News Round-up: 4th March 2010
- Added:
- Mar 04, 2010
This week’s movers and shakers in the digital industry: Google and Tesco to sell houses? | Shazam launches audio recognition advertising | Yahoo tie-up with Twitter deepens | .xxx porn net domain plans revived | Kerrang | FindMeTV | Inbox DMG | ESPN | Motorcycling community GetOn | WebTrends | Rubicon Project | Yomego | Empire Magazine | toptable | Coremetrics | Stream 20 | Audience Science | William Hill | The Chase | 63336 | Factonomy | TagMan | Film London | My Single Friend | Shoutem | Brightcove | eDigital Research | Strongmail | Vamosa | Blue Barracuda | Out There Media | CoolPink | Tremor Media | Co-Creation Hub | Autonomy | Enable Interactive | Zeus | Sedo | aql | Rombots | ObsessionArt | WebAds | HSBC | JellyFish | Launchpad Europe | Fluid Creativity | Adobe Photoshop turns 20
Google and Tesco to sell houses?
House sellers could be offered cheap online alternatives to estate agents in the near future. Google: could start selling properties under new regulations. The Office of Fair Trading wants rules on buying and selling homes relaxed to give consumers a better deal. Its findings could pave the way for major companies such as Google and Tesco to offer rival property services in Britain. The OFT said existing regulations dating back to 1979 are holding back low-cost online alternatives to traditional estate agents. Its study estimated that a failure to haggle over estate agency fees was costing sellers up to £570 million a year. However, it said overall the property market and regulation was working well and it resisted industry calls for agents to be licensed. John Fingleton, OFT chief executive, said: "Encouraging new business models, online estate agents and private seller platforms could put useful competitive pressure on traditional models and lead to better value for buyers and sellers." Google is expected to launch a property search site in Britain this year. Tesco may have another crack at the online property market having recently stopped its service, launched in 2007, over regulatory costs.
Shazam launches audio recognition advertising
Shazam has launched the Shazam Audio Recognition Advertising (SARA)™ program, which allows brands and broadcasters to extend the reach and depth of their campaigns to mobile. The program revolutionises interactivity with broadcast and with advertising by providing deeper consumer engagement using a mobile device. Already used by clothing brand Dockers® for its global “Wear the Pants™” campaign at the Super Bowl earlier this month, the SARA program demonstrates how Shazam continues to evidence its market leadership of consumer discovery in the mobile applications space.
In addition, Shazam also announces its partnership with Augme Mobile to take the SARA program to the North American market. Augme Mobile has been a pioneer in mobile marketing technology and understands how brands and advertising agencies need to have the ability to create, deliver, manage and track interactive marketing campaigns. The SARA program lets brand advertisers directly reach, influence and interact with target audiences using the company's immensely popular music recognition technology to tag a commercial. Advertisers can create campaigns that incentivise viewers to engage with the promotion and ‘Shazam’ the spot, meaning viewers access the Shazam service on their respective mobile devices, point the device in the direction of the commercial and hit the "Shazam " button. Shazam's audio technology recognizes the specific advert and returns a customized result.
Yahoo tie-up with Twitter deepens
Yahoo is planning one of the deepest integrations to date with Twitter, marking another step in the web portal’s plan to become a one-stop shop for people who spend considerable time on one or more online social networks. Twitter said it would allow Yahoo users to broadcast the short comments that users post on its website that are known as “tweets” and view the streams of comments from others they follow from within Yahoo web pages.
Yahoo kicked off its new agreement with Twitter by doing the same on Tuesday. It said it would go further however, also displaying Twitter content on its popular web pages that focus on news, sports, entertainment and finance. “This is much deeper [than the Google/Microsoft tie-up]. Yahoo is committed to being the one place you go to connect with others,” said Jim Stoneham, Yahoo’s vice-president of communities. “It’s one network of networks.”
Yahoo announced a similar integration with Facebook, the biggest social networking website by users, in December. That alliance is expected to complete by the first half of the year, while meshing with Twitter should be complete by December. The financial terms of the tie-up were not disclosed, but analysts believe Yahoo is paying for Twitter’s stock of user-generated content, which one termed as a “firehouse”.
After the integrations are complete, Yahoo users will be able to check in with their friends and contacts on both the Twitter and Facebook networks from the Yahoo home page or from Yahoo’s e-mail page.
Plans for '.xxx' porn net domain revived
Nearly three years after plans to create a new internet domain specifically for pornography were blocked, the idea could be back on the table once again. An arbitration panel at the International Centre for Dispute Resolution has ruled that the original decision to prevent the introduction of a new adults-only domain, .xxx, should be reconsidered.
