What Does Sony Mean To You?

With the rise of 3D TV during this year Sony is looking to push forwards on all technological fronts. Recently re-styling their Japanese retail store in line with Apple’s clean cut style, they are also looking to launch an online content service that will no doubt be available across their TV’s, Consoles and the Web.

Sony don’t tend to innovate like they used too, and it looks like Apple have been holding that title for the last decade. But with a vast number of loyal customers, a distinct design style of its own and a brand as big as Coca Cola, Sony will not have to try to hard to win new customers.

Content Courtesy of The New York Times :

Sony is working with Google and Intel on Google TV, a platform for a new generation of televisions and set-top boxes that will make it easier to browse the Web on TV screens. The first devices featuring the technology are expected to be on sale this summer.

Read the full article at :

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/technology/29sony.html

See also :

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/technology/18webtv.htm

Mothers Who Blog.

Well done to all those mothers out there who have decided to blog, and thank you to the New York Times for giving this growing marketplace some PR. Whether your a pushy mum, or just someone you wants to communicate the joys of bringing up children there are many reasons why mothers would blog. The fact is that everyone should blog, what better way to communicate how you feel. And although its being called a blog, it is essentially a web communication application like any other. This means that who ever is in control of the site can ether let the entire Internet view the contents or it can be accessed from behind a secure password entry system to a select few.

Created by Tiffany Romero & Heather Blair, Bloggy Boot Camp is a company that organises events about blogging and social media and targets women. Right now they are planning a “Blogging Boot Camp Tour” across the United States. This is a great idea not only for providing help using technology, but for creating a community.

Find out more about Bloggy Boot Camp at : http://www.bloggybootcamp.com/

Read the New York times article by Jennifer Mendelson at :

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/fashion/14moms.html

An example blog :

http://www.scarymommy.com/

Social Media Dashboard By uberVU.

As we begin to use social media more and plan for new campaigns it would be wise to understand the metrics of such activities.

A company by the name of uberUV have created a dashboard to help you understand your user engagements across various social media web applications like Twitter, Friend Feed etc based on keywords and/or phrases.

Watch a video to find out how to use uberUV’s dashboard at :

Find out more about uberUV at : http://www.ubervu.com/

Content Courtesy of uberUV :

uberVU bring you community metrics and analytics. On uberVU you search for something – such as your brand or your blog. We return whole conversations in a single thread – not just the post (like on Google blogsearch), but comments to the post from all over the Web – blogs, Twitter, Digg, FriendFeed, Reddit and a lot more.

Web Trends : Where Is Facebook Headed?

Facebook is in its prime. Having received $240 million from Microsoft and introducing the Ad system in 2007, the number of users has gone from strength to strength. But where is Facebook going?

At the moment Facebook can not only be accessed directly but through various other sites and platforms like Xbox. This is thanks to the free Facebook Connect APIs which allows developers to create new bridges with Facebook.

Does this mean users spend less time on the main site? Or does this mean Facebook’s current definition changes as users migrate but stay connected. Maybe Facebook will break up into smaller more focussed areas. Will the groups become more advanced allowing users to control more of what and how they share?

Whatever happens, Facebook’s mix of users and games certainly is a very successful partnership, and as games inevitably improve, this part of Facebook certainly has the potential to grow into something exciting. And with its 400 million cross generational worldwide users, it’s database is a world-class directory when you want to find someone. Many companies now have a Fan Page, allowing social communication to go beyond just your friends but to include brand loyalty. So even though Facebook is a huge beast, some parts are going to be the key to driving the future Facebook forwards.

In the meantime Facebook have been working on the main site strategies, like today’s semantic update on the keywords advertisement system. Fresh thinking like this can only add value. As Mark Zuckerberg continues to evolve Facebook, it will be an interesting journey to watch considering we are moving into a very strong phase of social media from plethora of companies.

Find out more about Farmville at : http://www.farmville.com/

Update 16th March 2010

Facebook ousts Google as most popular U.S. site.

Read more about this article at :

http://ow.ly/1mVyY

Update 22nd April 2010

Following the F8 conference yesterday, it looks like we can now see what Facebook has been up to. Replacing the Connect Tool with Social Plug Ins and in the process attempting to connect users relationships with their online engagements through semantic meanings.  In the words of Zuckerman himself  “the most transformative thing we’ve ever done for the web.”

Find out more about the next evolution of Facebook at :

http://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/377

Find out more about the latest on Facebook, unofficially at :

http://www.allfacebook.com/

Web Trends – Burberry uses 3D at fashion week.

Burberry has displayed a good example of online brand engagement by utilising the latest new TV technology that’s currently doing the rounds…3D.

