my comments on: Why I’m leaving Twitter!, too many followers are FUTILE!

Why I’m leaving Twitter!

 jimconnolly | Jim's Marketing Blog

Strange why Jim stop us from commenting on this blog post.. guess he is afraid of 20,000+ comment!?

It is exactly his ratio (1k of 23k followers) that I kind of foresaw the problem, hence I keep my feed private and ONLY allow people I check out to follow & I follow those I know who they are... 

this might be a viable option and the 'chase' of thousands of followers is "FUTILE".. 

so, friendsfeed is an option .. but I still like Twitter in my own way/flavour. 

yes, it is still weird/complex/difficult as keeping my feed private means that I cannot interact with those that don't follow me. 

I have to have a seperate 'open' account to communicate with other people.. 

it is not ideal.. 

twitter is still best as it is useful for me: 

1.) I can keep up with my contacts

2.) catchup with news

3.) communicate bite size.. 

Still got challenge of privacy and identification of users (who they say they are..)

hope Twitter can fix these soon.. 

My comments Television - News - Lottery show leads Saturday ratings - Digital Spy

Television - News - Lottery show leads Saturday ratings - Digital Spy

There are all these talks of TV media fragmentations, yes, more digital TV channels, new habits of consuming 'bite size' content on mobile & internet (legal or copied).. 

fregmenting print media, newspaper with so much free content.. 

This is putting a lot of pressure on present media owners.. In my humble opinion that is true but based on the present well understood models and status quo. 

However, we are still waiting for the new ''converged' model, I don't know how it will take shape, could be a national lottery program, or maybe a lottery program integrated with eastenders (soap opera) or educational or charity (children in need).. 

I humbly submit that yes, old media is going to be less profitable, but only in the old form.. 

In a new converged form with new business model might just be the future that saves them or be the 'phoneix' that comes out, hopefully not from the ashes.. 

very interesting to see what might happens! 

Revenue/profit pressure on media/entertainment in 2009, and what are the potential solutions!?

As the report from Deloitte's Media Predictions TMT Trends 2009: Part1:http://bit.ly/c2C4, Part2: http://bit.ly/ZP6Sz

2009 onward maybe tough! some hight-lighted below. 

1.) Newspaper vs. free news on internet/mobile, hence need to find ways of monetising audience, 

2.) TV fragmentation of channels/content means consumer's habit changing and may prefer bite size online, or change to non-linear consumption habit. All this means broadcaster need to invest in contents/formats but also most importantly diversify their revenue from old style advertising. 

3.) User Generated content, although it is 'free', it cost hugely to host/organise them and no one seem to be able to find ways of 'monetising' it neither!

4.) Social network, one need to find ways of monetising & bringing value at the same time, bundle of millions of people is not the same as millions of people joining forces 'For a purpose'..

5.) Malvertising need to be nipped in the bud! 

One of my non profit initiative I founded Gambit will explore about the revenue diversification aspect for the media/entertainment world, for Brand, Formats and Media owner, on 12th February 2009, we will have Head of FremantleVentures, Head of Brand Exploitation of Endemol, and Commercial Directors of Wagerworks (an IGT company) + other senior speakers TBC to join the esteemed panel.

Hope may of interested parties can join us, details and signup: http://www.TheGambit.info 

See you then! 

BR

Gareth

Great posts, with my two caveats! How to Make Business Connections in China - Conversation Starter - HarvardBusiness.org

How to Make Business Connections in China - Conversation Starter - HarvardBusiness.org

I would totally agree, with a couple of Caveats:  

1.) Realistic time frame will also be needed, many successes & failures (where firms pulled out of china too early when they did not see enough 'returns' early enough). for example, of the great technology success (whilst I was still in Telecoms) was Ericsson, not a lot of people know this, but they established there in 1890s!!! http://bit.ly/Kyuy  

2.) Great to build relationships (hopefully trusted) with a key partner, but due to politics, and constant change of those in power (within company and in the political arena). The focus on building the relationship should be one of 'portfolio' approach, even within one organisation. Namely, great relationships with key head guy(s), but all potential secondary guys, without the top guys noticing.. in short, great politics  

It does help if you get invited & hosts a few drinks & banquets with them to build up the relationships. and then trust is built and potentially orders (if there are no one there first to have better trusted relationships than you, so, listening skills becomes even more important!)  

Trying to Answer Leau

In the west, relationships is also important, but depending on the 'size of project' and with what organisations (public sector, media/agency, technology) all have their own quirks.. if it was big contracts (multi-millions), it will in general have to go through Request for Proposals (RFPs) which then competing firms will have to bid, then go through a beauty parades, meeting with management, presenting. this takes some time (in some, months if not over 1-2years).. 

but relationships previously built would enable certain firms to be more competitive, e.g. some could in fact influence the formation of the RFPs (or even help draft them)..  

in short, yes, relationships are key but play different roles.. of course in media sector is all very different, most people know each other, and the budget is usually held by small group of guys.. in variably they hire people they know & some cynics may say, they owed favour to sometime before..  

Keen to see what other thinks..  

All very interesting indeed... ;-)  

BR @GarethWong

My comments re Twitter surpasses Digg as it surges on Inauguration day - Gordon's Republic - Blogs - Brand Republic

Twitter surpasses Digg as it surges on Inauguration day - Gordon's Republic - Blogs - Brand Republic

Great post Gordon  

am new too all this, I get Twitter more than blogging, I definitely now can go through more 'news', and updates, across media, finance, gaming, telecoms, US/Europe/Asia much more than previously..  

twitting is much quicker, as I found blogging hard work as my expectation of a good blog post takes a lot more work.. However, my comments re potential success for Twitter for mass market adoptions is one of TRUST:  

1.) Identification, @Wossy @WillCarling now we know are real thing, but how do we know @GordonM is you and @GarethWong is me? we have seen too many 'pretenders' since I restarted using the system.  

