1. Augmented Reality: "Gimmick" with major potential applications (see http://www.t-immersion.com/ for examples). A webcam locates specific targets that are used as reference points to generate an interactive 3D model. I took a guided tour of the USS Enterprise by moving around a piece of paper, and saw what I would look like in a dozen different pairs of sunglasses. Mostly consumer-focused and “Wow!” effect for now, but think downstream. Imagine getting a postcard in the mail, holding it in front of your iPhone, and seeing the BIM of your new product; turning the card shows the product from all angles, tapping a target changes the model’s color, and another displays the relevant technical details. Now imagine a few years down the road when we have readily available Heads-up Display (HUD), and you get the same effect just by looking at someone’s business card.

2. Good Ads Cost Less: Digg is charging less per click for ads users like, and conversely will charge more for unpopular ads. Increased potential for a successful ad to become very successful, and for bad ads to disappear more quickly. More than that, it shows a continuing change of paradigm; users are now participating not only in content creation but also in advertising. The old one-way model of “We design it, you see it” is fading. Jay Adelson, Digg’s chief executive, notes that “users like advertising that is different and more relevant and more directly targeted better than distracting, boring, traditional ads.” How can you bring your clients into your advertising process?

3. Kindle Ads: Showtime is using Kindle, Amazon’s e-book reader, to advertise new shows. Beyond the details of the new show and the strategy they used, this represents the opening of a new medium for marketing. We have helped clients write and publish books to establish them as the leading expert in their product category; the largest expense and difficulty has always been publishing. This drastically simplifies the process. Sponsorships, give-aways, and
author credits are just the beginning.

And a fun video to round out the list: The Year The Media Died http://tinyurl.com/q465kv (a long but funny parody of print media’s recent troubles).

With thanks to PSFK.