Yahoo! News published an article today that nicely summarizes the impact of collaborative digital communications platforms in the first decade of the 2000s.

The article’s author, Laura E. Davis, quotes Professor Paul Levinson of Fordham University who states in his book “New New Media”: “In particular, what makes these newer media so important is that it turns the consumers into producers.”

READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

An informative article describing the impending Comcast-NBC deal appears today on Yahoo! TECH: READ THE ARTICLE HERE.

The article, from AP Business Writers, Deborah Yao and Ryan Nakashima, brings up the inevitable questions about whether or not it may be “questionable” for the “hard-wired” delivery service to own a network. According to Yao and Nakashima, Comcast’s direction may in fact change with this acquisition–that: “The future is in content, and the pipes that carry it matter less.” As the lines of propriety of content ownership continue to blur, and the matter of control over what we see, hear, consume, etc. over different media and where we get it expands every day, licensers, consumer groups, etc. are ready to engage in battle.

What this merger will undoubtedly make happen is another important visit to the issues of rights and permissions over content, of ownership and profit and of the unstoppable socialization of media. The debate and the incremental results are sure to continue for a long, long time.

Mitra Creative has just produced a new website for Big Arrow Group, a New York-based full-service strategic consulting (branding, advertising and marketing) and communications firm.

SEE THE NEW BIG ARROW GROUP BY CLICKING HERE.

The new site is a refresh of Big Arrow Group’s interactive presence, reflecting an expansion of their brand and global capabilities. As with other recent Mitra Creative projects, in addition to introducing an uplifted design for Big Arrow, the site is supported by a custom-programmed/implemented content management system (CMS) and database framework. This CMS architecture will self-empower them to keep their offerings, case studies, media/multimedia and other information up-to-date.

Mitra Creative worked closely with Big Arrow Group’s leadership to ensure that the new website embraces their personalities and working style. It was important to reflect the genuine humanity of, and the spirit of collaboration in, the interaction between Big Arrow and their clients. Therefore, specific visual elements — such as Pantone colors reflecting the individuality of each member of the team — have been incorporated into the design to demonstrate Big Arrow’s true personal touch.

Mitra Creative’s team feels blessed and humbled by our win of the illustrious 2009 MarCom PLATINUM Award for our complete redesign of the Lizalde Design/RickyLizalde.com website for leading Fashion Lingerie designer — and Project Runway® Season 4 contestant — Ricky Lizalde. The MarCom PLATINUM Award is the highest distinction in the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP) competition.

Our President, Karl Joseph Ufert, says: “Winning this award is a huge and truly unexpected honor for us. I attest our achievement to the insightful, masterful hand and eye of Mitra Creative’s Creative Director and Co-Founder, Vincent Wang, who designed the site, to our marvelous collaboration with Ricky Lizalde and to the gorgeous photos of Ricky’s collection (by San Diego-based photographer Alex Slattery) that Vincent used to create the site.”

*UPDATE: We’ve learned from the MarCom Awards Committee that there were 4,800 entries in the 2009 competition. Out of those entries, approximately 15% won Platinum Awards, and less than 2% of these for Web design/development projects.

Mitra Creative is proud to announce our win of a 2009 MarCom GOLD Award for the website that we produced for Deep River Technologies.

Deep River Technologies is a leading, North Carolina Piedmont Triad metropolitan area-based (Greensboro, NC), MicrosoftMicrosoft®-Managed and Certified partner with specific expertise in providing comprehensive Microsoft® Dynamics® NAV solutions to small, medium and large businesses. Mitra Creative — in concert with our strategic alliance partner, The Nurture Institute — produced a vibrant new brand and website for Deep River Technologies (formerly SoftBytes LLC), which was singled out by the MarCom Awards committee.

The MarCom Awards, administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), is, according to their website: “an international competition for marketing and communication professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of marketing and communication programs and print, visual and audio materials. Entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops, production companies and freelancers.”

This is Mitra Creative’s second GOLD MarCom Award–we achieved the same distinction in 2007 for our work on the now multi-award-winning website for Derive Technologies. Our President, Karl Joseph Ufert is thrilled with the win and thanks his entire team for their wonderful efforts on the design and development of the Deep River Technologies site. “Way to go, team”, says Karl!