April 2009 Archives

Part of the fun of working and writing in the tech industry is the speed of change. The rapid pace of technological development means there are always new trends to watch, new issues to discuss and new problems to ponder. But in watching and commenting on all this evolution, I am constantly struck at how there is a delay between the development of new technology and the understanding of how consumers will use it. It's as if business refuses to look ahead and think creatively, always taken by surprise when a new technological marvel threatens their business models.

Last night, saw the Seventh Annual Sun Microsystems IT Journalism Awards - affectionately known as 'The Lizzies' - take place in Star City Casino's Grand Ballroom. The bow tie was fastened, the silk lapels brushed and the cufflinks gleaming as I prepared to discover whether I would be successful in my nominated category as Best New Journalist.

In any discussion about viral video, someone is always going to mention the Dove Evolution campaign. A brilliant bite of video with an exceptionally simple concept and message, the Evolution campaign was hugely successful in strengthening Dove's brand message of natural beauty and spread that message to millions of people.

Today, The Sydney Morning Herald ran an article discussing how some businesses are taking disciplinary action – including sackings – against employees for comments made on Facebook and Twitter.

This hammered home the central points of yesterday's post

Writers have understood the power of the personal 'brand' for a long time. Publishing houses know that it is the name of the author that sells the book, not the logo on the spine. Therefore, publishers encourage writers to market themselves and cultivate their public guise. But in other industries, the personal brand was less common. Employees were the faceless minions in the company empire, separating work from their personal lives or outside activities. That is, until the internet.