TED Blog
Archive for 2010
31 December 2010
Using our practical wisdom: Barry Schwartz on TED.com
In an intimate talk, Barry Schwartz dives into the question “How do we do the right thing?” With help from collaborator Kenneth Sharpe, he shares stories that illustrate the difference between following the rules and truly choosing wisely. (Recorded at the TED office, November 2010 in New York City. Duration: 23:23)
Watch Barry Schwartz’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.
24 December 2010
Fellows Friday with Andy Amadi Okoroafor
Andy Amadi Okoroafor, founder of creative studio Clam, loves to use imagery in different ways, from fashion to film. Here, he reveals how shortwave radio influences his work – including his internationally successful Clam Magazine — and his latest scheme to make social entrepreneurs sexy.
Interactive Fellows Friday Feature!
Join the conversation by answering Fellows’ weekly questions via Facebook. This week, Andy asks:
Click here to respond!
We’ve seen design, films, magazines, and so much more come from Clam. Tell us about Clam.
Clam is about images: it’s a venue to think about images, develop images, and also to make a living from doing images — I’m passionate about images.
At the Clam studio we mostly do image development for people. I develop image concepts for clients, graphic design and, of course, advertisements. We also do books, cards, exhibitions, image-related events and even private concerts – anything to do with images. That’s the commercial arm of Clam.
Two times a year we publish the magazine Clam, which has been my curse and my happiness. It’s my curse because it’s become so popular, people think that’s what I do. I’ve been doing it for 10 years and people think I just do magazines, but I really just do it twice a year.
Clam Magazine is published in Japan, the US, Europe, and Brazil. It’s a visual magazine with an interesting mix of people in it. It’s also in different languages. This is our 11th year of doing the Clam magazine. It has become famous, but it’s not a commercial magazine: we don’t allow too many advertisements in the magazine (though we do try to get sponsorship sometimes).
The idea for the magazine was just to talk about what we really like. We do it because we like to do it. We don’t do trends. If we became trendy, we’d just phase out. We don’t talk about fashion shows, new gadgets to have, etc. But I guess it’s still a fashion magazine, in a way, because it’s actually a magazine about creativity, presented visually. It’s also about social entrepreneurship, innovation, and a whole lot more, but it’s done from a very humane point of view.
What led you to your current career path?
My biggest work experiences have been in music, fashion and visual communication, even though I studied cinema. After working in fashion for years I was headhunted to Virgin France. I spent 5 years art directing music videos. I did their imagery, from the album covers to music video. Then I left to go develop my first feature film, Relentless. I am happy to be back in cinema.
24 December 2010
Nine stories: A TEDTalks playlist
TED begins its holiday break today. Please enjoy this playlist from guest blogger Ben Lillie, of Storycollider, and add your own suggestions in comments below.
The single most powerful way to connect with another person is to tell them a personal story, or to listen to them tell one. We do it all the time: while eating with friends, when introduced to new acquaintances, when challenged by teachers and parents. Stories are the fabric of our social reality. All TEDTalks tell a story in one way or another — often a very personal one. Indeed, one of the TED Commandments is: “Show us the real you.” But sometimes the talk is the story, and when that happens we can see the craft, both ancient and continually re-invented, on display.
Follow along for nine TEDTalks, each by an extraordinary storyteller, and each highlighting a different aspect of the craft of storytelling.
John Hodgman has perfected a way of stating pure invention as though it were well-understood and accepted fact. But he uses this talent to highlight, not obscure, a remarkable tale of falling in love.
Often a story takes us, not in straight lines, but in circles, ending up where we began. And on returning, like Becky Blanton, we’re surprised to find that the journey has changed us so profoundly that the old place is completely new.
The form of a story often transcends the content. Dan Barber relates a traditional tale finding true love after the heartbreak of youthful infatuation — only it’s with fish. For his restaurant. To cook.
A good story will have a surprise — a twist. And if it’s done well, as in this excerpt from Patsy Rodenburg, the twist will have the audience gasping, not just with astonishment, but with a realization of a newfound insight into human nature.
In a good narrative the hero is far from perfect, and it’s these imperfections that make the story engaging and relatable. Mike Rowe talks about the strength he gained by being completely and utterly wrong.
