Sex, Lies
and Reality
Exploding the myths of Web 2.0
Beginnings
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In just a few short years the web has become part of the fabric of our lives.
The question now, is not whether the web will be used, but how it will be used.
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about Web 2.0. How we have moved
from a web of content to one based on community, collaboration and
customer creation.
To its advocates, the web is a living community that has extended beyond the
virtual world to become the organising epicentre of their lives. To others, it is
the wild web, an unmediated, anarchic environment where anything goes.
We set out to uncover the truth. To separate myth from reality. To find out how
people really behave in this environment and how that differs from their
so-called real lives. It proved to be a journey that took us down many new and
exotic paths. Along the way we came to understand how Web 2.0 affects our
behaviour and what brands need to do to remain strong and successful.
06/07
08/09
10/11
12/25
14/15
16/17
18/19
20/21
22/23
24/25
26/27
28/29
WHY ON EARTH?
THE PERSON WITHIN
THE PARADOX
MYTHS
01 They are all freaks and geeks
02 It’s perfectly obvious what is real
03 People think and behave totally differently
04 It’s anarchic and lawless
05 The internet is for porn
06 It messes with your mind
IMPLICATIONS FOR BRANDS
THE FUTURE
“My avatar has cat’s ears
and wears short pants
(because it’s summer)”
JI-EUN LEE, KOREA
Contents
Why on Earth?
...............................................................................................................
Technology has always shaped culture and brought
Much of this media speculation has centred around
about social change but the force with which it exerts
three themes: complete denial, new ways to achieve
its influence today is unprecedented.
brand representation in virtual space and predicting
The emergence of Web 2.0 has facilitated the
democratisation of media and global empowerment
of ordinary people, meaning that brands must adapt
and engage if they are to survive.
Web 2.0 has heralded the start of a new chapter
in the evolution of internet communications and
marked the beginning of what has fast become a
global phenomenon.
the imminent meltdown of society as people live their
lives through their computer screens. An entire
language has emerged to describe this new order screenagers, digerati, netiquette and so on.
But what is really going on out there? Is it possible
that the exponential growth of digital technology
could have overtaken us completely; challenging
everything we thought we knew about? In truth, we
had our suspicions but we needed to find a unique
Social networking has become a cornerstone of the
perspective, a voice that would cut through the
digital landscape, provoking a frenzied reaction from
masses of material that had already been written.
marketers, cultural observers and social critics alike.
Escaping the noise surrounding virtual worlds like
Second Life and networking sites such as Facebook,
hi5 and MySpace, has become almost impossible.
We wanted solid evidence that society has indeed
become an assortment of remote individuals interacting
in previously unimagined ways. For this, we were
prepared to bend the framework of our beliefs - with
respect to brands, people and markets - to embark on
an excursion into this world.
06/07
The Person Within
...............................................................................................................
Our journey commenced with some pretty deep and
Our study comprised a broad-based programme of
difficult questions:
original research implemented across 19 countries.
• What is it about people who develop an online,
The components were:
virtual identity? Are they disenchanted, disrespectful,
Online survey
deficient, disfigured, dysfunctional, just different
Exploring social networking, virtual worlds and gaming
or maybe their current bodily format is simply not
behaviours, along with attitudes to life and brands
expressive enough for their expansive imaginations?
online (3838 people interviewed globally).
• What is their mind-set? Escapism, control,
risk-taking, shyness, confidence, otherness….?
• How did this need for an alternative, virtual
Semiotics
Analysis of avatar identity, the virtual environment and
the socio-cultural meaning behind the phenomenon.
identity manifest itself before Web 2.0? Adventure
Ethno-method
comics, fantasy gaming, role play….?
In-depth interviews and observations with bloggers,
• What is it about the real world that makes people
gamers, virtualists and so on.
want to temporarily ‘slip outside’? Have they
Conversation Analysis
changed their beliefs about what is ‘real’?
Investigation into the way language is used when
• Why the wings? Some go to great lengths with
their avatars*– what can we learn about people by
studying the way they visualise their alter-egos?
• Destination. Why is virtual space a good place to go?
Are there emotional, intellectual, sexual benefits?
visual cues are missing.
Our findings are extensive, rich and insightful.
They form the cornerstone of our new thinking.
* A graphic representation of a real person in the online environment.
The word ‘avatar’ derives from the Sanskrit term ‘avatara’, referring
to the deliberate descent of an immortal or divine being.
• Does ‘time away’ alter perspective on real life?
