How To Play Nice And Still Crush Your Enemy

How Important Is Playing Nice?

Why did the one time market leader, Apple, lose so much market share that at one time they were no more than an after thought in the worldwide desktop computing industry?

Why, as of March 2007, has Apache served 58% of all web sites worldwide (cite)?

Why is Friendster no longer popular?

What is Second Life one of the fastest growing Virtual Worlds?

Ok, But Do You Really Need To Be Nice?

My answer is no. No one ever said you needed to be nice. In fact, in business I don't think that anyone really expects you to be nice, but it is this very lack of expectation that may give you an unpredicted lever which may just tip the scales in your favor. Sure, business and markets can be war, but that does not mean that they must be a full on attack. Unlike head to head combat modern business often requires a more subtle strategy that takes in to account all facets of the market you are in,  as well as all complimentary markets that may only be noticed in the the nuances of of that market.

Shut Up And Tell Us Where You Are Going With All This!

Ok, OK!

As a self proclaimed fan of Apple, but someone who refuses to continue to be one of those self righteous fan-boys that refuse to see anything but what they want to see, I am thrilled with the recent movements by Apple.

For a while I was really getting sick of the arrogance coming out of Apple, but yesterday, June 11, 2007, Apple announced a few things that illuminated their further dedication to working with their users as well as competitors.

The first announcement, not as earth shattering but still important (as it is not the first time that Apple has opened up software to PC users) was the fact that Apple has thrown their hat into the cross platform browser wars, announcing Safari for windows. I must admit that I use Firefox on my Mac and Flock on my PC, but this news still excited me and I still downloaded Safari to my PC. The implications here go beyond the personal computer. This announcement comes at a time when Apple is going after the mobile market, and if they think they can take the mobile market without being cross platform friendly, they have another thing coming. This however is not the case and, just as with iTunes Apple has realized that the way to world domination is by employing a strategy that is inclusive. 

On to the iPhone.

There was no way that I was going to get an iPhone. I use outlook at work as well as various other PC apps. There is no way I was going to subject my only means of mobile voice communications to platform confusion. Well, perhaps this will not be the case after all. Apple has announced that they are dedicated to supporting third party Web 2.0 applications and to the developers who create them. Perhaps I will reconsider the iPhone.

Web OS Where Are You?

For a long time I have spoken about, thought about and prayed for the coming a a true Web OS. An interoperable platform capable of diminishing the importance of a local terminal and creating open source ubiquitous computing. We are on our way, but not there yet. Both Apple and Google have been devoted to the very same dream. Microsoft and Yahoo, where are you!

Tags: Apple, iPhone, Desktop, Web OS, Apache, WWW, Second Life, Virtual Worlds, Business, Marketing, Friendster,  ubiquitous computing, yahoo, microsoft

All About Adam/North By Northeast

Those of you that have known me for a while know that I am a musician (listen to one of my songs here), and while I am not a very active musician these days, it is in the blood.

This past weekend my buddy Jay Moonah (of Uncle Seth) invited me to speak on a panel at North By Northeast in Toronto about the potential for musicians to market their stuff in Second Life. While we did not have the best turn out, I think the panel went really well and I got to meet some cool people. I also got to hang out with my friends and Amaya Thompson (also of Uncle Seth) and Julien Smith and  listen to his panel on podcasting.

I got to check out a really cool B52's -esque, dance pop, good-time-rock-but-still a-bit-edgy band Spiral Beach (who I meet at the conference the next day) and I had the pleasure of having lunch with and partying with Jenn Mierau (who totally rocks, you should check her stuff out).

Overall a good weekend!

"I never though I would have a career, I never wanted one" (in reference to his career in podcasting)

Tags: NxNE, Uncle Seth, Jay Moonah, Julien Smith, Jenn Mierau, Spiral Beach, Amaya Thompson, Second Life, Toronto

Shut Up And Syndicate

Digital Content Has No True Home

This is nothing new. Modern consumers want their content when, how and where they want it. This has been proven by the growing adoption of VOD, iPod Video, and RSS (amongst others).

