Six ads that changed the way we think

• Six ads that changed the way we think

  From BBC News, an insightful piece on the power of advertising as a cultural change agent. Advertisers have always sought to influence and persuade - no more so than at this time of year. But since the advent of mass communications, there has been only a handful of ads that monumentally changed the way people think about a product.

  tags: advertising perceptions classic assignment

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Boutiques.com - Google Backs Social Fashion

• Boutiques.com - Google Backs Social Fashion - Annotated

  Dear Goog,  I can't thank you enough for helping my dream of owning my own dress boutique to become a reality. What I once thought would only happen when I could afford to fund what I see as a hobby can now be a reality. And I might get customers too since your technology helps buyers to find me. 

  tags: Google fashion social search social shopping

   

  • The site aims to build awareness for new styles and fashions of up-and-coming designers, as well as those who are already established. There's also a crowdsourcing element. Consumers are invited to sign up and create their own boutiques, and allow others to follow their sense of fashion and style.
  • Click on the "Your Boutique" tab and the site runs through a variety of snapshots of clothing, asking the consumer to click on their style. At the end of the process, Boutiques.com gives the consumer a label. For example, a "BOHO" may identify with bohemian fashion from decades past, but Google suggests the look is anything but dated. Vintage prints paired with contemporary silhouettes are the keys to everyday ensembles. The site calls BOHOs a mix master of feminine details, inspired by eclectic accessories. Not just a trend, the Boho signature style expresses a carefree indie spirit.
  • Google allows site visitors to create an account to save and share fashion items placed in "love" and "hate" categories. A built-in preview function helps consumers see similar items or purchase the product. And the prices are all over the map. In the shoe category, for example, consumers can choose from Valentino's lace masterpieces or Christian Louboutin's red-heeled works of art to a more casual and affordable Ralph Lauren.

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A Letter to Land's End

Dear Land's End,

Tomorrow I will fly home from Zagreb, Croatia. I've just packed my bag (one of yours) and I was telling my husband the story of this bag. He said I should tell you. :)

I have a Land's End Lighthouse Wheeled Carryon (22" I believe - the largest allowed as a carry on) circa 1996. I bought this bag DURING a trip just after I finished my PhD program. I had gone to visit a friend in New York, and while on the trip, thought - I should really allow myself a decent piece of luggage. From her home, I ordered my bag, had it delivered to HER, and used it in my return travel. 

Since that time, this bag has gone everywhere I've gone. It's been to Asia (many times), Australia, most of Europe (many many times), South America, Canada, Iceland, Micronesia, and zigzagged multiple times around the US. I don't wrack up miles like those "road warriors" but I take a few trips every year. Always with this bag. For approaching 15 years now. My bag is beginning to show its age, but it's still my favorite. That same friend actually bought me a NEW bag (not one of yours) for my 40th birthday because she thought I needed something a bit fresher looking. I used it once - and went back to MY bag. 

I don't know what you warranty these bags for in terms of miles flown (though I do know all of your products have the lifetime warranty), but I did a quick guestimate and I'd say this bag will hit 350,000 miles flown by the time I get home tomorrow night. 

One day I'll upgrade to a new one just like it - but for now - I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you!
Tracy 
-

Social Media Evolves, And So Must The Conversation Prism - Version 3.0

• Social Media Evolves, And So Must The Conversation Prism - Version 3.0

  Solis and JESS3 are at it again! Problem is - it's too big to be readable on screen...

  tags: smm prism infographic Solis JESS3 conversation prism applications tools

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Making Promises You Can't Keep

• Making Promises You Can't Keep

  In this post from Robyn Freye, agencies are called out - and clients beware. Whether promises on who will be on the account team to th digital prowess of the agency, clients need to ask the right questions to get the information they need. My favorite false promise is "we can do this quick, cheap, and well." It should be "we can do this quick, cheap, or well - choose two." Those three just can't survive together. 

  tags: agencies ECUAdvertising iMedia Freye

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Gearing up for ad:tech

Over the last few weeks, I've been working with speakers for the Social Media Marketing Master session for ad:tech New York. We have an amazing line up of presentations including global social media research insights from Firefly, advice on understanding influence impressions from Josh Bernoff, and social media case studies from Benjamin Moore, Witeck-Combs Communications, and Siemens. 

I'll be previewing the session over the coming weeks over on the ad:tech blog. You'll also hear from the other ad:tech Marketing Masters about their sessions as well. 

Interested in going? All the details are here. 

Is this the mark of really mainstream social gaming?

• Is this the mark of really mainstream social gaming?

  Mattel announced that it will release a version of Pictionary for Facebook. That's right - Pictionary for Facebook. No longer do you need to find 3 others willing to play - you've got your entire Friend network at your beck and draw.

  tags: smm social games gaming games Facebook Mattel Pictionary chp7

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

French Connection: Move over f-commerce, the YouTique (YouTube boutique) is here | Social Commerce Today

• French Connection: Move over f-commerce, the YouTique (YouTube boutique) is here | Social Commerce Today - Annotated

  YouTube takes aim at f-commerce

  tags: smm social commerce French Connection f-commerce YouTubeBoutique

  • With other brands jumping on the f-commerce bandwagon, French Connection (UK) has just gone live with a social shopping channel on YouTube – the Net’s third most popular website that is also the search engine of choice for Gen Y.    YouTique is a ‘YouTube boutique’ showcasing French Connection gear and offering personal shopping advice (somewhat kooky – see below)  that links seamlessly through to French Connection’s e-commerce site via YouTube’s annotation tool repurposed as a buy button.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

If A Tweet Falls In The Forest… | BrandSavant

• If A Tweet Falls In The Forest… | BrandSavant - Annotated

  In traditional media we measure the audience. We have OTS estimates, exposure estimates, and we track attitudes toward the content and behavioral response related to the exposures. Social media are media too but our assessments of audience and audience reactions are severely lacking. It's time for media research to include social media.

  tags: smm research BrandSavant media OTS

  • Sysomos today released
    a study of over a billion tweets that detailed the following:

    
    

    
    

    71% of twitter messages fail to produce a reaction (reply or retweet)

    
    

    85% of Twitter “conversations” are only one level deep

    
    

    92% of retweets happen within an hour of the initial tweet – in other words,
    if it isn’t retweeted within the first hour, a tweet will likely go unretweeted
    (I feel a burning shame at even writing this non-word word).

  • Judging the platform, however, by how few (or many) individuals
    respond/react to tweets would be like “measuring” the engagement of the New York
    Times by how many people write letters to the Editor – or worse, judging the
    circulation of the Times by this measure.

  • This study gives you some new things to know, and I believe them. Here is
    what you don’t know about Twitter:

    
    

    
    

    How many people had the “opportunity to see” a given tweet?

    
    

    How many people actually saw a given tweet?

    
    

    How many people saw a given tweet and could recall its message?

    
    

    How many people recalled a message, and told a friend offline about it?

    
    

    How many people saw a message and took some kind of offline action in
    response?

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Let There Be Advertising Week - 'WADV interview'

• Let There Be Advertising Week - 'WADV interview'

  Are you ready for Advertising Week? The festivities begin in just a few days. Can't be there? No worries. Our friends at Ad Week will be podcasting the interviews and sessions right here.

  tags: advertising ECUAdvertising 2010 AdWeek podcasts

   

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.