Display Ad's Build Brands?

New research from Comscore and the Online Publishers Association was released last week which states that consumers exposed to display advertising online are 50% more engaged with brands, and also more likely to purchase more online.

Titled "The Silent Click: Building Brands Online" it aims to look further than just whether an ad is clicked on to cover areas such as searches conducted by users and consumer spending and helps support the theory that it's not all about Click Through Rates when it comes to measuring effectiveness and ROI.

The official press release is here with a link to the full piece and lots of useful information.

Audio Micro-blogcasts?

There's a new service that I have just come across from RnSK Softronics Worldvoice which takes a little bit of Twitter, a little bit of podcast and the growing iPhone application phenomenon to create a service that allows users to leave 30 second audio clips on their own 'station' for others to listen to and follow.

It's early days yet, but I can see the potential... who wants to type a message when you can just record one?

There's more information on it over at TUAW.

Emotional Content Sells

A little creative example for you from Pantene in Thailand of how brands can create emotional and engaging stories in their marketing activity.

Yes it's a bit cheesy, yes it's a predictable and yes, it is way too long to fit into a TV spot (4 minutes) but it is a great example of something that has gone Viral, with over 1m views on Youtube alone.

Note the minimal branding, if I didn't know from the title it was from Pantene I wouldn't have had a clue until the end... now can someone pass me a tissue...

Real Time Sentiment Without Twitter

Twitter, Twitter, Twitter... we keep on hearing how it's the biggest social tool out there (and it quite possibly is). We also keep hearing about how marketeers can and should harness it to gain insights into trends how it operates as a real time barometer of what the world is thinking... but is it the only tool you can search for what is happening right now?

I have just come across a tool that has recently launched, Collecta. Launched in June this site is a beta search engine that monitors news sites, blogs, social media and image sites and allows you to search for whatever your heart desires, returning real time results.

Avoiding the temptation to type in 'Michael Jackson' I did a couple of other random searches for slightly less media prominent topics, namely 'Heatwave'... the results come back in real time, and if you leave it running it will just keep on updating whenever something new appears.

So far I have seen such gems as 'far too many male feet on show in the office today' and 'why isn't anyone talking about the heatwave' (er...)...

While my search might not be that relevant to the world of marketing I'm sure it could be used to get an idea of sentiment toward brands and other topics in real time, so try it out!

Delicious Insights

My colleague Fiona and I have talked about Delicious and what a great tool it is for eons now as it's a simple and easy to use tool for saving your favourites and commenting on them, as well as sharing things you like with others and discovering something new.

It has also come in handy in more than one of my roles as a way of getting information out to clients and the team... but what about using it to gain consumer insight?

Carla Sarett has published a very useful article over on the Interactive Insights Group website which looks at some of the ways to "mine" delicious for information on consumer habits and opinion.

I highly recommend having a read, you never know when it might come in useful alongside all that quantitative data you have!

iMedia First - Twitter In Ad's!

The social revolution keeps on trucking and Eyeblaster have just come along with another media first... online advertising that can incorporate live Twitter Feeds and information.

There is an example for VW running at the moment which asks you to enter your Twitter name... it then analyses your recent Tweets and personalises the ad, delivering the model of VW that they recommended, just for you (apparently I'm a GTi kind of guy).

Obviously you wouldn't go and buy a car suggested to you based solely on your Twitter history, but it does prove an engaging ad and brings something personal to the consumer.

I would love to see this kind of thing used for smaller purchases, maybe linked with some sort of direct purchase, trial offer or data capture? Or even for displaying product sentiment and WOM on Twitter live in the creative so the same ad is never served twice... so many possibilities...

The New Reality

As the guys over at Banner Blog say in this article if it wasn't for all the hype about Twitter then maybe we would all be talking about Augmented Reality.

If we put the old Virtual Reality machines in the arcades of the 90's to one side the first time I experienced this new breed of technology was a couple of years ago in London, when o2 were using postcards with a symbol on them to give away prizes for the opening of the o2 arena.

The premise was simple, hold the card up to the camera on their o2 car and on the screen, in my hand, appeared a 3D representation of what I had won.

As with a lot of digital innovation you have to see and experience it to get a true idea, which is why the Banner Blog article is so great, it has 35 examples of how it has been used in recent times, most from a marketing perspective... so go and check them out and start imagining the opportunities for brand promotions!

Thanks to Adam Sloan for the link.

MySpace in Decline

Just spotted this article in the LA Times.

It highlights how MySpace have been declining in the face of competition (namely Facebook) and some of the reasons why, the result of which is 420 job cuts (nearly a third of their staff).

It's an interesting read, and highlights that even the 'big boys' of digital need to keep innovating and bringing value to their audience if they are to continue their success.

The Social Graph in Action

I highly recommend checking this site promoting the new "Prototype" game from Activision.

In essence it is a trailer for the game... but by harnessing the power of the Social Graph and Facebook Connect they have managed to make things a little more personal.

It takes a little while to load so bear with it.

To Many Things To Do? Post-It

Sometimes I just see things that make me smile and this is one such thing...

Apparently this video took some time to create (and several thousand post-it notes) but well worth the effort I say.

