Steve dug this one out the other day and I was so impressed with the execution of the site, I just had to say something about it - especially as video seems to be the flavour “du jour”.
The Ferrari GT is the next new kid on the block and rather than do the usual visual preview, Ferrari have launched an audio-only website with a countdown timer on it, and the only thing that gives you any kind of teaser is a series of 4 incredibly emotive audio clips.
Congruity is what I am talking abut here and audio clips can achieve this much more than any visual stimulai because they set the imagination racing without visual restrictions and few people can argue how powerful that can be.
Congruity is the ability for people to mentally bridge gaps between words/sounds and images in order to understand a concept. Take, for example a Powerpoint presentation. A good presentation has a limited number of images that don’t on their own, make sense. The congruity comes when people listen to your words and see the images, put the two together and GET the concept you are talking about.
I’m not going to spoil the excitement so go here, click on the audio clips and close your eyes….listen to rumble of the starter motor as you start her up, the screaming V8 as she flies past you…
The Apprentice started out life as an attempt to provide formerly intelligent people with an opportunity to work for one of the UK’s most successful business leaders…until 2008.
In light of the shocking stupidity of some of the contestants this year, the above video is the icing on the cake! Utter genius - in fact, it’s the only thing that has some level of intelligence to it!
I figured that with over 340 friends on Twitter, that one line of profile alone tell you who I am, what I like and what I do - this blog does that. Also have a look at the About page (up there on the left!) to see a bit more about me.
So, feel free to sign-up to the feed from my blog and add me to your blogroll. I am always looking for new conversations so I will add you back (promise!)
If anybody fancies a natter about anything (although I do pariocualry enjoy discussing social networks, web apps and blogs and blogging in all forms), drop me a line at paul (dot) fabretti at gmail (dot) com.
Post to look out for in the next 4 weeks:
Facebook as a Social Utility - why Facebook WILL stay around for a lot longer than we think.
Facebook Applications - a response to the NMA article on how Facebook Applications are seen as unsupported gimmicks.
Twitter - exploring how business can embrace this mobile community
Blogging for Business - a 10-part series on how to set your business up for blogging
The circle of Remarkability and Social Objects
How to find your marketplace
How to successfuly engage with you marketplace
I of course, would welcome any comments on any of the above to build into the article (all references will be attributed!) so do get in touch!
So Facebook chat launches nationwide today! Yay! There was only one other person I thought would be on this straight away…and she was!
and here…
For some time, Facebook has been hampered by what I call serial conversations (in fact, I think I may have got into an argument about it here!)…one message gets posted, another replies…another message gets posted…you leave…then pop back the next day where another message gets posted…you get the picture. Splintered and useless fragments of chat.
In Groups and Pages, this problem is amplified. Pages and Groups are designed to create community and a place where "yung fings" can hang out and chat about a topic, but this conversation is stifled because there is no real-time interaction.
Fortunately, Facebook Chat allows us to talk in real time to other people…all we need now is to integrate these into groups and we are one step closer to never needing another social network again.
Whilst FB Chat is not yet integrated into Groups or Pages, the fact that a conversation sits on top of the browser so to speak (i.e. you can navigate around Facebook without interruption to the conversation), it means that you can still be a participant in a conversation with people WITHIN the group or page.
As such, brands who have pages and groups with active admins in them, can actually engage in realtime with visitors.
Now, imagine if you had a music band and a Facebook Page…and your lead singer was doing a live chat….from the very same Facebook Page they just launched their new single from…
Smilies are currently keyboard-shortcuts only but look good all the same…
…whilst the pop-out means you can still chat with Facebook friends, whilst not being in Facebook.
All-in-all…one more reason why we will never soon be able to leave Facebook…EVER!
So, as some of you know, Friday 11th April was the first of our Blogging for Business seminars, held at the MDDA offices in Manchester.
The idea of the event was (and remains to be for the London event on the 25th April!) to de-mistify blogging as a niche, early adopter tool and show it to be the essential business communication it is.
The speakers
To get this message across, alongside me (Paul!) giving an overview of why blogging has become something you can no longer ignore, we were delighted to have with us Mark Rogers, CEO of Market Sentinel and Chris Bland, Senior Account Manager of our search partner Greenlight.
Mark spoke about the importance of understanding the blogosphere and the nature or tone of the conversations taking place on it. The benefit being that once you understand the conversations and the people holding them, you know the correct way to talk back to these people but also, what it is that they are interested in talking to you about!
Chris covered the increasingly important area of how blogs can enhance (in some cases dramatically) your SEO strategy.
The Feedback
It is always a challenge to set these events at just the right tone, to strike a balance between providing enough detail to add to the knowledge of those people who are already know something and not being so detailed so as to alienate those people who know very little.
With some significant brands such as Bentley Motors, Alliance & Leicester, Royal Liver, dabs.com and SSL International already attending, it was essential to get the balance right. Looking at the feedback , I think we have managed to do just that!
Experienced digital professionals from these and many other businesses left us glowing feedback about the speakers and the event itself.
This with some understanding of blogs felt that they learnt a lot, whilst others who simply came to find out more felt that they had a significantly better grasp of blogging than when they first came!
We will be taking the seminar to London on the 25th April, so if you were unable to attend the Manchester event, there are still (a few) tickets available.
So, as some of you know, Friday 11th April was the first of our Blogging for Business seminars, held at the MDDA offices in Manchester.