In recent conversations about widgets, I have often taken the stance, "who care, they are widgets, Apple has been doing this forever and so have bloggers!".

Well folks, it is rare that I admit I was off target, but to a certain degree I feel that I was.

NBC Universal Launches Widgets to Expand Distribution of Content on Digital Platforms

NBC continues to lead the network charge towards innovation by adopting Clearspring to distribute content via widgets across the web.

Tags: NBC, Clearspring, Syndication, Content Syndication, Blogger, VOD, iPod, RSS, Widget

Good Idea, Questionable Execution

In a unique marketing push Netflix has announced a summer concert series called Netflix Live! On Location. That is the good news.

Who is performing you ask:

The Bacon Brothers

Dennis Quaid and The Sharks

The Bruce Willis Blues Band

Contextually it makes sense but....

Let's Stick With The Topic Of Music

I love Bob Marley. In fact, in high school I was in a Marley cover band. So do you think I was excited when I heard the news Exodus+ special additions will be release on a USB memory stick to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the legendary album?

Not at all!

Yes, it is a first, but there is a reason for that. It makes no sense!

Anyhow, if you are interested, find more here

Microsoft Ignites Musicians

Microsoft's new Ignition initiative helps recording artist's promote new material across their various platforms such as the Zune, Xbox and MSN. While this can be seen as a a move to help out the faltering music industry, I see it as a play to leverage Microsoft's more successful to bolster usage of it not so successful "iPod Killer".

The Audience is there, will they adopt the technology?

The first promotion is for U.K. artist Maximo Park and looks something like this:

Zune Marketplace and Zune.net

•	“Our Velocity” featured as a free download on Zune Marketplace
•	“Don McPhee” offered to U.S. audiences as an exclusive track for two weeks on Zune Marketplace
•	Playlist of 10 favorite tracks from Maxïmo Park lead singer Paul Smith available for download on Zune Marketplace
•	Maxïmo Park’s personal commentary on “Our Earthly Pleasures,” featuring song-by-song descriptions and comments
•	Maxïmo Park-specific page on Zune.net promoting the band’s current activities

Xbox LIVE Marketplace

•	Promotional video download of “Our Velocity” offered at no cost to Xbox LIVE subscribers

MSN Entertainment

•	Promotional video stream of “Our Velocity” on MSN Video
•	Listening parties for “Our Earthly Pleasures” during the first two weeks of June on MSN Music, which will allow consumers to listen to the entire album via streaming audio for free

What I really like about this whole thing is that it is a realization of music as franchise, not as solitary product.

Tags: Netflic, Netflix Live, Netflix Live on Location, The Bacon Brothers, Dennis Quaid and The Sharks, The Bruce Willis Blue Band, Bob Marley, Exodus, USB memory stick, Microsoft, Ignition, Zune, Xbox, MSN, iPod, Maximo Park

The Worlds Largest Focus Group

In the past I have written about new ways to glean consumer insight such as the concept of the "Focus Experience". I suppose that is why this release caught my eye.

The World's Largest Focus Group

While I am not fully sold on the concept, I am certainly intrigued by Adoodle Inc.'s new platform TVAdsAgain.com. Like many marketers currently do with YouTube, television spots are placed uploaded in order to gain insight and interest levels. The difference here is that users are incentivized to review  spots for "Adbucks".

Perhaps the wisdom of crowd will pay off.

Also On The Video Front...

Life explained on Film!

Over 15,000 professionally produced informational videos. I think the name of the game hear will be scale. In order to really make this work they will either need to position themselves as, "The Place To Go For Video Information" or do a hell of a job with SEO.

I guess we will see.

Tags: tvadsagain, tvadsagain.com, adoodle inc., marketing, tv commercials, adbucks, youtube, focus group, focus experiece, videojug, SEO, video, online video

Useful Web 2.0 App Of The Week

How many more social bookmarking tools do we need anyhow?

