Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED):
A case study on how complimentary on- and off-line approaches can build community and
cultivate platforms for innovation and creativity
Rosemari Ochoa
A Capstone Project
Presented to the Faculty of the School of Communication in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Public Communication
Supervisor: Prof. Lauren Feldman
April 29, 2011
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Rosemari Ochoa
2011
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To those who live life on the margins – thanks for the company.
To those who share your stories – and to those who hear them.
With special thanks my family, particularly Karrin Ochoa, whose creativity, innovation and
feedback leaves me continuously inspired and motivated.
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ABSTRACT
TED creates multiplatform and interdisciplinary spaces for the world’s most influential and
innovative individuals. TED’s success provides an enticing case analysis through the
understanding of how to leverage on and offline tactics to reach the new participatory consumer
in a meaning way. TED’s rare approach to a combination of exclusive and open-source branding
and community mobilizing methodology can launch future recommendations for similar
organizations and social movements. This Capstone breaks new ground by seizing the
opportunity to analyze TED’s cutting edge best practices. Using a variety of communication
theories such as community building, diffusion of innovation, and digital optimism, five
elements of TED’s programming are examined: TED’s funding sources, TED conferences,
TEDTalks, TEDx events, and the Ads Worth Spreading competition.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION…………… ………………………………………………………...…….…6
Limitations………………………………………………………………………………..…7
LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………………………….....9
The Power of the Bringing People Together: Community Building and Conferences……....9
The Influence of Opinion Leaders……………………………………………………….….10
The Potential of Digital Optimism: The In Virtual Life (IVL) Experience………………...11
CASE PROFILE.…………………………………………………………………………….…14
TED’s Funding Source………………………………………………………………….…14
Sponsorships………………………………………………………………………...14
Advertisements………………………………………………………………………15
Private Donors……………………………………………………………………….16
TED IRL Conferences……………………………………………………………………..16
Influencing Those Who Influence the Influentials: Preparing
Speakers…………………………………………………….……………….………19
Technology as Part of the Conference Experience....………………………….……21
TEDTalks…………………………………………………………………………..………23
TEDx…………………………………………………………………………..……..……27
Ads Worth Spreading…………………………………………………………..………….29
DISCUSSION: CASE ANALYSIS………………………………………….…………………31
FUTURE DIRECTIONS…………………………………………………..……………...……38
CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………………40
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….………42
APPENDIX A…………………………………………………………………...………………45
APPENDIX B…………………………………………………………………………...………46
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INTRODUCTION
TED is a small nonprofit organization devoted to their tagline: “Ideas Worth Spreading”
(http://www.ted.com/pages/about, 2011). At its inception in 1984, TED started as a conference
bringing together experts in its acronym: technology, entertainment and design. Although it was
not until six years later that the next conference took place, today has become is arguably one of
the most sought-after conferences that attracts the world’s key influencers.
This Capstone project is an in-depth case study analysis of TED’s cutting edge platforms
and programs. The world looks to TED for a wide variety of information, innovation and
creativity. Society would be wise to understand TEDs unique, hybrid strategies for success. TED
effectively engages with a new form of the participatory consumer, targets opinion leaders,
democratizes information, and integrates on- and off-line communities.
Ideologically, the “spirit of TED” has been defined as cross-disciplinary, focused on the
power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. TED asserts that it is “bias
free” from corporate, religious or political interests and does not define what the change in
attitudes, lives, and the world ought to look like.
In 2001, the conference was acquired by Chris Anderson, a British computer magazine
publisher and entrepreneur, who began the Sapling Foundation to act as nonprofit organization to
house TED programs (http://www.ted.com/index.php/profiles/view/id/9, 2011). Anderson has
cemented TED’s status as a non-profit venture that is gradually spreading its message, most
notably through its website, which freely posts TEDTalks from the conferences online (Aspden,
2010).
Since then, it has emerged into various conferences (two large annual conferences in
Southern California in addition to a global conference), and a participatory TEDx conference
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series. Furthermore, TED’s robust online presence includes an award-winning TEDTalks online
video site, the Open Translation Project, an Open TV Project, and a new TEDConversations
platform.
Five of TED’s major elements will be presented in this Capstone: TED’s funding sources,
the conference, TEDTalks, TEDx events, and TED’s Ads Worth Spreading competition using
various theoretical lenses from the field of communication. Specifically, TED has harnessed the
power of opinion-leaders and community building in its annual conference. This Capstone will
also explore the variations between real life and virtual spaces, commonly distinguished as IRL
(in real life) and IVL (in virtual life) spaces, that are emerging at conferences, and how virtual
space has become an essential element in the conference experience. As technology and media
become more integrated into TED’s programming and platforms, the organization has contrasted
the exclusivity of the conference with a digital optimist approach towards the democratization of
technology, as observed in TEDTalks. This combination has led to a powerful amalgamation
with TEDx events that are providing large-scale IRL and IVL experiences worldwide. It will
identify the difference in technique and objective in creating IRL conferences as well as
complementary and stand-alone IVL events and programs.
TED often reframes how and what is valuable and who should be able to access to it.
Most recently, the Ads Worth Spreading campaign furthers the understanding of why ads are
created, what their exposure is worth, and redefines the expectations and role of a new,
participatory consumer.
Limitations
This limited small body of research available specifically regarding TED demonstrates
the importance of this case analysis. Academic resources that address the nature of TED or the
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analysis of its impact are not yet written. Therefore, the majority of the research regarding TED’s
programming has been found online. Overwhelmingly, these sources are self-generated and
produced by TED, including TED.com, Twitter, Facebook, and a documentary titled The Future
We Will Create. It is possible that these sources may be strategically framed by the organization
and reflect a self-reporting bias.
Additionally, mainstream media, blogs, and other resources have widely covered TED.
Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of their focus has rested in the content provided
through TED. For example, media sources like ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer have
reported extensively on the A-list speakers who presented at TED, such as Microsoft founder and
philanthropist Bill Gates or celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. The substance of a presentation might
also be featured, like the introduction of touch-screen mobile technology or medical advances.
Thus, the media has provided limited analysis regarding TED’s past and current projects,
philosophies and trademarks.
In hopes to gain insight to TED’s strategic approach, objectives and evaluative tactics, I
contacted TED directly to conduct a brief survey. At TED staff recommendation, I submitted the
questionnaire via e-mail and while its receipt has been confirmed, no responses on behalf of TED
have been received at this time.
Additionally, it is important to note TED has a variety of platforms and programs. Due to
the nature of this research, this Capstone will solely examine the TED Conference, TEDTalks,
TEDx events, and Ads Worth Spreading. More detailed information about other aspects of TED,
such as TEDConversations (the newest edition to TED, which started the beginning of February
2011), the publication of TEDBooks, TED Special Projects, and the TEDFellows program, can
be found online at TED’s website at www.ted.com.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
This literature review will cover four elements of communication theory: the power of
real life spaces like conferences and community building, the influence of opinion leaders, and
the potential of digital optimism. These four elements will be applied later be in the TED’s Case
Profile and further examined in TED’s Case Analysis and Discussion.
The Power of the Bringing People Together: Community Building and Conferences
Based on Muniz and O’Guinn’s definition of core community commonalities, there are
three key markers of a community: the consciousness of kind, the presence of shared rituals and
traditions and a sense of moral responsibility (Muinz and O’Guinn, 2001, 413). Consciousness
of kind means that there is a shared sense of identity and fidelity amongst a group of individuals.
This shared consciousness of kind typically leads to similar lifestyles and attitudes. The
presence of shared rituals creates formalize spaces where shared experiences occur to physically
and psychologically mark rites of passage and establish and reinforce roles in a community. A
moral sense of responsibility ensures that the individuals have a sense of obligation and ethics to
maintain the group at large. The values and thought patterns included in this moral sense of
responsibility help bond the community. Communities can have all three of these aspects that
surpasses geography, particularly with the use of technology.
Strong communities are not limited to geographical space and can be highly engaging
and participatory with limited liability. Members join because they want to and participate based
on their personal motivations. TED’s approach to IRL conferences are an exemplar case study
of fostering community. Community rites of passage begin with the application to the
conference, continue through presenting new, innovative information, and entice opinion leaders
through exclusivity and friendly competition.
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Conferences provide a forum similar to a community for experts to highlight and get
feedback on their work, hear about the latest developments in the field, and participate in
professional networking and discussion (Jacobs and McFarlane, 2005, 317). More specifically,
Jacobs and McFarlane outline eight key elements in conceptualizing conferences as a managed
event, as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
“The formal presentation of recent developments in the field.
The community evaluation of those developments (both substantive and methodological).
The informal presentation of other relevant developments from the community, e.g. from
the conference floor.
Discussion of the interpretations and implications of those developments.
Settling disagreements over these interpretations and implications.
Doing [elements] 1–5 according to the practical organization of a reflective community of
practice.
Inducting inexperienced members into the community of practice by making aspects of
practice explicit and therefore capable of being apprehended.
Ensuring that, as a whole, research and/or professional practice progresses both
substantively and methodologically.”
(Jacobs and McFarlane, 2005, 321)
Using this definition, conference objectives, impacts, and evaluations should be measured based
on these eight elements. Jacob and MacFarlene’s Point 7 mentions the “community of practice.”
Conferences create temporary communities within themselves. Furthermore, preexisting
communities can be further engaged by using conferences as the shared experience, like rites of
passage.
The Influence of Opinion Leaders
Opinion leadership theory describes how messages are diffused among social networks,
specifically through opinion leaders and other key influentials (opposed to simply being exposed
to information or ideas). Opinion leaders diffuse information, advice, and guidance to their social
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circles, typically regarding specific topics. Scholars such as Lazarfeld and Katz developed the
foundation for diffusion of innovation theory, which focuses on opinion leaders, in the 1940s and
1950s. Specifically, their observations on the two-step flow of communication are crucial in
understanding diffusion of innovation theory. The first step occurs when the media
communicates on key stories, topics, and messages.
Lazarsfeld, et al. theorizes that these stories, topics, and messages impact some media
consumers more than others. In turn, these select consumers, the opinion leaders, share these
stories, topics, and messages, with their social network. Additionally, they add their personal
opinions and views, often effectively persuading their social network and thereby resulting in
changed beliefs and/or actions (such as candidate support and/or voting habits). This diffusion
of information process forms the framework for a large body of work on how and why some
individuals are more influential than others.
