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ChangingMinds Blog! > Blog Archive > 24-Oct-07

Wednesday 24-October-07

Shift happens and minds get changed

Have you got a few minutes? Watch this video (click on the '>' Play button at the bottom, not in the middle of the player):
 

Still here? Great. Ok, So what did you think? Cool, huh? You can try clicking the '>' in the middle of the picture now if you like, to find out more. It apparently was started as a high school project. Cute name: 'Shift happens'. One 'f' more than the fatalistic 'shit happens'. Neat allusion.

The thing that interests me most about this presentation is how good it is at changing minds (how's yours?). Here's a few things it does to persuade:

• Starts with facts about babies and children ('ah' factor).
• Lots of numbers (these make great 'facts'), though none are referenced or proven.
• Scary size and growth numbers about the internet, China and India.
• Pictures of the Earth (makes you feel small and vulnerable).
• Scary stuff about kids being cleverer than adults.
• Simple, but evocative graphics.
• Hypnotic music with repetitive theme that stimulates deep feelings (note how it makes you breath slower).

The final screen is clever too, as it includes:

• An easily-copied 'embed' bit of code - click the button to copy, then paste into your blog. What a great bit of viral marketing: make it as easy as possible to pass it on (hey - it worked on me!).
• If you don't want to embed, then there's also a click to copy the URL so you can paste into an email to your friends.
• Links to more stuff, just in case you are already hooked.

Are you thinking that I'm being a bit cynical here? Hmm. If so, you're definitely hooked, then.