https://www.robertoverweg.com Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:56:49 +0000 https://www.robertoverweg.com en https://www.robertoverweg.com/How-MMGA-decreases-fake-news-through-co-creation https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/How-MMGA-decreases-fake-news-through-co-creation Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:56:49 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13917781 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/IAB-talk-3-Robert-Overweg-engels.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/IAB-talk-3-Robert-Overweg-engels.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="75434451" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/IAB-talk-3-Robert-Overweg-engels.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> We try to improve trust and quality in the news, by decreasing fake news or better said misinformation. Through an online layer which makes use of annotations and wisdom of the crowd. A research based project with an actual partnership with the largest news publishers in the Netherlands: NU.nl.<br /> <br /> Why this is important, the decline of trust.<br /> <br /> Trust has been in an unprecedented decline lately. The edelman trust barometer showed a decline in trust concerning corporations in 2017 — from 45% in 2016 to 33% in 2017. In the UK 42% of consumers do not trust brands and 69% do not trust ads in 2017. The international advertising bureau added fake news to the places not to advertise next to, quite logical. This puts it in a group with: military conflict, tobacco and obscenity. <br /> <br /> How the system and process works<br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.013_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.013_1920.jpeg" data-mid="75434522" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.013_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> We have a large pool of annotators, which we have screened, trained and continuously support. These are people of all layers of society with many different forms of expertise. They all want to contribute to better news and information.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/annotation_670.png" width="670" height="287" width_o="894" height_o="384" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/annotation_894.png" data-mid="75434532" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 287"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/annotation_894.png" /><br /> They contribute by means of annotation, if you are not familiar with annotations maybe you remember the scribblings from your teachers?<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.017_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.017_1920.jpeg" data-mid="75434468" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.017_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> The people from our pool can annotate on news sites which we collaborate with, through our own platform which runs on top of the sites. The comments end up at the editor whom can interact with the annotators and implement the annotations.<br /> <br /> A co-operative project<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="75434454" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13917781/MMGA.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Projects this important and so large, can't be done alone that's why we co-operate with each other to find solutions in a research oriented way. <br /> <br /> Read more on Make Media Great Again maybe even join the collaborative media movement!<br /> <br /> We try to improve trust and quality in the news, by decreasing fake news or better said misinformation. Through an online layer which makes use of annotations and... https://www.robertoverweg.com/Triple-Identity-web-strategy https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/Triple-Identity-web-strategy Tue, 30 Apr 2019 06:51:03 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 11453108 New more fitting identity and website for Triple<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Triple is a 120 people strong digital agency.<br /> <br /> "From concept to strategy to design, apps to optimization, virtual reality to cloud management and cloud services: at Triple we believe in long-term partnerships that evolve throughout time, constantly offering the best possible solution. But also by autonomously creating new ways of entertainment, by using virtual reality as a tool and by offering the best customer experience."<br /> <br /> Winner of: <br /> Erasmus innovation award most innovative company<br /> Emerce #1 mobile agency two years in a row<br /> <br /> But even more important than awards, we truly help companies change through technology and great design. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/Triple-site_670.jpg" width="670" height="737" width_o="2880" height_o="3171" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/Triple-site_2880.jpg" data-mid="61430118" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 737"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/Triple-site_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Defined working method, defined the DNA, made a visual language to back up the DNA and future goals. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/mockup-thoughts-triple-2_670.jpg" width="670" height="759" width_o="1344" height_o="1524" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/mockup-thoughts-triple-2_1344.jpg" data-mid="61624781" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 759"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453108/mockup-thoughts-triple-2_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Identity was developed together with Wunder, <br /> Site design together with Buurmen<br /> Motion together with Motoko New more fitting identity and website for Triple Triple is a 120 people strong digital agency. "From concept to strategy to design, apps to optimization,... https://www.robertoverweg.com/Guidance-and-service-are-the-new-differentiators https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/Guidance-and-service-are-the-new-differentiators Wed, 17 Jan 2018 11:01:08 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13334187 It’s been a brutal year for advertising, with the rise of adblocking, fraudulent ads and everything from fake news to irrelevant messages, steadily eroding people’s trust in what they read and hear. But some of today’s most disruptive brands have found a way to regain their customer’s confidence. By acting as guides, rather than sales people, they’ve flipped the traditional relationship so that they first prove themselves useful, then sell their product.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71687401" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Historically, companies have behaved as if they deserve a place in a person’s life. The result is a series of off-target, annoying ads that cut into someone’s already busy schedule. By sharing knowledge and becoming relevant in a consumer’s life, however, savvy companies are increasing their relevance.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Casper, the online mattress company, has become popular as people share their “unboxing” videos, with customers filming their newly delivered mattress unfurling from its tiny box. But Casper also produces separate publications, first with Van Winkle’s and now Woolly, that focus on health and wellness with no mention of mattresses at all. By sharing information that’s valuable to their potential customers, not to mention aligned with their brand’s vision, Casper is charting a sincere and successful route to financial success.