ABROAD - Let me entertain you… Burger King and Virgin Mobile team up

May 1, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

Well this was a pretty interesting article! Burger King and Virgin customers can now whilst buying a Value Meal at any Burger King across the US can get the latest ringtones from leading artists on their handset  for only $1. 

The concept came about through a need for providing perceived increased value to their clients along with providing entertainment whilst in their stores.

Ron - Brand Manager at Burger King mentioned. “With prices going up on everything from gas to food, our customers are always looking for ways to save anywhere.” 

He goes on to say, “We’re constantly looking for innovative ways to provide value and entertainment to our BURGER KING® guests.” 

The campaign is supported by in store advertising, and imact promotions across the usual channels.  It gives us a really good idea though of integrating fast food with mobile technology, and adding value to the clients experience whilst visiting their locations. 

 

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All hail Facebook…

April 28, 2008 · Filed under Trends · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

 

Imagine a median that attracts globally 250,000 new subscribers every day, with over 64 million people in total. Back on home turf, Facebook has 2.8 million registered subscribers with about 200,000 people accessing their account daily.

Some refer to Facebook as the median of choice for people with brains – we tend to think it fits a separate group of socialites needs, being a little more secure, a little more professional, and slightly easier to manage and communicate with. These people tend to be slightly older, more towards 22

- 35yo as opposed to the 13-22yo’s that frequent Myspace.

We view Facebook as a transition website, as people move through different stages life, their needs albeit social, economic, lifestyle and so on, change. The same thing occurs with social networks.

We tend to believe that people’s needs for social interaction changes with age, seeking a more controlled environment that still captures the true essence of a social network – fun, interaction, communication between users etc.

What to watch out for:

There’s this concept floating around the industry at the moment called ‘Facebook Fatigue’, a trend

that is starting to occur abroad (particularly in the UK), where major social networks are starting to

loose members at rapid levels for the first time. We believe that people are starting to get ‘sick’ of having to update their profile and interact with the media – due to other lifestyle demands. In September 07, the average social network user spent 23min 30sec on social networks, in January 08 this had dropped to 21min 15sec, with a slight rise in February.

From our perspective, we believe there are still legs in both media, however creativity and unobtru

siveness social network front!

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Doin’ it digital at the Melbourne Motor show…

April 23, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

 

Recently whilst in Melbourne I treated myself to the Melbourne International Motor Show for a quick squiz of the latest and greatest toys to be released. Am disappointed that I

didn’t take my camera, as the Ford display was absolutely fantastic – their use of digital marketing and new media concepts was first class!

Avid b*Fresh (our monthly report) readers will remember past issues where I have raved on about Bluetooth marketing via localised hot spots – some may recall the example I talked about when Trans

formers was released in Australia, using localised hot spots in shopping centres. Well Ford have introduced these ‘touch’ panels on their motor show displays whereby people can come up and receive the latest information, photos and wallpapers direct to their handset.

The line up of fellow Gen Yers along with Xers using this technology was a testament to this campaign element’s success.

Further to this, they had an interactive panel/game on the floor whereby people can kick Ford ‘footies’ across a white screen to display an image of the latest Falcon. Whilst in the US this form of interactive advertising was reasonably prevalent at shopping centres and as

well at places like Universal Studios. It’s an innovative way of getting your advertising message across!!

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User generated advertising

April 20, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

Are my fellow industry members going to be out of a job in the future?? The rise in user generated advertising – ie. encouraging a brands users to create and develop their advertising is rising! Recently, Sony ran a competition with the launch of their Alpha A100 camera to encourage budding photographers to submit their photos to the Sony gallery, of which the best photo would feature in the Sony advertising.

 

The campaign was incredibly successful reaching over 3,000,000 people and

 

 

 

achieving click through rates (CTR’s) 4-6 times the Australian average. In addition,  the average website view stay time hovered around 13minutes with 35% of visitors submitting their photos!!

So what do all these analytic measures mean? Well, a fantastic result backed off a shoestring budget! More and more we realize that by throwing ‘dollars’ at your advertising problem won’t necessarily sell products or change opinions – campaigns that rely on creativity and uniqueness along with user interaction is what get’s people hooked!!

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Reaching a virtual audience… game advertising

April 14, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , ,

At June 2007, the Australian cinema box office did approximately $200m in turnover whilst the Australian games industry cracked a little over $1bn! Internationally, US males between the age of 18-34 spend on average 41.7hrs playing video games each week. We don’t have available recent data from Australia, but would assume we’d be a little less, somewhere around the 30- 40hr mark one would assume.

