| THE MORE THINGS CHANGE: OLD BOTTLES NEW WINE | | | | New media really means new ways of delivering |
| | | | information and sales messages but the |
| While watching the 2007 edition of that great | | | | fundamental paradigm hasn't changed, it is |
| American excuse for a food-fest, the Super | | | | still the "old wine" of investment, revenue, |
| Bowl, I was reminded of a bowl telecast | | | | profits and losses. Yes you do need to be |
| moment from twenty three years ago. During | | | | digital and your messages have to fascinate, |
| the 1984 SuperBowl broadcast, a landmark TV | | | | inspire and educate those who you want to |
| commercial aired for Apple Computer to | | | | influence, the same requirements for success |
| announce their newest paradigm altering | | | | as in 1907. They have to make an emotional |
| creation, the McIntosh line of computers. In | | | | connection with a consumer who is free to |
| the intervening years that spot which spoofed | | | | purchase your offering. Though the very first |
| the "big brother" aspects of George Orwell's | | | | ad-marketing messages may have been painted |
| novel "1984" has been hailed as one of the | | | | on cave walls, we can easily track the more |
| most brilliant commercials ever. Many people | | | | recent timeline for newspaper, telephone, |
| remember the imagery but I find the words | | | | radio, TV and now the internet. It is true |
| interesting. "Today we celebrate the first | | | | that the popular pathway for your message to |
| glorious anniversary of the Information | | | | reach its target seems to be reinvented about |
| Purification Directives. We have created, for | | | | every fifty years! Most likely the Internet |
| the first time in all history, a garden of | | | | is the new standard that will be supported by |
| pure ideology where each worker may bloom | | | | all the other forms of traditional media. |
| secure from the pests of contradictory and | | | | |
| confusing truths." I'd call that amusing and | | | | There are some ideas so wrong that only a |
| confusing double speak. | | | | very intelligent person could believe in |
| | | | them. |
| Seeing those words on paper now reminds me | | | | |
| that they were just as confusing as a lot of | | | | George Orwell |
| what we hear today regarding "new media", | | | | |
| "legacy operations" and "the shifting | | | | So, don't be intimidated by the new jargon |
| business landscape." To most of this I say | | | | that you don't yet fully understand or by the |
| that it is a case of talking enthusiastically | | | | young guru that tells you that everything |
| about the shiny new bottles but what they | | | | about the way you do business must change |
| must hold is old wine. Sure, people are | | | | before the end of the year if you are to |
| getting their news in different ways, web | | | | survive! Yes, your content must be well |
| sites are proliferating like mushrooms after | | | | thought out and match the new delivery |
| the rain and many of us feel we are drowning | | | | systems. Of course clever ideas, showmanship |
| in new technical device overload. One hundred | | | | and creativity will help separate you from |
| and twenty five years ago the transformative | | | | the plodding crowd. The human yearning for |
| technology was the telephone and fifty-five | | | | having dreams fueled, for tribal |
| years ago, it was television. In fact many | | | | inclusiveness, and survival haven't really |
| pundits predicted that TV would kill off | | | | changed since flint was a high tech tool. No |
| radio and the movies. | | | | matter what the bottle looks like, the rules |
| | | | for making great wine haven't changed. |
| Each generation imagines itself to be more | | | | |
| intelligent than the one that went before it, | | | | Nelson Davis |
| and wiser than the one that comes after it. | | | | |
| | | | Multi-Emmy Award Winning Executive Producer, |
| George Orwell | | | | Making It! |
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