The Potential of Digital Optimism: The In Virtual Life (IVL) Experience
The impacts of digital news and technology have changed the way our society receives
and participates with news and information on a daily basis. These developments provide the
well-connected members of society access to an abundance of informational derivatives and, for
the first time, the dissemination of information is completely free. According to the Pew
Institute’s Internet and American Life Project Report, “In this new multi-platform media
environment, people’s relationship to news is becoming portable, personalized and participatory”
(Purcell, 2010, 1).
Digital optimists, as described in Morozov’s article “Sharing Liberally,” believe that the
new abilities to share information will harvest an evolved world based on this democratic
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standard. Hence, as long as an individual has access to the internet, he or she can learn, share
and grow, regardless of some of the socio-economic factors that have historically set limitations
for specific individuals or groups of people.
Organizations like The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in
a Democracy seek to level the digital playing field as part of this step towards social equality.
“The advent of the Internet and the proliferation of mobile media are unleashing a torrent of
innovation in the creation and distribution of information. Those who possess and know how to
use sophisticated computing devices interact ever more seamlessly with a global information
network,” according to the Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in a Digital Age
report The Knight Commission released in 2009. While The Knight Commission is in accord
with the theoretical basis for digital optimism, it realizes that there are gaps that need to be filled
in order for the digital age to meet its full potential.
The Center for Social Media at American University in Washington D.C. examines the
deeper ideological roots of such theories. “A healthy democracy includes spaces and tools for
members of the public to have informed conversations about issues of public significance and
what to do about them” (Aufderheide and Clark, 2010, 3).
So, does this impact a community? In the Aspen Institute report, The Rise of Collective
Intelligence, Brolier notes that “online communities often are rich sources of innovative ideas,
specialized knowledge, timely and sophisticated market intelligence, and niche consumer
demand…this decentralized value-creation is occurring online—and therefore is widely
available—it is capable of diffusing rapidly and disrupting entrenched institutions and societal
practices” (Brolier, 2007, 4).
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About 60 million Americans say the internet has played an important or crucial role in
helping them deal with at least one major life decision in the previous two years, an increase of
33 percent from a similar survey in 2002 (Sosnik, et al., 2006, 156). Hampton notes that “the
email list allows a whole different array of clues to be sent out not necessarily based on gender,
age, raced, and ethnicity. We find those visual clues are disappearing, and people are forming
bonds with a more diverse group of people, based on similar hobbies, interests. It’s more about
lifestyles than life cycles” (Sosnik, et al., 2006, 157).
More recent research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, released in
January 2011, notes that “it is hard to underestimate the impact of social media and internet use
on group engagement” (Rainie, 2011, 37). This relationship is confirmed in regression analyses
when other important factors such as age, education, income, personal efficacy, religiosity, and
trust are controlled.
In fact, among all of these key predictors of online behavior and group involvement,
being a social network site and Twitter user and daily internet use are among the most powerful
predictors of whether people perceive the internet as having a major impact on their ability to
find groups that match their interests, bring others into their groups, keep up with the groups they
belong to, organize group activities, contribute money or volunteer their time, and even create
their own groups (Rainie, 2011). TED provides an enticing case for the examination of what
happens when the IRL experience with opinion leaders is leveraged with technology’s capacity
to spread information with ease to create on and offline communities.
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CASE PROFILE
As previously mentioned, TED provides an appealing case profile for these
communication theories. TED not only utilizes a variety of platforms, it tends to use them in
innovative and transformative ways. This Capstone will profile five elements of the
organization: its funding sources, the TED IRL conferences (including the preparation of
speakers and technology use), TEDTalks, TEDx, and Ads Worth Spreading.
TED’s Funding Sources
TED is funded through conference ticket sale revenue, sponsorships, advertisements, and
private donations. The TED IRL conferences run over $7,000.00 a ticket. This creates a
substantial budget as well as a captive audience across the globe; it’s a wealth of social and
economic capital. The recognition of the funding sources and perimeters of TED’s operations
allows deeper understanding of the organization’s values and philosophies.
Sponsorships
The TED IRL conference receives funding from various types of sponsorship
opportunities, which can range from in-kind to monetary. TED sponsorships start at $50,000.00
and go up beyond one million dollars (for programs such as TED Special Projects)
(http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/71, 2011). Current sponsors include Google, GE, AOL,
Goldman Sachs, The Coca-Cola Company, Tiffany & Co., Johnson & Johnson, along with
various others.
For instance, companies and organizations can sponsor pre-event activities, conference
social spaces, lunchtime salons, conversation breaks, and evening informal and formal events,
reaching every attendee or targeting a specific demographic within the TED Conference
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population. Experiential sponsorship is also available. Workshops can be sponsored, giving a
hands-on opportunity for attendees to try a new technology or product. Innovative Lab Spaces
allow companies and organizations to demo their new technologies and products in an interactive
way with attendees.
Additionally, there are in-kind sponsorships. Sony provides all of TED’s monitors and
Steelcase (an international office furniture company) furnishes the TED lounges. The TED gift
bag touts “leading-edge gifts,” and allows attendees to specify their bag online prior to the
conference. Sponsors can purchase space in the program guide and are listed and thanked here.
Lastly, TED invites sponsors to “dream something entirely new” to sponsor
(http://www.ted.com/pages/626, 2011).
Sponsors have no editorial control at TED Conference or TEDx events and do not
provide creative direction on any of the content. They are not allowed to present on the main
stage. TED considers the main stage to work under journalistic values with, as the website notes,
“a separation of church and state”
(http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_shares_his_vision_for_ted.html, 2011). Unacceptable
sponsors to the TEDx events include weapons manufacturers, ammunition companies, cigarette
companies and any company that is trying to “greenwash” their image by affiliating with TED.
The TED IRL conference does not provide similar criteria for sponsorship. Advice as to how to
vet against green washing is not provided on the TED website for TEDx organizers.
Advertisements
Online, advertisements are an important part of revenue, particularly for the TEDTalks.
TEDTalks feature advertisement at the end of every video that run about two to three minutes in
length. Having the advertisement at the end of the TEDTalks video ensure that consumers are
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watching the advertisement because they are genuinely interested in the ad. This means that each
ads need to be at a high caliber and the audience segment that decides to watch the video will be
much more engaged compared to the mandatory ad exposure often found online. TED describes
their advertising technique on the TED website by noting, “We want to nurture passion - the
passion of people watching the ads - instead of ambushing it.”
(http://www.ted.com/pages/aws_overview, 2011)
Private Donors
Information regarding private donations is not made public. However, according to the
Sapling Foundation’s 990 tax form filed in 2009, private donations over $5,000.00 come from 99
individuals or organizations in 2009 in care TED Conferences. Donation sizes listed on the 990
ranged from $5,000.00 to $400,000.00. For example, private companies such as Coca Cola
donated $10,000.00, along with a few dozen individuals. Non-profit organizations that
contributed to The Sapling Foundation include the Confra Institute and the Harrish Foundation
made equally sizable donations. The largest donation was provided by the Fetzer Institute, an
organization seeking “to build a more peaceful and harmonious global community” at
$400,000.00, followed by individuals Mike and Jackie Bezos at $334,080.00
(http://www.fetzer.org/, 2011).
TED IRL Conferences
The TED IRL conferences, designed and coordinated by TED staff “curators,” are
exclusive. So exclusive, in fact, that often celebrities and politicians can have problems getting
accepted to attend (a situation that was featured in Kathy Griffin’s reality television series in
2009). Currently, in order to be one of the 1,450 or fewer attendees at an annual TED IRL
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conference, an application is required to demonstrate key characteristics and traits due to the
high demand despite the costly fee starting at $7,500.00. Even with such a steep price tag, every
year there is a waitlist. Moreover, TED has received criticism that the very nature of charging
such excessive prices shut out many well deserving individuals which turns the conference into
an elitist echo chamber of over-privileged, rich individuals. Perhaps that is exacting what TED
wants (http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/185, 2011).
The three requirements for “membership” to the conference are availability, payment,
and enthusiasm. The TED website further describes the desirable attendee as “likely, in our
judgment, to be a strong contributor to the TED community, the ideas discussed at TED, and the
projects that come out of the conference.” Furthermore, the application current criteria notes a
preference for individuals who,
“are curious, passionate, and open-minded;
have done something fascinating with their lives;
show evidence of creativity, innovation, insight, or brilliance;
would be wonderful to sit next to at lunch and have a conversation with;
are well placed to help make a difference in the world;
have made a contribution to the TED community” (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pa
http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/113 ges/view/id/113, 2011).
The application process is the first ritual in entering into TED’s community and ensures that the
TED attendees are some of the most influential, diverse opinion leaders in the world. As the TED
website notes, “TED attendees may come from many different fields, but they have one thing in
common: They're influencers, game-changers and leaders. Whether they're entrepreneurs or
inventors, philanthropists or philosophers, TED is a meeting place for those at the forefront of
cultural, social and technological change” (http://partners.ted.com/conferences/audience.php,
2011).
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Once selected, participants are referred to as TEDsters. TEDsters have a common
identity and a shared on- and off-line community, during and after the conference. During the
four-day conference, participants hear short presentations by a wide variety of experts who
mirror the same values of TED’s participant criteria (curious, passionate, fascinating, and so
forth). This lays a solid foundation for creating community and identity about the participants at
TED. The TED website reflects on this, “TED is more than a conference; it's a community of
people who have a passion for knowledge, a desire to better our world and the ability to dream
big. At TED, like minds find each other to begin friendships, collaborate on projects and to
champion each other's successes. To be a TED partner is to be a member of this community”
(http://partners.ted.com/conferences/audience.php, 2011).
At the TED IRL conference, every participant hears every conversation – there are no
breakouts, panels or tracks. This typically leads to a secession of five 18-minute presentations at
once. By and large, it’s one person, on a circular stage, sharing an opinion. This presenter may or
may not acknowledge that the attendees are present. Very rarely are presentations followed with
a question and answer session; when such a session is conducted, it occurs between the presenter
and a TED curator (such as when Anderson interviewed Bill Gates)
(http://blog.ted.com/2009/02/06/bill_gates_qa_w/, 2011). These presentations are not designed to
be a space for a communal conversation or interaction. There is no democratic space for
attendees to inquire, support or disagree with a speaker, his or her presentation, and the validity
of the findings or conclusions in this forum.
