Illustrated by cartoonist John Atkinson, Vintage Social Networking is a lighthearted diagram that labels all of the fixtures of the 1990s desktop that have since been somewhat replaced by 21st century technology. Pointing to each item around the workstation, the drawing suggests which social media platforms have grown in popularity, in many ways offering more than what their concrete predecessors could.
One of the funniest associations is perhaps the suggestion that a window to the outside world has been substituted for YouTube videos. We have Skype now instead of a telephone, LinkedIn instead of a rolodex and Facebook was once an address book. Vintage Social Networking also implies that Pinterest was once a cork board, Foursquare has replaced a world globe, Twitter is the new sticky note and Instagram is the new picture frame.
Pre-Internet Work Diversions
Vintage Social Networking Drawing Points Out the Precursor to YouTube
Trend Themes
1. Retro Technology - Opportunity to create and market products that appeal to nostalgia and vintage technology enthusiasts.
2. Evolution of Social Media - Opportunity to explore the historical roots of modern social media and develop new services that push the envelope of user engagement and interactivity.
3. Hybrid Personal Networks - Opportunity to create integrated personal networks that combine the best features of different social media platforms to offer seamless connectivity and personalized experiences for users.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - Companies in the technology industry can develop retro-themed products and explore the conceptual evolution of modern technology.
2. Social Media - Companies in the social media industry can leverage the historical roots of social networking to create new services and expand their user base.
3. Marketing - Marketing firms can use vintage technology as a way to entice customers with themed campaigns that tap into nostalgia and the desire for simpler times.