Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

image credit: Psycho Crow [Flickr]

Online privacy is a personal issue for people. Every inch we move into a more open and thus exposed web creates dozens of angry blog entries and Facebook protest groups. But ultimately, there are a lot of people out there that have come to accept the reality of their digital footprint. And far more out there that don't even know how to do anything in order to protect their privacy better.

So the question is: If awareness comes to more than the technically savvy few, is there a threat to data accuracy? And as data becomes more inaccurate, so does the relevance of contextual advertising, creating a new generation of people who rather just "shut it off", because it means nothing to them.

Should we be giving users more options to turn off ads, to turn off tracking? Or should we just be giving them better ads? And are those two things becoming mutually exclusive?

It's noon pacific time and that means April Fool's jokes are officially passe'. So we'll let you in on our little prank.

We're sorry to inform you that the Senior Re-tweeter position is no longer available. Interestingly enough, we did have lots of tweets and retweets and a few applicants. Four on the latter, to be exact. Here's some of the other stats it garnered:

Hits to job posting:  1569
Rickrolled viewers:  309
Appeared on:
Agency Spy's list of pranks 
TechCrunch (scroll down the page)
Tribble 

But hey, while you're in the neighborhood, feel free to check out the REAL jobs we do have open at Organic. 

Special shout out to Sam Cannon, Scott Lange and Dan Sicko for crafting this faux job. Thanks to all who retweeted, posted to their Facebook page and spread the word -- either knowingly or unknowingly. 

Traci Armstrong 

photo credit: dramafreezone

Last month we told you about a local restaurant who asked patrons to Yelp about them. 

There has been quite backlash around restaurants "paying" to have positive reviews displayed more prevalent than the negative ones. In Chicago it has altered how the restaurant community views Yelp.

So when a local Detroit area restaurant asked customers to give them reviews, customers instinctively thought they were asking for POSITIVE reviews. Appears they really weren't asking for positive reviews after all. The owner came clean in an email mid March.

No ill-intentions or "shady yelping" as someone put it were the motivation here. Just good, honest guest feedback to help me as a business owner and, in today's current economy, I will take all of the feedback I can get to help grow my business and serve everyone walking in our doors.

Thanks again to all of you who took this the way it was meant. I did get some great feedback and suggestions. I should have elaborated a little more on my Email. It was not a cry for "Yelp." But, I did get ALL the "Yelp" I will ever need.

Sincerely,

Tim,
Zumba Mexican Grille

This is an example of a small business owner who gets customer service. He's embracing social media as a means to help him better his products, or in this case, his salsa bar.

Then, he took the action even further when he truly altered his product and service based on customer feedback. In an email he sent out at the end of March, he tells subscribers that he's listened and made three significant changes. Hence, he brought back an old favorite, made improvements on freshness and dropped prices.

Now that's the way to do business!

Sarah Jo Sautter

Edward Vielmetti, one of the more interesting presenters at this year's Internet User Experience conference, brought up a profound question that every business... and every consumer should ask themselves...

Am I seen as an expense or an opportunity? Or in the case of a business, do you see your customers as an expense or do you see potential to sell product?

We are turned off by the idea of sales people. We are turned off by the idea of advertising.  Many of us like to think of an imaginary world where people just do good things to be good, without another agenda.  But doing things just to "be good" doesn't always equal the best user experience.

In his talk regarding the public transit system of Ann Arbor, Ed brought up a good point that the actions of public organizations don't live up to the needs of the people who ride the bus, because they are viewed as an expense.  So "good enough" will do.  But for the small business on the bus route, they'd be willing to pay to ensure that the customer experience is better, because they see these same people as an opportunity, a potential customer.

So should private organizations be allowed to enhance public works?

Well, this is something that KFC is already trying to do in Louisville, the city where they are based, by fixing the pothole problem in exchange for the opportunity to place a temporary chalk advertisement on the new asphalt.

"KFC-refreshed potholes will be branded via a large stencil that reads 'Re-Freshed by KFC' in eye-catching, but non-permanent street chalk."

It's advertising disguised as a good deed, but it still is a good deed, right?  Well, the act set PETA and some consumers off into a reactive tizzy.  Should companies be allowed to use public works to advertise themselves?  Where should the line be drawn?  Or are we seeing this in the wrong light? 

Maybe the small business is the one who is going to work just a little bit harder to fill those potholes or to make bus maps better, because for they see an opportunity, not an expense.

Marta Strickland

Scary Headline: Americans spend eight hours a day on screens.

Is this something we need to fight? Is this something we can fight? Screens have become such an integral part of how we socialize and the way we experience the world. And this has some interesting implications on the future, some of which I hope aren't true. I don't want to live in a world of the Sekai Camera or future glass, where you look and talk to the world through a screen. I also don't know that I want to live in the world of the "Sixth Sense" where we are projecting data onto physical objects.

Instead I prefer the vision of Kumi Akiyoshi, who talked at the IUE2009 conference about creating digital experiences beyond sight and into the tactile. The joy of popping the infinite edamame (above) is something we can't get from a disconnected unnatural click. Why can't our phones feel different when we have a new e-mail?

What Has Been Happening This Week

All Social is Mobile, All Mobile is Social
Does it really matter that social networking is usurping mobile messaging as a communication tool? No, because soon all mobile phones will be an integral part of social networks and vice versa. Proof this week... Facebook Connect comes to the iPhone and some of our favorite applications (like Urbanspoon) became more social. You are able to join a Facebook fan page now via text message. And while this doesn't exactly prove my points, it is nonetheless awesome: Skype for the iPhone, it's real and it's spectacular.

The Up And Coming Relevant Web
Web 3.0 is all about making things relevant based on who you are, where you are, and what you are doing. It's a movement that is growing as social data is leveraged for not just socializing but delivering relevant contextual information. Examples this week... a discovery engine is coming to the Twitter homepage. Contextual social browser extension Glue has launched a new version that adds "connected conversations". MySpace is going local, announcing a partnership with Citysearch.

