tcg

Dancing into the Cloud

June 2, 2011 By ajmunn 6 Comments

Guest Post: Author Matthew Freedman

The music industry’s adaptation to the Internet has been a struggle for survival. Hampered by a change in format, then cut out of the equation by piracy and peer-to-peer file sharing (90% of all downloads are unauthorized), the recording industry watched slack-jawed as sales dropped 64% from 1999-2009. Now, Artists rely on grueling tour schedules to stay afloat, and record companies are desperate for a new source of revenue. With all of the industry despair, it’s no wonder cloud computing is being heralded as the future of music.

The idea is this: users would be able to access enormous libraries of music, at any time, without restriction and from any internet-capable device, presumably with a subscription fee.

Why download music when you can stream anything you want instantly? For record companies, it is at least a glimmer of hope. By licensing music for online-streaming services, they are finally edging into the action. And like a swarm of moths near a shining porch-light in the summer, everyone is throwing themselves heedlessly at the glow.

Is the hype real, or are the hopefuls going to get burned?

Cloud computing itself is not a new concept (it was first coined in 1997), but as mobile devices develop and tablets continue to take off, the ability to access the Internet on the go is increasingly common. And each day mobile technologies advance the Cloud becomes more enticing, more valuable, and more of a necessity than a luxury. I see the effects every day when exasperated commuters in the subway can’t access their email or twitter feeds.

As someone who works in digital media, and more importantly, as a music lover, I’m extremely curious as to how ‘the cloud’ will evolve with music. All the major players are in on the game: Apple announced today that they will reveal iCloud in one week, and Google has already shared an early version of their aptly-titled cloud platform, ‘Music Beta.’ Now Amazon has Cloud Player and Cloud Drive, and even LaLa, a website that was bought by Apple in December of 2009 and dismantled four months later, allowed users to upload their entire music collections to the Cloud.

Still, there are a couple of big questions: will cloud computing live up to its hype as the future of music, or merely provide convenient but unremarkable online storage? And will the record companies really be able to turn a profit? It all depends on whether or not streaming becomes the new norm, and if membership can take the place of ownership.

For the music industry, the trouble will always be that subscription fees are more expensive and less permanent than free peer-to-peer music swapping. As a user, my biggest concern with Cloud streaming would be my own lack of control: having no palpable ownership over my favorite music would mean the possibility of disappearance or altercation, however unlikely that may be. I want to be able to say “my music” and mean it, to have it with me at all times, connected or not.

Apples new iCloud has taken some steps to address these questions. Instead of having to upload your music library for you to stream on your portable devices, Apple has been reported to have secured deals with the major record labels, that will allow iCloud to recognize the music files on your iTunes and use your past purchasing history. This would seamlessly allow you access to your music library wherever you are, as long as you are connected to iCloud.

iCloud will also bring more than just streaming music libraries. The connotations for syncing devices, sharing documents a la Google Docs and seeding sales of productivity apps are huge. But I digress.

The Cloud will certainly be a wonderful addition to the way we listen to music, but I don’t think it will change our need for tangible ownership. And if that’s true, will services like iCloud be enough to change the fortunes of the record industry?

Photo by Alasdair Munn

Filed Under: Guest Posts, Social Media Tagged With: Apple, Clare Munn, Cloud Computing, iCloud, MAtthew Freedman, music, Social Media, tcg, tcgagency

Hotspotting: A New Era for the Interactive Advert

May 25, 2011 By ajmunn 6 Comments

Guest Post: By Alexandra Beard

Although Hotspotting, or Clickable Video Technology has been around since the early 2000’s it has only now started to attract the attention of big brands. Fuelled by our increasing accessiblilty to digital video content, Hotspotting is steathly encroaching on new domains and a larger audience.

Hotspotting technology makes it possible to place an interactive layer of ‘clickable hotspots’ on top of video. This software is primarily used by advertisers on their online videos. Whilst watching the video you can hover your mouse over the on-screen ‘ clickable hotspots’ and this allows for customers to shop directly from the video. The hotspots can be anything from the clothes the actors are wearing, to their accessories, the cars they drive, and the furniture on set. Once you click on an item that interests you you are taken directly to the check-out page of the online store where you can purchase the item.

