Browser Wars – IE and Chrome at it again
Posted by: Reggie James On Monday, October 12th, 2009 - General
It has transpired recently that Google, through its Chrome browser, has been piggy backing off Microsoft’s IE platform for market share in the ongoing battle of the browsers.
Though these companies make no money from browsers, they are the essential gateway to the internet. Currently Microsoft has market share with the runners and riders standing as:
- Internet Explorer 65.7 per cent of users
- Mozilla’s Firefox, with 23.8 per cent
- Apple’s Safari 4.2 per cent
- Google’s Chrome 3.2 per cent
In essence, Google has created what some people believe to be a stealth based plug-in that allows IE users to download the plug-in with the IE browser, claiming that by doing so web pages load quicker and you can have access to a wider array of software applications.
Microsoft, who has already had their fingers burnt with antitrust court cases, is cautious on attacking Google directly and says that by downloading the plug-in the user is open to security risks – which Google denies.
Is this VHS v Betamax? Time will tell.
Will new Windows Phone advert for Windows Mobile 6.5, kick start a new era at Microsoft
Posted by: Reggie James On Monday, October 12th, 2009 - General
| Marketing
Never underestimate the power of marketing. Microsoft of all companies is aware of pushing a product before anyone else and creating the de facto standard by which all must follow. The machine you are viewing this article on right now is more than likely running a Microsoft operating system, an OS that Microsoft pushed to put in every machine all those years ago and became the first choice for business and then the consumer – whether you liked it or not.
Times have certainly changed and though the route to market may be blurred at times, what is clear is that the mobile space is one in witch Microsoft must show more urgency.
Having been slow on the take up and growth of the internet, the Seattle based company doesn’t want to be seen to be napping and has pulled the stops out on interesting and dare I say engaging advert that is currently doing the rounds in the US.
The most interesting element of the spot is the inclusion Microsoft has made of all the various brands it once saw as a rival. This, to me, sees the company maturing to the brave new world of collaborative engagement and giving the customer what ‘they’ want as well as endearing Microsoft to its existing user base a little more.
Advertising aside, Microsoft have a big mountain to climb with most phone manufactures going with the more popular mobile OS systems out there. Symbian, Android, iPhone and Blackberry platforms will make sure that Microsoft’s ad agency has its work cut out
MTV to broadcast online-only show around 2009 Europe Music Awards
Posted by: Reggie James On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 - General
The move to exclusively broadcast online what were once de rigueur terrestrial television and then satellite TV shows, is being tested by the news that MTV are looking to to accompany the 2009 Europe Music Awards with an exclusive online show.
Though this is an accompaniment to the actual awards, MTW will no doubt watch with interest the uptake the internet medium will have for their brand and advertising partners. Called 2009 EMA: All Access, the show will be broadcast from the MTV EMA site.
On top of this MTV is also producing 2009 EMA: Red Carpet Show for its online audience.
Hot on the heels of the next England World Cup qualifier being exclusively online, it seems the maturity of the internet as a standalone broadcast medium, is beginning to develop.
The most interesting aspect of these last two announcements is how they will be perceived and interacted with the public. Will we see new social groupings hugging round laptop screens or parties where the event is secondary and in the background to a broader social gathering?
What is true, is that streaming on wireless and mobile devices will empower users to view when and where they want as opposed to being dictated to by where the box is – I think that’s called choice.
Either way, the proverbial line in the sand has been drawn and it seems that should the take up and feedback be positive enough, exclusive online broadcast could become a thing of the future – hope the people at the next Eurovision Song Contest are listening…
Google celebrates the barcode
Posted by: Reggie James On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 - General
| Search Engines
Invented by Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver, the first patent for the bar code was submitted, today in 1957.
According to the Washington Post, the barcode on the Google homepage is Code 128 encoded, which is a standard way of encoding ASCII character strings (ie. A-Z, a-z, 0-9, etc.) into a barcode.
Another and dare I say more striking of Google’s ongoing and innovative homepage logo designs.
WPP Stream – so what did we learn
Posted by: Reggie James On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 - General
Err, what…? I hear you say – what is WPP Stream?
OK, let’s start at the beginning. WPP is the largest marketing services group in the world run by their enigmatic chairman Sir Martin Sorrell. Now in its 3rd year, Stream is the annual event that brings together the greatest thinkers, strategists and bright young things in the world today. The conference (or un-conference) is free and by invitation only.
In Streams own words, “Stream is a digital unconference led by WPP Digital. Stream 09 will bring together two hundred of the brightest people from the creative, media and technology industries to discuss and debate ideas and opportunities in the areas of culture, innovation and the internet. Participants are invited for their ability to provide fresh thinking.”
