fanfare for the common brand
TRANSCRIPT
FANFARE FOR THE COMMON BRAND
A USEFUL INTRODUCTION TO THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE
DATE: 18/02/2015 HOST: SQUARED LOC: LONDON LAT: 51.5207° LONG: 0.1345°
PRES: JOHN V WILLSHIRE TW: @WILLSH WEB: SMITHERY.CO
PICTURE: NASA
OHAI
FANFARE FOR THE COMMON BRAND
DATE: 18/02/2015 HOST: SQUARED LOC: LONDON LAT: 51.5207° LONG: 0.1345°
PRES: JOHN V WILLSHIRE TW: @WILLSH WEB: SMITHERY.CO A USEFUL INTRODUCTION
TO THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE
HELLO, WHAT DO YOU DO?
DESIGN
PROTOTYPE CULTURE
STRATEGY
PEOPLE (n x m)
THIN
GS
(i x
d)
DESIGN
PROTOTYPE CULTURE
STRATEGY
P (n x m)
T(i
x d)
THE AXES OF PRAXIS
WE ALSO MAKE OUR OWN TOOLS
WHICH YOU’LL SEE ON FRIDAY
LET’S START WITH SOME USEFUL USER FEEDBACK…
@BENTERRETT / GDS
“WHEN YOU GAVE THE TALK, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WORST WE’D HAD.
BY THE END OF THE COURSE, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MOST USEFUL.”
- ANON. SQUARED ALUMNI
YOU HAVE TO WORK IN AN INDUSTRY OBSESSED WITH BRANDS
WE COULD HAVE AN ENDLESS DEBATE ABOUT WHAT BRANDS ARE…
OR I CAN TRY AND GIVE YOU SOME USEFUL WAYS TO WORK WITH THEM
I WOULD ASK THAT YOU KEEP THIS SIMPLE THING IN MIND...
<META PRESENTATION WARNING>
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALKED ABOUT FRACKING...
HTTP://RIVETIN.GS/GASLAND
“FRACKING IS AN AGGRESSIVE, INVASIVE TECHNIQUE FOR EXTRACTING VALUABLE RAW MATERIALS OUT OF HARD TO REACH PLACES”
PHIL ADAMS, BLONDE DIGITAL (AND CHEMICAL ENGINEER GRAD)
ATTENTION IS THE MOST VALUABLE RAW MATERIAL THERE IS FOR BRANDS
THE SOCIAL WEB IS BUILT FROM RAW ATTENTION
SO ARE BRANDS FRACKING THE SOCIAL WEB?
“I BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF BRAND COMMUNICATIONS LIES IN FINDING A WAY TO BECOME PART OF COMMUNITIES, AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN A WAY THAT IS SHARED, PARTICIPATORY AND RECIPROCAL”
ME, SEVEN YEARS AGO, BEING A DICK
TAKEN FROM MY 2008 IPA EXCELLENCE DIPLOMA THESIS…
…REAPPRAISED IN THIS BOOK COMING
IN THE SPRING
(NICK THANKS YOU IN ADVANCE)
</PLUG>
“I BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF BRAND COMMUNICATIONS LIES IN FINDING A WAY TO BECOME PART OF COMMUNITIES, AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEM IN A WAY THAT IS SHARED, PARTICIPATORY AND RECIPROCAL”
ME, SEVEN YEARS AGO, BEING A DICK
IT NOW SOUNDS REALLY ANNOYING
YEP, REALLY ANNOYING.
“OUR CHALLENGE IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY DON’T CARE”
HTTP://TPDSAA.TUMBLR.COM/
MAYBE THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT?
“LISTENING CAREFULLY PRODUCES CONVERSATIONS OF TWO SORTS... THE DIALECTIC AND THE DIALOGIC”
RICHARD SENNETT, TOGETHER
WHAT THE F***?
DIALECTICFROM WORK OF GERMAN PHILOSOPHER GWF HEGEL ‘THE INTERACTION AND RESOLUTION BETWEEN MULTIPLE IDEAS’
RICHARD SENNETT, TOGETHER
“THE AIM IS TO COME EVENTUALLY TO A COMMON UNDERSTANDING”
DIALECTIC WANTS CONSENSUS
A b C D E F G H
bA CD Fe GeC ADb G ADf
C ADb ADfg
NO MATTER HOW GOOD THAT CONSENSUS IS…
DIALOGICFROM WORK OF MIKHAIL BAHKTIN “A DISCUSSION THAT DOES NOT RESOLVE ITSELF BY FINDING COMMON GROUND...”
“[PEOPLE] BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR OWN VIEWS AND EXPAND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER”
RICHARD SENNETT, TOGETHER
IN DIALOGIC CONVERSATION,
IDEOLOGIES COEXIST
A
bC
D
E
FG H
THEY CONSTANTLY
INTERACT AND INFORM EACH
OTHER
A
bC
D
E
FG H
EACH IDEOLOGY CAN HOLD MORE
SALIENCE IN CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCES
A
bC
D
E
FG H
CHANGES CAN BE MADE IF A
STRATEGY DOES NOT HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECT
A
bC
D
E
FG H
THIS MIGHT NOT JUST APPLY TO
“CONVERSATION”
THIS INTERPLAY OF IDEAS IS VERY REMINISCENT OF THE SOCIAL WEB...
