RIP John Hughes

Freeloading should be encouraged.

'freeloading' is often used to describe someone getting and using something for free. When applied to media, brand communication or advertising in some form the definition is often skewed and misused - usually put in a negative, head shaking context at the lack of money being exchanged.

Going along to an event for free, sampling free music, spending 15 minutes freely viewing something is not 'freeloading'. That content creator is winning the battle in the attention economy, that is, as long as they can work out how to monetise this attention they earnt further down the line.

Participation is the first step, not the horrible vagueness of 'awareness'

'freeloading' is an archaic and outdated term for the days of top down, sales at all costs brand communication.

we're now in a time where we should be actively encouraging freeloading within the right parameters.

digital stuff

new cohen brothers!!!!

Censorship of the web

Following a censorship strategy means creating increased hype around otherwise mostly average content. This happened recently when Nike deleted a rather unremarkable clip of a non nike endorsed player humiliating one of their own, Lebron James. If left up it probably would have had a limited shelflife, once Nike deleted it - this immediately gave the impression that the brand thought it was a big deal and in turn created a herd like stampede to track down the clip.

here it is - all a bit average if you ask me.



and some reaction



The Phonographic industry proved once again to be as archaic an organisation as we all thought recently by deleting one of calvin harris's official videos. This then prompted a twittering tirade from Harris and a number of news organisation reigniting the debate around piracy and the phonographics rather misdirected attempts at stalling it.

It would be a real shame if you tube as an outlet for creativity was thwarted by a few people employed to return us to the years before the music industry changed forever. If they do succeed we'll probably be seeing less of this kind of genius (below) being passed into our inboxes

breaking news...Augmented reality

really feels like augmented reality has taken a big step forward to the front of the stage over the last 10 days with a number of bloggers and campaigns giving it it's well deserved moment in the spotlight.

Here are a few key articles

Let's hope this doesn't jinx it - NMA gets all excited

Trans media mogul Faris Yakob looks at the future potential

BMW / Dare Digital win the IAB's campaign of the month with their rather marvellous Z4 paintbrush

identiyfing value

I'm getting the feeling that Mark Zuckerburg is taking lessons in leadership from Gordon Brown. The lack of consumer understanding has risen more than once as have the embarrasing u-turns on privacy policies.

Here they go for another one...but the facebook users have started cut and pasting this message into their status boxes urging others to do the same. I've seen at least twenty of my friends do it in the last couple of days.