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Transcript of The effect of Social Media
Over de auteur
Martijn Martijn Arts (1973) studied Industrial Design at the Delft
Technical University. Both his Bachelor and his Master’s exam
were passed cum laude. During his university years, together with
friends, he started the internet company ZaPPWeRK. In 2006 ZaPP-
WeRK was renamed as Total Active Media and became a part of
Total Identity Holding. Martijn now is responsible for Total Active
Media as managing director and is a member of the group manage-
ment of Total Identity Holding.
“As Industrial Designer, I often hear the remark: ‘you do not actively do
anything with your specialism’. Dealing well with social media however,
requires everything an Industrial Designer makes his own: creativity,
insight in technique, a multi disciplinary approach and finding one’s
way fast in a certain, sometimes special, topic. I also wanted to become
an ‘imagineer’, someone who invents dreams for groups of people. It
is my sincere belief that social media does so to a certain extent and
that definitely not all opportunities have been seized yet. My skills,
creativity and technical insight have been augmented by knowledge in
the fields of communication, organization and identity. And because of
social media I now also come closer to other fields of expertise such as
sociology, anthropology and the evolution theory. This multi disciplinary
dimension makes my profession more interesting every day!”
This essay is the result of many dialogues, joint analyses and dis-
cussions. In short, co-creation! The most important direct co-aut-
hor is Hans P Brandt (1959; strategic director Total Identity). His
strategically structuring power and knowledge of the field of iden-
tity is large. For this, my gratitude. Other co-authors were Inez
Heeremans (1976; entrepreneur and anthropologist) and Renson
van Tilborg (1967; conversation manager at Social Active Media).
.
TOTAL IDENTITYChallenging ambition
AmsterdamPaalbergweg 42P.O. Box 124801100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 30 TOTAL ACTIVE MEDIA
Paalbergweg 42P.O. Box 12480 1100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 [email protected]
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
ALLCOMMUNICATION SOFTWARESoftware development
Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 43www.allcommunication.nl [email protected]
PARTNERS
GRAMMAGijzelaarsstraat 29B-2000 AntwerpenTelephone +32 3 230 42 70
SOMMER/TOTAL IDENTITYBlankenburger Strasse 26D-28205 BremenTelephone +49 421 43 733 16
Taiwan [email protected]
PROAD IDENTITY3F, No.42, Sec 2, Zhongcheng Road,Shilin District,Taipei City 111, Taiwan R.O.C.Telephone +886 2 2833 1943
Republic of [email protected]
CDR ASSOCIATES60-12 Dongsung Bldg.Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-guSeoul 135-010, KoreaTelephone +822 518 2470
The effect of Social MediaPlea for public co-creation in the corporate field
Martijn Arts TOTAL IDENTITY
Over de auteur
Martijn Martijn Arts (1973) studied Industrial Design at the Delft
Technical University. Both his Bachelor and his Master’s exam
were passed cum laude. During his university years, together with
friends, he started the internet company ZaPPWeRK. In 2006 ZaPP-
WeRK was renamed as Total Active Media and became a part of
Total Identity Holding. Martijn now is responsible for Total Active
Media as managing director and is a member of the group manage-
ment of Total Identity Holding.
“As Industrial Designer, I often hear the remark: ‘you do not actively do
anything with your specialism’. Dealing well with social media however,
requires everything an Industrial Designer makes his own: creativity,
insight in technique, a multi disciplinary approach and finding one’s
way fast in a certain, sometimes special, topic. I also wanted to become
an ‘imagineer’, someone who invents dreams for groups of people. It
is my sincere belief that social media does so to a certain extent and
that definitely not all opportunities have been seized yet. My skills,
creativity and technical insight have been augmented by knowledge in
the fields of communication, organization and identity. And because of
social media I now also come closer to other fields of expertise such as
sociology, anthropology and the evolution theory. This multi disciplinary
dimension makes my profession more interesting every day!”
This essay is the result of many dialogues, joint analyses and dis-
cussions. In short, co-creation! The most important direct co-aut-
hor is Hans P Brandt (1959; strategic director Total Identity). His
strategically structuring power and knowledge of the field of iden-
tity is large. For this, my gratitude. Other co-authors were Inez
Heeremans (1976; entrepreneur and anthropologist) and Renson
van Tilborg (1967; conversation manager at Social Active Media).
.
