http://metia.com/london/lizzie-donnachie Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:14:00 +0100 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:14:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/strategic-partnerships…or-strategic-ploys-for-(tech)-world-domination/#number-of-comments Another tech trend looked at in a little more detail...  Strategic partnerships.  Let's take a look at a few and what they mean to the organisations involved and the audiences they aim to benefit. First, a definiteion: A strategic partnership is a formal alliance between two commercial enterprises who posses one or more business assets that will help the other.  In the past six months that definition has manifested itself in the strategic love/hate/competition triangle between Facebook, Microsoft and Apple… (Insert feigned shock/surprise here)… But in the long run, these alliances could be seen to change the way we connect, consume and collaborate (yes, I thought of that on the spot!) Back in July 2011 Facebook launched their video calling capability, allowing users to conduct a Facebook-to-Facebook call from within Skype. This development in the Skype-Facebook partnership was the first of a domino effect of strategic partnerships to remove communication barriers, make the web experience more social and allow users to connect easily with friends, family and business colleagues by offering Skype's voice and video calling products to more than 750 million active users on Facebook. With Microsoft’s former acquisition of Skype (and more recent replacement of its instant messaging tool Windows Live Messenger with Skype), this has now afforded the Windows and Office giant another tool with which to battle for social-networking hearts and ad dollars.   … Recently, our own Pete Morgan blogged about Facebook and Apple’s venture into the VoIP market with the launch of free iPhone calls for US Facebook members. By attempting to square off against Microsoft-owned Skype, this strategic partnership will allow Facebook Messenger for iPhone users, to call other users for free over Wi-Fi or using their phone's data connection. This will prove particularly useful for people with poor network or for those who want to conserve their allocated network minutes, and frankly have us spending even more time on the book that is Face! Delving further into the mobile market, strategic partnerships could be seen to greatly benefit the ‘youth’ market even more in 2013. Spotify today took another small step to tighten up competition in the European market by signing a deal with Orange to offer unlimited music services as part of the “Orange Young,” subscription for the under-27 market in Switzerland. This strategic partnership sees Spotify making a bid to get ‘in tune’ (no pun intended, honest...) with the youth audience. So what does all this mean for the partner and developer audience, aside from the obvious notion that we should all buddy together and make more money?… From a partner perspective, we should all be on the lookout for and encourage innovative co-marketing opportunities for our own partners and our clients’ partners, therefore allowing a foothold into new markets. With strategic partnerships further emphasizing the need for interoperability between apps, as an organisation we should be encouraging the development of apps or forms of content consumption, which fall in line with the ever-emerging multiplatform model. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/strategic-partnerships…or-strategic-ploys-for-(tech)-world-domination/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/strategic-partnerships…or-strategic-ploys-for-(tech)-world-domination/ Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:14:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/always-on…always-connected-friend,-foe,-opportunity/#number-of-comments As promised in my last post - 10 Tech trends that are sticking around for 2013, more blogs were to follow looking at each one in a little more detail.  First up: Always on, always connected, friend, foe opportunity - what do you think? Always on, always connected, always consuming:  The new generation of consumers, clients, and customers is perpetually connected -- to the Internet, to you, and to each other. (Barton Goldenberg, 2008) With the movement to all round mobility at full throttle and smartphones and tablets consequently taking their place as technology “power players”, consumers are consistently using their respective virtual networks to access a growing portfolio of content, services and apps. Indeed what emerged from a 2012 study by Accenture, were three key trends for electronics manufacturers and service providers to pay attention to. Hypermobility: consumers are rapidly adopting mobile technologies and downloading apps that keep them connected on the go. As a result TV viewing and purchase intentions for desktops and laptops are slowly declining. The opportunity presented here lies within creating devices that meet consumers’ preference for mobility and extending other product categories such as televisions with “connected” experiences (SMART TVs being a prime example). Along that line of thinking, the ARM edition of Windows 8 includes a new mode dubbed "always on, always connected," designed to let tablets act like smartphones and remain in standby mode without disconnecting from the Internet. Cloud uplift: Consumers are increasingly reaching into the network for services and content, with mail and gaming taking the lead in usage. As consumers switch to cloud services, manufacturers should consider options such as adding entertainment services to their portfolio or taking steps to make it easier for consumers to switch between devices, to capitalize on the high use and growth opportunity, as consumers become increasingly device-agnostic. Healthy “app-etite”: The Increasing adoption of smartphones and tablets is causing a rapid uptake in mobile media consumption, with nearly two-thirds of the study respondents downloading information, networking and entertainment apps. In this instance TV and radio channels alike have begun to bridge the gap between TV/radio (which could slowly becoming todays ‘traditional media channels’) and mobile data consumption – so now there’s no need to let a small matter like not being in front of a TV.    Always on, always connected, always working? For better or for worse, we're all now constantly connected to each other, with just a click we're readily available on email, social networks, or text messages. As much as this puts us in somewhat of a perpetual state of alertness, responsiveness, it does not necessarily mean we’re being productive. This of course sparks the debate around the damaging effects of blurred boundaries between work and life and others embracing it as the reality of how we work today…etc. Without embarking on that dangerous discussion it is important to highlight companies that are making efforts to literally enforce healthy work-life habits. At the beginning of 2012, Volkswagenreached an agreement with a small portion of its work force to stop the e-mail server for employees who used BlackBerrys 30 minutes after their shift ended and restore it half an hour before work began the next day. The fact remains however, that we have become a generation of workers who roll over in the morning and check email, Twitter and Facebook and though we may physically leave the office at a reasonable hour, apparently 95% are back online after dinner attending to bits and pieces be it voluntarily or to keep up appearances (Neverfail’s Osterman, 2010 study). The challenge now is in re-establishing the rules of ‘always on’ to mean working smarter, not harder and setting expectations that as much as you may feel comfortable to hash out your ideas at midnight others should not be expected to join you online. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/always-on…always-connected-friend,-foe,-opportunity/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/02/always-on…always-connected-friend,-foe,-opportunity/ Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:20:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/01/10-tech-trends-that-are-sticking-around-for-2013/#number-of-comments It's the start of a new year, so cue predictions of 'what to watch' in 2013.  We, on the Partner & Developer Marketing team, thought we'd be a little different (ok, I do mean only a little) and take a look at some key trends from last year (or the last few years) that are sticking around for 2013.  Below is a quick (ish) overview, there'll be a more detailed blog on each to follow over the coming weeks. So, in no particualr order, here’s a quick summary of what we've been thinking about: 1. Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Numerous studies have documented an unconscious bias towards women at their work; this has negatively impacted on women’s advancement, especially in the STEM fields. In the last 15 years, there has been a conscious effort to support women in STEM fields and this has been highly successful. One organisation’s tactics were to employ more rigorous data-driven approaches to assess merit in hiring, promotion, and compensation. The topic of women taking over the boardroom has been around for some time, but was reignited a few months ago when Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took on the high profile role while pregnant with her first child and vowed to not let it interfere with her work duties. The increase of women taking more senior roles in STEM fields has resurfaced the maternity debate and we’ll be interested to see if the society’s attitudes become more united. 2. Big Data According to research by MGI and McKinsey's Business Technology Office, insights gained from big data will become a key basis of competition, underpinning new waves of productivity growth, innovation, and consumer surplus. Combining this fact with the sheer volume of big data accrued in the last 2 years (that’s over 90% of it currently, according to IBM) and that makes this a mega trend. As the interest in big data continues to thrive, there is a need for more intelligent, sensitive and robust data analytic systems that yield greater insights for end users. For us, we’ll be looking into how big data is being consumed, its relationship with social media, its use in applications and how it’s changed the role of developers in industries outside of the technology field. 3. Cloud Computing While the definition and benefits of cloud computing varies, we’re united when it comes to the benefit of addressing primary IT concerns: a way to instantaneously increase capacity or add capabilities without investing in new infrastructure, personnel, or licensing new software. Over the last two years cloud computing has transitioned from an industry buzzword to a business critical solution. Providing a new approach that enables individuals and businesses to decide how they'll acquire or deliver IT services, without the constraints of traditional software and hardware licensing models. As businesses are investing more in the cloud, and security concerns are slowly alleviated, we’ll be looking at the new opportunities associated with the cloud that as has enabled the digital start-up scene to thrive and become a trend in itself. 4. Digital Literacy According to Mozilla's YouGov Survey three quarters of young people want to get to grips with making games, apps and websites but only 3% of children have the programming skills to achieve this. This digital deficit is, to a degree, because the curriculum concentrated on word processing and spreadsheet packages and not on the creative skill of programming. So it's lucky then that Digital Literacy in the UK education sector is facing a radical shake up after UK Education Secretary Michael Gove announced earlier this year, his plans to scrap existing ICT lessons for a more high tech computer science program, where the lessons are designed by industry and universities. Aimed to equip children with the industry standard skills that are necessary to fuel the next digital generation, we’ll be interested to see how things evolve in 2013 and the partnerships formed with the UK Education board to help drive this campaign. 5. Always on, always connected The new generation of consumers, clients, and customers is perpetually always on and always connected -- to the Internet, and to each other. This has in turn influenced purchase patterns, media consumption trends and created new ways of working. With consumers valuing increased mobility, the cloud emerges as an important component of organisations portfolios of content and applications. As consumers switch to cloud services, manufacturers should consider adding entertainment services to their portfolio to capitalize on the high use and growth opportunity this category represents. In addition, they should take steps to make it easier for consumers to switch between devices, offering a more seamless experience such as offering a common user interface as consumers become increasingly device-agnostic in their daily activities. 6. Start-up Scene Sharing the overarching theme of a previous post on mobile app start-ups, 2012 saw a burst of new start-ups arriving in the UK. During the post London Olympics celebrations, the London Legacy Development Corporation appointed iCity, a media center in East London’s Silicon Roundabout to be the launching pad and incubator for a new technology hub; to fulfil the Olympic requirement of delivering a lasting legacy for London and the UK. Start-up hubs like iCity in London, set on rivalling the US’ Silicon Valley on the West coast are not just focused in the obvious tech-centric areas nor are they limited to digital start-ups, but are becoming a fast growing trend. We’re exploring how start-ups are flourishing and replicating at an unprecedented rate, in particular, looking at their growing community and wealth of resources that act as a fast track incubation service for them to succeed. 7. Developers The role of the developer is changing, no longer are they seen as a niche group of men locked behind bedroom (or garage) doors. With an increase in digital literacy in schools, women embracing the STEM fields and the volume of unanalysed big data, developers have never been in more demand. This year in the US, the role of the Web developer ranks as one of the most in-demand technology jobs (I read this somewhere - if I could remember the reference point I would link it!). Companies that may previously have never needed a developer now require an in-house team in order to compete in industry. Giving in to the demands of the changing consumer who are content and app hungry, it’s no surprise that the perceptions of developers are shifting. 8. SMBs The presence of SMBs and start-ups is growing; larger organisations are now more aware of the potential behind SMBs and have started to nurture and form strategic partnerships with them in order to maintain their own businesses. Larger businesses have always looked to start-ups for inspiration on the next big innovation in products and services because they can’t develop everything in-house. In return, the SMBs benefit from the resources and connections from its bigger partner. These small-business/big-business partnerships are not a new concept, but have been heighted by an increase in resources and information around the start-up scene. Spreading beyond technology, it can be found in every industry, and we’ll be looking into some notable examples where lessons can be learnt for the two involved. 9. Social Media By no means a new trend, and the angles to explore are almost endless.  An obvious trend for us within social media is that its mobile usage will soar, eventually exceeding personal computers. What’s to change here is that traditional networks must work to differentiate their desktop and mobile experiences to provide a more seamless journey for the user. Social networks and applications will also need to consider a viable way to incorporate mobile advertising on smaller screens. Other things to discuss and look out for: International and niche social networks experience dramatic growth Social media moves beyond the marketing department Social media education gets formalized 10. Content Marketing This was the buzz phrase at the end of 2012 and looks set to stick around well into 2013.  Content Marketing is not new, some organisations have been doing it for years (usually under another name), but the hype has lead to a few companies reviewing their marketing strategies.  Some more publically than others - check out these videos from Coca-Cola, about their 'Content 2020' marketing strategy, which is almost view as an internal memo to Coke's marketing teams:      We'll be looking at what's new, what the focus is and what forms of content are used and where it comes from. