The Metro newspaper is the first to provide content to the social networking site, Foursquare. Users can view restaurant and film reviews when they ‘check-in’ to relevant places. Jamie Walters, director at Metro says “Foursquare is a cutting edge social tool that helps users find new ways to explore cities, making it the perfect fit for Metro’s Urbanite and City Clicker audiences. We are really excited to be the first UK newspaper to take advantage of this platform and I am sure users will find our reviews helpful when they are on the move and exploring the UK’s cities.”
I know you all know what Foursquare is but for the uninitiated few:
The phone-based application is downloaded onto a handset and it then determines the location of the phone/user through the phone’s GPS. The app then displays local locations and enables an action which the user can take called “checking in”. This “check-in” can then be amplified through Twitter and Facebook.
Here’s some more on the piece: http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/disciplines/digital/metro-content-available-on-foursquare/3018325.article
And as usual, ruffle some privacy feathers while they’re at it.
On the 18th of August, Facebook announced the arrival of Facebook Places. This is a strong indication that Facebook is set on taking on new kid on the social block, Foursquare. Facebook Places allows registered users to ‘check in’ to bars, pubs, clubs, shops or petty much anywhere else they care to mention and displays this information to other users. Indeed, with the correct permissions, it even allows your friends to ‘check you in’ without you even knowing.
Facebook herald this addition as an enhancement to their original offering of Who, What, When….and now Where. Their argument is that people are already sharing this data and that all Facebook Places offers is an effective method to distribute this information.
Privacy advocates, of which Facebook is a favourite target, argue that even though Facebook places asks permission before displaying a person’s location, this new function invites problems. Philip Lop of Helium.com comments, “Facebook Places encourages much more active participation in …. data sharing without really asking its users to consider the implications of their actions.”
Facebook Places is currently only available on iPhones.
Philip Lop’s article: http://www.helium.com/items/1960793-privacy-concerns-over-facebook-places
Facebook’s announcement of Facebook Places: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=418175202130
A new report published by comScore shows that Facebook is the most popular website in the US, beating Google into second place.
Facebook users accounted for nearly 10% of total time spent online in the US. Google measured a mere 9.6% by comparison.
Social networking has been tipped to be a major growth area throughout 2010, and is one area that Google appears to have not been able to crack, despite its best efforts with Google Wave and Google Buzz. Google boss, Eric Schmidt, last month cautioned people on what he believes are the dangers of social networking – in particular the fact that many users may face long-term consequences from seemingly innocent details and experiences.
So I guess there’s nothing more to say other than…see you Facebook!
More here: http://technologizer.com/2010/09/10/facebook-more-popular-than-google/
Twitter Becomes Two Faced
Posted on: September 24, 2010
For the first time in four years, Twitter has undergone a face lift.
This new transformation is only available to a select few for the moment but word on the street has it, the new interface will have a split screen showing tweets on one side and embedded content for the other. This embedded content will be provided by the 16 photo and video sites with which Twitter has been partnered.
The re-design is set to change the way that users tweet too – with new user mini-profiles, related content and added detail panes sliding into view to supplement 140 character-long bursts of Twitter chatter.
Reactions are mixed from the social media dons with some saying the new layout will make Twitter more difficult to use and other saying the new application is the slickest on the web yet. Either way, when the new facelift rolls out fully later this month, it is sure to cause quite a flap!
You can read more here: http://www.thestar.com/news/sciencetech/technology/twitter/article/861312–twitter-facelift-emphasizes-multimedia
Incidentally, my twitter account is : http://twitter.com/crofttie
Ready, Set, Action!
Ok, it’s a press release, but an interesting one I thought. Basically, National Library Scotland has teamed up with EDINDOCS (Edinburgh’s documentary film festival) and say they’ll forever archive the winners’ documentary so their work can be accessed ‘in perpetuity’ (that’s forever to you and me).
Also, the winning films will be shown on public screen in the National Library’s George UV Bridge building in Edinburgh,
AND the winners will get £250 for their troubles. Not bad all round me thinks!
Anyway, enough of me blabbering, read on for the details and how to enter.
The National Library of Scotland, home to the Scottish Screen Archive, has developed a partnership with EDINDOCS, Edinburgh’s new documentary film festival, and will provide two documentary makers with a unique opportunity.
EDINDOCS aims to bring quality independent film to Scotland’s capital, showcasing fresh new talent in a city renowned for its culture by screening 25 of the finest new documentaries during its debut three day festival this month.
As the official sponsor of the ‘Best Documentary’ category, the Library is supporting a fantastic prize for the top two documentaries (short and feature-length) – the films will be given pride of place in the prestigious Scottish Screen Archive to be accessed in perpetuity.
