Tonight in Brooklyn, N.Y., a cross-section of the virtual world of Twitter will gather at a hipster artspace for the Shorty Awards, a celebration of life lived in 140-character increments. The event is, predictably, generating a lot of chatter among the twitterati.
It’s tempting to say that this ritual of self-congratulation is by itself evidence that Twitter has arrived as a medium. I’m more impressed that 7 of the 26 categories are sponsored by actual, recognizable businesses.
One award that’s already generating controversy (the results are in) is in the Advertising category. Fictional character Peggy Olson from the hit cable series “Mad Men” against a slate of competition from real-life ad shops. The reaction has been somewhat less than mature.