Wordless Wednesday: Toys Get Techie

In the spirit of this Holiday season, our Wordless Wednesday gives tribute to the most popular holiday toys since 1981. From dolls to iPads one thing is for sure, kids are getting increasingly techie. 

 

Pop-Up Video is Back With Creative Advertising

As a fan of behind-the-scenes features on rental DVD's, I have always been drawn to the quirky and entertaining VH1 show, Pop-Up Video. Aired in the mid-1990s, the show quickly became the highest rated on VH1 due to its music video trivia and comedic tone. The show went off the air in 2002 until its revival this past October.

One of the best parts of the shows comeback is its marketing efforts. In addition to the standard music videos getting the Pop-Up treatment, the channel has also begun adding a trivia element to certain commercials, and posting them to the show's online site. “Pop-Up Video has been a fan favorite for years,” says Marc McIntire, Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing for VH1. “Because of that, we knew we’d have to do something new when we brought it back.”


To promote the show, select commercials are getting a layer of pop-up trivia. The first company to jump on board is Fiat with their 500 Ambarth subcompact "seduction" commercial. The spot not only supports the new Fiat 500, but also the new season of Pop-Up Video. The VH1 creative team and the advertiser's creative agency work together to come up with the final product. 

"We have a whole new season of Pop-Up Video coming up," McIntire says, "so I'm sure we'll be working with other advertisers." 

I am excited to see more commercials like this, partly because I love getting the inside scoop behind production, but also because it's an interesting display of dual-promotion. A commercial for a show within a commercial for a product? It's like inception for the advertising world. Wonderful.

R.I.P. Saab

Quirky, weird, different. That's what Saabs were all about. The very first car I borrowed from an automaker as a journalist was a 1984 Saab 900 Turbo. It was a revelation to me, having been brought up with a series of very mundane domestic cars. The Saab was FAST and FUN with an aromatic leather interior that really fit your body contours, and of course, an unmistakable chunky shape that was unlike any other car. Saab obtained its highest sale volume in 1986, and it has been on a steady decline since then.

There was some hope that after the GM bankruptcy in 2009, that Swedish Automobile CEO Victor Muller could pull off a miracle and get Saab back on track, but it wasn't mean to be. Saab was declared bankrupt by a court on Monday. A new 9-5 was trotted out to the press last year, but it wasn't different enough to create much of a sir. There are just too many good cars out in the marketplace now; it's harder and harder to stand apart.

My wife's car is a Saab 2000 9-3 convertible that my daughter now drives. Even back then, Saab was beginning to slip into conformity thanks to the badly-managed GM ownership that eventually killed it. I'm sorry to see Saab go, even if it was only a ghost of what it once was. There are just too many vanilla cars out there.

Some automakers have taken up the 'different is better' gauntlet, including Subaru, VW and MINI, not to mention Nissan with their weird but somewhat lovable Cube and Juke vehicles, and the brand-new Fisker performance hybrid.  Let's hope there will always be cars that have distinct personalities that are also fun to drive.

Your Guide to the New Twitter

Over the next several weeks, Twitter will be shedding some old feathers and taking on a new look. In a move they hope will coax users away from third party apps and back to the main site, the redesign encompasses Twitter.com and TweetDeck, as well as its mobile apps. Here is a look at what you can expect.

There are three new buttons at the top of the page: Home, @Connect and #Discover.

• Home: Your updated news feed. See information about @replies and retweets, as well as linkable content (videos and pictures) right in the feed.
• @Connect: Shows who has mentioned you and suggests some accounts you might want to follow.
• #Discover: Shows what's trending and points you to notable stories and videos. This feature is a great example of the more personalized Twitter. Discover will identify stories and trends based on your connections, location and language.

The redesign also has Tweets housed on the right side, and your profile box in the upper left hand corner. Not exactly sure why there was a need to do this, but I'm sure there was plenty of market research and design psychology involved.

Other notables:

• Brand Pages: Taking a note from Facebook and Google+, the new Twitter will allow brand pages for companies which will have a bigger header, more customizable options and extended taglines. The coolest feature here is that brands will be able to choose what tweet stays at the top of their timeline, thus highlighting their best content.
• Embedded Tweets: Now website developers and bloggers can embed tweets right into their website. This gives visitors the ability to reply, retweet and favorite without leaving the page.

You can get the new Twitter now by downloading the updated version for iPhone or Android here. Otherwise, it will be taking over the Twittersphere over the next few weeks. Here is a video from Twitter showing off the new features:

When PR stands for "Papal Relations"

The was an article recently on The Verge about the Pope using a Sony Tablet S, Sony's answer to the iPad, to light a Christmas display in a city a hundred miles away from the Vatican.

Obviously, this could very well turn into a post about technology adoption by atypical demographics.

However, the more important part of this equation to me is that the significant emphasis on the Sony Tablet's role suggests this was purely a PR move. If that theory holds true, then it's an interesting strategy on Sony's part.

Despite fairly positive reviews of its performance and unique design, the Sony Tablet S hasn't made waves in the increasingly-crowded tablet market, failing to dethrone the iPad.

Some may question the relevance of using a religious figure to promote a tablet, seeing as how the Pope's influence doesn't necessarily extend to a tech-heavy audience and most of the early adopters the tablet appeals to aren't influenced by the Pope.

But because of that overcrowding of the tablet market, the talking points for Sony can't revolve around the device itself. Tech readers have become inundated with specs and require alternative means of grabbing their attention.

That's where PR comes in.

One of the most basic goals of public relations is to generate conversation and get people talking, and there's no denying this story did the trick. They were able to combine an interesting story with the timeliness of the holiday season, without it coming across as a cheap stunt.

Wordless Wednesday: 7 Companies Who Made Major Pivots in Strategy

Facebook "friends" Gowalla to bolster location features

It's no secret that Facebook, despite its social media prowess, has struggled in the location-based social networking. It's Facebook Places feature has been underwhelming to say the least, and is far from a Foursquare-killer.

In what appears to be an effort to possibly grow that location-based service, Facebook announced today that it bought out Gowalla. Facebook has already said that the Gowalla management team will be integrated into Facebook's staff, and the service will be shut down in January.

Seeing as how Gowalla is was the third biggest player in the location-based game, it's safe to say that it is now a two-horse race between Facebook and Foursquare.

However, Gowalla made it clear that Facebook didn't buy any user data, and that existing users will be able to export their information before the shutdown.

It will be interesting to see what direction both companies go now that they are dominating the market, given that the social media buzz hasn't been surrounding location-based marketing for some time now.

YouTube Gets a Makeover

by Ashley Haugen

Things may look a little different next time you log into YouTube. The video website has gone through a major re-design to highlight subscriptions and channels. When you login, you will be greeted with a new homepage that shows recent activity from all of your subscriptions. What I like most though about the new YouTube is their Facebook and Google+ integration.

The re-design sets up YouTube to become a bigger competitor to cable TV. With millions of Youtube channels, the new homepage allows you to better organize and watch the things that interest you the most. "[YouTube] is a container for all the world's video, and it needs to be the best home for that," says Margaret Stewart, director of User Experience at YouTube's headquarters in San Bruno, Calif.

