DigIn!

Washington DC Abuzz With A Merger

by Limor Schafman

A merged party of two allegedly disparate networking groups, that is.  Last night the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and iStrategy Labs combined forces to bring together the 'old' and the 'new'. Inspired by Zach Goldfarb's Washington Post article on events each organization held separately on June 23rd, Peter Corbett of iStrategy Labs (standing left with Lisa Anna Brunner) and Bobbie Kilberg of NVTC decided to join forces. Result: vetted, serial entrepreneurs dressed mostly in button down shirts, mixed last night with Web 2.0 budding entrepreneurs in a sweltering gathering at Local 16 in the trendy U Street section of Washington D.C. 

I arrived 30 minutes into the event and it was already well on its way to meeting its 600+ projected attendees.  Some NVTCers seemed a bit out of their element for a moment as they considered the crowd of young Webbers before them, but that lasted, for about 20 seconds before they plunged in.  Consummate networkers, they didn't hold back. Some wanted even more Web 2.0 companies to be present, others saw value since they could offer their expertise from years of hard knocks experience to new business people that still haven't quite realized that they need a market and execution strategies together with great ideas.   The Web 2.0 side of the crowd seemed to talk among themselves quite a bit, but were not shy either.  They are ambitious after all and they saw the potential of finding funding sources.

For my part, this gathering was a chance to see known faces from the NVTC and listen to new ideas of people pushing the edges of the web [Jeremy Epstein, FOJ Blog and Shawn Scott, Geekycyberdad].  The most interesting story I ran across was actually from an 'old' company, StackSafe.  Talking to Loren Burnett, the President & CEO, he told a great story of having a tech team, talking to 30+ companies in the IT sector and finding an unaddressed gap of virtualization for IT testing.  Now with press in Forbes and InformationWeek among others, the company, which released its offering this year, has signed its fourth client.   Now that is the kind of story I like to hear about.

Because of the blending of the groups, there seemed to be more diversity in the crowd, particularly in gender.  Some attention has been given in the past weeks to greater diversity in ICT arising because Web 2.0 is drawing more women, and this gathering showed the fact of it. [Cheryl Dickison, R2i and Peter Hause, Integer]

Will cross border business generate from TwinTech?  Time will tell. But with the gathering continuing well past 9pm, there was certainly a lot of talk going on, and fun going on [Richard from the Washington Post].   And I look forward to the next merged party that Peter and Bobbie throw together.   

Web 4.0 Redefined

by Limor Schafman

Web 4.0, or as Seth Godin shortens it, Web4, is coming upon us fast.  Godin's description of it covers the foundation:

"Web4 is what I'm really waiting for. And it's entirely possible that Web4 will get here before the semantic web even though Web 3 makes it work a lot better.

We start with this:

• Ubiquity
• Identity
• Connection"

I propose adding a fourth to the power of Web4, a vital component, and that is "Presence."

Environmental context has always made experience more compelling.  Whether it is visiting a new city which makes an environment more noticeable because it is unusual, or reading a well written book that describes place in a way that make you feel like you are there, or playing a video game, an MMOG or in a virtual world that involves you in a digital environment. As humans, we generally like to be in a place that feeds our senses.

What makes our experience as humans compelling is that we are hooked to a location.  Meditators and Zen masters may float in blissful unattachment [very restorative], but if you want to do, act, live, then you are naturally tied to Place.  Presence adds to the context in which we live.  It grounds us to something so that we can effect impact in some way.   

What makes our current world so exciting, however, is what Presence does beyond providing an environment.  In our world, where 'real' and 'digital' coexist, Presence is the bridge that unifies our real and digital lives.  It draws us from our real world into a connected experience of digital worlds, and it brings the digital into our real world lives.

Presence in the digital present and future adds parameters we in the digital industry need to consider: 
>  It means where becomes central to content delivery. Geospacial or geolocated applications which find us, are able to deliver to us information that we need given our particular location.  If I'm in NYC and am free for lunch, on my mobile phone I can find restaurants located near me, coupons can be sent to me [at my request] for lunch specials in the area, I can see who else of my Linked In or Facebook friends are in the area and available to break bread.  The possibilities are infinite.

>  It means giving consumers what is relevant to them, specifically, for who they are at that point in time as defined by what they are doing and where they are doing it.  Identity is fed by the context of location.  At 7:00am I am a mom in my car dropping off my kids in school and I need to the moment and place weather and traffic reports.  At 10:00am, I am a corporate executive leading a team meeting and needing the latest news breaking on a client.  At 4:30pm, I'm off to soccer with 4 kids in tow needing directions to the new field.  Content modified by every changing identity as defined by context.