To give you another idea of how much loot the gaming industry is generating here in Oz, when Spider-Man 3 hit screens, it did $150m in its first weekend compared to when Halo 3 was launched which did $170m in the first 24 hours.

In- game advertising is an area that is starting to emerge more in Australia, with some specialist agencies from abroad stepping into this space, but as a result, data on its effectiveness here in Oz is still quite limited. US data is quite  romising though, brand familiarity increased by 64% with average purchase consideration up by 41%, same as ad retention.

The big benefit of in- game advertising is the captivity that it creates – on average Australian users spend between 1-3 hours on each game they play, playing at least three times per week – there’s no risk of channel hopping so you’ve got a captive audience.

Essentially, the main opportunity presented by gaming is ‘in- game’ advertising using billboards, brand placement and other signage. With the integration of the internet into gaming consoles, these ads can be refreshed and updated just like we find in advertising conducted online.

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Surfing the web out ways watching TV…. for Yers

February 26, 2008 · Filed under Trends, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , ,

Some interesting discussion from our friends abroad, in the UK.  Similar findings to what we are experiencing out here - seeing the decrease in TV viewing and increase in web browsing amongst Generation Y.  In the recent ‘One Punch Can Kill’ campaign we did for the Queensland Government, this was a focal point of the campaign which saw a higher influence on out of home, outdoor and online advertising as opposed to traditional media.

Have a read - would love to hear your thoughts/experiences….

Surfing the web is replacing television as the medium of choice for young adults, according to a new overseas survey.

The survey, commissioned by social networking website MySpace and conducted by UK-based analyst The Future Laboratory, found a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds had reduced their television watching in favour of social networking on the web.

A similar number (22 per cent) said they spent less time playing video games.

More time in front of the computer meant 43 per cent had increased the number of emails they sent and received, while 25 per cent increased their use of instant messaging.

Internet analyst Hitwise believes the figures would be similar in Australia.

“Given the similarities between Australian and UK social networking users, the MySpace UK research findings should be reviewed by anyone interested in the impact online social networks are having in Australia,” Hitwise spokeswoman Tessa Court said.

According to Hitwise, eight per cent of all visits to internet sites in Australia were to social networks and forums, compared to 7.6 per cent in the UK.

The average time spent on these websites was also similar, with Australia clocking up 18 minutes and 54 seconds, compared to 18 minutes and 57 seconds in the UK.

The two biggest social networking sites in Australia attracted even more attention.

The average time spent by Australians during the month of January on MySpace was 27 minutes and 46 seconds, while Facebook was 21 minutes and 15 seconds.

“While MySpace will always be a great way to communicate with friends, the site has evolved into the centre of people’s online and offline lives,” MySpace Australia and New Zealand vice president Rebekah Horne said.

“MySpace is now a collaborative and creative hub that allows people to keep up to date with, comment on, and define the wider cultural scene.”
Source: AAP

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UK education group: keep the Wii out of PE class

January 31, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

Adam’s Comments: Have a read of this!  Fantastic article from the UK about Wii’s being used in phycial education classes!  I bought one the other day (some may say lucky to get!) and it certainly gives you a decent(ish) workout!! Given the appeal of the Wii to children and the benefit of moving around, it’s not surprising to hear that the Wii was being integrated into the classroom as part of a physical education program in the United Kingdom. However, that integration has come under fire by education campaigners who claim that the Wii is merely a “gimmick” that is “pandering to the physically idle.”

Late last year, five schools in Worcestershire, England began to integrate an award-winning program that used the Nintendo Wii “to improve attitude, behavior and attendance in schools across the partnership.” The program specifically targeted children who missed out on physical education, as well as those who opted out of participating in after-school clubs.

“School Sport Partnerships across the country are doing some ground-breaking work to increase participation levels amongst young people which is vital as we work towards our target of offering all young people five hours of sport a week. We’re proud of the way Droitwich and Worcester City School Sport Partnership are engaging young people to do more sport,” Steve Grainger, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, told the Worcester News last December.

However, the chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, Nick Seaton, has openly criticized the plan to Channel 4 News. “It looks like another gimmick. It’s pandering to the views of the physically idle,” he said. “Pupils would be far better doing serious competitive sports and games than this sort of thing.”

 A spokesperson for the Department of Health responded, saying that the government “welcomes the positive impact that innovations like these can have as a first step towards getting people to participate in a broader range of physical activities and to enjoy the many benefits of a physically active lifestyle.”  

A recent study out of Nintendo’s United Kingdom marketing arm Cake suggests that although there is a slight increase in energy spent during a game of Wii Sports, the increase is not significant to “contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise.”