TED IRL conferences do, however, include a TEDUniversity, where TEDsters share their
own expertise. TED IRL conferences feature social spaces where “you can watch TED in an
informal setting – on couches, beanbag chairs, while blogging, tweeting, eating, networking”
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http://conferences.ted.com/TED2011/program/, 2011). Evening activities at the conferences
include events, videos, art exhibits, demos for technology and other experiential opportunities.
All TEDsters get access to exclusive social networking space no matter what level of ticket they
purchase.
Influencing Those Who Influence the Influentials: Preparing Speakers
TED provides guidance and restrictions to their speakers as they prepare for a TED
presentation. This guidance provides insight into TED’s strategic approach and objectives. For
instance, TED keeps each presentation to a maximum of 18 minutes. TED Conference 2011
speaker Dr. Edward Tenner writes in The Atlantic,
“It's long enough to make it possible to condense the essence of a long-form keynote but that means [making] painstaking selection of points and examples, not hurrying
through the same ideas. And it's also too long to memorize verbatim and still deliver from
the heart - at least it was too long for me. So to me it meant memorizing a sequence of
points, usually tied to images, for the right balance of logic and spontaneity” (Tenner,
2011).
Some people, including Tenner, have touted this time limit as a newfound characteristic of
effective communication. He continues to note that “the challenge and strict time limit of the
TEDTalks genre eventually can bring out ideas that were formerly submerged or not even
explicit. Eighteen minutes or so may also be the optimum time for presenting an idea
memorably; TED 2011 seemed always to be running just at the edge of the brain's ability to
enjoy a flood of new ideas, images, and sounds” (Tenner, 2011).
Additionally, TED provides a plaque to all of the presenters with the “TED Commandments,” to
“help…speakers craft talks that will have a profound impact on [their] audience.”
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The TED Commandments are encouraged both in the TED and TEDx conferences. Anderson
continuously emphasizes the importance of authenticity and vulnerability (both listed in the TED
THE TED COMMANDEMENTS
1. Dream big. Strive to create the best talk you have ever given. Reveal something never seen before.
Do something the audience will remember forever. Share an idea that could change the world.
2. Show us the real you. Share your passions, your dreams ... and also your fears. Be vulnerable. Speak
of failure as well as success.
3. Make the complex plain. Don't try to dazzle intellectually. Don't speak in abstractions. Explain!
Give examples. Tell stories. Be specific.
4. Connect with people's emotions. Make us laugh! Make us cry!
5. Don't flaunt your ego. Don't boast. It's the surest way to switch everyone off.
6. No selling from the stage! Unless we have specifically asked you to, do not talk about your
company or organization. And don't even think about pitching your products or services or asking for
funding from stage.
7. Feel free to comment on other speakers' talks, to praise or to criticize. Controversy energizes!
Enthusiastic endorsement is powerful!
8. Don't read your talk. Notes are fine. But if the choice is between reading or rambling, then read!
9. End your talk on time. Doing otherwise is to steal time from the people that follow you. We won't
allow it.
10. Rehearse your talk in front of a trusted friend ... for timing, for clarity, for impact.
(http://www.ted.com/pages/360, 2011)
Commandments) as a key element in giving a memorable and successful presentation.
Anderson notes that speaker preparation is key, “We’ve seen in the past few years
speakers putting in an extraordinary amount of time in preparation, including full rehearsals.
Having so many great talks up online has served as a good template for other speakers” (Daly,
2010).
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Technology as Part of the Conference Experience
TED has been a pioneer in integrating a large virtual conference component that runs
concurrently with its IRL conference. TED’s experience in virtual life is almost (if not more)
powerful than the real life experience. The integration of IRL conference experiences and
technology is not new. TED is part of an emerging trend blending the two worlds together while
bringing more, nonlocal consumers into the TED community.
While technology has long played a role in the conference experience through audiovisual equipment for and presentations (such as PowerPoint), recently conferences are
developing a virtual platform that serves a variety of purposes. First, this virtual space may seek
to complement the conference in real life for the attendees on site. As an example, some
presenters provide timed Twitter updates that summarize their findings, share links, and provide
other references to enrich their presentations. Secondly, IVL conference space can act as a
freestanding experience for those not present for the IRL conference. Using the case of Twitter
again, individuals are able to access the key information and resources in real life, regardless of
their IRL attendance. Thirdly, the IVL conference space can document and distribute resources
and messages of the IRL conference post mortem for both participants on site and individuals
who were not present at the conference. Often through the use of hashtags, individuals are able
to search for topics or individuals retrospectively to find information that they did not take note
of while attending the conference. “Technology may be facilitating a change for conference
events from largely one-to-many ephemeral broadcasts to exchanges with increasing interaction
between speaker and audience, and between participants both local and remote either in space or
time” (Jacobs and McFarlane, 2005, 321).
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There are various strategies for IVL platforms to consecutively complement the IRL
conference for participants on site, including: a designated hashtag for microblogging, social
networking site updates, and live blogging. All of these are featured at the TED IRL conferences
and TEDx events. Furthermore, IVL platforms that act as a freestanding experience for those not
present at the IRL conference also overlap with many of those used by conference participants,
such as the designated hashtag for microblogging, social networking site updates, and blogging.
In addition, TED offers other components such as a freestanding website, links to background
information, and streaming video.
Again, there is ample overlap in the IVL platforms that are available as the IRL
conference is occurring as well as the IVL platforms that deliver content that occurs post
mortem. Additionally, however, the conference IVL platforms may include video clips of a
panel, speaker or presentation as well as reviews and commentary, interviews with key
individuals, podcasts, and photos. TED does this through TEDTalks, which will be further
examined in the forthcoming section.
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TEDTalks
TEDTalks takes the video footage of selected TED conference presentations and places
the presentations online free of charge. It launched in June 2006 on the TED.com website. At
the time, Anderson announced the launch of TED.com in a blog post in June 2006, noting that,
“It's a big moment for us: Until now, the TED experience has been limited to 1,000
people each year. But we believe passionately that these talks deserve a much wider
audience. Now - thanks to the maturation of online video and podcasting, and a visionary
sponsorship from BMW - we can share them for the first time…Our intention here isn't to
draw attendees (TED2007 already has a long waiting list), but simply to share these
profound talks - which have had such great impact on us - with the widest possible
audience. They're ideas worth spreading” (Anderson,
http://blog.ted.com/2006/06/27/introducing_ted/, 2011).
Today, TEDTalks presentations now available on YouTube and iTunes. TEDTalks launched a
smartphone application in 2009 and a digital tablet (like the iPad) application in October 2010.
Additionally, some TEDTalks are available on Virgin America’s in-flight video playlist and on
the online video platforms such as Hulu.com and blip.tv. Today, TED curator Chris Anderson
claims that more than 100,000 people a day are watching at least one presentation on TEDTalks.
Every TEDTalks presentation is
subtitled and more than 2,000 talks
have been translated into a total of 80
languages
(http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/71
, 2011).
TEDTalks was TED’s first
step to making the content of the
conference widely accessible through
Figure 1. TEDTalks featured on Virgin America
airlines allows customers to watch Virgin Founder
Richard Branson’s TEDTalks presentation in flight.
23
technology. TED curator Chris Anderson discussed during a 2011 interview with Charlie Rose
discussed how Anderson left that technological democratization felt in line with TED’s core
values, “Indeed, the whole mission of the nonprofit foundation that owns TED is to leverage the
power of good ideas and let them spread as widely and effectively as possible. TEDTalks have
been viewed 300 million times by people around the world [as of July 2010]” (Vega, 2011).
The American philosopher Dr. Daniel Dennett has given presentations at TED IRL
conferences in his time. January 2011 he reflected on the impact of TEDTalks compared to
more traditional ways of reaching the attendees in an interview with The Guardian, "I've written
some very well-selling books, but the effect of having those talks online has been amazing. I get
emails every day from people who've seen them, far more than I can respond to. And it's turned
TED from being where the dotcom billionaires would come for this very elite and completely
closed party and into this amazing force for knowledge" (Cadwalladr, 2011).
TEDTalks are organized online in a few ways, including by theme, which include titles
such as “Animals That Amaze,” “What Makes Us Happy?,” “The Power of Cities,” and “Design
Like You Give a Damn” (http://www.ted.com/themes/list, 2011). The complete list of
TEDTalks’ 54 themes is available in the Appendix A. Each theme lists multiple individual talks,
ranging from a variety of disciplines. For instance, the “Design Like You Give a Damn” lists 91
TEDTalks, which have appeared on the TED conference stages from 2002 through 2011.
Examples of TEDTalks titles that fall into this category contain titles such as “Josh Silver demos
adjustable liquid-filled eyeglasses,” “Tim Brown on creativity and play,” “Dean Kamen
previews a new prosthetic arm,” and “Al Gore on averting climate crisis”
(http://www.ted.com/themes/list, 2011).
24
In fact, Al Gore is one of the better-known TED speakers
(http://www.ted.com/speakers/al_gore.html, 2011). When he originally graced TED’s main stage
in 2006 to discuss climate change, he was already famous. After serving eight years as Vice
President of the United States, he found himself center-stage of the worldwide media during the
US presidential election, which was contested to the Supreme Court, in 2004. Since 2006, he has
given a few presentations at TED IRL conferences, ranging from 10 to 18 minutes in length.
The content of his presentations have provided updated information and action steps regarding
climate change. By and large, Gore has used TED as a soapbox to gain exclusive exposure to the
world’s key influencers in the IRL conference. Additionally, since the conference ended, his
presentations have been available online thanks to TEDTalks. Currently, they are available with
subtitles and transcripts in over 35 languages. This has been a successful strategy to update
information regarding climate change and tie into Gore’s messages in his An Inconvenient Truth
campaign (which includes the 2006 Academy Award winning documentary). Gore’s
participation with TED can be seen as a key component to his overarching climate change
campaign.
TED, through TEDTalks, has also brought relatively unknown individuals into the
spotlight. Anderson explains that providing a TEDTalks allows for “a prospect in creating
celebrities to communicate an idea of substance.” The case of Sir Ken Robinson is notable; he
has been touted as giving “the best presentation in the history of TED.”
