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Communicating the Value of a College Education

January 13, 2012 By 4 Comments
Conversation

The following are the notes from my presentation as part of a panel on “Communicating in the New Normal” at the College Board 2012 Colloquium held in Newport Beach, CA January 7-9.  I was part of very august company: moderator Phillip Ballinger, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and Director of Undergraduate Admissions at University of Washington at University of Washington, Marie Groark, Executive Director of the Get Schooled Foundation, and Millree Williams, Executive Director for Public Affairs Strategy at the University of Maryland. The New Normal: The Changing Communications Landscape The need to explore new models was the emerging theme of the Colloquium.   I’d like to take us up to 20,000 feet for a minute and talk about the new model of communications and the media landscape that is the new normal. How many of you use Facebook personally? Compare this 30% to this number: 96% of your target audience, people aged 18 to 35, is on social networks.  The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Emerging Technologies, Psychology, Social Media & Networks Tagged With: , ,

Transmedia storytelling: It’s the story stupid!

October 21, 2011 By 4 Comments
once upon a time pen

We need a new name for 'transmedia storytelling'. It seems like all the excitement about big transmedia storytelling projects has made it the buzz term du jour. But somehow, in all that excitement, the fundamentals have become obscured. It's important to remember that in 'transmedia storytelling,' that 'transmedia' is an adjective. 'Storytelling' is the noun. The transmedia part of transmedia storytelling is like building a musical score the way a conductor employs different instruments in an orchestra. Each instrument doesn't sound the same or play the same notes but if performed well, is beautiful on its own. Together they create a whole new experiential space that transports us by opening the door to our emotions and imagination. Transmedia storytelling, like a symphony, creates a collaborative and immersive story ecosystem that is new, engaging, and exciting. It takes tremendous creativity, talent, and, literally, orchestration, to pull off a transmedia storytelling project. But … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Social Media & Networks, Transmedia Tagged With: ,

Us versus Them? It’s time for “We’re all in this together”

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
201-08-18_Small-All-in-this-together

The in-flight safety message on a recent Virgin America flight ended with a clever info-cartoon intended to raise awareness of how obnoxious airplane behavior impacts everyone on the flight called “We’re all in this together.” This is a message in short supply today.  We should take a cue from Virgin America & Method (who co-sponsored the message). Instead of politicians trying to convince voters that the other guy is the problem, or, like after the London riots or the BART cell phone shut down, that access to communications tools is dangerous, we need a new mindset.  It's time for a Public Service Announcement that focuses on the strengths that come from unity; a nationwide public relations campaign based on the understanding that we are all in this together. Social media and communications technologies are in everyone’s sights.  Technology does contribute to what David Altheide (2010) calls the ‘politics of fear.’  He talks about it in terms of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture & Society, Politics & Policy, Psychology, Social Media & Networks Tagged With: , , , ,

Vote for Me @SxSW 2012 Panel Picker: Brains, Games & Design

August 16, 2011 By 1 Comment
Vote for Rutledge SXSW

I am always looking for ways to get people to think about the psychology behind media, mediated communication, and technology. SxSW (South By Southwest or 'South By' if you're on a first name basis) is a music, film, and interactive media conferences held annually in Austin, Texas and it is a perfect place to do that.  I like to think of myself as an ambassador for media psychology because at SxSW Interactive, I get to talk and hang out with the people I don’t normally see, who are doing a lot of the inventing, communicating, and producing.  Aside from getting some psychology into the greater global consciousness and I always learn a humbling amount about technology and emerging media development and use.  SxSW would be more accurately called a celebration than a conference.  It has grown exponentially because it brings together a fascinatingly diverse group in all senses of the word--artists, thinkers, and doers from across industries around the globe. The energy from that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Psychology, Social Media & Networks Tagged With: , , , ,
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