Digital Democratization

The democratization of the digital world is the one of the most significant media revolutions in history.

Today we have instant access to countless new digital mediums that redistribute the power of communication, leveling the playing field between the powerless and the powerful. These tools provide an unlimited freeway of global communication without the barriers of production and one-way limitation that print and broadcast media face.

Every culture can now have a powerful presence and voice, which gives the opportunity for other cultures to interact with and learn from them. Corporations now have countless new and relevant ways to create a measurable dialogue with their consumers, instead of just talking at them. America’s political system can finally be a real democracy again. The average person now has a powerful voice that politicians can’t ignore, which is the way America’s political system was originally designed. These changes have the power to not only connect people, their communities and their economies, but also amplify their individual voices on a level playing field. This creates a seemingly flat world that not only operates more fluidly, but also is more culturally aware than our physical world.

The marketing industry has a responsibility to understand this media revolution and take advantage of the opportunity to be a positive force within it. We must accurately interpret the positive implications that the democratization of the digital world has on culture, economy and society and translate that into value for our clients.

Professional Athletes, the ultimate brand?

Now more than ever, I find myself wondering what happened to professional sports? More so, I find myself concerned that so many of our youth use these figures as role models.

When I think back to my youth and the people I looked up to, it just seemed so much more wholesome back then. You never heard of Cal Ripken Jr. taking steroids, you heard of him breaking the longest consecutive game record. That was not only an amazing personal accomplishment, but it set an example of dedication and work ethic to my generation as kids. Think Michael Jordan, Joe Montana, and Ken Griffey Jr.. Now we have Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick and Barry Bonds. These figures are undoubtedly the best at what they do, but is that enough at their level?

I feel that athletes should take social responsibility for the fact that they are constantly in the spotlight, on and off the field. They should know that their actions have immense implications for many people, other than themselves. What a nice thought, right?

Got any other mountains that need to be moved?

Ambidextrous Mind For Hire

When I decided I was going to pursue a post-graduate degree, lost of options came to mind. In my younger years I always thought I would end up as a graphic artist because I loved to do it, and I was good at it. After attending Virginia Tech’s Pamplin School of Business (with a Marketing Management major), I realized I was also very business minded. I needed an MBA that could merge my creative talents with my business talents.

Thank God for the VCU Adcenter. The Creative Brand Management track at the Adcenter was exactly what I was looking for. Working with real creative teams to solve real problems for real clients. Not just doing case studies to use the past to predict the future (although we do a fair share of that also). My Masters Degree from the Adcenter has more than prepared me to enter today’s changing business world.

Today’s business climate is different. It’s not as easy as making sure your product has the four P’s covered, and then you can watch your product fly off the shelves. The consumer is in control now, more than ever. So, I guess it’s pretty good then that the Adcenter curriculum forces us to be consumer centric at all times. We constantly learn, and utilize tools to break into the deepest insights of human purchase behavior. Then we apply those insights to the ever-fragmenting world of new media.

The Marketing and Advertising industry is in a mode of extreme change. While this change frightens many executives, Adcenter graduates are hungry to apply our talents in order to adapt, and be a catalyst in this industry.

Smile Moe.

I had the opportunity to have a unique cultural experience last week. While I am a huge fan of all music, I would not put myself directly into the “jam band” sub-culture. With the opening of the new venue “Toads Place” in Richmond, VA, there has been an influx of great bands to the area. Enter Moe. Moe. is a jam band from New York that has all the characteristics of traditional jam band, mixed with a bit more catchy song writing and a certain crispness to their style.

My roommates would be classified in the jam-band sub-culture, and they convinced me to come along to Moe. It was a great experience. You may wonder why, though. Imagine being crammed into a small space with a bunch of drunk hippies that smell of body odor and cigarettes, mixed with the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get a beer, and even longer to make it to the front of the bathroom line. In any other realm, it’s needless to say that people would be very angry and irritable given the logistics of the situation.

Not at Moe.

