Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: Michael Jackson and Our Changing Media Habits - Mark Himmelsbach - MediaBizBlogger

During the recent memorial service for Michael Jackson news commentators and music critics celebrated the significant cultural contribution he has had since quotABCquot first hit the airwaves With 13 Grammys and the bestselling album of all time his musical achievements will go unmatched for decades however it is his lasting impact on the media industry that should garner the most praise Even after his death we can learn from Michael and trace the evolution of media behavior and consumer communication by learning from the successes of the King of PopFirst Michael showed us that consumers were still willing to engage with mass media but only if it was worthwhile The success of 197939s quotOff The Wallquot and 198239s quotThrillerquot convinced record executives that consumers were still willing to buy albums on a large scaleThen Michael convinced us that niche programming on new channels was of value His ability to turn hit singles into wellproduced minimovies turned millions of teens on to a new cable channel called MTV and propelled the cable industry into a significant network television competitorLastly Michael39s death has illustrated for us how consumers navigate the current media landscape Myriad case studies over the last two weeks help solidify the importance of instant communications the unsettled link between traditional and social media and the incredible creativity of the average consumerThe pace of the instant news cycle Most people found out about Jackson39s death through a friend While TMZcom broke the news first the story spread through word of mouth According to Mashable 30 of all messages on Twitter within a four hour period included a reference to Michael Jackson What is even more stunning is that ATampampT reports that 65000 texts were sent per second following news of his death If those were unique people texting it is larger than the population of Chicago texting in one minuteSome people got caught in the trap of the instant news cycle Perez Hilton initially doubted the reports of his death and continues to be scrutinized for his reaction Congressman Peter King is now an unpopular viral celebrity based on his criticisms of the singer immediately after Jackson39s deathBased on the incredible spike in instant communications and the harsh reaction to Jackson39s detractors it is safe to assume that his death helped cement a change in consumer behavior People are talking about one another about the news and about brands While some generate much more volume than others people are talking about you It is essential to listen and monitor the ongoing conversations to get some pulse on when news turns breaking and it is time to respond But while a response may often be necessary use caution so that a brand39s reaction isn39t one that can be compared to Perez Hilton or Peter King who probably should have thought before they spokeThe tenuous connection between traditional and social media One of the most intriguing aspects of instant breaking news is the gulf of factchecking between traditional and social media While TMZcom reported within minutes other news outlets like the AP did not verify the singer39s death until hours later While many pundits mocked the slow reaction of the more traditional news outlets the benefits of AP39s conservative approach became apparent when news broke about the death of actor Jeff Goldblum falling to his death in New Zealand It turns out that the rumor was a routinelycirculated hoax however it was reported live by an Australian news station and had to be debunked by a tweet from Kevin Spacey The gaffe came full circle when Goldblum visited quotThe Colbert Reportquot to read some of his favorite lines from his obituaryWhile consumers are sharing in realtime the AP39s approach should serve as an example to brands on the caution that is needed before treating traditional and social media the same Many people consider Wikipedia to be an authoritative source of information but it may be no better than Twitter Of course consumercreated content needs to be verified more thoroughly but brands can harness the power of social media to enhance more traditional media placementsTake CNN39s coverage of the Michael Jackson Memorial for example The online broadcast will be augmented with Facebook Connect to allow Facebookers to update their statuses connect with friends and view eulogies live on the site CNN experimented with this technology for the recent inauguration and kudos to CNN for finding a seamless way to connect traditional and social media CNN is using television spots to direct consumers online This tactic creates a central interaction hub for CNN and its advertisers and encourages viewers to spend more time with the network by enabling participatory traditional mediaThe power of consumer creativity After his death copious ad hoc memorials poured in from across the globe From consumers downloading his music 26 million times on iTunes and blasting it out of their car windows to the 6 million new friends on the Michael Jackson Fan Page it illustrated the power of digital media in bringing people togetherOne of the more stunning tributes happens to be a consumercreated one The Eternal Moonwalk was set up by a Belgian radio station in hopes of creating the longest moonwalk ever by stringing together usersubmitted videos of fans performing Jackson39s signature dance The tribute is both simple and elegant and highlights the power of consumer creativityWhile the radio station developed the idea it is the power of consumers and their innate desire to create and share that makes the tribute so impactful Granted brands are rarely in the position to develop something so universal but it is important to think about how to leverage the creativity of your fans to create more engaging and organic messages see Etsy for a recent exampleWe continue to learn and be amazed by Michael Jackson39s legacy in music and in media As the recording industry learned before we are now witnessing the media industry becoming more quicklychanging social and resting in the hands of the consumerMark Himmelsbach VP Director Activation at PHD Media a Division of Omnicom You can follow Mark himmelsblogRead all Markamp8217s MediaBizBlogger commentaries at PHD Perspectives MediaBizBlogger

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Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: Michael Jackson and Our Changing Media Habits - Mark Himmelsbach - MediaBizBlogger

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Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: Michael Jackson and Our Changing Media Habits - Mark Himmelsbach - MediaBizBlogger

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