What We Are Reading

What We Are Reading | What We Think | Subscribe to DigitalBeyond

We cut through the clutter of the web to highlight innovation and forward-thinking. The best stories from leading publications – hand selected and organized to provide you a single point of access.

Search Results

Results 1 - 50 of 186 for All Dates , All Industries , All Topics , All Regions , All Audiences

Sort results by:

Title (A-Z) |

M3W Favorites

Results per page: 5 | 10 | 25 | 50

‘Tis The Season For Cultivating Brand Loyalty (Ecommerce Times)

Posted: 01/04/2011

Remarketing often proves to be the silver lining during the holiday retail season, driving both sales and profitability. In fact, dollar for dollar, remarketing delivers the highest returns compared to alternative marketing techniques, especially when used in tandem with display marketing campaigns. Successful marketing entails knowing how to reach the right people at the right time with the right offer. This makes remarketing ripe for the picking, especially considering the advances today’s technology allows for like analyzing consumer behaviors and reaching out directly to consumers. When it comes to marketing plans, remarketing demands foresight and planning to get it right. The keys to success include placing as much weight on page views as click thrus. Other success factors including figuring out exactly how much to budget for remarketing (based on hard data) and focusing on calendar events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as major holidays.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

A Candid Conversation with OpenID’s David Recordon (.net)

Posted: 10/08/2009

Six Apart’s David Recordon, co-developer of OpenID, sat down with Oliver Lindberg to discuss his vision for the open web. The web is becoming more social and Recordon emphasizes that critical build-outs must enable users to interact between multiple sites without asking them to recreate accounts requiring repetitive data and tasks. OpenID enables users to sign in to thousands of online services with the same digital identity, which ultimately means users can access and share information from across various platforms. With its focus on user experience and usability, as well as benchmarking successful efforts like Facebook Connect, OpenID is carving a path toward mainstream technology by engaging major stakeholders like Microsoft and Google. A few months ago Recordan announced the Open Web Foundation, whose initial goal is to create open specifications for the web that anyone can implement for free.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Peer Groups & Communities

A Sweet Flight: Chocolate Takes to the Sky (Chief Marketer)

Posted: 09/25/2009

Sweetriot, a New-York based candy company, will take to the skies this spring to hawk their $3 chocolate bar on Virgin America. “It's a good way to get the chocolate bars into people's hands,” notes Sarah Endline, company mastermind and chief rioter. In addition to being available online at www.sweetriot.com, the new product also has limited distribution at retail stores like Whole Foods. The company participates in sampling events and is cultivating a sweet relationship with its vivacious, well-educated customer base via social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter. Endline also contributes to the company’s blog, highlighting consumer events like the Fancy Food Show and engaging customers to vote on artwork that captures the best spirit for the company’s holiday tins.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Alcatel-Lucent Takes the Plunge Into Mobile Advertising (Information Week)

Posted: 07/18/2009

Redefining the drive-by, Alcatel-Lucent recently announced plans to launch a product allowing cellular carriers to reach millions of mobile customers with location-relevant advertisements. Partnering with mobile ad company 1020 Placecast, the technology will help mobile operators determine the location of the customer with accuracy within a few meters. The new advertising vehicle, dubbed proximity marketing, is poised to reach sales of $10 billion by 2013. So don’t be too surprised if soon it’s more than your taste buds beckoning you into the nearest Starbucks for a cup of joe and coffee cake.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products, Telecommunications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Apple and Facebook Key Influencers in New Tech Cycle (eWeek)

Posted: 02/04/2010

Apple and Facebook have literally changed the face of mobile internet. With mobile internet users projected to double by 2013, it’s easy to see a "mobile Internet cycle" emerging, a new cycle detailed in Morgan Stanley's "The Mobile Internet Report." Cited as the fifth computing cycle in five decades, the report claims this one is faster and bigger with a wider global net than previous cycles. While Apple, Google and Amazon.com lead the pack, the report suggests that the key influencers from previous cycles won’t necessarily be given the keys to this new kingdom. The analyst team, headed by Mary Meeker, attributes the high level of anticipation for mobile users to five of the most promising IP-based products and services: social networking, 3G network adoption, video, Voice over IP and "impressive mobile devices."

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services, Telecommunications
Topic: E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global, North America, Asia Pacific
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Art Meets Internet Commerce, Reality TV, Social Media (Promo Magazine)

Posted: 06/05/2009

Continuing the surge of story-based marketing, Coca-Cola brand Sprite is launching a new European campaign that boldly unites art with multi-channeled commerce. A young, unknown British singer headlines the ongoing YouTube series that follows as she hits the New York music scene. With the prequel getting upwards of 60,000 views on YouTube, the show is also linked to Facebook Connect, creating the first interaction of its kind between YouTube and Facebook. “With this show, Sprite shifts from creating the perfect branded content to content that perfects the brand,” Coca-Cola head of European digital marketing Stafford Green said in a release. “Instead of repeating single messages in traditional media, Sprite supports these new experiences and deep storytelling to communicate our core brand values over time. It’s a fresh advertising model, and everyone wins: the artist, the brands and especially the audience—getting free on-demand, truly interactive content without commercial interruption.”