The scheme – which proposed a new internet address that would help people filter out explicit material if they wished – was originally blocked by Icann, the group that administrates millions of internet addresses, in 2007. That decision came after long deliberations and threats from the US government, which opposed the creation of .xxx on moral grounds and said it would override Icann if it had to. But that interference led the panel to suggest that the plans should be revisited.While other groups have submitted plans over the years for new domains such as .music and .berlin, ICM put forward its scheme to create the .xxx domain in 2004.
Kerrang! Radio lets bands upload tracks and pays for listeners’ reviews
Bauer Media’s Kerrang Radio today announces a strategic partnership with global music filter and fan financing engine, Slicethepie. Any artist or band seeking regional or national airplay on Kerrang Radio can upload their tracks on www.kerrangradio.co.uk. Kerrang Radio listeners will get paid to review and rate tracks from these undiscovered artists. Kerrang’s producers and presenters will then hand pick from the top rated artists and potentially offer them exposure across key specialist shows. This unique partnership, harnessing the wisdom of crowds through the Slicethepie review filter, will empower Kerrang Radio’s audience to identify the best new music for exposure. For radio this is a first, leveraging the power of the audience, through the Web, to accurately identify the best new music for playlisting. It also underlines the radio station’s role as a digital pioneer and as a leading supporter of new music.
The solution is powered entirely by Slicethepie’s proprietary ‘double blind’ review technology that also powers SoundOut ,the market leading analytics and insight business used by record labels and independent artists to evaluate new music.
New VOD discovery service FindMeTV goes live
New video on demand (VOD) discovery service FindMeTV has launched as a beta website. The service makes finding TV programmes online easy. By bringing together traditional TV schedules with links to VOD content from the major UK broadcasters in one place, users can search, browse and discover TV shows to watch on TV or online.
TV fans can mark shows to build their own schedule, set calendar reminders and rate or share favourites using social tools. Dynamic, data-driven lists highlight the most popular, marked and saved shows, while advanced search and recommendations technology provide further related viewing choices. An iPhone application will complement the site and a co-branded service will be rolled out to a network of nearly 400 regional and local newspaper websites. FindMeTV is the first in a range of TV discovery products from the Press Association and Vizimo. Delivery of the service on other mobile platforms, set top boxes and internet-connected TVs is planned. The Press Association and Vizimo have worked closely with UK broadcasters to include links to their content.
GO-CAT launches search for nation’s most adventurous cat
Nestlé Purina brand, Go-Cat, is launching a nationwide search for Britain’s most adventurous cat on 1 March – the Go-Cat ‘BOBO AWARDS’. Created by Clarion Communications, the awards have been launched in honour of Bobo, the amazing, acrobatic free-running star of Go-Cat’s latest TV ad, to celebrate fearless felines that live life to the full, just like Bobo.
Clarion Communication’s PR and press campaign will drive to Go-Cat’s website, www.go-cat.co.uk designed by InboxDMG. Once on the website users are invited to upload a photo or video with an explanation of why they think their cat is the most adventurous in the UK, and share their cat’s entry with friends. A regularly-updated photo and video gallery will display selected entrants. Judged by Go-Cat and independent animal behaviourist, Peter Neville, the overall winner will receive a first prize of an African safari holiday worth £3,000 to see big cats in action. Three runners up will receive a voucher for two people to take part in a choice of 130 adventure experiences. InboxDMG will also send a call for entries to Go-Cat’s existing email database as a kick-off for its new quarterly e-mail campaign for the brand.
www.go-cat.co.uk
www.inbox.co.uk
ESPN Player gets revamp for Europe
Formerly ESPN360, Service Adds Enhanced Features
ESPN announced today that it will rebrand its signature broadband service to ESPN Player (formerly called ESPN360.com) in Europe and the Middle East from March 1. The move comes as the live and on-demand sports service has seen marked growth since re-launching in August, 2009. ESPN Player will also add features and functionality to enhance the viewing experience, including the introduction of HD streaming and adaptive streaming technology.
The broadband platform, which is has doubled its subscriber base in the past year and is available in more than 40 countries across Europe and the Middle East, will add numerous new features when it rebrands.
New motorcycling community launches
A new online interactive community for motorcycle and scooter riders has been launched by Get On, the nationwide campaign designed to encourage more people to experience the benefits of life on two wheels. The website allows anyone over the age of 16 to have a free one hour session on a motorbike or scooter. It has added a community forum which allows visitors to the site to share their experiences of life on two wheels via a series of interactive features.
Site Users can create their own profile which enables them to share experiences, upload videos and blogs and post their favourite pictures. The site also provides the ultimate one stop information hub including details of how to get in to biking, what tests you need to take, what equipment you should use, what bike suits you best and what insurance you need. For the more experienced rider there is also information on how to get advanced training.
