Open Sesame

*update: the concept won the 5th prize out of 33 contestants!*



Finally the battle is over, and the concept has been accepted by TNO. TNO ? Yes, two classmates and me joined a battle of 'Battle of Concepts' (http://www.battleofconcepts.nl/) for the TNO battle...


According to TNO there are three media types; professional content, user generated content and archieves. And in their briefing they explained two types of media instruments; the television, and the pc with internet...


We did a lot of research and made some extrodinary sketches about mediaworld as it is today, and how internet (especially web2.0) is taking part (for others; going to take) in that, and offcourse how 'Sesame' our concept is the solution for this all. For Dutch speakers the document is downloadable at:


http://student.cmd.hro.nl/0766740/minorpd/BoC_TNO_SESAM_CONCEPTv5.pdf





A (very) short English version of the Introduction:

The Media image as we see it today changed rapidly and the easyness is something that is important to people, because of that the intensity of the use of internet increases. Not only for information, but also shopping, administration and community building is getting a frequent habbit and is much more used than ever before. In 'The New Economy 2007' with results of the last years it is stated that it is getting more usual to call with the use of the internet, and reading news, watching television, listening to the radio is getting for a lot of people almost comprehensible.



We expect this to continue, and even increase exponential if the mass sees the easyness of accessing the internet for almost everything on high quality and portable devices. From the Apple iPhone users there were already 85% of the users accessing the internet in January 2008.


We see people going to do this more, mobile or locally, like sending emails instead of letters will be on your phone calling through the internet. With the use of these high technology devices people are also getting more handy, when you maybe first had a photo album you will bring a USB stick, or one step further on an online Operating System like Netvibes, Jooce, iGoogle, Windows and so on. This saves in space also, and you do not need a case or anything, only a screen with a connection would be enough. But not only people are getting more handy, also the devices, with this high technology they are even made (or not made) possible to connect to connect to other devices. Think of the automatic synchronisation of Apple Devices, but also on the unexpectedMicrosoft's XBOX with the Sony PSP.



Now it is up to us to let these devices connect with each other, on the most powerfull way, according to the briefing. Maybe there should not be another device but the software behind these devices. The technology is there but they are not connected with other devices optimally. How would it be if these devices which connects through wireless accespoints and mobile operators also could exploit the internet ? Like if they could spread the internet as well, functioning as a portal for the internet ? That every device would feel and understand other devices and automatically connect with each other ? Everywhere and All the time. Open Sesame.







The Concept under the name of 'Sesame' is currently taking part in the TNO Battle



awaiting for the results, in time i will try to translate :)

Emphasise the Problem

In one of the brainstormsessions lately, thinking about viral campaigns somebody told about a belgish campaign which drew my attention. With some simple research I found a diversity of video's on youtube where you can see the -what's the buzz about?- in action. It was ment for gaining publicity that even water isn't that comprehensible (though it always stands there on the ancherman's desk).

The publicity was for a fundraising activity of Studio Brussel who plead for pure drinkwater third world countries. I think this is a great way of gaining publicity and made me think of other activities to emphasise the problem (and reminded me of some concepts within 'working 8 hours late' - 8UO - Nieuwe Garde ). Like the Clochard Project from SVN ( a foundation that helps street children in the netherlands ) who came up with carton bed sheets:

Buy & Die !

Some time a go, in the time of the CPD, a Guest lecture was held. The lecture organized by students contained two speakers and a workshop. The second speaker was the strategy director of Ara, a company responsible for the promotion of the royal Netherlands air force, Cordaid, Campina, several ministries and many others. He had an interesting and understanding vision.

Trends on the internet, which was the subject of the day, wasn’t easy according to him. A thing to start with is to read the clue train manifesto which is downloadable on the internet for free. He referred to the manifest as that a powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed with result that these markets are getting smarter.

Markets are like conversations. Their members communicate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking. There is a question, an answer, a conversation between two sides. Traditional single side media is going downhill, because of this oneway traffic, social media is making individual and group activities more and more possible and visible to the rest of us. And most corporations –quoting the manifesto- lack in the involvement of the customer, ignoring this development. Which I would like to call the "Buy & Die"-Attitude. They stick to talk in a soothing, humorless monotone of the mission statement, ignoring their ability to deliver genuine knowledge, opting instead to crank out sterile happytalk that insults the intelligence of markets literally too smart to buy it. Same old tone, same old lies. No wonder networked markets have no respect for companies unable or unwilling to speak as they do.

