It's war: Brand vs Fans. Hmm, I wonder who'll win?

It seems the lessons of mash-up culture are still not being learnt. The desire to control can be crushing. But there always comes a point when the pips squeak. And in a networked world the squeeks are loud, long and globally shared.

How long is it going to be before this film starts to circulate through non-official and entirely out-of-THEIR-control channels? (first one to spot clips on youtube et al, please comment below!)

The row over Damantus, a movie made by German fans of The Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000, centres on German copyright law and who gets to own IP. Read the BBC report. It looks like "it'll never be shown in front of an audience". Maybe not. A community? quite possibly!

If this dispute couldn't be resolved by those 'in charge' I'm willing to place a hefty bet on 'leaks' taking control from them.

And while I'm happy that'll happen, I'm depressed that those who are doing all in their power to prevent that from happening will actually benefit from it.

The Games Workshop and the Warhammer 40,000 brands can only benefit from the exposure and engagement with the brands that this co-created film represents. Watch this.

Hey, come to think of it, maybe this is just a deep-cover viral scam...

By the way, google are thinking of banning my blog. Honest!

Good and bad at spy games

Love this: GCHQ (Britain's spy HQ) are recruiting their next James Bonds through an in-game advertising campaign.

Not sure from the report whether you actually have to prove yourself to be a half-decent virtual spy before being offered details about a real world role you could fulfil.

That would make sense to me - show your mettle at problem solving, negotiation, participation (ie get a Hi Score) and then you get - as a pretty special reward - an invite to a spy recruitment day at GCHQ. Now that would be cool...

Hollywood and the digital consumer

Angus Farquhar points us at the videos you'll find here at DigitalHollywood
"All the top names in the industry discussing most of the stuff we are all currently talking about using in both advertising and consumer stuff," he tells us.

Subjects included in the conference videos include:

Hollywood and the Digital Consumer: How Technology, Content and Services Establish the Next Level of Consumer Entertainment Experience

Programmable Web, Podcasting & Blogging - is Transforming and Disassembling the World of Traditional Media, Communications & Advertising

Digital Music & its Transformation: Downloads and Subscriptions in Mobile, Broadband, Pods & Digital and Internet Radio

Strategies in Wireless Devices and Services - from Audio & Video to Downloads: How Innovation Drives Avenues for Subscriber and Revenue Expansion

Game Power - Entertainment as Franchise - Crossover into Music, TV, Cable, Movie, Mobile, Advertainment & Custom Branded Experience

TV & Interactivity: Evolving Content & Business Models: Content, Commerce and Branded Entertainment

Branded Media Marketing - TV, Film, Broadband, Podcasting & Blogging, Mobile, Music and Games – Reinventing the Commerce & Media Model

Internet Video, Advertising & Marketing: The Next Generation of Consumer Reach

Entertainment Expands the Digital Home: Networking, Sharing and Protecting


etc etc,




I'll no doubt have more to say once I've had a chance to watch them! If you get a chance to see them before me (or after, for that matter), by all means have your say by posting below!