February 2009
02/19/2009
02/17/2009
Further ramblings on Convergence
Image by digigaiadavid via Flickr
Having posted a discussion on the New MA Interactivity module on NING on Prensky and the notion of The Digital Native, I am really pleased to report, reading Born Digital (2008) I, and many like me have been defined too! Its official I am a Digital Settler. Is this the mid point on the Spectrum between Native and Immigrant?
I am impressing the importance of engagement in technologies at the moment, and have been looking at a few sites across the web that are detailing future trends, Tech Crunchies is a great site for offering snapshots on trends in Web 2.0, interesting just visiting, a recent survey indicates that the split in the UK between Men and Women on internet usage is closing at Men : 51.1% Women : 48.9%. It would of course be interesting to fond out more about the ways in which and what the different groups are accessing! Another stat that I picked up here recently related to those actively engaged in Social networks, at the moment something like 58,000 000 worldwide are actively engaged in Social Networking this is set to grow to 713, 000 000 by 2013, so we are set for exponential growth it would seem.
So how about Convergence? Well, this morning I read another chapter of Jenkins (2006) and picked up on a number of issues. The first would be the concept of 'Affective Economics' which he describes as the emotional underpinning of the decision making process. The 80/20 Rule of Marketing, that is 80% of purchases tend to be bought by 20% of customers. Also, Brand Loyalty, Inspirational Consumers, Brand Advocates and a categorisation of a spectrum of TV watchers from Zappers to Loyals. In the Chapter 'Buying into American Idol' Jenkins clearly describes the changing roles and nature of cultural consumption and the role of marketing and penetration of products into the Televisual field, not just in the advert segments but in the sponsorship deals of programmes.
Of course it would be interesting to see how the difference between the sexes indicates the patterns of consumption and which brands might attach to what products. For example if you look at who sponsors The Bill at the moment, it would could be suggested that the placement of Jeyes domestic products and the form these take showing a Man and (sometimes his son) engaged in 'cops and robbers' play whilst undertaking domestic chores is intentionally attempting to disrupt the taken for granted assumptions of the gender division of labour when it comes to housework.
The image of a parrot was graffed on a Garage door at the back of Edinburgh University and is placed here for no other reasin than I wanted to post a picture too!.
02/16/2009
02/09/2009
02/05/2009
02/04/2009
Nixon to repeal Amendment 22
Alternative Reality Games in the mix
