[Flux Trends] The rise of the machines has produced one of the strangest human tribes the planet has ever seen: the digital junkies. Their behaviour, deemed ‘unconventional’ by some observers, upsets conservative society, which believes these ‘outcasts’ are leading schizophrenic lives.
“Lot of people who are not part of this generation bemoan what is happening to this generation,” Ian Calvert, Instant Grass co-founder, said late last week at the Digital Lab workshop held at the University of Johannesburg in conjunction with Dion Chang’s 2010 Flux Trend Review conference.

Who are they?

But who are ‘these people’?

Calvert quoted New York-based Emily Nussbaum, who said of this generation: “They have no sense of shame. They have no sense of privacy. They are show-offs, fame whores, pornographic little loons who post their diaries, their phone numbers, their stupid poetry – for God’s sake, their dirty photos – online.

She added: “They have virtual friends instead of real ones. They talk in illiterate instant messages. They are interested only in attention—and yet they have zero attention span, flitting like hummingbirds from one virtual stage to another.”

Some say these people are anti-brand, fringe, socially inept, thieves, loners, schizophrenic, egocentric and don’t understand privacy, Calvert said.

Refutes accusation

However, Calvert refutes the accusation that digital junkies are anti-brand, citing an Instant Grass study that reveals the following: 52% have blogged about a brand, 69% have provided feedback on brand’s website, 77% watched a TV commercial on YouTube, and 69% have read a corporate blog post.

Furthermore, 73% have posted a product or brand review, 40% befriended a brand, while 26% follow a brand on Twitter.

To Calvert’s understanding, ‘these people’, whom he called a bunch of informed and opinionated people and vocal extroverts, are simply being misunderstood.

Instead of brands bemoaning and wondering, Calvert said they should start a ‘digilogue’ (digital dialogue), which consists of listening, participating, influencing and collaborating.

“Brands created in boardrooms will not survive the streets of today,” he said, adding that the easiest way to get consumers to notice your content is to get them to create it.

Ten key drivers

Calvert revealed 10 key drivers which he said drive the digital generation:

1. freedom
2. customisation
3. ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out)
4. gravanity
5. transparency
6. integrity
7. entertainment
8. collaboration
9. speed and
10. innovation.

According to Calvert, the 10 key drivers could be translated into the following:

1. Freedom: I can get anything I want from the Internet.
2. Customisation: I need to be able to make things ‘me’.
3. Transparency: if I don’t know what car to buy, I can just ask my friends on Facebook and get hundreds of honest opinions.
4. Integrity: a brand must respect in order to earn my respect. They can’t hide anymore. They will be found out.
5. Entertainment: I can keep myself busy for hours when connected the Internet; there are just so many clips and cool websites or even friends’ profiles to see.
6. Collaboration: if a brand wants my attention, then they must ask for it before they start trying to sell to me.
7. Speed: I want things now; I hate waiting, that’s why Internet banking rocks. I can check my balance hassle free, no standing in queues. Imagine the days before online banking and ATMs… horror.
8. Innovation: I got so happy when FNB added cellphone banking; it makes so much sense.
9. FOMO: I need to know what is happening all times. When Facebook is under construction, I get nervous… it is weird but true, like a junky.
10. Gravanity’: I have this need to heard, can’t really explain it. That is why I am constantly updating my blog. It feels good to get things off my chest.

One has to be so careful when it comes to down one of the most sacred things left for guys… an evening of watching football (soccer) or rugby with our mates. Because so often these special moments are lost, and we are left holding onto an unfulfilling highlights package, and a bitter, distant memory of a heated argument….

And that is why Heineken is so clever… to remind us about how special these moments are. Watch below… sit back and be ready to have chills sent down your spine…

Whoever said life begins at 40 was WRONG… well at least in the case of this crazy lady. Ruth Flowers, is a 69-year-old, very sought after, hip English deejay in Paris. She is an unusual and charismatic woman who has redefined the “DJ Image” worldwide. Nice and eccentric, strong and full of energy, she likes to have fun and to bring everyone in her wake. While preparing the launching of her electro-rock EP “MamyRock”, you will meet her performing at the Cannes Film Festival most private partys at la villa MURANO.

When interviewed recently by CBS she said “I have had a very lively youth, I used to go to balls all the time, I loved to dance, but then came the old age, pension, but above all boredom… I started looking for something more…
One night, my grandson, of whom I’m very close to, celebrated his birthday in a nightclub in London. And he told me that I could join them. When I arrived, the bouncers didn’t let me go inside. It is true that I didn’t really match their usual clients (laughs)… I finely managed to enter… and I was dumbfound…there was such an atmosphere!!! It was so different from the parties I used to go when I was young. There was a real osmosis between the lights and the music, it really drove me!… It made me feel so much younger!”

that night shattered her view of things but above all the way she saw life… ” I had a lot of free time, I was on pension you know… I talked to my grandson about it, he thought I went mad. Then he introduced me to a friend of his, a young French director and producer. We got along from the very beginning and he, with the help of his team, offered to help me becoming a DJ, working on a track, building an image etc… It was really fun!! Now I think that I am ready to make everybody move their ass on the dancefloor (laughs)….indeed, I’d rather sign a contract with a record company than to sign up for the nursing home… ! ”

We just think that is one dope Gran! …. we will keep you posted if she comes to SA…

Peace.

