6 Ways to Unlock Your Creative Potential - On Careers (usnews.com)

Creativity is not something that is limited to artists or marketers - every professional could stand to develop their creative side. Creativity is a an exercise in the mental processes in our minds that leads to better more innovative decisions and ultimately better problem solving. This article talks about how anyone can work to boost creativity at work.

“We would all like to become more creative. Enhancing creativity can impact nearly every corner of our work lives – problem solving, ideation, innovation. However, with all we are expected to accomplish on a daily basis, we rarely have time to consider our own creative blueprint – a unique set of “triggers” that can help us harness creative energy. Aligning our creative needs can be a critical step in reaching our potential. But, as we become busier and busier, it seems we have limited time to make room for creativity in our day-to-day work lives. We attempt to adapt to the work-life scenario that is presented, and forge on.”

The Babel Project

Backstory: The Tower of Babel

“So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.”

— Genesis 11:8-9

Everyone knows that Babel is synonymous with the global confusion of languages and words. God spread us around the word and made sure we could not communicate, apparently. 

The same is true for the word Babble,  which is directly related to the word barbarians (because uncivilized barbarians babble incomprehensible gibberish). This concept for linguistic white noise translates perfectly to the current state in communication nomenclature. With communication on the planet evolving at light speed, our own vernacular is struggling to keep pace. Many industries that focus on communication bleed into each other - marketing, PR, branding, social media, engagement etc. Is there a better term out there redefine the modern communication profession?

Enter The Babel Project.

The Babel Project

“So the Great Marketer scattered the professionals from there over all the communication spectrum, and they stopped building a common profession. That is why they called it Babel because there the Great Marketer confused the language of communication resulting in naming chaos. From there the Great Marketer scattered them over the face of the whole earth.”

— Book of Marketing 11:8-9

Is there a better word to describe the modern communication profession?

Using the term marketing as a catch-all phrase (although a flawed one) to describe all types of communication professions, we are still faced with a sea of new professions all utilizing similar skill-sets. Can we unite under one common banner?

The Babel Project attempts a synthesis of all these terms and challenges the applicability of the word "marketing" to the modern age of communication. Now can we find a better term? Please help us!

Join The Babel Project Now!!

Ireland National Digital Strategy

Very clever tactic by Ireland's government. They are beginning to incentivize businesses to go online and become more social - a new angle for government. Find article here. 

“The strategy outlines and guides on the role of both society and government to leverage technology for the best results for Ireland. In its initial phase, the strategy focuses on stimulating indigenous economy by helping small Irish businesses expand online, preparing citizens for the next generation of jobs, and bringing the benefit of digital technology to everyone.


Encouraging more people and businesses to get online is the goal at the heart of the National Digital Strategy, wrote Pat Rabitte, Minister of Communications, in the foreword of the strategy. “My ultimate goal is the optimal economic and social use of the internet by Business, Government, and Individuals”, he declared.
”

Virology Series - types of viral content

What happens in a user's head when they click the share button? 

What is going on in social networks when the electric impulse travels like wildfire? 

Social scientists and marketers alike would love to decipher the hidden behaviors and understand the key characteristics of content that generates virality (side note: I know this isn't a term technically, but it needs to be - so it is now).

HECK, I would love to crack the code. I wish this very blog post would immediately overpower you with an overwhelming urge to click the share button (no, but really feel free). Anyone online who says differently is crazy - who doesn't check their Klout.com score every now and then? (read: every five minutes). So I have created this blog series to address this very important topic in digital marketing. This will be the first of many posts that analyzes the science of digital virology - how content spreads the globe. 

Without further ado...

Viral Content Strands (A) and (B)

There are two prominent strands of viral content which can be found online. Each strand type can be easily identified with proper training. Both strand types are very powerful, but each spread the web in a specific recognizable pattern, infecting new viewers at different rates and periods. 

