The Signifier

When brands reply to our tweets for help (listen-respond-learn)

A use for Twitter that's not an obvious revenue stream, but IS good for the consumer...whoop!

If I were sitting opposite Hayley right now, I'd be celebrating the fact that amid all the attempts to monetize Twitter and infiltrate with fake profiles, celebs etc. bubbling through the mud of ROI modelling has surfaced an ideal opportunity that frankly digital PR should have been onto years back when we were all excited about forums and blogs!

O2 worked some genius today in responding to the negative voices of consumers who,  frustrated with long waiting times on telephones to get customer support decided to tell their woes on Twitter.

So rather than the story ending up as "horribly ever after" Wendy McAuliffe (one of the said frustated customers) actually got her problem solved pretty quickly! Nice one.

Again, with a tone of frustration in my voice, this is where digital comes into the forefront of an integrated space. Why? Well because for every negative voice there is on the internet, there will be a number of people over time seeing that negative voice frozen in time UNLESS brands realise they need to  be listening in these (consumer drivenb) spaces (Twitter, Facebook etc.) and responding accordingly to assist and correct any wrong-doing.

Monetizers of all things digital...put that in your pipe and smoke it!

2008; That was the year that was.....

I know it's something we all do come close-down of the year, but that retrospective of the last twelve months is subconsciously the insight we use to put down our resolutions for the coming months of the new year.

If this is the case, then 2009 should be a year where mistakes, lessons and newnewss from 2008 make it one of the best. In my mind, that's quite fortunate, this being of course for me where traditionally 'life begins'.

So what were the good things to take from 2008 and take along with me on my trip into 2009?

• To never stop being content with oneself
• To have conviction in those instincts/spiritual rumbles that tell us things are good or bad
• To celebrate music and the many senses it pings
• To recognise why people come in and out of our lives
• To be honest with oneself, one's limitations & strengths

Easier said than done? Perhaps so, but we're never too old to make mistakes and learn from them...I can honestly say 2008 will be one year to remember for all the good things I come out of it knowing.

 

It's official! The Internet has been BANNED!

Much to my suprise yesterday morning, I wandered into the regular Second Cup coffee shop to pick up my perk up and spotted the headline in the 7Days newspaper (it's like the Dubai version of Metro).

Considering I'd come over here with an expertise in Interactive, I was somewhat flummoxed by the fact that the powers that be at Du (the country's second internet service provider) had decided to follow the suit of Etisalat and ban a whole series of social networking sites.

Of course, there are the obvious sexually related sites I'd expect to go (and if Im honest, not being able to see them online actually doesnt bother me) but successes such as Facebook and Flickr being banned made me stop in my tracks and question what on earth I was doing here...and what on earth I could be doing in my job without such prime examples of how social networking has removed the power from Brands into the hands of the content-greedy/generous consumer!

Not withstanding the idea to just "put up and shut up" I was contemplating how on earth I check in to see if my old Army client is pummeling me at Scrabulous or see how many new comments had gone into my flickr gallery...anyone want to tell me?

Vive La Revolution!

When blogging goes pear-shaped....

"It's an interesting example of how quickly the sharks can move in when there is even the slightest whiff of  blood in the water..."

An interesting comment from a colleague today, but one that teaches us all a lesson when it comes to instigating an online space that allows consumer to vocalize!

Take the idea of a 19 year old student (lets call him Max) on some global travel reporting back on some of the many experiences that they encounter on the "between student life and a full time job" and the idea pings of interest.

HOWEVER (and here sits the catch), publish this blog within the travel section of a well known (and read) British newspaper and have a relative who also writes for said newspaper and Joe/Joanna Public smell a rat and pounce.

I got news of this interesting event via Thingbox (a forum entitled "This will make you laugh") and quickly ventured to Guardian Unlimited to see what was going on. On arrival, the sharks had already caught a whiff of the blood and were tearing the whole (innocent) idea and leaving shreds of dirty trick on behalf of the newspaper. As the day progressed, more and more (regular) readers vented their anger at the prospect of being taken for a ride and the deceit of potentially being the ones who were funding this 'silver-spoon'ed yoof' on his gallivanting around the world.

I've said it already (and I'll say it again!)...social spaces for consumer voices should have the intent of being a space for public debate....and should recognise that 'public' is one that has many different (extreme) beliefs, so expect extreme reactions too.

Human nature (as we know with 'contagious conversations' can also go off tangent when peers influence us in our day to day lives, so not only expect an extreme reaction, but also one that can become off the beaten track of reality. Be it as it is 'off reality' becomes 'new fact'!

So be warned, don't spoof a blog...because the outcome can be pretty ugly!

Igniting Conversations......

In my day, anything that was vaguely associated with fire and the web tended to be those instances where a comment you'd placed somewhere was flamed.

But now, with Brands (and their Agencies) jumping on the bandwagon of "Advocacy" or "WOM" (a great acronym!) the voice of the consumer just gets that little bit louder!

Funnily enough though, irrespective of the hype, there are few clients brave enough to venture into a world where their consumers may possible have a voice, and more importantly, a world where their voice may not necessarily be a kind one! Moreover, there are few clients brave enough to move out of the pressurized container of ROI and recognise sometimes an investment in a campaign should be more of an awareness tactic than one that returns a significant ROI.

I've known of only one instance where (through a lot of hard work and research) an ROI model has been calculated against a word-of-mouth/advocacy campaign. Even here, where many aspects of the current sales models were considered, the end result was a conference room full of concerned faces all looking at eachother for a glimmer of bravery from a colleague.

So where does this leave us?....I'm not too sure, but perhaps the take-out for the moment (things do change!) is that the science behind contagion  nestles with many years of research behind it....the application into a commercial  space is yet to be  embarked upon.

Why not send YOUR message tothebest?

Every day I cram myself onto the tube and pick up a copy of The Metro, there is always a page on the current war.

There have been so FEW articles I've read over the last months that have been positive (not that war should be looked on with a smile at all). However, if we're not careful, sooner or later, the effect of this constant gloom and doom will distract us from the fact that behind every soldier, there is a family back home who has to continue living their lives and carrying on without the physical being of their family and friends.

Although there has been a flurry of websites out there seeking support, there is one, run by the Army itself that should be looked at that allows the voice of the Nation to be heard and the support of those here sent overseas to ALL those who are in the armed forces at the moment.

So why not click here to leave your own message of support. It's so easy to say something good to those out there fighting for our country.....but the effect is immense to those that receive such messages of good will.

Go on, do your good turn for the day!