It seems that the pundits in social media / web land are always upbeat about the latest gadget, the new social network, a new Google products, etc. Talking about serious issues thus takes a back seat given that apathetic societies don’t tend to thirst for more serious discussions on the future of our world and the internet.

The latest case is in point is a push to re-draw what is deemed “acceptable use” for congressmen and women (as discussed here) which will inevitably lead to closure on politicians being able to speak directly to their constituents via the net. Isn’t that the point of the net? To get shit done and communicate? Possibly to be entertained if you are addicted to the naughty side of life. (See: Christy Brinkley’s ex.)

Clearly I can’t fault mainstream marketing / advertising pundits fully since many use social media to make more money, more connections, and followers. Others are tied to corporations that neither allow freedom of choice or speech as it relates to what can be expressed during work and off hours. Even simply having an opinion could result in job loss.

I suppose my griping is rather useless here but I am frankly getting worried by the visceral disconnect that is the work / life balance. Middle class zombies walk our streets while men in suits rule it. While I’ve always seen the upside of being elitist and hope to some day climb my way up, I never quite understood until recently that elitism in itself is a strategic move that allows distance to be kept between average citizens and ruling classes. My work is my life and my life is my work. It is this harmony that maintains my passion for business, politics, life, and the world. The workaday world is an excuse to live for the weekends.

Frankly, the hype and craze of web 2.0 is over for me. It’s clear that gang mentality won (See: Obama) and the net will be used just as with the megaphone of yore: the loudest voices will win. So until “average folks” sit back and take in the potential power of all of our toys the mediums will remain moot. Thoughts and ideas are flushed down the tubes just like old newspapers get recycled.

I’m certainly not an advocate for activism. In fact much of it is rather loosely strung together on the web but worth mentioning is the recent FISA bill that Obama voted for. The technology used to power My.BarackObama.com was used against him by the people to fight against his controversial vote. So what’s the next step? Methinks those types of outlets won’t be as available to supporters in the future or will be heavily moderated to avoid such conflicts of political interest. Then we’re back to square one: a corporate “vote for me” pitch that is top down as politics usually goes.

The long and short of this disjointed rant is that we all know where this is going: back to square one where our internet packages will look like satellite or mobile rate plans. On deck. But by then it will be too late to maintain pipe neutrality. Sadly.

I thought it peculiar when people started using the term “the internets”–plural. Now it makes sense. But guess where 99% of the mainstream population will be? On the controlled platform. I feel for the kids of tomorrow who will never get to experience neutrality and freedom online. Likewise, I’m glad I saw it because it inspired me to control my destiny, start a company, and work my way up. People need hope to take risk and make change.

It seems that given fears about the economy and war that the message of hope is finally here but words aren’t making as much of a difference as they used to. Remember when words mattered?

Filed under: Rants, Social Media, Personal Branding, The Future, Wealth, Leadership

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Slightly overcast in Montreal today on the heels of the official kick off to summer. They call it Formula 1 racing and it’s the biggest party of the year some would say. Unfortunate to say, however, that thunderstorms are expected to hit during the festivities. Montreal is a classy lady when she wants to be but don’t expect to see that side of her this weekend.

As I’ve been noticeably absent of late on this blog (save for my Twitter feed) and with respect to engagement within social media circles I’ve become more focussed on my company Fixion Media. It’s easy to get lost in YouTube. On TED. In Google Reader. Facebook. Definitely Twitter. And of course old media streams. Well you get the picture. But frankly to me it’s time to flush the fishbowl and start anew.

Given that media, agencies, and marketers are pretty well connected in the digital realm I’m seeing little progress in companies actually working together in a social manner that is compatible to how we speak to each other in the corporate / private world via social mediums. In business terms the contracts read the same. The due dilligence is there (and the wallets are light “due to the credit crunch”). The risk to a given brand seems to great to bear should an experiment go wrong.