Furthermore, the award-winning films will be shown on public screens in the National Library’s George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh for an entire week, and the documentary makers will receive £250.
Martyn Wade, National Librarian and CEO of the National Library of Scotland, said: “We are delighted to help promote the art of documentary-making through our sponsorship of EDINDOCS.
“I’m sure any documentary-maker would be delighted with the opportunity to see their film join Scotland’s national moving images collection, the Scottish Screen Archive. We are looking forward to seeing the winning contributions.”
Stuart McInnes, organiser of EDINDOCS, said there were surprisingly few opportunities for aspiring documentary-makers – particularly independents – to showcase their work, and hopes the festival will help to open doors for them.
He said: “EDINDOCS is not exclusively for independent filmmakers but it does provide a new platform for them, which they desperately need.
“The creative environment provided by Edinburgh’s festivals is fantastic and we hope that EDINDOCS can further complement that by opening doors for the wealth of new documentary filmmaking talent out there.”
EDINDOCS takes place from September 16th-18th at The Church Hill Theatre, Morningside, Edinburgh. For more information visit www.edindocs.com
An Apple Rant a Day
Posted on: July 18, 2010
- In: Apple | General Musings | iPhone
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For those who believe branding is all hype and no trousers, have a look at how Apple used to brand itself. (My personal favourite is the one with the different fruit and car crash sound effects. WTF?)
While we’re on the topic of Apple, the recent decision of Apple to issue out cases to all the people who bought the latest iPhone 4 isn’t that unusual when you consider they already caved to public peer pressure about the cost of the iPhone way back in 2007 (thanks Pete for the reminder!). Though officially it was advertised as a holiday promotion, and a new iPhone was due out only 5 months later, the important thing to take from this is that early adopters got a $100 rebate, but only after they kicked up a fuss like a squeaky wheel with rusty hinges. That seems (to me at least) have been what has happened in the recent iPhone 4-gate.
From all accounts (i.e. the three people I spoke to at the recent Edinburgh Coffee Morning Beer Evening who had an iPhone 4 to hand) the problem really is over estimated. Not one had anything bad to say about the shiny new device (it was indeed shiny and very pretty). Which begs the question why all the recent hub-bub about the lack of phone in the new iPhone? A hub-bub which resulted in £6.5 billion get wiped off the brand’s value, might I remind.
Here are my thoughts on the situation
1) a problem does exist but people’s expectations of Apple products is to such a standard now that if something doesn’t work 100%, it gets ravaged.
2) It’s an iPhone – the clue is in the name. It’s a phone first and if a phone doesn’t work as it should, for whatever reason, it deserves to get ravaged. In fact US consumer magazine, Consumer Reports, has come out and said it can’t recommend the iPhone. Incidentally, Consumer Reports says it still can’t recommend the product even after Jobs & co have said they will send out bumper cases to help alleviate the signal problem – here’s why.
3) Personally I think the hub-bub massive has a point. As the above link to Apple’s earlier adverts efforts have shown, Apple wasn’t always the coolest binary unit on the block. They’ve come a long way in the branding department. Unfortunately, their PR department is still in solitary confinement (probably for talking too much).
Here are the facts: the iPhone 4 was launched on the 24th of June (UK), with a known issue. When this known issue began to gain traction on the interwebs, Mr Jobs said “it’s a problem that “affects “a very small number of users,” and that the issue can be avoided by not touching the phone in that area” (Consumer Reports). Not a particularly conciliatory tone by anyone’s standards. Now they’ve fully acknowledged there’s a problem and that it should be up to them to fix it. But only until September and they can’t guarantee refunds for people who have tried to fix the issue themselves (i.e. by buying a case themselves – not attaching another antenna to their heads). What’s more, this has taken them until the 16th of July to admit this. However, anyone who’s worked with an Apple for any length of time (this was my first expirience of a mac) knows that User Friendliness came in to the game pretty late on. With that in mind, this statement, which came out almost 4 weeks later, is kind of ‘on message’ for the Apple corporation.
Apple has survived the binary school playground and come out as the geeky kid turned cool. Where PCs won people’s hearts for their ease of use, Macs are now winning their hearts for their design (and damn good branding and advertising campaigns). I just wonder how long people will continue to harbour this ‘unreasonable love’. If Apple aren’t more proactive with their attempts to talk to the lil’ people, they may find themselves sitting alone at lunch time once more.
Personally, I’m relieved I don’t have to choose 1 avatar that sums me up forever and ever, Amen. Also, a couple of links to pretty neat photo editing web sites.
Enjoy!
