Goals Update

Old goals:

• Challenge myself by doing not only the 1-point assignments. At the end of each quarter I want to have done at least 2 assignments for 2 points or more.
• Work on Product Development for 20 hours on a weekly bases so that I will not have to do everything last minute at the end of a quarter.
• Stay up to date of multimedia/ marketing trends by reading weblogs/magazines weekly. Post interesting messages on my blog.
• For every assignment which includes generating ideas, generate at least 5 more than asked for, to learn how to get more ideas and to develop my creativity.
• Apply the learned methods and theories when creating a concept from an idea

Additional goals:

• Spend at least 3 of the 8 weekly postings for the winter season on my thesis subject
• Write at least one essay about my thesis subject
• Practice writing and ask for feedback to improve the level of my thesis
• Read the books or parts of books I'm asked to read
  

Essay of choice: The broader view on narrowcasting

“Research agency GFK recently asked 2000 Dutch people their opinion about in store TV. (…) Almost half of the shopping people experiences this way of communication as annoying.”[1]

Ever since the term ‘Narrowcasting’ was launched, it has been criticized; not only by consumers, but also at many marketing- and new technology blogs. Some people say that everybody can do it, some say that it’s overrated and others say it’s just another variety on the ‘-casting’ hype: bluecasting, podcasting, vodcasting; it’s just a load of new marketing terms without real added value. Can professional marketeers add value to narrowcasting?

What is narrowcasting?
Narrowcasting is the opposite of broadcasting: where broadcasting reaches a broad audience, narrowcasting is all about reaching a very specific target group at a specific place. Narrowcasting is not something revolutionary. It is a combination of multiple media (at least a screen and a computer) applied in a specific environment.

Segments
So far retail is the biggest user of the technology in the Netherlands[2]; they are widely implementing it in their stores. From small applications with just one screen showing a simple PowerPoint presentation, to complicated multi-screen applications with other technologies integrated in the system. Recent numbers show an amount of already 15.000 screens in the Dutch stores[3]. It’s not so strange that retail has discovered the possibilities of narrowcasting. They already have a specific niche to market, know much about the niche and can make perfect fitting content to please their market. But retail is not the only segment which uses narrowcasting. The travel branch, catering industry and museums are just a few more examples of segments using narrowcasting.

Content matters
The most important aspect of narrowcasting is not the amount of screens or the complexity of the application. What really matters is the content of the screen[4]. Deciding the content of the screen comes with several risks. A consumer is for example not pleased seeing only advertisements. They might feel attacked by the very present -usually large- screens while they might prefer to shop quietly. The content shown on the screen(s) must have an added value for the customer’s shopping experience or the whole experience will just cause a negative association with the brand. When the shop owner can’t come up with anything more creative than just displaying advertisements on the screens, this is the moment to consult a professional marketeer. He can think of better ways to improve the shopping experience of the consumer. A good example of enriching customer experience is shown by Total. The gas stations show not only advertisements on the screens, but also information about the weather and the traffic. Since most people dropping by Total are on the road, this is definitely information they will appreciate.

It can also be more complex. A good example is the Adidas Store in Paris. The narrowcasting solution is an integrated part of the formula of the store. The customer runs on a treadmill and after technology registered the run, it allows the customer to digitally try on different running shoes which fit their feet perfectly. This feature completes the customer experience.[5] Narrowcasting enriched with new technologies and customization… it’s all about having a broader view.

There is nothing wrong for retailers to do a little do-it-yourself narrowcasting. Creative solutions do not per definition have to come from professional marketeers. The core of narrowcasting is that the shown content adds value to the customer’s shopping experience. And when a retail owner does not possess a creative mind or once it comes down to more complex solutions and inventive implementation, professional marketeers can definitely add value to narrowcasting.

Literature list
Meijsen, J., Narrowcasting – retailgroeimarkt at: http://www.elsevierretail.nl/RetailHome/Nieuws/Algemeen/Algemeen-artikel/NarrowcastingRetailgroeimarkt.htm (26/9/2007).
Consulted 01/10/2007.

Treur, A., Narrowcasting is voor narrowminders at: http://crossmediaforum.web-log.nl/crossmediaforum/2006/11/narrowcasting_i.html#more (04/11/2006).
Consulted 09/10/2007.

