Official announcement: it’s just “2.0″

I am officially switching from using the terms “Web 2.0,” “social media,” “new media,” and “digital media” to simply using “2.0.”  It’s not that I’m going minimalist on you, it’s just that what’s going on out there is a societal and cultural shift enabled by tools and technologies.  As I’ve said before and will say again, it’s never about the tools and technologies.  The above terms limit the scope of changes that are infiltrating every aspect, corner and depth of our society.  We are entering a new era just as we did with the Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment.*  This era, as a whole, I’m entitling “2.0.”

 

* can’t help but think of that hilarious scene in the movie Swingers, though…

Marketing agency turned Sherpa

In his blog today, Chris Brogan asks what the current and future roles and capabilities of marketing agencies need to be in our world of new media.  He’s received a tremendous number of insightful responses.  I wanted to share my response to his question and give you a chance to check out some of the others as well. 

I see the lines between customer-facing functions, e.g. marketing, sales, PR, customer service, product development, blurring in the 2.0 world as the tenets of collaboration, openness and truth take hold of organizations and individuals.  This leaves the new media marketing agency with the role of “Sherpa,” guiding clients through the culture change that new media participation requires.