These videos are being touted as the imminent future of advertising. By using interactive video online retailers can increase traffic and customer time on site, convert video to sale, have a higher average order value and reduce marketing spend through social media sharing. Hotspotting can be powerful as it harnesses the impulse buy. Impulsive buying has always been a crucial element for advertisers; most people generally buy with their emotions. Later, they justify their purchases with logic. In other words, people buy impulsively. With Hotspoting, an impulse is given a call to action as they did not go into the store or go online planning to buy what they ended up buying. Consumer durables bought on impulse are likely to be items that boost someones self esteem and self image. Film can have a profound imact on viewers. When attractive, youthful and charasmatic actors are using or wearing certain items this can be projected onto viewers as something that they can buy into/become. Advertisers have always fought for product placement in films for this very reason; consumer durables bought on impulse are especially likely to be those goods that project a person’s self-image.

A recent example of hotspotting can be seen in an advert featuring Manchester United’s star of the moment Christiano Ronaldo. In the ad he runs around the pitch and strips off after a match, as he does this fans can click on his shirt, shorts and shoes to buy them instantly.

Go Viral, based in Bristol England, created the ad and their internal research has shown that up to 30 per cent of people who see the Hotspot ads click through to find out more about the product.

However Hotspotting is being developed and used for far more than e-commerce and advertising purposes. For example; It has been used to create an interactive sing-a-long to The Jonas Brother’s track LoveBug and it has been used on video footage of fashion shows so that you can find out about and purchase any of the items being modelled. Pokeware, one of the leading innovators in Hotspotting has designed a new revolutionary system which highlights the enormous breadth this technology can cover. Teaming with Guestlogix they are developing a new interactive e-commerce video for those travelling by aeroplane. Another company, ClikThrough, uses Hotspotting as a fun and interactive experience for music videos. Not only can you purchase the items on your idol’s video but you can discover band and individual member information, links to buy their songs, concert information to see event dates and locations to buy tickets, song lyrics from the video, fun facts about the band members and latest band news.

Nearly all of the Hotspotting videos, for whichever purpose, have similar features and capabilities such as face-to-face live video chat, wish lists, options to view similar products and rating and sharing features which mean customers believe they have the personal attention and interaction of a real live store while shopping from home.. In the UK, it is expected that once the switchover from the analogue to digital TV signal is complete by 2012, the technology will be utilised on television as well.

Although much of the innovation impetus for Hotspotting is coming from servicing big brands and commerce, the implications for cause marketing, education or training are exciting.This technology would prove invaluable when used for Health & Safety tutorials at the workplace, First Aid services, education or even cause marketing. Indeed, there are as many possibilities as there are ideas.

What do you make of Hotsotting? What will the future bring?

Filed Under: Guest Posts Tagged With: Alexandra Beard, Clare Munn, Digital, Hotspotting, Interactive, Pokeware, Social Media, tcg, tcgagency, Video

How To Get Your Client To Plan For Cultural Transformation

August 12, 2010 By ajmunn 8 Comments

As organizations realize that their customers hold control over their brand conversation, and harnessing the knowledge both from, and about their stakeholders is the smart and truly sustainable way forward, but the manner in which they respond is key.

Twitter chats such as #smchat and #innochat deal with these topics all the time. Much wisdom and debate is shared within the chats. The consensus appears to be that ‘Corporate Culture’ plays a pivotal role.

This reminds me of a joke:

Q: “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?”
A: “One, but the light bulb must really want to change.”

I fast-forwarded to the end.

Here is how I got there:

Philosophy meets Process

There is much debate around what Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM) is. Paul Greenburg’s brain structures the approach to SCRM wonderfully. His ‘10,000’ hours on the subject show.

