50+ thinkers and planners within MSLGROUP share and discuss inspiring projects on corporate citizenship, crowdsourcing and storytelling on the MSLGROUP Insights Network. Every week, we pick up one project and do a deep dive into conversations around it -- on the MSLGROUP Insights Network itself but also on the broader social web -- to distill insights and foresights. We share these insights and foresights with you on our People’s Insights blog and compile the best insights from the network and the blog in the iPad-friendly People’s Lab Quarterly Magazine, as a showcase of our capabilities. This week, our topic is Path. For more, see:http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

1. crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship
People’s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 13
Path

2. Path
Path is a social networking app for mobile devices, downloaded from
App Store and Google Play. It is a 'smart journal' on which people share
their lives on the go with the 150 people closest to them.
Source: http://path.com , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfQ03VcOfuc

3. Capturing experiences
Path started off as a mere private photo-sharing service, but
expanded to include places, thoughts, music, sleep, etc, giving people
a place to share their experiences.
Source: http://socialsteak.com/2011/12/17/why-you-should-be-using-path-2-review/ ,
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/path/id403639508?mt=8

4. Limiting friends to 150
The developers felt social networkers crave intimate interactions with
small circles; most people stay in touch with only 20 to 30 people at a
time. It's akin to a private social network with people who matter.
Source: http://gigaom.com/2012/03/14/path-150-friends/ ,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/technology/15photo.html?_r=1

5. Connections are mutual
Unlike Twitter, where users can follow anybody, Path is more like
Facebook, allowing users to share stories with friends. Users can
add friends directly from their phone address books.
Source: http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

6. Like Instagram & Facebook with fewer friends
With Path's initial focus on photo-sharing, it was compared to Instagram
and PicPlz. As Path allowed users to share everything, it was compared
to Facebook – more so with the latter's shift to Timeline and mobile.
Source: http://www.mamapop.com/ , http://geekgirlmanila.com/

7. Companion, not rival to social networks
Path is positioned as a companion to social networks. Users can post
photos and videos to their Facebook walls and add friends from there.
Updates can also be shared on Foursquare and Twitter.
Source: http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/30/2599934/path-2-0-hands-on-new-ui-sharing-
options-150-friends , http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/path-facebook-sharing/

8. Anti social-network
While social networks constantly push users to expand their circles and
go more 'social', Path encourages users to form quality circles to share
stuff for a more personal and less 'social' experience.
Source: http://www.postadvertising.com/ , http://www.sfgate.com/

9. The personal journal
Experts said that while Path was like Facebook, its design was more
advanced and it afforded more intimacy and privacy. The strategy
worked – it was downloaded more than 1.5 million times in a year.
Source: http://techcrunch.com , https://twitter.com/#!/ailon

10. Rocked by privacy controversy
Downloads dropped when a developer from Singapore found that Path
was accessing information on users' phones. The CEO's apology
reiterated Path's views on privacy. This received a mixed response.
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/02/08/path-dave-morin-apology/ ,
http://mashable.com/2012/02/08/path-address-book-controversy/

11. Challenges
Critics lashed out at Path's 'short-term thinking'. Some of the challenges
cited were saturation of the social space, the trend of sharing more and
not less, and being typified as another Facebook with a small user base.
Source: http://techcrunch.com , http://mashable.com/2010/11/15/path-launches/

12. Revenue stream
Creating a scalable revenue stream was a challenge. Path introduced
'Lenses' for 99 cents and partnered with Nike to build Nike+ GPS for
revenue. Potentially, the social 'inner circle' could be worth a lot.
Source: http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/path-facebook-sharing/ ,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

13. Mobile: A clear vision for the future
Recognising that mobile devices are the future, Path encouraged
frictionless sharing via mobile. Facebook did the same with Timeline. All
social apps are going mobile, making networking more convenient.
Source: http://www.johnhaydon.com/ , http://memeburn.com/

14. More People’s Insights Weekly reports
Every week, we dive into one topic for discussion on the MSLGROUP
Insight’s Network and discuss insights and foresights, in three key
areas: crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship.
Crowdsourcing Storytelling: Citizenship
Mahindra Spark the Rise @MarsCuriosity #Kony2012
For more reports, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights/

15. Read People’s Lab insights and foresights
The People’s Lab team shares the insights and foresights from the
MSLGROUP Insights Network on the People’s Insights weekly blog and
the People’s Insights Quarterly magazine.
MSLGROUP Insights People’s Insights People’s Insights
Network weekly blog Quarterly magazine
50+ MSLGROUP planners We deep dive into Every quarter, we will compile
share and discuss inspiring conversations around one the best insights from the
projects on corporate project -- on the MSLGROUP network and the blog in the
citizenship, crowdsourcing and Insights Network itself but also iPad-friendly magazine, as a
storytelling. on the broader social web -- to showcase of our capabilities.
distill insights and foresights.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

16. Coming soon: People’s Insights Annual
Report
In early January 2013 we will publish the People’s Insights Annual
Report, in which we synthesize our insights from throughout 2012 and
provide foresights for business leaders and change-makers for 2013.

17. People’s Lab: Crowdsourcing Insights &
Innovation
People’s Lab is MSLGROUP’s proprietary crowdsourcing platform and
approach that helps organizations tap into people’s insight for
innovation, storytelling and change.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

18. For People’s Lab
solutions, contact
pascal.beucler@mslgroup.com