Webtrends adds Facebook measurement capabilities
Webtrends, an enterprise customer intelligence company, today announced new Facebook measurement capabilities within Webtrends Analytics, which provides marketers the most comprehensive tracking and measurement for the activities that happen inside Facebook.
Webtrends can now show you how your tabs, apps, and share features are working. A few examples are: Twitter activity driving to Facebook Fan pages; Facebook Fan page activity overlaid with corporate blog posts; Conversion performance if they happen in Facebook; Custom applications, Facebook page tabs, and Facebook ad click performance. Webtrends believes Facebook is one of the key social channels for brands to invest in and these capabilities will help them validate those investments.
http://www.webtrends.com/Products/SocialMeasurement.aspx
Rubicon Project develops next gen ad platform for publishers
the Rubicon Project, the Internet advertising infrastructure company has unveiled plans for the company’s new publisher-centric digital advertising technology and data platform. |The platform will offer additional ad serving, forecasting, and ampaign management functionality across both premium guaranteed and non-guaranteed media sales, along with a range of new feautures.
http://rubiconproject.com/manifesto
Yomego offers avatar-based football commentators for mobile video
Yomego, the specialist social media agency, has teamed up with South African-based mobile sports content company, Livemobile, to provide avatar-based videos of football match reports to mobile phones. The avatars, created by Yomego, report on matches from the UK’s Barclays Premier League. These report videos are delivered to subscribers’ mobile phones via either a SMS click-through link or MMS after the final whistle has been blown on a Premier League game. Audio for the videos is provided by Yomego’s partner, ICS.
Avatar creation and content designed for mobile phones is part of Yomego’s broader social media offering. Creative mobile content lets brands send breaking news or marketing information to subscribing consumers via mobile or online, in a way that is compelling and engaging. Yomego currently provides avatar-based mobile content on UK football leagues to T-Mobile and Vodafone in the UK. The service from Livemobile works by letting football fans subscribe to match videos for their team, by texting their team name to the service. Currently, subscribers receive SMS updates every time their team plays, including alerts of key events such as goals scored or cards given. The Yomego-created content now means fans can also receive video match reports by MMS or SMS click-through links.
Empire debuts £2.99 iPhone app for film review archive
Future Workshops and MobiKats have partnered to create a movie guide app for Empire magazine. The Empire Movie Guide provides access to the magazine’s complete library of film reviews for a one-off download cost of £2.99. It was listed in the coveted iTunes ‘Featured App’ spot for four weeks. Empire’s film review library is compressed and pre-loaded to the device upon installation - meaning it uses less than 12meg of the iPhone’s storage. The app can also be used when the phone is offline. It is kept fully up-to-date with new reviews via an automated synchronization mechanic – that runs seamlessly in the background.
The London-based consultancies joined forces to deliver the application for Bauer Media. MobiKats focused on project management and brand guardianship, whereas Future Workshops was responsible for user experience, technical innovation, build and engineering.
www.futureworkshops.com
toptable iPhone app hits 100,000 downloads in two weeks
toptable's new iPhone app, has been downloaded 100,000 times in just a fortnight, and has consistently been rated one of the top five most popular free lifestyle apps in the Apple App Store over the past ten days. Users of the toptable app have praised its features and functionality along with the convenience of researching and booking restaurants whilst on the move. The toptable iPhone app lets people find and book restaurants while on the move. They can choose to see all offers nearby on a handy map or search for and book venues anywhere, anytime. It also features an innovative 'augmented reality' element that uses the iPhone's GPS and compass to allow users to actually see where the nearby restaurants are, how near and in which direction.
Epson picks Coremetrics to improve online customer insight across Europe
Coremetrics, a provider of online marketing and business optimisation solutions, has been appointed by Epson Europe, global imaging and innovation leader. The deal delivers Coremetrics Analytics, providing in-depth insight into onsite visitor behaviour, and Coremetrics Explore ad-hoc reporting to enable Epson to base strategic and technical marketing decisions on customer data.
Coremetrics Analytics will provide a single resource for planning, measuring and testing integrated marketing activity. The solution captures every click by each visitor over time and stores them in Coremetrics’ Lifetime Individual Visitor Experience (LIVE) profiles, furnishing marketers with actionable insight into customer behaviour. Coremetrics Explore will supply Epson Europe with tailored, in-depth reporting on the company’s online marketing initiatives and website to ensure marketing budget is allocated correctly.
Hiscox Increases Online Sales with Stream:20
Stream:20 an online marketing consultancy, today announces that it has enabled Hiscox, the specialist insurance provider, to increase its online sales through streamlining and optimising its online sales strategy. Hiscox’s online presence is a core generator of its new business sales leads. It was therefore imperative that the organisation’s various online marketing strategies were streamlined and optimised to deliver the highest possible returns, in a measurable manner. During Stream:20’s two-month appointment, click-through rates, a primary marketing indicator, increased significantly and resulted in a direct increase in sales.
