News Round-up: 8th October 2009
- Added:
- Oct 08, 2009
This week’s movers and shakers in the digital industry: Sift Media | PureSolo | China State Council | MySpace | Google Wave exchange | Rubicon Project | 7digital | Tesco Mobile | News International | Orange | Nikon | Aedgency | Pink Ribbon | Todacell | Transversal | Crayon | SportsVibe | Yell.com | eCircle | MCMNet | Isuzu | Shine Marketing | Birmingham City F.C. | Pan Macmillian | Premier Inn | Shazam
Sift Media buys PublicTechnology.net
Online B2B publisher Sift Media has expanded its range of titles with the acquisition of the successful PublicTechnology.net website portfolio. Sift Media will take on 10 separate content driven titles that serve 15,000 registered subscribers, 150,000 unique users, generating upwards of 1 million page impressions per month. The acquisition was brokered by Prism Consult Ltd, the media M&A consultancy. Public Technology also runs the annual e-Government National Awards - the premier technology awards event for the public sector across eleven categories, covering online and IT initiatives, and attended by key ministers and public sector figures from central/local government, the NHS and education.
Established in 2003 by founder Chris Histed, Public Technology has become the UK's most-read online public sector news and information network, with a strong reputation both online and through the e-Government National Awards. The acquisition will also allow Sift Media to move into the paid-for subscription market, with a number of subscription solutions already available on Public Technology’s tender alert sites (including TechTenders.net and HealthTenders.net) with more in the pipeline.
X-Factor fans get online karaoke game
PureSolo, the developer of the online music store which lets people record personal versions of well-known tracks to own, keep and share, has partnered with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) to develop The X Factor branded karaoke for the official website which will allow fans to record themselves singing along at home. Powered by PureSolo's recording software and supported by a catalogue of thousands of backing tracks, fans will be able to download and record their own versions of the songs performed by The X Factor contestants to keep, re-record and share with others. The PureSolo platform will offer free recording software and licensed downloadable tracks, complete with lyrics or sheet music, and a professional backing track. Each karaoke track will cost £0.99 to download.
www.puresolo.com
China planning own media empires
China’s State Council has set out plans to spend billions of dollars to establish major media and entertainment companies, adding it will simultaneously relax regulations on overseas investment in the sectors. However, analysts said Western groups seeking greater access to the Chinese market may still be disappointed, with Media Partners Asia’s Vivek Couto saying: “This is not an invitation for stakes by international media companies. But this may be an invitation for private equity and foreign capital to do more.”
New CFO at MySpace
MySpace has appointed Mark Rosenbaum to the role of Chief Financial Officer. Effective immediately, Rosenbaum will be based at company headquarters and report to MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta. In this newly created role, Rosenbaum will oversee all finance and accounting operations. Prior to joining MySpace, Rosenbaum served as a consultant to MGM, advising on business intelligence and financial management system implementation.
New site lets users exchange Google Wave invites
A free exchange website has launched, letting users trade invitations to be one of the first to trial Google Wave. The website, called Google Wave Invites, lets one of the 100,000 people invited by Google to trial the social editing tool to also share the five free invites they are handed with their own invitation.
The tool, launched last week, combines email, instant messaging and wiki-style live editing and went on public trial yesterday, with its creators describing it as "how e-mail would look if it were invented today". The new exchange website lets users with an invite to access a list of those in the hunt for an invitation. People without an invite can also register on the site. Once a Google Wave user has donated an invite to a user, they are marked in the site's database as having been invited, which removes their name from the 'needs invite' lists.
