Doggie Dentures on AdFreak

A little attention always makes us blush and frankly this is no exception. Check out today's post on AdWeek's AdFreak blog for the latest Pedigree DENTASTIX campaign. And if you haven't "Dentured your dog" be sure to get to it! Just click to get started!

Text To Donate - Help Shelter Dogs

We are helping The Pedigree Foundation help raise dollars to help shelter dogs in need find loving homes. Please participate and tell your friends and family to help as well. Text “pedigree” to 20222 and $5.00 will be donated to help dogs in need (the $5.00 is added to you phone bill and the entire amount goes to the foundation). It just takes a second to make a difference – and every donation adds up!!!

iPad – the moment we have all been waiting for?

For months, we have all been clamoring for a peek under the hood, a glimpse at how Apple’s “latest creation” would look and how it would work. The prevailing rumors were that it would be a tablet and it would roughly be 10” in size. Then the rumor mills picked up steam and spun tales that an even larger announcement was pending and that in addition to a tablet, Apple would unveil the latest incarnation of the iPhone: a more versatile, Verizon-friendly 4G version of its current 3G device. Yesterday, those mills proved themselves unreliable, as they often do, when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad sans any mention of a new iPhone (sorry Verizon subscribers).

The device has largely been met with reviews that are tepid at best. As is the case with seemingly everything that comes out of Apple’s Cupertino labs, the iPad is visually pleasing. It has a 10” LED widescreen display that sports multi-touch capability and “fingerprint-resistant coating.” The iPad has an onscreen keyboard when it is being used in landscape mode and a USB port for a physical board when it is being used in portrait mode. The device’s 10-hour battery life allows users to essentially go the whole day on a single charge. With the iPad comes the introduction of the iBookstore; a digital book application, used for purchasing titles and displaying them in a virtual bookshelf. iPad owners who purchase books from the app can read the downloaded titles instantly.

A 3G version of the device will be available in April and will allow subscribers to surf the web, download movies, music, books and apps wherever they are but only through AT&T.

Unfortunately, for the army of us who eagerly await Apple announcements, this device leaves a lot to be desired. Though it surfs the web, runs iTunes, and providers consumers with access to the roughly 140,000 apps in the App Store it lacks a camera, microphone and Flash, making it nothing more than a larger iPod touch.

Don’t get me wrong, the iPod Touch is a great device (I actually own one) but so much was expected from this device that we are left feeling disappointed and unfulfilled. It’s like seeing Kobe Bryant score 50 points everytime they play at the Staples Center. If he only scores 30 points the next time you see him, you’d be appreciate the effort but won’t be nearly as satisfied. Such is the curse of the superstar. Maybe if this device were an Acer or Asus the world would embrace it more warmly.

That said, I’m sure Apple will be just fine. Early Adopters will still add them to their carts and line up in store for their iPads in March. In fact, if history has taught us anything it is that:

1) 1st generation Apple releases are typically followed, almost immediately, by much better upgraded devices.

2) Roughly 45% of Early Adopters upgrade to newer devices*

So is this the moment we have all been waiting for? Hardly. So I, for one, will sit back, wait and watch as the magnificent marketing machine that is Apple crank out better, more exciting features for the iPad 2.0.

* Morgan Stanley Study on the iPhone measuring Early Adopters who bought the 1G iPhone in 2007 and later upgraded to the 3G iPhone in 2008

Target Leads The Way With Mobile Couponing

Target is first out of the gate with true Mobile Coupons that are sent to phones and scannable at checkout registers. This is a big part of a broader Target Mobile initiative that includes weekly mobile circulars, a revamped Iphone app and exclusive mobile deals. This will will ignite innovation within Mobile couponing.

And no surprise, P&G is among the first to Partner with Target with its Tide brand. Given the I went ATVing this weekend in the muddy woods of Butler, PA I am off with my Blackberry to local Target Store to test my Tide Mobile coupon.

Text "Haiti" to 90999

A brief post on the power of mobile marketing and a reminder on the goodness of the human spirit. Over $1MM was rasied to aid in the crises in Haiti in 24 hours, $10 at a time via Text to Donate. Please join those who have given to help those in desperate need. Text "Haiti" to 90999 to help support The American Red Cross efforts. $10 will be added to your phone bill and the entire amount will go to The American Red Cross.

Thank you.

In App Ads Tipping Point?

Retail Giant, Walmart continuing to focus on reaching new targets is running in-app banner ads on iPhones. Walmart’s ads appear in the NBC Today Shows Recipe App.

Interestingly the Walmart call to action featured in the Today Show in-App Ad is to download Walmart’s own iPhone App, which is focused on helping shoppers find great deals.

