Filed under: Mostly Mobile, New Technology, Technology | Tags: better camera, Google, handset, hanset, hd2, hero, htc, iPhone, killer, mobile, new, nexus, O2, opportunity, review
the Highlander battle of phones has begun - There can be ONLY one! iPhone vs Nexus; how does the Nexus fair?
Wow, everyone’s out with their review of the new Nexus handset and how it stacks up as the latest iPhone killer… So here I am to add my own review:
What a load of sh*t. A real missed opportunity for Google to move the market forwards but instead they just release a ‘me too’ product. Yeah, it looks alright but it’s no iPhone. Better camera but that’s about it. Where’s the power? Where’s the wow factor? What they needed to do was release something that made my iPhone-hugging ass think about how I could dump this crappy O2 contract and get me a sweet new Nexus. Instead it’s just another failed opportunity. Another failed launch of an iPhone killer. Everyone – including us iPhone owners – want to see an iPhone killer and set the industry and consumer wars on fire, but so far, no-one has delivered. And here we have the central problem with the mobile industry; it’s failure to deliver on promise. How long has everyone waited for Year of the Mobile… year after year since the early noughties. The iPhone finally kicked things off and now we are back to the waiting game. The only good thing about the Nexus is that it is (just) enough to keep things ticking over until the real iPhone killer gets unveiled later in the year – the iPhone 4.0/ 4G
Filed under: Brands & Marketing, Events, Mostly Mobile | Tags: Action Aid, adversiting, Andrew Grill, broadcast, commuting, Digital Lounge, impulse, iPhone, London Underground, London-calling, media platforms, mobile, mobile marketing, mobile phones, mobile technology, portable, poster, short code, the tube, Victoria line
On Wednesday I attended my second Digital Lounge event at the Adam Street Private member’s club. This month’s speaker was Andrew Grill (of London-Calling blog fame) who presented on Mobile Advertising. Andrew certainly raised some interesting points that allowed discussion to flow as freely as the drinks! Central to his presentation was the theme that mobile is fundamentally different from any other media and requires a rethink (see his presentation on his blog here). Despite the title of the evening’s topic it became clear that, in order to be successful, marketing on mobile cannot be seen as “advertising” but must instead be led by the personal and functional attributes of a mobile device.
Andrew argued that the age of mobile has already begun and it is now the industry’s responsibility to cash in on the saturation of devices and make the use of mobile marketing easy. For my part I think it is legitimate to consider 2009 the year of mobile for two reasons. Firstly, I believe that technology and lifestyle have only just got to the point at which mobile devices can legitimately be seen as media platforms (as well as devices) – here I mean for the average mobile user, who is not a technology follower but who relies on mobile communication. The second development, ushered in by the iPhone, is the fact that technologically advanced mobile devices are no longer the reserve of business users. On an individual level mobile marketing is about specific, targeted, personal, marketing content, however, it is not until now that enough consumers in enough target groups have enough potential in their mobile devices for most brands to get on board.
What makes a good mobile campaign, however, is still up for debate. Today a simple example reminded me of where the general state of play currently is. I take great interest in advertising on the tube and how different media are being used, so I make a point of noting down anything that stands out (this is rare unfortunately). Today I took note of an Action Aid poster within the carriage urging commuters to look up from their books, down their crosswords, and do something meaningful with their time on the train. The message was ‘act now’ – make a difference on impulse – do something worthwhile with this lost time on your commute. It was the use of text message short code that made this message possible. Potentially a great use of mobiles to get people engaged as soon as they see the advertising. Unfortunately this poster appeared on the a Victoria line tube train which wikipedia confirms “is the only line on the Underground, except for the two-stop Waterloo & City line, where the entire line is operated underground.” So good luck responding to that call to arms!
It's called that for a reason
At Neoco we’re excited to be getting involved with mobile marketing that works with both the immediacy of engaging on a personal portable device as well as the new way this can incorporate the brand message into consumers’ lives. The key is understanding exactly how mobile fits into people’s lives (it cannot be seen as a broadcast medium?!) and viewing it as a space that will only tolerate being filled by useful content. At Neoco we’re lucky enough to be developing iPhone applications at the moment and there’s nothing more exciting than making ‘marketing’ that you can’t wait to actually use yourself. The way I understand it a mobile device is like someone’s home page and it requires trust and permission to become a part of that.
Filed under: News | Tags: Arts Council, campaigns, Digital, Events, exhibition, I liked the Wizard of Oz show, installation, marketing, mobile, neoco, pitch, promotion, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, strategy, The Hayward, Waterloo
southbank centre logo
Neoco have won a four-way pitch to deliver digital strategy, marketing campaigns and social networking presence for Southbank Centre. The project begins immediately and runs in to 2009, working alongside the existing Southbank Centre marketing team.
