Comments on: free cartoons as “social objects”

By: Justin Kownacki

Justin Kownacki — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:34:58 +0000

The unspoken complexity in your premise is that everyone is able to create something inherently "social," i.e., something other people actually WANT to talk about, AND create an "object," i.e., something other people can use and, presumably, would be willing to pay for (in the proper context). If people can't create "objects," they're probably not in business in the first place. But making that object "social" is the magic bullet that seems much easier than it actually is. Otherwise, we'd be talking endlessly about EVERY company under the sun -- and when was the last time you spoke passionately about bike tires, dog food or turtlenecks?

By: Madrugada Jones

Madrugada Jones — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:16:28 +0000

I see what you’re saying, but for a cartoon to be considered a social object, does it have to have a message behind it? Or can it just be whimsical and fun and be appreciated on those merits by people? Or does that give a group of people nothing to talk about? I understand why, say, an iPod has to have a marketing message behind it because how would you discern it from other MP3’s otherwise? The reason I’m asking is because I’ve always chafed at cartoons that have some “message” behind them (see: Doonsbury), but at the same time, if something is just whimsical, does it give people anything substantial to talk about?

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:49:50 +0000

Hugh — your dinosaur made me laugh out loud. A laugh I sorely needed. Thank you.
Your mind is SUCH an interesting place. A social object in and of itself.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:47:45 +0000

Hugh — your dinosaur cartoon made me laugh out loud. A laugh I sorely needed. Thank you.
Your mind is SUCH an interesting place. A social object in and of itself.

By: Stoicho M

Stoicho M — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:44:35 +0000

Heeei, I have a Coffee Cup with that Dino!

By: vruz

vruz — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:57:40 +0000

excellent.
you’re on a roll

By: Summer

Summer — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:01:31 +0000

I can’t express how much posts like these have help focus and direct my thoughts as I create my own brand.
Thank you for sharing not only your cartoons, but you thoughts on social interaction and marketing.

By: Tommi Vilkamo

Tommi Vilkamo — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:34:19 +0000

>If your product is not a “Social Object”, how on earth do you manage to stay in business?
Low costs? Great location / distribution channels?
Not every product category has the luxury of being a social object. If you are in the business of, say, bananas, you don’t really need to make people talk with each other about bananas. In fact, I’m not sure would it work. Vast majority of people who buy and eat bananas just don’t care enough about bananas to have banana-related conversations. Of course, you might be able to build a passionate online community of banana-freaks having banana-conversations with each other, in a nice little banana-echo-chamber. But would that make a dent in the banana producer’s bottom line? I’m not sure about that, unless you are a niche luxury banana producer focusing on the niche of passionate banana-lovers.
—
Note: I’m not talking here about my own employer (= Nokia), as we are very much in the “social object” business. And for such businesses, I very much agree with your line of thinking

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:57:26 +0000

Brilliant. Do what you love and the money will follow. Build your relationships and following first without yelling “pay me!” into people’s faces over and over.

By: Richard Sheehy

Richard Sheehy — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:30:42 +0000

Absolutely!!
This is a fantastic example of building a brand through building relationships.
Relationships create value.

By: david cushman

david cushman — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:58:26 +0000

Thanks Hugh. A cartoon that clarifies why I’m so bloody annoying, I guess (the dinosaur one).
Should we give up on the dinosaurs? Or is it possible for them to evolve into a collective of feisty little mammals?
Imagery is very communicative but does the metaphor HAVE to fit?
I dream of examples of dinosaurs who pull off the evolution trick.
Maybe there are no such thing as dinosaurs, just collectives of feisty little mammals who are cloaked as lumbering dinosaurs by their current costumes?

By: philos

philos — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:43:50 +0000

Something that sounds so normal or completely rational for you, me and many many others, for much much more other people it sounds soooo extraterrestrial!