MicroTransactions MacroImportance!

I haven’t seen this picked up anywhere, but this is rather huge when you think about the scope of this announcement: the iPhone 3.0 operating software is going to allow for microtransactions directly through it’s downloadble content (DLC). This seems to be rather overlooked by the blogosphere, but it starts to create a paradigm shift in mobile digitally distributed software (read: huge potential/opportunities for marketers).

Working on the BC SPCA’s Pawsitive Gifts Program

Back in October, the UBC Marketing Association hosted their annual Perfect Pitch ad competition. Every year, they partner up with a local not-for-profit company and host an advertising competition. For the BC SPCA, I was fortunate to be the winner of their 2008-2009 competition, so I figured I would take the time to highlight what my entry was all about.

Second Life listens to its users. Wake up Facebook!

There’s a lot of press right now about the new Facebook design changes, detailing their epic fight against Twitter to become the most relevant social networking platform for big corporations. History has shown us that initially, people are gonna lash out against Facebook about the changes. On the other spectrum, Second Life probably won’t get as much user complaints about a significantly bigger change to their social networking policy: They now plan to separate, identify, and warn about X-Rated Content (read: virtual intercourse)

Banner ads don’t have to suck

I’ve been a heavy user of the internet for over 15 years now. I’ve seen the evolution of online advertising from its infancy, and for the most part, it’s almost always sucked. Either it was just obtrusive, trying to get attention at any cost, or worse yet, it looked so exciting that it was too good to be true (and often was). I want to highlight two very excellent examples of what I think are great online banner ads. We’re gonna look at two of my favourite companies in the world – Nintendo and Apple.

Crowdsourcing is THE Competitive Advantage

The idea of crowdsourcing is like outsourcing, but with your users. If you’re smart about it, you can leverage your crowd as a significant competitive advantage. I could easily use YouTube as an example of how their audience is a core component of what makes them as big as they are, arguably more so than anything else, but that example is obvious. I want two use two examples that may not be as relevant, and two products that are relatively brand new in their extremely competitive categories: the iPhone, and a game for the Playstation 3 called Little Big Planet.

When opportunity knocks, blow the door open

I love hearing about stories like these – people faced in ordinary situations, and innovating and out-thinking to solve the problem, rather than throwing hurdles of money at it. Case in point: a Dutch coffee-shop was realizing that people came in to use their internet, rather than purchasing food and drinks – a problem that faces many coffee shops and Internet cafe’s around the world. What’d they do? They decided to change the wireless router every half hour, and named the network with a deal, special, or reminder to purchase food.
Examples – “HaveYouTriedTheCarrotCake?”, “BuyCoffeeForCuteGirlOverThere?“, “TodaysSpecialEspresso1,60Euro”

February in Review

Porn, Mentos, Twitter, and Fireworks. Need I say more?

Can SaveTheFireworks save the fireworks?

A few weeks ago, people in Vancouver found out that we wouldn’t be given our annual Celebration of Light festival – a four-night fireworks festival put forth over 2 weeks. I wasn’t surprised at all when I saw the Facebook groups popping up, encouraging people to save the fireworks if x thousand people join, or this site – SaveTheFireworks.ca. The thing is, whether or not they’re successful in raising the $100,000 that they’re trying to, the company behind this will still come out on top.

Twitter Bird & NBC Peacock Work Well Together

Often, I’ll see an article about how Twitter’s the next big thing. Then I’ll realize it’s from a marketing blog. Then I’ll see another article… and realize that too is from a marketing blog. I swear, Twitter is a great tool for businesses and marketing/business types, but I don’t think that the average person clearly sees how it’s any different from a Facebook status message. For the first few weeks I had Twitter, I was convinced that I’ll probably stop using it in about 2 weeks… now I’m not so sure.

Stupid commercials that worked on me

There are two commercials that are both really stupid, and really effective. The first is the old school Mentos commercials that I’m such a huge fan of. I think they’re so funny, so stupid, and I’d almost look forward to seeing them on TV just to have a guaranteed laugh. The second example is a commercial for Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. I hate this commercial. It’s stupid, grotesque, and it makes me vomit. The weird thing is though, I almost always have both a pack of Mentos and a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce in my house. I wonder why that is.