> It means the why of human behavior will be digitally identifiable [almost ] by machines.  Already it is understood by anyone in any aspect of the digital media universe, that the Holy Grail for businesses is to deliver to consumers what they want [content of any kind], when they want it [instantly...or other time of their choosing] , where they want it [the interface], and, again with the added relevance, of where they are located.  This added component, when taken with the others, supplies the why of their need.

>  It means customer satisfaction will become even more exacting because expectations will be higher.  Consumers will be expecting more and have more demand control.  Consumers will own the question of to what extent they want to take advantage of the digital world.  They will control the types of content they receive; on which billing systems they are charged for it; the level of communication they receive from content owners, advertisers, retailers;  and how best all this ubiquity, identity, connection, and presence can serve them.

Just as 4D experiences in theme parks is that added shpritz of water in your face, or wind whispering by that adds real world dimensional hook to a 3D movie experience, Presence adds that hook to Web4 by interlinking our real world to what is fast becoming the global digital experience.

Ecological Rant

by Limor Schafman

We must be dumb.  I mean truly.  Have you read the NY Times article today on "Promise of Biofuel Clouded by Weather Risks"?

Here we are spending dollars proliferating adoption of an energy source that is inefficient in energy yield, costs plenty, whose processing harms the environment, and it has straight implications to our food supply and hence cost of food.

It is true that we could actually use this to get our population slimmer by not using corn syrup in all our processed foods - but that is asking for too much apparently.  Instead we just have food producers complain about the rise in cost, and buyers still buying that food even if it is no longer cheap, and getting that healthy Twinkie glow.  I don't understand that either.

And this is happening b/c we don't want to be in the hands of another outside fuel supply source in the hands of 'those dang Brazilians' - how dare they have sugar cane fields that yield 8:1 more energy than corn.  It's not our fault we don't grow corn in the mid West.  We don't want our energy to come from foreign sources that force us to go to war with them and overtake their countries.  We're tired of war.  Truly.

Is there no one, no one, thinking about an overall alternative energy strategy for this country [and for the world] that envisions and employs multiple energy sources which together will solve our issues?  Why do we continue to put the majority of our energy source eggs into one basket?  And have we not learned what it costs us to be in the hands of powerful lobbyists who lead us down energy reliance paths that only benefit them and their clients, and not the people of the United States, let alone the World. 

We, all of us humans,  breath the same air and are inextricably connected in the energy and environmental ecosystem.  We need to think beyond the typical human reaction of controlling energy resources [if you weren't calling me naive before hand, you can certainly do so now] and find a global solution. If we are to continue as thriving economies and livable environments, we all have a stake in finding a solution - dare I say it - together and which benefits us all.   

Mayor Bloomberg Kicks Off Internet Week

by Limor Schafman

Gracie Mansion was abuzz this evening with 200+ Internet Week officionados.  The brain child of David-Michel Davies ("DMD"), Internet Week was strongly supported by Kathy Oliver, Film Commissioner for the City of New York.  Bloomberg gave the event a healthy kick-off talking about the importance of the technology and digital media sectors for the economic well being of the city.    The goal of the city is to make New York the place "where the people that you need, want to be," said Bloomberg.  And they have a global perspective. The Mayor also announced the official launch of NYCSeed - a funding mechanism for local internet startups, and the fact that NYC-TV is up for a Webby Award this year (check out the site - you'll see why).    Bloomberg topped off the evening by giving DMD an official Proclamation announcing New York's support of Internet Week.  Way to get a vision realized!

NYC Goes Into Digital Hyperdrive This Week

by Limor Schafman (Twitter: limors)

This week New York City goes full force into Digital Media with numerous events taking place over the course of the next ten days.  First, we have Internet Week.  Having over 50 events across the city with participating companies, Internet Week promises to cover numerous topics from Advertising2.0 by Digital Hollywood, to content on the web, to cryptography to the how-to of Internet Startups, and more. 

Kicking Internet Week off is the NY:MIEG breakfast which I have the privilege of moderating. We have the exciting topic of "Shifting the Paradigm: Young Women Making a Difference in Digital Media and Beyond."  We will discuss the latest trends in digital media that these young women are observing, what it means to be a woman in these new content and industry arena, what women want from digital media, and what the future holds for us as consumers and producers in this ever-changing industry.  On the panel we have Natali Del Conte - Senior Editor of CNET TV, Allison Mooney - Sr. Director of Mobile Insights for The Next Great Thing of Fleishman-Hillard, Kelly Hefner - Executive Producer at We.TV, Mindy Spire - Director of Sales Development for World Wrestling Entertainment, and Romina Rosado, Global Head of Marketing for The NewsMarket.

Also this week, we have NANOG - North American Network Operator's Group - at the New York Marriott Brooklyn Bridge covering best practices and new technologies for wireless and wireline networks.

Games for Change is taking place at the Parson The New School For Design.  The three day conference covers the latest in serious games for social change, funding, design and other topics.

