Back in the 70’s/80’s, where I come, nobody had a vacuum cleaner. It’s not that we were scruffy, it’s just nobody ever said ‘vacuum cleaner’, we all had a Hoover instead. Regardless of what make you owned, it was still called a Hoover.

Digitally, the same thing has happened, as we no longer hear people say ‘get on the internet and search’ for something, we just hear ‘Google it’.

I believe it won’t be too long before the entire Internet will not be referred to as the Internet, but just ‘The Facebook’, because the internet will entirely fold into Facebook just about everyone, everything, and every brand, every website or microsite and even every software application, will be inside Facebook.  And as for the parts of that are not folded in? Well, they will still have a firm virtual grappling hook gripped into Facebook for safety.

Facebook have announced that as early as this month it will become a location based social experience, where people can ‘check-in’ like they can on Foursquare. This is because it is becoming more clear that people are prepared to disclose more and more about themselves, even their exact location, and this is a huge commercial property, and that is of course where brands need to be. And they will be there because there is nothing more valuable to brands than a source of real time crowd sourcing collective wisdom. Facebook, along with Twitter and other microblogs is becoming the most relevant, and valuable data available in the world.

The recent Open Graph API system has given every page on the internet the potential to have all of Facebook’s functionality built in, meaning that all activity we do on the internet could potentially be shared via Facebook. Spotify launched it’s new software version last week, allowing users to connect with Facebook and view all their friends play lists and listen to their music choices, and visa-versa.

This morning I signed up to Microsoft Docs Beta, which is giving me the whole Microsoft Office suite as an application within Facebook so I can now work within Facebook, and share my docs with my friends an colleges, via Facebook.

I am a fan of all things bright an new on the internet, but in my opinion, because of the ever advancing functionality it offers, Facebook is, again, the brightest and newest thing on the Internet.

Ron Conway, (who makes buckets loads of money cashing in on online trends) agrees with me. Well, let’s be realistic, I agree with him.

I’ve been reading loads of blogs about the election, all scrutinizing the marketing campaigns of the leading parties (most of which has been pretty unoriginal and unexciting I hasten to add). The big debate so far: is this a new media or old media election? See here for a recent example.

After the 2008 U.S. election people predicted that this one would be led from the bottom up, online and over social networks. But then when they announced that we would be getting the leaders debates on TV, the emphasis shifted to the power of television and how historically this has been an indication of the winning party.

The truth is this is the same old hackneyed debate that has been going on for some years but applied in new context. To discuss which is the most effective is entirely missing the point. Where people attribute the rise of the Lib Dems in the opinion polls to the TV debate, they are blinded by the fact that this was a TV first and missing what was going on online at the same time. Let’s not forget that this was also a first for Twitter which recorded a record number of tweets.

Moreover, people weren’t just tweeting from their phone or PC away from the television, they were watching the debate at the same time. Following the excitement of the event and over the course of the next couple of days, thousands of people joined the group “We got Rage Against the Machine to #1, we can get the Lib Dems into office!” on Facebook, fuelling the poll rise even further. It seems completely clear to me that the two are not working in parallel universes of old and new media. Where TV works to raise the profile and awareness of a cause, online is effective at generating discussion, intensifying buzz and cementing opinions.

Predictably enough, we do an annual predictions presentation and blog. And it’s nice when something comes to pass.

We had a bit of an epiphany (steady!) watching Nick Griffin squirm on Question Time, and us Twittering in real time. The ‘augmented reality’ - or perhaps ‘augmented virtuality’ would be better? - of a big social event with real time online social media interaction felt like it could be huge during this year’s major events (winter Olympics, World Cup, the inferno party). We blogged about it here.

Then, just last week the BBC went and branded it Social TV. Or maybe we were a little behind the curve? I don’t know. But we do think it’ll be huge, and the race will be on now among brands eager to exploit the new platform opportunities.

But in this case Jim is you; the consumer, the user, the ideas person. Brands want our help to do better things, as evidenced by a number of high profile campaigns around the world. The list is extensive, with big-players like Nokia and their annual “Calling All Innovators”, Pepsi “Refresh Everything”, Aviva’s “Community Fund”, Starbucks and Cadbury, participating in the “Fair Trade Swap”, Timberland “Earthkeepers” and Marks & Spencer’s “Your Green Idea”…phew!

Is this type of ‘causal’ movement here to stay? Could it be just another notch in marketing’s constant state of reinvention? Or could it instead mean a longer-term change in behaviour due to social and macroeconomic drivers? To begin to answer these questions we need to think a bit about where the essential idea might have come from…

The big things first. The global economy is trying to extricate itself from the worst recession in living memory. During the downturn, global warming and sustainability might have taken a backseat, but remain omnipresent concerns. Customers are more demanding and more likely to take action about matters that are important to them.

