Hippies and their habits: considering the WFF app

Mainstream media is dead. (Or so we’re told).

In the not-so-old days of pre-new media, an organization had to go through the newspaper, TV, or radio if they wanted to communicate a message to their audience. That was the starting point.

Today, that’s no longer the case. With the emergence of social media, it’s easy - almost instinctive - to put Facebook and Twitter at the top of the list. But wait: just as you wouldn’t choose mainstream media unless it’s where your audience gets their information, the same goes for new media.

Start by considering your audience, their habits, and your resources before choosing tools that will fit the bill.

Photo by heather oh

This past summer I worked for the Winnipeg Folk Festival and was really interested in the new methods they’re developing to communicate with their audience - particularly attendees.

Time and again, one of the major themes I heard brought up at meetings was keeping up with new media: the festival was already on Twitter, sending out e-newsletters, and had a Facebook page for their volunteers. This year, the new tool was “the app”.

I downloaded it onto my shiny new iPod Touch the moment it came out and got my friend, a first-time camper, to do the same. After only a few minutes, I was immediately excited by how useful I imagined it was going to be.

Basically a more user-friendly, electronic version of the festival program, the app allows you to search the lineup by artist, day, stage, or time with the option of creating your own schedule. Other features include artist info (with links to Myspace & YouTube), “now playing”, and of course - status updates to Facebook and Twitter.

All in all, a highly useful and interactive app for festival goers (minus some glitches).

But in the end, neither me or my friend used it at the festival. Why?

My friend who was camping didn’t want to pack unnecessary valuables to take to the campsite, have to worry about losing it, or find a place to charge it if the battery died.

While I did bring my iPod to try the free WIFI onsite, I never had it on for long. For myself and others I talked to, the festival is a time to get away from all the electronics and communication devices that tie us down during the rest of the year and just enjoy being outdoors, listening to great music, and getting away from it all.

The tool was appropriate for the audience at home, but not as much when they were at the festival and their habits of communicating changed.

It’s an interesting dynamic which I’m curious to know if and how the festival tries to balance.

Or, maybe this discrepancy doesn’t exist at all - maybe it’s just me!

Festival goers: what do you think? Do you bring/use your smartphones at the festival? Are apps and other new media at the festival a good communication tool?