Birds of a social feather

Over the summer, I decided to become more social. I read "Socialnomics," by Erik Qualman, and while I was underwhelmed by the book, the add-on Amazon purchase turned out to be a winner: "Twitterville," by Shel Israel. From there, it was only a matter of time before I started tweeting (@4amyink).

So far, it's been fun and an education. I've even been around to see the birth of the "New Twitter," which is much like the old Twitter only more so.

One noticeable difference is a more consistent look in the branding. The new icon is simpler, cleaner, and less cartoon-ish; it's an outline of the bird in flight.

It also reminds me of a more established brand. One that's found in millions of homes across America and around the world: Dove, a personal care brand owned by Unilever.

Several years ago, Dove started a campaign to do away with the hype and stereotypes about beauty. As the brand Web site says, "Dove provides a refreshingly real alternative for women who recognise that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes."

Similarly, Twitter provides a refreshingly real alternative for everyone and anyone to have their voices heard in the realm of social media.