School’s Out! Now What?
Thursday, December 27th, 2007This poor blog has been neglected while I finished up my last class in the Media Studies Program at the New School. It’s been a wonderful experience, and a chance to learn so much about media in general and social media in particular.
My last class was an independent study on “Marketing Your Media on the Web.” I looked at film/video, music, text, fine art and photography to explore how media makers are using the web and especially social media to promote their work. I also looked at related themes in social media like reputation and user-generate content. The end result was written up in the form of a class syllabus. I promise to post it online soon, for any interested parties to take a look.
Of course, anything involving social media is by necessity a living document (some call it the living web for a good reason). The day after I completed my class, the new issue of Wired arrived in my mailbox. It contains what looks to be a fascinating article in which David Byrne and Thom Yorke of Radiohead discuss the changes in the music industry, as well as a piece about Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero Alternate Reality Game. ARG’s are a fascinating blend of viral content, collective intelligence and fan-based activity: all three components are required (along with a compelling story and a steady stream of clues). I’m not so sure that they’re the future of marketing, as one person quoted in the article said. They take too much effort and money to do well — and I’m sure, like all viral marketing, that many are done badly. But ARG’s do epitomize the potential of social media, so they are worth examining in detail.
What’s next for me? I have to see where luck – and my resume – land me in the New Year. I have a good feeling about 2008, though. Happy New Year, everyone!