Facebook's complex privacy settings have spurred a software developer to release a new program aimed at helping users restrict their data from inadvertent leakage. The free tool, available from ReclaimPrivacy.org, allows users to view and revise key privacy settings from a streamlined dashboard on their Facebook home pages. The program scans users' settings and then tells them whether they are sharing certain information themselves or are allowing their information to be shared by their Facebook friends. The tool also advises users about how to change their settings to lock down data about them. Creator Matt Pizzimenti says he created the feature in his spare time after family members complained that Facebook's settings were too complicated. "I wanted an easy way for them to ensure their privacy is what they expect," says Pizzimenti, who cofounded Olark, which enables sites to live chat with customers. Indeed, several observers have publicly questioned whether Facebook's privacy settings are too complex. Last week, for instance, The New York Times reported that opting out of information sharing required clicking more than 50 privacy buttons. Pizzimenti's tool was unveiled to the public in a Monday morning Lifehacker post. By midday it had been shared on Facebook more than 15,000 times, Pizzimenti says. Traffic surged so quickly that he had to arrange to pay for extra bandwidth, he says. While the program -- which has its own Facebook page -- is available for free, Pizzimenti is soliciting donations. So far, he has raised enough money to cover the extra bandwidth fees. "I'm hoping that the donations will cover some future hosting too," he says. Facebook has not yet responded to Online Media Daily's questions about the tool.
Consumer watchdogs are questioning whether alcohol companies inappropriately target Web users under age 21 via online video, games, social media and other digital platforms. "Today, alcohol brands (like other major advertisers) are promoting their products across a wide spectrum of new platforms -- from social networks to mobile phones to immersive, virtual communities," the groups state in a new report that details how alcohol companies are using online social games, viral video ads and other digital marketing techniques. The report, by American University professor Kathryn Montgomery, Center for Digital Democracy director Jeff Chester, and Berkeley Media Studies Group's Lori Dorfman, calls for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the use of digital marketing by alcohol companies. The groups are specifically urging the FTC and state attorneys general to probe whether liquor companies are using behavioral targeting techniques -- including creating profiles of Web users -- to reach users who aren't yet legally allowed to drink. "The FTC and other regulators need to determine whether alcohol beverage ad targeting is reaching specific young people and their networks, providing a complete picture of the industry's online data collection practices -- including whether their privacy policies are accurate," the report states. Currently, alcohol industry self-regulatory standards call for ads to run in media where at least 70% of the audience are adults over 21. But the watchdogs say that such standards are outdated in the age of YouTube, when clips that go viral -- like Smirnoff's Tea Partay -- draw millions of hits. "Marketing is now fully integrated into daily communications and social relationships, not cordoned off in a special category of 'advertising,'" the report states. The report also faults alcohol companies for using online age verification procedures that rely on people entering their birthdates -- a system that youngsters can bypass by providing a fake date. Johns Hopkins associate professor David Jernigan says the study raises troubling issues. "Internet marketing immerses the audience in a world that has a single message -- and the message in this case is: It's good to drink," he says. "We need the FTC to use its power and, failing that, for the state attorneys general to use their power to start inquiring about what the industry is doing." The self-regulatory group Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. says that member companies "adhere to a rigorous set of content and placement guidelines for advertising and marketing materials in all media including online and digital communications channels." The organization adds that the industry's "longstanding commitment to responsible advertising regardless of the medium has been commended by the FTC and industry watchdogs."
Google and Intel will announce a Smart TV platform that supports an Android-based operating system at the Google I/O conference this week in San Francisco, according to reports. Intel's new Atom processor will run a new version of Google Android dubbed Dragonpoint. It will support devices made by Sony and other set-top box and technology makers like Samsung and Motorola, and possibly Cisco, says Trip Chowdhry, managing director at Global Equities Research. Chowdhry calls Smart TV a "social Internet computing platform." The targeted generation for this platform expects real-time interaction, community and personalization. And they will get it, he says. The Smart TV platform will initially offer between three and five services, ranging from the ability to play high-definition YouTube videos to sharing and creating channel content between others who also have access to the technology. Chowdhry believes the platform will plug directly into Google Checkout, AdWords and AdSense. "There will probably be two monetization models that support advertising," he says. "These would include advertising and a subscription-based model." Chowdhry described the advertising services as in-video and contextual ads, and pre- and post-roll. The subscription model would support streaming video rentals from YouTube. About 70% of the revenue generated will belong to the publisher, 30% to Google and 10% to the network provider supporting the service -- for example, Comcast or Time Warner. "Two people will have the ability to watch the same video stream together, though they may not reside in the same household," Chowdhry says, admitting that this description remains pure speculation. Google has not confirmed the platform or the features. Intel chief executive offer Paul Otellini, who sits on Google's board, told analysts last week that this will become the "the biggest single change in television" since transitioning to color. NewTeeVee points to a Sony patent application for a network media player with user-generated playback controls, filing date Dec. 4, 2009. Chowdhry says television lost many young people as an audience to video on the Web because they can't interact with their friends as they watch TV shows, but they can on their computer. Taking the concept of interaction from the Web and sticking it on the television could change that and bring back some of the lost advertising, he says. Google isn't the first to try this. Apple TV didn't work because it wasn't social. It isolated those who used it. The Smart TV platform will become successful because it extends the behavior of people on the Internet from the PC to the TV. The platform will make TV relevant to the demographics that deserted it, Chowdhry says, estimating that we will see it in time for the 2010 holidays.
