The Superbowl Gets Social

It comes but once a year, bringing chest-bumping, boastful crowds and fried, cheesy, bacon-wrapped atrocities. Yes, the Superbowl is this weekend and fans, players and advertisers are gearing up.

Game strategy has changed this year. Not only have many ads already been pre-released to generate buzz, but advertisers have more outlets than ever to generate conversation. But which brands are going above and beyond simply posting and playing to really make their ads work for them?

Stats show that a huge percentage of Americans will be interacting with another device while watching the game. Most of those watchers will share ads via social media during and afterwards. Brands need to make a multi-platform campaign in order to keep up. If they're shelling out nearly 3.5 million for a 30 second slot, they better make it count.

Here are a couple companies who are looking at the big picture of game-day advertising:

Chevy

Chevy has created a "Chevy Game Time" app which quizzes users with game-related trivia for a chance to win prizes via Facebook and Twitter. Their successful strategy relies on connecting the people who aren't necessarily interested in the game, but are there for the party or ads. They are also catering to the huge percent of viewers who will be watching with tablet or phone in hand.

Coke

Coke's iconic polar bears will be watching the Superbowl. Fans can interact with the polar bears on Facebook and follow their thoughts on Twitter (#GameDayPolarBears). Coke's stroke of genius is the emphasis the polar bears play into live conversation. The bears react to game plays and fan interaction. There is nothing quite like real-time brand response.

One key takeaway is that you can't have a "one size fits all" approach to brand presence in social media. The most successful brands have developed media that works uniquely for each medium, whether it be Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Not only does this ensure better interaction, but also campaign longevity.

I'll be tuning in this weekend, but mostly to see what other brands are able to dream up. Let the games begin!

Video Post: New tablet a recipe for success?

At CES in Las Vegas, a lot of tablets were unveiled. Steve takes a closer look at a particular tablet called the Qooq. The Qooq was designed specific for use in the kitchen. Tablet trends are showing a growth in niche markets like this, but time will tell if they can last:

There is Something More Than Youtube: The New Vimeo

When we think of video-sharing on the internet, the default website is Youtube. In all honesty, it is the second largest search engine, second to only Google. Where else can you find a whole series of videos about bacon? With all the hype of Youtube, other sites are often ignored.


The video-sharing website Vimeo just went through a complete re-design. This is the first time since 2007 they changed anything about their interface. Because of this, I have decided to take another look at the often overlooked Vimeo.

The first thing to notice is the crisp, clean design of Vimeo. Through the new design, the videos on the page are larger, a new content browser is provided, and convenient keyboard shortcuts have been added. When logging in, the user is brought to the inbox. When I first heard the term “inbox” I was thinking “mailbox,” but this is anything but that. What the inbox provides is a real time news ticker. The user is able to add contacts, subscribe to videos, and follow specific keywords and phrases. The latter is my favorite of these new features.

Once I started watching the uploaded content of Vimeo, one thing struck me. Vimeo chose not to litter their uploads with advertising! As I’m sure everyone has noticed, Youtube has stepped up their profitability by adding commercials to the start of all their “partner participator” uploads, not to mention the pop ups that are added a quarter of the way through their videos (Hey Ron Paul, I’m talking to you! I don’t really care to watch your ads bashing Newt Gingridge when I’m trying to watch videos about bacon). 


Vimeo has made it a goal to put a greater focus on your videos. With all the distractions Youtube provides, users can lose their audience quick. Vimeo, on the other hand, gives you a greater chance to keep YOUR audience engaged to YOUR content. It is this reason I believe really sets Vimeo apart from Youtube.

The one thing that is missing from Vimeo is an internal video editor. While I edit my videos through Final Cut Pro, not everyone has access to editing equipment. That being said, I do use Youtube editor to add annotations to my videos to make them more interactive. It is my biggest disappointment that Vimeo didn’t step up this technology. I want the option to annotate my videos to external websites!

Is Vimeo ever going to be able to take the market share that Youtube has acquired? Most likely not. And in all reality, I don’t think it needs to. Vimeo, in the high school of video uploading, is the cool artistic kid and not the bullying jock.

All the cars @ CES

The North Hall at the Consumer Electronics Show this month looked more like an auto show ... Audi, Ford, OnStar, and Cadillac, to name just a few, all had major displays, and there was a gaggle of car customizers taking the car makers' basic designs to the outer limits. Most of the original equipment manufacturers were showcasing their 'voice command' systems that fight driver distraction by allowing you to turn on the heat, or switch radio stations, or make a phone call with either a quick touch of a steering wheel button or just a voice command like "call my wife."