Van der Mey, H., Narrowcasting at: http://www.onestepmore.nl/Narrowcasting%20Informatie%2010-2005%20www.onestepmore.nl%200612868726%20%5Bcontent-webteksten-webredacteur-copywriter%5D%20.pdf (09/2005).
Consulted 09/10/2007.

Writer unknown, Adidas to launch the world’s first "mi Innovation Center" at the new adidas Sport Performance Store in Paris at: http://www.press.adidas.com/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-11/16_read-7162/ (24/10/2006).
Consulted 01/10/2007.

[1] Albert Treur (2006)

[2] Joep Meijsen (2007)

[3] Joep Meijsen (2007)

[4] Hans van der Mey (2005)

[5] Adidas (2006)

Weekly posting 8: How to raise a nation

While working on the end assignment for this quarter, I noticed this message at Adfoblog.

Postbus 51 is the public service information centre in the Netherlands. It is part of the Government and in specific the Ministry of General Affairs.
Postbus 51 is especially know for its TV- and radiocampaigns. The name 'Postbus 51' comes from when the government opened one central mailbox for questions in the 50's: Postbus 51 in The Hague.

The TV and radio campaigns that Postbus 51 launches are mostly about 'raising' the Dutch people. A few examples of campaigns are: 'Drive with your heart', 'You smoke outside', separating garbage and "Bob jij of bob ik?" (about who is going to drive and not drink).

Every year when the budget of the Ministry of General Affairs is about to be discussed, the question rises whether the Postbus 51 campaigns are a waste of money or not. In the 'Tweede Kamer', many think it's useless, carping and expensive, says the 'Nederlands Dagblad'.

The critical CDA person Wim van de Camp says the campaigns are 'expensive operations and therefore we want to know who are reached and whether they have effect'. But, he doesn't want to dissolve Postbus 51. "We shouldn't go back to a neutral government like we had in the seventies. The government should be able to stimulate good behavior."

Some people, like Aad Muntz (72) who used to work for 'Centraal Beheer', say the messages in the campaigns should be more shocking to really affect people's behavior, like the Sire (independant foundation for idealistic commercials) campaigns. Other people say neither subtle or shocking commercials will affect people's behavior.
But what does affect people's behavior? I think personal experiences play a big role in whether people are willing to change their behavior. Imagine having lost a friend in traffic because of a drunk driver. It's not very likely you'll ever drive while being drunk. A campaign with shocking images can intensify this experience. Same goes for smoking, child abuse, fireworks etc. Experience + a little but of common sense should affect behavior, a campaign should work like a catalyst.

I think these campaigns should stay. Some with a shocking message, some with a teaching message. The context decides whether a person is touched. There is always one message for the right person at the right time. You can't expect everybody to be reached, but especially in these social subjects, every one person reached is one accident less. It's not a bad idea though to research numbers of the topics of the campaigns. This will only clarify what now is unknown and based on that, new decisions can be made to be more effective.

Weekly Posting 7: Web 93750892516584236.0

I was reading a short news article about Web2.0. The term Web3.0 was mentioned in the article as well; which didn't really surprise me.
Shortly summarized:
Web 1.0 was considered a 'read only' medium on which the content was written by organizations and companies
Web 2.0 evolves in a medium where communities and user generated content are the main characteristics
Web 3.0 (also known as the Semantic Web) is best explained by quoting Tim Berners-Lee who invented the term: "I have a dream for the Web [in which computers] become capable of analyzing all the data on the Web – the content, links, and transactions between people and computers. A ‘Semantic Web’, which should make this possible, has yet to emerge, but when it does, the day-to-day mechanisms of trade, bureaucracy and our daily lives will be handled by machines talking to machines. The ‘intelligent agents’ people have touted for ages will finally materialize." An example of how this would work can be seen here.

This was pretty much how much I knew. But then I saw the hyperlink about Web 4.0. I was curious so I clicked. Apparently Web 4.0 is a much talked about issue as well, having 105.000.000 hits on google and also mentioned at Seth Godin's blog. It's a really interesting article so if you have time, read it!

