Rob Schwartz is the Chief Creative Officer of TBWA\CHIAT\DAY in Los Angeles He writes an “Inspiration is Everywhere” to the LA creative department every week. Sometimes, he shares them with us:

Amigos,

A funny thing happened on my computer last night.

I was on YouTube checking stuff out when I saw something on top of my browser. It was a simple sentence in what looked like blue, 9-point type. In blue. It said something to the effect of, “U2 live stream at 8:30pm.”

That’s it.

Intrigued, I clicked on it. And arrived at something amazing. “U2 Live From The Rose Bowl. Global Live Webcast.”

What a find…and then my innate skepticism kicked in…

Ok, how much?

Hmmm, free.

Ok, but the quality — I’ve experienced webcasts before — freeze-frames, digital stuttering, frustration — turns out there was none of that. Just U2. Looking cool and sounding great.

Now, this was by no means the first webcast ever. According to our friends at Wiki…

“One of the earliest examples of a webcast occurred on August 13, 1998 in what is generally believed to be the first webcasted wedding, between Alan K’necht and Carrie Silverman in Toronto Canada.”

There was also a 1999 webcast by a band called “Travis,” that beamed out from a local Glasgow internet café back in 1999.

And, it certainly wasn’t U2’s first foray into the digital world. They were a part of “NetAid,” a project used to promote Internet use amongst the poorest countries of the world. In this instance three high profile concerts were broadcast from three different parts of the world featuring U2, George Michael and Wyclef Jean.

Closer to home we worked with Pepsi and webcast the “Refresh The World” symposium last winter during the Inauguration. We even talked about doing it for Gatorade’s “Replay” program.

And today there are all manner of novices and business people alike using the technology to have fun and get stuff done.

I even watched a webcast of Monday Night Football on a flight from JFK-LAX. Imagine that, watching a game at 34,000 feet. Live.

But this most recent U2 example had something more.

Before the webcast, the chatter heated up. All over Facebook and Twitter, statuses and tweets were atwitter with the digital possibilities.

Now, there might have been ads for this, but I didn’t see them. All I saw was a 9-point line in my browser. And this is where our analog notions of advertising vaporize. It was hardly a headline. Not even a sub-head. It was something between “legal” and a last line of copy. Yet, it motivated millions of people in 16 different countries to participate and share a moment that was happening in Pasadena, California.

This is what I find so inspiring. A mere idea…a live stream…and presto, a movement is born.

What’s also incredible is the technology. I watched this without a hitch. Without a glitch. Just pure, visual and sonic magic.

U2 calls this their “360 Tour.” Last night proved they ain’t lying.

Thanks for reading.

~Rob

The Official U2/YouTube page is HERE.

To see a little film of the experience go here: >

The Twitter feed is #u2webcast

A nice piece from the LA Times, click HERE.

If you have any comments or suggestions please email Rob Schwartz.