All Posts in fourth of july

July 3, 2014 - Comments Off on The Process of Pomp, Parade and Illuminations

The Process of Pomp, Parade and Illuminations

RoyalFireworks

Despite some historians, who have argued that India first invented fireworks, it appears that the world's largest manufacturer, and (not surprisingly) the largest exporter of fireworks - is China. Likely conceived as a means to frighten evil spirits with a loud sound (known as "bian pao"), the earliest documentation of fireworks usage dates back to 7th century China. They are generally classified as either ground or aerial, both of which I assume you can figure out.

Designing a unique fireworks display generally follows a process, whereby location plans are reviewed, an estimate is prepared and pyrotechnic designers utilize their knowledge of the correct chemicals to produce the correct mix of mojo to delight your eyes and deafen the ears. Clients review the designs and the compositions are tested before deployment into the stratosphere.

It all makes good sense, and as I've mentioned in the past, the process of creation is no more than a calculated and rational march toward the eventual delight or detriment of your intended audience. Whether it's a fireworks display or a digital experience, both have one chance to hit the mark. If it doesn't work right the first time, your crowd - whether digital or in person - will move on to the next town for their dose of delight.

If you're in America, enjoy the day off and mind your “tablet-tapping fingers” around those pesky firecrackers. John Adams envisioned fireworks to be part of the festivities of what became the Fourth of July - before the Declaration of Independence was even signed. In a letter to Abigail Adams on July 3, 1776, he noted that the occasion should be commemorated “with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

...Let's hope your next #digitalexperience does the same for you.

Published by: davefletcher in The Thinking Mechanism
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July 1, 2011 - Comments Off on The Thinking Mechanism – 7/1/11

The Thinking Mechanism – 7/1/11

The Thinking Mechanism is a series of weekly posts, published on Fridays, covering the ideas The Mechanism is thinking and talking about with our peers and clients.

Right before we all have a holiday weekend to spend time face to face with our circle of friends Google makes several announcements concerning the social web:

Google+, their next foray into social networking after Orkut and Buzz, has a distinctly micro-social approach and user-friendly privacy settings. The fact that you can easily download any content you input into it and can easily delete your account with one click, if you chose to do so, proves that Google intends to compete with Facebook by providing ease of use. Click here to see the introductory videos. Click here to read a comprehensive look at the launch by Steven Levy of Wired Magazine.

• Google Analytics now features Social Interaction Tracking. Update your Analytics code and get full activity reports on all your social media buttons, including +1, Like, Tweet.

Google Takeout allows you to download a copy of your data stored within Google products.

Google Swiffy is not directly related to social networking, instead it lets you upload a swf file and convert it to HTML5. More HTML5 sites means access to the web in more mobile devices and more content to share on Google+.

• Let's not forget about Google search, they've also announced a collaboration with the Getty Museum to allow visual searches of artworks.

What Do You Love? A new page that shows you the results of your search across all Google products in one location.

• On the other side of the social spectrum, Facebook is quietly testing their first major redesign in over a year. The new design, which some of us are already experiencing live, feature an additional "What's Happening Now" Twitter-like stream besides the News Feed and will have navigation and advertising elements remain static on the page as you scroll down.

• And lastly, in honor of the Fourth of July: how fireworks and sparklers are made.