2.) shortened links, we have a great trust at the moment, because it is early adopters, and we 'trust' everyone would not put malicious links up (touch wood).. we need some kind of ways via API and the twitter system to make sure the links are NOT malicious going forward..  

3.) tweetups and festivals.. great initiatives.. but once again, they are useful for party goers but seems to me they are same bunch of people mostly.. guess it is just a fad, and may have more 'focus' with some 'camp' type events, still, I don't see many senior figures signing up to these in present formats.. no doubt it will be evolved ..  

I am still learning, these are my present observations and keen to learn to see if my observations are correct or maybe I missed something?  

BR @GarethWong

My thoughts on The Story on China's Media Sector Is Still Evolving - Knowledge@Wharton

Hold the Presses: The Story on China's Media Sector Is Still Evolving - Knowledge@Wharton

key points of the article, which I would like to double highlight: 

1.) Its definitely very important for companies to 'play' in China, they need to be well connected, successful, and most importantly under the radar. 

in fact, if you know/found companies that seem to be very successful, you should find out the 'real story'.. 

2.) yes, there is a convergence going on.. yes, media in China is under pressure, just like western world, but however, the demographics, GDP, local preferences are ALL DIFFERENT.. so, not the same yardstick can be used! 

@GarethWong

My comments re IMQQ, Tencent Quietly Launched Its International Portal For QQ | China Web 2.0 and Asia Tech News, Open Web Asia

IMQQ, Tencent Quietly Launched Its International Portal For QQ | China Web 2.0 and Asia Tech News, Open Web Asia

China will no doubt take over US as the biggest internet market in the world. 

yes, there is challenge of not much credit nor online payment and people are not as wealthy (compare to other developed countries).. however, in reality, Chinese is saver, and due to the huge numbers, it is no doubt it will be the most important market worldwide. (business model to be worked out of course)

people should get their own QQ ID now. ;-) 

I got mine years ago.. but I forgot.. so, here I am signing up again.. 

Re-reading, the very touching "Father Forgets" poem

no tears to my eyes.. great reminder for us parents. 

====

FATHER FORGETS 
W. Livingston Larned 
condensed as in "Readers Digest"

Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little 
paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily 
wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. 
Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the 
library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily 
I came to your bedside.

There are the things I was thinking, son: I had been cross 
to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because 
you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I took you to 
task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when 
you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You 
gulped down your food. You put your elbows on the table. You 
spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off 
to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand 
and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" and I frowned, and said in 
reply, "Hold your shoulders back!"

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came 
up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. 
There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before 
your boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house. 
Stockings were expensive-and if you had to buy them you would 
be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how 
you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? 
When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, 
you hesitated at the door. "What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, 
and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your 
small arms tightended with an affection that God had set 
blooming in your heart and which even neglect could not wither. 
And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped 
from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What 
has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of 
reprimanding-this was my reward to you for being a boy. It 
was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too 
much of youth. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own 
years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your 
character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn 
itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous 
impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters 
tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and 
I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these 
things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But 
tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer 
when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my 
tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it 
were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy-a little boy!"

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you 
now, son, crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are 
still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your 
head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much.

Viral advert by Durex, how do one measure its success??

Pretty interesting Viral advert. 

Question is given the brand is so powerful (some might argue strong), how do one 'measure' the success of this campaign? would the amount spent on it be justifiable for the means?? (other than might win award for the agencies involved)..??

We tried to (well I mostly observed) find solution for some of these questions at the measurement camp earlier this week, great initiative, if you are in agency/PR/social media, you should join future sessions if you are in UK. 

WARNING: R-Rated NSFC, please don't click if you are uncertain. 

Durex agency Fitzgerald+CO conceived the viral, which was produced by Superfad New York.

my comments re The Ascent of Money | PBS

The Ascent of Money | PBS

Its great to finally catchup with things recorded on my sky+

this is one of the better programs I have seen about financial/insurance markets

gosh, surely we can have as good professors from UK.. why oh why they are mostly from harvard? 

guess this could be an example of Harvard can afford the best.. and best brains are those with British accent/decend!?

more work to do and more programs to 'listen' to.. 

My comments re Recession May Move Mobile Marketing Toward Direct Response - Advertising Age - Digital

Recession May Move Mobile Marketing Toward Direct Response - Advertising Age - Digital

One key point regarding mobile is that yes, it has already got scale, in terms of reach (via SMS, or the MNO, or MVNO/MVNE) directly.  

Challenge is, this is NOT available for most advertisers, & how & whom is best placed to harness it, as most MNO/MVNO/MVNE (network operators) don't know their own customers (other than their names, & billing details, not even that for prepaid)!  

Once MNOs realised that the best way to 'harness' and monetise their subscribers is to 'get to know them better', all it cost is some active (NOT out-sourced) communication with their existing users.  

The rest will become history.  

likes of Blyk or others would not have a chance.  

Yes, there is cost implications but the return would be enormous (if they can hold hands of the subscribers & change their behaviour slightly) and look beyond all the present content play.  

and no doubt the technology firms or even MSN/Yahoo/google would bend over backwards to work with the network operators to bring that vision to market.  

Consequently, within the normal marketing mix (above, below & through the line), 'mobile components' would become an integrated media planning component for all campaigns large and small.. (of course, the budget holders would need to understand this, and no doubt they would be educated by MNOs and their own children!)  

of course, this would only happen if the MNOs join forces or indeed when a major brand like Vodafone realise the opportunity AND take action..  

When & whom and how? we will have to wait and see!  

BR  

Gareth  

@garethwong 

www.garethwong.com