The Era of 2-Way Communication

with Media and Brands

We used to sit and listen

the media dictated and we obeyed

With 1-way communication, we were slave

(this is me)

But then something happened

1999

2001

2004

2006

2004

20062004

2007

In the new media world, we don’t just

receive messages, we participate

We Speak Up

We Speak Out

We participate in hordes

Number of blogs (doubling) (doubling) (doubling)

Content coming shorter and swifter

And it’s happening in Real-time

10.31.2007Twitter and RSS Beat CNN to the Punch Alerting Me About the California Earthquake

At 11:05 PM EST an earthquake of 5.6 magnitude hit Northern California

By 11:17 PM EST there are reports that Twitter is lighting up with first hand documentary

By 11:24 PM EST I receive my first alert via blog post noting how much activity was on Twitter.

At 11:53 PM EST CNN publishes their first mention of the earthquake

(My firsthand account)

Facebook today: from address book to live experience

And it’s not just text

(now this is me)

Our voice is now a part of the media

Supplementing it.

Contributing to it.

Curating it.

Becoming it.

Ustream live stream panelists

A recent Conference I “attended”

Meebo live chat with other watchers

Attendees and panelists messaging each other

The ability to become content producers means our voice is beginning to define

brands

Brand credibility will come from embracing the consumer

And working with the consumer

And opening up a real dialogue

Recognizing ultimately that the consumer defines the brand

And embrace it

Now embrace and begin the conversation.

The end.