Because there are people that will match your communication. And that is interesting. According to that statement he showed a display of integrated marketing communication:

As presented in this diagram you can see there are four categories of people in the world of the web (see the pyramid on the right). The creators represent 7% at the top of the pyramid, the ones that make content, contribute if via Wikipedia etc. The next step in the pyramid are the critics which account for 18%, collectors 18% and finally the wonderfully named “couch potatoes” (Robert Armstrong, 1976).

Engagement by marketing differs per group. With couch potatoes reached by Push marketing, collectors are reached by providing content, critics with dialogue and finally the creators can be touched by giving a platform for their creativity. Interesting and definitely good in understanding marketing and communications worldwide.

Do you have a Bie & Die Experience ?

For Your Consideration

The Young Ambassadors, a group of youngsters all younger than 25 willing to stand up and work for a better city. They are functioning as a direct advice to the government and several institutes.

Thursday evening I joined a meeting of the Young Ambassadors, in the City Hall of The Hague. Besides their usual progress reviews four party’s joined the evening to get advice and interest for all to participate.

1. At first a project, name is in development, motivating potential school dropouts preventing them for dropping out. Their problem; the potential dropouts are demotivated, and the existing dropouts are discriminated (getting back to school, into a job or institute later on).

The solution so far by the organisation is doing research and making interviews of dropped out pupils who are going back to work (like example stories). From this a movie will be made, presenting it to the potential dropouts and rewarding them with some kind of certificate of not dropping out.

This raised many questions amongst all ambassadors. At first putting a stamp on potential dropouts is not going to work and example movies of pupils who dropped out, is more motivating them to drop out than to stay on school. I raised another issue that this certificate would have a very tricky aspect as well, how would this “nearly dropped out”-certificate affect possible future education and work environment?

The idea to motivate the pupils is good, but the first understanding of the project is slightly wrong. The value of this certificate, like gaining competencies (with workshops, and lessons that interest them) could be far more interesting, like a scan of motivation, cause points do not only result in your degree, but also your motivation. Research, research, research, Please!

2. Then the next. A governmental fulcrum who takes care of people caring for sick people; one on ten youngsters is taking care of somebody who is mentally or physically ill. This fulcrum helps those youngsters to get the help they deserve, because many times there are many solutions for helping in their situation. But the fulcrum has a problem: These ‘caring youngsters’ are not looking for help, they think they are alone, and they cannot reach them. They have multiple buildings in The Hague but they are running out of clients!

The ambassadors and me are slightly overwhelmed by the situation and I indicate how they are managing their clients at the moment. The problem, which easily can be found by the first question is that they targeted these people by a word, a term, discriminating and separating them from the rest and that is exactly what these people do not want. Going to schools and explaining who they are and what they are doing is good and we suggest to do that a lot more than they are doing that right now, and not by giving those people a name, but offering those people help if they would like that.

3. The last presentation is about a woman who wants to create a book. But not an ordinary book, a book which is created by youngsters taking away prejudice, eliminating discrimination of cultural minorities. The idea was represented for The Hague Talentshow ‘The Komet’ to win money to realize, but lost without arguments –stunned faces-.

But, she is still going for a subsidy application. The ambassadors and me directly hand over more foundations, companies and institutes that could help her realize her idea...

So... Comprehensible

It is said in many occasions; returning home from a study or course in foreign countries enlarges future possibilities and opportunities. But not only job opportunities is said to magnify, gaining experiences, feeling other cultures will broaden your view.

What I have noticed as well, and with me many others, is that it also will also create a certain point of view on your own country, your own town, your surroundings. You begin to notice how easy some things are, it is so comprehensible that it makes you feel lucky.

Lucky to be born in this country. Lucky to grow up in a regular family where you have water, food, electricity, television and even a computer later on. A garden where you could play in and a ridiculous amount of accessories that would trigger your creativity.

When I think of Vladanka, a
friend from Serbia, it makes me feel sad. She is working overtime in a pizzeria
and working in one of those orphanages seen on those news items sometimes. Or
Igi, my Mongolian mother, who is working as a teacher to support her mother, her
son and her nephew. Not to speak of the street children who are even worse off,
demanding money, daily.

It makes me feel unpleasant, of how
people sometimes criticize so easily, not being critical at all. It is ignorant
and most of all ingenuous. If things are bothering you, if things are not right,
if things have to be done and you know how, step up, talk, undertake and be
entrepreneurial.

For instance:

In my city there is even a special bulletin for youngsters that is functioning for direct advice to the government and several institutes. I am going to visit this group soon, it is filled with active youngsters participating in making a better city. I’m looking forward to work with them...