Nope the idea, at it’s core, has to be transworldian. (is that a word?)

I don’t know what Flash sites you are talking about, I guess when you build giant catalogues in Flash, as you do, people will check it out, because they’re interested. They want to see the catalogue and they don’t care if it’s flash or not. But stufff like Get the Glass, which might be that 1 site that did work, has 999999 clones that didn’t. And still, our whole office saw that thing. Still have to see the first one drinking a glass of milk in the kitchen.

Don’t beieve in the niche social networks no more. If you’re a 50+ zoophile who’s in to model trains, you already have your network.
Or you could find an even smaller niche, that doesn’t, but than what’s the ROI of building such a thing for 10 people?

@Laurens
Being passionate is half the work, rock on!

@Laurent
Done.
Wanna do it again?

In a previous life, a few of our team have worked within corporate, ‘big’ firms. Now we’re working only for Belgian SME (90% small and 10% medium I’ld say) and we love it. Couldn’t live a day without the above mentioned ‘conditions’ in our contacts with them.

To care about them and not about your ‘billable’ or ‘not billable’ hours, makes the difference, certainly now that web 2.0 has changed the way of advertising, choosing (consumer), buying (consumer), well.. let’s say .. has changed nearly everything! Sorry, I can’t hide, I know, but these times are lovely. Done with all the expensive blabbering shallowness!

Let the games begin…

There is some wisdoms in the words you said. I agree that the lead should be with the traditional agencies who are based on creativity. That doesn’t mean that creative ideas can’t come from everywhere. Traditional agencies are perfectly positioned to draw the entire picture. But it all starts with an idea and that needs to be spot on. These ideas need to be translated to the online world. And there lays the challenge for the webagencies. How to convert the idea, how to get the conversation going, how to monitor etc..
Second the flash showcases. Here I don’t agree because I have the statistics. If you succeed in creating an engaging site , It will have impact.

My 2 cents
Also concerning the niche communities. I believe their are still opportunities there. As long as the emotional connection is strong enough. Read somewhere that people are open for 3 communities. Social (mostly facebook, netlog) profesional (linkedin or other) and a niche community based on interest or passion. I agree with this. The trick is to make the community tailored enough to support the needs of that community.
So I agree with a lot you say but as usual it isn’t black or white