I particularly like the very top and the very bottom of this image from Informationisbeautiful.net.
20
Jan
10
Hierarchy of Digital Distraction
20
Jan
10
links for 2010-01-20
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But the real question is – how many of your friends that don't work in media or advertising use Twitter?
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All your favourite Uniqlo goodness in one page – obviously on a design tip today….
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You have to love a good infographic.
15
Jan
10
The real question for 2010
We can make all the predictions we like about the development of technology, new communications methods bla bla bla, but the really important question for all us in the UK is – how will you vote in the forthcoming election? Because this time the choice isn’t between a little bit more money or a little bit less money in our pocket. Nor should it be about whether we like Gordon Brown’s tailor. This is by far the most important election for the last 12 years, because it will determine how or maybe even whether we ride out the economic storm.
And of course, for those of us leading fully networked lives there’s a different level of interest after the central role played by social media in the 2009 Obama campaign. Will the UK political parties go the same way? (yes they already are – eg webCameron) Will they suceed?
I was having a discussion about all this with @mccrudden at lunch. He thinks there are interesting opportunities for independent candidates – I definitely agree with that. There may also be opportunities for progressive and energetic individuals MPs because social media revolves around the cult of personality. But will it be the decisive poll swinging tool that it undoubtedly was in the States? I have to say I doubt it.
Our politicians have less to differentiate them, there is not a massively smarting disenfranchised electorate that feels ignored by one party out there waiting for mobilisation, there isn’t one person to vote for, there’s a party and I think that we still know that, and on top of that there is British cynicism.
I think there may be a real opportunity for apolitical organisations to drive election agendas using online spaces, which will not only be in social media. You only have to look at mydavidcameron.com, or the fact that 38 degrees has already launched into 2010 by polling its members about whether they should act to drive political discussion in the election, or this post about
The Guardian and many political think tanks have taken the opposite view to me. They think that this election will be substantially driven by social media – or at least by digital media.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jan/03/labour-tory-internet-campaigns
I think that it will play a substantial part, it will be integral, but will it be the change maker as it was in the States? Will it really swing the central, floating voters out of their complacency?
Whatever the result I am looking forward to the ingenuity of the various party teams – they’re going to have to work hard to catch our attention and I don’t doubt that they will.
12
Jan
10
links for 2010-01-12
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It had to happen and I admit to loving this game, Being slightly obsessed by it perhaps? Let's hope it's the first of many.
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In a webcast before Christmas I heard Biz Stone say that Twitter represented the triumph of humanity. I thought that was supremely naive at the time. Of course this may not be true but have we left Eden?
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A good article about Ford's social media strategy – how they're getting it right.
05
Jan
10
Good cheer for the New Year
The strange days after new year just before everything goes ballistic again are my favourite time to investigate storytelling stuff – all the things you feel like you shouldn’t play with when work is on a roll I seek out now and actively enjoy while I have the time. (Yeah Yeah, I should have the time to look at things like this this all the time but unfortunately life’s not like that.)
Anyway, here are my top 3 for the rest of the afternoon (before you have to leave work early to outrun the incoming snow):-
Echo Bazaar – This is a game linked into Twitter and based around a dystopia of London. It brilliantly weaves storytelling and your existing Twitter network so that you can play with and against your network and other strange and suspcious characters of this fantastic environment. I’m not telling you any more. Go and creep yourselves out!
HBO Imagine – HBO do it again with this amazing way of storytelling. High production values, all the stories interconnected, but seperated in the interface so that you have to work hard to put the pieces together. It’s drawing me in and I’m loving it.
Seth’s Blog – “Doh!” I hear you exclaim, “this person calls themselves a planner and they are recommending this?! Don’t they know we already read Seth’s blog have since we were but children?! ” Yes indeed, but as some of the people who read this blog aren’t planners I thought they might like to enjoy some of Seth’s daily goodness. And besides which Idon’t get the chance to read it every day – which is the point of this time of New Year Good Cheer. So, if you already know about it then pat yourself on the back and take an instant diversion via Adam Crowe. If not, enjoy.
I just joined the Facebook Group “Rage Against The Machine for Christmas No 1” . The point being to get Killing in the Name Of into the number 1 spot for Christmas Day instead of X-Factor cheese.
The irony is not lost on me that I will therefore be just as much party to creating a “false” number 1 by popular vote, I am just sick and tired of Christmas Bland.
Power to the Facebook people!
11
Dec
09
links for 2009-12-11
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I think they are definitely going in the right direction. They have familiarity on their side, but a subtle concept to communicate. I'll be interested to see how it develops.
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Fascinating stuff from the big blink thinker
30
Nov
09
I did it!
I wrote 50,000 words of a novel this month during NaNoWriMo nd I am exhausted. It may be rubbish but I did it and sometimes that’s all that counts.
I like Pat Kane’s thinkings. Here are some he has recently presented at the digital labor conference in NY.
His position is that we underestimate the power of play to shape the way that the internet is developing. And there is also some interesting thought on socio-biological theories of play and how they relate to our relationship with the net.
Better to get it from the horse’s mouth.
04
Nov
09
links for 2009-11-04
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Currently doing a little campaign in Germany all based around this.
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Do you care? Maybe not but this is how I spent my Saturday night and it was excellent!
