The Intersection of Marketing and Technology

I wrote Monday about our Strategic Marketing project on the social media aspects of Obama's election.  Yesterday was the Inauguration, the significance of which could cover multiple pages (or books).  I'm not going to talk about the historical significance, because I don't have the words right now to do it justice.  So I thought I'd talk a little about how the intersection of Marketing and Technology and President Obama have directly affected me, and give some previews into aspects of our paper. 

P-E Obama took the train into Washington DC, a slower path that allowed more people to join in the momentum building towards the inauguration. Building community.  Allowing multiple media outlets to add their unique angle to the moment.  

I watched the Inauguration through multiple sources:

1. It was a snow day in NC, so I downloaded the UStream (like TV viewer) application for iPhone, and was able to watch on my handheld device while watching the kids make snow angels outside. 
2. When I had issues on the iPhone, I switched over to my laptop to get the live stream from CNN, which had partnered with Facebook to provide an integrated Media + Social Networking experience.  
3. I watched as CNN partnered with Microsoft Photosynth to create real-time 3D views of the Inauguration the pictures of thousands of people in attendance.

Over and over the themes were visible.  Building Communities.  Allowing people to modify the experience to their desires.  Integrating technology so it got to people in ways they wanted. Giving away information to the communities to allow them to build new concepts.