Besides the appealingly simplistic design, it encourages the user to find new content through the the trending, popular, music and entertainment links on your home page. In the left navigation bar, there are also links to Facebook and Google+. Clicking these displays videos that your friends on either network have shared. Having these all in one easy, clean space is very attractive.

Check it out for yourself, or watch this video showcasing the new design.

The newest Facebook change appeals to the novelist in all of us

If Twitter's approach to communication in the digital age is short and sweet, it's safe to say that Facebook is trying to establish itself on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Facebook just announced they are once again increasing the maximum character limit for status updates to over 60,000 characters.

To put the new 63,206 character limit in perspective, it's the equivalent to just over 451 tweets! In fact, I'd be able to post this Daily Axioms blog (title and all) more than 44 times in a single status update!

As I alluded to earlier, this is hardly the first time Facebook has increased how much users can post per status update. Here's a quick timeline of the changes:

• Facebook's launch through March 2009: A Twitter-esque 160 characters.

• March 2009-July 2011: More than doubles to 420 characters.

• July 2011-September 2011: Facebook adds an extra half-tweet's worth to make it an even 500 characters.

• September 2011-November 2011: A huge 1000% increase, allowing for 5,000 character updates.

• Today: This latest spike brings the total to 63,206 characters per update.

Granted, just because people can post over 60,000 characters doesn't mean they will. More importantly, will there be a user backlash from news feeds clogged with posts that are long enough to be printed and bound in a library?

How do you feel about Facebook's latest update?

Is Buffett on to Something: Warren Buffett to Purchase The Omaha World-Herald

by Andrea Bredow

Warren Buffett is buying a Newspaper? Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway is set to purchase The Omaha World-Herald in late December. Is he on to something, trying to protect a piece of Omaha history (his home town) or is he a bit crazy?

We all know the world of Newspapers is crumbling. Newspapers have folded left and right, layoffs are common place, and there is even newspaperdeathwatch.com. All of which I'm sure Buffett is well aware of. It begs the question, why would one of the world's smartest investors buy a Newspaper?

I recently watched Page One: Inside the New York Times. A documentary following the Times during 2010, a year when veteran reporters were forced out, staff was producing more with less and the Times had to face the fact that ad dollars just weren't coming in. This film is a unique inside look at the world of papers and unfortunately paints a gloomy picture for their future.

Is this the turning point for Newspapers? Will Buffett's faith in what many think is a dying medium bring new life to the business...or is he just a sentimental man at heart?

I'm NOT Sorry!

When a tweet gets noticed, is the spotlight a good or bad thing?

A high schooler in Kansas recently tweeted a not so glowing message to the Governor, his people noticed it and pushed for an apology.  The teens High School requested she write an 'I'm sorry' letter and she refused.  Standing behind her 1st amendment rights the teen received an apology from the Governor and her high school backed down.

One Tweet put this teen in the spotlight; national tv attention, an increase of 9,000 twitter followers and national conversation.  But, I have to wonder is this type of attention good or bad for what I'm guessing is a college bound teen.

Take a look at the Tweet that caused the commotion and let me know what your think.  Good attention or possible negative consequences?

Tweet: “Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot"

Facebook's New Frictionless Sharing Rubs Many the Wrong Way

While many people questioned the visual overhaul of Facebook's Timeline design, the real Facebook uproar lately has been focused on its new Seamless Sharing system.

Seamless, or frictionless, sharing automatically posts updates about the apps you're using within Facebook. Listen to a song on Spotify or read an article on Yahoo through Facebook and it'll update automatically to all of your friends.

Naturally, the thought of posting on your own wall without control created quite a backlash, with many social media pundits declaring the feature a violation of privacy and just plain wrong.

However, there's also been a backlash to backlash, with others claiming that the Seamless Sharing system has simply redefined the concept of "sharing" rather than ruin it. They say that the frictionless sharing isn't perfect, but could be made better with stronger filtering instead of getting rid of it outright.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the automatic updates because of how much they dominate my news feed. But to those who are uncomfortable with having their media consumption habits strewn about Facebook, there's an easy solution: Don't use the services within Facebook. I use both Spotify and Yahoo News fairly regularly, but I use them outside of Facebook.

What do you think? Has Seamless Sharing ruined Facebook sharing, or simply added a new dimension to it?

Video Post: iPads Taking Surveys to New Heights in Marketing

In public relations, it is important to reach influencers that consumers will listen to. One tactic we have found particularly effective is the use of surveys, but it goes beyond simply handing out sheets of paper with boxes to check. 

New Product Promotions: Game On!

Remember the thrill of birthday party scavenger hunts? Surrounded by energetic friends all hyped up on vanilla frosting, there was nothing better than the thought of goodie-bag glory just ahead. Fast-forward to the 21st century where smartphones and social media sites have now made it possible for marketers to recreate that moment of "game on."

Mobile and social media gaming have become very popular promotion strategies for brands. The latest product to be added to the list is none other than Proctor and Gamble's new Downy fabric softener. Downy Unstopables is a new line of scent beads that can be added to the wash to make clothes smell nice. On Dec. 3, Downy will be hosting a smartphone based scavenger hunt in Las Vegas where players will hunt for a chance to win $20,000.

The brand will be using a mobile gaming app called Scvngr. It lets users complete challenges from their mobile phones at different locations to earn points that can be redeemed for real-world rewards.

Sherilena Strub, a spokeswoman for Proctor & Gamble tells us more about their strategy. “We worked with Scvngr to create an experience that demonstrates how Downy Unstopables can stand out even in the highly sensorial Las Vegas, because it seamlessly blends online and offline events and encourages sharing in order to amplify the user experience," said Ms. Strub.

Social games represent a growing opportunity for brands to offer a deeper level of engagement than traditional media outlets. By integrating a brand with a game, it can increase the chances of viral growth and new customers. Downy is hoping their Las Vegas scavenger hunt will do just that. However, the connection between fabric softener and Sin City seems a bit of a stretch to me, but I appreciate the creativity.

What do you think of the gaming approach to product promotion? Too much? Or the new face of brand marketing?

Real Estate Professionals and Social Media

According to a recent poll on Mashable.com, 84 percent of Real Estate Professionals are now using social media. I can certainly agree with that, since the Axiom team just returned from the Realtors Conference and Expo in Anaheim, CA this past weekend. Fifty-five percent say they are 'comfortable' with social media.

Literally every agent who stopped by our booth (we were there representing our longtime kitchen countertop client, Wilsonart) was clutching a smartphone. Of course, that's not too surprising.  The Realtor.com app gets over 20,000 visits an hour!

It was gratifying to see Realtors at this large trade show with an upbeat attitude. Yes, the housing market is still at historic lows, but there are obviously some smart agents out there still making money, and looking toward the future.

I'm happy to say they were complementary of Wilsonart's High Definition Laminate surfacing product. With a cost less than half the cost of granite or other natural materials, the Realtors see real potential in using laminate in the kitchens of investment and rental properties to give an instant update without spending a fortune. Ditto for laundry rooms and bathrooms.

