The Disruption Tour - Run To Survive A Social Media Revolution

The E-Coupon Generation

The recession has greatly increased the popularity of coupons, the use of which had been in decline for over a decade. Now, however, younger shoppers are turning to technologies like cellphones and the Internet to find and use coupons, and retailers are experimenting with a vast variety of electronic distribution, promotion and redemption systems.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/68007.html?u=thegies&p=ENNSS_41940d1570c4a7cb87ae2ee7321fa4f8&wlc=1251851553

Evolving Sources of Information

By Kevin Meyer

Baekdal has a fascinating article, complete with some fantastic illustrative graphics, showing how our sources of information and news have changed over the past couple centuries... and how they will continue to evolve.  Below is just the overall summary graphic, shrunk considerably, so visit the original site to really dive into it in detail.

You'll note that the time scale is a bit skewed, but just because so much change has happened so recently.  The article goes into considerable detail of the changes occurring during each time frame, but I'd like to summarize the most important ones here.

In the 1800, the only way you could really interact with other people was to go out and meet them. It was all about face-to-face communication. If you wanted to sell a product, you would go to the local marketplace, where you would setup a stand. But this also meant that the only way for you to get information - or to give information back - was to be at the right place at the right time. You didn't really know what happened in another part of the city.

Moving on into the long era of newspapers.

By the year 1900, the newspapers and magazine had revolutionized how we communicated. Now we could get news from places we have never been. We could communicate our ideas to people we had never seen. And we could sell our products to people far away.

That was truly a revolution... until the radio changed the game. 

During the next 60 years the newspapers dominated our lives.

Except that during the 1920s a new information source started to attract people's attention - the Radio. Suddenly you could listen to another person's voice 100 of miles away. But most importantly, you could get the latest information LIVE. It was another tremendous evolution is the history of information.

Moving on to...

During the next 40 years a new technical revolution, the television, was introduced. It started to real get public interest in the 1950s, and by the year 1990 it was huge. It had surpassed the newspapers and magazines, and it was slowly obliterating the radio. Now people could not only hear information, they could also see it.

The 1970s-1990s was also the time where the newspaper executives were realizing that something was going terrible wrong with their market.

Information, fast, immediate, and visual.  What's next?

1998 was the year when the internet changed from being a geeky place that had little relevance, to ‘every company needs to have a website'. It was a place where everyone could get information from everywhere - at least in theory. People also started to realize that the internet was more than just information. You could give something back. You could join the conversation. You could be a part of the experience instead of just a spectator.

Notice anything?  The velocity of information evolution is accelerating... rapidly.

In 2004, only 6 years later, the internet had revolutionized how we approach information.

For the first time in our lives we were being exposed to more information than we could consume. In the age of newspapers we had to choose what we wanted to see. But in 2004 we had to choose what we didn't want to see. This had a devastating effect on the traditional forms of information.

2004 was also year when a new phenomenon started to take off - Social Networking. The concept had been slowly gaining ground with the concept of blogs. It was an easy, simple and affordable way for everyone to share their ideas. And you could post a comment. For the first time, everyone could create their own sphere of information without doing ‘technical things'.

We've gone from centuries to decades to a few years... and now significant change is happening in the span of months.  Perhaps in the future we'll look back on this and see each change as just a smaller step in the larger electronic/online information revolution, but each change is still nearly as dramatic as the change from newspapers to radio.

2007 was also the turning point for the traditional websites. It was once the most important change, but now people compared the traditional websites to newspapers - a static and passive form of information. We wanted active information. We wanted to be a part of it, not just looking at it.

The blogs also started to get in trouble. Just as TV had eliminated radio (because it was better and richer way to give people LIVE information) so are social networks eliminating blogs. A social profile is a more active way for people to share what they care about.

And where are we today?

The new internet is completely dominating our world. The newspapers are dead in the water, and people are watching less TV than ever. The new king of information is everyone, using social networking tools to connect and communicate.

Even the traditional website is dying from the relentless force of the constant stream of rich information from the social networks. But 2009 is also going to be the start of the next revolution. Because everything we know is about to change.

We're just at the beginning of the next revolution?  So what's next?

Social news is quickly taking over our need for staying up-to-date with what goes on in the world. News is no longer being reported by journalists, now it comes from everyone. And it is being reported directly from the source to you - bypassing the traditional media channels. Instead of having a journalist reporting what some analyst are saying, you hear it from the analyst herself. Social news is about getting news from the source, directly, and unfiltered.

And a new concept in the form of targeted information is slowly emerging. We are already seeing an increasing number of services on mobile phones, where you can get information for the area that you are in.

