Some interesting charts by Clement Mok, Global Director of Design Planning for Sapient. His take on Agency 1.0 vs Agency 2.0 shows the correlation between emerging/exisiting media and the state of marketing. What's most interesting to him is that this still seems to be news to some marketers.

The first chart is an overview of the evolution of agencies to adapt to the new landscape. The second is the underlying philosophy for each system.

The idea that the customer owns and builds the brands feels a little unrealistic. Certainly customers feel a great deal of "ownership" and loyalty to brands that they feel help to define their lifestyles but that brand had an identity before they discovered and adopted it.

This applies more to brands that have gone through an identity renaissance like Hush Puppies did when they were brought out of a 20 year slumber by people looking for something that was outside of the mainstream. The revamped image due to this new customer is a better example of customers driving brand identity.

So where does that leave the agency? Brand builders and stewards open to partnership with consumers? Ringleader or barker? The smart agencies won't engage in a power struggle with the passionate public but harnessing the power of consumer generated content has yet do be done in a way that makes it feel like a new model.

Charity Vending Machines

The "charity vending machine" made its debut in Japan this week, joining a long list of unorthodox devices that sell everything from insects to eggs.

Like many typical vending machines, the charity machine sells drinks, but it also deducts donations if the user wishes.
Devised by local volunteer group Miyagi Heartful Vendor (MHV) to raise donations for good causes, it is the first of its kind in Japan. MHV is a volunteer organization of representatives of local companies and welfare groups. The machine was made to order.
The prototype was installed on the Tohoku Fukushi University campus in Sendai's Aoba Ward. The university is known for its focus on welfare issues.

At first glance the vending machine appears just like any other. Above the coin slot, however, are two buttons: one for a 10-yen donation, the other for a 100-yen donation. When buying a drink, customers can push the buttons in combination to make a donation.
For example, if they push the 10-yen button twice, a total of 20 yen will be taken from the change as a donation.

They can also donate without buying a drink, or buy a drink without making a donation.

The money will go to the Miyagi prefectural branch of the Central Community Chest of Japan, which will distribute the funds to social welfare facilities and victims of natural disasters.

Bad Technology Statistics

88%

of working Americans say they have no idea what an RSS feed is

9%

say they do know what an RSS feed is

2%

report that they actually subscribe to an RSS feed

So does this mean that this is a technology that is too complicated for the average user or is it simply not useful enough for people to adopt it? You might reasonably expect that the conveniences RSS feeds deliver, like notification of updates to a specific channel of content, would be enough to get most people over the technology hump.

There was lots of buzz about RSS feeds as the next wave in personalization but it seems clear that the average person is content to go from site to site to gather their information on the web. All of the sites that want to get their RSS use up so they can add Google AdSense into it and make a little money would be well served to make a persuasive pitch to their users and engage in a little demystification so that the vast majority has an idea of what they’re missing.

Strandbeesten

I just came across an article on Theo Jansens and have become utterly fascinated by his work.

For the last ten years he has been creating "Strandbeesten", fantastical creatures that are able to walk powered only by the wind. These kinetic sculptures are made of plastic tubing, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, hose, tape and all sorts of other things which you might commonly find as detruitis on a beach which Jansens transformes into primordial looking creatures which step delicately along the beaches of Holland. His goal with the Beesten is to "put these animals out in herds on the beaches, so that they will live their own lives."

The creatures are constantly evolving as Jansens "breeds" the most successful ones into more complex creatures that can flap their wings,

discern abstacles in their path and even hammer themselves into the sand on sensing and approaching storm.

His work has been featured in a spot for BMW.

How Stuff Works

Ever wondered why someone would make a false confession to a crime or why the sky is blue or how caffeine works?



HowStuffWorks is a revelation of discovery. It covers topics from the quotidien to the truly obscure in a style that makes it all very accessable. This is the perfect combination of practical tool and joyous time waster all in one.