by Sean Hargrave on Sep 30, 6:51 AM
The USA and Europe teams had 5m Twitter fans between them, yet the Ryder Cup achieved a "record" of 160,000 social mentions and the lead sponsor got 450 name checks. This should tell marketers all they need to know about chasing social share of voice and engagement and focusing on the original sponsorship intention -- brand association.
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 29, 8:31 AM
It's a great time for beacon technology as John Lewis pumps GBP100k in to Localz, which will help shoppers pick up orders and find items on their wish list. Solving problems like these is exactly where beacons need to start. Next up, however, is payment. Add mobile payment and rewards to the mix and you'll have a retail revolution on your hands.
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 26, 8:30 AM
Marketers want to get intimate and build a one-on-one relationship with customers at exactly the time their journeys are set to become more confusing with more digital touchpoints than ever before. A new infrastructure and tools will be called for -- and that means working seamlessly with the IT team. Make or break time beckons.
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 25, 8:15 AM
Yesterday we found out that the worth of Facebook 'likes' is highly questionable, and today the conundrum is whether all that second-screen activity actually means anything for television shows and their sponsors. With an app to direct comments through, does all this attention amount to anything worth having?
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 24, 8:17 AM
Ever wondered what a "like" is really worth -- or even if a like is really worth having? Well, MIT researchers have lifted the lid on both like farms and Facebook advertising campaigns that saw thousand of "likes" for fake sites they set up warning real humans not to like the page as it was a fake. Still chasing those likes....?
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 23, 8:31 AM
It's a touchy subject, but new research shows bloggers are 50:50 -- depending on the brand and agency -- on whether to charge for content. It's not surprising, as low CPMs will not usually sustain a small site. Trouble is, the country's big publishers are now embracing native advertising. Who do you think will lose out? News UK or a first-jobber blogger?
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 22, 8:39 AM
Is Facebook trying to muscle in on the second-screener action that Twitter appears to be enjoying? That is a potential conclusion to the news that Facebook has altered its algorithm to boost trending topics that Its users have been calling for news feeds to go back to being ordered by time, but this move looks to be more about second-screening than customer service.
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 19, 8:50 AM
Programmatic will always receive positive and negative comments and headlines. However, what we must never lose sight of is not just campaign results and transparency issues, but that programmatic is an exciting way to hone and improve a brand's vision of the customer through constantly refined data.
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 18, 8:57 AM
Sorry, but someone has to ask. Why are companies and marketers so apparently fixated on appealing to people just entering the workplace? Shouldn't it be the other way round? Why so much fuss about people who have yet to reach their economic potential? Consultants 'bigging up' the latest reason for listening to GBP500 per day advice, perhaps?
by Sean Hargrave on Sep 17, 7:57 AM
Social media is at its worst when snake oil merchants claim buzz measurements can predict outcomes and shape strategy. The folly of measuring social buzz and applying to a wider demographic is laid bare in the Scottish Independence referendum. Social says "Yes" while the bookies are already paying out on a "No." Who do you think has it right?