(Digital) Powers of Ten

Ray Eames's film film, Powers of Ten, examines the universe at various magnitudes starting with a man by the lake in Chicago, going to the far end of the galaxy and coming back to the proton in an atom of DNA molecule on the man's hand. The image increases or decreases in scope by factors of 10 every 10 seconds. When watching this film, one can get a good feel for exponential growth and changes in perception that occur at various points.  The film, released in 1977, is simple and scientific in nature, but, the theories behind it can be applied to many aspects of digital marketing. 

Shots from Various Powers of Ten 

Design

When creating a design, is it best to focus on one thing or step back and include some background?  When comparing the image of the man on the lawn to the power of zero to the power of one, the viewer gets a different feeling and has a different focus. When closer up, the blanket and his outfit seem important, however, as the frame gets larger they get smaller and start to appear less significant.  This concept can hold true with any painting, logo, advertisement or campaign strategy as well. The scope of the design will depend on the market and the message. 

Problem Solving

This video is also an indirect reminder that things can appear differently depending on the frame and scope in which they are presented.  As Tim Brown explains in his blog about the Powers of Ten, when problem solving, it helps to both examine the details more closely and step back and look at things in a broader context.  If one looks at a problem too closely, they might miss out on important details.  On the other hand, if one only looks at the big picture, they might not have the correct information on which to make a decision. This same idea can be applied to problems that might arise in the digital media campaign process.  When facing problems with digital media, one must look at the details of what created the problem and where it went wrong, but, they must examine the effects on all customers and followers that have been exposed to it, shared or commented on it, etc.  As digital can spread around the globe, marketers must look at problems to the power of multiple exponents.  

The Speed at Which Information Travels

While watching the camera zoom out to include the state, country, planet, etc., I couldn't help but think about how it resembles the speed of information today.  Information today travels faster than ever and has the ability to reach more people in less time. From snail mail to fax to email to instant message, the speed of information has multiplied. Because of this, small things can become big things quickly. This video is a good reminder to marketers of both the opportunity available to spread messages and the consequences one might face if they send the wrong message.