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/01/10-tech-trends-that-are-sticking-around-for-2013/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2013/01/10-tech-trends-that-are-sticking-around-for-2013/ Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/12/patents-good-or-bad/#number-of-comments It seems that every other week there is a large tech firm suing another large tech firm over a piece of code, technology or better termed ‘Intellectual Property’ that was invented years before they ever really seemed important or relevant. The latest was Motorola’s attempt to ban the Xbox in US and German markets. Patents can often be the hidden ace up a firms sleeve. Sitting idle until the roadmap comes under attack or opening up a new revenue stream (via litigation, royalties and licences) to help maintain an advantage over rivals. In fact, according to the FT, Patent disputes had risen 182% from August 2011 to August 2012. One of the most publicised patent wars was between Apple and Samsung. With Apple picking their battles (they no longer see HTC as a threat) it will be hard to see this tit-for-tat case close any time soon. The Samsung Galaxy series continues to outsell the iPhone giving this once sweet partnership between two tech firms a sour note. Rumours of an Apple TV to be launched next year can only make this more interesting. But how do Patents impact the industry? And more importantly, what does it mean for the average developer? On one hand, Patents are designed to be the guardian angels, protecting the best in breed from others copying ideas to their own advantage. They help bring fresh innovation to the table and offer healthy competition. In short, patents help inventors, developers, creators and thinkers make money from inventing rather than having it stolen. On the other hand, Patents can be used aggressively and manipulate the ecosystem. Especially when large cash-rich firms can afford to buy out companies for their library of patents. For example, Lodsys’s business consists of acquiring patents and launching lawsuits – they don’t actually make anything. Creating a whole new industry of Patent Trolls who according to this paper cost US businesses $29billion (of which SMBs accounted for 37%). This practice can harm innovators, and was brought to media attention when an indie app developer was targeted by Lodsys over a patent that covered in-app purchasing. Most developers may not have the know-how, time or funds to check all the patents out there (let alone create one). So, how can we turn this into a level playing field? We need to ensure that Patents are super tight and not too vague or broad. We also need to ensure that Patents are accessible to all– removing the barriers to entry. Alternatively, firms should also consider setting up a Licensing or Royalty program that may offer a happy ending for both parties and doesn’t block innovation.  Perhaps an additional benefit to a partner/channel or developer program could be patent support of some form. In short, Patents are there for a reason. They aim to protect people from others who chose to ‘steal’ ideas rather than to recognise and reward. They help drive innovation and bring new ideas to market – the industry just needs to better protect the people who need it. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/12/patents-good-or-bad/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/12/patents-good-or-bad/ Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/back-to-basics-re-evaluating-the-foundation-of-your-digital-brand/#number-of-comments A lot of companies have been planning their online advertisements and email campaigns for the entire quarter just to prepare for the month-long holidays sales season. But with so much time spent on these outbound sales tactics, why isn’t the same level of attention given to our non-seasonal platforms? Wouldn’t it make sense to focus on your digital foundation – your website – before diving into everything else that supports it, especially when the foundation will live longer than your campaigns? Following are a couple of concepts we often forget about, but are worth bringing back to mind. Think about your website… Before rolling out your next campaign, revisit your website. Is there room for improvement? Is anything outdated? Are your customers no longer interested in some types of content or functionalities, and instead looking for something different? If so, do something about it! Your website is the foundation of all your online marketing. It is the face of your digital brand. Therefore, you must consider it as above any other marketing effort in the digital space. And do it all the time… Now that we are reminded of the importance of our website – our foundation, we must continue to remember this! A website is meant to be ever-changing.  We don’t have control over our customers’ needs, but we adapt the website to them. We are often the last to find out about new company products or services, but we adapt the website to them. And although we often run our own marketing campaigns (and therefore have [almost] full control over them), we forget to look at our website simultaneously and adapt it to that next campaign. This is a missed opportunity! Regardless of how small or large, think about your demand generation strategy in conjunction with your website. Will it provide the best experience for your customer? If not, address it. Do whatever you can to make it easy for your customer—all the time. In short, this comes down to a few things: User experience. If people want something—whether they come on their own or are following your lead—give them the level of service they are looking for and you win. This is stronger than any ad, cross-promotion or email campaign, and it goes beyond the holiday season. Keeping your site clean and easy-to-use (from any device) year-round ensures a great customer experience and eventually leads to the ultimate prize: loyalty. SEO. If people want somethign they often search for it, make sure your site is turning up in relevant searches and potential customers can find it, even if they haven't heard of you or seen you latest ad.  This doesn't have to be expensive, organic search promotion can be just as, if not more, effective than PPC (pay per click) campaigns. Content strategy. Make sure your content is relevant to your audience and pushed via the right channels, but also make sure you have a central online hub (your site) that brings it all together.  If a customer reads a blog, sees and ad, follows you on twitter, make sure the content can be followed.  Understand how they found your site and what they are expecting once they get there, based on where they came. Feel like you’ve missed the boat on hitting it right with your website? Not to worry. Getting started on your website is most effective when begun much in advance (i.e. now is not to time to think about it for holiday sales). If you start thinking about in January and take a few months to finalize and build your improved site (depending on the complexity), this would give you time to launch your site, test it with real customers, and collect and implement feedback to make sure you are in the best position—not just for the next holiday season, but all year-round. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/back-to-basics-re-evaluating-the-foundation-of-your-digital-brand/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/back-to-basics-re-evaluating-the-foundation-of-your-digital-brand/ Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/mobile-app-startups-and-the-billion-dollar-“instagram-effect”/#number-of-comments Entrepreneurial minds are always on the lookout for the next best way to turn a quick profit.  As global technology experiences a paradigm shift towards always-on, mobile solutions, more startups are focusing their efforts on mobile application development.  Is this type of venture an easy bet, or a quick way to see a business fail amidst a swarm of competitors?  Mobile share of internet traffic is increasing dramatically.  IDC estimates that by 2015 there will be more mobile internet users than wireline users in the U.S.  The leading mobile OS platforms have hundreds of thousands of mobile applications available (Android 700K+, iOS 700k+, Windows Phone 120k+).  Now more than ever, consumers use mobile apps to help manage their everyday lives: shopping, restaurants, finances, traffic and everyday tasks can all be managed from anywhere via a mobile application.  Simply put, there is a massive consumer demand for cool apps you can use wherever you are.      But can one application be that lucrative?  Can just one app support the growth (and ultimate acquisition) of a startup?  The answer is a resounding yes.  Instagram is a photo sharing application and user network which launched in October, 2010.  By 2012 the application had 30 million active accounts, at which time it was purchased (along with its 13 employees) for 1 billion dollars, by Facebook.  This acquisition added fuel to the mobile app frenzy, creating an “Instagram effect” where tech savvy investors scrambled to create and build the next billion dollar app.  Success stories like Instagram have led to venture groups forming specifically to fund mobile app companies.  One example is Appcelerator, who launched the Appcelerator Innovation Fund in October, an investment program which supports and funds early-stage mobile companies that are developing mobile apps.  In addition to monetary support, most startups can find guidance from the software companies who build mobile platforms.  The GenerationApp (in the US) and App Builder (in the UK) programs, for example, provide free support to mobile application developers building apps for the Windows 8 and Windows Phone platforms.  Resources such as these make the idea of launching a mobile startup seem even more lucrative and enticing.  Despite the clear consumer demand and abundance of resources, the key to experiencing success as a mobile startup lies in creating a solution that is truly unique from anything in market.  This is where entrepreneurial genius comes back to the forefront, as all the monetary and technical support will not create a billion dollar idea.   Entrepreneurs should not be over-swayed by the allure of experiencing Instagram-like success.  The prosperity of a mobile app startup will ultimately come down to two things:  a brilliant idea, and lots of hard work (not all that different from any other type of startup venture). /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/mobile-app-startups-and-the-billion-dollar-“instagram-effect”/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/11/mobile-app-startups-and-the-billion-dollar-“instagram-effect”/ Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:45:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/10/responding-to-responsive-design/#number-of-comments Have you checked out a website on your phone or tablet recently and found yourself scrolling down and across, and zooming in and out, in order to be able to read its content? During the past couple of years the number of mobile devices has grown greatly, in fact, Cisco predicted by the end of 2012, the number of owned devices will exceed the number of people on Earth, and by 2016 there will be 1.4 mobile devices per capita. With this growth, providing a first class browsing experience to fit numerous connected devices has become increasingly important for marketers and for customer loyalty. So what exactly does this mean and what actually is responsive design? It might be better to look at what problem it solves. PC’s aren’t the only piece of hardware with a web browser anymore and user expectations have changed, we expect to be able to browse the web on our phones just as easily as on our computer. In layman’s terms, responsive design or responsive web basically means creating a dynamic site that will adapt to the size of the browser you are viewing it in.  Providing you with suitable layouts and content areas to deliver you the best viewing experience whatever the device. If you want an example, check out one of Metia’s responsive designs projectshere. Earlier this year, we were given the opportunity to work with ITN to create the ITN News video website. The video rich site intelligently adapts to the device the visitor is using (desktop, laptop, phone, tablet etc).  And as ITN state, it’s picking up interest: “No other news website in the UK has introduced responsive design yet but we know that lots of organisations are looking at it and testing it so we’re delighted to be the first to market through our work with Metia.” - Mark Browning, Managing Director of ITN Productions /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/10/responding-to-responsive-design/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/10/responding-to-responsive-design/ Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:04:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/personalising-your-brand/#number-of-comments I recently read an article about the return of company mascots. You know: the likes of Wenlock and Manderville for the London 2012 olympics, but for companies rather than events. Well they are coming back, and it makes a lot of sense. There was time when mascots were rather popular. Then they started dying off as companies were rethinking their brand strategies. Like all things, it can work better in some industries than in others, but when you think about, it actually makes sense to have an animated animal be the face of your company. Not because animals (or random creatures) are widely trusted, or because your company wants to show its humorous side, but because they give brands the opportunity to show their character.   Mascots give consumers a way to connect to a brand. Rather than an abstract entity, they get a personality and a face to connect with. Though it may seem cheesy, consumers are often receptive to it, and when the mascot has been around for a while, it’s like being in a committed relationship – you get time to bond. More importantly,mascots incite reaction. They encourage emotional responses, and situations with emotion have more pull than situations in which people feel indifferent. They give marketers and brands more influence, and help you build a stronger following (social media, anyone?). They help you make more sense of social media by allowing your messages to come from a “person” rather than a hard-to-identify-with business. People more quickly connect with a brand when there is a personality attached to it, and they return more often (whether online or offline), wanting to learn more about this “person,” even if it just a persona. Want proof? I’m sure we can each think of a time when a company changed their “face” and their customers expressed disappointment or outrage (e.g., when Allstate customers thought they were replacing Dennis Haysbert with Mayhem, ok that's a US example, so for us Brits, what about when Andrex replaced their real dulux puppies with CGI ones). This isn’t to say that everyone should create an animated gecko to represent their company. But it’s an idea if you are looking for ways to personalise your brand. Even large companies can break themselves down into smaller entities (as they do with sub-brands and departments) with a personality assigned to each. Think the PG Tips monkey, the Green Giant, erm, giant.  And this is not just for retail or to-customer marketing. This can be used in B2B and partner scenarios. Connections are an integral part of marketing regardless of the audience. Look for ways to personalise your brand. Mascots are just one idea, but they shine light on how effective personalisation can be and how important it is for brands to build relationships with their customers. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/personalising-your-brand/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/personalising-your-brand/ Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:35:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/microsoft-smb-partners-with-ltd365/#number-of-comments Microsoft SMB recently launched a few tools to help small businesses grow and succeed. Included in these were the Microsoft Hub Insider program – a collection of informative business and technology videos and resources – and Brandify – a tool that helps you evaluate and manage your online business reputation. Looking for a way to help inform the SMB community about these useful resources, they discovered Ltd365, an organization dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs achieve success. Since both organizations have a similar dedication to the SMB community, a great partnership formed between them. To kick off their relationship with female business owners, Microsoft was a sponsor at ltdLIVE 2012, ltd365’s annual conference for entrepreneurial women. And to help them make the most of their sponsorship, Metia helped create marketing collateral that resonated with this audience. These included magazine and program advertisements, SWAG and online banner ads that presented images of successful female business owners and informed attendees of the new tools available on the Business Hub. We also helped to direct conference attendees to the “resource lounge,” to get started as a Hub Insider and on Brandify, helping them make the most of their business, both online and offline. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/microsoft-smb-partners-with-ltd365/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/microsoft-smb-partners-with-ltd365/ Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/some-psychology-behind-social-media-advertising/#number-of-comments If you are interested in online advertising or sociam media marketing, you'll be aware that one of the most attractive qualities of Facebook advertisingis the targetting possibilities due to the large expanse of personal information users post on their profiles. But is there anything else that makes these ads often times so effective? An upcoming article in the Journal of Consumer Research publishes some interesting findings on how consumers identify with brands on a personal level. For many marketing campaigns, the goal is to get consumers to identify with the brand – to feel that the brand is an extension of them. This usually requires a meaningful interaction between consumer and brand, but how strong does this interaction need to be to prove effective? As it turns out, it doesn’t have to be very strong that at all. The study focused on social media advertising, and can be summed up by two key attributes that help make social media ads effective: proximity and positive identification. Proximity – a consumer will view a brand more favorably if it sits in close proximity to their “self.” For example, a profile page is the user’s (online) representation of their self. So if an ad appears on their profile page, thus being “near” the consumer’s description, the user tends to be receptive to the brand. To further validate this finding, it was found that ads appearing on a user’s Facebook page were viewed more favorably than ads appearing on a stranger’s Facebook page. This was true whether or not the user had any recollection of the ad. Positive Identification – following the proximity stage, during which a brand become associated with a consumer’s self-concept, some degree of the consumer’s self-esteem get passed onto the brand as well. Users often look at their own profile pages positively, and just having an ad present on their page allows the brand to pick up some of that positive association. Those with higher self-esteem (having a more positive self-reflection) showed a more positive attitude toward the brand than those with lower self-esteem. These findings were not limited to Facebook, but were tested on a competing social media site as well. Social networking sites have become the most public self-expression of one’s self. People often share favorable things about themselves on these sites (e.g. the achievements, upcoming events about which they are excited, favorite movies and activities). Because of this, just having a brand near this positive reflection of one’s self gives the brand an advantage – your ad seems more relevant and personal for that user. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/some-psychology-behind-social-media-advertising/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/some-psychology-behind-social-media-advertising/ Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:10:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/facebook-nbc-olympics-partnership/#number-of-comments As it's the official opening ceremony this evening, I thought it was perfect timing to take a closer look at the latest high-profile partnership news around the games - Facebook and NBC are joining forces to promote to the US audience the London Olympics this summer. The partnership looks like a great move for both sides, and although no money is changing hands, each company is aiming to get value from the offerings of the other. NBC will encourage viewers to join the conversation on Facebook, and Facebook will monitor its pages for conversations about the Olympics, some of which will be displayed for NBC viewers on the “Facebook Talk Meter” during the games. NBC will also promote a Games-specific daily poll on Facebook during primetime, and Facebook will feature Timeline integration with the NBC Olympics website. In June, Facebook launched the 2012 Olympics Hub and also has an Olympics page with close to 3 million likes. As Facebook has been trying to position itself as more of a news source and not just a social networking site, this seems like a natural step and a good partnership for the company. For NBC, this partnership helps bring people to a “second screen” … that is, people can view the events on one screen and join the conversation about them on their computers, mobile devices, or tablets. “We know that a social conversation will surround the Olympics,” said Gary Zenkel, the president of NBC Olympics, “…We think it will be very interesting and informative for our audience to let them know, from time to time, what is hot and what people are talking about.” He also explained that Facebook integration will come up “when the information warrants it and when it is compelling.” It will be interesting to see how this partnership works out, and how each side benefits. Will all of Facebook’s Olympics promotion encourage more people to actually turn on the TV and watch (or stream online)? Will NBC’s “Facebook Talk Meter” drive more viewers to Facebook to talk about what they’re seeing on TV? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/facebook-nbc-olympics-partnership/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/07/facebook-nbc-olympics-partnership/ Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/marketing-2020/#number-of-comments How will changes in marketing affect commercial businesses in the near future? The Futures Company is releasing a mini-series of studies and predictions about the changes to come in marketing. The following is a summary of the commercial worlds segment of the report, as well as some thoughts on how these changes, should they happen, will further impact company strategies, with a focus on retail and purchasing. According to the report, the new world will be all about data, devices, software and sensors (makes sense). A lot of this is present today, but as connectivity becomes more universal, technology will eventually become “unbundled” and both users and suppliers will be able to configure their devices to interact with the world in a number of ways. Commerce especially will be affected, seeing an increased importance on mobile payment models and Near Field Communications (NFC), as well as the need for retail to interact more dynamically with consumers.  This will cause a shift in the traditional 4 Ps of marketing, but what will businesses need to think about if these changes take place? Prices may change constantly and without notice, and different prices will be presented to different consumers.  How will this impact satisfaction if your neighbor is getting a better deal than you? And how can retailers adjust pricing to cause the least disruption for consumers? Products can be linked to other products or services allowing a more complete shopping experience, the option to create shopping lists, and more.  Does this mean we have to think more about partnerships and complementary items for our offerings? Will partnerships become a prominent part of business plans for all companies, rather than optional, complementary, or something that comes later on? Retail transactions will move beyond the physical place, and even beyond the online channel.  People will expect to be able to shop anywhere from their devices, completing the entire transaction process (with convenient payment options).  Does this mean we will have to integrate even further with our customers? If they are holidaying and shopping by the beach, is it fair to expect they will also be in the market for aloe vera when they return home with sunburn? To what extent do companies have to plan to encourage purchases and win more business? And how much is too much? People will have control over their retail environment (changing the lighting, for example) and companies can use this information to interact with the customer after purchase and understand how to connect with them.  But with all the information companies have about their customers, will customers expect them to use that data to simplify their shopping experience? And how much can companies assume about their customers without it getting in the way of their shopping experience? Cinsay, Inc. is a BizSpark (Microsoft program for startups) company that has already started a business "of the future". Their technologies integrate into the videos you are watching so that if you see someone wearing a shirt you like, you can purchase that shirt by accessing their menu. It connects you to what you are seeing outside of the retail environment, integrating with the lives of consumers regardless of what content they are looking at. The future of retail is already changing, and with the extent of information available to companies – much of which is directly supplied by consumers themselves through the means of social media - a variety of interesting partnerships may soon arise. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/marketing-2020/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/marketing-2020/ Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/facebook’s-ipo-struggles-and-monetising-the-mobile-web/#number-of-comments Facebook’s recent IPO struggles have been a hot topic over the past month or so.  While few doubt Facebook’s positioning as the dominant social networking platform in the world, many investors have concerns around the Menlo Park company’s business model and potential for additional revenue streams.  Specifically, investors are questioning how Facebook will increase their ad-generated revenue, taking into consideration the continued shift towards mobile web browsing. How does Facebook make money?  In 2011, 85% of Facebook’s revenue was from advertising (those little ads on the right side of the Facebook screen).  The company’s marketing strategy has typically focused on selling ad space optimized for PC web browsers.  However, this spring, for the first time, consumers started spending more time on Facebook via Facebook’s mobile site and apps then they do on the full website.  This presents an interesting challenge that Facebook has yet to successfully embrace: monetising mobile traffic.  The problem with monetising mobile traffic is simple:  real estate.  There simply isn’t enough space on a Facebook mobile web page to surface advertisements that are as impactful as ads on the full website.  Thus, marketers are generally unwilling to make significant investments in mobile advertising if they can achieve the same (and potentially greater) level of audience targeting via Facebook ads on the full website.   Facebook purchasing or partnering with a web browser company has been a popular rumor in recent weeks.  Supporters of the idea think it makes sense for several reasons:  A Facebook branded web browser will further engage users by encouraging them to have a Facebook homepage, increasing traffic and creating additional ad-generated revenue.  And, more importantly, a partnership with a mobile web browser company will create the opportunity Facebook desperately seeks:  control over mobile browser market share in order to create a scalable, revenue-generating mobile ad platform.  Opera Software, owner of the Opera web browser and Opera Mini, seems like a likely partnership candidate.  The Opera web browser currently has just 2% of global market share.  However, it possesses a loyal user base and has been a trendsetter in the browser industry, having introduced new features that were later adopted by major browser companies.  Opera Mini is one of the most popular mobile browsers in the world, with 168 million users as of March, 2012.  Additionally, through recent acquisitions of mobile publishing platforms, Opera Software now has a total reach of 330 million mobile customers, making it one of the leading mobile advertising platforms in the world.  No one can dispute Facebook’s dominance as a social media platform.  Their market share is unrivaled anywhere in the world.  But Facebook’s revenue pales in comparison to many similarly sized, global technology companies.  In order to increase revenue, and prove investor’s skepticism unfounded, Facebook must find a way to monetise the mobile web.  Can they achieve this through a high-profile partnership?  We’ll have to wait and see… /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/facebook’s-ipo-struggles-and-monetising-the-mobile-web/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/06/facebook’s-ipo-struggles-and-monetising-the-mobile-web/ Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:28:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/04/“post-pc-world”-at-work-not-so-fast/#number-of-comments I’m a little skeptical about recent claims that we’re living in a “post-PC World”. One reason is I’m sitting here typing this post from a PC – a laptop plugged in to a second screen and a keyboard – and everyone around me in the office I work in is doing the same. We’re a digital marketing agency in the tech sector, so I think we’re pretty 'hip' and 'cutting edge' and all that. We all have multiple form factors that we use at home and around the office. Many of us check work email on our smartphones while in the office, and a few of us do some of our work on a tablet. However, I have yet to see anyone doing all their day-to-day work on a tablet or a smartphone. It’s true: Tablets make for friendlier devices for casual around-the-house browsing (I am loving checking out Windows 8 on my home laptop-come-tablet). And smartphones are great when you’re out and about and need information fast. But I’m still trying to imagine what the “post-PC” scenario would look like in the office. Are people really going to come in to the office, hunch over their tablet and type on glass to get their work done? Or give their thumbs a major workout as they type emails on their smartphones all day? Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying tablets and mobile devices don’t have a place in the office. They do have a place, just not as a replacement to a PC. Even the author of the blog “Tablets at Work” admits that “when I talk to tablet users, their main point of frustration is that their tablet hasn’t effectively replaced their laptop as a full-service content creation device. While they like the media consumption capabilities of their tablets and the ability to respond to emails on a limited basis, they still believe that they can only get “real work” done on their laptops.” That said, traditionally PC-focused Microsoft and its partners are definitely on board the tablet wagon.  Microsoft is releasing the afore mentioned touch-centric Windows 8 later this year.  Lenovo is rumored to be working on a Windows 8 consumer tablet – as are Nokia, Hewlett Packard and Asus. Dell has announced plans to release an enterprise tablet on the same day Windows 8 is launching. Ideas for hybrid tablet/laptops – like Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga - are afoot as well. But these companies certainly aren’t abandoning their PC/laptop models that have been the backbone of their successful partnerships, in many instances for two decades. It’s clear that things are changing, but the term “Post-PC” seems premature. We’re definitely moving into a world of more diverse options, but it seems likely that PCs will be one of those options for some time to come. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/04/“post-pc-world”-at-work-not-so-fast/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/04/“post-pc-world”-at-work-not-so-fast/ Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:20:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/03/windows-8-slates/#number-of-comments It has been a hectic few weeks and I have been hopeless at blogging of late (disappointing especially since I started the year with a bit of a run).  Note to self, must do better. The release of the customer preview of Windows 8 provided the perfect opportunity to introduce you to one of the more technical members of the team, Ross Barich. Here, Ross tells of his experience downloading the Windows 8 preview and looks at some of the tablets that are rumored to be released (later this year?) The day the Windows 8 Consumer Preview was released I got home, partitioned my hard drive, downloaded the install file, and set up a dual boot so I could run both Windows 7 and Windows 8 on my home PC.  First impressions of Windows 8:  It’s slick. It’s different.  It feels similar to my Windows Phone.  While keyboard and mouse inputs work just fine, I instinctively wanted to reach out and touch my monitor (which of course is not a touch screen). This brings me to what’s really on my mind Windows 8 tablets. Windows 8 is unique the Metro user interface provides a streamlined, intuitive experience across multiple form factors, optimized for touch as well as keyboard/mouse.  There are some big names planning to deliver some interesting Windows 8 tablets this year: Nokia The partnership between Nokia and Microsoft has been well publicized. Early returns on Nokia mobile devices running Windows Phone are promising (see Nokia Lumia 900 awards at CES).  Reports are surfacing that Nokia is indeed building a Windows 8 tablet, with a target release date of late this year.  The idea of a Nokia Windows 8 tablet is fascinating, as tablets are mobile devices in many ways closer in architecture to a modern smartphone than a PC.  Nokia, a long standing market leader in mobile devices, is set to take center stage in the tablet wars.  Rumors have the first Nokia tablet delivering a 10-inch screen and a dual-core ARM processor. In order to be successful the 10 inch form factor market, Nokia will need performance, usability, and that “wow factor.”  I must admit, some concepts posted here look amazing. Lenovo Not to be outdone, Lenovo plans to deliver a Windows 8 tablet this year, and promises to be the first Windows 8 tablet in market. The launch device may be a 13.3 inch model demoed at CES, which transforms into an ultrabook-style laptop.  Stepping outside the 7 or 10 inch mold can’t hurt, as there is no one-size-fits-all tablet each consumer has different needs, and many aren’t ready to move completely away from a more traditionally sized device.  Windows 8 will likely be released this October.  In addition to Nokia and Lenovo, other companies are looking to build on their partnerships with Microsoft by delivering Windows 8 tablets, including Dell, Samsung, HP, Acer, Toshiba and Asus.  