“Social CRM is a philosophy and a business strategy, supported by a technology platform, business rules, processes and social characteristics, designed to engage the customer in a collaborative conversation in order to provide mutually beneficial value in a trusted and transparent business environment. It is the company’s programmatic response to the customer’s control of the conversation.” Paul Greenburg July 2010

The elements of his definition bring it all together nicely. Reading Paul’s framing thoughts you can feel his frustration. He would rather we all got on with working towards realizing the elements of a SCRM that are relevant to us, instead of debating semantics. Fair point.

We at tcg: thecommunicationgroup talk SCMR, but have been reluctant to publically use the label. Getting involved in the debate can distract from the doing and the learning through doing. If we were to point at a definition, Paul’s would be it, not so much because of the words he has used, but because of the reasoning behind them. Hat’s off to Paul for doing and saying.

I know I harp on about the short-cut culture, the tips and tricks brigade, etc. We are suckers for anything that promises to cut our workload, get us more exposure, increase our following … “and it’s practically for nothing”. I am all for solid process and best practices but it needs to be aligned to strategy, quantifiable objectives and in the context of the big picture. I do not mind if something is going to cost me something as long as I can realize a return. I think it‘s called investment. Implementing a SCRM strategy is not a shortcut. It holds no hidden secrets, no tricks. It involves whole system thinking and participation. It is as much structure as it is philosophy.

The way an organization approaches a move towards SCRM is as important as the technology it invests in. If an organization does not invest in shifting the way it works, the way it thinks, the way it evolves…no amount of technology, tricks or tips are going to bring around a meaningful transformation. When we were working with Cisco on their Channel Partner Relationship Management three years ago we saw many of these concepts play out successfully. Cisco were committed to the organizational change that accompanied the technical changes. Lots has changed since then, but Cisco continues to adapt due to their organizational philosophy.

Of course this is easier said than done. We cannot only blame organizational culture for the lack of progress and adaption to SCRM. We – the people who talk about it and offer our time and services to implement this for organizations – need to play our part, too. It is not unreasonable for companies to request data and details that will enable them to understand the level of investment needed and the expected return on that investment. It is our duty and responsibility to provide them with this information by incorporating cultural transformation within the project resource allocation, process and budget.

SCRM and cultural transformation are complex and I know I haven’t exhausted the topics. There are so many opinions and levels that I know you have something to say. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photo by Mandaloo

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: #innochat, #smchat, brand, Cisco, Clare Munn, conversations, customer relationship management, SCRM, Social Media, tcg, tcgagency

Broadcasting your Social Media?

August 17, 2009 By ajmunn 3 Comments

Author: Alasdair Munn

tcg: The Communication Group

One-way or broadcast/display advertising and messaging has to rely on creating brand perceptions and reinforcing ideals. Campaigns are built around maximising the power and reach of the message against a set amount of time, or display space.

When this approach is taken out of this context and supplanted into a multidirectional relationship context, setting out to create a perception can be viewed as manipulative or forced. The rules and expectations around messaging and relationships change.

Many big brands are exceptional at creating perceptions and broadcasting their values and messaging. Understanding how people react to language, colour, design, lighting and messaging is a science. Positioning and the use of “trust” figures have become an industry in itself. The business case for outstanding back-up, customer service and client policy is well understood and executed.

Broadcast media works for consumers because we know the rules. We are happy to play this game. Our affinity towards a brand is as much to do with what our association with the brand says about us, as how we perceive the brand.

The challenge for many comes when adapting to building relationships using social media tools and approaches. Apart from the lack of consensus and understanding around the use of social media, an organisation’s inability to move from a broadcast mentality to a relationship mentality will let them down.

There is an unwritten psychological contract between individuals and brands when organisations open themselves up to establishing relationships using social media. We talk about transparency, trust, truth, openness, listening, dialogue and approachability. Organisations are paying strategists to tell them these things. Yet, often there is a broadcast mentality hanging over their approach to these concepts.

“How can we develop the perception of openness and transparency?”

“What colour says ‘approachable’?”

“How do we leverage our social media participation?”

