Virtual Fan Network Helps Athletes Leverage Fan Base by Erik Sass

Team sports have always been inherently social, as demonstrated by the phenomenon of baseball cards, which could be amassed, shared, and traded; now a new company called the Virtual Fan Network, founded in 2011, is helping athletes and advertisers reach fans via "virtual fan cards," which carry key stats and can be shared via social media, and which can also carry advertising and sponsorships. ...Read the whole story

  • apparel ASICS Sounds Off For ING New York Marathon by Karl Greenberg

    The company, which has backed the marathon for 14 years, is partnering with electro-funk duo Chromeo on a marathon music track with a theme around "Stop at Never." The music will include ambient noises of New York as they might be experienced by marathon runners. ...Read the whole story

  • packaged goods Sir Richard's: Hello? Can We All Say 'Birth Control'? by Karl Greenberg

    Sir Richard's Condoms has launched what it dubs a non-procreators' holiday with a new online and social media campaign via advertising agency TDA_Boulder that might be thought of as a kind of anti-Mother's Day pitch. ...Read the whole story

  • Retail To Increase Email, Mobile, Social Marketing Budgets by Laurie Sullivan

    Some 43% of retailers said they will raise online marketing budgets -- investing in either mobile, social or email marketing channels during the holiday season, according to a new study analyzing expectation of holiday advertising and sales. ...Read the whole story

  • restaurants Denny's Offers 'Hobbit' Menu, Collectibles by Karlene Lukovitz

    Starting Nov. 6, the fast-casual chain will feature a limited-time menu with 11 items themed to the movie, including a Hobbit Hole Breakfast, Frodo's Pot Roast Skillet and a Build Your Own Hobbit Slam, which includes new holiday items like Pumpkin Patch Pancakes. ...Read the whole story

  • research General Sentiment: Facebook Tops In Buzz by Karl Greenberg

    Not surprisingly, Facebook is number one in Impact Media Value, partly because of news around its stock being way overvalued. Apple passed Google to be number two with the iPhone 5 debut, and negative press on iOS 6 Maps. Google is number three. ...Read the whole story

  • packaged goods Burt's Bees Deflakes With Billboard, Video by Sarah Mahoney

    Each flake was actually a $3 off coupon -- 1,300 in all -- to encourage trial of the product. By the end of the day, passersby had yanked off enough coupons to reveal the smooth skin of the billboard model, and the company had a compelling time-lapse video. ...Read the whole story

how-to Six Ways To Improve The Way You Market by David Booth

Data is truly the common currency that advertising will use in the years to come, and cultivating a strategy and infrastructure to leverage its power is what will define the success or failure of tomorrow's organizations. Here are six things you should be doing with data to improve your marketing strategy. ...More

  • Smart TV Sales, Over-the-Top Use Grow; Buoyed by Game Consoles & Social Media by Daisy Whitney

    Consumers like their choices for cable and satellite alternatives, and they're also expected to buy more connected TV sets this year. Those are among the findings of a pair of recently released studies tracking the growing over-the-top business. When coupled with upcoming new releases from gaming console makers - the dominant device consumers use when streaming video to the TV - things are looking good for the over-the-top business. ...More

  • search Why Brands Need Searchable Social Content by Laurie Sullivan

    The majority of Twitter and Facebook users -- 83% and 71%, respectively -- expect a response from a brand within the same day of posting. Some 71% of consumers who experience a quick and effective response are more likely to recommend that brand to others, compared with 19% who do not receive any response, according to a study released Thursday. ...More

  • The Iron Triangle: Users, Advertisers, And Spam by Kaila Colbin

    There is a Tom Fishburne cartoon from 2008 called "Poser Marketing." It depicts a can of soda, brand unrecognizable, anthropomorphized with arms, legs and a face. There are three hipster-looking youngsters sitting in the corner. "Fine," declares Soda Can Guy, "You win! I give up trying to interrupt you with TV ads you stubbornly refuse to watch. You can be my Myspace friend or watch my YouTube videos instead." The hipsters are unmoved; only one of them bothers to offer a reply: "Whatever, loser." ...More