It never ceases to amaze me how many start-ups there are that have very few points of differentiation. Over the last few months I almost feel as if innovation has slowed in the "web 2.0" space. I feel that innovation has shifted to virtual and geo-spatial technologies, hence my focus has moved there as well.

But wait, something useful came along

The idea is nothing brilliant on the surface but it applications could be tremendous.

If you have ever sat through a usability test you know how amazing it is to watch people interact with a site that seems easy to navigate. Still, e-commerce experts spend a great deal of energy optimizing sites to ensure that conversion rates are as high as possible.

What if you were just to tell users what to do? That is what Demofuse does and I think that they could be on to something. Go have a look.

Tags: demofuse, bookmarking, social bookmarking, web 2.0, social media, e-commerce, usability

Entertainment Roundup: AppleTV, Shoptext, iTunes

You Call That News

"YouTube coming to Apple TV"

Sure we all love apple but my questions is, does anyone (who is not an crazy apple fanboy) actually own an Apple TV? I read an article about the lack of success with Apple TV, do they think You Tube will help?

My question is, would you sit down on your couch and watch You Tube videos, or are they really something you pass around at workand watch sitting in front of your PC?

The Medium Is The Message.

The Future Of Live Music Meets Short Codes

"Knitting Factory Entertainment Revolutionizes Concert Ticket Buying: First U.S. Venues to Launch Ticketing-By-Text"

I actually saw this yesterday and did not have a chance to write about it so for all of you who missed it, here it is! The service will allow concert goers to purchase tickets on the go with Shoptext short codes. While this seems very cool to me, is it really valuable?

It would be one thing if billing could be handled through you mobile provider, thus removing the need to pull out a credit card. It does not seem that this is the case. Until that is part of the agenda I am not sure how well this will do. After all, the whole point is to be able to buy with speed. If I have to text my credit card number and a short code, I may as well just wait until I get to my PC. Or better still, go on my cell phone and open a browser....

Free The Music

In case you have been living under a rock, Apple had announced a while back that they will begin to peel back the layers from the smelly DRM onion (terrible metaphor). Yesterday they announced the process had begun...at a premium.

$1.29 to be exact. iTunes Plus users will have the freedom to copy music as they please; no restrictions on usage!

You will even have the chance to go back and "plus" tracks you have already bought for 30 cents. I would say that this is a step in the right direction for the music industry. I don't think it will be lucrative, but music tracks are not the real product of the future of the music industry anyhow. I like to think of the actual music as a marketing tool for a professional musician to capitalize on other parts of their franchise (live show, merch etc.)

Tags: Apple, AppleTV, YouTube, PC, Music, Knitting Factory, Entertainment, Live music, shoptext, DRM, iTunes

Geospatial, Mutli-Angle Video and The Metaverse..Oh My!

The Morning Hunt For Information

I started scouring the web this morning and a thread popped out at me instantly. Sure, it is the morning of Where 2.0 and there is a reason for the common thread, but this thread is certainly nothing new, and nothing that many of us have not been talking about for quite some time.

Yesterday I read about the launch of MSN maps in 3d. MSN has been doing Virtual Earth (check out Greg Sterling's post from Nov. 2006 to get you up to speed) for some time now but it requires a desktop client to access.

I was recently in Seattle I at Microsoft's Strategic Account Summit and they displayed a new technology called Photosynth which is software that takes social photography, mashes it up, pools the data and creates a virtual world (that is of course a laymen's description).The install is actually pretty easy and it surprisingly plugs right into Firefox, go MSN! I have to say that this technology is pretty damn cool!

What would a blog post about tech be without mentioning Google. Notice that each of these apps play up the concept of Virtual Worlds. It is important to remember that Virtual Worlds do not equal Second Life, There or Kaneva (per se). There is much more to the metaverse! Have a look:

Online Video

Finally I would like to alert all those ranting and raving about Online Video to have a look at what Immersive Media is doing. I am not saying that they have the silver bullet, but as everyone talks about how to produce video for the online space they tend to focus on pre-roll, post roll, mid roll, 30 second, 15 second etc.

This is crap!