Rubicon Project introduces REVV for Publishers
The Rubicon Project has launched REVV for publishers, a technology platform that lets publishers match every ad impression on their website with the highest paying demand source. “We’ve repeatedly heard from thousands of premium Web publishers that they feel like they’ve been taken advantage of. What we’ve learned is that there isn’t one company providing a solution at scale that is fully focused on the publisher,” said Craig Roah, Founder and COO. “REVV for publishers was engineered to ensure premium publishers around the globe sell every ad impression through the best channel – for the right price, based on what advertisers should be paying for that impression, page or user – not what they can ‘get away with’ paying.”
http://www.therevvolutioniscoming.com
7digital launches BlackBerry app
Digital music store 7digital has launched an app that will let owners of BlackBerry handsets buy and listen to millions of tracks on the move. The 7digital app for BlackBerrys is free to download and provides access to the high-quality MP3 format music from the company's catalogue of around eight million tracks, which all come free of DRM (digital rights management) anti-piracy technology. The standard price for an individual track on the site is 79p and the standard album cost is £7.99.
Tesco Mobile see 10% increase in subscribers
Tesco H1 results reveal Tesco Mobile achieved a 10% increase in customer numbers - to 1.9m. The retailer’s telecoms business made “good progress” in rolling out Phone Shops, with 59 now open and 100 planned by year-end. Group adds: “The Phone Shops are transforming our ability to sell products that require an assisted sale - particularly contract mobile phones.”
News International hires Clock for £50 membership club
News International has hired London digital agency Clock to deliver Times+, a new online membership club and customer retention program. This is the first time a major UK newspaper publisher has launched a membership club as it seeks to generate stronger relationships with users and help drive offline and online subscriptions. Times+ will exist as a standalone brand alongside revised offerings of The Times and The Sunday Times. Members will have access to exclusive offers with selected brand partners and invitations to exclusive Times+ events.
Initially Times+ will launch with two 'packs' - Travel+ and Culture+, both developed by Clock, with more verticals to be added periodically after launch. Membership will be complimentary to subscribers of The Times and Sunday Times or available to standalone members at a £50 fee. News International will support the launch of Times+ with an advertising campaign across TV, Radio, Print and Outdoor.
Orange engages customers with first ‘multimedia store’
Orange has launched its first ever UK Multimedia Store in thecentre:mk, Milton Keynes, designed specifically to encourage ‘engagement’ between consumers and the incredible range of multimedia technology that is available through Orange. The store is pitched as a digital ‘playground’ – ranging from its giant 70-inch cinema style screen and seating at the front of the store to the bouncy rubber floor when you first walk in. The seated area has been created for new product demonstrations, basic education workshops and film previews, as well as offering it to the local community as a unique platform for endless possibilities, such as book signings and product launches. The store will also feature live handsets for customers to engage with all the services available from Orange while the showcase screen on the main wall, which is one of the biggest in the UK, is the place where all the mobile technology available in store will be brought to life on a large scale.
the Rubicon Project expands London team with ex-MySpace staff
the Rubicon Project has expanded its London team with two new additional members. Nikki May joins from MySpace as Senior Account Manager with responsibility to provide end-to-end customer services for clients. In addition, Luke Fenney joins from MySpace to focus on optimising revenue for the Rubicon Project’s publisher clients. The appointments are part of an international recruitment strategy lead by VP and GM of International for the Rubicon Project, Jay Stevens.
Nikon runs viral campaign for new camera
Nikon has launched an integrated European marketing campaign for its new COOLPIX S1000pj. It includes above-the-line promotion with a viral video and a PR research campaign, looking at the relationship between Europeans ‘Personal Brand’ and an increase in photos online. Entitled ‘Projectography’, a term recently trademarked by Nikon, it celebrates the world’s first compact camera with an integrated projector, allowing users to instantly share photos with groups of people.The viral centres on an impromptu house party, showing the COOLPIX S1000pj in action as partygoers take various snaps and project them instantly onto walls and ceilings.
