Tuesday, December 16, 2008

New Media Conference ‘Widgets and the Future of TV’

12 Dec 2008




Change is the only constant in technological environment. The rapid development brings about greater convergence between different technology platforms and once a unique feature of one platform can be quickly eroded by convergence. Widgets, already invading personal computers of many, are said to have the potential to revolutionize consumer behaviors in TV watching.

What is a Widget? Widget is bite-size data that is streamed onto the screens of computers, providing useful information such as news, sports, video, pictures, searches, games, songs, blogs, auctions, etc.

Currently, TV viewers can customize their viewing preferences made possible by video on demand technology. With Widgets, viewers can receive more information about what they see on the TV screen. For example, viewers only get to see product information in a 30 second commercial determined by the advertisers currently. Any additional information on the product will require follow up action in either calling up the agent or paying a visit to the retail store, but with Widget, viewers can instantly view the varieties, different range of products and even color availability with a push of the TV remote controls.

Programme Outline

KEYNOTE: Bringing the Virtual World to a Screen Near You

Today, the convergence between PC and TV is happening in a manner that few could imagine during the Internet boom in late 1990s. The use of Widgets is growing in an enormous speed on PC and is said to invade TV viewing in no time. What business opportunity does it present? How can traditional TV operators enhance its offerings to the new generation of TV viewers? Hear from the expert from Microsoft, and find out more.

Speaker: Geert Desager, Trade Marketing Manager, Southeast Asia, Microsoft Operations Advertising Solutions

SESSION ONE: Widgets and Personalized Content

In this session, we will discuss about the format of Widget content, which is shifting from the comprehensive portal to the personalized space, where users have control over the selection and arrangement of content.

Speaker: Colin Smith, Multimedia Director, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

SESSION TWO: The Future of Television Advertising

What are the differences between advertisements using Widgets and traditional media? This session will emphasize on a number of hot issues with respect to the future of television advertising, including advertising effectiveness and the role of new interactive technologies. Find out more from Hitwise as up-to-date research statistics will be shared for better insights.

Speaker: Daniel Yen, Country Manager, Hitwise Pte Ltd

SESSION THREE: The Age of Intelligence

The awareness and demand for media home networking is growing rapidly among consumers. As convergence takes place in the living room, we begin to see more and more television sets designed to deliver web contents. This session will be addressed by the the leading manufacturer of consumer electronics, who will be introducing the wonders of internet TV system for the future living room.

Speaker: Mark A.Randolph, Fellow of the Technical Staff and Director, Singapore Innovation Center, Motorola

SESSION FOUR: Successful Case Study on Marketing Insights


Emerging Widget analytics hold the key to understanding what holds an audience’s attention and why consumers have shown that they can’t get enough of Widgets when they are useful, entertaining and easy to share. Widgets can be extremely effective in spreading marketing messages and reinforcing the brand. This session will allow you to understand Widgets better and the successful advertising delivery systems.

Speaker: Martin Ross, Country Manager, Eyeblaster SEA Pte Ltd

Monday, December 08, 2008

Workshop showcases the future of digital arts

Source: Jakarta Post

I Wayan Juniartha , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Thu, 12/04/2008 10:48 AM | Surfing Bali

The darkened front yard of Suicide Glam Clubhouse on Sunday evening gave way to an intoxicatingly pumping melody as Gung De Wirakusuma (DJ Ay-ik) began channeling his moods into a fully wired digital turn table.

The sounds that escaped the speakers were those of Tech House, a genre of electronic music that fuses the soulful end of house music with the driving minimalism of techno music. The sounds resided on the atmospheric plane of techno with splashes of intricate rhythm-rattling, shaking and grinding near the edge of trance.

As the audience began to be mesmerized by the novice DJ's skills and taste, renowned videographer Ridwan Rudianto wasted no time working his magic with images and compositions.

His fingers danced on the keyboard of his Giga RAM-charged laptop, sending digitized cues and orders to the processor brain to unleash sequences of moving images to the awaiting screen before him.

Over the next 20 minutes, Wirakusuma and Rudianto conversed with each other through a non-verbal language embraced by an increasing number of the world's youths. The language was not based on words, phrases or sentences, but on beat, rhythm and melodies on one side, and images, colors and compositions on the other side.