The true realization of online video will come when we find ways to take the video beyond sight, sound and motion and add  new layers of interactivity, immersion, control and whatever other ways we can be creative with it. This is also the point when hopefully advertisers will be able to learn how to engage through video and not just disrupt.

Bottom Line

As the web moved closer and closer to a fully immersive, experienced based medium marketers will need to look at these technologies and find creative ways to integrate their messaging into these experience. Notice I say integrate, not dominate!

As this blog is supposed to have a marketing focus I feel the need to not just speak about the technologies themselves. As a marketer I am always thinking of how these technologies can be plugged into communications strategies. I would love to hear (from all of you out there) some creative ways you think these technologies can be used to get the message across.

Tags: marketing, MSN, MSN Live, Miscorsoft, Virtual Earth, Virtual Worlds, Google, Google Earth, Google Street View, Online Video, Immersive Media, Marketing, where 2.0, MSN maps in 3d, SAS, Kaneva, Second Life, There, Metaverse

Much Ado About Facebook

If you enjoy scouring PR wires as much as I do you probably noticed a thing or two about Facebook this morning. Sure, I may have been in the dark about the Facebook f8 developers conference last night, but even so, this would still have been an overwhelming amount of news.

As I have a bunch of work to do today I can illuminate all of the new companies working with facebook, rather I am going to make it easy for you by putting links to all the press releases in one place for your perusal.

  Tiny Pictures Launches Deeply Integrated Radar Application on Facebook(R) Platform

  Attendio Launches Event Finder Application on Facebook(R) Platform

CollegeHumor.com Launches New Content Sharing Applications on Facebook(R) Platform

Glimpse.com Unveils New Fashion & Style Application on Facebook(R) Platform

Fliptrack Shakes Up Music Slideshow Space by Launching Application on Facebook(R) Platform

Widgetbox Launches New Remote Gallery Customized Using Facebook(R) Platform

uPlayMe Launches Social Entertainment Application on Facebook(R) Platform

Lending Club(R) Launches on Facebook(R) Platform

SplashCast Launches Personal Multimedia Channel Application On Facebook(R) Platform

It seems to me that there is a major shift going on in the industry. Web 2.0 apps are getting swept up, as are major digital media companies. But what of those that are not selling? How will they survive?

Integration

Tags: facebook, tiny pictures, attendio, college humor, glimpse.com. fliptrack, widgetbox, uPlayme, Lending Club, Splashcast, social media

Shopping Online Finally Gets More Social

What is the difference between shopping in person and shopping online?

OTHER PEOPLE!

Why it has taken so long for e-commerce to adopt a more robust social structure is beyond me. Sure, many great companies have tried to make e-commerce social but it has just not taken off.

One company that I admire greatly (although there are some elements of their platform that I just do not get, which is not a good sign for someone who is a social networking addict) is a company called Stylehive. They have been at the social shopping game for a while now and seem to be doing pretty well (they even have a presence in Second Life. Talk about socializing e-commerce...that is a story for another post).

Anyhow, Stylehive has just made a brilliant move in creating what they are calling "Nectar Hives". Essentially what they are doing is providing functionality of their platform to retailers in a plug and play manner--brilliant!

CEO Michael Carrier had this to say,

Online retailers and publishers are looking for a way to make their

sites more social, to take advantage of the "authenticity" and viral

distribution that communities like the Stylehive offer

Another elements that was mentioned in today's press release is something right at the core of modern marketing, getting the audience to sell for you!

Creating brand ambassadors is a priceless endeavor and Stylehive saw the potential for retailers/publishers and thus has rolled out their platform to the following ones:

InStyleGapShopBopLisa Kline

Ron Herman
Hayden-Harnett
Design Public

GenArt

CraftzineReady Made Magazine

Tags: e-commerce, shopping, stylehive, nectar hives, second life, social media, brand ambassadors, tagging, gap, online shopping, viral, instyle, shopbop, lisa kline, ron herman, hayden-harnett, desgin public, Gen Art, Craftzine, Ready Made Magazine

3D Commerce

Sure, my title is director of emerging and creative strategy but the fact of the matter is Morpheus Media has strong roots in e-commerce and much of my early days in this industry were not at all focused on things "emerging" (of course, I was working on emergent technologies, they were just not referred to that quite as often).