TOTAL IDENTITYChallenging ambition
AmsterdamPaalbergweg 42P.O. Box 124801100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 30 TOTAL ACTIVE MEDIA
Paalbergweg 42P.O. Box 12480 1100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 [email protected]
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
ALLCOMMUNICATION SOFTWARESoftware development
Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 43www.allcommunication.nl [email protected]
PARTNERS
GRAMMAGijzelaarsstraat 29B-2000 AntwerpenTelephone +32 3 230 42 70
SOMMER/TOTAL IDENTITYBlankenburger Strasse 26D-28205 BremenTelephone +49 421 43 733 16
Taiwan [email protected]
PROAD IDENTITY3F, No.42, Sec 2, Zhongcheng Road,Shilin District,Taipei City 111, Taiwan R.O.C.Telephone +886 2 2833 1943
Republic of [email protected]
CDR ASSOCIATES60-12 Dongsung Bldg.Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-guSeoul 135-010, KoreaTelephone +822 518 2470
The effect of Social MediaPlea for public co-creation in the corporate field
Martijn Arts TOTAL IDENTITY
The effect of
Social MediaPlea for public co-creation in the corporate field
Martijn Arts
2010 TOTAL IDENTITY Amsterdam
3
Involvement and movement
In the current dynamic world the individual has an increasing influence
on the collective. Social media enables everyone to reach a position of
influencing the communication of people, groups and organizations. Dis-
regarding this influence, results in losing effectiveness, leading to poten-
tial problems. Therefore companies and institutions should keep their ear
to the ground for the information in the online real-time world such as
blogs and Twitter – the so-called blogosphere – and they should interpret
this information starting from their corporate policy. As a barometer, the
social media predict what is about to happen. Companies and instituti-
ons should use them to move along on the waves of time.
The effect of social media within groups and communities is getting stron-
ger everyday and can no longer be denied. It visualizes the dynamics of
communities at a micro level and strengthens them in its expressions and
processes. Social media brings communication and organization closer
together. The company or the institution improves itself by communica-
ting consequently and continuously, in the direction of its ambition – its
desired status of the immediate future –.
People do not connect continuously and permanently to the same group,
community or organization. Social media is a booster of this dynamic way
of connecting and changing. This applies not only to individuals and their
personal connections, but also to the connections with groups in which
they play a particular role for a certain period of time. Employees can no
longer be seen as a fixed part of an organization, but they play different
roles at the same time, in different groups. Thus the organization can no
longer be considered as a closed system. The true art lies in organizing,
4
both internally and externally, as much intelligence, creativity and power
as possible, in order to keep people interested and connected. Social
media strengthens this process and visualizes it.
Through the dynamics of social media, influences and changes are being
enlarged. Change seems to be the new constant. In such a world, the own
identity probably is the only basis for an authentic and honest way of com-
munication. An identity, rich of possibilities, that creates and strengthens
connections between people themselves, as well as between employees
and organizations. In this new era, an organization is successful if it con-
nects its employees, authentically and honest, in an entrepreneurial role
and discontinues the perception of ‘inside’ and ‘outside’. Therefore this
essay is a plea for public co-creation in the corporate field.
Social media defined
’Social media is the collective definition of online platforms of which users,
without any or little intervention of professional editors, take care of the con-
tent. Social media as a common denominator covers amongst others pheno-
mena such as weblogs, forums, social networks such as Hyves, Facebook and
LinkedIn, and services such as ‘Twitter‘ (Wikipedia.nl).
This is a verbatim translation of the explanation as offered by the Dutch
version of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Wikipedia is the world’s
most frequently used website for consulting the explanation of a diver-
sity of notions. The content is written and improved by the users them-
selves. Therefore, all definitions together, constitute a collective conven-
tion of contributions.
The international variety, Wikipedia.org, also states the following: ’Social
media are media designed to be disseminated through social interaction,
5
using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media
use web-based technologies to transform and broadcast media monologues
into social media dialogues. They support the democratization of knowledge
and information and transform people from content consumers to content
producers‘.
This explanation exceeds the concept of just enabling the publishing of
content for users; it also describes a process of democratization of media
and content.
Social media does not equal Web 2.0
Social media often is mentioned in one and the same breath with Web 2.0.
However, they are different entities. Web 2.0 refers to the changes in a
collection of websites to a collaborative platform of interactive web appli-
cations for all users on the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 is the (technical)
platform that refers to the changes of a web that only consists of docu-
ments and text pages presented to a web that consists of several forms
of media that can be used and visualized in a variety of ways.