In reality it is much simpler. If you use your social media channels to listen, and you are indeed listening and act accordingly, people will think of you as an organisation that listens. If you tell the truth, avoid half truths and resist the urge to manipulate facts, there is a better than average chance that you will be seen as an organisation that can be trusted to tell the truth. If you are transparent you will be seen as transparent.

The upside to all of this is that your brand, product or service will benefit from being informed, up to date and relevant for its market.

Photo: sepblog

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: Alasdair, brand, Broadcast, context, Munn, perceptions, Social Media, tcg, trust

tcg’s 10 ways Social Media and Sustainability Align in the Corporate World.

September 19, 2008 By ajmunn 6 Comments

I would first like to thank Max Gladwell for his blog entitled, Ten Ways that Social Media and Sustainability Align, which sparked the idea for this blog post.

At face value, social media and sustainability are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Social media is inherently intangible and lives online, while sustainability is concerned with the very real and tangible environment and earth. Yet when we drill down and examine these as human concepts, we get a sense that they are both involved in the same paradigm shift.

Most definitions for social media focus on its technologies; however this is a very static and limited view. At tcg we acknowledge that social media is a growing phenomenon enabled through adaptable technology; however, it is also about connecting people and facilitating collaboration, engagement, learning and the progression of ideas.

When it comes to defining sustainability, there are a number of definitions out there, which widely vary depending on who is talking and what their objectives are.

The World Commission on Environment and Development suggests that sustainability is defined as forms of progress that meet “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

I rather like the definition of environmental sustainability by Griffith University:

“Environmental sustainability refers to the environmental actions or impacts of what we do. In moving towards sustainability, we are attempting to reduce our ecological footprint or to tread more lightly on the Earth. This equates to reducing the amount of resources we use (and buy), the waste we produce and the emissions we produce. With every action impacting on the planets ecosystems, from the local to the global, the world is changing and it is not just the climate.”

Here are 10 ways in which we believe that social media and sustainability within organizations are aligned:

1. Shifting in the way we do things

We are in the process of a global paradigm shift. The way in which we think about and approach business is changing. As with any paradigm shift, the process is gradual involving conflict between the new paradigm thinkers and the holdouts of the old paradigm.
The rapid growth and change of social media has opened it up to scepticism, with protagonists suspicious of the technologies and the idea of open collaboration and the sharing of thoughts. This is a far cry from the closed, exclusionary and suspicious practices from the last century.
The sustainability movement is gaining in momentum, yet it does not make sense to individuals or institutions that are heavily invested and ensconced in their industrial mindset.

2. Grew from grassroots movements into having mainstream application

Social media tools and sustainability practices both started as grassroots movements. For example, social media tools and applications, developed for social networking sites, have grown to have wider commercial uses. Think about how Facebook radically changed how organizations aggregate news stories and information through the introduction of news feed. The sustainability movement started out as a co-op for sourcing bio diesel fuel or sustainable produce and has escalated to achieving mainstream attention and buy in.

3. Real gains/viable alternatives

In order to achieve buy in, both social media and sustainable practices have to prove they will provide real gains and provide viable alternatives. Organizations exist to achieve a return on investment (ROI), be it profit, achievement of social causes, etc. Both have the potential to achieve these objectives; however, this potential is largely misunderstood and miscommunicated.

4. Whole system thinking

Social media strategies and corporate sustainability programs only work if there is whole system thinking. Merely adding a blog to your website does not constitute a social media strategy. Changing products’ packaging and labelling without addressing the whole value chain equally does not equate to a sustainable program. Also, for a sustainability program to work it needs to touch every aspect of a corporation. The authors of a program will be remiss if they did not take a whole system philosophy. The same applies to social media.

5. Specific problems, specific strategies, specific executions, specific resolutions

There is no one size fits all strategy for corporations when it comes to developing a sustainability program or a social media strategy. Each organization has its own business rules, methods and objectives. Trying to reshape an organization to fit a predetermined strategy or set of tools and processes cannot lead to efficiencies or congruence.

