Monologue is a thing of the past, right? Not too long ago, it was said that the art of conversation is dead. Since Cluetrain the rhetoric is back, but advertising has yet to join the conversation.

During the last seven days I spoke with people offline at the ITB, Cebit Marketing Solutions Area and the iMedia Summit about change in advertising, or lack thereof. I've come to the conlcusion that most people understand the necessity for change, only a few are active and interrruptive ads are the norm.

If you look around, page impressions and banners are still the currency online, although they're smarter ways. Companies spend enourmous amounts of money on doing exactly that. Knowing that it's a print remnant and it's being sold, something has to be right. What we need is better ideas on how to add relevance. This starts with building better products and services.

The old way is about controlling conversation, building a brand on how the company sees it fit. Take McDonalds, everyone knows they make most of their money with unhealthy food and hire Heidi Klum to tell us how great the chicken gourmet is. And even though McCafe is trying to make up for their sloppy burgers, I haven't seen or heard McDonalds listen. Why should they? They're making tons of money as the world's second largest real estate owner with greasy food.

I'd recommend to read more about Johnny Vulkan and his idea on branded utility and a recent study by PriceWaterHouseCoopers on how conversations will transform business. It's the next currency.

Gerd, March 12, 2008
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It's refreshing to look back and forward. It's been an exciting 07. I moved from print back into the digital domain. I got insight into a craft with a year old tradition: the newspaper. And I am excited to apply some of this knowledge again towards blogs.

I'll be present at media conferences in 08, to listen and speak, but more importantly to connect with open minded people. Also in this years lineup are renovations within mosaicmotion, including a move to wordpress, and last but not least an idea that is taking shape. And I hope to filter as much as I can from past concepts and experiences and transfer the knowledge towards mokono.

This year will be decisive for politics. Obama, a visionary of hope and change will become the next president of the United States. In comparison, a rudderless Merkel is the epidome of grey control and German politics today appears as minimalist peacekeeping. We can only hope that this will change in 08.

Personally, I hope to stay healthy this year and continue to be a Berliner who connects with people from all walks of life. To grow with the city and its creative spirit. I will need to improve my meditation skills and take better notice of the world around me and learn how to focus on the big goals. This could be a daily thought.

Gerd, January 5, 2008
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Privacy ist the next big challenge on the web. It's part of an identity shift in the digital era where communication is transparent and more trackable than ever before. We're seeing context and highly relevant advertising in your face; it's stored and thrown back at you in hope that you'll take notice. Since next gen destinations like Facebook are making money solely with advertising, they want to make sure their clients bills are invested properly.

At the end of the day, the routers, cables and most underestimated cost of all - the world's servers - need to get paid. Yet we need open source destinations that enhance our communication experience and protect from commercial exploitation. So self-organization in lieu of Free Speech TV is important, because without critical reflection from us, technology can steal our ability to differentiate between freedom and privacy.

Gerd, December 8, 2007
2 it's a conversation

“Increasingly, if you’re not LinkedIn, you’re left out.” —Business 2.0

© 2007, LinkedIn Corporation

This morning in the footer of an E-Mail. To link up with the present, they might have to update their claim when their recommendation source actually ceased operations - tip for Steve Patrizi. I am avid Xing user, and have been using it for two years now; building up an entire new network on LinkedIn doesn’t make that much sense, since Xing is quite advanced.

Gerd, October 11, 2007
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This is scary display of police brutality, attack on freedom of speech and political persecution. The University of Florida student did push the envelope in terms of his delivery in communication, but had a point about the 2004 election, Kerry's membership in a secret society together with Bush and the impeach comparison of Bush and Clinton, what's worse: lying about a war or blowjob, take your pick? The sad part is that no one in the crowd stands up and helps fight the arrest, as if they're watching a movie. I wonder what Thoreau would say.

Gerd, September 18, 2007
2 it's a conversation

From my summer trip in Cali. Waves were flat that day and the boardwalk arcade full

Gerd, August 14, 2007
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Read more at Think Progress or Public Knowledge. The question is whether bad news is good news for AT&T or whether it shows their weakness towards lobbyists, government aides or self-censorship for business sake. Commenter dlet thinks,

Censorship…brought to you by the same company that helps the government to illegally eavesdrop on you. AT&T. Reach out and spy on someone.

Update: I added the LiveLeak video, which has the edited and unedited version. The lyrics censored were,

George Bush, leave this world alone.(the second time it was sung)

George Bush find yourself another home.