So, what did we learn? Well, amongst the normal slant of money moving from traditional to digital, one key thing to come out of it seemed to be that generally, digital is still a direct response mechanism.
This was summed up by Simon Daglish, vice president commercial Fox Interactive Media, who said, “The point is that digital media is solely used as a direct response media and yet it is not very good at direct response. In fact response rates generally range from 0.01% to 0.1%. However, all the targeting is to those that click – so why are clients and agencies chasing the minority whilst ignoring the majority?
Simon was focusing on the display metric and I suspect not looking at the wider picture on social media engagement as search adverting which is still continuing to grow.
Obviously this is just a tiny snapshot of something that was conducted over 3 days in Athens. To get a better perspective, please see the excellent piece by, Emma Barnett, Technology and Digital Media Correspondent for the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/social-media/6265248/WPP-Stream-2009-A-glimpse-of-the-ultimate-un-conference.html
or see
http://stream.wpp.com/
Google appoints first UK marketing director
Posted by: Reggie James On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 - Marketing
| Search Engines
After years of building a business by possibly the best method possible – word of mouth, the ubiquitous search giant Google has decided to appoint its first marketing director for UK & Ireland.
As the company from Mountain View looks to start offering a wider array of services to compliment its search advertising business, the need for a dedicated marketer to position the brand into new waters is a sensible move as well as showing maturity by a company that many still see as a young gun.
Torsten Schuppe joings Google from from online auction company Ebay which he started at in February 2006 as head of internet marketing. Torsten’s role will November and his responsibilities will span marketing of the search business, Apps, Chrome and possibly other Google products recently launched.
Search Advertising continues to increase as Internet Advertising is down overall
Posted by: Reggie James On Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 - General
The semi annual report on the state of Internet advertising by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers has released.
Some findings:
Internet advertising overall declined in the first half of 2009 by 5.3% compared to the same period, coming in at $10.9 billion. Search Advertising however, continues to ride out the economic downturn by increasing 1.7% to $5.15 billion.
Commenting on the report, David Silverman, PwC Assurance partner said, “While the overall advertising market has continued to be impacted by current economic conditions, marketers are allocating more of their dollars to digital media for its accountability and because consumers are spending more of their leisure time online.”
Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB said, “We are in one of the most difficult economic slumps in decades. Interactive is one of the advertising sectors that has been least affected.”
He added, “In recent years the digital revolution has driven a transformation of how consumers experience advertising and media. As the economy improves, we’re confident that brands will devote an even greater share of their budgets to reaching consumers as they make interactive media a larger part of their lives.”
Digital Clarity to manage Paid Search for www.ukrainevengland.com website
Posted by: Tom Collinson On Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 - Digital Clarity
| Featured
Search & Digital Marketing agency, Digital Clarity will manage paid search activity for the website www.ukrainevengland.com which will be showing the Ukraine v England match on Saturday live.
Already creating news by the fact that this will be the first game streamed live online, the move is a major milestone for the broadcast of live England matches as well as an endorsement of the growth of the internet as a stand alone medium for major sports events.
The rights to distribute and market the game were made available after Setanta’s collapse and due to no TV broadcasters acquiring the game, Perform will be deliver the match over its platform on span title=”http://www.ukrainevengland.com/”>www.ukrainevengland.com and numerous partner ISP, publisher and betting sites.
For further information please contact:
Reggie James, Digital Clarity (reggie.james@digital-clarity.com) Tel: +44 (0)845 388 4071
James Hickman, Head of Marketing, Perform Group Tel: +44 (0) 208 484 0800
Digital Clarity UK to manage Paid Search for www.ukrainevengland.com website
Posted by: Tom Collinson On Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 - Press Releases
Search & Digital Marketing agency, Digital Clarity will manage paid search activity for the website www.ukrainevengland.com which will be showing the Ukraine v England match on Saturday live.
Already creating news by the fact that this will be the first game streamed live online, the move is a major milestone for the broadcast of live England matches as well as an endorsement of the growth of the internet as a stand alone medium for major sports events.
The rights to distribute and market the game were made available after Setanta’s collapse and due to no TV broadcasters acquiring the game, Perform will deliver the match over its platform on www.ukrainevengland.com and numerous partner ISP, publisher and betting sites.
For further information please contact:
Reggie James, Digital Clarity (reggie.james@digital-clarity.com) Tel: +44 (0)845 388 4071
James Hickman, Head of Marketing, Perform Group Tel: +44 (0) 208 484 0800