But really Twitter is the big player in this whole movement. They platform is now 3 years old, and it is "ready to change the world". Whether of not if finds its business model, people are already excited about the possibility of Twitter leading the way to analyze the thoughts of the public as events happen and as a tool for real world business intelligence. What is exciting today, is scary and real tomorrow, is acceptable and passe next year?

Marta Strickland

Dan Klyn, a speaker at the IUE2009 conference, is an information architect by trade, and has sought out to create a book via collaboration around the lessons that IAs and XAs have yet to steal from "regular-old architects".

regular-old-architects seem to do a better job than information architects in the schematics-and-models phase of a project. their trade is an ancient one, and i suspect they've learned some things about the creation and use of abstract representations of design intent to secure client buy-in and sign-off.

His goal is to help those in the design and marketing profession avoid those dreaded client words: Now that I see it! It's this type of miscommunication and misunderstandings that leads to last minute changes and bad decisions, because the client didn't really understand until it was too late.

What can we learn from architects:
1. Start with the joints (points of stress)
2. Progressive disclosure: a logical, smooth storyline
3. Detail generates character
4. Embrace collaborative authorship
5. Get physical, get emotional

Sure, these are good lessons for information architects, experience architects, user experience designers, etc. But I would argue that there is a wider moral to be learned from each one of these points. We should all be testing out friction points in projects and presentations, spending our energy wisely on the pieces that create character, give our clients a reason to care... These five lessons from real architects teach us how to tell better stories and thus how to create better work.

image credit: nerovivo

There's been a lot of flack from breastfeeding advocates around the free formula samples that doctors and hospitals give out.

But from a marketer's perspective and one customer, they're doing something right. Is it what was inside the bag? Definitely, according to one new dad at Organic. Is it the fact that it was free? My bet.

Harpreet Sandhu and his wife (and daughter) took a liking to Nestle Good Start formula first after their daughter spit out the others. His fondness grew even more when he received the brand's backpack full of goodies from his pediatrician.

"The most compelling things about the backpack were the design and content," he raved. He likes that it is compact. Even the small changing pad has its own pocket. To him, it's "the perfect size for carrying diapers, wipes and bottles when you have to go somewhere with your baby."  The temperature-retaining material on the inside for holding milk along with and ice pack making it essentially a little cooler. Also the changing pad was compact and had its own pocket. The literature in the bag was interesting and filled with helpful advice. The backpack also included a DVD for new parents, growth charts and an interactive spinning wheel of advice for babies based on their ages.
 
This free backpack program has been going on for a couple years. And from a dad's perspective, "It was the most useful package that I received during the whole birth process." As if the backpack alone wasn't enough. Inside is a free baby blanket, DVD, CD, bottle ice pack, photo album, diaper changing pad, money saving coupons and more.

Harpreet admitted that it converted him into buying a few brands they were advertising in there. Not only could these promotions maintain or increase favorable perceptions of the brand. They may do it so well that users are likely to recommend it to a friend -- or in Harpreet's case, his sister-in-law who's expecting her first baby soon.

In Harpreet's situation, the pediatrician only offered the backpack when he and his wife said they were already using the brand. Though many hospitals are quick to give them out as soon as new mothers are released. Just look in any of the expectant parent magazines lying around OB/GYN offices and you'll find a coupon that you're supposed to give to your doctor for the free backpack.

When I had my baby, my hospital sent me home with a similar bag. It, too, had literature and coupons from some formula manufacturer. I had already made my decision to breastfeed and the nurses knew this, so I'm surprised they wasted their stash on me. But I took it anyway. At home, I recycled all of the literature and kept the free bag. I can't even remember which brand sponsored it. I just remember how excited I was to get an extra bag -- one that was insulated to carry extra bottles of breastmilk.

So are formula companies pushing a life choice upon a vulnerable target? Maybe. But we're adults and we make our own decisions. And who's to say that the Le Leche League or another group couldn't put together the same backpack with a different logo? Well, one group has countered with their own campaign. Breastfeeding advocates created a program called Ban the Bags.

As a breastfeeding supporter myself, I see why Nestle's campaign would cause controversy. But as a marketer, that controversy tells me the brand hit home on something. It's what we, at Organic, call empathy-led design.

How would opinions change if Nestle only distributed the bags through their website instead of hospitals and doctor's offices? I ask the question of mothers and marketers alike.


Thanks to Harpreet Sandhu for sharing his exceptional experience.
Sarah Jo Sautter
 

image credit:  informationarchitects.jp/wtm

For the past three years, Information Architects Japan has been producing stunning visual maps of web trends based on Tokyo's iconic subway system. Their 2009 final beta map is now online.

It's their best map yet for recording the most popular, successful, influential web sites, the sites' ownership, inspirational leadership along with visualizing the interconnectivity of digital trends. As with previous years, there is insider "commentary" based upon which companies (and people) occupy the more prominent stations. Because it is still in beta, the author is seeking feedback -- but hurry because comments close on Friday, April 10th. When the final version is released,  you'll be able to download it in a number of formats and impress your colleagues. Or give a geek a gift: 1000 limited edition posters suitable for framing will be available for purchase.

Previous versions of the web trends maps can be found here:
2008
2007

Do you find these useful? Or are they simply really captivating eye candy?

Lori Laurent Smith

image credit: MR McGill

In the growing field of Neuro Marketing, we're beginning to understand the neuro science behind what appeals to a consumer from the primordial recesses of the brain. Susan Weinschenk, researcher and author of the book Neuro Web Design, What Makes Them Click?, is applying this principle to web design. She presented some of her findings at the Internet User Experience 2009 conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan. What an eye opener!

In the study of human-computer interaction (HCI), we often look at cognitive psychology to understand what motivates a person to click. In fact, the study of HCI was born from cognitive psych. Weinschenk, however, points out that this goes deeper. Decisions are motivated not only by the conscience but also by the unconscious mind.