Nevertheless, the thought of video games during gym class is one that many young students could get excited over. Previous integration of games like Dance Dance Revolution in physical education programs has had positive results, and the flexibility of the Wii as a platform could lend itself to further opportunities—especially when used in tandem with software like Nintendo’s upcoming Wii Fit, which includes exercises that run the gamut from old classics like push-ups to modern yoga and dance.

While active video gaming may not be the ultimate solution to physical activity for youngsters, it’s certainly a way to get them started.

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TRENDS | Shape up 2008

January 29, 2008 · Filed under Trends · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

2007 was the year of social networks - Myspace, Facebook and the like. Many are now asking what are we in for in 2008? What should we looking out for in the digital media space in the year to come? Well, based on an international collaboration, we’ve identified a couple of key areas that should be on your radar for this year. 

Social networks hit Australia with extreme force between 2006 and 2007, with a saturated and loyal market (to a degree). Social networking via online applications will still be a prominent communications tool throughout the year ahead. We believe though in an age of digital convergence users will continue to trend towards using these social network platforms through other digital devices - ie. mobile phones. As a result the line between our online and offline lives is one that is blurring rapidly. With the increase in wireless instruments, the immediacy and accessibility of information is changing the way in which we interact socially and professionally. 

Be on the lookout for new technology designed with families in mind. Gaming technology a prime example of this - take for instance the Nintendo Wii, a console which is bringing families back into the lounge room engaging users at all levels. Similarly, the increase in parents communicating with their children through SMS, instant messengers and Voip based applications is staggering and an area that will grow within the coming year. 

Marketers need to move towards integration and interaction rather than intrusion. In the current environment of highly personalized and user generated content provided by social networks (Facebook, Myspace and the like), consumers have a heightened sensitivity to advertising. Users don’t want their online experiences disrupted by commercial messages. Smart marketers will move towards providing tools, information and environments that enhance online experiences through voluntary user participation.

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Unconventional recruitment strategies

January 21, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , ,

0585099500.jpgMany of you will know as a Generation Y based marketing firm we duck and weave the topical ‘HR’ styled questions surrounding how employers can improve their retention of their younger staff members.  However, I was forwarded this linksurrounding the increase in ‘Unconventional recruitment’ using Facebook and word of mouth etc (thanks goes to Kate from Fresh).

The article (based on a study by the Recruitment & Consulting Services Association (RCSA)) goes on to discuss the ongoing trend in using unconventional medians to fight the ongoing ‘war for talent’ that employers face in a fiercely tight labor market.  It says that 90% of the respondents time and resources were spent on unconventional acts. 

Furthermore, three of four niche job boards offer ‘refer a friend’ type incentives as the popularity of passive recruitment through friends increases.

The report also highlights the trend in recruiters turning to social networks such as LinkMe, LinkedIn and Facebook to help network jobs with potential candidates.  This area represented about 37% growth.

It certainly affirms that ‘flicking through the Saturday paper’ isn’t the sole way to reach employees - and that maybe more emphasis should be placed on developing these non-traditional methods.

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

 Adam Penberthy

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Baby Brazilians??

January 11, 2008 · Filed under Teens and tweens · Tagged , , , ,

Ethical marketing to teens and tweens has become more prevalent than ever.  As marketing and communications people ‘playing’ in this space, we know the ethical road better than many.  I mention this in light of a recent article in The Age, that talks about a new product release by global brand Nair, makers of hair removal products aimed at girls between the ages of 10-15.  

Here’s a snippet of the article:

“…the Australian arm of the company [Nair] has claimed its target audience is slightly older, in an attempt to distance itself from the US campaign, which involves phrases such as “Pretty isn’t a look. It’s a feeling,” “Nair will leave your skin smooth and totally touchable!” and this pearler from Stacey Feldman, vice-president for marketing at Nair’s parent company, Church & Dwight: “When a girl removes hair for the first time, it’s a life-changing moment.”

Girl - a leading website for female teens and preteens (girl.com.au) has featured ‘Brazilian Waxes’ on their site, a site predominantly read by girls between the ages of 9 and 14.  Is this right?

This topic spurs on the topic is 10 the new 20?  Internally we believe Generation Y has a clear split those 20-28 and those aged between 13-19.  The divide between these two ages is startling, I almost want to say something like, “it wasn’t like that when I was 14″…. but will refrain!!  I stand by the belief that ethics in marketing towards tweens and young teens needs to be priority number one. I also feel that this product is seriously skirting the boarder of ethical marketing.  What is other people’s thoughts?

 Adam Penberthy

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