The work will see Neoco working on several projects every month for the world-renowned arts centre implementing new and innovative digital solutions as a way to communicate Southbank Centre’s vast programme of events amd exhibitions. In addition to the overall digital strategy, key events and exhibitions at Southbank Centre will benefit from unique campaigns to promote them. These ‘one-off’ campaigns will range from YouTube video challenges, interactive digital installations (to capitalise on the 21-acre site), social networking widgets, mobile applications and much more.
“Neoco have demonstrated an excellent understanding of our brand and of the key opportunities afforded by hosting some of the world’s greatest artistic events. They have the capability to deliver on both digital marketing strategy and execution – we are excited to be working with them,” said Rishi Coupland, Marketing Services Manager, Southbank Centre.
About Southbank Centre
Southbank Centre is the UK’s largest arts centre, occupying a 21-acre site that sits in the midst of London’s most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames. The site has an extraordinary creative and architectural history stretching back to the 1951 Festival of Britain. Southbank Centre is home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and The Hayward as well as The Saison Poetry Library and the Arts Council Collection. The Royal Festival Hall reopened in June 2007 following the major refurbishment of the Hall and redevelopment of the surrounding area and facilities.
Filed under: Coffee Break, Mostly Mobile | Tags: developing world, education, entrepreneurs, healthcare, mobile, nature, non-profit, phone, research, Technology
I’ve just stumbled across a really interesting article on the BBC News Technology site, which looks at how mobile technology is touching almost every aspect of the non-profit world in developing countries. Mobile phones and mobile services are facilitating human health care, nature and wildlife conservation, research and education.
The article really shows how developments in mobile technology are making a real difference to a lot of people’s lives in developing countries. And it’s really impressive to discover that the mobile phones which are being used to facilitate all of these new improvements are in fact around 7 years old – with text messaging being the only real way that people can communicate with each other – there are no data services of any kind.
Although many of us would have not considered it before, people in developing countries (even those living off just a couple of dollars or so a day) now have access to a mobile phone. Today, in Sub-Saharan Africa for example, 30% of the population own a mobile, equating to in excess of 300 million people and many more have access via the phones of their family and friends, shared phones or village phones.
This huge growth has mainly been a result of the successful recycling market and the development of cheap ‘$20′ phones. It is also part due to the efforts of forward-thinking mobile manufacturers, who have spent an increasing amount of time to understand what people living in these areas might want from a phone. The example given in the article to have emerged from this user-centric design focus are mobiles with flashlights, which assist people whose electricity supplies may not be very reliable.
Local entrepreneurs who have learnt how to fix mobile phones have set up their own services doing so, and have created a mini industry devoted to prolonging the lives of mobile phones.
All of these factors together have resulted in more phones being owned by more and more people, and working for longer. Which has meant that certain mobile services have been able to be put into place, making people’s lives easier and transforming development work.
Mobile phones are today providing a direct line of communication to farmers, doctors, patients, nurses, teachers and youth, and anyone else the non-profit community might seek to engage. Patients are being sent reminders to take their medicine, market prices are being sent to farmers, citizens are helped to help monitor elections, and activists are enabled to report human rights abuses.
A lesson to be learned for all of us lot then – when you inevitably upgrade your phone for the new iPhone GPS (or another latest smart phone) – don’t throw your old one away, recycle it. For the full article, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7502474.stm
Filed under: Mostly Mobile, New Technology, News | Tags: 3G, applications, iPhone, launch, mobile, new, queue, release
It’s only been available for one weekend but already 1 million new iPhone’s have been sold. And, although the queues were not as long as those of the original release, figures show that despite this, the sales of iPhones were much quicker this time round (it took 74 days to sell the first 1 million original iPhones).
So, what a great start for the iPhone 3G. Especially considering that the new iPhone owners have already downloaded 10 million iPhone applications – which is even more impressive when you consider that there were only around 500 applications available at launch. These figures once again reinforce the belief that users don’t see the iPhone as just another phone – it is another whole platform.
What do you think of the iPhone 3G and the available apps? Let us know…
Filed under: Industry news, Mostly Mobile, Social Networking/ Word Of Mouth | Tags: 3G, aware, Being Digital, digital marketing, GPS, interface, iPhone, locatin, mobile, Nokia, Plazes, services, social network, user
Nokia has bought Plazes for an undisclosed amount. Plazes is a German location-aware social network site, which basically lets users know where their friends are.