After Web 1.0 – the Web of documents – media and content have been
democratized and the user-generated-content flourished. This accelera-
tion resulted in Web 2.0 – the Web of Data. In short: from Web of Docu-
ments to Web of Data.
The formula:
Web 1.0 x acceleration = Web 2.0
Web 2.0 resulted in an explosion of useful and useless data on the web.
The interpretation of the data becomes increasingly more difficult and
subsequently also its evaluation/appreciation. Web 2.0 also heralded the
6
rise of social networks; people had started organizing themselves in vir-
tual communities. Within these communities focus lay on interpretation
and filtering. Next to social capital – the human input – also technology
plays an important role in the interpretation of data, leading to labe-
ling and thus to meaning. Without technology the interpretation of data
would not have been possible at such a scale at all. This collective labe-
ling results in Web 3.0 – the Web of knowledge. In short: from Web of Data
to Web of Knowledge.
The formula:
Web 2.0 x labeling = Web 3.0
Both acceleration and labeling are elements of social media. Web 2.0
has democratized media and subsequently, maybe, made social media a
necessity. Social media results in social binding and labeling of data and
therefore enables Web 3.0.
Social media is acceleration and labeling
The word social in the phrase social media indicates the public or free
aspect of the use of these types of media. In this context everyone can
express him/herself and interact with the other in an easily accessible
manner. Social media is characterized by an open dialogue via publically
accessible media means: democratization of both output and input. The-
refore, social means ‘by and for’ the community.
The media in the phrase social media concerns all types of media that can
be used digitally in the communication process. Therefore it is not only
about (static) texts and photographs, but also about moving images and
7
online conversations. In these types of media users, without the interfe-
rence of experts and editors, can now publish, whereas in the past the
media, regarding creation and distribution, was still dominated by profes-
sionals and experts. However, nowadays everybody has access to these
means and channels.
The acceleration in the Web of Documents (Web 1.0), brought about by
the democratization of the online media, was followed by stronger social
dynamics and collective labeling in the Web of Data (Web 2.0), in short:
social media.
Public co-creation
A new more precise definition, clearly stating what social media actually
is, and also offering diversification towards other media, is clearly cal-
led for in this situation.
People tend to publish increasingly faster and more often, both in their
private and in their professional capacity. Because of the speed of the
media and the extent of the reactions to one another, the quality of the
message improves. This is the essence of this co-creation and is intrin-
sic to all types of social media. It unites professionals and amateurs and
reduces the importance of the distinction between the two groups. Both
content and media, boosted by social media, are continuously involved
and moving, resulting in development.
Someone, profiling him/herself by means of social media, enters transpa-
rently, into connections with his/her environment. Thus contributions are
being made to the collective development, which subsequently results
8
in personal development: ’I profile, so I develop‘. Not only an interactive
connection as collaboration, is a basis for development, but also a mono-
lateral connection such as broadcasting. In social media, apparent tradi-
tional broadcasting behavior results in visibility, expansion and finally in
feedback and communication and thus in optimization and improvement
of the broadcasting behavior.
Based on the aforementioned, the new definition of social media is: PUBLIC
CO-CREATION.
Social media becomes increasingly more relevant
In this chapter the relationship between social media and companies is
established by a number of examples. In the end social media is analyzed
by the introduction of a three-step method of analysis that provides an
immediate grip on social media innovation, because social media is the
booster of innovation. But, before doing so, first we present a number of
facts and figures.
The attention for social media and related concepts is huge and still gro-
wing. Social networks and micro blog sites, such as respectively Face-
book and Twitter have developed at an incredible pace. By now, origina-
ting from a weird and unimportant site in 2008, Twitter has become a
major player in the world of the online exchange of messages, locations
and photographs. For example: in 2009, Twitter has almost grown 600% in
numbers of registered users. Twitter is not only used by people that are
extremely exhibitionistic. For example it is also being used by over 40%
of all multinationals at the American stock exchange to formally update
their shareholders.
9
However, the growth of Twitter is completely overshadowed by the
growth of Facebook. In February 2010, Facebook, for the first time since
its founding in February 2004, took over Google’s first place on the list of
most visited websites. If Facebook would be considered as a country and
its members as citizens, then it would be the world’s third largest coun-
try behind China and India. And the number of Facebook status updates,
comparable to tweets on Twitter, by now is ten times as large as all tweets
together in the same period.
