Cisco announced today an integrated technology platform called Eos which will supposedly enable media companies and large enterprises like NASCAR and the NHL to create, manage and grow social networks around their content.
It’s hard to tell exactly what the platfrom offers (does not offer) but Dan Scheinman tells a good story about how the broadband network is the platform for a new generation of compelling business experiences that are more social, personal and visual.
The SaaS based platform is taregted at media companies so they can focus on their core competency of building content — while Cisco handles the technical plumbing necessary to support communities of people interacting around rich content.
Scheinman says Eos is allowing Warner Music to create socially oriented web sites at a fraction of the cost of custom web designs. I’d personally be very intersted in comparing the cost of Eos with cost of Getcloser.com, a social network built by UK based retailer HMV by the folks at digital agency LBi.
In summary, I think Cisco’s slogan definitely has it right, “The network is the platform”
But only time will tell if they got it right with Eos.
