The Washington Post’s Post

Don’t treat your audience as a faceless crowd that will lap up any product you grace them with. I just watched the second Dune movie (no notable spoilers ahead). I liked it; it was a surprisingly titillating action package that didn’t feel as long as it really was. One thing that did rub me the wrong way, though, was that I struggled to understand the behavior of some of the masses. In particular the everyday Harkonnen citizen. I mean, the synchronized fist-shaking and absolutely flawless monochrome color-coordination at an event that’s essentially their version of Super Bowl? How do they get everyone to be so well in sync, and why, WHY would the people agree to that? What’s the leverage this fascist regime has over the crowds to turn them into THAT? Note that it must be, what, 25 years since I read the books, so no help from there, either. “It’s fantasy, silly, it’s not about people like us!” Nope, I’m Freudian and self-centered enough of a consumer to believe everything is about us. Furthermore, not explaining people’s motivations is just lazy storytelling. We get pulled in because we relate, because we understand, even if just for a short moment. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite scifi writers because while he writes about dramatically different cultures (think sentient spiders and octopodes), he goes through a lot of trouble to explain WHY these cultures are so different from ours. Sure, the idea of a drug that can accelerate evolution of species is a little fantastical, but at least the biological peculiarities of these elevated creatures give a plausible explanation to their societal dynamics. Understanding your characters’ motivation is a passion topic of mine, and it’s directly linked to good marketing. You might have the awesomest product to ever emerge from a lab, but if you can’t explain what motivates someone to use it, it’ll be a dud. Sure, marketing is not about us, it’s about the customers. But WE need to understand what the customer might want and why. Don’t be a Harkonnen, be a spider. #storytelling #techmarketing #sciencefiction Image: Warner Bros. Pictures / Dune 2

Hello everyone, happy almost little Saturday! As some of you may know, I'm passionate about the idea that we are stronger together. My collaboration, based on my daily work in R & D for various projects, involves sharing about the evolution of the Creative Industry. This means I don’t focus primarily on tech or the business aspect of Hollywood (or the Media and Entertainment sector globally), but on the actual product that makes this industry go round: the king and queen, content and community (audience). We love to support diverse and multicultural storytellers of any age, gender, or ability (hence the word ‘diverse’), and that’s what we’ve done and will continue to build up at The Hollywood Makers. Everything is changing at a rapid pace due to new technology, the pandemic aftermath, strikes, economic shifts, societal changes, etc., and we're here to collaborate! I truly believe, as a media producer and media psychologist, that great storytellers, whether they work on narrative or non-fiction projects, impact the world in both wonderful and not-so-wonderful ways. Today, I want to share that I think the elevator scene from “Girls on The Bus” on HBO Max is superb! (What Walker told Sadie, ‘sarcasm... innocence’). Many women can be described like that by others, and they are genius, like the author of the book and series. The script, in part by Amy Chozick, is fantastic. The topics are intricately woven and unravel beautifully, showing reality accurately. We're not hating each other in real life because of what the other person thinks; most people are doing just what the characters are showing. It is unfortunate that Netflix dropped this series earlier. We could discuss the possible reasons why in the future. But for now, subscribe to our newsletter (link in comments below) and become part of The Hollywood Makers. Send me a DM if you’re interested in participating. #MediaProduction #mediapsychology #CreativeIndustry #ContentCreation Photo credit: from 'The Girls on the Bus' (@Max)

De La Soul were wrong. 3 isnt the magic number, 4 is. Let me explain. 👇 When was the last time a friend recommended something to you which you subsequently forgot? If you’re anything like me, I have about 15 Netflix shows I need to watch but can’t remember them for the life of me. People think word of mouth is some magical power. Somebody make a recommendation and they buy. That might be the case for a Netflix show (or not!) but not for all products. 4 is the magic number. Research from Centola shows people typically need to hear things 4 times to take an action. So it comes down to reinforcement. One referral is fine, but that referral needs reinforcement from other people, but advertising can also help. This is why it pays to understand the local context when making your media planning decisions. You need to deploy a portion of your above the line to reinforcement; to those areas that are on the brink of having strong brand awareness but need a push. This is where behavioural science, data and media planner combine to deliver outsized results.