In a move suggesting a long-term commitment by Publicis' Starcom MediaVest Group, media-buying systems developer MediaBank Monday said it has added a new "vendor portal" to its suite of media processing software and systems. The portal enables publishers and media sales reps to see every aspect of the buying process and facilitates electronic communications between buyers and sellers, the company said. The announcement included a testimonial by John Muszynski, the chief investment officer of SMG's SMGx a unit, indicating that the Publicis media shop may have extended its initial multi-year agreement with MediaBank. MediaBank said that VivaKi, the Publicis organization that sits on top of SMG, will be the first organization to integrate the new system. MediaBank said the new vendor portal initially is available in a "beta" edition for "digital media," and that a full release of the application is planned for later this year. The full release is expected to include a platform that will allow publishers to submit electronic digital media proposals to agencies and make paperless insertion order revisions. MediaBank claims this is an industry first, but its chief rival, Donovan Data Systems, says it already has a similar system in place.
The surge in malicious advertising attacks, also known as malvertising, is spawning new detection and monitoring services to help advertisers and agencies track and remediate when their ads or brands have been compromised by rogue attacks. Palo Alto, CA-based anti-malware software firm Dasient this morning announced a new service focused exclusively on malvertising attacks. The system, dubbed the Anti-Malvertising Solution, comes as online brand protection developers such as Clickfacts and The Media Trust have stepped up efforts to monitor and thwart malvertising. Malvertising is a catch-all term used to describe when online ads are used as a vector to spread malicious code, or malware, either by embedding the code into legitimate ads, or by creating and placing fake ads that mimic those of legitimate advertisers. Dasient claims millions of users have been infected by malvertising, and that the incidence of attacks is growing. Based on its current estimates, Dasient said roughly 1.3 million malicious ads are viewed each day. Some of the highest profile attacks have occurred via fake ads used to spread malware were bought and placed on blue chip sites such as TheNewYorkTImes.com, Fox.com, Gizmodo, TechCrunch and WhitePages.com. To date, most of the attacks were uncovered when users complained about infections, but developers such as Dasient, Clickfacts and The Media Trust have developed systems that monitor and alert advertisers, agencies, and publishers about infections before they spread.
Beginning Monday, Jim Beam Bourbon and Atlantic Records plan to offer fans exclusive downloads of Kid Rock tracks with their purchase of Jim Beam and Red Stag brands. Accompanying a broad TV buy and online component, the promotion is relying on interactive TV shop BrightLine iTV to deliver a more immersive experience for fans. Interactive TV makes our existing media buy work harder for us," said Kevin George, global CMO of Beam Brands. The initiative also builds on an ongoing partnership between Jim Beam and Kid Rock, which goes to last year when the newly launched Red Stag by Jim Beam Bourbon brand sponsored Kid Rock's "Rock N' Rebels" concert tour. "Bob's a really huge fan of Jim Beam," George said of Kid Rock. "We were talking together about how to take the partnership to the next level, and the interactive television component just made sense." The branded iTV destination, designed by BrightLine, will enable viewers in some 20 million households to watch Kid Rock's performance last summer from his hometown of Detroit. Using their remote controls, viewers will also be able to browse a "Drink Recipes" section, featuring various Jim Beam and Red Stag mixes. While interactive TV is all new to Jim Beam, George is credited with pioneering the medium during his time at Unilever -- where he spent 13 years before joining Jim Beam late last year. In mid-2008, George tapped BrightLine to incorporate keyword search into TV spots for Unilever's Axe Bodyspray brand. The ads, aimed at promoting Axe's new Proximity line of personal care products, ran on interactive TV networks, including Verizon FiOS and Time Warner's Movie Trailers-On Demand. On Verizon, viewers were able to bookmark their favorite Proximity ads -- among other content -- and then search through it using specific keywords. "Before that campaign, Unilever had never used interactive TV," said George. "When I left, they were (using it for) 20-to-25 brands." [Unilever says it had, in fact, executed its first iTV campaign for Axe in 2005.] The Kid Rock downloads, available via tear pad or on special-edition gift cartons of Jim Beam and Red Stag by Jim Beam -- where legal -- mark the first time a spirits brand and major record label have worked together to distribute new music using interactive TV, according to George. Paying customers will get access to exclusive downloads of the new, unreleased song "Times Like These" from Kid Rock's upcoming album, along with a compilation of live hits from his two-night homecoming at Comerica Park last summer. Earlier this year, BrightLine reported that 2009 revenues grew more than 100% year-over-year. That year, the company reported having executed more than 40 programs for brands, including Tylenol, Burger King, Hellmann's, Dove, Turbo Tax and Abreva. BrightLine claims to work in partnership with every major TV platform, including Time Warner Cable and Comcast, as well as DirecTV, Dish Network, and a host of other DVR and on-demand providers, such as Verizon FIOS, TiVo and Xbox.
