Greg Swan

Archive for October, 2011|Monthly archive page

New post on Social Studies: Digital + Physical = Marketing in the New Century

In MIMA, Social Studies, Technology on October 21, 2011 at 1:04 pm

This post original appeared on Social Studies. Please leave comments on the original post there.

I’ve been totally geeking out over Marco Tempest’s blend of technology and magic lately, and I keep thinking I need to make it to a Twin Cities Maker event.

The idea of partnering physical and digital (phygital, as my friends at Momentum would say) is truly inspiring.

I keep thinking if I get a breath at work I’m going to order an Arduino and figure out how to make a website ring a doorbell. Perhaps in 2012.

Here are two of Marco’s TED presentations that you absolutely must see…

Of the handful of MIMA Summit sessions I attended, I made certain to sit in on The Digital-Physical Connection: From Nike Chalkbot to Prius Roller Coaster with Eamae Mirkin from Deeplocal.

Deeplocal is known for employing creative engineers who use science and technology to build experiences, stunts and engagement opportunities to help a brand reach their audiences.

These guys cut up cars and make roller coasters and solar powered bio-tents out of the parts. They built the famous chalk-bot, which has now spun off its own company. They mounted millions of LED lights on a skyscraper in Africa and let the Internet write headlines. They built an entire miniature city and let users on the web pilot a camera-mounted train through the cityscapes seeking hidden artifacts.

Unfortunately the iOS 5 update on my iPad 2 completely wiped the notes I took on his session, but luckily Eamae let Deeplocal’s video case studies do most of the talking. And thus, so will I…

What do you think? How would you blend technology and the everyday if time, knowledge and budget weren’t an issue?

15 years from now we’ll play this Apple Siri video at conferences and laugh

In Social Media, Technology on October 4, 2011 at 3:35 pm

The first thing I thought when I saw this Siri video promoting the new iOS 5 was, “Oh how quickly shiny new technology becomes antiquated.”

Brands have been educating consumers about the benefits of technology — from simple things like e-mail and photo attachments to more complex challenges like integrated devices and cloud storage — for decades.

In some ways, the education gap is larger than when the world was smaller and less connected. Where will we be in 15 years? Let’s look back to get a sense.

2011: “Now you can use your voice to use your iPhone.”

1998: “If you have a phone line, you can be online”

1993: “Have you ever sent someone a fax from the beach?”

I heartily look forward to the opportunity of mocking Siri as antiquated technology.

And I still can’t send a fax from the beach. Can you?

Weber Shandwick’s social media crisis simulator, FireBell, in Star Tribune

In In the News, Social Media, Technology on October 2, 2011 at 2:53 pm

That’s me running the laptop. :)

Read the story: Answering the PR alarm bell

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