Sunday, May 31, 2009
McDonald’s Street Smart Social Marketing
SMMII is reports: McDonald’s in London's Piccadilly Circus is using an interactive bill board advertisement with a gaint LED screen as an entertaining experience where people can take pictures of holding dumbbells, umbrella, airing ballons and blowing out birthday cake candles.
Obama Mobilizes Grassroots Support For Health Care Reform
CBS News: President Obama on Thursday spoke on a conference call with his grassroots supporters, telling them he needs their help to pass health care reform legislation this year -- otherwise, he said, it will not get done.
"If we don't get it done this year, we're not going to get it done," the president said, calling in from Air Force One. "We're going to need to mobilize all of you."
As both conservative and liberal groups push their messages either for or against health care reforms, Mr. Obama's own group called Organizing for America is preparing to kick off a national campaign to win nationwide support for his health care agenda.
Oraganizing for America, a part of the Democratic National Committee, is organizing neighborhood meetings to take place on June 6 in homes across the country to discuss health care.
"This is our big chance to prove that the big movement that started during the cmapaign isn't over, it's just getting started," Mr. Obama told supporters, brought onto the call by Organizing for America. "We've gotten a lot of things done, but health care -- that's a big push."
He called supporters' grassroots efforst "invaluable," pointing out that hundreds of thousands of letters in support of his budget were sent to Congress.
"I promise you, politicians take notice," he said.
"If we don't get it done this year, we're not going to get it done," the president said, calling in from Air Force One. "We're going to need to mobilize all of you."
As both conservative and liberal groups push their messages either for or against health care reforms, Mr. Obama's own group called Organizing for America is preparing to kick off a national campaign to win nationwide support for his health care agenda.
Oraganizing for America, a part of the Democratic National Committee, is organizing neighborhood meetings to take place on June 6 in homes across the country to discuss health care.
"This is our big chance to prove that the big movement that started during the cmapaign isn't over, it's just getting started," Mr. Obama told supporters, brought onto the call by Organizing for America. "We've gotten a lot of things done, but health care -- that's a big push."
He called supporters' grassroots efforst "invaluable," pointing out that hundreds of thousands of letters in support of his budget were sent to Congress.
"I promise you, politicians take notice," he said.
Partisan Differences Show in Party Fundraising Methods
CQ Politics reports: The two major parties raised and spent more than $1.5 billion on last year’s elections, according to a Federal Election Commission review of fundraising data of federal campaign committees in 2007 and 2008.
Both parties had plenty of cash and were fairly evenly matched in overall funds: Republican committees at the national, state and local level that filed with the FEC took in $792.9 million for the two-year period, compared with $763.3 million raised by the Democratic organizations.
There were some differences in how the parties raised and distributed their funds in the 2008 election — and some of those patterns are continuing early in the 2010 cycle.
In the 2008 cycle, the Republican National Committee out-raised the Democratic National Committee, $427.6 million to $260.1 million. The Democrats were dominant in congressional committee fundraising, with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) topping the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), $162.8 million to $94.4 million, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) outraising the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), $176.2 million to $118.3 million.
Those partisan gaps are continuing in this election cycle, though the money gap between the DSCC and NRSC after the first four months of 2009 is fairly small, $13.5 million to $12.7 million.
In the 2008 cycle and early in the 2010 cycle, the Democratic committees were more reliant than their Republican counterparts on the larger, more-than-$200 donations that have to be itemized on federal campaign finance reports.
In the 2008 cycle, 76 percent of the DSCC’s receipts from individual donors were itemized — up from 72 percent in the 2006 cycle and 63 percent in the 2004 cycle. In the first four months of 2009, that figure was 79 percent, compared to 52 percent for the NRSC.
The DCCC, the campaign arm of House Democrats, itemized 66 percent of its total contributions from individuals in the 2008 cycle — up from 62 percent in the 2006 cycle and 50 percent in the 2004 cycle. The NRCC’s itemized ratio is going in the opposite direction — 57 percent in the 2008 cycle, 62 percent in the 2006 cycle and 66 percent in the 2004 cycle.
The Democrats have been more adept than the Republicans in attracting the maximum contribution amount from individual donors. For the 2010 campaign cycle, an individual can give up to $30,400 per year to a national party committee.
The FEC analysis also showed a large Democratic advantage in raising money from members of Congress. There’s no limit on the amount of money that a member of Congress can transfer to a national party committee from his or her campaign committee.
The DSCC received $20.6 million in the 2008 cycle from candidate committees, including $4.5 million from Barack Obama ’s presidential campaign committee.
But Republican senators were much more reluctant to give to their party committee. With $2.8 million raised from candidate committees in the 2008 cycle, the NRSC raised less than one-seventh as much as the DSCC from these sources.
On the House side, the DCCC nearly doubled up the NRCC in member transfers, $47 million to $24.2 million.
Both parties had plenty of cash and were fairly evenly matched in overall funds: Republican committees at the national, state and local level that filed with the FEC took in $792.9 million for the two-year period, compared with $763.3 million raised by the Democratic organizations.
There were some differences in how the parties raised and distributed their funds in the 2008 election — and some of those patterns are continuing early in the 2010 cycle.
In the 2008 cycle, the Republican National Committee out-raised the Democratic National Committee, $427.6 million to $260.1 million. The Democrats were dominant in congressional committee fundraising, with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) topping the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), $162.8 million to $94.4 million, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) outraising the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), $176.2 million to $118.3 million.
Those partisan gaps are continuing in this election cycle, though the money gap between the DSCC and NRSC after the first four months of 2009 is fairly small, $13.5 million to $12.7 million.
In the 2008 cycle and early in the 2010 cycle, the Democratic committees were more reliant than their Republican counterparts on the larger, more-than-$200 donations that have to be itemized on federal campaign finance reports.
In the 2008 cycle, 76 percent of the DSCC’s receipts from individual donors were itemized — up from 72 percent in the 2006 cycle and 63 percent in the 2004 cycle. In the first four months of 2009, that figure was 79 percent, compared to 52 percent for the NRSC.
The DCCC, the campaign arm of House Democrats, itemized 66 percent of its total contributions from individuals in the 2008 cycle — up from 62 percent in the 2006 cycle and 50 percent in the 2004 cycle. The NRCC’s itemized ratio is going in the opposite direction — 57 percent in the 2008 cycle, 62 percent in the 2006 cycle and 66 percent in the 2004 cycle.
The Democrats have been more adept than the Republicans in attracting the maximum contribution amount from individual donors. For the 2010 campaign cycle, an individual can give up to $30,400 per year to a national party committee.
The FEC analysis also showed a large Democratic advantage in raising money from members of Congress. There’s no limit on the amount of money that a member of Congress can transfer to a national party committee from his or her campaign committee.
The DSCC received $20.6 million in the 2008 cycle from candidate committees, including $4.5 million from Barack Obama ’s presidential campaign committee.
But Republican senators were much more reluctant to give to their party committee. With $2.8 million raised from candidate committees in the 2008 cycle, the NRSC raised less than one-seventh as much as the DSCC from these sources.
On the House side, the DCCC nearly doubled up the NRCC in member transfers, $47 million to $24.2 million.
Google’s Wave Opens New Real-Time Communication Frontiers
Voxilla reports: Google swamped Microsoft on Thursday, completely overwhelming the Windows maker’s announcement about a new search engine (Bing?) with an announcement of its own about the most ambitious project the technology world has seen in a long time.
Wave, a 4-years-in-the-making Google project is a new open source communications platform that aims to seamlessly integrate email, IM, real-time document sharing/collaboration, photo-sharing and more.
Some wonder wether Wave will be bloatware, taking an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to tempting users with its charms, while others already see it as the height of Google’s arrogance, despite the fact that it hasn’t even been released yet.
Developers at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, where the announcement was made, seemed most excited about the possibilities Wave’s open source architecture creates. Wave’s open XMPP based protocol already has collaboration software developer Zoho gushing about the interoperability promises implied by Wave’s open source underpinnings and imagines it will only advance its users’ satisfaction with real-time communications.
Currently Wave is available as a developer preview and Google announced no timeline for public release of the platform but has established a sign-up page to keep tabs on public interest in the project.
Wave, a 4-years-in-the-making Google project is a new open source communications platform that aims to seamlessly integrate email, IM, real-time document sharing/collaboration, photo-sharing and more.
Some wonder wether Wave will be bloatware, taking an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to tempting users with its charms, while others already see it as the height of Google’s arrogance, despite the fact that it hasn’t even been released yet.
Developers at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, where the announcement was made, seemed most excited about the possibilities Wave’s open source architecture creates. Wave’s open XMPP based protocol already has collaboration software developer Zoho gushing about the interoperability promises implied by Wave’s open source underpinnings and imagines it will only advance its users’ satisfaction with real-time communications.
Currently Wave is available as a developer preview and Google announced no timeline for public release of the platform but has established a sign-up page to keep tabs on public interest in the project.
Businesses tossing junk mail for more direct marketing
RDC reports: Good news for your mailbox: Junk mail is on the wane.
A pair of recent studies by Virginia-based media research firm Borrell Associates and New York direct marketing consulting company Winterberry Group indicated that mass direct mail — the catalogs, postcards, fliers and assorted other sales come-ons delivered daily by your postal carrier — is being edged aside by more direct marketing efforts.
According to Borrell numbers, direct mail spending by marketers is expected to drop from $49.7 billion in 2008 to $29.8 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, e-mail advertising by small local businesses is expected to grow from $848 million last year to $2 billion in 2013.
According to officials at companies, while direct mail may be falling out of favor, the growth in "narrowcast" marketing that targets individuals instead of a shotgun approach is where they see business opportunity. Marketing efforts increasingly feature such options as mail printed with the individual address of a personalized Web site created for that potential customer, said Christopher J. Payne, director of market strategy and research for Kodak's Graphic Communication Group.
"The demise of direct mail may be greatly exaggerated," said Kevin Horey, Xerox manager of production products marketing. "If you can do more targeted to the right audience ... your rate of (consumer) response becomes much higher. It's an opportunity for more printing."
A pair of recent studies by Virginia-based media research firm Borrell Associates and New York direct marketing consulting company Winterberry Group indicated that mass direct mail — the catalogs, postcards, fliers and assorted other sales come-ons delivered daily by your postal carrier — is being edged aside by more direct marketing efforts.
According to Borrell numbers, direct mail spending by marketers is expected to drop from $49.7 billion in 2008 to $29.8 billion in 2013. Meanwhile, e-mail advertising by small local businesses is expected to grow from $848 million last year to $2 billion in 2013.
According to officials at companies, while direct mail may be falling out of favor, the growth in "narrowcast" marketing that targets individuals instead of a shotgun approach is where they see business opportunity. Marketing efforts increasingly feature such options as mail printed with the individual address of a personalized Web site created for that potential customer, said Christopher J. Payne, director of market strategy and research for Kodak's Graphic Communication Group.
"The demise of direct mail may be greatly exaggerated," said Kevin Horey, Xerox manager of production products marketing. "If you can do more targeted to the right audience ... your rate of (consumer) response becomes much higher. It's an opportunity for more printing."
The Marketing of Sonia Sotomayor
CSM reports: Liberal activists who have expressed reservations about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor have done her a favor.
Instead of coming across as an unalloyed darling of the left, cheered by liberals and scorned by conservatives, she is now politically positioned in the “middle” — exactly where a high court hopeful awaiting confirmation hearings wants to be.
Reaction to Judge Sotomayor has not been uniform among liberal groups that often make common cause, in large part because she does not have an extensive track record on many hot-button issues.
Instead of coming across as an unalloyed darling of the left, cheered by liberals and scorned by conservatives, she is now politically positioned in the “middle” — exactly where a high court hopeful awaiting confirmation hearings wants to be.
Reaction to Judge Sotomayor has not been uniform among liberal groups that often make common cause, in large part because she does not have an extensive track record on many hot-button issues.
Social Media for Government Conferece - Sept 14-17 in Chicago
This conference has been researched with and designed for Managers, Directors, Analysts, Leaders, Officers, Administrators, Specialists, Advisers, Coordinators, Staff, Assistants & Consultants who work at all levels of government.
I am proud to be the Conference Chair and can't wait to learn myself from the experts and communicators who will be presenting on how they are using technology to educate and motivate their stakeholders daily.
For more information and to register - click here: http://www.aliconferences.com/conf/social_media_govt0909/who.htm
I am proud to be the Conference Chair and can't wait to learn myself from the experts and communicators who will be presenting on how they are using technology to educate and motivate their stakeholders daily.
For more information and to register - click here: http://www.aliconferences.com/conf/social_media_govt0909/who.htm
Advocacy 2.0 on Twitter
Another way to follow this blog - please add @microadvocacy to your Twitter list
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Lobbyists ♥ Obama
Gary Andres, who is vice chairman of research at Dutko Worldwide in Washington, D.C,, writes in The Weekly Standard: Like most political reforms, the Obama administration's attempt to clean up lobbying is beset with unintended consequences. The president's policies are producing an explosion in interest-group activity, and much of the growth is taking place outside the scope of federal disclosure and other regulations.
Yahoo's Carol Bartz Discusses Yahoo's Strategy
At the D7 Conference, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz discusses Yahoo's strategy among the changing media and search engine landscape.
RIMM's Lazaridis on The Future of Smart Phones
WSJ's Walt Mossberg interviews Mark Lazardis Mike Lazaridis, Co-CEO of Research In Motion about the next phase in wireless technology and how the iPhone has affected the consumer's appetite for smart phone technology.