There were times when Wirakusuma controlled the conversation; introducing new beats and presenting new harmony while Rudianto became an obedient listener, providing the beats and harmony with matching visual interpretations.

Yet, here and there, it was Rudianto who demanded to be heard, projecting haunting images and captivating compositions to the screen; and Wirakusuma responded joyfully, setting a melodic repertoire to illustrate Rudianto's points.

As the two young proteges of the digital faith immersed themselves in the word-less dialogue, the audience stood in awe of the lively collaboration.

Wirakusuma and Rudianto were formally introduced to each other just 10 minutes prior to the start of their performance. In that short period, both installed their equipment and informed each other about what they wanted to achieve -- and how they intended to achieve it.

However, the importance of the collaboration lied far beyond the instant nature of their initial encounter.

The collaboration, part of the Bali Creative Power 2008's Video Deejay and Digital Deejay Workshop, reflected the increasingly closer rapport between digital technology and creative arts.

"Digital technology coupled with information technology has provided artists with infinite possibilities, possibilities that previously only existed in our dreams. With this technology at our disposal, we are literally entering a creativity Terra Incognata," the host of the workshop, Marlowe Bandem, said.

Rudolf Dethu, the owner of Suicide Glam and a patron of the island's modern music, shared similar sentiments.

"The rise of digital technology, the ease of access to information and knowledge, will inspire a shift of paradigms in the art world. The technology provides larger spaces as well as better tools and means to express ourselves creatively," he said.

In the words of Wirakusuma, digital technology had enabled the artist to focus on the important things and not be distracted by less significant factors.

"I don't have to worry whether the beat is matching when I play three tracks at the same time. I could concentrate more on doing on-the-spot re-mixing, playing acapella, introducing samples and manipulate the effects. The result, a truly authentic live production that reflects the artist's personal mastery of techniques, as well as musical originality," he detailed.

Yoyo (VJ Uncle Joy), whose cartoon characters breathe a fresh air into the country's realm of video deejaying, said the collaboration between VJ and DJ was an inevitability since the public had demanded a more complete aesthetic experience that encompassed various sensory perceptions.

"A VJ is a person who re-interprets the sound and gives it more depth. His creation should be a repertoire of images suggesting an expanded view or deeper exploration of the driving force of the sound," he said.

Both Rudianto and Yoyo said in order to maintain the aesthetic contents of the DJ's and VJ's creations, the artists should create original materials and incorporate local themes and issues into their works.

For Dethu, the collaboration on that night was a sign of things to come for the country's art. The future art, he said, was a world of intertwined fates and collective creativity facilitated by the most modern of technology.

"As the nightspots of Bali turn into the central stage of the island's tourism and, more importantly, the communal playground of the island growing urbanized youths, digital arts, a new medium of expression, will increasingly became the preferred tool of expression for the island's future generation," he said.

"In the future, digital technology will not only influence DJs and VJs, but also dancers, painters and sculptors."

The workshop was part of the two-day Bali Creative Power 2008, a gathering of the island's creative industry's thinkers and players.

Change the value! From Designer to Designpreneur via Brand and Branding

by: Mendiola B. Wiryawan, penulis Kamus Brand



Hari itu saya mengisi penuh tangki mobil saya. Pada saat membayar sejumlah uang sesuai yang tertera di meteran, saya mulai merenungkan ‘value’ uang yang saya bayarkan. Beberapa tahun yang lalu, jumlah uang yang sama bisa saya gunakan untuk 3 kali mengisi bensin! Wow! Inflasi berjalan begitu cepat. Hari-hari ini memang bukan hari yang mudah. Seorang klien saya yang baru saja kembali dari berpameran di Drupa (sebuah pameran terbesar industri percetakan) mengeluhkan: “Pameran ini pameran Drupa tersepi yang pernah ada. Hal ini ditandai juga dengan sedikit sekali orang Amerika yang datang ke sana,” lanjutnya. Krisis memang bukan hanya milik kita. Sejak minyak melambung menjadi begitu mahal, krisis telah menjadi milik dunia!