The week of interactivity continues into the weekend with Come Out And Play 2008, which is a city wide gaming experience of playing games of various types, some digital some not, around the city.

NYC is always an exciting city and this week it outdoes itself for all us lovers of the next generation of connection, community and interaction.  Hope to see you around the city!

Digital Hollywood Spring 2008 - Please Tell Me There is a Monetization Model beyond Advertising

by Limor Schafman

Digital Hollywood is quieter this year.  The usual fray of deal-making in the aisles seems tamer.   Perhaps everyone is focusing on making sure money is channeling through their doors despite the economic slowdown, perhaps investors are becoming more demanding on their companies meeting development and revenue milestones. 

One thing is for sure, the topic of money, revenue, monetization has been covered in every session I've attended from P2P to IPTV to mobile to MMOGs to Social Networking.  Everyone here at DH and at the DCIA P2P Media Summit LA is taking a no-nonsense look at what companies are making money and which are not.  Those that are, are companies like Gracenote that recently sold to Sony Corporation of America for $260 million.  Gracenote's team focused on creating what I call a "core" technology on which a myriad of applications could be based.  If you have a car stereo that digitally shows you what is playing on the radio, more likely than not you are seeing Gracenote's technology at work.  The digital signature can be accessed and tracked down the digital line.  Imagine the implications and you can see why Sony made the purchase.  Companies that are not making money as much as one would think given their press and membership numbers are Facebook, which several speakers here acknowledged is still trying to figure out how to really make the most of its platform and member eyeballs.

So what are people saying regarding revenue models?  Well, advertising is the top of the list for social networks and distribution of certain levels of content to viewers.  Yes, it is still a fragmented part of the industry, but it is a key driver.  Subscription is still showing itself in certain circumstances were basic services are being offered. Sometimes there is the trade-off offered of free for advertising views or paid for no-advertising access.  Premium pricing packages are offered if consumers want a bit more - like high definition streaming, or the use of a particular social networking tool, or other such added benefits.  Then there is what I will call 'addiction-based revenues' generated when games want another virtual ball to throw in the hoop of a mobile basketball game and they keep on buying one more try to win a prize, in the process generating millions of dollars. Or another form of addiction based revenue well proven by Idol fans SMSing votes and paying millions for the priviledge. Or there is the cross-world generation of revenue which Gaia has created allowing young girls to make online purchases of virtual goods with pre-paid cards sold at Target [which apparently are selling faster than you can say cha-ching].

What works? The word here at Digital Hollywood and DCIA P2P Media Summit is, "It depends."  Companies need to think about who they are selling to, what they are selling, who they are as a brand. and try to create a revenue campaign that will match the targets and their identity.  Being creative and flexible as these mediums continue to fluctuate and expand is key.  So if you are launching a new service, try to think creatively about all the different permutations and streams of possible revenue generation, then start honing them down to what really addresses the questions above, and then give it a shot.  It often takes several permutations before a revenue model is decided upon, and even that lasts only as long as it works.      

In Person Personal Tagging

Social networking was turned on its ear today by who else but Jeffrey Pulver.  Holding one of his globe-trotting gatherings here in DC, he gave out little plastic packets with name tags, white stickies for  interpersonal tagging, and yellow post-its for whatever you wanted to do. 

It was lots of fun - a great group of people who are both entrepreneurial minded and who are deeply entrenched in digital media and social media.  And it was in interesting experience to take the digital tagging concept and make it real world tangible.  I found I listened more carefully to what people were sharing about themselves, I asked more probing questions and received a wide ranging mix of information far beyond the usual "I work for/at...."  People today, especially in this milieu, are multi-taskers - not one person I met did only one thing.  They explored a myriad of interests both work related and not, using social networking tools as a means and sometimes also an end.  A great painting of stories that both interrelated and were completely individual.  Something that our social networking world is all about.

Check out the schedule for Jeffrey Pulver's Breakfasts for the next in your city, and Jeff is happy to have these events happen everywhere anytime.  I'm looking forward to the next such gathering.

Tim Robbins Comes Out Slugging at NAB

Tim Robbins, Academy Award winning actor, director and producer gave a strong jab and knock out right in the opening keynote at NAB on April 14th.  He called on content providers to rise above the base [read as lowly] programming to help raise the nation to its highest level, as opposed to the lowest which he clearly believes we are in.  Whether it is celebrity obsession, bad news news, voyeurism, or other content consumers seem not to be able to get enough of, Robbins challenged broadcasters to actually not think strictly as business people, but to lead the country through their programming.  This call to action - to "turn the nation away from hatred and divisive dialog...to a more enlightened age" had strong political overtones, which is not surprising given the deep involvement of Robbins and his partner's, Susan Sarandon's, politics. 