(http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/category/ted, 2007)
In 2006, Sir Robinson presented his ideas regarding education, education reform, and
creativity. His 18-minute long presentation highlights how education systems do not harness
creativity the way they should, is now the most viewed TEDTalks presentation (with over 2.3
25
million views on YouTube alone). He reflected that, “the first time I went to TED, nobody knew
anything about me” (http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/category/ted, 2011). TED first provided him
with an offline space to share his message, which added to his notoriety. Furthermore, his online
presence through TEDTalks launched him onto the screens of individuals worldwide. These IRL
and IVL spaces worked in tandem to launch him into the spot light of education reform.
All TEDTalks are licensed under Creative Commons copyright “Attribution –
NonCommerical – NonDerivative.” This means that individuals are able to reproduce,
distribute, display or perform publicly the TEDTalks as long as they are explicitly attributed to
TED with logos and visuals untouched and unedited. Additionally, TEDTalks cannot be used for
commercial purposes (which alignment with TED’s noncommercial, religious or political mores)
and the video clips cannot be altered in any way (http://www.ted.com/index.php/help#talks5,
2011).
TED has recently made a live Google Document spreadsheet accessible to the public that
lists all of the TEDTalks with the URL, the speaker name, TEDTalks presentation title, and a
short summary of the TEDTalks content. As of February 4, 2011, there have been 875
TEDTalks documented at http://on.ted.com/23 (http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/218, 2011).
26
TEDx
The TEDx event program was launched to great success in March 2009. The “x” in the
title stands for independently organized. This means that individuals from around the world can
apply for a license to host their own version of a TED conference in their own community.
While there is substantial freedom regarding organizing and implementation of these
conferences, TED ensures that every TEDx event has a combination of both IRL and IVL
elements, including the mandatory use of at least two TEDTalks videos (which will be described
below) per event. All IRL speakers must represent diverse topics and expertise and adhere to the
18-minute length presentations. There can be no panels, break out sessions, or keynote speakers,
and preferably, no podiums. Additional TEDx event rules can be found in Appendix B.
TED’s website boasts that TEDx events are “free, open, and adaptable,” describing it
below:
Here are a few ways the TEDx event framework is helping to bring the magic of TED to places it's
never been before.
•
•
•
•
In the developing world: TEDx events in the developing world show how disadvantaged
communities are brimming with creativity, new ideas and optimistic entrepreneurism.
For kids: TEDx events for kids are bringing local educators and organizations together to
inspire passion and awake creativity in young minds.
At universities: Who are the thinkers at the leading edge of research? What trends are shaping
the future of science, philosophy, economics? TEDx events at universities are tackling these
and other important questions.
Within corporations: Corporations around the world are organizing private, internal TEDx
events to trace out what the next business revolution will look like. CITE
From March 2010 to March 2011, over 1,000 TEDx events took place all over the world.
Currently, a TEDx event is taking place every four to five days with over 250 scheduled in the
upcoming twelve months. Many of the upcoming TEDx events are already sold out. Below is an
example of the website search engine for upcoming TEDx events. The green marks represent an
27
upcoming location for the TEDx event that has availability. The red marks represent an
upcoming location that is sold out.
Figure 2. Find a TEDx event page on www.ted.com.
TEDx events tend to look as diverse as their organizers. For instance, some TEDx events
boast 5,000 participants for a multiday on and offline conference in a large hotel or conference
hall. On the other end of the spectrum, other TEDx events consist of small groups that meet
weekly to view a TEDTalks video and converse, such as a group of faculty, staff, and students at
a midsize American university that meet weekly to watch two TEDTalks over lunch. The best
TEDx speakers are featured on the main TEDTalks website and mobile application. Anderson
reflected on the outcome of launching TEDx event in his interview with Daly,
“There has been some kind of zeitgeist that TED has very fortunately tapped into. It’s a
form of human-to-human communication that got underplayed. TV never really
connected in that very personal way: it played to the things we’re familiar with. The
drama, the talking heads, the snippets, the sound bites” (Daly, 2010).
TEDx events are a hybrid of TED IRL conferences and the digital optimism of TEDTalks. It
understands the power of IRL experiences and promotes the collective unity often sought in
conference spaces by allowing individuals to plan their own meetings and conferences.
28
Ads Worth Spreading
In February 2011, TED launched a competition titled “Ads Worth Spreading,” in order to
“solicit ads that raise the bar, elevate the craft and invent new forms of online engagement”
(http://www.ted.com/pages/aws_overview, 2011). TED solicited online videos between 30
seconds to five minutes for the competition, which was judged by a multidisciplinary panel for
one of the ten winning placements. There is no monetary exchange for submitting to the
competition, nor upon winning. Instead, each of the ten winners receives the following:
Winners were unveiled at the TED Conference in February 2011 and are featured on the
TED website on a featured, dedicated page for one year. Additionally,
• One
representative per winning ad team will be invited to attend one day at TED2011
in Long Beach. Travel and lodging for the one-night trip will be provided*
• Each
winning team will be granted one free webstream for TED2011, which can be
shared by 10 team members
• Featured
on the YouTube homepage and provided additional media exposure
throughout the site [For video submissions only]
• Featured
as TED.com postroll ads during the week of March 21-27, 2011 [For video
submissions only]
• Featured
in an Ads Worth Spreading winners blog post on the TED Blog
• Featured
in an Ads Worth Spreading winners tweet on @TEDNews and on the TED
Facebook fan page
• Featured
in an Ads Worth Spreading winners blog post on the YouTube blog
• Featured
in an Ads Worth Spreading winners tweet on @YouTube and on
the YouTube facebook fan page
• Featured
in a documentary produced by YouTube about the winners and judges
• Offered
advice on best practices for winners in setting up their YouTube channel
(e.g., video title, metadata, etc.)
(http://www.ted.com/pages/aws_overview, 2011)
TED, in many ways, is revolutionizing how online ads are deemed meaningful. First,
TED removes the financial exchange and uses social media to distribute the message of these ads
(which, in theory, the company could do themselves). Additionally, it puts the role of the
consumer at the forefront. The ads are designed to strike a cord with the consumers – not vice
29
versa. Consumers must proactively expose themselves to what they think is relevant, compared
to the more traditional model in which consumers are forced to watch advertisements to get to
other content. TED notes that the relationship between consumers and companies is changing.
30
DISCUSSION: CASE ANALYSIS
TED has created a rare niche for itself. It maintains an exclusive and extraordinarily high
quality IRL conference. This conference harnesses the power of opinion leaders through the
careful hand-selection of speakers for the attendees, the application process, the price, and the
world-class caliber of the event itself. Due to its interdisciplinary content, it influences people
from all walks of life and connects people who often find themselves in professional, personal
and/or geographic silos. The synergy from such experience bonds individuals to form a
community.
Concurrently, TED welds together a deep sense of community, brought together through
the unique experience of the IRL conference. One key element in the community bonding
process has to do with the format of the TED conference. TED IRL conference presentation style
and format allow for this collective consciousness to occur. Meanwhile, it focuses on each topic
in a comprehensive way and this shared experience allows individuals to feel closer to one
another, cultivating the community. In a world in which media and technology are moving faster
than ever, it is becoming rare for people to have IRL interactions and remain engaged in a
common focus.
TED’s success shows that opinion leaders want and need a proper, face-to-face
explanation about things they do not understand. Media avenues do not often give in-depth
thoughtful analysis. TED’s speakers efficiently deliver a condensed version of their expertise.
This allows the attendees to feel like an expert in a nutshell. The result is two-fold.
First, it reemphasizes the sense of community, continuing to create a shared experience.
The majority of attendees at the IRL have a shared baseline of information about the topics
presented. Secondly, because these individuals are opinion leaders they feel a sense of moral
31
obligation to distribute the information with others outside of the TED community but inside
their social circles.
TED’s Conference is full of influential individuals. This propensity for opinion leaders is
a fundamental element of how and why TED has been able to leverage their brand, content, and
programming.
Chef Jamie Oliver, who won the TED award in 2010 and returned to the TED IRL
conference in March of 2011 to provide an update, reflects on the power of opinion leadership at
the TED Conference. In his interview with British newspaper The Guardian reporter Carole
Cadwalladr writes, “‘it was really tough,’ [Jamie Oliver] told me. ‘I mean how do you sum up a
year in six minutes?’ But the reason he did it, why he flew in from South Beach in Florida to do
so, and delayed his return to Britain, is because ‘there's more power in that room than there is in
Capitol Hill and Downing Street combined. Those people can get things done’” (Cadwalladr,
2011).
As noted, opinion leaders feel the need to further disseminate the information and media
the consumer by sharing it with their social networks. TEDTalks meet that need by providing an
IVL platform that allows this trickledown effect to occur. This approach is the stark opposite of
the TED IRL conference: opposed to the selective, exclusive structure in place for the
conference, TEDTalks embrace the democratic nature of digital optimism. It can be shared with
anyone IVL, regardless of whether they are “curious, passionate, and open-minded” or “would
be wonderful to sit next to at lunch and have a conversation with” (unlike the criteria to attend
the TED IRL conference) (http://www.ted.com/index.php/pages/view/id/113, 2011). By and
large, creating online platforms “not only is the technical infrastructure maturing to host more
sophisticated kinds of sharing and collaboration, internet users themselves are becoming
32
more accustomed to, and enthusiastic about, active participation in online communities. The
innovations that are underway are as much social as technological” (Bolhier, 2007, 45).
TED, and particularly TEDTalks, tout digital optimism as a key element of its work.
TED boasts that its online presence is a vital part of the overall impact: “by making the content
widely available, we hope to inspire large numbers of people to think and act a little differently.
If you believe in the power of ideas, and have watched some of the talks on this site, you may
have experienced this yourself. More than 100,000 people a day are watching a TEDTalk
somewhere in the world” (http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/185, 2011).
Providing an IVL space for the mass distribution of conference content runs the risk of
diluting the exceptionality and demand for the IRL conference. After all, if anyone can view the
presentations for free, why would they spend thousands of dollars, travel, and go through the
competitive application process?
However, creating an open source platform for TED exposure was controversial.
Anderson addressed this in his interview with Charlie Rose, noting that people were often
skeptical of the TEDTalks launch. “When we first started thinking about giving the talks away
on the web, some people thought we were crazy and we were giving away the crown jewels. As
the world interconnects the rules about ‘giving away’ are sort of changing. Instead of killing the
demand for the conference, it actually increased the demand for people to come and attend”
(Vega, 2011).