Weinschenk touched on three interesting principles. I'll begin with the last since it's the most exciting: the principle of social validation. If a user is uncertain about a decision, he or she will look to other people. Specifically, consumers trust peers over expert reviews or recommender systems. We, as web marketers, can apply this principle in smart application design and social media. Find and promote the community around a product and include credible reviews.

Another principle is related to decision making and the number of choices presented. Users may say they want many choices, but the research presented in the book actually proves that the fewer the choices, the more likely a person will click -- or better yet, purchase. Too many choices cause the user to freeze and make no choice at all.

The third principle presented was the fear of loss. It's better to begin with all options and then allow the user to subtract. The fear of loss principle means that users are reluctant to remove options and more likely to purchase a product with premium options if that is what is first presented. An example of this principle in play is on Dell's website. Products begin with more expensive options and the user can subtract these for a less expensive end product.

Since all this happens on a subconsciousness level, it's hard to say whether or not (as a consumer) I've actually acted this way during a purchase process. Still, I agree with Weinschenk's conclusions. I'm eager to apply these learnings in my XA practice. I'd like to give users fewer and more relevant choices. Then integrate social media as a way to influence their decisions.

So the next time you make a purchase decision, think about what made you choose what you did.

Anthony Viviano

This week one brand harnessed the power of Facebook connect. In order to grab the attention of risk-takers, the movie Crank High Voltage (the sequel to the first action-thriller-comedy) encouraged users to allow the movie to take over their Facebook page.  That's like allowing someone you don't know too well to borrow your car. They don't tell you where they might drive it, but they do promise to return it after they're finished. Oh, and they warn you that it might cause a bit of mayhem, but it'll be exciting because you could win some cash. Do you do it?

Pretty risky, but also kind of intriguing. And that's what Crank High Voltage hoped to accomplish in 14 days on Facebook. But what did the movie's fans think? A few Organic peeps weighed in.

Its really funny
-St.John Oneil-Dunne, Global Business Development

I think its great for attention. I don't know enough about the film to know how well it integrates the appeal.
-Chad Stoller, Executive Director, Emerging Platforms

So I risked my facebook "reputation" and did all those challenges. I must say. I'm very disappointed. I really like how they utilized the functionality of Facebook to create these challenges: updating my status with link to the site, and videos, upload images and tagging...etc. Unfortunately, the content of the challenges is not that impressive in my opinion. Maybe this is the tone of the movie, but this is not what I remember with their first movie, nor from the new trailer. I was hoping the challenges would be more about achieving some missions or more sneak peak about the movie, rather than telling all my friends who I "hook up" with, and what kind of STD I've got.... NOT GOOD... Or am I just lacking a sense of that kind of humor??
-Euphenia Cheng, Designer

So, it looks like they lost at least one fan. Did they go too far or not far enough?

Sarah Jo Sautter

image credit: tanakawho

We told you about how one restaurant used customer feedback on Yelp to better their product and service. Well, now Yelp is making it official. They're allowing restaurants to respond directly to customer comments.

Previously, Yelp had limited small businesses' voice on the site to paid advertisements. But in the past year, Yelp has been taking steps to foster their relationships with these local businesses starting with allowing them to update their own business profile and contact reviewers privately.

This is great news for smaller local restaurants like Zumba just outside of Detroit, whom I first wrote about emailing customers to encourage them to write Yelp reviews. They then followed up by letting customers know that they indeed acted upon those requests.

Yelp doesn't screen comments, but users can flag inappropriate ones. Until now, this has been cumbersome for businesses who simply want to publicly rectify their name. Other reviewer sites like TripAdvisor have been allowing businesses to post responses for some time, though Yelp still remains a favorite among locals. Yelp has been accused of bias towards some restaurants in certain communities. So is this Yelp's way of rectifying itself?

Yelp has created a Business Owner's Guide to help restaurants like Zumba (and other businesses) that want to address their customer's comments.

As a marketer, this is could really help dispel myths and maintain branding. However from a consumer perspective, I'm a little skeptical. If I could be sure every restaurant would take action like Zumba, I'd trust the business responses I read. But honestly, I'm more likely to believe people who are more like me.

And according to research, I'm not the only one. Just look at these statistics:

- Online users value consumer reviews, 53%, over expert reviews, 40%, and traditional advertising, 11%. (JupiterResearch / Bazaar Voice Survey, Online Consumer Opinions/Use of User Generated Content, January 2008)

- Online social network users were three times more likely to trust their peers' opinions over advertising when making purchase decisions. ("Social Networking Sites: Defining Advertising Opportunities in a Competitive Landscape," JupiterResearch, March 2007)

- "Person like themselves" still most trusted source for information about a company and, therefore, products. (Edelman Trust Barometer, November 2007)

So if all the evidence says consumers won't listen to businesses' posts, will Yelp's new policies really work?

Sarah Jo Sautter

CNN usually is not a good source for learning new tech trends. But when CNN finally catches up to something, it may be an indicator that a saturation point has been reached. Take this latest Facebook story, for example:  All in the Facebook family: older generations join social networks.

 It states:

• Women older than 55 make up the fastest-growing age group on Facebook.

• Expert says the site has hit a "tipping point," causing older people to join.

• Some older family members use the site to get in touch with younger generations.

• One mother says Facebook has become her family's "living room."

If this is indeed a "tipping point," there are some potential implications to consider:

1. Is it okay to use Facebook as a marketing channel to reach older demographics now?
2. What are the behavioral differences between different generations on the same social network?
3. Would the influx of parents and grandparents alter the user base's attitude and etiquette?
4. Would there be a teen exodus to Twitter or back to MySpace?

I'm sure the answers will emerge soon enough. In the meantime, enjoy the paradigm shift.

