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Multichannel Innovation In Mobile Marketing

NET-A-PORTER’s Window Shop
The fashion etailer created a pop-up store window that allowed shoppers to use iPads and smartphones to bring the products to life.

Net-A-Porter won and innovation in mobile marketing award at E-Consultancy's Innovation Awards 2012.

When A Blackberry becomes A Rasbberry?

It might be time to consider selling those Blackberry shares? Apple is clearly king of the fruits.

Toying With An Idea

There used to be a time when serious educationalists and more importantly parents, frowned on the viewing of cartoons. Reading of 'proper books' was vigorously promoted and cartoons or comics were consigned to the frivolous entertainment basket.

Construction play started with painted wooden blocks and migrated to meccano sets and more latterly, plastic blogs such as Lego. Several decade later and the digital revolution has also had (for better or worse) a profound impact on child learning toys and activities.

Realising that a child's Play inspires and promotes the creative process from an early age, US company LaunchPad have designed products that enable mobile devices like the iPad to bridge this gap between informal and formal learning.

Their stated goal is to harness the power of play to help children capture and share their ideas with other kids around the world.

More specifically their educational goals are to:

1. Empower young children to share their ideas and stories with friends and family by bridging the gap between formal writing and imaginative play.
2. Introduce and guide key storytelling principles like Character, Setting, Story Arc, and Emotion to help structure kids’ creative writing.
3. Promote cultural literacy through ToonTube: A Global Storytelling Network for Kids, by Kids.

Recently created cartoons by children on ToonTube

The underlying developmental theory is that "Constructionist software aims to draw out a child’s implicit understanding of curricula and make it explicit through visual and physical representation so that the child may better "debug" and reconstruct his or her mental model"

"Toontastic draws out the emotive structure implicit within storytelling by using an explicit template for visually mapping story events and emotions while constructing one’s cartoon. This helps the child to create a more impactful, coherent, and ultimately educational story"

This then is a serious attempt to mesh sound educational learning principles with digital delivery. A child is encouraged to build their story-line one scene at a time.

The Toontastic app has recently been added to Apple's App Store Hall of Fame.  To date there have been 40,000 paid downloads user imagination has created 170,000 cartoon characters.

It comes as no surprise to learn that Co-founder Andy Russell was with toy maker Hasbro in a former  working life. The company intends to continue building apps that combine play with defined learning goals.

Not to be outdone, Lego has joined the battle for young hearts and minds with Lego Universe although its educational value is more difficult to define.

Lego Universe won best game at E3 in 2010. A  family-oriented game it fosters creativity and imagination are the focus of this game and security measures make it safe for family playing.

A final word about ToonTastic which incidentally was developed in partnership with Stanford’s School of Education and Zeum: San Francisco’s Children’s Museum.  They have posted their advice for user testing with children which should become gospel for other childrens game developers.

Related articles

• Last Chance to Enter: Toontastic Summer Cartoon Competition (wired.com)

Cooking Bacon And Eggs With Your iPad

Non stick cooking just like Jamie Olliver does it. Brazil­ian adver­tis­ing agency DCS's inter­ac­tive iPad ad simulates real cooking.

Unleash Your Hidden Reporter with Streamago

There's a reporter in all of us just waiting to emerge.  Tiscali Streamago might just be the answer for those with such ambitions.

Video uploading is ranked as one of the top social media activities and many of us have then made the transition to using live streaming software and platforms to communicate with others online and to build interest channels. Creating your own tv station certainly has appeal.

What appeals about Tiscali Streamago is the ability to broadcast anywhere and share with friends in real-time.

Ignoring the obvious requirement of being online, the rest of the set up and using on this platform is very simple.  A PC and web cam are the two prerequisites and Tiscali Streamago's broadcast console makes transmission an easy exercise, without the need to download and instal any software.  And you don't have to be tied to your computer, as Streamago is also available as an iPhone app. (and iPod touch and Ipad 2)

Try creating a channel using your own video.  The graphic abilities of being able to produce overlay titling is also dead easy and I like the option of chatting in real-time with followers which promotes true engagement with your audience.

Easy broadcasting console

Streamago users are each allocated 10GB of disc space and you can even record through your PC web cam or iphone and delay transmission until later which might give you greater exposure to your target audience. You create you owncommunication channel.

Streamago integrates with Facebook so you can publish the channel directly into your personal page and keep you followers informed.  You have a dedicated web address to send your followers to and the 'schedule event' functionality will be very handy for streaming conference presentations. You can find me at http://www.streamago.tv/general/2875/.