Lara
PS Did I just say neat?
via WebWorkerDaily
Bellwether Report
Posted on: July 12, 2010
- In: PR
- Leave a Comment
Bellwether = Goat with Bell
The latest Bellwether report from IPA/BDO has shown that PR has not escaped a down size in budget for Q2. PR has suffered in Q2 budgets alongside all main categories in the Bellwether report with direct marketing and internet being the only exceptions. This down turn in budget follows the slight upturn in Q1 and is representative of a fragile UK economy.
“The downward revision to marketing budget in the second quarter is disappointing as it fails to build on the return to growth seen earlier in the year and highlights the fragility of the UK economic recovery,” report author Chris Williamson remarked. “Companies are exercising increased caution in their expenditure in the face of likely slower economic growth in the second half of the year. However it is encouraging to see that marketing spend is still set to increase for the year as a whole compared to 2009, albeit to a lesser extent than signalled in the first quarter.”
PRCA chief executive Francie Ingham said PR professional should retain a sense of perspective when looking at the latest results because the PR sector is not looked at in depth.
“Our own quarterly tracking will be out within the next ten days, and should add more PR-centric market intelligence. Before then, it’s much too soon to be talking about a PR double dip”
In related news, WPP Chief executive, Sir Martin Sorrell, discusses about the PR industry: http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1015425/TV-radio-newspapers-shares-drop-favour-PR-PA-says-Sorrell/
In quite unrelated news, the term bellwether refers to anything that predicts future occurrences. The term is from Middle English and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram (aka a wether) leading its flock of sheep. The movements of the flock could be noted by hearing the bell before the flock was in sight. So now you know!
Yahoo! creates UpShot
Posted on: July 12, 2010
In Yahoo!’s own words;
“So what the heck is The Upshot? Eight people, six reporters and two editors, working each day to tell you what’s happening in the world with short bursts of reporting and analysis…Our goal is to be blunt narrators of the day’s news, to cut through the noise and misinformation and get to the heart of what’s important and why.”
Seeking to differentiate itself from Google, Yahoo! sees its strength as providing relevant, interesting and entertaining content to its community. Yahoo! wants to move away from being a search provider to a content provider and The UpShot is the first concentrated effort in delivering this service.
How will this work? News articles will be picked up by the UpShot team by monitoring what search terms are trending (popular), so in effect their news stories will be generated from users searches. Where the difference will show is ‘the human factor’ of the UpShot team, which to me, reads that essentially, Yahoo! are offering their own journalist service.
But why? The idea behind this is that concentrated yet popular news will deliver concentrated news readers. This in turn means more targeted marketing and advertising and hopefully more revenue.
With it only being launched on the 6th of July, we’re still in early days yet. Personally I think this could work as it capitalises on Yahoo!’s personal touch and community feel. These are areas that Google has had trouble in creating as evidenced with their failures in Orkut, Buzz and even Google Wave.
Only time will tell!
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As the din of vuvuzelas subsides, the repercussions of this years’ World Cup are stronger for some than others. Most notably, the Nigerian football team who were originally banned from playing any international football for two years by the country’s president Goodluck Jonathan.
This ban has been rescinded following a campaign which included former Nigerian presidents, FIFA officials and over two thousand comments on Goodluck Jonathan’s facebook page. Last week, he posted:
“I read your comments and took them into account in the government’s decision to rescind the suspension of Nigeria from International Football. I had a meeting with the NFF today and conveyed my disappointment and those of Nigerians on this page and received assurances that there will be positive changes which will be institutionalized to make for a better team and better preparations for future events. To Suleiman Musa, Nwanze Francis Uchenna and Ifade Udunayo Peter and the hundreds of Nigerians who appealed to me on this page, I have listened to your voices and those of others and we must now work together to make sure that the NFF and our players do us proud in future events. GEJ”
However, I suspect the fact that FIFA threatened to expel Nigeria if the government interfered with the team may have had more an affect that the Facebook petitions. Still, nice bit of PR for Goodluck thanks to Facebook.
Goodluck Jonathan’s not the only one using Facebook to speak to ‘the little people’. Closer to home, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been in talks with Prime Minister David Cameron about polling users to solicit their opinions regarding the downsizing of the state.
Facebook has developed a Spending Challenge Channel specifically for the initiative, which functions as an extension of the pre-election Democracy UK pages already in existence. Users will be able to make suggestions regarding the budget directly to the government ahead of the spending review.
Chancellor George Osbourne: “You pay the taxes that fund our public services, so you should also have a say on how we improve public services.”
The opposition Labour Party has maintained that the cuts are based on ideology rather than economics.
See a YouTube video of Cameron and Zuckerberg pat themselves on the back here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Bbzi7s1Ko
Lara's Log 
