Digital Strangelove(or How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Love The Internet)

We are a social people. This is not new.

Discussion and stories are as old as time.

Even on the Internet.

Games | News | Community

Clay Shirky “Advances don’t become socially interesting until they

become technologically boring”

“…tools don't get

socially interesting

until they get

technologically

boring.”

- Clay Shirky

Once upon a time even paper was impressive.

Invention of flight to mass travel?

Flight is not what it was…

The making of music?

…nor is the making of music.

From photography to modern film (phones on cameras?)

Photography?

What changed?

Clay Shirky “Advances don’t become socially interesting until they

become technologically boring”

“…tools don't get

socially interesting

until they get

technologically

boring.”

- Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky “Advances don’t become socially interesting until they

become technologically boring”

He’s on to something…

From cave paintings…

…TO BLOGS

…to blogs.

It has beenabout humanexpression andstories.(look for this to continue)

Invention of flight to mass travel?

Flight was invented in 1903…

…and the jumbo not until 1970.

The gramophone was invented in 1880…

…AM radio in 1895, FM in 1933…

…but nobody needs (or wants) any of those now.

From photography to modern film (phones on cameras?)

The camera came along around 1840 or so.

150 years later we’re finding new uses.

Film came along around 1895 too…

…100 years on it’s accessible toalmost anyone.

But the Internet?

40 years old, only really about 15 aswe know it.

None of these were what they are40 years in. Let alone 15.

The truth is we’re still figuring this out.

We’re doing some amazing things…

…in a lot of different ways.

But one year to the next is anyone’s guess.

We’re confusing growth with growing up.

Scale is not the same as maturity.

Time to reach audience of 50 million(source: Shift Happens)

Radio | 38 years

TV | 13 years

Internet | 4 years

iPod | 3 years

Facebook | 2 years

Or evolution.

My point being the web is young…

…and we still have a long way to go.

Let’s pause and talk about businessfor a second.

Is it imperative for a business to have a presence online?

If you answered “No”, I have a flying machine I would like to sell you.

If you answered “Yes”, then please roll the dice and continue playing.

Now, how did we get where we are?

“…classic Mcluhan-esque mistake of appropriating the shape of the previous technology as the content of the new technology.” – Scott Macleod

(i.e. we did what we knew because thealternative was standing still)

Direct Mail Email

In Advertising this meant…

Billboards Banners

And TVCs that continued to talk toyou like you were five years old.

(we’ll come back to this in a moment)

“The medium is the message.”- Marshall Mcluhan

?That may not be true anymore.

We have defined media by the medium it is consumed on,not the media itself.

TVorfilm?Just video.

Newspaper? Book? Magazine?Just text.

Radio? Albums?

Just sound.

?In which case, we’re dealing with raw expression not altered by its delivery method (i.e. its medium)

I find the

absence of silos

fairly exciting.

And much closer

to real life.

It is like the entire media industry washoisted into the sky and the Internetwas placed beneath it…

…destroying the silos and thebusiness models that relied on them.

(which is basically what happened)

Back to our friends on the Avenue.

It no longer makes sense to plant flags.(shamelessly stolen from Faris)

Because nobody recognises them anyway.(again)

We’re still building for this…

Map of Internet trafficShow me the borders.

…and sending it out into this…

…as if this had never happened…

…or media was still consumed ina linear fashion.

Consumption and conversation are now hand in hand.

In fact you could argue they’re oneand the same.

Whichmakes theidea of “social”media utterlyredundant.

“Media is inherently social. It provides an idea pathway between people.”– Faris Yakob

Talking about platforms misses the point.

It is now as

easy to create

content as it is

to consume it...

…that is the

important part

of what is

happening.

People

expressing

themselves.

That is what the masses are referring to when they say “social media”.

“Media is inherently social. It provides an idea pathway between people.”– Faris Yakob

And the Internet contains all media.

Presenting…THE INTERNET!!(…formerly known as“social media”…which wasformerly known as“the Internet”…)

If both the web & media are inherently social, & if business must have a presence online, then business must have a social element. To not have that is to forego both logic & opportunity.

Remember:

expression.

And it is just getting easier.

This is Tumblr – more on that later.

With all this expressing going on,let’s talk about control.

Remember this group? There’s not a whole lot of dictating opinions to them.

They tend to say what they want; they always have. The idea there was once “control” is a fallacy.

