The SOL Brand

[Animal Farm]

****The extension of our ideas, while we entertain ourselves, Sol is our escape like high school girls and junk food on breakups. ***

 

I remember the early days of SOL, when the admin pioneered the formula for Somali websites --- the usage of profile pictures, music, and the posts were seen as second class citizens, something that needed to be tolerated, it was just there. It was rather seen as a dating site – if seen by many at all. The creators of the site took a risk by removing those images, the music, and they also removed young nomads who were flooding the site with amateurish content.

 

The new SOL suddenly exploded and captivated a more mature, educated audience, who employed a more sophisticated commentary on critical topics. The site became a magnet for content. I have seen SOL linked in the BBC website, under "recommended site" for Somali content. The thoughts of the nomads have also been quoted in newspaper and magazines such as the London Guardian, Minneapolis Star Tribune and countless other websites. Today when I search Google for Somalia related content, this young website comes up on the front page.

 

Here’s the brand we know now to be SOL, our own version of AOL.

 

Usability, Design, and Archiving

 

One thing that distinguishes sol from most other Somali forums is that it uses simplicity which is important in web design, because that is what u should care about the most which is usability. It can be designed with complex elements, and be design great, but if it’s not usable, and the sites navigation protocols are complex as Algebra, you won’t have consistency in traffic. SOL has almost 200,000 archived threads dating back for couple of years, so at best this brand seeks to preserve our collective memory and quality as well. They have deleted over 75,000 posts to keep the website clean of tribalism, sexism, and free from personal insults. If we were to look at the design of SOL, it is simple, clean, and easy to navigate and most all everything is archived.

 

Genius Loves SOL

 

Web hitchhikers who are tired of the usual unintelligent content flowing around the inner circles of Somali websites, instantly rejoice in their discovery of SOL. Everyday you see young intellectuals joining this site even though Admin keeps membership closed without invitation. They get captivated by the topics, the variation of opinions, and the rational and irrational tendencies of its members.

 

Case in point, Bathing Ape, the little brand that could from Japan, nomads in London, they’ve got a store in London Square – their brand strategy was to have their stores hidden in ghetto and beat down nieghourhoods in Japan, where the stores were unmarked, and what do you know trend setters flocked to it – Jay-Z, the Neptunes, even Cassidy gave them free advertising by wearing them in their videos. The brand even collaborated with Reebok, for sneaker fans, you’ll note that the Ice Creams line was produced by Bathing Ape, not to mention also the Billionaire Boys Club aka BBC. BA even has café shops, and now they’re building their first hotel. They achieved such notoriety within the span of ten years.

 

I’m not suggesting that SOL will create cafes, a clothing line, and hotels or open a national library for our posts, but we can clearly see that SOL uses similar brand tactics as Bathing Ape. They hardly advertise on websites, and recently they have been listed in Hiiraan, but that has brought little traffic as was predicted by Libaax, because SOL appeals to a different breed of young, sophisticated, western educated, professional Somalis.

 

Manufacturing the Desire of SOL

 

As the Situationists [Guy Debord] would argue SOL has become a vacuum where we are constantly engaged in the buying of our own ideas and ultimately ourselves but I say in a non-materialized manifestations. We expose our ideas, concepts and opinions, by visiting the site we buy our ideas back, after all time is money. Now, the site has critical people with considerable amount of knowledge in their respective disciplines. Like university lectures the nomads convey their ideas in a style that’s fitting to them, they themselves have become brands within the brand. Now the brand of SOL has evolved to threads about critical issues, and surely the accompanying commentaries read like paragraphs taken from an academic journal or sometimes like words uttered in a drunken cab ride home. On sol we become our own entertainers as if we were standing in a mirror or watching ourselves on a medium. However, we are not being exploited the establishment that is SOL, we’re merely soliciting and pimping our ideas to others. The act of posting becomes the spectacle in itself, our ideas become the focal point, and they take centre state.

 

The Nomad Spectator

 

As you all know we’ve got non-members on the site who constantly read and find entertainment, enlightenment, encouragement, and sometimes eerie moments on SOL. These nomads view the always classical debates that go down, like a Las Vegas boxing match, they closely observe from every corner of the world wide web. Making comments on MSN conversation as though it were ESPN post-fight wrap up.

 

Escapism

 

Most the SOL audience come to the site for entertainment, or to escape the hardships in their lives. We log in from our jobs, even when tired and doing our homework and all of the sudden we find the motivation the energy, that idea we’ve been searching for. We make accidental discoveries, post ****** commentaries and contemplate them throughout the week. Some of us jump on the wrong side of the debate and arrogantly hold our post, but no worries, in the end it makes better arguers out of us.