Dalam aksara ideogram China krisis ditulis (weiji) bisa dilihat menjadi dua bagian yaitu: bahaya dan kesempatan. Intinya adalah: kesempatan kita untuk melangkah maju selalu ada. “Out of chaos comes order”, ada kesempatan di dalam setiap krisis. Dunia memang selalu berubah, “Nothing endures but change,” ujar Heraclitus sang filsuf. Karenanya kesempatan selalu ada. Yang penting kita harus sigap dalam menghadapi perubahan.

Apakah profesi desainer berubah? Jelas! Seorang dosen dan senior saya pernah bercerita, di masa mudanya, sangat mudah mencari uang dengan menjadi desainer. Dengan penghasilannya dia bisa mencicil rumah di daerah kelapa gading yang sampai kini masih ditinggalinya. Bagaimana desainer muda yang baru bekerja sekarang? Dalam acara kumpul rekan-rekan desainer, selalu ada saja curhat tentang keadaan yang sangat ‘tough’ menjalankan bisnis hari-hari ini. Mereka mengeluhkan standar harga, kompetisi yang tidak sehat, dsb. Kalau saya buat daftar curhat teman-teman akan sangat panjang rasanya. Profesi desainer berubah ke arah yang lebih baik?

Tapi saya tidak mau berpanjang-panjang dengan penjabaran krisis yang ada. Yang pasti semua orang pasti merasakannya, baik langsung maupun tidak langsung. Yang saya mau bahas di sini adalah tentang peluang yang kita bisa dapatkan.

Untuk dapat menang dari persaingan yang ada, selalu harus ada competitivenes advantage. Dan keunggulan kompetitif ini selalu merupakan keunggulan nilai (value advantage). Manusia sebagai mahluk yang berbudi luhur, menempatkan nilai sebagai pemahaman terdalam atas apa yang terjadi di sekitarnya. Nilai setiap orang akan berbeda satu sama lainnya, dan nilai manusia yang satu akan mempengaruhi nilai manusia lainnya.

Desainer pada dasarnya memang seorang pencipta keindahan, dan keindahan inilah sebuah nilai. Nilai keindahan ini bisa diterjemahkan ke dalam nilai kepuasan, pencapaian diri, nilai ekonomi, dsb. Tapi seringkali nilai ini berbeda antara desainer dan klien, yang menyebabkan tidak akurnya klien dan desainer. Desainer menyalahkan klien tidak punya taste, kampungan, sok tahu. Klien menyalahkan desainer sok jual mahal (“Kerjain gini gua juga bisa”), keras kepala, tidak bisa diatur, sok tahu. Sebenarnya dari masalah tadi terlihat jelas bahwa masalah sebenarnya bukan pada objek desain karya desainer. Di balik hubungan desainer dan klien banyak hal yang mengarah pada berbedanya standar nilai dari desainer dan klien. Ada perbedaan harapan antara desainer dan klien. Seorang desainer atau perusahaan desain hebat yang sanggup menempatkan diri di posisi teratas dalam bisnis adalah desainer yang sanggup mengkomunikasikan nilai, baik nilai dirinya maupun perusahaannya, dan mampu menerjemahkan nilai tadi menjadi bahasa yang sama dengan kebutuhan klien. Untuk itulah diperlukan pemahaman yang mendalam terhadap harapan ’nilai’ ini dari kedua belah pihak.

Nah, kalau kita berbicara tentang penciptaan ‘value’ ini, kita tidak mungkin tidak membicarakan Brand dan Branding. Brand dan Branding pada intinya adalah penciptaan nilai suatu entitas, bisa berupa produk atau jasa, bagi khalayaknya. Coba lihat Brand apa yang melekat pada kita sehari-hari. Mulai dari makanan, minuman, baju, tas, film, musik, tokoh politik dsb. Brand tadi telah melalui proses Branding, baik melalui proses yang sadar maupun tidak sadar. Mengapa kita memilih Brand A dibanding Brand B? Mengapa kita menyukai Brand C dibanding Brand D. Mengapa kita benci produk yang satu tapi fanatik dengan produk laiinya? Renungkanlah sedikit. Biasanya banyak hal yang bisa kita dapatkan dari pengalaman dengan Brand di sekeliling kita.

