As well as trundling off to Twestival last Thursday, I also stuck my head around the door of the BrandNew launch event, and jolly interesting it was, too. It's yet another brainchild from the worryingly fecund imagination of Joanna Geary of The Times (pictured above, looking uncomfortable - this is my revenge for her springing a brief speech on me).
Jo, like many of us who have gone from being social media enthusiasts to prominent roles within our employers where our online identity reflects on the emplyer's brand, has found herself questioning the need to split personal and business identities, how free she is to blog while being seen as a member of The Times staff, and so on. I've been through similar battles in the past. I nearly killed my blog stone dead in late 2005/early 2006 when my colleagues began to become aware of it and I set too many limits on what I posted.
It appears plenty of people are interested, as about two dozen people turned up, from organisations as diverse as the Labour Party, and contract publishers. And all are struggling with this clash of the need of social media identities to personal, open and somewhat intimate, as opposed to the managed, staged and often impersonal brand identities of the past. If I had any doubt that companies were about to go through a profound cultural shift as they adapt to this new communications infrastructure, the quality of the questions being asked put that to rest.
And beyond that, it was nice to catch up with online acquaintances and to meet some new faces (to me, at least). I look forward with some eagerness to the next event. So, when is it, Ms Geary? :-)
Jo, like many of us who have gone from being social media enthusiasts to prominent roles within our employers where our online identity reflects on the emplyer's brand, has found herself questioning the need to split personal and business identities, how free she is to blog while being seen as a member of The Times staff, and so on. I've been through similar battles in the past. I nearly killed my blog stone dead in late 2005/early 2006 when my colleagues began to become aware of it and I set too many limits on what I posted.
It appears plenty of people are interested, as about two dozen people turned up, from organisations as diverse as the Labour Party, and contract publishers. And all are struggling with this clash of the need of social media identities to personal, open and somewhat intimate, as opposed to the managed, staged and often impersonal brand identities of the past. If I had any doubt that companies were about to go through a profound cultural shift as they adapt to this new communications infrastructure, the quality of the questions being asked put that to rest. And beyond that, it was nice to catch up with online acquaintances and to meet some new faces (to me, at least). I look forward with some eagerness to the next event. So, when is it, Ms Geary? :-)
Argh!
*Looks away from the picture*
Thanks for a great post. I'm glad you came and doubly glad you found it useful. Next month's will be on either the 7th or 8th - just confirming the venue.
Thanks again.
j.
Excellent news - and I think the expansion policy outlined in the
latest BrandNew blog post sounds like a good plan.
So, that's what my hair looks like from the back. ;)
I'm not sure I'll be around for the next Brandnew but it was vg to meet you and share my angst. (Sorry.)
Nothing to apologise for. It was great to meet you at last. :)