Living a virtual life is a uniquely personal response
to the world and we had no idea whether inhabitants
would give up their secrets easily. We needed to be very
astute in our approach to reach the person within.
Participating countries:
Australia · Belgium · Canada · China · Czech Republic · Dubai · France · Germany · Ireland
Japan · Korea · Portugal · Russia · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · Spain · Sweden · UK · US
08/09
The Paradox
...............................................................................................................
As ever, research participants are frequently the
Our research has demonstrated that people are not
least able to understand their own behaviour and
in fact a different species when they access the world
attitudes. Therefore we needed to ground our
via their computer screen. They have the same
analysis in an objective interpretative framework.
personality traits and beliefs but they are able to
In order for us to advise on the implications for
light of current thinking about personality, identity and
reality. We had evidence of what people were doing in
this virtual world (both claimed and observed) but we
needed to understand the reason for their actions.
We also needed to consider the deeper socio-cultural
implications of it all. If increasing numbers of us
around the world are disengaging from conventional
communities, where will it all end? Will this
‘atomisation’ signal the end of society? Will we be
able to distinguish between the virtual and the real?
What happens when people’s internal and external
complexities of their ‘self’, free from the criticism and
censure that operates in real life. We are
spending time in virtual space because it is more
meaningful, more personal and more fun…… and all
this is at the expense of conventional media pursuits.
The paradox is that until now, brands have been
targeting their efforts on partial and sometimes
unimportant manifestations of the person (‘housewife’,
Roy, US
‘18–24 yr old’, ‘risk taker’) and the public aspects they
were permitted to see. Now brands can target with
greater precision, as people grow to be more confident
and ironically come into full view.
landscapes become blurred? Maybe the machine is
The challenge isn’t how to represent your brand in
actually taking over and we are slipping into a
virtual space but how to adapt marketing practice now
‘trans-human’ condition where people and
that ‘consumer’ has been superseded by ‘individual’.
technology converge.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s really happening out
In short, if consumers are evolving and their online
1 in 4 people in the online community
brands, our research needed to be interpreted in the
explore, experiment, express and validate the hidden
7 in 10 agree
there by exposing a few popular myths ….
behaviour is changing the way society operates and
culture develops, then brands most definitely need to
be aware of this and use it to their advantage.
Stefan, UK
John Urpeth, Head of Research, Proximity London
10/11
Ferdy, Spain
an
Male, Jap
MYTHS
MYTH
1
They are all freaks and geeks
...............................................................................................................
The original explorers may have largely been technical
These are the people for whom the idea of a
wizards and people drawn to novel experiments but
boundary between virtual and real loses significance,
this is now a world in which every social profile is
not because of the time that they spend in the virtual
represented.
world but because of the way that life intertwines
Rubin Steiger, founder of Millions of Us summed it up
and interacts with their physical lives.
perfectly: “It’s a mistake to see these people as
A teenager who spends his online time in the
anomalous losers… there are too many of them”.
game World of Warcraft still leads a relatively one-
Just as the richness and diversity of the lives we lead
offline can vary tremendously, so can the lives we now
lead online. Millions of us are still simply paddling in
the shallows; we sign up for places and applications
dimensional virtual life. Yet, a pregnant woman who
finds herself delving deeper to understand her
growing baby and connecting with other mothersto-be, sees the internet as central to her life.
that we visit or use only occasionally and rarely do we
Typical behaviour is perhaps somewhere in between,
do more than get our feet wet when it comes to
where users integrate their virtual activities into
exploring what’s possible.
the fabric of their everyday life; just like our London
In contrast, some of us are not worried about getting
out of our depth.
teacher who regularly blogs, dips into Laguna Beach,
then pops back to instant message his mum.
............................................................................................................................................................
Einram, Australia
...................
14/15
Bjorn, Belgium
................
50% agree
............
MYTH
2
It’s perfectly obvious what is real
1 in 3 agree:
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For thousands of years man has constantly sought to
These spaces have increasing currency in our world.
alter reality. Drugs, alcohol, trances, yogic meditation,
They represent a culture of speed and movement of
dance, ecstatic prayer, etc all represent the old
purely functional value, not to mention impermanence.
technologies that delivered our predecessors away from
where they were, to wherever they wanted to be. Even
headache pills signify a ‘changing reality’ of pain.