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products, Telecommunications
Topic: Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global, Europe
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Asian Persuasion – Social Media Marketing In Japan (ClickZ)

Posted: 09/16/2010

Before MySpace and Facebook were even a glimmer in the virtual eye, Japan had Mixi – one of the country’s most popular SNS (social networking sites). While businesses in the U.S. are really only just beginning to tap into social media as a viable marketing tool, savvy businesses in Japan have been on the social bandwagon for more than 10 years, using platforms like Mixi, Gree and 2channel. Japan’s preponderance of social media might even prompt some to say that Japan was the genesis for social media marketing. The country’s rich social media platforms include: general social networking sites; video and photo sharing sites, social bookmarking sites; blog network sites, mini-blogging sites and micro social networking (SNS) sites. With most services available for both PC and mobile (unlike the U.S. where mobile is just gaining traction), mobile is already a key part of the countries inhabitants’ online lives.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Asia Pacific
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

B-to-B Outlook 2009: Integrate campaigns to boost performance (BtoB Online)

Posted: 03/08/2009

Don’t get caught up in the doom and gloom of today’s challenging economy. “There's a lot of good news out there, in particular in the b-to-b world,” said Bob Felsenthal, BtoB publisher. According to many B-to-B marketing experts, the key is to be creative, of course, but also design multi-channel initiatives to drive prospects to the web—and ultimately to conversion. This means that marketers may need to step out of their typical corporate comfort zones and embrace social media such as forums and blogs in order to gain that coveted brand awareness and preference. So what is the future for B-to-B marketing for 2009? 31% of marketers plan to increase budgets and chances are good they will be stretching them into integrated campaigns for the most effectiveness.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Business

Becel Vegan Blasts Across Digital Space On Earth Day (Strategy Magazine)

Posted: 06/09/2010

Becel Vegan infiltrated digital space as part of a campaign targeting Canadian consumers. Launched in conjunction with Earth Day, the digital campaign was designed to reach environmentally-conscious consumers interested in the brand’s lactose-free, gluten-free product. The campaign featured a reach block on Facebook to reach every female logging in to the site for the first five times with a Becel-sponsored ad; a Google splash across green and food-friendly niche and mass sites like Naturopath.com and FoodNetwork.com; and homepage ads on MSN, AOL and Canwest, and exclusive placement on British Columbia’s Weather Network homepage. "We're trying to drive awareness and drive trial of the product in a fun and engaging way," says Caroline Moul, digital group director at PHD in Toronto.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

BI, Best-of-Breed Web Tactics Broaden Scope for Consumer Goods Companies (InformationWeek)

Posted: 11/08/2009

An InformationWeek 500 survey shows that consumer goods companies like Herbalife and E&J Gallo Winery are banking on business intelligence to control cost and boost Internet and mobile sales channels. The study reports that as many as 68% of consumer goods companies plan to make BI readily accessible to employees, compared to 37% for all InformationWeek 500 respondents. Gallo, the largest family-owned winery in the world, optimizes its product packaging, pricing, and channel strategies with SOA architecture, SaaS, and its BI repository. 32% of respondents consider improving Web operations critical to boosting their business globally compared to 26% from other groups. Herbalife, a company that dominates domestically, only attributes 10-15% of their global business to internet sales.

Industry: Retail & Products, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, E-Commerce, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

BlackBerry Users Get “LinkedIn” On-The-Go (EnterpriseMobileToday)

Posted: 05/27/2010

Now BlackBerry users can get “LinkedIn” on-the-go. The new application from the professional career networking site is designed to connect users no matter where they are. Chad Whitney, LinkedIn’s product manager for mobile posted a blog announcing the launch, stating, "Now you can walk into any interview, any customer engagement or client meeting with the ability to look up the details on over 60 million professionals worldwide, in real-time.” Designing new relevant products for the Blackberry platform is a high priority; therefore, application users can expect consistent feature enhancements and additions throughout the year. The application features six tabbed modules customized for Research In Motion's BlackBerry, maximizing the small screen. The social networking site offers a Blackberry group so users can be alerted to new feature launches or learn how to better utilize the application.

Industry: Telecommunications
Topic: Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Blazing the Broadband Trail Along the East Coast (Internet Retailer)

Posted: 08/27/2009

Akamai Technologies Inc.’s “State of the Internet Report” revealed that U.S. broadband adoption is on the rise, with East coast states tallying the most broadband Internet connections for the first quarter of 2009. Eastern states garnered eight of the top ten slots, topped by Delaware, where 62% of households have high-speed broadband web access, a 6.7% year over-year increase. Based on results from data collected from Akamai’s global server network, the study examined countries and U.S. states that averaged over 1,000 unique monthly IP addresses. The report also states that one-fifth of global internet connections operate at speeds greater than 5 Mbps, up significantly from the previous year. “The implication… is that Internet retailers can continue to add more rich media content to their site... to bring buyers and keep them on the site longer,” says David Belson, editor of the report.

