Category: Uncategorized

What is the future of social media in ‘09?

Posted on by Lab Team

social2009As we start the new year, I wanted to provide some thoughts on social media trends for 2009 (also check out this review of the Lab’s 2009 Digital Trends). Although some of these concepts are not new, in 2009, we’ll see increased usage and adoption by brands and consumers. Here is a look at where things are now and where we may be heading: 

Trend #1: Internal business functions get social
Social media strategies continue to get injected into business functions.  Uses include support forums, wikis and Twitter (ComcastCares) for customer service and support; gated communities and monitoring tools for market research; customer collaboration sites and community suggestion boxes for product improvement and development; internal communities for employee communications; and social strategies for employee recruitment. This is beginning to reduce transactional costs, contribute to democratized efficiency and ultimately change infrastructure. Continue reading “What is the future of social media in ‘09?”

In-car technology could change our lives

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telemat2009In 2008 I talked about in-car technology as becoming less utilitarian and more about the car as a content platform of tomorrow.  And why not, cars and trucks increasingly share information with other platforms (RFID sensors, tolls, central tracking systems, etc.).  For 2009, I am curious how this in-car technology and the growing digital ecosystem could actually help improve one’s quality of life, beyond just getting to your destination.

We know that cell phones and cars are increasingly being delivered to the end user with GPS capability (in-car GPS, Personal Navigation Devices, or Pedestrian Navigation Devices).  We know that this GPS capability can allow people to see where you are.  We also know that it is possible to cross reference where you are specifically to what is around you.  Whether this technology is actually deployed is unclear.  This ability to locate and cross reference will increase as more and more locations look to formalize their location in the GPS universe.

So what am I getting at here? Continue reading “In-car technology could change our lives”

Eight resolutions for the new year

Posted on by Lab Team

mobile2009resolMobile phones have seen astronomical growth, and with the year-to-year increases in use from 2007 to 2008, the industry shows no signs of slowing.  With that in mind, I have a handful of resolutions I’d like to see the mobile phone industry make for itself in 2009.  Some are likely to happen, others quite unlikely.  But all of them would be great steps forward for the industry as a whole. Here are my top eight mobile resolutions for 2009:

Better browsers: The numbers can’t be more clear.  One in ten RAZR owners use the mobile Web on their devices, and over 80 percent of iPhone users regularly use the Web on their mobile devices.  It is high time for all phones, across the board, to be building in full functional browsers.  2009 is the year for this transition to happen. Continue reading “Eight resolutions for the new year”

Wrapping up 2008 holiday numbers

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shoppingcartBlack Friday and Cyber Monday have passed and the ecommerce results for Holiday Season 2008 are starting to hit the blogosphere.  ComScore reports ecommerce sales for the holiday shopping period (Nov. 1 – Dec. 26) fell 3% from 2007 totals.  This is the first time online holiday sales have fallen since ComScore started tracking ecommerce in 2001.  However, online retail may have suffered much less than bricks and mortar retailers. Already dealing with the troubled economy and frugal consumers, traditional retailers were also hit by winter weather issues across the nation and five fewer shopping days this calendar year.  In fact, traditional apparel and electronics retailers saw declines of 19% and 26%, respectively, while online apparel sales rose 4% and online electronics sales declined just 5%. Continue reading “Wrapping up 2008 holiday numbers”

To CES or not to CES?

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CES2009“See Yourself In the Digital Economy” is the tagline for this year’s Consumer Electronic’s Show. Certainly, in a challenging economy, getting to Vegas can prove difficult and 2009 CES attendance will be down. Still, CES’s relevance continues to grow. More than just a “gadget show,” CES has become a mecca over the last few years, not only for consumers but for marketing and digital professionals as well. The four day convention provides a look at the platforms, technologies, and consumer behaviors that will be driving communication channels over the next year.  As the lab has discussed in its 2009 trends, understanding the opportunities in leveraging digital platforms, especially in an economic downturn, is a strategic imperative. Continue reading “To CES or not to CES?”

$1.3 billion business wants R-e-s-p-e-c-t

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OVABThis is part of our best-of 2008 series, previously featured on our newsletter, Advance.