Fang-Yu Lin

A few days ago two Domino's employees took it upon themselves to document a pretty distasteful (literally) joke -- or so they're calling it now. If you haven't seen the video that many sites grabbed before YouTube pulled it down, you might want to pass.

One employee plays the old prank of putting something that doesn't belong into an order he's making while the other employee captures it on video. To make it worse, they act like this isn't the first time they've done this. Just check out their other videos. Not good for Domino's or the fast food world in general.

But the crowdsourced sleuthing came to the rescue. The Consumerist stepped in, helped locate the store and the employees, then alerted the manager and Domino's headquarters. Dominos responded quickly by firing the employees. That's what we'd expect, but that doesn't help skeptics like me who wonder if there are copycats out there messing with orders right now. (And I'm sure there are.)

So could Domino's have avoided this mess to begin with? What should they do now to make sure it doesn't happen again? A few Organic employees weighed in:

"Honestly, any attempt like that just looks like duct tape. The real source of the problem is disengaged employees. It reminds me of that great training game where you managed a Kinkos full of unsatisfied and unhappy employees.

The real solution here is training and programs that incentivise and motivate employees. If that happened at a Starbucks, the problem would have been rectified before it ever got that bad."
-Chad Stoller, Executive Director, Emerging Platforms

"...Disengaged employees, or just bad hires? It's naïve to think this kind of crap doesn't go on everywhere. I worked in a restaurant during college, and well, it's a wonder we don't all get sick more often. The best way to deal with this proactively is to hire folks with the right attitude, first and foremost. Although it's interesting, that girl who made the video was perky and happy as hell and probably interviewed well, same as the booger guy. But they were both missing a chip or two, clearly. Certainly, good training programs and involved management make a huge difference, but in certain industries, maybe what a company like that needs to do is institute some kind of prescreening psych test."
-Tracy Coté, Executive Director, Human Resources

No matter what, Domino's will definitely take a hit. I'm sure there are many people who side with these comments:

"Wow. This really gives me pause. Guess I will be eating at home tonight and far into the future."
-Jeff Bossardet, Associate Creative Director

"I just threw up in my mouth a little. You hear things like this and I think a lot of times, you brush them off. No more, I say!"
-Tara Williams, Copywriter

Do you think Domino's did all that they could? What should/could they do now to increase customer trust? And the big question, will you ever eat at Domino's again?

Thanks to Chad Stoller and Jay Bain for the links.

Sarah Jo Sautter

TinyURL may have started the abbreviated URL trend, but others are capitalizing on it. Smart, the maker of those über-compact cars, encourages you to "use so-smart.be to park large url's in tiny spaces." Besides the obvious pun (get it? Smart cars are short.), this is a really interesting branding move by Smart. Local San Francisco agency EVB just started using their own evb.com short URL generator too when someone at their company realized that their agency's URL was shorter than tinyurl.com. 

As more people generate and resend links via Twitter, Facebook, etc., will we see more short URL generators from other brands? Perhaps, if the generator URLs themselves are easy to access and fit the whole URL distribution model.
 
Jay Bain

Within the last 24 hours, Twitter has reached historic milestones. Ashton Kutcher marked 1 million+ followers. CNN followed shortly after. And, yes my friends, (drum roll please) today: Oprah will send her first Tweet on national television. This occasion has some asking:  Will Oprah's endorsement ruin Twitter's underground geek appeal? Will Twitter explode to mainstream adoption?  But, after checking out Oprah's Twitter profile myself, it had me asking:  Who the heck are the other 34 Oprahs on Twitter?

Persona hijacking isn't new to Social Networking. In fact, Carri Bugbee has built an entire business model around it.  Bugbee is the mastermind behind creating faux Twitter personas of characters from the AMC network series Madmen. In this Ad Age interview, Bugbee describes the extensive effort she made to not only create an authentic persona of the fictional character Peggy Olson (and later other characters) but to find other Twitter conversation about MadMen and join it.  In fact, last fall, I wrote on Organic's ThreeMinds about my shock of being contacted by "Peggy Olson" after complimenting her new haircut on Twitter. Turns out, it was Carri Bugbee behind the thank you Tweet to me. Bugbee's Tweets as Peggy Olson generated a following of over 12,000 people. Her efforts have been recognized in the first ever Knight foundation Shorty awards.

Bugbee's initiative was not endorsed or approved by AMC and Madmen - but they were thrilled with the end payoff.  And, it has led to Bugbee starting her own Twitter ad agency, Supporting Characters to help other entertainment entities achieve similar results. However she is careful to point out in her blog, the differences between Brand Advocacy and Brand hijacking:

"There may be a fine line between brand advocacy and brand hijacking. I firmly believe that Mad Men on Twitter is pure brand advocacy, but that's also because I've interacted with them myself and know they all have the interests of the show as their focus. Brands should act as facilitators and the starters of the conversation. Brands who are social media savvy will be in the space themselves and engaging with their customers. Hijacking suggests malevolence so rather than just unleashing lawyers willy nilly, check out what is being said and only engage legal when absolutely necessary."

Besides creating fake profiles for others, Bugbee admits to having multiple Twitter profiles for herself - based on subject matter.  One profile covers her expertise in social media while another covers her love for Jazz music. So, is having multiple personalities for yourself acceptable on Social Networks?  

There seem to be two schools of thought on this. In a recent conversation with Organic's Executive Director, Emerging Platforms, Chad Stoller, he jokes: "For some on Twitter, it has become a contest of who can read the fastest. There are people simply Tweeting news that others are writing and yet they have nothing interesting to talk about themselves."

Many social networking experts insist a varied and multi-faceted approach to your on-line conversation is more dynamic and interesting to followers. Some of the best advice I've heard about creating great short content is to get out from behind your computer and live - so you have new and interesting things to discuss.