I believe in a general sense this to be a turning point in my philosophical outlook on the web and business. The internet mirrors its real-world corporate counterpart in real ways where profit and glory rule the day. I of course have no problem with profit nor glory but I’ve come to appreciate and better understand the needs of real people. Normal people who can’t afford iPhones with unlimited data plans. People that think $50 is too much to pay for a concert ticket. Musicians that think they’re famous but are actually dead broke. And most importantly perhaps I’ve come to better understand where my company fits into the bigger picture in terms of serving such communities and likewise protecting their interests from sharks. It’s a fascinating dynamic which has ruled my thoughts of late.

“Always remember the art of good business is being a good middleman.” That quote is from Layer Cake, a film. While I’ve changed my personal definition over the years of what being a “good middleman” entails I’ve come full circle to boil it down to its simplest state again. Such a state in my opinion requires independence. Right now, that is justification enough to pull away from the day to day drama of social circles and into the real world of business. Striking a good balance between the two will prove necessary to the success of my companies.

Filed under: Rants, Economy, Social Media, Personal Branding, Politics, The Future, Music Industry, Wealth, Leadership

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Chris Brogran and Christopher S. Penn offer their takes here and here respectively as to why PodCamp Boston 3 is charging $50 this year per attendee. While that is certainly far more reasonable than paying $1895 for the Canadian Marketing Association’s annual convention and trade show, I think that the gateway fee will be of hinderance to the younger generation.

Conferences as we know are networking vehicles. But let’s for a second accept that we are really attending to learn about new industry trends so that we can make our corporations more profitable. *cough* Shmooze. *cough* Steak and drinks on the expense accounts. *cough*

Where was I?

I find PodCamp’s to be far more populist in nature where networking is certainly of value but it seems to me that people are more jazzed about being self-empowered, they’re jazzed about the technology, and they want to be cutting edge leaders whereas let’s face it; corporate conferences are for wheeling and dealing.

This brings me to David Armano’s “We Are All ‘Internet Dating’” post from yesterday. It’s a bit creepy to me and possibly the reason why I neglect to attend most ad-hoc gatherings. This may very well be the Achilles’ heel to my survival in marketing / social media but I am comfortable in taking the risk.

As a young go-getter, I grew up on the net thanks to a parent with an old school laptop and 14.4 modem connection. The 90s were lovely. Remember then ya’ll? Newsgroups (ie the original RSS)… IRC channels (yeah, we actually used to chat back then instead of throwing text darts via Twitter)… community-driven message boards (as opposed to personal blogs). The point is that I shook all of my “sociality” back then in order to glue myself to CNN for 12-hours per day to learn about stock markets, the internet boom, and other matters of the free market. This filtered view of the global trends, cash, and movers and shakers enthralled me.

I’ll tell you something you already know: the free market isn’t anything like social media/new media. And most the fun we all have on Facebook and Twitter and GoBoDoWee–future “hit” social network I’m sure–is mainly to be connected to the world on a philosophical level. We all know who our real friends are. We also know who we respect most within the context of business. And most importantly we all know how to separate business and pleasure. (Or do we now?)

My arching point coming back to the formerly-free / now $50 PodCamp unconference experience versus the $1895 corporate conference model is that I don’t particularly care for either model. One now has a cost, the other is too costly. Neither have comfortable chairs. Conferences are about who you know (or who you want to get to know) and to that there is a cost to pay. The X factor is star power where silly folks like me actually ponder dropping two grand on seeing almighty headliners like Seth Godin and Avinash Kaushik. Meanwhile, while surely worth the expense, I would think it more difficult to convince the average PodCamp / podcasting fan to attend with such a fee because it becomes a business transaction rather than a free-spirited community event (such with IRC and message boards of yore).

I hope I’m wrong. But I can’t yet find the logic in wanting to pay $1895 when I could be paying $50 for what could be a more beneficial experience. At the end of the day and money aside, I want to be in the company of leaders and policy makers. I’ve leveraged social media in order to learn from such leaders and I hope to repay it in kind by helping others along my path.

