A Digital Hug
Posted: Wednesday 25 November, 2009
Philip Keightley
It was my birthday last week. Now, I’m not fishing for any more kind words or
gifts (
Philip@punchcomms.com if you
must). Apart from the genuine loveliness of friends and family, I have received
the warmest digital hug this year. It’s been a funny old week really. Following
on from the news at
The Guardian about the
demise of
its print edition of Technology, comes the news from
Brandrepublic that there are
a number of movements
from print to digital. This is no coincidence. It seems we are on a precipice or tipping point.
There have been rumours about the sudden demise of print and lurch into to
digital for a while, but now the omens seem fairly clear. The clincher for me
was the digital hug. With social media profiles set up right left and centre, I
have received more birthday wishes than ever before and the reason for that is
digital. Of course, the carefully chosen and hand written cards I received from
friends and loved ones mean far, far more to me than a quick note on Facebook
but they all mean something. It’s very similar to the argument of print versus
digital in the publishing world. I absolutely cherish the craft and thought that
goes into creating a print newspaper, just as I do the thought and time taken to
send me through the post, an appropriately chosen birthday card with personal
message. However, for the vast majority of people now, the ease of which they
are able to put together a quick note on Facebook and send me birthday wishes is
the clincher and that’s the point. It’s easy, it’s quick, it’s slightly less
personal, but in a utilitarian world, it’s still a digital hug. It’s a question
of quantity versus quality really; craft versus speed and ease. They both have
their merits however and I have very much felt the love this year.