On the other hand, there are purists that believe your blog, or micro-blog in this case, should be strictly about one subject.  They may have a point. Typically, I Tweet about Social Networking for Job Search. But occasionally, I throw in some personal observations or experiences - completely unrelated.  Earlier this week, I commented on how happy I was my husband had prepped our taxes and April 15 was stress free for me.  According to Qwittter, an app I downloaded to monitor when people stop following me on Twitter, six people unfollowed me after that Tweet.  

Hmmm... maybe I should have Tweeted that post to my "Wives Who Hate Filing Taxes" profile. On second thought, I'll wait for someone else to create that persona for me.

Traci Armstrong

Rather than struggle to think too hard on my first day back from vacation :)... I think this week's activities can be best expressed in numbers and videos.

What's Been Happening This Week (Numbers)
- 1 Million followers of Ashton on Twitter
- 1 Million social networks on Ning
- 7 Million unique users of Twitter last month
- 100 Million monthly viewers on YouTube in the US alone
- 200 Million unique users on Facebook

What's Been Happening This Week (Videos)

The power of social media crushes another brand, who was not prepared to deal with this type of thing.

The power of social media brings fame to those who deserve it most, and tears to those who follow along.

The power of social media brings people together to create something new and beautiful.

Marta Strickland

For the past few days, the technology blogosphere has been buzzing about the upcoming Hulu iPhone app. About the same time, there is a widespread rumor proclaiming full HD output and iTunes streaming from next generation iPhone and iPod touch. It is not difficult to put two and two together, and see the enormous market disruption potential in an iPhone centric living room entertainment solution.

If indeed the new iPhone and iPod touch can support full HD and iTunes streaming, many users may be tempted to purchase Apple's video output cable to watch content on their HDTV. Some may also want to watch Hulu, TV.com, Joost, and other video serving apps this way as well. For Apple, iPhone and iPod touch would suddenly transform into a killer media center with a formidable install base. For the consumers, the relatively open platform would ensure that they have access to diverse content from various sources. For content providers, this model affords them a direct channel to media consumers, bypassing carriers, cable operators, and other traditional channels (even iTunes Store).

The last point can be a big boost to organizations, big and small, who don't have direct tie to those media titans. For instance, Big Ten Network could release an app that relays their NCAA games live or on-demand, without involving in protracted negotiations with cable companies. Another example would be performance arts institutions, such as Lincoln Center and Village Vanguard, creating their own apps to broadcast live or recorded performances, rehearsals, and interviews--a new and conceivably substantial revenue stream.

Assuming iPhone/iPod touch is taking over the living room, what would be the raison d'être for AppleTV? The product seems to be a halfhearted effort from Apple, shackled not by technical but copyright and other business considerations. No wonder Gizmodo gleeful declared AppleTV "obsolute" after the iPhone HD rumor surfaced. Let's not write its obituary just yet.

I believe most users would not want to permanently connect their phone to a TV or a dock. If Apple can support video streaming from iPhone/iPod touch to AppleTV, the latter will effectively become a wireless video breakout box for the former. Imagine browsing Hulu videos using iPhone on your comfortable couch, selecting one with a touch of your finger, and then enjoying the video on your big screen TV. Consumers and content providers alike should be thrilled to see a solution like this. Netflix and other video-on-demand services would certainly be interested as well. But would Apple allow it?

Hopefully the Cupertino company will see that by opening up AppleTV platform they may sell more iPhones and many more AppleTVs. This would translate to more iTunes Store users too. Now, if someone can convince them to also release an API for AppleTV...

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out Anthony Viviano's post "The Neuro Science Behind What Makes Us Want" for more information on the principle of social validation.

I need validation! Do these make my butt look big? Do you like this color?

As we all know, many purchases, from cars and homes to clothing and paint color, are collaborative shopping experiences. So If Facebook can comfortably integrated chat in page, why not on an ecommerce page too?

More digital experiences are offering users the ability to elicit someone's opinion at the point of purchase decision. Vans just launched a site that enables users to build custom shoes and invite friends to design with you via AIM and Email and it's catching on. This offers obvious value to both the consumer and brand.

As an avid ecommerce consumer I rely on the wisdom and reviews of crowds in many of my online purchases, but I can think of many times In the past in which I would have liked to have quickly reached out to someone I actually know for advice and opinions before hitting the purchase button. But what do you think? What types of experiences would you or your friends and family find this type of integration useful for?

Sound off! Check out the Vans link and Ad Age article.

Brian Hull

Image credit: Luca Penati

Seems like tons of brands these days are capitalizing on people's desire to be a little friendlier towards the earth (or for some, playing to our guilt-induced purchase decisions). There are organizations helping us make the right choices while shopping, eating and even listening to music. Here are a few digital notions I've come across that -- at first glance -- appear they're helping consumers make better eco-conscious choices. But at what price?

On Your iPod
In celebration of Earth Day, iTunes has created The Green Room filled with content (songs, audiobooks, videos, TV programs, podcasts and apps) that in some way, shape or form pays homage to the planet.  They even put together a series of four albums of Earth Day iTunes Essentials. The first, titled The Basics, highlights the delicate nature of our nature. We all know folksinger John Denver was a big nature advocate. But did you know that soulful Marvin Gay was the first to top the charts with an environmentally conscious tune: "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)?" In Next Steps, musicians like The Doors and Neil Young take action and tell you how to do so yourself. Even Canadian punkrockers make their statements in Deep Cuts. You can purchase the complete set for a value-packed $74.55. I'm tempted. Heck, I'm a sucker for the Earth and they got me. But what good does it really do for the planet?

What Are You Eating?
Next time you're craving sushi, consider opting for the rolls that aren't in danger of being overfished and those that are healthier for you. Download a copy of the sustainable sushi guide and plop it in your wallet for easy reference.

Or get it on your iPhone. The Seafood Guide tells you which seafood choices are the best (not endangered or high in mercury) in which parts of the U.S. Plus it also lists sushi by both it's Japanese name and what most of us English-speaking novices call it.