WHAT IF THERE ARE DIALECTIC AND DIALOGIC STRUCTURES &
CULTURES TOO?
ARE TRADITIONAL MARKETING STRUCTURES MORE DIALECTIC?
ARE SOCIAL WEB PLATFORMS AND
COMPANIES MORE DIALOGIC IN
NATURE?
IT WOULD HELP
EXPLAIN THE
CULTURE CLASH
ARE BRANDS INTENTIONALLY FRACKING THE SOCIAL WEB?
PERHAPS...
OR IS IT THE FAULT OF A MASSIVE CULTURAL DIVIDE?
THE SHORT VERSION…
BRAND IS NOT A PYRAMID
BRAND IS A BITTORRENT FILE
COMPETITION SIMPLICITY COMPRESSION CERTAINTY
COOPERATION COMPLEXITY
FRAGMENTATION EXPERIMENTATION
FAST FORWARD TO 2015
SOCIAL NETWORKS = AD NETWORKS
SOCIAL AGENCIES = AD AGENCIES
WE FINALLY REALLY DID IT
FRACKED?
OR JUST… ELSEWHERE?
IS FACEBOOK JUST STABILISERS
FOR THE SOCIAL WEB?
CAN WE NOW RIDE WHEREVER WE LIKE?
SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.MTBHOLIDAYSCOTLAND.COM
IS SMALL THE NEW
ALL?
SOURCE: KPCB 2014
HAVE WE RETREATED INTO DARK
SOCIAL?
*IT’S TOTALLY FUCKED UP THAT THERE IS EVEN A NAME FOR THIS, BTW
ASK GOOD QUESTIONS
WHAT DO WE KNOW?
THE INTERNET ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE
PIC: MAKEZINE
PHOTO: @STEPHENKIRKWOOD
PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO USE IT TO MAKE THEIR OWN MEANING
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO
REAPPRAISE WHAT ‘BRAND’ MEANS
NOT THIS
BUT THIS
I DON’T CARE WHAT IT WAS
DESIGNED TO DO.
I CARE ABOUT WHAT IT CAN DO.
SURE, BRAND CAN DO ALL THE THINGS IT USED TO
BUT IT CAN BE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH MORE
UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE TERRITORY
I ASKED AN EXPERT WHAT THE INTERNET WAS LIKE…
Q: HOW BIG IS THE INTERNET?
“AS BIG AS THE WORLD”
Q: WHAT DOES THE INTERNET FEEL LIKE?
“IT’S VERY SMOOTH”
Q: WHAT SHAPE IS THE INTERNET?
“IT’S SQUARE. SO IT CAN FIT THROUGH SQUARES.”
Q: HOW MUCH DOES THE INTERNET WEIGH?
“ABOUT THIRTY TO FORTY BIRDS.”
Q: WHICH BIRDS?
“ROBINS.”
Q: WHAT DOES THE INTERNET SOUND LIKE?
“LIKE LOTS AND LOTS OF
DIFFERENT VOICES”
SPOT ON, WEE MAN.
DIALOGICTHERE’S THAT WORD AGAIN
DIALOGIC:
A WAY OF UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CREATE MEANING…
SOURCE: WEGERIF / SENNETT
“WE” MEANS EVERYONE
“IT IS MAKING MEANING FOR BRANDS AND BUSINESSES THAT IS OUR ACTUAL DAY JOB”
RICHARD HUNTINGTON, SAATCHI & SAATCHI
“I COULD DO THAT.
I’VE HAD PRACTICE.
GIZZA JOB.”
YOSSER HUGHES, BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF
YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY MAKERS OF MEANING.
INSTEAD, MAKE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
MEANING TO BE MADE
HERE’S WHAT I THINK I MEANT SEVEN YEARS AGO…
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A COMMON BRAND?
A COMMON BRAND IS THE MEANING WE MAKE TOGETHER
CUSTOMERMAKER
PRODUCT
A COMMON BRAND IS THE MEANING WE MAKE TOGETHER
1. COMMON MEANING
MAKE MEANING TOGETHER THROUGH DIALOGUE…
WHAT’S THIS FOR?
IT’S A NEW THING WE’VE
MADE
SO, WHAT DOES IT
DO?
WE’VE CHANGED THE
MOTOR
TEXT CANNOT ANSWER BACK
SOCRATES
BRANDS DON’T REALLY TALK TO PEOPLE…
TOO OFTEN THEY’RE DEAD
WORDS ON A PAGE
BRANDS ARE GROOT
HUGH MACLEOD AKA @GAPINGVOID
YOUR JOB IS TO TALK TO MORE ACTUAL USERS…
SPOT THE EMPATHY GAP
“STOP FOR A MOMENT AND REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT REGULAR PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE THING AND HOW THEY’RE GOING TO REACT TO IT”
DAN HON
INCREASE YOUR SURFACE AREA
“WHAT MATTERS IS NOT SO MUCH SIZE BUT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS.”