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.004_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.004_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71687430" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.004_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Under Armour battles giants like Nike and Adidas in the world of sports apparel, but they also have a secret weapon in the form of the MyFitnessPal smartphone app. The app does the typical activity and weight tracking, but where it really shines is in tracking your diet. The nutritional value of nearly every food in the world has been entered into their system -- by consumers, by the way -- so you only need to scan a barcode and the nutritional info appears as if by magic. Plus, they use big data to find out what the most successful users of the app are eating. By becoming a daily utility, Under Armour turns their MyFitnessPal users into nutritional experts and brand ambassadors.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.003_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.003_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71687446" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/guidance-is-new-differentiator.003_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Brands have seen success by simply sponsoring a valuable service, rather than providing it themselves. Citibank is the sponsor of New York City’s Citi Bike, a bicycle sharing system. Citibank reported that following the launch of Citi Bike in 2013, the public’s perception of the company improved by 17 points. Citibank was seen as a more innovative company and as one that valued social responsibility. By aligning themselves with a useful service, Citibank has seen tremendous brand recognition throughout New York and turned people’s opinions of the company around. This is particularly interesting because Citibank was at the center of the economic meltdown which was quickly forgotten through sponsoring of these bicycles. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/nyt-advertising.001_670.png" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/nyt-advertising.001_1920.png" data-mid="71687520" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13334187/nyt-advertising.001_1340_c.png" /><br /> <br /> In media, which has taken as much of a trust hit as advertising has lately, the New York Times has incorporate native advertising in a way that helps their readers without the heavy hand of “advertorial”. The Times created their own brand marketing unit, called T Brand Studio, with a directive to “create and distribute insightful brand content and experiences that shape opinion”. They also acquired (and merged) two popular product review sites, The Wirecutter and The Sweethome, that contribute to the bottom line via affiliate sales. Both methods begin with building trust, then focus on selling. The acquisition of service oriented platforms and the creation of service oriented native advertising. Has actually turned the downwards spiraling New York times revenue around and they are now ahead of schedule towards reaching their digital revenue target for 2020 of $800 million. <br /> <br /> Two companies who started with passion and by giving guidance, in the fast moving street culture and sneakers scene are Hypebeast and Highsnobiety, they grew their passion projects into profitable businesses. They started out by writing about sneakers they liked, bringing the information on new releases from the forums to the people. When interest and traffic increased, they ventured into matching markets like: music, graffiti and art. With their popularity came new opportunities. They now run their own e-commerce platforms and are being payed to write about sneakers they like.<br /> <br /> When Higshnobiety added sponsored content to it’s site. People did start to complain occasionally. But as the founder says: “The funny thing is that most of the time, it’s for things that we’re not paid for’ The line of editorial content and sponsored content is blurred. But honestly I don’t see anything changing in this area and it’s a better alternative than looking at banners everywhere. Only brands who have a legitimate story to tell will find a platform. <br /> <br /> It would be naive to think that these guiding initiatives represent all aspects of a company. After all, Casper has sued mattress review sites and tried to wrangle better reviews for their products and Citibank was at the center of an economic meltdown. But these service-oriented campaigns can change a company’s DNA for the better.<br /> <br /> These are just a few ways that companies are breaking through the advertising clutter to connect with audiences. By thinking and acting like a guide, rather than a salesperson or marketer, companies are finding new ways to make themselves relevant in their customers’ lives.<br /> <br /> --------------<br /> <br /> I would love to hear your thoughts on companies who are doing similar things, feel free to find me on Twitter and share some of the companies you have found. It’s been a brutal year for advertising, with the rise of adblocking, fraudulent ads and everything from fake news to irrelevant messages, steadily eroding people’s ... https://www.robertoverweg.com/How-to-develop-an-adaptable-mindset-and-survive-the-future https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/How-to-develop-an-adaptable-mindset-and-survive-the-future Wed, 17 Jan 2018 07:07:17 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13311445 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/Adaptability-Alejandro-cursus.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/Adaptability-Alejandro-cursus.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71685032" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/Adaptability-Alejandro-cursus.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> The speed at which new technologies and new truths appear in our lives is staggering. Businesses can be disrupted at any time and the world we live in is constantly changing – something that impacts both our personal and working life.<br /> <br /> An adaptable mindset has proven to be a great measure against change – creating one for yourself can make it much easier to embrace disruption and adapt to it. Maybe you still remember the last time your long-term goals got sidetracked by outside influence. It’s something that’s part of life, and the way you deal with it is part of you. When the reality of your business changes and new technologies pop up, you’ll be ready to adapt to them. It’s a mindset that enables you to perpetually upgrade yourself and your ways of working and living.<br /> <br /> As Reid Hoffman, the founder of PayPal and LinkedIn has said:<br /> “It’s about nurturing an adaptable mindset, suitable for navigating a confusing, chaotic world. All in the hope of making that world better for everyone.”<br /> <br /> Even though it might not be for everyone, this journey can be great fun. It might not be easy, but once you’ve mastered this skill you and the people around you will reap the benefits. This step by step guide will help you to develop this adaptable mindset for yourself and others, and explain how it can be used to thrive.<br /> <br /> The foundation: stretching your brain<br /> <br /> Let’s start with something fun — gathering inspiration from wherever you can find it. It’s important to stay curious in this step, as you’ll need a flexible mind that’s comfortable with being exposed to different kinds of thinking. Don’t be afraid to make your brain stretch in places it hasn’t done before! Feel free to explore areas like philosophy, visual arts, cartoons, science, games and design.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> See the above slideshow for some great examples to stretch your mind<br /> <br /> As this is an ongoing process, it’ll form a steady basis for your flexible mind. Also, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a solitary process — make sure that people challenge you and your beliefs, and try to actively search for people that have different views than you, as it’ll challenge your own dogmas and assumptions. Another way to do this is by asking a friend or colleague to write a small essay or create a short keynote based on the idea that you’re working on, in order to get a different perspective on your work.