I was invited to The Ambassador Hotel in Kingston last week to hear a speech about Pop Culture. Who better to do that than Jian Ghomeshi, radio host of Q, CBC’s national arts magazine show http://www.cbc.ca/qIt was a very interesting conversation about “new media”. Being in the communications field I found this to be very interesting! He mentioned that the “new world is new media”, as it always has been. Thinking back, twelve years ago Facebook, U-tube, Google and Twitter all did not exist. Change is everywhere around us and we cannot predict the future. There is an immediacy about Pop Culture that didn’t exist before, and today we are harnessing it for political and social change.
He spoke about the classroom in the Philippines he was visiting recently. He was given an opportunity to teach the children all averaging about 7 years old. Not only was the language barrier and issue, so was the socio-economic barriers that he was facing. Funny story is that after mentioning he was from Canada, one student at the back of the room said “Bieber”…..as in Justin Bieber…..and yes! …an instant connection was made. Where it seemed hopeless at first, Pop Culture allowed him to connect with these students from a very different world. Very cool.
Creativity in Education was a topic highlighted as well. Jian referenced that employers today are looking for renaissance people. “You are your own unique brand, follow your passions and don’t be afraid to be a unique and individual person…all of this drives your brand”. I found this to be very interesting as we apply this to branding philosophy at Engine. It is nice to see personal and professional lines blurred.
Jian finished with the importance of “the pause”. We live in a world where everything is moving at such a break-neck speed that it is time to slow down and listen. “Part of listening is the pause. Listen and let the person finish speaking. The most amazing things can happen”. Well said.
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