Opposed to reducing the interest in the IRL conference, TEDTalks has had the opposite
effect: it provided a desired tool to those already established in the TED community (specifically
opinion leaders who attend the IRL conferences) and it gained the attention and esteem of a
widespread online community. Anderson notes that, “when you give something away
33
sometimes, it’s the very smartest thing you can do” (Vega, 2011). TEDTalks has led to great
exposure for all of TED’s programs and has had an extremely positive impact on the popularity
and demand for the TED IRL conference.
As TEDTalks is viewed by an increasing number of media consumers, the TED
community has expanded and the broader TED community now feeds into the “inner circle” IRL
community at the conference. Additionally, TEDTalks has actually improved the quality of the
TED conference and facilitated its coordination through crowd sourcing future attendees and
speakers. In fact, Anderson remarks,
“More and more, [TEDTalks has] become a product of crowd sourcing. So many people
feel engaged in TED at some level that we get thousands of speaker suggestions. And
people have a good sense of who might make a good speaker, so we have a vast pool to
choose from. We want them to be incredible in their area, but they must also be a good
speaker and show they can communicate. Some people can be absolutely brilliant in their
field, but if they can’t find the language to share their passion” (Daly, 2010).
This crowd sourcing changes the nature of the consumer by increasing their participation.
Individuals have the potential to make a substantial impact in the programming of an IRL
conference. Members of the TED community can have an increased stake in TED programming
and a sense of responsibility drives a deeper sense of connection to TED and a moral obligation
found in strong communities. TEDTalks have opened the virtual doors to the world, activating its
online users. This trend has been described by Rolando Balsinde, Markus Löffler, James
Manyika, and Pål Erik Sjåtil in “Our Digital Future,”
“As open networks have empowered individuals and user communities, the very roles of
‘producer’ and ‘consumer’ have started to blur…the increased involvement by customers
and end users in various aspects of product design, development, marketing, selling and
servicing. Just as technology allows businesses to interact more directly with their
customers, the next logical step is the inclusion of customers directly into value-delivery
systems” (Balsinde, et al., 2007).
34
The wide spread availability of TEDTalks also impacts the speakers. Anderson has noted
that TED now spends more time preparing the presenters for their presentations. The stakes are
higher because the presentations can no live at TEDTalks long after the conference is over. And
that elevates everyone’s standards. TEDTalks therefore creates a self-induced quality assurance
function for all of TED’s programming.
TEDTalks has had an impact on the IRL conference and transformed the online
community into the active participants and mouthpieces for TED. Just as the real life conference
needed to be shared by the opinion leaders who attend it, the offline elements of TED needed to
be shared by the active IVL members of the TED community. They needed an outlet to further
cultivate their relationship with TED and share it in a real world setting. TEDx events responded
to that need by converting the passive IVL media user into the ultimate active IRL role: the
conference planner. “It turns out that people really love the opportunity to sit down and listen to
others say something that really matters. It’s a renaissance of knowledge and exploration and
discovery and all kinds of people can participate in different ways” (Anderson,
http://www.tedxbratislava.sk/en/content/about-tedx, 2011).
Anderson understands TEDx to be a fundamental part of “a global laboratory to share and
spread ideas” (Vega, 2011). This hybrid program disregards the exclusivity of TED’s IRL
conferences and emphasizes the importance of real life interaction. TEDx fosters a grassroots
quality to TED programming. It expands participation in the TED brand (and perhaps redefines
what it means to be a TEDster). TEDx increases the TEDster ownership of TED’s influence and
brand.
Therefore, these TEDx event planners become self-nominated liaisons for the TED
community in their own social and professional circles. While technology becomes a more and
35
more important tool for individuals to connect with one another, TEDx’s blends both on- and
off-line approaches. Individuals, who would typically never be able to attend a TED IRL
conference, would thus be limited to participate in the TED IVL community, now have a chance
to plan their own version of a TED event.
This becomes a cycle, where each aspect of TED programming feeds into the next (See
Figure 3). Even at the TEDx events themselves, the power of the IVL community is reinforced
by the mandatory viewing of a minimum of two TEDTalks presentations. This strengthens
TED’s ability to transition the attendees at TEDx events to TEDTalks consumers. The TED
community once goes seamlessly from online and offline environs in order to maximize
participation and engage new members. This has created a new type of participant – one that has
been framed as active, intelligent and deserving of respect.
Figure 3. How TED programming’s creates a cycle in order to address the IVL
participatory consumer and IRL opinion leaders.
TED understands this type of consumer. In order to adapt the TED experience to the
better align with TED consumers’ values, Ads Worth Spreading takes traditional online
advertising and flips it on its head. “Where are the seizure-inducing advertisements?,” observes
blogger Karoline Schwartz for the blog The Little Rebellion, “At TED.com, there are no flashing
36
credit score pop-ups or graphic weight-loss solution photos. TED videos simply show the logo of
their sponsors beside the video and mention them quietly in the beginning of each clip so as not
to distract viewers from the main attraction” (Schwartz, 2009). TED’s website described the
purpose and philosophy of the competition as reported below:
“We're seeking to reverse the trend of online ads being aggressively forced on users. We
want to nurture ads so good you choose to watch. On TED.com, ads run after our talks,
not before. This means they can run longer than the TV-standard 30 seconds. And that's
the key! In 2-3 minutes, there's enough time to really tell a story, share an idea, make an
authentic human connection, become unforgettable. Instead of ambush, they offer
pleasurable, intelligent engagement”
(http://www.ted.com/pages/initiatives_ads_worth_spreading, 2011).
The Ads Worth Spreading competition raises the bar for creating the ads. Money, in this
case, is not a motivating factor. TED (and the TED community) value creativity and innovation
over financial backing. That merit is a key component in what the more participatory consumer
seeks.
37
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Future directions for research regarding TED’s programs and platforms are vast. For
instance, there is currently a lack of published primary long- and short-term research regarding
the impact of TED both on- and off-line. Additionally, creating a general analysis of the speakers
and the content of TEDTalks would further the understanding of how and why TED works as
well as what characteristics TED considers ideas worth spreading.
For instance, The Huffington Post featured a blog posting in July 2010 when TED
announced TEDWomen (a conference specifically regarding the issues that affect women and
girls). The posting, written by organizational consultant and feminist Harquail, criticizes TED’s
lack of female speakers. Harquail writes,
“TED, the digital world's most prominent aggregator of big ideas, thinks it can resolve
complaints that its programs are male-dominated by creating a one-off conference,
TEDWomen, that focuses on ideas by and about women…Rather than adding more
women presenters and more of women's interests directly to TED's center stage,
organizers have created a Women's conference to serve as arm candy for the conference
about real ideas --the ideas presented by and centered on those who are not women, a
group otherwise known as men…If gender equality is an idea worth sharing, isn't it also
an idea worth putting into practice?” (Harquail, 2011).
TED acknowledges these gaps. In fact, Anderson addressed this issue in a 2010 interview when
Daly, freelance journalist, asked, “Who would you like to have who hasn't yet presented?”
“Many. We’ve put feelers out to Warren Buffet for the past few years. He’d be great,
especially considering what the economy has been through recently. He has a wonderful
ability to be a clear voice of wisdom able to condense complex financial issues into a
compelling language….We’re always looking out for interesting women. It’s an easy
critique of any technology conference that there aren't enough women speakers and its
true. But it certainly isn’t for want of looking and trying.” (Daly, 2010).
Another potential component for content analysis rests on a current case of Chinese artist
Ai Weiwei. TED claims to create a platform free from religious, political and corporate ties in
order for individuals to express TED’s ideals of “ideas worth spreading.” However, the very
38
nature of promoting widespread new and creative ideas fits into many political paradigms.
Weiwei was detained in China, a month after being featured in a video describing social change,
the impact of technology and his treatment by the government at the TED Conference. This
remark appeared on the TED blog, published April 4, 2011: “TED is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical
organization, and we understand the Chinese authorities’ concern at anything which [sic] might
provoke social unrest. But for anyone who believes in the power of ideas, of human imagination,
it is heartbreaking to see one of the world’s great artists shackled in this way. We will be
tracking developments carefully” (http://blog.ted.com/2011/04/04/ai-weiwei-detained-here-ishis-ted-film/, 2011).
Promoting the “power of ideas, of human imagination” is, in fact, political in and of
itself, as is having corporate sponsorship opportunities when an organization is attempting to be
non-corporate. How does providing a stage for an opinion, which ultimately is tied to
philosophical ideals, social values and social policies, affect TED as an organization and the
world? This research has potential to further the understanding of the interwoven nature of such
a multidisciplinary, multiplatform organization like TED.
Lastly, there is a large potential for analysis regarding TED’s brand management. As
TEDx is implemented in every corner of the globe, how does the parent organization ensure the
integrity and reputation of the original brand and strong community it has fostered?
39
CONCLUSION
TED provides a widespread on and offline platform to learn about an array of topics and
issues, foster a strong community, and activate a participatory consumer. As we continue to
understand how to leverage IRL and IVL tactics to reach individuals in a meaningful way by
inspiring and engaging them, examining communication theories and strategies TED employs
gives insight to the capacity for worldwide change. TED is an example of how much potential
there is when people from all walks of life come together in a strategic way.
Furthermore, TED is about the power of ideas and the synergy of interdisciplinary
content. What opinion leaders are discussing today can predict the future. While there is a lot of
power in what people are thinking and learning about, the manner and method this takes place
leads to a better understanding how and why communication works. The way in which these
ideas are being discussed through the TED IRL conference, TEDTalks, and TEDx events has the
ability to transform how individuals relate to another on and off life. As Anderson notes,
“It makes you optimistic about the world’s future. We all have this fear that the world is
dumming down. That’s what a lot of the sort of drumbeat is. Oh, the internet is
distracting us, no one has an attention span anymore and there’s all this clutter. And there
are some reasons to be concerned about these things. But at the same time there is this
other story of thousands and thousands of people around the world willing to go to huge
lengths to meet with each other, to think, to learn to dream. And I think that’s a great
thing” (Vega, 2011).
IRL and IVL strategies and programs use by TED have been developed in a
complimentary manner, responding and developing with a new type of consumer. This hybrid
approach is ultra exclusive on one end (the IRL conference) and ultra open on the other
(TEDTalks). This hybridism and integration provide capacity building tools that create real
change (TEDx events). Understanding TED’s rare approach to a combination of exclusive and
40
open-source branding and community mobilizing methodology can launch future
recommendations for similar organizations and social movements.