Attracting Students
Jocelyn Startz told me about a program where 25 SF high school students are tracking their transportation habits using Facebook and GPS cell phones provided by Nokia over AT&T's network. The cell phones send info to servers at UCLA which organizes the info in a way that allows the students to see how much carbon they are producing in their various transportation decisions, post their data and compare it to others' results on Facebook. The intention is to encourage the students to choose more environmentally friendly transportation options. A cool meld of social networking and environmentalism by the Go Green Foundation. Or does it just make them want a GPS-enabled phone more?

Online Shopping
Shop through the EarthShare EZ shopper widget and every time your buy something from one its retailers, EarthShare gets a cut. All the proceeds go to environmental and conservation charities.

GoodShop.com is another shopping portal. At this one, you choose your favorite environmental cause (out of the tons of non-profits listed). It also provides hundreds of coupons and deals, and highlights green merchants. Stores donate everything from .5% to up to 30% of your purchase towards your selected cause.

Surfing
Next time you want to look up something, use GoodSearch.com. It;s a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates a penny per search to your favorite environmental cause. Okay, so I didn't spend any money here.

The Politics of It
The White House is doing its part too. Mrs. O is bringing back gardening as a new summer activity. You can plan your own vegetable garden based on hers with online software Plangarden. Get a trial version for free. But if you want all the features, get ready to fork over 20 bucks.

"We Can Solve It" touts Repower America. "It" refers to their efforts to convert the United State's energy resources to 100% clean electricity within 10 years. The grassroots organization has enlisted Al Gore to encourage you to sign up, write your Congresspersons (prescripted emails provided), email your friends and donate to fund their cause. Their latest email provided me with a script I could use to call my state Representative in support of the Clean Energy Jobs Plan. It even gave me the name and number of my Representative. They make it so easy. How could you not help? Every now and again, they'll send an email asking you to donate more than just your social media skills.

The Bottom Line
While all of these initiatives are doing good for the environment. They're also helping someone's bottom line. The real meaning behind Earth Day is making do with what you already have. But how much have you spent to be more green?

Please share your favorite pro-Earth digital initiatives while you're here, too.

Sarah Jo Sautter, a simple girl whose love for the earth and love for shopping often collide

Google has just publicized their previously private feature called "Google Profiles", which allows you to put in volunteered personal information about yourself, so that relevant and accurate information comes up when someone searches your name. Well... it doesn't really replace the organic search results for your name, but there will now be a new list of "profiles" that appear at the bottom of the search results, much like Google has incorporated things like blog postings, local listings, videos, and photos into its results page.

To find out more, just Google "me". Not my name... the actual word "me", and I'd encourage people to set up a profile of their own or at least see what it's all about. An aggregated social profile + search engine is nothing new. Start ups like Wink have tried to do this in the past. But no one has been in a better place than Google to own this market.

Some might claim that Google profiles are creepy... but the information is voluntary. Google has even added the ability for you to control which bits of information are seen by allowing you to restrict contact information to Gmail contact groups (ie only my work people can see this phone number). Other might claim it will further social network narcissism, but honestly... the biggest problem I see is: Google Profiles are booooring

Four easy ways to make Google profiles more engaging:
1. Design customization, at least as much as Twitter offers
2. Digital lifestream, the current profile feels awfully static, if I connect my twitter account and my blog, why not those RSS feeds as well?
3. Social graph, Google has Friend Connect, why not use it?
4. Endorsed links, the ability for you to say that a link already under the search for your name is something you want connected to you personally, could be very useful for those with more common names

What do you think? Are the new profiles an added benefit? What could be done to make the better?

Marta Strickland

A colleague sent me this interesting article by a Beatles fan who was shocked to discover that the Beatles' original mono recordings of Sgt. Pepper actually sound much better than the stereo recordings most of us know. Now, even as a Beatles fan, I was ready to write him off as one of those purists who will only play original vinyl records on vintage turntables etc., but this line caught my eye:

"...Gone was the separation of instruments in the right and left channel too, which now feels so artificial. It was artificial, since stereo was a novelty back then: Most people still listened to music in mono and stereo was the "new thing." As a result, producers overused it, just for the sake of it..."

Which leads me to think... hm... A new technological development gets overused and misused at first until its true utility is discovered... where have I heard this before? Oh yeah. Manipulating digital type. Drop shadows. Flash intros. (And some would argue that Guy Kawasaki's current blunderbuss approach to Twitter will serve as tomorrow's example). I've always associated this pattern entirely with the digital age, but I was surprised to see how far back it went.

So with every new campaign brief seemingly asking for a social media/mobile/Twitter component (I call it the "Web 2.O-dorizer") agencies are presented with an interesting challenge: are we using these new technologies in ways that provides value to our clients and their customers? Or just because we feel we should? And how do we know the difference?

One way is to look back to (more recent) history: in very early days of URL bidding in the '90s: everyone scrambled for "furniture.com" because... where else would you look for furniture online? Eventually we all remembered that "Oh yeah, it's the brand, stupid". That lesson still applies. For a consumer, a brand represents an implicit promise -- value, quality, performance, whatever - so if you're using social media or any technology in a way that feels inauthentic to your brand promise, well, you're just putting horns in one speaker and guitars in the other for the sake of it. The big difference is that your audience doesn't take 40 years to figure it out. They just move on.

Which brings us back to Guy Kawasaki and the way he's using Twitter: For me, who's valued his thoughtful and entertaining opinions for years, his lack of focus cheapens his brand. Kawasaki says he likes the 140 character limit, but really he's sending me 1400 characters a day divided into tiny random pieces. Whether you eat an entire pie in tiny little slices or all at once, it's still a whole pie. It's just not the best way to eat it.

Elliott Smith

I almost a reluctant to post a digest this week, because almost all the news in my feeds has been Twitter related. Is there a "tw-" word for feeling nauseous after consuming too much twitter news... a "twangover"?

