• by Kelly Samardak , January 20, 2010

The Schedule: Social Media Week New York
February 1-5, 2010

It's here, people. That shadow you see creeping around every building, hovering over every Twitter outburst, levitating near every Facebook status update and inappropriate tag, lurking by your Tumblr, sneaking up on your Posterous, tickling your blog -- it's the shadow of Social Media Week New York, a week that will perplex, intrigue, educate, and entertain. And I think I nailed down my schedule for the week. I'm sharing it with you to distribute my overbooked anxiety and because I need your opinion on Tuesday night.

Monday, 2/1
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: "Branding The Future With Social Media," a panel sponsored by those zesty people at Pepsi Refresh. Brian Morrissey, hater of over-blopped mayonnaise, lover of running, and editor of digital at AdWeek, will be moderating panelists that so far include PepsiCo (of course!) CMO Jill Beraud and Facebook VP of Sales Tom Arrix. My prediction is that Pepsi will announce plans to visibly brand the planet.

6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.: Social Media Week Opening Party! It's an invitation-only event, so if you don't make it, count on me to capture every moment I can for you. If someone trips over a cocktail wiener, you bet I'll be there to document their fall. The party is at 265 Elizabeth Street, which I think is SMW founder Toby Daniel's house. Keg in the wall! 

Tuesday 2/2 It's Groundhog Day! In addition to celebrating that obese and cranky critter, Punxsutawney Phil, I'll be here:
12 p.m. - 2 p.m.: "Networked News Gatherers: Defining the Social Media Editor Role," moderated by Melissa Parrish, Director, Community Strategy for Lifestyle Digital. Panelists include Rachel Sklar, Business/Project Development, Abrams Research and Writer for Mediaite; Jennifer Preston, Social Media Editor, The New York Times; and Cyndi Stivers, Managing Editor, EW.com. Well, holy CRAP, friends and neighbors -- a purely female panel that isn't addressing makeup, hair, and those pesky every-28-day cramps!

4 p.m. - 6 p.m.: I'll be covering a non-social-media-week event, MTV Behind the Screen. I think this is an upfront (onfront?) presentation, with musical performances and a look at MTV's plans for 2010. You bet your Gym Tan Laundry (GTL) I'm hoping the "Jersey Shore kids" will be there.

Here's where it gets dicey - I have scheduled three events in the same time slot. Maybe you can help me decide. Which would you rather hear about/see pictures from?

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.: Product of the Year Awards Gala at The Edison Ballroom. Seems pretty self-explanatory.

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.: The Official Press Lift Launch party at the sassy Morris + King Company offices. PressLift is a slick tool to help communications professionals share multimedia messages with the press. I just went through the "about" video and the UI looks clean and easy, like a germaphobic lady of the night.

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.: Digital Cocktails. Panelists Jessica Amason, Viral Media Editor for BuzzFeed.com and columnist for The Huffington Post; Paul Kontonis, CEO For Your Imagination Studios; Adam Penenberg , author, "VIRAL LOOP: From Facebook to Twitter, How Today's Smartest Businesses Grow Themselves," and Contributing Writer, Fast Company, as well as Professor, NYU School of Journalism; and Elizabeth Pigg, Vice President Media Strategy, Edelman Digital, will bestow their digital chunks in a mystery location, fueled by a wine reception. Wine-received guests will learn what does and doesn't work when creating social and viral campaigns (ahem, for one, don't call it viral until it actually goes viral).

Wednesday 2/3 from 6 p.m. - 11 p.m., I will be perfecting my Lyor Cohen impression at "SoundCrtl: What's Your $ocial Media Currency?" I say Lyor Cohen because I would bet 10 bacon blue cheese sliders that before the SMW calendar officially launched, he was listed as one of the panelists. Either way, I'd like to hear how artists are using social media effectively to support their brand and connect to their fans.

Thursday 2/4 I won't be covering ANYTHING because I'll be trying not to irrigate my drawers at COMIX, where I'll be obscenely chortling at Aziz Ansari.

Friday Feb. 2/5
3 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Whole Foods is sponsoring an afternoon snack panel where speakers will munch through the food media landscape. Pretty sure the panelists themselves are making me hungry. They are: Liza Mosquito de Guia, Founder & Chief Storyteller, food. Curated; Cathy Erway, www.noteatingoutinny.com; Nick Fauchald, editor-in-chief, Tasting Table; Emily Fleischaker, Associate Multimedia Editor, Bon Appétit; Josh Friedland, Editor & Publisher, thefoodsection.com & gastrobuzz.com; Nicole Taylor, host, Hot Grease, Heritage Radio Network.

6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. THE END! The Social Media Week Closing Party kicks off with a twist: a rousing game of Who Can Be Quiet The Longest? I play this game with my niece and nephews so it's sure to be a hit. I kid, though I do wonder how anyone is going to want to do anything but nap after such a stuffed week. I have faith in social media types, it's like they were born with Red Bull in their veins. 

Cast your vote for what you think I should cover on Tuesday night in the comments section below!

Hey, if you've got anything going on before Social Media Week New York, please send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com!