One thing is clear; the phrase social media is popular, as becomes evident
from the large amount of online and offline references. Just consider the
staggering amount of offers of courses and workshops aiming at facili-
tating successful operating in this media scenery. The number of times
the phrase is used in the ‘traditional’ media is so overwhelming, that it
seems that, after the internet bubble of 2001, a new air bubble is seeing
the light. For 2010, social media was considered to be the major develop-
ment for communication professionals. From the beginning of 2010 the
number of search request for the term social media has doubled in com-
parison with the period before. During the last 12 months, the term Twit-
ter has even been looked up at least one hundred times as much and this
is even dwarfed by YouTube or Facebook with respectively 780 million
and 2.7 billion hits!
Obama as setting example
There are many examples of social media applications that have had a
positive effect for the user. A very prominent and early user of social
media, who has successfully deployed it, is Barack Obama. The result
(by the end of April 2008): Obama having raised the largest amount ever
10
raised by a presidential candidate for a presidential campaign: 264.5
million dollar to be precise (McCain: 88.2 million dollar). Half of it (122
million dollar) came from voters that had donated less than 200 dollars.
For McCain this was only 27.7 million! The difference is said to be cau-
sed by his use of social media. For example: Obama had almost 4 times as
many supporters both on Facebook (2.379.102) and MySpace (833.161).
On YouTube and Twitter the difference was even bigger. Obama had over
9 times as many viewers on YouTube as McCain and 240 times (!) as much
followers on Twitter. Obama was clearly dominant in the arena of social
media. But the real novelty was the focus on micro donations. Not only
the communication was new, but also the application of social funding
was an invention of his campaign team.
KitKat and other disasters
The ‘traditional’ media have become increasingly more sensitive for what
is being told in the so-called blogosphere (Twitter and blogs). As a result
unintentional or intentional hurtful remarks on, for example, Twitter could
directly result in negative stock exchange fluctuations, as happened with
the SNS bank in October 2009. A tweet from an arbitrary person was pic-
ked up by all sorts of media and resulted in a drop of several percents.
The tweet appeared to contain incorrect information, a bad joke with huge
consequences for SNS1.
Another example with a negative effect is the guerrilla campaign through
social media by Greenpeace against Nestlé. A typical case of a brand left
behind devastated as if hit by a plague of locusts. Greenpeace wanted to
prove that Nestlé used ‘wrong’ chocolate for its KitKat. In order to achieve
this, Greenpeace, using a tightly defined social media plan, reached over
11
half a million people within 24 hours only by using Twitter. Within 48
hours the media exposure was gigantic and also picked up globally by the
’traditional’ media such as newspapers, radio and television. Nestlé was
condemned by the public opinion for using the wrong chocolate for its Kit-
Kat. Striking detail is the fact that in the entire world there is not enough
chocolate produced to satisfy all chocolate loving citizens.
Three-step method of analysis
It is time to thoroughly re-examine the concept of social media. This could
be done by a simple method of analysis, consisting of three steps of ana-
lysis of social media to immediately provide insight in and grip on social
media innovation2:
(1) ruler of online DNA;
(2) social media scale;
(3) social media enneagram.
12
In the below table the terms social and media are explained and they are
individually defined per separate part of the innovation process:
SocialLabeling
MediaAcceleration
Intelligence (Self-) confidence Social filters on input by faith and social perception
Importance (relevance)Public valorization of trends by catalysis and polarization
Network ConnectionDynamic connection for development
Experience Public platform facilitates exposure and urge of broadcasting
Operation ConnectionVisibility of and connection with relevant people
PositionConnection and platform focused on exposure and supporting environmentv
Publication Co-creation Social promises result in action
PublicityEnlarging effect by public availability
Dialogue Self reflectionIntensification by dialogue
EffectivenessDialogue aimed at effectiven-ess, selling your message
Evaluation Self imageInterpretation of results and identification of oneself
EfficiencyIncreasing results via justi-fication and acceleration of process
13
14
Ruler of online DNA
The ruler of online DNA in fact is a simple table of all social media tools
that someone uses for him/herself, for a project or in an organization. The
professional relevance determines the sequence. Biggest are the tools
that are the most important ones and/or are being used most frequently.
The smallest are those items that are seldom or never being used and that
have no real significance for the professional daily practice. Thus this
table has several columns, and each column has one more social media
tool than the previous column.
Social media scale
The social media scale can directly be interpreted from the subdivision of
the ruler. The scale presents two numbers. The first number indicates the
highest column number that is still being used actively and the second
one represents the total number of columns that, both actively and passi-
vely, is being used. The ruler of online DNA, together with the social media
scale present an insight in the use of social media.