Industry: Retail & Products, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Creative & Design, E-Commerce, Technology Implementation
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Boomers Offer Blooming Profits For The Beauty Industry (Marketing Vox)

Posted: 06/09/2010

A Mintel survey provides ample rationale for marketers to target Boomers to get online beauty profits blooming. Mintel cites that 10% of women purchase beauty aids and cosmetics online. Boomers represent one-third of the online population and the female portion of the demographic is expected to surge by 30.9% by 2015. Boomer females spend an average of 13 hours a week online with the following impact reported: 8% purchase products at big-name retail sites; 8% purchase from Wal-Mart.com, 8% purchase from Target.com, 5% patronize drugstore sites like CVS or Walgreens and 8% visit other niche Web retailers. Mintel advises online beauty marketers to infiltrate social networking platforms and incorporate value-added services like virtual makeovers and internet sweepstakes to round out their internet campaigns. The Nielsen Company suggests that loyalty reward programs that offer cash-back savings and other underutilized outlets like Twitter could also have a big impact on profit.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Brand Matters: Manufacturers Assert Brand Authority Online (CRM Daily)

Posted: 05/27/2010

Heavy hitting consumer brands like Levi Strauss, Procter & Gamble, Mattel and Columbia Sportswear have set their sites on the internet to increase direct sales and connect with consumers. Direct online retail sales by consumer-brand manufacturers skyrocketed nearly 13 percent to $487.6 million in 2009. The online offensive can be attributed to one part private-label, one part recession. The availability of lower-priced, private-label goods made up 22 percent of consumer-packaged goods retailed in 2009, while the global recession has rallied more budget-hunting comparison shoppers online. Online sales are expected to double from 6 to 12 percent ($211.7 billion) of the total retail market by 2012. Nearly 66 percent of U.S. shoppers surveyed said they would purchase the same amount or more on goods over the coming year as they had over the past year at the manufacturer’s Web sites they had visited.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Breaking Through the Barriers to Adopting Social Media in Email Marketing (New Media Knowledge)

Posted: 09/11/2009

A recent survey by email experts StrongMail cited that 62 percent of firms plan to increase social media spending while 66 percent plan to integrate social media into their email marketing campaigns. NMK sat down with Paul Bates, managing director of StrongMail, to get an insider’s perspective for breaking through the barriers to effectively engage social media. Find out where your customers are hanging out online and observe their behavior there; engage competitive analysis across the social spectrum to find out where your competitors are lurking and determine whether they are or are not enjoying success. The conversation with Bates is packed with stats, insights and tips for marketers to engage customers in meaningful conversation and begin to integrate social media into an email marketing strategy with enormous ROI on their marketing dollars.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Peer Groups & Communities

Bridging the Gap: JavaFX for Mobile Devices (Info World)

Posted: 07/18/2009

With more than 2.6 billion mobile phones deployed with Java worldwide, Sun Microsystems is heralding the JavaFX extension as a bridge from desktop to mobile device to television. "JavaFX Mobile delivers rich, expressive user experiences and we know that this is what our customers require these days," Sun’s vice president of marketing Eric Klein said recently at the JavaOne conference in San Francisco. Improvements to the new 1.2 release of JavaFX Mobile include optimized performance, a user interface library, and localization. Future plans include building the JavaFX technology into “smartbook” devices that boast Internet access and GPS capabilities on small, hand-held devices.

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services, Telecommunications
Topic: Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Bug Your Friends With Facebook And See Toy Story 3 (Fast Company)

Posted: 07/22/2010

Going to the movies is great, right? Disney thinks so and encourages you to bring a friend along. In an attempt to help boost ticket sales, a promotion called Disney’s Tickets Together, is pairing up with Facebook to sell tickets for the much anticipated Toy Story 3. Visiting Toy Story 3’s Facebook page will allow you to purchase tickets early, but there’s a twist. Buying tickets early will trigger Facebook to bug you to, in turn, bug your friends to buy tickets. You can also invite friends to join Facebook with this message, “Toy Story 3 arrives in theaters on June 18! Who are you bringing with you?” Will this tactic work? Disney is reporting successful pre-sales.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Build Strong Opt-In Databases To Deliver Value For Customers (BtoB Online)

Posted: 02/17/2011

As business to business (B2B) customers increasingly demonstrate a willingness to share more information, the maxim “you get what you give” has never rung more true. By handing over mission critical information, customers expect to receive more targeted communications that reflect conspicuous value and benefit. Marketers, in turn, get the chance to drive up both response and revenue by directing their communications toward the rich databases they are accumulating. Here are the key steps to consider to encourage your customers to become part of any preference-profiling activities your company engages: First, build trust by using your customers’ information responsibly; next, confidentiality is a must – ‘responsible’ use means no sharing or renting information, ever; and finally, your value proposition must be clear and compelling.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business

Building A Brand Story Greater Than The Sum Of Its Individual Parts (New Media Knowledge)

Posted: 01/20/2011

Rather than providing a plethora of tactical solutions, today’s abundance of marketing channels may simply overwhelm marketers. Standard targeted marketing used to be a relatively simple game of point-and-shoot at three main channels (TV, print and direct mail) to cover all bases. Now, with the addition of social media platforms, mobile marketing, web, and email to the traditional channels, adopting a successful strategy can get confusing. Aim the same message at all the channels and the results can be downright disastrous. Multi-channel marketing offers marketers a mechanism to “pull all these conversations together and build a brand story that is greater than the sum of the individual parts” so marketers can keep their eyes on the prize: customer engagement and action. The key is to understand and respect the characteristics of each channel and then execute each according to how it works uniquely for your brand.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Peer Groups & Communities

