For decades brands basked in the glory of control, control over consumers’ perceptions, impressions and ultimately decisions and ensuing experiences. Or better said, business leaders enjoyed a semblance of control. While businesses concentrated resources on distancing the connections between customers, influencers and representatives, a new democracy was materializing. This movement would inevitably render these faceless actions not only defunct, but also perilous. Fueled by the socialization of media, content and connections served as the foundation for this new democracy and…
Where and Why: An Unpublished Interview
Rather than let this interesting discussion sink to the cavernous depths of my inbox, I thought I’d share it with you here. 1. You’re known as a visionary of future media as well as a trendspotter… what drew you to this position? Not sure that they’re as much professions as they represent a labor of love. In the 90s and early 2000s, I focused all of my research and work on technology, understanding its impact on culture and consumer behavior…
(R)evolution Episode 4: Charlene Li on Open Leadership
Welcome to the fourth episode of (R)evolution, a new series that connects you to the people, trends, and ideas defining the future of business, marketing, and media. My guest in episode 4 is Charline Li, founding partner of Altimeter Group, author of the new book, Open Leadership and also my dear friend. The premise of “open leadership” sets the stage for executives to embrace social technology to transform the way they lead. In our discussion, we also review how social…
Exploring and Defining Influence: A New Study
Influence is bliss… The socialization of media is as transformative as it is empowering. As individuals, we’re tweeting, updating, blogging, commenting, curating, liking and friending our way toward varying levels of stature within our social graphs. With every response and action that results from our engagement, we are slowly introduced to the laws of social physics: for every action there is a reaction – even if that reaction is silence. And, the extent of this resulting activity is measured by…
The Social Network: Ecosystem vs. Egosystem
Of all the social networks competing for our online persona and social graph, Twitter is special. The culture and self-governing rules of engagement shaped by the “me” in social media, create a personalized experience that looks and feels less like a “social” network and instead, creates an empowering information exchange. Twitter is at the heart of the Web’s evolving egosystem and its archetype is powerful and quite understated. For better or worse, Twitter introduces the notion of notion of popularity,…
First Look: Mark Zuckerberg and Mayor Cory Booker Visit Newark’s KIPP School
Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Facebook Facebook founder turned philanthropist donated a staggering 100 million dollars to help invigorate Newark’s buckling education system. A good friend working closely with Mayor Cory Booker and Zuckerberg sent along these brand new images of a visit the pair made to Newark’s KIPP school. While some viewed Zuckerberg’s generous and unselfish donation as a public relations move, Mayor Booker showed the world otherwise, “We had to convince Mark not to be…
(R)evolution Episode 3: Rick Bakas on Social Media, Wine and Engagement
Welcome to the third episode of (R)evolution, a new series that connects you to the people, trends, and ideas defining the future of business, marketing, and media. My guest this time around is Rick Bakas (@rickbakas) of Bakas Media, previously director of social media at St. Supery Winery in Napa Valley. Note: This is a live setting and there are a few spots where offscreen noise is a factor. Stay focused, Rick represents what’s going on in the front lines…
The Most Influential Consumers Online are on Twitter
Twitter is a human seismograph and it represents a transformative channel where everyday people possess the ability to affect actions. The cloud of collective consciousness that houses our thoughts, experiences, and conversations is also a data trove for experts to measure and mine serendipitous and organized behavior and events. Twitter is less of a social network in its design and operation and more of a series of interconnected social nicheworks. It brings together disparately connected personalities linked through friendship, admiration,…
The Socialization of Business: Your Dirty Little Secrets are No Longer Secrets
If a conversation takes place online and you’re not there to hear it, did it really happen? Conversations do not fall into a black hole never to be heard again. And, there is no event horizon preventing their escape. The social effect is more powerful than we realize. The truth is that if one voice or a chorus of voices finds the right audience, not only will businesses realize that conversations are taking place, they will find a miraculous cure…
(R)evolution Episode Two: Silicon Valley vs. The World with Sarah Lacy
Today marks the debut of the second episode of (R)evolution, a new series that connects you to the people, trends, and ideas defining the future of business, marketing, and media. Please welcome author, TV personality, TechCrunch blogger, and business journalist Sarah Lacy… Living in Silicon Valley, tech startups and industry giants serve as common fixtures, much in the same way movie studios and production companies adorn Hollywood. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are on the minds and in the conversations of…
