July 30, 2012
Everything You Need to Know About Foursquare's New Merchant Tools
July 13, 2012
Facebook 'Likes' Inflated by Fake Accounts
To probe the matter, the British news organization set up a Facebook Page for a made-up company with no products called Virtual Bagel. Shortly after creating the Page on July 4, the account netted more than 3,000 “Likes.” The BBC then perused the profiles of those fans and found a disproportionate number from Egypt and the Philippines. Among them: A Cairo-based fan who called himself Ahmed Ronaldo and claimed to work for Real Madrid.
July 10, 2012
Beliefs and Misbeliefs about Open Source Software
What does “open source” mean? With open source software being so prevalent in our lives (Android, WordPress, Mozilla Firefox are almost fixtures), you would think that it would be simple enough to find somebody who can explain the term around here. A quick survey around the office turned out dismal results, however. A fellow intern told me “open source software” simply meant that the source code is open for view; another insisted that it means the software is free to use. I personally had the impression that it meant the code was crowd sourced and created by volunteer developers–the idea was immediately shot down by the other two. So what, really, does “open source” mean?
In an attempt to understand and clarify some of the misconceptions surrounding the term, I contacted the Open Source Initiative (OSI), a foundation that oversees the use of the term and approves open source licenses. I talked to Karl Fogel, the author of the book “Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project” and a board member of OSI.
I put to the test a few common beliefs about open source software:
5 Pinterest Security Issues You Should Know About
Like any other growing platform, Pinterest has its threats, security holes, etc. The main difference from Facebook or Twitter seems to be the naivety of its users. This not not to say that Pinterest is populated only by a certain kind of users who are naïve; rather, it’s due to the fact that this is a new network, and many of us have yet to encounter any spam or scams on it, a fact which makes us feel safer than on other social networks.
This article was not written to scare you or make you stop using Pinterest – Pinterest is still as safe and fun to use as ever – it’s just here to educate you about the potential threats you may encounter on Pinterest, so you’re able to continue using it and enjoying it just like before.
July 9, 2012
Why Social Media Will Reshape the 2012 Olympics
Why the big shift? It’s simple: Four years is an eternity in Internet time and since the last Summer Olympics in 2008, social media has exploded.
What to Expect From Major Marketers in the 21012 London Olympics
Coca-Cola
After a recent drubbing over nutrition, Coca-Cola's "Move to the beat" effort is aimed at teens globally. In the U.S., it will work with an "eight pack" of athletes, featuring them in ads; they will also interact with consumers via social media. There are also interactive athlete quizzes, prizes, sweepstakes and a "cheers" site to upload encouragement to Team USA.
The marketer's program revolves around a lot of digital, including a Healthy Share app with Facebook in which consumers can share with friends their progress in eating healthfully and working out (see story, P. 4). TV will mainly focus on health and how many of its b-to-b products, such as medical imaging devices, work behind the scenes to keep the world hale and hearty.
McDonald'sCounteracting views that it contributes to child obesity, the chain is running "Champions of Play," asking kids to track their activities and go online for encouragement from medalist hopefuls at the Olympic village. Big kids play in ads: LeBron James and Luol Deng face off over fries and a Big Mac. Also on tap is McDonald's largest Olympic Village restaurant.
The official timekeeper is running a series of lush commercials, several of which are long, lingering shots of its Olympic Collection London 2012 timepieces. But the signature spot is an anthemic one-minute video set to the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up." It shows athletes warming up for their big moment as a clock ticks softly behind with the tagline, "Official timekeeper of 25 Olympic Games."
Procter & Gamble Co. inked a 10-year global Olympics sponsorship last year, starting with London. Global Brand-Building Officer Marc Pritchard recently called it "the most far-reaching and ambitious campaign" in P&G history. It spans 34 brands and 73 countries, anchored by mom-focused global ads and including the "Best Job" viral video.
Samsung kicked off its effort in April with its U.S. Olympic Genome Project, linking fans to Olympic athletes via common connections. Under its overall theme, "Everyone's Olympic Games," the effort included giving fans a chance to participate in the torch relay, which Samsung sponsors. It tapped 75 Samsung bloggers to relay their insider Olympic experiences via its newest smartphones.
Visa's program is built around the concept that consumers can make a difference. Its push, running in 70 countries, features triumphant moments in Olympic history, with Morgan Freeman in the voice-over asking viewers to "join our global cheer." Fans also can upload a text, photo or video cheer they've created for the athletes and share via Facebook.
Source: What to Expect From Major Marketers' Olympic Pushes | Global News - Advertising Age
July 8, 2012
True Colors: What Your Brand Colors Say About Your Business | Business, Design & Graphics
When considering 60 to 80 percent of consumers buying decisions are influenced by simply the product’s shade, color has a stronger impact than you may realize. When looking at brands like Coca-Cola, the color is crucial to its marketing efforts, so much so that the company has patented its particular shade of crimson.
July 7, 2012
How We Look at Online Ads
Advertisers, do you want your banner ads to be noticed? Then go above the fold, to the left — and include some pictures of faces.
That’s the advice of a recent eye-tracking study of banner ads. Using a technology called Real CPM, EyeTrackShop aims to increase the efficacy of such display ads, which are known for abysmal click-through rates.
That’s the advice of a recent eye-tracking study of banner ads. Using a technology called Real CPM, EyeTrackShop aims to increase the efficacy of such display ads, which are known for abysmal click-through rates.
Take a look at the next four slides. Which ad do you think will receive the most eyeballs?
July 6, 2012
If you have 'Alureon' virus on your PC, you WILL get kicked off the internet on Monday
- Hundreds of thousands of PCs still at risk worldwide
- Virus 'spoofs' popular websites in attempt to steal personal information
- Around 50 Fortune 500 companies still have virus in their machines
- FBI 'ring-fenced' the virus late last year - but protection ends on Monday
July 4, 2012
How Kenya Has Beaten the World in Mobile Money
July 3, 2012
5 Ways to Monitor Your Brand’s Effectiveness
With venues like Twitter and Facebook already flooded with brand marketers, how can you ensure that any outreach you do on behalf of your brand is actually working? Here are five ways to measure and monitor your brand’s effectiveness online.
July 1, 2012
Twitter marketers: why almost everything you know from Facebook is wrong
Buddy Media, the social media engagement company, recently completed a study of 320 top brands on Twitter — Fortune 1000 companies like Coke, American Eagle, Microsoft, and Nike — looking at what works and what doesn’t to get maximum engagement, and the greatest degree of virality.
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