Building Best-Run Businesses With SAP’s Targeted Analytic Applications (InformationWeek)

Posted: 10/14/2010

The demand for domain-specific business insight led SAP to launch ten SAP BusinessObjects analytic applications. The customer-centric, problem solving apps include Sales Analysis for Retail; and Trade Promotion Effectiveness and On-Shelf Availability apps for consumer products firms, whose very names reveal how the development process was led by insight from key constituencies within SAP’s customer and industry bases. "These apps attach the knowledge workers to the action so they can make better decisions and help their company become a best-run business," said SAP co-CEO Bill McDermott. While designed with the SAP core customer segments in mind, the apps do not depend on pre-existing SAP deployments so that they will reach across to non-SAP customers, as well. Backed by Sybase mobile technologies, the apps promise benefits like reports and metrics; rapid deployment and actionable analytic insights. Plans to support the apps with mobile are expected to be fulfilled by the end of 2011.

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services, Telecommunications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Buying Power: Facebook and Twitter Boost Online Sales (CRM Daily)

Posted: 01/21/2010

Taking “social shopping” to the next level, ComScore Inc. revealed that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter impacted 28% of buying decisions during the 2009 holiday season. ComScore Chairman and co-founder Gian Fulgoni said, "We are getting our first real glimpse at the impact social media will play on commerce as we enter the next decade." Retailers like J.C. Penney Co. and Eastman Kodak Co. leveraged the extended social reach enjoyed by Facebook and Twitter to entice bargain shoppers mining for deals. More and more, shoppers are tracking special deals from their favorite brands via social networking sites, reportedly 7% on Facebook and 5% on Twitter.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Business Intelligence, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Call Me Social: Zingaya Hooks Up Twitter To Telephone (Red Herring)

Posted: 12/01/2010

Ever get the feeling that there’s more to a post than ‘tweets’ the eye? For those tweets that deserve a little elaboration, UK-based VoIp startup Zingaya recently unveiled a new social media application that allows Twitter followers to call the tweeter to get the inside scoop. The service, called zin.to elevates Twitter feeds to conversation status. The company also offers a VoIP service that enables voice calls through any computer right from a web page via a microphone. “Zin.to can be a very powerful tool for businesses,” the company explains on its website. "For example, company can send promotional offers to its followers asking them to call within a certain time to get an additional discount or to win a prize.” It's only available in the US currently but will likely expand as the company develops this capability. While call forwarding is eventually based on purchased credits, the first 30 minutes of the call forwarding service is free. Those looking for a more cost-effective solution with unlimited options can simply use their Skype user name.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Telecommunications
Topic: Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Canada’s New Wind Mobile Gets Carried Away by Viral Videos (Strategy Magazine)

Posted: 01/06/2010

Imagine a toll both charging pedestrians to use a sidewalk. Ridiculous, right? Canada’s newest mobile phone company, Wind Mobile, agrees and uses this example and others to illustrate problems with the country’s wireless service. Found on YouTube and Wind Mobile’s website, the viral videos promote Wind Mobile’s purpose to provide improved services to Canada’s mobile phone users. “These [videos] were done to till the soil," says Chris Robbins, chief commercial officer at Wind Mobile. "Before we launch, we're trying to keep the conversation going about what's wrong with the current market, the current competition and what's happening in wireless.” Come Christmas in 2009, Wind Mobile’s products will hit the market in Toronto and Calgary, with the intent to bridge Canada’s pesky wireless service gaps.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Telecommunications
Topic: Marketing Communications
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Consumer

Cashing in on Email Buzzwords (Marketing Vox)

Posted: 08/15/2009

New research from MailerMailer's ninth bi-annual Email Marketing Metrics Report, demonstrates that marketers who leverage the ten top email buzzwords like "news," "party" and "free” experience higher open rates. Mapping industry trends, the report shows that religious and spiritually-themed emails are opened most frequently while telecommunications, transportation, travel, banking and finance open rates also top the charts. The report reveals that email deliverability is on the rise with more emails reaching recipients' inboxes and emails sent at the beginning of the week, Monday in particular, experience the highest open rates. With more users tending to view emails from their hand-held devices, the report also provides tips to design mobile-friendly emails so you can cash in on these new trends.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Telecommunications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business

Chatter Mobile: Saleforce.com’s Answer To Enterprise Collaboration (Intelligent Enterprise)

Posted: 10/14/2010

Salesforce.com recently announced Chatter Mobile, a smart-phone application designed to bring CRM-centric, social-networking-style collaboration to Smartphones by the end of 2010. The Web 2.0-styled consumer app lets Saleforce’s Chatter users collaborate with people at work while on-the-go and in real-time. Similar to following Facebook friends and interests, Chatter enables users to subscribe to and "follow" feeds related to their business, as well as keep tabs on what customers and prospects are saying on public networks like Facebook and Twitter. Partners and customers can also "Chatterize" vertical and custom applications through the Force.com development platform. The free service is featured within the company’s cloud-based sales and service applications, which could help a mobile salesperson stay on top of what matters most as they are heading to meet with their clients.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services, Telecommunications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