Wordless Wednesday: 56% Of Young Professionals Won’t Work At A Company That Bans Twitter And Facebook

Time to 'Toot Our Own Horn'

Awards season is in full swing and Axiom is proud to announce we have won 3 awards for the Mr. Bubble campaign.  We have been awarded two 2011 MarCom Awards and a Davey Award.

• A Platinum MarCom Award for the Mr. Bubble media kit

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

• A Gold MarCom Award for the Mr. Bubble 50th Birthday Bash

• A Silver Davey Award for Integrated Campaign for Mr. Bubble

We are honored by the recognition and glad to have a great team to pull it all off!

 

 

 

 

Barnes & Noble declares Nook-lear warfare on Amazon

The Nook Color tablet/e-reader from Barnes & Noble was a very successful product for the bookseller giant this year. Not only that, the Nook Color was the one major leg up B&N had in their ongoing e-reader battle with Amazon and its Kindle line.

Obviously, that playing field was leveled with the Kindle Fire announcement a few weeks back. And with the Kindle Fire officially hitting the market in a week, many have been waiting for B&N's next move.

B&N fired back in a big way this morning with several impressive announcements:

• Nook Simple Touch price reduced: Much like what Amazon did with their Kindle price reductions, B&N started their chain of announcements by knocking $50 off of their Simple Touch e-reader. The new $99 price tag puts the Simple Touch in direct competition with the ad-supported Kindle.

• Nook Color price reduced and updated: B&N also dropped the Nook Color by $50, bringing it to a same-as-the-Kindle-Fire $200. Additionally, the Nook Color will be getting an OTA update that will bring Hulu and more music-streaming services to the device.

• New Nook Tablet: The biggest announcement is clearly the unveiling of the new Nook Tablet. While physically the device resembles a slightly thinner and lighter Nook Color, the device boasts a dual-core processor for much snappier performance. More impressive, however, is that it will come bundled with Netflix and Hulu right out of the box. Priced at $250, B&N is anticipating people will pay the extra $50 compared to the Kindle Fire for a device with better specs.

More important than the devices and price reductions themselves is the way B&N announced them. B&N CEO William Lynch pulled no punches when comparing the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire, taking several direct shots at Amazon's approach to tablets.

That being said, both devices adhere to the same path in giving consumers a media consumption device rather than a tablet aimed at replacing a computer.

At this point it's tough to say who will win the war, but we do know that this holiday shopping season has gotten a lot more interesting.

Hyundai Reaches to "Thinkers" With Digital Campaign

In an original attempt to create an impressive viral campaign, Hyundai is inching away from "car-talk" into "personality-talk." Launching off their brand motto, "new thinking, new possibilities," the automotive company launched an international digital campaign called the "New Thinkers Index." It centers around 22 four-minute videos that highlight the thought processes of actors, musicians, sports stars and other creative thinkers. Viewers are also invited to take a test to see where they fall on the thinker's index. (Are you a "word smart," "self-aware," "musical," "visual," or a "natural thinker?")

Jonathan Oliver, senior digital strategist at Microsoft Advertising, which developed the campaign with Hyundai, said, "We're not shifting cars, we're shifting thinking -- moving the needle on people's perceptions of Hyundai as a brand. Everyone knows the brand, but Hyundai needs to increase the brand love. This isn't shouting it from the rooftops, it's aligning the positioning to desirable content in a subtle way."

I'll admit, it's a beautiful campaign that highlights great thinking and collaboration among talented individuals. The thinker's index test is also a fun component. However, will consumers be able to see the connection between the campaign and the brand? Do they even need to? Some may end up questioning where the auto and consumer relevance is. While others may believe it's a good thing that brands are stretching their identity. I believe Hyundai is doing what marketing is all about; connecting with the person. They're not just selling a car, they're getting your attention.

What do you think?

Follicular Fashion Is Growing For a Good Cause

Guest post by @davesniadak

Despite our best efforts, finding a cure for cancer is going to take a lot more than affixing ribbons to our jackets and going on long walks. Funds need to be raised all year long so research can be done by scientists around the world. How are we at Axiom doing our part? The answer is right under our noses - literally.

Myself, along with a few colleagues and friends across the country - reaching from Minnesota to Texas and Tennessee - have created Team Axiomoustachers, which is just a small part of the Movember Movement. For the month of November, we will be rockin' our best Handle Bar, After Eight, Rock Star, or Fu Manchu mustaches to not only generate awareness for prostate and testicular cancer, but hopefully raise some funds as well.

The Movember Movement is an organization aimed at raising awareness for these two forms of cancers that impact men of all ages. According to the US National Library of Medicine, prostate cancer is the third most common form of cancer in men, and the leading cause of death among men 75 and older.

And while none of my teammates fall under the category of someone at risk for prostate cancer, these forms of cancer don't discriminate. Truth be told, there's only so much we can do to fight cancer, so forgoing the trimming of a few facial follicles is a small sacrifice we can all make to generate awareness for a great cause.

Wordless Wednesday: The Buzz On Social TV This Week

GoMo Helps Businesses Go Mobile

Many businesses understand the importance of reaching consumers on the go with great mobile sites. However, the process isn’t always easy and many smaller companies are stuck trying to figure out what is the first step. Enter Google's new initiative, “GoMo.” It aims to help businesses work out the kinks involved with going mobile.

Basically, Google has put together a list of resources to help businesses create a mobile site or troubleshoot an existing one. With an emphasis on why mobile matters, GoMo is also aimed at those stingy skeptics who still believe they can go without. (For those people I would like to say that mobile searches have grown four times since 2010, and that 57% of mobile users would not recommend a business with a bad mobile site.) The crux of the campaign is centered on their website, howtogomo.com. Once there, you can plug in your company website to see what it currently looks like on a smartphone, check out great mobile examples, and find site builders who can help.

The website also offers statistics on the mobile industry, so it’s worth a look around. Some interesting ones include:
-60% of users expect a mobile site to load in three seconds or less.
-61% of users call a business after searching and 59% visit the location.
-40% have turned to a competitor’s site after a bad mobile experience.

As far as ulterior motives go, Google is trying to grow its mobile ad business. Earlier this year Google revealed that 79 percent of its largest advertisers don't have mobile-optimised websites. The GoMo initiative will help businesses get their mobile feet off the ground, while also putting more ad dollars in Google’s wallet. Now that’s convenience.

Are tablets just mobile devices or something else?

Analytics packages often lump iPads and other tablets into the "Mobile" section of stats reports. I think they should be put in with non-mobile devices because they are more like notebook computers to me. What do you think?

Go to this link to vote: http://www.facebook.com/questions/256797307705537/?qa_ref=ns

We rocked the Google+ Hangout

As we've said time and time again, Google + has potential but it's a little late to the party. The bells and whistles are tempting, but they seem to be under used.  Well, just last night I gave Google+ Hangout a test run with a virtual baby shower.