DR ARNO PENZIAS
GDS USER RESEARCH GUIDE
HTTPS://WWW.GOV.UK/SERVICE-MANUAL/USER-CENTRED-DESIGN/USER-RESEARCH
1.LOOK HOW EARLY THE PRODUCT IS LIVE
2.LOOK HOW MUCH REFINEMENT RESEARCH COMES AFTER LAUNCH…
AGENCY RESEARCH GUIDE*
LAU
NC
HSOME
TGIHUNCH
4 GROUPS
*NOT REALLY**
**BUT NEARLY
“SERVICES DEMAND A DIALOGUE, A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING EFFORT BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.”
- MATT EDGAR
COMMON MEANING:
KEEP TALKING
2. COMMON UNDERSTANDING
WATCH THE GAP BETWEEN THIS
AND THISIT’S A NEW THING WE’VE
MADE
DAN DENNETT:
HOW PEOPLE PREDICT HOW THE THING IN FRONT OF THEM WILL BEHAVE…
THE DESIGN STANCE
DESIGNED THINGS SHOULD ACT AS CREATED
THE INTENTIONAL STANCE
REPRESENTATIVE THINGS SHOULD ACT AS INSTRUCTED.
YOUR CUSTOMERS TAKE ALL THESE STANCES AT SOME POINT
PHYSICALBASIC PROPERTIES
DESIGNARCHETYPAL QUALITIES
INTENTIONALEMISSARY OF BELIEFS
PHYSICALI WON’T BLAME YOU IF
IT GOES OFF; FOOD DOES THAT
DESIGNIT’S DOING THE THINGS
I EXPECT OF GOOD CHOCOLATE BARS
INTENTIONALHANG ON, YOU WANT ME TO
UPLOAD PICTURES OF MY FAMILY DOING WHAT? I’M LOST…
PRODUCT
BRAND
MATERIAL
PRODUCT
BRAND
MATERIAL
THIS IS WHERE MEANING LIVES.
AND THE GAP IS TOO BIG FOR A LOT OF BRANDS…
WHAT YOU SAY BEARS LITTLE RELATION TO WHAT YOU SELL
IT’S A NEW THING WE’VE
MADE??
PRODUCT
BRAND
MATERIAL
WHICH MEANS THAT PEOPLE WILL CREATE THE MEANING FOR YOU…
“A NEVER-ENDING STREAM OF APOLOGETIC ANSWERS TO CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS, PUNCTUATED BY THE
ODD, HOPEFUL BRAND MESSAGE FROM CENTRAL
MARKETING.”ASBURY & ASBURY
HTTP://ASBURYANDASBURY.TYPEPAD.COM/BLOG/2015/02/CONVERSATION-MY-ARSE.HTML -
PRODUCT
BRAND
MATERIAL
YOU COULD CLOSE THE GAP…
CLOSING THE GAP IS BETTER.
BUT HARDER.
HOW MIGHT YOU MEANINGFULLY FILL THE GAP…?
MODERN ECONOMICS: THE VALUE OF A THING IS
DETERMINED BY WHAT ONE IS WILLING TO GIVE UP TO OBTAIN THE THING
THE LABOUR THEORY OF VALUE
THE VALUE OF SOMETHING IS DETERMINED BY THE LABOUR THAT WENT
INTO ITS PRODUCTION
PERHAPS THERE’S A LABOUR THEORY OF
BRAND VALUE
FIELD NOTES
£3.33PER PADPER PAD
£0.99
“MARKETING IS WORLD BUILDING. WITH UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH WE CAN NOW SHOW YOU THE WORLD.”
@TOBYBARNES
USE EVERYTHING
- @ROBPOYNTON
PRODUCT
BRAND
MATERIAL
EVERYTHING THAT MADE IT HAPPEN…
COMMON UNDERSTANDING:
SHARE EVERYTHING
3. COMMON INTENTION
SO… I WONDER WHAT WE COULD DO
WITH THIS…?
(CRUMBS, THAT SOUNDS RISKY…)
“LIBERATING EDUCATION CONSISTS IN ACTS OF COGNITION, NOT TRANSFERALS OF INFORMATION” PAULO FREIRE
FREIRE WARNED AGAINST THE
“BANKING DEPOSIT” MODEL OF
EDUCATION
RATHER THAN TRANSMIT YOUR
INTERPRETATION OF MEANING, MAKE NEW MEANING
TOGETHER
“MAKING IS THINKING”
- RICHARD SENNETT, THE CRAFTSMAN
COMMON INTENTION:
MAKE IT TOGETHER
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A COMMON BRAND?
KEEP TALKING
MAKE IT TOGETHER
SHARE EVERYTHING
WORKING PRINCIPLES
FOR THE COMMON
BRAND
FANFARE FOR THE COMMON BRANDTHANK YOU
DATE: 18/02/2015 HOST: SQUARED LOC: LONDON LAT: 51.5207° LONG: 0.1345°
PRES: JOHN V WILLSHIRE TW: @WILLSH WEB: SMITHERY.CO
PICTURE: NASA