Expect to see details on these tablets released in the next few months. How these devices will be received is anyone’s guess, but the wide range of form factors, coupled with the appealing, intuitive Windows 8 Metro UI will give consumers a lot to think about this fall. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/03/windows-8-slates/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/03/windows-8-slates/ Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:06:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/london's-tech-city/#number-of-comments In times of economic gloom, “London’s Tech City sends a message about the whole of the UK" according to David Cameron. The idea is that the area is a blueprint for attracting investment around the whole country. The Government’s vision for London’s Tech City has always been to build on the existing cluster of companies that are located in East London to create a world-leading innovation hub for start-ups. In 2008 there were only 15 high-tech companies in close proximity of the 'Silicon Roundabout', which forms the heart of the city. But late last year it was announced that over 600 creative, digital and technological giants now operate here including Google and Twitter. So, what lead to such growth? And what does it mean for London's (Britain's) tech industry and start-up scene? July 2010 saw the opening of Tech-hub – an area providing low-rent, low-commitment workspace for hundreds of entrepreneurs. Since then many large internationals continue to promise investment to compliment support from the government: Cisco plans five years' worth of investment BT have offered communication Intel has promised serious hardware for the area's smaller firms Google is set to open a seven floored London ‘Campus’ that will form a type of support center for start-ups (in the guise of the provision of office space for firms that otherwise could not afford a year-long lease). In late 2011, according to Eric Van Der Kleij, CEO of the Tech City Investment Organization the number of start-ups in the area spiked since the government's involvement. He noted that the amount has more than doubled in less than 8 months. And the growth is set to continue - the government is to invite 300 international start-ups, coinsiding with the Paralympic Games, to take part in the new ‘StartUp Games’ initiative. The event – which will be organised by the government’s trade and investment promotion industry, (UKTI) in cooperation with the Olympic Park Legacy Company – will see foreign start-ups compete to be recognised among the world’s highest potential start-ups. What has interested the government about East London and Stratford and why have they decided to get involved? The (now) Olympic area has been depressed and the hope is that by encouraging new businesses to move here it will kick start a badly needed reinvention. And it seems to be working, perhaps a little too well - rents have been criticized, as the price of locating to the area has increased since ‘trendy’ tech companies swarmed in. If this escalates too far startups will find it difficult to thrive. But not just the start-ups, even the more established companies are seeing the expense – Groupon decided to pull out of its move to Tech City in late November due to it being too expensive. It is not just the cost though, there is a concern that if the area becomes too commercial it will lose some of it's uniqueness such as the coffee houses it is also known for. Will it work? I think so. It's only a short distance to London’s finance center, there is apparently a super-fast broadband and WiFi connection, there is and will continue to be access to like-minded technology companies and a vibrant bar and social scene to top it off. What is not to like in London’s Tech City for new start-up and tech companies looking to innovate and grow. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/london's-tech-city/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/london's-tech-city/ Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/business-cards-that-people-actually-want-to-keep/#number-of-comments How do business cards relate to Facebook (other than including your Facebook URL)? Facebook and MOO have teamed up to take advantage of both their strengths and create awesome business cards that can actually make an impression on people. Even though Facebook Timeline recently launched, it is not just limited to Facebook anymore. MOO, a print company, has teamed up with the Facebook team to create business cards that that mirror the Facebook Timeline look and feel, taking your Timeline offline and putting it into your pocket, as well as that of others. MOO is a print company that is unlike most in its industry. For one, their motto is that they “love to print” which is already a pretty bold statement. But more importantly, they have created a line of products that makes you want to order hundreds of different business cards and other print items during a time when many people consider the print business obsolete. With email signatures and social networking sites, business cards are not as essential as they once were. MOO has really succeeded at taking business cards and giving them a new spin. Their most recent idea is a business card that leverages your Facebook profile. They partnered with the Facebook team to create business cards that look professional (as they should be) yet are highly personalized and leave an impression on whomever you bestow them upon (as they also should be, but often are not).   You can see some more fab examples of these cards on MOO's site. Working on the Partner and Developer team, we see partnerships form every day. Some are clear to us why they exist; it’s always great to partner with others on things that can obviously benefit both companies and the end-user. But we also see some that are surprising (in a good way).  In these cases, we love to call them out because they show how even unlikely partnerships can create a real positive for the companies involved, and further enforce how we can continue to be innovative in a multitude of ways.   Talking of fun business cards, one of our team also found these creative examples yesterday. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/business-cards-that-people-actually-want-to-keep/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/business-cards-that-people-actually-want-to-keep/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/marketing-in-a-newer-social-age/#number-of-comments Historically, as marketers, we have spent a lot of our time trying to convey to our customers what is great about our product or service. Aside from occasional market research studies, we didn’t know what customers actually thought, or if our message even resonated with them. But now we can gauge customer responses without even asking for them. And the effect of our actions is far beyond our control. So how do you handle this new age of marketing? Brands need to keep in mind that every conversation is now two-way. We are no longer talking at customers, we are talking with them. We need to be where they are, and take part in their conversations. With the wide array of communication channels now available, customers will talk about whatever they like to whomever they like, and we need to be prepared to engage with them in a mindful manner, regardless of whether it is about our product or our internal policies. Additionally, for every impact we have on customers, they are more likely today than they were ever before to reach hundreds of people they know and don’t know with their message. This goes for positive and negative reactions; their word-of-mouth will reach their friends and family in person as it has traditionally, but now it is also reaching friends and strangers online in massive amounts. The average person worldwide has 130 Facebook friends. That means the effect of your impact has the potential to be multiplied 130 worldwide! If you handle a situation well: 130x! If you handle it poorly: 130x! If you don’t handle it at all: 130x! And this holds true regardless of the subject matter, so participate and do so thoughtfully. And as things are constantly changing, we need to be on the lookout for these changes and adapt to them as they happen. In two years, the number of communication channels may double, Facebook might lose popularity and a new channel may pop up. We need to be conscious of these changes and adapt to them so we can continue to listen and talk to our customers. It may be that people will soon only communicate via video, and if that is the case, we need to have the resources to respond as customers would like us to. So even though you may not be controlling the conversation anymore, remember that these conversations go much further than they ever did before, meaning your opportunity to reach your customers and prospects is much larger as well. Take part, and also note what changes are to come. Technology changes daily, and with that, so does marketing. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/marketing-in-a-newer-social-age/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/02/marketing-in-a-newer-social-age/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/diet-coke's-partnership-with-fashion-and-beauty/#number-of-comments Last year, Coca-Cola announced a three year strategy for the Diet Coke brand that will focus all of its marketing efforts within fashion and beauty.  I thought this was an interesting and slightly unexpected partnership, so one year on, let's see how it's going... Appealing to its large female audience, Diet Coke will use TV advertising, merchandising, packaging and a digital push to promote their, “a lighter approach to fashion” campaign.  Inaddition, Diet Coke’s existing fashionable partnerships such as their sponsorship of London Fashion Week and ASOS.com added weight to the backing of this campaign. Zoe Howorth, market activation director for Coca-Cola GB, aims to position Diet Coke as a fashion brand for “demanding fashionistas”. However, is this strategy enough to beat the competition? And how have Diet Coke expressed their newly acquired fashionable status so far? Kicking off the campaign, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld produced three limited edition Diet Coke bottles and branded merchandise to accompany a fashion-led digital game that launched in June 2011. Diet Coke also launched their memorable TV ad series, starring the famous puppets thatfeatured in its last campaign, but using the new, “love it light” campaign. In the same year, Diet Coke partnered with Nails Inc. offering consumers a set of new nail polish colours that were named after the fashion capitals of the world – New York, London, Paris and Milan.  Moving into the digital sphere, Diet Coke launched its first ever digital fashion channel, in partnership with Yahoo!, which provides branded content and fashion advice for consumers. Diet Coke is now exploring social media tactics to refresh the ‘Love it Light’ campaign in 2012, with the recent launch of a Facebook app. The Get Glam app is designed to be the “perfect accompaniment for getting ready with the girls” and includes fashion and beauty tips, video tutorials, interactive features, as well as a video chat tool.  Personlly, I am a little unclear who they are targetting with this campaign - all the fashionistas/wannabe-fashionistas I know want less tips and more wine and music when getting ready with the girls! Partnering with cosmetics company – Benefit, the integrated campaign is bringing the famous puppets to life. ‘Love it Light’ characters Eleanor, Bernadette and Irene; have been individually styled to reflect their distinct Diet Coke puppet personalities.  The campaign demonstrates the brand’s humorous and light-hearted attitude, appealing to young, fun-loving women. To complement the new faces of Diet Coke, they are also launching three new pack designs to reflect the Diet Coke girls. Only a year into the campaign, Diet Coke has already used a variety of different collateral to execute their affiliation with fashion and beauty, as a result, it is obvious that they have earned their style icon status through various partnerships and by associating with the right brands. In particular, utilizing Facebook to launch their ‘Get Glam’ app and engage the ever more digital savvy audience. In terms of their partnerships, it seems that Diet Coke is in the position that benefits more from their fashionable connections rather than their partners gaining more of a fashionable edge from associating with Diet Coke, but perhaps targetting a more mainstream audience than they have previously. This suggests that despite their obvious fashionable ties, it is unsure/doubtful that Diet Coke is the drink of fashionistas, however, with two more years of this campaign to go and Diet Coke starting off with a big digital push; it is no doubt an exciting time to see what they can accomplish. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/diet-coke's-partnership-with-fashion-and-beauty/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/diet-coke's-partnership-with-fashion-and-beauty/ Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/digital-literacy-campaign/#number-of-comments Earlier this month saw Michael Gove, the UK’s Education Secretary propose new plans to scrap the existing ICT curriculum, allowing schools to design and tailor their own course. The Guardian helped spark reform throughout the week with its Digital Literacy Campaign. Supported by blue chip companies such as Google and Microsoft, the aim was to improve the teaching of computing science and ICT through raising awareness of the disparity between the skills of UK students’ learned from their current curriculum and what the industry expects suggest is required for the economy. The UK Culture Minister – Ed Vaizey – has now ranked computer skills alongside the arts and humanities, “we are all going to live a digital life… Just as we write well and read well… a basic understanding of computer coding will help you understand the structure of your digital life.” Not only do these digital skills contribute to the British economy, it has also become in vogue among the younger generation with an increase in apps and a self-taught attitude to coding with websites and forums offering step-by-step tutorials. Therefore, as the digital economy expands, why has the UK education system not caught up and raised the importance of digital literacy within our classrooms? There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of students opting to study ICT, what’s more, girls are especially disinterested with the traditional ‘geeky’ image surrounding the subject. There has also been increasing case studies where students are becoming frustrated with the lack of resources invested in the ICT curriculum and unchanging syllabus, highlighting a drastic need to shake up the system. Steve Beswick, Director of education for the UK at Microsoft agrees and states that, “we must introduce computer science concepts a lot earlier and this will help broaden the number of people that want to do this as a profession.” The UK ICT education system is falling behind other countries such as South Korea, Israel and even Scotland - who are considered to be pioneers of teaching ICT. In Scotland, children as young as six start learning about the basics of computer science and schools strive to incorporate computing into almost every subject on the curriculum. In Uruguay, their ‘one laptop per pupil’ program has proven successful and has helped to generate interest in the subject. So what happens now for the future of Digital Literacy in the UK? Since Gove’s new DIY style reform, there is still a lot of uncertainty within the teaching of computer science in school. However, it does give schools and teachers the opportunity to listen to students and experiment with their syllabus to meet their student’s and the economy’s ever changing needs. Some interesting areas which The Guardian campaign revealed that schools should consider when designing their new syllabus are: Reshaping the image perception of ICT for male and female students. To widen the students experience of computing to more than PC’s and Macs, but to experience other operating systems also. Take advantage of the vast amount of material online and encourage self-teaching. Relinquishing the control over teachers using Social Media within the classroom. Technological innovations that could revolutionise classroom learning for the more complex subjects such as Maths, Design, Art and Science, including: gamification, programming, motion capture and animation modelling. If nothing else this DIY style reform should at least allow more forward thinking, technically competent teachers to develop best practices that can then be rolled out on a wider basis. From a partner perspective it also opens up a number of potential opportunities for those channel players in the Education sector to work with schools and universities to provide them with the technology they need. For example, the Rent-a-PC scheme Stone announced at BETT (British Educational Training and Technology Show) earlier this month. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/digital-literacy-campaign/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/digital-literacy-campaign/ Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:15:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/ces-2012/#number-of-comments Every year the most cutting edge and forward thinking technology innovators can be seen in one place at CES International - the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow.  