A Google+ Baby Shower Hangout 

I invited my sister-in-law's friends from across the country to celebrate the soon-to-arrive baby boy.  At 6 pm, ladies from MN, KY, TX and LA logged on and joined the hangout.  Everyone except me was new to Google +, so it took 15 minutes or so (and a number of phone calls) to get everyone up and running. 

We played games, caught everyone up on life, had some shower-ish food and great virtual laughs. There were a few snags, like when some party-goers couldn't hear others, which lead to translators. Certain locations were stuck as the larger picture even when someone else was 'talking the loudest' and people kept getting logged out and needed to rejoin.

Overall it was a great 3 hours hanging out with friends scattered across the country...and then pictures from the shower and comments about the fun times were posted on Facebook.

How are you using Google+?

Video Post: Axiom @ Wilsonart Video Project in Bryan, OH

What do Dum Dum Suckers, an Etch-a-Sketch and huge tires have in common? They all call Bryan, Ohio, home. Dave Sniadak recently traveled to Bryan to produce another (Up)Date Night video series for Wilsonart International, and shares his experience in our latest Axiom @ video.

Wordless Wednesday: If Web Browsers Were Celebrities

Shopping Apps Offer Big Deals

I know you may cringe at the thought of the Holiday season so soon (the snow, the traffic, the mad shopping rush), but the truth is it will be here before you know it. This is especially true for all of you Black Friday shoppers. The season is expected to be very different this year, with the popularity of mobile, social and daily deals shaking things up in the marketing and commerce scene.

Tablets and smartphones have become a convenient and preferred way to shop. According to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, more than 50% of smartphone and tablet owners will use their devices to shop this holiday season. This includes researching products and prices, purchasing and redeeming coupons. Retailers and brands should take advantage of these statistics by making sure their mobile and tablet commerce-enabled sites are ready and able.

App developers have already recognized the power of mobile shoppers, and have come up with quite a few nice apps. One of which, Shoparazzi, developed by Geocast, allows you to track your favorite shops and brands and see when they're discounted in your area.

The Shoparazzi service (which is currently only for iPhone), draws on a database of store locations and websites and also aggregates social media feeds and email newsletters from fashion labels and retailers. The service is curated by editors who then update sales locations, says the company. Users are then sent alerts when their favorite retailers have a promotion, or when shops discount items they are looking for.

Mobile technology now allows consumers to access the best deals in a more efficient and personalized manner. Most importantly, retailers need to be prepared for the amount of customer engagement on mobile that will occur this year.

Facebook Friday: It's All in the Numbers

The average U.S. Facebook user spends 7 hours and 46 minutes per month on Facebook. Are you one of them? How about a fan of one of the top five brand pages on Facebook? If it's Coca-Cola, Disney or Starbucks you like, then consider yourself part of the club. Check out today's infographic for more Facebook facts.

Video Post: iPhone 4s Launch Opens Floodgate for Street-Level Marketing

The launch of the iPhone 4s was destined to attract media attention. How did companies like Otterbox and Gazelle.com take advantage of the Apple iPhone 4s hype? Join Steve as he breaks down the "street-level" marketing companies used to promote their product.

Zyrtec Goes Viral with YouTube

Zyrtec is doing something unprecedented in pharmaceutical marketing. They've gone viral.

Harnessing the power and entertainment of social media, Zyrtec has created quite a campaign for this fall allergy season. What's even more interesting is that they've used YouTube as their primary outlet for launching a social media game.

Zyrtec worked with a New York ad agency called JWT to launch the YouTube game, Parks Unleashed, last month. Even though allergy medicine and the gaming world are a new couple, the game is modeled on 30 year-old text-based games that present users with various scenarios where they have to make a choice. The premise of the game is that dogs have stolen their owners' tablets, and hid them all over the park. You must find them by choosing different answers, each leading down a different path. In the end, users have a chance to win an actual Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Tim Nolan, creative director at JWT comments on the decision to use YouTube as the main platform,

“We took this approach to talk to our consumers using media that they already engage in, at a destination they spend their time, leveraging behaviors we know they love.”

And their efforts are paying off. The Zyrtec YouTube Channel now has 2.2 million total views, almost all of which were drawn by the game. The average player spent more than seven minutes playing the game, and some returning players were on for 30 minutes or more.

The campaign was also integrated throughout other brand sites, including an online ad campaign promoting the game, a Yahoo Mail takeover and Facebook display ads. The brand also tagged a TV spot with a prompt to visit their YouTube page, which ran for about a week.

Zyrtec is undoubtedly an innovator in the pharmaceutical social media sphere. They have also proven the often overlooked power of YouTube for gaming. It won't be long now until other pharmaceutical brands jump in.

95% brands of Facebook don't respond to posts

Brand proliferation on Facebook is a fact of online life nowadays. Practically every company out there has a Facebook page, and many spend thousands of dollars in advertising trying to get customers to visit them.

Obviously, the reason for any corporate Facebook page is to elicit some form of engagement with your audience and key customer base.

However, according to a recent survey from Socialbakers, 95% of wall posts from users on brand pages go unanswered. 

It's a staggering statistic, and frankly an egregious error on the companies that are guilty of this. Engagement is the currency that dring ives social media, especially on a brand identity level. Ignoring that engagement is practically like shunning a customer who walks into your store with a handful of cash.

I find it interesting that while these companies spend so much time and money hiring social media teams and creating various SM channels and pages, the basic principles of social engagement get lost in the shuffle.

The takeaway here is that Facebook marketing is more than just creating a page and populating it with content, you also need to monitor and respond to your fans when they engage you.

Free Microsoft phones try to capitalize on iOS and RIM woes

The two biggest stories in the smartphone world right now revolve around RIM and Apple. RIM is suffering from outages for millions of Blackberry users all over the world. Apple, on the other hand, released its massive iOS 5 update yesterday, only to see millions of users experience problems with the update.

Amid all of this drama, Microsoft has been relatively quiet. But in an attempt to capitalize on the frustrations of RIM and Apple users, one Microsoft Evangelist is giving away 25 free Windows phones to people who tweet his Twitter account.

It's an interesting move by Microsoft, and while I doubt they will woo Apple fans away from their iPhones, there is some legitimate growth opportunity with Blackberry users.

The truth is, RIM has garnered as many users as it has due to its heavy presence in the corporate sector. Businesses have used Blackberrys (Blackberries?) as their go-to phone to issue to employees, thus exposing them to the Blackberry ecosystem.

Business that have stuck with RIM will not jump to Apple, due to the proprietary nature of their different devices, not to mention the lack of compatibility with PC services. They also aren't likely to move to Android, because it is so open-source that there is little standardization from phone to phone when compared to other operating systems.

This leaves Microsoft's Windows OS, which is most likely the most-appealing option out of the 4 operating systems. And given the recent struggles of RIM, it wouldn't surprise me to see a few Blackberry users rethink their phone choice.