Hello! Ever found yourself laughing at a silly rom-com on Netflix one night and then, almost magically, getting gripped by a true crime thriller the next? That's been my journey lately, and it's got me thinking. As an individual with a background primarily in clinical psychology and data analysis, I couldn't help but dive deeper. It's fascinating - one moment, I'm in a world of light-hearted comedy, and the next, I'm plunged into the depths of suspense and mystery. But why this sudden shift? Here's where I invite you to ponder: 1. The Algorithm: Is Netflix just reflecting my mood swings, or is it cleverly nudging me towards uncharted territories? 2. The Psychology of Choice: Are we truly the masters of our watchlist, or are we dancing to the tune of very sophisticated AI? 3. Engagement vs. Comfort: How does this balance play out in our digital consumption? Are we being challenged, or are we comfortably numb in our content bubbles? This isn't just about what we watch. It's about understanding the invisible digital threads that guide our choices. If you have experienced this? Does it make you wonder about the unseen digital hands shaping our entertainment (and maybe even our thoughts)? #NetflixGenreShift Let's turn this into a conversation. Share your stories and insights below. I'm all ears (and eyes)!👻 #streamingservices #digitaltrends #contentstrategy #viewership #algorithmic #techinfluence #mediamonitoring #engagementmetrics #NetflixGenreShift

✨Disney aims to create "most magical place(s) on Earth." Unsurprisingly, they use tons of psychology and behavioral science to do it 👇 ⁠ -- When Walt Disney decided to pivot away from movies and into theme parks (a concept that didn't really exist in the 1960s), most people thought he was crazy. He knew he couldn't do it all himself, so he hired a brilliant group of creative engineers called Imagineers to do it. While creating Disneyland (and later Disney World), the Imagineers developed a set of rules that guided their work. Coined “Mickey’s 10 Commandments” by Imagineer Marty Sklar, they’re a cheat sheet for creating a brand that people obsess over. ⁠ And turns out there's a bit of psychology behind each one. They are… ⁠ ⁠ ✅ Know your audience: Self-Reference Effect⁠ ⁠ ✅ Wear your guest’s shoes: Recency Bias⁠ ⁠ ✅ Organize the flow of people and ideas: Narrative Bias⁠ ⁠ ✅ Create a "weenie": Visual Salience⁠ ⁠ ✅ Communicate with Visual Literacy: Picture Superiority Effect⁠ ⁠ ✅ Avoid Overload: Simplicity Theory⁠ ⁠ ✅ Tell One Story At A Time: Simplicity Theory⁠ ⁠ ✅ Maintain Identity: Mere Exposure Effect⁠ ⁠ ✅ For every ounce of treatment, provide a ton of fun: Idleness Aversion⁠ ⁠ ✅ Keep it up: Status Quo Bias⁠ Check out the carousel for more about how Disney delivered on these "10 Commandments." 👇 -- ❤️ Found this interesting? Please like or share this post so it's easier for others to find, too :)

I've been trying to unpack the distinct sense of unease I feel when I read about the latest Internet "trends" (think: Girl Dinner, Roman Empire et. al). The feeling that anointing these as "viral" often feels like grasping at straws. Like proclaiming to KNOW when we really don't know much beyond our own little corners of the Internet. This piece by The Atlantic writer Charlie Warzel today gave me language to describe what I've been feeling. Yes, it's fueled in part by something I often write about often—the atomization of the content we consume into smaller and smaller niche platforms and spaces, making it so we effectively experience very different versions of reality, now often inaccessible by others. But there are other complications. "More than before, it feels like we’re holding a fun-house mirror up to the internet and struggling to make sense of the distorted picture...Popular content is being consumed at an astounding scale, yet popularity and even celebrity feel miniaturized, siloed. We live in a world where it’s easier than ever to be blissfully unaware of things that other people are consuming. It’s also easier than ever to assign outsize importance to information or trends that may feel popular but are actually contained." How do YOU understand what's *really* happening online? What tools or services do you use? I'll round up some of my faves in a future post, but add yours here and I'll include 👀 Full Atlantic piece linked in comments. #trending #trendforecasting

