February 20, 2006

Capturing/Informing the Visitor

The folks at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis have a smart idea. They have phone numbers next to certain works of art. Call the number, and you get an audio description of what you're looking at.

At an exhibit of contemporary prefabricated houses, they had a leaflet with a headline, "Use your cell phone to learn more about prefab." There followed a cell phone number and a series of four-digit codes that would lead you to any one of 10 options . The leaflet also told you how to download to your iPod everything from "Art on Call" via the Walker's website or through iTunes.

Such a great idea.

Think of the versatility and flexibility. The ease of changing the message, the ease of directing people to other extensions. The opportunity to use this for walking tours, driving tours, etc. For example, we have long-promoted the use of cell phone marketing messages as a way to get pass-through visitors to stop and sample your destination.

For more info on the Walker's Art on Call initiative, go to newmedia.walkerart.org/aoc.

The Doorway to the World

I noticed that Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is coming to South Carolina to woo the Republicans here. I read recently that he proposed a bill to buy his state's children 500,000 very inexpensive computers being created at MIT.

Apparently, MIT's Media Lab has developed the prototype of a $100 computer. And that could provide a doorway to the world to millions and millions of people. These computers would include wireless peer-to-peer connections that create a local network. And, presuming there's an Internet signal somewhere in the network area, everyone can get online and use a built-in Web browser.

Wow! Now we're talking! Now everyone's talking!

Nothing is as it Seems to Be

That's always the case, isn't it?

Take the latest trend in product placement. Instead of worrying about what to put where as a show is being shot, product placement is increasingly added digitally after the fact. That means, of course, that you could conceivably alter the product placement by market and by re-run, etc.

More possibilities!