Capital C

Digital Digs 01.04.10

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------

What You Can Learn from Consumers' Digital Decade

In addition to having some mega compelling stats, this article makes an important call to action for marketers of this brand-new decade. This line is worthy of thievery: “The twenty-oh's were the digital decade for consumers. The twenty-teens will be the digital decade for marketers. Time to get cracking.”

 

Digital Decade 2.0

 

------------------------------------

Page Leaderboard

Page Data is a website dedicated to tracking facebook metrics and finding trends within the massively popular social network. Found here is the leaderboard of fan pages, which stand out against millions of others. As more and more brands tack a logo to a fan page, it’s important to see who’s doing it right, so that (hopefully) those getting onboard in 2010 can learn to follow suit.

 

Learn From the Best

 

------------------------------------

Ten Technologies That Will Rock 2010

TechCrunch lists 10 technologies to look out for in 2010. Early adopters will be all over these so be sure to stay ahead of the curve while being able to join in on the conversation at the next industry cocktail party. No doubt that before you know it, we’ll wonder how we ever lived without these things.

 

For Those Who Love to Rock

 

------------------------------------

AppMakr To Make Anyone An iPhone App-Builder

While we’re still in the early stages of creating apps that can be both relative and sellable, we’re already starting to see the very tip of the do-it-yourself iceberg peaking over the horizon. This is big news, as those that do it professionally will have to do it better to stay ahead of the pack. Look for some mind-blowing relativity sooner than you thought.

 

Here Comes Everyone

 

------------------------------------

Top 10 Tech News Stories of the Decade

Who’s getting sick of top 10 lists? It’s definitely the time of year to reflect, and CNN does a great job of digging through the big tech stories to find, well, the biggest. At the least, it’s entertaining how long ago 10 years feels when you look at it through technology.

 

Take Time to Reflect

 

 

***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca

Digital Digs- 11-12-09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------

Social Media ROI? Zzzzzzz….

Apparently a high percentage of companies don’t measure ROI for their social media efforts. But can you blame them?

 

Boring But Necessary

 

------------------------------------

Today’s Vision of Tomorrow

Google’s rolled out some new features. Is there anything they won’t make easier?

 

Google Everything

 

------------------------------------

Flexible Fuel: Educating the Client on IA

An oldie but a goodie. An article explaining IA, which we should all know a thing or two about.

 

Get to Know Your IA Friend

 

------------------------------------

Google Goggles

Taking ambient findability to a whole new level, Google Goggles for Android Phones combines advanced object-recognition technology with search to get you relevant results.

 

Know What That Is?

 

------------------------------------

Thanks, But No Thanks: Enough With the Nonsense Already

With any up-and-coming industry, there will be lots of crap-shooters just looking to cash in and make a quick buck. Enter International Social Media Association (ISMA) and their social media certification course. For $3,000.

 

Certifiably Snake Oil

 

 

***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca
***********************

Digital Digs- 08.21.09

Please take a moment to fill out our survey: http://tinyurl.com/qff5ez


------------------------------------
Online Ads Lift CPG Sales 9%, TV 8%
It is likely that the more precise targeting ability of the internet - especially in terms of accurately reaching the desired demographic segment - is a key reason for online advertising’s effectiveness. The relatively lower cost of online advertising makes this even more significant.
 
Online Takes it to TV <http://www.marketingcharts.com/television/online-ads-lift-cpg-sales-9-on-par-with-tv-comscore-10167>

  <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8>
------------------------------------
In TV's Future, You'll Be In Control 24/7
New technologies don’t always displace old technologies; old technologies reinvent themselves. Here’s a view of how TV can reinvent itself.
 
The New TV <http://chiefmarketer.com/technology/0811-tv-future/>

------------------------------------
Tweens on Twitter
Latest studies show that twitter is for 30-somethings…Alan Wolk knows better. If tweens didn’t tweet, how come all the tween stars are all there. Is there something they know that we don’t?
 
Tweens on Twitter <http://www.slideshare.net/AlanWolk/tweens-on-twitter>
 
------------------------------------
CBS Embeds a Video Playing Ad in a Print Magazine
In the latest example of finding media innovation where you’d least expect it, CBS is embedding a video player in a print ad in Entertainment Weekly that will serve up a buffet of its fall TV lineup.
Cool Like a Digital Cucumber <http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/cbs-embeds-a-video-playing-ad-in-a-print-magazine/>
------------------------------------
Interview with Zack Lynch about The Neuro Revolution
The Neuro Revolution is a new book by Zack Lynch that looks at how our increasing knowledge about how the brain works will impact everything from economics and politics to religion and, of course, marketing.

