'Cross The Breeze

The promise of interactive television (Cont’d)

September 30, 2010 by Kris Hoet 1 Comment

Via Brandflakes for Breakfast I learned about Yap.tv which seems to be another interesting view on what interactive could be like. Other than the My Generation app from abc which I mentioned earlier this week, the Yap.tv app is useful for all channels and all interactivity is added without collaboration from the channels themselves.

If this is the direction we’re going – and it sure looks like it – interactive tv will be re-invented by people and companies outside the tv business and not by the networks or content owners. I suppose that’s what happens when you try to protect an outdated business model. That’s kinda sad in a sense but also very exciting. Wanna bet that is exactly what is going to happen? I do ;)

In the meantime check out Yap.tv if you’re living in the US, I can tell you it’s pretty useless in Europe. It’s the idea that counts.

community, consumer, electronics, social media, technology

abc, interactive, mygeneration, network, television, tv, yap, yaptv

Calling Marcus Brown and his 14 characters [interview]

September 27, 2010 by Kris Hoet 2 Comments

When I started blogging again a couple of weeks ago I also knew that I wanted to do more than just write posts about stuff interest me. I also wanted to find a way to share small digital snippets of things that amuse me or inspire me for which I’ve ‘refurbished’ my Posterous. The other idea I had asked for a bit more preparation. The last few years I’ve met quite a few people via the blog or the work related travels, people that have inspired me and still do today. They inspire me because in my view they do something unique; because they are and think different. The idea was to have (and record) a conversation with them and to make sure you get to know them as well the way I do.

Marcus Brown is the first person I’ve interviewed this way. And thankfully (because he’s got all this tech knowledge) he is also the one who told me how to record this conversation so I could post it here. If I remember well Marcus and I first ‘met’ via The Age of Conversation, it was definitely around that time frame. Marcus is an Englishman living in Germany and does all kinds of fascinating stuff online, creating characters and stories that have amused me for quite some time now. So in case you didn’t know Marcus yet, here’s your chance to get to know him. Marcus and I talked about how he started creating transmedia characters, about the development of complex narratives and storytelling. The real thing, here we go.

Like Marcus mentions during the talk not all content remains online after finishing ‘a series’ but here are a few links:

And last but not least his latest project ‘I Walk for Dr. Peter Figge’ where you can follow the evolution of Marcus’ 800km walk from Munich to Hamburg to meet with Jung von Matt’s CEO. Follow progress and support Marcus right here.

Thanks for the chat Marcus! And thanks for being the guinea pig on this one ;) And to all of you who listened, feel free to feedback on the format and execution.

a call with, creativity, inspiration, internet, interview, technology

calling, chat, conversation, interview, marcusbrown, podcast, sacrum, skype, thekaiser

The promise of interactive television (part 2)

September 27, 2010 by Kris Hoet 2 Comments

There are 3 reasons I once decided to get a digital television at home:

Better quality. Especially with one of those fancy new full HD screens that’s a much better experience.
Comfort features. Think about the EPG, easier recording, movie rental, …
Interactivity. Push the red/blue/whatever-color button and you will get a richer experience

The end score, 2 out of 3. I don’t know how it is in the rest of the world, but in Belgium interactive part is pretty nonexistent. I’ve used the red button less than 5 times in the 3 years I’ve got digital tv at home. It was always a disappointment. Useless information, bad experience, ugly, … Content makers nor advertisers seem to show any interest in it. Too bad because I had really high hopes for this. It’s pretty easy to imagine how this could be used in many really cool ways. Didn’t happen.

When I read about the My Generation iPad app from abc it sounded like they built an app to do what interactive tv couldn’t. The same promise all over again, but you’ll need another device to experience it. And only with My Generation on abc.

Don’t get me wrong, I think these are cool evolutions. I’m just wondering why none of the richer tv experiences have ever really succeeded without the help of peripheral devices. Sounds like a missed opportunity to me for television makers.

Anyway, good stuff from abc. Curious to see how this will evolve further. What do you think?

advertising, belgium, consumer, electronics, software, technology

abc, app, digital, interactive, ipad, mygeneration, pvr, television

Using digital to make print come to life

September 27, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

I didn’t have time last Friday to post it when this campaign was launched, so I’m bringing it to you know. Our client AXA launched their new iPhone app which helps you out when you have a car accident, making sure you deal with it in the right way. Since this is the first app to deliver such a service in Belgium, we wanted to find an innovative way to promote it as well. Here’s what the team created:

advertising, belgium, creativity, duvalguillaume, inspiration, marketing, presentation, technology

advertising, app, axa, duvalguillaume, inspiration, insurance, iphone, newspaper, print

Dear cell phone user

September 20, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

So there you are, reading a newspaper on a terrace while you’re kids are playing on the playground and the phone rings. Not yours, but that from your neighbor. It’s long, loud, … can’t even hear myself read the newspaper anymore.

This initiative from Coudal might be old, but I sure wished I had a card on me yesterday. Printing them out right now.

ageofconversation, consumer, electronics, strategy

cell, coudal, mobile, noise, phone. calling, rude, shhh

The colors of the web

September 20, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

What do you get when you analyze the colors of the top 100 website in the world? I may be color-blind but I find stuff like this fascinating.

[Via @christianstobbe]

infographic, internet, research

analysis, brands, color, colour, infographic, internet, research, web

Size does matter

September 20, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

[Via More Minor Issues]

advertising, consumer, infographic

alfani, brands, ck, clothing, dockers, gap, h&m, haggar, size. style, waistline

Apple iSad

September 20, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

I was just reading this:

“Apple issued a cease and desist letter to Newsday regarding their iPad app commercial. The commercial essentially showed how the iPad can’t completely replace newspapers as the screen will shatter when your hit flies with it. Long story short, Apple doesn’t want their iPad’s glass getting shattered as a newspaper app commercial.”

Is that true? Because of this ad?

You have to be kidding. Really Apple, sometimes you can be so small. Small-minded that is.

advertising, consumer, electronics, gadgets

advertising, app, apple, commercial, ipad, legal, newsday

The hierarchy of internet needs

September 20, 2010 by Kris Hoet 2 Comments

[Via LitmanLive]

consumer, infographic, internet, technology

fun, infographic, internet, meme, needs, pyramid, viral

Talking tree

September 19, 2010 by Kris Hoet 0 Comments

Really nice campaign for EOS magazine from our friends at Happiness creating some good buzz for the moment.

“Eos has launched “Talking Tree”, a campaign that turns the environmental debate on its head by giving a voice and “feelings” to a 100 year old tree living in living in Bois de la Cambre, on the edge of Brussels. The tree has been hooked up to a fine dust meter, ozone meter, light meter, weatherstation, webcam and microphone, providing regular updates to followers through YouTube, Flickr,Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud.”