The document discusses a class on digital ecosystems. It provides definitions of ecosystems from various sources, emphasizing the interaction between components and the flow of energy/information. A digital ecosystem is defined as a distributed, scalable network that allows free flow of data between nodes. Examples discussed include the internet and product ecosystems. Platforms and information ecosystems are also discussed, noting the value is in the system, not individual components. The class will cover building digital ecosystems around brands across multiple online and offline platforms.

1. Future of Advertising
Spring 2011 • Mondays, 1-6 PM • Room 416
Instructor: Zach Pentel
Class 11: Digital Ecosystems
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2. Today
Ecosystems
Platforms v. Products
Break
Work time for assignment
Break
Guest Speaker: Anders Sjostedt, Hyper Island USA
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3. Upcoming
Today Building Blocks: Digital Ecosystems
April 11 Building Blocks: Paid Search, SEO, and Online Ads
April 18 Assembling a Modern Portfolio
April 25 Portolio Round 2 & The Future of the Past: Transformation of Old Media
May 2 Ideas: Redux
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4. So...
What is an ecosystem?
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5. ”the combined physical and biological
components of an environment.”
-Roy Clapham, 1930
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6. ”The whole system… including not only
the organism-complex, but also the
whole complex of physical factors
forming what we call the environment.”
-Arthur Tansley
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7. ”The whole system… including not only
the organism-complex, but also the
whole complex of physical factors
forming what we call the environment.”
-Arthur Tansley
in english, please:
from atom to ape - every piece
of the living world
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8. ”Any unit that includes all of the
organisms (ie: the ”community”) in a
given area interacting with the physical
environment so that a flow of energy
leads to clearly defined trophic structure,
biotic diversity, and material cycles (ie:
exchange of materials between living
and nonliving parts) within the system is
an ecosystem.”
-Eugene Odum
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9. ”Any unit that includes all of the
organisms (ie: the ”community”) in a
given area interacting with the physical
environment so that a flow of energy
leads to clearly defined trophic structure,
biotic diversity, and material cycles (ie:
exchange of materials between living
and nonliving parts) within the system is
an ecosystem.”
-Eugene Odum
in english, please:
objects and the interaction between
these objects. The flow of energy
throughout the system, so to speak.
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10. ”A Digital Ecosystem is any distributed
scalable network allowing data to flow
freely between its nodes and allowing
trusted interpreters to access, edit or
extrapolate value of the data.”
-Thomas Peterson
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11. ”A Digital Ecosystem is any distributed
scalable network allowing data to flow
freely between its nodes and allowing
trusted interpreters to access, edit or
extrapolate value of the data.”
-Thomas Peterson
(Any network where people can be added or
removed to change the size of the network.)
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12. ”A Digital Ecosystem is any distributed
scalable network allowing data to flow
freely between its nodes and allowing
trusted interpreters to access, edit or
extrapolate value of the data.”
-Thomas Peterson
(allowing for games, music, video, documents,
money transactions and everything else to
move within the digital ecosystem.)
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13. ”A Digital Ecosystem is any distributed
scalable network allowing data to flow
freely between its nodes and allowing
trusted interpreters to access, edit or
extrapolate value of the data.”
-Thomas Peterson
(allowing the right person or machine to
interact with the data. This information is
meaningless until we do something with it.)
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14. Data can flow freely within
ecosystems, but not between them.
This can be because the information isn’t
compatible - or that the interpreters (us)
haven’t created a connection.
These limits define where ecosystems
begin and end.
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15. Obvious digital ecosystem: The Internet
+
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16. Product Ecosystems.
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17. Product Ecosystems.
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18. Product Ecosystems.
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19. Product Ecosystems.
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20. Product Ecosystems.
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21. The value is in the system - not the product.
Each individual unit has very little value on its own.
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22. Before we had the potential for digital business
communication ecosystems we had physical
ones.
It was comprised of resources, manufacturing,
distribution, storefronts, publisher media, staff,
administration and comment boxes.
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23. The value is in the system - not the product.
Each individual unit has very little value on its own.
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24. An ecosystem is a platform.
It lets us build new content, experiences, networks,
and marketing on top of it.
Its power is in the friction-free flow of information
that it provides.
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25. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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26. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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27. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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28. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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29. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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30. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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31. Information Ecosystems
= Platforms.
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32. The value is in the system - not the product.
Each individual unit has very little value on its own.
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33. When we come up with creative digital
ideas, they live inside one ecosystem.
But ideas become more powerful when
they can span multiple ecosystems -
both online and offline.
This cross-pollination drives successful
campaigns.
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34. When we come up with creative digital
ideas, they live inside one ecosystem.
But ideas become more powerful when
they can span multiple ecosystems -
both online and offline.
This cross-pollination drives successful
campaigns.
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35. TV Ad -> word-of-mouth -> Twitter account -> YouTube campaign -> word of mouth
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36. TV Ad -> word-of-mouth -> Twitter account -> YouTube campaign -> word of mouth
We make the connections between these platforms. They don’t happen naturally.
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37. Ford Fiesta: 2010
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38. 100 people, 100 Fiestas,
and Twitter streams,
Facebook accounts,
Flickr pages...
At least 500 channels on
3+ Platforms
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39. YouTube: over 6.5 million YouTube views.
Twitter: 6,500 followers, 3 million Twitter impressions.
Flickr: 540,000 views.
Facebook: 13,144 fans for “Ford Fiesta” and 2,500 fans for “The Fiesta Movement“.
Google: 943,500 results for “Ford Fiesta Movement”
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40. Glee “Biggest Gleek
Social Media Contest”
Prove your fandom by
using Glee keywords
across Twitter, Facebook,
and Myspace
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41. Back channel: extra video
content, product tie-ins
(Superbowl),
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42. Win air time through
Facebook. Follow actors
and all three official
streams on Twitter.
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43. What kind of digital ecosystem can you build around a brand?
Choose an existing campaign - preferably one that you worked with last
week.
Build a 5-10 slide deck that walks us through a day in the life of your
digital ecosystem.
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44. 1. Pick at least three platforms.
Corporate site, microsite, e-commerce site, social network(s), LBS(s), game, etc.
2. Articulate what each platform contributes.
A way to get more information? An entertaining campaign extension? Financial incentive? Status incentive?
3. Explain why people would flow from one to the other.
A more immersive experience? A different type of content? More incentives and rewards?
4. How do offline elements contribute?
Do they drive people into the ecosystems? Supplement the experience? Provide a layer of interaction?
Remember: this is going to wind up in your digital portfolio.
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45. Next week
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46. Next week
Blog assignment will be posted to Posterous (response to Sjostedt)
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47. Next week
Blog assignment will be posted to Posterous (response to Sjostedt)
In Class:
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48. Next week
Blog assignment will be posted to Posterous (response to Sjostedt)
In Class:
• Present digital ecosystems
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49. Next week
Blog assignment will be posted to Posterous (response to Sjostedt)
In Class:
• Present digital ecosystems
• SEO & Analytics
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50. Next week
Blog assignment will be posted to Posterous (response to Sjostedt)
In Class:
• Present digital ecosystems
• SEO & Analytics
Guest Speaker: TBD
Future of Advertising - March 28