Strand Type A - Single Strand Viruses

Have you ever watched a single video that had over a million views? Most likely that was a single strand virus. They are single strand because in comparison to "type b" they spread from a single, central content piece (video, song, game etc.). This means that they are more likely to have a single url address that spreads through social networks. In their nature, single strand viruses spread more slowly then their "type b" relatives because it takes time for new users to adopt the content, process it (watch it, read it, play it), and repost it. Type A viruses can travel insulated inside certain digital communities and not spread further until they reach a social bridge (an influencer or ordinary person that stretches across several specific social communities). After crossing the bridge it begins to explode again in a new social circle and a new cycle.

These viruses spread more slowly as they rely on sharing-novelty where users believe they are the first adopters of content and first sharers of content in their circle. As this virus travels in cycles with its novelty being reborn from bridge to bridge, it has a longer shelf life. Psy's Gangnam Style is a perfect example of such sustained growth and social bridge usage. The video held remarkably high view rates averaging 9 million views a day. 

At the same time, single strand viruses are also subject to early deaths. If they do not reach their bridges to infect new social circles or if they cross large bridges too early (such as mass-media and television where the novelty value is rendered mostly inert) they die out. 

Can you identify these successful single strand viruses?

Rebecca Black - Friday

Charlie Bit My Finger

Psy - Gangnam Style

Strand Type B - Multiple Strand Viruses

In comparison, multiple strand viruses are born out of a digital habit or behavior - more so than a single, specific identifiable source. As such they can spread quite rapidly with no focal point, as all users across the spectrum in all social circles can embrace the phenomenon at once. These viruses can arise more suddenly and mutate to suit each user's taste, being highly relevant to certain groups. If your own university creates a harlem shake, for example, it is very relevant to you and spreads infectiously within your own university's digital borders. However, the mutated form of the virus cannot travel outside these borders, unless other users adopt the idea - at which point it mutates again. 

Single strand viruses can also become multiple strand as users pick up content and imitate or edit it for their own usage. Just try googling "Rebecca Black Friday Spoof", I'm sure you'll find something. 

The weakness of this strand type is their much shorter shelf life. These viruses catch on fast but burn out quicker. Once you've seen one harlem shake you've seen them all. Novelty is mostly lost. Their short shelf life is also due to their formless nature. They are inherently harder to track and follow, as there is no central point. While you can check to see how many youtube views Psy has, how do you check photobombing? 

 Can you identify these successful multiple strand viruses?

Harlem Shake

Lolcats

Photobombing

Strand A/B Hybrid Super Virus

As far as marketing is concerned, the strongest type of viral content is one that embraces both strategies. Psy's content is hybrid because everyone in the world now knows his dance (and perhaps uploaded a video or two). So marketing agencies should focus on creating content that starts off as a single strand but has a very high potential to mutate into multiple strand. Translation: campaigns should be strong, followable, trackable, centered and they should also  be replicable, user-generatable, spin-off-able, adoptable.  How can you go about doing this? Come back later in the series to find out!!

Next in the Virology Series - The Economics of Viral Content (stay tuned)

8 Tips For Startup Success Inspired By The Italian Renaissance - Forbes

As my readers may know, I am always for drawing tips and tricks from history when applicable. That's what it's there for! Have you seen my entire marcomm theory derived from ancient Egyptian mythology and story-telling techniques? Pretty cool stuff.

Therefore it is only natural that an article talking about startup tips derived from the Italian Renaissance would peak my interest. This is a very interesting read! I've condensed the tips for your viewing pleasure - but still read the article!

1. Location, Location, Location. Grow your start up where its geographically and socially relevant
2. Attract Talent. Goes along with the location, location, location one above. 
3. Build Funding.  Not a new concept.
4. Utilize Innovation. Also a no-brainer.
5. Focus and Delegation. Don't get distracted, delegate everyday tasks away.
6. Communication. Standardize your practices for your workforce (HR?) 
7. Freedom and Creativity. Let your staff's imagination grow and bring your company along with it.