CondéNet starts innovative ePublishing format for Vogue and Vanity Fair

As promised I had been at CondéNet today for an interesting interview with Marc Hoenke, Country Manager Germany. Vogue and Vanity Fair launched a new format for parts of their online website.

Interview: Marc Hoenke, Country Manager Germany, give insights, backgrounds and an outlook of their new project

See it in action: Marc Hoenke gives us a tour through the new online magazine.

Exclusive: Media-Innovation through glossy online magazine?

Media-Innovation? High gloss Online Magazine?
Today, Condé Nast starts an innovative new project in Germany. The websites of Vogue and VanityFair get a new glossy online magazine. Brands like HERMES and HUGO BOSS love this new format and placed ads in the first issue. Marketing executive can finally place their full-page ads like in a normal fashion or lifestyle magazine, but in combination with the interactivity of the web.

But how useful and intuitive is such a “Media - Miki” in reality?
I will ask this question today at an exclusive interview with the creators of the MIKI, IntelliMedia and Condé Nast.
The full interview and more reviews will follow later. But I will be giving live updates “on the go” at my Twitter Channel: http://twitter.com/montymetzger

Links:
- Vogue.com/MIKI
- VanityFair.de/MIKI

Mobile Media TweetUp at MWC’09 in Barcelona

The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona 2009 is gathering interesting people and active Twitter-Users from around the world. We want to invite twitter-fans, executives, experts, bloggers and journalists to the first
MOBILE MEDIA TWEETUP.

The event is realized by MOCOM 2020 - in teamwork of SIMYO and SMAATO.

The Mobile Media Tweetup is a place for fresh ideas, new inspiration and interesting people. But it is also an experimental gathering which idea was created just three weeks before the MWC’09 starts. Participants will enjoy short dinner speeches and networking in an international atmosphere. Ready for a sincere warm up for a long party night or as a cool down from MWC day’s hectic.

Chill with drinks and food and join us on Tuesday, March 17th, in Barcelona.
The event starts at 7 PM local time.

For the MOCOM 2020 Community we have reserved 20 tickets.
(First come, first serve.)
To find out more visit: www.mocom2020.com

Unleashing the power of an Open Mobile Internet

Philip Olla just wrote an interesting article for the MOCOM 2020 Project about the power of the Open Mobile Internet (OMI).

There are phenomenal implications of combining “open” software, “open” hardware on an “open” network? The current traditional closed mobile Internet could transform into a vibrant ecosystem in which the network operator, content provider and application developers, operate together with revenue sharing business models. There is no technical reason why a large media or entertainment organization cannot enter this market as the barrier to entry has been flattened with the open source platform called Android, which is similar to the I-Phone platform. The Android platform is a platform that will see an abundance of programs which will evolve into a profitable marketplace for developers. The other factor is the open network availability question, and there are strong positive moves from network operators and the US regulators with this regard. The future looks bright and it seems that an Open Mobile Internet is about to be unleashed.

Read more at mocom2020.com

How to use Twitter?

Here is an easy to understand and fun presentation by @minxuan.
Great layout and really to the point!

Remix: Lawrence Lessig on the Colbert Show

I think it was not easy for Lawrence at the Colbert Show. But he did a great job and explained what a hybrid economy is. Colbert also had to realize what it means to “Remix” the copyright. Great Video!

Fantastic!
See what happened on the next Show:

The future of Digital Newspapers in 1981

Very interesting Video about the future of digital newspapers filmed in 1981.
My favorite quotes are:
“Imagine turning on your home computer to read the daily newspaper - it’s not as far fetched as it may seem.”
“The Download of the full-newspapers takes over 2 hours.”

Via Techcrunch.

Monty’s Meetup in Munich

Rodrigo A. Sepúlveda Schulz about his experience with bavarian food.

Overview of the guests at Monty’s private dinner on Sunday, January 25th 2009.
From Left to Right: Marc Goldberg, Georgia Dienst, Matthias Kröner, Benedict Rodenstock, Michelle Guthrie, Tariq Krim, Rodrigo Sepúlveda, Bernhard Schmid and Katarina.

The Davos Debates Mash-Up Video

Analyzing Barack Obama’s Inauguration Speech

I took the full-text of Barack Obama’s Inauguration Speech and used Wordle.net to analyze his speech. The most-used words in each address appear in the interactive chart below, sized by number of use

See the result here. Enjoy.

Obama’s Speech - full version

This is the text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech.

My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.
The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.
And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Lukasz Gadowski: “Mobile will take off this year”

Interview with Lukasz Gadowski, Partner of Team Europe Ventures, Founder of Spreadshirt and creator of Gruenderszene at LeWeb’08.
I asked him about this key-predictions for 2009 and he said:
- there will be a lot of great new startups during this economic down-turn
- a lot of cool startups will need to find ways to exists
- and existing trends will keep growing: Software as a Service, Cloud Computing, Mobile will take of this year.

Lukasz said “Germany is a great place to start a company”… so let’s get going.