There have been some great steps forward for Digital OOH this year, especially for video networks. The first bit of good news came from the Out-of-Home Video Advertising Bureau (OVAB) which released the highly anticipated Audience Metrics Guidelines during the sold out Digital Media Summit: Focus on Digital OOH in NYC at the end of October. As Media Week notes), despite the fact that DOOH is a $1.3 billion business, the platform "has lacked a common language to be considered in media plans along with traditional media. The guidelines are designed to change the medium's status in the planning process." Continue reading “$1.3 billion business wants R-e-s-p-e-c-t”

Gaming’s next YouTube?

Posted on by Lab Team

LittleBigPlanetThis is part of our best-of 2008 series, previously featured on our newsletter, Advance. Imagine, for a moment, a universe that does not yet exist. A flying saucer navigates a galaxy of oddly colored planets and moons teeming with life. The saucer slows upon reaching one particular world, and moves in closer. It is a lush green landscape, and scattered around the planet are cities – sculpted from Coke bottles. Moving closer, vehicles created from Coke bottle caps race back and forth between the buildings. And zooming in reveals the townspeople of this foreign land to be none other than the creatures from Coca-Cola’s "Happiness Factory" commercial.

This imaginary planet sits in a galaxy created by Spore, EA’s new hit game. Or rather, it could. There’s a trend beginning to hit mainstream in-video game design: User-generated content. September saw the release of EA’s aforementioned Spore. a "universe simulation" that allows players to create and share entire worlds with other players. In late October, Sony released LittleBigPlanet for the PS3, a highly anticipated title for all ages and both genders where the user generated content provides levels for sack-puppets to play through. Continue reading “Gaming’s next YouTube?”

How brands can avoid a reputation crisis

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iStockThis is part of our best-of 2008 series, previously featured on our newsletter, Advance. Social media offers brands the prospect of engaging in open and honest conversations with customers, and brands are embracing this opportunity by creating communities of their own. Unfortunately, negative buzz is a potential downside to these efforts. Jupiter Research found that although only 12 % of consumers post negative comments on these sites, negative UGC creators can be highly influential.

Choosing to ignore the conversation will come at a cost: Negative reviews or complaints can mean lost business. According to a London School of Economics study, just a 2% reduction in negative word of mouth boosts sales growth by 1%. Negative commentary is inevitable, so marketers may well benefit from developing a strategy to best respond to negative buzz. While there is no way to stop negative comments entirely, and it is impossible to think that a conversation in social media can be controlled, there are a few best practices that can help to protect your brand. Brands can improve their reputation by first listening, and then responding. Social media monitoring is critical to containing negative buzz. Conversation monitoring tools such as radian6 allow you to identify who is talking, listen to what they are saying, and track the spread of negative buzz. Continue reading “How brands can avoid a reputation crisis”

With the holidays here, consider the Hispanic market

Posted on by Lab Team

(iStock)According to the Direct Marketing Association, Hispanics are more open to receiving direct mail than the general market. I have my theories as to why.

For all of you who recall Maslow’s Theory of Self Actualization and his hierarchy of needs, at the core of the pyramid is Love/Belonging (validation). When marketing is done correctly (e.g. a brand reaching out to an individual in an authentic fashion), a sense of validation is achieved. “Brand X knows me; I matter; they get me; I belong here.”

In the case of first-generation immigrants their longitudinal journey is very similar to that of a developing child. Once the immigrant arrives to their new homeland, they need to satisfy their physical needs first (water, food), and then they require safety (shelter). Once these basic instincts are attained, they need emotional security and/or a sense of belonging, if you will. They continue to migrate up the pyramid, until they achieve self-actualization.

Consider this next time you market to the Hispanic market. Brands that reach out and make individuals feel as if they do belong, while in a novel environment, drive brand awareness and loyalty, in the long-term – because they validate the consumer. Continue reading “With the holidays here, consider the Hispanic market”

Emerging Media, Barack Obama, and the Future of Political Campaigns

Posted on by Lab Team

Beth Rankin via FlickrWith the 2009 Presidential Inauguration approaching, we wanted to share our findings on how Barack Obama and other presidential candidates made use of emerging media.

In the 2008 election, Presidential contenders across the political spectrum utilized new media platforms to reach out to voters in unprecedented ways. And voters responded, participating online, via mobile, and across social networks in historic numbers.

What were some of the most notable emerging media triumphs from the 2008 election? And what was the emerging media strategy behind Barack Obama’s campaign? What was John McCain's best emerging media tactic in the race to the White House?

Click here to view IPG Emerging Media Lab's research into the uses of new media in this year's election–and how it has changed political campaigning for good.

Photo courtesy of Beth Rankin via Flickr