Everyone waited their 20 minutes for their beer with a smile on their face. They contently stood in line for the bathroom, and understandably apologized when they bumped your shoulder in passing (which was inevitable). Everyone remained happy in a logistical nightmare. It made me see how much this subculture really valued the product that Moe. was producing, and in turn made me respect it too.

When I wiggled my way to a spot on the balcony that overlooked the stage, and Moe. began to cover “Once in a lifetime” by the Talking Heads, I knew I had been missing out on a great band, and even more, a special sub-culture.

I doubt you’ll find me in the van following the next Widespread Panic tour, but I definitely can identify with the “jam-band” mindset after seeing Moe.

Like Acoustic Singer/Songwriters?

Well this blog just happens to be maintained by one. Originally I started this blog to be just about the intersection of culture and advertising, but realized that I could also use it to mindlessly plug my other passion, music.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was in 7th grade. It’s always been a hobby of mine. When my mind began to blossom in college, I found myself wanting to express the thoughts inside my head. So I began writing words to the songs I had crafted. Later I decided I was good enough to hit the local stages and did so with a vengance. The community of Virginia Tech and the surrounding city took kindly to it by voting me (backed by my band, A FRIENDLY TAKEOVER) the best local act in Blacksburg, VA. Needless to say it felt great to know that my “art” had an effect on other people (weather they’re drunken bar hoppers or not).

I wanted to invite the people reading this blog to check out the other wesite/blog I maintain that has to do with my current musical career. There you can check out photos, a show schedule and download a few of my original tunes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do creating it. The site is:

danielriddickmusic.com

-Cheers.

What has Michael Vick done to the Virginia Tech brand?

Well, a lot actually. In the light of his most recent media presence most people can only manage to see the negative things. Don’t get me wrong…the things he has done should be punishable by the fullest extent of the law. Most people might argue that Michael Vick has tarnished the Virginia Tech brand. They might be right, actually. Nothing good can come to brand that is in any way associated to what Michael Vick did.

But what people’s eyes are not open to is everything else that Mr. Vick did do positively for the Virginia Tech brand. He put Virginia Tech on the map through his amazing talent on the football field. Applications soared. The tiny town of Blacksburg was in the national spotlight. This guy must be pretty powerful. We’ve seen his power on the football field, and his power to boost a school in Southwest Virginia into the spotlight. Unfortunately, we’ve seen what can happen when this kind of power is not used correctly. Michael Vick has the power to make an entire country hate him, which unfortunately they do right now.

It’s up to us fellow Hokies to give Vick a second chance. This is what being a Hokie is all about. After April 16th we’ve all seen the power of the Virginia Tech culture when they come together as one. Michael Vick is part of Virginia Tech in a very substantial way, and as members of this “hokie family” we must be the first to condemn his action, and support the punitive consequences. But after he has paid his debt to society he needs somewhere he can turn for support. This is why I think it is a good idea for Jim Weaver (VT athletic director) to not rename “Michael Vick Hall.”

This is something to think about in corporate branding as well…what would you allow to associate with your brand? What if the environment changed and you had to cut out part of the soul of your brand? What would you do?

If you lost everything, what would you rebuild?

August 29th 2005 is a day that will live on forever, especially for those who reside (or resided) in New Orleans. The city found itself standing naked and alone asking themselves this exact question. Only, the ones who really know the deal, know that the hurricane didn’t cause the problems that plague the city. They were problems that were eating away at the city long before anyone even knew who Katrina was.

As tragic as this event was, it proved the opportunity for a city that had so many problems before, to start over from square one (not a chance that most cities with these types of problems get to do).

I was lucky enough to be part of a group at the VCU Adcenter that got to pitch our ideas to Trumpet (one of the leading advertising agencies in New Orleans). Our research found the economy the most fertile area to ignite change within the city.

We did this through partnering with the non-profit organization Idea Village who provides resources to start-ups in New Orleans. Our creative executions created awareness for this cause and this organization while also raising money from the general public through a partnership with Whole Foods.

It was an extremely rewarding project to work on, and gave us all extreme insight into one of the most amazing cities in the world.

Does tradgedy bring people together?

In my experience, yes it does. As terrible as certain tradgedies may be they force members of subcultures to confide in each other. It gives them all another common bond to add to the other bonds shared within that subculture.