“…(engage) with the

intent to hear and the

intent to consider what

those folks are telling

you.”

- Altitude Branding

Do that and you have as much ability to affect your audience’s perception as you ever did.

Map of Internet trafficShow me the borders.

It just happens on a larger scale.

Remember:

expression.

Expression is easy. Creating content is easy.

“It makes increasingly less sense to talk abouta publishing industry, because the coreproblem publishing solves — the incredibledifficulty, complexity,and expense of makingsomething availableto the public —has stopped beinga problem.”- Clay Shirky

This has taken the

previous model of content

being scarce, media being

expensive, and the

attention of the audience

being guaranteed

– and flipped it.

Media (content) = $free. Attention = priceless.

“Strike that – reverse it.”

And herein lies the problemfor advertising.

Advertising got really good at speaking in 30 second chunks to a captive audience.

Then quickly found most brands had nothing to say on the 31st.

TraditionalMedia

Atte

ntio

n

AttentionAttention

Att

en

tio

n

And couldn’t operate once this…

…became this.

See, advertising is based on interruption.

See, advertising is based on interruption.

Thankfully we can now do this.

We can do this because we’re dealing with bits, not atoms.

We can do this because media is now based in bits and not atoms.

Which is why this is happening.

(…and this…)

This disruption is happening and will continue to happen in any industry that is “end-to-end digital”. - Fred Wilson

So, given it’s ubiquity,

does it even make

sense to talk about

“digital” anymore?

I don’t think so, and

I’m not alone.

“Increasingly I'm finding the word'digital’ more of a hindrance than ahelp. It's too broad to mean anything.”– Faris Yakob

“Digital is not a ‘thing’ anymore.”– Iain Tait

So, let’s talk about nothing.

If attention is priceless, then the attentioneconomy is out of business.

So now we operate in the“Intention Economy”

The Intention Economy says “We’re nothere for you, we’re here for US!”

“If I tell my Facebook friends about yourbrand, it is because I like my friends– not because I like your brand!”– Mike Arauz

“You are what you share.”– Charles Leadbeater

What do we share?

STORIES

Slide on popular memes.

Slide on popular memes.

Slide on popular memes.

Slide on popular memes.

This has nothing to do with “influencers”.

Influenced however?

Yes.

emulation

influence“We see influence (what folkdo to each other on ourbehalf) where emulation (ofwhat folk around us aredoing) is the real mechanicbehind the spread of human behaviour.”

- Mark Earls

It’s about synergies in your audience.

It’s about synergies in your audience.

It’s about synergies in your audience.

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

“I don't have to control the conversation tobenefit from their interest in my product.The key is to produce something that bothpulls people together and gives themsomething to do.” – Henry Jenkins

A note on UserGenerated Content…

It stops working when people try to control it.

What agencies and brands have done is try to co-opt passion for an activity and artificially focus it with incentives.(suffice to say this has blown up spectacularly at times)

Agency found BMW photos on Flickr.

Agency found BMW photos on Flickr.

Contacted photographers for use.

Agency found BMW photos on Flickr.

Asked them to sign away rights.

Contacted photographers for use.

Agency found BMW photos on Flickr.

Asked them to sign away rights.

Said no attribution would be given.

Contacted photographers for use.

Slide on popular memes.

Remember memes?

Slide on popular memes.

Here’s another.

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfullyselect his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

TraditionalMedia

Atte

ntio

n

AttentionAttention

Att

en

tio

n

Advertising’s approach to UGC was as if this still mattered…

…and now we know it doesn’t.

It nailed the methods, foregoingprinciples...

…while the principles themselves wereself-evident.

“I don't have to control the conversation tobenefit from their interest in my product.The key is to produce something that bothpulls people together and gives themsomething to do.” – Henry Jenkins

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

So, where to from here?

2 things:Data

Meaning

2 things: Data and Meaning.

1. Data is the bank.

“Create more value than you capture.”– Tim O’Reilly

More data will be shared more openly.

We’re seeing this change in business now, from who has the most data, to who can derive the most meaning

Tumblr (aka “next year’s Twitter”) is all about data and meaning.

1. Data is the bank.

2. Meaning is the Currency

Remember meaning? That is where $ is.$

Acquisitions based on data+meaning

Google acquires DoubleClick | $3.1 billion

Adobe acquires Omniture | $1.8 billion

Microsoft acquires aQuantive | $6 billion

Google acquires YouTube | $1.5 billion

WPP acquires 24/7 Real Media | $649 million

Nike+ is all about data+meaning.