The 2008 Presidential and Congressional Elections: Anti-Bush Referendum and Prospects for the Democratic Majority
GaryJacobson analyzes the 2008 presidential and congressional elections. He concludes that the elections were, through myriad pathways, largely a referendum on the Bush administration and a reaction to the economic meltdown. He questions whether Democratic Party control of the presidency and Congress will be a stable phenomenon. Full report - click here.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
It's Not Easy Being 'Googzilla'
Google CEO Eric Schmidt talks with On Leadership's Steve Pearlstein about the perception that Google is monopolistic and all-powerful, and how the company has aged with a "greater seriousness of purpose."
NY Lawmakers Press To Extend Shield Law To Bloggers
Wendy Davis of MediaPost reports: Two New York lawmakers are pushing to revise the state's reporter shield law to include professional journalists who blog. Currently, New York allows journalists associated with a variety of media outlets to protect confidential sources, but doesn't expressly mention blogs. "Unfortunately New York state law has not caught up to the blogosphere," says State Senator Tom Duane, who introduced the bill.
Older Facebook Users In Flight
Mark Walsh of MediaPost reports: Earlier this year, women over 55 were identified as the fastest-growing demographic on Facebook. Now it looks like they're going in reverse. During April and May, the number of U.S. Facebook users over 55 actually dropped by 650,000 after increasing by 1.6 million the prior two months.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
School of Journalism to require iPod touch or iPhone for students
Missourian reports: Books, paper and pens are considered necessary school supplies. Now, so is an iPod touch or an iPhone for incoming freshmen at the MU School of Journalism.
Brian Brooks, associate dean of the Journalism School, said the idea is to turn the music player into a learning device.
“Lectures are the worst possible learning format,” Brooks said. “There’s been some research done that shows if a student can hear that lecture a second time, they retain three times as much of that lecture.”
Freshmen admitted into the School of Journalism and pre-journalism students will be sent a letter notifying them of the change. Students may buy either an iPod touch or iPhone in order to meet the new requirement. The iPod touch retails around $229 and the iPhone starts at $199, according to Apple’s Web site.
The requirement will not be enforced, however, and there will not be a penalty for students who chose not to buy an iPod touch or iPhone, Brooks said.
“The reason we put required on it is to help the students on financial need,” Brooks said. “If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate. If we had not required it, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”
Brooks said students have the choice of just using their laptops to review lectures.
Brooks also mentioned the iPod rebate Apple has offered in past years as a way of helping students purchase an iPod touch. The rebate is part of laptop bundles the school offers through TigerTech.
TigerTech salesman Johnny Warnke said the technology store has already received several calls from future journalism students asking about the discount, but that Apple has not announced what the rebate, if any, will be this year. Last year, the company offered a rebate for an 8-gigabyte iPod touch.
“We’re anticipating that they will, but until they make their announcement official, we’re just hoping,” Warnke said.
Elizabeth Eberlin, an MU journalism student, started the Facebook group "Rotten Apple" in response to the new requirement.
“I really like my Apple computer, but I don’t think people should be forced to buy one brand of computer or one brand of anything,” she said. The Facebook group’s description calls into question the School of Journalism’s relationship with Apple, citing a possible conflict of interest.
Brooks said the iPod was chosen as the required media player because students are familiar with it.
“There’s a lot of theory out there that says what you want to do is engage students in realms where they are already comfortable, and we know a lot of students are already familiar with iPods and iTunes so we want to get into that space and take advantage of that,” he said.
This summer, Brooks said, the entire MU campus is installing a program called Tegrity which will allow the recording of lectures. Lectures can later be downloaded to media players through iTunes U which offers free content hosted by universities.
Brooks said MU is following other schools such as Stanford and Abilene Christian University in the use of this technology. The success of the new program will be evaluated at the end of the year, at which time Brooks said the program will be changed or scrapped.
“I anticipate it doing very well because it has proven to be very valuable to other universities,” he said.
Brian Brooks, associate dean of the Journalism School, said the idea is to turn the music player into a learning device.
“Lectures are the worst possible learning format,” Brooks said. “There’s been some research done that shows if a student can hear that lecture a second time, they retain three times as much of that lecture.”
Freshmen admitted into the School of Journalism and pre-journalism students will be sent a letter notifying them of the change. Students may buy either an iPod touch or iPhone in order to meet the new requirement. The iPod touch retails around $229 and the iPhone starts at $199, according to Apple’s Web site.
The requirement will not be enforced, however, and there will not be a penalty for students who chose not to buy an iPod touch or iPhone, Brooks said.
“The reason we put required on it is to help the students on financial need,” Brooks said. “If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate. If we had not required it, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”
Brooks said students have the choice of just using their laptops to review lectures.
Brooks also mentioned the iPod rebate Apple has offered in past years as a way of helping students purchase an iPod touch. The rebate is part of laptop bundles the school offers through TigerTech.
TigerTech salesman Johnny Warnke said the technology store has already received several calls from future journalism students asking about the discount, but that Apple has not announced what the rebate, if any, will be this year. Last year, the company offered a rebate for an 8-gigabyte iPod touch.
“We’re anticipating that they will, but until they make their announcement official, we’re just hoping,” Warnke said.
Elizabeth Eberlin, an MU journalism student, started the Facebook group "Rotten Apple" in response to the new requirement.
“I really like my Apple computer, but I don’t think people should be forced to buy one brand of computer or one brand of anything,” she said. The Facebook group’s description calls into question the School of Journalism’s relationship with Apple, citing a possible conflict of interest.
Brooks said the iPod was chosen as the required media player because students are familiar with it.
“There’s a lot of theory out there that says what you want to do is engage students in realms where they are already comfortable, and we know a lot of students are already familiar with iPods and iTunes so we want to get into that space and take advantage of that,” he said.
This summer, Brooks said, the entire MU campus is installing a program called Tegrity which will allow the recording of lectures. Lectures can later be downloaded to media players through iTunes U which offers free content hosted by universities.
Brooks said MU is following other schools such as Stanford and Abilene Christian University in the use of this technology. The success of the new program will be evaluated at the end of the year, at which time Brooks said the program will be changed or scrapped.
“I anticipate it doing very well because it has proven to be very valuable to other universities,” he said.
Google Web Elements brings Google’s greatest hits to your site
Venture Beat reports: Google launched a new feature called Google Web Elements today at its Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco. The new tool, available starting today, allows web publishers to easily add Google content, from news feeds to calendars to maps, with a simple cut and paste. While the search giant has made these APIs available in the past, Elements makes them understandable and accesible for non-developers and other layman users.
For example, if a web publisher wants to add a feed of Google News stories in a particular genre to its site, it simply tells Google Web Elements which keywords or categories it is most interested in and adds the code the tool generates to the site in question, just like any other embedded content. For example, you can choose to display top stories, business stories, sports stories, etc., depending on the theme of the site.
Google Web Elements even allows sites to add its search capabilities and Google documents (much like DocStoc, Scribd and SlideShare, only restricted to Google Doc offerings), as well as YouTube videos. One of the six widgets is a newer concept called Conversation, which allows visitors to your web site to add their own comments and content (videos, links and the like). This feature closely resembles FriendFeed, in that other users can reply to comments made as well. The company says it will be adding more widgets to the Elements portfolio in the near future.
For example, if a web publisher wants to add a feed of Google News stories in a particular genre to its site, it simply tells Google Web Elements which keywords or categories it is most interested in and adds the code the tool generates to the site in question, just like any other embedded content. For example, you can choose to display top stories, business stories, sports stories, etc., depending on the theme of the site.
Google Web Elements even allows sites to add its search capabilities and Google documents (much like DocStoc, Scribd and SlideShare, only restricted to Google Doc offerings), as well as YouTube videos. One of the six widgets is a newer concept called Conversation, which allows visitors to your web site to add their own comments and content (videos, links and the like). This feature closely resembles FriendFeed, in that other users can reply to comments made as well. The company says it will be adding more widgets to the Elements portfolio in the near future.
Germany Gripped By Twittergate, As Presidential Election Results Are Secretly Tweeted
FT and SAI reports: The internet communication craze that has swept the world has caused a political furore in Germany, where the country’s parliamentary elders will on Thursday launch a probe into twittering MPs who broke decades of tradition and leaked news of the president’s re-election.
News that Hörst Köhler had been re-elected as German president on Saturday was published on the micro-blogging service almost 15 minutes before the result was officially announced.Julia Klöckner, of chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU, told her Twitter “followers” on that afternoon:
“People, you can watch the football in peace. The vote was a success.” She later apologised for the “somewhat premature timing” of a message.Ulrich Kelber, of the SPD, was even more specific, prematurely uploading the result of the vote-count to his micro-blog: “The count is confirmed: 613 votes. Köhler is elected.”
News that Hörst Köhler had been re-elected as German president on Saturday was published on the micro-blogging service almost 15 minutes before the result was officially announced.Julia Klöckner, of chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU, told her Twitter “followers” on that afternoon:
“People, you can watch the football in peace. The vote was a success.” She later apologised for the “somewhat premature timing” of a message.Ulrich Kelber, of the SPD, was even more specific, prematurely uploading the result of the vote-count to his micro-blog: “The count is confirmed: 613 votes. Köhler is elected.”
The Mobile Decade
The Globe and Mail reports: In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Michael Jones, Google's chief technology advocate, claims that, "The mobile phone is for the next decade what the computer has been for the last two or three. As such, he argues that the whole experience of the Web will become more personal; it's something that kids will grow up with, as every device will have Web connectivity. "It's pretty clear that the Internet is something special," Jones said.
"The Internet is sort of like the connective tissue of the global mind. It brings the thoughts of everybody around the world into your home and to your person just because you want to learn." If the last ten years can be classified as the "Download Decade," the next ten may very well end up being known as the mobile decade, the Globe's Matt Hartley says.
"If you want to see the next 10 years, just look at the next 10 months," says BlackBerry maker Research in Motion's co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie. "You can only see so far ahead, but you're just seeing a revolution happening right now and it's just so fast, you almost don't notice -- if that doesn't sound like a paradox." The changes, he says, will bring in a host of new ways to consume music, movies and other information. - Read the whole story...
"The Internet is sort of like the connective tissue of the global mind. It brings the thoughts of everybody around the world into your home and to your person just because you want to learn." If the last ten years can be classified as the "Download Decade," the next ten may very well end up being known as the mobile decade, the Globe's Matt Hartley says.
"If you want to see the next 10 years, just look at the next 10 months," says BlackBerry maker Research in Motion's co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie. "You can only see so far ahead, but you're just seeing a revolution happening right now and it's just so fast, you almost don't notice -- if that doesn't sound like a paradox." The changes, he says, will bring in a host of new ways to consume music, movies and other information. - Read the whole story...
Blog-based search engine aims to give power to the people
Dan Leahul of revolutionmagazine.com reports: Topsy, a new search engine launched today is shooing out the era of Google's link-based PageRank system and is instead putting power in the hands of the general public, creating an online currency out of retweets, blogs and user influence.
It's a new concept building on the established theory of Google's PageRank system. With PageRank, Google search results are scored and indexed depending on a number of dynamics, including web page linkbacks and keywords, which give weight to each individual page.
Topsy uses this same idea, but instead scours social networks such as Twitter, blogs, Flickr and Digg and assigns influence to users on those sites, say through retweets or blog comments.
When one Twitter user retweets another, it acts as a vote of confidence for the latter user.
When users search Topsy, tweets or links by the most influential users will appear at the top of the page, with options for filtering out results for the past hour, day, week or month.
Topsy is essentially creating an online currency out of user influence, turning traditional search on its head, giving a human face to the web.
It's a new concept building on the established theory of Google's PageRank system. With PageRank, Google search results are scored and indexed depending on a number of dynamics, including web page linkbacks and keywords, which give weight to each individual page.
Topsy uses this same idea, but instead scours social networks such as Twitter, blogs, Flickr and Digg and assigns influence to users on those sites, say through retweets or blog comments.
When one Twitter user retweets another, it acts as a vote of confidence for the latter user.
When users search Topsy, tweets or links by the most influential users will appear at the top of the page, with options for filtering out results for the past hour, day, week or month.
Topsy is essentially creating an online currency out of user influence, turning traditional search on its head, giving a human face to the web.
Twitter founder reveals business plans
Gareth Jones of revolutionmagazine.com reports: Twitter will launch a range of tools later this year aimed at helping both big brands and small businesses use the microblogging service, co-founder Biz Stone has revealed to Revolution.
Stone told Revolution that Twitter's long awaited commercial model is likely to focus on generating revenue through add-on tools aimed at businesses of all sizes, rather than advertising.
"We think there are opportunities to support commercial use," said Stone. "How can we help a small bakery Twittering that the cookies are coming out of the oven and the big company using Twitter for customer support? We will be looking ways to encourage and support this.
"Twitter is keen to avoid selling ads alongside tweets for fear of annoying the millions of consumers that use the microblogging service every day.
"The successful brands understand that every interaction with a customer is an opportunity," says Stone. "Engaging with followers using @replies and being mindful or sparing when it comes to self- promotion seems to be the way to go."
According to Stone, the most successful brands currently using Twitter include Comcast, JetBlue and Wholefoods because they approach the "process as a hybrid between customer service and marketing."
