Just like the Apple iPod launched the MP3 market, The Ricky Gervais Show launched the podcast market and later the audio book market.

For anyone who hasn’t listened, it is well worth the $50 or so for hours and hours of entertainment. Originally launched as a free podcast, they have since commercialised it at a very cheap price and made millions from it. It turned from podcast to audio book and established two whole new markets along the way. “Podcast” became Word of the Year in 2005 and people are now starting to realise the potential behind audio books… and the fact that they don’t have to be scripted novels.

Of course this model relies heavily on good content. But Radiohead did something similar with their latest album. Dr. Horrible was a free web show that will do the same thing. In all three cases, it was a successful and profitable business model.

All it takes is something remarkable to successfully launch a whole new market. And that’s what social media needs, at least in Australia.

One amazing campaign and people will start to see social media’s potential.