Now imagine the year 2020...

The traditional printed newspapers no longer exists, television in the form of preset channels is replaced by single shows that you can watch whenever you like.  The websites have a much lesser role, as their primary function will be to serve as a hub for all the activities that you do elsewhere.

Social news, as described previously, is going to be the most important way that people communicate. The traditional journalistic reporting is by now completely replaced getting information directly from the source. Everything will incorporate some form of targeting. You will be in control over every single bit of information that flows your way.

In 2010, two new concepts will start to emerge. One of them is intelligent information, where information streams can combine bits from many different news sources. Not just by pulling data, but summarizing it, breaking it apart and extracting the valuable parts.

The concept of having to get the paper, sit in front of your TV, or look at your computer, will be long gone. Information will not be something you have to get. It comes to you, wherever you are, in whatever situation you happen to be in. The information stream will be a natural part of every second of your life. It is not something you get, it is something you have.

I know a lot of people bemoan the loss of "journalists"... but what are (or "were"?) journalists anyways?  Yes they are trained, but they are also a filter.  And as we know, any filter has a bias, admitted or not.  Looking back it's actually frightening that newspapers, often just one newspaper in a town or city, was considered a reputable source for information.

Compare that to today where we can receive live tweets directly from the protesters in Iran, create dynamic and lively social communities around niche interests with immediate information flow, learn new concepts when and where you want, and ponder and learn from the insights of great minds who in another era would never have been heard from.

How will future information evolution affect you... and your organization?

 

ON THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

from mashable.com

thegies writes hmmm...175 Billion spend on advertising in the US in 2007 and $165 Billion being thrown in the trash or into landfills due to ineffectiveness.  I wonder what a difference reallocating this money would make to many social issues? Check out http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=323832500

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The Economist has a timely cover story on the current global food price inflation and resulting unrest.  Here's how they describe the harsh human reality:

"...by almost any measure, the human suffering is likely to be vast. In El Salvador the poor are eating only half as much food as they were a year ago. Afghans are now spending half their income on food, up from a tenth in 2006.

On a conservative estimate, food-price rises may reduce the spending power of the urban poor and country people who buy their own food by 20% (in some regions, prices are rising by far more). Just over 1 billion people live on $1 a day, the benchmark of absolute poverty; 1.5 billion live on $1 to $2 a day.

Bob Zoellick, the president of the World Bank, reckons that food inflation could push at least 100m people into poverty, wiping out all the gains the poorest billion have made during almost a decade of economic growth."

In particular the article does a good job on outlining the myriad market forces than have brought us to this point, and an cogent examination of how market forces may get us out.  As the article points out:

"In the short run, humanitarian aid, social-protection programmes and trade policies will determine how well the world copes with these problems. But in the medium term the question is different: where does the world get more food from?

If the extra supplies come mainly from large farmers in America, Europe and other big producers, then the new equilibrium may end up looking much like the old one, with world food depending on a small number of suppliers and—possibly—trade distortions and food dumping."

But the longer-term answers are not that clear, given the complexity of the many disparate global trends that are coming together at an inopportune time. We need to understand the issues and the problems before we can start to figure out the opportunities and solutions.

Definitely worth a weekend read.

Reading, TV Are (Declining) Leisure-Time Faves, Computer Use Up

marketingvox.com

A rallying call for Reading Rainbow Americans' favorite leisure activities are reading, TV-watching and spending time with friends and family - the same top three as in 2004, but with lower percentage of people citing them, according to a Harris Poll, writes MarketingCharts. Also according to the results of the survey: Over one-third (35 percent) cited reading in 2004, but this year that is down to 29 percent. TV watching has dropped from 21 percent to 18 percent. Spending time with friends and family has dropped from 20 percent to 14 percent. Computer activities has risen from 7 percent to 9 percent. Going to the movies has dropped from 10 percent to 7 percent. Biggest Changes The largest increases in popularity in the past 12 years - since 1995, when this survey was first conducted - are the following: Computer activities (not surprisingly) - up seven points, from 2 percent to 9 percent. Watching sporting events (up four points) Exercise (up three points) Crafts (up three points) The biggest declines in popularity over the last 12 years are in TV-watching (down seven points), sewing/crocheting (down five points), entertaining (down four points) and swimming (down four points). Hours Working and Available for Leisure The number of hours spent working (including housekeeping and studying) dropped from a median of 50 hours in 2004 to a median of 45 hours this year - the lowest since 1975, when it was at 43 hours. The number of hours available for leisure per week has not changed much since 2004. It is now 20 hours; in 2004 it was 19 hours. About the survey: The Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States between October 16 and 23 among 1,052 adults (age 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, number of adults in the household, size of place (urbanicity) and number of phone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

Four in Five US Adults Go Online - Usage, Users Profiled

marketingvox.com

click here for more info...