China: Redefining the Innovation Landscape (Knowledge@Wharton)

Posted: 07/18/2009

Innovation is the golden key to gaining competitive advantage. China is redefining the innovation landscape with its large, adaptable population; affinity for improvisation and reverse engineering; and mature industrial clusters poised to lead the supply chain. The country goes beyond low-cost labor to provide colossal development opportunities for large multinational corporations (MNCs) looking to maximize dollars spent in developing markets. "The culture is very, very good at devising quick and often effective solutions to problems," Marshall Meyer, a Wharton management professor said. The country’s ability to improvise effectively will undoubtedly seal a golden fate in the global economy.

Industry: Retail & Products, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Creative & Design, Technology Implementation
Region: Asia Pacific
Audience: Business to Business

Chinese Company Premier’s World’s First Phone to Run Windows XP (Info World)

Posted: 07/18/2009

Chinese company In Technology recently unveiled the first-ever mobile device capable of running Windows XP. A cool hybrid of mobile phone and pint-sized computer, the device can wake Windows from standby mode to receive calls and text messages and support Wi-Fi, optional WiMax, GPS and next-generation mobile. Other key features include a customized chip from Advanced Micro Devices, pull-out Qwerty board, 120GB hard disk, and a 4.8 inch LCD touchscreen. Battery life averages seven hours while larger batteries can power the device for up to 12 hours. Product release within the Chinese market is scheduled for mid-September with international release slated a bit further down the road.

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services, Telecommunications
Topic: Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Global, Asia Pacific
Audience: Business to Consumer

Clearasil’s Secrets & Science Of Looking Awesome (B&T)

Posted: 11/11/2010

Achieving clear, radiant skin is the ultimate goal from the onset of adolescence into maturity. Now, Reckitt Benckiser’s Clearasil brand has launched a new website to promote its new ‘Secrets & Science of Looking Awesome’ brand positioning. The Website uses an online magazine to offer practical advice based on user generated content and integrates social media into the campaign by prompting users to share links and “iLike” via Facebook. “The 11 - 24 target market for Clearasil is going through life changing landmarks and with the new online platform we’ve designed and developed for them, Clearasil is acknowledging the journey and forming a deeper bond with the brand’s users,” said Tim O’Neill, joint managing director of Reactive, the digital agency that launched the campaign.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: North America, Europe
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Closing the Sale: SeeWhy Helps Businesses Put Abandonment Issues to Rest (Intelligent Enterprise)

Posted: 07/03/2009

You’re spending huge chunks of money to drive traffic to your site, you’re bound to close the sale, right? Not necessarily. Businesses today are finding a significant number of visitors abandon their shopping carts before completing their purchases. SeeWhy helps retailers put their cart abandonment issues to rest with the launch of their new software, Abandonment Tracker. The free service is designed to entice customers into upgrading to Abandonment Tracker Pro, a paid service that will be released in a few weeks. While the price for Abandonment Tracker Pro has not yet been disclosed, the advanced software promises to improve sales conversion rates and reduce abandoned shopping carts. SeeWhy will help retailers lure potential customers back to close the deal rather than having sales evaporating before their very eyes.

Club Med Latest Hotel to “Check In” with its Own Social Network (ClickZ)

Posted: 06/19/2009

Travelers now have the chance to ‘check in’ to Club Med’s new social network long after checking out from an exotic Club Med vacation. After testing its viability on Facebook, the luxury brand recently launched its own social network, Club Med Insiders, offering guests the opportunity to share experiences long past the last Mai Tai. Since its April launch, the site is exceeding its platform goals to encourage bookings, pass along expert travel advice, and create a loyal community of Club Med vacationers. In a down economy, the French-based company has already seen a nearly 2 percent jump between first quarter revenues in 2009 and the first quarter of 2008.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Creative & Design, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global, Europe
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Combining Brick With Clicks Proves Profitable Among Retailers (Internet Evolution)

Posted: 10/14/2010

Bricks-plus-clicks is an emergent marketing strategy that combines online sales with storefront initiatives to boost sales. National brands including Gap and Nordstrom are using the tactic with success. For instance, Gap recently launched a “Universality” initiative in both Canada and the UK for consumers to simultaneously shop Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic merchandise in a “three-in-one” online store. The universality platform brings brands together online with global navigation and a universal shopping cart while the “bricks” includes new fulfillment centers to save shoppers the expense and hassle of import duties and fees and delays at customs. Showing solid sales improvements, Nordstrom is 11 months in to a fluid inventory plan that uses the Internet to connect its traditional-store inventory to its online sales site to make sure that merchandise is never overlooked on store shelves. The company’s new website also incorporates popular social media features.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction
Region: Global, North America, Europe
Audience: Business to Consumer

Connecting with a Hispanic Market (BusinessWeek)

