byob - shubho sengupta

If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire.

John V WillshireHead of InnovationPHD

Just a way to help think about the difference between social media and advertising

Or explain it to someone

Advertising is like fireworks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stage88/3228637838/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/1309409634/sizes/l/

Fireworks are attention grabbing beacons on steroids

Good ones make you go ‘ooh’

and ‘aah’

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjones/60562951/sizes/l/

ooooh aaaaah

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/752319396/sizes/l/

They draw people in from miles around

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2829363989/

They’re prepackaged;

just light a firework and stand back

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alkiol/732074235/sizes/o/

Or get in the professionals

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arnar/340888701/sizes/o/

It’s so easy…

EVERYONE is doing it

Just like advertising

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3135589362/sizes/l/

It’s the standard solution

http://www.flickr.com/photos/srivera/2799747313/

Fireworks burn very Fireworks burn very brightly, but die brightly, but die

very quickly.very quickly.http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbarasworld/1308507724/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2848241812/sizes/o/

You need to keep lighting fireworks to

keep folk interested


Which is expensive

It’s an arms race

Bigger,brighter,louder, MORE


Bonfire night is not just about the

fireworks(the clue is in the name)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/2755425049/sizes/l/

If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire.

Two very different things

Very different disciplines

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarcasmette/3805363440/sizes/l/

Building Building bonfires bonfires

takes time…takes time…

…and it takes time

to get good at building

themhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/jbhalper/3013369399/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/numuseum/533515920/sizes/l/

It might go out…

Keep trying

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88933162@N00/3021553543/sizes/o/

Use whatever you have to hand

http://www.flickr.com/photos/inajeep/265544195/sizes/l/

It might be a bit lonely at first

Then a few friends gather round

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kumo_no_ue/3197957095/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluearc21/2359336236/sizes/l/

Then a few more

It’s where people like to hang out and share


http://www.flickr.com/photos/israluv/147458000/sizes/o/

Then, wonderfully…

…your friends start helping out

Because people like

helping with bonfires


more friends, more wood,

bigger fire, more friends...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mstreb/617462120/sizes/l/

From a small start, you can end up with something pretty amazing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/powi/2455460100/sizes/o/

Just like social media

So have advertising fireworks had their

day?


In the long term…

…we don’t know


Right this moment… it’s not either / or

It’s both

If you have an amazing bonfire already, use a few fireworks to

bring folk to it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/3724362640/sizes/l/

If your fireworks are great, stop people disappearing by getting a

good ol' bonfire going

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reginayiqing/2724868889/sizes/l/

Just remember,remember…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daverexwood/1874498701/

Putting fireworks in

bonfires isn’t a great idea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gin_soak/1878526591/sizes/l/

Thank you to…Simon KempSimon Kemp

David WildingDavid WildingBeth WilliamsBeth Williams

Chris StephensonChris StephensonDaniel GoodallDaniel Goodall

Mat RichesMat RichesVijay Sankaran Vijay Sankaran

John V Willshire, PHD@willsh

http://feedingthepuppy.typepad.com