In addition to Walmart, Microsoft, Unilever and others are testing In-App Ads which means many more retailers and manufacturers will likely soon follow.

Are “Social Norms” to Blame?

From being an exclusive “college” network to letting the whole world in, Facebook has evolved astronomically these last few years. I remember looking back on my own experience and thinking, “What’s gonna happen to my profile when I graduate?” Well, I now have my answer, obviously.

But in the midst of this grand evolution, there still has to be some element of privacy. (Facebook recently amended its privacy settings.) We all know that Facebook has made once private information available to the public in recent months. Is Mark Zuckerberg’s argument that the ever-changing “social norms” of society are to blame, convincing enough? The author of this article doesn’t seem to think so; in fact, he believes that Zuckerberg is deviating from his past beliefs:

“I don't buy Zuckerberg's argument that Facebook is now only reflecting the changes that society is undergoing… ‘Privacy control, he told me less than 2 years ago, is "the vector around which Facebook operates” .’

However, Zuckerberg makes a good point: “"We view it as our role in the system to constantly be innovating and be updating what our system is to reflect what the current social norms are.”

I personally think the term “social norms” is a bit dated for this argument, but that’s a whole other discussion.

I can see both sides of the story. But either way, just have common sense. Figure out Facebook’s privacy settings. Don’t post stuff you wouldn’t want your grandmother or her Bingo friends to see.

What should Google Fear in the New Year?

Turnabout is fair play - With Google jumping into the handset market in 2009 with the Andriod targeting Apple, it only seems just that the one of the first big announcements of 2010 is that Apple is shifting its startegy to jump into the digital media space.

Apple has acquired Quattro Wireless for $275MM to compete with Google and their acquisition of AdMob putting them in the mobile advertising space for the first time. Quattro Wireless is the 5th largest Mobile Ad Network with 7% share.

The acquisition leads to key, intriguing questions for the year ahead:

1. Who's next? With only a few big players left in the Mobile Advertising space left, who will Yahoo and Microsoft Gobble Up?
2. How will Apple navigate new territory?

Its only the first week of the New Year and the Mobile space is setting up for a very interesting year.

The Augmented Reality Train rolls on

By now if you've been following our blog or twitter feed (or seen the latest copy of Esquire magazine here) you know all about this thing called Augmented Reality (A/R) and that we're fans (for the right brand, done the right way of course!). So, with that in mind no one here should be surprised that A/R just keeps rolling on and marketers are trying to find the killer app of this technology.

Enter the latest bid from our friends from Coke Zero and Hollywood with their promotion of the hope-to-be blockbuster "Avatar: The last Air-bender." In a typical Hollywood overstatement of reality (or augmented reality in this case) the Coke spot that promotes this campaign and on product "AVTR" tag certainly makes it look ALOT cooler than it is, but it's still pretty darn cool.

Coupled with a almost unbranded presence on a microsite you can try the A/R at AVTR.com. So, grab a coke and go check it out!

Some interesting credits

For the latest release of Activision Blizzard/Infinity Wards Call Of Duty video game series, Modern Warfare 2 there were some interesting credits in terms of what agencies were recognized to be a part of the largest video game, hence entertainment release of all-time as Infinity Ward stated on it's website. The game, which retails for $59.99, sold 4.7 million units in its first day on sale, taking in $310 million for the game publisher. By comparison, the year’s highest-grossing movie, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” earned more than $200 million domestically by the end of its first weekend as reported by the New York Times.

So, what agencies developed the campaign to promote the game? Well, While TBWA/Chiat is the companies lead agency, it was a compilation of other agencies, and most interestingly retailers that are responsible for the games launch. In reviewing the Article on AdAge take notice that retailers like WalMart (in cooperation with Activision), BestBuy and Gamespot developed and ran creative and components of the campaign for the launch. Further evidence at the importance of the retailers as a central component of manufacturs campaigns rather than just points of distribution.

Read the article here.

Insane, Crazy and flat out cool

So, you know how fast the whole "web" thing is moving but just feel like you haven't had the time to stay on top of the latest, craziest, innovative uses of all the technology and creative thinking out there? Well, Google to the rescue once again!!!

The fine folks in Mountain View have taken the time from the Lab to put together the 87 coolest things that folks have done with access to the latest & greatest API's, clever thinking and flat out smarts to put together. The fact is that at this stage there is almost no limit to what can be done. That's not to say there aren't bad ideas out there... I mean, just because you can do it doesn't make it good, interesting or well, right. However, have no fear with this presentation from Google. After watching several times I'd have to say there is very little here that isn't worth checking out. It just might take you awhile. Oh, and don't forget... there's nothing stopping you (or us!) from being the 88th thing that could get added to the list.

So BE CREATIVE!!!!

