by Sean Hargrave on Nov 26, 9:23 AM
FIFA hasn't done itself any favours with publishing an abridged version of a report into itself that even Coca-Cola has called "disappointing." Given how much brands could do in digital -- particularly social -- with their sponsorship money, we can expect more to follow in Emirates and Sony's footsteps.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 25, 9:10 AM
As Myleene Klass and Littlewoods are discovering, the "thoughts police" are out there gathering signatures on social media for anyone who dares to express an opinion they disagree with. So brands -- if you want beauty and brains fronting a campaign, it may time to grow a backbone.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 24, 7:14 AM
MEPs are considering whether Google is too powerful and needs to be split up. Sounds like something most people might agree with, until they actually stop to think about whether it truly needs to be done -- or even more crucially, whether it could be done.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 21, 9:43 AM
Uber shows both sides of the digital era. Wonderfully disruptive technology that consumers love and arrogant leaders with little regard for user privacy. Well, those leaders might want to check their history books from a Parisian who most definitely lost his head by not following his own advice.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 20, 8:38 AM
As RTB executives meet in London to discuss programmatic, let's drop this talk of the industry's issues coming down to a difference between marketers and media people. What it comes down to is plain, old-fashioned decency and transparency. It really is that simple.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 19, 9:02 AM
Modern families are changing, yet still advertisers trot out the same old cliches. Instead, they should be looking at the latest research, not only to dispel myths but also to spot new opportunities -- like marketing a "treat nan" to a spa break offer for Christmas for all the school pickups she's been doing?
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 18, 9:08 AM
From caterpillars munching on the same leaf to butterflies floating around the entire garden, today's news consumers have been liberated by social media to be linked to the content that matters to them. Forget brands and demographics -- it's all about social and content now.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 17, 8:32 AM
Just a year after seriously reducing organic reach on the social network, Facebook is looking to further demote promotional messages -- unless a brand is willing to pay to reach its own followers, of course. When will brands say "enough is enough?"
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 14, 8:57 AM
Native is the way forward for brands in communicating messages with engaged consumers. Trouble is, all the issues that have plagued print "advertorials" are threatening to turn a gleaming promise into a poisoned chalice.
by Sean Hargrave on Nov 13, 9:29 AM
If proof were needed that we live in a mobile-first world, it comes today with the statistic nobody can ignore. Facebook makes two of every three ad dollars on mobile -- and it does so by being in the mix, on the screen, rather than praying that users click on a banner.