If only it was 3M that came up with it and not a college student... it's a great example of what is a relatively dull product portrayed in an engaging way!

ZipCar On The Move More Than Ever

Constantly the struggle for marketers in the digital space is to bring consumers value.

This is an example from ZipCar who have created an application with some great benefits after their audience insight established a high iPhone penetration (25% of their audience can't live without it).

Essentially the application uses GPS to find the closest ZipCar, allow you to book it, unlock it remotely and even to beep the horn when you are nearby to help locate it.

It's a great idea and one which could genuinely make their consumers life easier through digital.

The Full Article is over on Springwise

Why Not Let Consumers Make Your Ad's?

Here is an interesting one for you... it's not quite User Generated content in it's true form, it is not quite video content created by a brand, and it's not quite an advertising buy... It is in fact the Youtube Sponsorship from Carl's Jr in the US.

There is a full article on the Adweek site but in essence what they have done is commission some of the stars of Youtube to create commercials for the brand in their own unique styles.

The content is hosted on the stars own pages, as well as in a dedicated Carl's Jr area and the creators are being paid according to how many views they get, thus providing incentive to make it good.

Click on the image above to here to check out some of the ad's so far.

3D iMedia

Great piece of creative just spotted from Orange. A 3D iMedia execution that pushes the boundaries what you can do... and it's engaging!

Check it out here

What Happens If You Cross Twitter and Google Maps?

Another one from Vodafone in the UK... no they aren't paying me (but I'm open to suggestion)... This time they have done something cool with Twitter and Google Maps, combining data from the two to show where people are going on holidays to promote the fact that they have done away with roaming charges in Europe.

This is an interesting way to interpret free data that exists in the public domain and use it as content for a brand. It would be interesting to see what other people come up with considering the sheer volume of user generated content on the web.

Go Uniqlo!

Uniqlo have done it again with their new website in the US... I encourage you to head on over to check it out.

The intro to the site itself is pretty engaging showcasing the brand values and their products set to some pretty funky music. Click on a product and you can move it about and play with it, transitioning from video to stills. Use the menu bar to scroll up and down through it all.... just play with it and you will see what I mean, it really is quite engaging!

Be More Social!

Struggling to make friends online? Don't know your Twitter from your MySpace, let alone how to use them effectively?

I just spotted a great guide for beginners to Social Networking from Steve Woodruff. It's all about building Opportunity Networks and is worth a read even if you do know what you are doing, and the best part is that it's free!

You can find it by clicking the image above or following this link.

Makes the Music Come Alive

Another Friday example of engaging content, this time from Spanish singer Labaut and in the form of an interactive music video which gives the user the ability to control the content.

Have a play, it is incredibly hypnotic... and the song is rather good too. (takes a while to load, but bear with it)

It has one website of the month from the "Favourite Website Awards" site and is a great example of how simple ideas can have a big impact!

Tiger Woods Promo Site

It's Friday, we all need some fun, so here is the new Tiger Woods site from EA.

Not only is it fun, but it's a good example of engaging content... go on, have a play!

Bing!

No, it's not Chandler from Friends, but another new search offering (or should I say 'Decision Engine'), this time from Microsoft, and something everyone has been talking about lately...

On face value Bing looks a lot like Google, but when you run a search it has some interesting features which are worth noting.

Where it differs is that it also brings you features like 'Instant Answers' and 'Best Match' (the most likely result for your query).

If, for example, you searched for 'Proctor & Gamble' the top result it delivers is the P&G homepage, along with deep link results straight to areas like Careers, Products, Contact, Company etc. without you having to go through the site to find the information yourself.

It also gives listings of similar queries to help you refine results and go straight to reviews, shopping, quotes (if it is a person) etc. Particularly useful if you are searching for purchases, travel, restaurants etc.

The last feature, in a not exhaustive list, is the ability to view previews of videos and content from sites without having to click through. A good idea, but it could present some backlash from site owners who want people to visit them not view their content elsewhere.

All in all it is a slick experience and after running a few random searches the results seem solid enough but I just can't help asking myself, is it enough to make me stop using Google?

If you have the time, go and check out the Webinar over on iStreamplanet

New Ad Formats Buried?

Digg, the popular sharing site for all things web, have just launched a new advertising functionality.

Advertisers can buy a placement on the front page that will appear as if it is one of the featured pages, making it a more integrated option than simply placing standard or rich media.

In principle this is a great idea, but as with many great innovations there is a risk... in this case for the advertiser. Not only can people 'digg' the post but they will also be given the ability to 'bury' it.

This is effectively giving users the control to say whether a brand's ads are good or bad, and could potentially generate negative WOM if a placement isn't well receieved. Is that something that advertisers will really want to pay for?

There is an article over at Download Squad with some user reactions if you want to know a little more...

Yoostar in the Movies

I love new bits of technology and this is something that, as a wannabe actor when I was younger, I would have killed for... Yoostar is a product hitting the stores soon that is essentially making 'movie karaoke' a reality.

Ever wanted to be in your favourite film?... looks like that could soon be a reality as you can use the supplied software, camera and greenscreen to re-create or re-imagine some of the classics.