 
Brain Spotting <http://www.boingboing.net/2009/08/20/interview-with-zack.html>
<http://www.boingboing.net/2009/08/20/interview-with-zack.html>
------------------------------------
The Future of Facebook
Facebook is evolving like monkey out of tree, with the biggest changes happening over the last few months. Examining the culture and leadership of the company may lend to finding answers as to why Facebook makes the choices it does; against the wishes of the greater portion of its users, but (seemingly) always for the better.

Onwards and Upwards <http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-future-of-facebook/>
<http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2009/08/17/the-future-of-facebook/>
 
***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca
***********************
 <http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/08/cbs-embeds-a-video-playing-ad-in-a-print-magazine/>

Digital Digs- 07-24-09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------
Why Go Online?
Want to know why a particular demographic group goes online and what they mean by “be entertained” or “connect” or “do business”? RuderFinn put together a nifty tool to help you.
 
Learn, Shop, Have Fun, etc <http://www.ruderfinn.com/rfrelate/intent/intent-index.html>

------------------------------------
Letterman Discovers Twitter
David Letterman was introduced to Twitter via Kevin Spacey <http://twitter.com/kevinSpacey>  on last night's Late Show. Once Dave got past the concept of typing with his thumbs he was able to characterize Twitter as "a waste of time."
 
How Much does it Cost to Twitter? <http://blog.twitter.com/2009/07/letterman-discovers-twitter-via-spacey.html>

------------------------------------
Augmented ID
You’re at a conference and you see someone interesting. You point your mobile phone at the person and icons appear around that person highlighting their social media identities so you can check them out before talking to them.
 
Hi, This is Me <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb0pMeg1UN0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgregverdino.typepad.com%2Fgreg_verdinos_blog%2F2009%2F07%2Fmobile-in-the-middle.html&feature=player_embedded >

------------------------------------
Twitterville Introduction
Shel Israel, co-author of Naked Conversations with Joseph Jaffe, is releasing a new book called “Twitterville” on September 3. His publisher has allowed the introduction to be posted online.
 
Twitterville: The New Global Neighbourhood <http://redcouch.typepad.com/weblog/2009/07/twitterville-excerpt-introduction.html>
 
------------------------------------
Movie Studios Try to Harness "Twitter Effect"
This is the story of the so-called "Twitter effect," whereby people who saw Bruno on its opening Friday tweeted their displeasure to friends in time to put the kibosh on Saturday ticket purchases. There's some merit to this theory, because Brüno's box office fell off a cliff from opening day to its second day.
 
Words Can Kill <http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE56G74H20090717>
 
------------------------------------
YouTube Insight: Share Detailed Stats for Your Videos
Simply being able to turn the switch for video insights from “private” to “public” may not seem like a big deal to most people. But insights are quickly becoming a vital tool as more and more viable information is found through social networks like YouTube. Journalist, strategists, and analysts: take heed.
 
Love Those Insights <http://mashable.com/2009/07/23/youtube-insight/>
 
 
***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca
***********************
 

Digital Digs- 07.17.09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------
How to Evaluate Social Media Street Cred
Best Buy put out a want ad for a Director of Emerging Media and they list having 250 followers as a requirement. David Armano adds more dimensions to round out better candidates. Okay, but what about old fashion things like communication skills, business acumen, etc?
 
To Be a Social Media Professional <http://blog.futurelab.net/2009/07/how_to_evaluate_social_media_s.html>

------------------------------------
What the F**k is Social Media: One Year Later
Marta Kagan updates last year’s rant with more panache and profanity. Social media is not just a another marketing channel. It’s PR, customer service, loyalty building, collaboration, networking, and customer acquisition
 
WTF, Social Media <http://www.slideshare.net/mzkagan/what-the-fk-is-social-media-one-year-later>

------------------------------------
Absolut-ly (Sort of) Useful
Insurance agent calendars and beer-sponsored bar coasters or bottle openers, have achieved a sort of sponsorship Zen. We may find them ugly, but they’re certainly useful (and free). Branded iPhone apps have been searching for that same balance of being super-useful without an overt ‘shouting message’. Absolut’s Drinkspiration may have reached it. Cheers!
 
