The Social Partners support launch of major social media campaign for 
Royal Shakespeare Company

 

 

The Social Partners, the Grey London-affiliated social media agency, has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company to create an unprecedented social media campaign to inspire global conversation on Shakespeare’s ever-changing meaning in the 21st century. 

 

A new online social platform, called myShakespeare, created by the RSC, allows users to browse traditional and original opinions about the works of Shakespeare, add their views and interpretations, and communicate with fans and communities around the world. 

 

A bespoke, interactive data-visualisation tool, designed by the Bureau of Visual Affairs, taps into the vast wealth of existing online content. Users are invited to explore content streaming from Flickr, Twitter and eBay on a visual timeline, add their comments and share discoveries with friends – making Shakespeare a truly social experience.

 

Plus, the innovative myShakespeare wiki allows budding coding enthusiasts to play with this content from Twitter, Flickr and eBay and generate their own original visualisations of the timeline. The RSC will feature the most interesting creations in the gallery section of the site. 

 

The website will also feature a content-rich blog with original opinion, film and images from key thinkers, celebrities, artists and collaborators, which will further stimulate comment and conversation.  Guest bloggers will also remark on Shakespeare themes of their preference across the site and share their expertise or creative work.

 

The RSC has also teamed up with an international group of artists as well as students from Central St Martin’s to commission a series of original art works in response to the conversations occurring on the site, which will be displayed in the website’s gallery space.

 

myShakespeare goes live on April 17th as part of the World Shakespeare Festival, produced by the RSC for London 2012 Festival – a celebration of Shakespeare as the world’s playwright involving 60 arts organisations, 70 productions, plus events and exhibitions across the UK. 

 

Sarah Ellis, myShakespeare Digital Producer, Royal Shakespeare Company says: “Shakespeare is part of our everyday lives – he is credited with introducing nearly 3000 words into the English language and we use his quotes without even realising it. From the start, myShakespeare was envisioned as a response to how we engage with Shakespeare now. And it was important that it be a place where everyone feels welcome to explore, learn and share.

 

“The Social Partners have taken this to heart and helped us create an exciting social platform to spark fresh conversation about Shakespeare, whilst making a wealth of information accessible to new generations.”

Ivan Palmer, CEO and Head Strategist, The Social Partners adds: “We are delighted to help The Royal Shakespeare Company take Shakespeare to new audiences and make Shakespeare social.

 

myShakespeare is an innovative online initiative and we are proud to be part of a project that seeks to inspire the entire world to talk about the work of Shakespeare and redefine what it means for them in the 21st century.”