In my never ending search for the latest and greatest in new technology and ways to leverage new forms of communications for marketers, I always ask the questions in the back of my head, "how are we going to close the loop with this one?".

Closing the loops means different things to different people. Some are trying garner leads, other are trying to sell product and so on.

Since my fixation with Second Life began I have always thought about the day when 3D spaces would be more pervasive in the mainstream and provide real tangible value for marketers. Particularly marketers looking to drive their ecommerce engines.

While that day is not fully here, many signs points towards the emergence of that day.

Enter:

While I need to dive into the product further and see more applications of it, they are promising that types of things that VRML once promised.

• 3D virtual stores and showrooms;


• 3D product configurators and visualizers;


• 3D social networking experiences;


• 3D Web sales automation systems;


• Interactive 3D room planners;


• Interactive brand promotion and online advertising

Tags: Morpheus Media, E-Commerce, 3D, Emerging, Media, Marketers, Second Life, VRML, Immersiv, View 22

Choice-- Coming To A New York Neighborhood Near You

I was just reading a Verizon press release that spoke of the fact that their Fiber Optic Television (Fios) will be available in select New York locations for the first time.

Having grown up in the clutches of Cablevision and then under the regime of Time Warner cable, it is nice to know that alternatives are on the way.

Read More Here

Tags: Fios, Verizon, Cable, Television, New York, Fiber Optics

Virtualive.tv Live From Morpheum Island

As the Virtualive.tv teams plans for the next big event we are working on getting all the content from the first event together. Below is some grade A machinima shot by Amulius Lioncourt (aka Josh Stortz) of The Vesuvius Group. The real life footage at The Canal Room was directed by Stas Lipovetskiy.

For More GO CLICK!

As you can see what is being created by the Virtualive.tv platform is a persistent media experience that spans the live linear platforms in both the real world and the virtual worlds as well as various forms of non-linear media.

Speaking of which, you have to check out Sir Jerry Paffendorf's latest reality mashup starting tomorrow night at the Fuse Gallery. If you don't know the guy you must be living under a rock and I recommend googling him.

In addition to being super nice guy, Jerry is leading the charge in the multi-media, reality mashup, virtual world space (amongst other things). Here is the info:

Jerry Paffendorf & Christian Westbrook: "Destroy Television"
Opens May 23, runs through June 2, 2007

Fuse Gallery
93 2nd Ave
(between E 5th & E 6th)
NY, NY 10003
Phone: +1.212.777.7988
www.fusegallerynyc.com

Tags: virtualive.tv, virtualive, Amulius Lioncourt, Josh Stortz, The Vesuvius Group, Morpheus Media, Morpheum, Second Life, Virtual Worlds, Jerry Paffendorf, The Fuse Gallery, Multimedia, DTV, Buddahead, Stas Lipovetskiy, Christian Wesbrook, Destroy Television, Adam Broitman, Raman Kia, Nexeus Fatale, the canal room, live music, indie music, independent music

My Mini Life

Not Comments Just Yet :)

Tags: myminilife, virtual worlds, social media

Blurring The Boundaries Between 2D/3D and Real Life

It is all about strategy and integration

It is my belief that the "emerging technologies" practitioner must not operate in a vacuum. New platforms for delivering communications must be integrated into current strategies and extend the potential of these strategies.

 Sure, new strategies can be built off of new technologies, but too many people are fixating on emerging platforms as a way to generate new marketing concepts. This is not the way that the potential of platforms such as Second Life, Mobile or Video will be fully realized. Their realization will be most effective by examining the story you are trying to tell, the value proposition of the said platform and the ways in which this value can be exploited appropriately for the the story at hand.