There are 24 hours worth of videos uploaded each minute onto YouTube and 45 million home page impressions every day. The site gets more than 2 billion views daily and monetizes a billion videos per week that managed to triple partner ad revenue in 2009. YouTube turned five years old Monday, and it has experienced tremendous growth. Still, some analysts want to know when profits will start rolling in. That could be soon. Aside from the numerous ways to monetize videos, the site is considering offering a self-service movie rentals model for invited partners. Expect the use of ads in videos to skyrocket, according to Chase Norlin, chief executive officer at AlphaBird, an online video syndication company. "You not only have intent expressed from the search for content in the video, but then you have the intent when the person clicks on the sponsored videos," he says. Video advertising will post the highest growth rate in 2010, rising 48.1% to $1.5 billion, according to eMarketer. YouTube runs ads against more than one billion video views weekly worldwide. The site boasts more monetized views than any other video site has total views. And based on the different ways that people interact with YouTube, ad formats match those experiences. The site offers a variety of ad formats. Promoted Videos is the search advertising product that helps drive views of videos. Think AdWords for YouTube, but there the site offers display ads, too. Google continues to work closely with YouTube to monetize display ads that ensure advertisers can reach their audience across the Web. This means giving advertisers even more control over how and where ads appear, building self-service tools that let them scale campaigns that span across YouTube and the Google Content Network. The mission to monetize ads began in August 2006 with the launch of both Participatory Video Ads (PVA), and Brand Channels, YouTube's first advertising concepts. Then in September 2006, Cingular became the first major advertiser, rocking the site with an underground music contest. InVideo Ads, also known as overlays, followed in August 2007, along with the YouTube Partner Program in December that same year. Since then, YouTube launched analytics tool YouTube Insights, ecommerce platform Click-to-Buy, Promoted Videos, and Pre-Roll ads. YouTube didn't stop when it expanded home page ads options from one to seven formats. It soon added Individual Video Partnerships, began testing the Skippable pre-rolls test, launched Video Targeting, and began running YouTube mobile ads. Videos make a images worth a thousand words. "Apart from the fact, visually, that humans process images far quicker than words, YouTube gave Google a lesson in the importance of visual search early on from the way users interact and search for information within the interface," says Manny Rivas, online marketing manager at aimClear, a search agency. "We've observed several changes to YouTube as well as the big 'watch page' reconstruction," he says. "These alterations were all in response to the way users search, discover, and interact with the platform." Search within the site isn't the same as search in Google. With an added image thumbnail and view count, the title tag and description are, for some, only additional queues to the user, Rivas says. Media Experts relies on YouTube to support several clients' need for marketing with videos. Home page takeovers, mastheads, sponsorships, promoted videos, video overlays or Google content targeting are numerous ways the agency gains successful results on YouTube. Media Experts search marketing director Nectarios Economakis says the agency experiments with contests requiring user-generated content. "We were also part of the Canadian launch of YouTube with a national takeover," he says. YouTube has become the number two search engine in the world, and the statistic doesn't get lost with search marketers. Visual and video search have gained importance to optimize. Consumers adjusted to searching for videos and images directly in the search engine results pages (SERP), and have come to expect it. Economakis says Google understands that search is not limited to Web pages. Through YouTube, Google proved video is a key form of content. And with video comes image search, he says. Along with Media Experts, SMG Search supports clients that want to advertise on YouTube. SMG Search clients have sponsored the homepage, as well as bought sponsored search ads and overlays. People want a sight, sound and motion experience in search results, says Jennifer Simkins, vice president, director, SMG Search, Detroit. "They can answer questions with a demonstration or how-to video, and we see this in the level of sophistication in search queries on YouTube," she says.