So first we have all the hub-bub over the new king and queen of Twitter, Ashton and Oprah, who supposedly caused a 43% bump in traffic, depending on who crunches those numbers. We also have Terminator launching an elaborate Twitter game. We have Twitter challenging Facebook Connect with their "Sign In To Twitter" API.

And that is just the social media marketing related stuff. Did you know that the US State Department sent one of Twitter's founders over to Iraq to see how their government could benefit from using the service? Or that someone from the University of Wisconsin figured out how to Twitter only using your mind?

But What Happened This Week Not Related To Twitter?
Just because everyone is hot and bothered over Twitter doesn't mean that there are some other trends of equal importance:

1. Mobile is still growing...
Some new statistics released this week show that while Android is growing fast, it is still not as fast as the iPhone, who is now dominating with their huge smartphone marketshare and their 1 billion app downloads. Too bad one of those in the banned app download list is Qik, which has just announced mobile video integration with Facebook.

2. Online video is still hot...
New statistics from Nielsen show that online video continues to gain momentum. YouTube is testing a new beta version of their Channels interface. And Adobe has announced they will be releasing a new version of Flash compatible with set-top boxes, internet enabled televisions, and blu-ray players.

3. Google is still in the game...
Many are speculating that attention-hungry giants like Twitter and Facebook are going to eat away at the Google Empire. Others, however, take the public launch of Google Profiles as the first signs of Google taking back some ground in the world of social media.

Marta Strickland

image credit: grange85

In the troughs of advanced digital technology, there's still an underground group of people who are embracing the science of photography in its fundamental form. Yes, pinhole photography is alive. Our own Chad Stoller has been trying his hand at it since he received a 35mm pinhole camera kit from his mom as a birthday present.

I'm sure we've all tried to make one as a grade school experiment. But there are adults who take great time and skill to cultivate the perfect pinhole camera.

In celebration, Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is this Sunday. Try your hand at something creative. Need some inspiration? Chad Stoller shared this site.

It has me asking: as technology simplifies our lives more and more, will the science behind how things work become lost?

If you were to build a camera, what materials would you use? Share your pinhole camera and photos with us.

Sarah Jo Sautter

As an interface engineer, I care a great deal about accuracy in data display. Whenever I see quantitative info display that is inaccurate not through faulty data but faulty display I can't help but do what I can to tell the uncompromised story. This is why I strive to apply good techniques in order to portray information clearly and find inspiration from designers like Edward Tufte and Jeffrey Veen. Jeffrey Veen is one of the founding partners of Adaptive Path and Google, where he lead the redesign of Google Analytics.

Veen recently published a 20 minute version of his presentation at the 2009 Web 2.0 Expo that neatly puts together much thought on the topic of designing for and building out huge datasets, with both modern and historical examples. Many of his historical examples are things you'll recognize from the likes of Tufte et al, but he pairs them to great effect with recent projects from around the web, including Google Analytics and Gapminder World.

In the video he outlines several important trends, "we are shifting as a culture from consumers to participants, and how technology has enabled massive amounts of data to be recorded, stored, and analyzed." The question for us is how to use smart and compelling visualizations like these with the wealth of data we're gathering to improve the quality of life for users.

Have a look at the video, it's well worth the time and provides a lot of food for thought: http://www.veen.com/jeff/archives/001000.html

Phil Dokas

I recently found some time to play around with two XBMC-based media center apps, Boxee and Plex, and I have to say that I'm impressed. Not only with their design and feature sets, but with their ability to deliver web-optimized content to a television.
 
Gaming consoles have long had the interaction model between users, the television, and a computer figured out, so it's not surprising that these media center applications evolved from the XBOX modder community. What is surprising is the extent to which they have been embraced by early adopters. It's difficult to estimate the size of these platforms' combined install base, but judging from the amount of buzz they're generating, it's considerable.

A large portion of the success of these apps can be attributed to the growing importance of the problem they help solve. Namely, that lots of people have amassed large amounts of music and video on their local computers and want a higher-fidelity consumption experience than what's afforded by iTunes or Windows Media Player and a 15" laptop screen. In addition to locally stored content, people are increasingly interested in watching streaming video from sites like Hulu and TV.com from their sofas on their shiny new HDTVs. Boxee and Plex do a great job of solving the problem of "the last ten feet" bridging the divide between the desk and the sofa.

Delivering computer optimized content to the sofa is the primary driver for adoption of this type of software, but there's another major attraction, features. For instance, the ability to pull down related content based on local media files. Both applications seamlessly blend reviews, ratings, and album art into the interface and in doing so added a lot of value to my existing media.

Another attractive aspect of these applications are the crop of supported iPhone remote applications that have popped up in the App Store. They represent a super-smart approach to solving a key interaction challenge associated with the sofa to computer model, lack of a wireless keyboard. The apps makes use of the iPhone's screen for navigation and keyboard for text input and while they won't please everyone, they do pass an important litmus test, they make use of hardware that many users already own. Instead of imposing requirements for new hardware, as other major media center software vendors have done in the past (you know who you are). All in all, these apps are another step toward liberation of content trapped in the desktop interaction paradigm.

Dan Neumann

image credit: stonebird

I just came across an interesting digital out-of-home (DOOH) media and mobile story. Through a partnership with Impact Mobile, Adcentricity, an aggregator for over 80 DOOH networks, has just added a mobile component to its offerings.

Just when the Outdoor Advertising Research Group is claiming digital signs aren't distracting, the convergence of DOOH media and mobile now seems to be a developing trend.

Rob Gorrie, CEO of Adcentricity, agrees. According to the article, Gorrie thinks it may even contribute to ROI because it allows customers to "interact with brand messages in a relevant way." Still, there's an active push to ban digital billboards in Los Angeles because some Los Angeleans consider them too distracting.

Personally, there is only one digital billboard I have ever seen that I considered distracting. It's along the highway on the way to Tahoe and is so bright that it gives me "sunspots" on my eyes and, when passing it, I find it hard to see the highway. The funny thing is that it's so distracting that I can't even remember what was advertised - Was it a casino? Alcohol?