<br /> <br /> A constant flow of inspiration, steal like an artist<br /> <br /> In order to develop an adaptable mindset and be open to new creative solutions, <br /> you’ll need to learn how to steal like an artist. Any kind of creative work builds on what came before it — nothing is completely original. Every ‘new’ idea is really just a mashup of one or more previous ideas. It’s important to always be on the lookout for new input, but make sure you only ‘steal’ inspiration from things that are close to your heart — your ideas can only be authentic when they resonate from within you.<br /> Make sure you don’t blatantly copy anyone — take something out of its original context and apply it somewhere else. If you want to successfully apply anything, it’s key to understand everything behind the idea as well — where is it coming from, and what’s its context? You’ll need to truly understand its impact and origin. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> A simple trick to create more input is to try and look at other companies that are active in a different field than you. Ask yourself why they’re successful, how they’re innovating and if you see this happening in other markets or companies as well — this way, you can try and deduct if a new trend is taking shape and if you could learn from their insights.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Another great way to challenge your mind is by asking yourself some difficult questions. What would you do as a hotel owner if AirBNB grew from 3000 to 4 million rooms? How would you act as the CEO of The New York Times, dealing with tightened budgets and steadily decreasing ad revenue? What would be your next move?<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/do-nothing.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/do-nothing.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71685387" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13311445/do-nothing.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Possibly the most counter-intuitive aspect of creating an adaptable mindset is… doing nothing. You need to get bored! In one of his most important essays, Korean philosopher Byung Chul Han described the importance of this in our current-day ‘burn out society’:<br /> <br /> “We owe the cultural achievements of humanity — which include philosophy — to deep, contemplative attention. Culture presumes an environment in which deep attention is possible. We have a low tolerance for boredom, this does not admit the profound idleness that benefits the creative process.” <br /> <br /> This especially rings true for a world in which we open our phones 80 times a day and are constantly multitasking.<br /> <br /> Another way to reach this kind of calmness and clarity is by taking some time out of your day for meditation. It’s been scientifically proven that mindfulness helps with reducing anxiety, which can be instrumental in unblocking your creative process. <br /> <br /> It can take years of effort to build your own adaptable mindset, but there’s going to be fun and great benefits early on. At points you can expect to face struggles, be confronted with your own assumptions and your own beliefs – all of which you’ll constantly need to adapt.<br /> <br /> The reality of corporate life<br /> <br /> If you work for a large company and have to deal with its corporate structure, you need to find a way for your adaptable mindset to work properly. I’ve found that there are a couple of ways to deal with this.<br /> <br /> Figure out how to match your thinking with corporate goals and strategy. These often quite generic, along the lines of “increase customer satisfaction” – something that will make it easier to fit your idea in their way of thinking.<br /> <br /> To further help with making your ideas come to life, you’ll need to find people that want to be on your team and together sketch out their future. If you’re not able to see clearly where you need to go, you’ll never be able to get there – let alone getting people onboard with your idea. This is where strategic insight, storytelling and prototyping come in – materializing your idea and putting it in the hands of people already make them a reality. If they’re good, people will want them.<br /> <br /> Why management is important<br /> <br /> Many corporate systems leave little room for experimentation and adaptability. Often this isn’t the employees’ fault, as they tend to have the best intentions but end up being stuck in meetings or chasing irrelevant KPIs.<br /> <br /> Here’s an example. When you want to change something substantial about an app or website, consumers will often first complain – a totally natural reaction to learning something new without knowing about its benefits. <br /> <br /> Corporates often measure success by tracking NPS scores, a system that gauges the loyalty of its customer relationships. Now imagine that you would get a bonus if you’re able to maintain or reach a certain NPS score – it would probably make you think twice before making big changes that could affect the score. On the other hand, the same system that’s used to reward employees also limits them. People often don’t know about this because the ratings system are so ingrained in the company, but it’s important to be wary of it.<br /> <br /> Great management should guide their colleagues towards obtaining an adaptable mindset, while making known what kind of innovation you’re looking for. Are you for the short or long term? Should it be disruptive or incremental? You’ll need to find a common goal to work towards together, as it’ll make everyone’s life easier.<br /> <br /> Make sure that you give people enough space to let their adaptable minds do the thinking, as they’re the only ones who can keep your company alive. All the while, as an individual you should keep building your own mindset – it’ll be a guide for the rest of your life.<br /> <br /> ---------------------<br /> <br /> A version of this essay was published on The Next Web. Now, how do you tackle the challenges of training an adaptable mind? Let me know by reaching out on Twitter.<br /> <br /> <br /> The speed at which new technologies and new truths appear in our lives is staggering. Businesses can be disrupted at any time and the world we live in is... https://www.robertoverweg.com/AR-VR-XR-presentation https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/AR-VR-XR-presentation Thu, 21 Dec 2017 03:57:12 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13295523 <br /> <br /> A presentation I gave at the RAI in Amsterdam with learnings and how to's in AR / VR / XR. <br /> <br /> The talk is in Dutch, sorry about that. A presentation I gave at the RAI in Amsterdam with learnings and how to's in AR / VR / XR. The talk is in Dutch, sorry about that. https://www.robertoverweg.com/How-these-blockchain-powered-startups-are-challenging-YouTube-and https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/How-these-blockchain-powered-startups-are-challenging-YouTube-and Wed, 20 Dec 2017 18:13:24 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13295104 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/youtube-twitter-fb-broken-new-brands_670.jpg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/youtube-twitter-fb-broken-new-brands_1920.jpg" data-mid="71508630" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/youtube-twitter-fb-broken-new-brands_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have become ever-present parts of our culture due to an endless supply of user-generated content. But what kind of value have their users received in return? <br /> <br /> Beyond the dopamine hit of our likes and shares, it’s not much. While an enterprising few have used those social media platforms to create a personal brand and make some money, that number is dwarfed by the overall financial success of these companies. <br /> <br /> Now several video-sharing companies are looking for a more equitable model. Powered by blockchain technology, these startups are hoping to lure in users from the dominant platforms by putting a few dollars into their pockets.