Jon Burg's Future Visions

links for 2008-05-09

• advergirl: PRSA and Social Media
  GREAT presentation on social media. We cannot say it enough - and everyone has a unique perspective or twist. It's social, it's here. Now let's deal with it.
• Saying No | chrisbrogan.com
  Saying no (thank you) is a difficult thing to do, particularly for overachievers and early adopters. But you need to prioritize. And that's when you start saying no. And this is why my blogging has slowed down.

sad but true? or do we need some perspective?

Image via WikipediaThe other day, I heard this joke.

How do you get a client to leave an agency?

Roll a shiny nickel down the sidewalk.

Hohoho. (sarcastic laughter followed by awkward silence)

• Firstly, clients are not dumb.  Nor are they naive.
  

• Secondly, agencies (and unagencies) are just as at fault here as their clients. 

Shiny Nickels are nothing new, and they aren't going away.  We just need to learn to put on sunglasses.

Raise your hand if you remember AOL chatrooms.  Now tell me how different they are than Twitter.  Now tell me Twitter is a fad that is going to fade away.  Sure, we may access the platform in new ways, but the platforms, and their users, don't disappear.  They shift.

Think about it.
    Twhirl is to Twitter as AIM is to AOL Chatrooms.

Twhirl and Twitter may not be the future, but they aren't dead.  Just because it is shiny, doesn't make it unsustainable (for at least a few years).  Just because it is shiny, doesn't mean that it is useless. 

If you don't look at your life through the filter of common sense, everything will look skewed.  However, put on the shades of reality and allocate your budgets accordingly, and you will be set for life.

If you believe in every pitch you hear, you're going to end up falling flat on your face, very, very quickly.
If you stop believing in the value of the startup, you shouldn't be in media.

NewsCorp was once an emerging business.
Google still is in many ways still a startup.
Facebook is a startup.

Don't chase the all the shiny nickels. 
But avoid them at your own peril.

taking some time to read and enjoy

So life's been crazy.  Passover in Israel, meeting with technology partners in the AM, working remotely in the afternoon and evening,  and now back to work and playing catchup.  My wife and son finally came back this morning.  FYI - Seeing your wife and baby after 4 days across the world from each other is the best feeling in the world!  Seriously, having your 9 month old jump into your arms is an amazing feeling.  Wouldn't trade it for the world.

But with all the hullaballoo, I haven't had time to read.  And I feel like I'm blogging blind.  Blogging is a conversation.  If all you do is write, you aren't participating in social media, you're just talking.  So I'm off to read. 

Here's to a great weekend, filled with unpacking, getting a haircut, going to a lecture by one of my favorite speakers, spending some quality time with my family, and finally purchasing that new computer I've been talking about.  When your laptop HD starts clicking, you know the time has come.  Now if only I could get all my old data off that old beast, my life would be much easier.  Any ideas?

New Media "Journalism" ESPN Panel (Video)

People love to talk.  But talking doesn't make you a journalist.  Talking makes you a conversationalist.

So what differentiates the masses of conversationalists from the real journalists?

Is it professionalism?  Is it readership?  Is it subscription value?  Is it the distribution channel?  Is it mainstream press recognition?

From the looks of the ESPN panel conversation below, this is still VERY "tbd".

ESPN Panel Discussion on Sports Bloggers & Sports Journalism - audio is NSFW

The art of the amateur can easily become just as influential as the published musings of the established thought leader.

So maybe most bloggers aren't journalists (in my opinion), but that doesn't make them any less important.

Treat us as you will, but know that you do so at your own risk.  And always remember, even journalists need a readership to pay the bills.  And their readership is made up of ordinary people, who talk, and though they may not be journalists, remain conversationalists.

we are internet toddlers

The internet is nothing new... yet everyday there is something better and greater being developed.

• 15 years ago I remember dialing into Prodigy and thinking... here we go.

• 10 years ago I recall sitting at my cousin's desk as he created his first online store thinking... here we go.

• 5 years ago I remember my parent's amazement at the growth of Tivo (after I had already demonstrated the concept of time-shifting digital recorded live tv on my old computer years earlier).

• 12 months ago, our industry was fretting over the potential future of 3D worlds, mass media was predicting the end of real world interactivity, and conservative groups were fretting over adult content in video games.

• And in 12 months from now, we will still be waiting for mass deployment of IPTV.  We will still be wondering, we will still be wowed, we will still be open mouthed - both as end users and as marketers.

The world is changing.  And it's going to keep on changing.

Those who can strategically embrace and encourage change, those who are forward looking, those who are ready to trailblaze... will laugh at where we are today... in 5 years time.

The world is perpetually changing.  And there's nothing you can do to stop it.  The only question you can ask yourself is - are you ready for tomorrow?  Are you ready for change?  Are you ready to take a short-term loss and gain a lesson learned?  Are you encouraging creativity?

Speaking of, check out the amazing video below.  Kudos to Chris Brown and Chris Kieff for sharing.

Design Mistakes in Airports

So I'm sitting here in Ben Gurion International, THE airport in Israel, waiting for boarding.

The new terminal is stunning, the shopping is great, and pretty much everything, including McDonalds, is certified kosher.  The seating in the waiting area is adequate, with wide seats, plenty of space for stowing your carry-ons without taking up additional chairs, and there are windows galore - creating an open and relaxing atmosphere.  The Wifi access is free and incredibly fast.  What could possibly be wrong?

Firstly, let me state that overall, the new international terminal here is very well designed.  The points I am about to outline, are more annoyances than major issues.

To start with, there isn't an outlet in site, anywhere.  I don't know if this is an Israeli thing, a European eccentricity, or a design oversight, but free Wifi without outlets... just doesn't make any sense to me.

Secondly, there is the issue of cell phone rental returns. The returns kiosk is located after check-in at the airport.  Sounds great so far.  However, as any regular flier will tell you, much of your cell phone usage comes while you are waiting to board, not while you are checking your luggage.  Positioning your cell phone rental returns kiosk in the main (post-check-in) shopping mall not only serves as annoyance to your renters who are still looking for cell phone usage at the gates and waiting areas, but it serves to decrease the number of minutes used - and therefor your own revenue!  Oops.

My third issue here is rather minor, but I have found to be indicative of nearly all airports (and airlines) across the world.  There is a lack of communication.  There should be a bulleting board clearly telling fliers their flight status.  If the plane was delayed on the way in, and the cleaning staff is prepping it, please tell us that we will be 20 minutes late.  If inclement weather is holding up the flight for an hour, use your screens and tell us.  There is nothing more annoying than the nod of the shoulders.  ElAl does not do this, but I cannot count the number of times this has happened to me in the states.

And with that, I am out.  We are finally boarding (just 15 minutes late!), and I'm off to try to switch my middle seat to an isle or a window.  Wish me luck!