For some, the virtual world is as much a reality as
getting up and eating breakfast. An instant message
conversation is no more or less real than a telephone
The challenge that virtual worlds represent to ‘reality’
call. We spoke to Natalie and Bjorn who are married
is not that new. In fact perceptions of reality under
but conduct much of their together life online.
certain conditions have always become loose and
Their virtual relationship is no less significant and
distorted. We are fascinated by alternate worlds, as
therefore no less ‘real’ than any other aspect of their
visitor numbers to the likes of Disneyland will attest.
lives together. For them, it is simply another space in
Virtual worlds are online theme parks with unlimited
which to be.
access and no queuing.
So the real and the virtual co-exist, intricately blended
Web 2.0 does further blur the boundaries between
so that many people cannot identify where one ends
the individual and the wider environment. Just as
and the other begins. An active online life cannot do
virtual communities have the attributes of ‘real’
anything but influence the way that people behave
communities, so ‘real’ communities depend on the
day- to-day. French student Mathieu told us that his
imaginary. The question of the ‘realness’ of the
offline personality has changed over the years he has
virtual world is simply a continuation of this ambiguity.
spent online. He has become more confident, friendly
It all hinges on our ability and desire to distinguish
and extrovert. For him, his virtual experience has
between reality and fantasy.
brought some very real benefits.
We live in a world of ‘in-between’ places that we
As Dr Alex Gordon of Sign Salad puts it so succinctly,
inhabit whilst in transit. The airport terminal, metro
“’Real’ no longer has value as a meaningful signifier”.
station, bus stop, shopping mall, coffee shop and
public square are places to move through, not stay in.
In many ways online communities mirror this, with
short conversations, superficial interpersonal
Tove, Sweden
36% agree:
What is even more surprising, is the extent to which
the online world is built to mirror real life. Why does
Second Life have toilets and places to sleep?
relationship building and constant movement.
............................................................................................................................................................
55% agree
Bob, Canada
Male, Japan
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16/17
John Urpeth, Head of Research, Proximity London
MYTH
3
People think and behave totally differently
...............................................................................................................
Who is the real person behind the Elfin Assassin avatar?
Brands used to the predictable behaviour of the single
woman who watches Grey’s Anatomy can find online
behaviour unnerving.
We talked to a high-flying lawyer who behaves
seriously at work, but expresses his adventurous
personality through an irreverent blog.
By liberating invention, the online world gives us a
Actually our research shows that much online behaviour
reflects the true offline personality. People are more
true to themselves in virtual space because they feel
free from the constraints and convention. We all have
multiple identities; the internet simply gives us a unique
way to explore and express aspects of ourselves that
we regularly conceal.
far more accurate insight into people than traditional
marketing categorisations. Rather than working
with a one-dimensional profile, we can now build
sophisticated profiles of the needs, goals and
motivations of our audience. This means that brands
now have the opportunity to understand consumer
thinking and behaviour more deeply than has ever
been possible offline.
Social networking is flourishing because:
• People can rehearse their personality without
being identified
• They can form unconditional relationships
• There are no visual cues other than those
they choose to display
• Social anxiety and shyness is eliminated
• It is easy to find similar others
• People have total control over how they present
themselves and time to think about what they say
............................................................................................................................................................
47% of the online community agree
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18/19
Chrissy, Canada
.................
1 in 4 agree
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MYTH
4
It’s anarchic and lawless
...............................................................................................................
As alcoholics seeking drinking buddies will tend to
“What we’ve found here is in line with other studies
find them, so people searching the internet for
of the discourse of cyberspace. Sexual morals and
depravity and anarchy will surely not go unrequited.
etiquette are a visible concern. Of course, internet
But the mainstream internet, visited by the mass
population day-to-day, is an astonishingly conformist,
self-regulating and often conservative place.
meeting and dating facilities enjoy massive uptake and
are helping millions of people to meet for both short
and long-term relationships. The demand and the
revenue generated is beyond doubt. But while taking
Take for example, heterosexual online dating etiquette.
up this service, consumers act coy and concerned and
We spoke to Date Doctor Sam van Rood, who
show great attention to sexual niceties. They pretend
counsels men and women on how to date more
they are treating each other ‘just as friends’. Rules are
successfully. He advises his clients that the key to
set down about what constitutes ‘proper’ behaviour…
effective online dating, is to follow the same rules
for example, a female online dater invokes a ‘rule’ that
that have applied to dating for generations:
says ‘properly behaved’ people chat for a few days
“Men should do the hunting and initiate first contact.