 

Culture and Technology Collide

 

The cultural determinists and technology determinists collide on SOL – who can best explain the hype of this brand, why it exists and what fuels its continuance. The usage of language, the bilingualism and even sometimes the multilingual posts that appear on this place give the SOL brand a unique characteristic. Truly the global village [Marshal McLuhan] epoch has ushered in. the extension of the Nomad in here, as the wheel extended the foot, as television extended our sight, and so forth [McLuhan]. We are truly connected – there say the CD’s and TD’s collide in SOL, because when they collide they create SOL.

 

 

As thinkers on this site, our aim should be refined and establish concrete goals. What can we do, can we set something up --- we have got the people together and their attention, so I urge all of you to always think about the collective responsibilities that we have. This is the place to exchange theories, ideas, concepts, and plans. Let us plot together for the post-conflict reconstruction of Somalia. Like the AdBusters brand, SOL seeks to gain popularity through socially conscious communications, which will have inshallah some positive outcomes in the future.

[Sky]

Originally posted by Animal Farm:

As thinkers on this site, our aim should be refined and establish concrete goals. What can we do, can we set something up --- we have got the people together and their attention, so I urge all of you to always think about the collective responsibilities that we have. This is the place to exchange theories, ideas, concepts, and plans. Let us plot together for the post-conflict reconstruction of Somalia. Like the AdBusters brand, SOL seeks to gain popularity through socially conscious communications, which will have inshallah some positive outcomes in the future.

I therefore firmly believe that the moderators should start threads of importance to the post-conflict reconstruction of our country. Turn the nomad mass a little bit into the right direction, away from the superficial chitchat and redundant topics. I've seen you returning interesting threads of yesteryears to stimulate more productive discussion. That's exactly what I'm talking about, but that alone is not enough. SOL is losing its community village feel time after time. It would also be highly recommendable to take up the burden of inviting young, energetic and future-minded columnists from different Somali newsportals to enter the SOL Fora.

 

About the concept of the SOL brand. Even though commendable for its simplicity, functionality and wide array of archives. SOL must give its logo and layout a new breeze conforming to the demands of 2005. phpBB understood that and SOL should better modernize its unique style sooner rather than later. Instead of the white background, a greyish silver background could be used instead and emoticons rejuvenated. Just an idea.

[Sophist]

SOL Where Ideas have a HOME:

 

This is on the spot painting of what SOL is; a place where ideas flourish. That is not only it's function as I got to know it intimately. One those lonely years in college surrounded by non-Somalis (that is a bad thing at all) this place was like a home. A shelter from alien ideas I explored at school. I found it people with similar background and swimming with me in the high waters of western education-- or some would argue its reverse impact.

 

It is a hub that really helped me through those lonely days. Even know that I am in London ( a metropolis city that houses many thousands of Somalis) I am hooked to this place. Every lunch time while my colleagues rush to lunch; i get back quickly to my desk to browse through the ideas of my fellow sol brothers and sisters-- I know I seldom contribute these; something I am painfully aware of but time isn't permitting me to share my thoughts;;;;; or as I would like to believe I run out of ideas. Being an oldie (something my younger buddies will get to find out soon) means one has less energy and with that comes with less actions. I have many thoughts that occupy me but I seldom have the opportunity to share it with my fellow. Lest I digress; SOL is the heaven for the enlightened Somali young educated. We are indeed both challenged and entertained.

 

Let us keep the fire and let us all be cheery by being members of this celebrated club.

[N.O.R.F]

As one works at his desk, he would take a quick look on SOL for the latest debates. Maybe sneak a post here and there or even take it easy for the day and surf SOL to catch up on weeks old debates.

 

SOL doesnt need much in the way of changes, the nomads already present are a great bunch with great ideas and we have learned to tolorate other's opinions. This is usually the first port of call for me whether i'm at home, in an internet cafe or even at the airport.

 

Keep it up! :cool:

[Medley of extemporanea]

Well, it's nice to think that it's all true. But I hope we get there.

[Animal Farm]

Clearly, the brand has developed into a unique social phenomenon, and like you Sophist I’m not surrounded by Somalis, and in my city there are hardly any Somalis, they are rare. This site has connected me to other nomads, re-socialized me as a new born Somali once more. I do agree with you that we needed to invite more progressive thinkers, young energetic people and I’ve already told people about the site, and they are fascinated by it.