Social media-enneagram
The third element of the method is the social media enneagram. This
element helps to improve the effectiveness of the use of social media.
Here, the starting point is that social media not only supports the
communication process, but also offers support for – and accelerates
the process of – innovation of an organization. In every stage of the
innovation process, the enneagram can identify the best social media
tools to be used.
15
This three-step method can help the organization to implement social
media in a long-lasting manner. It also provides insight in the possibili-
ties of a strategic approach that suits the organization. More about this
in the last part of this essay, that shall further elaborate on the relation-
ship between social media and organizational innovation.
Social media and identity
Social media is the catalyst for integrated thinking. It accelerates a num-
ber of developments and brings a number of disciplines closer together.
Social media has more effect on the laws of the organization than the
internet initially had. Although the one is the result of the other. In this
third and last part of this essay, it is therefore indicated how social media
can be implemented effectively and in a long-lasting manner for the crea-
tion of an online reputation and how a company could thus get into a flow.
Also attention will be paid to the new skills that an organization needs to
develop because of the rise of social media: social skills and ‘aikido-like
techniques’. The story ends with a plea for organizing dynamically. From
its own identity, the company uses social media both in communication
and in organizing processes, and till deep into ‘the essence of its being’.
Thus enabling innovation.
Long-lasting media strategy
The indirect consequences of asocial media scoop may stick to a brand
or organization for a long time. By now there are already many examples
of playful actions resulting in sympathy for the victim, for example BP,
Nestlé and Gordon Brown. Maybe this is partly caused by a growing group
of people turning away from this hype-like form of communication. Also
for many people the communication simply is too fast. Not everyone is
16
aware of the KitKat drama. So, it has been global news, but not for every-
body. A huge gap is developing itself between those people that can and
want to follow the rapid developments and the majority that is not (yet)
doing so. An adoption gap is the result.
Bipolar approach
To use only social media scoops is like an athlete using doping: it is unhe-
althy and not long-lasting. A brand or an organization should not follow
from hype to hype, from crisis to crisis and from action to action. The
division, between the social media users and the traditional media con-
sumers that causes the adoption gap, could be used by the organization
to its advantage. Instead of approaching both groups individually, a com-
bined approach could be considered. On the one hand, in a thorough and
disciplined way an authentic reputation is being built, while on the other
hand the impact is increased by a simultaneous deployment of social
media (scoops). This has to be well directed though, and it should be in
sync with the reputation. The correct dramaturgy lies in the directing of
the unexpected, in combination with a disciplined elaboration of the iden-
tity: a bipolar approach3.
Identity flow
Well coordinated actions could result in a great uproar in the media, such
as the aforementioned Greenpeace action against Nestlé’s KitKat and the
Barack Obama campaign. By means of a series of scoops organizations
could achieve/maintain continuous attention. This results in an apparent
flow as could also be observed with top athletes. ‘Apparent’ because
this flow is only temporary, and not based on a solid foundation. No
matter how big the impact of a social media campaign may be, often
17
the immediate effect is not lasting long and soon the public is engaged
in next hype. The thoroughly and authentically built own online reputation
serves as a foundation to be able to execute effective actions. As a
result, the organization enters into a real flow, directed by the own
identity. An organization in an identity flow, is not only effective in its
communication and innovation, but is also better equipped to face
public attacks. Therefore, identity thinking – thinking from the collective
ambition of an organization – is the basis for building a long-lasting
online reputation. After all, identity thinking starts from the unity and
the authentic elements in an organization. These are the exact elements
that are being exposed by social media. Social media labels and increases
an organization.
Aikido en social skills
For well trained organizations, that capitalize on both internal and exter-
nal movements, a ‘crisis’ may be considered an advantage. In the afo-
rementioned example of the Greenpeace action against KitKat, Nestlé’s
first reaction was to ask YouTube to remove the clip. Exactly this speci-
fic request caused a hurricane of indignation and action-readiness. The
situation exploded. If Nestlé had immediately thanked Greenpeace for
pointing out the issue of the ‘wrong’ chocolate, then a totally different
situation would have arisen. By publically acknowledging it, the Green-
peace ‘weapon’ would have been dismantled, maybe all of a sudden even
resulting in a positive movement. However, this would only have worked
if KitKat, reputation-wise, had already been valued positively in advance
in the social media. In case of a positive online reputation, social media
all of a sudden enables the use of the opponent’s movements. Here lies
a strong similarity with Aikido, the Japanese martial art technique with
18
a strong philosophical slant. Use the movements of one’s opponent and
use them in a strategic way to your own advantage.