Bionic eye

This is amazing stuff . A use for augmented reality that can prove very useful to retailers and brands of all types. (We tweeted about it a while back, but here's the video again.)



http://marketingballista.blogspot.com/

It's Bud Light lime people, everyone settle down.

http://marketingballista.blogspot.com/

Make Phone Calls on Twitter.

Interesting Beta that let's twitter users connect without sharing either parties phone number.   I can't really think of a great use for this, I mean I follow many on twitter, but i don't know if I'd like to talk to most of them.  I don't have time to talk to my actual friends, lol.  This seems to change the Twitter game a bit, but you can decide for yourself though.  Read the full article here.

Shakable Ad, pretty cool.

This is an example of many new ads I've been seeing on the iPhone. I wish i could find the last one i saw, it was an ad that was a game and it was pretty fun. (but unfortunately i can't recall the brand, which is telling.)

here's another example of a ad that entertains as the phone is shaken. Definitely inviting and interactive.

Social media - the newest tool for social change

Non-profits are tackling the social web, but haven't had quite the attention as big businesses and brands. A report issued this summer from Dartmouth indicated the nation’s largest non-profits have outpaced corporations in adopting social media. And the Center for Marketing Research noted (and not a surprise) that the Fortune 500 and the Inc. 500 have increased their social presence but charities are continuing to lead in usage.

Social media is the newest tool in social change. Non-profits have it an efficient way of reaching a large audience of like-minded, cause conscious individuals, vocal individuals.

For companies and brands with strong philanthropic ties, social will prove to be an invaluable vehicle.

The Dartmouth study:
http://sncr.org/2009/06/28/nonprofit-organizations-lead-the-way-in-social-media-adoption-according-to-society-for-new-communications-research-chair-dr-nora-ganim-barnes-and-eric-mattson-of-financial-insite/

From a funnel to a circle???

For a long time marketers have relied on the age-old model of a purchase funnel as the cycle that consumers move through in making purchase decisions. From Awareness, Consideration, Preference to Loyalty. This model made sense when consumers played a more passive role (presumably) where they received messages pushed to them by marketers. For those of us in marketing roles we know that has changed - where consumers are not only actively seeking information but in many cases serving a role to create it and act as influencers. The question now is how to marketers adapt to this change?

In a study published by McKinsley Quarterly in June of this year titled "The consumer decision journey" a new model is proposed suggesting that instead of a funnel where consumers have more brands at the top and slowly narrow their selection - that they now start with a few, then move to active information gathering where they greatly expand the number of brands and then ultimately make their decision at the point of purchase. Essentially moving from a funnel to a circular approach.



What's driven this paradigm shift? The leading cause is technology (dare we say web 2.0 - I swore I wouldn't use that term ever again!). With consumers ability to connect, share and be more vocal to other consumers and brands technology has greatly impacted the way they make purchase decisions. As a result, marketers are trying to figure out how to engage in this new world. Be sure to read more for yourself at www.mckinseyquarterly.com.

Pecha Kucha

Japanese for "Chit-Chat, and pronounced "Pe-CHATCH-ka", Pecha Kucha is a form of PowerPoint or Keynote expressiveness that started in Japan a few years ago. Basically, it involves presentation gatherings where all participants present a slide show on a given or a self-chosen topic. Sounds boring, right? Well, the fun is that Pecha Kucha involves a presenter telling his or her story in exactly 20 slides for exactly 20 seconds each slide. That means 6 minutes and 40 seconds on the nose.

Started by 2 Europeans living in Japan and looking for ways to give young designers a way to meet and share ideas in a structured yet fun manner, Pecha Kucha has taken off, with events being hosted in over 170 cities around the world. You can see examples of this unique form of communication in this smart tutorial, or at the official Pecha Kucha Website to look for an event near you. It's become such an accepted form of focused presentation development that the giant Autodesk corporation required their 2007 sales meeting be made up of only pecha kucha-style presentations. It was a huge hit, since listening to someone droning on about their pet project for only 6:40 doesn't seem so bad.

The last presentation I was witness to had 150 slides with less than 40 images total. Yes, that's right, you can imagine the excitement. Had it instead been made up of 3 or 4 crisp pecha kucha presentation segments with relevant, compelling images as the primary content accompanying the presenter's spoken words, it would have been potentially a bit more compelling.

We're considering trying it for one or two presentations at our next mid-year meeting. You should try it too.

Peer Pressure?

Microsoft will offer it's newest version of it's Office Suite online for free. The columnist's claim that this move was "a stroke of genius" remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, Microsoft's peers are forcing the giant to revamp their business model in ways they'd hope they'd never have to.

Cool 3D work.

This home video takes on a little life of it's own. Enjoy!