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Summer social media sabbatical

I going to have a little break from all things TwittiFaceBlog. A chance to recharge my social energy and rediscover my media muse.

Know you're missing me already.

But I'll be back soon.

Zappos and Amazon sitting in a tree

Is how Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh described the thing he didn't want to call a takeover in an employee email announcing the news of Amazon's acquisition. Read in full it here. An email that also contained this film of Jeff Bezos explaining his business ethos and passion for Zappos...

Two very different cultures, and business systems, and it will be interesting to see how the new combine. Or maybe run in parallel.

FutureScoping 84

Just to let you know, the latest edition of my trends newsletter is now out: "emerging trends, new ideas and general thought stimulation"...or so it says on the cover.

FutureScoping is now also available as an effective workshop technique, designed to maximise the number of great ideas generated with the minimum use of your valuable time.

Reclaiming…whatever

A presentation by Michael Wesch of Kansas State Uni - definitely worthy of 30 minutes of your time...

His theme - how changing media changes us, both individually and collectively - isn't a new one. But it's a tale well told.

At the heart of Michael's argument is the shift from an industrialised, disconnected world - one where TV is the central unifying constant, and being on TV is your only chance for significance and to have a voice (hence the desire to appear on reality shows) - to the emerging interactive, social digital world, and what this shift signifies for us.

And you can have the charts as well...!

The Machine is (Changing) Us: YouTube Culture and the Politics of Authenticity

View more presentations from mwesch.

For me tho, the most compelling point made is the last one, where he looks at the changing role of the word 'whatever'

From the stoned disengagement of the late 60s, via the bored disinterest of the MTV 80s, to the self centred, narcissistic, 'I'm all that matters' role it plays today, he asks "where next?". How, in the social media era, can we reclaim 'whatever' and give it a new, positive change-focused meaning?

"I care - let's do whatever it takes...by whatever means necessary".

Which sounds good to me.

Delightfully surprising little product features

I've always likes that the Beeb's iPlayer volume goes up to 11 (it does - go check).

I've just spotted a new smile inducing but practically useful feature Youtube have introduced: a lightswitch (may have been there a while I don't know).

You can watch a vid with the lights on...

 

Or if you find all the busy-ness distracting, flick the switch and watch with the lights out...

 

Sometimes the little things that make the difference!

Myspace is dying

At least in the UK, according to Hitwise. Well dying may be a little strong - it's still a top 25 site. But it's heading south sharpish, down from 8th a year ago...

 

Could be an old git personal thing, but it doesn't surprise me: I've always found Myspace to be a dayglo dog's dinner which seems to serve no real purpose vs other social media sites.

The Future, The Past & The Present Tension

...is the first album of original material by ace remixer and mash-up artist Mark Vidler (otherwise known as Go Home Productions). And you can download it for free here, together with an 'ep' of different, darker material.

Which I am about to do. Will review and feedback.

Choose a different ending

Interesting and interactive use of Youtube in the fight against gang related violence (knives in this instance), as part of the Drop The Weapons initiative. You decide how the story unfolds...

Like the acting and the way it's shot - feels more real than a lot of stuff in this area.

And the interactivity works well.

For me, the fact that the different elements are all pretty short is key - avoids the 'life's too short' response you often get with this kind of idea (Shelter did something similar last year which was soooooo loooooong you ended up wanting everyone to die rather than sort out their housing problems - it's no longer on line, but you can see the first part here).

Will it work?

Don't know, based on our work in this area.

The interactivity is good, and may get people playing around (how many people can you stab!), learning stuff as a consequence (4 years for carrying a knife).

But the narrative is just tad obvious ('should I take the knife?' hmmmm, what do you think?), and could just come across as patronising as a consequence.

Or not.

10 things we didn't know before the 28th week of 2009

1. A new element cannot be named after a living person.
2. Plants that smell of almonds or marzipan are more likely to be poisonous.
3. The UK's median gross annual salary is £20,801.
4. The best Italian saffron is made from crocus flowers picked at dawn.
5. The world's longest bench is 613 metres.
6. Testicular cancer only accounts for 1-2% of male cancers.
7. Brahms liked his audience to clap in between movements.
8. Zoos in China use female dogs as surrogate mothers for baby tigers, lions and bear cubs.
9. ome lizards are so light they fall to the ground like a feather.
10. Buzz Aldrin received Holy Communion on the moon.

(Borrowed from the BBC)

Advertising masterclass: talking to women vs. talking to men

Mitchell and Webb tell it how it is. You have to laugh while you're cringing...