Creative Digifest #SXSC2 Speaker Profile: Tom Chapman
September 27, 2012
by Lisa Harris
This is the third in our series of posts profiling speakers and panelists for the Creative Digifest:
Tom works across Lawton Communication Group’s agencies; integrated agency Five by Five, social agency Headstream and employee communications agency Five by Five People. He is responsible for developing strategic frameworks, new service propositions and working with teams to continually evolve with emerging trends. Tom has worked for LCG for the past 4 years, starting out as a Planner and Account Director at Headstream, and more recently as Head of Social for Five by Five, working with brands including GAP, Activision, McLaren Automotive and UKTV. He started out in the New Media team for OTC (now Lastminute.com). He also founded ClickExpo, an online trade show, and co-founded SpydaRadio, an Internet radio station and LOGO, a free music magazine.
In what ways are digital technologies transforming our lives?
When words such as ‘lolz’, ‘ridic’. ‘tweeps’ and ‘mwahahaha’ become the latest inclusions in the Oxford English Dictionary it is a clear reminder that ‘digital’ has had a profound effect on our lives. For kids today they do not think about ‘digital’ or ‘traditional’, it’s all the same to them, digital is pervasive. Digital technologies are rapidly transforming my city to the point where via mobile GPS I can track the bus I’m waiting for in relation to my location. I can appear to be present in my house by controlling the lighting, heating and security remotely via mobile apps. My personal relationships have completely changed – with my virtual self I now can find a partner by matching my personal data to others and I’m able to manage relationships across different geographies from a fixed location. Soon I will have the option not to drive to work as my automated vehicle will communicate with the smart roads and other smart vehicles. My health can be accurately measured in real-time via smart clothing informing me precisely when my body will need water and nutrients. Entertainment is personalised to my exact interests linked directly to my virtual self and my behaviours. I do not need to be of legal age to influence politics and local government as I can start a movement via social networks using just a mobile. I can disrupt any industry from the comfort of my own bedroom. And if I’m fed up with the physical world I can augment a virtual world and escape for a few hours.
What can the latest technologies do for you?
Right this very minute I’m looking at pictures on Twitter showing a flood happening in real-time, I’m going to check into my local coffee shop at 11am to receive a discount off my coffee, I’ve just been alerted to pictures on Facebook of my best friend’s baby born 30 seconds ago and can send my regards along with a personalised card that will be delivered tomorrow, I’m looking forward to watching my favourite TV programme on demand this evening whilst downloading exclusive content via tablet running alongside the show.
If you are not online, are you out of the game?
You only need to look at third world countries recently connecting to the grid to see what impact data and information is having on those countries, it provides an opportunity to transform economies, health and education creating a better quality of life.