Agencies are moving quickly to create silos for emerging media practitioners and appointing "czars" for these practices. Greg Verdino, David Berkowitz and many others (including myself) have been given titles that reflect this new agency role. Having spent a good deal of time with Verdino and having read Berkowitz in Mediapost it is apparent that each of them share my belief and do not look emerging platforms as something that can be planned in a vacuum.

I just hope (for their sake and the sake of their clients) that their agencies share this belief (having worked at Digitas I imagine they are doing a good job with this).

Get To Your Point Already, Adam!

I have read a number of article's talking about how IBM is integrating virtual spaces into their sales chain as well as other aspects of their business. While I am not sure of the exact strategy, the fact that IBM is taking this approach is very promising. An article in CXO Today spoke about the ways in which IBM was building the 3D web into their CRM system as well as their sales chain.

The IBM sales representative will help the clients who are interested in buying hardware, software, services or solving a business problem through exchange of private information such as signing of contracts, passing of money or credit information. It would be done through a link to IBM's website or by phone.

Adam, all you talk about is Virtual Worlds these days!

It is true, I talk a lot about 3D virtual worlds these days. I spend a lot of time considering the potential of 3D worlds in communications strategies, but anyone who truly knows me knows that my focus is on leveraging emerging channels to add value to brands, not virtual worlds (per se). 3D virtual worlds represent (for me) a channel that has the potential to take advantage of various other forms of media. It is also a space that is the sine quonan of social media.

I look forward to a future where emerging channels begin to be realized in a more holistic manner. Perhaps someday I can be the Director Of Channel Integration Strategy.

Tags: IBM, Greg Verdino, David Berkowitz, Digitas, 3d virtual worlds, second life, virtual worlds, mobile, video, marketing, integration, CRM, emerging channels

Cyworld-- More Than A Minihome

Still never heard of a Minihome (I have also heard it referred to as a minihompy)! Where have you been? I imagine not in South Korea where 90% of all 20 something's belong to Cyworld.

Like Second Life, many may shudder when referring to Cyworld as a game. "Cy" means relationship in Korean and that is the core value proposition of this world. In fact, it is my contention, based on the look, feel and functionality of Cyworld that that was the premise upon which Cyworld was built, whereas Second Life was built with the original premise of creating a new world, with the social manifestations coming later (or so Philip Rosedale said at Virtual Worlds 2007).

Today Cyworld announced two new features, Cyworld Video Studio and Plaza. According to the press release these functions offer:

a forum for members to upload, edit, mix and share videos or photos...

Cyworlds worked on the project with Eyespot, "developer of next generation media mixing playgrounds, to incorporate online editing features in response to a demand from Cyworld members for interactive tools that allow them to personalize their content sharing".

Eyespot collaborated with Cyworld USA to customize the interactive tool with powerful features
that allow members the ability to mix video, photos, and music -- complete with slow motion,cross-fades, color enhancements, and special effects -- all without ever leaving the Cyworld USA online environment.

I love the tag line that they use, "Your life, letterboxed"

Another important addition is the Cyworld Plaza which allows users to share their creations that were produced in the studio. Sure, we are all familiar with video sharing, but in an ingenious move, Cyworld has played on the idea that their users have shared experiences and has verticalized video based on these experiences. The hunt for ridiculous video on You Tube may be fun but by making this move Cyworld is strengthening communities by providing forums for people to share experiences and emotions, very powerful!

Here are the categories:

• Frenemies -- You love them, compete with them, and are Best FriendsForever. Let's cut through the lunchroom politics and reveal the truth!


• Aftermath Cafe -- Prom, Blind Dates, Spring Break, SAT, School Plays ...enough of the glossy tales, let's talk about what really happened theday after.


• A/V Club -- We're geeks and we love it. From Anime Conventions and Lord of the Rings to Glue Guns and Student Films ... Artists of the World unite!


• Travel Diaries -- Enough of the sunset photos. What really happened on your last trip across town or across the world?


• McJobs -- Deep fryers, animal costumes, zinc oxide, and drive-thru's. What's minimum wage life really like?


