howard | 
11 7th, 2007| 
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a look at the new Google OpenSocial API and what it means to non-technical, marketing and executive types
Nov
7
Nov
6
Working in a digital role, particularly a senior one, in adland has it’s ups and downs. And in the integrated world, it’s can present distinctly different challenges to that of the pure-play shop.
These can, and do, come in all shapes and sizes, with common ones being a lack of faith that digital will make an impact, territory defense from the rampant digital hordes here to steal your land, and plain old "not getting it".
It’s this last one which i’ve been noticing more and more recently, but it’s always been around in every agency I’ve ever worked in.
And it boils down to one key phrase which will never fail to make my blood boil…
"I’m not technical"
three simple words which can be used to such amazing effect as to instantly put a digital person on a defensive back footing in any meeting.
Here’s an example. You’re in an integrated campaign kick-off meeting. All the usual parties are represented – creative, account management, planning and, of course, digital (if i’ve missed anyone out who thinks they should be here don’t get offended 
). The meeting is going as well as can be expected and you, as the digital type, are chipping in as and when appropriate, when all of a sudden, someone, usually an account manager I have to say, but not always, pipes up with…
"I’m not technical"
this could be in relation to almost anything and often is about the really basic stuff we’ve all been doing for ten years or more.
"I’m not technical" is used by those who fear the digital environment. It’s employed as the catch all to make them look good in a mixed room. It’s a way for them to instantly let it be known they potentially have no idea about digital marketing, even the easy stuff, but that actually it’s not their fault! they’re not out of touch with the modern marketing environment. no, no, no. Actually, it’s your fault, as digital expert, because quite simply (ready? one, two three..!)
They aren’t technical!
See how it works?
This phrase, to the unaware, doesn’t make them look non-technical. It makes you look too technical – simply because you understand what a web browser does or how flash needs a plug-in to play or why YouTube is a great way to get videos out into the world.
"I’m not technical" is the joker card they can play to get them out of an potentially awkward "I really don’t get any of this digital stuff" situation – whilst still, however, making them look perfectly capable in terms of marketing and communications – which in this day and age of near ubiquitous digital communications globally, with only more on the horizon – isn’t true.
And that’s the whole point of the phrase. it’s used to maintain an air of marketing and comms superiority, whilst downgrading the work of the digital specialist to that of a nerdy techy geek.
we need, as digital experts (whether you are pure play or integrated), to help people get rid of this ingrained sense that because something is displayed on a computer, or on a mobile phone, or even in a window via projection, that it’s technical in nature.
because – and here’s the big surprise for all who have used this phrase – it isn’t!
it’s all marketing, advertising, communications.
that’s all you need to worry about.
don’t worry about delivery – which can be technical in the fine details – because we’ll cope with that.
don’t worry about building or putting something together – we’ll do that too.
all you, they, them – the "i’m not technical" bunch – need to remember is that, as marketers, you need to understand how to communicate and talk to people about products and services – and how those facts are changing in the new landscape (dialogue, honesty, transparency).
most people don’t know how a television camera, edit suite, or even the broadcast network work from a technical level – but it doesn’t stop them from putting together a media plan and storyboarding/producing a TV commercial.
hardly anyone, apart from print traffic experts, understand the intricacies of a four colour spot process (or what ever you print people do all day!) and yet they can put together a paper based DM campaign till the cows come home.
But, for some reason, as soon as you introduce the concept of digital communications, all hell breaks loose and the phrase comes out again and again and again.
it’s 2007 people in agency land! not 1997 (when I could just about forgive this attitude, just) – forget technology (because I guarantee you the consumers have, especially the young ones) – and concentrate on communicating with the audience.
remember your marketing 101 lessons and don’t even try to concern yourself with the back-end of things.
i swear, the next person who says to me "I’m not technical" I’ll cease to talk to them in anything resembling "translation talk" (i.e. me being the buffer between tech and non-tech developer types) and I’ll do nothing but talk in the most technical, geeky, hard-core industry speak I can think of.
then we’ll see how "not technical" they really are.
communications! communications! communications! – remember that – it’s the very reason why we work in marketing/advertising at the end of the day!
quit playing the joker.
Howard
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Nov
5
In a move that’s bound to raise a few eyebrows in many different industries, Sony BMG has granted Gresso, the makers of a "luxury" mobile phone which is made from African Black Hardwood, license to produce and market a "luxury" USB stick, with 1GB memory on it, that will feature the new J-Lo album on it.
Priced at $70 (£35 approx) the stick isn’t actually that expensive when you put together the price of a 1gb stick (about £12 average) and a CD from a store on the high street (£16.99 RRP) – adding about £6 or £7 to the total price. Of course, that’s in the USA so things are always cheaper over there.
What’s interesting is the merge of physical marketing product with a campaign and a promotion. This trend keeps moving on, the merging of the real and the digital worlds until they meet together in the form of a new (ok, not so new in this case) product, like Nike+ (it’s OK, I just put £1 in the nike+_as_an_example swear box!)
Whether this will sell or not I have to say I am not sure – I imagine fans of J-Lo are fans of bling as well, but would they stretch to a $70 USB key? Maybe, maybe not.
But undoubtedly it keeps the wheels in motion for more excuses for physical and digital world campaigns working together.
I have doubts whether this kind of thing would be able to stop the move from physical music purchases to downloads only however, which surely is the way it’s all going to go.
Howard
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Nov
1
Orange are pushing up a new web site to build on their "unlimited" bundles brand theme.
The site, which appears to be from Poke and via Ian Tait of the great blog CrackUnit, is itself never ending, running vertically for as long as you would care to scroll.
And believe me, it appears to be just that – never ending – as I tried to scroll for five mins or so and got nowhere (probably says something about my state of mind!)
beautifully crafted with some lovely illustration, the site’s authors state that it’s…
"Crammed full of fun stuff and lots of surprises. Some are online, some
are mobile things. But all of them demonstrate the notion of
‘unlimited’."
Ian, in his post, goes on to say…
"it’s one of those sites which is really about exploration and experience."
And it’s great. It really is fun to play with and it makes people interact directly with the brand in probably the most literal way I’ve seen in a long time.
I’ve always had my reservations about sites which don’t have clear and concise navigation – which make the user hunt around for the content they really want to get to – but I feel that in this case, the navigation probably is the content – and the whole point of it is to just play around and get lost in the weird illustrative world it provides.
As well as just being a good looking piece of creative, it has excellent social network and tools integration, something we are seeing more and more of from brands, but it’s still not everywhere so it’s a pleasure to see Orange and Poke embracing this trend. Facebook, StumbleUpon and Del.icio.us are all represented to the full.
There’s also good widget integration, with countless embed codes for all sorts of little widgets. Like this one…
It’s certainly going to get orange a hell of a lot of PR about it in the blogosphere and beyond – so I’d count that as a success in itself in terms of brand awareness.
Good work Ian and team (I like the trees btw!)
Howard