Just like one social network might be similar to another, all conferences have similar aims whether it be advancement of a cause, activism, networking, or otherwise. But are Geek Dinners worth attending? Are unconferences worth it? Who cares. Just attend a couple and you’ll find out. (And yes they are worth it BTW). My point is that if unconference organizers aren’t careful, they risk falling into the free market trap of needing bigger speakers and even bigger sponsors to bridge the gap. It’s going to happen: and this $50 fee for PodCamp Boston is just the seed. Once the free market comes into the picture it will become more difficult to control the fate of the movement that is still admittedly nascent. I suppose this worries me more than any cost of admission in itself.

Filed under: Social Media, Personal Branding, Politics, The Future, Branding, Leadership, PodCamp

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It’s a little known secret that rock stars often have “other jobs” beyond their musical careers. Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson is one such rocker with a pastime as a commercial pilot. He is even flying fans to shows at a reasonable cost. How cool is this:

The best way to go to a Maiden show! This is your chance to fly on ED FORCE ONE - the actual 757 plane currently transporting the band crew and equipment around the world on the first leg of their SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME TOUR - with Captain Bruce Dickinson.

The interior seating will have been reverted back to its original format, but the plane, including the IRON MAIDEN livery (subject to wear and tear) will be exactly as the band and crew have experienced these past months travelling the world.

You too will be flown by Captain Bruce Dickinson, and later witness him on stage with IRON MAIDEN for their amazing two hour show before flying back or staying overnight.

Unfortunately private jets are only typically reserved for uber-rock stars and the uber-wealthy now. While Maiden might fit the former bill, I think the originality of the offering to fans is part of reason why Iron Maiden has such a loyal following.

Where it relates to Bruce Dickinson, he has a serious fetish for transportation-related activities. I’ve seen Your Man on countless TV shows and documentaries about trains and planes. Having seen Iron Maiden’s “Ed Force One”, I can only respect him even more for following his passion and effort to engage fans.

When you have time Bruce, let’s discuss a triangular high speed rail linkup between Montreal, Toronto, and New York City. North America needs your help!

Update! Check out this video. The plane goes beyond PR value according to Bruce:

Hat tip to Blabbermouth.net for the video.

Filed under: Personal Branding, Travels

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Hat tip to David Armano for Twittering about it.

Filed under: Personal Branding, The Future, Wealth, Leadership

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Now this is classic, wouldn’t you say?

IN 2006 EMI, the world’s fourth-biggest recorded-music company, invited some teenagers into its headquarters in London to talk to its top managers about their listening habits. At the end of the session the EMI bosses thanked them for their comments and told them to help themselves to a big pile of CDs sitting on a table. But none of the teens took any of the CDs, even though they were free. “That was the moment we realised the game was completely up,” says a person who was there. - The Economist

It is understood that physical album sales are on the decline. The only logical solution would be to push consumers towards digital media. I however suspect that marketing departments the world over need modernization, many of who still favour overpriced campaigns in traditional television and in print mediums. This used to be a clever move thanks the “make-good” exposure that many outlets offered as an incentive to ad buys. Nevertheless, this money is better spent in niche circles–namely on the web–in order to take advantage of millions of users that aren’t hearing your message. And if they aren’t hearing your message, it’s obvious they aren’t sharing it either.

If we depart from the assumption that brands are built from collective perception, it’s safe to state that most artists–save for the megastars–don’t have much of a public brand. In the age of disposable music–one hit CD and you’re out–it is going to take more than a magazine ad, album review in Rolling Stone, or premiere on MTV to build critical mass.

Going off on a tangent, I think the rise of Hip Hop mirrors the future business model of the music industry. It involves cliques and collectives that support each other to create opportunity and community for its members. But this assembly must remain agnostic. Members should be free to choose their own labels, agents, and other labourers that specialize in diligence.

