Harmonic Aftershock

The Juxtaposition of Technology Advancement

I was in 4th grade when I got my first home computer -- A Commodore 64. I suppose close to three decades is a long time in the world of technological evolution. But, still, the comparison of the 1982 TV spot for the Commodore 64 vs. the 2010 Apple iPad is like night and day.

[The 1982 Commodore 64]

vs.

[The 2010 Apple iPad]

What will things look like 30 years from now?

Video Resumes – A Hiring Manager’s Perspective

Do not do a video resume, period.

With unemployment on the rise, job seekers are looking for ways to leverage technology to try and penetrate the masses. Noted “personal branding” thought leader Dan Schawbel recently did a post on Mashable about using social media to help land your next job and mentions creating video resumes as one of 7 tips to differentiate yourself. If you’re curious, have a quick scan on ResumeTube to see some examples.

The fact is, Dan’s absolutely right – a video resume can certainly make you stand out, but maybe not for the reasons you’d hoped. As a hiring manager, I find watching them to be awkward, a bit uncomfortable, and somewhat desperate.

While I’m a big fan of online video and creative uses of technology, your talking head summarizing your resume does not compel me in any way to want to bring you in for an interview. I can scan your resume in a fraction of the time to get a sense of your skills and experience. And no matter how well it’s professionally produced or how good you are in front of a camera, your video resume will come across as artificial and contrived – And I would argue that it might detract from your personal brand.

Instead, invest time in building your online footprint demonstrating results, how you think, your charisma, and tenacity – not because you want a job, but because you’ve been driven to share your thought leadership on your blog, on twitter, at on/offline meet-ups, etc.

Arnel Pineda didn’t get his dream gig as Journey’s latest lead singer because he made and posted a video on YouTube talking about wanting a job as a lead singer.  He was discovered (on YouTube) because of the videos of his band’s actual performances that demonstrated his talent.

So if you’re still insistent on using video to land your next job, have links on your resume/portfolio to videos of your actual presentations or events showing your “professional performances” and let your talent speak for itself.

The future is mobile?

Had a great conversation with a colleague today. Working at a large marketing agency, we get to talk with lots of vendors, many of whom are mobile marketing-centric.

There’s a lot of discussion around the role that mobile will play in all of our futures – there are many who’ll make sweeping comments like, “The future is all about mobile” or  “First it was TV, then computers, now mobile”. While I don’t disagree (as evidence from a blog post I wrote when I was at Digital Influence Group) that mobile is rapidly integrating into our daily lives, the real conversation should be about content portability and interactivity.

Regardless of the device that presents it, accessibility to content when one wants and needs it, in a format that is contextually digestible is what’s important. So if I’m in front of my computer with a widescreen HD monitor, I’m going to (and will continue to want to) consume and experience content in a certain kind of way. I may want access to some of that content through portable devicies (i.e. mobile, iPod, etc.) and enjoy consuming it while I’m on the go, but it’ll never replace the large screen experience with a full-sized keyboard.

Similarly, when I’m “on the go” and need quick and instant access to information, I have expectations about getting that information in a very fast and lightweight sort-of-way. My mobile phone acts as an enabler for me to get on the spot answers “remotely”.

In the age of ever-increasing rich media/online-video, mobile simply can not be where it’s ALL at. I’m not going to want to lay on the couch after a long day and watch an episode of Heroes on a 4” screen. Yet it’s a very different story if I’m on a train to NYC on the treadmill at the gym.

Is the world too flat?

Technology combined with the web and social media have handed over a platform that unconditionally gives “airtime” to anybody – even those on death row:

Has the world become too flat? Should everyone have an equal and level playing field when trying to get their voices heard? Whether you agree or not, it appears this is the case.

What does this mean to marketers? It continues to underscore that there really are no limits to the number (and kinds) of people world-wide who can potentially discuss your product, service, and/or brand. The key is to identify those who have loyal followings – these are your key influencers and you must find effective ways to engage them by showing, first, that you’ve listened. (Although I’d shy away from convicts as your brand advocates ;-).

How I Met Your, um, Website

One of my all-time favorite TV shows executed a wonderfully smooth “website placement” (as opposed to product placement) into its storyline. On CBS’s How I Met Your Mother (Mondays at 8:30pm ET), Lily and her fiancée, Marshall, owe extra money for costly (and necessary) home improvements. In desperate need of quick cash, Marshall’s solution is to create a website to sell Lily’s expensive clothes. Here’s a clip from the show:

What’s awesome about this is that the actors who play Lily and Marshall (Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segel) are featured at the end of the show to say that lilyandmarshallselltheirstuff.com is a real website auctioning off actual items from the show to raise money for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. It’s a great cause and a great bridge and marriage between offline and online worlds -- executed in a way that isn’t forced, feels natural, and is quite compelling.

I would have liked to have seen a more thoughtfully designed website that better maintained the storyline integrity and its original domain name (and not resolve to “Charity Folks Online” who is the platform vendor enabling the auction) but I was glad to see many of the items from the actual episode make it into the auction to provide some level of continuity from the jump from TV to web.

I’m still waiting for the day when Television and Web have completely converged so that instead of needing to have my computer in front of me while watching TV, I’m able to interact directly with my TV to access complimentary online supplements and extras. I am sure that day is close.

The Glue that Brings Media Together: Apple TV

Earlier this year, Apple released a second version of its Apple TV product – I recently picked one up, plugged it in and my jaw dropped.  What felt like an 8” square by 1” high paperweight (albeit a nice looking one), created a seamless bridge between the digital media on my computer (pictures, music, videos) to iTunes and then to my home theater – all wrapped by the kind of amazing user experience I’ve come to expect from Apple.

I can preview, rent, or buy movies (many of which are in HD). In one click, I can purchase and then watch TV shows that are on iTunes (individual episodes or full seasons). I can connect to my Flikr account or other photo library and share a slideshow to a crowd of people in my living room (and even sync it to music if I want to).

One of the best parts of the new AppleTV is its interface with YouTube. Sure I’ve watched YouTube videos before but truth be told, I’ve never been one to sit idle in front of my computer to consume content for more than quick bursts at a time. Yet, I’ve found myself for an hour at a time browsing content delivered via YouTube sitting on my couch and using the Apple TV remote while watching it through my big screen TV.

Apple TV and its elegance underscores, for me, that a much more onDemand media delivery model is THE future of content consumption. This will continue to erode the need for television and cable networks in their current form and all but squashes traditional advertising models. I’m already considering canceling my subscription to HBO and Starz as I’ve been renting all of my movies (in crystal clear HD) through my Apple TV.

Back in 1982, my computer had only two purposes: dabble in BASIC and play Frogger (on a cassette tape).  The TV was used to watch major network programs. We went to the movie theater to watch movies. We read the newspaper or watched network TV to hear about current events. We spoke on the phone to catch up with friends. Over 25 years later, these silos are all being mashed up into a singular and powerful user experience. Apple TV is the first out of many past attempts that has made me take a step back and say, “It’s really here. The world has changed.”