Just the other day I received a LinkedIn invite to connect to Bryan
Mills. I had no idea who he is so I did what I always do when someone I
know invites me to connect with them. One, I looked to see if we had any
connections in common. I was not surprised to see that we did not.
Next, I viewed his LinkedIn profile. Security consultant...hmm, that was
interesting.
Here was his LinkedIn summary.
My decades
of hands-on experience has given me a particular set of skills. Skills
that make me very useful - or very dangerous - to certain people. People
like you.
But there are some situations which I cannot
foresee. Situations that will require a particular set of skills that I
don't possess. Skills that would make you very useful to a man like me.
Be
very specific. Tell me everything you believe might be of assistance in
evaluating your effectiveness. You will only have one opportunity to
reach me and connect with my network.
Good luck.
Ummm, okay. This was a unique summary.
His
experience includes security consulting as an independent consultant
and with Security International. Also, formerly doing threat assessment
and resolution as a covert operative. Once I look at his portfolio, I
begin realizing something is not exactly as it appears on his LinkedIn profile. So I google Bryan Mills and discover he is a character in the Taken movie series (Disclaimer: I have not seen any of the Taken movies).
Suddenly I go from thinking why did this guy want to connect with me to curious if this was an interesting way to promote the upcoming movie release of Taken 3. This is what I found out.
From
December 17th until the 23rd, LinkedIn members could enter a Twentieth
Century Fox (FOXA) contest that will score the winner “a custom video
including Liam Neeson that includes elements of the Grand Prize winner’s
LinkedIn profile information and the user’s skills as listed in their
LinkedIn Skills section,” according to the contest’s rules. Neeson, in
character as former CIA operative-turned-vigilante Bryan Mills, will
talk about the values of, say, statistical data analysis, food
preparation, or intravenous therapy, which are some of the most commonly
listed LinkedIn skills.
LinkedIn and FOXA, a very interesting use of LinkedIn. And, I see you've even created a Taken 3 company page.
Originally published on the LinkedIn publishing platform.