As part of the campaign, Stream:20 managed the day-to-day running of Hiscox’s online marketing function and initiated a two-step process; an initial audit followed by engagement of a series of recommendations. The 360-degree audit highlighted a knowledge gap in some aspects of the digital space as well as how online marketing activity contributed to the overall business success. As a result, it is now much easier for Hiscox to attribute sales to specific activities, and therefore simpler to target, plan and execute successful future digital campaigns.
AudienceScience Bolsters International Growth with New Senior Appointments
AudienceScience, a targeting technology company driving digital media efficiency, announces two new senior appointments to help drive its international growth. In the UK Roger Williams has been appointed to the newly created position of Director of International Marketing. Based in the London office and reporting in to Marla Schimke Vice President of Marketing in the US, he is tasked with building greater education and awareness of AudienceScience’s brand and targeting solutions internationally.
Williams joins from Right Media (a Yahoo! company) where, as Director - International Marketing, he was responsible for launching the Right Media Exchange into the global market and building awareness for the exchange concept. Prior to Right Media he was International Marketing Director at Abacus International where he was responsible for the company’s expansion in Europe and Asia. He was also Marketing Director at lifestyle data company Claritas UK (now Acxiom).
ITV and William Hill Team Up In New Broadcast and Online Partnership
ITV and William Hill today announced a new broadcast and online partnership for 2010 which will see viewers of sport on ITV and ITV.com benefit from exclusive offers through a bespoke promotional site. The on-air creative campaign, which launched during the FA Cup fifth round, was negotiated by ITV Commercial directly with William Hill and will drive consumers to the promotional site.
The Chase announces expansion and appoints Creative Director
Award-winning creative brand consultancy the Chase, part of Hasgrove plc, has confirmed its plans for expansion. To support the expansion, Maurice Van De Ven has been appointed as Joint Creative Director working alongside Oliver Maltby and together they will head up the Chase’s London office. Van De Ven’s career has been spent at KesselsKramer and Mother London, where he produced international communications campaigns for brands including British Airways, Eurostar, Orange, British Telecom, Absolut, Agnès b and Nestlé.
In response to the changing media landscape and the needs of national and international clients, the advertising division of Hasgrove-owned Amaze will be incorporated into the Chase. Hasgrove’s overall strategy for brand consultancy, the Chase, and marketing and technology specialist, Amaze, is to centre on their two complementary offerings and partner on client briefs where appropriate.
63336 launches second TV campaign, ‘answers conspiracy theorists’
63336, formerly known as AQA 63336 (Any Question Answered), is launching on Tuesday 2nd March its first TV advertising campaign for 2010, featuring the "I am one of the 63336" TV advert. The TV advert, which can be viewed at YouTube, was first shown as part of a successful test advertising campaign during December 2009, creating a 33% rise in questions texted to 63336. In March the advert will be shown for four weeks across ITV, Five, and satellite channels targetting late night programmes with male dominated audiences.
"I am one of the 63336" features people who each show a 63336 tattoo, speaking as unison as a "network of minds, each with special knowledge". With over 30,000 views already on video sharing sites, it’s also sparked hundreds of comments from conspiracy theorists claiming 63336 has links with the illuminati, freemasonry, and even devil worship.
Click http://63336.com/a to download the mobile phone app
Factonomy to power new Money Dashboard website
Money Dashboard, the free online personal finance service, due to launch this spring will reveal its new look consumer facing website next month. Powered by the Factonomy Framework on Microsoft Window’s Azure platform, the UK based start up is tipped to be the UK’s Mint.com.
Money Dashboard brings a person’s bank accounts, credit cards and store cards together in one service - giving a clear up to the minute picture of their personal finances. The UK start up chose to implement a web-based Content Management System built by Factonomy because of the power of the Factonomy Framework, its attractive functionality, feature set and speed of delivery.
Laura Ashley picks TagMan to improve online sales tracking
Fashion and home furnishings retailer Laura Ashley is working with TagMan, the single tag online tracking system, to track online sales and manage the tags on Lauraashley.com. The TagMan system, which enables all the tracking tags on a site to be housed and managed through a single tag, will be used to tell the click-path any customer makes in buying from the site. This will enable campaigns to be easier to implement and award commissions.
Film London launches interactive map of movie locations
Film London, the body responsible for promoting the capital as a film-making centre, is launching an online Movie Map as the first initiative under its Love From London brand The interactive map aims to promote London as “one of the most cinematic cities in the world” and encourage tourists and Londoners to make film-inspired trips around the city.
