May 22, 2007Are you in the lean-forward or lean-backward game?
Filed Under: Creativity
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We're all very familiar with the concept of lean-forward and lean-backward.
TV for example, is considered to be a lean-backward medium. Relaxing on the sofa, beer in one hand and chips 'n dip in the other as you slumber slowly into that wonderful passive state of couch potato coma.
The web on the other hand, is a lean-forward medium. Hunching neanderthal-like over the keyboard as you check how many stranger friends you've signed up over the past 24-hours due to your fake porn-star image (real or avatar) you've posted as your own.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
My point for this post however is this: when I give presentations, it's always interesting to me to see how my audience reacts to the various examples I show. Typically when it's a piece of video, they lean back and don't react much except for laughter when it's slapstick funny. On the other hand, when I show various new marketing efforts, they tend to lean forward, engage, smile, chatter and interact - with me and with one another.
I realized that this is a pretty simple litmus test for everything we do and it's completely media-agnostic. Do our efforts result in audience, viewers, visitors, humans etc leaning forward and engaging with our ideas, stories, messages or threads...or more importantly, engaging with one another?
Or is the result a lean-back deafening monosyllabic tone of the flatline.
Think about it the next time and the next "campaign"
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Comments
I recently bought a Wii. It's my first video console since the GameCube so pardon me if I'm behind the times. What I was struck with is how quickly (and easily) it found and hooked up to my wireless network. There are channels where I can get weather, news, meet other 'Mii's. Eventually I'd assume this would become my desktop box where I can choose to be either lean forward or lean backward without changing boxes.
Posted by: Paul Herring
I hope you realized too that when you're speaking about New Media, you're speaking to an audience WHO HAVE SPECIFICALLY COME TO HEAR JOSEPH JAFFE SPEAK ABOUT NEW MEDIA.
I'm guessing some of them have even paid money to hear you.
Of course they're going to lean forward and be interested. If you were Steve Nash and were talking to a bunch of basketball fans they'd be leaning forward when you discussed defensive strategy.
Posted by: tangerine Toad
T^2,
Thanks for comparing me to Steve Nash. I hope that means I'm not going to get my nose broken.
Yes, you're 100% correct. I'm just saying that it's an interesting litmus test not a scientific certainty.
Posted by: jJ
You speak of "fake avatars" and I can't help but allow myself to be somewhat reminded of the amanda chapel hoax.
Five (5) guys hiding, cowering behind the avatar of an Asian female.
Asian. Female. 5 guys.
Can you say oligarchy insult troll? LOL
Posted by: vaspers the grate
