The Changing Face of Digital Media & Marketing : Mobile

The Internationalist Awards for Innovative Digital Marketing Solutions

Scott Berg — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:25:00 GMT

I have the honor of working with some of the leaders in the Digital Marketing world regarding a new Digital Marketing Solution Awards Event. Some of those names include Rob Norman, CEO of GroupM, Rishad Tobaccowala, CEO of Denuo and Chief Innovation Officer, Publicis Group. As you can tell these fellow judges are the cream of the crop – and the leaders who I and many of you look to for leadership and thoughts.

That being said…I’ve attached some information below on how to enter and participate.

A big thanks to Deborah Malone and the staff at The Internationalist for helping to drive this unique digital award judging.

Scott

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"We have moved from language-based or analog marketing to a system now dependent on 'ones' and 'zeros' or digital codes. Our way of creating marketing solutions must also now transform dramatically.." -Scott Berg, HP's Director of Digital Strategy and Jury Chairman

www.internationalist-awards.com

Marketers, today, need digital answers, but formulating the right questions is often challenging. With dozens of new forms of non-traditional advertising, the digital options can be overwhelming. Our industry can benefit from examples of best practices. Marketers today need digital solutions that bring results.

The Internationalist Awards for Innovative Digital Marketing Solutions will be the first international awards to be given based upon the geographic footprint of the campaign, specifically: a global campaign, a regional campaign, a local execution of a multinational campaign, and a local campaign worthy of international adaptation based upon world class standards.

These Awards are an outgrowth of The Internationalist's Awards for Innovation in Media and an acknowledgment of how today's marketing strategy is affected by the growth of Digital. They also reflect the way companies market their products. No other awards offer these types of international categories. Most are by product group (food, auto) or type of media (TV, print).

It's simple to enter-- just answer 5 critical questions about insights and solutions, the show up to 3 examples of the work. There are only 4 international entry categories.

CALL FOR ENTRIES DEADLINE is SEPTEMBER 8, 2009.

Winners will be announced in Autumn 2009. A Grand Prix will be announced, along with Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each of the 4 international entry categories.

Winners will receive:

An Award statuette for office display.
The Internationalist will feature a story on the winners in its next edition.
All winners, including Honorable Mentions, will be showcased on www. internationalist-awards.com. A search feature will enable people to better access case study highlights.
Oxford University's SAID School of Business will use the winners as teaching case studies in their marketing program.

For more information on Judging, the Jury, Fees, and How to Enter, go to:

http://www.internationalist-awards.com

Created in January 2003 by Deborah Malone, The Internationalist was launched to connect the people and ideas in international advertising, marketing and media. Today The Internationalist has become a trusted source for international best practices, and is dedicated to the business needs and challenges of international marketing professionals as they participate in multinational branding and campaign building. The Internationalist is now IN PRINT, ONLINE and IN PERSON- all to better serve the needs of this community.

Guest Blogger -- Jay Dark - Manager, Global Mobile Marketing

Scott Berg — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:58:00 GMT

12 Global Brands Come Together for a User-Generated Advertising Contest

Mofilm (www.mofilm.com) is spearheading an effort across 12 global brands to give consumers around the world the opportunity to create and share their voices on one or more of the participating brands. The contest is being held in conjunction with the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival in June and the Mofilm event is being hosted by Spike Lee.

This is the first time a user-generated advertising event of of this scale and collaboration has been attempted. The brands are all chartered to reach out to their own customers, brand enthusiasts, and networks thereby delivering against the contest theme of “You to the Power of 12 - U12” If successful, this contest could contribute to another change in the face of media in terms of how advertising content is created and obtained. Will it obsolete existing ad creative and production services? Not at all but it will add another option to the mix and potentially even create another service agencies can provide and help facilitate for their clients.

Are you creative? Do you know people that are? Tell them about the contest and have them download the HP creative brief (http://cannes.mofilm.com/hp/) and take a chance at fame.

Jay Dark - Manager, Global Mobile Marketing

Contacting Our New Media Planning & Buying Agency – Omnicom Media Group

Scott Berg — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:42:00 GMT

Many in the media community have been calling or emailing me asking who to contact at our new media agency OMG. The team at OMG, have requested you go to the following web site to register, that way they can respond to the large number of media partners who are contacting us during the transition.

When you complete the form you will receive an automatic reply. The OMG/HP media team will get back with you shortly thereafter. Please keep in mind OMG officially takes over the HP media buying and planning June 1^st.

http://hpmediahub.omnicommediagroup.com/

Scott

Cannes Advertising Festival and HP’s MoFilm

Scott Berg — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:46:00 GMT

I love the Cannes Festival… from the stunning background of the city, to the brilliant speakers, to seeing the best work in the field of marketing and advertising, what more could you ask for?

