I appreciate what Budweiser has done with the creation of “The Buddy Cup.”
When products like this become standardized across the globe in a few years, we’ll find our real world lives merging with our digital personas more than ever.
It’s interesting to think about other ways our real world actions could be integrated into the online social graph:
- Calling a business from a cell phone automatically invites you via text to follow the company on FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
- In-store wifi connections push a notification to in-store visitors with discounts, surveys, etc.
- Voice activated social apps that record your conversations and suggest which to distribute.
- Web integrated watches that “freeze time” and offer automated update options.
- Digital forks or plates that can count calories, take pictures, and share restaurants with others.
The more ways we can break the barriers between social and actual connections, the more the socially adept will be able to align both worlds more efficiently. I’m extremely interested in hearing ideas on how 2 new friends can be introduced digitally during their first encounter. This would solve the “who friend requests whom” or “what was her name?” issue after the physical meeting takes place.