Nielsen Wire: State of Social Media 2011

Nielsen has an exceptional webinar floating about the internet at the moment – State of Social Media 2011. In the U.S., social networks and blogs reach nearly 80 percent of active U.S. Internet users and represent the majority of Americans’ time online. As the social media landscape continues to grow, it’s crucial for traditional media, retailers, brands and advertisers to understand how different consumer segments use and share content.

This webinar takes an in-depth look at the latest social media trends including:

• Impact of social media on the consumer and their purchasing behavior
• Demographics of social media
• Social media landscape and platforms that are driving engagement
• Trends in mobile usage across social media platforms
• Relationship between social media and brands – How many social networkers follow a brand vs a celebrity?

FORBES: How to Be an Optimist in a Pessimistic Time, A Techonomy Manifesto

It’s no secret that technology is changing the world. Unfortunately, there are a surprising number of people who don’t get it. Many of them, even more unfortunately, are important leaders in business, other powerful instutitions, and governments. To meet the challenges that face us—whether as leaders of organizations, as leaders of countries, or as the global community addressing our collective challenge—we will only be successful if we unreservedly embrace technology and innovation as essential tools. The Techonomy conference, which begins in Tucson on Sunday November 13, aims to underscore that idea and send a pointed message to leaders that Luddites have no place in the 21st century.

For those of us who believe in the vast potential of technology to solve problems, it is both an exciting and a frustrating time. The world’s people are embracing cellphones. More than two billion people use the Internet. Facebook continues its extraordinary user-empowering spread, and the Weibos fill a similar role in China. Advanced companies around the world are redesigning their systems and management to accommodate the new realities of a flattened, technologized business environment. The people of the world have recognized that technology can alter and improve their lives. Read the full article »»»»

Nielsen Wire: How Online Ad Campaign Success Varies by Site Type

Nielsen recently analyzed an online CPG campaign geared towards women 25-54 that ran across three ad networks and a women’s interest site. The study showed the campaign successfully reached its intended audience only 27 percent of the time and instead was most often viewed by older demographics outside of the desired group.

Even more surprising was the degree of variability between the different media sellers. Nielsen found that while the three ad networks reached the campaign’s intended audience 20-30 percent of the time, the women’s interest site, due to its audience composition, was most successful at delivering the intended audience.  Read the full article »»»»

FORBES: Why Didn’t Apple Stop Google’s Flawed iOS Gmail App?

There must have been joy at Apple when the new and seriously flawed Google Gmail app for Apple iOS devices arrived for testing. The app appeared in the Apple App Store for only a short time earlier today before being pulled. As Google tweeted about the mishap, “The iOS app we launched today contained a bug with notifications. We have pulled the app to fix the problem. Sorry we messed up” If Apple’s previous handling of new apps is any indication, Apple got the app, tested it, must have found the obvious bugs, and released it to the App Store anyway. How better to embarrass Google, its now arch-enemy? So what about Apple jerking around its customers? Google may have been foolish to submit the app with such easily discoverable problems. Still, is allowing Google to make a fool of itself really worthy of Apple allowing the app to be downloaded by Apple customers?

I think we all know that answer. And it makes Apple look a lot worse than Google.

The app was pulled so quickly, I almost imagine Apple was waiting for Google’s call and jerked the app fast enough to avoid major user headaches, but slowly enough to make Google look stupid.

It’s OK for Google and Apple to play games with one another. It’s not OK to catch customers in the crossfire. Obviously, Steve Jobs’ “take no prisioners” attitude lives on in Cupertino. Read the full article »»»»

Kickstarter: MobileMount by JR Sanchez

The phenomena that is Kickstarter – www.kickstarter.com - has  been the launchpad for thousands of budding business oppurtunities – see top 10 below – this novel approach to funding has raised from the hundreds of dollars to just under 1 million,  for projects from gadgetry to short films. Kickstarter was founded in April 2009 by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler. The Miami New Times jokingly proclaimed “Kickstarter.com is one of the smartest ideas for a website since Al Gore invented the Internet.”  For those who don’t know, Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology. Since it’s inception, Kickstarter has raised $75 million dollars for over 10,000 projects. The project success rate is 44% Check the wiki below. 

The latest project out of  Kickstarter is of the gadget variety, it’s clever, inexpensive and very now.  MobileMount: Project instigator JR Sanchez, set a goal to raise $US20,000 to get his gadget of the ground, at time of publication, the project had raised $US43,000. MobileMount is a universal mount/kickstand for virtually any hand held device – tablet pc, phone, smartphone – with a flat surface. Comprised of two twist-to-lock suction cups and one ball joint, this device’s unique design allows for superior suction and durability. The “Patent Pending“ Twist-to-Lock suction cups can hold devices for weeks at a time rather than simply a few hours like other competing mounts.  Additionally, the universal design allows for users to mount their phone without removing the case. 

CONTINUED: Read the full article »»»»

Favorite New Thought: Juxtapoz Magazine

We’ve been following Juxtapoz since their inception in 1994, we’ve watched with much glee as they’ve grown to the awesome online presence they currently publish. Juxtapoz Art & Culture Magazine was created by a group of artists and collectors including Robert Williams, Fausto Vitello, C.R. Stecyk III (aka: Craig Stecyk), Greg Escalante, and Eric Swenson to both help define and celebrate urban alternative and underground contemporary art. It was edited from 1996 to 2006 by Jamie O’Shea. Juxtapoz is published by High Speed Productions, the same company that publishes Thrasher Skateboard magazine in San Francisco, California. Juxtapoz launched with the mission of connecting modern genres like psychedelic and hot rod art, graffiti, street art, and illustration, to the context of broader more historically recognized genres of art like Pop, assemblage, old master painting, and conceptual art. Although based in San Francisco, Juxtapoz was founded upon the belief in the virtues of Southern California Pop Culture and the freedom from the conventions of the “established” New York art world. Ferus Gallery, run by Walter Hopps and Irving Blum in the 1950s and 1960s was the ultimate cultural touchstone for the magazine.  Juxtapoz expanded its range in the early 2000s to cover other nascent styles and sub-genres of underground art. Young artists who have received coverage in Juxtapoz include KAWS, Mark Ryden, Barry McGee, Todd Schorr, Camille Rose Garcia, Tim Biskup, and Tom Sachs. Since 2009, Juxtapoz has had the largest circulation of any art magazine in the United States – more than established counterparts like Art News, Art in America, and ArtForum. In addition to printed subscriptions which offer alternative cover images to the newsstand version, Juxtapoz is also available as an on-line digital subscription. As a window into art and culture, Juxtapoz has stood firmly relevant for almost 20 years.  Check Juxtapoz at: http://www.juxtapoz.com/