The new organization
’Help! My employees use Twitter! And they blog! And are on Facebook!
And...’. This quote is not a verbatim quote from specific directors and
managers, but many implemented measures however, do indicate that
this is the predominant train of thought. Until recently employees were
not allowed to have profiles and photographs on the corporate website,
YouTube was banned and civil servants in the Netherlands were not allo-
wed to respond to blogs. Only by the end of 2009 the latter changed when
the former Minister of Internal Affairs, Guusje ter Horst, indicated that
civil servants were not only allowed to react in social media, but that in
some cases, it even was their duty to do so. Social media not only results
in the previously described effects on the external communication, but
definitely also on the internal communication and organization.
Communication and organization closer together
Communication used to be considered as a linear process resulting from
one fixed opinion. This was possible because the use of communication
instruments had been the prerogative of opinion leaders and professio-
nals. The corporate communication and the corporate image in particular,
presented a frozen picture or corporate image of the organization.
Statements of employees have always had the ability to contribute to
the reputation of the organization, but because of social media the influ-
ence and the impact becomes much larger. People within an organiza-
tion reserve increasingly more space to express themselves from their
19
personal perspective. In the perception of the customer and the stake-
holder, this bottom-up communication is inextricably connected with the
company and is part of the total. Therefore the communication from the
individual contributes to the corporate communication. And the other way
around, also applies, good corporate communication should contribute
to the correct ‘aiming’ of the bottom-up communication.
It is important that the distance between corporate communication and
the individual employee does not become too big. In order to bridge the
possible distance, the organization should communicate and innovate
clearly and directly. Usually this is facilitated via departments, line mee-
tings and operational units that have been embedded in the organiza-
tional structures. In their turn people tend to organize themselves more
and more organically based on theme, interests, passion and personality.
These groups are not static. On the contrary, they change according to
the circumstances, both corporately and privately. Therefore, to an incre-
asing extent, the organization is only effective if it succeeds in using and
creating the appropriate connections.
Social media strengthens the influence of the individual and simplifies the
establishment of connections, thus enabling faster connections and dis-
connections. Thus the organization becomes organic. Just like a solid sub-
stance becomes fluid when heated because of the increasing movement
of the atoms, an organization under the influence of social media becomes
increasingly more fluid. Structures come into existence rather than that
organizational structures are being imposed on. Thus the new organiza-
tional shape more and more resembles the mechanism (read: emerging) of
the online community. And just as with the heating of solid substances, the
20
precise balance between seize of the groups (read: granularity) and the
cohesion between them, is important. Only this is a solid basis for effec-
tive operation and innovative impact.
Identity thinking is based on the assumption of a collective ambition that
is being promoted from within. It assumes a connection between people
and the development of the collective. By taking identity thinking as a
starting point, the development of an organization occupies a central
position within the corporate communication. Here the efficiency and the
effectiveness of an organization depend on the balance between the fol-
lowing four layers of communication and organization: corporate or top-
down (1), departments and operational units (2), community (3) and indi-
vidual or bottom-up (4). The social media can best be used in the layers
community (3) and individual or bottom-up (4), both for organizing and for
communicating4.
The organization as a flock of starlings
Therefore the rise of the social media forces organizations to consider
new forms of collaboration and connection. This is the catalyst function
of social media and the reason why attention for social media is not only
of importance to the communication department.
Social media invites – because of its transparent character – to a lar-
ger openness, immediately followed by a freer and more entrepreneurial
mode of operation. If one also takes into consideration the ease of swit-
ching from job and the growing number of self-employed professionals,
then the question arises why people want a fixed form of employment
at all. Especially as they can now better organize themselves online via
21
22
social networks. The rise of social media results in a different perspec-
tive of organizational forms and structures.
At the moment, an organization offers a number of important elements
that social networks do not (yet) offer, such as financial security, facili-
tating support and career management, but also the feeling of belonging
and pride. In particular these elements should enable a person to rise
above him/herself. However, these advantages of the organization can-
not be considered to be of a guaranteed permanent nature. The effect of
self-development can be observed to an increasing extent in the social
media within online communities. This also applies to the feeling of
belonging and pride. There also is a growing group of professionals, acting
as a network, that develop themselves into a new type of full-grown
organizations.