Burberry Prorsum’s 3D show with thigh-high boots and heritage jackets
A 3-D online extravaganza celebrated the brand’s future while the clothes reminded us of Burberry’s great heritage. Read More…

Article source courtesy of Lisa Armstron, TIMESONLINE.

Watch a repeat of the video here :

Autumn/Winter Burberry catwalk show Feb 2010.

Watch BBC News Report, running up to the show at :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8534058.stm

Love magazine are also using online media to help promote it’s brand.

Check out the short film released on Valentine’s Day earlier this year,  The Love Thing

Facebook urged to act after memorial sites defaced – Australia.

Article courtesy of Belinda Goldsmith, Reuters UK :

CANBERRA (Reuters) – Cyber attacks on Facebook pages set up to pay tribute to two murdered Australian children has prompted calls for the social networking site to be more accountable for its users.

Social media experts say it is natural that people who use sites such as Facebook or MySpace as a major form of communication should turn to these sites with personal tragedies. Read more…

Exploring Social Media Monitoring: An Industry Survey.

It has taken social media to get corporations thinking more seriously about all those web possibilities.

Using Social Media to create the communities of brand loyal Internet savvy users, corporations can learn so much about why consumers adore or hate their brand.

But the knowing of when and how to communicate will be one of the first challenges.

James Falls from the Social Media Explorer makes his comments :

You could say the social media monitoring industry has been the single fastest-growing niche in the world of technology over the past three years. As more companies engage in social media, participate in conversations and launch social media initiatives, the demand to monitor what is being said and analyze that data is critical for companies to not only read and react, but also fund and staff social initiatives.

Read more about this article, courtesy of the Social Media Explorer at :

http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2010/02/24/exploring-social-media-monitoring-an-industry-survey/

Apple Bans Some Apps for Sex-Tinged Content.

Apple has started banning many applications for its iPhone that feature sexually suggestive material, including photos of women in bikinis and lingerie, a move that came as an abrupt surprise to developers who had been profiting from such programs.

Read more from the article courtesy of the New York Times at :

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/technology/23apps.html

From another report :

Apple, There’s Pornography On My iPhone. The App Is Called Safari. You Made It.

Apple’s hypocrisy with regard to the App Store is something I know well. Several times last year I wrote about Apple allowing apps like “Asian Boobs” and upskirt apps into the App Store while rejecting things such as satirical apps that mocked public figures. It was ridiculous. So you might think I’d be happy that Apple is now rejecting and removing sexy apps from the App Store as well. But actually, the hypocrisy is much worse now.

Continued at Apple, There’s Pornography On My iPhone. The App Is Called Safari. You Made It.

Courtesy of MG Siegler at TechCrunch on 23.02.2010

Web Trends – Fiat is the first brand to use new Facebook ad format.

Fiat is the first brand in the UK to use a new Facebook ad format that captures consumer data.

The ad format asks users to input their address in order to receive more information, product samples or vouchers.

Source by Charlotte McEleny, New Media Age : http://www.nma.co.uk/news/fiat-first-brand-to-use-new-facebook-ad-format/3010171.article

This is a great example of the brand embracing the web.

Fiat are just prying the door open here on a world waiting for seamless interactive experiences.

UKOM – Online Media Measurment Powered By Nielsen.

What is UKOM APS?

UKOM APS is a media industry measurement of UK consumers’ online activity, specified by UKOM Ltd and delivered by Nielsen, to the standard required by the industry for planning online brand advertising campaigns.

Advertisers and their agencies use official audience data as a foundation to plan campaigns across all media. TV has BARB, National Press has NRS and so on. These allow the placement of advertising across a whole medium to achieve clear reach and frequency objectives. UKOM APS will allow online brand advertising to be planned in this way for the first time.

Find out more about UKOM at : http://www.ukom.uk.net

Web Trends – Using Blogs To Sell Products.

New York based retailer  Singer22 have been embracing the Internet to help create sales by blogging about the brands celebrities are using.

Too keep up with the their world visit : http://singer22sblog.com/

Further Information :

CelebStyle.com is the definitive guide to what celebrities are wearing on and off the screen. See it. Want it. Get it.

http://twitter.com/heycelebstyle

Will It Blend? A well thought out digital marketing case study of how a brand can mix well with digital media.

Presented By Blendtec, this site shows you some of the things you should and definetly not do with a Blendtech blender.

Find out more at :

http://www.blendtec.com/willitblend/

It displays a well thought out digital marketing case study of how a brand can mix well with digital media.

Together with the site are the ‘Will it Blog‘ and Tweets.