Some highlights in the PR 2.0 Universe this year; as I remember them…

The Good — Google’s US$1.6 Billion acquisition of YouTube - a strong affirmation that the future belongs to ‘new media’. The launch of Second Life, followed by quick, bold attempts by Text 100, Dell and even IBM’s CEO Sam Palmisano (“Breathing Second Life into Business”, BusinessWeek, 17 October 2006) to harness its potential.

[While we have yet to see if Second Life will be the hit that it promises to be, the willingness (of these companies) to take the plunge and experiment with new ways of creating conversations is certainly encouraging.] The creation of social media press releases by Shift Communications and Edelman, signaling a willingness to abandon convention in favour of effectiveness in the way we present information and manage media relations online.

The Bad – Edelman’s Wal-mart boo-boo.

The Ugly –- PR pros exchanging unpleasantries over the originality and usefulness of Edelman’s Storycrafter tool for creating social media press releases. Yes, ‘authentic conversations’ are good, but it would serve us (both newsmaker and audience) well to remember that the end-in-mind is ‘collaboration’; and that we could never have too much patience and courtesy.
Farewell 2006.

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