Although the avowed purpose of all this technology is to make your driving experience safer and more enjoyable, the dashboards of these cars are starting to look like the cockpits of Boeing 747s. I highly recommend you check out some of these new models at your local dealer, but make sure you get a 30-minute crash course on how to use this stuff before you get on the road...if you're still driving an older car with just basic controls, you're going to get overwhelmed in a hurry. And if you don't own a smartphone, don't even bother, because most of the systems depend on your phone for a lot of their functions.

Personally, as much as I love technology, I wouldn't buy a car or truck solely for its computer brain. I still value the simplicity and joy of just driving the car with the top down and the radio/GPS/radar detector/bluetooth phone/iPod, etc., in the OFF position!

SOPA crumbles under the weight of the Internet

Just two days ago, I wrote about Lamar Smith refusing to back down on his much-aligned Stop Online Piracy Act bill despite the tremendous online protest.

On Wednesday? That post was completely true. On Thursday? The same story. But today, amid the fury of Internet giants and commoners alike, Smith has officially withdrawn his SOPA bill.

It's a big win for countless content creators, many of which voiced their strong opposition to the bill Wednesday. Sites like Google, StumbleUpon, Facebook and Wikipedia blacked out their sites in a united protest of what they considered extreme censorship.

Video Post: Quora's Success is a Question that Remains to be Answered

In today's Daily Axioms video post, Steve discusses how the Q&A site Quora overhauled itself in 2011 by borrowing elements from other social networks:

Blackout fails to knock out SOPA

Despite a well-publicized, widespread "blackout" by some of the Internet's biggest superpowers, the current scourge of the online masses isn't going away yet.

As sites like Google, StumbleUpon, Facebook, Wikipedia and a slew of others continue to black out their sites today in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), the bill's chief supporter refuses to back down. Representative Lamar Smith announced today that the endless stream of criticism and dwindling supporters won't keep him from moving forward with SOPA next month.

For those that aren't familiar with SOPA, here's a piece from the Wall Street Journal about what the proposed bill is all about.

The short definition is that SOPA expands the government's authority to shut down U.S.-based websites that have pirated content. That in itself is a noble goal, but what has the Internet up in arms is the broad language of the bill, which would allow innocent websites who unknowingly had pirated content to be prosecuted.

Obviously there is a lot of other issues that play into this controversy, but the overall protest is centered on the dramatic increase in censorship SOPA would lead to. Whether it's federally-mandated or simply sites being overly cautious, SOPA would drastically alter the state of the Internet...and not necessarily for the better.

What I saw at CES this year

Here's TechnoDad's list of winners from the annual Consumer Electronics Show. I've tried to choose items that are practical and fun:

• NuGuard GripStand 2 from NewerTech. This sturdy stand can even be used as a handle to carry your iPad 2 around. Also available for iPad.
• Escort Live. Utilizing Bluetooth, this radar detector power cord can communicate with your smart phone via an app that allows you and other drivers to instantly convey radar/laser threats.
• A new lineup of very affordable GE Digital cameras with prosumer features.
• Goal Zero's lineup of solar chargers for your gadgets.
• Tagg pet tracker prevents you from ever losing your dog using advanced GPS.
• Biscotti TV Phone. This small device (yes, it does look like a certain type of breakfast biscuit) turns your TV into a high-definition phone.
• CCrane's WiFi Radio allows you or your computer-less mom or dad to listen to their favorite Pandora or internet tunes anywhere there is WiFi.
• Sony's Vita PlayStation game device allows older kids and adults to have portable fun.

Not a pretty picture for Polaroid's tablet debut

As I watched the steady stream of CES updates flood my RSS feed last week, I went through my yearly mix of jaw-dropping enthusiasm and eye-rolling condescension. Tech bloggers who make the trek to Las Vegas love to highlight some of the ridiculous devices and gizmos that make it on to the showroom floor.

And while I understand the appeal of cheap, gimmicky gadgets that are everywhere at CES, they tend to come from the same companies that push those kinds of tacky products out year after year. It's another thing entirely for an established company to venture into cheap products.

This brings us to Polaroid. The former camera company announced its entry into the post-PC world with a lineup of tablets and e-readers. Before I go any further, there are 3 general principles I think any company should stick to when getting into the tablet business:

1. Make sure a tablet fits with your general company image and that it makes sense in your company portfolio.
2. Give yourself an advantage. It can be either be quality hardware or solid software are a must, but tablets have come a long way and you need to stay competitive.
3. Don't price yourself out of the market. Unless you're Apple, a $500 16GB tablet is a tough sell. 

