Social Networking: Breaking down the boundaries
2008-11-26 6:32PM / 標準BLOG
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I've always been really big on social networking.
MySpace? Got one. Facebook? Yup. LiveJournal? You know it. LinkedIn? Can't live without it. Xanga? Been there, done that. Social networking done right is probably one of the most awarding things about the internet. EINSOF Marketing Group's Director of PR, Susan English, ended up becoming part of the company after a message sent to me on MySpace.
So needless to say, I'm a pretty big fan of social networking.
I'm also a pretty big fan and advocate of breaking down the boundaries between "industry" and "fan." As I said in a previous post imported onto AnD from my other blog:
"There is a feeling that if you’re industry, you’re somehow better than everyone, but that’s bullshit.
A certain kind of elitism runs with “being industry,” and many
people like to use it to their advantage. Power is great after all.
People love it. They also love to abuse it. As industry, you are
supposed to be inaccessible. Fans are supposed to know about you and
see your name in things like credits, booklets, maybe on press releases
and whatever else — but they are not supposed to talk to you, and
you’re not supposed to talk back. In a sense, you’re “too good” for
them."
Well, the same kind of philosophy applies for artists.
In this world, there exists three different categories of people: celebrities, industry, and fans. If you think industry and fans aren't supposed to associate, forget about artists and fans. That's even more unheard of. Which, in my opinion, is kind of unfortunate.
One of the most revolutionary things that's risen with social networking is seeing artists participate on a very personal level. But usually, that means MySpace or Facebook, with artist pages controlled in part by publicity or management teams. Artists have an image to upkeep after all, and they aren't supposed to do anything or say anything that might ever possibly compromise that carefully packaged image labels and managements spend so much time crafting. So anything they write or blog about tends to be very careful, and not very open.
I didn't think a social networking site like Alive Not Dead -- where artists actively blog and network with fans and fellow industry and artists alike, sharing so much of their personal day-to-day lives and thoughts unabashedly with anyone who cares to read -- was even possible in this tightly regulated world of entertainment. In fact, some artists even have enough agency to post up private pictures and videos.
Clearly, I was in for a pretty big surprise when I came across this site.
EMG mostly works with artists from Japan, and we've worked with everyone from X Japan to LUNA SEA's SUGIZO, to D'espairsRay. Unfortunately, entertainment in Japan is far more restrictive and image control is insanely regulated there, to the extent that any private, unapproved photos taken with artists are absolutely not allowed to be published on the internet. Which means, you're not going to find any interesting pictures of me with anyone else on this blog. Nor will you hear any crazy stories. Sorry.
But that aside, I must say, I am thoroughly impressed by what AnD has managed to do in breaking down so many boundaries I previously thought impossible. It's given me hope for the future, with artists being able to find a voice outside of what their managements decide, and gain a little more control over their identities.
It's really nice to see so many artists on here blogging, both established and new, connecting with each other and most importantly, with the people who matter the most -- their fans. It's also amazing to see emerging artists being able to potentially grow their fanbases and connect using this viral medium.
In any case, I look forward to seeing what else the AnD team has hidden away in their back pocket for the future, as well as participating in its growth.
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