And this year, HP is participating in a unique program MOFilm – a mobile project in which HP and other major advertisers are having individuals create user generated content based on a specific brand objectives. Famed Director Spike Lee is even involved in the project.

Prizes from HP range from a trip to the Sundance Film Festival, an HP Touchsmart PC and an HP MediaSmart Server.

Check out the article on hp.com or go directly to the MoFilm web site for more information. So let the social media content games begin!

Scott

HP iPrint Photo Application

Scott Berg — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:23:00 GMT

You have to admire all the apps available for the iPhone through iTunes. Not only the massive number of apps, but the depth and detail of the applications.

That being said, HP launched a pretty cool photography app on iTunes a while back. The app is called “HP iPrint Photo.” It’s located in the photography category, but the easiest way to find is it, is to search under applications for Hewlett Packard and it brings it right up.

Or you can check out the link http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/

A top line on the app is that it allows you to print from an iPhone or iPod Touch to an HP Inkjet printer connected to a local WiFi network. Best of all – it’s FREE.

Scott

2009 Digital Media Trends – Update & Scorecard

Scott Berg — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:28:00 GMT

Late last year I posted my 2009 Digital Media Trends. I thought it would be a good idea to see where they stand as well as add in a few other trends I’m starting to see emerge.

It’s the Economy Stupid...

More newspapers and print publications will go out of business -- I hate to actually say this one is dead on. All you have to read are the following articles on the demise of newspapers across the US.

San Francisco Chronicle Might Shut Down

Denver Rocky Mountain News Shuts Down

Derby Daily Reporter Shutting Down

Taconic Group Newspapers Shut Down

Accuracy: Dead On

Weaker online sites will see advertising revenue sales fall – the economy is not only pushing pure “print” revenue down, but newspapers online revenue as well as “pure play” digital advertising is taking a hit as budgets get tight.

Search Revenue Falling

Online Video Ad Revenue Decreasing

Digital Shops Begin to Feel Effects of the Economy

Accuracy: Dead On

Sponsorships will take a beating….

RBS Sports Sponsorships

Sports Sponsorships Take a Beating

Accuracy: Dead On

Social Websites will see a decrease in ad revenue –

Accuracy: Too early to tell

Community development will be a priority – marketers will engage differently with the end customer by developing stronger communities and/or engaging with current standing communities.

Accuracy: Too early to tell

Rise of the “Un-Badged Employee” – most people use reviews before making a product or service purchase… but in an economic downturn, that input revs up to make sure the purchase is what the consumer wants. Check out this article.

Accuracy: Dead on

SEO will become more important – with decreased budgets, SEM will also feel the budget pinch, so advertisers will focus more attention on SEO to decrease costs and increase search page placement.

US Search Spending Falters

Accuracy: Too early to tell

Again, mobile will struggle – tough to tell right now… but keep your eyes/ears tuned in the coming months.

Mobile Marketing Watch Newsletter

Accuracy: Too early to tell

Google will continue to gain share – ok this is a “duh” prediction, I admit it. But with Yahoo in turmoil, the recent layoffs, Microsoft not making headway on revenue in the online space… Google will extend it’s lead – either by sure will might and force or through acquisition.

Google’s Share Extends

Accuracy: Dead On

Online Upfronts get more momentum –

Accuracy: Too early to tell (but if I was a betting man) – I’d say I’m way off on this one. Prices are falling as demand craters… who wants to get locked in on long term inventory when the short term rates continue to fall.

Digital television platform (aka Canoe Ventures) will get serious attention – Certainly the new administration pushing back the digital transition date didn’t help, but frankly with the advertising world in a tail spin right now, Canoe still holds promise of better targeting….although I think most advertisers wished it were live and ready to go today.

Accuracy: Too early to tell

CRM and database marketing will make a comeback – well I’m not seeing it yet… although my email box is deluged daily with a great deal more email than ever, but I can’t attribute that to better CRM or just desperation on behalf of marketers. Plus, with the economy in the dumper, big tech projects are harder to sell unless they can guarantee a result.

Accuracy: Seems I was a bit too optimistic

Media inventory costs will decline – regardless of whether you’re buying upfront or not. This one is definitely on track… with the networks taking a bath on inventory, newspapers having difficulty selling pages prices are falling. What’s concerning is we’re only in March…what will this look like in July?

Accuracy: Dead On

Scott

My Digital Day at the Vet’s Office

Scott Berg — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:23:00 GMT

Probably like most of you I’m a big animal lover. And like many of you, our dog “Bailey” is a part of the family. She’s essentially my third child. A 13 year old English Springer Spaniel who keeps a protective watch over the house and the entire family. I’ve seen her take on dogs three times her size to protect my kids, but she’ll let the kids ride her, pull on her ears and lick them all the while.

