Hi! I’m Nick.

Unbeknown to all except to my closest of friends, that I'm currently undergoing one of those tough periods. It's not that whatever I do things tend to go awry, but I could just be standing still minding my own business and things will either go bad, or worst, give me a burden to which to carry inside to wonder, and feel. I'm just one of those guys that keeps a door open always for anyone, regardless if my desk is already full. Sincerely, I'm rather tired and just need to regain my tenacity.

1. My day job - daily operations, the team dynamics, my KPI, the future, and the agenda.
2. Problems a friend is having with his family - drama wei!
3. The backlog of my social calendar - family & friends I just need to meet with but haven't the time.
4. The completion of my personal project - left hanging.
5. Girls - explains itself enough.
6. The loan of my new car - went to the nearest KWSP, and bank with the KWSP kiosk - both down for repairs. Went online to print, account deactivated, have to go to a KWSP centre to reactivate. WTF.
7. The removal of my wisdom tooth - delayed to a Friday so I can avoid taking further medical leave. The infection already gave me a fever last weekend. Damn the pain.
8. The planning of the next outing/holiday with my core friends - the decisions, RSVP, dates, dietary concerns, personalities, location, etc.
9. My investment in a government bond - awaiting finalization.
10. My lack of engagement (in the last 2 months) with the community I manage.
11. My further training at Mercy Malaysia.
12. My recently lost camera - Now to replace. Thinking Panasonic LX3.
13. My readings - my book I've yet to finish, the magazines I've just bought, and the list of website articles that are growing longer by the day.
14. The gym, and the constant eating to fuel it - I've gained 4kg, I can't allow that to slip away. I've missed the gym for 2 weeks already.
15. My upcoming 8TV reality TV show trip - Early August, and my partner's back in New Zealand.

I'm just crazy.

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Freedom. This 7-letter word brings a long and bloody history. ‘Freedom’ is the consequence of ‘democracy’, and there is no other place on Earth that has a stronger declaration; than the United States of America. This is a main factor for America’s economic & cultural golden age during the 2 world wars. However, are Americans really exerting their much-envied rights today?

To be able to exert their rights, and articulate their thoughts in a critical manner – the Americans must be well-informed. Information, and the ability to reason are 2 main factors in a democratic governed country. Information however, means the advancement of mass media. And when these are used & controlled by interest groups; information can be transformed into propaganda.

During the mid-90’s, the radio was a fearsome tool of propaganda. With it came the many great speeches of our most powerful leaders. Unfortunately, many were corrupt and only obeyed one law: “The Law of, Me”. The radio reached millions of people anytime of the day, and spurred the people towards an agenda. Broadcast towers sprouted in civilian zones, and in the military front lines; blasting propaganda than can be played non-stop, 24 hours a day. However, the radio will eventually be outshined by something even more fearsome: the television.

There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations. – James Madison, Principle Author of the U.S. Constitution.

In the 2007 communications report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Americans once again tops the list on; “Average Daily Household TV Viewing” – a whopping 8 hours a day. Even with the spread of the Internet, TV viewings are still high. As a one-way media where viewers just sit back and watch, the American citizens are in it’s truest sense, ‘Coach Potatoes’. In this context, the definition of ‘Potatoes’ couldn’t be more clear. They are ’staple’; everyday conformist that accepts information but cannot return.

You see, the television is controlled by very wealthy corporations, and in turn; fund very politically powerful people. The television is the single most powerful tool in an American political campaign – and this is a fact. Also, in a non-political sense, as you are glued to the TV for lets say; 2 hours – the length of an average movie. That means for 2 hours, you are also an ‘obedient consumer’. This applies for gamers in Multiplayer Online Games as well. However, I’m not going to stress more on this; as I’m not going to talk about economics, and gaming in this post.

With one-way mass media, it gives the people little avenue to be involved. Even with community involved content like YouTube – where people can post videos and others can comment. It’s not that there aren’t any avenues, there always are – but people must make more effort in pursuing it. As you criticize more and more on a subject, the chances are high that your flame for it will dissolve over time (fed up of repeating?) – since young, you are told to forgive, you are told to not carry baggages, you are told to move on. So, if you are not a supporter or employee of ‘Amnesty International’ – chances are you only move into action when you are called for action ‘during that time’ that someone, somewhere is facing a human rights issue. This is something we are cultured to: instant gratification.

However, please do not regard this post as a negative rant. This is a real serious issue on democracy – the voice of reason by the people. Freedom always has a chance. And I have four words that I believe has the potential to convey for it…

IPTV.

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A recession is coming, and according to influential economists: it’s going to be a big, bad one. What you should know is that this coming recession is not like the recessions we are familiar with. It isn’t an oil demand, terrorist attack, nor tech bubble recession. This is a recession caused by hire purchase, and sub prime loans - housing, automobiles, credit cards, and personal loans.

While mainstream advertising will lose it’s effectiveness during this time, social media will be resilient. It won’t be unreasonable for corporations to increase spendings in this area. However, it will be really unreasonable if your corporation doesn’t even have an interactive plan, much less a social media plan.

In a recession, people like you and I, aren’t as willing to spend. Advertising is about generating awareness of the brand, social media is different. The ‘word of mouth’ is still the most effective way to sell a product/service. Even during a recession, you’d still be willing to part with your money if your best buds recommends something to you. A great video game, an awesome movie, a fantastic place to eat, etc.

