Austin Powers Movieposter 
  Originally uploaded by nick kureghian

What have Austin Powers got to do with me or social media?

Well…the Austin Power’s series of movies represents the archetypal 1960s British mod era with constant advocacy for free love, using obscure expressions and clothing style and good old fashion womanizing.

And that’s what I see, as I watch organisations and individuals trying to force social media into an outdated view of what’s happening on online.

Already this week, I’ve enjoyed listening to a number of government departments and business executives boast of their new web 2.0 or social media initiatives. Loudly advocating the benefits, while still using old expressions like CONTROL then handing over responsibility to either IT departments, Web Designers or even the CEO’s personal assistant.

Nothing wrong with that…if they knew what social media was all about.

Social media is a new discipline…a totally new thought process that is challenging the way business and dare I say it….Governments think.

In my opinion, it’s still early days and like Dr. Evil, Austin Powers’ chief nemesis with aspirations of world domination, there are opportunities appearing everywhere for the early adopters to dominate their industry.

Yet, so many executives are horribly deficient in how to use the Internet much less that of social media or web 2.0 based technologies and tools.

Social media is so much…more.

Ask an expert to explain.!

I hope my week gets better…I’m off to the Newcastle launch of iPRIME Sportsplay. Prime’s new free and secure online social networking space for sport players, fans, coaches, administrators, friends and family.

And please, no jokes about me looking like Dr Evil!!!

  Blood Nose 
  Originally uploaded by Steve Kay

AUSTRALIAN MARKETING INSTITUTE is calling for nominations for election of members as state councillors.

Over 70 AMI Members are wanted to run for state elections to bring new blood to the organisation.

Ideally suited to members qualified in marketing with a vision of AMI Members becoming the preferred choice of employers and clients, valued by the community and leaders in the marketing profession.

The election will be held on the 24th September 2008.

Existing State Members and marketing laggards need not apply!!

This Advertisement has been made by Gordon Whitehead MMktg, AFAMI, CPM on behalf of  ‘Marketer’s with a vision.’

What’s your vision for the Australian Marketing Institute?

  gorilla grodd standing 2 
  Originally uploaded by Emperor Chambers

I read plenty of articles in the mainstream press and books on social media, but I believe it’s an 800 pound gorilla in many company boardrooms.

Where does an 800-pound social media gorilla sleep? Answer: Anywhere it wants.   

I’m using the 800 pound gorilla in your boardroom figuratively to represent the issue that is being avoided. Everyone is talking about it in the media, but many executives and marketers are still ignoring the issue.

I’m with Seth Godin when he said: “This is the new industrial revolution.”

Many companies either see it as a threat or believe the effects on their industry are exaggerated. While thinking any attempt at using social media may create more problems than it would solve.

However, I see social media as an opportunity with lots of new green fields everywhere.

As with the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, social media will profoundly challenge every brand, in every major industry. The goal posts have just been shifted.

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  DOLLAR SIGN (2) 
  Originally uploaded by ebaycoach

Published in this month’s Marketing Magazine is a great article titled ‘New survey confirms the importance of digital to marketers’ written by The Newshound.

In the article, he or she reports on a survey by Next Digital confirming many of the digital trends felt by Australian marketers.

And according to Anthony Goldman, GM, Marketing & Development, Next Digital:

“The good news for digital advocates is that digital is the new black. The percentage of organisations that will spend more than 50% of their marketing budget on digital media going from 4% in 2007 to 19% in 2013.

“We also found that the other major trend is that the percentage of organisations who will spend between 25% and 50% of their marketing budget on digital media going from 10% in 2007 to 51% in 2013.”

“So get on board. The debate is no longer should I digital, rather how should I digital. Next Digital has been doing this for 12 years. Digital is what we do all day every day. So its nice people are listening.”

If you would like to download the Next Digital’s report or read the article go to Marketing Magazine’s website.

I’d also like to remind you that if you need guidance or creative help with digital media, why not email me or call Sticky Advertising on + 61 2 49695022.

  groundswell_book 
  Originally uploaded by Robert_Collins

Basically, I really enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, ‘Groundswell’ is an essential reference book for any marketer or executive interested in preventing their business being swamped by the growth of Social Media. Li & Josh have written an insightful book that explains the fundamental change in consumer and business behaviour now happening online.

I especially like the way ‘Groundswell’ is structured, breaking down the social media phenomenon into three sections. The first section explains what the social media groundswell is all about and giving a rundown on some basic tools. The second section talks you through what businesses can do about it and lastly, it helps you use it.

I suggest you go and get a copy.

  Social Media Landscape 
  Originally uploaded by fredcavazza

The world’s most powerful people are worried, marketers are worried,
politicians are mainly ignorant and small business owners are confused.