Influenced by social media, self-organizing communities become expres-
sive and influence existing organizational forms and structures. Existing
organizations in their turn become more fluid. The labeling and accele-
ration taking place under the influence of social media, reveal the con-
necting capacity. Every organization should look for those elements that
cause the connecting ability and the collective ambition of organizations:
an inquiry into the DNA of the organization.
Social media strengthens the identity thinking and adds bottom-up
action, internalization and social skills to an organization. This results
in inno vation, dynamics and movement. The image no longer is frozen as
a sculpture, but dynamic as the dance of a flock of starlings. The social
media accelerate and label these new dynamics on and between two
23
levels: individual (micro) and collective (meso) thus also turning the col-
lective into a learning organism. An organism people feel attracted to and
that strengthens people and encourages them in their own ambition. This
is an organization that crosses boundaries that, traditionally, people do
not cross. In this case there is not only a ‘learning’ organization, but also
a ’thinking’ and developing organization. Such a new type of company only
exists with a fluid identity without a beginning and without an end.
24
Social media howto’s
- How do I build an online reputation?
Concrete tips for building a long-lasting reputation.
- What is my actual online reputation?
Tips for building a web-care team and/or internal awareness
with the slogan: ’measuring is knowledge’.
- How do I handle a (social media) crisis?
Defensive strategies that are being explained as aikido training.
For the how to’s please contact
twitter.com/arts118
+31 6 21 26 78 98
Internet addresses
In the texts the following internet addresses are quoted:1 “SNS Bank niet blij met Twittergrap” - nu.nl – (in Dutch) http://www.
nu.nl/internet/2101119/sns-bank-niet-blij-met-twittergrap.html2 “Social Media: A complete overview” – published in Dutch on frank-
watching.com* – (in English: http://blog.totalactivemedia.nl/?p=51)3 “Guerrilla marketing en social media” – published in Dutch on frank-
watching.com* – (in English: http://blog.totalactivemedia.nl/?p=203)4 “El Hexagon: A holistic model of communication” – Slideshare.com –
http://www.slideshare.net/arts118/el-hexagon-a-wholistic-model-of-
communication/
* Frankwatching is one of the most popular Dutch language blogs and
winner in the International Best of Blogs Award (the BOB’s 2007) and the
Dutch Bloggies (Best Marketing Weblog 2009) competitions.
Over de auteur
Martijn Martijn Arts (1973) studied Industrial Design at the Delft
Technical University. Both his Bachelor and his Master’s exam
were passed cum laude. During his university years, together with
friends, he started the internet company ZaPPWeRK. In 2006 ZaPP-
WeRK was renamed as Total Active Media and became a part of
Total Identity Holding. Martijn now is responsible for Total Active
Media as managing director and is a member of the group manage-
ment of Total Identity Holding.
“As Industrial Designer, I often hear the remark: ‘you do not actively do
anything with your specialism’. Dealing well with social media however,
requires everything an Industrial Designer makes his own: creativity,
insight in technique, a multi disciplinary approach and finding one’s
way fast in a certain, sometimes special, topic. I also wanted to become
an ‘imagineer’, someone who invents dreams for groups of people. It
is my sincere belief that social media does so to a certain extent and
that definitely not all opportunities have been seized yet. My skills,
creativity and technical insight have been augmented by knowledge in
the fields of communication, organization and identity. And because of
social media I now also come closer to other fields of expertise such as
sociology, anthropology and the evolution theory. This multi disciplinary
dimension makes my profession more interesting every day!”
This essay is the result of many dialogues, joint analyses and dis-
cussions. In short, co-creation! The most important direct co-aut-
hor is Hans P Brandt (1959; strategic director Total Identity). His
strategically structuring power and knowledge of the field of iden-
tity is large. For this, my gratitude. Other co-authors were Inez
Heeremans (1976; entrepreneur and anthropologist) and Renson
van Tilborg (1967; conversation manager at Social Active Media).
.