Posted: 06/05/2009

The Hispanic population is the fastest growing segment in the United States, meaning some marketers are missing more than 40 million new customers. Savvy companies like Procter and Gamble, Verizon and General Mills are funneling more marketing dollars into the Hispanic market, a segment proven to purchase products and services from brands advertised on TV. "Hispanic consumers appreciate when you speak to them in their own language," says Edward Gold, advertising director at State Farm Insurance. The approach is paying huge dividends for companies like General Mills, which has seen double-digit sales gains. Taking product integration to the next level, Telemundo and Vidal Partnerships (Client include Home Depot, Kraft Foods and Wendy’s) have formed a strategic alliance to promote an online contest in which viewers will choose the ending for one of the networks telenovelas.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: North America, South-Central America
Audience: Business to Consumer

Contemporary Fashion Fills The “White Space” At The Bay (Strategy Magazine)

Posted: 05/13/2010

Toronto’s Bay recently launched the “White Space," a contemporary designer section at the Queen Street location, with a swanky, invite-only soiree attended by local fashionistas and tastemakers. The high-profile, high-fashion event, co-hosted by Fashion Magazine, followed a similar strategic path that unveiled its couture sister-counterpart, The Room, last fall. VP of marketing, Patrick Dickinson said, “We know Fashion Magazine readers are interested in this kind of shopping destination; they're interested in this kind of experience.” To rollout the launch, the Bay ran full-page black and white print ads in both the Globe and Mail and National Post, in addition to eight full-color ads showcasing Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy that will continue to run after White Space’s debut. The launch party also featured laptop stations where guests could login and tweet about the event while sipping cocktails and browsing White Space’s contemporary line-up of designers.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: North America
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Conversation Sells: Using Twitter to Boost Your Sales (Practical eCommerce)

Posted: 03/31/2009

In a virtual world that often lacks a personal touch, Twitter offers retailers a unique opportunity to make meaningful connections with customers online. Whether you’re quirky or serious, you can customize conversations directly with your customers that authentically reflect the personality of your business while giving you the tools to grow, manage and reward a loyal customer base. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, raves about Twitter's usefulness in building personal connections with customers and employees and Dell's Twitter success led to the creation of the Dell Outlet to offers exclusive discounts to its Twitter supporters. Learn how you, too, can turn conversation into conversion by incorporating Twitter into your online marketing arsenal today.

Industry: Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Creating Intelligent Hyperlocal Campaigns (BrandWeek)

Posted: 03/31/2011

You’ve heard it before: to be an effective marketer you have to reach your audience with the right message at the right place at the right time. With this most basic of marketing principles in mind, more and more businesses are turning their attention to hyperlocal advertising and marketing. As technology continues to evolve, it is easier than ever to pinpoint a customer’s exact location. Pair that with the consumer’s growing interest in being tapped for local marketing and you have a powerful combination. The Mobile Marketing Association found that most mobile users are “interested in allowing their phone to automatically share their location in exchange for perks, such as free use of mobile applications and mobile coupons.” The key is to tap into your current customer base and make your move before your competitors to ensure the most success.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products, Telecommunications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Creating One-To-One Conversations: Customer Data Required (BtoB Online)

Posted: 08/05/2010

E-mail marketers are keeping costs low and continuing to invest in e-mail, according to interactive agency Razorfish’s “2010 Outlook Report”, released on May 24. E-mail marketing use is changing; said Joe Mele, Razorfish’s managing director of media and marketing, “We’re definitely seeing a move to one-to-one marketing. Marketers are using the channel as a personalization space to do quite a bit of targeted advertising.” To accomplish such personalization and expand e-mail marketing, Mele suggests texting and reaching out to salespeople for specific data to customize ads down to the offers, messaging, images and design. “Texting is as addressable as e-mail but able to take on a more intimate feel,” Mele said.

Crutchfield Optimizes First Impression (MarketingVOX)

Posted: 05/13/2009

This case study explores how online retailers can turn the average welcome email into a powerful conversion driving tool. A Retail Welcome Email Benchmark study estimates that only 76% of the biggest online retailers are even utilizing a welcome email—which is not to assume that the ones being sent are effective. The welcome email can be used to educate the recipient about your brand and what benefits they receive as a subscriber. In the case of Crutchfield, an online electronics retailer, they transformed their welcome email from a text only email to one that highlighted the differentiating factors of their brand. The redesign added images and was more consistent with the look of the newsletters recipients would receive. Crutchfield’s approach represents a changing trend with up to 89% of retailers sending HTML welcome emails, up 11% from 2007.

Industry: Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, Creative & Design, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Delivering Real Business Value… Fast with webMethods 8.0 (eWeek)

Posted: 07/31/2009

Companies looking to reduce time and cost to improve processes, deploy new services and applications, and integrate new systems can now do so even faster… up to 25% or more says Software AG. The latest release of Software AG’s webMethods 8.0 delivers new functionality to satisfy customer demand and innovation to hone the brand’s competitive advantage. New features include CentraSite ActiveSOA, an integrated Business Service Repository to tie business process management (BPM) to service-oriented architecture (SOA), and webMethods Mediator, a new service succedding webMethods X-Broker. A wealth of other features include a unified, Eclipse-based management and administration across SOA, BPM, and Integration and embedded Business Intelligence for document management to deliver real value faster in an ever-changing business climate.