I had a great week last week trying to keep up with everything coming out of CES from afar.  It’s incredible to consider the technological advances over the past few years, especially since Bill Gate’s opening keynote at the show in 1995. After well over a decade, this year was the last year Microsoft held their speaking session at CES, and in light of this we decided to take a look at some of the best bits from the bright minds of the industry experts and 2,700 exhibitors who attended.  My personal favourite was the wearable computing that was on show in Microsoft's What Next section of the booth (see the The Printing Dress at 2012 CES video - scroll down).  For more highlights we asked the team to vote in the poll below too. Poll:  We asked the team: Which feature at CES International 2012 would you find most interesting?   Last Gadget Standing – This competition challenged contenders to present the product demo of their lives. At stake - the bragging rights of the product that is "most likely to change the face of technology” The competition looked for products that will pioneer the ways in which the digital world will change. Some of the contenders were: Swivl: Simple iPhone docks that can swivel to track your movements as one talks and walks. Cotton Candy: The judges called it Android on a stick. It has everything an Android tablet has at its core, but there are no outer-trappings (like a screen). Origami A baby stroller that folds with a single touch and there were many more. Developer University - Developer University at CES was the venue for OEMs/Platform-Vendors and Service-Providers to showcase their platforms, tools, API and SDKs to developers. The event covered TV apps, device APIs, third-party API, web apps, desktop apps, mobile apps and more. Social and Networking Opportunities – Some opportunities included The CES Tweetup, celebrating the Mashable award winners at ‘Mashable’ The Mark of Excellence Awards Reception and the TOA: The official CES closing party.’ Such events also brought with them a wealth of celebrity Athletes, musicians, TV stars, Hollywood celebrities – Dennis Rodman, Robert Horry, and John Sally to name a few. The Mobile Apps Showdown – App producers were allocated two minutes to demo their app on stage and an applause-o-meter measured audience enthusiasm to determine the winners. Judges selected 10 finalists and out of these there will be 2 winners. Last year’s mobile apps winners have gone on to become two of the most successful apps on the market today. Keynote Sessions – Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA, delivered a State of the CE Industry address on Tuesday morning. He projected that the U.S. consumer electronics industry will increase by 3.7% in 2012, exceeding $202 billion, and global spending on consumer technology devices will surpass $1 trillion in 2012. Shapiro cited innovation as the key to global industry and economic growth.  Other keynotes were delivered by leaders of Qualcomm, Mercedes and Intel and of course Microsoft. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s CEO, opened the show for the last time on Monday the 9th January delivering the revolutionary vision and upcoming launches across phones, TVs, tablets, PCs, and games console. To name a few, Ballmer considered Widows 8, Xbox and The Windows Phone - “The first phone to put people first” As tweets are distributed, news delivered, emails received, and a new generation of games developed, such devices power the use of coherent and up to date interfaces. In addition they provide mobility and familiarity for consumers to move between what they want to do and what they need to do. For example there are over 66 million Xbox users and 40 million Xbox live subscribers tuning in on a regular basis. The console has been tied together with Bing to respond to consumer voice command and offer a search and selection feature. The beneficial relationship between Microsoft and CES is on hold for now. As much as human inclination is to preserve the status quo, Microsoft and CES have “agreed to pause” Being “put on hold” does however beg the question as to whether this will In fact be the last ever year Microsoft will speak. We will have to wait and see… /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/ces-2012/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/ces-2012/ Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/microsoft's-return/#number-of-comments I read an article about 2012 being the year of Microsoft, when it 'shakes off its malaise and takes its place alongside Apple, Google & Amazon as one of the great technology innovators' and that this could be 'the year of Microsoft's return'. I really like the article and I thought it made a lot of sense, the opportunities for Microsoft in 2012 could be huge, and the barriers to them achieving the potential is, as the article states, likely tied to their dependencies on two things; the revenue from Windows & Office and their partners to build hardware that can live up to their software. However, a few things made me frown a little and I thought I'd look into them a further. First: Is Microsoft not already one of the great technology innovators?  Can we really say that the company that put a PC in every home or on every desk is not innovative?  What really makes an innovative company, or makes technology innovative... perhaps that's a larger question, is it creating something new, something clever, something beautiful, something different. (@somnesia actually does a great presentation on this subject if you get a chance to see it). Here's a couple of examples of innovative (in my opinion) things that have come out of Microsoft in recent years: Photosynth - turns your photos into 3D images so you can get a better feel for the subject matter. Kinect - you'll have seen the ads no doubt - you are the controller.  In fact, Microsoft set a new world record with Kinect sales. Surface - interactive multi-touch digital table.  They launched version 2 last year to some good reviews. Second: Are Microsoft really returning?  Have they really gone anywhere?  If you look at market share across the major technology spaces, they are not dominating the lot, but they aren't doing so badly either: Operating Systems - most reports have Microsoft (for versions from XP - Windows 7) having anywhere between 77 and 88% of the worldwide operating sytem market share.  Not too shaby. Browsers - Microsoft's Internet Explorer (all versions) browser currently stands at about 34% market share, with Firefox being it's closest rival at about 23%. A pretty rosy picture so far, ok so it's not as hot in the next few areas, but at least they are competing: Search - Microsoft's Bing search is certainly on the up, recently it was reported that Bing overtook Yahoo to be the number 2 search engine behind Google (which admittedly has about 80% market share). Security - Microsoft has also been on the up in this area - 2011 reports show them at #4, but it's tight at the top with just over one percent separating the top 4. Database - Microsoft have about a 13% share of the market (which is automatically limited for them to Windows), trailing to Oracle and IBM only.  It has been commented that the leaders Oracle are facing tough competition from both IBM and Microsoft. Mobile - Microsoft is running behind the competition at present with about a 2% market share for 2011.  Android, Apple, RIM and Symbian are all ahead.  There is lots of talk about the Nokia partnership being just the catalyst Microsoft needs to improve in this area though. I appreciate it's not comprehensive, but you get the point. So, if 2012 does turn out to be the year Microsoft returns, I don't think they've really gone too far!   * Disclaimer: I like Microsoft.  Probably partly because they are one of our clients and therefore I get to know more about their technology (voluntarily or involuntarily) than any other.  But, also because they make stuff that I like.  If you follow me on twitter you'll know I love my Lumia for example. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/microsoft's-return/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/microsoft's-return/ Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/use-content-marketing-to-stop-selling-and-start-educating-in-2012/#number-of-comments A member of the Partner & Developer team in our Kirkland office, Norman Bell, attended the Content Marketing World Conference last year, below are some of his thoughts and key take aways for content in 2012. I had the opportunity to attend the Content Marketing World 2011 Conference in Cleveland,Ohio last year. Since then, I’ve gradually started to get hooked in to the idea, as one conference speaker put it, that content isn’t just king, it’s the whole deck (of cards, that is). That’s right. In 2012, with the world buzzing about social media and the latest technological gadgets, it still comes back to the good old fashioned content. Why? Because whether we’re on Facebook or StumbleUpon, or using our iPad or Windows Phone, what we’re looking for, what we’re reading or watching, and what we’re sharing, is content. Another word for content is information. It’s why we go online. To get information. We do not go online to be sold. And that’s the gist of content marketing: Stop selling and start educating. Want more visitors to your site? Stop shouting at people about your products and do something revolutionary: Listen. Listen to what your customers’ pain points and challenges are. Do your keyword research and find out what questions they’re asking about topics you could help them find the answers to. Then what? As one speaker put it, become a “you-tility” – i.e. a company that focuses on you, the customer, instead of me, the company. Two examples – one small,one large: Taxi Mike is a taxi driver in Banff Canada who offers recommendations for restaurants, accommodations, etc. through his website. Nike+ is a Nike website that offers users ways to stay motivated about running programs. Both of these offer useful services and build trust with users. Now, when it’s time to buy running shoes or call a cab in Banff, who do you think their users are gonna call? (Hint: It’s not the Ghostbusters.) So let’s say you’ve decided to go big on content marketing. Now what? Well, now it’s time to pretend you’re the editor of the Daily Planet in the Superman movies and start thinking like a publisher. Get an editorial board and an editorial calendar together. Maybe do like Dell did and hire a team of professional journalists to write their stories. Whatever. The key here is to move fromproduct-centric to user-centric, from selling to educating, from “me, me, me”to “you-tility”. So this year, make a New Year’s resolution to stop shouting atyour customers and start giving what they’ve wanted all along: information theycan use. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/use-content-marketing-to-stop-selling-and-start-educating-in-2012/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/use-content-marketing-to-stop-selling-and-start-educating-in-2012/ Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:15:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/developers-are-you-focused-on-mobile/#number-of-comments At the end of last year (sounds so long ago when you say it like that!), Facebook made it clear they are focusing on mobile -and developers should, too. On November 30thFacebook's director of developer relations, Doug Purdy, spoke at the AppNation conference in San Francisco. His message to developers? Go mobile. Jonathan Carson of The Nielsen Company also spoke, telling the audience that 44 percent of U.S. consumers carry smartphones and 56 percent of mobile handsets sold are smartphones. Their basic point was the same: the mobile app or mobile web space presents a major opportunity for developers. Looking at mobile apps, this is true for a few reasons. For one, app rankings are extremely fluid. Apps frequently enter and leave Top 50 lists, giving new developers a good chance to get recognition. The level of interaction between users and their apps is unique, as well; it peaks in the late morning and stays high all through the evening - it's not a one-time deal. Users stay connected until - as Purdy put it-"your app goes from being something that people use to something that is a part of who they are." Facebook's latest major hire is set to make a difference in the arena as well. James Pearce was just brought on as mobile head of developer relations, emphasizing even more the potential that Facebook sees in mobile app development. When a company as large, growing, and influential as Facebook is making big moves in the mobile space, it sends a clear message: if you aren't already developing for mobile, now is the time to get on board. We certainly are! /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/developers-are-you-focused-on-mobile/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2012/01/developers-are-you-focused-on-mobile/ Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/11/communities-do-39-s-and-don-39-ts/#number-of-comments Last month, one of the Partner & Developer Marketing team, Editt Vartanian, based out in our Seattle office attend the Seattle Interactive Conference.  In her own words she picks up on one of the key themes from the conference: Communities... I attended the first annual Seattle Interactive Conference, where top digital marketers gathered to discuss marketing in a world so driven by technology. Sessions tinkled in many aspects of marketing, development and design, but one of the strongest themes was around community. A community is a group of people with a common interest or passion. Communities are all around us, especially in the partner and developer space, where members are very active and highly engaged, and all working toward a common goal, whether that be developing for latest mobile phone platform or connecting with customers in their industry. So what feeds a community? There were a number of sessions addressing community, but to combine all the takeaways, I have boiled it down to the following. (Note that I have used social media and community interchangeably in some places, because social media a great tool for fostering and building communities). Don't sell to them. 70% of people who like a brand say it does not imply permission to market to them. Interruption marketing has a place, but it is not in community and social media. Rather, we should use these platforms to provide a safe place for our members to interact and learn from us and other community members. Encourage and foster interaction. It's not social if it's one-way. Hiding member comments or deleting interactions does not lead to an open and engaging brand. Close the feedback loop, encourage advocates, and co-create (e.g. ask for feedback, and use it!). Members should be encouraged to interact however they feel fit. Even if they post something negative toward your brand, you should still reach out, express concern, and continue the conversation! 95% of companies do not respond to questions posted on Facebook. What is the point in having social media streams if you are not engaging with your community? Earn trust. Of course, you can't buy trust, but you can earn it. Adopting a mindset of transparency creates credibility. Think of communities as more of a loyalty platform than a sales avenue. Be helpful. Be authentic. Show respect, and extend trust. Post only content that is relevant to your audience. Remember, members have subscribed - that's a big deal! You don't want to give them a reason to turn away at this point. If what you are not doing is not working for your members, listen and learn; implement improvements and show them that their feedback is impactful. Be where your community is. Focusing on one social media channel because it's all you have time for, or because it's generally most popular is not a good reason to expend all your energy there. Social media should tie into everything you do, not be regarded as a separate entity. Be where your community is; in fact, be everywhere your community is. This gives you the opportunity to make a bigger impact, and gives them the opportunity to take your brand farther. Communities are all around us. It is our job to make sure we are earning our members' trust and loyalty. In a world where people are not as easily persuaded by traditional marketing, and instead rely on what others are saying, we need to learn and act on the fact that communities are defining our products, not the other way around.  So in the spirit of encouraging and fostering interaction, we would love to hear what you think!  Feel free to let us know in the comments. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/11/communities-do-39-s-and-don-39-ts/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/11/communities-do-39-s-and-don-39-ts/ Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:58:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/building-api-partnerships-through-competitions/#number-of-comments Partnerships can be formed in many ways, recently, there has been a surge in competitions which partners developers with companies who develop API platforms such as facebook and bit.ly. Here is a live case study which looks at the benefits and limitations of such partnerships. CloudFlare launched a competition that awards a $1,000 cash prize to the Hackathon hacker who creates the best CloudFlare App. The developers are provided with a CloudFlare API framework to create the apps as well a globally distributed infrastructure on which to launch them. A competition like this which creates partnerships has many pros and cons for all parties involved. The obvious benefactor, besides the lucky individual who will receive this actual cheque -   Are the organisers - CloudFlare, who aim to use this competition as a catalyst to discover talented developers and good apps to add to their CloudFlare App marketplace. The organisers are also getting an increase in downloads of their API framework from their target audience and generating more interest in their platforms. Competitions like this also provide an opportunity to create loyal and long lasting relationships as it is likely that developers will continue to use their framework for future projects if they find it to be helpful. This partnership could also be used to gain market insights as it is essentially crowd sourcing trends through an unobtrusive market research exercise. A limitation of this competition for CloudFlare is that they cannot control what types of apps will be developed. The developers will also benefit from this partnership competition as it helps them to get their work noticed and also provides the added benefit of additional marketing support to extend their reach within the market place. As CloudFlare provides the API framework, it could be assumed that they will also provide some level of troubleshooting. However, there are also some limitations to consider for the developers. Depending on the rules and restrictions, there may be a lack of ownership once the app has been developed. Since every app is different, competitions like this may be considered to be a waste of time and deter developers as there could be restrictions of the amount of resources that are available to use. Cloudflare are not the first nor will they be the last company to run this type of competition.  For example in 2009 Bit.ly asked developers to use their API and do something interesting, useful, and unique or that enables others to more easily use the bit.ly API. So, in short, competitions which generate partnerships are useful for both parties, with the benefits outweighing the limitations. It is often the case that the rules and regulations of the competition itself cause the majority of limitations in its restrictions.  So, an understanding of the space, your audience and the opportunities enables these types of competitions to create great, lasting partnerships that are a real benefit to both parties.   /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/building-api-partnerships-through-competitions/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/building-api-partnerships-through-competitions/ Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:22:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/diageo-to-partner-with-facebook-in-a-multimillion-dollar-advertising-deal/#number-of-comments In a multimillion-dollar advertising deal, drinks company Diageo have partnered with facebook to share skills and resources that includes inviting Diageo’s CMO to the social network’s client council consultation scheme. With members already including Wendy Clark, the VP of integrated marketing communication and capabilities at Coca-Cola, this collaboration will help Diageo see significant ROI from their social media capabilities.  The aims of this promotional related partnership significantly benefits Diageo, who will be utilising facebook services to drive customer engagement and boost the appeal of their brands, such as Guinness and Smirnoff. Diageo will also be using facebook to target emerging markets such as Brazil and Singapore, where Facebook have already established local teams.   As brands are increasingly allocating a higher percentage of their marketing budgets on social media investment, this suggests that marketing is evolving into a collaborative digital sphere. These types of partnerships highlight the power of social networking sites, their influence and reach to consumers in new or saturated markets. As a result, this could also have an adverse effect on the value of dotcom sites which are diminishing in popularity and use by modern brands. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/diageo-to-partner-with-facebook-in-a-multimillion-dollar-advertising-deal/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/diageo-to-partner-with-facebook-in-a-multimillion-dollar-advertising-deal/ Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:10:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/interesting-partnership-ford-and-spotify-s-first-integrated-in-car-entertainment-system/#number-of-comments I tweeted about this a few days ago and thought it warranted a little more than 140 characters allows... A recent hypothetical partnership saw Spotify integrated into Ford's in-car SYNC platform at San Francisco's Hackathon event. In the advent of smartphone app growth, this partnership concisely demonstrates the current opportunities for in-car app innovation; enabling users to safely use their apps while driving. In addition, showcasing Ford's innovative voice activated controls. Both parties obtain a mutual benefit from the collaboration; the strengths of the two systems are equally highlighted, which reinforces the competitive edge they have in their respective industries. Here, Spotify is shown to be versatile with the ability to be adapted in more and more applications. While Ford showcases their pioneering in-car app technology with voice-activated controls and illustrating it with a popular user centric example. Ford is continually searching for new partners through forming their SYNC developer community - Mobile Application Developer Network - that opens the platform for developers to create SYNC enabled applications. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/interesting-partnership-ford-and-spotify-s-first-integrated-in-car-entertainment-system/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/09/interesting-partnership-ford-and-spotify-s-first-integrated-in-car-entertainment-system/ Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:01:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-raise-your-profile/#number-of-comments So you are deep in a partner program. Each party understands their partner's aims, resulting in the partner organisations seeing a healthy registration to their program and channel partners finding new business opportunities. Sales are on the up for all, so things are good. Now it's time to step it up from "good" to "great". And the way to do this is to speak up, ensuring you raise your profile. This blog is about taking your partner relationship further, enabling everyone to make the most from it. Raise your profile, from the channel's perspective.   While it isn't a dog eat dog environment, partner programs can be competitive places. They can include 100's of partners, with multiple verticals and regions. And while following the guidelines provides worthy benefits, it isn't the icing on the cake. To take your partnerships to the next level, you need to do things outside the norm, start making friends with other partners in the programs. Attend partner to partner networking events and make the most of connections the partner organisation points you towards.  Joint opportunities and marketing campaigns allow you to make the most of each other's USP and add variety to your offering. Raise your profile, from a partner organisation's perspective. By now, the channel is taking advantage of the connections you've given them. This is worth a round of applause in itself, but of course there are still some other ways to booster a partner program. First you need to allow your channel partners the opportunity to promote and share the experiences of your program. Enable your partners to make connections within the program and recommend partner to partner joint opportunities where you feel skills and personalities are complimentary. This could be done in a variety of ways.  NetApp uses a series of video blogs to outline the program and then keep their partners up to date on the latest technologies, trends and training.  YouTube Partner Program team update their partners with a quick 1minute video about new resources. Microsoft have a virtual event portal which encourages an online community to learn about different solutions, download information and use social media to contact industry peers. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-raise-your-profile/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-raise-your-profile/ Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:30:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/partnering-with-the-olympics-is-it-worth-it/#number-of-comments With Less than a year to go, the Olympics will soon be upon us. Although many polls suggest that the public are still cynical about the games, this has not deterred some of the world’s biggest brands from signing up to sponsor the ‘greatest show on earth’. The top tier sponsors for the games are referred to as ‘Official Partners’.  As the name suggests, this represents a more alliance type relationship than traditional sponsorship models.  Companies such as BT Samsung, BP and Visa have sacrificed significant amounts of their marketing budget to associate their brands with games.  The benefits of these partnerships to the games are relatively obvious: Not only does it receive a large amount of sponsorship revenue, but it also benefits from the companies’ expertise and products.  Not to mention the countless extra PR received from these companies efforts, keen to highlight their affiliation with the games.  With this in mind, it’s difficult to establish whether the balance is equal. What ROI can the Official Partners expect and does it leave a lasting effect on their competitiveness? The package benefits for them often includes exclusive marketing rights; which allows them to splash London 2012 branding across their marketing campaigns. London 2012 is operating as a ‘clean’ venue (no obvious branding to TV audiences) however, sponsors will have access to the Olympic park where they will have a number of branding opportunities. The games also offer companies the opportunity to showcase their technical capabilities and services. Panasonic, for example will provide audio, visual equipment, and technical support. Companies can also use their association with the games to alter consumer perceptions of their brand. We may find it strange that a fast food restaurant that is often blamed for increasing the nations’ waist-line is sponsoring a sports event, however Macdonald’s are using this strategy to support their wider social responsibility efforts for getting young people active. Olympic Partners may also have access to a number of event tickets which they could use for employee incentives, as part of a customer competition or for other partners they may have. Although these benefits are attractive, the ultimate goal for the partners is to increase profits. But does a company’s association with the games really affect our buying decisions? According to a recent poll on the 2010 Winter Olympics, it appears not.  The study found that 71% of people’s buying habits are indifferent for Olympic Partners. Having said that, 78% of the public believe that sponsorship is necessary for the games.  It’s unclear just how much a brand’s partnership with the Olympics is likely to affect our buying decisions. The Olympics has enjoyed additional revenue from sponsorships since 1984. The partnership between the Olympics and its sponsors is vital and there appears to be a mutually beneficial exchange on both sides that had stood the test of time.  I would love to see data on buying decisions and purchases made, or perhaps a poll on customer opinion for the Official Partners before and after the games. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/partnering-with-the-olympics-is-it-worth-it/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/partnering-with-the-olympics-is-it-worth-it/ Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:00:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/to-be-free-or-not-to-be-free-apis-and-their-charges/#number-of-comments Continuing on the theme of Metia folk blogging about APIs, here's my take: Building an application that uses data without an API might well be likened to building a house without a door. Such instructions provide a platform for accessing web tools and a means for exchanging information.  It is typically ‘given’ that APIs are published for mutual benefit. The question then surrounds whether access should be charged for or whether content should be shared between communities cost free. Recently API monetization has been a hot discussion topic, below we consider these options facing communities today. Amazon released its free API to create an open architecture and platform for their product information and e-commerce functionality. It allowed developers, web site publishers and others to leverage the features that Amazon uses to power its own business, and then potentially make money as an Amazon affiliate. For Amazon, not charging for its API access had a clear advantage here of creating a significant online presence in addition to improving brand image. At the same time it might be feasible to suggest that by giving developers a playground to leverage ideas brings additional innovation through an on-going stream of new concepts. Similarly to Amazon, the Google AdWords API program historically allowed developers to use applications that interact directly with its server free of charge. However things have changed and today $0.25 per 1000 API units consumed is charged. By incorporating this fee, Google benefit from an increased revenue stream as they have already covered the costs of running the associated API infrastructure, management, maintenance, support, communication and promotion. Such strategy caused an increasing backlash from developers who accused Google of greed; yet in their defense, incorporating a fee surrounded attempts to increase efficiency and restrict resources. The rationale behind this argument considers the fact that the more API used the more one will pay, enabling all parties, big or small the opportunity to use as little or as much API as required. This in turn ensures the availability of Google’s AdWords API platform. If it is decided upon to go free and open, the business metrics must be identified in addition to how it will fit into the business model and objectives. If monetization is a main goal it is important to note not only how the charges might be implemented or benefited from, but also how the community will view the charge. Offering a free service, then charging for it later, might have a negative community backlash- as witnessed by Google Adwords- despite its likely responsible intentions. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/to-be-free-or-not-to-be-free-apis-and-their-charges/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/08/to-be-free-or-not-to-be-free-apis-and-their-charges/ Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:22:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/07/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-be-front-of-mind/#number-of-comments If your organisation or brand is front of mind, it will be prioritised in terms of focus, commitment and new business. When it comes to partner programs, each party has their own pressures and priorities, so being front of mind will ensure you are offered benefits and opportunities before your competitors. Be front of mind, from a partner’s perspective. To really make the most of a partner program, you need to do things outside the norm. By growing your reach within the partner, you’ll find different areas of resources such as technology support, marketing funds, PR initiatives, speaking opportunities, invitations to round tables. Each opportunity will increase your profile and allow you access to more senior and influential people within the partner organisation. These new relationships will give you an insight into new trends, products or services,  so befriend your Account Manager and get them to introduce you to other stakeholders. These internal teams can add a unique twist to your sales materials, and help reach out to a wider market. Other product divisions will add variety and upsell opportunities, while specific sector teams can help pin-point targeted messaging. At the same time, help your partner organisation to keep your priorities at the front of their mind. Include them on internal and external communications, including big wins, new starters, press releases. Some of the news may not match their specific focus, however will give them an understanding of the full value you offer your customers. Be front of mind, from a partner organisation’s perspective. Keep your eyes peeled for unconventional opportunities. With opportunities available in various departments, partner organisations need to engage with multiple stakeholders within their partners: Sales team: “We’ve got a new tender to respond to, who can support us quickly?” Marketing team: “Let’s start planning for the next quarter, whose products/services shall we promote?” R&D teams: “Our new technologies will excite the market. Which partner will be able to make it even more competitive?” Purchasing teams: “A big order has come in and we need stock quickly, who should we buy from?” Your partner may be certified in one area, so look towards the other areas for new opportunities. For example, your partner may be a certified reseller of desktop software but not server software. By demonstrating the value of your partner program within desktop software, you may be able to form relationships and extend the program into server software. There is a real opportunity to spread your partner organisation’s other marketing messages and sync more teams together. Keep the program fresh and exciting by helping your partners network together. Encourage joint marketing campaigns, which combines their USPs and add variety for you, your partners and their prospects. Overtime, your partners will understand the opportunities of the program and habitually include your marketing messages into their customer communications.  /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/07/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-be-front-of-mind/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/07/making-a-success-of-partnerships-part-2-of-4-be-front-of-mind/ Fri, 08 Jul 2011 22:32:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/06/what-we-do-from-an-account-exec-39-s-perspective/#number-of-comments With university degree results out last week, graduates will be looking for a role which allows them to put theory into practice and build on what they have learnt. To give you a taste of the Metia life, our Marketing Manager asked Karen Gordon to give her the low down from an Account Executive perspective. What is your name and role? Karen Gordon, Account Executive (AE) for the Partner & Developer team at Metia How long does it take you to get to work?  75 minutes, but it doesn’t feel that long as I start my commute by driving to the station. If you were describing your role to some graduates, what would you say you do? I help client’s ideas become a reality. With my team, I listen to what our client wants, and help them achieve it through a variety of communication methods. I work with a variety of teams and together offer our client advice and guidance based on our experience and expertise. How did you get into this role? I was always interested in marketing and I had a placement at Microsoft when at university, which really established my love. I wanted to see the other side of marketing, and thought that an agency role would be the best way to get into it. When I left university, my first job gave me the experience and insight into marketing, but I wanted to be part of the execution of marketing campaigns a bit more. Working for Metia has helped me move to where I want to be, and has given me the opportunity to learn about account management.  What is a typical day as an Account Executive at Metia? When we are pitching for new business, my colleagues all come together to brainstorm ideas. With my interest in communications, I keep an eye of the messaging so that it is in line with the brief. Once we have client approval, I learn everything I can about the client’s branding and messaging guidelines. My account manager and I will brief the other departments who will build and develop the client campaign, and then liaise with the project managers to ensure it is running on schedule. I have frequent conference calls with the client; keeping them in the loop on the status of their campaign and managing their expectations. As an AE, you need excellent planning skills, ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders and be prepared to manage clients from various sectors and regions. What new skills have you learnt as an AE at Metia? A great combination of skills including project management, developing my organisational skills (especially as my clients are based in Seattle!), eye for detail (especially for content and design). I’ve starting to learn HTML, which is great fun, and understanding how other teams work and how to work with them. The list goes on including new business skills, such as working with other cultures and mirroring the client’s behaviour, for example changing the format of dates for my American clients. These new skills have given me more responsibility, greater opportunity to work on different projects such as the Azure project and given me a well-rounded experience to marketing. How do you see your career developing at Metia? When I was checking out Metia on LinkedIn, it was obvious that people grow with the company. If you are wanting to start growing your career, Metia gives you the opportunities to move up (and across). And finally, one of the most important questions, where is the best place to go for a drink after work? The Salisbury pub because of its Victorian history, or The Verve because it has a 3 hour happy hour! To be part of the Metia team, check out a range of jobs available from Metia. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/06/what-we-do-from-an-account-exec-39-s-perspective/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/06/what-we-do-from-an-account-exec-39-s-perspective/ Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:44:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/making-a-success-from-partnerships-part-1-of-4-understand-your-partner-s-key-aims/#number-of-comments Building strong relationships keeps the world spinning. It can lead to the latest fashion collection being launched at a particular department store, a musical premiering in a distinct city and new technologies launching at annual industry events. These relationships give a competitive edge to both parties, a formalisation of this is seen in various partner programs.  Partner programs are designed to benefit both parties, beyond pure sales. The "partner-organisation" who offer these schemes want to extend the reach of their products and services, while the "channel" consists of participating organisations who want to expand their offering with a reputable brand. Both want to make more money. To make the most of any partner relationship, the first area of success lies with understanding your partner's key aims.    Understanding your partner's key aims, from the partner-organisation perspective:  Your partners are your channel. For technology companies, they consist of distributors, value added resellers (VAR), systems integrators (SI), original equipment manufacturers (OEM), independent software vendor (ISV) and more.  These partners have unique goals, needs and wants.  As a partner-organisation, your value is evident by identifying and offering support in a customised way.  For example, ISV's may have a brilliant grasp on technology but need additional marketing support to extend their reach within the market place. Whereas an OEM may desire insight into future technologies in order to plan and develop new hardware before their competitors.  With a variety of partners within a channel, understanding their unique needs can be challenging. Partner-organisations can help the channel to (amongst other things); understand new technologies through frequent road maps, create trial and usage through events, maintain consistent messaging and branding with marketing materials,  generate business through lead generation opportunities.   Understanding your partner's key aims, from the channel's perspective: Being rewarded for selling comes in many forms; praise, goodwill, marketing materials and funds, plus a greater discount on stock. Understanding your partner-organisation's goals gives focus for your sales team and often comes with useful customer-facing marketing materials too.  This is particularly important when your partner-organisation starts marketing a new product or service. Naturally, they'll want to get the biggest bang for the buck and will encourage the channel to be talking and selling it.  The key for the channel is to understand and align these roadmaps to their own business goals, ensuring maximising benefit for both parties. An example of this can be seen in channel partners of Dell and Microsoft, rolling out campaigns ensuring that the marketing emphasises both the channel's unique selling points and the partner-organisation's key offering.  Getting the most out of a partner programs starts by understanding each other's aims. Once this is in place, a strong relationship will continue to grow.     /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/making-a-success-from-partnerships-part-1-of-4-understand-your-partner-s-key-aims/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/making-a-success-from-partnerships-part-1-of-4-understand-your-partner-s-key-aims/ Tue, 31 May 2011 13:20:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/how-early-partnerships-created-a-feat-of-engineering-numerous-innovations-and-a-reduced-timeline/#number-of-comments Last month I took a trip to the US, that included visiting 3 states in as many days and a technology conference in Las Vegas (more on that in another post…) As part of this trip we took a fabulous Mustang convertible a fair distance, stopping at a variety of fascinating places along the way, including the Hoover Dam.   During a tour of the Power Plant I learnt a lot about the amazing engineering feats that took place for the Dam to be built and the innovative things that happen during the 5 years it took to build the Dam. Did you know hard hats were first given to protect workers building the Dam from falling rocks for example!? What does this have to do with Partnering I hear you ask, well a couple of things actually, let me explain… Seven States (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming) fall within the Colorado River’s basin, and despite concerns that this would cause endless litigation, in 1922 they signed an interstate ‘Colorado River Compact’, this was the first time that more than two States had signed such an agreement.  Despite this agreement it still took a further 6 years for the President to authorise the building of the Dam – mostly due to feasibility and safety concerns. Once the type of the Dam had been decided (arch-gravity dam designed by John L. Savage) the bid documents were made available in January 1931 at $5 a copy.  This covered preparing the site and building the dam (the Government was to provide the materials).  Three bids were made for the project, the successful one (being the cheapest at just shy of $49M) was made by Six Companies Inc.   This was a joint venture made up of companies from neighbouring States, including one that employed the Nation’s leading Dam builder, Frank Crowe.  Six Companies Inc consisted of: Utah Construction Company, Morris-Knudsen, Pacific Bridge Company, Kaiser & Bechtel, MacDonald & Kahn Ltd and the J. F. Shea Company.  See below for who did what: Although they had 7 years to complete the dam at the Black Canyon site, it was completed two years ahead of schedule, now services all 7 States, and created a hub of activity, employment and hope, as well as creating a new community – Boulder City during the Great Depression.   So with the right partners and the right cooperation, great things can be achieved. So with the right partners and the right cooperation, great things can be achieved.     /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/how-early-partnerships-created-a-feat-of-engineering-numerous-innovations-and-a-reduced-timeline/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/05/how-early-partnerships-created-a-feat-of-engineering-numerous-innovations-and-a-reduced-timeline/ Tue, 10 May 2011 12:27:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/03/who-said-direct-marketing-is-dead/#number-of-comments I have read a few things in the press and various online marketing forums lately questioning the value of direct marketing.  We recently completed an integrated campaign that had a strong direct mail piece that got fab results, so I asked the project lead, Umesh Patel, to tell us a little about it in his own words: Fresh cupcakes, 3D glasses and a tour of London – not a normal day in the office, but then again, neither was the client brief. We were asked to come up with some fun and funky ways to help attract and engage the web agency industry to learn more about the latest cloud computing technologies available.   The campaign consisted of a variety of online and offline marketing activities, with the latter still justifying its presence in the modern e-driven world.  We targeted Business and IT decision makers within web agencies with specific messaging to help push the commercial benefits of our clients cloud computing technology via an integrated Email, LinkedIn and Direct Mail campaign. All communication pushed recipients to a dedicated landing page to learn more about their cloud computing platform. Creative was based on a ‘come in were open’ 60’s US-Diner theme  – helping to further back up the high level of service they would receive from their cloud computing account.   The direct mail campaign consisted of a 3D poster, 3D glasses and a personalized letter explaining the benefits of Windows Azure.  This was sent out to a total of 1,500 agencies across the UK – generating 545 unique clicks to the landing page (35% CTR!) and a further 103 end actions once they arrived on our landing page.  A separate direct mail piece was hand delivered to the top 50 web agencies in London – these also contained the 3D poster, 3D glassed and personalized letter but also included freshly baked and branded cupcakes – hand delivered to their doorstep by one of our lovely metians to ensure the cupcakes arrived (1) uneaten (2) in pristine condition and (3) with a smile. London traffic and chirpy taxi drivers ensured we got all the cupcakes delivered to the participants on the same day – with some recipients tweeting their thanks within the hour! This level of personalization and high targeting provided great results – creating a total of 23 end actions after the web agencies visited our landing page.  All activities were later followed up with a telemarketing campaign to drive further sign-ups.  Overall, the campaign achieved over 1,000 end user actions once they visited the landing page – with 66 clicks to sign up for our clients cloud computing platform. The campaign helped to prove that in a world of websites, emails and social media – direct mail still has a place in a well-rounded campaign. Fresh cupcakes, 3D glasses and a tour of London – not a normal day in the office, but then again, neither was the client brief. We were asked to come up with some fun and funky ways to help attract and engage the web agency industry to learn more about the latest cloud computing technologies available.  The campaign consisted of a variety of online and offline marketing activities, with the latter still justifying its presence in the modern e-driven world.  /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/03/who-said-direct-marketing-is-dead/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/03/who-said-direct-marketing-is-dead/ Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:12:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-digital-media-campaign-drives-success-for-microsoft-s-bizspark-program/#number-of-comments By Ross Barich When Microsoft wanted to engage the US software startup community through its BizSpark program, it hired Metia to devise and implement an integrated digital media campaign. I quickly realized an effective campaign would include outreach via multiple avenues including social media channels, startup-focused websites, and in-person events.   As a former small business owner I embraced this opportunity as I understand and appreciate the needs of businesses in early stages of development.   We began by executing a marketing campaign on the professional networking website Linkedin, wherein we targeted US technology entrepreneurs whose companies matched the criteria for Bizspark membership. Through web banners and Linkedin InMail, we reached out to these contacts and drew new registrants to the program. On the social media news and web tips site Mashable, we hosted the ‘Spark of Genius’ series, which included a Bizspark landing page, and sponsored banners & daily news posts across the website. To further engage US entrepreneurs, we established a sponsorship presence within online startup communities Silicon Alley Insider, vator.tv, and thefunded.com, where we created Bizspark landing pages & web banners and sponsored articles & posts. We also sent emails to subscribers of thefunded.com inviting them to register into the program. The BizSpark team reached new audiences and generated more interest in the program by engaging potential members in-person with branded event sponsorships at the Web 2.0 conference and at music, film, & interactive festival South by Southwest. We supported this engagement by creating flyers and branded swag for the team at the BizSpark booth to distribute to attendees. This multifaceted campaign led BizSpark to achieve a total of 5,133 enrollments in the program’s first year, which was 112% of its goal. The success of this campaign established that the US entrepreneur community values Microsoft’s offerings and that BizSpark resources are vital to the needs of software startups. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-digital-media-campaign-drives-success-for-microsoft-s-bizspark-program/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-digital-media-campaign-drives-success-for-microsoft-s-bizspark-program/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:01:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-msdev-com/#number-of-comments By Chris Belmore There is a lot of debate about the role of agencies in social media: should they help set up the strategy, consult on a more regular basis, or manage and execute everything? Some commentators are pretty adamant that agencies shouldn’t handle the day-to-day social media stuff.  Sweeping statements like this strike me as overly simplistic. As we’re finding out, each case is different. For some clients we produce all of the content and manage the daily outlets.  