Aedgency takes cashback scheme to France
European performance-based marketing Aedgency has launched its shopping service Deenero in the French market. Deenero offers up to 30% cashback on purchases made from partner vendors via the online portal or through the optional downloadable toolbar. Over 120 brand partners, including big name brands such as Virgin, Fnac and Eurostar have signed up to the service to date. Deenero also allows retailers to reach active shoppers using the service with contextual offers and email marketing, it will be launching in Aedgency’s other key markets, including the UK, in Q4 and Q1 2010.The service has already been introduced to the Spanish market in May and will come to other European countries in the coming months. www.aedgency.com
Pink Ribbon viral campaign supports Piccadilly L.E.D. takeover
Samsung Electronics Europe is donating its sought-after Piccadilly Circus moving ad spot to its European breast cancer campaign, ‘Everybody’s Doing It’. From 11am on Monday the 5th of October, Samsung will play rolling footage of its minute long viral, ‘Everybody’s Doing It’ on the 60 inch L.E.D screen at Piccadilly, with the call to action ‘tell all the women you know to visit www.morethantalk.eu’. This is the website created by Samsung to help fight breast cancer, through widespread awareness and an instant community of support.This is the first time in its 15 year history of owning the Piccadilly Circus outdoor advertisement spot that Samsung will showcase a non-product campaign.
Todacell debuts off-portal mobile ad network
Todacell has launched a proprietary ad flow management solution for mobile advertisers and publishers. The tool matches advertiser’s needs to the publisher’s users. Todacell recently secured a $1 million strategic investment from AfterDox, a group of investors comprised mostly of former executives from Amdocs. The company enables reaching 15 million mobile users via more than 10 targeted publishers including Fring, MobiLuck, Mocospace and TuneWiki.
Transversal rehired by BBC for automated online customer support
Transversal has been working with Capita Business Services since March 2008, providing self-service technology to support the BBC’s Audience Services. The contract has been extended until 2019. The BBC Audience Services contract includes the BBC iPlayer application through an advanced ‘Help’ website service developed by Transversal. It allows users to get instant and accurate online answers to questions that can be asked using everyday language. The technology is also used for FAQ support for all BBC general queries. Since Transversal’s technology was deployed, millions of customers have used the iPlayer help service and 99.6 per cent of queries are now being answered automatically.
Crayon creates website for adventure park Kidspace
Interactive agency, Crayon is set to launch a new website for Kidspace, which runs indoor adventure parks. Aimed at parents and children aged four to 12 in the catchment area of Kidspace locations, the site will convey the size, scale and the range of activities available. The site will also update users on Kidspace activity groups and the Kidspace children’s forum, which enables children to give their opinions on their experiences whilst at the centres. Special events and offers will also be communicated via the website.
Sportsvibe hires Brandnation for marcoms strategy
Sportsvibe, a new sports news website, has hired Brtandnation for its marketing and communications strategy. The site includes a sports insider’s blog, interviews, insightful features, the latest videos, and news plus great competitions and sports oriented informative items and trivia. Brandnation will be working to a wide ranging brief to raise the profile of the new site and build traffic, working closely with the in-house Sportsvibe team to build interest aroundcontent featured on the site. Brandnation will also be working on online and print advertising campaigns, partnership marketing initiatives and promotions.
Yell launches iPhone app
Yell has launched a Yell.com App that enables iPhone users to quickly and easily locate the more than two million UK local businesses available on Yell.com. iPhone users can also choose a particular area to search, or be automatically positioned in their current location using the iPhone’s GPS functionality, helping them to quickly find surrounding local businesses.
eCircle integrates email marketing with social media
eCircle has launched the latest version of its email marketing broadcast technology eC-messenger, which lets link their email marketing activity to social media such as Digg, Delicious and Facebook and join up SMS and email correspondence with customers and prospects. There has also been an Advanced Personalisation function added, which makes it easier to select and de-select content on a recipient relevant basis, allowing clients to create the most sophisticated, dynamic campaigns which are highly specific and targeted to each individual customer. Furthermore the One Click Web Analytics Integration tool will allow clients to track your customers online through web analytics activated with one simple step, making the process of improving campaign performance quicker and easier.
Viral game promotes Welsh Rugby Union autumn series
MCM Net has created a viral game for the Welsh Rugby Union, the governing body of rugby union for Wales. The game spoofs the infamous Haka stand-off between Wales and New Zealand during last year’s Autumn Series. ‘Patriotic Games’ is a viral game where players must stare their All Blacks opponents out for as long as possible. The game is aimed at Welsh rugby supporters and hopes to increase ticket sales for the Autumn Series. The three highest scorerswho submit their contact details will win prizes including two tickets to the Wales vs Australia match.