• Global Citizen -- Whether you grab a camera or grab a broom, we can all make a difference. Let's show the world how we're going to change everything!


• Current Obsessions -- Boys, shoes, or ramen noodles... what are you fascinated with right now?


• Whatever -- Doesn't Fit? Fit it here!

I recommend keeping an eye on how well Cyworld is doing with teens and young adults in America.

Tags: Cyworld, Minihome, Second Life, Philip Rosedale, Virtual Worlds 2007, Virtual Worlds, Minihompy, South Korea, Cy, relationship. Social Media, Cyworld Studio, Cyworld Plaza, Eyespot, User Generated Content, UGC, CGC, Video, Video Editing, Personalized Content, Interactive, Content Sharing, You Tube

Virtualive.TV May 10-- The First Run

The questions I keep getting asked is, "was it a success"?

I have news for everyone, it was a success the day before it occurred. The team I assemble proved that when the right minds, the passionate minds get together as a community, anything is possible!!! I have the utmost respect for all of them.

As for my feelings now, the event was a great success and this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you missed the event, I am sorry. If you were at the event and had a great time but did not see why this is important to the future of entertainment, you will.

Check out some of the highlights at Virtualive.tv...

Below are some shots taken by shutterbug Melody Chamlee.

Stay tuned as there will be a wealth of content to come.

Tags: virtualive, virtualive.tv, morpheum. the vesuvius group, the canal room, shock radar, buddahead, second life, live music, avatar, nexeus fatale, raman kia, lee diamond, nyc, new york city, virtual worlds, the metaverse, adam broitman, may 10, melody chamlee, rhiannon chatnoir, frans charming, will ward

Microsoft SAS 2007 --Bill Gates (raw notes)

The Reception on Monday was great. 18 piece jazz ensemble, the drinks did flow, the food was great and conversation was great. Now on to the first session where Bill Gates himself will be speaking. Below are my raw notes from the session. There are a number of issues discussed that I would like to dive deeper into but for now here are the notes.

How can inspiration change the world?

Joanne Bradford and Bill Gates

• Joanne gives a little opening anecdote about how she stays connected with her family with Microsoft products


• There was an attempt to utilize the interactive tool at the event today and it did not work J


• “A guy who I will introduce in a few minutes, Bill Gates”


• “I know I can I care” message


• CEO of Home Depot wrote an apology to consumers on an msn message board


• First party audience through MSN

Bill Gates

• Revolutionizing the way people consume media and create media


• Innovating in the age of engagement


• How software advances will change that faster than before…


• 
  
  
  
  • Chips.. exponential improvement
  
  
  
  


• Ultra Wide Band technology


• Digitization of the economy


• It is not just about the screen based information, it is about the way we connect with all the marketplaces in the world


• Directory Assistance and search become the same entity


• The industry as a whole is spending a record amount on R and D


• Touched upon the 3D element and the fact that we are starting to see products that can render these types of graphics and experiences


• Tools for 3D interaction


• Navigational environment type for experiencing the web


• (Gates references the iPod instead of the Zune J )


• Getting to a point where total integration makes sense


• Far more integration in the future


• Pervasive connectivity


• There is not an industry that this is not changing in a dramatic way


• It is not just advertising, it is not just media


• Customer Driven Interaction


• 
  
  
  
  • Excite>attract>engage>>
  
  
  
  


• As we move to be user centric any time that you prove that it is you, it will connect to the internet and bring that down onto the device


• In the future there will be no thinking about how information will be transferred from device to device, it will just happen


• Speak about the straightforward nature of what Jenkins calls the “knowledge community”


• There is a great simplification that comes after specialized sites look towards greater integration through advanced forms of RSS


• The decline of print advertising


• The only sure winner with the internet is the consumer themselves


• Easy navigation of digital memories


• “Memories will be well organized”


• Ads can be in new and richer formats, the only drawbacks are the things associate with the device itself


• Talks about Channel 9 (did not mention Scoble)


• TV- “a subject that I think about a lot”


• Changing TV to a targeted medium


• The internet is now cheap that the idea of every house in American watching a different video feed is a reality


• Customized channels


• Interactive channels


• A dramatic change in TV.