41
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Cadwalladr, Carole. (2010, July 4). Ted – the ultimate forum for blue-sky thinking. The
Guardian Observer. Retrieved April 2011 from
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Cadwalladr, Carole. (2011, March 6). TED: 'There's an awful lot of brains out there' – all
working to save the world. The Guardian Observer. Retrieved April 2011 from
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/06/ted-conference-california-jamieoliver?INTCMP=SRCH on April 11, 2011.
Daly, James. (2010). The Art of the TED Talk. Bizmore. Retrieved in April 2011 from
http://www.projectebenezer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:the-artof-the-ted-talk&catid=35:blog&Itemid=29.
Fetzer Institute. (2011). Retrieved in April 2011 from www.fetzer.org
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Foundation Center. (2010). The Sapling Foundation’s 2009 990 IRS form. Retrieved April 2011
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Harqual, CV. (2011, February 27). Because Women Have “Ideas Worth Spreading”: TED2011
Action Steps. Authentic Organizations. Retrieved February 2011 from
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Harquail, CV. (2011, February). Separate Still Isn’t Equal. Huffington Post. Retrieved March
2011 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cv-harquail/separate-still-isnt-equal_b_662345.html.
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divided attention?. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 21: 317–329.
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Reearch, Search Conference Methodology, and Community Development. Journal of the
Community Development Society; 34:18.
Kamenetz, Anya. (2010, September 1). How TED Connects the Idea-Hungry Elite. Fast
Company. Accessed at http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/148/how-ted-became-the-newharvard.html on April 11, 2011.
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Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age, Washington, D.C.: The
Aspen Institute.
Latham, Steven. (Producer). (2007). The Future We Will Create [full length documentary].
Retrieved February 2011 from http://www.hulu.com/watch/200711/the-future-we-will-createinside-the-world-of-ted.
Metz, Jennifer, Jake Whitman and Margaret Aro. (2011, March 4). TED 2011: Great Minds
Share Big Ideas in 18 Minutes. ABC World News with Diane Swayer. Retrieved March 2011
from http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ted2011-great-minds-share-big-idea-18minutes/story?id=13058615.
Muniz, Albert M. & Thomas C. O’Guinn. (2001). Brand Community. The Journal of Consumer
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Shirkey, Clay. (2008). Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without
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Simon & Schuster
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Tenner, Edward (2011, March 11). Becoming a TED Speaker. The Atlantic. Accessed at
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http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11483.
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APPENDIX A:
A list of TEDTalks Themes
A
F
R
A Greener Future?
Food Matters
Rethinking Poverty
A Taste of Mission Blue
H
S
Voyage
Hidden Gems
Spectacular Performance
A Taste of TED2009
How the Mind Works
A Taste of TED2010
T
How We Learn
A Taste of TED2011
I
Tales of Invention
A Taste of TEDGlobal
Technology, History and
Inspired by Nature
Destiny
Is There a God?
TED in 3 Minutes
L
TED Prize Winners
Live Music
TED Under 30
A Taste of TEDx
M
The Charter for
Africa: The Next Chapter
Master Storytellers
Animals That Amaze
Media With Meaning
Architectural Inspiration
Medicine Without Borders
Art Unusual
Might You Live a Great
B
Deal Longer?
2009
A Taste of TEDGlobal
2010
A Taste of TEDIndia
Best of the Web
N
Bold Predictions, Stern
New on TED.com
Warnings
Not Business as Usual
C
Numbers at Play
Celebrating TEDWomen
D
O
Ocean Stories
Design Like You Give a
P
Damn
Peering into Space
E
Presentation Innovation
Compassion
The Creative Spark
The Power of Cities
The Rise of Collaboration
To Boldly Go ...
U
Unconventional
Explanations
W
War and Peace
What Makes Us Happy?
What's Next in Tech
Whipsmart Comedy
Women Reshaping the
World
Evolution's Genius
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APPENDIX B:
TEDx Event Rules
This page contains the complete set of rules for organizing a TEDx event from start to finish -from creating your event's unique TEDx logo to creating a website to acquiring sponsorships that
cover your event's operating costs. Each item on this page is a rule -- non-negotiable and
mandatory for all TEDx event organizers.
Table of contents
• General rules
• Rules for naming your event
• Branding / identity / logo
• Copy / messaging
• Websites
• Photo + video
• Social media
• Event profiles
• Webcasts
• Sponsors
• PR / press / media
General rules
• Spirit/purpose: Your event must maintain the spirit of TED itself: cross-disciplinary,
focused on the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.
• Format: A suite of short, carefully prepared talks, demonstrations and performances on a
wide range of subjects to foster learning, inspiration and wonder -- and to provoke
conversations that matter. (The typical presentation should be an 18-minute talk by a
single presenter. No talk should exceed 18 minutes. No panels. No break-out sessions.
Usually: No podium.) You may not pay your speakers to present.
• Length: Your event may not exceed one day in length. (Except in the special case of a
TEDxLive event.)
• Frequency: A TEDx license permits you to organize one event. (If you want to organize
a recurring event, you must apply for a new, second license after you've organized one
TEDx event.)
• Location: TED allocates one location-based license per applicant; you must live in the
city for which you are applying for a license. Your TEDx event must happen in the city
for which you received the license. TEDx events do not travel -- a TEDx license is valid
for one city, and for one event.
• Admission/tickets: You may not use your event to make money. You may not use your
event to raise funds for charities or other organizations. (TED will allow certain TEDx
events to charge a small admission fee -- always under $100 -- to help cover the event's
production costs. In order to charge an admission fee, you must obtain permission from
TED first.)
• Attendance: Up to 100 individuals may attend your event. (Only individuals who have
attended an official TED conference in person may organize an event with more than 100
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
attendees. I.e., the primary license holder -- the individual whose name is on the
application form -- must have attended a TED conference. Having attended a TEDx event
does not qualify you to host an event for more than 100 guests.)
Introduction video: A short, official video introduction featuring TED Curator Chris
Anderson must be played at the beginning of your event. (Playing this video is not
optional; the purpose of the video is to make sure that your audience understands what
TEDx is, and the difference between it and TED.)
Pre-recorded talks: A minimum of two official, pre-recorded TEDTalks must be shown
at events which are less than half a day in length. For longer events, 25% of the total
number of talks must be official, pre-recorded TEDTalks.
Live original content: You must record all original stage content (live talks,
performances, etc.) on video. After your event, you must make this video accessible to
TED and the public.
Speaker waiver: All of your speakers, performers and other stage presenters must sign
this permission release form, giving TED and others the right to edit and distribute video
of their presentation.
Branding: Never use the TED logo. Do not use the generic TEDx logo; you must use
your own event's official, unique TEDx brand identity (see the "Branding / identity /
logo") in all communications. You must make it clear that your event is independently
organized.
Co-branding: We do not allow co-branding (i.e., connecting the TEDx
logo/identity/name to the name of another organization), except in certain circumstances;
pre-approval is always required:
o Corporations/organizations: Co-branding your event with a company,
organization or agency is only permitted in the case of an internal event. (To be
considered an internal event, your event must be for employees only, promoted
only within the organization -- not to clients, the public, etc. Video and other
material from your event may only be shared inside the organization.)
o Schools/NGOs/camps: We do not co-brand with NGOs. We only co-brand with
schools and universities.
Co-events: TEDx events are stand-alone events -- they may not be combined with or
integrated into any pre-existing conference or event.
License term: Your TEDx license is valid for one year from its date of approval, or until
the conclusion of your event -- whichever comes first. You must re-apply for each
subsequent event.
License transfers: TEDx licenses are non-transferable -- you cannot transfer your TEDx
license to another individual. (If you want to relinquish your license to allow another
organizer to have it, you'll need to notify us first. The new licensee will need to fill out
his or her own application.)
Recurring events under one license: Organizers who want to produce weekly TEDx
events may apply for a license for a recurring event. (We only consider weekly events to
be "recurring"; monthly events must apply for a new license at the end of each cycle.) To
apply for a recurring event, you must first have organized at least one TEDx event. If you
would like to request a license for a recurring event, contact us.
Closing out your event: After your event, you'll need to do the following:
1. Fill out the organizer survey (required)
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2. Send the audience survey to your attendees (required)
3. Upload photos to Flickr, tagged "TEDx" + "TEDx[place name]" (required)
4. Upload video (if any) to the TEDx channel on YouTube (follow our guidelines)
(required)
5. Tell us your story (optional)
6. Re-apply to renew your license (optional)
7. Share with the community (optional)
* Read the complete guide to closing out your event.
Naming a TEDx event
All TEDx event names follow the same convention: a name beginning with TEDx, followed by a
location-based descriptor such as the name of your city, school, neighborhood or organization.
(E.g., TEDxSydney, TEDxThames, TEDxUSC.) TED must approve your event's name; we
approve when you submit the standard application form.
•
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•
•
•
•
•
Country names: No country names will be granted, with the exception of small islands.
City names: City names will be reserved for individuals organizing events attended by
more than 100 people. (To organize an event attended by more than 100 people, you need
to have attended a TED conference in person.)
Co-branded names: Co-branded names (such as TEDxUSC) are approved on a case-bycase basis. We do not co-brand with NGOs. We only co-brand with schools and
universities. We don't co-brand with other conferences or seminars.
Corporate names: When approved, corporations can only organize private, internal
TEDx events (e.g., an event named TEDxPWCDublin may only be attended by PWC
employees).
Theme names: Generally, we will not approve theme-based names (e.g.,
"TEDxMarketing" or "TEDxEducation"). We will not approve any location-based name
with a theme or vertical added to it (e.g., "TEDxSydneyDesign" or
"TEDxNewYorkSpace"). You may give your event program a theme ("Revolutionary
Ideas"), but the name of your TEDx event (appearing on your logo, website, etc.) must be
the standard location-based name.
Name abbreviation / variation: Name abbreviations and variations are not allowed. You
must always refer to your event with the name you were approved for. (E.g., if you are
licensed for "TEDxPhoenix," you may not refer to your event as "TEDxPHX" or any
other variation. You must refer to it as "TEDxPhoenix" in all copy, messaging, logos,
etc.)
