Simon Cowell I salute You

Could simon cowell be the worlds most astute comms planner?

He manages a piece of content that is divisible into a number of smaller parts that on their own stand up as entertaining, compelling and opinion forming to all those who see them. They are easy to spread and even easier to bring up in conversation.

The really clever bit however is Simon, unkowingly has created a transmedia media campaign of epic proportions.

...Heard about Susan Boyle? google it, check it out - decide you don't like it...oh but whats that? some topman replica attempting Bill Withers 'aint no sunshine' with surprising aplomb. But is it as good as the original? lets check it out...wow, he's amazing. i need more bill withers, live album from 1972 carnegie hall!!! i need it now, click, 2 minutes later I'm there in 1972 at carnegie hall listening to Bill telling a story about his grandma's hands. oh and I've just spent 7.99 without really knowing it - caught in the impulsive moment that only a certain type of thing can give you, usually music. (you can kind of see why Plato was so worried about it in the republic)

But how is the whole thing being monetised? well we all know about this bit...that's when we've got to duck for cover or leave the country as the leading lights of the programme are paraded up and down the country and squeezed for every last cent.

I salute you simon.

No one is going to die

Talk of the 'death' of newspapers is so frustrating. It's sensationalist, ridiculous and most importantly untrue.

What happens to really make me want to bang my head against the exposed brick work of the office however is that this forecast seems to point to the end user being delivered a worse, less convenient experience than they've enjoyed for the last x amount of years.

News is news, it is not a format but the content that goes onto the format. content will always live as long as people communicate, interact and generally do things like claim 22k for dry rot in a house for which they don't even know the post code.

consumers are shaping the way news is delivered based on their behaviour and consumption habits, where we see one decline that we might feel quite nostalgic about, over the hill is a truly exciting new era. we're lucky in that we can have both right now, the future is in our collective hands - if we want to finger through an in depth article in a well presented magazine, there will be a potential revenue source for a publisher and the free market will do the rest. If we don't want to and would rather go digital to find that same piece then an opportunity appears out of nowhere online.

Joel Johnson documents this really well, just check the comments below to understand why a magazine is different to a website.

description of an ad...

Looking back, it was all simple pre digital/mobile/web 2.0. An ad was a certain format, shape and description - for both the creative, planner and consumer the ground was well trodden and each part of the process knew their role within proceedings - consumers paid attention or didn't, the advertiser would then go back to the drawing board and talk it all over.

How does this compare to now? well planners and creatives are just about keeping up with the options available yet I doubt the consumer is, does your average man on the street understand behavioural targeting, buzz marketing or why they've been offered that quite cool application for free?

Does it really matter? not necessarily yet there is one danger that threatens to damage the already cynical consumer - should a consumer engage with content to quite an extensive level it is very important that they know the creators and intentions behind it. without this advertising industry risks damaging further it's reputation with the brand wary individual. We're in a very exciting time of brand engagement right now yet some self regulation is surely needed to ensure that our audiences retain the view that advertising can be fun, compelling and of interest to their needs and objectives. It only takes one or two examples of deceit or dishonesty to contaminate the ad industry's image as a creator of value in peoples lives.

Us Now

Exciting to see the subject move beyond the conference theatre or blog and onto the small screen. Not sure when and where this is coming out but great to see social media brought to life, for me this moment when our digital connections morph into real life happenings is the true positive outcome of social media and web 2.0

An idea definitely worth spreading