For the next 15 days, I’m going to participate in Reverb 10. It’s an open online initiative that encourages participants to reflect on this year and manifest what’s next. It’s an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you’d like to create in the year ahead. We’re connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us.
Today’s Prompt – TRY: What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?
A weird thing has happened to me this year, coming into the digital signage industry as a relative newbie – I have found myself fighting against the very industry that I came in to fight for. I’ve felt more and more like this as the year has gone on – just observing – and I have mixed feelings about it. I believe what I believe, based on many different experiences, and I’m passionate about the space (the opportunity to connect with and engage consumers outside of their homes) so my nature is to keep pushing, but the digital signage industry is obviously critical to the OOH space and deserves as many advocates as it can get.
It’s important to band together to affect change. Our voices and our hard work and more and more successful implementations (with the “old” and “new” OOH) can make a profound impact on our advertising and communications brethren. Sooner rather than later, OOH will be thought of in a new light, consisting of both digital and interactive signage/solutions, and thought of as a primary channel to reach and engage with consumers. The opportunity to deliver on this is the tie that holds us all in this industry together.
So, that’s what I want to try to do a better job of – advocating for, not fighting against, the industry. At the same time, continue pushing in the direction that I believe is the future – this “new” OOH. The opportunity is not going away and it’s going to take everyone – both old and new – to deliver. I’m excited about 2011. Are you?
Mike, how did you find yourself fighting against the industry? I would really like to hear your story. I wouldn’t sweat it though because you’re not alone. At the macro level, the industry is busily fighting with itself. You’ve got the DSF/DSA war, you’ve guys like Adrian Cottrel who would rather attack people and opinions as opposed to participate in an open honest dialog to explore new ideas. It’s funny but I just referenced this topic in a blog post I put up yesterday (www.steve-gurley.com).
In the end though, the challenge is to keep positive and stay true to your beliefs. Give me a shout some time. (469) 222-2963
Steve-I appreciate your perspective. In talking to you and as expressed in your blog, I know that we are on the same page in terms of engagement around digital signage, not just advertisements. From my perspective, which is new to this industry, I don’t feel like I’ve done a good job of at least giving cred to digital signage for what it is. And that’s something I can make a concerted effort to do. I want anyone reading the blog to walk away from it a) knowing my perspective and b) knowing the power of digital signage and any “out of home” implementation. I want to make sure that I’m advocating for the industry for those who are outside of the industry, that’s all. I look forward to your blog series!