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12/3/2009
Posted by Kevin Skobac, Interactive Media Supervisor, Draftfcb New York
These days media consumption is changing so rapidly that what you knew today could be outdated tomorrow. Even traditional stalwarts like TV and print are evolving now, so that in 2010 we could be receiving our magazine subscriptions on a Time Inc branded tablet PC. Because of this, early adopters like me are constantly tantalized by and obsessed with "what's going to be the next big thing." in 2007 we were obsessed with Twitter as the future of communication and content consumption, then Friendfeed in 2008, and in 2009 we haven't shut up about Foursquare.
If you haven't tried it yet, Foursquare is equal parts social networking, location review & discovery (like Yelp), and gaming- all from your mobile phone. You "check in" when you arrive at a place and are told which of your friends are nearby, tips that they left for you about that particular spot (what's good to eat?), and you earn points towards badges that show up on your profile. And as of recently, restaurants & stores are increasingly leaving coupons for visitors to entice them to stop by after their recent nearby check-in.
This may sound simple, but it's quickly addictive. And if you commit to playing for a few weeks, you'll quickly see the amazing potential it has to unlock the power of mobile social-networking through real-world discovery. It may not be for you, and that's OK; Foursquare might not even succeed itself in the long run when Facebook inevitably replicates some (or all) of it's features. But the point is, you won't really know what it has to offer and how people are experiencing it unless you jump in and try it.
It's clear to everyone that old world disruption advertising models have a smaller role in the future of marketing. As advertisers we need to be able to know how to engage with our audiences in meaningful and valuable ways. The only way we can do this is if we invest real time in experiencing and learning the new media landscape. We need to stop asking what tweets are or why someone just became "mayor of the 33rd & 5th street Starbucks." We need to sign up for these new and unusual (or possibly scary or stupid) products and services, or we'll be left behind.
Since Foursquare is picking up steam the early adopters are moving on- this month I'll be over at Dailybooth.com learning how Teens are communicating with each other through pictures. I Didn't really see the point at first, but I have to jump in and try it.
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