BrandWeek
12/04/2007
David Armano
Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Linked In, Ooo Voo, Ustream, Ning, Twitter, Spock. Sounds like an all-star cast of characters from a Science Fiction movie, right? These are actually but a handful of Web based services that are helping to fuel the "2.0" movement. The question is -- are they brands?
Conventional wisdom in the technology space suggests that most startups will fade into obscurity and that even the popular platforms will be replaced by the next best bright and shiny object that comes along to distract us all. Since most of us suffer from bright and shiny object syndrome, or "B.S.O.S.," this seems fairly plausible. Only one problem: brand affinity is not a rational animal and people form bonds with brands for reasons that can sometimes only be defined as a "gut feeling" about a product or service.
What do I think? I think contrary to conventional wisdom that not unlike Google, many of the 2.0 Web services are indeed becoming brands in the hearts and minds of the people who use them, and that once a startup reaches "brand status," its chances to stand the test of time increase greatly. Here's what I will offer up as proof. Older and more established "Brand 2.0" players such as Flickr, YouTube and Delicious were not only purchased by Web mega-brands Google and Yahoo!, but ask any individual who regularly uses the services and they will gush over them in a similar fashion to Apple aficionados or Nike nuts. Yes, it's hard to imagine, but people can feel emotional about functionality the same way that they get butterflies in their stomach when watching the latest iPhone ad.
So if something like Flickr is an established "Brand 2.0," who or what represents the next wave? Here are my bets with a brief rationale for each:
Twitter: I've described Twitter as the "Crocs" of the Web. It's not for everyone, but the people who use it love it, despite its imperfections. Rivals such as Jaiku, which offers more robust functionality, don't appear to possess the "brand potential" that Twitter does.
Facebook: Despite claims over privacy invasions, Facebook's popularity has exploded and attracted a whole new audience of users in the workforce. Mobile versions of it such as the one developed for the iPhone are simply delightful to use and will help inch the service closer to Brand 2.0 status.
Upcoming: A Yahoo!-based service that helps you keep track of events that you are either going to or just want to keep an eye on, Upcoming makes attending events a social experience and even taps into Flickr's profiles and photos.
Slideshare: Slideshare's charm is that it's fast becoming the YouTube for presentations. For industry thought leaders, it's a useful way to spread ideas and influence while staying connected.
So, what's my process for picking these out as examples of "Brand 2.0"? I really don't have one; let's just call it a "gut feeling."
David Armano, with more than 14 years' experience in the creative field with the majority of his time spent in digital marketing and experience design, is one of the new cadre of Brandweek Bloggers. An active thought leader in the industry, Armano also authors the popular Logic + Emotion blog. His writing and visual thinking have been cited by Forrester Research and The Boston Globe, and landed him in BusinessWeek on several occasions, including their "Best of 2006." He can be reached at DavidA@CriticalMass.com