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/blockchain.001_4_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/blockchain.001_4_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71450904" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/blockchain.001_4_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Rize is a social video app that allows people to chat with content creators and watch online videos together. But the social interaction is ramped up by the use of the PROPS token, a blockchain-powered innovation that allows users to reward each other for participating.<br /> <br /> The company behind Rize is YouNow, an established livestream provider with 40 million registered users and 62,000 digital transactions every day. Being backed by Comcast Ventures, Winklevoss Capital and video celebrities like Casey Neistat, the company wants to kick-off its initial growth by leveraging the existing users from its YouNow platform. There are all kinds of ways for developers to create new functionality within the rules of the platform, enabling brands a new way to differentiate.<br /> <br /> See here for a product overview video.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Flixxo_670.jpg" width="670" height="224" width_o="1920" height_o="644" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Flixxo_1920.jpg" data-mid="71450890" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 224"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Flixxo_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> At an earlier stage is Flixxo, which, like Rize, is creating a decentralized video platform with blockchain tokens to reward producers. Flixxo, however, uses BitTorrent to distribute its content. The team says it’ll use servers to back up the BitTorrent network so users won’t burn through their mobile data while watching videos on the go. The platform is focusing less on live streaming, but more on user generated content.<br /> <br /> As a contributor to the service you can decide what you want to earn for your content — these transactions are then automatically handled by the smart contracts that support the platform. Thanks to this setup, it’s even possible to decide how to split revenue between your production partners — after checking for copyright issues, the network validates the payout within 7 days. It’s also possible for users to get access to content for free by watching sponsored videos, for which the company developed a new kind of ad product. The inventory can be bought directly from the contributor by any company that wants to advertise — there’s no middleman and all proceeds are automatically deposited.<br /> <br /> While Flixxo is trying to disrupt the video industry in a legal way, it actually has very close ties to more anarchistic software. Its user interface is being created by Federico Abad, the designer behind the UI for Popcorn Time, the hugely popular BitTorrent video streaming client that became known as the “Netflix for pirates”. It amassed over 100 million users before being shut down in October 2015. It’s not uncommon for revolutionary software to have its roots in the legally gray area — just look at Spotify, which was inspired by Napster’s illegal music service, or Apple, which spent the first years of its existence fighting the status quo.<br /> <br /> In an effort to grow its reach, Flixxo will soon be distributing 500 million tokens through its platform, giving them to registered users that actively use the platform by sharing content and reaching certain goals.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Viewly.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Viewly.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71508545" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/Viewly.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Another decentralized Youtube promise is called Viewly. a service which doesn’t require tokens to start and instead offers free video publishing and watching of the entire content library. But there’s a catch: accounts that show a higher than average activity have to purchase tokens for access. While Flixxo works with BitTorrent technology in the first stage of the product, Viewly is hosted by providers that compete with each other in a decentralized marketplace.<br /> <br /> There’s another important difference — Viewly believes it’s only possible to make money on existing video platforms if you have a massive audience — it’s trying to change this by giving people with smaller following the means to earn money. Fans can support their favorite content creators via one-time donations, recurring micropayments or periodic quota-based transactions to their favorite channels. <br /> <br /> Currently, the service is trying to gain steam by using a similar growth strategy to what AirBNB used when it was just starting off — making it easy for users to cross-post to a competing website. While AirBNB made it possible to also post a listing to Craigslist, Viewly lets users share their videos to YouTube, ensuring more views for their content.<br /> <br /> The third contender, Viuly, is similar to Flixxo and Viewly in its offering, but also offers premium content in addition to user generated videos. Unfortunately, there’s not much setting it apart from YouTube — even its UI looks awfully similar, evoking a sense that the company might be leaning too much on its competitor. It’s still early days for the company, however, and this might change in the future.<br /> <br /> Humble beginnings<br /> <br /> It’s not easy when you’re up against behemoths like Facebook and Google, especially when services like Youtube already have over 1.5 billion monthly active users. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/me-at-the-zoo_670.jpg" width="670" height="293" width_o="1340" height_o="587" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/me-at-the-zoo_1340.jpg" data-mid="71488262" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 293"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/me-at-the-zoo_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> Everything has a small beginning, however, and it’s important to put these massive companies in the appropriate context. Only 12 years ago the first ever video was uploaded to YouTube by the sites’ co-founder Jawed Karim. Back then, pretty much everyone underestimated the willingness of consumers to create and upload content. Boy, were they wrong.<br /> <br /> Today, every minute 400 hours of video are being uploaded to YouTube. The company’s revenue has since grown to $12 billion in 2016. But it was a different time back then — one in which blockchain technology wasn’t available yet, making it possible for new entrants to out-innovate the giants.<br /> <br /> Like all new technology, blockchain is also accompanied by incredible amounts of hype. With everyone talking about cryptocurrencies, the spotlight is on companies that are trying to move fast in this space. Having grown into a 700 million dollar market in a matter of years, the excitement around crypto could collapse in the blink of an eye due to changing market sentiments. <br /> <br /> It’s important, however, to look past the current hype into the future promise of being able to build on top of the blockchain. Even if the excitement dies down, these platforms still run on great technology that could be extremely beneficial to its users. In this new world, users gets to decide what it wants to do with the revenue that their content is generating, having it automatically deposited into their accounts if they so wish. It seems fair that they get a share of the billions of dollars in revenue that YouTube generates, and this makes it possible.<br /> <br /> Breaking the Facebook and Google duopoly<br /> <br /> Together, Facebook and Google have 70 percent of all internet traffic run through its networks, while simultaneously taking 61 percent of all digital ad spend. Power and wealth aren’t evenly distributed on the internet, and the inevitable pushback to this duopoly has recently been getting traction. After Russia’s manipulation of the 2016 US elections through Facebook ads, senator Dianne Feinstein was clear about her concerns, claiming: “Do something about it, or we will”. It has served as a clear signal by the US government for more regulation and possible fines, including the $2.7 billion Google was fined for unfairly favoring some of its own services over those of rivals.