And another network…

This time it’s BA. They’ve created a social network for NY and London – metrotwin.com – so that people flying transatlantic can get and make recommendations. Kudos to BA for having the bravery to invest in something like this – but I guess they have a lot of transatlantic business customers.

I wonder if all this is the fruit of pitches and proposals last year in the height of social networking frenzy when they were the latest thing. How well will they succeed in an environment where they are a bit old hat?

I’ll definitely be following their progress.

Little Black Book

You sort of have to like First Direct, their very DNA is about change/adaptation and service, things that are central to good business and to great brands. I now like them even more because they have launched Little Black Book.

1/3 of all First Direct customers were recommended the service by other customers, so what better application of social networking then to create and exclusive recommendation app for “people like us” – Little Black Book.

I like it because it is born out of the brand, fits the brand and has a purpose – the key things for a social network to be succesful. I also like it because it is a bank thinking differently in times when thinking differently will undoubtedly take more courage.

links for 2008-12-12

• ARF Industry Leader Forum: Six Signals of Listening
  6 reasons to listen carefully to conversations on social networks.
  (tags: social nielsen listening engagement)
• Online communities provide real support
  Interesting case study from Nielsen on the web's use by communities of care givers to support each other. It doesn't require new and exciting tools, a forum will do it. The kind of story about the web that I like.
  (tags: nielsen forum caregivers caring community support)
• Windows on Apple
  The iPhone's appley sanctity is being compromised. Good Job (s).
  (tags: apple windows citrix iPhone)

BIMA for Imagination

A great time was had at the BIMAs last week and what was really nice was that we won an award for a project we’ve done for Landrover. We got the award for short form content that we distributed to self-selected customers via mobile phone. The content was all about the LRX concept vehicle, Landrover’s forthcoming hybrid so we had a great story to work with.

I don’t often talk about the work that we do at Imagination but I feel like I can with this one because I wasn’t part of the team that worked directly on it and I think those guys deserve their due for a great project. It looked beautiful but was also enabled because of forward thinking clients who understand the importance of taking care with mobile delivery not to intrude on people’s personal space without permission.

Matt Locke has written some good stuff on personal spaces in different media which I would direct you to instead of me going on about it! You can find it on his blog, here.