Andrew Armour's Benchstone Blog
On Coaching, Marketing, Partnerships, Innovation & Collaboration – From Andrew Armour
Interesting point by Seth. Its easy to show your support for a new project after its been proven. But the richest rewards are available to those that support the innovators, the pioneers and the new business developers. It is hard to stand up and promote a new way, a fresh approach, a different road. That’s why pioneering is so important.
Seths Blog
via “Ive got your back”.
Interesting article by Kevin Kelly reinforcing what I have said for years: that the most creative ventures in the really creative industries rely upon external contacts, networks, collaboration. In other words get past the ‘supplier’ and ‘customer’ mind-set. There is a third and more exciting way: partnerships. And that is what my consultancy – Benchstone is going to be all about.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kklifestream/~3/VycKlfDppfA/nowhere-is-this-trend-toward-c.php
This is a great article pointing out the issues facing music and other media owners too. Do I need to ‘own’ a newspaper? No. Do I need to own a movie that Sky shows? No. Do I need pay for access to great content, with a simple app stylee payment from my various devices? Of course. ‘the greatest compliment I can receive is to pay me for my work’ – Picasso. What I need is fast, brilliant access to content and for that I’m willing to pay – as with Sky, my monthly fee and then I can pick and choose and browse. How do Sky pay for their package from Warners and Disney? I don’t care. Unfortunately a lot of media owners are still focused.on selling a download, a track, a unit. And as tbis article points out the consumer’s attraction to this is waning: digital music downloads in US growing at a measley 1% in 2009/10.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Mediafuturist/~3/DLXvjqs8G0o/further-decline-in-recorded-music.html
This is a great piece by Godin pointing out that there is no single magic answer to run a business or manage a brand. Reminds me of one of my favourite axioms: ” everyone.has a different road to happiness: just because I’m on a different road to you does’t mean I’m lost”.
According to Kevin Kelly and other smart economist people – a world out of balance and containing some disruption help build growth. In my view, the last sacred tablet of corporate world is forming mutual alliances with other businesses – the ultimate disruptor: working collaboratively with another organisation in a symbiotic relationship that is neither a sale nor a purchase.
via If the system settles into harmony and equilibrium….
According to TechCrunch Facebook Revenue in 2009 was just $200M on revenue of$777M. Obviously, showing massive growth and is now the biggest single website in the world – but does this economic pattern justify a valuation by Goldman Sachs of $50 BILLION? Or, should I just shut up and realise that bankers and investment analysts are always great at properly anticipating future profitability with all their clever models? Such as; the US and UK property markets for example?
via Report: Facebook Revenue Was $777 Million In 2009, Net Income $200 Million.
Apparently a holiday ain’t a holiday unless you’re away from the computer. Reminds me of the famous Kevin Kelly line which famously said ‘the problem of the future will not whether we can connect, it will be whether we can disconnect’. An interesting point at the moment with the rise of iPad and Tablets. Their extreme portability and always on and quick app capability makes these the very essence of being ‘always on’. Mind you; when I was struggling through that bush walk in middle of nowhere on the South Island of New Zealand recently – not much chance of getting a signal and worrying about my news feeds. See the article below from Wired.
via The Importance of Vacation, Far Away From Your Computer.
Total music sales grown marginally. But is music still the centre of modern media trends? I have always felt that music is the essential driver, happily referenced and used by television, advertising, movies and fashion. Yet – commercially, it seems to lag well behind the recent successes of online retail and video games…
See – UK’s Digital Music Boost Slowed In 2010.
A great piece that points out the dangers of chasing SEO metrics and neglecting the audience and giving real, valuable content. Worth reading:
http://feeds.paidcontent.co.uk/~r/pcuk/~3/VM5hlZ03i28/
In an age where media content is becoming aggregated and cheapened – is celebrity editors the way to go?
Don’t get me wrong: love Elton. But in an age where media content is becoming aggregated and cheapened – is celebrity editors the way to go? Like rock stars discussing international finance and actors philosophising morality – this does tweek my heckles a tad. This seems more like a middle class liberal page three ploy than serious journalism. As Jay Leno famously says, the TV news could ask some international economists to explain changes in the economy. But instead – ‘Nah, what the hell – lets just go and ask a few truck drivers what they reckon’
Andrew Armour's Benchstone Blog 