Get Lush-fully Inspired <http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=109327>
 
------------------------------------
The Social Media Game
Want to put on a social media workshop? Beth Kanter and David Wilcox created one that works well in a workshop-like setting. Monica Hamburg tried it out and posted the opening deck that explains all the social media tools just before you send everyone off to a breakout session.
 
Let's Play <http://monicahamburg.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/social-media-game-for-my-charity-connects/>
 
------------------------------------
The Inside Numbers on Twitter
Are Twitter’s alleged internal numbers overly optimistic—or do the people inside Twitter know something the rest of us don’t? There’s lots of opposing views, that’s for certain.
 
Get the Inside Scoop <http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007185>
 
------------------------------------
Toyota Targets iPhone Users With New Prius Promotion
With more than 60 percent of Toyota Motor’s WAP traffic coming from the iPhone, the automaker decided to take a different approach to mobile with the promotion of the newest Prius car model.

***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca
***********************

Digital Digs - 07.10.09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------
The Choice of Cities
Cities are technological artifacts, the largest technology we make. Their impact is out of proportion to the number of humans living in them. The percentage of humans living in cities averaged about one or two percent for most of recorded history. Technology has accelerated the migration such that we’re now over 50%. Kevin Kelly tells us why and what that means.
 
Urban Movement <http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2009/07/the_choice_of_c.php>

 
------------------------------------
Tech is Too Cheap to Meter: It's Time to Manage for Abundance, Not Scarcity
When IT tells you to delete old files from a server they’re doing your company a disservice. The cost to add a new hard drive is pennies compared to the cost of each employee spending time evaluating which files to be deleting and then deleting them. Similarly, when the phone company tells you your voicemail is full, there’s no reason for it. It costs them pennies to store your voicemail. Both institutions have policies dating back to a time when storage was expensive and scarce. It’s time to change those policies and manage for abundance.
 
It's Abundantly Clear, Click Here <http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-07/mf_freer?currentPage=2>

------------------------------------
The Triumph of the Default
Technology allows for infinite customization and infinite choice. But too much choice i.e. 99 varieties of mustard, 2,356 options in your health plan, or 56,000 possible hairdos for your avatar in a virtual world produces massive indecision and paralysis. The amazing solution to this problem of debilitating over-abundant choice are the default settings.
 
Click Here By Default <http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2009/06/triumph_of_the.php>

------------------------------------
Synthetic Authenticity
The virtualization of life (friends aren't friends unless you "confirm" them on Facebook; reporters are now all bloggers, and vice versa) has led to a deep consumer yearning for the authentic. Businesses take heed. What consumers buy must reflect who they are and who they aspire to be in relation to how they perceive the world—with lightning-quick judgments of 'real' or 'fake' hanging in the balance.
 
This is an Authentic Link <http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1720049_1720050_1722070,00.html  >

------------------------------------
40% of "iUsers" Accessing Internet From Mobile More Than From Computer
It’s easier to reach into your pocket for a connection to your favourite networks than it is to sit at a computer. What’s more, mobile applications are ultra tailored to your needs, with many finding your location rather than you having to enter it. Bookmarks are at your fingertips, each with their own icon, which makes it faster to access a site you use often. Plus, and this is the most important part, the web is more fun on your phone (and when was that ever said before?).
 
Marketers Take Heed <http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=109199>
 
------------------------------------
Giz Explains: What the Hell's Google Chrome OS?
There’s been a lot of talk about Google Chrome this week. It was a top trending topic on Twitter (‘nuff said, nowadays). But what is it? And the always-essential question: How will it make my life easier?
 
Get Some Answers <http://gizmodo.com/5310406/giz-explains-what-the-hells-google-chrome-os>
 <http://gizmodo.com/5310406/giz-explains-what-the-hells-google-chrome-os>  
 

***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca
***********************

Digital Digs- 03.07.09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.
*Special early release this week - Happy Canada Day!
------------------------------------
How the Future Social Web will Transform Marketing
Imagine walking into a store and telling the salesperson all of your likes, dislikes, and how these traits relate to why you’ve come into the store. Before you can blink you have a whole bunch of options, all of which fir your preferences and personality. Perfect. But before you make a purchase your friend comes in and tells you not to shop there because this company’s products are faulty. Now picture this entire interaction happening online, for every site you visit.