Gerd, August 10, 2007
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Trying to pin one of her husband’s controversial policies on Al Gore—the antiwar, green, tech-savvy hero of the blogosphere—at a netroots convention is probably the single most tone-deaf thing Clinton has done this year, but few attendees appeared to dwell on it.

It’s twisted when Hillary disses Gore for the Telecommunications Act 1996, which he oversaw in the White House. From the breakout Q&A session at YearlyKos.

Gerd, August 8, 2007
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Election Day was shot in one day, yup that illustrious November 2, 2004, by camera crews in the States. And shows how citizens take their voting rights serious. The only question is why this movie comes out almost 3 years later - just in time for the election campaign '08? More about the film.

Gerd, July 29, 2007
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If you live in London, go buy The Times on June 20th at your local kiosk, because there will a 16 page theme paper titled "Business in Germany." Five weeks ago I started with blank sheets of paper. And now it's filled with content about Germany you'll rarely find in the London paper - oh, and it's financed. Next up is a supplement in the FAZ. By the way, anglofritz goes print as well.

Gerd, June 19, 2007
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First we took the "Kollektivtransport" from the Soria Moria downtown after my first Norwegian wedding. We ate reindeer meat and paid 8 Euros for one beer. Everyone sang and prepared sketches or speeches for the bride and groom. All was planned and organised by the family - respect. There was an authentic social vibe. Almost everyone owns a house and car.

I was even able to read the newspaper on the balcony at 2 am without artificial lighting. One of the biggest issues worrying politicians is how much percentage of the oil money will be spent each year. And that there aren't enough kindergardens. Very sad indeed. Norwegians are friendly and forthcoming people.

I did wonder about the abundance of McDonalds and Burger King in downtown Oslo. Otherwise the capital offers closeby nature: parks, the ocean, lakes and streams. Then there is low unemployment and a booming economy. I was a bit suprised at how many Norwegians spoke German. The munitions ad in the newspaper is targeted towards reindeer hunters, I guess.

Gerd, June 12, 2007
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Slow news from a small town. With impeccable speed and accuracy, the newly launched The Kavli Post sets out to undue your expectations of your typical wordpress installation. It's a new title in the sphere of mosaicmotion.

Gerd, May 11, 2007
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Last week I visited the creators of the newly launched Atlantic Community and sat down for a podcast, check it out. It's a fairly ambitious project with some web 2.0 elements. The financial supporter is the Atlantische Initiative, a mainly CDU/FDP non-profit think tank, which was established after the major offensive of the Iraq War in 2004.

Gerd, April 24, 2007
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This Thursday at 7 pm, I'll be hosting another mediabistro All-Media at St.Oberholz. Please do rsvp.

Gerd, April 17, 2007
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Written by Guest Blogger Drew Best

So the freedom of speech and assemby, should not be taken from us for a price. Now here's the oxymoron, if freedom is not for free, why is the word free in freedom? Did you think of that? No, I bet most of you didn't. You were duped like everyone else. Duped into believing that Bush is your commander & commander and chief, and freedom isn't for free. Now you don't have to be a bonobo to understand that, or even question it.

You hear that Domestic Eaves Dropping and Giving Up Our Rights helps the President fight the terrorists, but come on! In reality, the President not only has the right to determine if non-citizens should be held for years without trial or representation...or even communication with with family members, but American Citizens are subject to the same kind of treatment, and history proves that once you freely give up your rights to law enforcement, they rarely if ever give those rights back.

Now remember this, if you are under arrest for mistaken identity, say an environmentalist or protester at the 2004 Republican Convention in New York City, your family will not be allowed to know where you are or speak to you; you will not have the right to an attorney, which is clearly provided in our constitutions's 5th amendment; you will not have a trial and you can be held indefinitely. And it's the President, not the law, that decides whether or not to let you go, or get a fair trial, and you do not have the right to challenge who your accuser is, even if the accusation is based on false evidence.

Read the first part.

Gerd, March 22, 2007
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Worth noting. A one day summit on the future of media and essential strategies for commericial success. Hosted by the MediaGuardian on March 22, 2007. The London daily alone has 5 speakers. Your participation requires at least 295 pounds, if you're an NGO or 595 British sterlings for media employess. Wouldn't mind taking part in the session "Democratising content in the user-in-control era." For e-learners, they'll have a live stream.

Gerd, March 4, 2007
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