Women should respond, ideally demurely. Men are
then advised to drive the conversation forward and
propose the first meeting, at the end of which they
should pick up the bill. People ignore this etiquette
online and then meet in person before venturing on to
anything sexually explicit. She invokes a code of
behaviour that’s designed to present her as morally
pristine. People are concerned about this sort of thing,
and they’re also anxious not to appear desperate. They
want to find partners but they also want to
at their peril.”
appear competent, desirable and generally ‘in with a
Likewise, online games, virtual worlds and social
chance’. To this end, they will deny what they are
networks all have strict rules of conduct and
doing (looking for a partner) and place great emphasis
engagement. Anti-social behaviour is condemned
on things that happen in the offline world, even while
and excluded arguably far more effectively than
they are visibly concerning themselves with things that
offline. Casual gamer Mathieu from Paris told us that
happen online”.
“if someone breaks the code, serious sanction comes
rapidly. The community is self-regulating”.
Hardly risqué!
In our research, Dr Rachel Lawes investigated how
people converse in cyberspace dating sites:
............................................................................................................................................................
47% of the online community agree
......................................
20/21
Mathieu, France
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Bianca, Australia
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MYTH
5
The internet is for porn
...............................................................................................................
There is no doubt that some are simply thrill-seeking but it is far too easy to assume that everyone is online for the same
reason. And while it is certainly true that everyone is looking for something, that ‘something’ varies enormously.
In our analysis, it has become clear that some very familiar motivations are at work:
FRIENDSHIP/
LOVE
One of the biggest motivators is the desire to meet and interact with new people. Pascale from Belgium
used to love being an air hostess and misses meeting people from around the world. She now goes
online to make new international friends.
................................................................................................................................................
SENSE OF
BELONGING/
TRIBALISM
Beyond personal interaction, many want to be a member of a group. This is something that the social
networks have capitalised on skilfully. Likewise, many of the mass games work on complex systems of
guilds with strict codes and hierarchies. All over the world, there are people dashing away from social
events with friends to attend pre-booked battles with their online guild for fear of social exclusion.
................................................................................................................................................
SELFIDEALISATION
Rather than changing their lives, people can create an idealised version of themselves online. Sixteen
year old Nikki from Ireland, has recreated herself on Bebo as a Chanel-branded Sex and the City
temptress giving advice on men and drinking. Pure narcissism.
................................................................................................................................................
CREATIVE
EXPRESSION
The internet offers unlimited ways to express yourself and unleash your creative impulses. It even offers
a potentially massive audience to recognise your hitherto unrecognised talents. Lily Allen, for example,
became a success through putting her music demos on MySpace.
................................................................................................................................................
POWER
What better way - after a day being stressed out by your boss - would there be to feel heroic, strong
and powerful than taking up an online hobby that you excel at?
................................................................................................................................................
ASPIRING TO
A BETTER LIFE
Online, we can live the life of our dreams unfettered by financial, ethical or moral constraints.
We spoke to a real life window cleaner, who admitted that he dabbles in drug dealing and stripping
online. Igor, a Russian student sharing a one bedroom flat with two friends, has understandably built
himself an elegant mansion in Second Life.
................................................................................................................................................
A VOICE
Muhammed, a Syrian living in Dubai, told us that to overcome limits on his freedom of speech, he
expresses his views online through chat rooms and debating forums. He often changes his gender,
religion and nationality, in a bid to be taken more seriously – for example pretending to be a Christian
in America when discussing the Iraq war.
................................................................................................................................................
ESCAPE
For many, the online world is easier to deal with than the offline. Miguel in Spain, told us that he avoids
difficult situations in life (or with his girlfriend) by playing online. It helps him relax and it’s his way of
dealing with problems.
Sinead, Ireland
Sasha, Moscow
Jenny, China
It has become clear from our examination of avatar design and online identity that the unconscious motivations
of the faces behind the masks are entirely expected, and most often reveal a psychological desire to perform, play
a role, or to affirm the user’s offline personality.
TwentyMajor, blogger, Ireland
22/23
MYTH
6
It messes with your mind
...............................................................................................................
In his book Bowling Alone (published 2000), Robert D
For all their faults, virtual worlds are so much about
Putnam spoke gravely about the atomisation of society:
sociability that social learning theorists have observed
“Social Capital, the very fabric of our connections with
each other, has plummeted, impoverishing our lives
and our communities”.
that online communities develop according to the very
same rules that apply offline. Just as in real life, people
in online communities come to rely upon each other to
survive and flourish.
Whether or not the emergence of the internet has
In his 2007 book Second Lives, Tim Guest concludes
caused, promoted, or even contributed to societal
in respect of social networks that ‘experience without
apathy and personal introversion is a moot point.