What I like about Robbin's speech is, yes, call me an ol' foggy but I agree with him.  His speech presumes that we are brainwashed by our media.  I think we are.  I was in Istanbul last summer and was astonished when in the heart of this secular, religious city, the muezzin called the afternoon prayer over loudspeakers around the city.  Immediately, on the sidewalks, in the middle of streets, rugs unfurled and men knelt and prayed.  I was stunned by the collective nature of the following of behavior.  I thought,  "What powerful brainwashing."  And then I thought about our media - the continuous outflow of words, concepts, images that perpetuate beliefs and embed thoughts in our minds and our psyches.  We are just as brainwashed.  We deceive ourselves into believing we are "free thinkers," but that is just our snobbery, elitism, judgment against others and self-delusion. 

So if we are going to be brainwashed - which is what perpetual receipt of messaging does - then perhaps Robbins has good cause to remonstrate against some of the largest producers, distributors and money makers.  Perhaps, if we care about our country and its people, it is right to challenge people who have impact on our minds in myriad ways, daily, to find ways to make money [could it be possible...it seemed there was nervous laughter in the audience of this suggestion by Robbins] supporting us to reach higher than we do and be better than we are - however we define that to be.

To hear the audio of the short speech [you'll find out why when you listen], turn to AdAge and see the link on the right side. 

Women Speak Out on Digital Media and Entrepreneurship

NY:MIEG, the New York Media Information Exchange Group, founded and lead by Bill Sobel this Tuesday held a panel discussion entitled "Where the Dollar$ are: Creating, Producing & Monetizing Media Content for Women."  Moderated by Denise Oliver, Kathy Jones of Synchronis.tv, Fran Pomerantz of Korn/Ferry, Andrea Syrtash of On Dating, Marion Freijsen of eFactor and myself, Limor Schafman discussed on a wide ranging number of topics.  We explored why we don't see more women in CEO positions, what content women want to see in digital media, what this new explosive medium means for women and their ability to communicate and create, resources available to women entrepreneurs, what makes good content, and what the opportunities are for businesses developed by and for women in the digital media medium. 

Spicing things up a bit, I talked about gaming and sex. Some interesting stats out there.  To hear them, check this out:

3 Minute Ad Age

 

Sex and the Female Game Player Demographic, Friday March 28, 2008 Video Report

I'll post the full video of the event when it comes available.  Yes, I'm biased but it was amazing being up there with a group of business women and artistic talent that are experienced, creative and know how to conduct smart business.  Out of the session, the group was motivated to start a woman's NY:MIEG, so keep an eye on that site as well for future developments.

Advertising Your Way Into Voters Minds

IPDI – the Institute for Politics Democracy & the Internet, held its annual Politics Online 2008 conference last week.  What most fascinates about these two days is how sophisticated the tools have become for online advocacy, money raising, field operations organization and voter mobilization, and yet how less than 2% of political advertising budgets overall is spent online.  This is particularly astonishing given that 24% of Americans regularly gather candidate info online, and that a full 178M, o 79% of American Adults go online each week.

IPDI published this year Best Practices for Political Advertising Online as their conference publication.  Instigated and contributed to by Tony Winders of ValueClick Media, sponsored by ValueClick  and Google,  Edited by IPDI's Director Julie Barko Germany, and contributed to by Michael Bassik – MSHC  Partners, Karen A.B. Jagoda – E-voter Institute, Eric Frenhman – Connell Donatelli Inc., Jay Friedman – Goodway 2.0,  Rena Shapiro – Google, and Josh Gray – ValueClick, this publication is a must read both for politicos and for anyone involved in business that wants to spread the word through online advertising. 

Direct, easy to read and comprehensive, this report demystifies what the online environment is all about and how to best use it for marketing and advertising advocacy.  One of the most important aspects emphasized in the publication's launch breakfast was how little people know and understand who is online.  Karen Jagoda's article does an excellent job distilling the nuances of what the different categories of users are looking for, what their online personalities do, and how best to tap these rich resources.  A fascinating case study was included by Michael Bassik in his chapter where he recounts how effective the DNC was in using online advertising to sway post debate perceptions and analysis.  One can say the results are disturbing: 55% of those who saw the post-debate ads thought Kerry had “won” the debate compared to 49% who did not see those ads.

The last three chapters are truly a Best Practices How To of Search Engine Marketing, Online Display Advertising and Online Lead Generation/Recruitment.   And the Executive Summary lists online advertising campaign Do's that anyone contemplating online advertising should use: plan ahead, budget accordingly, use ad servers to track performance, think beyond gimmicks - the online world is much more powerful, start small, think outside the vacuum, conduct media planning and creative development, set realistic goals, and others.  Go to IPDI and to ValueClick Media to download the .pdf.  As Rena Shapiro said on the panel, when you are advertising online, you are reaching people who have raised their hands asking for information.  There is no warmer opening for a “sale.”  Use it.