Cool For Customers, Scary for Brands <http://randallbeard.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/social-web-transforms-marketing/>

------------------------------------
Key Tools for Tracking Online Trends
MySpace and Facebook were neck and neck last December, and while legions of tech journalist wrote countless articles about how Facebook was catching up with MySpace, nobody predicted that the headlines this summer would be this bad for MySpace. But in just a few months, barely two fiscal quarters, MySpace went from giant to giant has-been.
 
See Around Corners <http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/23615.asp>

------------------------------------
How to Make Your Employees the Voice of Your Brand Online
While many marketers are starting to understand that their employees can be their greatest assets, one small barbecue chain has taken it to an entirely new level.
 
Build an Army <http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=137595>

------------------------------------
Would You Invite 16 Bloggers to Spend 24 Hours With Your Company? The Navy Did
It says a lot about an organization when its leaders and executives can step back and be secure in the knowledge that their people will do the right thing, up and down the hierarchical chain. No organization is more concerned with image than the Navy and yet, here they are, playing in the social media pond, and playing nice, too.
 
Battle Stations <http://blog.altimetergroup.com/2009/06/would-you-invite-16-bloggers-to-spend-24-hours-with-your-company-the-navy-did.html>

------------------------------------
Copywriting, Social Media Skills
In the past, traditional advertising has provided a range of passive media for copywriters to engage a specific audience. Social Media changes everything. No longer is it a one-way conversation between brand and constituency. SM is an active conversation.
 
Written Conversation Skills <http://jasonkeath.com/copywriting-social-media-skills/>

------------------------------------
Debunking The Myths of Social Media
There are a few considerations every organization needs to consider when developing their blueprints for their own unique social media design. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are few things you can plan for as you review the many options before you.
 
Seed, Feed, Weed <http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2009/06/sbd-2.html>
 <http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2009/06/sbd-2.html>

 
***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca

Digital Digs- 05.11.09

05.11.09\\\\Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what’s new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

————————–———-
Anthropology: The Art of Building a Successful Social Site
This is the story of Stack Overflow <http://stackoverflow.com/> , a free question and answer site built by developers for developers that has fostered a strong and committed online community in under one year. How? Easy, according to founder Joel Spolsky <http://www.joelonsoftware.com/> ; all it takes is an understanding of anthropology and a lot of determination.

Successful and Social <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/anthropology_the_art_of_building_a_successful_soci.php>

————————–———-
When Newspaper Archives Meet Twitter
NPRBackstory doesn’t do much. It’s just another little Twitter tool that makes sure you see what stories are being searched for heavily online. Pretty much, NPRBackstory makes sure you don’t miss anything big. Ever. Getting all those tweets could get annoying. But never missing a story could be pretty beneficial.

Looking Back <http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/05/04/when-newspaper-archives-meet-twitter/>

————————–———-
Putting a Price on Social Connections
Researchers at IBM and MIT have found that certain e-mail connections and patterns at work correlate with higher revenue production.

Your Followers are Worth… <http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2009/tc2009047_031301.htm>

————————–———-
When to Avoid Social Media
With all the social media hype, marketers should be aware that just jumping on the ultimate shiny new object of marketing isn’t necessarily the best move. If you don’t have the following pre-requisites, don’t go into social media.

Going Anti-Social <http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090406/FREE/304069979/1109/FREE#seenit>

————————–———-
Twitter Coordinated Riots in Moldova
Moldova’s president accused Romania of involvement in a huge anti-communist protest, much of it coordinated on Facebook and Twitter, which saw government buildings ransacked and police arrest scores of demonstrators. Remember next time you tweet the contents of your lunchbox to mates – someone somewhere in the world is using Twitter to stage a coup.

Twitter Politics <http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/85513>

————————–———-
Virtual Learning Gets Second Wind from Second Life
A handful of agencies are turning to virtual worlds to create programs that bring together the best aspects of Internet-based training and the traditional classroom. Making learning, well, easy.