The WEF Technology Pioneers 2009

The World Economic Forum selects a few companies to become Technology Pioneers.
I met Rodolfo Lara Torres, Head of Technology and Knowledge Integration at the World Economic Forum, at Le Web 2008 in Paris and talked with him about the latest developments at WEF.

Tech Pioneer are those companies who are working on technologies and innovation that have the potential to change the world. The WEF screens the market worldwide to find the most innovative companies and selects around 30 companies every year to become Tech Pioneer. The WEF started in 1999, so this year it is the 10th edition of the Award.

The main criteria for the Tech Pioneers are
1. Innovation: Is the technology new?
2. Impact: Which impact will this technology have on business and society?
3. Sustainability: Will the company exist in the long-term, too?
4. Not a Member of the WEF already.

The award winners will be integrated in the activities of the World Economic Forum and will be invited to events, such as the Annual Meeting in Davos.

Rodolfo explains a lot of very innovative companies come from emerging markets like India, Africa or China.
He also sees a major Trend of the combination of Health and Technology, like chips inserted into your body.
And by the way, Google won the award in 2001.

The World Economic Forum has announced 34 visionary companies selected as Technology Pioneers 2009 for their accomplishments as innovators of the highest calibre, and whose technologies will have a deep impact on business and society.

Company Profiles

Continue reading The WEF Technology Pioneers 2009…

Kaiser Kuo’s outlook of digital media in China

Kaiser Kuo is Group Director, Digital Strategy at Ogilvy China, writer of the Blog
“Digital Watch China” and Co-founder of one of China’s most successful rock bands: Tang Dynasty.

I talked with him about the future of digital media in China. Kaiser explains the big growth in Social Networking and Internet Video in China. Over 77% of chinese Internet Users watch Internet Video which is more than in any other country. Tudou is the second biggest Video Website in China, besides Youtube. He mentions that it is the first time that Internet Video is taking away big budgets from traditional TV or print media.

See the full Video Interview here:

Use Google’s Strategy for your business

In his latest book Jeff Jarvis unveils the key-strategies of Google by re-engineering the way Google does business. He furthermore transfers the ideas to other industries and explains what they would do if they where using Google’s Strategies.

“What would Google do?” is the perfect read to start the new year 2009.

Apple re-invents the keyboard?

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Davos Debates: The Power of My Generation

The World Economic Forum started “Davos Conversation” a few years ago and now expanded the basic idea to integrate the online community within the dicussion to “Davos Debates”.

“Davos Debates” gives everybody the opportunity to take part in key-discussions and reach out to the leaders at the WEF. At Davos Debates 2009 there are four major topics: Economy, Ethics, Politics and Environment. The best answers will be shown at the WEF Sessions.

I recorded a Video as an answer to the question: “Will the environment lose out to the economy in 2009?”.
I believe that the “Power of My Generation” is essential to answer the question. The Environment will not lose out to the economy in 2009 and ongoing, if we use this “power”.

“The Power of My Generation” is attention. Due to the new wave of the web, with Social Networking like facebook, Online Video like Youtube or Micro-Blogging like Twitter, we have the opportunity to change the world to the better. We can turn Social Media into Social Activism, we can bring “green” products from niche to mass market and we can convince the leaders of today to be pro-active aswell.

Colleen DeCourcy: How to win at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival?

Interview with Colleen DeCourcy, Chief Digital Officer TBWA Worldwide and President of the Cyber-Lions-Jury in Cannes 2008. I met Colleen at the Art Directors Club Conference in Berlin.

Colleen DeCourcy Job is to create and execute smart digital strategies for TBWA and their clients. To win a Lion at Cannes, Colleen said, that you need to integrate technology in smart and intelligent way to create an engaging advertising campaign. Consumers should be integrated within the activities to create loyalty about the products and brand. Furthermore the main idea should change the perception and view of the brand’s role in the world. This could be realized through added value, fun or education.

Gary Vaynerchuk about his secret of success

I met Gary Vaynerchuk at Le Web in Paris last week and he gave a “little bit of thunder to the crowd”.
Gary is founder and host of Winelibrary TV. He reaches over 80.000 Viewers daily, has over 25.000 Twitter Followers and his keynotes are watched on Youtube hundreds of thousand times.

Gary talked about Authenticity, Community and Branding. He believes that 2008 and 2009 is so different than 2006/07, the world is changing and there a lot of opportunities out there if you know how to leverage the tools and the community. And Gary really cares about his community, which is one of his key-success factors.

This year he got over 50 offers of television deals in the United States, published his first book and did a lot of speaking engagements. He love building brands or repositioning brands like the brand of his dad’s liquor store or his personal brand. From his point of view it is more challenging and fun to work with the followers like MySpace or Yahoo, rather then to work with the leaders like facebook or Google.

His recommendation for you is simple
“Do it. Have business model. And care for your audience and clients.”

Here you can watch the Video Interview:

Two exciting days at Le Web Paris

Today the web conference “Le Web” has started. I am looking forward to interesting talks and new inspiration.

This morning there had already been some intersting speeches, e.g. David Weinberger or the conversation between Loic and Nikesh Aurora, Head of Google Europe.
Furthermore the first feedback from the MOCOM2020 project was very positive.