For others, we help them set up an action plan, but don’t pretend that we know their audience or their content better than them. The trick is to work with a client to decide what strategy is best for them.  Some questions that spring to mind: Do they realistically have enough time to commit to manning the social media outlets? Do they have enough money to pay an agency to do a good enough job? Does the agency manage any/all other communications for this client? Does the agency have enough knowledge about the subject matter? And agencies shouldn’t fall into the trap of reeling off a list of ‘good ideas’ and expecting the client to pick the strategy, that’s not what your client is looking for. One project we’ve worked on for nearly 5 years is msdev.com, a site giving free training, resources, and support to anyone interested in developing on Microsoft products. Social media was such an obvious fit for this website, and although we were very familiar with the site and content given our years working on the project, we’re by no means the experts – they are the producers. We therefore recommended that the clients run the Twitter and Facebook accounts instead of outsourcing, and that they are very up front about the fact that several people manage them. We also helped set up a framework covering things such as the types of content, regularity of output, and deadlines for responses, to ensure consistency across all outputs. It’s going really well: two thirds of all msdev posts on Facebook provoke a response from one or more people. Suffice to say the client is chuffed with how it’s performing. Important to remember that they’re the ones doing the day-to-day work, and having great content is what matters. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-msdev-com/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-msdev-com/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:48:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-microsoft-and-novell-unlikely-alliances/#number-of-comments By Matthew Pritchard @MattLPritch Apart from promising to be less grumpy etc., the start of the New Year is time to reflect, I’ve been working with the Microsoft and Novell Interoperability Alliance for 3 years now.  Having been their go-to global vendor for 3 years managing numerous projects including over 75 events in 16 countries and counting, these events have allowed the Microsoft and Novell sales teams to build awareness and sell its numerous offerings to thousands of people. Working across EMEA has had its challenges which we have worked to but at the same time it has allowed me to tick off numerous countries from the list to visit so it is difficult to complain.  The alliance has grown over the past 3 years and we have continued to grow alongside it, from producing standalone events in “glamorous” hotel meeting rooms around Europe to now being major sponsors at EMEA wide events speaking to 100s of interested delegates. Along the way we ventured into other realms of the marketing world over the course of the 3 years, during this time we have created some really interesting demand generation campaigns representing the alliance’s key offerings and have shown some great results.  All in all the alliance has continued to grow worldwide and continues to do so focusing on offering support for cross-platform virtualization within heterogeneous server environments. We can’t wait to continue our budding relationship with the Microsoft and Novell Alliance for years to come as they continue to thrive @ www.moreinterop.com with the planning process still on-going we look forward to what 2011 will bring. /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-microsoft-and-novell-unlikely-alliances/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-microsoft-and-novell-unlikely-alliances/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:43:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-spotlight/#number-of-comments By Andrew Lane I’m always saying to my wife ‘I can’t remember everything you say to me, I wouldn’t have any room left in my brain’!  I’m sure everything I need to remember to do, pick up, drop off, fix etc. is in there but (like all men) I often miss that vital detail which would make my life much simpler…. For most businesses, the same is true of their customers – extensive, wide-ranging and almost certainly detailed feedback is coming in 24/7.  All collected in huge Excel docs (other spreadsheets are available) and stored away.  Thousands of lines of direct feedback on how customers and partners think the business can help them which is never fed into planning cycles for sales staff, marketing campaigns, or other customer touch points - too labour intensive to read line by line and analyse. Microsoft is no different to these businesses – they collect this ‘verbatim comment’ data from events, customer service lines, surveys and other channels 100’s of times a year…..then hide it in the dark when it could help make marketing spend much more effective.  Metia was approached to see if it could help alleviate this issue at a time when the customer and partner experience team were running numerous manual data mining exercises.  The workload was becoming unmanageable. ‘Spotlight’ was born, a Windows desktop application allowing any user to load verbatim comments and see the most frequent keywords, their connections to other keywords, search for specific keywords in the verbatim comments plus, produce reports visually representing the sentiment of the comments.  SQL Server analyses every word, removes ‘noise’ words (and, the, be etc.) and produces a list of the keywords in frequency order in a ready prepared Excel file.  Users can then use the SQL data mining add-in to create standard visual reports.  A simple tool allows the user to select keywords of importance to them and with one click create a custom report showing all those comments containing those keywords. The impact?  Any business, within any country (a number of other languages are supported) can now dust off those verbatim comment files, run a report and instantly see where they should effectively spend marketing funds, allocate resources or change processes.  If only I could get my wife to write everything she says in an Excel file... /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-spotlight/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-spotlight/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:37:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-partying-with-developers-at-the-professional-developers-conference-pdc/#number-of-comments By Umesh Patel What happens when you add a load of developers, partners, geeks and the latest Microsoft technologies under one roof? You get to see the future of Developer Technology. Metia worked closely with the msdev.com team to help them interact with Solution and Developer Partners during PDC10 – throughout the conference and via online channels. We helped the team to engage with their core audience by having a msdev.com sponsored booth (introducing a new modern and polished Gumby for 2010!) To help drive booth attendees, we created an online interactive game driven by Twitter, U-Steam and Qik asking partners to perform a number of tasks before, during and after the event to win loads of cool prize giveaways. People who couldn’t attend the event could view the booth via online streaming and constant updates across numerous social media channels. As part of the prizes and giveaways, we also handed out Interactive T-Shirts encouraging developers to read out their “missing blanks” and upload footage to Qik. We even sponsored a Slushie machine to help keep everyone cool and buzzed for the PDC After Party attended by the LA Laker Girls! Party-goers got the chance to get their very own msdev.com tribal tattoo to help remember the night the next morning! All in all, the event was a great success and the msdev.com team got to meet, chill and party with a whole bunch of Solution and Developer Partners exchanging ideas and learning how both groups can work together to produce some amazing pieces of work! See pictures of all the fun! /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-partying-with-developers-at-the-professional-developers-conference-pdc/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-partying-with-developers-at-the-professional-developers-conference-pdc/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:28:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-greenlight/#number-of-comments By Chris Belmore I’m sure you’ve heard about the boatloads of marketing dollars companies chuck at the launch of new operating systems. It’s equally important to get the support of the application development community. If their applications don’t work on your shiny new OS, it doesn’t matter how many gag-inducing marketing ploys you churn out: your end-users won’t be upgrading. As Microsoft prepared to launch Windows 7 after the Vista episode, they needed plenty of working apps already in the market to support the new OS. To help devs get their apps compatible ahead of launch, Microsoft worked with Metia to pilot a new app compatibility program, codenamed ‘Greenlight’. Amazing how tough it is to come up with a catchy program name that translates well the world over. The program went live in June 2009, giving developers free tech and marketing support to help get their apps to market. The aim was to get 2,000 companies with at least one compatible app by June 2010. The program website was launch in Global English, and within two months foreign-language websites were being rolled out through the website’s custom-built CMS. By May 2010, 25 localised sites in 14 languages were up and running. A multi-touch, multi-lingual, targeted marketing campaign drove users to their local website. The campaign ran throughout the year, and consisted of targeted emails, web banner placements, magazine ads, and event support and collateral. A custom-built transactional email system pointed registrants to relevant support depending on their development stage. All in all, the program was a big success: by June 2010, Windows 7 targets had long been exceeded, and several new products had been added to the mix. The program was given a makeover in July, and is currently live at www.microsoftplatformready.com.  /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-greenlight/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/project-overview-greenlight/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:23:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-3-fab-ads/#number-of-comments Just a few of the ads that have caught mine (and some fellow Metian’s) attention over the Christmas period: 1. Nice Christmas ones with feel good music: John Lewis ‘Your Song’ – Feel good Christmas ad. Argos ‘White Chritmas’ – Argos keeping it real! Stella Artois ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ – French twist on a British classic. 2. Interesting use of celebs: M&S Christmas ad – Mark & Spencers moving away from the tradition of solely using models in their ads and included Peter Kay in their Christmas ad.  Trying to appeal to a wider audience perhaps. EA Active for Xbox Kinect – If it’s good enough for David Beckham it must be good enough for anyone trying to get/keep fit! 3. Makes You Smile: T-Mobile Welcome Back – filming of a live event at Heathrow T5 turned into an ad, makes you smile every time. Thinkbox – the power of tv advertising with an ad for Harvey, the dog every home needs!  Attention grabbing and amusing. 4. Brand Values: Virgin Atlantic – Virgin keeping up the string of recent fab ads (loved the 50’s one too, could be my love of Mad Men that influenced that) with one that glamourises their staff and then ensures we know they are real people.     /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-3-fab-ads/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-3-fab-ads/ Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:11:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-2-the-ashes/#number-of-comments I have been loving the late nights listening to Test Match Special over the Christmas period, also helped that we were doing rather well :-)  On Boxing Day I actually settled down to watch us (England) up our first innings total and noticed the Jaguar sponsorship of the Sky Sports coverage.  It reminded me of something I learnt at University – Rugby World Cup ad breaks were one of the most expensive TV ads you could buy because not only is it watched by a lot of people, it’s also watched by a lot of people who are notoriously hard to target with tv ads (middle class, slightly older males).  I wondered if the Ashes sponsorship had a similar appeal.. the Jaguar sponsorship seemed to fit that.  Would be interested to know how much that set them back and how they justified the spend in the current economic climate. Patricia Muckle, marketing director at Jaguar, said: "Jaguar, like English cricket, has been transformed in recent times, so the timing and fit is perfect. We are confident that Jaguar’s involvement will give Sky viewers an insight into Jaguar’s new range." * Details of the deal, brokered by WPP agency Mindshare: It’s wider than just the ashes and is a 3 year deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board, covering Test matches, One-Day Internationals and Twenty-20 games It's the first time Jaguar have been involved in sports advertising of this size It ties in with the other things Jaguar are doing: official vehicle supplier to the England cricket team  official website supplier of the England Cricket team Jaguar Academy of Sport  I also noticed an announcement that Npower had sponsored the ITV coverage… hmm, not entirely backing my theory. I assume this additional sponsorship was organised by a different brand as the ITV viewers are considered less hard-core than those who are viewing the Sky coverage. * Taken from http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1019170/Jaguar-sponsor-England-cricket-Sky-Sports/     /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-2-the-ashes/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-2-the-ashes/ Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:51:00 +0100 Lizzie Donnachie /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-1-clever-advertising-from-windows-phone-7-and-bing/#number-of-comments   Windows Phone 7 and Bing did a takeover of a series of ad breaks on channel 4 before Christmas.  I read about this before it happened and thought it was an interesting thing to try, the description didn't really do it justice though and comments around the office wondered what people would think - is it too much etc.  To be honest I didn't remember to watch it specifically, I just happened to be checking out how Gordon Ramsay made the perfect Christmas dinner and noticed the ads!   It’s quite a clever idea – tell the story of having to sort a number of things ready for Christmas, start the ad break with a Windows Phone 7 ad, cut to each new ad by showing someone typing the brand/product name into a Bing search screen on a WP7 and then play the standard ad.  I liked it.  I thought it was nicely done and the WP7 piece was frequent and prominent without being repetitive or annoying. Paul Davies, Director of Marketing Communications at Microsoft said: “This break innovation is a unique platform to help us to communicate to our audience in a way that will cut through during the busy Christmas period.  We developed the concept by showing two of our most cutting edge products — Bing and Windows Phone — working seamlessly in tandem, within a story-telling construct that hasn't been done before.” Wonder if anyone else will do anything similar. * Taken from http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1047234/Microsoft-C4-partner-TV-ad-break-innovation/   Windows Phone 7 and Bing did a takeover of a series of ad breaks on channel 4 before Christmas.  I read about this before it happened and thought it was an interesting thing to try, the description didn't really do it justice though and comments around the office wondered what people would think - is it too much etc.  To be honest I didn't remember to watch it specifically, I just happened to be checking out how Gordon Ramsay made the perfect Christmas dinner and noticed the ads!   It’s quite a clever idea – tell the story of having to sort a number of things ready for Christmas, start the ad break with a Windows Phone 7 ad, cut to each new ad by showing someone typing the brand/product name into a Bing search screen on a WP7 and then play the standard ad.  I liked it.  I thought it was nicely done and the WP7 piece was frequent and prominent without being repetitive or annoying. Paul Davies, Director of Marketing Communications at Microsoft said: “This break innovation is a unique platform to help us to communicate to our audience in a way that will cut through during the busy Christmas period.  We developed the concept by showing two of our most cutting edge products — Bing and Windows Phone — working seamlessly in tandem, within a story-telling construct that hasn't been done before.” * Wonder if anyone else will do anything similar. * Taken from http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1047234/Microsoft-C4-partner-TV-ad-break-innovation/     /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-1-clever-advertising-from-windows-phone-7-and-bing/ /london/lizzie-donnachie/2011/01/interesting-christmas-viewing-no-1-clever-advertising-from-windows-phone-7-and-bing/ Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:47:00 +0100