Social media is cheap, and accurately quantifiable. You don’t have to deploy your own platform like Gua.com.my, you can leverage existing platforms. This doesn’t just save you big bucks, it also gives you the power to cause a ripple effect within it’s already established community. Understand this, because buying advertising ads on Facebook is not a social media plan. That is just buying ad space on a social networking site - horrendous conversion rates. You can have a shoestring budget and be immensely successful.

Social media is measurable. Not just tracking on a singular level, but several levels down. It’s like viral marketing. Social media can be (and has been proven to be) more powerful that a television campaign.

Are you familiar with giving virtual gifts on Facebook? Mars UK has taken the approach differently. They will be developing an application called “Celebration” which allows you to give real chocolate bars to your family & friends. Currently, you can only give these chocolate bars to only family & friends in the UK. Read this for more info.

Social Media requires your company to participate, not just entertain. If you are going to moderate and filter bad criticisms on your products/services - I urge you to get out of your rigid framework. Listen.

There are plenty of social media tools online. Do not focus all your budgets onto one tool. It takes alot more time, and manpower but you won’t suffer if one tool fails, also the more tools you use: the more reach you can achieve, and the better your metrics results will be.

In a crisis situation, social media is a shield that will save you. It’s a matter of whether your fans will protect you or not. A minor example:

Graham: You’ve gotta try Nick’s Cafe - the sandwich it’s totally excellent. *blah, blah, blah*
Kate: Wow! Really? I’ll give it a try.

*Kate goes to try*

Kate: I gave the sandwich a try, it was horrible! The vegetables were stale, etc. etc.

Now Graham will either go:

1. “Oh it’s probably just that day, the supplier could have given them a faulty load. Try again another day”.
2. Really? That bad? Man, I’ll never go there again.

Also read:

1. New Straits Times: Social Media for Marketing
2. Business Week: Social Media for your Business
3. Web Strategist: Why your social media plan should have success metrics
4. Web Strategist: The ROI of blogging? Intangible

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I would like to highlight 2 macro areas of the digital content industry. First, it’s the industry where corporations are developing high-end content. Second, it’s the industry fueled by user created content (UCC).

DRIVERS OF DIGITAL CONTENT

• Better Broadband Quality.
• Lower Internet Access Costs.
• Better Broadband Availability – Wireless coverage.
• Reduced prices & availability of consumer electronics – Mobile phones, PDAs, Digital cameras & camcorders, etc.
• Reduced prices & better availability of storage – Hard disks, Flash, Thumb drives, etc.
• Technologies to create, and share content – includes user-friendly software.
• The building of online community brands.
• Greater financial expenditure in content creation, distribution, and advertising.
• A public sector interested in catering to internet users of the 21st Century.

COMPANY CREATED CONTENT (CCC)
This is the staple building block of the digital economy. Where great ideas can effect people on a great scale. Reported by Toh Mei Ling, e-Content fund gets moving at last, TheEdge Malaysia, August 20, 2007: 13 companies have been given the green light on the RM150 million (US$43 million) government fund. The successful applicants are;

• Animasia
• Bill Adams
• Decimal Point
• EP Videolabs
• Friedchillies.com
• Les Copaque
• Mindstation
• MoonFX
• MyOutdoor
• Quark Energy Systems
• Saymohm
• Vision New Media
• Visual Xtreme

What I would like to know is; how many of these companies are building platforms, not content ? If none are: then where are the local platform builders? Some notable ones are lifelogger.com, and blinklist.com. Perhaps the terms & conditions of the fund wasn’t commercially viable to them, I do not know.

…, there is a small glimmer of hope that perhaps things may actually be getting better.
– Toh Mei Ling, e-Content fund gets moving at last, TheEdge Malaysia, August 20, 2007.

It is a digital economic lag where many companies are still working with the Web 1.0 mindset in strategy, brand, and design. Some enthusiastic planners try to make a ‘conservative jump’ to Web 2.0, thus the end result; ‘Web 1 1/2′ – more often than not: failing as websites, and not compelling as Web 2.0 requires – thus, failing that too.

USER CREATED CONTENT (UCC)
The internet today is facing a major paradigm shift into what is most commonly known as, Web 2.0. This shift isn’t an option, it is an evolution, and one you cannot stop. This means it is inherent that internet users are encouraged more than ever to: communicate and express themselves.

What does it mean to have a country with citizens that are very well connected in the digital age? This means a citizenry that is knowledge wealthy, and critical on issues. Critical in the sense of; scrutinizing every single bit of information thrown at them. This builds critical thinking abilities, and with it the ability to reason.

The outcome of a successful implementation and education of this process:

1. A government that is constantly scrutinized by its citizens. Meaning, leaders that are given federal power are based on performance, not nepotism.
2. A government system that is more transparent. This is a crucial factor for a working democracy.
3. A Private Sector that is slightly more transparent, and tighter in its corporate policies. In the face of citizen journalism: spurs the maturity rate of; intellectual property laws, the federal liberal legislation, and internal company policies of UCC platform usage (ie. Blogging).
4. A citizenship that is highly adaptive. Able to handle the many tasks the international world presents – important in the ever demanding corporate life. After all, it is law that those that adapt fast: survive, otherwise face extinction.
5. A connected citizenry. Infrastructure that fosters mobility which in-turn fosters citizen journalism. This makes people want to share their point-of-views, and this forces people to reassess everything in their rigid framework.

UCC however cannot grow in a society that is not conducive to the needs. Like a local government that has strict, conservative laws that are on the gray line when it comes to all things digital. This forces a majority of it’s citizenry to be drones, complacent in their lives, an introvert – and thus scared to divulge anything online. That’s a bad creative environment. One that is rigid, and cannot adapt to a globalized world.

“Amateurs Compete, Professionals Create“.

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