We Are Magnetic

The problem with today’s video social media sites is that the player controls are so incredibly dull…

Until now! With VH1 Players you can cover the dull old basic model from YouTube.Pop and your favorite rock star will play the video for you on your website all the way ’til the crowd raw! Rockin’.

It’s that time of the year again, the time to start getting your vote on at.. The 14th Annual Webby Awards.

Having emerged from a pretty interesting year on the web, there’s some good stuff in there and lots to review. What is pleasing to see is that the standard of digital output seems to have not been affected by the tough and challenging year we’ve had. Judging by the quality of work in this years entries, digital is still pushing the boundaries and driving innovation in all sectors.

As with any election, the most important thing to do is to vote! I’m a strong believer that if you’re going to use it, you should contribute something back. So get your vote on at the People’s Voice. For a sneak peak at my favorites check out… (more…)

You know, there’s not many companies in this business that are so into what they do, so focussed on producing the very best, so talented, that they seem to always impress – no matter what they do.

Okay, that’s enough gushing praise!! But really, Preloaded are one of those companies that you just want to watch.

Yes, they do great work – and have need doing so ever since I’ve been watching the (from the early TV days), but so do lots of others. Yes, they’ve got that cool, creative, digital vibe going on, but so do lots of others. Yes, they know their market and seem to hit the perfect note with every piece they put out, but so do lots of others. And, yes, they’ve bagged an award of three, but so have plenty of others.

What most impresses me about the team is what they give back.

I follow their Twitter feed @preloaded and they seem to always be at this event, sponsoring that, supporting this and commenting on that. Now, I know that’s not unusual, but it’s the way they report their findings to their audience – with passion and with a true want to pass on the knowledge that really is striking.

But, the thing getting my fingers to keyboard is their recent post – The making of 1066. It’s an in-depth narrative into how they made 1066 for C4 Education (and bagged some of those awards I was talking about). It’s great, interesting – and really show us how to go about creating a masterpiece.

Well done chaps, and keep the information flowing – it only serves to make you look better and better.

For some time now the concept of the weblog has been changing. Back in the day (well a couple of years ago!) a ‘blog’ was one persons singular view on the world, a chance for them to comment – often rant – about their daily lives and what’s been on their mind that day. With the growth of micro-blogging sites, mainly Twitter, this type of personal ‘life view’ is fading from the blogging channel.

Today, progressive blogging is less personal comment, more personal, corporate or even community publishing system. With guest writers, invited content and stories from a blogs community members, blogging sites are becoming hubs for interconnected experiences. As these combined connections grow stronger, we’re looking for a greater depth to these relationships, an added dimension – now, ‘where we are’ is now becoming part of ‘what we say’.

The new Converse Blog created by Perfect Fools is a great example of this changing use of the blogging channel. It’s more culture magazine than company blog and really sets the standard for engaging, community led publishing systems… (more…)