It highlights locations that have featured in more than 100 British, Bollywood and Hollywood films. The map includes detailed descriptions of the films and scenes shot. Locations include Regent’s Park boating lake, as seen in David Lean’s Brief Encounters; the Millennium Bridge, as featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; and Jason Bourne’s pursuit through Waterloo Station in The Bourne Ultimatum. The Movie Map is the first project from the newly launched Love From London brand, Film London’s banner for its film-based tourism initiatives. Locations will be added to the map when new films are shot in the city.
My Single Friend sponsor first ever online wine show
mysinglefriend.com, the online dating specialist, is sponsoring a new wine show, presented by gregarious wine critic Olly Smith. Hosted by Britain’s favourite online male channel, ChannelFlip, the 10 week series, named Olly Smith’s Drink Tank, will be split into digestible three minute programmes, showcasing the nation’s favourite tipple in an accessible and unpretentious way.
The new series will be available on mysinglefriend.com, dailymail.co.uk, YouTube and a distributed on iTunes from 15th February. Other distribution partners are to be announced shortly. The first show about aromatic wines can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ollysmithdrinktank#p/u/0/JBQ8VY90DMk
Shoutem lets users create private social networks – Mobile and location-based
Shoutem enables users to easily and quickly create their own mobile social networks that are private, targeted to niche groups and location-based. Shoutem brings together many of the familiar features of existing public platform social networks, but lets users control access, look and feel, without requiring any programming or development skill. Networks can be created in just minutes. Currently free to download, Shoutem includes mobile apps for iPhone and Blackberry, with Android following soon.
Shoutem is designed to bring together groups, whether friends, students or communities, or more specialist niches such as sports fans, clubs and events – whether users are geographically dispersed or need location-based communications. The new Shoutem platform is being used by social networks worldwide, including UK, Europe and WE Harlem, NFL Shouts and Ranch & Rodeo in the USA.
Turner Broadcasting Selects Brightcove to Expand Online Video Business
Online video platform Brightcove has struck a deal with Turner Broadcasting to support its online video content in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and other countries throughout Europe. Turner Broadcasting will use the Brightcove platform to expand its advertising-supported online video offerings and to introduce a variety of new enhanced online video programming across its Web portals. The first sites to launch with Brightcove include Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim.
With the Brightcove platform, Turner Broadcasting can introduce and manage online video content throughout Europe, and extend its reach through third party distribution and social sharing capabilities. Turner Broadcasting is also utilizing Brightcove’s unique player styling features and customizable player templates to introduce localized video experiences on Cartoon Network in Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands, Romania Spain and Sweden.
http://www.brightcove.com
Aston Villa, uses eDigitalResearch to gauge fan opinion on issues
Aston Villa’s ‘Voice in the Crowd’ survey system has used eDigitalResearch’s ePanelManager tool, to gauge fan opinion on a host of different issues from brand identity and kit design through to player of the year voting. The football club can invite a select number of fans to complete an online survey or participate in a debate, with all feedback rapidly analysed so that informed and timely decisions about the club’s future can be made.
With football clubs not immune to recession, the ability to engage and interact with fans in this way is becoming increasingly important in helping to ensure that stadiums remain full each match. As well as helping the club to get closer to its fans, eDigitalResearch’s survey platform is providing the club with useful insight about its corporate hospitality and event facilities, particularly to gauge opinion on the success of the launch of its multi-million pound Trinity Road hospitality project.
Mozy Switches to StrongMail to Improve Email Performance, Security and Costs
StrongMail Systems, a provider of online marketing solutions for email and social media, today announced that Mozy, the industry-leading online backup service from EMC, is centralising all marketing and transactional email onto StrongMail Message Studio.
Serving more than 40,000 businesses and one million users, Mozy has established itself as the industry's most trusted online backup solution. Mozy originally relied on a top-tier email service provider (ESP) for its promotional messages and a custom in-house solution for its transactional messages. However, the high cost of working with an ESP and the lack of visibility into the deliverability and performance of its transactional email led Mozy to start researching alternate solutions. After evaluating several vendors, Mozy selected StrongMail for its ability to centralise its marketing and transactional email on one platform and integrate directly with its data while also lowering its costs and streamlining operations.
Vamosa achieves 400% increase in sales leads with Eloqua
Vamosa, the software solutions business, today announces that it is working with global marketing automation leader Eloqua to drive a demand generation and lead management campaign to support customer growth in EMEA, North America and Latin America.
Eloqua’s solution allows Vamosa to tailor marketing activities for each stage of the sales cycle – from inquiry to close. To do this, Vamosa is using Eloqua’s lead scoring tools to cross-reference leads based on what the prospect’s role is within an organisation and the level of engagement with Vamosa’s Website and online marketing campaigns. This approach allows Vamosa to obtain accurate, real-time lead information and then adopt a targeted approach to marketing activity, customising messages and media to each prospect’s stage in the buying process.
