Prediction: Three Trends to Watch For at SXSW 2011
Yesterday we were invited to attend the second annual Dachis Group Social Business Summit, a meeting of the top minds in the world of social engagement and social business design.
We heard talks from individuals like Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, JP Rangaswami, Chief Scientist at Salesforce, Philip Kaplan, founder of both AdBrite and Blippy, and of course, the founder of Dachis Group (in addition to Razorfish and Austin Ventures), Jeff Dachis.
The Social Business Summit serves as a kick-off to South by Southwest, and if last year was any indication, gives us a good idea of the big ideas we’ll see repeated over and over in the coming days. We’ve compiled a few of the best.
Future-proofing our Communications Strategies
Several of yesterday’s contributors considered the same fact: the new media landscape brought on by social media is not new. It is a situation that has been brewing for decades, waiting for the proper technology to come along in order to facilitate it. At the end of the day, our online behavior mimics our offline behavior.
But the fact is, this seismic shift was only part of an even bigger trend: change is now a constant, and we need to become used to the fact that the methods we use to reach our target audiences will never stop shifting.
Last year, there was a lot of focus on keeping up with competitors, and finding ways to jump ahead with new, flashy tactics that differentiate ourselves from our competitors.
Now, it’s no longer about keeping pace. It’s about constructing a business that can deal with the fact that models of marketing and communication are perpetually adjusting.
Three times yesterday, we heard reference to the outdated organizational structures of 21st century businesses, straining under the weight of new norms in communication.
Rangaswami introduced the idea that we’ve spent the last 40 or 50 years engineering as many social elements out of business as possible, despite the fact businesses are powered by people; complex, unpredictable, and intensely social creatures.
Echoed by Dave Gray, founder at XPLANE, Rangaswami suggested that we consider treating our companies more like organic beings; malleable structures with a high priority on evolution, rather than templates and processes. He argues that in an age of increasing social interaction at the individual level, it is impossible for companies to remain successful if they do not reorganize to support rapid changes in the ways people want to interact.
Of course, this is easier said than done. But it suffices to say that the most progressive thinkers in the social media industry are turning inward, and examining the ways that businesses need to fundamentally change in order to be successful.
Philip Kaplan has a very confusing business on his hands. Blippy is a social network that allows users to share their credit card expenditures with their friends. Why? Because they can. There’s no point system, no awards, no incentive at all. But over $1 million in transactions are shared on Blippy every day.
Kaplan argues that this is because young people today have an entirely different set of values when it comes to privacy; in fact, they see nothing wrong with sharing every aspect of their lives.
For the past few years, services like Twitter and Foursquare have been intensely scrutinized for overly publicizing personal details. But Kaplan points out that the uproar subsides every single time; we realize that the benefits of sharing far outweigh the potential pitfalls.
This year at SXSW, it is likely that the privacy debate will be essentially moot. Given the massive success of location based services, and the promising beginnings of companies like Blippy, it is safe to say that the idea of online privacy has been radically – and universally – redefined.
Martin|Williams Listed as Top Place for Millennials to Work
In “Millennials are Rocking the Workplace,” the cover story in the June issue of Twin Cities Business Journal, Martin|Williams is featured as one of the top places for 20-somethings to start a career in the Twin Cities.
Source: Twin Cities Business Journal
Razorfish has produced a nice presentation following some primary research they conducted about digital brand experiences.
At M|W, we are dedicated to engaging consumers to drive brand interaction and advocacy. We’re glad to see further support for this way of thinking.
What’s Wrong With Dreaming?
Since I felt like doing a little dreaming I decided to pay a visit to the Ferrari website. Apparently it features some new 3D work by AKQA and UK design outfit, Futuredeluxe. The new features make the configuration tool loads of fun and extremely accurate. And compared to “build-your-own” pages on most car sites, the Ferrari page loads quite quickly. I’m shocked at all the options…but for that price, it better. I can almost smell the Alacantra!
- sam
6 Social Media Trends for 2010
Digital marketing consultant, David Armano, shares his view of the rapidly evolving social media future.
MultiTouch Sphere Display
Interactive design agency Seeper is in the process of creating a pretty amazing break through in display technology. The project is a multi-touch sphere display that can display images and information capable of being manipulated by touch gestures. The spear represents a world of exciting and useful applications. If nothing else it’s a jaw dropping visual.
In Progress… Interactive MultiTouch Sphere. from seeper on Vimeo.
- sam
The House that Tweets
Dr. Andy Stanford-Clark, an IBM engineer, lives in a 16th century thatched cottage on the Isle of Wight. He has wired up his home with a network of sensors that tell him a great many things via Twitter. He receives a Tweet whenever a window is opened, a mouse has been caught in a trap, a garden hose is leaking, and much more. By keeping informed and aware of energy use via Twitter, his monthly bill has dropped by a third. Plus he feels more secure knowing he is keeping touch with his house, which is in a secluded location.
A Step in the Right Direction
According to CNET, the beta version of Flash CS5 has a developer tool that will allow Flash programmers to develop in AS3 for the iPhone. This doesn’t mean that Flash will be integrated with mobile Safari, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction. Most importantly, Flash developers can breath a sigh of relief knowing that they don’t have to learn an entirely new language and framework to get their applications rolling on the iPhone.
Does the Fortune 500 blog? Not really.
About 16% of Fortune 500 corporations have blogs. Of these Fortune 500 blogs, 28% link to Twitter accounts, 90% allow for public comments, 10% link to podcasts and 21% incorporate video. And no surprise, smaller corporations and nonprofits are more likely to blog: 39% of Inc. 500 corporations have blogs and 57% of the top 200 charities in the U.S. have blogs. More details in “The Fortune 500 and Blogging: Slow and Steady” report from the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR).
| — | Pearl Buck |
Businesses are exploring the practice of design thinking as a way to innovate. The practice stresses the importance of observation and putting the customer needs first as a way to reach big ideas and new thinking. Whirlpool used design thinking to enter the front loader market with its Duet line of washers and dryers. A new book on the practice, “Change by Design,” comes out later this month from Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO.
Captains of industry better be on their guard; Oliver Stone has begun filming a sequel to his anti-greed manifesto, “Wall Street” (1987). Michael Douglas is reprising his Oscar-winning role as Gordon Gekko, the epitome of corruption who so famously said, “Greed is good.”
Nissan is positioning its new car, Cube, as an “iPhone on wheels.” Campaign includes mobile, ambient, social media … basically, the works.