As discussed at mashup*’s Being Digital last week, location is a really hot topic right now, with everyone in the industry having a go at creating a location/mobile/social network mashup (although most do seem to be getting it all wrong!) and this will no doubt increase even further with the iPhone 3G. Predictions can easily be made that whoever is able to master this and create a useful service with an easy to use interface – and most importantly, of course, monetises this – is going to reap in the rewards. Nokia’s acquisition shows that they too are on the path to creating a location-aware service.
While many users are looking forward to use location based services, it appears that many aren’t keen to expose their location and trade in their privacy, and this will inevitably raise concerns for the success of these services. Apparently, Plazes’ CEO Felix Petersen was caught somewhere else than he was supposed to be – and I’m sure many of us wouldn’t like to be put in the situation where our partner/friends/family/colleagues can see where we are all the time. Think about that sneaky ’sick’ day at work when you have tickets to an event that you can’t just can’t miss! Or when you want a quiet, relaxing night in at home, so you tell your friend that you can’t babysit because you are going out. Or when you tell your partner you have to work late, but you go out with your friends instead. (By the way, I don’t do any of these things…they are just examples…)
Whatever users think about location-aware services, they are definitely something that we are going to be hearing a lot more about over the rest of 08.
Filed under: Ping.fm update by Neoco | Tags: BBC, computer, digital marketing, GPS, laptop, mobile, Motorola, MP3, multimedia, Nokia, phone, Samsung, Symbian
According to the BBC, sales of smart phones are predicted to overtake those of laptops within the next 18 months, “as the mobile phone completes its transition from voice communications device to multimedia computer”.
And I can’t see any reason why not, as companies like Nokia, Samsung and Motorola have finally began to convince us that the idea of having a multimedia computer in your pocket, is possible.
“Converged devices are always with you and always connected,” said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Nokia chief executive at last week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Nokia predict that they will sell 35 million GPS-enabled phones this year, as personal navigation becomes the latest feature to be assimilated into the mobile phone.
Nigel Clifford, chief executive of Symbian, said: “All of those single use devices – MP3 players, digital camera, GPS – are collapsing onto the phone. We are going past the point where this was a phone with a few other things”.
For the full BBC article, visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7250465.stm
Filed under: Mostly Mobile, Social Networking/ Word Of Mouth | Tags: digital marketing, Gartner, mobile, retailers, social networks, top 10, traffic
A new press release from Gartner has advised retailers not to ignore the increased consumer traffic that social networks are generating.
“Until recently, retailers considered social networks relevant only for the youth market, meaning that many have largely ignored them,” said Hung LeHong, research vice president at Gartner. “However, as social networks expand to embrace ever-wider demographic groups, retailers need to ensure that they have a position on them.”
Gartner has created a list of the top 10 things retailers should know about social networks and what action to take. Key points that I think are particularly important for retailers are:
- Social networks can be a huge source of consumer data – as with store loyalty cards, consumers are often willing to give up a little privacy in exchange for a valued service or discount.
- Retailers should focus their social network activity on content produced by members – if a social network provides corporations too many capabilities in interacting with members, there is a risk that members will leave the network. The aim should be to create a forum or application that will create value for other members while promoting the organisation’s brand.
- Social networks are coming to mobile – the ability to access social networks from mobile phones is being promoted by the wireless carriers. This could be used in really innovative ways, and the article gives the example of offering a limited time, in-store-only promotion that could be broadcast to friends to drive more traffic to the physical store.
The article, ‘Gartner Says Social Networks Are Attracting Too Much Traffic for Retailers to Ignore: Analysts Highlight 10 Things Retailers Should Know About Social Networks, and What to Do’ can be viewed at http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=660409
Filed under: Mostly Mobile, New Technology, Technology | Tags: Adobe, Air, digital marketing, Flash, iPhone, mobile, open screen project, open standards, venture beat, you tube
A great article over at Venture Beat talking about Adobe’s plans to develop an Open Standards Flash Player for use across all digital media channels. This is a great development as by dropping certain license fees it ensures greater take up, which makes it easier to deliver brand experiences coherently across media channels. Shame there is still no news of a decent Flash player on the iPhone but I guess we can live in hope.
“Just in case you think Adobe’s Flash Player (which powers YouTube and an enormous number of other sites) isn’t ubiquitous enough, Adobe is pushing for even greater adoption from developers and designers. Through an initiative the company is calling the Open Screen Project, Adobe will lift a number of restrictions on Flash in the hopes creating even greater usage, especially on web-enabled devices.”