Twitter is also believed to be looking at ways to monetise its highly successful real-time search service. "We don't know its full potential, but we have confidence that it is important and useful," said Stone.
Earlier this year Twitter secured $35 million (£23m) worth of funding, and according to Stone, is under no pressure from investors to generate a profit. "We want to take our time and get this right," he said.
Figures from Nielsen Online show that Twitter has seen traffic grow by 1,763 per cent over the last year to 2.5 million users in April 2009.
Stone told Revolution that Twitter's long awaited commercial model is likely to focus on generating revenue through add-on tools aimed at businesses of all sizes, rather than advertising.
"We think there are opportunities to support commercial use," said Stone. "How can we help a small bakery Twittering that the cookies are coming out of the oven and the big company using Twitter for customer support? We will be looking ways to encourage and support this.
"Twitter is keen to avoid selling ads alongside tweets for fear of annoying the millions of consumers that use the microblogging service every day.
"The successful brands understand that every interaction with a customer is an opportunity," says Stone. "Engaging with followers using @replies and being mindful or sparing when it comes to self- promotion seems to be the way to go."
According to Stone, the most successful brands currently using Twitter include Comcast, JetBlue and Wholefoods because they approach the "process as a hybrid between customer service and marketing."
Twitter is also believed to be looking at ways to monetise its highly successful real-time search service. "We don't know its full potential, but we have confidence that it is important and useful," said Stone.
Earlier this year Twitter secured $35 million (£23m) worth of funding, and according to Stone, is under no pressure from investors to generate a profit. "We want to take our time and get this right," he said.
Figures from Nielsen Online show that Twitter has seen traffic grow by 1,763 per cent over the last year to 2.5 million users in April 2009.
Online Classifieds Use Doubles in 4 Years, Eat Newspapers' Profit
MarketingVox reports: A study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project finds that nearly half (49%) of global online adults used online classified ads at some point — compared to 2005, when 22% of online adults had used them.
On any given day, one-tenth of online users (9%) visit an online classified site, up from 4% in '05.
Online classifieds are favored among 25- to 44-year-olds, over half of which frequent them; meanwhile, less than half of 18- to 24-year-olds and 45- to 54-year olds use them (49% and 48% respectively, writes the Wall Street Journal Blog).
In the age range 55- to 64 years old, fewer than 35% of users visited an online classified site; the figure falls to 26% for those over 65.
Users visit classified ads sites to seek everything from jobs, apartments, furniture, new pets, and used school textbooks, observes Pew. But transactions are not typically conducted from the sites themselves; in-person meetings are arranged, or money is sent by mail — setting online classifieds apart from auction/e-commerce sites like eBay and Amazon.
In the US, craigslist.org remains the most-used online classified ad site. Of the 53.8 million unique visitors that visited classified sites in March '09 (up 7% from February), it served 42.2 million.
craigslist now serves 50 different countries. Other popular classified sites include Gumtree, whose user base is primarily composed of United Kingdom inhabitants; and Kijiji, used worldwide and owned by eBay.
On any given day, one-tenth of online users (9%) visit an online classified site, up from 4% in '05.
Online classifieds are favored among 25- to 44-year-olds, over half of which frequent them; meanwhile, less than half of 18- to 24-year-olds and 45- to 54-year olds use them (49% and 48% respectively, writes the Wall Street Journal Blog).
In the age range 55- to 64 years old, fewer than 35% of users visited an online classified site; the figure falls to 26% for those over 65.
Users visit classified ads sites to seek everything from jobs, apartments, furniture, new pets, and used school textbooks, observes Pew. But transactions are not typically conducted from the sites themselves; in-person meetings are arranged, or money is sent by mail — setting online classifieds apart from auction/e-commerce sites like eBay and Amazon.
In the US, craigslist.org remains the most-used online classified ad site. Of the 53.8 million unique visitors that visited classified sites in March '09 (up 7% from February), it served 42.2 million.
craigslist now serves 50 different countries. Other popular classified sites include Gumtree, whose user base is primarily composed of United Kingdom inhabitants; and Kijiji, used worldwide and owned by eBay.
CharityFinder iPhone application
DFP reports: A Michigan man helped create the first iPhone/iPod application catering to users with interest in nonprofit organizations and causes. Released Tuesday, the application, CharityFinder, is a database that helps people search for information about philanthropic organizations with ease.
CharityFinder has many features, including a tab that categorizes nonprofit organizations by type, a function that randomly selects a cause to appear on the screen when users access the application, and a "most recent" icon to view the last 10 organizations searched.
"You're never more than three clicks away from any cause that you want to find," said Greg Egnatowski, a spokesman for CharityFinder who helped create the application.
Egnatowski, who lives in Riverview, said CharityFinder is to feature at least 100,000 organizations by the end of the year.
CharityFinder has many features, including a tab that categorizes nonprofit organizations by type, a function that randomly selects a cause to appear on the screen when users access the application, and a "most recent" icon to view the last 10 organizations searched.
"You're never more than three clicks away from any cause that you want to find," said Greg Egnatowski, a spokesman for CharityFinder who helped create the application.
Egnatowski, who lives in Riverview, said CharityFinder is to feature at least 100,000 organizations by the end of the year.
NYT hires its first social media editor
Cybersquatters register domain names of 'Britain's Got Talent' semi-finalists
Brand Republic reports - Internet users have registered unofficial web addresses and Twitter accounts in the names of many of the semi-finalists in 'Britain's Got Talent' in a bid to make money from the global interest in the show's contestants.
Have you secured your desired names, causes, campaigns today?
Have you secured your desired names, causes, campaigns today?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Nova Spivack's Twine is Red-Hot
Fast Company reports: Google a common query, such as "movie tickets," and you'll get 55 million hits. The first few -- Fandango, AMC Theatres -- are legitimate. Then they trail off, until by page 15, you're awash in come-ons like "Get Your Hannah Montana Concert 3D Movie Tickets!!"
Such chaos hits home for Nova Spivack. Before he started his own company, Radar Networks, the 39-year-old entrepreneur and grandson of late management guru Peter F. Drucker, had so many virtual folders and bookmarks, he'd routinely lose track of important messages and links. Since then, he has watched social news and bookmarking services such as Digg and Delicious (the latter sold to Yahoo for a reported $30 million) garner avid followings for helping people find and store new information.
Now he's trying to leapfrog them with Twine, his company's first product. The next-gen bookmarking service has already attracted $26 million in venture capital and is rapidly adding users for what Spivack deadpans is "Digg ... on Ritalin." Twine's unique visitors have grown more than 40% each month since its October 2008 debut, topping 80% in February 2009 -- more than 1 million uniques. It's also comfortably outpacing more buzzed-about startups such as FriendFeed and mirroring the early development of a little venture called Wikipedia.
Twine's growth is a testament to the need for a news-tracking service that learns the more you use it. At first glance, the site resembles a souped-up RSS feed. Threads, or "twines," are centered around specific ideas ("social media"), people ("Barack Obama"), and events ("SXSW 2009"), and users fill them with content found around the Web. The site then tracks the articles they add and the topics they follow, and assembles an interest-based personality profile. Based on what it learns, it sends news and friend recommendations users didn't even know they wanted. For example, because I was following twines about microblogs and pop culture, I got a story about Britney Spears surpassing President Obama as Twitter's most-followed person.
Creepy? Perhaps, but it's an early sign of what the geek squad calls Web 3.0, a "semantic Web" where sites can understand the quirks and relationships in the data they mine, much in the way that humans differentiate between cheesy nachos and cheesy pickup lines.
Such chaos hits home for Nova Spivack. Before he started his own company, Radar Networks, the 39-year-old entrepreneur and grandson of late management guru Peter F. Drucker, had so many virtual folders and bookmarks, he'd routinely lose track of important messages and links. Since then, he has watched social news and bookmarking services such as Digg and Delicious (the latter sold to Yahoo for a reported $30 million) garner avid followings for helping people find and store new information.
Now he's trying to leapfrog them with Twine, his company's first product. The next-gen bookmarking service has already attracted $26 million in venture capital and is rapidly adding users for what Spivack deadpans is "Digg ... on Ritalin." Twine's unique visitors have grown more than 40% each month since its October 2008 debut, topping 80% in February 2009 -- more than 1 million uniques. It's also comfortably outpacing more buzzed-about startups such as FriendFeed and mirroring the early development of a little venture called Wikipedia.
Twine's growth is a testament to the need for a news-tracking service that learns the more you use it. At first glance, the site resembles a souped-up RSS feed. Threads, or "twines," are centered around specific ideas ("social media"), people ("Barack Obama"), and events ("SXSW 2009"), and users fill them with content found around the Web. The site then tracks the articles they add and the topics they follow, and assembles an interest-based personality profile. Based on what it learns, it sends news and friend recommendations users didn't even know they wanted. For example, because I was following twines about microblogs and pop culture, I got a story about Britney Spears surpassing President Obama as Twitter's most-followed person.
Creepy? Perhaps, but it's an early sign of what the geek squad calls Web 3.0, a "semantic Web" where sites can understand the quirks and relationships in the data they mine, much in the way that humans differentiate between cheesy nachos and cheesy pickup lines.
The Rebirth of News
The Economist: Thw race is crowded, but San Francisco stands a fair chance of becoming the first major American city without a daily newspaper. The San Francisco Chronicle, founded in 1865, is trimming its already pared-down staff in an attempt to avoid closure. And if it does disappear? “People under 30 won’t even notice,” says Gavin Newsom, the city’s mayor.
Most industries are suffering at present, but few are doing as badly as the news business. Things are worst in America, where many papers used to enjoy comfortable local monopolies, but in Britain around 70 local papers have shut down since the beginning of 2008. Among the survivors, advertising is dwindling, editorial is thinning and journalists are being laid off. The crisis is most advanced in the Anglo-Saxon countries, but it is happening all over the rich world: the impact of the internet, exacerbated by the advertising slump, is killing the daily newspaper.
Does that matter? Technological change has destroyed all sorts of once-popular products, from the handloom to the Walkman, and the world has mostly been better for it. But news is not just a product: the press is the fourth estate, a pillar of the polity. Journalists investigate and criticise governments, thus helping voters decide whether to keep them or sack them. Autocracies can function perfectly well without news, but democracies cannot. Will the death of the daily newspaper—the main source of information for most educated people for at least the past century, the scourge of corrupt politicians, the conscience of nations—damage democracy?
Most industries are suffering at present, but few are doing as badly as the news business. Things are worst in America, where many papers used to enjoy comfortable local monopolies, but in Britain around 70 local papers have shut down since the beginning of 2008. Among the survivors, advertising is dwindling, editorial is thinning and journalists are being laid off. The crisis is most advanced in the Anglo-Saxon countries, but it is happening all over the rich world: the impact of the internet, exacerbated by the advertising slump, is killing the daily newspaper.
Does that matter? Technological change has destroyed all sorts of once-popular products, from the handloom to the Walkman, and the world has mostly been better for it. But news is not just a product: the press is the fourth estate, a pillar of the polity. Journalists investigate and criticise governments, thus helping voters decide whether to keep them or sack them. Autocracies can function perfectly well without news, but democracies cannot. Will the death of the daily newspaper—the main source of information for most educated people for at least the past century, the scourge of corrupt politicians, the conscience of nations—damage democracy?
How Social Networks Are Changing Everything
BW reports: When we talk about "gateways" to the Web, most of us tick off the names of four Internet companies: Google (GOOG), Yahoo! (YHOO), Microsoft (MSFT)'s MSN, and Time Warner (TWX)'s AOL. Collectively (with Google in the lead) they account for or broker 90% of the gross dollars advertisers spend online. And they get huge amounts of traffic, in part because millions of users choose one of these four as their home page. Each of the sites continues to draw well over 100 million monthly unique visitors.
But a shift is under way--one that is ushering in the next stage in the battle for influence on the Web. Other players are becoming gateways, too, in a kind of evolutionary advance that will change the way we use the Internet--and alter advertisers' behavior.
The change is taking place on social networking sites, where new applications and cross-site partnerships are turning the likes of Facebook and MySpace into one-stop shops for hundreds of millions of users--platforms from which all the Web's offerings can be reached.
More important, in the next wave of development for such sites, new tools will allow members to take their social-media identities with them when they go to other Web sites. Once wedded to a single networking platform, a member's "social graph"--password, profile, list of friends--is becoming portable. In other words, as they surf the Web, users increasingly will be able to define themselves by their social network of origin.
That's big. It signals that Web companies are no longer in a race to build "destination sites" that attract vast numbers of users. Instead, social networking players are racing to extend their influence over the entire Web by exporting their social features to all sites.
Content, communications, commerce, and search have already ceased to be the unique province of the Big Four. Until recently, only "portals" offered free Web mail. Now MySpace, with its 300 million users, is gearing up to offer e-mail. It also has introduced a toolbar that lets members see "feeds" from friends--accounts of what they're seeing or buying on other Web sites. As for Facebook, having recently surpassed 200 million active users, it offers e-mail, instant messaging, photo posting, and video sharing. Members can also shop online without leaving the site and in some cases (with amazon.com, for instance) communicate with "friends" from their social network about what they're buying. Consider it a social variation on the news feeds provided by Google, Yahoo, and MSN. According to technology blog TechCrunch, such features enabled Facebook to add 40 million users in February alone. It now has 276 million unique monthly visitors--double the traffic of any of the Big Four portals, including Google.