The psychology behind it is simple. It is very effective method for attracting immediate interest, holding that interest, and, in the context of that interest, introducing a product that somehow is linked with that interest… In this day and age the consumer’s attention span is narrowing and the number of brands trying to grab our short attention through various channels and mediums has grown exponentially. Hence a brand has only a couple seconds to catch your eye…

So although it can be seen as a taboo and certain ads get a lot of flak… here are a couple examples of Brands we feel here at IG that have got it just right…

I am sure you have all seen the Kylie do her thing (rather well… i might add) for Agent Provocateur… if not check this out… its in the Top 10 most Viral Videos on YouTube.

Then some of you may have seen Diesel’s Summer/Spring 2010 campaign. They are blatantly using sex to market their new denim range in their campaign titled “Sex Sells: Unfortunately we sell jeans.” It’s clever, simple and uses the overdone but yet true Sex Sells motto effectively.

Then lastly, whilst browsing our good friend Chris Rawlinson ’s blog I came across the latest ad for a a Brazilian beer brand called Devassa. After paying what I am sure was a HUGE SUM OF MONEY, they managed to get Paris Hilton to play with their beer. . The ad was done by Agencia Mood, and so far the above clip has received no less than 3 separate investigations for sexism, being too sensual, and encouraging drinking ! Its always better when someone complains, just makes the ad more ‘buzzable’

Enjoy…

Right I need a beer…. so with that, that’s all from me for now… will add any new ones I come across so keep checking our blog…

Peace.

Watch this (above)…. and then read below…

(Yes, Anth is THAT cool…)

Interactive movies, where the viewer becomes a character in the drama unfolding on screen (usually online) are being used in a variety of unexpected ways as gaming and filmmaking continue to merge.

The above campaign was one of the most successful online virals from last year for Radiotjänst (Sweden’s TV licensing body). The campaign attracted over 14 million unique visits within 8 weeks.

The film was produced by the Swedish ad agency Draftfcb as part of a viral campaign to get younger urban Swedes to start paying a broadcast fee for the Swedish public service system. The Observer reports that the campaign has resulted in 2,500 new broadcasting fee subscribers, well above the goal of just 500.

The basic idea was to encourage more people to pay their TV licence fee in Sweden. To do this they created a video clip where you the viewer could be a world hero and star of the clip. They did this by embedding a photo of you and your name in the film at different scenes. At the end of the clip you could register to pay your licence, and personalise your own clip to send to a friend. The dedicated website was marketed on TV, cinemas and print.

To try out the campaign for yourself go to http://en.tackfilm.se/

The clip below shows a nice brief of what and how they did it…

Cool… I think so….

Happy Phuza Thursday friends

p.s. it’s got a bad logo but don’t be distracted by that

One of our grasses noticed the same thing, he tells us:

“I just loved what Grolsch did at the Design Indaba, it showed:

- innovation

- differentiation

- and spunked a brand up that was perceived as WAY to expensive as first:

I think the marketing intrinsics of Grolsch, a brand that says “Craftmenship is Mastery , was displayed in this artwork.

what I ahve realised, consumers get bored by mediocrity, beer is not a conessiuer product, where taste always plays a big role. I believe innovation is key to a beer market.

windhoek did well with unique advertising

Heineken was the aspirational brand of choice amongst BEE entrepenuers.

Castle Lite is the new innovative brand on the block with quirky emotional appeal.

BUT grolsch offers a unique artistic and stylish appeal, far greater and premium. that any of the competiiton..

FOR NOW…”

As Hypbeast.com reports: This year Nike worked with established and emerging artists from six countries to create alternative National Team Kits that flip the script on the classic football kit. “We wanted to include the kinds of apparel and accessories that would be in a footballers bag,” “They would be the same colors of on-field uniforms, but with the artists’ twists.”. In order to accomplish this, the Nike team asked artists contribute a badge, mascot, print and an alphabet in their handwriting style. Each collaboration includes N98 Track Jacket, AW 77 hoodie, kit tee, polo shirt and short for both men and women; then tee for men and tank for women.

SHOUT OUT KRONK, this is some of the dopest 2010 gear we’ve seen.

Maximum Respect.

So someone came up to my desk earlier and asked if I had one of those electric cigarette things. I was pretty confused about what they meant, and then I realised that it was the ultimate coolness of my On the Run markers that they had noticed. So yes these are 3 different colour markers that can be stored in your cigarette box so that no nasty natured club bouncer can take your pen away from you. It’s thrillingly smart don’t you think? If you want some for yourself you’ll have to go and see if the nice boys at Shelflife Store (119 Loop Street) still have them. If they don’t just admire the pictures and ask me to show you when you see me next

The IG office is a sombre mood this morning. We are all shocked by the sudden death of legendary designer Alexander McQueen. We all know how great he was so instead of rattling on we’ve included a video from probably his most famous show ever. His S/S 99 show was the most epic in memory, the finale was model meets machine. Don’t want to tell you too much more so check it out for yourself.

Much love McQueen, you will be missed.

McQueen S/S 99

p.s. The picture here is just one of your favourites, the ultimate clutch.