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MARK BOWNESS

Putting the social in social networking, Mark Bowness, 28, has networked an entire Fijian island, providing the local economy with environmentally sustainable tourism.

Thanks to the rise of Facebook and Myspace, social networking sites have become one of the most talked about things on the internet. But just how 'social' does the networking turn out to be? While useful for organising parties or advertising gigs, these sites concentrate more on creating online communication, rather than being specifically designed to foster offline interaction.

So, in early 2006, Mark Bowness emailed his friend and business partner Ben Keene with an idea. They’d been brainstorming ideas for an internet start-up for some time, but this was the most ambitious yet - a social network that would first build a community online, and then take that community into the real world. Not just be any community, though. A tribe. Together they would construct an idyllic, sustainable and ecologically sound tourist resort on a remote Fijian island, interacting with and learning from local villagers. Tribewanted was born.

Join up on the site, says Mark, and the way you contribute to the project is entirely up to you, but you can expect three levels of involvement. The online interaction is reminiscent of a normal social networking site, which in turn leads to what Mark calls "tribal gatherings" - in which members meet up around the world to socialise and begin to get to know one-another. The real adventure happens, though, when you visit the island. Signing up on the site, you can pay for membership periods of varying length - which in turn book you a respective-length 'stay' on the island. "You can expect to discover a paradise," Mark explains. "Tribe members get involved with the development of the island, they can take part in adventure activities, explore the area and submerge themselves in the local culture."

Indeed, interaction with the locals is an important part of the project. "We've employed over a hundred local Fijians, we're teaching in the local schools, and we're learning all about the Fijian way of life. After three years the eco-resort will then be handed back over to the locals for them to operate and earn income from." This symbiotic relationship has helped the island community thrive, and ensured that the project is far more than simply an adventure holiday resort. "Our hope is that all who get involved learn about the preservation of our environment, and in doing so, take that knowledge home with them to make a difference there also."

Having followed 4Talent for some time - "I think it's a great way to develop and nurture media talent" - Mark has been left "shocked, elated and happy" by winning the award, particularly as new media commissioner Adam Gee is "an all-time hero" of his. Gee has enthused about Tribewanted, calling it "an initiative where interactive media meets the real world and makes a difference. It brings people together online and on-the-ground to tackle the biggest issues of our day in a totally immersed, committed, fun, human way, and shows a very thoughtful, skilful approach to networked media."

"The idea now is that the show will be produced by a TV company and pitched to various networks in America. There seems to be a thirst for British eccentric comedy in America, which is something we've been trying to exploit. I think over here we've been saturated by the likes of Little Britain."

The project continues to attract widespread media attention, culminating in a book deal and soon-to-air BBC Two series that will, according to Mark, "take the concept to new levels". Mark himself, meanwhile, has been channelling the experience he has gathered into his latest project, a creative consultancy called People. Passion. Planet. Of course, with a deliberately finite lifespan in place, Tribewanted won't be around forever. However, even when the resort is handed over to the local islanders, the experiences of those who have been a part of the tribe - and the community that has built up both online and offline - will be far more lasting.

CONTACTS

www.tribewanted.com.com
mark@peoplepassionplanet.com

Judge: Judge: Adam Gee, Commissioning Editor, New Media Factual, Channel 4
Text: Seb Patrick
Illustration: Conor Breen

Mark was one of 20 4Talent Award winners in 2007, our hotly tipped young creatives to watch, to hire and to collaborate with. To meet the other 19 click here