Blue Barracuda appoints Johnny Style and Curtis Weir
Independent digital agency, Blue Barracuda, has made several new appointments in its media planning and buying team. Jonny Style and Curtis Weir join from Profero where they planned and bought media across several digital channels for clients including HBOS, Butlins, COI, FedEx and Roche. Reporting to Media Director Andrew Mason, the pair will plan and buy online advertising campaigns for Blue Barracuda’s clients including Pizza Hut, BAA, T.G.I. Friday’s and the UK Film Council which will be integrated with other media negotiated by the agency including search engine marketing, email and affiliate campaigns.Johnny Style brings four years of marketing experience across many channels both on- and offline including two in-house roles.
Out There Media takes mobile ad platform to Russia
Out There Media, the international leader in Mobile Advertising, announces the signing of a partnership agreement with VimpelCom, a leading international provider of telecommunications services operating in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and South-East Asia. Within the framework of the agreement, Out There Media enables VimpelCom to offer targeted Mobile Advertising through Mobucks™, its multi-channel Mobile Advertising marketplace technology. In addition, Out There Media is also responsible for monetization, sales, business development and operations support.
Out There Media was determined to be the partner to fulfil VimpelCom’s business needs. The two companies have imminent plans to roll out a range of Mobile Advertising commercial pilot projects in Russia in Y2010, using wap, sms, mms and ussd-channels. It is worth noting that VimpelCom has a total subscriber base of 64 million, including 51 million in Russia. The partnership will be the first to make the most of the newest version of the Out There Media multi-channel Mobile Advertising marketplace technology, Mobucks 2.5, which will be released shortly.
Coolpink boosts staff as agency expands
Leeds based digital agency, Coolpink, this month announces the appointment of 6 new members of staff as the company builds on its financial growth recorded last month and undergoes further vigorous expansion to support the retail market in becoming more profitable through online channels.
The newly appointed include Pay Per Click Manager, James Luty, Account Manager Kelly Sebine, Web Designer, Emma Stevenson, Web Developers, Mikee Franklin and Blair McMillan, and QA Executive Oliver Wade. All have a wealth of retail experience gained from working on B2B and B2C campaigns with clients in Leeds and London.
Through digital marketing, Coolpink implement targeted results-driven campaigns across a number of digital channels, driven by strategic thinking and smart evaluation. Existing clients include Bensons for Beds, JD Cycles, The National Railway Museum and 888.com and the award winning digital agency's client roster is set to grow even further over the coming months.
Elle UK and Digital Spy picks Tremor Media for video ads
Hachette Filipacchi, part of the Lagardere Group – the World’s largest publishing house, has selected Tremor Media to deliver engaging, targeted online video ads on two of its websites in the UK. ElleUK.com, the UK online edition of international style bible Elle, and Digital Spy, the UK’s largest independent entertainment website will both use Tremor’s technology to help deliver ads within their online video content.
The deal with Tremor Media will enable both sites, which together boast more than seven million unique visitors a month, to make more money from their online video content, such as Digital Spy’s celebrity interviews and ElleUK.com’s fashion features. Elle UK and Digital Spy will use Tremor Media’s Acudeo technology – the de facto industry standard for online video advertising – to manage and deliver ad campaigns across their video content. Acudeo is compliant with the new Video Ad Serving Templates (VAST 2.0) standard, making it compatible with the widest range of current and future online video ad formats.
http://www.tremormedia.com
London collective launches Co-Creation hub
The Co-Creation Hub has launched- a collective of organisations, academics and individuals who passionately believe in doing things 'with' people rather than 'at' people. Their first project is Co-Create London, an independent initiative giving the general public's most pressing issues, and their solutions, a platform to be heard.
The founding members of The Co-Creation Hub - London are Face, the co-creation planning agency, which has successfully co-created projects for international companies such as Coca-Cola, Nokia, Unilever, and Reckitt Benckiser; Farm, the advertising agency, which has co-created communications for Nestle's Skinny Cow; Opticomm, the media planning agency; Touch of Mojo, the brand design agency; and thrudigital, the social media development agency. And, they are actively looking for organisations and individuals from different fields that share their way of thinking, to get involved and help develop the co-creation movement.
The Co-Creation Hub - London is the first of a planned number of Hubs across the world, as the principle of co-creativity grows and develops in territories such as Latin America, Asia and the USA.
