Here in Cordoba, Spain 2 major ethnic groups have co-existed for centuries each building and renovating the others glorious churches and mosques.  Let’s take a minute to draw a comparison here to traditional media and new media (also known as social media).  Yes, I know it sounds like a bit of a stretch of imagination, but let’s run with the idea for awhile.

Imagine that we’re in Cordoba in the year 785.  The church of San Vincente is being reconstructed into a Mosque.    Materials from the church are re-used in the construction of the Mosque.  The newly built arches of the Mosque are modeled after an Episcopal palace.   I found it interesting that a Christian emperor provided Byzantine artists to help with the mosaic works in the most sacred part of the mosque.  What a fascinating example of 2 unique themes working together…a bit like social media working hand in hand with traditional media.

When Cordoba was reconquered by Christians in 1236 workers proceeded to turn the mosque into a Christian church.  The former minaret is now embedded into the tower of the cathedral and a Christian church has been built within the columns of the former mosque.  (check out the video to see how it all works together)
video Still today the Patio of Orange Trees, an important part of a mosque, still stands in the Christian edifice.
Church in a Mosque

Let’s work on this idea a bit…perhaps imbedding the minaret into the church tower is a bit like taking the formula of a client newsletter and turning it into a blog. Is the idea of building a church within the walls of a mosque similar to adding a link to Facebook into your current website?

Is social media another way to keep up the tradition of connecting with your clients…only in a different medium?  Is social media another way of staying in touch with the best things of the past, while ensuring their relevance for the future?

While back in the year 785, the worshippers in what was considered to be the ‘most beautiful sanctuary’ would never have imagined it would be turned into a cathedral.  Think back to when your first fax machine arrived or you sent your first e-mail.  Did you ever consider the future of these inventions?  Did you ever think that you may be at the forefront of an revolution that would change the way you keep in touch with your clients?

By combining the best of traditional media with the newest social media strategy we can find a balance to meet the needs of an ever evolving clientele.  Is this not like the worshippers in the ever changing world in Cordoba.  They had the unique opportunity to incorporate the beauty of another civilization into a building that met the needs of their evolving civilization.

Right now we have the opportunity to incorporate new forms of communication into a mix that will help us connect on a different level with current clients while building our business with a new set of potential clients that will carry us into the future.

What are your thoughts and comments on this analogy?  I’d love to hear any other similarities you see here.  The embedded video may help spur your creativity and find some other similarities.

For additional ideas on generating new business and increasing your marketing footprint, please connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

P.S.  Please don’t take these musings to be a confirmation or a condemnation of one religious group or another.  It’s written merely as a comparison for the sake of evolving communication strategy in the tourism and hospitality industry.