13 Hot Topics to Triple Your Post Impressions Recently, I posted about Trend Jacking. That’s when you link your content to a topic people already talking about. I tripled my regular view count by tapping into a new release on Netflix. Any news item can work, the more it is talked about the greater the potential upside. Remember to connect the dots. If you do this well you can gain a boost to your brand and engagement. But do this poorly and you might lose a few fans. Here are 11 current topics you can piggyback to boost your post impressions. 🏉 Football season has rebooted (sic) - NRL and AFL 🏁 The F1 Grand Prix is on this weekend in Melbourne (March 24) 💻 AI is hot and fast-moving - What software are you using? And for what purpose? 🇺🇸 Elections - this year there will be elections in the US, South Africa, Brazil, Russia and India. But be aware that talking about politics may alienate parts of your audience. 🎥 Movies - Furiosa, a new Mad Max movie filmed in Australia is due in May. The next James Bond is an ongoing point for discussion. 📺 TV shows - the 16th season of Masterchef starts on April 22. 📕 Books - what’s new from your favourite author? Cal Newport has just released Slow Productivity (March 5). Have you read it? (It’s on my list.) 🍏 Tech - what’s being released in tech? Apple offers new iPads in April. 🎨 Art Exhibitions - Indigenous artist Emily Kam Kngwarray is on at NGA in Canberra. I love her work! 👨👩👧👦 Anzac Day is coming around again on April 25. Be respectful and connect to Australia’s proud history. 👩🎤 Music - Beyonce has a new album, Cowboy Carter, coming out on March 29. 🏃♀️ Paris hosts the Olympics starting July 25. 🤣 April Fools Day is an opportunity for some light-hearted stretching of the truth. Which ones might be of interest to your audience? And which of your content pillars (the things you write about) is a good fit? #ideasarchitect #trendjacking #ContentStrategy

First and foremost, Happy 2024! I wanted to take this opportunity to connect with my FB Fam and sincerely apologize for my prolonged absence from social media. I needed some time away from the negativity surrounding COVID-19 and the polarizing content of the 2020 election season, particularly related to the former president and his acolytes. I have been honing my technical skills, including Artificial Intelligence, thanks to my sister, and I have plans to write a memoir and venture into the DJing space. So, let's not call it a "comeback"; I have evolved. You can view my AI-generated graphic novel-like work based on a simple headshot of myself, guaranteed to make you laugh and marvel: https://lnkd.in/ghrAgzCR Check out my updated-for-2024 online portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gxcraPpJ

For the first HubReads we are diving into "Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction." by Derek Thompson. 📚 Join here: bit.ly/HubReads About the book: “This book picks up where The Tipping Point left off." -- Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE Nothing “goes viral.” If you think a popular movie, song, or app came out of nowhere to become a word-of-mouth success in today’s crowded media environment, you’re missing the real story. Each blockbuster has a secret history—of power, influence, dark broadcasters, and passionate cults that turn some new products into cultural phenomena. Even the most brilliant ideas wither in obscurity if they fail to connect with the right network, and the consumers that matter most aren't the early adopters but rather their friends, followers, and imitators -- the audience of your audience.

Guess what? "Rizz" just got crowned as Oxford's Word of 2023, and honestly, I'm here for it! In case you're wondering, "Rizz" is all about charisma and style, the official definition goes like this "colloquial noun, defined as ‘style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.’” but if you're more of a visual learner like me, check out @muricanmike's explainer video right here: lAnd if you are a visual learner like me, @muricanmike have all of the tea here: https://lnkd.in/gjgwPnN6 The meteoric rise of "Rizz" is a prime example of how our language keeps evolving in the digital era, and you can thank social media creators for that. In a world where trends spread faster than gossip at a high school or around the office, platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, along with our Gen Z trendsetters, are making language trends go viral faster than ever before! I'm here for power of social media in shaping our language and giving us fresh lingo... even if it does take some of us elder millennials a little longer to catch on 🚀💬 #WordOfTheYear #Rizz https://lnkd.in/gPxJGpwc