Los Angeles Kicks Off "Social Media Week"

Social Media Week hits 12 cities worldwide today, connecting people, content and conversations through over 600 events dedicated to emerging trends in social and mobile media.

Co-sponsored by an impressive list of corporate giants – PepsiCo, Nokia, and YouTube join forces as stand-out members of the 2011 Partner Hall of Fame – the “global platform” was launched by Crowdcentric in 2009 as a modest New York conference featuring a mere 40 events. Now boasting an international roster of contributing entrepreneurs, journalists, bloggers, brand managers, artists and activists, to name a few, this year’s second Social Media Week is free for all and will reach digital participants via Livestream broadcasts online of Social Media Week Hub programs.

Alongside Beirut, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Glasgow, Milan, Moscow, Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Vancouver, host city Los Angeles kicked off the five-day conference today and is home to over 75 panels, parties, keynotes and screenings. Highlights include Wednesday evening’s “Social Media and Your Career” event and Thursday’s Microsoft-sponsored networking reception.

USC is also taking part in Social Media Week. Trojan alum Chris Olson is an entrepreneur who created a social media website where users can share and discover fashion products.

“I think what we’re trying to do is solve these really big world problems in simple ways,” Olson said. “And really, that’s something these social media websites are allowing us to do.”