Hasta La Creative!

Over the course of doing some research for an upcoming project, I’ve come across some interesting reading that’s been changing how I look at things. With the direction internet and the home are moving, the social space is all but gone. We have very few public markets left where people congregate, very few gathering places and points for socialization. While we rapidly adapt to changing environments and personal space, there is still that desire for socialization that runs through us, and when we get a chance partake in sanctioned socialization, we jump at it.

The modern Starbucks (or any local coffee shop, at that) and the Apple store are perfect examples – public spaces that are not so much a retail environment as a social environment. The way in which we embrace public spaces is fascinating. Brand Experience Lab has an interesting read on The Socialization of Real Estate here.

One of the most interesting, and possibly most telling ad-related things in regards to social spaces this past year was the introduction of in-cinema AudienceGames. The ways in which we act and react in a group setting is interesting, and seems promising on several different levels.

NewsBreaker Live, an AudienceGame promoting MSNBC, had some interesting results:

• 78% played the game
• 93% want more games in cinemas
• 86% prefer a game to an ad
• 71% unaided MSNBC brand recall
• 75% more likely to use MSNBC

Some poignant results that certainly speak to the “group” audience instead of the single viewer, which could give us more interesting applications and a changed target down the road. And any time a movie theater experience is enhanced, even via the group atmosphere, it’s welcome.

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