As usage shifts to these networks, a social overlay is spreading across the Web. To varying degrees, Facebook Connect and MySpaceID both allow members to explore the Web using their social-network passwords and, in some cases, to chat with "friends" they find on nonsocial sites. Portals are doing their best to catch up. Google has Friend Connect, and Microsoft has a similar feature in its new Windows Live package of online services. Even ailing AOL is trying to get into the game, with portable "lifestreaming" (real-time updates from friends) and chat.
All these technologies make a user's social context portable to all sites. And this promises to transform the Web experience. Users are already asking questions about the privacy and ownership of their social-media profiles. That debate is likely to heat up. Advertisers, meanwhile, may eventually stop buying specific ad space on the Web and go after users, wherever they pop up, based on their social profiles and networks. And Internet companies? As this social Web emerges, the players that own and harness social applications will be positioned to reshape the Web in ways we can only imagine today. Google's oft-cited mission has been "to organize the world's information." The new goal is to organize the world's people.
But a shift is under way--one that is ushering in the next stage in the battle for influence on the Web. Other players are becoming gateways, too, in a kind of evolutionary advance that will change the way we use the Internet--and alter advertisers' behavior.
The change is taking place on social networking sites, where new applications and cross-site partnerships are turning the likes of Facebook and MySpace into one-stop shops for hundreds of millions of users--platforms from which all the Web's offerings can be reached.
More important, in the next wave of development for such sites, new tools will allow members to take their social-media identities with them when they go to other Web sites. Once wedded to a single networking platform, a member's "social graph"--password, profile, list of friends--is becoming portable. In other words, as they surf the Web, users increasingly will be able to define themselves by their social network of origin.
That's big. It signals that Web companies are no longer in a race to build "destination sites" that attract vast numbers of users. Instead, social networking players are racing to extend their influence over the entire Web by exporting their social features to all sites.
Content, communications, commerce, and search have already ceased to be the unique province of the Big Four. Until recently, only "portals" offered free Web mail. Now MySpace, with its 300 million users, is gearing up to offer e-mail. It also has introduced a toolbar that lets members see "feeds" from friends--accounts of what they're seeing or buying on other Web sites. As for Facebook, having recently surpassed 200 million active users, it offers e-mail, instant messaging, photo posting, and video sharing. Members can also shop online without leaving the site and in some cases (with amazon.com, for instance) communicate with "friends" from their social network about what they're buying. Consider it a social variation on the news feeds provided by Google, Yahoo, and MSN. According to technology blog TechCrunch, such features enabled Facebook to add 40 million users in February alone. It now has 276 million unique monthly visitors--double the traffic of any of the Big Four portals, including Google.
As usage shifts to these networks, a social overlay is spreading across the Web. To varying degrees, Facebook Connect and MySpaceID both allow members to explore the Web using their social-network passwords and, in some cases, to chat with "friends" they find on nonsocial sites. Portals are doing their best to catch up. Google has Friend Connect, and Microsoft has a similar feature in its new Windows Live package of online services. Even ailing AOL is trying to get into the game, with portable "lifestreaming" (real-time updates from friends) and chat.
All these technologies make a user's social context portable to all sites. And this promises to transform the Web experience. Users are already asking questions about the privacy and ownership of their social-media profiles. That debate is likely to heat up. Advertisers, meanwhile, may eventually stop buying specific ad space on the Web and go after users, wherever they pop up, based on their social profiles and networks. And Internet companies? As this social Web emerges, the players that own and harness social applications will be positioned to reshape the Web in ways we can only imagine today. Google's oft-cited mission has been "to organize the world's information." The new goal is to organize the world's people.
Web 2.0: Managing Corporate Reputations
BW reports: Zachary Weiner, the CEO of Chicago boutique ad agency Luxuryreach, has had quite a time in social networking land of late. Recent adventures include employees twittering about how demanding Weiner is, how hung over they feel, and how "totally not into" the client they are. Then there's the worker and her boyfriend who are lobbing character assassinations, sexual insults, and details of their therapy sessions at each other on Facebook. "I can't lie, I'd almost like to hear how it ends," says Weiner. "It's entertaining."
Entertaining, yes. But for executives worried about their companies' reputations, oh so terrifying. Every day it seems there's yet another social networking scandal breaking out, like the viral sensation of the woman who tweeted: "Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work." Or the Ketchum public-relations exec who said of client FedEx's (FDX) hometown: "I would die if I had to live here!"
Social networking is a love-hate relationship. On the one hand managers want their workers to experiment so they can cultivate new-world skills. Employees as brand ambassadors! Products virally transformed into overnight hits! On the other hand, bosses are filled with foreboding about social networking's dark side—losing secrets to rivals, the corporate embarrassment of errant employee tweets, becoming the latest victim of a venomous crowd. "Employees are saying, 'I need these solutions to be productive,' and the security and legal guys are saying, 'This could really explode, and we could really have a problem on our hands,' " says Intel (INTC) Chief Information Officer Diane Bryant. "You can talk yourself into all sorts of doomsday scenarios."
Entertaining, yes. But for executives worried about their companies' reputations, oh so terrifying. Every day it seems there's yet another social networking scandal breaking out, like the viral sensation of the woman who tweeted: "Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work." Or the Ketchum public-relations exec who said of client FedEx's (FDX) hometown: "I would die if I had to live here!"
Social networking is a love-hate relationship. On the one hand managers want their workers to experiment so they can cultivate new-world skills. Employees as brand ambassadors! Products virally transformed into overnight hits! On the other hand, bosses are filled with foreboding about social networking's dark side—losing secrets to rivals, the corporate embarrassment of errant employee tweets, becoming the latest victim of a venomous crowd. "Employees are saying, 'I need these solutions to be productive,' and the security and legal guys are saying, 'This could really explode, and we could really have a problem on our hands,' " says Intel (INTC) Chief Information Officer Diane Bryant. "You can talk yourself into all sorts of doomsday scenarios."
What's a Friend Worth?
BW reports: Companies are working fast to figure out how to make money from the wealth of data they're beginning to have about our online friendships.
A question: If you have 347 followers on the Twitter microblogging service, what are the chances that they'll click on the same online ad you clicked on last night? Advertisers are dying to know. Or, say you and a colleague exchange e-mails on a Saturday night. Can managers assume that you have a tight working relationship? Researchers at IBM and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are investigating.
Friendships aren't what they used to be. We now have tools, from e-mail to social networks, to keep in touch with people who a decade ago would have drifted into distant memories. Practically every hand we shake and every business card we exchange can lead to an invitation, sometimes within minutes, for a "friendship" on LinkedIn or Facebook. And unless we sever them, these ties could linger for the rest of our lives.
What do these relationships say about us and the people in our networks? Companies armed with rich new data and powerful computers are beginning to explore these questions. They're finding that digital friendships speak volumes about us as consumers and workers, and decoding the data can lead to profitable insights. Calculating the value of these relationships has become a defining challenge for businesses and individuals.
Marketers are leading the way. They're finding that if our friends buy something, there's a better-than-average chance we'll buy it, too. It's a simple insight but one that could lead to targeted messaging in an age of growing media clutter.
A question: If you have 347 followers on the Twitter microblogging service, what are the chances that they'll click on the same online ad you clicked on last night? Advertisers are dying to know. Or, say you and a colleague exchange e-mails on a Saturday night. Can managers assume that you have a tight working relationship? Researchers at IBM and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are investigating.
Friendships aren't what they used to be. We now have tools, from e-mail to social networks, to keep in touch with people who a decade ago would have drifted into distant memories. Practically every hand we shake and every business card we exchange can lead to an invitation, sometimes within minutes, for a "friendship" on LinkedIn or Facebook. And unless we sever them, these ties could linger for the rest of our lives.
What do these relationships say about us and the people in our networks? Companies armed with rich new data and powerful computers are beginning to explore these questions. They're finding that digital friendships speak volumes about us as consumers and workers, and decoding the data can lead to profitable insights. Calculating the value of these relationships has become a defining challenge for businesses and individuals.
Marketers are leading the way. They're finding that if our friends buy something, there's a better-than-average chance we'll buy it, too. It's a simple insight but one that could lead to targeted messaging in an age of growing media clutter.
Pandora: Unleashing Mobile Phone Ads
BW reports: Forever, it seems, we've been told that it's just a matter of time—next year, for sure—that mobile marketing will take off in the U.S. Yet advertising on cell phones remains tiny.
That may be about to change for two reasons: Web-surfing smartphones are selling briskly even in a downturn, and applications for those gadgets—especially Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and the BlackBerry—are proliferating. That means people are spending a lot more time playing games, watching TV, and shopping on their phones. All that activity translates into what marketers call engagement, a fancy way of saying people are paying attention. Companies, of course, prize that, so they're looking for mobile applications that are a good fit for their brands.
Which brings us to Pandora, a nine-year-old, free online service that lets users design "radio stations" based on their musical preferences. Since Pandora launched a mobile edition two years ago, it has signed up 6 million people (total users for mobile and Web versions is 27 million). That has prompted the likes of Best Buy (BBY), Dockers, Target (TGT), and Nike (NKE) to buy ads on Pandora and experiment with what remains a cheap advertising medium—one most companies have yet to figure out. "We've reached a tipping point," says Domino's (DPZ) Pizza advertising executive Rob Weisberg. "Marketers, especially consumer brands, have to take mobile seriously now. You have to be where your customer works, lives, and plays."
That may be about to change for two reasons: Web-surfing smartphones are selling briskly even in a downturn, and applications for those gadgets—especially Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and the BlackBerry—are proliferating. That means people are spending a lot more time playing games, watching TV, and shopping on their phones. All that activity translates into what marketers call engagement, a fancy way of saying people are paying attention. Companies, of course, prize that, so they're looking for mobile applications that are a good fit for their brands.
Which brings us to Pandora, a nine-year-old, free online service that lets users design "radio stations" based on their musical preferences. Since Pandora launched a mobile edition two years ago, it has signed up 6 million people (total users for mobile and Web versions is 27 million). That has prompted the likes of Best Buy (BBY), Dockers, Target (TGT), and Nike (NKE) to buy ads on Pandora and experiment with what remains a cheap advertising medium—one most companies have yet to figure out. "We've reached a tipping point," says Domino's (DPZ) Pizza advertising executive Rob Weisberg. "Marketers, especially consumer brands, have to take mobile seriously now. You have to be where your customer works, lives, and plays."
Twitter Trips on Its Rapid Growth
WSJ reports: Twitter Inc. is confronting a slew of challenges -- from hiring, to keeping its service up and running, to finding meaningful revenue -- as the micro-blogging service deals with sudden stratospheric growth.
Even as Twitter's users have jumped to an estimated 32.1 million from 1.6 million a year ago, the San Francisco company has just 45 employees, up from around 21 in January, and it has brought on only a handful of people with sales or business experience.
Most of Twitter's employees have had to focus on maintaining the service, which allows people to post and read short, personal updates. As such, the company has had to make trade-offs between managing growth and product features.
The biggest issues facing founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone are bringing on new staff to get ahead of its user growth while working out a business model. Twitter is free and the company doesn't sell advertising.
"Twitter has no current revenue stream to balance the costs," says Gartner Inc. research analyst Allen Weiner.
The management and direction of Twitter will likely be major themes on Tuesday, when Messrs. Williams and Stone will be interviewed on stage at D: All Things Digital, a technology conference in Carlsbad, Calif., run by The Wall Street Journal.
Even as Twitter's users have jumped to an estimated 32.1 million from 1.6 million a year ago, the San Francisco company has just 45 employees, up from around 21 in January, and it has brought on only a handful of people with sales or business experience.
Most of Twitter's employees have had to focus on maintaining the service, which allows people to post and read short, personal updates. As such, the company has had to make trade-offs between managing growth and product features.
The biggest issues facing founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone are bringing on new staff to get ahead of its user growth while working out a business model. Twitter is free and the company doesn't sell advertising.
"Twitter has no current revenue stream to balance the costs," says Gartner Inc. research analyst Allen Weiner.
The management and direction of Twitter will likely be major themes on Tuesday, when Messrs. Williams and Stone will be interviewed on stage at D: All Things Digital, a technology conference in Carlsbad, Calif., run by The Wall Street Journal.
Madison Avenue Flirts With 3-D
WSJ reports: Remember Princess Leia's holographic message to Obi-Wan Kenobi? Madison Avenue does, and it's starting to make 3-D digital images part of its marketing arsenal.
Papa John's International, the U.S. Postal Service and General Electric have begun to incorporate "augmented reality," or AR -- a technology that lets consumers interact with hologram-like images -- into their marketing. One well-known example of AR: the yellow first-down lines in TV broadcasts of football games.
Starting in June, pizza chain Papa John's is affixing an AR image to the back of 30 million pizza boxes, for a rollout in coming weeks. Customers can visit a special Web site, hold the image up to a Webcam and use their keyboard to drive an animated, 3-D 1972 Camaro on the computer screen.
It was a Camaro that the chain's founder, chairman and chief executive, John Schnatter, sold in 1984 to buy the restaurant equipment needed to open his first pizza place. The move also ties in to the chain's broader marketing program, which includes a cross-country road trip by Mr. Schnatter.
As posted on this blog before - 3D Concert Movies - The Future Today?!? - Hollywood is looking to make giant strides in presenting movies in 3D.