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Developers Build Native Mobile Web Applications With Titanium 1.0 (Info World)

Posted: 04/29/2010

Appcelerator recently released Titanium 1.0, a cross-platform development system for mobile and desktop applications. The open source system is compatible with JavaScript, PHP, and Ruby, which eliminates the need for mobile application builders to learn the Objective-C language for iPhone or Google's Java language for Android systems. A translator enables building mobile and desktop applications that will run natively on different systems. The system supports development for PCs, Macintosh, and Linux while mobile platforms include Apple iPhone and Google Android. Plans include Research In Motion Blackberry support within the year. Scott Schwarzhoff, vice president of marketing for Appcelerator attributes Titanium’s competitive advantage over other cross-platform development frameworks to its ability to “offer native performance as well as native UI (user interface) and access to device capabilities.” Eliminating the barrier of learning Objective-C makes Titanium highly attractive to developers. Appcelerator will also develop a version of Titanium for Apple's new iPad.

Developers Welcome Apple’s In-App Purchases with Open Arms (Info World)

Posted: 12/03/2009

Apple’s change to allow in-application purchasing for free IPhone apps comes as good news for application developers. Developers can say goodbye to the days when in-app purchasing was only available in apps that cost money. Apple’s newly-enabled in-app purchase feature for free iPhone apps allows developers to include the option to upgrade to the premium level and fulfill transactions within the free applications themselves. The new feature means the Apple App Store won't be flooded with similar versions of the same application and it could also help prevent software piracy, according to Apple. It also relieves redundancy for developers by eliminating the need to create teaser versions of paid applications. The pricing model will remain the same, with Apple fulfilling backend billing and taking a percentage of the in-app purchase price.

Industry: Telecommunications
Topic: E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Diaspora Code Released Publicly; May Improve Framework For Businesses (CIO Magazine)

Posted: 10/27/2010

A new project, called Diaspora, was recently released to public developers in hopes of bringing the project to fruition as a new social network – defined by community – that promises “the benefits of Facebook without the privacy concerns.” The project’s creators are at a standstill, stating, "We began the summer a list of technologies, and a few bold claims and the goal to make an intrinsically more private social network. The overwhelming response that we elicited made us realize that technology wouldn't be enough." The Diaspora project could prove useful in providing businesses with a framework for implementing proprietary, internal social networks without running the risk of divulging trade secrets or sensitive materials. With the goal to integrate Diaspora into Facebook, businesses also won’t have to sacrifice giving up the social network’s huge audience.

Industry: Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Digital River Is Getting Social With Ecommerce (Electronic Commerce Guide)

Posted: 12/16/2010

Digital River, a global ecommerce service provider, recently launched SocialStream, a new social media tool. Using the tool, Digital River customers can rapidly set in motion new e-store promotions and then manage them over different Facebook and Twitter accounts. Ecommerce-Guide.com reported Jim Wehmann, senior vice president of global marketing for Digital River saying that “Social Stream lets marketers and e-store owners optimize social media campaigns with just a few clicks from within the standard Digital River interface they already know and use.” While SocialStream is certainly not the first ecommerce service offering of its kind, the package’s most significant advantage is that it provides e-store owners with access to social analytics. The ability to report critical commerce data relating to social media activities like unique clicks, conversions and revenue generated for each social campaign for each social account allows companies to validate the success of each campaign.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Digital Window Shopping: The Return of the Online Cart Deserter (Marketing Vox)

Posted: 10/22/2009

A McAfee study found that online cart deserters may simply suffer from a temporary case of cold feet. Digital Window Shopping: The Long Journey to Buy, finds that 65% of online window shoppers simply wait a day or two before committing to a purchase. The study, which examined 163 million online transactions, suggests that these shoppers may just open their wallets a little more slowly than others. "The good news is that those shoppers who you thought were disappearing may not be gone, they may just be delaying," said Research Analyst Shane Keats of McAfee. Sales conversions are 11% higher when accompanied by security cues like Trustmark and a PayPal/comScore study found that 21% of buyers will abandon a site completely without security verification, further suggesting that abandonment and security issues go hand-in-hand.

Discover Technology’s Next Big Star At South By Southwest Interactive Festival (CNET News)

Posted: 04/29/2010

The competition is on to see who emerges as SXSWi's (South by Southwest Interactive Festival) biggest technology star. This year’s hottest ticket? The rivalry brewing between Gowalla and Foursquare, competing “geolocation” mobile applications which let users "check in" from their smartphones, share locations, and compete to earn Gowalla virtual goods and Foursquare "badges". With round-the-clock parties, panels, meet-and-greets and apps like Foodspotting, which uses GPS to help users locate specific menu items at local restaurants, the festival is poised to take over the entire city. Other geolocation start-ups want in on the action: Sunday night’s "Geobash" is co-hosted by SimpleGeo, HotPotato and Yowza, Loopt is launching a revamped, events-based iPhone app and Powered’s iPhone app "Snark It" earns users “liquidity” points to use toward free drinks.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Creative & Design, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Technology Implementation
Region: Global, North America
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Doritos iD3: Unveils the Mysterious Flavor of London’s Underworld (Digital Arts)

