Monday Buzz: Prince, NABJ, and the Expectation Gap

The National Association of Black Journalists  (opens in a new tab) (NABJ), like any other association would be, was undoubtedly excited to offer a star-studded event to its members. Last week, the organization announced that members at its national convention in Minneapolis would be able to attend an exclusive event with musical legend Prince  (opens in a new tab).

A total of 873 attendees took part in the visit to Paisley Park, Prince’s recording studio, late Saturday night, after paying a $20 cover and, in many cases, expecting a performance from the renowned artist. So far, so good. But what followed was an “unusual night,” in the words of Minnesota Star Tribune music critic Jon Bream  (opens in a new tab).

“The most extraordinary thing about Saturday was that precious little Prince music was played,” Bream reported, explaining that after the artist gave a minute-long speech, a DJ played just two songs from his upcoming album.

For those expecting a more extensive appearance from Prince or a live performance, the event was a big disappointment. But as The Wrap‘s Anita Bennett reported  (opens in a new tab), for some that frustration was aimed at the “Purple Rain” maker, not NABJ:

“Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary offered an even more harsh assessment. ‘I’m pissed. I want my money back,’ Singletary said, as she explained she wasn’t upset with NABJ or the local chapter, which organized the event, but with the artist himself.”

Note-taking of the Day

https://twitter.com/HeatherPownall/status/630751235776356353

When attending a conference like ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition, some people type up notes in a Word document and others scribble a few words in a bulleted list. But when we saw the notes above, we just had to give Heather Pownall, senior manager of portfolios and product management at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants  (opens in a new tab), a shout-out.

Other Good Reads

As your association builds out its social strategy, don’t forget about Vine, which has flown under the radar to become one of the most popular and creative platforms around. Quartz tech editor Dan Frommer has the full story  (opens in a new tab).

It’s time to double-check your organization’s YouTube ads. As Business Insider advertising editor Lara O’Reilly reports  (opens in a new tab), Google has mandated that marketers buy YouTube ads through its own channels or via the video-sharing site itself, as opposed to using third-party groups.

“The majority of associations, like most organizations in other sectors, are unable to see the world from their members’ perspective.” That’s one of the central problems explored in The Demand Perspective: Leading From the Outside In  (opens in a new tab), by Anna Caraveli (ASAE Association Management Press, 2015), an excerpt of which you can read via SocialFish  (opens in a new tab).

(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)