At a presentation I attended at USC, many of the movie directors and producers that spoke promised attendees that 3D will be more relevant, more accessible and more fun for movie goers - even going so far to claim that we will no longer be required to have the 70's two-tone glasses.
Even the Dean of Hollywood foresees 3D happening more and more. DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg spoke at a seminar titled "The Future of 3D in the Digital Age" where he stated there is expected to be 12 to 18 full 3D movies by 2010.
So with Hollywood leading the way - it makes sense that Madison Avenue would follow.
Papa John's International, the U.S. Postal Service and General Electric have begun to incorporate "augmented reality," or AR -- a technology that lets consumers interact with hologram-like images -- into their marketing. One well-known example of AR: the yellow first-down lines in TV broadcasts of football games.
Starting in June, pizza chain Papa John's is affixing an AR image to the back of 30 million pizza boxes, for a rollout in coming weeks. Customers can visit a special Web site, hold the image up to a Webcam and use their keyboard to drive an animated, 3-D 1972 Camaro on the computer screen.
It was a Camaro that the chain's founder, chairman and chief executive, John Schnatter, sold in 1984 to buy the restaurant equipment needed to open his first pizza place. The move also ties in to the chain's broader marketing program, which includes a cross-country road trip by Mr. Schnatter.
As posted on this blog before - 3D Concert Movies - The Future Today?!? - Hollywood is looking to make giant strides in presenting movies in 3D.
At a presentation I attended at USC, many of the movie directors and producers that spoke promised attendees that 3D will be more relevant, more accessible and more fun for movie goers - even going so far to claim that we will no longer be required to have the 70's two-tone glasses.
Even the Dean of Hollywood foresees 3D happening more and more. DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg spoke at a seminar titled "The Future of 3D in the Digital Age" where he stated there is expected to be 12 to 18 full 3D movies by 2010.
So with Hollywood leading the way - it makes sense that Madison Avenue would follow.
Cameron allows public to use Twitter and blogs to question him after speeches
Brand Republic reports: Conservative Party leader David Cameron is continuing to use social media for campaigning purposes by opening himself up to questions through Twitter and a specially-built blogging site. This morning following a speech to the Open University, Cameron will subject himself to questions via a CoveritLive blog and through question on Twitter tagged with #askdc.
The Tories have introduced a number of digital initiatives under Cameron and spokesman for online campaigning Jeremy Hunt. Most recently the party bought up words on Google related to the MPs expenses scandal in a bid to seize the initiative and show he is in tune with public anger over the issue.
Cameron has also suggested that members of the public should be kept abreast of legislation through text alerts on the progress of parliamentary bills and by posting proceedings on YouTube.
The Tories have introduced a number of digital initiatives under Cameron and spokesman for online campaigning Jeremy Hunt. Most recently the party bought up words on Google related to the MPs expenses scandal in a bid to seize the initiative and show he is in tune with public anger over the issue.
Cameron has also suggested that members of the public should be kept abreast of legislation through text alerts on the progress of parliamentary bills and by posting proceedings on YouTube.
Report: Online Classified Use Soars
AFPA reports: a new survey from the Pew Internet and American Life Project reveals that the use of online classifieds sites like Craigslist among U.S. adults is soaring.
According to the study, which was released last week, 45% of Web users use online classifieds sites, compared with 22% of online adults in 2005; on any given day, 9% of U.S. Internet users visit classifieds sites, up from 4% in 2005. In all, classifieds sites averaged 53.8 million uniques in March 2009, with Craigslist alone receiving 42.2 million uniques.
According to the study, which was released last week, 45% of Web users use online classifieds sites, compared with 22% of online adults in 2005; on any given day, 9% of U.S. Internet users visit classifieds sites, up from 4% in 2005. In all, classifieds sites averaged 53.8 million uniques in March 2009, with Craigslist alone receiving 42.2 million uniques.
Russian Firm's Offer Values Facebook at $10 Billion
WSJ reports: Russian-based investment group Digital Sky Technologies has offered to invest $200 million Facebook Inc., giving the Web's largest social network a valuation of $10 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported late last week. It's still unclear whether Facebook will accept the offer, which comes as the social network has been talking with several venture capital and private equity firms about raising money. According to one source, the Russian firm's offer is the latest of many the company has received.
Under the terms of the proposal, DST would also offer to buy between $100 million and $150 million in Facebook common stock at a $6.5 billion valuation, an amount that would likely be used to buy shares from Facebook employees eager to sell.
Under the terms of the proposal, DST would also offer to buy between $100 million and $150 million in Facebook common stock at a $6.5 billion valuation, an amount that would likely be used to buy shares from Facebook employees eager to sell.
Microsoft's New Search Engine: "Bing"
The New York Post reoprts: Microsoft is expected to unveil a revamped version of its search engine at the D: All Things Digital conference in San Diego this week. The new search engine had been codenamed "Kumo," but according to The New York Post, it has been given the new name, "Bing". Company execs will conduct a demonstration at the D Conference, with the intention of building buzz prior to Bing's official launch in June, which will be backed by a major advertising campaign.
The Post points out that while Bing may be able to equal Google's search results on merit, overcoming the category leader's powerful brand is an entirely different story. Bing presumably refers to the light that goes off in your head the minute a good idea hits or when something difficult to understand makes sense, which makes it just a tad ironic that company insiders have refused to rule out the possibility of a last-minute name change. Just in case, Microsoft has trademarked a number of other names, including Hook and Sift. "It's a marketing problem, really," notes Kevin Lee, chairman of search marketing firm Did-It. "Google is synonymous with search."
The Post points out that while Bing may be able to equal Google's search results on merit, overcoming the category leader's powerful brand is an entirely different story. Bing presumably refers to the light that goes off in your head the minute a good idea hits or when something difficult to understand makes sense, which makes it just a tad ironic that company insiders have refused to rule out the possibility of a last-minute name change. Just in case, Microsoft has trademarked a number of other names, including Hook and Sift. "It's a marketing problem, really," notes Kevin Lee, chairman of search marketing firm Did-It. "Google is synonymous with search."
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Industry Group Launches Pro-Wind Effort
Karl Greenberg of MediaPost reports: To back the argument that passing the Climate Bill would create jobs, the American Wind Energy Association has launched a series of documentary-type web videos, and TV and print ads in its push to raise awareness about wind energy with a pragmatic pitch that suggests auto's loss is wind's gain.
Google drops idea to buy newspaper
FT reports: Google has considered buying a newspaper or using its charitable arm to support news businesses seeking non-profit status, but is now unlikely to pursue either option, Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive, told the Financial Times.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Google Chief Hints at Partnership With Twitter
Telegraph reports: Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the Internet giant "can work" with Twitter without having to buy the social network, hinting that Twitter feeds could be indexed on Google. Schmidt suggested he had held conversations with Twitter about a strategic partnership.
Guardian also reported: Co-founder Larry Page says Google has been losing out to Twitter in the battle to provide real-time information.
Guardian also reported: Co-founder Larry Page says Google has been losing out to Twitter in the battle to provide real-time information.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
How will Twitter make money?
Reuters reports: Twitter is working on various ways to make money from its fast-growing
microblogging service, but advertising is an option that is not currently being considered.
microblogging service, but advertising is an option that is not currently being considered.
The New York Times Launches Full-Screen Photo Blog
PDN reports: After more than a year in development, The New York Times launched a large-format photo blog Monday to showcase photojournalism projects. Lens, as the new blog is called, joins a growing field of sites that showcase photo projects that might not be able to find a home in print.
FTC to Take on Paid Blog Content
BusinessWeek reports: Back-scratching endorsements could become tougher under a coming set of Federal Trade Commission guidelines that will require bloggers to disclose when they're writing about a sponsor's product and voicing opinions that aren't their own.
Twits: Why Twitter Won't Change Marketing
Will Akerlof opines in MediaPost: A couple of years from now, we'll look at Twitter as another online flash in the pan that the press and digerati got all excited about until they found the next new thing.
The hype about marketing on Twitter will sound as silly as buying islands in Second Life or crowing about your company's MySpace friends. Most of us will deny that we ever took it seriously.
TWITTER'S HYPE EXCEEDS ITS GROWTH
The growth in Twitter's traffic and media coverage has been impressive. But how many Twitter users are really active? As an experiment, I looked up all the "Bill Smiths" on Twitter. On May 4th, I could find 133. Of those 133 users, only 13 had 10 or more followers, 10 or more tweets and were active in the last month. So by this measurement, only 10% of Twitter's Bill Smiths are actively using Twitter.
According to Quantcast, 72% of Twitter visitors stop by once and don't come back. Only 1% of the Twitter audience visits daily and this group of "addicts" accounts for 35% of all visits. These numbers compare unfavorably to other social networks.
Of those that sign up, the retention rate is very low. According to Nielsen , 60% fail to return for a second month. This number holds true, even accounting for the websites and applications that feed into the Twitter community.
TWITTER IS NOT PARTICULARLY YOUNG OR HIP
In the March 2009 Nielsen Netview, Twitter has an index of 40 against the demographic of kids 12-17, and below-average index against full-time students. The highest indexing demographic group on Twitter is Males 35-49 (167). I question the youthfulness and hipness of any media that Sarah Palin & Senator Claire McCaskill have embraced before our interns.
TWITTER IS AN ECHO CHAMBER FOR INTERNET AND MARKETING PROFESSIONALS
The demographic group where Twitter is most popular is among Internet and marketing professionals, and those who write about them.
In March, I followed each of Jennifer Van Grove's "40 Best Twitter Brands ", curious as to who these brands might be reaching out to. Surveying the first 20 followers of Rubbermaid 's tweets, I found 15 out of the first 20 followers had jobs and professions related to Internet marketing. I concluded that Twitter is an excellent way to reach people with an interest in twittering.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ZAPPOS?
There are some brands doing things on Twitter that have value. But how big can that universe of brands get? And are these brands effective now only because newness and novelty? There are tens of thousands of brands trying to get our attention on a daily basis. How many brands are you willing to follow on Twitter?
The joy of feedback from your customers is great when it comes a few tweets at a time. But this is not scalable for most large companies with sizeable customer bases. The busy CEO, swamped by too many tweets, hires a team to help with the hassle. The users lose that sense of personal contact and the novelty quickly dies. Twitter becomes another customer service center and the Tweeting job(s) are outsourced overseas.
PONZI SCHEME
One could argue that social networks operate like Ponzi schemes. They require rapid growth to maintain interest and draw more users. There is inevitably a point where growth is limited by the size of the potential audience and the appeal of the service. When growth slows and the shine of newness fades, the network begins to wither and die.
ONANISTIC MARKETING
For Internet and marketing professionals, and those that follow them, Twittering keeps one busy and provides some thrills. But on the whole, it's an exercise in self-love. I welcome those of you who disagree with me to reply to @willakerlof.
The hype about marketing on Twitter will sound as silly as buying islands in Second Life or crowing about your company's MySpace friends. Most of us will deny that we ever took it seriously.
TWITTER'S HYPE EXCEEDS ITS GROWTH
The growth in Twitter's traffic and media coverage has been impressive. But how many Twitter users are really active? As an experiment, I looked up all the "Bill Smiths" on Twitter. On May 4th, I could find 133. Of those 133 users, only 13 had 10 or more followers, 10 or more tweets and were active in the last month. So by this measurement, only 10% of Twitter's Bill Smiths are actively using Twitter.
According to Quantcast, 72% of Twitter visitors stop by once and don't come back. Only 1% of the Twitter audience visits daily and this group of "addicts" accounts for 35% of all visits. These numbers compare unfavorably to other social networks.
Of those that sign up, the retention rate is very low. According to Nielsen , 60% fail to return for a second month. This number holds true, even accounting for the websites and applications that feed into the Twitter community.
TWITTER IS NOT PARTICULARLY YOUNG OR HIP
In the March 2009 Nielsen Netview, Twitter has an index of 40 against the demographic of kids 12-17, and below-average index against full-time students. The highest indexing demographic group on Twitter is Males 35-49 (167). I question the youthfulness and hipness of any media that Sarah Palin & Senator Claire McCaskill have embraced before our interns.
TWITTER IS AN ECHO CHAMBER FOR INTERNET AND MARKETING PROFESSIONALS
The demographic group where Twitter is most popular is among Internet and marketing professionals, and those who write about them.
In March, I followed each of Jennifer Van Grove's "40 Best Twitter Brands ", curious as to who these brands might be reaching out to. Surveying the first 20 followers of Rubbermaid 's tweets, I found 15 out of the first 20 followers had jobs and professions related to Internet marketing. I concluded that Twitter is an excellent way to reach people with an interest in twittering.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ZAPPOS?
There are some brands doing things on Twitter that have value. But how big can that universe of brands get? And are these brands effective now only because newness and novelty? There are tens of thousands of brands trying to get our attention on a daily basis. How many brands are you willing to follow on Twitter?
The joy of feedback from your customers is great when it comes a few tweets at a time. But this is not scalable for most large companies with sizeable customer bases. The busy CEO, swamped by too many tweets, hires a team to help with the hassle. The users lose that sense of personal contact and the novelty quickly dies. Twitter becomes another customer service center and the Tweeting job(s) are outsourced overseas.
PONZI SCHEME
One could argue that social networks operate like Ponzi schemes. They require rapid growth to maintain interest and draw more users. There is inevitably a point where growth is limited by the size of the potential audience and the appeal of the service. When growth slows and the shine of newness fades, the network begins to wither and die.
