December 1 2008
There has been a debate over the course of the last year that likely will not end anytime soon – it is a shifting debate with no clear lines of demarcation, but it mainly has to do with the role of bloggers as wine media, attendant ethical implications and the shape-shifting dynamics of social media, particularly as an agent of winery marketing.
Folks, we are in the midst of a technological shift that is causing massive sociological marketing shifts across all industries. This is an intractable, empirical fact. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.
The impetus for this brief post is another Molotov cocktail hurled by Steve Heimoff – a fine writer and industry veteran who seemingly does not mind biting the blogging hand that welcomed him into the community whilst simultaneously not seeing the irony in most of his commentary given his employer.
If he slapped my Mom on the ass on the way in the door, he would have completed the poor guest trifecta.
Last week, he posted a rebuttal on his site, found here, from a post by WineDiverGirl.
I will not get into the middle of that debate, it was relatively benign for what it was, and the gist is bloggers getting too close to their subject matter. However, what I am asking for is a moment of clarity.
I do not think that most people that read wine blogs understand enough, at a 100,000 foot level the dynamics of the shape-shifting revolution that is going on in content consumption fed by this thing we call the Internet.
If they did, our top wine bloggers would have 1000s of subscribers to their RSS feed instead of 300+
Heck, I do not get all of it. It is impossible to understand everything technology-related and put it into context.
However, I do keep a pretty close eye on the Internet, social media and the marketing landscape and I would urge EVERYBODY that has an opinion in this debate to do some outside homework.
I say this because I run up against some old guard sensibilities that fail to recognize to some simple, fundamental things:
* Journalism – the fourth estate - is a monologue.
* Social media and blogging is a conversation.
When I have a conversation with somebody I typically engage them in an exchange of ideas. That exchange of ideas is not marketing it is a conversation. I can be biased, but you can still trust my opinion, or not. That choice is yours based on what you think my credibility and transparency level is.
Or, put another way, it is like Monday morning or armchair quarterbacking. Look, I played football for one season in 5th grade and I played some Techmo Bowl and Madden video games. Just because I know what a Cover-2 defense is or I know what “Trips Right” means does not mean I know that much about football. If I did, I would surely go on and on about why Notre Dame has not been able to run the ball for the last two years. Because I am conversationally dangerous, but not knowlegeable, I couch my commentary on the status of football related things to that which I can back-up with a vestige of fact in order to enhance my credibility, or at least not be seen a fool.
Simply enough, I think Steve Heimoff is arm chair quarterbacking and doing so in a way that doesn’t expose what he knows, but rather what he doesn’t know.
Here are five resources I encourage everybody to read in sequential order:
1) The final word on blogging, ethics and journalism
3) A series of posts on social media at this blog, also presented in .ppt form here
4) This presentation on social media at Slideshare
5) This incredibly insightful treatise on the future of content, social media and distribution paths (thanks to Joel Vincent for the pointer)
I guarantee, if you read all five items with an open mind, your view of today and your view of tomorrow will be enlightened.
That said, I don’t apologize for much, but I apologize for this post. It has nothing to do with wine, or at least very little, but I feel like influential people are on the bully pulpit without having a fundamental understanding of the dynamic in which they are operating.
I’m no pie in the sky futurist talking about things 10 years off, I’m talking about changes in our media and our world that are happening right now.
As soon as we all agree that it is happening, the better off we will ALL be.
Posted in, Around the Wine Blogosphere. Permalink | Comments (8) |
Aw, Jeff, can’t we all just get along?
Steve,
I like you. I don’t know you, but I like you—if that makes sense. And, I know your wine experience exceeds mine immeasurably as does your influence.
I’m not trying to cast aspersions or do anything below the belt, but I do think we’re diametrically opposed on a couple of things and I think the resources I linked to might give anybody who reads this blog a more holistic viewpoint of social media and the place that blogging occupies.
That’s all. I contemplated long and hard about even referencing you by name because it’s not gentlemanly, but in a column format I had to have a foil and, well, your recent post fit the bill.
If you can come to greater understanding about social media, I think you can really help be a shining light for everybody. You have a blog, so you’re halfway there.
And, I do encourage you to read the resources—particularly the last one; it was an eye opener for me and brought a lot of things I felt or sensed into crystalline focus.
All the best and my regards,
Jeff
Jeff, in my post I deliberately praised WineDiverGirl’s passion, and in a reply to a comment, I wrote that “WineDiverGirl is to be commended for looking outside the box, asking questions, pushing the envelope. I love that.” So I disagree with your “Molotov cocktail” analogy. I simply believe very strongly in the separation of church and state—in this case, media and wineries. It doesn’t matter if the media is old or new. The fundamentals still apply, as time goes by. I was trying to point out some of the problems inherent in some of WineDiverGirl’s suggestions.
Steve,
I get the separation of church and state. Believe me, I do. I have a journalism degree.
But, the point of my post is given the direction of social media, the belief in a separation point may quickly turn dry, dusty and anachronistic.
If you get a moment, all of the things I pointed out are interesting, in my opinion.
All the best and my regards,
Jeff
The poor guest trifecta sentence made me laugh out loud.
And the links were very illuminating.
You are my blog post of the day pick ....again!
You made me laugh and learn, all in one post.
Thanks Amy.
Let’s start a mutual admiration society.
And, if you know that Glen Phillips was in a band of the same name and if you know that Glen Phillips, a so cal guy from Santa Barbara, was also the lead singer for a band called Toad the Wet Sprocket, then, well, seriously, let’s start a mutual admiration society.
Jeff
Great job Jeff - great job.
P
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Great post - love the way you simply laid out the whole “journalism is a monologue” and new media is a conversation.
In related news, I think “marketing” properly understood is about giving people a way to have new experiences with themselves and with others. Stop sending messages and start creating platforms for experiences.
P.S. Can you please post a pic of your mom? (just teasing you!) Did Steve Heimoff REALLY slap her ass?! (This is how rumors get started; I love it!)
Richard