Social TV Is a Success for Discovery

Social TV has gone mainstream, and there is no better example than The Discovery Channel. With iconic shows like Shark Week, Man vs. Wild and Deadliest Catch, Discovery Communications has had tremendous success in their social media space. They are focused and deliberate in their social media strategy, and it's definitely showing. Shark Week alone was #1 on Trendrr's social TV ranking for that week. There were more than 750,000 tweets mentioning Shark Week, and their Facebook Page increased by 30,000 fans in a single day (116,000 fans throughout the week).

Gayle Weiswaser, VP of social media communications at Discovery Communications, let's us in on her strategy.

“Our philosophy on social media is to use it as a platform that enhances the viewing experience and the relationship with the viewers.”

They have 4 primary goals for their social media plan:

• Build relationships and engage with fans
• Personalize the brand
• Strengthen fan-talent relations
• Drive tune-in rate

After looking more in-depth at their social media objectives, it's easy to see that there are 2 main things that Discovery is doing especially well: content integration and content relevancy. Not only do they have an exciting mix of content throughout Facebook and Twitter, but also individual show pages, network pages, vertical pages and blogs. These are not treated as separate entities, but all of their platforms are integrated. For example, many of their Facebook and Twitter links go directly to original content on Discovery.com. Their holistic approach treats them all as one unit with many parts that build on and enhance the others.

Content relevancy is how Discovery excels at keeping their conversations going. "We serve as a curator of topics for our fans," says Weiswasser. Content may not directly relate to the show, but it still is relevant to the topic, which makes it interesting and engaging. For example, on the What Not To Wear page, you'll find links to the fall's top fashion trends. This keeps fans and followers in the conversation, and offers itself as not just an entertainment site, but a resource for related information.

All in all, it's most important to remember that content quality is top priority. More people should follow Weisman as she says, "We want the content to speak for itself. If it's compelling, people will want it-that's how we got this footprint." Stop obsessing about hitting a certain number of likes or followers and make sure your content is still king.

One small click for man, one giant leap backwards for PR/blogger relations

One of the biggest shifts we've seen in public relations over the last couple of years has been the rise of blogs and bloggers, and the more prominent role they now play in a brand's online reputation.

But with change comes controversy, and bloggers have faced a lot of criticism over their journalistic credibility. However, companies need to realize that just because bloggers aren't journalists in the traditional sense, that doesn't mean they can be treated as less worthy or less important.

Case in point: on Friday the Internet was buzzing over a blogger who was insulted by the VP of a PR firm. I won't get into the specifics, but it started when a VP accidentally clicked "reply all" to an email about the blogger, who had refused to review a product the brand represented. In the email, he referred to her by a less-than-flattering term (to say the least).

However, as with every juicy PR blunder, the story doesn't end there. After being called out by the insulted blogger, the VP replied that the blogger should just feel lucky that she was pitched at all.

From a PR perspective, that is more damaging than the name-calling. Sure, there may have been a time when the PR firms had the leverage, but the blogger community has evolved and PR needs to reflect that. The journalist/blogger paradigm is outdated, and we can't continue to just look at bloggers through the journalistic lens.

Bloggers don't serve the same purpose as traditional journalists...and that's okay! Bloggers and journalists are two separate entities, which require two separate strategies when approaching them. More importantly, we need to keep in mind that, while different, they are equally important and need to be treated as such.

Will Quora Hit Another Growth Spurt?

It's been quite a while since the Q&A site Quora was making headlines. After becoming a media darling in late 2010, the site saw a massive spike in new users.

But then things got quiet for Quora.

In a classic "middle child" scenario, Quora struggled to steal attention away from the successful older brother (Facebook) and the new baby sister (Google Plus). The latter two continued to horde the social media spotlight in 2011, with launches and updates throughout the spring and summer.

Quora's look-at-me moment came last week with the release of an official iOS app. The app itself has been received quite well actually, taking full advantage of a new "shuffle" feature that pulls up random questions from the site.

It's a great StumbleUpon-like time waster, and should lead to a lot more time spent on the site...if users can find it.

Not only was the feature itself not heavily promoted on Quora's end, but they buried it far down on the bottom of both their app and their website. Hopefully they can remedy this soon to avoid losing momentum.

Regardless, its good to see the site making strides and trying to stand out in the ever-growing social media family.

The Steve Jobs Philosophy: Love what you do

I'm writing this a few hours after the world learned of the death of Steve Jobs. It hit me personally, since I am 56 and feel sad that the world has lost such a great innovator.

Jobs was obviously a visionary, not only regarding technology, but about life and work. It's often said that the current Millennial Generation is different because they have to truly enjoy what they do for a living.

Steve Jobs said the same thing while delivering a 2005 commencement address at Stanford University and it's good advice for any generation:

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." 

"If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on."

Is the new iPhone 4S a phone anymore?

The quick answer is no, it's a mini iPad2. We use our 'phones' for everything BUT phone calls, so this is no surprise. As a loyal Apple fan from way back in the dark days of the 1990s, I don't believe the iPhone has lost it's 'cool' factor. HTC, Samsung and all the others including Microsoft have tried and failed miserably in competing with the iPhone.

The reason is the same as the reason Macs are better than the rest: the tight integration of the OS and the hardware. No one else has done this except for Blackberry, but they were stuck with an antiquated OS and failed. The new iPhone4S does everything you want a portable device to do, and then some. With the iPhone and iPad, I expect that some casual computer users may very well abandon their desktop PCs and their overweight laptops.

There just isn't any one else out there giving Apple reason to worry, and that includes Amazon with their new tablet. As this country continues to go through a tough economy, we can take pride in the fact that an American company shows the kind of leadership we wish our politicians had.

Will Amazon Take a Bite Out of Apple?

Last week's announcements from Amazon absolutely rocked the tablet world. But it wasn't because they introduced 2 new e-readers, or because they dropped the prices of their other e-reader, or even the release of their new Kindle Fire tablet.

The reason Amazon's announcement was so huge is that the 7" Kindle Fire will retail for just $199.

This led to a firestorm (pun intended) of activity as companies like HTC and Blackberry slashed the prices of their 7" tablets, the Flyer and Playbook respectively, by hundreds of dollars. Other companies like Samsung and Toshiba, who have similarly-sized tablets set to debut before the end of the year, are rumored to be adjusting their prices as well because of what Amazon did.

So, even though not one Kindle Fire has been shipped yet, it has already shaken the Android tablet market to its core...and rightfully so. We haven't seen any Android tablet claim that mythic "iPad killer" title, mostly due to the fact that none of the premium tablets undercut the iPad on price.

The Kindle Fire takes a different approach. Instead of trying to beat the iPad on local storage size or unique design, Amazon made a physically different device (7" versus the iPad's 10") with a different purpose (heavy cloud streaming versus heavy app usage) aimed at a different consumer (casual media consumption versus heavy media consumption and mobile computing).

While it's a different strategy, Amazon is going with the basically the same approach as Apple when it comes to tablets. Both Apple and Amazon have spent years building up services like iTunes and Amazon Cloud Services before releasing their tablets.

This means that while existing Android tablets continue to deal with a fledgling OS in Honeycomb, Amazon will have an extensive media library at its disposal.

More importantly, while those other tablets continue to appeal to more technically-inclined people who don't want to be "stuck" in the Apple world, Amazon will appeal to those who like the ecosystem approach that has made Apple successful.