This phenomenon has been most evident in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech. I graduated from VT one year prior to the shooting. One week after the shooting my close circle of friends that I graduated with decided a reunion was in good time. The reunion was not like other reunions filled with the typical booze, card games and loudmouthing. This was different. A reunion filled with intelectual conversation about people motivations and decision processes. A silent emotion was present through out the weekend that we were all there for each other. Nobody cried, but we knew that would could and would be recieved with open arms. We were there for each other, and that’s what we needed the most.

Look at what 9/11 did to patriotism in the United States. It made people realize what a special place America is. Now, if I had my way there would never exist another tradgedy where lives are lost and people are hurt, but with tradgedy comes togetherness and opportunities to rebuild something better. There’s always some kind of bright side and I make it a point to always try to see it.

Is it ok to talk about religion?

Yes. It is. Or at least it damn well should be. I don’t have any strong religious beliefs at all, but it is still a freedom that I believe in. The freedom of religion was the first freedom that America ever had. People fled their own nations to come here for this freedom. It has since become a freedom that our people have taken for granted.

Yes, we are very tolerant of all religions here in America. We actually have a great deal of respect for the religions of one another. That is not the problem that we face in this country. The problem is that everyone thinks they are going to offend someone just by bringing up religion in a casual conversation. As individuals we are comfortable with our own faith, and the faith of others, so why doesn’t anybody talk about it casually? We are all curious. What does the dot on an Indian woman’s head? Why do Muslims wear turbans? What is that white collar on a catholic priest? What is kosher salt?

These are all questions I’m sure we all have (in a different variety). Why is nobody asking them? It is because we are afraid of offending somebody, when in actuality the person would feel respected that you actually care enough to know. Everyone is ready to talk, but everyone thinks everyone else is not. This is where advertising communications can help herd the sheep.

Again, I personally do not have any strong religious beliefs, but I feel this is a subject matter that should be out in the open. This semester I am part of an advertising team at the VCU Adcenter in Richmond, VA to help solve this problem. It is our goal to create a communication that will stir up religious dialogue. We are going with the strategy “conviction is compelling.” We are hopeful that work should be produced later this year. We are working in partnership with The Council of Americas First Freedom in Richmond, VA.

Until next time, Cheers.

A crisis, or a cultural revolution?

In the new book “The Assault on Reason,” Al Gore brings to light that we are in the midst of a crisis. He argues that there is a “dismal decay of the public forum.” I agree that this “public forum” is a necessary form of open discussion between the people and their leaders that is essential to the operation of our democracy. What I don’t believe is that is it still in “a dismal form of decay.” Yes, maybe it began to decay slightly when TV and other one-way communications ruled the world. But, move over TV, the Internet has now taken over.

Websites, Blogs, Social Networking, YouTube, even Al Gore’s own, CurrenTV (a mesh of YouTube and TV) are growing exponentially. These are versions of a worldwide public forum that have proven to be extremely powerful tools in the world of politics. We are on the brink of a revolution where everyone now has a voice, and the politicians are DEFINITELY listening. This makes today’s “public forum” even more powerful than it ever has been.

“I think YouTube is every politicians worst nightmare…”

- Republican Candidate Jon Mccain on Jay Leno, Aug. 2007

“The bloggers are having a huge effect on Hillary’s campaign. They are not on her side and that is going to be a problem for her.”

- Chris Matthews (Hardball) on the Today show, Aug. 2007

Hmmm…this must mean the big politicians are actually going to have to start listening to the people! Isn’t democracy wonderful? Who cared about blogging or YouTube in past elections? Nobody. That gave candidates a change to talk AT you and not have to hear any reply back. Well, those days are over and the new age public forum is here, and is only going to get stronger and stronger.

The advertising industry is going through this same “crisis.” A rapid fragmentation of media vehicles and usage habits have changed the 30 second TV spot and 8.5” x 11” print ad into two small tools in a sea of media options. The agencies that are flourishing today are the ones who don’t swim away from the “crisis” but are riding the cultural wave.