Okay, back to Polaroid.

Whether or not Polaroid violated the first aforementioned principle is debatable. While I understand that Polaroid is trying to be a consumer electronics company and not a camera company, the name "Polaroid" just doesn't scream tablet computing.

That point aside, Polaroid could have made it a moot point by adhering to the second principle and delivering quality devices with a competitive edge. Unfortunately, critics across the board have said all of Polaroids new devices are underwhelming at best. Granted, the devices haven't been tested beyond the look and feel of the exterior, but that alone will enough to deter most consumers.

The question that has yet to be answered is price. Given the lack of quality here, these prices will have to be dirt cheap to give them an edge. Anything over $150 will probably be too much for consumers given the Kindle Fire is sitting at $200.

Polaroid is diving headfirst into the tablet and e-reader waters, but unfortunately for them they may be jumping in with proverbial anchors tied to its feet.

Why Nokia controls the fate of Windows OS

Microsoft struggled for years under the scrutiny of pundits and being bullied by post-PC era giants like Apple and Google, who shoved the design-challenged company into the proverbial locker like the nerd it was thought to be.

While ruling the PC and desktop computing world, they faded from the minds of consumers as programs, styluses and monitors were replaced by apps, smartphones and tablets.

This post-PC era ushered in a time when media consumption became more important than productivity, and concepts like "operating system" and "user interface" became more important than the specs of the devices that ran them. Even then, Microsoft didn't fare so well. Their ill-fated Zune mp3 player was laughed right off the market after coming late to the party.

But in 2011, Microsoft made itself over with the launch of its Windows Phone OS and re-emerged more hipster than tech dweeb, determined to shed its visually-impaired past and become trendy once again.

And unlike with the Zune, they may have gotten it right this time. Those same critics who mocked Microsoft's lack of design acumen have gone head over heels for their Windows Phone OS, nearly all of them saying it's superior to Android and some even going so far as to say it's better than iOS.

Despite the critical acclaim, sales of Windows Phones have been weak, and that's putting it lightly. But this year, Microsoft is looking to change that.

A Blue Chip Device

Many have argued that the biggest factor holding Microsoft back has been the lack of of a flagship phone. Android had the Motorola Droid and Apple had the iPhone. Both of those devices had the build quality and the marketing muscle to gain a foothold in the market (or in Apple's case, take over the market).

With the Lumia 800 and the newly-announced Lumia 900, the Windows Phone OS finally has a quality device that can attract new users to the platform. The Windows 7.5 OS (Mango)-powered Lumia 900 features a 4.3-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display and the distinctive, soft-touch black or cyan polycarbonate shell that the Lumia 800 made popular. It will be exclusive to AT&T, with support for 4G LTE connectivity.

Under the hood, it's got a 1.4GHz single core processor and 512MB of RAM. Those specs themselves aren't going to blow anyone away, but Nokia has been smart about the marketing here. Instead of trying to engage a spec war with the Android devices, they've been showing off the speed of the phone in real-world scenarios. It's an effective way of appealing to a broader consumer base, which is who Microsoft and Nokia desperately need to bring on board.

No OS can succeed without the right hardware, and thanks to Nokia, Microsoft is finally covered on that front.

Video Post: Tech Predictions for 2012

Following Andrea's social media predictions for the new year, Steve offers his predictions for technology in 2012. He covers an increased focus on television, the future of webOS and possible surprise acquisitions that could shake up the market.

Video Post: 2012 Predictions

What are going to be the newest trends in social media for 2012? Andrea takes a stab at three predictions that seem to be on the horizon: Death of e-mail, rise of the Twit Pitch, brands becoming publishers, and building applications with gamification components.

Top Brands on Pinterest

The newest and hottest social network to break the top 10 list is Pinterest. The visually appealing, micro-blogging site allows users to find, share and organize online images they find inspiring. It has exploded from 1.2 million users in August to over 4 million today, and it's still technically invite only.

All of this attention has caught the eye of brands, especially those in the home, garden and lifestyle sector. It's a smart marketing move, as the largest audience on Pinterest is comprised of women ages 25-34, with interests in those categories.

