This was a great start from my point of view! To be honest, I was a bit nervous today at 12:20 some 10 minutes before my presentation started at the Pre-Conference Branding Seminar. Some 30 people from Newspapers around the world were listening and we had a great vivid discussions and I got some tricky questions.

I covered basically some ideas about branding via Web 2.0.

But before I officially started Thorkild Rathje mentioned some really interesting stuff in the session before - He is Marketingdirektor at Nordjyske Medier. So he told the audience that at his newspaper they don't try to control the brand in a traditional meaning any more, but open up and engage their readers/users to show them what to create with their brand. I don't hear that very often and Thorkild promised to send me more infos on their ad campaigns based upon User generated content! Talk to him if you want to more about that.

I got introduced by Bernard Asselin, Vice President - Marketing and Reader Sales & Service from The Gazette. After lunch Bernard told us more about their fantastic branding campaign words matter



In my presentation I tried to cover 3 central thesis which I believe:

1. Web 2.0 is perpetual conversation

2. Brands and mainstream media are not in the driver seat any more - it is the active user

3. Users believe in other users opinions more than in company broadcasting

The question for Newspapers today is how to develop their online assets into platforms and infrastructures to make them attractive enough to have their readers their conversations on the site - and not on facebook or in their blog.

Otherwise big brands will take away budgets from traditional advertising and go on to stage their brands and develop their own corporate media around that brand. Just like as BMW which is launching the BMW Concept X1 with Twitter Channels, Photoalbums on Flickr, a Facebook Site, a Video on YouTube:



and great Feedback from leading automotive Bloggers around the World:

Just a few minutes ago, we learned that BMW has launched a Twitter page as well dedicated to X1, along with a Facebook account and of course, a Flickr page. I love the fact that BMW is getting more involved in the social networking world and they are trully commited to reaching out more bimmer fans through different media websites. But I will be back soon with an article on that since there is a great story that I have for you.

I hope there are some insights, usefull for your business! Thank you for having me at your conference. Enjoy the rest of it!