While there is strength in learning from stories, the danger, as eloquently expressed by Chimamanda Adichie, is that we will confuse a person with a single story that happens to look like them.
We don’t normally think of the supposedly cold and detached world of science as a fertile realm for stories. Yet, at it’s heart science is about humans, and it turns out the stories are everywhere. In this spectacular example, Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist, watches her own mind fail as she suffers a stroke.
Sometimes the power of a story is not in the magnitude of what happens, but in how it’s told. Carmen Agra Deedy is a master of the craft; here she uses every technique available to paint a beautiful, touching, and witty portrait of her mother through a simple trip to the shopping mall.
And sometimes all thoughts of the form and craft of a story fade to nothing in the face of the story itself. Emmanuel Jal uses story, poetry, and song to tell of his life, and rescue, as a child soldier.
Playlist: Ben Lillie
21 December 2010
Enter the Ads Worth Spreading Challenge
There’s a worrying trend in online advertising. Many sites are reporting falling click-through rates — and marketers are responding by resorting to ever more aggressive ways of ambushing your attention. We’re launching an initiative to find a better way! TED’s mission is “ideas worth spreading.” You, our audience, are expert at identifying the things that matter and then sharing them with your friends and colleagues. In that spirit, we’re rolling out our search for Ads Worth Spreading.
Ideas may be free, but distributing them around the world costs money, especially when the audience is in the many millions. The reason we can offer our talks for free is because those costs are supported by our business partners. Unlike some, we don’t run long ads ahead of the talks — and never will. But we would like you to watch our partners’ ads nonetheless. And the best chance of that happening is if the ads evoke the same emotions a TEDTalk does. They should make you think, make you respond, make you want to share. They should amplify your passion, not ambush it.
So we’ve created a challenge to find great online ads — ads that elevate the craft and invent new forms of online engagement. We invite you to enter this challenge!
To get inspired, watch this talk, also embedded above, which explains our vision for Ads Worth Spreading.
Entries can be hysterically funny, stunningly beautiful, or just intriguing, fascinating, ingenious and persuasive. They can promote a product directly, or tell a story, or, even better, promote an idea.
Online video is the focus of the Ads Worth Spreading Challenge, and we will accept video submissions that vary in length from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. However, we will also accept and consider non-video submissions that introduce new online advertising solutions. Please note that non-video submissions are not eligible to win all of the prizes listed here. Please see our submission guidelines for more specifics.
We’re looking for ads/videos in these four categories:
INFECTIOUSLY COMPELLING: Advertising that is just so good — funny, smart, beautiful, useful, etc. — you want to talk about it and share it with friends. A highly engaging concept with an entertaining or gripping execution that makes you say, “I’ve got to show this to everyone I know.”
INDUSTRY IMPACT: Advertising so groundbreaking and innovative — in form and function — that it makes waves. Whether it features a first-ever or “I’ve-never-seen-that-before” element, these videos live at the intersection of creativity and technology.
TALK: Advertising that features a single individual sharing his or her idea or perspective, in the style of a TEDTalk (within 30 secs to 5 mins). It could be a CEO standing on a stage telling a personal story or an engineer sharing an amazing tech demo. It’s likely to feature insight, honesty, openness, ingenuity and/or humor!
SOCIAL GOOD: Advertising that attempts to right a wrong, fix a problem, raise money or awareness, and/or change the world. Winning work will feature a powerful idea or an innovative approach conveyed by meaningful storytelling that resonates with the viewer. These ads should be driven by passion with a call to action for viewers.
A multidisciplinary judging panel will select up to 10 winning ads – based on factors like innovation, intelligence, authenticity, humor, craft — and we’ll do all we can to give them a little glory. First we’ll unveil them from the main stage at TED2011 in California. Then we’ll feature the ad on TED.com, both on a dedicated, share-able page that will remain on the site for at least a year, and as post-roll ads that will run for free, for one week in March. We’ve also partnered with YouTube, who will feature select winners on the YouTube homepage, and as ads throughout their site. See the full list of prizes >>
Learn more about Ads Worth Spreading >>
The deadline for submissions is Monday, February 7, 2011, at 11:59 PM ET/GMT+5. Winners will be notified Monday, February 23, 2011, and announced at TED2011 in March 2011.
See the official Ads Worth Spreading rules. And please email adsworthspreading@ted.com with any questions or feedback.