ONANISTIC MARKETING
For Internet and marketing professionals, and those that follow them, Twittering keeps one busy and provides some thrills. But on the whole, it's an exercise in self-love. I welcome those of you who disagree with me to reply to @willakerlof.
Vatican launches iPhone, Facebook applications for communications day
TheCatholicSpirtit.com reports: The Vatican is launching iPhone and Facebook applications in an effort to help Catholics, especially younger generations, use new technologies to create a culture of dialogue, respect and friendship.
The site features new iPhone and Facebook applications aimed at reaching young people. - CNS photo/Pontifical Council for Social Communications The new applications are part of a brand new Vatican Web site -- www.pope2you.net -- that was to go live on World Communications Day, which will be celebrated May 24 in most dioceses.
Sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the new site was created to help attract young people to and spread Pope Benedict XVI's message for World Communications Day, the head of the council, Archbishop Claudio Celli, told reporters May 18.This year's communications day message is dedicated to "New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship."
The site features new iPhone and Facebook applications aimed at reaching young people. - CNS photo/Pontifical Council for Social Communications The new applications are part of a brand new Vatican Web site -- www.pope2you.net -- that was to go live on World Communications Day, which will be celebrated May 24 in most dioceses.
Sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the new site was created to help attract young people to and spread Pope Benedict XVI's message for World Communications Day, the head of the council, Archbishop Claudio Celli, told reporters May 18.This year's communications day message is dedicated to "New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship."
Missouri at front of national "fair tax" grass-roots movement
Missourian reports: The “fair tax” has gone to Congress numerous times since 1996 and has failed to gain traction. Linder’s most recent legislation has more than 50 co-sponsors, all Republicans, including Missouri’s 2nd District U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis.
John Putnam, co-director of Fair Tax for Missouri, said it’s the opposite of a top-to-bottom political issue.
“Its popularity is due mostly to word of mouth, grassroots work,” Putnam said. “Presentations at civic groups like Rotary or the Kiwanis Club have done more for it than national figures.”
The “fair tax” movement has become a nationwide, grassroots organization with organizers and activists in all 50 states and a membership of more than 200,000.
When Putnam first started working with the movement, only four states did not impose income taxes. Now there are nine.
“We’re gaining on this,” Putnam said, adding that the Missouri chapter of Fair Tax for America has more than 20,000 members, including more than 300 in Columbia.
Putnam’s “fair-taxers” have been contacting lawmakers, raising questions at town hall meetings and attending seminars to learn how best to promote the cause. They speak about the “fair tax” with an intensity you wouldn’t expect, given that the movement is nascent.
John Putnam, co-director of Fair Tax for Missouri, said it’s the opposite of a top-to-bottom political issue.
“Its popularity is due mostly to word of mouth, grassroots work,” Putnam said. “Presentations at civic groups like Rotary or the Kiwanis Club have done more for it than national figures.”
The “fair tax” movement has become a nationwide, grassroots organization with organizers and activists in all 50 states and a membership of more than 200,000.
When Putnam first started working with the movement, only four states did not impose income taxes. Now there are nine.
“We’re gaining on this,” Putnam said, adding that the Missouri chapter of Fair Tax for America has more than 20,000 members, including more than 300 in Columbia.
Putnam’s “fair-taxers” have been contacting lawmakers, raising questions at town hall meetings and attending seminars to learn how best to promote the cause. They speak about the “fair tax” with an intensity you wouldn’t expect, given that the movement is nascent.
Friday, May 15, 2009
California Gov Candidate Borrowing a (Free) Idea from Obama
TechPresident reports: Here's a sign that what might be called the Obama model of digital politics is trickling down to lower ticket races. During the Open for Question days the new president of the United States chose to use a completely no-cost tool freely available to the rest of us, rather than go the proprietary route.
Now, Tom Campbell, a Republican candidate for California governor, is using Google Moderator to solicit ideas on the budget, water, schools, and more.
Now, Tom Campbell, a Republican candidate for California governor, is using Google Moderator to solicit ideas on the budget, water, schools, and more.
Google Earns $210K Per Employee
Pingdom reports: Google made approximately $210,000 per employee in 2008, beating all other large tech companies, according to their analysis. Pingdom, in a series of posts, looked at the financials of major companies, including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Baidu, Cisco, Dell, eBay, Google, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun and Yahoo.
According to the analysis, IBM, Yahoo, Amazon and Dell all made around $30K per employee in 2008; Oracle and Intel made $64K, and eBay, Adobe and Cisco earned between $110-$122K per worker. Rounding out the top four were Apple ($151K), Baidu ($164K), Microsoft ($194K) and Google ($210K).
"One would imagine that the larger a company gets, the more difficult it becomes to minimize overhead and costs," said Pindgom, using the example of HP and IBM, which are by far the largest companies on the list in terms of size and have a relatively low profit margin per employee. In that regard, Microsoft earns an extraordinary amount per worker, despite having nearly five times as many employees as Google. And of course, the software giant is the most profitable company on the list.
According to the analysis, IBM, Yahoo, Amazon and Dell all made around $30K per employee in 2008; Oracle and Intel made $64K, and eBay, Adobe and Cisco earned between $110-$122K per worker. Rounding out the top four were Apple ($151K), Baidu ($164K), Microsoft ($194K) and Google ($210K).
"One would imagine that the larger a company gets, the more difficult it becomes to minimize overhead and costs," said Pindgom, using the example of HP and IBM, which are by far the largest companies on the list in terms of size and have a relatively low profit margin per employee. In that regard, Microsoft earns an extraordinary amount per worker, despite having nearly five times as many employees as Google. And of course, the software giant is the most profitable company on the list.
Average iPhone App: 19.9 Uses, 9.6 Minutes Per Play
MarketingVox reports: The average iPhone app has an engagement of 9.6 minutes per session and is accessed 19.9 times over its life cycle.
This results in an average total use time per user of three hours and 10 minutes, according to Greystripe's Q109 Consumer Insights Report (pdf), which released data about iPhone app usage among its users, as well as user response to ads placed within iPhone applications.
The research, which was conducted among Greystripe's US iPhone customer base to meet growing demand from publishers and brands for information about market size, revenue and usage, reveals that 42% of iPhone app users have a household income of $78K or more, while 15% earn $165K or more, and 44% have children, writes MarketingCharts.
The study also found that 46% of users play their games/apps five times or more, while 10.2% play 25 times or more.
This results in an average total use time per user of three hours and 10 minutes, according to Greystripe's Q109 Consumer Insights Report (pdf), which released data about iPhone app usage among its users, as well as user response to ads placed within iPhone applications.
The research, which was conducted among Greystripe's US iPhone customer base to meet growing demand from publishers and brands for information about market size, revenue and usage, reveals that 42% of iPhone app users have a household income of $78K or more, while 15% earn $165K or more, and 44% have children, writes MarketingCharts.
The study also found that 46% of users play their games/apps five times or more, while 10.2% play 25 times or more.
Major US newspaper group to charge online
BrandRepublic reports: One of the largest newspaper groups in the US, MediaNews Group, will stop putting all of the content from its newspapers online and begin charging for content.
The publisher of 54 daily US newspapers, including The Denver Post, The Detroit News, and the Daily News in Los Angeles, made the decision following an interactive summit led by the company's CEO Dean Singleton and president Joseph "Jody" Lodovic.
The interactive summit addressed what the company could do like others in the industry as circulation and online revenues fall. The news follows a report out yesterday from PricewaterhouseCoopers that says people will pay for content online.
The publisher of 54 daily US newspapers, including The Denver Post, The Detroit News, and the Daily News in Los Angeles, made the decision following an interactive summit led by the company's CEO Dean Singleton and president Joseph "Jody" Lodovic.
The interactive summit addressed what the company could do like others in the industry as circulation and online revenues fall. The news follows a report out yesterday from PricewaterhouseCoopers that says people will pay for content online.
Do Web Entrepreneurs Still Need Venture Capitalists?
NYT Tech blog: Is venture capital becoming obsolete for Web start-ups? Yes, according to Robert Hendershott, a professor of private equity and entrepreneurship at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. He makes the case in a paper in the next issue of the International Review of Entrepreneurship, formerly known as the International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education.
As the cost of starting a Web company decreases, thanks to cloud computing services and technology that entrepreneurs can rent instead of buy, many founders can finance a new company without the help of venture capitalists, using their savings, money from family and friends and credit card debt, Mr. Hendershott writes. More often, they are choosing to sell small, immature companies instead of taking the longer, riskier path of developing a business that could one day go public. That makes venture capital less relevant, he concludes.
“Potentially, the venture model for finding, developing and vetting new Web-based businesses breaks down,” he writes.
The venture capital model evolved to start and expand capital-intensive semiconductor companies. “Without resources beyond the reach of most entrepreneurs it simply wasn’t possible to create a new semiconductor company, or even an Internet company,” Mr. Hendershott writes. Now, Web start-ups are routinely started for less than $50,000.
One of the key roles of venture capital, Mr. Hendershott argues, is providing the money needed to prove that a new technology works and that a market for the technology exists. During this period, start-ups rely on outside capital because they are not making any money for themselves.
That period may no longer be necessary. Take the Apple App Store, for instance. In a few weeks, developers can easily build an application, submit it to the store and immediately find out whether it has any traction. “They can vet the idea in the marketplace,” Mr. Hendershott said in an interview.
They can do so with only a few thousand dollars and, in some cases, they end up quitting their day jobs. “In this situation, financing is no longer a crucial component to an entrepreneur’s creativity and passion,” Mr. Hendershott writes.
As the cost of starting a Web company decreases, thanks to cloud computing services and technology that entrepreneurs can rent instead of buy, many founders can finance a new company without the help of venture capitalists, using their savings, money from family and friends and credit card debt, Mr. Hendershott writes. More often, they are choosing to sell small, immature companies instead of taking the longer, riskier path of developing a business that could one day go public. That makes venture capital less relevant, he concludes.
“Potentially, the venture model for finding, developing and vetting new Web-based businesses breaks down,” he writes.
The venture capital model evolved to start and expand capital-intensive semiconductor companies. “Without resources beyond the reach of most entrepreneurs it simply wasn’t possible to create a new semiconductor company, or even an Internet company,” Mr. Hendershott writes. Now, Web start-ups are routinely started for less than $50,000.
One of the key roles of venture capital, Mr. Hendershott argues, is providing the money needed to prove that a new technology works and that a market for the technology exists. During this period, start-ups rely on outside capital because they are not making any money for themselves.
That period may no longer be necessary. Take the Apple App Store, for instance. In a few weeks, developers can easily build an application, submit it to the store and immediately find out whether it has any traction. “They can vet the idea in the marketplace,” Mr. Hendershott said in an interview.
They can do so with only a few thousand dollars and, in some cases, they end up quitting their day jobs. “In this situation, financing is no longer a crucial component to an entrepreneur’s creativity and passion,” Mr. Hendershott writes.
Chairman Copps rings the panic bell on news
TheWrap reports: Warning that journalism and the essence of democracy is becoming endangered by media cutbacks, the acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission today delivered a call for quick regulatory action to ensure consumers continue to be able to get vital news and information. "The economy has put an end to the fundamental myth" about the wisdom of hands-off regulation," Michael Copps told a policy forum Thursday in Washington sponsored by the media reform consumer group, Free Press.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Social Media for Government Conference - September 14-17 - Chicago
I am the Conference Chairperson for an upcoming event focused on social media and the government. I hope you will consider attending this gathering and take advantage of the dynamic speakers and organizations that will present.
As the Internet continues to mature from a vast encyclopedia of information into specific tools for connecting people and moving information to one another via applications like blogs, LinkedIn, Brickfish, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and del.icio.us, employees and citizens alike are expecting that these same features are available in their personal and professional lives. The flexible, transparent nature of these tools enables anyone to communicate and collaborate with others regardless of physical, cultural, or political barriers. Just while you read this, someone, somewhere could have launched an online campaign to support or defeat your latest public policy inactive. How can government keep up?
The age of social media has arrived whether we like it or not– the public sector can't afford to miss out on learning how these tools are being used in this new interactive environment! Social Media, also known as Web 2.0, has created a new way of communicating. Today's organizations must embrace the new forms of communications, including blogs, wikis, podcasts, vodcasts, widgets, and social bookmarking to stay competitive and maximize efficiency in decision-making efforts faced everyday. It is your responsibility, as a government communications leader, to inspire and educate your agency in the latest tools and trends that encompass the newest world of communications: Social Media.
How Will This Conference Help You And Your Organization?
This conference will help you understand how to utilize these social media tools with your employees, the citizens you serve, and other stakeholders. You will hear proven strategies and practical experience, from leading organizations and practitioners, on how to use social media tools to change the way your organization communicates, collaborates, and shares information.
Learn how the:
Salt Lake Valley Health Department turned to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to spread the word and start a community-based movement on an almost non-existent budget
U.S. Department of State is using social media technology to engage directly with and listen to the views of audiences around the world
Transportation Security Administration is reaching a wider audience while gaining a positive reputation for openness with the public, using Twitter and other social media tools
You can register today online or 888-362-7400 to attend A.L.I.'s conference on "Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using Blogging, Podcasting and The Latest Social Media Technologies To Drive Communication Results," this September in Chicago, IL.
I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to hear from leading communicators and organizations that are already using social media to change the way their organizations operate and how they engage key stakeholders. With the agility and speed of today's Web 2.0, you can guarantee the presentations will be timely and relevant – I know that speakers will need to make changes just hours before they present – you can't beat that.
