When the Selfie is the Story …

My take on the selfie:

1) It’s rude to take a selfie at a funeral. Never try it at home, kids. Ever.

2) Madiba – a man with a big heart and wicked sense of humour would have loved the selfie. If you disagree, read Long Walk to Freedom. Or anything about him for that matter.

3) The selfie is not a sad indictment on the media. Phone hacking was. This isn’t. ‘The Selfie’ was a social media sensation. It was a highlight of otherwise understandably dry funeral coverage. It was covered relentlessly because we all talked about it relentlessly.

4) It is yet another example of how wonderfully powerful and potent a picture can be. From Che’s portrait to the Obamas’ ‘Four More Years’ hug, images are the most contagious form of communication we have. As marketers we haven’t even scratched the surface.

So next time you sit down and write a release, ask yourself this: if the pen is mightier than the sword, then surely the camera must beat the atom bomb hands down? …