Breaking through the cultural atmosphere.

NASA-JPL Communications Discussion 7.8.09

“The Mars Phoenix Lander is a textbook example of how to use social media tools to

delight an audience.”

Getting that many people interested in something, for no money, with no

professional help, is what the social media revolution is all about.

And the Mars Phoenix Lander is its first bona fide hero. The people of Earth salute you.”

- Russell Davies

image via russell davies

We have clients that need in help in Social Media. NASA JPL doesn’t need help. You get it. But perhaps a different perspective could make you think differently about how to extend your efforts in entirely new ways.

image via flickr for onon-commercial use

When we approach innovation or communication, we believe the key is storytelling. Telling the stories of your constituents, your “audience” and engaging them in multi-faceted story that captures their attention. Here’s a bit of storytelling of my own, likely not all that different from any kid growing up in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

image via flickr

As people we are all naturally curious. We want to discover, observe and share. The night sky, nature and stars provide a degree of wonder for us all. Nature, science and exploration was a thrill for me.

NASA = WONDER

For me NASA has always equated to WONDER. Fueling my wonder for the things unknown, new possibilities, new inventions, new discoveries.

CULTURE OF WONDER

I (perhaps we) grew up in a culture of wonder that looked at the night sky as a journey into something amazing. Studying it in detail, reading about it, “seeing” it on tv and printed pictures.

image via flickr/nasa

Apollo Mission photographs collected, traded and shared.

the far off possibilities of space exploration envisioned in fairy tale.

or built out in play with friends and family.

image via flickr/nasa

all appearing really close to fruition not so long ago.

image via flickr/nasa

..and is played out in a closer birds eye view in pictures and interactions now.

CULTURAL TIPPING POINT

..but somewhere between then and now. something changed. something seemingly small but dramatic happened.

I got game.

a computer.

..and later an internet browser.

..and everything changed.

image via flickr/nasa

..to the point that you wonder, why does a kid care about space?

CULTURAL COMPETITION

rethink your competition.

image via flickr

virtual world exploration.

<excerpt of latest Discovery Channel line up) journey’s, quests, our world and nature.

building, experimenting and destroying.

nature and wildlife.

multiplayer discovery and competition.

THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE.

rethink your competition.

escaping some of the realities of a troubled time.

image via flickr

looking around and within.

image via flickr/nasa

escaping into our own world.

OUR JOB.

what we need to do.

IGNITING WONDER outerspace vs. innerspace

image via flickr

Our job: igniting wonder back into NASA JPL and Space. Less outerspace more innerspace.

BRING OUTERSPACE DOWN TO EARTHimage via flickr/nasa

bringing NASA back to earth.

image via google image search for non-commercial use

less news, more engagement.

THE JOURNEY.

stages of communication.

= WONDER

DISRUPT

PLAY

CREATE

culturally re-connecting. re-creating wonder.

INSPIRATIONS.

stages of communication.

DISRUPT

image via flickr for non-commercial use

bring some spectacular escapism to pasadena.

“There's a fantastic book called Spectacle by the architect David Rockwell.

It's about those sweaty, immediate, mass-of-humanity, you-had-to-be-there experiences that you simply can't digitise, replicate or repeat. “

- Russell Davies, CO

image via web for non-commercial use

The Sultan's Elephant was a show created by the Royal de Luxe theatre company, involving a huge moving mechanical elephant, a giant marionette of a girl and other associated public art installations.

NEWCASTLE city centre was turned into a scene from a horror film yesterday as students put on a Halloween show for shoppers.

A flash mob descended on Greys Monument and acted as zombies before performing the routine from Michael Jacksons Thriller video.

About 50 students turned up for the event, which was organised through text messages

image via andy hunter

Red Bull Flugtag challenges teams of everyday people to build homemade, human-powered flying machines and pilot them off a 30-foot high deck in hopes of achieving flight! Flugtag may mean "flying day" in German, but all these crafts ultimately splash into the waters below. They are judged not only on their flight's distance, but creativity and showmanship as well.

CREATE

“...one of the amazing things that is happening... is that folks are starting to iterate with their users.

This can be quite tricky, especially for folks who are used to a build, test, and deploy methodology.

The key lesson from the rise of social media... software is best built as a coordinated dance between you and the users.”

- Danah Boyd

images and via flickr and makesine.com for non-commercial use

maker faire is a festival of robotic spectacle and DIY engineering.

image via google image search for non-commercial use

Lego Mindstorms (in the hands of Wired Editor Chris Anderson)

PLAY

image via flickr for non-commercial use

Future of connecting, advertising and marketing? Alternate Reality Gaming and Blended reality.

“Alternate realities” make gameplay as ubiquitous as language. - Jane McGonigal

image via flickr for non-commercial use

True blood (HBO PROMOTION) creates rich alternate storyline aside it’s TV show. Previous to this, movie promotion’s like The Dark Night developed a year long prequel teaser that kept fans guessing.

image via flickr for non-commercial use

The Wii crosses age, physical activity and technology boundaries.

image via psfk

New apps blend information, geography and people to create connections among strangers.

image via f@avantgame

Significant Labs games to create breakthrough.

image via @avantgame for non-commercial use

The Come Out & Play Festival seeks to provide a forum for new types of public games and play. We want to bring together a public eager to rediscover the world around them through play with designers interested in producing innovative new games and experiences.

= WONDER

DISRUPT

PLAY

CREATE

culturally re-connecting. re-creating wonder.

image via flickr for non-commercial use

..it’s the space race game we’re looking to play.