So is…

…and Twitter Search (look for a deal with Google or Microsoft shortly).

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRANDThat connection we talked about earlier?

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRANDIt’s sticking around, growing and changing and becoming something new.

INTENT can drive data+meaning.

You can keep the big ideas, the single-minded proposition, and whatever else you had that worked…

…here.

They don’t belong here.

“People have a really good ability to see

through you (and the) projects on the

Internet that are just done to try and make

you famous.” – Christian Lander

“What we need are gems and diamond-cutters.” – Katie Chatfield

Now > Later

Free > PaidYour intent is framed by the way you deliver value.

I call this The Three Musketeers rule.

All for One or One for All

All For One is 20th century value creation. It is driven by self-interest & excelledin the silos.

One For All is how businesses thrive today. When they create value for themselves, they create value for an eco-system.

What should you value here?

Free?

Free

Now

Now

Given a choice between FREE and NOW, people will surprise you.

File-sharing down among teens (find story)

Which is actually the reason MP3s became so popular in the first place.

And Flip video cameras.

Healthcare

And it’s about to turn a bunch of other industries on their heads too.

It is called the “Good Enough Revolution”,

and it is not a conversationabout features.

It is a conversation about benefits.

Now

Free

Now

Paid

Later

Free

Paid

Later

Now

Free

Now

Paid

Later

Free

Later

Paid

Figuring out which spot you occupy is one thing, figuring out where your competition sitsis another.

Now

Free

If your business model can subsist on this sort of offering, it makes life much easier.

Now

Paid

Odds are however it occupies this space, and it’s important to have a paid space.

Remember Fred? He also coinedthe term “Freemium”.

Now

Free

Freemium combines these two things; build an audience with Free, use it to develop a premium product for Paid.

Now

Paid

Later

Free

Later

Paid

You can augment Now with the promise of Later, be it future content, a subscription, whatever makes sense for your business.

Later

Free

Later

Paid

If the position you occupy however is only Later, prepare to be obsolete.

Later

Free

Later

Paid

Chance is you already are…

…here…

…which is more relevant than here…

…because so much of our life is now“end-to-end digital”.

As the Internet matures, we’ll tacklethese things…

…expression will continue to get easier…

…and it will all start to make more sense.

Slide on popular memes.

(…probably…)

We’ll stop talking about screens...

Now

…and just talk about…well…you get the idea.

The future is data+meaning.

And a Statement of Intent will guide us.

Intent is about hidden meaning.About deeper truth.About DNA.

This is marketing.

This is DNA.

“New DNA…lets today’s new market leaders perceive, think, judge, & execute (vastly) more efficiently, effectively, & productively than the norm, leading directly to new sources of advantage.” – Umair Haque

Slide on popular memes.

Intent is never just marketing.

But everything we’ve used up to this point is, from the single-minded propositionon down.

Intent is guerilla warfare. It is multifaceted.

“What we need are gems and diamond-cutters.” – Katie Chatfield

When asked how he expected to continueApple’s stock performance, Steve Jobs said“We intend to keep innovating.”

A note on Apple.

The making of music?

This is about facilitating expression.

The making of music?

The intent is to get out of the way and let people express themselves.

The intent of an Apple product is to be invisible, & amplify its user’sself-expression.

Which is why they are adored.

Even though they do not, as a corporate entity, interact with their consumers outside of a retail context.

i.e. They do not participate in “social media”.

(cue light bulb)

The synergies in your audience?

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

Find them.

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

Connect your audience & tell their story.

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

BRAND

AUDIENCE AUDIENCE

And then they will tell yours.

Because they will be the same thing.

Don’t compartmentalise. Nobody lives like that.

Don’t think about channel strategies.Think about intent.

And forget about silos. There are none left.

Map of Internet trafficShow me the borders.

Just stories.

Thank you.

Photo credits & references…

A very special thank-you to the geniuss..es..genii…the smart people behind compfight. 99% of all images were sourced with it. A big thanks also to the talented Flickrcommunity who embrace Creative-Commons licensing.

I have done my best to attribute each picture to its author, as well as a quote if I used one. If I have made a mistake please contact me (davidngillespie@gmail.com) and I will correct it. If I have used an image of yours and you would like me to take it out, please also drop me a line and I will remove it.