Nikon picks Autonomy for content management
Nikon Europe has picked Autonomy Interwoven’s next-generation Meaning Based Marketing (MBM) technology to grow its strategic presence online and enhance its brand awareness. The Autonomy Interwoven Web Content Management (WCM) solution brings meaning to content, allowing people and processes to meet both marketing and IT requirements. Nikon marketing experts can now easily and cost-effectively create and dynamically deliver highly-targeted, consistent and engaging experiences across the entire online channel. Autonomy’s MBM technology was selected after a competitive procurement process owing to its unique conceptual capabilities, scalability, format and language independence. The platform currently spans 35 national sites operating in 33 countries and 26 languages.
Enable Interactive launches Twitter iPhone app for power users
Digital agency Enable Interactive has launched the first dedicated Twitter list app for the iPhone, developed to make monitoring your tweets easier by building focused groups from your follow list. The Twitter app has been developed by Alex Morris, head of UX, at Enable Interactive, with the aim to simplify the management and viewing of Twitter lists on the iPhone. Something Twitter power users have been crying out for since Twitter was launched.
The app has generated a lot of interest amongst Twitter power users and was even picked up during testing by Stephen Fry. Enable Interactive’s Twitter iPhone app is available to download at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/innercircle-lists/id343965763?mt=8#
Virgin Media boosts online customer experience with Zeus
Zeus Technology is enabling leading entertainment and communications company, Virgin Media, to give customers a better online experience. The solution ensures over 4 million Virgin Media customers receive fast and available web and email services even during spikes in demand. Virgin Media is also using Zeus to migrate users onto a new function-rich email system, due for completion in the second quarter of 2010. The new email system has an easy-to-use interface with more features and storage space than before.
Sedo Announces Travel and Geo Domain Auction
Online domain marketplace Sedo, and monetization provider, today announced it will hold its Travel and Geographical domain-themed auction, featuring premium addresses with a broad selection of extensions. Travel industry organisations and domain investors will have the opportunity to acquire some of the most desirable properties, including VisitSpain.net, Tourism.biz, Souvenirs.net, and Destinations.fr.
This Sedo auction will run from 2 p.m. GMT on March 5, 2009 to 2 p.m. GMT on March 12, 2009 on Sedo.com/TravelAuction. In addition to these valuable virtual properties that will be auctioned off, Sedo is offering highly desired fixed-price domains, including Sweden.com, Hotel.eu, PuertoRico.com and Belgium.com. Sedo’s ongoing “Buy it Now” inventory is available anytime at www.sedo.com/Travel.
3 UK appoints aql as machine-to-machine reseller
Mobile operator 3 UK has appointed mobile messaging and communication specialist aql to provide machine-to-machine connectivity via the company’s high-speed mobile data network. The agreement will see aql re-selling access to the 3 UK network for the growing number of connected devices, such as digital signage and traffic lights, which can be accessed, monitored and updated using a high-speed mobile internet connection.
Machine to machine connections require a reliable data standard such as 3G with a long lifespan in order to provide connectivity on an ongoing basis. In addition to this an increasing number of devices such as surveillance cameras, lone-worker safety devices and in-vehicle diagnostics also come with 3G capabilities embedded. aql will work closely with 3 UK, aiming to bring ten data partners on board each quarter. aql will also provide all integration and configuration outside of the 3 UK network, reducing ongoing management risk and cost.
Coffee brand Rombouts debuts new site
Rombouts launches a new website www.rombouts.co.uk on April 1st. The website is targeted at coffee lovers across the UK, with built in coffee selector. All the product ranges will be available to buy on line to be delivered. Coffee lovers will be able to join the Rombouts’ club entitling them to exclusive offers, exciting competitions and money-off vouchers or they can even join the Rombouts blog and have a say. To mark the sites launch, every day during April, May and June Rombouts will be giving away one Bodum 8 Cup Cafetiere and a bag of Rombouts of roast and ground coffee.
The website will also feature interesting facts about coffee, videos of coffee growing and production, recipes using coffee and helpful tips about making coffee and storing coffee. To go with any coffee you can also purchase Rombouts Café Biscuits available in individual packs with twenty five biscuits per pack.
Risqué British Beauty Helps Drive 120% Sales Growth for Online Art Shop
Strong international sales with help from a provocative Kelly Brook photo have helped UK fine art print retailer ObsessionArt.com grow turnover by a recession-busting 120% in the six month to February 2010 against the same period last year. The online store - which specialises in fine art nude, figurative and erotic art prints and decor - launched in 2006. It quickly became a popular destination for UK customers, but found sales growth slowing as the recession kicked-in and discretionary purchases for home interiors became a luxury indulgence in uncertain times.
