A Tale of Loyalty: Virtual Brand Currency Wars | @SXSW
and it's true, I'll be at SXSW wreaking havoc in a slideshow yardsale. I promise this, you will be entertained. Thanks to everyone who voted.
For more info:
and it's true, I'll be at SXSW wreaking havoc in a slideshow yardsale. I promise this, you will be entertained. Thanks to everyone who voted.
For more info:
While some go for larger we have been working on interaction, creating a connection from our physical space to the digital; literally. Here are some quick previews into work that is currently in process.
Credit to our partner and the team.
painting: Andrew Wyeth’s, Christina’s World (1948)* has been modified
| Event | Interactive 2012 |
| Format | Solo |
| Organizer | Cameron Friedlander – Designkitchen [WPP] |
| Speakers |
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| Description | Loyalty used to be simple, drink a soda and get rewarded for it. As brands expand their “social currencies” into a virtual Federal Reserve, based around larger partnerships, what will the future look like? Consumer loyalty is being targeted in exchange for virtual cash. From the utopic to the dystopic, we’ll take a look at alternate futures: The idealist agency perspective that each brand should have its own economy. What could go wrong? We’ll explore visions of consumers making transactions with 50+ currency options. “I’ll pay with ‘widget’ points ma’am, they’re trading well today.” Then let’s shift into brand-based personal economies, with each consumer having their own “virtual exchange.” What happens when brands go to war over your “loyalty economy?” Lastly, an economist asks what happens when everyone cashes out, flooding our gold-based standard with virtual cash? Complete devaluation of our current economy? I’m sure we’ll be fine, I’ll just drink a bitcoin and shut the %@! up. |
| Questions Answered |
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| Level | Beginner |
Intro music confirmed:
| Category | Branding / Marketing / Advertising |
| Tags | Bitcoin, Economic Concerns, Loyalty |
A little piece put out by The New York Times the other day showcasing the accessibility of the iPhone for children, which can be extended to the Natural User Interface. The piece also looks at the guilt parents have with letting their kids play with such devices for extended periods of time. As I have said before in my reviews of iPad applications for kids; they must be accompanied by adult interaction with the child and the application, otherwise it's just useless/meaningless information with no context.
Worth the quick read.
"Apple, the iPhone’s designer and manufacturer, has built its success on machines so simple and intuitive that even technologically befuddled adults can figure out how to work them, so it makes sense that sophisticated children would follow. The most recent model is 4.5 inches tall, 2.31 inches wide and weighs 4.8 ounces: sleek, but not too small for those with developing motor skills. Tap a picture on the screen and something happens. What could be more fun?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/fashion/17TODDLERS.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Also you can view my reviews, journals, and presentations on the topic of the natural user interface for kids here:
This short clip tries to answer the question: how do we make digital content, via the mobile phone, more graspable? Essentially to give it more meaning and context. He postulates that humans should not get more technical but that technology should be a bit more human.
Fabian looks at the 3 phone mods to make this happen:
1. Add weight - imagine if your phone tilted in the direction you needed to go on Google Maps.
2. Add dimension - if you are reading a book why not have the device grow.
3. Add a heartbeat - a device that gets excited for you.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/fabian_hemmert_the_shape_shifting_future_of_the_mobile_phone.html
I must say I had a lot of fun giving my first Ignite session (20 slides in 5 minutes) at the WPP Stream 10 conference in Athens, Greece. I first came up with this topic while doing research into learning and gestures, as well as observations of my own son on a NUI interface (Research Review | The Natural User Interface | Gestures, Forgivability, Learnability, http://posterous.nullintovoid.com/research-review-the-natural-user-interface-ge). I was asked afterwards if I had coined 'forgivability' and 'learnability' and at this moment, with some minor research, it looks like I may have.
The overall idea here, arguably, is that interfaces / interactions, both digital and analog, that encourage forgiviness are more accessible for exploration and learning.
While I start with a focus on the iPad as a reference point for those in the audience I do move out and explore products and product design as well as human relationships.
Please keep in mind that this is the beginning of a thought, that over time I hope to flesh out thoroughly as it appears to have a lot of potential and possibility.
In summary:
interactions that are forgivable make the experience more accessible, easier to learn, and encourage discovery and growth.
This by no means is a call for universal design but rather smarter design (hence my example of training wheels vs. tyke bikes that focus on balance).
Time Magazine has called 2010 the year of the 80s remake. Clash of the Titans, Karate Kid, Wall Street, the A-Team and Tron all had their revenge on moviegoers this season. But, while the characters remain the same, a lot has changed in how we consume media since those franchises first appeared. Cameron Friedlander, VP of Creative Technology at Designkitchen, will host a discussion on how consumers, agencies, and technologies are impacting and being impacted by these changes.
I have, for awhile now, been fascinated by old technologies, often times dead, being recycled into new, functional, pieces. While there are a lot of nixie clocks out there they seem to focus solely on the nixie tube as the design (see the Chronotronix V400 as an example). This hand-crafted piece from BDDW showcases how when technology and design work in collaboration they can create something bigger than the sum their parts.
Now how can this apply to digital marketing and advertising?
http://bddw.com/furniture/clocks/nix_b.html


http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/5946
| Organizer | Cameron Friedlander, Designkitchen [WPP], Brandon Berger, MDC Partners |
| Description | A look at how user behaviors are being changed by technology. As technology becomes more pervasive brands are able/needing to reach out directly to the end user. But only on the terms the end user allows. How do brands establish themselves as a part of the consumers lives through content? What is the role of data in the direct to brand content conversation? Since content is becoming ever more important, how is the behavioral data being taken into account? What is the role of Hollywood in this ecosystem? Do agencies need to change? Where does all of this data sit and are the creative forces using it to the best of its ability? Who owns that data? We will bring together a variety of experts to explore what the digital future may look like. |
| Questions Answered |
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| Level | Intermediate |
| Category | Branding / Marketing / Publicity |
| Tags | branding and marketing, content strategy, data |
| Type | Panel |
| Event | Interactive 2011 |
We are looking for comments!
http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/5946
“Sears is running an integrated marketing campaign that includes TV, offline and mobile elements, including viewing contest details, entering the contest and voting for friends via mobile,” said Cameron Friedlander, vice president of creative technology at Designkitchen, Chicago."

Full article below
http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/advertising/6993.html