Place names of 2 or more words: Some place names are composed of two or more
words, e.g. San Francisco. However, TEDx names must never include spaces. Do not use
spaces when referring to your event in your copy or on your logo. (The capitalization of
subsequent words implies the space.) E.g., the name of an event for the city of San
Francisco would be called "TEDxSanFrancisco."
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Be creative when choosing your event's name. If the name of your city is taken, consider a
neighborhood, your city's nickname, a river, a nearby lake, a historic name, a street name ... For
example, in London in 2009 there were eight TEDx events: TEDxLondon, TEDxTuttle,
TEDxThames, TEDxEastEnd, TEDxRegentsPark, TEDxEdges, TEDxNottingHill,
TEDxVonUnderbelly.
Branding / identity / logo
This section covers proper use of the TEDx brand identity, your event's specific TEDx logo, and
complete specifications for print and on-screen applications. In order to maintain and preserve it,
the only acceptable versions of the identity are those appearing in these rules.
The most important rule: Never use the TED logo. Only your event's approved TEDx logo that
includes the TEDx tagline may be used. When you use your TEDx event's logo it must be
accompanied by the tagline "x=independently organized TED event". This is a lockup -- your
logo (as well as the generic TEDx logo) may not be used without this tagline.
When to use your TEDx identity: Your event's TEDx logo must appear on your website, on all
outbound communications with speakers, attendees and sponsors, and on all PR and marketing
materials.
One- or two-line tagline
The TEDx logo is unique artwork that has been created to brand and market all TEDx events.
TEDx has an official tagline that is in a lockup relationship with TEDx: "x = independently
organized TED event" must be included in the logo, either as one line or two lines. (Do not
change the wording of the tagline -- the only approved versions are shown here.)
The one-line tagline logo is preferable. However in situations where there is not enough room to
use a logo of this width, the two-line tagline logo may be used.
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Logos and place names
Your specific TEDx logo will contain the place name. For longer place names, there is an
alternative template that puts the place name on a second line.
Place names with descenders
For place names that contain lower-case letters with descenders (p, q, g, j, y) use the two-line
stacked tagline so that the descenders do not touch the tagline.
TED color
•
•
Offset printing with Pantone inks: When possible, a spot color should be used for your
logo -- this is the best way to reproduce TED red (Pantone 485).
Offset printing with 4-color process inks: If specifying a spot color is not possible, the
4-color process (CMYK) method of printing may be used to print your TEDx event's
logo. 4-color process printing is acceptable, although it is not the preferable way to
reproduce our logo. In 4-color process printing the TED red color will only be simulated.
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Note that even though you may be offset printing a publication using 4-color
process, it is often possible (and highly recommended) to specify an additional
spot color (Pantone 485) for the logo.
Desktop printing: Sometimes it is more appropriate to produce branded publications and
other communications using a digital process -- such as printing from a computer directly
to a desktop laser or ink-jet printer. Local settings and calibrations should be used to
determine the best color specifications for your particular printer.
On-screen/web: When your TEDx event's logo is reproduced on-screen in Microsoft
PowerPoint presentations, in video, or online for the web, RGB or web color logos
should be used. On-screen applications use RGB (red/green/blue) values to simulate
color. On the web, hex values are used to specify color. Each of these specifications is
shown above-right.
o
•
•
The colors shown here and throughout these guidelines have not been evaluated by Pantone Inc.
for accuracy and may not match the Pantone Color Standards.
Due to the manner in which color is represented on-screen, the colors shown here may not
accurately represent the true TEDx colors. Therefore, do not use the colors shown here (or a
printed version of this page) for color matching. Instead, always refer to the color specifications
and visually match the specified colors accurately using Pantone Color Standards.
Specifications / templates
We've created a unified system for TEDx logos, so they all retain the same look and feel. We
provide two different templates that you can download and customize for your event. Each
includes a text field for you to type in your event name (in Helvetica) so it automatically appears
in the correct place. (For events with longer names, there is a template that puts the name of your
event on a second line.)
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•
•
•
Typeface: The typeface (Helvetica) is an integral part of our visual identity and should
not be changed or substituted. Helvetica comes pre-installed on most computers, but if
you do not have access to it, use Arial. If you have a different version of Helvetica
(Helvetica Neue, for example) use the Regular weight of your version.
Kerning: Letter-spacing in the TEDx logo templates is set to 0. Do not adjust this
setting.
Alignment: The name of your event should always align left in relation to the "TEDx"
part of the logo, and should be sized to be exactly the same height as the "TEDx" part of
the logo. Letter-spacing in the TEDx logo templates is set to 0. Do not adjust this setting.
Color: your TEDx event's logo should always include a red "TEDx", and either black or
white text for the other words. Use a solid, all-white or all-black background. (For your
event's profile on TED.com, we recommend a white background.) Do not place your
TEDx event's logo on other colors or on photographic, patterned or illustrative
backgrounds.
Download: TEDx logo templates (.eps, .pdf, .jpg, .psd) »
Background color
Use a solid, all-white or all-black background, as shown at right. (For your event's profile on
TED.com, we recommend a white background.) Do not place your TEDx event's logo on other
colors or on photographic, patterned or illustrative backgrounds.
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Clear space
To remain completely legible and ensure that your TEDx event's logo is presented in the best
possible manner, a minimum buffer zone of clear space should always be maintained around the
entire perimeter of your logo. Other logos, graphics or copy must be kept out of this zone.
(Logos may not be "locked up" with any other logos or images. Other logos cannot appear as if
they are a part of your TEDx event's logo.)
Minimum size
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Proportions must stay consistent when your logo is resized. To ensure legibility, never use your
TEDx event's logo with an overall width that is less than 2.0 inches. At widths that are smaller
than 2.0 inches, the tagline will become illegible.
What to avoid
Do not set the place name in all caps, or change its size.
Do not change the color of "TEDx," the place name, or the "x" in the tagline.
Only use the 2-line template for longer place names. Do not change the color of the "x" in TEDx.
Do not create your TEDx event's logo or tagline in your own typeface.
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Copy / messaging
To support your TEDx event's graphic identity, several important verbal messages must appear
on all your TEDx communications, especially outbound materials used for PR and marketing, to
describe the program as a whole, and distinguish it from your specific event.
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•
•
Mandatory language: All communications must include the following copy:
This independent TEDx event is operated under license from TED.
o On materials with multiple pages, each page must include the following copy:
This TEDx event is independently organized.
Spacing: There is no space between "TEDx" and your event name's place name. E.g.,
when referring to your TEDx event with the place name in copy, use "TEDx[place
name]".
Capitalization: Never capitalize the place name of your event name (e.g.,
"TEDxDUBLIN" is incorrect; it should be "TEDxDublin"). This goes for your logo, your
website, and any other place where your event's name appears.
Describing the TEDx program: When describing the TEDx program to press, bloggers,
attendees and frends, use the following copy (and be sure to distinguish between the
program as a whole and your specific event, never referring to your event as "TEDx", but
always as "TEDx[place name]"):
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx.
TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a
TED-like experience. Our event is call TEDx (name), where x=independently organized
TED event. At our TEDx (name) event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine
to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.
•
The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual
TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
Explaining the TEDx program's mission: Use the following copy to describe the TEDx
program's mission:
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events
that bring people together to share a TED- like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks
video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small
group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x=independently
organized TED event.
The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual
TEDx events are self-organized.
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•
•
•
Unacceptable copy: The TEDx program's brand name is written "TEDx" Do not use the
following or any other variation:
o TED-x
o TEDX
o TedX
Name abbreviation / variation: Name abbreviations and variations are not allowed. You
must always refer to your event with the name you were approved for. (E.g., if you are
licensed for "TEDxPhoenix," you may not refer to your event as "TEDxPHX" or any
other variation. You must refer to it as "TEDxPhoenix" in all copy, messaging, logos,
etc.)
Place names of 2 or more words: Some place names are composed of two or more
words, e.g. San Francisco. However, TEDx names must never include spaces. Do not use
spaces when referring to your event in your copy or on your logo. (The capitalization of
subsequent words implies the space.) E.g., the name of an event for the city of San
Francisco would be called "TEDxSanFrancisco."
Websites
Your TEDx website may only be used for the purposes of promoting your TEDx event. Your
website should offer basic information about your event (its date and location; background on its
organizers; the speaker roster and session schedule) and information about the TEDx program
and TED.
•
•
•
•
•
Domain acquisition: Do not purchase a domain name until your license has been
approved. You aren't required to purchase a domain name, but we strongly encourage it.
(A domain name will make your site more findable.) Whether you decide to buy web
hosting from a paid service or opt for a free hosting account is up to you. However, we do
not permit any TEDx site to run advertising, so be sure that your hosting service does not
require you to do so.
Your site's URL: The URL of your website's homepage should be the name of your
TEDx event, e.g. TEDxTokyo.com. The .com top-level domain should be your first
choice, followed by the top-level domain of your country (e.g., .pl for Poland). .org and
.net should be your next choices.
Ownership of your domain name: When you purchase your TEDx[place name] domain
name, you are entitled to keep the domain name as long as you are the TEDx licensee
whose event's name corresponds exactly to the domain name in question. (E.g., as long as
you are the licensee in charge of TEDxAcme, you may keep the domain name
"http://www.tedxacme.com.")
Domain name squatting: You may only own the domain name that corresponds to your
own event; you may not register domain names corresponding to other TEDx events -including prospective events that have not yet been licensed -- without permission from
TED. (In other words, you may not "squat" in domain names for potential TEDx events if
you are not already the licensee, even if you intend to transfer ownership, or intend to
apply for a license for the event at a later point.)
License renewal/relinquishment: If you decide not to renew your TEDx license after
your TEDx event, or TED does not renew your license, you must transfer ownership of
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•
•
•
•
your TEDx domain name either back to your domain registrar (or web hosting service),
or to another TEDx licensee. TED cannot be held liable for expenses incurred during the
purchase, transfer or re-sale of TEDx-related domain names.
Content: Your site needs to include information about your live speakers, a description
of your venue, the date and location of your event, and information about TEDx and
TED.
o Unacceptable content: You may not display any content associated with:
 Weapons manufacturers
 Ammunition companies
 Cigarette companies
 Online gambling organizations
 Sex-related businesses
 Other conferences or seminars
Homepage: Your site's homepage must include the following:
o A visible link, on your event's homepage, to the TEDx program
(http://www.ted.com/tedx)
o Language that describes TEDx:
What is TEDx?
