The ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation) as a public broadcaster is prohibited from

broadcasting advertising and so commercial references in other forms are also not

acceptable.

The ABC's statement of Editorial Policies states: 'The ABC is conscious that its audiences value the ABC's role as a non-commercial broadcaster and its non-commercial style'.

The brief was to engage the audience at TEDx Sydney during the interval, bringing to life the event's theme - "Real. Live. Now." - and deliver on TED's mission to showcase 'ideas worth spreading'. So we created 'Mimeisthai' - the world's first spoken word trending engine.

We turned the 1072m² theatre at TEDxSydney into a giant, real-time, emerging topics trending engine. Think Twitter, without the need for the smartphone, laptop or tablet - all you

need to do to trend a topic... is speak.

How? Parabolic microphones were placed around the room so they could capture the hundreds of conversations taking place amongst the audience of 900 thought leaders in the auditorium.

Mimeisthai's algorithm isolated and analysed the conversations, bringing them to life. Key phrases then appeared as graphic art on the main screen, visualising the spread of ideas across the room.

We utilised the main screen in the TEDx Sydney theatre to deliver the unique and engaging data visualisation.

The installation was also broadcast live to millions via ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation) and YouTube streams.

- The experience was broadcast live to millions via ABC and a TED YouTube stream.

- By galvanising the room and generating hundreds of conversations, the organisers were able to instantly gauge how the audience were connecting to talks and what captured the imagination of the room, and shaped their online talk promotion strategy immediately.

- Captured the imagination of the internet sparking over 100,000 online conversations.

Positive Feedback:

- 'Prepare to be stopped in your tracks because this is off the hook'. - It's Nice That.

- 'The Future of Social Media' - HUH Magazine.

- 'US version please. Simple idea, amazing creative.' - Grand Central Magazine.

- 'Leave it to the Aussies to bring the art of conversation back in to the real world' - Really New Media.

- 'A New Social Era?' - Zé Studio.

- 'Genuinely one of the most interesting things I have ever posted on the site.' - Rob Alderson, Editor-in-Chief, It's Nice That.

- 'The World's First Spoken-Word Trending Engine' - Soho House.