The Creative Global Social Experiment

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Do you ever wonder what other people in your industry are doing around the globe? I do...

I’ve been playing with this idea for a while now and have finally decided to write myself a mini brief for The Creative Global Social Experiment (#CGSE), a international creative community.

What is it?

CGSE is a simple way to connect people in creative industries across the globe. Different time zones will make this a continuous, live and organic experience.

The possibilities are endless for a project like this - the CGSE could include a working group that develops innovative concepts which redefine the way we engage with products, brands, the internet, and most immediately, each other!

Who will use it?

Professionals and students in creative industries worldwide.  Fields may include marketing, advertising, the arts, music, technology, fashion, photography, etc.

Why will they use it?

To connect and communicate with likeminded creative professionals around the world, to educate, inspire and collaborate with each other. And maybe make some new friends along the way ☺

How does it work?

Simply edit your “full name” in your Skype profile to include:

#CGSE_city airport code_company you work at.

For example, I’m: Jackie Prince #CGSE_LGA_LBi.

The #CGSE hashtag is necessary for searching users who participate in the community.

Then, search for other participants by entering #CGSE into Skype search and chat away!

It is recommended that users have short [3-5 minute] chats with one or two people initially and build relationships accordingly. Users can agree themselves whether they want to enable video chat.

Why Skype?

I’ve chosen Skype as the platform for this experiment because of it’s high global penetration and the increasing amount of VoIP and video calls that are being made. According to Techcrunchies.com, the volume of traffic on Skype in 2009 was 13% (54 billion minutes) of total international traffic. Additionally, 34% of Skype-to-Skype calls use video (Skype blog).

Launching The CGSE

Let’s kick off this community with a bang!

Please send this to all of your friends and contacts in creative industries worldwide.

We will have the first session next Tuesday, February 23th, 2010 at 10:30pm GMT [2:30pm PST; 5:30pm EST; 9:30am EDT]. For other cities, check the time here.

Ideally we'd like people to keep their hashtag name and search for connections whenever they wish. If you want to get started before next Tuesday, change your name now and start searching!

Remember to login to Skype and change your full name settings to the format above [name #CGSE_CITY AIRPORT CODE_COMPANY]

Share Your Experiences

Let me know what you think about the CGSE!! Comment on this post to begin a dialogue of your experiences and any constructive connections you've made.

Alternatively connect with people on Twitter or Facebook using #CGSE.

Future opportunities in this space?

I would eventually like to expand this idea to teenagers, with the goal of connecting children all over the world. The service would enable them to learn about various cultures and people, demonstrate their similarities and differences, and work toward a more tolerant and understanding global culture.

***Please note that this idea is not affiliated with Skype's business (I've tried to run it by them but have not been able to get in touch!)

Again, theCGSE is on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.  Say hello!