The Advertising Industrial (r)evolution has begun. Social media has
reshaped our understanding of the marketing world which is now in a
continual state of flux.

There are no real Social Media experts yet, no right or wrong…the consumer is back in control. Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff say it best in their book ‘Groundswell‘ "Your brand is what your customer says it is."

Advertisers have to understand we have moved to a conversational era,
social media is not something advertisers can do part-time or offload
to the new kid. Advertisers need to commit, understand the social media
landscape and then, try to keep up with constant change.

According to Fred  Cavazza:

“Whether
you want it or not, conversations occur with or without you. What you
have to understand is that it is highly illusionary to think you can
control your brand by restricting blog usage from your employee or by
avoiding social networks."

"Your brand does not belong to you
anymore, it only exist in customers’ mind, which are massively present
in blogs, forums, wikis, social networks… So you have to choose between
suffering and benefiting from online conversations. That is why it is
important to name a social media champion within your organization
(just choose the right job title: Community planner, Social media
manager, Community architect, Social analytics expert…).”

Fred has uploaded a series of great social media diagrams to help people understand – check them out. Also, check out Robert Scobles ‘Starfish’.

  Black Crash 
  Originally uploaded by Fabien Barrau

Attending this week’s Future of Media: Summit 2008 has reinforced my belief in the emerging opportunities in digital and social media.

HOWEVER, there’s going to be a huge media train wreck and it’s heading towards those media and news organisations that are ignoring the huge social networking & media groundswell.

I’d like to make a special mention to all those Journalists who attended the event and positioned themselves as crusaders fighting against the infidels. In this case, the infidels are bloggers.

And then made themselves look silly by admitting their lack of knowledge on the subject.

However, given the quality of speakers on offer via a live simulcast conference session between Sydney and Silicon Valley, I learnt heaps.

On the other hand, I learnt a hell of a lot observing the table of social media (r)evolutionist that provide live commentary via Twitter, Summize, plurk.com, blog’s and broadcast via Ustream.com, to hundreds if not thousands of listeners.

As the Media Hunter points out: “Seriously, the technology and clever use of apps was just as impressive at our table as it was for the entire summit. I probably learned more from this than the whole event.”

These social media (r)revolutionaries were Mark Pesce, Stilgherrian, Servant of Chaos, Chris Saad, Stephen Collins  and Jed White.

You don’t need to spend millions of dollars on expensive media equipment to cover major events, all you need is a few Mac computers and an Internet connection.

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Guess where I’m off videoing tomorrow?

The Crystal Ballroom of the Crystal Palace at Luna Park Sydney,
to attend this years Future Exploration Network’s Future of Media Summit.

The summit is two simultaeneous events held in Silicon Valley USA and
Sydney Australia merging seamlessly by video, online discussion and
cross-continental panel and conversations.

Topics include:

• Future of TV and Video
• Future of Privacy and Personalized Advertising
• Global Media Strategies
• Comparing US and Australian experiences
• Future of Journalism
• Predictions for the Future of Media

The main session is then followed by an Unconference session allowing open discussion and movement between panels.

The summit is run by Ross Dawson’s Future Exploration Network. He invited Media Hunter and myself to provide some coverage, and possibly a cople of video interviews afterwards.

Well, to tell you the truth, they asked Media Hunter and he asked me to hold his hand.

Check out the full agenda and registration here.

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  The Black code 
  Originally uploaded by """""""Ricasa25"""""""

Some smart dude once said that death and taxes used to be the only certainties in life.

Well, after receiving a plethora of invitations to digital focused marketing events across Australia, my fellow marketers can now add web designers masquerading as digital marketing experts as another certainty. Everywhere you look you’ll find them touting their website…sorry, I mean digital message.

From television to newspaper columns, radio to glossy magazines. You can’t even scan the blogoshere without accidentally coming across a reformed web designer blogger talking up their new digital or social marketing credentials.

Unfortunately this trend is especially prominent with Newcastle web designers and companies as well as quite a few in Sydney. 

It’s the modern day version of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Emperor’s New Clothes" where a CEO unwittingly hires web designers to develop his or her firm’s digital marketing strategy. What does he get? A website! Not even a website with content. An empty shell.

It’s like asking your local builder to build a retail business from scratch and ending up with four brick walls, located in outback Australian and nothing to sell.

Many a CEO have become disillusioned with the online dream, after being sold a useless website that just sits there doing nothing, earning nothing and speaking to no one.

And now they are jumping on the Web 2.0 and social networking bandwagon. As the digital and social media market grows, web designers are rushing to rebrand themselves as digital and social marketing experts. The only problem is they are still only selling empty templated websites.

All you have to do is write an article or give a presentation, drop a few buzzwords, mention web 2.0, social media and then, talk up the big success of companies like Youtube, Google and Facebook. And then, call yourself a digital marketing expert.

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