I look forward to seeing you at this information-packed event.
--Marc
http://www.aliconferences.com/conf/social_media_govt0909/benefits.htm
As the Internet continues to mature from a vast encyclopedia of information into specific tools for connecting people and moving information to one another via applications like blogs, LinkedIn, Brickfish, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and del.icio.us, employees and citizens alike are expecting that these same features are available in their personal and professional lives. The flexible, transparent nature of these tools enables anyone to communicate and collaborate with others regardless of physical, cultural, or political barriers. Just while you read this, someone, somewhere could have launched an online campaign to support or defeat your latest public policy inactive. How can government keep up?
The age of social media has arrived whether we like it or not– the public sector can't afford to miss out on learning how these tools are being used in this new interactive environment! Social Media, also known as Web 2.0, has created a new way of communicating. Today's organizations must embrace the new forms of communications, including blogs, wikis, podcasts, vodcasts, widgets, and social bookmarking to stay competitive and maximize efficiency in decision-making efforts faced everyday. It is your responsibility, as a government communications leader, to inspire and educate your agency in the latest tools and trends that encompass the newest world of communications: Social Media.
How Will This Conference Help You And Your Organization?
This conference will help you understand how to utilize these social media tools with your employees, the citizens you serve, and other stakeholders. You will hear proven strategies and practical experience, from leading organizations and practitioners, on how to use social media tools to change the way your organization communicates, collaborates, and shares information.
Learn how the:
Salt Lake Valley Health Department turned to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to spread the word and start a community-based movement on an almost non-existent budget
U.S. Department of State is using social media technology to engage directly with and listen to the views of audiences around the world
Transportation Security Administration is reaching a wider audience while gaining a positive reputation for openness with the public, using Twitter and other social media tools
You can register today online or 888-362-7400 to attend A.L.I.'s conference on "Social Media for Government: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using Blogging, Podcasting and The Latest Social Media Technologies To Drive Communication Results," this September in Chicago, IL.
I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to hear from leading communicators and organizations that are already using social media to change the way their organizations operate and how they engage key stakeholders. With the agility and speed of today's Web 2.0, you can guarantee the presentations will be timely and relevant – I know that speakers will need to make changes just hours before they present – you can't beat that.
I look forward to seeing you at this information-packed event.
--Marc
http://www.aliconferences.com/conf/social_media_govt0909/benefits.htm
Newspapers Lose $18 Billion In 3-Year Period
Erik Sass of MediaPost reports: Much attention has been focused on the decline of major American newspapers, and it's common knowledge that print advertising revenues have plunged over the last couple of years. But exactly how much money have newspapers lost in their print operations? An estimated $18.7 billion from 2006-2008.
Those calculations are based on annual and quarterly figures from the Newspaper Association of America. This figure is considerably higher than the $11.9 billion difference between total print revenues of $46.6 billion in 2006 and $34.7 billion in 2008, because it counts cumulative revenues lost in the long term, in addition to year-to-year declines.
To put $18.7 billion in perspective, it's more than the gross domestic product of Iceland, pegged at $17.55 billion by the International Monetary Fund in 2008. On the other hand, it's only about one-third of the value of Bernie Madoff's securities fraud, estimated at around $50 billion.
Many in the newspaper industry have counted on their online operations to salvage the bottom line, but that may be quixotic. During 2006 to 2008, total Internet revenues amounted to $8.9 billion -- less than half the losses on the print side. What's more, after anemic growth of $500 million from 2006-2007, Internet revenues actually declined in 2008, subtracting about $50 million.
Those calculations are based on annual and quarterly figures from the Newspaper Association of America. This figure is considerably higher than the $11.9 billion difference between total print revenues of $46.6 billion in 2006 and $34.7 billion in 2008, because it counts cumulative revenues lost in the long term, in addition to year-to-year declines.
To put $18.7 billion in perspective, it's more than the gross domestic product of Iceland, pegged at $17.55 billion by the International Monetary Fund in 2008. On the other hand, it's only about one-third of the value of Bernie Madoff's securities fraud, estimated at around $50 billion.
Many in the newspaper industry have counted on their online operations to salvage the bottom line, but that may be quixotic. During 2006 to 2008, total Internet revenues amounted to $8.9 billion -- less than half the losses on the print side. What's more, after anemic growth of $500 million from 2006-2007, Internet revenues actually declined in 2008, subtracting about $50 million.
Marketers ignorant of how social media works
BrandRepublic reports: Two-thirds of marketing experts admit they do not understand social media despite acknowledging it is here to stay, according to a survey. The Social Media survey of marketing professionals by McCann Erickson Bristol found that 86% of them thought social media is more than just a fad.
However, 65.6% of them said they did not know how to use it for the purposes of marketing.
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn remain the most popular social networking sites for marketers, with 72.8%, 42.4% and 40.2% having a presence on them respectively.
Around half of those surveyed said their IT departments blocked access to popular social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook -- effectively stopping marketers monitoring what is happening with their brands.
Just over half of UK businesses using social media used them for profile raising or PR, followed by 48% for networking and 30% for advertising.
Joanna Randall head of PR at McCann Erickson Bristol, said: "This study highlights that some of the UK's major businesses are ignoring social media channels -- but they do so at their peril.
"Word of mouth is now more powerful than ever -- opinions can be shared with a global audience at the click of a button.
"We all have the ability to influence, both positively and negatively, and therefore as marketing professionals we should be considering how best to harness the power of social media."
However, 65.6% of them said they did not know how to use it for the purposes of marketing.
Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn remain the most popular social networking sites for marketers, with 72.8%, 42.4% and 40.2% having a presence on them respectively.
Around half of those surveyed said their IT departments blocked access to popular social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook -- effectively stopping marketers monitoring what is happening with their brands.
Just over half of UK businesses using social media used them for profile raising or PR, followed by 48% for networking and 30% for advertising.
Joanna Randall head of PR at McCann Erickson Bristol, said: "This study highlights that some of the UK's major businesses are ignoring social media channels -- but they do so at their peril.
"Word of mouth is now more powerful than ever -- opinions can be shared with a global audience at the click of a button.
"We all have the ability to influence, both positively and negatively, and therefore as marketing professionals we should be considering how best to harness the power of social media."
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Scoopler.com
Aggregates and organizes content being shared on the internet as it happens, like eye-witness reports of breaking news, photos and videos from big events, and links to the hottest memes of the day. Constantly indexes live updates from services including Twitter, Flickr, Digg, Delicious and more.
www.scoopler.com
www.scoopler.com
Congress + the Facebook Effect
The Facebook Effect is the Congressional Institute’s latest study on improving communication between Congress and its constituents.
What Facebook offers Members of Congress is similar in some ways to what tele-townhalls offer: The capacity, through technology, to have far more personal contact with large numbers of constituents than was ever previously possible—and free from the filter of the mainstream media. But what’s different from the tele-townhalls—which may “touch” a constituent once every several months—is that Facebook offers the capacity for Members to “touch” constituents nearly every day, if those constituents want that constant level of connectedness.
This report includes best practices for how Members of Congress can improve and expand social networks as a means of communicating with their constituents. Read the full report (PDF)
What Facebook offers Members of Congress is similar in some ways to what tele-townhalls offer: The capacity, through technology, to have far more personal contact with large numbers of constituents than was ever previously possible—and free from the filter of the mainstream media. But what’s different from the tele-townhalls—which may “touch” a constituent once every several months—is that Facebook offers the capacity for Members to “touch” constituents nearly every day, if those constituents want that constant level of connectedness.
This report includes best practices for how Members of Congress can improve and expand social networks as a means of communicating with their constituents. Read the full report (PDF)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Utah Attorney General Mistakenly Posts Candidacy on Twitter
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff (R) inadvertently confirmed on Twitter this afternoon that he'll challenge Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) in 2010.
Apparently thinking that he was sending a private text message, Shurtleff posted that he would be making an official announcement soon, and that he could raise significant amounts of money in Utah, California, New York, Arizona and Texas.
The Salt Lake Tribune said Shurtleff planned to announce his candidacy on May 20.
Apparently thinking that he was sending a private text message, Shurtleff posted that he would be making an official announcement soon, and that he could raise significant amounts of money in Utah, California, New York, Arizona and Texas.
The Salt Lake Tribune said Shurtleff planned to announce his candidacy on May 20.
"Nightline" spinoff will be hosted by Terry Moran
TheWrap reports: In yet another attempt by the mainstream media to capitalize on the Twitter phenomenon, ABC News' "Nightline," is launching a half-hour web show titled Nightline which will utilize the new technology. Show anchor Terry Moran will pull up Tweets from viewers on a touch screen in real time, allowing the program's 400,000 followers to interact with panelists by directly asking the questions online.
New news stream from NYT
Times Wire web page delivers everything generated by the New York Times, in order and in one sentence plus a headline and link. The "river of news," says an editor.
Very Twitter Eh!?!
Very Twitter Eh!?!
The future of the humanities in the Internet era
Presentation by Dr. Richard Miller, Chair of the English Department at Rutgers University - The Future Is Now: Presentation to the RU Board of Governors
Chipotle Campaign Invites Video Combos
MediaPost reports: The centerpiece of the campaign is www.mychipotle.com where customers can submit their favorite Chipotle combinations in a video. "Chipotle is fortunate to have a large base of fanatical customers," says company rep Chris Arnold.
"One of the things we're looking to do is leverage their fanaticism and spread the word of what Chipotle is all about."
The videos currently on the Web site were submitted as the site was in a test phase. Later submissions will likely be used in later advertisements for the chain, Arnold said. The company also plans to add social media functionality (such as rating submissions, sharing via social networks and searchable content) in the future, he said.
The campaign, from agency Butler, Shine and Stern in Sausalito, Calif., includes print, online, radio and out-of-home components in several cities, including Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, Chicago and Cincinnati.
"One of the things we're looking to do is leverage their fanaticism and spread the word of what Chipotle is all about."
The videos currently on the Web site were submitted as the site was in a test phase. Later submissions will likely be used in later advertisements for the chain, Arnold said. The company also plans to add social media functionality (such as rating submissions, sharing via social networks and searchable content) in the future, he said.
The campaign, from agency Butler, Shine and Stern in Sausalito, Calif., includes print, online, radio and out-of-home components in several cities, including Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, Chicago and Cincinnati.
Monday, May 11, 2009
David Geffen Tried to Buy 19 Percent of The New York Times
TheWrap.com is reporting: Hollywood mogul David Geffen's attempt to purchase a 19 percent stake in The New York Times last month fell through because he and Times' publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. could not agree on a price.
Fortune.com published a story on Monday saying that Geffen attempted to purchase the 19 percent stake owned by hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners, but no deal was struck.
TheWrap confirmed that this was true with an individual close to the negotiation who declined to be identified. The individual also told The Wrap that Sulzberger sought a premium on top of what Geffen was ready to offer, which was purely market value. Harbinger acquired its 19% stake in Times common shares in 2007.
Fortune.com published a story on Monday saying that Geffen attempted to purchase the 19 percent stake owned by hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners, but no deal was struck.
TheWrap confirmed that this was true with an individual close to the negotiation who declined to be identified. The individual also told The Wrap that Sulzberger sought a premium on top of what Geffen was ready to offer, which was purely market value. Harbinger acquired its 19% stake in Times common shares in 2007.
Netflix shifts focus to Web
WSJ reports: Netflix Inc. has a plan for dealing with the growing number of DVD kiosks: Ignore them. In late April, Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings turned the spread of self-service kiosks into a high-profile issue for entertainment investors. During Netflix's first-quarter earnings call, Mr. Hastings said kiosks were beginning to bleed away Netflix subscribers, and by 2011, self-serve kiosks, which rent new release DVDs for just 99 cents, could be in "every 7-Eleven, every Starbucks and every airline gate."
But the alarmist words belie a calmer approach at the Los Gatos, Calif., company. Unlike its competitors, some of which are trying to compete with kiosks head-on, Netflix's plans de-emphasize physical DVDs. Instead, it is focusing on its growing library of movies available online and is tinkering with its online recommendation tools. Already the company has begun to introduce finer parsing of the categories it uses to suggest movies to customers, one of the key lures for its subscribers.
Netflix's strategy reflects the company's conviction that DVDs ultimately have a limited lifespan and that movie distribution will move entirely online in the next few decades. That makes kiosks, Netflix believes, only a near-term threat to the company's business and not one strong enough to force decisive action now.
"Netflix continues to focus on our core business, we're absolutely dialed in on that," said Steve Swasey, a Netflix spokesman.
But the alarmist words belie a calmer approach at the Los Gatos, Calif., company. Unlike its competitors, some of which are trying to compete with kiosks head-on, Netflix's plans de-emphasize physical DVDs. Instead, it is focusing on its growing library of movies available online and is tinkering with its online recommendation tools. Already the company has begun to introduce finer parsing of the categories it uses to suggest movies to customers, one of the key lures for its subscribers.
Netflix's strategy reflects the company's conviction that DVDs ultimately have a limited lifespan and that movie distribution will move entirely online in the next few decades. That makes kiosks, Netflix believes, only a near-term threat to the company's business and not one strong enough to force decisive action now.
"Netflix continues to focus on our core business, we're absolutely dialed in on that," said Steve Swasey, a Netflix spokesman.
