Leaving Facebook for the real thing
Last week I left Facebook.
You might not think this is big news, but let me tell you I’m one of the biggest advocates of social networking, so when my friends and family found out they were shocked, surprised and convinced I’d change my mind within a couple of days. Well, I haven’t and I don’t intend to, because there is more to life than Mark Zuckerberg, it has just taken me some time to realise it!
I absolutely love Twitter and can see the benefits of LinkedIn, Quora and Foursquare, but there comes a time when all this faceless digital efficiency has a human cost. People can feel lonely and disconnected. Having 600+ Facebook ‘friends’ means nothing when you need someone to give you a hand in the real world.
And it hasn’t taken long for big brands to realise this too. Of course I’m not doubting the importance of being present in the digital/social space, but it should be used in the right way and NOT be at the expense of real life experiences, engagement and interaction: remember those?
Below is a lovely example from Coca-Cola, which highlights my point.
Coca-Cola are not alone. Smart brands are reacting to a strong desire for live as consumers across the globe appreciate the value of convivial moments with friends, and experiences beyond a digital screen.
I am certainly one of those consumers, looking for deeper, more meaningful experiences beyond my ‘always on’ life, so last weekend I celebrated my departure from Facebook with a visit to the Bompas and Parr ‘Voyage of Discovery’ on the roof of Selfridges, London.
The creative and inspiring Bompas and Parr are food architects, with wonderful imaginations. In the past they have created the skyline of London out of jelly, and produced an inhalable gin and tonic! Last weekend they went one step further and transformed 400 square meters of the roof of Selfridges into an emerald green boating lake, to celebrate the impending arrival of Truvia® sweetener in the UK.
Visitors to the installation had the opportunity to row across an emerald green, Stevia plant-bordered boating lake whilst enjoying panoramic views of London town and were also invited to enjoy a drink from the Truvia infused cocktail list, specially designed by The Experimental Cocktail Club.
It was a wonderful experience, standing on the roof of Selfridges – especially since it hasn’t been open to the public since the Second World War, I felt part of a special club. But beyond that it sparked some thoughts in my mind about how we embrace ‘live’. Martin Lindstrom writes in his book Brandsense that in today’s world ‘there is a lack of physical contact, something humans are hard wired to desire’. Following on from that then, how can brands and companies, your brand, your company, YOU, take advantage of this and work harder to bring real experiences in to the hearts and minds of your consumers and your life?
In: Brand Experience, Digital, Food and Drink, Innovation, Ooh that's nice, Retail · Tags: Facebook, Installation, Selfridges, Social Media, Stevia, Truvia
on July 29, 2011 at 3:26 pm
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Its a sad loss, but we will have to meet for a drink instead!
on August 5, 2011 at 4:05 am
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I left Facebook last year. I don’t have Twitter. I’m a Graphic designer. I’m a friend, a wife, a worker, a mother, I enjoy walking, looking around, looking up to see the wind trough the trees, touching hands, kissing (well, I’m from Argentina you see…) It’s been “hard” to leave FB because I live far from my family and friends, but if I want to share… I pick up the phone, I send large mails with stories and pictures to the ones I care! NOT TO EVERYONE in my FB friend list. WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND, INVITE ME, TELL ME EVERYTHING…
I want to choose how to communicate, who I want to see, if I want to share, I want to feel free and not obligated to certain ways. yet im still thinking of going back…