The previous model, typified by the seminal Indie record label, was swallowed for all intensive purposes by the majors. While this was a great farming system, it is too closely tied to major label interests. While some still cry foul with collusion, it simply became a miscalculation by corporate executives. If they want a complete system reboot, and by extension a digital music success story, then they are indeed on the way to accomplishing this.

Conversely if this was indeed a miscalculation rooted in arrogance, then investors and board members should beware. There is a right way and a wrong way to make a buck in NYC and LA. Bring back the meritocracy and the ideas and profits will flow. Grandfathering musicians should be the best time of our lives.

Filed under: Economy, Personal Branding, Politics, The Future, Music Industry, Wealth

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Steve Rubel calls it again. And in the spirit of the decline of deep blogging it’s best that I and we face this woe in early ‘08 to avoid sinking any further.

The fact is that I would love nothing more than to read the dailies all day, books, and magazines in order to follow the latest trends, gadgets, and social movements. I suppose that would render me somewhat of an academic and philosopher, which is bound to occur organically and permanently when I make the switch to suspenders in a couple of decades. But I digress.

Rather, I’ve chosen to surround myself with smart people on Twitter (a favourite of mine), Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course another personal favourite in Google Reader. The power of RSS indeed.

While I may still lack on some of the finer points within philosophical and ideological mandates set by the Digerati, I like to believe that I’ve learnt a great deal last year from following and engaging the community. Now I’m ready to birth certain policies that I’ve extracted from dozens of influencers to the benefit of my company. It should be a complement to the teaching of others. To use a Jaffe-ism, I’m motivated to use new marketing to prove new marketing–to put into action all that I have absorbed.

To tie this into the grander theme of “change” and “hope” and “conversation” in 2008 I think some of us, myself included, need to realize that we too are allowed to shape the debate action. It will certainly counterbalance some of the BS coming out of the blogo/podosphere of late.

Shoot I forgot: It’s the Lazysphere now.

Filed under: Rants, Economy, Social Media, Personal Branding, Politics, The Future, Wealth

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Who is they? Everyone. The list likely includes your competitors, clients, and a few operatives in between. As I’ve always had a penchant for speaking my mind I often forget that the world is listening, albeit quietly so at times.

I suppose that this point isn’t lost on most who read my blog. In my case today it was yet another reminder that the web is a great equalizer. Coupled with a bit of luck and karma we all have like opportunities.

With inspiration aplenty, I have to give a shout out to Mitch Joel on this one. With business being a people business, personal branding is paramount. Corporate branding is a quasi-sales ploy. I believe that progress and ultimately success if that is your goal comes from a point of purity in which one must stand up for his/her actions and reputation within the marketplace. The alternative I’m afraid is a grinding 9-to-5 job, one which I refuse to accept based on its limitations in name alone.

Filed under: Rants, Personal Branding, The Future

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From the New York Times:

In a surprise appearance on Mr. Stewart’s show just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Mr. Colbert arrived on a bicycle piloted by someone in an Uncle Sam costume. Propping his feet on a hay bale and cracking open what appeared to be a beer bottle, Mr. Colbert, in character as a conservative blowhard, told Mr. Stewart that he had “decided to officially consider whether or not I will announce.”

But on his own show, which began at 11:30, he touched off a cascade of red, white and blue balloons by declaring, “After nearly 15 minutes of soul-searching, I have heard the call.”

Sure, he’s hawking a new book called “I Am America (And So Can You)” but that shouldn’t stop Stephen Colbert from running for President as a “favorite son” candidate in his native South Carolina. Beyond potentially influencing the race as a Democrat and/or Republican–correct, he wants to run both primaries–it is unclear as to what his real motives are.

Though, I suspect that Stephen Colbert doesn’t care much about book sales or TV ratings. His legacy is at stake here. The bright spot here is that he’s already a legend. Doubt me? Check out his appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner from a couple of years ago. He can stump the best of them.

Colbert Links:

The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
Stephen Colbert (Wikipedia)
Stephen Colbert - Character (Wikipedia)
Colbert Nation
MakeMeAmerica.com

Filed under: Personal Branding, Politics

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