Hirsch & Denberg say Stop Tweeting Boring Shit!

Founding partners at San Fancisco agency Division of Labor, Paul Hirsch and Josh Denberg, are no strangers to social media but, like most of us, have noticed that more than a fair share of tweets are, well, boring. Unlike most of us though, they've made a book about it.

As a side project to their work for clients they have recently published Stop Tweeting Boring Shit, which is, essentially, a collection of funny but generally true statements about social media and general interaction.

Here Hirsch and Denberg explain the thinking behind the book and why drunk Facebooking is a no-no.

Tell us a little bit about how Stop Tweeting Boring Shit came about.

The book was originally a series of posters that were hung in the front window of the agency. Our office is a retail storefront, so we use the front window as a place to display projects.

After we hung them, people started posting photos and tweeting them. Then the internet really took over and the press caught on from there. So we wrote a bunch more and presented the idea to Chronicle Books, and they loved it.

Are you both avid tweeters?

It’s tough to be an avid tweeter in San Francisco. So many people tweet constantly out here. I’d say, we’re avid social media users. Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are the norm. Plus we have a mild infatuation with our Klout scores.

Why do you think people tend to overshare on social media, whether it’s too in-depth personal insight or completely asinine statements?

The over-sharing is totally understandable. People have always done dumb things just to get attention. What are really fascinating are the tweets that are so clearly boring and uninteresting, like, “Love me some french toast! #yum.” Why? It’s a mystery of the modern era. That new Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake hashtag video really nails it.

How much has social media, including email, impacted on work/office life?

It’s big and it’s just going to get bigger. So many great tools are at our fingertips to make work better. Not to mention how easy it is to check out your co-workers’ Twitter feeds so you can know whom to avoid during company parties.

Why do you think that people often fail to foresee the consequences of outrageous statements/jokes when they’re made online?

For the same reason people fail to foresee the consequences offline. We’re human. We have short memories. Plus, too many people are getting lit up and then firing up Facebook. Drunk posting is a bad idea.

Do you think the majority of clients have got a handle on effectively using social media?

A lot of companies seem to be doing a fantastic job: Virgin, Gatorade, Oreo, Jet Blue. They care and put in the time. But still, it seems like the majority have a strategy of “Like us on Facebook!”

Are side-projects, such as Stop Tweeting Boring Shit, part of the DNA of Division of Labor?

Yes. We always have projects like this going. It’s a really important part of what we do and why we set this place up. Plus it creates an interesting culture. These projects usually end up in our windows and attract a lot of attention. Random people are always walking in. Last year someone walked in and they gave us an assignment. This week someone wanted to buy the chairs. It’s never dull.

Can you tell us what you’re working on next?

We have an app called Mod Math in beta test right now. It’s an iPad app that helps kids do math. It’s like digital scratch paper so kids can set up and solve math problems using the touch screen and a keypad. It should be out in a month or so.

What’s your favorite quote from the book?

If you’re not offending someone, you’re boring everyone.

What would be your number one rule for using social media?

Miranda rights 2.0: “Anything you say can and will be used against you on Facebook.”