Jadi kembali ke poin di atas, bagaimana desainer dapat menang dari kompetisi di tengah krisis karena hebatnya persaingan, buruknya daya beli, dsb, dsb? Desainer atau perusahaan desain harus melakukan Branding, sebuah harga mutlak! Desainer harus menciptakan sebuah nilai. Inilah yang saya kira menjadi dasar seorang desainepreneur! Designpreneur adalah desainer yang bisa menciptakan nilai, terutama nilai ekonomi!

Selama ini desainer kebanyakan memang telah menciptakan nilai, tapi hanya sebatas ‘nilai tambah’, sebuah value added. Kita ambil contoh desain sebuah kemasan. Dengan kemampuannya seorang desainer mengolah kemasan menjadi menarik, menggugah konsumen untuk melihat, mengkomunikasikan kegunaannya, menciptakan identitasnya, dan membujuk emosi konsumen agar membeli atau mengkomsumsi produk tertentu. Value sebenarnya dari sebuah produk adalah zat materiil, atau pengalaman dari penggunaan benda tersebut. Desain hanya berfungsi sebagai ‘tambahan’ nilai dari benda yang dikemasnya.

Lalu apakah desainer sebagai value creator? Kita ambil contoh Apple yang menjadi merek fanatik di kalangan desainer. Apple bukan pencipta pertama mp3 player. Apple juga bukan pencipta pertama music player portable (yang sudah dimulai Sonny dengan walkmannya). Tapi Apple menciptakan suatu pengalaman mendengarkan musik baru. Kita dapat mencermatinya dari cara apple mengkomunikasikan Ipod. Apple tidak pernah mengkomunikasikan secara besar-besaran seberapa besar kapasitas harddisk ataupun memory yang dapat ditampung setiap gadget-nya. Alih-alih mengatakan 4 GB, 8 GB,dst, apple lebih suka mengatakan 1000 songs, 20000 songs, 40000 songs. Apple mengerti kebutuhan terdalam konsumennya, mempunyai perpustakaan musik pribadi yang menemani kemanapun konsumennya pergi. Ini salah satu contoh penciptaan value. Manakah yang lebih cepat dicerna? Memiliki alat dengan 160 GB atau memiliki lagu 40000 judul yang bisa kita putar setiap saat?

Jadi apakah bedanya value additor dengan value creator? Value additor hanya menambahkan nilai. Desainer dengan sikap value additor bersifat pasif menunggu order, menunggu brief yang ada, dan membangun experience desain dari benefit lainnya. Seorang Value creator menciptakan sebuah kebutuhan hidup dengan desainnya, membangun experience khalayaknya lewat desain, dan menciptakan kesempatan baru berdasarkan prediksi, wawasan, intuisi, perhitungan dan pengalamannya. Seorang designpreneur adalah seorang value creator.

Saat saya memulai profesi desainer bertahun-tahun lalu, saya berlatih keras menjadi desainer profesional yang baik. Saya melatih diri saya lewat pengalaman formil dan non formil untuk dapat menerjemahkan sebuah komunikasi menjadi sebuah desain yang komunikatif namun estetis. Seiring pengalaman, saya sadar bahwa desain yang baik akan jauh lebih bernilai jika integritas diri sang desainer tertuang di dalam desain tersebut. Integritas ini meliputi wawasan, persepsi, perspektif, cara berpikir, cara bersikap, strategi, dsb, yang pada intinya adalah penuangan keseluruhan sang desainer. Dari situ saya merasa perlu banyak hal yang harus kita perlengkapi dalam menjalankan profesi sebagai desainer. Dalam perjalanannya saya mengenal mengapa wawasan Brand dan Branding merupakan suatu wawasan yang mutlak jika kita ingin mengembangkan diri menjadi seorang desainer yang advance. Dari situ saya mulai menyelami bidang ini hingga saat ini.

Ternyata, brand dan branding adalah lautan yang sungguh begitu luas. Begitu dinamis, fleksibel, dan banyak hal yang tidak pernah baku. Kita dapat melihat Brand dan Branding dari berbagai sudut, dari sisi marketing, desain, psikologi, antropologi, sosiologi, sejarah, dsb. Dari sinilah saya mulai mengumpulkan banyak sumber tentang hal ini, dan menemukan bahwa Brand dan Branding melibatkan banyak hal: emosi, pikiran, kecerdasan, analisa, intuisi yang tajam, wawasan, serta kepekaan terhadap banyak hal.