The end result is that Amazon, regardless of intent, may have put itself in line to go head-to-head with Tim Cook and company.

Video Post: Amazon Sets the Tablet Market on Fire

Amazon just unveiled its 7" tablet device called the Kindle Fire. Steve walks us through why this tablet might be a "hot" ticket item by the year's end.

Share Mobile Videos with Klip

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Alain Rossman has another hit on his hands. In the mid '90s, he predicted that people would eventually use their phones for e-mail. As chairman of Vudu, he developed and commercialized a TV set-top box that streamed HD movies over the internet, which sold to Wal-Mart in 2010.

The latest hit from Rossman's Palo Alto-based firm is called Klip, which just released an iPhone app designed for organizing, searching and sharing video. The app is interesting, and offers one of the best user experiences out there. A swipe of your finger enables you to preview the video thumbnails. A shake of your iPhone enables you to fast-forward. It's easy to record footage from Klip, add video from another app, trim, and share via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or email. Klip also enables you to geotag the video and add hashtags.

For those who need a quick and easy way to shorten and upload videos for blogs or news stories, Klip is sure to please. Klip is available free of charge at the app store.

YouTube Takes a Bite of Something "Delicious"

Youtube co-founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen are interested in more than just viral video sensations. They are now the proud owners of the social bookmarking site, Delicious.com. However, they certainly have made a few changes, and by that I mean rebuilt the entire site from scratch. The rebooted Delicious is still focused on bookmarking and sharing among Delicious users, but with a whole new look. "The result is a new homepage, interface and back-end architecture designed to make Delicious easier to use," the team behind the new Delicious said in a blog post.

Other site renovations include the addition of "stacks," which is a user-created list of links which can be centered on any topic a user chooses. Stacks are easily created and customizable, and published only to the public when a user wants them to be. "Our goal with stacks is to add more value to all the links being collected by the Delicious community," the team said. "Each new stack presents an opportunity to introduce the rest of the world to cool Web content they haven't seen before."

So, can the masterminds behind Youtube bring back some flavor to Delicious? Or will the popularity of linking directly via social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+) cause it to fall like a souffle in a loud and already-crowded room?

Facebook Friday: Timeline to be a Major Profile Overhaul

People have not stopped talking about the changes Facebook unveiled at yesterday's f8 conference. Granted, even the smallest announcement from the social networking giant spurs plenty of conversation, but the features Mark Zuckerberg revealed are definitely worth the buzz.

I covered the initial changes (the Ticker and Top News feed) Facebook already leaked in yesterday's post, but the most noteworthy announcement from yesterday was the Timeline feature.

The Timeline will eventually replace the current profile page, and is both a visual and conceptual overhaul.

The idea is that the Timeline would curate all of your past Facebook activity into a scrapbook of the most important moments. It's still in developer mode and not open to the public yet, but I took a screenshot of my profile so you can see what it would be like:

As you can see, the profile picture setup has changed. Instead of the 180x540 pixel size, you now have the square thumbnail picture and the giant Cover Photo. Also, the two column approach to the main section is also a big departure from the old profile setup.

Visually, there is a lot more real estate to work with, which is great news for designers and the artistically-inclined. It'll be a while until these new changes go into affect for everyone, but it'll be a dramatic change for the 800 million Facebook users.

Facebook: Social Media's Jack of All Trades, Master of None

After spending a week in Boise, ID on vacation, I come back home to find some pretty dramatic changes to Facebook's home page.

Aside from the slightly darker blue border on top (the first thing I noticed), the biggest change is addition of a timeline on the sidebar. This timeline serves as the "Recent News" feed, while the main column on the home page has become the "Top News" feed.

If Facebook's new layout is a bit confusing, check out this shorthand graph I found yesterday.

The point is that Facebook essentially took their existing friends feature, added the fast-paced, short feed style of Twitter on to its sidebar, and threw in a Google Plus-like top stories feed. By doing so, Facebook has certainly broadened its scope in terms of social media features, but at the same time weakening the depth and strength of those features.

However, there are still plenty more Facebook changes coming as we speak since Mark Zuckerberg is holding his annual f8 conference. I'll cover some of the highlights in tomorrow's Facebook Friday post.

Wordless Wednesday: The Angry Birds Addiction

Extra, Extra, Wall Street Journal on Facebook

Move over paper-boy, there's a new way to get your morning news. The Wall Street Journal has unveiled WSJ Social Beta, a novel way to consume news combining social media and their "WSJ Everywhere" strategy, which aims to make its content more ubiquitous.

The newspaper has launched WSJ Social, a Facebook app that republishes Journal content on Facebook. Thanks to sponsor Dell, all the content on the app will be free for the first month. After that, however, the app will contain the same mix of free and paid content as the WSJ's website.

The basic idea of WSJ Social is to create a news hub where you can read articles recommended by others, as well as share them easily with friends. Creating all of this content within the walls of Facebook also seems to fall in line with the social network's rumored strategy of including more original content such as music and video within the site.

The social aspect of WSJ Social is the crux of the app. For example, the stories you see depends on the likes of other readers who you choose to subscribe to. Other people can also add you as an editor, meaning they will see your Facebook likes of Journal stories. Your role then, becomes that of both editor and reader. Liking stories not only engages you with the article, but shares that content with your followers.

WSJ Social is an original way to really capitalize on the social aspect of news. Choosing the most popular social network site in the world as their platform was a good choice. Now we will see if people stick around to pay for the service, and if other news sources will start launching their own versions.

Here is snapshot of the front page:

What's On Your Phone? A Smart Phone Testimonial

By Dave Sniadak

With more than 10-billion apps downloaded since, well, the start of the business of downloading apps, it's time we all take a look at our phones and purge those apps that haven't been touched in a while.

The Nielsen Research Company recently posted findings from their first mobile media rankings for Android usage. Their findings are based solely on what Nielsen is calling apps that have 'active reach' - or the percentage of Android users who've used the apps in the past 30 days - from U.S.-based smart phone users ages 18 and up. The findings are interesting, if not telling about how men and women use their smart phones differently.

Nielsen's list of the overall Top 20 apps shouldn't surprise anyone - Market, Google Maps, Gmail, Facebook and Google Search are the first five - and the report supplements the list by breaking it out by gender. Apps like QuickOfficePro, Talk - Text to Voice and Adobe Reader imply that men might use their smart phones for work. Apps like Facebook, Words With Friends and Angry Birds tend to populate women's phones more than men, leading observers to believe female smart phone usage could be more on the playful side.

The biggest takeaway is that while millions of mobile users around the country may use their phones for a multitude of unique reasons, they're all dialed into smart phones for much more than just talking.

Pin It!

Guest post by Kathleen Hennessy.

I can’t get enough of Pinterest! This virtual bulletin board is literally replacing my computer’s “bookmark” feature. Find a great idea for organizing your home office? Pin it. An inspirational photo pops up on a web site I frequent? Pin it. That new recipe you want to try next weekend? Pin it!

According to the site’s About section, “Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.”

