"SHREDDD"

Read what one of the most powerful and respected lawyers in Hollywood, Peter Dekom (See also http://www.wordsmitten.com/dekom_interview.html and http://www.feigenlaw.com/Dekom review.htm), has to say about the work of Mnemotrix Systems, Inc in the fields of new technology for entertainment and the distillation of insight from public generated media.

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From the Chapter: Rule Four -- If you Can't Beat 'em, Let them Join You! -- Reach Beyond Your Own Walls for Answers

This key word approach combined with bulletin board/chat room/ blog depends very heavily on the sensibilities and sophistication of the originator of the search, which adds an additional level of subjectivity to the analysis. As we evolve into more sophisticated search structures, with capabilities to identify nuance, emotive characteristics and the ability to track parallel but unarticulated descriptions, the level of psychographic identification and tracking will, of necessity, become more efficient, more accurate and much more cost effective. And a whole lot more complicated, but that future is now.

Texas-based Mnemotrix Systems, Inc. has developed just such a nuanced tracking search engine, which has moved away from simply finding key words contained in text into parallel searches that includes finding synonyms for each set of words articulated in the search, idiomatic clusters triggered by combinations of words, verbal equivalents of symbols and numbers (and vice versa), and other "experiences" contained in the company's proprietary database (linking feeling clusters together as well, so that "love" and "enjoy" share the same emotional valence). As innovations in semiotics and consumer metrics improve, we are going to see an entirely new range of passive tracking software that will monitor public communications by consumers in many formats. Where people are too young, too old or otherwise unable to establish an online presence, their personality characteristics still find their way onto online sites by academic scholars and journalists writing about them. The wealth of information is obviously infinite, so the task is how to access enough to be statistically meaningful and to find the gold in prosumer marketing potential.

One of the most interesting new uses of passive tracking can be found, in a primitive state, on YouTube, where a popular video builds viewership virally. News organizations and parallel consumer groups often pick up on videos with big viewer numbers (tracked by the site itself). The value proposition for marketers of content is obvious 96 where the target is that younger segment of Internet sophisticates that trade communication "moments," sending a few of those video "moments" out into the ether is a means of finding out if the "moment" can find traction and popularity. If that "moment" is accurately reflective of the piece of content as a whole, audience receptivity is easily measured.

But what is less obvious, but equally capable of ascertainment using the tracking systems described above, is that the actual psychographically appropriate segments of the potential viewership will identify themselves and even tell you what they like or dislike about your "moment." Tracking these reactions with semiotically-sensitive software ("impact" and "sentiment" analysis) can help you (a) figure out if your assumptions for whom your content is targeted are correct, (b) pick up other sub-sets of consumers that might also be attracted to your content, (c) suggest where additional tests might be valuable (it might even define some needed focus group testing) and (d) discover what about your content appeals to these consumers and what turns them off. In short, the relevant consumers will not only tell you who they are but how to market to them! Not sure how to connect with your own consumers? Again, there are lots of companies more than happy to help you find the correct way to engage your client/customer base.

There are some pretty obvious places to look, especially when the younger techno-sophisticates are involved. The easiest? Cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile platforms have an interesting series of side benefits for consumer "trackers": when people sign up for a new cell phone or trade-up to the next generation, they tend to identify themselves, either in-person or online, either through direct personal information, the type of device they select, or even the way they use the phone (texting, surfing versus simple email and phone use). Further, their actually usage is tracked (numbers called or texted, content purchased or downloaded 96 the bill often comes from the carrier itself- or even the sites visited). The Web is the next easiest passive tracking system as we have seen, but set-top boxes on television (Nielsen's rating system), folks with clickers counting people as they pass through marked barriers, ticket sales, bar code analysis on products sold, but the situation gets more interesting when the consumer is engaged in an activity that creates relevance for them and information for the tracking Website provider. Getting someone to provide a rating after an online transaction interests a few, but other than revenge or complimenting the extraordinary, most people have better things to do with their time.

Tracking online content consumption and purchases is very simple, but for other products and services that cannot be experienced directly in whole or in part on the Web, following normal old-world consumer testing, when samples or experiences with the actual product or service is discussed or analyzed on the Web, passive tracking can refine and enhance both the product/service as well as the relevant marketing. For "what's next" consumers, tracking beta-tests, both actively and passively, becomes yet another path in product development.