• “Broadcast TV will not be competitive”


• “One of the ways that we are learning about the future of TV is Xbox live”


• Gaming like environments where you can chat while you watch TV


• Turning the xbox into the worlds greatest set top box


• Ed Gracyk- heads up the IPTV group


• A connected TV experience. Social Connectivity


• Displays microsofts iptv product


• Integrated search


• Xbox- How Social is coming into the TV experience


• Disrupting advertising


• 
  Interactivity and New Formats—Silverlight
  
  
  
  • Cross browser/platform plugin
  
  
  • Content Partnerships
  
  
  • Rich Vector Grpahics—Casual Gaming
  
  
  • Silverlight TV Scaleable Video
  
  
  • Immersive experience that can extend the experience of video
  
  
  • The Socialization of TV with chat, video sharing etc.
  
  
  • Making the ads part of the experience itself
  
  
  • i.e. Advertising overlay
  
  
  • What can we do with search advertising in new ways?
  
  
  • C Dragon- Embedded imagery, audio, video etc. into search advertising
  
  
  
  


• “The Live Era”


• Providing Services across the internet


• The importance of voice screen interaction—especially for the local market


• We finally have the basis to draw education into technology


• When people go to the internet they have a task in mind


• The idea that through the magic of software we can capture that at the task level


• Because we can learn so much about users, I think that we can move away from the way we think about this (advertising) today…


• Question about Virtual Worlds—


• 
  
  
  
  • Virtual Earth
  
  
  • We want to take the idea of the real world and bring it into the 3D virtual space and make that mainstream
  
  
  
  


• Gates on Philanthropy


• “I think we are seeing a higher level of generosity”


• Using the internet to give people a way to  know that what they are giving is actually making a difference


• It is important the we get the message back to people in order to continue the cycle

Tags: bill gates, MSN, MSN SAS, Strategic Account Summit, SAS 2007, Seattle, MSN, Microsoft, Joanne Brandford, Marketing, Search, Digital

Sleepless In Seattle

What a week I have ahead of me!

I am on a plan right now headed to Seattle for the annual MSN Agency Summit. Not only am I excited to be visiting the Microsoft campus, it is a very interesting time to be at Microsoft (in light of the recent talks about the acquisition of Yahoo). I have been told that the fact that Terry Semel is speaking has nothing to do with the acquisition talks,  I still find it intriguing.

Microsoft has gotten Chris Cornell (ex-Soundgarden) to perform for us and I am sure there will be many others treats over the next few days.

The day that I return I will be on Karen Salmansohn's Sirius radio show "Be Happy Dammit" and then will get to work on setting up for Virtualive.tv at the Canal Room.

Needless to say I am a little stressed but very excited!

Tags: Microsoft, Karen Salmansohn, Be Happy Dammit, Sirius radio, Virtuialive.tv, Virtualive, Seattle, MSN, Terry Semel

RuneScape Breaks Through One Million Subscriber Mark

The news that MMORPG Runescape hit one million subscribers today hit the news wires today. While I am not a "gamer" I do have a very intimate connection with virtual worlds from a social standpoint, and while I have never played Runescape (weekend plans anyone?) this still resonates as important to me.

As younger generations grow up with Virtual Worlds, they have become used to, almost dependent upon them as ways of interacting with each other. I have often heard such thin comments as,

 "don't you think it is a bit sad that the younger generations will be sitting in front over a computer all day, and that that will be their social lives".

To all of you with this attitude, (you know who you are) get over yourselves!

I imagine 98% of the people who make such comments sit in front the boob tube as lifeless blobs the same amount of time that people play these games. Don't you realize that as a TV viewer you are a passive lurker, often times with little or no brain activation!

"...And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone"

"...And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand"

--I hope you know who penned that!

Now, get to work folks!

Tags: MMORPG, MMOG, Runescape, Virtual Worlds, The 3D Web, Gaming, The Metaverse