Learning 2.0 <http://fcw.com/articles/2009/05/04/feature-virtual-learning.aspx>

***********************
We want your feedback. Post links, criticism & love in our comments!

Digital Digs- 06.19.09

Capital C’s Digital Digs – A digest of what's new and emerging in marketing, technology and strategy.

------------------------------------
How to Go Viral
Bill Wasik is an Internet instigator best known as the creator of flash mobs. His life mission has been to test the boundaries of our ever-expanding viral culture and his credits include starting a fake version of the New York Times for conservatives to running a site focused exclusively on negative attacks against political candidates. In the process, he's analyzed how and why some stories became cultural phenomena and others languish in the nursing home of online oblivion.
 
Viralocity <http://www.salon.com/books/int/2009/06/10/viral_culture/print.html>

------------------------------------
Eleven Faces of Twitter
Former Capital C employee, Jordan Julien, posts an interesting deck describing 11 different ways people are currently using twitter, including the poser, the conversationalist, the narcissist and, the expert.
 
Tweeps <http://www.slideshare.net/thejordanrules/faces-of-twitter>

------------------------------------
Sorry, There's No Way to Save the TV Business
The traditional TV industry -- cable companies, networks and broadcasters -- is where the newspaper industry was about five years ago: in denial.
 
The Sad Fate of TV <http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=137304>

------------------------------------
Social Media Strategies Give Hope to Ad Agencies
Whether a brand tweets on Twitter or maintains a fan page on Facebook, social media is a less expensive and appealingly interactive alternative for companies looking to build brands compared with traditional media like television or print.
 
Never Fear, Social Media is Here <http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/06/15/story3.html?b=1245038400%5E1844040>

------------------------------------
Guy #3
Social Media is a hard game to play. A lot of times you can sit there in a tiny group, telling your story to a couple enthusiasts who love what you’re doing but don’t have the reach to get it off the ground. It’s guy number 3 who turns your small group of enthusiasts into an army of brand loyalists. You need guy number 3. He’s your savior; the one you’ll remember when your campaign hits the top. Want to see a hilarious visual that proves this point and makes sense of it at the same time? Of course you do.
 
Guy Number 3 and Go <http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/guy-3.html>
 <http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/guy-3.html>  
------------------------------------
10 Ways Journalism Schools Are Teaching Social Media
That doesn’t mean having a class on Facebook or Twitter which many college students already know inside and out, but instead means that professors are delving into how these tools can be applied to enrich the craft of reporting and producing the news and ultimately telling the story in the best possible way.

<http://mashable.com/2009/06/19/teaching-social-media/> Communication Evolution <http://mashable.com/2009/06/19/teaching-social-media/>

 
***********************

We want your feedback. Send links, criticism & love to:
digital.digs@capitalc.ca

Digital Diggs

Here's some diggs dug by CapC staffers.

P&G to Spend 20% on digital in Canada
Tim Penner, P&G's president in the country, has vowed to boost online spending from 3% of its media budget to as much as 20% for the company's fiscal year that starts July 1.
Digital Spending
Your dedicated social media staffer
Want to gauge response to potential new products? Use social media. Want to compile or validate keyword lists for PPC or SEO? Use social media. Want to develop or test new ad campaigns? Use social media…and you might need a full time staff.
Full-time Social Media
You're likely not my friend, even if Facebook says you are
Facebook has clearly broadened (redefined?) what it means to be someone’s “friend”.  Could the backlash be around the corner? (NOTE: To get around purchasing the article we put a cached version which looks a little wonky)
Are we friends?
Get a Virtual Makeover
With new advances of face recognition software finally a decent quality virtual makeover solution hit the market.  Now you can upload your face and within minutes check out various haircuts and make-up options. 
Hmm… I wonder how I would look like bold
Japanese mobile game for spicy snacks
Japanese food maker Tohato launched a mobile multiplayer online game to promote their new snack products, delightfully named "Tyrant Habanero Burning Hell Hot" and Satan Jorquia Bazooka Deadly Hot." Buyers use their mobile phone to scan the 2D barcode on the bag and then join either the Habanero Evil Army or the Satan Jorquia Evil Army.
More here
Panasonic teams with Google to bring streaming Web video to your TV
Imagine being able to access YouTube videos from your nice new HDTV.  Think about accessing online content the same way you do on a cell phone.  Of course Google will hand-pick the highlights and stick on an ad on top of it.
YouTube in High-Def