As people working in the rapidly evolving world of 'new media,' we are constantly wearing our futurists' hats, predicting where our industry is going and how we can communicate with consumers in the incredibly fragmented, social 2011 media world.
But since the digital world has changed dramatically in recent years, I think our terminology may need to reflect this evolution.
After all, we no longer speak the language that people used years ago in medieval times. Things evolve, right?
According to Wikipedia, the definition of the Internet is :
'a global system of interconnected computer networks...'
and while of course the internet as a medium is stronger than ever as an infrastructure of communication and consumer engagement, it continues to evolve at an alarming pace and it's form continues to morph.
Which leads me to my discovery - I recently came across a series of childrens' books called 'Outernet,' by Steve Barlow. The title of the books got me thinking.
Perhaps the word 'Outernet' could be used in our industry to better explain the new reality of the media world in which we live, since significant elements of digital are moving from a central, relatively closed (although global) virtual network, to one that now spreads out into real world with its ubiquitous, real world digital tentacles?
Mobile (ipads, iphones, tablets etc), Foursquare check-ins, Facebook and other social channel check-ins, Tweeting on the go, QR and other codes, digital billboards etc could all be considered part of this new, highly engaging, transient 'Outernet' experience.
What do you think about the possibility of ad agencies and media suppliers creating positions such as:
- Outernet engagement specialists,
- Outernet channel planners
- Outernet experience designers or simply
- Outernet suppliers ?
Outernet seems like a suitable, 'catch-all' word for all real world, transient digital communications outside of the PC or Mac, no ?!! Just saying.
Your thoughts?