It is not difficult to find examples of people who have
become victims of their online indulgences.
In our own study, Pascale from Belgium told us that her
relationship broke down partly because of how much
time she spent online. For some it clearly can become
obsessive and in rare cases it would appear that virtual
life is more fulfilling and more meaningful than that
which prevails when (and if) they should log off.
risk’, is both their ‘gift’ and their ‘curse’. In the same
book however, he encounters many examples where
virtual worlds and self-organising communities have
transformed lives. Most celebrated amongst these is
“Wilde Cunningham” in Second Life - a composite
identity created by nine patients with cerebral palsy.
Their ability to live outside their own physical limitations
in virtual space has become part of their therapy which
has led to significant psychological improvements in
Inevitably, there are downsides to something so
their confidence and general well-being.
pervasive and powerful but everyone we spoke to
contradicted the idea that this world facilitates isolation, social exclusion and anti-social behaviour. We’ve
already discussed how some find expression for their
personality online and it is widely accepted that those
who are able to rehearse and disclose their ‘true self’
are physiologically and psychologically ‘healthier’.
Further evidence that online social responsibility and
community values are subject to the same ‘herding’
instincts observable in real life was witnessed between
12.00 and 1.00 pm on 7th July 2005, when over 150
Second Life residents created and visited a virtual
London Memorial. This memorial was open for a
further seven days and drew in thousands more visitors,
Seven years after Bowling Alone, there can be little
who added their own contributions. Fewer than
doubt that the internet (including social networking) is
10% claimed any British ties.
a net force for good and (rather than eroding social
capital) actually connects people in ways never before
People really can be together alone.
possible. Social networks, online games and blogs have
become places of support, friendship and collaboration.
............................................................................................................................................................
John Urpeth, Head of Research, Proximity London
.....................................................
Social blogger, UK
...................
3 in 5 agree
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24/25
John Urpeth, Head of Research, Proximity London
Key principles for actively engaging with individuals online
....................................................................................................
Implications for Brands
...............................................................................................................
Brands must recognise and adapt themselves to
The most significant learning from our study for
communicate in an environment where the norms are
brands is that the online environment is the only place
different to the offline world. It is a landscape where
that we can actually see who people really are. The
the currency that matters is time (involvement) and
web gives people the opportunity to step out from
not money (investment). An appreciation of this is
behind the disguise of daily life and really express who
needed to gain greatest payback. In order to achieve
they are. In practical terms, an individual’s behaviour
this payback, we have defined seven fundamental
online reflects how they want to engage with brands
principles for actively engaging with individuals online.
in all environments (online and offline). If brands pay
attention to this information, they will make
1
Utility
When brands operate in this space they must deliver a benefit to the user. In a world crowded with
messages, individuals want brands to be useful. They must be able to use what the brand gives them to
fulfil a need or desire where they are online.
................................................................................................................................................
2
Active citizenship
The web is in perpetual motion, improved and updated by the people, for the people. Brands must
understand that to engage an audience in this environment they too have to become citizens and help
aid the development of the web. Value for brands is a two way thing:- In order to reap the benefits of
this environment they must add to it in a positive and transparent way.
................................................................................................................................................
3
significant progress in matching their capabilities to
Being interesting is more important than being an authority
People are not wandering these worlds looking for experts; they are looking for interesting
conversations. If brands can demonstrate that they are interesting and expert, that’s great...
nobody has time for boring talk.
................................................................................................................................................
the needs and demands of the individual.
4
Individualism not intimacy
Have some respect and speak to the individual, not just out into the ether hoping that someone will
hear you. However, creating individual relationships doesn’t mean having to try to be someone’s friend.
................................................................................................................................................
5
It’s about collaboration and co-creation
These are worlds that are based on collective and peer-to-peer interactions. People will not take kindly
to brands trying to set the rules. Don’t push ideas or messages on them; listen, learn and participate.
................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
45% agree
1 in 4 agree
3 in 5 agree
............
.............
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6
In an environment of continual movement, brands too should be happy to move with the times. Allow
your brand to become whatever it needs to be to succeed in the online space – this means constant
monitoring and evolution in order to survive. Don’t try and shoehorn old brand ideas into this space,
you will fail.
................................................................................................................................................
7
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41% agree
Ildefonso, Portugal
...........
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26/27
Brands must become fluid
Wear your logo with care
It is relatively cheap and easy to plaster your brand image and messages all over the web. Resist the
temptation. Negative perceptions of the brand spread like wildfire here.
