An analogy on the worlds of 'Advertising' and 'Social Media', and why the two are distinctly different things...

1. If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire. John V Willshire Head of Innovation PHD

2. Just a way to help think about the difference between social media and advertisingOr explain it to someone

3. Advertising is like fireworks http://www.flickr.com/photos/stage88/3228637838/sizes/o/

4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/1309409634/sizes/l/ Fireworks are attention grabbing beacons on steroids

5. Good ones make you go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ ooooh aaaaah http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjones/60562951/sizes/l/

6. They draw people in from miles around http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/752319396/sizes/l/

7. They’re prepackaged; just light a firework and stand back http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2829363989/

8. Or get in the professionals http://www.flickr.com/photos/alkiol/732074235/sizes/o/

9. It’s so easy… EVERYONE is doing it http://www.flickr.com/photos/arnar/340888701/sizes/o/

10. Just like advertising

11. It’s the standard solution http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3135589362/sizes/l/

12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/srivera/2799747313/

13. Fireworks burn very brightly, but die very quickly. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbarasworld/1308507724/

14. You need to keep lighting fireworks to keep folk interested http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2848241812/sizes/o/

15. Which is expensive http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/2928416111/sizes/l/

16. It’s an arms race Bigger, brighter, louder, MORE

17. Bonfire night is not just about the fireworks (the clue is in the name) http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035774131@N01/283224088/sizes/l/

18. If advertising is a firework, then social media is a bonfire. http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/2755425049/sizes/l/

19. Two very different things

20. Very different disciplines

21. Building bonfires takes time… http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarcasmette/3805363440/sizes/l/

22. …and it takes time to get good at building them http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbhalper/3013369399/

23. It might go out… Keep trying http://www.flickr.com/photos/numuseum/533515920/sizes/l/

24. Use whatever you have to hand http://www.flickr.com/photos/88933162@N00/3021553543/sizes/o/

25. It might be a bit lonely at first http://www.flickr.com/photos/inajeep/265544195/sizes/l/

26. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kumo_no_ue/3197957095/sizes/o/ Then a few friends gather round

27. Then a few more http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluearc21/2359336236/sizes/l/

28. It’s where people like to hang out and share http://www.flickr.com/photos/78428166@N00/3679575777/sizes/l/

29. Then, wonderfully……your friends start helping out http://www.flickr.com/photos/israluv/147458000/sizes/o/

30. Because people like helping with bonfires http://www.flickr.com/photos/78428166@N00/3759200168/sizes/l/

31. more friends, more wood, bigger fire, more friends... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mstreb/617462120/sizes/l/

32. From a small start, you can end up with something pretty amazing http://www.flickr.com/photos/powi/2455460100/sizes/o/

33. Just like social media

34. So have advertising fireworks had their day? http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3134756007/sizes/l/

35. In the long term… …we don’t know http://www.flickr.com/photos/epicfireworks/3135572078/sizes/l/

36. Right this moment… it’s not either / or It’s both

37. If you have an amazing bonfire already, use a few fireworks to bring folk to it http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/3724362640/sizes/l/

38. If your fireworks are great, stop people disappearing by getting a good ol' bonfire going http://www.flickr.com/photos/reginayiqing/2724868889/sizes/l/

39. Just remember,remember… http://www.flickr.com/photos/daverexwood/1874498701/

40. Putting fireworks in bonfires isn’t a great idea

41. John V Willshire, PHD @willsh http://feedingthepuppy.typepad.com Simon Kemp David Wilding Beth Williams Chris Stephenson Daniel Goodall Mat Riches Vijay Sankaran Thank you to… http://www.flickr.com/photos/gin_soak/1878526591/sizes/l/