In their latest quarterly reports, U.S. telecom giants Verizon Wireless and AT&T both highlighted that mobile data revenues had climbed to about one-third of overall wireless revenue. Mobile research firm Chetan Sharma points out in a new report that Verizon hit a more significant milestone in the first quarter -- edging past decades-long leader NTT DoCoMo to become the biggest wireless operator by data revenues at $4.5 billion. U.S. wireless data revenues overall increased 22% to $12.5 billion from a year ago, and 5% since the fourth quarter. "The U.S. has become ground zero for mobile broadband consumption and data traffic management evolution. While it lags Japan and Korea in 3G penetration by a distance, due to higher penetration of smartphones and data cards, the consumption is much higher than its Asian counterparts," stated Chetan Sharma's latest mobile data report. Verizon and AT&T have each benefited from the growing popularity of so-called connected mobile devices from tablet computers to e-readers to GPS gadgets. Both companies added more customers with non-phone devices than postpaid, or contract, subscribers in the most recent quarter. And facing saturation in the postpaid business, carriers have increasingly turned to alternative sources of sales growth including connected devices, and the prepaid and enterprise markets. In that vein, AT&T Monday announced a new unit to speed up development of mobile applications for businesses and other organizations. Separately, Sprint's growing push into the prepaid arena, with the addition of a fourth no-contract brand for customers who spend less than $30 a month on wireless services, raises the question of whether other carriers will take steps to keep up with Sprint or continue to focus on the more lucrative contract business. Independent prepaid companies like Leap Wireless and Metro PCS loom as possible acquisition targets for the major carriers. Widening adoption of mobile data services by consumers has also added to broader concerns about privacy in the online world. New privacy legislation introduced by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), would, among other things, require explicit opt-in permission for collecting precise geolocation data on users. Chetan Sharma chimes in on the topic, suggesting that the wireless industry offers a simple, easy-to-understand set of privacy options. "If people are really serious about tackling privacy, OEMs and carriers should build a physical/soft privacy button on the device with 3-5 levels (just like for the ringer volume) that allows users to open/close privacy across all applications and services with the touch of a button," advises the report. "All apps and services should adhere to the principle via APIs." Finding consensus among handset makers, carriers, developers, ad networks and other companies that make up the mobile ecosystem, however, would be anything but simple. Still, efforts to give consumers more control over their information on mobile phones are starting to take shape. To that end, mobile analytics firm Flurry last week unveiled a new set of privacy rules for app developers that use its software tools to track usage. They include requiring features in apps such as an opt-out switch as well as a button to delete any user data linked to a specific device.
Online video provider KIT Digital on Monday agreed to buy Singapore-based Benchmark Broadcast Systems for $9.5 million. Benchmark claims to provide video asset management services, and integrate broadcast video systems, for clients in over 12 countries through six regional offices throughout Asia. In addition, the privately held company expects to generate at least $10 million in revenue over the next 12 months. "This acquisition demonstrates our commitment to the Asian markets," said KIT digital chairman and CEO Kaleil Isaza Tuzman. "It also represents an extension to our existing IPTV systems integration capabilities -- which support our larger-scale software implementations with broadcasters and network operators." The deal follows KIT's agreement to buy Multicast Media Technologies for about $18 million in cash and shares back in March. Multicast was expected to complement KIT's North American client base, as well as its capabilities in serving video to the 'three screens' of the mobile device, browser and IP-enabled television. Last summer, KIT began trading on the NASDAQ Global Market exchange. The move, Tuzman said at the time, "puts us in a position to execute on selected, accretive acquisitions." Then known as Roo Group, KIT digital was taken over by Tuzman -- a former JumpTV executive -- in December 2007. The name change to KIT -- an acronym that stands for "Knowledge, Imagination and Technology" -- is intended to reflect changes under Tuzman aimed at refocusing on the company's core business of providing video services to companies across the entertainment, financial, automotive and other industries. KIT allows clients to publish, manage and distribute digital video content, as well as tap its syndicated video channels and syndicated videos for content. Tuzman previously said a key change for the company would be to focus on delivering live streams instead of video-on-demand for third-party sites. KIT presently provides software to more than 600 clients including Hewlett-Packard Co. and Vodafone Group Plc. The company moved its headquarters to Prague from Dubai last year. Benchmark's clients include Astro, CNBC, Express News, ESPN Star, ETV, MediaCorp, NDTV, Reliance Mediaworks, Sahara, TV9, VTV and ZeeTV.
