Unit 1.2 New Media & Technology

Unit Leader: Tom Allen

Week 4

Cybercultures, trusted sources, virals and memes

Last week

• Web 2.0 => A term that refers to a supposed second generation of Internet-based services. These usually include tools that let people collaborate and share information online, such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies.

• Common interests replaced by functionality• Levels of engagement determining brand

identification

Rebecca J. Lingley Larson –The Rise of Viral Marketing

“As a result of the empowered customer, it has become imperative that companies who desire long term profitability, increased sales and customer loyalty embrace the new media technologies that are changing the way communication and information sharing occur. Additionally, the current consumer behaviour research will require continual analysis in this area as technologies develop and transition into everyday use by the consumer.”

How to deal with cybercultures

• Be honest and transparent• Build trust• Google homepage is the homepage of your

brand• Issues: trust, quality – others from SWOT• What’s in a status?• The Guardian’s tips

Biz Stone co-founder of Twitter

“It seemed like only a small part of the twitter updates were actually answering the “What are you doing?” question, which are of the more personal, less newsworthy variety: “(…) a birds-eye view of Twitter reveals that it’s not exclusively about these personal musings.Between those cups of coffee, people are witnessing accidents, organizing events, sharing links, breaking news, reporting stuff their dad says, and so much more.The fundamentally open model of Twitter created a new kind of information network and it has long outgrown the concept of personal status updates”

What ‘sources’ do people use?

• What do people use to share? ShareThis• Power of these platforms (Twitter mobs)– History, Zapatista in Chiapas– Jan Moir’s homophobia in the Daily Mail

• People will use what’s there and are creative

Julian March, executive producer of Sky News Online

“The big change for us in 2010 is evolving how social media plays a role in our journalism. We no longer ghettoise it to one person, but are in the process of embedding throughout the whole team.”

• The Daily Telegraph now have Twitterfall on a big screen in their office

Virals & Memes: Greatest hits

• Video memes: Algorithm March, Kersal Massive, Hitler’s Downfall reaction

• Photos/graphics: Rollercoaster Chess, 241543903, Lolcats, Garfield Minus Garfield

• Tweet memes: ShitMyDadSays• Sites: Sleep Talkin’ Man, Real Ultimate Power,

Overheard in NY• Crossovers & behaviours: All your base are

belong to us, Rickrolling

If we have time...

Direct conversion from internet phenomenon to multiple adverts•http://www.rathergood.com/gaybar•http://www.rathergood.com/venice•http://viral.videosift.com/video/Crusha-advert-by-Rathergood-very-cute-and-catchy

Seminar

• Shift from lifecasting to mindcasting• More memes, we’ll look at how they could be

useful• We’ll try to expand Amnesty Belgium’s Wake Up

Humans campaign• Building communities from Twitter – look at the

example from Matt McAlister• Quick run through of how to post to blog

(homework)