So last night, it was time for her yearly check up. Bailey and I jumped in my truck (ok, I had to lift her into the truck – she’s getting a bit old to do it now)… and we went to the Vet. As age has set in this past year, Bailey is getting a bit slower, her eyes are cloudy with cataracts and her hearing is going.

What I found interesting is during the middle of the exam… my Vet pulls out his iPhone and starts scrolling through his apps. At first I was like “what the heck Doc, this isn’t the time to be checking your email or stock portfolio” – then I realized he had pulled up an application to test Baileys hearing. It was an app that sends out a high pitched signal via the speaker on his iPhone – humans can’t hear it, but it drives dogs’ nuts. Now Bailey didn’t hear it – she just laid there looking up at us… but the dog in the lobby (a spry Golden Retriever was howling to the moon) every time the Vet touched the button.

Think about that for minute…an application on a cell phone that can test the hearing of a dog. That’s pretty darn clever and starts to lay out the groundwork of where the digital world is headed.

Scott

2009 Digital Media Trends

Scott Berg — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:21:00 GMT

About this time every year, I make my predictions on what I think lays ahead for the media industry. And again, this year, I’ll do the same, but with a slight focus on the Digital side of the world.

It’s the Economy stupid!

More newspapers and print publications will go out of business – as you’ve probably read, Tribune recently filed for bankruptcy. And with the current economic climate, print advertising will continue to suffer the woes they’ve been feeling the past 5 years. The problem… not only are advertisers shifting to digital, but the cost per thousand for online is usually significantly lower than other forms of media so it’s not a just a matter of gaining share, but they’re caught between a rock and hard place as it relates to raising prices.

Weaker online sites will see advertising revenue sales fall – reason? Advertisers are seeing advertising budgets decrease or be frozen… thus the pie is getting smaller.

Sponsorships will take a beating….unless they can offer a unique customer experience or become very digitally focused. Between NASCARs challenges, the NFL re-evaluating sponsorships, etc. The days of putting signage up in an arena or naming rights are gone. The next phase of sponsorship is customer engagement and digital experience.

Social Websites will see a decrease in ad revenue – for all the above reasons (see point a), but more because marketers are realizing that community development is critical.

Community development will be a priority – marketers will engage differently with the end customer by developing stronger communities and/or engaging with current standing communities.

Rise of the “Un-Badged Employee” – when people are look to purchase a product or service they usually ask around if anyone has any experience or recommendations. So marketers will start to drive more influence communications to key individuals who act as “brand ambassadors” and recommend the brand to others. Apple has been doing this for years, but it’s becoming more commonplace. If you don’t agree, just look at Amazon.com or CNET.com.

SEO will become more important – with decreased budgets, SEM will also feel the budget pinch, so advertisers will focus more attention on SEO to decrease costs and increase search page placement.

Again, mobile will struggle – although mobile applications are becoming more widespread and the use of data is becoming more commonplace, the issues of separate network carriers, too many media rep companies, and the general confusion of what you can/can’t do with mobile will keep it from gathering steam in the US.

Google will continue to gain share – ok this is a “duh” prediction, I admit it. But with Yahoo in turmoil, the recent layoffs, Microsoft not making headway on revenue in the online space… Google will extend it’s lead – either by sure will might and force or through acquisition.

Online Upfronts get more momentum – in order to secure inventory and reduce costs look for more advertisers to commit to online upfronts. Which begs the question, what about the television upfronts? Hell if I know. The past 3 years I’ve been predicting a shift in the amount of dollars going into the upfront and I’ve been wrong… suppose I’ll stick to that prediction this year because as my boss Chris Curtin is famous for saying “a broken clock is still correct 2 times a day.” Perhaps I’ll hit paydirt this year!

Digital television platform (aka Canoe Ventures) will get serious attention – as Canoe begins to roll out it’s digital tv platform, more advertisers will begin experimenting and targeting advertising in the new nirvana state of advertising.

CRM and database marketing will make a comeback – yes you heard me right, the data geeks will reign again. With Canoe Ventures, integration and analysis of click stream data, advertisers will become even more focused on eliminating inefficient advertising and marketing and getting the right message to the right person.

Media inventory costs will decline – regardless of whether you’re buying upfront or not. See point 1. The glut of inventory will put marketers in a stronger position to negotiate further cost cuts and added value. Look for the auto industry to cut spending so dramatically that prices could fall 30% in some media categories over the current levels.

So here are my thoughts… what do predict???

Scott