Was Andy Warhol right about his fifteen minutes?

Do you think Andy Warhol’s “fifteen minutes” opinion is still valid in this day and age? Well, the future is here so let’s give the expression an acid test, shall we?

Andy Warhol spoke about the future as if the dimensions of the world of information would never change. Little did he realize that it would - with the coming of social media - change the very mindset of people as to how publicity, awareness and fame can be achieved.

The use of traditional media such as print, radio and TV is now complemented by a fourth dimension which has allowed public relations agencies, advertising agencies and publicists to literally see their fame campaigns grow exponentially. It doesn’t matter if it’s a person, a product, a service or a brand. The application is the same.

Take a look at every piece of printed article that includes a mention of you, your product or your company. It will eventually appear online as a search engine result. It tells you that print and online have come to an agreed synergy.

If your article appears online, after it was first published in a magazine or a newspaper, you have the option to tweet, “recommend” on Facebook and do so many other things with it on the various social media platforms that you and your brand are constantly riding on fame that will make you surpass the fifteen minutes of adventure.

From the days when the ancient Egyptians used to draw one-dimensional images along the walls to tell a story, the world has gone just beyond that. The best part is you don’t have to do all the work; others are also helping you out for if they like what they see or read, they’ll want to share the information about you, your product or whatever that you are selling to others. The result? Your message is constantly being read thus the news is never stale.

And it applies to radio too. As the vast majority of radio stations are streaming live on the internet, your voice will reverberate as the promotional value is endless. You can alert your social network followers when the interview is scheduled so that they can hear it live. If they miss the session, most stations archive shows on their website, so people can listen whenever it’s convenient for them. Technology allows you to download the radio interview off the site and post on your website and distribute it to your other social network avenues, thus driving more followers to your social network and website.

Not to forget, radio stations record, podcast and distribute shows via their own social network connections, so this becomes another level of promotion for you. It’s like an echo – you say something once, and hear it reverberates over and over again.

Similarly, TV has the same effect nowadays. Many stations now keep links to your interview active on their website after the interview has taken place. Alternatively, you could purchase a digital copy to post on your website, extending that appearance’s shelf life.

Social media isn’t just on a desk-top computer. They are reading about you, hearing and watching you on their laptops, i-Pad, and all kinds of mobile phones with internet services. Fifteen minutes of fame? Think again.

Khaled Talib, Managing Director, Newsline Communications