"Fast trends get all the attention; slow trends have all the influence."
(via Dan Pink)
Especially true if attention spans are diminishing don't you think?
(via Dan Pink)
Especially true if attention spans are diminishing don't you think?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Rarefication Is The New Decommodification.
Decommodification is an awkward word to say and simply not assertive enough to describe the underlying differentiation problem.
To avoid being a commodity in a fast-moving world of shared technologies and replicable ideas, you need to be actively different, noticeably remarkable and consequently scarce and of value. After all, you're seeking to charge a significant and sustainable premium.
It's not enough just to try to not be a commodity. That way lies mid-level mediocrity and trivial distinctions supported by white-washing advertising.
You don't need to decommodify - you need to rarefy.
rarefy
- to make more complex, intricate, or richer.
- to refine a design or pattern.
Yes it has elitist overtones, but isn't that what true differentiation is all about? And it's certainly easier to say.
To avoid being a commodity in a fast-moving world of shared technologies and replicable ideas, you need to be actively different, noticeably remarkable and consequently scarce and of value. After all, you're seeking to charge a significant and sustainable premium.
It's not enough just to try to not be a commodity. That way lies mid-level mediocrity and trivial distinctions supported by white-washing advertising.
You don't need to decommodify - you need to rarefy.
rarefy
- to make more complex, intricate, or richer.
- to refine a design or pattern.
Yes it has elitist overtones, but isn't that what true differentiation is all about? And it's certainly easier to say.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wake Up And Smell The UGC.
Four weeks ago, an 18 year old English student in his first year at Leeds University put a video on YouTube.
Three weeks ago, the second person to leave a comment wrote "wow you should send that to apple. you can make so much money if they air that!!!"
Tomorrow, a professionally produced version will be shown during NFL games, Desperate Housewives and the World Series.
Do you still think user-generated content is a joke?
Three weeks ago, the second person to leave a comment wrote "wow you should send that to apple. you can make so much money if they air that!!!"
Tomorrow, a professionally produced version will be shown during NFL games, Desperate Housewives and the World Series.
Do you still think user-generated content is a joke?
Friday, October 26, 2007
Plasticine Rabbits And Drumming Gorillas.
When I read Scamp's riposte to the claims of plagiarism in the Cadbury ad, I was inclined to agree with him. But then I saw the Kozyndan rabbits and today this shot from a 1999 Michel Gondry video leapt out at me. It certainly made me pause (which was irritating as I was on a cycling machine at the time).
Thursday, October 25, 2007
One World Everybody Eats.
An intriguing combination of the "pay what you will" pricing of the new Radiohead album and the general desire to eliminate waste is to be found at the One World Cafe in Salt Lake City where everybody chooses how much they want to eat and pays according to how much they think the meal was worth. But it's not that simple.By encouraging people to savor the meal, Ms. Cerreta is attempting to help people see the value of food as more than a mere consumable but rather, as a glue and a catalyst for healthy people, relationships and communities.
There are lessons here for much larger businesses in terms of focussing on customer value, building loyalty around social activities and about standing for something. This is about much more than just serving food.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Social Activities Beget Social Objects.
It may be because I'm struggling to think of anything to write today but, having just read Hugh's latest offering, I was struck how I unusually couldn't agree with one of the points he made.
2. Social Networks are built around Social Objects, not vice versa. The latter act as "nodes". The nodes appear before the network does.
I think there is an intermediate element and would contend that social networks are actually built around social activities.
The activity exists before the network does (as I suggested when I wrote recently that you can't fake community) and before the social object. Indeed, those social activities may or may not actually involve one or a number of social objects.
What you should focus on is identifying those existing activities that you can facilitate and/or enhance by introducing your social object into them.
2. Social Networks are built around Social Objects, not vice versa. The latter act as "nodes". The nodes appear before the network does.
I think there is an intermediate element and would contend that social networks are actually built around social activities.
The activity exists before the network does (as I suggested when I wrote recently that you can't fake community) and before the social object. Indeed, those social activities may or may not actually involve one or a number of social objects.
What you should focus on is identifying those existing activities that you can facilitate and/or enhance by introducing your social object into them.
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