitter.com/hardlynormal
http://invisiblepeople.tv/
http://hardlynormal.com/blog/
http://wearevisible.com/
Blog Post Improv Everywhere
Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos
Help-Portrait and joy in public places.
www.improveverywhere.com
Photography Movement
Guerrilla Handbell Strikeforce
www.help-portrait.com
Blog Post
Monday, January 3, 2011

9. Communications
Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another.
Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which
share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as "the
imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech,
writing, or signs". Although there is such a thing as one-way communication,
communication can be perceived better as a two-way process in which there is an exchange
and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas (energy) towards a mutually accepted goal or
direction (information).[1]
Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is
channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then
decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. All forms of communication require a
sender, a message, and a receiver. Communication requires that all parties have an area
of communicative commonality. There are auditory means, such as speech, song, and tone
of voice, and there are nonverbal means, such as body language, sign language, paralanguage,
touch, eye contact, and writing.
Defined by Wikipedia
Monday, January 3, 2011

10. Things We’ll Discuss
Tools Concepts
Facebook Blogs
Twitter Internet TV - Hulu & Netflix
Video - YouTube & Vimeo Cell phones & text messaging
Email User Generated Content
Wikipedia Web 2.0
Handheld Devices - iPhone & Kindle Social Media
Personal Branding
Peer-to-Peer Giving - Kiva.org
Micro Volunteering
Monday, January 3, 2011

11. Class Expectations
Be Here Every Day
Laptops Are Encouraged - Use Them Appropriately During Class
Must Have a Twitter & Facebook Account Plus a Blog
Must Join the Facebook Group - Friends, Tweets & Change
I will post a new discussion and links each day & you must participate by 7pm
Pick a Cause
Learn about it and communicate on it’s behalf - Use Twitter, FB, video, etc.
2-page Paper Outlining your causes Social Media/web footprint
2-page Paper Opinion paper on Personal Branding & how it relates to you
Grade Is Primarily Based on Participation in & out of Class
Monday, January 3, 2011

12. Last Year’s Class
This group of students raised $4,650 for Haiti relief through their efforts during J-Term at
Huntington University. 100% of those funds went to Concern Worldwide.
http://jterm2010.tumblr.com/
Monday, January 3, 2011

13. Charity: Water
Monday, January 3, 2011

14. Goals of Class
You Gain a Working Knowledge of Grassroots Marketing Techniques
You Understand the Power of Social Media
You Can Teach Someone Else
You Are More Qualified Than Your Peers for the Future
That We Have Fun
Monday, January 3, 2011