Month: July 2007

The Permanent Revolution

Digital Strategy, Smart Bloggers

This is a presentation that Philippe Deltenre delivered in Belgium earlier this week. He uses some nice philosophic references to describe and contain the complex ways of being that epitomise our contemporary existence. These are applied to new strategic directions that Microsoft’s marketing efforts could take in the years ahead. Just the fact that this discussion is occurring within an organisation such as Microsoft is heartening.

And judging by the feedback, the presentation was a great hit with the audience!

Putting the “Social” into Media

Social Media

You know, I thought that I had posted on this before … but perhaps it was a figment of my imagination … Anyway, Greg Verdino has done me a favour by reminding me exactly how clever the folks over at Common Craft really are. In this short segment from the In Plain English series, Lee Le Fever explains the value of social networks — put simply, they make the invisible visible. They allow us to unlock the value potential in the relationships that we already have, exposing non-arms-length relationships that can help us to achieve an OUTCOME — be it finding a house, love or a new job. Simple really!

Why Music Means So Much To Me

Life

It is time for a little confession … I have been hiding a small secret from you all. It is only so very small, but it means a great deal to me, and it has been a very enjoyable diversion.

For the last month or so I have been digging around in YouTube and posting my findings on another blog. It has been fantastic fun … there are literally thousands of videos of songs and performances that I have never seen. And when I find something that I love, or loved years ago, I write it up — add a small story to the song and then let the music speak for itself. In a way it is a sort of antidote to the sense of loss that comes with owning an iPod — as I can now, no longer, proudly peruse my CD collection, this is the next best thing.

Why am I sharing it with you? It is like Mark Pesce says:

We are each, in our own ways, experts on something. The great among us might have expertise across several domains, but every one of us has a passion, a hobby, a predilection, into which we pour tens of thousands of hours of (generally) unpaid work. These passions define us to our peers, far more than any simple explanation of what we do to earn a living.

So here is a little bit more to explain myself. Enjoy (oh, and more to come!).

How Famous Are You

Web 2.0

Oh you know I love a good gadget … so I couldn’t go past this one. It is from MyHeritage and it scans your face from a photograph and then matches you up to celebrities on its database. I must admit I like the idea of looking like William Shatner … or perhaps it is all that form-hugging Star Trek gear. Who do you look like? Go on … you know you love a bit of Web 2.0 fun.

Powncing on Social Media Apps

Social Media

Many of us struggle with the VOLUME of social media applications, platforms and systems coming on line (or staying in Beta). How do we know which to use/evaluate … and more importantly, how do we determine which ones to COMMIT to? Because, like all social networks, you only get out what you put in.

As an antidote to this challenge, Matt Dickman has begun a "First Look" series … where he steps us all through new social media applications in a neat video format. Matt cleverly combines the technology with marketing savvy, providing an overview of the main features, a little history and a quick review of the technology that is used. So, now, with Matt’s First Look series, you don’t need to worry about the Bougie Man 😉

The first cab off the rank in the series is Pownce which has been doing the rounds over the last few days (invitation only of course).

Marketing in a Foreign Language

Web 2.0

One of the things that I love about Google Analytics is the maps … the way that, in a single glance, you can see where all the visitors to your websites come from. With blogs it is much more personal of course — it is often easy to actually put a name (and perhaps a face) to the dots spread across the map. For example, I know when Marcus or Luc visits because they are easy to spot, I can guess when CK drops in (though there are a few visitors from New York, including NYC, Rochester, Roslyn and St James).

But over the last week or so I noticed some unusual links coming through. There is this post in Spanish linking back to one of my personal favourite posts. And there is also the McCann Creative Mentorship blog from Romania.

It was fascinating to have Google translate these pages to see (roughly) what was being said. Fascinating. What about you? Do you know where your readers come from?

The Voice of Poetry

Authenticity

As I get older I find myself smiling at the changes in my life. There was a time, for example, when I would look scornfully at those people wandering around golf courses hitting balls into the distance. Now, I enjoy a round or two. This morning, as I was listening to AM radio (another thing I swore I would never do), I found myself grinning away at the apparent inconsistencies of my life. 

For here, on the national broadcaster’s breakfast show where debate, politics and insight are the order of the day (when did I become interested in this stuff?), during the regular segment called "Album of the Week" … was Suzanne Vega and her new album, Beauty and Crime. My immediate reaction was to change the station … but then I stopped. I waited. And then her voice came through the static.

There is something absolutely distinctive about Suzanne’s voice that taps deep into my soul. It is to do, I think, with the way that story and style become inseparable. Having heard some VERY bad covers of her songs, I believe that only a great storyteller can successfully perform her songs. Watching this video is a great example … there is the interview, the ambient noise … and at the end, the glorious connection and warmth of her music.

In selecting Suzanne’s new album for "album of the week", Tim Ritchie suggests there are strong links between another of my favourite musicians … Lou Reed (and on that topic, don’t forget to check out this post over at Lewis Green’s blog). There is the storytelling centring on New York, the ability to bring poetry to life in a gritty, urban context and there is a sort of dirty love affair with the city itself. And even just writing this makes me want to listen to the new tracks … is it nostalgia, or a desire for a new experiential adventure? Time will tell.