The number of adults online at home, in the office, at school, the library or other locations continues to grow at a steady rate. The figure increased 10 percent in the past year to an estimated 178 million* - or nearly four out of five US adults, according to the latest Harris Poll, reports sister site MarketingCharts. Shortcuts to tables referenced in this article: Proportions of US adults who are PC and online users, 1995-2007 Number of US adults online, 1995-2007 Locations from which US users go online and for how long per week, 1995-2007 US online adults' demographic profile

Reach high school grads who like to spend

Imediaconnection.com click here for more of the article

The Millennial generation has received increased scrutiny as a truly wired generation. They’ve grown up with the internet in their schools and in their hands. They’re of acute interest to marketers, especially now, as they enter the work force and have discretionary income. A marketer’s hope is that if a brand can capture consumers as they first become independent spenders, these individuals will continue to be loyal as they become more affluent.

But there’s a subset of this group that is not on the radar screen of most marketers. These are non-college bound individuals, especially those in the first two years after high school graduation. Let’s call them the Shadow Millennials.

Shadow Millennials make up a significant percent of this age group. Of high school students graduating in 2005, 41.8 percent did not enter college. This represents nearly 1.7 million 18 and 19 year olds who are prime candidates for brand marketing.

The Shadow Millennials have been exposed to the same school conditions as college-bound students -- using the internet for entertainment and information. But they are now independent wage earners and decision makers with access to more personal money for products and services. They are sophisticated buyers, handling money independently.

The Shadow Millennials have different online interests, behaviors and buying habits from those with college experience. So how can the non-college bound generation be acquired online and brought out from the shadow of their peers?

Reach high school grads who like to spend

imediaconnection click here for more...

By Carol Setter

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Get the guide to who Shadow Millennials are and how they like to spend their disposable income.

The Millennial generation has received increased scrutiny as a truly wired generation. They’ve grown up with the internet in their schools and in their hands. They’re of acute interest to marketers, especially now, as they enter the work force and have discretionary income. A marketer’s hope is that if a brand can capture consumers as they first become independent spenders, these individuals will continue to be loyal as they become more affluent.

But there’s a subset of this group that is not on the radar screen of most marketers. These are non-college bound individuals, especially those in the first two years after high school graduation. Let’s call them the Shadow Millennials.

Shadow Millennials make up a significant percent of this age group. Of high school students graduating in 2005, 41.8 percent did not enter college. This represents nearly 1.7 million 18 and 19 year olds who are prime candidates for brand marketing.

The Shadow Millennials have been exposed to the same school conditions as college-bound students -- using the internet for entertainment and information. But they are now independent wage earners and decision makers with access to more personal money for products and services. They are sophisticated buyers, handling money independently.

The Shadow Millennials have different online interests, behaviors and buying habits from those with college experience. So how can the non-college bound generation be acquired online and brought out from the shadow of their peers?

To Target Women, Try Sports — but Ethnicity Matters

marketingvox.com

Going for gold To reach women, marketers may not consider choosing between soap operas and the NFL when putting together media allocation plans. But they might want to reconsider, according to a BIGresearch study, which found women more likely to be regularly or occasionally watching sports than soap operas, writes sister site MarketingCharts. Whereas 62 percent of women surveyed say they watch sports regularly or occasionally on TV, 42 percent watch soap operas with the same frequency, according to BIGresearch's Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM 10, July 07) of 15,439 consumers.

Boomers Don't Retire; They Become their Own Bosses

For many Boomers, retirement is an opportunity to start a business and become their own boss. 15 percent intend to work for themselves until they die,...

marketingvox.com

Acxiom Goes Behavioral for Online Direct Marketing

marketingvox.com

Seeking to mirror offline direct marketing efforts, Acxiom is rolling out a new service combining behavioral targeting and re-targeting features, reports ClickZ. Acxiom will use consumer demographic data on the household level to target ads based on the behavior exhibited by those households and others in that demographic segment. Those who show an inclination toward certain transactions, but have not yet converted on them, will also be re-targeted to drive potential consumers to pull the trigger on the purchase. The re-targeting technology comes from EchoTarget, a network Acxiom acquired just this past September. Ads will be delivered to sites in Acxiom's Relevance X network in the form of display ads, though other formats are planned for the future.