Well, there's an important point. No matter what a digital sign is advertising, if it's too bright alongside a dark road and can endanger drivers, it is probably better placed elsewhere or toned down! If an ad is not engaging consumers in a way that leaves them with a positive impression of your brand, then maybe it's better to not waste your marketing investment in that location.

On the other hand, I've seen a cool billboard in West Hollywood where the screen flips every few seconds. The plethora of traffic crossing West Hollywood all hours of every day surely must enable that billboard owner to easily sell multiple ads and guarantee that each driver will see at least 5 or 6 of them -- or possibly 10 or 12 -- during cruising hours! That billboard hosted all sorts of consumer packaged goods ads (like shaving cream and shampoo).

Keep an eye on digital billboards as a tool that allows brands to engage consumers where it's convenient for them, like while sitting in traffic. Using these signs, marketers can tap into their offline work using many of their online tactics, using call-to-action techniques like SMS, polls, votes, contests, promos, and sweepstakes. Typical online content delivery, retail and redemption and mobile application techniques can also be extended by marketers into the digital billboard realm.

Have you seen any digital billboards or other digital ads that you'd like to see adapted for such mobile integration?

Stephanie Jorgl 

Sony Pictures recently announced that they're tapping into the current Twitter mania to help promote their upcoming Terminator Salvation : Resistance 2018 movie that hits cinemas on May 27.

They've designed a pretty complicated engagement strategy...

1. You follow @resistance2018 on Twitter.
2. You register on the Resistance 2018 site where you can log in to track your points and help John Connor destroy Skynet and the machines.
3. There are resistance assignments sent out periodically every day via Twitter and a range of different Twitter messages that require different types of responses:

• Resistance Assignments - word mix, trivia, partial transmissions, etc. that require you to reply with the correct answers with the appropriate hashtag


• Skynet Warnings - informational messages related to the war between humans and machines


• Terminator Salvation Updates - information about the film. The updates may also reinforce the instructions and provide tips on how to earn more points.


• Status reports - direct messages that update you on your points and rank in the game.

Twitter is the perfect vehicle for the Terminator movie theme of Skynet and man vs. machine.  As an active member of this Twitter community, you're playing your part as part of the human resistance to destroy Skynet and the machines using a Skynet-like global communication system.

It's the most complex use of Twitter I've seen for this type of promotional activity.  So far almost 2,000 Terminator geeks (me included) have signed up and are actively replying and retweeting and creating buzz for the movie.

It will be interesting to see if this actually creates major buzz for the movie.  Either way, I'm having fun playing my role to help John Connor conquer the machines.

David Feldt

The Cloud Mirror from eric gradman on Vimeo.

I've been drawn to the new augmented reality stuff that is going around. I think this is sure to be an up and coming technology that'll be used a lot in advertising.
 
I recently came across one in particular that raises many questions: The Cloud Mirror. It's an art installation that brings the awkwardness back into being social. For far too long the vastness that is the Internet has hidden all of those uber personal things we don't want everyone and their mother to know. This installation plucks many unknowns from social media's past and plops them right in front of the user and their friends, putting the redness back into the cheeks of Web nerds everywhere.
 
It also asks the question: How private is social media? Is it acceptable to have one's personal data and information out for all the world to see? Imagine for a second all of this personal data following you around. All of your private info much like a tag cloud around your body moving as you do. It seems a lot like movies we've seen in the past. Stranger than Fiction, for example.
 
I also found the potential really interesting in this art study. There is a lot to be debated within this movie, whether it be the privatizing social media aspect of it, technology evolution, or even assigning barcodes to your identity. All of these issues could be argued in this movie.
 
The Mirror Cloud project's main theme speaks to a good point. In the social media realm, deep recesses of the Internet and the blogosphere, it's not certain how private your data is. I'm not sure if most people just aren't aware that they're making all this data available to the public. I think the majority of the public thinks that it goes to some magical place somewhere. But the truth of the matter is that all of your personal data is housed within a computer probably somewhere in Silicon Valley and can be looked at and anytime, by anyone.
 
All of my Facebook information is up to date and truthful. I even choose to leave some of my images tagged less than tasteful up. But I'm a bit of a rarity. To most people, having distasteful things said about them, weird pictures taken of them, or even false information on the Internet about them could potentially cause a personal social meltdown.
 
The fact of the matter is that there's not trickery involved here. That data was posted by you, the user. It is ultimately the user that has control over what the public sees and doesn't see. I feel that it is often ignorance, or lack of awareness that causes these social shocks when technology uses this data in a clever way.
 
How would you react if somebody broadcast your posts in an open public place with your picture attached?
 
Dave Knoph

While I don't travel nearly as much as some of my coworkers, who are on the road for what seem to be weeks at a time, I do my fair share of traversing the landscape by means of air travel. And as the multitude of banks and financial institutions has collaborated on travel award cards, I subsequently signed up for an American Airlines Advantage MasterCard to get my own dividend of reward miles. But while the rewards program is well positioned, American's online experience leaves something else to be desired entirely.

American Airlines still hasn't figured out the missing ingredient:
The Brand is the Answer

What American has going for itself is obviously its breadth of the destinations that it services. It's a brand that's recognizable all over the world and clearly this adds pressure the likes of which the smaller guys probably don't have to deal with yet. It's harder to be agile for a corporation of this size and age. (American is the world's largest airline and over seventy years old) It seems that with every increase of proportion the flexibility of action stiffens.

But with the economy where it is today, the big guys can't hide behind large revenues and slow approval boards anymore. My airline of choice has to offer me something more than miles rewards, it has to offer an exceptional user experience. And in order to improve their user experience, the brand needs to focus its efforts on three things:

1. Modernizing the Design
2. Maintaining Excitement for Travelers
3. Creating a Unique Brand Experience