6. Integration

Once a strategy is put in place, all elements need to be integrated to allow for a flow of information, efficiencies of resources and a clear action path.
Social media is a phenomenon enabled through adaptable technology. It is about connections, facilitating collaboration, engagement, learning and the progression of ideas. It also uses tools such as CMS, LMS, tagging, intelligent search, wikis, communication tools, etc. to connect and integrate all elements of an organization.

7. Internal buy in followed by external roll out

For any social media strategy or sustainability program to work it has to be embraced internally by the entire organization before it can be rolled out externally. This includes education, discussion, participation and belief that both projects will bring real value. Once there is internal buy in, the program can be rolled out publicly with the benefit of sincerity and purpose.

8. Integrity

Openness, transparency and a true belief and commitment are essential to both sustainability programs and social media strategies. An increasingly sceptical public are increasingly capable of spotting opportunists.

9. The future

Both sustainability programs and social media strategies are about changing the way we do things now so that our organizations survive and flourish in the future. Adapting the way we use our resources so as to ensure we allow for the regeneration of resources for future production makes sense, as well as the way we communicate, learn, share and disseminate information so we keep up with people’s learning styles, expectations and technology usage ensures we are heard, now and in the future.

10. Mutually enabling

Rolling out a sustainability program within a corporation takes hard work, determination, communication and commitment. Social media tools and applications help with the integration, communication, learning, participation and momentum. Once these elements are sorted out internally, the same social media tools and applications can be used to externalize the message and objectives. Adopting a social media strategy within and organization so that it truly integrates all elements only works if it follows a sustainable model. Tagging on bits of technology, or trying to participate in social media externally to the organization cannot lead to lasting or holistic results.

http://twitter/ajmunn

Filed Under: Social Media, Sustainability Tagged With: CMS, Intelligent search, LMS, Social Media, SocMe, sustainability, tcg, technology, whole system thinking, Wiki's

The Changing face of Social Media

August 7, 2008 By ajmunn 2 Comments

In relation to the timeline of communication tools, websites are only a millisecond old. Even if we disregard paintings on cave walls and the formation of the alphabet and just start from the first printed word, websites are mere saplings against the giant redwood.

Yet it is hard to imagine a life without websites; they have become so pervasive in our lives. They have grown and adapted. New tools, uses and applications are added all the time. The pace of change is phenomenal. Never before has communication had to adapt and change so fast. And never before have people needed to adapt their communications strategies so quickly.

The underlying philosophy of how organizations make their business decisions has been shaped by our journey through the industrial revolution. One thing the industrial revolution instilled in us is the need to automate, to do away with the individual craftsman, and to make things cheaper. To relate this to the evolution of the websites, the highly individual skill and craftsmanship of coding a website in HTML gave way to software that allowed any competent person to build a website in frames. Predetermined templates were created where you could just drop in a few photos and a bit of text and hey, presto, there was your website. As Henry Ford once said “You can have any color you want as long as it is black”, the web developer’s mantra is: “You can have anything you want as long as it fits into one of these templates.”

With the increasing adoption of social media, static templates are no longer adequate for organizations. As a result we are seeing a move towards templated social media solutions, choosing the template that most closely resembles what we think we need. But it is more complicated than that. We can no longer try to fit our organizations identity into a predetermined template. In order to keep up with the pace of change we need to alter our thinking. Today we need to make our message available on new media devices and portals. We need to integrate all our online assets. We want to weave our community into our brand so that there is a seamless integrated brand experience.

The changing approach we need when considering our online strategy is not limited to our online assets. We are seeing a general shift in the world’s consciousness. The establishment is being questioned. Alternative medicine’s holistic and spiritual approach is challenging the conventions of western medicines prescriptive antibiotic regime. There is a realization that blind allegiance to the production methods used in the industrial revolution is leading to climate change, wasted resources and dissatisfaction as value, creativity, purpose, collaboration and community give way to price, products, waste, exclusion and consumerism.

