It's at this time of the year that pundits, tastemakers and futurists start making fantastical predictions about what we will expect in 2013. I started to think about how we, as humans, behave in the new socially connected landscape and how we are happy to accept less in our lives. My predictions are threefold for 2013.
The speed with which our world now lives could well put an end to the world of iconic brands. Before all of this connectivity, a great brand could stand the test of time. It now seems like insanity. The Beatles were iconic. Do you believe that any of the musicians today that we admire will be able to leave this kind of legacy? What about companies?
When a travel photographer ventured to other countries only a couple of decades ago, they had to carefully pack their camera bags with all of these supplies and ensure their film was stored appropriately afterward. Today, with the touch of a screen, a moment can be captured and shared with your social network within seconds. I believe these phone photography tools can be beneficial, especially while travelling. The way I look at it now, I see Instagram as a challenge.
When I first came across Theron Humphrey's photography on Instagram (This Wild Idea), myself and the Paws for the Cause team instantly became obsessed with his photos and the relationship he has with his Coonhound Maddie. We knew he'd be a perfect fit for this year's Paws Gala and quickly contacted him to discuss how we could work together. We recently had a chat with Theron to get some insight on his photography, Maddie and of course, his wild idea.
When my Chihuahua puppy, Chloe, was in a terrible accident and needed emergency spinal reconstruction surgery the veterinarian gave us the choice between a $10,000 surgery bill and putting our new puppy down. Was it really a choice? After that I knew I wanted to start a charity that helped dogs who needed life-saving surgeries. That's when Paws for the Cause was born, and later it's annual #PawsGala dog fashion show.
Where do we go for the truth... the whole truth and nothing but the truth? In essence, new media is most amazing because people are beginning to doubt what they read, hear and see. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's probably one of the best thing that has happened to the news since it was created.
If you take a serious look at the media world, there are only a handful of significant players. While it may be easy to define "significant" as a company doing interesting things, it's more practical to look at the media landscape. Last time I checked, no media company was behind the creation of Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or any other new media darling du jour. My guess is that they'll be investors as soon as they physically can be.