Hollywood entertainers bolster new app offerings

With so many social networks available at the touch of a button, it can sometimes feel like information is harder to attain than ever. Either it comes at users way too quickly or, even worse, in such great amounts that it’s difficult to know what’s relevant.

It’s a problem that the makers of the Heard social exchange app want to fix.

It’s billed by its makers as “an innovative social exchange platform designed to change the way people share and exchange content online anonymously but reputably,” and they claim Heard makes easily personalized content for users. It’s available for Apple, Android, Windows Phone and desktop users.

Forbes magazine recently named Heard one of its “15 Social Media Companies to Watch in 2015.” It raved of the app, which was ranked No. 4,The platform allows for dynamic, free-flowing social conversations similar to those seen at a party where crowds gather around storytellers and form and disperse naturally as conversations change.”

It also allows for anonymity, which many users prefer, especially in light of recent blowback from users on platforms like Facebook, where users have been locked out of their profiles for using stage names and nicknames.

Art imitates life?

To build popularity for the app, Heard put together a series of comedic shorts titled Life in Your Social Network to break down its purpose while also creating a few laughs.

The first episode, “Social Disorder,” stars former Aflac pitch-duck Gilbert Gottfried as himself, one of many characters representing various social media posts harassing a hapless partygoer trying to connect to a woman who is not his “friend.”

It makes a good point about the overabundance of needless info, with the high point being Gottfried reciting lines from 50 Shades of Gray.

The follow-up, “Popularity Contest,” features former Celebrity Rehab superstar Tom Sizemore and focuses on more of the same, albeit with contact juggling and quotes from Heat, all in a bid to prove that Heard focuses on quality content over popular postings, something that festers in the returning hapless partygoer from the previous episode.

While his frustration is justified, it’s also a tad petty, but it’s easy to see who and where the people from Heard are going with it.

Advertisements for the app, directed by Hunter Davis, are amusing, but the real question is whether the thing is worth it.

Not to confuse it with the other Heard app designed to record conversations, this one is available at goheard.com and appears to be free on all platforms.

Getting social

The version reviewed here is for the Apple iPhone, and after an easy download and setup, it lives up to its claim of streamlining your social media into one easy-flowing outlet of information. It’s also easy to create your own messages for other like-minded readers.

But the main problem with it is, after so many years of learning how to navigate the rapidly changing waters of Twitter and Facebook and cultivating identities and ideas there, it might be a too-little-too-late entry in the social media game.

I’d like to say otherwise, but it’s a bold, innovative way of capturing info that will most likely be mimicked by the big guys soon enough, so while it might be worth a look now, it also might be worth a wait to see what everyone else does later.

For more information, visit goheard.com.


Hey, watch this

 recently rounded up its top picks of social media platforms to watch in 2015. Find the rest at forbes.com.

1. Unmetric: Analyze marketing campaigns, see what works for other businesses and more.

2. Kenshoo Social: One thing all these platforms have in common is a weird name. This one offers everything from marketing training and analytics to consumer trends.

3. Bubbly: This novel social media network allows you to use your own voice to create social media messages. Literally. It was recently bought by Altruist Group telecom company.

4. Heard: No need to follow, send friend requests or search for common interests here. Plus, watch exclusive comedy shows.

5. Frilp: Find experts on just about everything.

Source: Forbes

  • or