Yes, I know that this isn't a digital marketing example, but they have included a number of clever social functionalities that allow you to upload your creations, put them in your network profiles and share them with your friends... so in that respect I think it fits into innovation.

Besides, what's to say that brands couldn't provide content to consumers of Yoostar and allow them to star in their own commercials some day?

The Future of Facebook

Head on over to Inside Facebook for a glimpse of Facebook's future, straight from the mouth of founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Highlights are:

Talk about how they are going to focus on harnessing the Social Graph of users, that is the things and friends that we are connected to.

How they are tackling security concerns.

The introduction of payment services.

Their relationship with Microsoft.

What has surprised them in terms of popularity.

Mr Zuckerberg's personal goals for the company.

It really is interesting and well worth a read.

There's Nothing Like The Smell of Fresh Tweet...

I first spotted this a couple of months back now, but thought I should probably share it, slightly belatedly.

BakerTweet is a new device installed at the Albion Cafe in London which allows the bakery to instantly Tweet to their followers when bread, croissants, those little cheese puffs that everyone loves, whatever they happen to be baking really, comes out of the oven and hits the shelves.

You can then make your excuses, leave that important meeting, and head down knowing that you can get what you want fresh from the oven.

Genius us of Twitter to drive sales in my opinion!

Easy Access To Mobile Apps?

Mobile Applications... Creative agencies love them, forward thinking owners of smart phones love them, brand marketers think they should be doing them because everyone is talking about them, and it has been the 'year of mobile' for about 5 years now... but the fact is that mobile applications, while very cool, have their limitations.

The main ones being the cost to build them, audience penetration and getting people to notice them in the sea of other options.

The first of these, at least, seems to have been addressed to some extent by Mobile Roadie. Mobile roadie offer a 'cheap' and fast alternative to building applications for the iPhone, allowing a host of features to be added out of the box; including music streaming, fan walls, distribution of photo and video content and much more. All for $399 set up and a low monthly fee.

OK, so it is aimed at bands, not brands, but it is a great idea and i'm curious to know what would happen if someone offered it to companies to promote their products?

Thanks to Dan Calladine for highlighting it!

Social Network Goes Offline?

The original social networks were those that resided in the 'real' world.

Then along came digital and all of a sudden those networks grew and took over the online space.

Now things seem to have come full circle. Hub Culture are an invitation only business network set up to facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge in business. Where they differ though, is that they are offering their members physical locations in which to meet, work and share. They have just opened a permanent location in London's Carnaby Street and have others in New York, Ibiza, Amsterdam and springing up all around the globe.

It's an interesting take, and I am curious to see how bringing this extra value to their member base will impact the business moving forward... I'm a member now, so it must be a good idea!

Location, Location, Location...

I have just spotted an interesting article from Elizabeth Clifford-Marsh at Revolution Magazine.

Vodafone in the UK are launching location based advertising on their map services later this year. We all know the potential for more location based promotion, but this is one of the first examples of it that I have seen actually coming to fruition.

The basic premise behind it is that if you use a map application on your phone it will show you 'points of interest', i.e. advertising, overlayed on the map. This could include restaurants, shops, almost anything thats in the local area.

In principle I think this is a great idea for driving footfall, but as the service is going to be opt-in for phone users I am struggling to see why they would accept the advertising if they don't have to (and when there doesn't appear to be any great value to them).

Also, completely un-related to the article itself, it is interesting to see that o2 are serving ads on a page with a story about Vodafone... I wonder if that's luck or clever targeting?

Innovative Use of Youtube

A few months back Skittles in the US launched their new .com site which pulled information from sources all over the web (Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc.) rather than hosting it all in one place.

Now american firm Boone Oakley have done something similar in their innovative use of YouTube. Rather than have a website of their own the Ad agency have redirected their URL to a Youtube Video.

This video, in turn, makes use of the 'annotations' video functionality to link to other video's covering their background, news, client work etc.

Taking heed of what makes good video content it is funny, engaging and tells a story... It is also very informative and has generated a great deal of publicity for them. Most of all it would appear that it was more cost effective than building a website from scratch, as Youtube is free to all.

Free Phorm Web Experience

Phorm have just launched their "Webwise Discover" beta version.

The idea behind it is twofold. For the user it monitors the surfing habits, sites and content you visit and engage with etc. to build a profile of what you like. It will then bring you more content from around the web that fits with your profile... negating the need to search for content (or so they say).

The second part to it is that they have opened it up to web developers, bringing sites the opportunity to serve visitors the most relevant content to them, based on their Webwise profile.

General public feedback seems to be positive thusfar, and I can see big potential for it if it's implemented properly on websites, particularly brand sites where there is an array of content and product.

It is reported about in more depth on brandrepublic or you can visit Phorm's site to find out more.

TV Drives Online

Interesting article over on Teqtonic highlighting the fact that TV does in fact drive online traffic, particularly if you optimise the content (i.e. include URL's on all communications).

The cost per visit stated is also reasonable at around 60pence per visit, meaning that it can rival the best online display campaigns for efficiency.

Keep an eye on the Teqtonic page, as they are apparently going to talk more about it over their next few posts.