abc’s lost == tv 2.0

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the season 2 finale of lost was last night. it was so good. talk about cliffhanger — there was a bombardment — no, an onslaught of new information and, as a consequence, raises even more questions. entertaining? very much so.

the really interesting thing about lost, aside from the material, is how it is viraly marketed and how abc is intelligently weaving the “culture of lost” into our collective consciousness. lost is no longer simply a tv show — it is an experience, a community, and a culture.

the washington post speaks of this intelligent move to engage the tv watcher above and beyone the tv:

The network has set up a complex system of Web sites for phony organizations, launched an international treasure hunt, commissioned a novel by an unidentified author and taken out ads for bogus issues in real newspapers — including this one — in a conspiracy to extend the show’s fictional world into the real one.

for example, abc has created a phony organization called the hanso foundation, which includes made-up, mysterious people, location, and motives. during episodes of lost, abc will typically show a hanso commercial with a website associated with it. out of curiousity, the tv watcher will go to the website, where there will be clues, hidden links, and even other engaging and intriguing material.

during last night’s finale, for example, there was a hanso recruiting commercial, inviting the audience to check out careers at the hanso foundation. the site is sponsored by monster.com — a very smart advertising move by abc. embedded in the complicated and massive phony family of websites associated with the lost tv show is advertising. again, very smart by abc to monetize this aspect of the lost experience.

here are a few of job descriptions on the hansocareers site:

Personal Assistant
to Thomas Werner Mittelwerk
The successful applicant will work in close proximity with the Chief Technologist and Operating Officer of the Hanso Foundation, providing support in both his personal and professional endeavors. The applicant must have at least three years of experience as either a primary or secondary assistant to a high-level professional corporate officer and must have a Ph.D. or advanced scientific degree in any one of the following fields: cryptography, comparative religion, molecular biology, Lacanian psychology, fluid mechanics, turbulence and computation — or a minimum of 5 years in a recognized think-tank or government sponsored research facility. Fluency in Danish is essential, as well as French and German with some working knowledge of multiple asian languages.

why would a personal assistant need to have Ph.D and have advanced knowledge of cryptography or comparative religion? strange.

Art Therapist/Psychologist
The successful applicant will receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art mental care facility using cutting edge technology in the company of the best and brightest in the field. The successful applicant will relocate to the coastal city of Vik, Iceland and work with a varied, diverse population of patients from around the world. Practical experience providing care for highly-gifted and highly unstable minds is essential, as well as fluency in Eastern European languages and a working knowledge of applied mathematics. Extensive background checks, periodic drug testing and a lifetime non-disclosure agreement are mandatory requirements of this position.

highly gifted and highly unstable minds? applied mathematics? what kinds of experiments are they running at the hanso foundation?

Simian Veterinarian
The Hanso Foundation’s simian research facility is looking for a motivated, eco-friendly, outgoing world-traveler with a specialty in higher primates! Responsibilities will include the primary medical care of a large population of orangutans! The successful applicant will be required to sign a multi-year contract as well as non-disclosure agreements spanning the remainder of the Foundation’s existence – extensive periodic drug testing and background checks are mandatory. Current or past membership in organizations such as the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or any advocacy group dealing with environmental or animal-rights issues will disqualify any and all prospective applicants. No room and board will be provided to spouse/child.

this one is amusing — any experience with an animal rights or environmental advocacy group disqualifies you; also, no room or board for family.

Organ Courier
The successful applicant will combine not only a working knowledge of tissue-transplantation procedures and the latest pharmaceutical agents involved in this growing field, but also an ability for high-speed travel, diplomacy and an extensive knowledge of transit restrictions and regulations as well as traffic laws around the world. Fluency in at least five languages including French, German, Russian and Chinese is crucial – as is a willingness to achieve fluency in sub-saharan regional and tribal dialects. Knowledge of martial arts, self-defense and extensive weapons training is essential, but applicants willing to receive training in these areas will receive due consideration.

okay — an organ courier with advanced knowledge or martial arts and weapons training *and* fluency in FIVE languages? weird, but intriguing. again, what are these people up to?

these are super funny, interesting, and embedded in each job description is some sort of clue that adds to the context and mystery of the tv show.

lost — tv 2.0?

absolutely! in a recent commencement speech, tim o’reilly defined web 2.0 as the following:

A true Web 2.0 application is one that gets better the more people use it. Google gets smarter every time someone makes a link on the web. Google gets smarter every time someone makes a search. It gets smarter every time someone clicks on an ad. And it immediately acts on that information to improve the experience for everyone else. It’s for this reason that I argue that the real heart of Web 2.0 is harnessing collective intelligence. The world of Web 2.0 *can* be one in which we share our knowledge and insights, filter the news for each other, find out obscure facts, and make each other smarter and more responsive. We can instrument the world so it becomes something like a giant, responsive organism.

we are seeing the same thing with lost — it’s interactive, there’s collaboration via the n+ blogs and discussion boards, there is a family of complicated websites that intrigue and confuse and engage, there’s newspaper ads and stories of the phony hanso foundation and, of course, there’s the tv show. indeed, abc has build a social network, inextricably linked and collaborative and wholly responsive. i can see more and more tv shows following this move. this is clearly tv 2.0 — i can’t wait for season 3!

more on the lost experience here, here, and here. also, below is an interview with jimmy kimmel and one of the officers of the hanso foundation. also, here are the official abc’s websites:

• LetYourCompassGuideYou, (a lot of hidden links in this one)
• DJ Dan
• Widmore Labs
• Sublymonal
• Oceanic Airlines
• The Hanso Foundation
• The Fuselage

enjoy!

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