With social media, customers have found their voice; the growing power of that voice means increasingly pervasive interaction with brands. Initially, marketing co-creation, popularised by campaigns including Dorito’s “You Make It, We Play It”, meant a winning idea got its 15 minutes of fame. Tapping into ‘Potentialism’, meaning certain people’s desire to step off the mass-market gravy-train and do more wholesome stuff, saw campaigns like “Rockcorps” from Orange, where people doing the most good got to see famous bands. As the recession bit deeper, ‘altruistic marketing’ saw brands reaching out to cash-strapped customers by offering free services and guarantees to foster loyalty.

Finally we have a chaotic proliferation of consumer technologies, platforms and apps so that it’s much harder for brands to hook into genuine customer needs and develop products or propositions that answer them in the long-term.

Taking all of these perspectives into account it’s easier to see why there has been such a flurry of activity – brands acting as ‘venture capitalists’ for new ideas that will help communities, the environment or drive new innovation. Only time will tell whether this manifests into stronger brand equity or genuine competitive advantage, but it doesn’t seem like a flash in the pan…

On behalf of Robin, (Inferno’s Planning Director) I am posting his predictions, or at least some underlying trends, for planning, brands, and campaigns generally in 2010.  If you’re interested in a presentation, drop us a line via the comments section below, and we will get in touch.

1. Inner prosperity.

Brands promise self fulfilment and development, rather than the promise of ownership or consumption.

2. Open.

In the value economy it makes sense for companies to cut overheads in R&D by opening up to more expert and customer input.

3. Silver-lining marketing.

Brands need to find hidden benefits or indulgences. Thrifty customers can liberally maintain some of their indulgences without sacrificing the necessities.

4. Everything in Beta.

We’ve been doing a lot of WoM marketing in 2009. With increased transparency and consumer scrutiny post-recession brands must accept and act upon consumer feedback and input. Those who build this into their business model will be repaid through customer loyalty and positive WoM.

5. Real-time campaigns.

Major events in 2010 will see opportunities for brands to act as media providers through real-time, multi-platform, cross-channel campaigns. Mmmm.

6. The Mob (Rule).

RATM and China’s ‘internet mob’ are the tip of the iceberg for brands. Time to take note, if you’re organising your own online communities of interest.

7. UGC(rap).

UGC is now the majority of content online. And most of it is frankly rubbish. Brands need to step up and stand for quality content, not simply sponsor the cheap stuff.

8. Retail as Community.

This one’s about communities moving from a purely online existence to a physical manifestation on the high street. And this will have a big impact on what brands define as retail.

9. Community Patriotism.

Patriotism is becoming even more and more micro-focused. “Patriotic consumption” is the term coined for purchasing to support your community, and can be seen in the increased prevalence and support for Farmer’s Markets, locally produced goods and the high street (the Brixton Pound).

10. Zombies!

Popular culture is awash with zombies, monsters and vampires. From True Blood to Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters . Given that many agencies’ modus operandi seems to be to rip off YouTube memes or pop culture, where are all the ads then?

Here’s an example of how companies like Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo are likely to be serving games in the future.

All the the gamer of the future needs, is a controller, screen, and net connection. Movements are sent from the controller to the server which does all the grunt work and streams a video of the game play to the users lounge room. Basically the need for a physical console is removed by delivering the game play as a TV channel in real time!

Apart from making gaming more accessible to more people (no more expensive consoles needed - just play the game in your browser), this technology will revolutionize interactive TV - by participating with the audience or hosts of TV shows in a virtual space in real time.

We love digital, because it has the ‘Now Wow’, it isn’t a prerecorded script that can’t go wrong, it is like watching the World Rally Championships - fast cars are exciting, but fast cars crashing is even more exciting.

Digital is an enabler that can broadcast the physical, whether it be action, ideas or thoughts, in real time, because digital is instantly reactive. The ‘Now Wow’ gives gravitas to an idea, don’t just do it, but do it for real, and do it live, crashes and all.

Doritos have done a good job at using the ‘Now Wow’ with their Dodge Ball competition.

Amazon’s E-Reader Kindle DX is shipping this summer in the US. It probably doesn’t spell the end for the Lite or Metro just yet, as it has an unspecified UK release

• 9.7-inch E-Ink screen (1200 x 824 with 16 shades of grey)
• 1/3 of an inch thick (10.4″ x 7.2″ x 0.38″)
• 4GB Storage for 3,500 books (a bump from 1,500)
• Native PDF support through built-in reader
• Automatic landscape/portrait text rotation
• Line length adjustments (determine the width of text on the screen)
• Navigation buttons moved to right side of screen only

from : http://gizmodo.com/5242310/kindle-dx-offers-97-inches-of-e+ink-for-489

Students at St Martins College London designed the ‘Twice as Fast Trolley,’ conceptually amazing but it’s doubtful that supermarkets would invest in such a thing at present.

The way in which customers can scan and pay as they go along avoids the time waisted in queues is a brilliant idea which will hopefully still be implemented in the future.