<br /> <br /> There’s also been a pushback from advertisers. Marc Pritchard is in charge of global marketing at Procter & Gamble and oversees the largest marketing budget in the world. In a recent talk he said that the digital media chain is “murky at best and fraudulent at worst”. All of this leaves lots of space for new entrants that want to break into the market by offering a superior alternative.<br /> <br /> Research from Cisco suggests that video will be responsible for 82 percent of all consumer internet traffic in 2021, up from 73 percent in 2016. In such a fast-moving market, new companies should be able to claim part of the space — after all, a small piece of this pie still accounts for a large overall number.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/momo_670.jpg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1340" height_o="753" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/momo_1340.jpg" data-mid="71450441" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13295104/momo_1340_c.jpg" /><br /> <br /> The question is if people will shift to new streaming platforms and cryptocurrency-based services on the promise of being paid. For a possible answer, we need to look at China — the country where giving gifts during live streams already is a big hit, with live streaming app Momo bringing in over $350 million in 2016 thanks to user micropayments. Another success in the token-based economy can be found in Steemit, an app where users reward each other for valuable content, which gew its user base to over 450,000 in a short amount of time.<br /> If platforms like Rize, Flixxo, Viewly and Viuly are able to put together the same attractive combination of accessible rewards and compelling content, they might be able to shake up the digital video landscape. The tech industry is no a stranger to disruption, and companies that seem invincible have fallen before — just think about the dominance of Myspace before Facebook came along. Now that the dust has settled over the battle for the best social networks, the one over video is about to begin.<br /> YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have become ever-present parts of our culture due to an endless supply of user-generated content. But what kind of value... https://www.robertoverweg.com/How-esports-is-disrupting-the-sports-industry https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/How-esports-is-disrupting-the-sports-industry Sat, 25 Nov 2017 09:56:38 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 13256995 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13256995/TNW-esports.001_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13256995/TNW-esports.001_1920.jpeg" data-mid="71230731" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/13256995/TNW-esports.001_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Something is happening in the sports industry. Live viewership has been drastically declining, it runs off a distribution model that’s firmly stuck in the past and the dominant companies are slow to implement technological innovation. It took years for FIFA to finally use goal-line technology during matches, and the NFL still doesn’t allow teams to post replay content on social media. Unsurprisingly, a 2017 report by PWC says the sports industry ripe for disruption — but what could take its place?<br /> <br /> Even if you’re not into gaming, it’s hard to deny the popularity of Esports. Viewership is increasing year over year, there’s constant experimentation with new revenue models and it’s redefining the way we engage with online content. It’s a fresh, digitally native take on watching competitive sports, and it’s here to stay.<br /> <br /> Engagement redefined<br /> Hundreds of games are streamed on platforms like Twitch every day. The most-watched games, like Dota 2 and League of Legends, generate 60 to 70 million viewed hours per month — even excluding China’s massive streaming platforms. These are huge numbers, making it hard to understate the importance of game streaming in today’s media landscape. Amazon saw its potential early on, making a smart acquisition by scooping up the company for $970 million in 2014 — with more than 15 million daily active users, it’s now the leading live video streaming website in the world.<br /> <br /> A large part of the current growth of Esports can be attributed to a lower barrier to entry. Six out of the ten most-watched games on Twitch are easy to play — all you need is a decent computer or gaming console and an internet connection. This way, fans can play the same games as their streaming idol, which makes for an increase in audience engagement.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> There are many more ways in which Esports is breaking new grounds for interactivity. During tournaments, mixed reality visuals are used to bring the characters to life and create a futuristic, immersive experience for viewers. But it gets even better when players are casually streaming on Twitch. Thanks to the embedded chatroom, fans are in direct contact with their idols and can send them messages or donate money. In turn, the player shouts out some of the viewers and their comments, solidifying the connection between them.<br /> <br /> Integrating these new technologies into esports comes naturally to the platform. Because of its inherently digital nature, adding virtual reality or live chat feels like a logical extension of the experience, not something that’s tacked on for the sake of innovation.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> New ways to make money<br /> While the business models behind the traditional sports industry are inefficient and stuck in the past, esports are backed up by a completely new way for companies to make money.<br /> <br /> While some games are paid, others are free to play — including some of the most-played ones like Dota 2 and League of Legends. These games make money by selling competition passes or extra downloadable content like new storylines, characters or outfits. The last has proven to be particularly lucrative — in 2016 alone, Dota 2 and LoL made a combined $1.96 billion off these microtransactions. This new kind of relationship between players and the games is interesting — because players are asked to pay to play, it makes the game operate like a service. Players are free to stop playing at any time, which puts pressure on the companies to continuously improve their experience and make it worth paying for. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> With lots of titles to choose from, development studios are waging a battle for consumers’ eyeballs — one that continues outside of the game. By releasing free content related to the in-game story, like comics and videos, they try to keep players engaged and keep them paying and playing.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Another business model used in esports is an even better example of the industry’s ability to innovate. When taking part in a tournament, players can buy a so-called Compendium. This gives them access to all kinds of benefits, like being able to predict other matches and adding special weather effects or sound packs to their own. These often cost around $10, of which 25 percent is used to create a prize pool for the tournament’s professional players — a crowdfunded grand prize of millions of dollars that benefit all parties: amateur players, professional players and the game company.<br /> <br /> <br /> A struggling industry<br /> Esports has better engagement, more room for growth and is much more innovative than regular sports — but why can’t they do the same?<br /> <br /> As it turns out, there are various things holding back the industry. Most importantly, the large corporations behind competitive play like FIFA and UEFA are being paid copious amounts of money by cable companies for the rights to broadcast matches. As this revenue stream is extremely important to them, they’ve become too scared to innovate, eating the dust of newer companies. At the same time, viewers are already moving on from watching televised sports to new forms of entertainment like streamed games.