Posted: 10/08/2009

Dubbed iD3, Doritos’ newest flavor plays on the mysteriously hard-to-identify flavors often found in packaged foods. To launch the savory snack, Doritos tapped rehabstudio to build an interactive advergame set among the grit and grime of London’s seedy crime world. The hook? Identify the exact flavor for the chance to win £20,000. Rather than going straight to the masses, Doritos engaged rehabstudio to design an interactive experience using elements of film and narrative to lead gamers through a suite of ‘choose your own adventure’ options. Utilizing a sophisticated back end system, the game pushes its cutting-edge technology to the max and extends beyond Doritos’ website. The 3D game uses the Facebook Connect app, allowing developers to create a personalized advergame that draws content from and links back to a user’s Facebook profile.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products, Technology, Consulting, & Professional Services
Topic: Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications, Technology Implementation
Region: Europe
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

Driving the Competition (BrandWeek)

Posted: 06/19/2009

With 1.2 million members worldwide and more than 145,904 fans on Facebook, brand behemoth Harley-Davidson is now driving their brand power home online with social media and mobile marketing. Proud of its powerful offline impact, according to Randy Sprenger manager of electronic advertising and direct promotions, online campaigns and mobile marketing are helping the company get in touch with what people are saying outside the walls of Harley. Sprenger claims the brand’s strength can be attributed to the personal connection established between company and rider. “We are actually riders. We participate in events as riders. I think one of the greatest strengths is the passion and enthusiasm here at the motor company for our riders. We always want to be out, talking to them.”

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, Creative & Design, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer, Peer Groups & Communities

eBags’ Sales Spike Due To More Targeted Advertising (Internet Retailer)

Posted: 01/21/2010

Thanks to revved up sales starting Cyber Monday, reasonable product prices and some savvy marketing, eBags reported a 40.3% increase in holiday traffic over 2008. eBags, a leading online retailer of bags and accessories, also reported a 32% increase in sales, enjoying four of its top five best-selling days in its 10-year history. Peter Cobb, co-founder and senior vice president of marketing, attributes the boon to eliminating inefficient keyword spending and launching personalized e-mail marketing campaigns. Based on shoppers’ previous purchases, eBags offered products its customers really cared about, resulting in a 25% increase in email returns. The online retailer ramped up the campaign by establishing firm targets for sales resulting from particular keywords, resulting in a 45% increase.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Business Intelligence, Content Strategy, E-Commerce, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Email Remains Key Tactic To Boost Engagement In 2011 (BtoB Online)

Posted: 03/31/2011

According to StrongMail’s 2011 Marketing Trends Survey, which collected responses from 925 business leaders, 50 percent of those surveyed said their marketing budgets will increase this year, 43% of budgets will remain the same, and 65% said they plan to increase email spending. Ryan Deutsch, VP-strategic services at StrongMail, said “If someone receives 15 emails from you and doesn't open any of them, [the email server or ISP] might start blocking subsequent emails,” he said. Therefore, it’s just as important to design you emails according to who is opening them as it is to target those who aren’t. Often, all it takes is sending out an offer they can’t refuse. Designing a compelling welcome series can go a long way in communicating the value of your communications.

Encouraging Online Consumers To Trade Caution For Confidence (Practical eCommerce)

Posted: 06/17/2010

Cautious “digital window shopping” may be a thing of the past thanks to a revelation by McAfee Secure. According to McAfee, the lapse between online consumers placing items in virtual shopping carts and completing purchases is nearly two days. Implementing a few cost, service, and security tips such as retailers’ use of coupons, size-based shipping discounts on orders, and price guarantees can help retail websites attract more confident consumers. Accepting multiple forms of payment, including product data links on website checkout pages, encrypting transactions, displaying “trust marks” showing website safety and reliability, and maintaining an organized, well-designed site will all help ensure both loyal consumers and timely transactions.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications, Retail & Products
Topic: Content Strategy, Creative & Design, E-Commerce, Experience & Interaction, Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Consumer

Evolution Or Revolution? The Rise Of A New Advertising Age (Internet Evolution)

Posted: 04/15/2010

Research firm Outsell projects that 2010 will be a banner year for digital advertising. With revenues projected to reach $119.6 billion on digital media compared to $111.5 billion on ads in traditional print magazines and newspapers, this could be the year digital advertising revenues overtake traditional print media. "Advertisers are directing dollars toward the channels which generate the most qualified leads and most effective branding," Outsell vice president and lead analyst Chuck Richard said. According to Outsell, digital spending encompasses email, video ads, display ads and search engine marketing. The impact on the estimated $368 billion annual marketing costs? It’s likely to get more expensive. "I believe there is still a need for mass media like TV, radio, and some print... and the changes will be that the big media will get bigger and more expensive," states Mitch Drew, a TV ad salesperson and blogger based in Vancouver.

Industry: Marketing, Design, & Interactive Communications
Topic: Marketing Communications
Region: Global
Audience: Business to Business, Business to Consumer

Previous 1 2 3 4 Next

What We Are Reading

Browse By: