The Silent Warrior

Integrating Choice Architecture into the Information Architecture! Behavioural Economics is the hot topic of conversation within agencies specialising in above the line and below the line activities for both public and private sector clients. Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler’s best selling book “Nudge” has been at the centre of conversations within agencies with strategists asking the question – “how can I integrate this into my work”. Sunstein & Thaler provided the Obama campaign team with white papers on messaging, fundraising and rumour control which were ultimately used to mobilise the huge groundswell of support that carried Obama past the post and into history as the first African American president. So what exactly is Behavioural Economics? As a theory, Behavioural Economics blends insights from psychology with classic economic theory to better understand consumers’ economic decisions. By understanding this it becomes possible to create the right environment or choice ...

Within our agency there has been fierce debate today on the decision by the Times to offer a subscription based service for customers accessing their content online. The cost ranges from £1 per day or £2 per week. We seem to be split straight down the middle, with half the office saying that it is a natural move for the Times and has been expected for some time. As we all know, the news agencies have been grappling for some time with the issue of revenue generation from its content as revenue generated by ad placement is not enough to sustain their profit margin. However, the other half of the office are up in arms and, as i speak, are making juju dolls of the Times executive board. The strength of feeling around this subject is fascinating for me because i have a fairly pragmatic view on the subject.....really! The Times has a particular type of audience that, at least i believe so anyway, will remain loyal to the brand and will see the subscription as being a nominal fee to access th...

I've just heard that Google has made the long awaited decision to pull out of China. This is a difficult subject because Googles intention is to hurt the Chinese Government but actually it is the Chinese people that will feel the impact the most. Weighing it all up though i do think that the decision Google took to go into China originally on the conditions set by Beijing was absolutely wrong. I mean - How can Google provide what became a very diluted service with only content that was approved by the Govt? surely thats like providing a pie with no filling? When you start to apply this type of "moral conditioning" to access to information the internet loses some of its potency and its unique ability to connect people in as genuine a way as possible that digital communication allows. However, watch this space - the Chinese people have had a taste and it may be much more difficult to put this tiger back in the cage than the Chinese government thinks!