TED Rocks!

TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment and Design.  Having been at TEDActive since Sunday (and gratefully staying till this coming Sunday), I can tell you it also could stand for Totally Energizing Discussions, or Truly Engaged Dream-makers).  There are few things wonderful enough to motivate me to leave Tahoe in the winter; TED is one of them.

TED is a non-profit that began in 1984 with the mission of spreading ideas.  It began with two annual conferences: TED in Long Beach, CA and TEDGlobal in the UK.  TED initially expanded to include TEDActive — the satellite conference to TED to which all the TEDTalks are streamed live — and TEDx — independently organized, officially licensed TED events.

According to the TED.com website . . .

[framed_box]  On TED.com, we make the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free.  More than 700 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week.  All of the talks are subtitled in English, and many are subtitled in various languages.  These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and re-posted.

Our mission: Spreading ideas.

We [at TED] believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.  So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.  This site, launched April 2007, is an ever-evolving work in progress . . .[/framed_box]

In addition to the TED, TEDActive and TEDx brands, the TED family of marks also includes these:

TED Prize — $100,000, plus the granting of “One Wish to Change the World,” which is awarded annually at the TED conference

TEDTalks — short (generally 18 minutes or less) talks from the thought-leaders of our time

TED Fellows — a program for young adult game-changers whereby 40 individuals get to attend the TED conference or TEDActive gratis

TEDWomen — 2 day conference held in Washington, DC in 2010 to address how women and girls are shaping the future

TedX Salon — independently organized TedX events that usually involve watching recorded TEDTalks and discussing them (rather than having a conference with speakers)

TED Conversations — an electronic platform for sharing and discussing ideas

TED Community — social networking community of TEDsters

TEDED — a newly unveiled program to educate and inspire more youth by leveraging the knowledge of TED’s Brain Trust

The benefits to having a family of marks is that they are stronger than a single mark alone (just like we individuals generally are stronger in groups than we are alone).  A family of marks must share a common element and be promoted together.  Looking for some inspiration?  Watch the TEDTalks!