This social media site also allows you to browse your friend’s pinboards. Stranger’s pinboards are free game too.... making new ideas and inspiration virtually limitless.

According to SHAPE magazine, Pinterest may even be able to change your life! In this article (http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/can-pinterest-change-your-life) Pinterest fans created “vision boards” to help them focus on loosing weight. Definitely life changing.

Rumor has it the site is doing a big capital push, so un-doubtably, more fun things are in store.

Now our challenge as marketers is to figure out how to make our product visual, inspirational and pin-able.

Wordless Wednesday: What's the Deal with Daily Deals?

Each week we'll post an interesting infographic we've found online. It's our little spin on the popular Wordless Wednesday blog post.

Research with Rob: How Do Your Customers Make Purchase Decisions?

The following is a post by Rob Beachy, Axiom's Market Research Expert. Research with Rob is a weekly series of posts about the role of social media and technology in market research.

Today’s smart phones can find the cheapest gas and direct you there, or provide a network of opinions and facts previously unavailable except at point of sale. The social media on the internet is a lifeline and treasure trove of consumer satisfaction and purchase decisions.

How does your company research these purchase decisions? A focus group? An online survey? And where in that process do I need to focus my marketing communications, advertising or education to increase awareness and sales?

David C. Edelman’s article Branding in the Digital Age rethinks the traditional “consumer decision journey” and provides good insight into the impact of the internet and social media on marketing.

Where should you be focusing your marketing dollars? At the point in the decision process where it is most effective and economical.

Finding that point is where research comes in. Automobiles are different from major appliances, or personal care products, or hand tools or housewares. Only through market research can you clearly identify the decision process paths to effectively place your message and promote your brand.

The most effective way is an ethnographic approach finding out, over an extended period, the nuance of the purchase decision paths by product type. A specialized yet simple to complete Ethnolytix™ questionnaire is emailed to each participant. It takes 2 or more (depending on the product of service) weeks to track their decision paths, document and verify their paths and all for a lot less than the cost of focus groups. The key issue and variable is “time,” to ensure completeness and factual feedback. Unlike a focus group or on line survey, we do not force the decision but allow the customer time to discover the decision paths they actually use. For more information call us at 612-861-6171.

5 Important Stats about Brand Interaction on Facebook

Companies trying to establish their brands on Facebook is nothing new. However, now that brand proliferation is so strong online, it's good to step back and look at how the consumers are actually interacting with those brands.

A recent report from Constant Contact analyzed the online consumer behavior of nearly 1,500 Facebook users to see how they interact with brands. Rather than boring you with the entire report, here are the 5 key points I took away from the study:

• 78% like fewer than 10 brands: This is interesting, because that means a brand has to offer something of substance to be one of those few brands consumers are willing to follow.
• 58% like brands that they already use: This was the number one reason for why a consumer likes a brand. This is key because it contradicts the strategy of using Facebook to gain new customers. However, Facebook obviously plays into customer relations after the purchase.
• 56% more likely to recommend a brand: Echoing the previous point of post-purchase customer relations, more than half of those surveyed said they are much more likely to refer a brand to a friend after becoming a fan on Facebook.
• 13% post updates about brands they like: One of the biggest takeaways I got from this report is that very few consumers actively engage with brands on Facebook. This needs to be taken into account when brands are deciding what direction their Facebook page should go.
• 77% interact by reading posts: By a substantial margin, reading posts was the primary way consumers interact with brands. This is good news for brands that can't offer quick and easy discounts, because they can at least try to generate engaging content to fuel fan interaction.

While this survey focused on consumer brands, it's good to know that the quality of the content dictates how engaged fans will be. And although it's just one survey, there are still some very interesting lessons to take away as brands try to cut through the noise inherent to social media.

Mile High Mobile Usage

The following is a post from Dave Sniadak, Axiom's video specialist and resident airplane aficionado. You can find him on Twitter at @davesniadak.

When traveling for business, it's important to remain connected. In years past, it seemed that the 'commute' time we'd log while trapped inside an airplane gave us an excuse to catch some z's while on the clock. For the sake of productivity, however, mobile Wi-Fi providers like Gogo are changing the way we travel for business.

In a recent infographic posted by the airliner-based internet provider, the tech-savvy traveler could be considered Apple aficionados - nearly 78% of sky high Wi-Fi users logged on using iOS technology. Android users logged 15% of the mile-high mobile market share. And much like on the ground, Blackberry only enjoys a small slice of the providers' usage at just 4%.

Additionally, Gogo looked at the sites users are connecting to while online, and unlike my initial implication, passengers aren't researching new business leads or networking with clients...they're racking up frequent Facebook miles. The mega-social networking site was the most visited site for Gogo, while LinkedIn came in third. Foursquare was #4 on Gogo's list, perhaps due to their Mile High Badge, which users can earn by checking in while above 10,000 feet.

Finally, Gogo says that you can mix work and pleasure while soaring the skies at 35,000 feet. 67% of all Gogo users mix both work and pleasure surfing. That other 33%? Well, let's just say that's time well spent checking our eyelids for holes.

Video Post: Have Location-Based Services Grown The Past Year?

You may have heard of location-based applications like Foursquare. But the burning question is are people actually using them? Is there a place for these applications in the ever growing world of social media. Join Steve as he dives into this dilemma.

Wordless Wednesday: 8 Simple Rules for Designing a Bad Website

Research with Rob: Skyping for Depth

The following is a post by Rob Beachy, Axiom's Market Research Expert. Research with Rob is a weekly series of posts about the role of social media and technology in market research.

Smart phones have revolutionized the way we keep in contact with one another, but through video chat services like Skype, smart phones have changed the landscape of research as well.

For instance, I discussed panels vs. focus groups last week, but sometimes group interaction is not critical to the research process. This is where depth interviews (one-on-one interviews) come in, since they provide a great deal of information.

Being in-person is often difficult and time-consuming, so video chat alleviates the expenses associated with one-on-one interviews. We're constantly developing the role of social media technologies like Skype in our market research. Social media tools make depth interviews easier and faster to implement, while avoiding the time and financial cost of traveling.

The keys to an effective Depth Interview are:

• Qualify and Probe – Can you elaborate, explain, etc
• Unbiased - Explain but never sell
• Counter Question Technique – How much should it cost, weigh, etc.
• Common basis for comparison
• Flexibility to change and manage time

Depth interviews should be a strategic source of market research in every company and everyone involved in product development from marketing to technology should be trained and involved.

It is often as easy as scripting your questions and calling.

More iPhone confessions

I thought I was going to buy an iPhone, I really was...but then I started thinking (bad idea). I'm already shelling out over $200 a month for a 'family plan,' not to mention a line I'm not even using because my oldest son bailed on us to get an iPhone on AT&T. So now I'm looking at the price of an iPhone4 (starting at $199) and a data plan for another $40 a month...

Enough already. I was lucky because our office just bought a new iPad2, which actually does everything I need it to do (send and receive emails, download cool apps, conduct web searches, watch movies, take videos) without dealing with the phone stuff. The fact that my daughter also needed money for her rent this month also had a lot to do with my decision.