If a new study is to be believed, you should be building direct relationships through search, online and mobile Web sites with women who show interest. It will become one of the most valuable marketing tools a company can have. The joint study from iVillage and SheSpeaks highlights that interaction between women through online community Web sites, forums and message boards have a "dramatic" influence on driving product preference, loyalty, and purchase. Online coupons and customer reviews continue to influence purchases. Women are 77% more likely to look for products and 67% more likely to purchase them in a store after reading online reviews on a community forum or message board. The study reveals that while social media networks like Facebook and Twitter are valuable communications channels, with 51% of women actively following brands and retailers online, these channels are relatively less -- 19% -- influential in prompting purchases. Other forms of marketing that prove influential include online coupons at 68%; online product reviews by consumers, 61%; emails from companies or brands, 45%; and articles read online, 41%. About half of the women responding to the survey spend between six and 30 minutes preparing for a shopping trip, and two-thirds spend between six and 60 minutes. They search for product information online and offline, looking for coupons in multiple channels, and reading email newsletters. Although the research channels used most vary by product category like food and beverage versus health and beauty, it is clear that brand marketers need to understand the most influential digital channels for their specific product. "Women want advice from other shoppers, but they also want to share their experiences and look for validation before making a purchase," says Jodi Kahn, executive vice president at iVillage. "They become much more loyal to a brand if you give them the tools to make the correct buying decision. Coupons and programs increase brand loyalty." A parenting Web site, along with a beauty Web site -- both from iVillage.com, scheduled to launch Thursday -- will make it easier for women to search for information and product reviews. Women typically control the purchasing decisions in the home, Kahn says. Knowing the brands that communicate with women can have a greater impact on a variety of purchase behaviors. Seventy-four percent of the women who participated in the survey said recommendations gave them a more favorable view of the product while shopping, and 70% said they were more likely to choose the brand or product over others. Online channels influence women differently. Coupons and opinions influence women most when it comes to the purchase of food and beverage, health and beauty and household products. Online coupons at 68%, store coupons at 66%, consumer reviews on shopping sites at 61%, and online recommendations from friends at 59% are the top influencers. Sixty percent also say online coupons are more influential on their purchases now than one year ago, and 51% say consumer recommendations on Web sites are more influential. Although 51% of women are fans or followers of grocery, health and beauty or household products brands and the stores that carry them, consumer reviews on shopping sites are a top influence for 61% of respondents. Online articles, by comparison, are a top influence with 35% of respondents saying that reading online content or articles is more influential now than one year ago. Blogs were also identified as an influence by 33% of respondents. Facebook and Twitter fall to the bottom of the list. Only 19% believe that posts from friends influence them to make a purchase, and 11% cite posts from brands.
MySpace has hired David Donegan as its new senior vice president of marketing, where he will oversee the company's marketing, entertainment and events teams and strategies. Based in MySpace's Beverly Hills office, Donegan will report directly to the company's co-president, Jason Hirschhorn. Donegan most recently served as managing partner of Kastner & Partners Interactive, where he was responsible for the overall strategy, implementation, and management of the brand, as well as product lines for clients, including Red Bull and Qualcomm. "If there is one thing that is core to my marketing philosophy it's the understanding that a brand must resonate with its audience, particularly since the rise of social media and digital marketing," said Donegan. Once a digital darling courted by industry kings, MySpace has struggled during the reign of Facebook. Earlier this year, News Corp. reported that digital media earnings were down $32 million compared to a year earlier. EMarketer, meanwhile, recently predicted that ad spending at MySpace would fall 21% this year to $385 million worldwide. What's worse, the $900 million shared ad revenue deal between MySpace and Google is scheduled to expire in August. In February, MySpace came up with new product strategy under the slogan "Discover and be Discovered." The strategic shift came on the heels of CEO Owen Van Natta's removal, and the subsequent promotions of Mike Jones and Jason Hirschhorn to co-presidents. "It's so important for MySpace to embrace its brand heritage and return to the roots that enabled the company to grow into the household name it still is today," Donegan said on Monday. Prior to joining Kastner & Partners Interactive, Donegan spent six years as the director of interactive marketing for Red Bull, where he oversaw consumer and interactive marketing areas, and was credited with reorganized marketing activities to better focus on the youth market. That initiative included creating an interactive marketing department, directing the creation of content and digital campaigns, and leveraging grassroots ambassador programs. Earlier in his career, Donegan worked in entertainment production and development at NBC Universal and CBS.