This post is probably most stupid post one can write since CEO’s and board members seems to have decided to stay behind with the dinosaurs while the rest of us look for new ground where we can thrive and prosper. Basically on average they read three local newspapers of their own choice, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and watch a couple of TV channels. They haven’t got a clue about blogs, feed readers and social networks. But I’ll give it a go anyway.
Dear CEO and board member. In most cases you’re probably +40 years old. You have a wife, two kids and live in a house that cost above average. Two cars in the garage and a [click to continue…]
Today Google launched their latest resource called the Google Internet Stats. It contains industry facts and insights from across five different areas – Macro Economic Trends, Technology, Consumer Trends, Media Consumption and Media Landscape. This is a great resource for us who are trying to make people understand what the future is all about.
I bet that we can expect more in the near future. Anyway it’s a great little tool for people like me who want more ammo in the fight for change. Here’s a little something that gives you an idea about what to expect:
5% of all time online is spent on Facebook.
By election day, fully 25% of people who pulled the lever for Obama were already connected to his campaign electronically
early three in five (57%) of youth consumers logged on to YouTube to watch a music video in the last 12 months, compared to 56% who watched a music TV channel
Social networks have a penetration of nearly 75% among European Internet users
According to Nielsen, 67% of the global online population visited a “member community” site in Dec 2008.
20 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute
I am away skiing with my family so expect a ‘low frequency week’ when it comes to blog posts. The rule however is: If I’m having fun you should be having fun too! Here we go:
After Tweeting this @larsthomsen tipped me about another changeling in the end of a Ted speech. Check it out!
Let me break it to you right away – the old way of planning and executing communication is slowly sinking into the ocean of well paid consultants that doesn’t do shit for your brand and the best you can do is throw yourselves into the lifeboats, get your ass to land and then find something else that makes your brand travel – and it’s not another boat.
You see, in order to paddle on to this new wave of communication you’ve gotta get different gear, different muscles and find new spots and this requires totally new ways of thinking. It’s not really about finding better creatives, cause the creative people out there are top notch, that’s not what I’m saying – I’m talking about choosing problem [click to continue…]
Twitter and microbloggning has been getting a lot of attention recently. Finally companies are learning that Twitter can get your conversation up and running. Companies are getting it. These are words that I’m reading all over the internet on many different blogs, including mine. But I need to make one thing clear.
It’s not about Twitter. It’s not about social media. It’s not about search.
It’s about staying on your toes! It’s about making your status q = constant change.
Just like any other real world hangout Twitter or Facebook for that matter won’t stay talk of the town forever. And when something cooler and better comes up you can be sure the digital natives takes a hike and suddenly your left behind on your own.
Conclusion.
As a company you should put as much effort into getting into and using the existing possibilities as constantly searching for the next place to be. Cause when that turns up it’s being in there that will define you as an innovative brand – not being left behind with a bunch of losers in a club soon to be closed.
Staying on top when it comes to tomorrows communication will be all hard work and no rest.
One of my latest reads – Seth Godins ‘Tribes’ is a book I can warmly recommend. I especially like the way it talks about consumers today and the need to establish a conversation rather than keep on broadcasting your message without listening.
A simple yet great qoute from ‘Tribes’
Here’s the marketing math:
Ideas that spread, win.
Boring ideas don’t spread. Boring organizations don’t grow.
My thought was to write a longer review of it but then I found that you can download it as an audiobook for free. So, half asleep looking forward to the weekend I’ll save yours and my time and instead give you the link. Here’s Seth Godins ‘Tribes’ as an audiobook for free. Go, listen, change!
First, I’m going to find out what she’s like. I’m gonna spend time with her, or around her since I actually don’t know her. What food does she like, white or red wine, does she like fashion, music – what kind of music? Is she into sports and if so, which sport. If not, why? When she walks like that, with her face slightly smiling, eyes browsing the world – what is she thinking about? What’s the thing with that little tin box she carries around in her purse? Why doesn’t she get of on the right station on her way to work? Does she like to walk or is it only about exercise? She speaks with a quiet voice – why? Why, why, why. I want all the answers.
Once I know this I’m going to change. I’m going to cut my hair. Dress differently. I’ll stop drinking and only eat carrots. My car has to go. Can I buy a bike instead? Switch career. Mountain biking has never been my thing, but I bought one today. Birds and an aquarium. I’ll talk differently and learn french too. I’ll start going to museums. Buy art. I’ll start a foundation that save whales. I’ll do everything that needs to be done – for her.
She won’t see me at first since I’m afraid of scaring her away. I’m in it for the long run. But sooner or later she’ll wonder who that guy is who always eats the ecological pasta in her favorite restaurant. Once she’s spotted me I’m going to say hi. Speak to her. We’ll talk about food, fashion, music, sport, cars and especially tin boxes.
She’s falling in love. I can feel it. That man on her favorite restaurant is her perfect match. She’ll make sure to be there on the same time every week. And I am there every week too. We talk more.
Would you like to go to the movies one night?
Yes. She says.
We go. We walk together. She’s smiling like always. I’m smiling too. We talk. We see a movie we both like.
I love you she says.
I love you.
Years go by. I find myself forgetting what she looks like. She doesn’t walk and smile anymore. I can’t remember what she likes to eat. Her voice is everything but quiet. My hair has grown out again.
We divorce.
Later I find out that she is in a new relation with a new man. He does everything that I don’t do for her. And I also learn that she’s not like before.
She changed.
I didn’t
We drifted apart just like brands drift apart from their target group, their behavior, what they enjoy, what kind of references in life they have. How and where they consume communication.
Brands, like people, seem to think change is hard. Its not. Just do something today that you haven’t done before. If you fail, try tomorrow again.
ronnestam.com was voted Sweden’s first blog on Innovation, future trends and digital communication. It’s written by Johan Ronnestam. He's widely regarded as one of Sweden’s leading speakers and authorities in the field of modern creative and conceptual thinking and skill of innovating brands and their communication.