 

SOL as a medium can evolve from impersonal communication to a more effective, authentic and organic form of communication – the virtual world transformed into the real. With the meet ups I’ve been advocating few weeks back we can achieve something more out of SOL. The members of the site can brainstorm new ways of dealing with problems, or helping a positive cause. I once suggested an SOL annual conference, where we get nomads to speak about various issues, and invite the academic community to take part in the conference.

 

The organizers of the Blue Revolution are already on SOL – they just haven’t realized their potential.

[Tuujiye]

Animal..I was reading your post and it felt like I was reading an article from Pace magazine. lol...

I just hope SOL doesn't forget how it became what it is today. Because leaving your past will never give you better feture...

 

PS. Waraa I always loved the way you think man...remember all the crazy things that we tried to organize..lol..SOL conference is a new one laakiin....loooooool...I really like the Idea..lol..

 

Wareer Badanaa!!

[uchi]

http://www.e-thepeople.org/

 

I have always been fascinated by this sites proficiency and resourcefulness for its visitors, maybe SOL should adopt some of it's technology, and improve on it. Perhaps we can jump start the Blue revolution online - The internet is indeed a powerfull tool, and we should exploit it, in a tractable notion.

[juba]

Originally posted by Animal Farm:

I urge all of you to always think about the collective responsibilities that we have. This is the place to exchange theories, ideas, concepts, and plans. Let us plot together for the post-conflict reconstruction of Somalia. Like the AdBusters brand, SOL seeks to gain popularity through socially conscious communications, which will have inshallah some positive outcomes in the future.

Thats the attitude that we should all have! Somalia is in trouble and has been so for way to long! Lets have fun, laugh and tell good stories but lets also use this medium as a way to jumpstart our homeland. Great post Animal Farm

[rudy-Diiriye]

how i heard about sol!! well..

 

I heard she sang a good song, I heard she had a style,

And so I came to see her and listen for a while.

And there she was this young lady, stranger to my eyes,

Strumming my pain with her fingers,

I felt all flushed with fever,

Embarrassed by the crowd,

 

I felt she found my letters and read each one out loud.

 

i learn alot about her, hope she stay around 4 a while..!

 

she cool.!! :cool:

[FatB]

^^^^ u deprive man...did the misses kik u out lo! or is this before u got hitched

[Katrina]

Human nature being what it is ppl always have time for negative comments and rarely give the much needed fuzzy pat on the shoulder of a good job. Good job animal and SOL in general, I've browsed this site many a yrs but I've never stayed long enough to see it for what it is. A clean, funny and stimulating portal for somalis to interact.

 

Many a times have I attemped to be part of/start a somali youth thang but dissapointment in ppl's close mindedness, tribal issues and most of all

blatantly choosing ignorance over enlightment drove me to isolation from somali sites, organizations etc. not to mention the feeling of hopelessness of "WHAT CAN I DO? OR HOW CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE" but this site given me some hope.

[Castro]

Originally posted by Katrina:

not to mention the feeling of hopelessness of "WHAT CAN I DO? OR HOW CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE" but this site given me some hope.

Have no fear young'un, old Castro is here to crush your hopes.

[Animal Farm]

The question still remains can SOL give birth to the Blue Revolution – clearly, the young will lead the way to a prosperous Somalia. SOL connects the displaced, and sometimes we have people who are reluctant and pessimistic about the future state of Somalia – for a moment imagine and believe.

 

Tuujiyee I’m glad you liked the analyses, only time will tell how the new generation on SOL uses the website ---- the idea of an SOL conference is a great one indeed, we just need people to entertain the concept.

 

uchi the Blue Revolution will happen no matter what, we just have to be patient, whether it be violent or peaceful, the people in Somalia cannot continue to suffer and live without hope, aspirations and expectations.

 

juba thank you, we need to fully utilize this medium that we constantly engage in – lets see some progress from the virtual into the reality.

 

rudy who is this girl?

 

Katrina I agree with you, there are many things that we have to fix in order to achieve authentic consciousness from the youth --- sadly many of them are indulging in the bad habits of qabil politics – if the poison is here, imagine those back home.

 

Castro our controversial nomad, don’t discourage the young generation, they’re the ones that will rebuild our ruined nation – think positive thoughts this time around.

[rudy-Diiriye]

thats my faithful gal! sol...she always there 4 me when i knock her door!! love yah babe!!