My recommendation is to give Streamago a try; it's a lot of fun!  Streamago is available at: http://www.streamago.tv

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The Age Of Dead Trees, Dead?

While the impact of digital technologies upon newspapers in their printed form is well known, the future for printed magazines is also looking a lot less rosy.

John Bigg's review in Crunch Gear shows that New Yorker's iPad version has stayed true to its quality print style without being seduced by use of too much multimedia:

"There are no graphical tricks, not too many multimedia events, and when there are, they’re great (one poetry reading by Sherman Alexie in the latest issue was amazing). And even the ads are unobtrusive and, dare I say it, beautiful in full living color."

The nostalgia for print will pass as other technologies have done with each generation. While the tactile nature of paper and the slightly musty smell of a mildewed book will always have its adherents, history reminds us that such memories fade.

The demise of the vinyl LP teaches us that while content may remain enchanting and memory invoking, the format in which this content is presented need not, and will not, remain the same in perpetuity.

Ultimately it does all comes down to content.  If it's quality it will ever remain so, no matter what new format is adopted.

As Biggs says: "The New Yorker iPad app proves that great writing is great writing, no matter how it’s displayed. It is new wine poured into new wineskins: everything works, nothing is strange, and the product tastes as sweet as it did in the old skins."

The magazine publisher managed to persuade Apple to let its one million existing subscribers of the print edition of the New Yorker, download and read iPad version of the New Yorker for no additional charge.

The New Yorker publisher, Conde Nast, has said that iPad editions of its other magazines will also be available by subscription through Apple’s In-App Purchase system on the popular App Store. Watch out for Vanity Fair, Golf Digest, Wired and GQ (to name but four)  to become available in the near future.

Related articles

• It Is Finished: The New Yorker iPad App Is The Beginning Of The End Of Print (crunchgear.com)
• The 10 Best Magazines For Your iPad (AAPL) (businessinsider.com)
• Conde Nast rethinks its iPad strategy (tuaw.com)
• Apple's slice makes the iPad a bad deal for newspapers (guardian.co.uk)

An App That Takes Journalism To Another level

The leading Swiss company Ringier have just launched a revolutionary and rather trendy 'Appazine'

An 'Appazine' for the unitiated is as its title suggests, a magazine styled app and Ringier's app is called The Collection.

The Collection is a multi-language offering, available currently in English, Chinese, French, German, with an intuivite user-interface.

As a monthly “appazine” The Collection will be exploring globally relevant topics which will excite and challenge top-tier audiences.  

The Collection

The first issue is covering a major upcoming event in an original and entertaining way.  The image from the apps screen shots (right) give a good idea as to what this event might be!

The experience guarantees to surprises at every swipe, tap or rub of the tablet screen.

This interactivity is made possible by a completely new 'Made in Switzerland' Content Management System.  Ringier's technology provides for a very dynamic and intuitive navigation within the app.

As with any publication it is the content that will capture and build an audience.  The Collection aims to have first-class articles, audio, photos and videos, inter-active elements will include panoramic photography, 3D digital animation, creative morphing, rubbing, X-Ray lens and much much more.

The Collection

With such a range of rich media to choose from The Collection should establish a new benchmark in inter-active design.  It looks as if Ringier is on to a winner with this app.  The ability to read the latest topics in such an exciting manner should guarantee its success.

Already users are giving it big wraps "This takes journalistic apps to a whole different level. Cool effects, new interface for a magazine".
2011 has been dubbed by the pundits as the "Year of the Tablet"  and as these devices become more part and parcel of our everyday lives, appazines such as The Collection will replace our more traditional reading matter.

I for one am looking forward to these exciting developments.



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At Last... A Mind Reading App!

While this app. may appear frivolous at first glance, it has some quite profound implications for the future.

Using XWave enables you to control on-screen objects with your mind. It trains the brain to monitor and ultimately control the depth of relaxation (derived from Alpha Waves) and your attention span (derived from Beta Waves).

So how does it work?

The device's sensor reads the user's brainwaves (through the skull), converts them into digital signals and then displays them in various colours on the screen of the iPhone.

The company blurb says:

"XWave, powered by NeuroSky eSense patented technologies, senses the faintest electrical impulses transmitted  through your skull to the surface of your forehead and converts these analog signals into digital. 