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx.
TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to
share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDx[name], where x =
independently organized TED event. At our TEDx[name] event, TEDTalks video
and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small
group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program,
but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.
o Text in the footer that states "This independent TEDx event is operated under
license from TED."
About page: Your site must have an "About" page that includes the following language:
Images: Never use the TED logo or TED conference images on your website or any
other promotional materials. You may only use your TEDx event's logo and TEDx
images.
Sponsors: Sponsor or partner logos or names may not appear on your site's homepage.
Instead, create a separate page dedicated to your sponsors, and link to the page from your
site's global navigation bar. Anywhere it appears, the sponsor's logo must be smaller than
your TEDx event's logo.
Photo + video
Rights
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•
•
Before covering an event, photographers should sign a release form stating that they
authorize TED Conferences, LLC to replicate and distribute their photos for publicity
releases, program marketing, and on print and web TED properties
Photos of TEDx events should be released under a Creative Commons license
("Attribution - NonCommercial - NonDerivative"), so they can be freely shared and
reposted
Credits
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When posting photographs anywhere (e.g. on Flickr), clearly credit the photographer in
metadata, captions and tags
If you use an image from another TEDx event, contact the event's organizer to confirm
that use of the image is authorized
Standards
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Resolution: Shoot and upload photos in the highest possible resolution. (For JPEGs to be
considered "high resolution," they must meet or exceed a minimum of 7x5 @300 dpi.) If
large file sizes cause problems having to do with bandwidth or storage, contact
remy@ted.com.
Raw photos only: Do not modify photos -- e.g., do not adjust contrast, color balance,
apply filters or airbrush.
Watermarks: Do not put watermarks, text or other labels onto the photos
Credits: Credit the photographer in the digital image with metadata (never watermarks,
text, etc.)
Uploading to Flickr
Help keep the collection of TEDx photography clean, organized, manageable and searchable -follow these instructions when uploading your TEDx event photos to Flickr:
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Tag every photo: "TEDx"; "TEDx[EventName]"; photographer's name
Use a Creative Commons license that matches the license TED uses for TEDTalks:
"Attribution - NonCommercial - NonDerivative"
Join the TEDx Flickr Group
Once you've uploaded all your photography, send a link to your set or gallery to us
If you cannot access Flickr, email us
Social media / online marketing
• Sponsors: Never mention your event's sponsors on social media accounts -- including
Twitter, Facebook, newsletter (mailing list) emails or on your blog.
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Facebook: The name of your Facebook account should mirror the name of your event.
(Set up your Facebook account as a "Page," not as a "Group" or "Profile.") Your official
TEDx event logo must appear in your Facebook image. No sponsor logos are allowed. In
the "Info" tab, include the below "About TED" and "About TEDx" copy:
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Twitter: Your Twitter account name must mirror the name of your TEDx event. (If your
event name exceeds the 15-character limit allowed for Twitter names, contact us with
alternative suggestions, which we must approve.) You must use your official TEDx event
logo as your Twitter image.
Email lists: Never use your email list for any purpose other than communicating
information specifically about your TEDx event. Never send out mailings more than once
a week.
Other social media channels/online marketing tools: All of the standard naming and
branding rules apply. If you have a question, contact us.
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Event profiles
Filling out your event profile is mandatory. You'll need to fill out as much information as you
can immediately after your license has been approved. Events profiles left blank for an extended
period of time are subject to deletion, at TED's discretion. (The corresponding license will also
be canceled at time of deletion.) We're strict about this rule because both the global TEDx
community and the TED team rely on the data you enter to make decisions.
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Regular updates: Update any key data at least once a week. It's crucial that you keep the
general public, and TED, aware of what may have changed about your event. If your
event profile has not been updated with the most current information by your event date,
your next event will not be approved.
Required fields: You might be missing certain information about your event at the point
that your license is approved. However, as soon as the relevant information becomes
available, it's critical that you update the information on each of these items:
o Your event website
o Your event date
o Social media pages
o Twitter tag
o Venue location
o Ticket price (your ticket price must be approvied by TED
o Webcast URL (if you plan on providing a webcast)
Date changes: Our system will allow you to change the date of your event after your
license has been approved. If you want to change your event's date, follow these steps:
1. Go to the world map of TEDx events and review other TEDx events happening in
your region/local area
2. If your date change could affect another TEDx event -- i.e. if it is within the same
4-8 week period and close enough in proximity that your audiences might overlap
-- reach out to the other TEDx organizer and discuss
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3. Once you have settled on a new date and confirmed it's acceptable to other
organizers in your region, change it on your event profile page
4. Tell us the new date
Webcasts: If you're planning on providing a webcast of your event, it's important to let
the TEDx community know. (Other organizers may want to organize events that feature
your event's webcast.) Fill in the "Webcast URL" field as soon as you know the URL. If
you know you'll have a webcast but don't have the URL yet, enter your website's URL -or a placeholder page on your website that contains information you do have about your
webcast.
After your event: After your event, remember to add highlights to your event profile.
(Adding highlights is a prerequisite for renewing your license.)
o Add a Flickr tag
o Add the URL of your YouTube playlist of videos
o Make sure your speaker list is up to date
o Upload a new photo from your event
Webcasts
• Notify us: You must seek approval from TED before you can produce a webcast. Email
us.
• Advertising: No advertisements or sponsor logos are permitted on or around your
webcast. (You may not advertise inside the webcast. You may not place advertisements
or sponsor logos on the website hosting the webcast. Never place advertisements or
sponsor logos in the webcast, or on the video player before or after the webcast.)
• Cost: Your webcast must be free to viewers.
• Distribution: Talks and other content recorded at your event may not be distributed on
broadcast television, cable television, satellite television or on-demand TV.
• Third-party webcast services: If you are broadcasting your webcast on a third-party
website or with a third-party webcast service, you will need to get approval from TED.
(Advertisements in, on or around the webcast are not permitted.)
• Promoting your webcast: If you plan to promote the webcast of your event to the
general public, you'll need to notify us first.
• Your event profile: Add the URL of the webcast to your event profile as soon as you
have it. If you know you will be webcasting your event but are unsure of the URL, add a
link to your website, which should include any information about the webcast that you
have so far. (Doing this will make the global TEDx community aware of your plans to
offer a webcast.)
• Webcast archive: Archiving your TEDx event webcast for the public or your attendees
is not permitted. (I.e., you are not allowed to provide a stream of your event's webcast
after your event has concluded.)
• Viewing parties: You're allowed to organize viewing parties around your TEDx
webcast, but no viewing party may exceed 100 attendees without approval by TED.
Viewing parties must be free of charge to guests, and must be held in non-commercial
venues (such as homes, schools or libraries).
• Audit: After your event, fill out this form.
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Sponsors
• Approval: Before you approach any sponsors, you must use our form to submit a list of
sponsors you would like to approach, along with an explanation of how you want them to
be involved. Only when TED has approved this sponsor proposal may you reach out to
them. If you want to add more sponsors after you've submitted your initial list, use the
form to submit the new list.
• Unacceptable sponsors: Under no conditions will TED allow companies or
organizations who deal in the following to sponsor TEDx events:
o Weapons/ammunition
o Tobacco/cigarettes
o Adult-oriented products/services
• Editorial control: Sponsors have no editorial control or veto power over your program.
• The stage: Sponsors may not present from the stage. No one can pay to be included in
the program; speakers are chosen by merit only.
• Maximum contribution amount:
o For events with less than 100 attendees, total sponsorship funding may not exceed
$5,000 (in cash). (Instead, reach out to sponsors who can offer in-kind support.)
o For events with more than 100 attendees, sponsorship funding may not exceed
$20,000 (in cash) per sponsor. If your budget necessitates funding above this
amount, you will need to get prior written approval from TED.
• Payment: Vendors must be paid directly by sponsors -- not through the TEDx organizer.
• Social media: Do not endorse your sponsors via your event's social media properties.
You are not allowed to promote your sponsors on Twitter, Facebook or any other social
media properties.
• Sponsorship summary: After your event, you'll need to send TED a summary of your
event sponsorship. The summary must include a list of all sponsors, what they sponsored
and how much they contributed. Both in-kind contributions and cash must be declared.
PR / press / media
• Logos: Use your event's TEDx logo. Don't use the TED logo at any time, and don't allow
journalists to use it (in print or on video). Supply journalists with your customized TEDx
logo.
• It's a TEDx event -- not TED: Don't say "TED is coming to [city name]." Don't say
your event is "organized by TED," "sponsored by TED" or an "official TED event." TED
staff should be the sole official spokespeople for TED and the program as a whole; any
journalist seeking comment from TED should be routed through Melody Serafino and
TED.
• Press page for journalists: Ask local journalists to visit your website's media section
(see below). Provide them with the URL to the TEDx program (http://www.ted.com/tedx)
for detailed information on the nature of the TEDx program.
• Press releases: All press and press releases must be routed through approved by the
TEDx program's media liaison, Melody Serafino. Press releases must contain the "About
TED" and "About TEDx" text:
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Interviews: If you are interviewed for broadcast TV or radio, clearly state, at the very
start of the segment, that your event is a TEDx event, and explain what that means (it is
independently organized, etc.). Represent yourself as a participating organizer in your
specific TEDx program.
Interview requests for TED staff: Route requests for interviews with TED staff to
Melody Serafino, TEDx Media Liaison.
Creating a media section on your website: If you're planning on having media cover
your event, create a media section on your website. Direct all your media requests to a
single, consistent resource.
o What your media section should say:
All press requests should be sent to [name]. [Name] is the the official
spokesperson for TEDx[place name]. Please note that TEDx event organizers are
not able to speak for the TED Conference. Any inquiry regarding TED should be
sent to:
Melody Serafino
TEDx Media Liaison
TEDxPR@groupsjr.com
While we appreciate any coverage, we kindly ask that all journalists and/or
bloggers be respectful of the difference between the TED and TEDx brands.
The 'x' in 'TEDx' stands for "independently organized events." Any headline or
text which implies "TED" is coming to [location] is misleading.
For more information on TEDx, visit http://www.ted.com/tedx.
Having media attend your TEDx event: At TED, we keep the number of journalists to
a minimum. We ask you to do the same. Only invite media you know personally.
o Members of the press are not allowed to take pictures of or film/videotape your
TEDx event. Instead, find one in-house photographer and share selections with
the media.
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