We’re excited to see your ads worth spreading!
21 December 2010
How do I cite a TEDTalk?
To cite a TEDTalk, use APA Style for video Weblog posts:
Author. (Year, Month Date). Title [Video file]. Retrieved from URL
For example:
Sandberg, S. (2010, December 21). Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders
[Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.html
21 December 2010
Why we have too few women leaders: Sheryl Sandberg on TED.com
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions — and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite. (Recorded at TEDWomen, December 2010 in Washington, DC. Duration: 14:58)
Watch Sheryl Sandberg’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.
20 December 2010
Life lessons from big cats: Beverly + Dereck Joubert on TED.com
Beverly + Dereck Joubert live in the bush, filming and photographing lions and leopards in their natural habitat. With stunning footage (some never before seen), they discuss their personal relationships with these majestic animals — and their quest to save the big cats from human threats. (Recorded at TEDWomen, December 2010 in Washington, DC. Duration: 16:13)
Watch Beverly + Dereck Joubert’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.
17 December 2010
The case for collaborative consumption: Rachel Botsman on TED.com
At TEDxSydney, Rachel Botsman says we’re “wired to share” — and shows how websites like Zipcar and Swaptree are changing the rules of human behavior. (Recorded at TEDxSydney, May 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Duration: 16:35)
Watch Rachel Botsman’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.
17 December 2010
Fellows Friday with Gavin Sheppard
Interactive Fellows Friday Feature!
Join the conversation by answering Fellows’ weekly questions via Facebook. This week, Gavin asks:
Do artists have a responsibility? And if so, what, in your opinion, is it?
Click here to respond!
Tell us about The Remix Project.
The Remix Project is a cultural incubator, working with young people from across the Greater Toronto Area. We work with young people whom we deem as absolutely brilliant, mind-blowing, amazing, creative people. But they have also been labeled a lot of other things in their lives, whether it’s at-risk, in conflict, or what have you.
What was your inspiration for The Remix Project?
Completely selfish, originally. When we started the program, I was still in high school. I started when I was 17 — just over 10 years ago. And really it came about from not wanting to be on the block anymore. This is Toronto, so when November comes around it’s really, really cold — absolutely brutal.
We started it as a drop-in program with turntables for public use, graffiti walls and open mics. Over the years, it started to evolve into something a lot more sophisticated. We have a program for the recording arts, the creative arts, the art of business, and something called Remix Projects, which is a social enterprise side of what we do. It’s the for-profit side of the program, and it hires some of our graduates and our alumni coming out of those different streams.
We hire people from the creative arts program, whether they’re graphic designers, photographers, or filmmakers. We hire from the art of business, whether they’re in event management or marketing or fashion, and from the recording arts program as producers, engineers, composers and artists themselves.
The young people graduate from these different streams, and then also have an opportunity to be hired by our for-profit side, Remix Projects. They work on campaigns for BMW Group, or Timex Group, or other companies who are looking to authentically plug into a youth demographic, and they get to use their expertise to help tap into a particular market.
16 December 2010
TEDWomen blog roundup: Round three
Amazing, thoughtful blog reactions continue to roll in for last week’s TEDWomen. Read our first and second roundups, and then jump into this next batch. (And write your own, and tell me about it in the comments…)
Catherine of Her Bad Mother meditates on TEDWomen and the power of the word “mother” >>
Joni Evans of Wowowow recaps her favorite talks and the conference vibe >>
Susan at Amazing Women Rock calls TEDWomen “proof positive that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of amazing women speakers queued and ready to step onto TED stages globally >>
… and check out Susan’s 5 suggestions to get more women onstage >>
Andrea S. Zedicker from the Case Foundation wrote about “a day and half of intense emotions that ranged from laugh-so-hard you may cry to the other end of the spectrum where your heart is aching >>
An Xiao Mina at The Xiao Studios writes: “the event leaves room for surprising insights and parallels” >>
SipaKV writes for Global Voices, “I was happy to discover among the audience and the speakers all the simple possibilities of living one’s life differently” >>
One of TEDWomen’s official photographers, Duncan Davidson, recaps with photos >>
And speaker Liza Donnelly serves up her thoughts on “Speakers and Speaking at TED” >>
(Photo: Michael Brands / TED)
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