Against a backdrop of austere lending conditions to small businesses in the UK, Natwest Bank agreed to advance a loan for international sales development. The loan was immediately invested in web marketing and sales have been on the rise ever since. North America, including Canada and the US, has shown the strongest growth in sales with demand particularly high for black and white photography prints of celebrities. Best sellers in the category have included risqué shots of Dita Von Teese, while the overall best seller in the region has been a seductive, tasteful nude black and white print of British beauty Kelly Brook, seated naked but for a pair of high heels.
www.ObsessionArt.com
WebAds expands into Spain strengthening pan-European offering for advertisers
WebAds Interactive Advertising, one of Europe’s largest independent digital sales agencies has strengthened its pan-European offering by entering into the Spanish online market. WebAds Madrid will open imminently giving the international sales house a presence in four important European markets: Spain (Madrid), United Kingdom (London), Italy (Milan) and head office, the Netherlands (Amsterdam). WebAds was established in Amsterdam in 1997 as the very first online advertising network in the Netherlands and has since successfully expanded into other parts of Europe - employing over 60 experienced staff. WebAds UK was opened in 2007 and has since firmly established itself as the UK’s specialist business and finance digital sales house, representing a range of premium publishers.
In 2007 WebAds successfully opened its London office, in order to exclusively represent business and financial websites to UK-based advertising agencies and direct clients on a CPM basis. WebAds UK also specializes in becoming an integral part of a financial publisher’s growth through added-valued consultancy and are always very keen to work closely with any talented financial publishers in order to pass on their experience and establish long-term relationships that ensure that they become a key part of their growth as the revenue driver.
HSBC unveils new security software for online banking
HSBC has introduced Rapport - a new piece of software to protect its online banking customers. Available from HSBC’s personal internet banking site, Rapport is free of charge and works with both PCs and Macs. The software protects customer data and prevents fraudulent activity by locking down browsers to prevent unauthorised access to web pages and to the confidential information that flows through the browsers. It is not designed to replace customers’ antivirus or firewall packages, but rather to act in conjunction with them.
www.hsbc.co.uk
Jellyfish scoops Blossom and Twigs paid search work
Blossom and Twigs is ramping up its paid search marketing in a bid to become the UK’s favourite online florist and make flowers an ‘affordable luxury’. The company has hired paid search specialist Jellyfish to increase its visibility in search engine results rankings as it bids to win market share from rivals. Blossom and Twigs was set up by Peter Bakker, previously senior manager for Google Adwords, Benelux, and Alejandro Uribe, managing director of flower importer Freshlife Marketing.
Jellyfish was appointed ahead of other agencies to run a paid search campaign. The drive will initially see Jellyfish manage the account on a management fee pay-per-click basis before moving over to the agency’s risk-free Cost Per Acquisition model once the CPA level has been established. The aim of the campaign is to drive traffic to Blossom and Twigs’ main website to boost sales at a viable CPA through a sign-up process that makes ordering easier. The company believes its high-quality flowers last longer than those distributed by other online florists due to minimising the time between the moment the flowers are picked and the moment they arrive. Blossom and Twigs offers a 100% satisfaction no-quibble guarantee.
Launchpad Europe Launches "API" to Encourage Spread of Innovative New US Technologies
Launchpad Europe, the global business accelerator for information technology companies, today unveiled an increased focus on U.S. technology partners, a move designed to stimulate the cross-exchange of technological innovation between the U.S. and the U.K. A market accelerator providing high-tech start-ups with a "rapid-entry" methodology to European markets, Launchpad Europe has spent its foundational years working with visionary ICT companies launching into the UK.
The globally focused company accurately matches its team's extensive skill set to each client's specific needs, offering tailored services packages based on each client's particular stage of commercial development, priorities and budget. Launchpad Europe is now increasing its U.S. market focus with "Mission: API" ("American Program Interface," a play on computing term "Application Program Interface").
Fluid Creativity appointed by Stockport College
Fluid Creativity has been appointed by Stockport College to work with their Marketing team on developing their online presence. A number of agencies were invited to pitch for the project which involves creating a new destination website for the institution. Fluid Creativity works with a number of Educational organisations, and also with the private sector for eCommerce websites, SEO, Social Media and motion graphics.
Adobe Photoshop hits twenty
Adobe Photoshop, the software product that redefined creativity in the digital age, turns 20 on Feb. 19, 2010. Around the world, Photoshop fans are celebrating the impact their favorite software has had across photography, art, design, publishing and commerce. The Photoshop community is sharing their favorite stories online, with its 400,000 fan-strong Facebook page, the hub for a worldwide look at the product’s impact. A new “Celebrate” tab directs users to a 20th anniversary logo, which you can personalise with your own image in Photoshop and use as a replacement for your own profile image on any social network site. Connect with the Photoshop team at http://www.facebook.com/Photoshop or http://twitter.com/photoshop, and add the tag #PS20 to any tweets about the anniversary.
http://www.photoshopuser.com/photoshop20th.