TOTAL IDENTITYChallenging ambition
AmsterdamPaalbergweg 42P.O. Box 124801100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 30 TOTAL ACTIVE MEDIA
Paalbergweg 42P.O. Box 12480 1100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelephone +31 20 750 95 00 [email protected]
as of September 1, 2010 our new address will be:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelephone +31 20 750 95 00
ALLCOMMUNICATION SOFTWARESoftware development
Den HaagMauritskade 1P.O. Box 2212501 CE Den HaagTelephone +31 70 311 05 43www.allcommunication.nl [email protected]
PARTNERS
GRAMMAGijzelaarsstraat 29B-2000 AntwerpenTelephone +32 3 230 42 70
SOMMER/TOTAL IDENTITYBlankenburger Strasse 26D-28205 BremenTelephone +49 421 43 733 16
Taiwan [email protected]
PROAD IDENTITY3F, No.42, Sec 2, Zhongcheng Road,Shilin District,Taipei City 111, Taiwan R.O.C.Telephone +886 2 2833 1943
Republic of [email protected]
CDR ASSOCIATES60-12 Dongsung Bldg.Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-guSeoul 135-010, KoreaTelephone +822 518 2470
The effect of Social MediaPlea for public co-creation in the corporate field
Martijn Arts TOTAL IDENTITY
Over de auteur
Martijn Arts (1973) studeerde Industrieel Ontwerpen aan de TU
Delft. Zowel propedeuse als masters werden cum laude afgelegd.
Tijdens de studie startte hij met vrienden het internetbedrijf ZaPP-
WeRK. In 2006 kreeg ZaPPWeRK de nieuwe naam Total Active Media
en werd onderdeel van Total Identity Holding. Martijn is nu verant-
woordelijk voor Total Active Media als managing director en maakt
deel uit van de groepsdirectie van Total Identity Holding.
“Als Industrieel Ontwerper krijg ik vaak de opmerking: ‘jij doet niets
met je studie’. Goed omgaan met social media vereist echter alles
wat een Industrieel Ontwerper zichzelf maakt: creativiteit, inzicht
in techniek, een multidisciplinaire insteek en het snel eigen kun-
nen maken van een bepaald, soms specialistisch, onderwerp. Daar-
bij wilde ik imagineer worden, iemand die dromen uitvindt voor
groepen mensen. Naar mijn idee doet social media dat in bepaalde
mate en de mogelijkheden zijn nog lang niet allemaal benut. Mijn
vaardigheden creativiteit en technisch inzicht zijn aangevuld met
kennis van communicatie, organisatie en identiteit. En mede door
social media kom ik nu ook dichter bij andere vakgebieden als bij-
voorbeeld sociologie, antropologie en evolutieleer. Deze multidis-
ciplinaire dimensie maakt mijn vak steeds interessanter!”
Dit essay ontstaat niet vanuit één brein en één pen. Het is het
resultaat van vele dialogen, gezamenlijke en grondige analyses en
discussies. Kortom, het is het resultaat van co-creatie! Belangrijk-
ste directe co-auteur is Hans P Brandt (1959; strategisch directeur
Total Identity). Zijn strategisch structurerend vermogen en ken-
nis op het gebied van identiteit is groot. Andere co-auteurs waren
Inez Heeremans (1976; ondernemer en antropoloog) en Renson van
Tilborg (1967; conversation manager van Social Active Media).
TOTAL IDENTITYChallenging ambition
AmsterdamPaalbergweg 42Postbus 124801100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelefoon (020) 750 95 00
vanaf 1 september 2010 is ons nieuwe adres:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelefoon (020) 750 95 00 Den HaagMauritskade 1Postbus 2212501 CE Den HaagTelefoon (070) 311 05 30 TOTAL ACTIVE MEDIA
Paalbergweg 42Postbus 12480 1100 AL Amsterdam ZOTelefoon (020) 750 95 00 [email protected]
vanaf 1 september 2010 is ons nieuwe adres:Pedro de Medinalaan 91086 XK AmsterdamTelefoon (020) 750 95 00
ALLCOMMUNICATION SOFTWARESoftware development
Den HaagMauritskade 1Postbus 2212501 CE Den HaagTelefoon (070) 311 05 43www.allcommunication.nl [email protected]
PARTNERS
België[email protected]
GRAMMAGijzelaarsstraat 29B-2000 AntwerpenTelefoon +32 3 230 42 70
SOMMER/TOTAL IDENTITYBlankenburger Strasse 26D-28205 BremenTelefoon +49 421 43 733 16
Taiwan [email protected]
PROAD IDENTITY3F, No.42, Sec 2, Zhongcheng Road,Shilin District,Taipei City 111, Taiwan R.O.C.Telefoon +886 2 2833 1943
Zuid [email protected]
CDR ASSOCIATES60-12 Dongsung Bldg.Nonhyun-dong, Gangnam-guSeoul 135-010, Korea+822 518 2470
Het effect van Social MediaPleidooi voor publieke co-creatie in de corporate sector
Martijn Arts TOTAL IDENTITY
TAMartijn_cover.indd 1 18-06-2010 15:00:36