I guess I 'm going to have to deal with my still-usable 'feature phone' for a few more months until the much rumored iPhone5 or a cheaper iPhone4 sibling appears.

No one said being a TechnoDad is easy. The good news is that when I do switch over to a smartphone, I can start to wean the family off of super-expensive text messaging!

Facebook Friday: My Thoughts on Google Plus 2 Months Later

By @AndreaBredow

I'll admit it...I was all caught up in the Google+ buzz when it first came out. I fell victim to the all-the-cool-kids-are-doing-it hype, and I wanted in! Once I got that golden ticket, I was in love. It seemed to be the perfect mix of Facebook and Twitter plus a little more all in one. I logged on each morning, invited friends, started hangouts and even huddled on my phone (with the 5 people at work that were also on Google+).

However, all of my conversations/engagement was still happening on Facebook and Twitter while Google+ was quiet (I'm talking ghost town quiet).

I was saving my Facebook profile for more personal info, things I wanted to share with family and friends that I actually knew. After a quick look through old posts, I realized there wasn't any thing really personal on my page, so I started adding "friends" that I have never met. Basically, I was taking the Google+ approach of an expanded network to Facebook. I would just be more aware of my posts.

Lo and behold, Facebook adds a nifty new privacy setting for each post. Yes, it takes a few extra steps, but if I ever have anything uber-personal to share, I can now just let my family know...or I could just pick up the phone and call them.

I'd love to take my Facebook activity to Google+ full time, I'm a sucker for hangouts (I'm even attempting to hold a 'Hangout Baby Shower' for my sister-in-law next month), but until the rest of the world heads my way, I'll continue hanging out alone....and posting on Facebook.

What do you think? Will Google+ ever compete with Facebook...or is it just one more thing to check?

Video Post: Say 'Hello' to Heello

Watch out Twitter, there's a new bird in town. In today's Daily Axiom, Dave Sniadak takes a look at the new social media site, Heello. A social networking tool that is uncannily similar to Twitter. Dave answers 'what is Heello?" and breaks down what you need to know about this addition to the social media scene.

Wordless Wednesday: Women in Social Media

Research with Rob: When is a Panel Better Than a Focus Group?

The following is a post by Rob Beachy, Axiom's Market Research Expert. This is the first "Research with Rob" post, which will be a weekly series of posts about different issues involved with market research.

What is your goal with market research? If you have a product or service that has or could have a diverse demographic, and you want more than a two hour snapshot, then panels are the best alternative to long term market success.

Panels come in all sizes and types from in-person to online but it is imperative to understand the benefits of a panel.

1. Panels provide insight over a longer span of time providing the end-user more time to understand the product or service, its features and benefits, as well as providing the ability of the participant for more detailed likes, dislikes and new ways to use and improve your product or service.
2. They are a living conduit of information and feedback from quality to maintenance, warranty and service information.
3. They allow the marketing and technical teams more “time” to ask questions, potentially observe their product or service in use, and make changes or adjustments in the product or service to measure the end-user reactions.
4. They can provide all the qualitative benefits of a focus group and more.
5. Provides a larger, more diverse and often statistically significant sample to make better marketing and business decisions.

Costs per respondent are often the same a focus groups, but the value is much greater. If you are serious about gaining more insight into the use of your product or service, email or call us at (952) 224-2939.

Google Chairman Draws Line in the Pseudonym Sand

Opinions are split on the idea of using real names online, with many questioning the security risks that come with it.

Accordingly, most social networks simply require usernames that aren't actual names themselves. Even sites that urge the use of real names, like Facebook, still have ways to get around the real-name issue.

However, Google recently created a stir by suspending Google+ accounts that didn't use their real names.

Naturally, those whose personal brands were built on fake names (pseudonyms, blog names, etc.) were up in arms over the exclusion. However, I personally felt this issue would go through the same phases that practically all of these social media controversies do:

1. Polarizing decision by company
2. Angry mob of users
3. Retraction and resolution by company

Basically, when users start making a lot of noise, the social networks eventually makes concessions.

Not so in this case. In fact, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt was recently interviewed, more or less saying the if you don't like their policy, then don't use Google+. It's definitely not the typical fence-straddling corporate-speak we tend to get in response to contentious decisions, but it is a firm line the Google is drawing in regards to the use of real names online.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out as Google+ continues to push for social networking legitimacy.

Idea Flight takes off: Utilizing iPads in Presentations

I was recently part of a client meeting, where three out of the six present used an iPad during the meeting. The other two had their laptops open to PDF versions of our presentation. Meanwhile, we had spent time and money on printing large, colorful reports to pass out.

This got me thinking: what if our meetings became digital? What if there was a way to save all that paper and ink, and just have colleagues follow along on tablets or laptops? Not only would this be a more economical and eco-friendly option, but think of all the multi-media options you could easily include.

I soon stumbled upon an iPad app developed by none other than the magazine publisher Condé Nast, called Idea Flight. The app, which has been downloaded 85,000 times since its launch in June, let’s one person (the pilot) control up to 15 users’ (the passengers) iPad screens remotely while running through a presentation. This allows the pilot to control what slide is being shown at one time, and keeps it all in sync. It is supported over a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, and can be unlocked at the end of the presentation so that users can go back and revisit certain slides.

With the use of iPads and applications like Idea Flight, office presentations could be taken to the next level with a streamlined way to control speed and user engagement. Instead of pulling up a projector and tinkering with stagnant graphics at your next meeting, think of using an iPad to make links, videos, and illustrations come to life.

While iPads come with a steep price tag, their ease of use, transportation, and flexibility offer pretty enticing perks. However, if iPads are not a viable option, most people own a laptop. With a cloud-based presentation, everyone could follow along on their computer. Thus saving paper, time, and creating a more meaningful presentation. I will look more into cloud-based presentation apps in my next Daily Axiom.

Photovine App Grows A Photo Story

Google recently went live with a new picture sharing application for iPhone called Photovine. The app offers users a way to share pictures in categorized threads called vines. These vines have themes such as “sunsets” or “sleeping cats” as determined by the original creator. Users then take a picture that matches the theme and adds it to the vine, thus creating a growing photo story. Hence the apps tagline: “Plant a photo, watch it grow.”

Users can add comments, "like" photos and see vines in either a single, slideshow format, or grid view. There are also three different ways to sort the vines: Fresh, popular and watching. Users can also find and follow address books, as well as Facebook and Twitter contacts. Because anyone can upload to vines and view photos, the app can feel a little impersonal, which is why the “Activity” tab is nice. It shows all new photo-related activity from friends, making the app a little more intimate.




I am surprised to learn that Photovine is so far an Apple exclusive app. There’s no Android app yet, which is a curious move to say the least. Google doesn’t usually exclude its own mobile platform with new product launches. Also perplexing is the exclusion of an option to add your Gmail contacts. Is Google just playing nice with Apple fans? Why exclude its own services?

I have no doubt that Google will launch an Android version of the app soon, but until then, Apple bears the fruit of this "vine".