Advertising Fireworks, Social Bonfires

If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire.

John V WillshireHead of InnovationPHD

Just a way to help think about the difference between social media and advertising

Or explain it to someone

Advertising is like fireworks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stage88/3228637838/sizes/o/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/1309409634/sizes/l/

Fireworks are attention grabbing beacons on steroids

Good ones make you go ‘ooh’

and ‘aah’

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjones/60562951/sizes/l/

ooooh aaaaah

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/752319396/sizes/l/

They draw people in from miles around

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2829363989/

They’re prepackaged;

just light a firework and stand back

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alkiol/732074235/sizes/o/

Or get in the professionals

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arnar/340888701/sizes/o/

It’s so easy…

EVERYONE is doing it

Just like advertising

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3135589362/sizes/l/

It’s the standard solution

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Fireworks burn very brightly, but die

very quickly.http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbarasworld/1308507724/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2848241812/sizes/o/

You need to keep lighting fireworks to

keep folk interested

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Which is expensive

It’s an arms race

Bigger,brighter,louder, MORE

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Bonfire night is not just about the

fireworks(the clue is in the name)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/2755425049/sizes/l/

If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire.

Two very different things

Very different disciplines

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Building bonfires

takes time…

…and it takes time

to get good at building

themhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/jbhalper/3013369399/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/numuseum/533515920/sizes/l/

It might go out…

Keep trying

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Use whatever you have to hand

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It might be a bit lonely at first

Then a few friends gather round

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluearc21/2359336236/sizes/l/

Then a few more

It’s where people like to hang out and share

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78428166@N00/3679575777/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/israluv/147458000/sizes/o/

Then, wonderfully…

…your friends start helping out

Because people like

helping with bonfires

http://www.flickr.com/photos/78428166@N00/3759200168/sizes/l/

more friends, more wood,

bigger fire, more friends...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mstreb/617462120/sizes/l/

From a small start, you can end up with something pretty amazing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/powi/2455460100/sizes/o/

Just like social media

So have advertising fireworks had their

day?

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In the long term…

…we don’t know

http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3135572078/sizes/l/

Right this moment… it’s not either / or

It’s both

If you have an amazing bonfire already, use a few fireworks to

bring folk to it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/3724362640/sizes/l/

If your fireworks are great, stop people disappearing by getting a

good ol' bonfire going

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reginayiqing/2724868889/sizes/l/

Just remember,remember…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daverexwood/1874498701/

Putting fireworks in

bonfires isn’t a great idea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gin_soak/1878526591/sizes/l/

Thank you to…Simon Kemp

David WildingBeth Williams

Chris StephensonDaniel Goodall

Mat RichesVijay Sankaran

John V Willshire, PHD@willsh

http://feedingthepuppy.typepad.com