Isuzu UK launches new website for Rodeo pickups
Automotive manufacturer Isuzu UK has launched its new website showcasing its Rodeo pick-up trucks, created by digital agency One Black Bear. The site showcases the full range of pickup vehicles with very clear prompts to download a brochure, request a test drive and receive a call-back. The site also features the latest iteration of One Black Bear's customised Google Dealer Locator and is future-proofed with iphone compatibility and RSS technology.
www.isuzu.co.uk
Shine Marketing provides online input for GIVe project
Shine Marketing has contributed to the online element of the GIV project, the new womenswear label launched by retail guru George Davies. GIV has opened six stores and 17 concessions nationwide including a flagship store on London’s Regent Street. It has also unveiled its new website, www.give.co.uk. Shine Marketing worked with GIV from the outset of the project to advise the GIVe team on the key factors required to develop a successful eCommerce business. This led to the appointment of K3 to build the website on their NavtoNet platform. Shine also provided a range of production and development services to translate the luxury branding created by Red Creative into an effective online experience. Shine also built a pre-launch microsite, gathering permission-based email addresses in preparation for the high profile launch campaign. It also continues to provide content management technology for brand and community editorial.
Birmingham City targets junior fans with new websites
Birmingham City Football Club (BCFC) has launched two websites dedicated to its junior fanbase. Designed by digital marketing agency Rippleffect and accessed via the club’s official website, the sites are two of the Premier League’s most interactive and cutting edge online portals for young fans. The sites were developed to encourage members to interact with the brand and increase membership to its two junior clubs; Beau’s Buddies and Blues Crew. By registering for free online, members can gain access to games, puzzles, competitions, skills videos and all the latest news on the club and its players.
Young Blues fans can also write letters, post comments and upload pictures in the fanzone section ‘Your Shout.’ There is also a link which allows fans enter competitions to become a mascot for home games.
Douglas Adams outsells Dan Brown on the iPhone
Pan Macmillan’s iPhone app version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, created with Missing Ink Studios to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the original books, has stormed the App Store’s paid book apps chart and spent the weekend at No 4, ahead of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, which had slipped to No 6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy app has also become the Number 2 Grossing App in the Books category in the UK, and third in Australia. Further, it has now slipped into the Top 100 Grossing Apps for all Apps in the UK at No 95. This makes it the 95th highest cash generating App on the UK App Store over all. The App has also been picked for the “What’s Hot” section of the Store.
Premier Inn revamps online booking tool
A new hotel locator site offering travellers easy access to location and route information for all of the 570 plus Premier Inn hotels across the UK, has been developed by performance marketer Artemis8 in association with the UK’s largest hotel chain. The site, which goes live this month, is divided between a destination search and route planner. Information is then provided on both areas for each Premier Inn selected, including price of accommodation, address details, directions as well as a booking link through to the main Premier Inn site.
Orange offers England World Cup match
Englang fans can watch the live World Cup Qualifier between Ukraine and England this Saturday on the Orange.co.uk portal. The match will not be screened on TV this weekend but customers still have a chance to watch it on Orange through a pay per view service from £4.99.
www.orange.co.uk/ukrainevengland
Shazam debuts mobile apps for Windows Marketplace
Shazam has launched its music discovery application for Windows phones via the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Shazam will be offering a free version as well as a separate full-featured version which users can access for a one-time fee. This will be the first time Shazam is simultaneously offering two versions of its applications at once. The Shazam application has been downloaded by more than 8 million users on the iPhone App Store and is among the most popularly downloaded applications on BlackBerry App World, Nokia’s Ovi Store and Google’s Market. Users of the free Shazam application will have the ability to discover up to five songs per month and have the option to share their discovered music. Premium users will get unlimited tagging capabilities plus additional features.