...............................................................................................................................................
The Future
...............................................................................................................
We don’t know where it’s all going to end. But we can
You’re being observed: Web 3.0
Natural inflation
Superficial Knowledge
comment on this journey... if you think it’s been a wild
The ‘Semantic Web’ is the next big development that
Awareness of environmental impact caused by any
Search engines will give us access to answers for every
one, then hold on because it’s only likely to get wilder.
will replace Web 2.0. Computers will be able to per-
given product or service will determine its success
question we could wish to ask. This means that we
And whilst predictions may be tough to make, it’s
form much more of the tedious works involved in find-
in the offline world. We will increasingly prize the
will know the answer to lots of questions based on
still fun to do. Here are just a few thoughts on where
ing, sharing and combining information on the web.
natural and environmentally friendly, over the
scientific explanation, but bigger questions such as the
synthetic or mediated. Advertising and marketing
nature of being will remain subjective. We will also
communications will focus on the perceived emotional
have limited understanding of how things work, like
outcomes of using a brand expressed through the
using a calculator to do long division without learning
benefits to the natural world.
how to do the sums on paper. Brands will become
things seem to be heading:
This means brands will no longer need to target
Humans may not win the race
potential customers with conventional messaging.
Computers are increasing in power, doubling their
Instead the information will be delivered by intelligent
processing intelligence approximately every two years.
agents matching product benefit to a specific personal
Human intelligence is changing at a much slower
need that can only be met by a specific brand, at a
Retail becomes theatre
pace. Today, personal computers have the intelligence
specific time, at a specific price and delivered in the
Online will be the central repository for sales, and the
level of a common house fly; at the predicted growth
most time and location specific way. Your computer
need to enter the physical world to buy what we
Rise in the fantastical
rate they should be equal to human intelligence by
will know all of your preferences based on your behav-
require will lessen more as time goes on. Purchasing
New tools for creative self expression will continue to
2019! What does this mean for the future? Well,
iour, language, geographic location and daily browsing
cycles (Christmas, holidays etc) may create new value
emerge, allowing for works that are limited only by
when you have a PC on your desk that is as intelligent
habits.
chain solutions to meet demand spikes. Those still on
imagination. Brands that celebrate the individual
the High Street will need to become increasingly
nature of human beings will proliferate. We will value
experiential to attract people. They could take their
the wilder leaps of imagination over the conventional
example from Nike Town in London, Orange store in
and conservative. The frivolous and ridiculous will hold
Amsterdam and the Samsung store in New York.
more value than the rational, as people use the web
as you are, in two years it will be twice as smart as
you. In four years, four times as smart. In six years,
eight times as smart, meaning that the future may be
less about what we do as a race but more about what
happens to us as a consequence of the technology we
have created.
Privacy
There will be much more information available about
us as individuals. The big issue will be how much of
this information will be in the public domain and how
much will remain private?
Targeting may become less precise due to more stringent privacy laws to protect our personal data. The big
question will be who owns the data and who has
access to it?
Brand Darwinism
The number of people in social networks rating products and services will increase. Only those that can
withstand the online scrutiny of millions of people
increasingly concerned with educating rather than
entertaining.
to escape the ordeals of everyday life
The Living Dead
Your avatar may exist long after you are dead.
rating and debating a product’s inherent utility will
flourish. Price points will be determined by benefits
rather than features. There will be an increase in the
number of niche and specialist categories leading to
much greater product diversity and complexity.
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers / IBM Chairman Thomas Watson • 1943 640,000 bytes of memory ought
28/29
to be enough for anybody / Bill Gates • 1981 Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons / Popular Mechanics, 1949
Contact
................
For further information on this global
research, or to better understand how
Proximity can help your brand actively
engage in the world of Web 2.0,
please contact:
Paul Bennett
bennett.p@proximityworld.com
Harriet Flory
flory.h@proximityworld.com
Proximity Worldwide Limited
151 Marylebone Road
London NW1 5QE
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7616 3475
www.proximityworldwide.com
Proximity Worldwide would like to
thank the many contributors who
made this book possible:
• Dr. Alex Gordon, Sign Salad
(Semiotic analysis)
• Dr. Rachel Lawes, Lawes Consulting
(Discourse analysis)
• Ian Hughes, IBM
• Proximity agencies in countries
around the world
• Ipsos Mori
Photos: Matze Schmidbauer, Berlin
Illustration: Sinead Madden, London