<br /> <br /> There are, however, a couple of opportunities for the traditional sports industry to keep a hold of the throne. Just like the cable providers, big tech companies like Facebook and Amazon have recently started bidding for the rights to broadcast matches. It’s very well possible that they’ll end up winning at some point, which might might force the old-school organizations to actively pursue innovation.<br /> <br /> Another possibility could be that the sports organizations themselves try to figure out a new business model based on the things they already have. One of their most valuable assets could be sports data — while it’s mostly ignored today, it has lots of exciting opportunities. There’s player movement, game statistics, tournament history and much more that could be combined to create new experiences, like developing a fantasy league that pulls in live data, or publishing a mobile game that uses it in some way. These new revenue streams could potentially change their position in the market, but only if they’re willing to take the risk — something that could prove to be hard, if not impossible for large, traditional organizations like these. <br /> <br /> A great example of a traditional sports company that’s actively rethinking its strategy is the NBA. By allowing instant sharing of all broadcast content on social media, it’s breaking new ground in the industry. These posts are often shared thousands of times, amplifying its reach to many more people than just those watching on tv.<br /> <br /> The effecst on its business have been staggering. Last year, the league broke its all-time attendance record with over 22 million people attending the games. TV viewership rose by 19 percent, while subscriptions for the digital access League Pass increased by 10 percent. On top of everything, the website saw a 27 percent increase in visitors — all things considered, embracing innovation has definitely paid off.<br /> <br /> As published on The Next Web<br /> <br /> This article is based upon a lecture I gave in Norway to most of the large sports organisations<br /> Something is happening in the sports industry. Live viewership has been drastically declining, it runs off a distribution model that’s firmly stuck in the past a... https://www.robertoverweg.com/The-power-of-adaptable-dynamic-brands https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/The-power-of-adaptable-dynamic-brands Thu, 27 Apr 2017 10:35:41 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 12774901 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-cover_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-cover_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70189959" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-cover_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> We live in a constantly changing world, with new technologies every other month or so which can disrupt your business, old ‘truths’ no longer apply. This can be a confusing space. A good way to adapt to this is to embrace a adaptable dynamic ability. Because if you have this adaptable mindset, you can embrace new possible disruptions and make them your own. This can be in design, strategy technology or marketing, preferably all of the previously mentioned. Constantly reinventing yourself to stay ahead. <br /> <br /> The following brands have shown an adaptable mindset in strategy, design and technology. Since looking outside of your company can be quite helpful this is exactly what we will be doing. <br /> <br /> Spotify has dynamic design, strategy and tech. In this study we deep dive into how they leverage their design and strategy through technology.<br /> <br /> A little less known is the brand: A Bathing Ape, a dynamic clothing company which mainly shows through their design and branding.<br /> <br /> UFC is a mixed martial arts sports company recently sold for $4 billion. In this study, a lot of examples on how they partner with advertising. They are constantly mixing realities, are story and hero driven and constantly adapt. <br /> <br /> BrewDog produces it's own beer, has its own bars and is known for doing stuff in an unconventional way. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-Spotify_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-Spotify_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190983" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-Spotify_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> We all know the music streaming service Spotify which was officially launched in October 2008. Spotify was such a big disruptor for the music industry, they totally reframed the necessity of physically owning music as a consumer. Their added value started out with the contracts they made with the music industry, unlocking streaming music. In the beginning they delivered this through a strictly functional and technical platform. Unlike Apple Music though, Spotify took their application beyond a functional technical platform. The way how they create their design is digital and dynamic. They have their own tool to create beautiful emotional artworks. A tool for every designer or agency to work with. Which automatically transforms photos in the brands specified duo tones. Great idea to limit the options, which than stimulates creativity. And it makes it faster to create beautiful art pieces. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.003_2_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.003_2_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68487645" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.003_2_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> Building blocks of the style: symbols and specific colors.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Spotify-tool.gif" width="670" height="419" width_o="1340" height_o="837" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Spotify-tool.gif" data-mid="68487634" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 1340 × 837"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Spotify-tool.gif" /><br /> A tool to guide the process of content creation and speed it up. Optimizing the workflow creating room for creativity. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_5_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_5_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68487651" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_5_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Spotify is also digital in their music recommendation. Spotify has a weekly recommendation list, how this list is curated is to me a perfect example of how we should deal with A.I. Spotify looks at the songs you listen to and finds these same songs in playlists created by other people. It finds out which tracks are also in that list. It than delivers me every monday these new tracks. Sometimes I discover 6 to 8 new tracks I love. Sometimes it’s a miss. But often it is great! Its leveraging both human curation and A.I. (source, source). Every monday morning there is a new playlist ready for you, this creates a habit of checking this out every new week. This is called habit forming behavior. Eventually you can't live without the supply of new music, and you never cancel your subscription. This system has evolved in giving the user 4-6 new playlists every day, with recommendations based on their own listening behavior. It creates genres based on what you listen to.<br /> <br /> To top it of, Spotify has most recently acquired a blockchain startup called Media Chain to work on technology for artists and rights holders. (source)<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-BAPE_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-BAPE_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190994" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-BAPE_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Being dynamic in your design could give your company and culture an advantage, because, if your design breathes adaptability, you will attract people who embrace that as well, they will act for you in a similar way. Increasing the chance of your company being able to adapt. This is what A Bathing Ape does really well. A Bathing ape (or Bape) is a Japanse clothing brand founded by Nigo in 1993. A street culture brand mainly known for being embraced by the hiphop community. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.005_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.005_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431386" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.005_1340_c.jpeg" />Bathing Ape (Bape) makes their main logo into a camouflage style pattern. Who distorts their own logo? Bape does.<br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431389" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.006_1340_c.jpeg" />This pattern is than applied back onto the main identity<br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.007_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.007_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431390" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.007_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> I really like how this new system that they have created gives room for new collaborations. Any brand they partner with adapts to their brand through adaptation of the style. Disney had a similar problem which they solved in a similar way with their Infinity characters<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_670.png" width="670" height="3" width_o="700" height_o="4" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" data-mid="68445277" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 3"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" /><br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.010_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.010_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431398" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.010_1340_c.jpeg" />This is like the movie inception. A brand within a brand within a brand. I am not saying this is beautiful design but I am saying that this flexibility in thinking and in design helps you become agile and transformative. If your identity can do this, imagine what your company can do.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_670.png" width="670" height="3" width_o="700" height_o="4" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" data-mid="68445277" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 3"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" /><br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.013_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.013_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431405" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.013_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> Brand architecture overview with different applications. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_670.png" width="670" height="3" width_o="700" height_o="4" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" data-mid="68445277" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 3"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" /><br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.014_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.014_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431406" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.014_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> UFC is an American mixed martial arts promotion company. Which was bought for $2 million in 2000 and sold for $4 billion in 2016. They are characterized by being dynamic and digital in their marketing, mixing fiction, fighting and gaming and actually partnering with people and companies. That is what they do best. A lot of their dynamics seems to have to do with the president and the previous owners who could make important strategic decisions at the blink of an eye. Having an agile adaptable leader is important. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-UFC_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-UFC_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190255" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/00-UFC_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Cable companies were too scared to broadcast the competition, they deemed it too violent. So what the UFC did, they produced their own show about the journey of becoming a UFC fighter. The TV show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ was given free to Spike TV. UFC paid for everything themselves. They own all the rights which makes up a lot of their value. This was like a trojan horse. Because in the end the fights did end up on TV. (Source) <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01b-UFC_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01b-UFC_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190554" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01b-UFC_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> The first season was a great success. The winner of The Ultimate fighter in the final fight would get admitted into the actual UFC. But this final fight was so great, The president of the UFC decided in the ring when the final fight just ended that both fighters should get admitted to the UFC instead of just the winner. After an ecstatic fight, two winners! Another layer of emotion was added. Who does that? Can you see a soccer playoff ending the match and the president saying.. Ok, you know what; since you both played so well, you both get the first price. This shows the UFC’s their agility in thinking and acting. You can watch the buildup and the The Ultimate Fighter finale 1 here<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The UFC has always been a male oriented sport. With guys watching the fights and guys fighting each other. The president of the UFC always said that they will never do woman fighting. That was before, this is now. When the time is right, adapt and leave your dogmas at the door.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> A new star was born, she had great rivalries. And a proper winning streak. You can leave it up to the UFC to build this character through promotions and story telling. Even when the going gets tough, after a devastating loss a beautiful story is spun about not being perfect. Link to the advertisement<br /> <br /> The UFC is story and hero driven, they mix realities of movies, games and the fights together. They actually partner with advertisers instead of the advertisement being an irritating interruption. During a broadcast there was a promotion for the movie mission impossible. Which started like any other movie trailer where you saw Tom Cruise ending up in a fight but suddenly the trailer was cut to the upcoming fighters having a brawl. Than a quick cut back to Tom Cruise. The voice over was narrating both the upcoming matches as wel as the movie trailer. Creating a overarching story, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/UFC1.gif" width="670" height="380" width_o="1340" height_o="759" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/UFC1.gif" data-mid="68489254" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 1340 × 759"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/UFC1.gif" /><br /> Mixing the reality of the movie with the reality of the fighting. The movie trailer is actually integrated into the event. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/08-UFC_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/08-UFC_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190395" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/08-UFC_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> During a broadcast when a match is coming up. They often take mixing realities a step further. Right before the main event takes place, you can see a preview of this fight which is about to happen. You wonder how it is possible that you already see the match happening which is about to start in several minutes. What you are actually looking at is a simulation of the upcoming match drawn form the game UFC 2. This is such a mindfuck, and a great promotion for the game. You can play the UFC 2 game for free on your console for the next couple of days after the show. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.030_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.030_1920.jpeg" data-mid="68431445" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/Digital-dynamic-brands-adaptability.030_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_670.png" width="670" height="3" width_o="700" height_o="4" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" data-mid="68445277" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 3"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/divider_700.png" /><br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01-brewdog_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01-brewdog_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70189979" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/01-brewdog_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Brewdog produces it’s own beer, has it’s own bars and crowdfunded their financing for growth. They are dynamic in that they find ways out of the ordinary to achieve their goals. First comes the love for beer, second comes the hate for the status quo. This radical mindset has gathered them a large following and along the way, has rubbed some people the wrong way. You either love them or hate them. <br /> <br /> BrewDog, which struggled to persuade banks to lend in the wake of the global financial crisis, went their own way and set up their own crowdfunding campaign without the use of a platform. Back in 2009 they raised £750.000 in their first campaign called: Equity for punks. With the shares you also got benefits like discounts in their bars and the opportunity to attend their annual shareholders meeting. A company for the people you could say. Consecutive crowdfunding sales gathered £2.2 million in 2011, £ 4.25 million in 2013 and £19 million in 2015. Most recently they raised an investment by private equity firm TSG Consumer partners for £213 million. Breaking the chain of consumer funding. Not so strange if your growth rate has been from 2010 to 2015 69%.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> To promote their beer or crowdfunding sales they almost always use outrageous marketing antics, attacking the status quo. For their last crowdfunding campaign as a promotion, they drove around the bank of England in a tank because you guessed it, they are attacking the financial system and want to show them they don't need the old system. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Another sign of their open approach to their customers shows in the open sourcing of all of their 215 recipes of beers they have brewed throughout the years. The guardian wrote about this approach: “BrewDog’s open-source revolution is at the vanguard of postcapitalism” Thats something you can come home with. Also interesting to note, normally people often talk about building up IP (intellectual property) and protecting this, but Brewdog sees no worth in IP, it’s the brand and the movement which brings in the revenue. <br /> <br /> They also have a lot of quarrels with watch dogs and legislators trying to ban their ways of promoting and their (strong) beers. Brewdog launched a 12% beer in 2008 called, the Tokyo Imperial Stout which was banned because of it’s strength. Brewdog responded by putting a beer on the market called Nanny state with 0.5% of alcohol. I know it’s debatable and one should ask themselves if you want to go down the route of promoting strong liquor. But you can see that they often just want to create little riots.<br /> <br /> The company does not restrain itself by just focussing on their core business; brewing beer. They do make sure though their core business runs properly and maintains is y/y growth. They also run 49 bars globally on top of that they have their own apparel which is really on par with their company culture and brand. Some investments which are bit more odd could be their 33% stake in a coffee company.<br /> <br /> Or their recent venture into setting up a hotel. They have recently set up a crowdfunding (there it is again) campaign to set up a hotel next to their brewery. With a tap in your room, and a beer cooler in your shower. Living the dream. <br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/05-brewdog_670.jpeg" width="670" height="376" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/05-brewdog_1920.jpeg" data-mid="70190052" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/12774901/05-brewdog_1340_c.jpeg" /><br /> <br /> Like I mentioned in the beginning, you either love them or hate them. Due to their growth and stubbornness they are an interesting player to keep an eye on though.<br /> <br /> One final note to leave you with. One thing one of the founders of Brewdog says in his book: “Steal and bastardize from other fields. Take inspiration freely wherever you find it— except from people in your own industry.” This type of thinking and working is well known to a lot of creatives and fits with a brand and company with an adaptable mindset. You should be like a sponge and soak every input up and make it into your own story. We live in a constantly changing world, with new technologies every other month or so which can disrupt your business, old ‘truths’ no longer apply. This can be a ... https://www.robertoverweg.com/Vodafone-digital-strategy https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/Vodafone-digital-strategy Sat, 07 May 2016 20:00:42 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 11453320 <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453320/Screen-Shot-2016-04-28-at-21.42.37_670.png" width="670" height="375" width_o="2868" height_o="1608" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453320/Screen-Shot-2016-04-28-at-21.42.37_2868.png" data-mid="61431159" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 375"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11453320/Screen-Shot-2016-04-28-at-21.42.37_1340_c.png" /><br /> <br /> Developing together with Vodafone, the strategy and vision for Vodafone digital. Managing the change. (2016)<br /> <br /> contents secret Developing together with Vodafone, the strategy and vision for Vodafone digital. Managing the change. (2016) contents secret https://www.robertoverweg.com/VR-Research https://www.robertoverweg.com/following/robertoverweg.com/VR-Research Sat, 07 May 2016 19:58:06 +0000 Robert Overweg - Dreams of Reality 11490726 I have set up a research team who researches together with me the implications VR can have on our mind and what kind of applications and change might happen for our society. We conduct our own research but also study other papers and trends.<br /> <br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-1_670.png" width="670" height="377" width_o="2874" height_o="1618" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-1_2874.png" data-mid="61623661" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 377"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-1_1340_c.png" /><br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-2_670.png" width="670" height="376" width_o="2874" height_o="1616" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-2_2874.png" data-mid="61623659" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-2_1340_c.png" /><br /> <img src="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-3_670.png" width="670" height="376" width_o="2878" height_o="1616" src_o="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-3_2878.png" data-mid="61623658" border="0" align="left" data-title="670 — 670 × 376"data-hi-res="https://payload.cargocollective.com/1/7/227971/11490726/VR-research-3_1340_c.png" /><br /> <br /> I give talks about VR ranging from philosophical to more research based with themes like how will / can VR impact sports, your mind, ethics, empathy. Talks have been given at SXSW, MIT and other places. <br /> <br /> We are also trying to set up a platform to gather research and best practises for the betterment of VR and mankind. contact me if you are interested. <br /> I have set up a research team who researches together with me the implications VR can have on our mind and what kind of applications and change might happen for our...