I will also encourage you to have a Coke and a smile.

You can find me at the following places: David Gillespie.com| Twitter | LinkedIn

And when not thinking about this stuff, I play music and wish I lived in New York City. If you can help make that happen, I’m all ears.

Thank you for your time, I really appreciate it, and I’d love to hear what you think.

Cover: Random Literature Council#2: Shoothead#3: Rob Gallop#4: Shamelessly stolen from

The New Yorker#5: Shots of Penny Arcade, Digg &

4Chan.#6: Benjamin Ellis#7: Diffendale#8: The Wright Brothers. Frankly

I’m betting on this one being out of ©, apologies if it isn’t.

#9: It’s OK, Steve said I could.#10: *Kicki*#11: Eflon#15: The genius that is Scott

Schuman, aka The Sartorialist#19: John M (2007)

#20: Kalapan Taras (have name, can’t find link)

#21: Mark Sebastien#22: Steve Wampler#24: Jim Christian#25: Work The Angles#27: Mouton.Rebelle#30: Balloonacy by the brilliant

team at Poke(P.S. Can I have a job?)

#31: Have you been hiding under arock?

#32: World of Warcraft#33: @davidgillespie#34: A hungover-me with Riley

Smart, future mofo.#35: yoheiyamashita#37: niznoz

#38: John Spooner#39: Web Trends Map 4 from the

talented and lovely Information Architects

#40: Jeff McNeil#41: He’s been dead a long time.#42: v@lentina#43: Jon Tandy#44: Scott McCloud’s TED talk

featuring this quote is a must-watch.

#44a: I SAID MUST WATCH!!!#45: cayusa#46: Raúl!#48: This is Marshall Mcluhan. I

have no idea where it came from.

#51: lorenabuena

#52: Valerie Reneé#53: Rudolf Schuba#56, 58: My handy-work. I know –

amazing!!!#60: Faris Yakob is your man.#61: See #60.#62: National Geographic. They’re

not litigious are they?#63: The Opte Project#64: Stolen from @timbeveridge#69: Picture of Faris. No idea where

it came from.#73: *ZOom2#79: marciookabe#80: Glasses, teeth by me.#82: Prince symbol. He’s not

litigious either I’m told…#86: Scott Drummond’s Posterous

#87: My Tumblr. And I want Oasis’ Live Forever, OK?

#88: Myxi#100: Stephen Poff#101: If you don’t get this reference

there is no child inside you.#102: Marty Neumeier (GENIUS!)#103: Stuck In Customs#104: ƒяαиcєscα яσsє#111, 112: Shamelessly stolen from

Did You Know 4.0#113: Random photo of the very

handsome Fred Wilson (Fred, please see P.S. on #30)

#115: Moustache, also by me.#116: Nick Farnhill#117: People…they’re the worst!#118: Reuben Whitehouse

#119: Pic by Wordle, of my blog. Intention Economy dreamed up by Doc Searls. GENIUS!#120: Richard Holden#121: No idea who took this. Help!#125: evanrapp#126, 127: Know Your Meme#128: Steve Rhodes#129: Print by Tim Doyle – GENIUS!#130: Sangre en el hombro de Palas#131: Again, Know Your Meme#132: Barack Obama#135: Various Adidas billboards#136: Converse, innit.#137: Red Bull#143: Pic. Quote by Henry Jenkins,

GENIUS!.#144: Vanderlin

#148: estoril | More on BMW.#154: Fail. Consume with epic lulz.#159: Gauravonmics#164: joelwillis#165: Ken Wilcox.#166: Visit DataPortability.org#167: takeshi |

Tim O’Reilly – GENIUS!#168: Baptiste Pons#172: pfala#174: Hugh McLeod – GENIUS!#188: Pic. Christian Lander’s great

@Google Talk where the quote was shamelesslystolen from.

#189: jurvetson |Katie Chatfield quote

#191: Indie Charlie

#192: Rusty Stewart#201: Revolution Magazine

#204: Shamelessly stolen from Wired’s Good EnufRevolution – GENIUS!

#227: Cha già José#230: littledan77#231: Sifu Renka#233: psd |

Umair Haque – GENIUS!#235: Hugh McLeod (see #174)#236: piettroizzo#238: shio#239: Julian Nistea#242: powerbooktrance#243: ThiagoMartins#244: manuel | MC#246: Cayusa