With XWave, you will be able to detect attention and meditation levels, as well as train your mind to control things. Objects in a game can be controlled, lights in your living room can change color depending on your mood; the possibilities are limited to only the power of your imagination."

So it would seem that the evolution of mankind has taken yet another step - connecting your mind to your phone.

All this for $US99.99, battery not included!

Related articles

• The app that can read your mind: iPhone brainwave detector was only a matter of time (dailymail.co.uk)
• XWave: The iPhone App That Almost Reads Your Mind (techie-buzz.com)
• XWave Lets You Control iPhone Graphics with Your Brain (mashable.com)
• PLX Devices XWave brain interface for Apple devices ships (slashgear.com)

2011 Crystal Ball Gazing

The reality is that there will be so much happening in 2011 and at a faster pace than ever before.

Top picks:


3D-enabled television sets will contiue to be pushed by manufacturers but the 'imminent 3D revolution' will remain on the horizon

Gaming will continue to grow with Sony's Move and Microsoft's Kinect motion control gazumping the older platforms

Home computer and television convergence will continue with Apple and Google leading the way

Rupert Murdoch's content paywall will make more profit but continue to shed publication subscribers

iPad2 will be released with mounted cameras and Face-time video-callingsoftware

Devices that can anticipate our needs by using intelligent accelerometers and provide personalised content, advice or services, will become more prevalent

A bigger Cloud and smaller devices with solid state hard drives

There will be more Android, Nokia, Apple, Blackberry and Windows Apps than ever before, generating close to $10 billion of revenue in 2011

And here are the predictions from a variety of digital pundits:

Social Media

Gary Halliwell of Venturebeat:

• Social customer service will drive revenue
  Smart companies will do more of this in 2011.
  
  
• Social marketing will move beyond Facebook and LinkedIn
  In our connected world of Tweets, blogs, emails and posts, this information transmission is captured in electronic form, and what we know as “word-of-mouth” in face to face interaction has become “word-of-digital”, and it’s incredibly track-able and useful.
  
  
• Socially adept companies will align the needs of employees and customers
  In 2011, we’ll see more companies embrace Zappos’ approach to social as integral, and large corporations relying on their inertia will feel the hot breath of excitement from fully motivated competition.
  
  
• Millennials will take another step forward into the breach
  The shift to greater social connectedness will continue to move forward in 2011
  
  
• Social will penetrate deeper into company structures
  Not surprisingly, marketing decision makers had the heaviest use of social media. This is a trend that will hopefully reverse, as more CEOs see the power of social media to network and to amplify their thought leadership
  
  
• Go live or go home
  Going “real time” means preparing an organization to react to what’s happening in their world, cohesively and adeptly. It requires planning for the future with room for ambiguity and change, and the flexibility to react from the top to the bottom of a company.

New Products




DigitalTrends predictions for products and trends to be seen in Las Vegas this year include:

• Unfinished tablets
• iPad accessories
• 3D content
• Superphones
• AMD Fusion
• Intel Sandy Bridge
• Smart TVs
• Automotive media extravaganzas
• Next-generation e-readers
• All-in-one PCs as an art form

E Marketing

Predictions from EMarketer.com

• Apps invade all platforms - mobile, desktop, tv
  
  
• Content consumption convergence - consumers engage seamlessly with content across multiple platforms
  
  
• Location, location, location - mobile social network usage will more than double by 2015 and location based services have yet to reach the mainstream
  
  
• Social gets its share of marketing dollars -  4 out of 5 marketers will use social media tools in 2011and changing consumer usage patterns will make social media a must. 80% of companies are planning increased spending in this area in 2011. Traditional advertising spend is falling as budget is funnelled to social media. Return On Investment remains difficult to quantify.
  
  
• Targeting audiences vs content -  Audience segmentation and targeting will remain key factors driving the shift to digital marketing
  
  
• Online privacy debate heats up -  50% of users remain concerned about privacy issues. More people trust the government than advertisers, but most don't trust either.

Click Here's 2011 Digital Trends:

• Digital will be everywhere in 2011
  In 2011, we’ll see digital engagement as an everywhere medium
  
  
• The brand web site is under threat from social media
  Despite the rise in buzz around Facebook pages, brand websites are every bit as relevant as they’ve ever been. They remain the only true digital channel that can be completely and wholly owned by you, the brand
  
  
• The jury is out as to who will win the HMTL5 vs Flash battle
  Should we continue to invest in Flash and business as usual, or do we abandon the platform altogether and fix our sights on the promise of HTML5
  
  
• Mobile Advertising
  In 2011, mobile advertising will provide more opportunities for advertisers with rich technology, a unique daypart, more customization and more tracking.
  
