Conversation Agent - Valeria Maltoni

Understanding Viewers' Needs

[Keynote by Josh Sapan, AMC Networks - MIPTV 2012] A good talk about how the digital medium has shifted the way programming is viewed, and what people are willing to pay for by Josh Sapan, President and CEO of AMC Networks. Sapan talks about the recognition of emerging binge-watching patterns for drama shows, to the shift from appointment TV driven by scheduling and connection TV driven by fans desire to watch the shows they love when they want to and the role of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Google TV in driving interest in new seasons by letting people binge-watch past... Read more →

The 2,000 Most Important Films Infographic

It took five years to research and design. The criteria Larry Gormley used for ranking and inclusion were: Critical acclaim: did one or more respected and published film critics designate the film as important and worthy of recognition. Some examples include: the Nation Society of Film Critics and Roger Ebert. Key film: was the film important to a particular genre (for example, the first film of that genre); did an important director make the film; did the film have unique production values; did the film have historical value. Awards: did the film win one or more major awards such as... Read more →

Value: Do You Add or Extract?

The financial services sector, and specifically banks, has been attracting attention for being among the business categories that are set up to extract value instead of adding it. A few months ago, I had to go in and speak with an adviser at my own bank, sign papers and provide proof that I am who I say I am, even though that was set up in the system and they had invited me in, so that I could access a better interest rate. Imagine making your clients come to your office and sit through a presentation of all the things... Read more →

How we Use Connected Devices

Now that I'm fully immersed in building multichannel executions through responsive design, I pay particular attention to how customers use the web, mobile, social, tablets, and iTV, including noting my own habits. Nielsen just published a new study on connected devices. Interesting to note: Social Media — 44% of 18-24 year old and close to 50% of 25-34 year old are visiting social networking sites on their smartphones during both commercials and programs while watching TV. Seeking Information — 36% of people 35-54 and 44% of people 55-64 use their tablets to dive deeper into the TV program they are... Read more →

Formulas

It's very tempting to adopt a "just give me the formula" kind of thinking. Expecially when the expectation of the total communication about idea development and execution is starting to look like a tweet. To over-regulate when we have lost the ability to self-regulate. To make excuses for our lack of power when we could have greatly influenced how a business keeps its promises by empowering ourselves (see/thank you Frank Eliason). I do have a Formula I follow... for everything else there's sense making. Which, by the way, doesn't preclude doing or making. In fact, it welcomes it. This is... Read more →

Asking Better Questions: Lessons in Perspective

Two ingredients to a good conversation are: a subject that has done interesting things, and has an intriguing point of view, and a set of questions that demonstrate the interviewer is interested in exploring some of those projects and has a certain point of view Asking good questions is an art. The hardest questions to ask however, are those we're also called to answer. Lessons in perspective I came across two essays recently that have reinforced the same sense of fragility we face as humans I have felt during personal and family difficulties. New Zealand-based art director Linds Redding who... Read more →

Tools Connected Customers Want

In A Whole New Mind, Dan Pink presented six aptitudes that are highly subjective, socially- and culturally-dependent. In his view: Design is an asset above function Story is an asset above argument Symphony is an asset above focus Empathy is an asset above logic Play is an asset above seriousness, and Meaning is an asset above accumulation As it is the case for many books that stand the test of time, Dan Pink's concepts have begun to make more sense now that some time has passed and we've had the chance to test them. Look around and you will see... Read more →

9 Recent Posts at Conversation Agent you Might have Missed

Customer Behavior in a Post Advertising World Conversation is one of the best tools for customer connection. +++ Happiness is the Best Global Brand The verb of the Web is share. We go online to share our story -- our creations, opinions, dreams, hopes, places, ambitions, and successes. Sometimes we also share the not so good moments. Most of the time, we look to inspire and be inspired. +++ How Social Currency Influences Behavior It's the age of the connected customer and people are now comfortable using technology to share -- privately or in public. +++ The Moving Line in... Read more →

Connecting by Subtraction

“To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day." [Lao Tzu] "When you remove just the right things in just the right way," says Matthew May in a new ChangeThis manifesto, "something very good happens." The best experiences are usually the simplest. The most memorable words are simple. A million years ago, when I was teaching children Italian, I used to work with toddlers who could barely walk, yet could understand several languages. It was not uncommon for them to pick the easiest word to pronounce in each language they were learning/being exposed to when... Read more →

Seeking the Evidence or the Post Decision Journey

The answer to the often asked question: What really affects behavior? often doesn't fit in a neat chart. We do know that emotion, context and situational factors influence our choices. “There is no market for messages,” wrote Doc Searls more than ten years ago, and you may not be able to outspend your competition, you can guide customers in simplifying their learning curve when making decisions. You do that by first learning what needs to be affected to move the needle. Eaon Pritchard says (emphasis mine): “[...] the other fundamental to remember is that behaviour shapes attitudes not the other... Read more →