Kebetulan saya juga seorang pengajar. Saya mencintai dunia ajar mengajar. Untuk mempelajari sesuatu dengan baik, kita dapat memulai mempelajari bahasa yang digunakan dalam disiplin tertentu. Kalau kita mau mempelajari ekonomi, kita harus memulainya dengan mempelajari istilah-istilah ekonomi. Kalau kita mau belajar bermain saham, kita harus tahu benar arti istilah-istilah ‘bullish’, ‘bearish’, ‘rebound’, dsb. Dengan mengenal istilah-istilah ini kita akan mudah untuk berkomunikasi di dalam komunitas disiplin tersebut. Begitu juga kalau kita mau belajar ‘Brand dan Branding’. Tentunya kita harus mengenal istilah-istilah yang sering dipakai dalam ‘Brand dan Branding’. Dari sinilah saya mulai mengumpulkan istilah istilah ini dari berbagai sumber, mulai membanding-bandingkannya, menarik kesimpulan dan menuangkannya dalam KAMUS BRAND.

Semoga dengan mempelajari istilah-istilah di dalam kamus ini merupakan suatu langkah awal dalam mengembangkan kapasitas kita dalam pemahaman Brand dan Branding.

Akhir kata, mari kita berubah, menuju ke masa depan yang lebih baik. Mulai dari merubah ‘Value’ kita, mulai dengan memperluas wawasan kita, dan mulai mempelajari istilah-istilah dalam Kamus Brand serta mendiskusikannya. Kelak kita akan melihat dampaknya yang luar biasa.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Creative sector experts tout the need for a 'Bali brand'

Source: Jakarta Post

Wed, 12/03/2008 11:08 AM | Bali

Creative industry thinkers and practitioners creatively concluded at the end of a two-day seminar that there was a need to develop Bali as Indonesia's global brand -- in the creative sector.

Andi S. Boediman, a creative industry evangelist, titled his presentation, "What is Bali?". His answer to the question paved the way for a discussion on the possibility of transforming the resort island into something more than just a tourist destination.

"Bali has such a strong cultural and religious heritage. People come here, love it and stay. But what we need is more than just Bali as a destination but Bali as a brand," Andi said.

In his eyes, Bali has the potential to become the global brand for the country's creative industry.

"In spite of its modernism, Bali has managed to maintain its rich, local heritage."

With so many people staying access to foreign markets is another opportunity that should not be squandered, he added. "The more we export, the more we have to make it known from where the product actually came from."

He then drew comparisons to Italy as the iconic brand that stood for quality leather shoes or Cannes in France that has became the embodiment of the global film industry.

Bali has cultural rituals such as fashion week, film festivals and similar events.

"They could be great opportunities to position Bali not only as a tourist destination but as the Southeast Asian Getaway for all sorts of interests," Andi said.

The idea to set up the "Made in Bali" label as a way to develop the island into a global brand has became a hot topic in recent times but how to implement the idea has been subject to debate.

"We cannot instantly come up with a new brand that is called *Made in Bali*. We first must think about quality, uniqueness and character of Bali products. This is our responsibility," initiator of Bali Creative Community, Arief Budiman said.

Arief and fellow local players are working on a brand study and a showcase model for the idea. The legal aspects of the Bali brand have yet to be discussed at a government level.

The recently founded Bali Creative Community, which also organized the Bali Creative Power 2008 gathering held at Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel on Nov. 29 to 30, would like to take over as advisors to the process.

Christian Fritz, founder of the Bali Export Development Organization (BEDO) is convinced of the idea.

"There could be nothing better than Bali's own brand, I just hope that it can be accomplished on a national level," he said.

A jewelry designer, Stephanie Vermaas, shared a similar sentiment.

"If tourism keeps growing as it did in 2007, people will be proud to purchase goods that are produced in Bali and even produce their own things on the island, which will be great for the economy," she said.

Players from a broad spectrum of the creative industry, including architects, designers, musicians, builders and publishers attended the meeting which was aimed at empowering them to move forward as one, unified force.

"We want creative people living in Bali to look across the borders of their own industries and to exchange knowledge," Arief said.

With its fast-growing tourism, expanding trade, people moving in and foreign nationals staying, Bali has become the center of global attention for many interests, he said. -- JP/Claudia Sardi