Party broadcasts are so last century
Peter Bazalgette, a media consultant and former chief creative officer of Endemol, opines: In April, Alistair Darling, the UK chancellor of the exchequer, made media history. To deliver a pre-Budget message he posted his own, DIY interview on YouTube. He avoided interrogation by the serious media and his own, unmediated effort still made it into all the news outlets.
Emboldened by this success, Gordon Brown, the prime minister, bravely tried the same trick last month with his planned reforms to MPs’ expenses. His eccentric delivery and insane grins ignited a media frenzy and the video became a cult hit on YouTube. But despite his poverty of execution, we should now ask, if UK politicians can reach millions of voters through the internet why do they need those awful televised party political broadcasts?
The confidential “appreciation index” ratings for the party political broadcasts of the 2005 general election are revealing. The AI measures how much viewers enjoyed a programme, rather than how many watched. The early evening transmissions on BBC1 averaged as low as 50 per cent for the three parties, a result that would lead to the sacking of the producer of a normal programme. On ITV it was grimmer still with ratings in the mid-40s, which would induce most producers to slit their wrists before they were sacked.
The time has come to abolish these stilted, patronising, hopelessly old-fashioned sermons. With the internet, political parties now have the means to create and distribute their own content – YouTube has come of age. What does belong on television, however, is a debate between the party leaders. Mr Brown will of course decline the kind offer of David Cameron, the Conservative opposition leader, to go head-to-head next year. But let us hold Mr Cameron to his pledge the time after.
May 6 2010 is the probable date of the next general election. The UK has just one year, therefore, in which to modernise the way in which its media cover politics. The election of Barack Obama has much to teach us. His campaign team’s exploitation of internet video, social networks and podcasts has been well-documented. Less recognised is that this required the Obamites to yield a certain amount of control over their message in order to encourage a rich and humane debate.
Stephen Coleman, professor of political communication at Leeds university, says this allowed politicians and voters to take part in an interchange where both can change their minds. Being inconsistent is not only human – it is how politics is really conducted. But there is currently a damaging disconnect between the practice of politics and its media coverage.
Arid accusations of splits and U-turns are the melancholy currency of UK television and radio current affairs programmes. At the next general election the BBC could take a large step forward by hosting a “virtual hustings” online. This would involve offering the major parties’ manifestos to the electorate, wiki-style, for their comment, debate and amendment. The politicians should feel able to respond to this dynamic, democratic input and change their policies if better ideas are volunteered.
This “public service narrowcasting” would create a space for real politics rather than the control-freakery with which our parties currently attempt to fend off the critical press. It would also go some way towards creating an online “civic commons”, a public space for deliberation that Stephen Coleman argues for, with Jay Blumler, in a new book The Internet and Democratic Citizenship .
A worrying sign that politics is not presented by the media in a sufficiently involving way is the fall in general election turnouts. The historical norm has been above 70 per cent but the last two declined to 60 per cent. It is true that a real contest in 2010 might help to reverse this. But at recent elections in India and the US, commercial brands decided to help get out younger voters.
Tata Tea created an online site that made it much easier for first-time Indian voters to get an identity card and register. They added various sub-sites, such as whysosleepy.co.in, where a virtual politician could be questioned – his contemptuous responses were meant to annoy voters into taking part. A million voters registered via Tata’s website.
In the US, AT&T’s Rock The Vote site persuaded 2.5m to download a registration form. Via text messaging, mobile video content and student journalism, Rock The Vote made a determined effort to educate young voters about politics and to involve them. Which British brands are willing to pick up the baton and drive similar campaigns around next year’s general election?
While on the subject, why does the UK permit unlimited political advertising on billboards, in newspapers and online but not on television and radio? We should, to be consistent, either prohibit it completely or allow it in all media. One of the arguments against this liberalisation is the “arms race” of spending that the political parties might feel obliged to indulge in.
But this is easily answered. The government is now Britain’s biggest advertiser. For the month-long duration of the election its normal ad-spend could be divided among the parties in proportions according to the number of candidates they are fielding. The blissful side benefit is that we would enjoy a month-long respite from the government’s nannying. These political commercials, if desired, could also run in place of the repetitive programme promotions on BBC television and radio.
There is so much that could be done in the next 12 months. We have hardly started.
Emboldened by this success, Gordon Brown, the prime minister, bravely tried the same trick last month with his planned reforms to MPs’ expenses. His eccentric delivery and insane grins ignited a media frenzy and the video became a cult hit on YouTube. But despite his poverty of execution, we should now ask, if UK politicians can reach millions of voters through the internet why do they need those awful televised party political broadcasts?
The confidential “appreciation index” ratings for the party political broadcasts of the 2005 general election are revealing. The AI measures how much viewers enjoyed a programme, rather than how many watched. The early evening transmissions on BBC1 averaged as low as 50 per cent for the three parties, a result that would lead to the sacking of the producer of a normal programme. On ITV it was grimmer still with ratings in the mid-40s, which would induce most producers to slit their wrists before they were sacked.
The time has come to abolish these stilted, patronising, hopelessly old-fashioned sermons. With the internet, political parties now have the means to create and distribute their own content – YouTube has come of age. What does belong on television, however, is a debate between the party leaders. Mr Brown will of course decline the kind offer of David Cameron, the Conservative opposition leader, to go head-to-head next year. But let us hold Mr Cameron to his pledge the time after.
May 6 2010 is the probable date of the next general election. The UK has just one year, therefore, in which to modernise the way in which its media cover politics. The election of Barack Obama has much to teach us. His campaign team’s exploitation of internet video, social networks and podcasts has been well-documented. Less recognised is that this required the Obamites to yield a certain amount of control over their message in order to encourage a rich and humane debate.
Stephen Coleman, professor of political communication at Leeds university, says this allowed politicians and voters to take part in an interchange where both can change their minds. Being inconsistent is not only human – it is how politics is really conducted. But there is currently a damaging disconnect between the practice of politics and its media coverage.
Arid accusations of splits and U-turns are the melancholy currency of UK television and radio current affairs programmes. At the next general election the BBC could take a large step forward by hosting a “virtual hustings” online. This would involve offering the major parties’ manifestos to the electorate, wiki-style, for their comment, debate and amendment. The politicians should feel able to respond to this dynamic, democratic input and change their policies if better ideas are volunteered.
This “public service narrowcasting” would create a space for real politics rather than the control-freakery with which our parties currently attempt to fend off the critical press. It would also go some way towards creating an online “civic commons”, a public space for deliberation that Stephen Coleman argues for, with Jay Blumler, in a new book The Internet and Democratic Citizenship .
A worrying sign that politics is not presented by the media in a sufficiently involving way is the fall in general election turnouts. The historical norm has been above 70 per cent but the last two declined to 60 per cent. It is true that a real contest in 2010 might help to reverse this. But at recent elections in India and the US, commercial brands decided to help get out younger voters.
Tata Tea created an online site that made it much easier for first-time Indian voters to get an identity card and register. They added various sub-sites, such as whysosleepy.co.in, where a virtual politician could be questioned – his contemptuous responses were meant to annoy voters into taking part. A million voters registered via Tata’s website.
In the US, AT&T’s Rock The Vote site persuaded 2.5m to download a registration form. Via text messaging, mobile video content and student journalism, Rock The Vote made a determined effort to educate young voters about politics and to involve them. Which British brands are willing to pick up the baton and drive similar campaigns around next year’s general election?
While on the subject, why does the UK permit unlimited political advertising on billboards, in newspapers and online but not on television and radio? We should, to be consistent, either prohibit it completely or allow it in all media. One of the arguments against this liberalisation is the “arms race” of spending that the political parties might feel obliged to indulge in.
But this is easily answered. The government is now Britain’s biggest advertiser. For the month-long duration of the election its normal ad-spend could be divided among the parties in proportions according to the number of candidates they are fielding. The blissful side benefit is that we would enjoy a month-long respite from the government’s nannying. These political commercials, if desired, could also run in place of the repetitive programme promotions on BBC television and radio.
There is so much that could be done in the next 12 months. We have hardly started.
PETA Ads to Target McDonald's
WSJ reports: The animal-rights group PETA is preparing a campaign against McDonald's Corp., hoping to pressure the fast-food giant into changing the way millions of chickens are raised and slaughtered.
With its campaign, budgeted at about $500,000 this year,PETA is hoping to spur industry-wide change by pressuring an iconic chain that uses three billion eggs and 290 million chickens a year.
McDonald's said it is committed to "humane treatment of animals by our suppliers in every part of the world where we do business." And some members of McDonald's animal welfare advisory board said they will support the chain in resisting PETA's demands.
With its campaign, budgeted at about $500,000 this year,PETA is hoping to spur industry-wide change by pressuring an iconic chain that uses three billion eggs and 290 million chickens a year.
McDonald's said it is committed to "humane treatment of animals by our suppliers in every part of the world where we do business." And some members of McDonald's animal welfare advisory board said they will support the chain in resisting PETA's demands.
What Disney-Hulu Means for Apple
BW reports: When Walt Disney (DIS) said it would start streaming shows via online video site Hulu, attention immediately turned to what the deal means for Hulu rival YouTube as well as for CBS, the only major network outside Hulu's orbit.
The Disney-Hulu content-sharing arrangement may have even bigger implications for a company that neither creates video content nor distributes it free online: Apple (AAPL). It's not hard to gauge the impact of the Disney-Hulu deal on Google's (GOOG) YouTube and CBS (CBS), owner of TV.com. Both companies are locked in a battle with Hulu over online video viewers and the revenue from ads that run in conjunction with that programming. The more programming available on Hulu, the more time Web users are likely to spend on that site.
And the more popular Hulu becomes, the less compelling Apple's strategy of renting and selling video content online is, says Gartner (IT) analyst Michael McGuire. "Over time, perhaps the direct-payment model goes away," he says. Hulu is poised to become a bigger threat in the event it can strike content-sharing partnerships with cable companies, analysts say. Cable content could help the unprofitable Hulu wring profit from the placement of ads alongside its programming. For cable companies, partnering with Hulu represents a way to remain relevant as consumers increasingly view video online.
The Disney-Hulu content-sharing arrangement may have even bigger implications for a company that neither creates video content nor distributes it free online: Apple (AAPL). It's not hard to gauge the impact of the Disney-Hulu deal on Google's (GOOG) YouTube and CBS (CBS), owner of TV.com. Both companies are locked in a battle with Hulu over online video viewers and the revenue from ads that run in conjunction with that programming. The more programming available on Hulu, the more time Web users are likely to spend on that site.
And the more popular Hulu becomes, the less compelling Apple's strategy of renting and selling video content online is, says Gartner (IT) analyst Michael McGuire. "Over time, perhaps the direct-payment model goes away," he says. Hulu is poised to become a bigger threat in the event it can strike content-sharing partnerships with cable companies, analysts say. Cable content could help the unprofitable Hulu wring profit from the placement of ads alongside its programming. For cable companies, partnering with Hulu represents a way to remain relevant as consumers increasingly view video online.
Publishers Nurture Rivals to Kindle
WSJ reports: Some newspaper and magazine companies, feeling let down by the Kindle electronic reader from Amazon.com Inc., are pushing for alternatives.
A few publishers are forging alliances with consumer-electronics firms to support e-readers that meet their needs. Chief among their complaints about the Amazon portable reading gadget is the way Amazon acts as a middleman with subscribers and controls pricing. In addition, the layout isn't conducive to advertising.
Hearst Corp., which publishes the San Francisco Chronicle and Houston Chronicle as well as magazines including Cosmopolitan, is backing a venture with FirstPaper LLC to create a software platform that will support digital downloads of newspapers and magazines. The startup venture is expected to result in devices that will have a bigger screen and have the ability to show ads.
Gannett Co.'s USA Today and Pearson PLC's Financial Times are among newspapers that have signed up with Plastic Logic Ltd., a startup that is readying a reading tablet, the size of a letter-sized sheet of paper, that can displays books, periodicals and work documents. The device, which uses digital ink technology from E Ink Corp., the same firm behind the Kindle, is slated to be rolled out by early next year, and will offer publishers the chance to include ads.
People familiar with the matter have said Apple Inc. is readying a device that may make it easier to read digital books and periodicals, a prospect some publishers are eagerly awaiting. News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal, also is exploring a possible investment in a Kindle competitor.
A few publishers are forging alliances with consumer-electronics firms to support e-readers that meet their needs. Chief among their complaints about the Amazon portable reading gadget is the way Amazon acts as a middleman with subscribers and controls pricing. In addition, the layout isn't conducive to advertising.
Hearst Corp., which publishes the San Francisco Chronicle and Houston Chronicle as well as magazines including Cosmopolitan, is backing a venture with FirstPaper LLC to create a software platform that will support digital downloads of newspapers and magazines. The startup venture is expected to result in devices that will have a bigger screen and have the ability to show ads.
Gannett Co.'s USA Today and Pearson PLC's Financial Times are among newspapers that have signed up with Plastic Logic Ltd., a startup that is readying a reading tablet, the size of a letter-sized sheet of paper, that can displays books, periodicals and work documents. The device, which uses digital ink technology from E Ink Corp., the same firm behind the Kindle, is slated to be rolled out by early next year, and will offer publishers the chance to include ads.
People familiar with the matter have said Apple Inc. is readying a device that may make it easier to read digital books and periodicals, a prospect some publishers are eagerly awaiting. News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal, also is exploring a possible investment in a Kindle competitor.
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