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.