The missing link?

Just got back from a walk in les hills.
Whilst out I had a stellar thought come to me: what's the link between:

1) Reality TV shows and the success of their stars (e.g. Big Brother + PopIdol)

2) Coca Cola's sponsorship of the English Football championship league

3) Mac Donald's sponsorship of grass roots football coaching

4) Brands like Shell and Principality Building Society creating free Advergames for the public to play (www.FlicknKick.com)

5) A charity running a campaign based around www.DisabilityDebate.org

6) The Arctic Monkey's becoming the fastest ever album selling band

7) The popularity of the Lottery, and people's addiction to it + also the popularity of sports betting shops amongst lower demographics

8) Virgin promoting an open ideas policy (and paying their staff f**ck all)

9) Barclays sponsoring or "supporting" citizenship education packs

. . . the list goes on . . . including the HSBC + Red campaigns I mentioned last week . . .

The answer is of course participation. Each example promotes participation in some way, as a means to an end - that end being to increase capital - either the kind of capital that ends up on a company's balance sheet, or social capital (which indirectly effects the former).

Which is most successful?
Well, certainly on a basic ROI basis the Arctic Monkeys (www.ArcticMonkeys.com) wins hands down - as they managed to generate over 300,000 direct sales of their first album out of grass-roots support generated through networks like www.MySpace.com

Interestingly, many music commentors have pointed out that the free / participation-based network effect would never work in the same way with an established act . . . however I don't necessarily think that's true. It's often the case that an established band will use networks + guerilla + participative techniques to generate a new buzz + direct sales . . .

mmmm, any way. There are my thoughts for the mo.
I think that leaves an open space to generate some future thoughts - especially around how brands could use participation techniques more effectively + also whether consumer participation suits all brands . . .

Interestingly I've just worked out how to add a link to my blog postings - so expect many more of these in the future . . .
+ I'm fooooking freezing - as I have to write this sat in the hallway of my none-to-well-insulated house . . .