Below are a few brands that (according to Pinterest) really know how to utilize all that the site has to offer:

1. Whole Foods
2. Martha Stewart
3. Better Homes and Gardens
4. Real Simple
5. West Elm
6. Bergdorf Goodman
7. Today
8. Travel Channel

What makes them so successful?

1. Brand Focus
They all know how to showcase their brand, whether it be food, design or destinations. For example, Whole Foods has boards that highlight their own Whole Foods recipes. Real Simple posts craft ideas and inspiration that comes from their magazine.

2. Become a Resource 
All of these successful brands have become a resource for their followers. They contribute helpful information that is in line with their image and mission. Today for example has boards with tips and behind-the-scenes peaks from the show. Better Homes and Gardens makes sure you will never be floundering for a dinner recipe with boards ranging from "Healthy Dinner Recipes" to "Casseroles to Make Tonight!"

3. Board Quality
One of the most defining traits of successful interest pages are rich, full boards. No one wants to follow a board that has sporadic or few pins. Bergdorf Goodman has 20 boards, all devoted to a fun trends and style. The Travel Channel offers beautiful picture after picture of travel destinations and finds.

It won't be long until more brands are realizing the potential of Pinterest to highlight their product or service in a highly visual network. What do you think? Are you following any brands on Pinterest?

Video Post: CES 2012 Las Vegas Preview

Axiom is showcasing three great clients at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES.) Here's just a taste of what media and show attendees will see.

Where will social media go in 2012 and beyond?

Just a year or two ago, it was common to see "emerging media" as an alternative buzzword for social media. At the time, it made sense. Facebook was still skyrocketing in popularity, and new social networks were popping up every week.

But now that 2012 is here, it's safe to say that social media is no longer "emerging" and has fully arrived. And while some analysts claim the social media phenomenon is just a bubble waiting to burst, new Facebook statistics from TechCrunch show that the growth may have slowed, but it hasn't stopped.

According to their numbers from comScore, Facebook had 15 million new visitors in 2011 compared to almost 50 million in 2010. This highlights the fact that social media is now in a gradual growth stage, and not the exponentially fast growth stage it had been for years.

An article in ReadWriteWeb dove into this a little deeper, gleaning that the statistical focus will shift from the number of users on various sites to the engagement on those sites. "How much time?" will replace "how many users?" as investors, speculators and pundits look to see who's dominating our online lives.

The main reason for this is that social media across the board, especially Facebook, has more or less reached a saturation point. Echoing many people's complaints when Google+ first hit the scene, most users don't want to add to the long list of channels to keep track of. They are set in their social networking ways, and are now looking for new apps and devices to supplement those social networks.

For marketers, this means we have to move beyond where people are at and start looking at how they are using those social media channels. Regardless, it's good to see that social media continues to become more and more integrated into our daily lives.

Video Post: TechnoDad previews CES

TechnoDad follows up his Tuesday CES preview post by looking at a few products that will be displayed there. A wall outlet that has USB plugins ($30). Second: NuScribe - a convenient 2 in 1 touch screen stylus and pen ($12). Third: NuTouch Gloves - type, tap, swipe, and scroll in the cold ($10).

Innovative Recruitment Tool: The Social Interview

There's a lot you can learn from looking at a person's Facebook profile. What was their last status update? Are there incriminating photos? What brands and causes do they like? And most tellingly, what do their friends say about them?

Now, recruiters at R/GA have a tool to answer that last question. The digital advertising agency has created an app that places the interview right on a candidate's Facebook profile. As part of the interview process, hopeful interns have three questions posted to their profile for their Facebook friends to answer. Take a look at the video below to see it in action:

I'm not quite sure if this would make me more nervous or not. After all, it's the living, breathing embodiment of the peer review, and positive feedback from an outside source is invaluable. However, leaving the fate of your internship in the hands of your friends is quite the trust-fall.

Either way, it's one more way that recruiters are leveraging social media for their employment needs. 

Wordless Wednesday: Which startups will rule 2012?

What to look for out of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show

Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable, wrote a good CES trends story last month on CNN.com and you can read it here. TechnoDad's take on this year is that it will indeed be the 'year of the tablet,' as more and more consumers move away from their desktops and even their laptops. Tablets and smart phones are the future of computing, evidenced by Pete's reference to voice control (Siri on the iPhone 4S for example) possibly taking off this year.

Of course the big unknown is what Apple might do within the TV realm beyond their present minor presence with the Apple TV. We'll have to wait a while for that. And of course, I'll be reporting on what we see at CES in a few weeks. Here's to a technology-rich 2012!