Within industry, through the research and thought leadership of organizations such as The Rocky Mountain Institute, a think tank and research institution, we see that by changing the way we approach the methods of production in industry, we can make real gains and savings through effective resource management and processes. We have had an excellent uptake of tcg’s Green Prepare™ programme, not because companies want to save the planet, but because there is a realization that in order for industry to survive, it needs to address the reality of our planet’s dwindling resources.

The ideology of production is wasteful and ill considered; yet these production methods are entrenched. It is difficult to throw this thinking away and accept alternative ways of producing, even if those methods lead to increased production and a stronger bottom line. Looking at organizations in a holistic manner and designing production so there is true integration of all aspects requires a shift in approach. Embracing alternative fuels, alternative build and engineering and new, considered production processes is not taking a step backwards; it ensures we can carry on producing way into the future.

This shift in consciousness is not about supplanting one way of doing things with another. It is about taking the best of all disciplines and changing the way in which we think about the relationship.

Similarly, the way we build out our technology is more important than ever. It is no longer a case of just having the best applications, widgets and tools; it is also about how that technology is structured and how relevant it is to your organization. Each organization has its unique business rules, structures and objectives. As an organization integrates and streamlines its operations, the same thinking needs to be carried forward into its online presence. More than ever, online tools and applications are becoming the way in which brands communicate with their audiences. As windows to our brand, websites are extending beyond the computer screen to a host of mobile devices, 10 foot interfaces and portals, some of which we still have to discover.

We are seeing a shift in how we think about our online property. The new social media platform has to embrace and enable this. It has to have tools that powerfully enable the user, yet it cannot be a rigid structure. It has to allow for unique business needs and it must integrate all aspects of the organization. Like any movement away from the established norm, not everyone gets it and not everyone at first will want to embrace it. Yet once the “ah-ha” moment comes, it all clicks and there is no going back.

http://twitter.com/ajmunn

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: 10-foot interface, alternative fuels, climate change, Collaboration, community, green prepare, lead certification, mobile devices, online portals, Rocky Mountain Institute, Social Media, social media platform, tcg, technology, widgets

Social Media in a Business Setting: Part Two

July 18, 2008 By ajmunn 1 Comment

I had intended to talk about social media in a business setting from the point of view of technology, tools and applications. After mulling this over in my head for a few days I realised that I was falling into the trap that so many people fall into. Social media cannot be defined by its technologies. Social Media is a phenomenon. It is about connecting people to each other, be they individuals, organizations or the whole spectrum in-between. It is about learning through collaboration and creating a new social structure to enable this to happen. This is not static: it is changing constantly. These connections are enabled through technology, and so, if we follow this train of thought, the technology and the way we use technology cannot be static either.

At tcg we have two areas of focus, Professional Services and Technology. Both feed each other but stand apart. Our Professional Services really drive our understanding of the phenomenon of social media. It allows us to truly understand each situation from the perspective of our client and the audience, stakeholders or users. We don’t only look at the now, but we look at where they have come from and where they are going.

Our second area of focus is Technology. It became clear to us that technology cannot be produced in isolation. It needs to be relevant, and yet it is not financially or time viable to start from scratch in every engagement. That would be silly. This is why we have created our technology in a modular fashion that can constantly change and adapt. We recognize that technology needs to talk to legacy applications and it needs to be expandable to incorporate new technologies, ones that we have not even thought of yet. Not only do we expect new applications, tools and widgets to become more relevant to a business over time, we also recognize that the business rules and uses of existing tools and applications are going to change. Our clients should be able to effect change quickly, efficiently and without great cost.

A good example of this constant change is to look at the altering landscape of portals we use to connect to each other. We are already seeing a migration of social media away from the exclusivity of computers to mobile and portable devices as well as 10-foot interfaces and other media portals. Can anyone really say that have a technology platform that extends to all these portals? No, because they have not all been defined yet, nor will we ever be at a place where progress will sit still for an hour so we can get the definitions down. What we can say is that we are prepared for this; we know it is happening and we are building our technology to adapt, to integrate and to expand.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: 10-foot interface, applications, connecting people, mobile, platform, portals, Professional services, Social Media, social-networking, software, tcg, technology, tools, widgets

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