  
• User Generated Content and the emerging power of the status update
  Brands need to focus more on building an advocate base through the delivery of a consistent brand message
  
  
• There will be more fun and games
  Consider how multitouch and mobile apps transformed the mobile device into an opportunity for meaningful engagement with audiences away from computers and TV screens. GPS functionality transformed social networks into a local experience. Even the humble webcam has evolved well beyond its original function as it has been repurposed to serve up face recognition and augmented reality experiences. The Kinect’s technology is positioned to lead a transformation of similar magnitude
  
  
• The constant evolution of Search Engine Marketing
  First and foremost in 2011 will be the necessity to build a website that lends itself to successful search engine indexing and that, with the all-important keyword-rich content and linking efforts, can return high rankings on SERPs
  
  
• The future of shopping is social
  Recommendation engines and group buying sites are becoming increasing popular and integrated into social networks such as Facebook. You may not even recognize them, but these shopping tools are showing up all over the place and will give shoppers a lot of power in 2011.
  
  
• The Rise of the Demand-side platform
   Marketers will look to DSPs to expand their product offerings and become much more than a technology company that merely lends out its bidding platform. In 2011, look for these companies to go to market with turnkey and unique products that will further drive efficiency and attract large marketers
  
  
• It will be the year of the mobile website
  In 2011, the net result of the increase in smart phones will be a drastic increase in mobile web usage and more brands will begin to create mobile websites instead of applications

Meeting and Events

2011 will mark significant change for the global meetings and events industry, driven in part by the ongoing adoption of mobile, the increase in popularity of social networks and the pressure to make meetings and events more transparent, predictable and aligned to the business - Certain Software

• More and more events will be organised and managed via handheld devices
• Smart phones and social networks will provide expanded ways to engage attendees

  PaidContent

• It Will Be The Year Of ‘Interactive TV’
  Growing broadband penetration and a face-off in the booming race among over-the-top box maker - Robert Andrews
  
  
• Netflix Will Be Acquired
  Think of what iTunes is for Apple—that’s what Neflix could be for its acquirer - Andrew Wallenstein
  
  
• The ‘Ad Network’ Name Will R.I.P.
  The term “ad network” will fall even further into disuse by ad-tech firms - David Kaplan
  
  
• Local Deals And Check-Ins Will Converge
  Would it really be that much of a surprise to see, for example, a Groupon or LivingSocial deal at a nearby hair salon when you load a check-in app on your phone?  - Amanda Natividad
  
  
• The E-Reader Will Reach Critical Mass
  This is the year the standalone e-reader shifted from luxury to near-commodity, from a $250-$350 planned purchase to a $140-and-below basic buy. - Staci D. Kramer
  
  
• We’ll Finally See Some Big Name Digital Media IPOs
  The year will be then capped off by a record-breaking filing from Facebook, which will value the company at a staggering $100 billion - Joseph Tartakoff
  
  
• Microsoft Will Keep Trying In Mobile With Limited Success
  In the year ahead, we will see more attempts by Microsoft to take that new OS, put it in more devices—and, yes, roll them out to more carriers and other retail channels. - Ingrid Lunden
  
  
• Google Will Win Its Intellectual Property Lawsuits
  On its own, Google has been footing a big chunk of Silicon Valley’s legal bill for several years now. The company has created important case law that benefits its competitors too - Joe Mullin

JWT
Ann Mack, Global Director of Trendspotting for J Walter Thomson (JWT) 2011 “watch” list.



 Happy New Year to all readers of The DigitalConsultant. May your 2011 be a social and profitable one!

Related articles

• Five trends all marketers should watch in social media in 2011 (freshnetworks.com)
• 2010 in review: What our 10 most popular posts say about the year in social media (smartblogs.com)
• 11 Marketing Predictions for 2011 (samirbalwani.com)
• New Social Media Business Trends for 2011 (jenningssocialmedia.com)
• What will happen in digital advertising in 2011? - Quora (quora.com)

Controlling the internet - the BBC's Business Daily Programme

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The premise of this broadcast is that governments and companies want to control the Net.

"Harvard's Professor Jonathan Zittrain wonders if the original ethos of the worldwide web is under threat."

Listen to this excellent podcast as these trends will have a profound effect on the future of the Internet and the Web in particular.