But then I started thinking...1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0..... Where does it end?
So just for fun I started Googling Web 5.0, Web6.0 etc. Here are the results:
Web 5.0 - 86,5 million hits
Web 6.0 - 77.7 million hits
Web 7.0 - 57 million hits
Web 8.0 - 38,4 million hits
Web 9.0 - 13.8 million hits
Web 10.0 - 11,1 million hits

Apparently many people are involved in the development of the web and have many thoughts on it. Now I just need a few months get up to date... At least if Web 11.0 is not developed at that time...!

Weekly post 6: Adobe User Group Meeting

Wednesday October 10th I visited an Adobe User Group meeting in Amsterdam. Every once in a while these meetings are held for anyone who works with Adobe. Several professionals give readings, examples and demos about the subject of the meeting. This meeting was about (online) interactive video applications. The guest speakers were: Beamlab, Mark de Jong (Netmasters), Elvin Dechesne en Sander Riel (Satama Flash Fabriek), Waldo Smeets (Adobe) and Jorge Calleja (Wieden & Kennedy). Not too bad I think, because Satama Flash Fabriek were the ones who created “Het huis van morgen” (2005) and Jorge Calleja was creative director in the development of the very successful “Get the glass” campaign (6 million visitors to the website, a few million gallons of milk sold more the year after). You can see his portfolio here.

The whole meeting was about online interactive video and how flash video will play an increasing role in this development. Every aspect of interactive video was brought up; Adobe told us about new technologies and safety protocols, Netmasters talked about encoding methods, software and hardware and Satama told us what you need to create a successful video shoot to implement in an interactive flash application. According to this meeting interactive video is the future online. Take a look at mogulus.com (created/supported by Netmasters). With Mogulus, the internet, and a webcam, “along with your talent and passion to communicate” you can create your own online TV station. It’s like blogging but then with video. Of course there is a whole network implemented as well so you can see other stations too. User generated content at -yet- another level.

A new Adobe product was also presented by the Adobe speaker, Waldo Smeets. He presented the Adobe Media Player (see how it works). It’s a stand alone flash video player. The goal is to create a personalized TV experience on the computer. It works a little bit like RSS; with the help of a feed you can download (stream, you can’t put them on your local disk) all kinds of shows and movies you like. You can also download ahead, so that when you’re offline you can still watch them. You can completely personalize the looks of the player. The player also allows bannering in the downloaded shows (flash overlays), and even when the consumer watches the shows being offline, the statistics are saved (no. of clicks etc.). There was a question what the difference was between the Adobe Media Player and Joost. The biggest difference is that Joost works with the P2P system and the AMP works like an RSS feed.

Altogether it was a very interesting meeting, a lot of different points of view on online interactive video and much inspiration for new ways to apply this technology!

Weekly Posting 5: Lost in networks

An interesting post on Mr. Anderson's personal blog made me think about social networks. So far we have seen the development of many mass-socialnetworking websites. MySpace, Facebook and Hyves are all huge friend networks. Then of course there are the more professional networking website like LinkedIn and some smaller networks which are more branch-specific. It is actually strange that in a time where marketing is more and more about niches, and favorably one-to-one, there are these mass social networks. Users define their preferences, hobbies and characteristics and advertisers have to find their potential customers in the mass.
Chris Anderson puts social networking in a different perspective. He says: "Social networking is a feature, not a destination." He believes that when social networking becomes a standard feature on any good website which is focussed on a niche, the community will work best.

I understand mr. Anderson's point; on a niche market's website, there are usually people with the same interest for that specific niche. The chances are big there is a match between those people and so a community can become reality. I also believe that up to a certain level, this can work. For example if we look at traveling. If there is a specific company who organizes fishing holidays, I can imagine a social network on the website where people can exchange experiences, make recommendations, find partners to go on a holiday with, etc.

But I do wonder though if this will really be as successful as mr. Anderson thinks it will be. I really think it's limited to very specific markets. People do not have only one interest and I wonder if they would like to sign up for 30 different communities. One for their favorite shoe brand where they discuss the new designs, one for their favorite rice where they can make friends with people who all like the same rice and one for all people who brush their teeth with ToothpasteX. Lost in networks.

The thing that makes social networking interesting, is also discovering about other people's preferences; either in music, art, clothing, traveling or any other thing. Isn't that partly what keeps the Long Tail going? That people constantly keep discovering new things they've never heard of before, but like anyway? Mass social networks make sure this happens. I'm not so sure this is also happens in social networks for every niche market...