TheNewMarketing

Evans, Schmidt, Murdoch: the content stars are aligned

Peter Springett — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:22:00 GMT

You can always count on Harold Evans for a smart take on the current state of journalism and content.

Currently doing the rounds promoting his autobiography, the former London Times editor was cautiously optimistic about the future of journalism when speaking on the BBC yesterday: "Smaller newspaper circulations and a very vigorous web," was his assessment.

Also standing up for traditional journalism (if not newspapers) this weekend was Eric Schmidt. Speaking to Search Engine Land, the Google CEO said: "Well-funded, targeted, professionally managed, investigative journalism is a necessary precondition...to a functioning democracy."

And later: "Name a blogger who today has the kind of deep embedded reporting that a newspaper does."

Both Evans and Schmidt are speaking up at a time when more and more publications are getting onto the paid content bandwagon. As well as the WSJ, The Radio Times (UK TV listings), The Spectator (UK current affairs), and the Financial Times all offer subscription based mobile apps. The Guardian is lining up to do the same.

Meanwhile the London Times is offering something called Times+, a deal whereby readers can add on packages of print and online content to their existing subscription. It's all very reminiscent of banking, with content suppliers targeting a new class of high value customers. The New York Times is already on the way, with The Guardian (again) following behind.

Microsoft Courier. More than just eye-candy?

Peter Springett — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:36:00 GMT

What's the wow factor of Microsoft's Courier 'Tablet' prototype video?

From a marketing and perceptions standpoint it speaks volumes, especially compared with the secrecy surrounding Apple's long-awaited Tablet.

Courier is in line with the company's attempts to promote itself as a device maker (Xbox, Zune etc.). And it makes Microsoft appear open and visionary, without over committing. Although with its hinged dual-screen and stylus, Courier already differentiates itself from what we know about most other anticipated devices.

This announcement also steals a march on everyone else trying to shape the future of monetized content in a busy week: Google (Fast-Flip), News International (charging for WSJ on mobile) and Amazon ('Lost Symbol' Kindle sales matching hardback).

And it's got legs. Take a look at the demo and note how it cuts out suddenly at the end. If this isn't 'chapter 1' I don't know what is. Don't be surprised to see more clips in the coming weeks. We've had business today, so my money's on e-reader and then education.

(Disclosure: Microsoft is a client but not this division)

Tyranny of Twitter: herd instinct prevails

Steve — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:20:00 GMT

There have been various pieces of analysis put forward to debunk the view that the web increases diversity, and to put forward the contrary view that it limits choice by fostering the herd instinct.

Now, e-Marketer has a post - Twitter Power Users Solidify Dominance - suggesting that Twitter is dominated by a small number of A-list tweeters, and that this domination is self-perpetuating.

Apparently the top 0.1% of Twitterers grew their followers by 275%, the top 1% grew by 146% and the top 10% grew by 126%.

Data driven design? Analytics vs aesthetics?

Steve — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:17:00 GMT

Something else for marketers and especially designers to embrace - data driven design.

James Governor has a great analysis of the drivers behind Adobe's Omniture acquisition - Adobe Omniture: Data meets design. Here comes Google! if you are a marketer or a designer read it and understand how our world is changing.

US Govt announces its own AppStore

Steve — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:39:00 GMT

Looks like everyone needs a healthy developer ecosystem these days (except Skype). Yesterday, Vivek Kundra, CIO of the US Govt announced their very own AppStore for government cloud services, called Apps.gov.

Coverage here in the New York Times, and in Mr Kundra's own blog post.

Reminded me of a developer program we had specified and costed for the UK Govt. in considerable detail quite some years ago. We'd even started to feel optimistic about it proceeding, but then the government chose to invade Iraq and overnight all discretionary budget was redirected to bullets and bombs, not software.

Skype closes its developer program. What?

Steve — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:11:00 GMT

GigaOm reports Skype has closed its developer program: Skype Kills Extras and its Developer Ecosystem. Strange indeed.

We haven't needed to look closely at Skype's program but the comments with the story suggest it wasn't a happy place before this news.

We are seeing and meeting more and more technology companies, and increasingly also traditional media and retail organizations, who are getting the point about developer programs, something that tech companies have known for years. As I speak we are working on designing or running programs involving operating systems, mobile devices and enterprise apps.

Steve Ballmer said (probably at about 100 decibels) its: "developers, developers, developers". And if you don't like hearing it from Microsoft, then just ask Facebook or Apple.

As Skype exit the world of developer ecosystems, there is every likelihood they will be trampled underfoot by the crowd of companies rushing headlong into that arena.

Derren Brown: the biggest trick is yet to come

Peter Springett — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:33:00 GMT

Hey presto.

I love the way that the Derren Brown lottery trick illustrates how a single event can generate fast flowing real-time information that slowly crystalises into hard fact.

Here's how one of the biggest viral events of recent times has evolved so far.

1. Turbulence (Real time/near real time): Tens of thousands of comments, Tweets, status updates containing wonder, hope, slander and plenty of possible explanations.

2. Consensus (12 hours): Emergence of Facebook groups, Twitter streams and others that are gradually drawn to the split screen consensus, based on discussion and an element of ‘follow the leader’.

3. Explanation (24 hours): A static blog (although it does contain well-edited, embedded footage of the trick) explains how it was done.

4. Replication (48 hours): A short video clip replicates the trick in Cyriak’s front room.

5. Revelation (Eternity): To be confirmed. All really depends on explanation promised later this evening. Expect a repeat of (1) and (2) above.

The time lag between the original show and the explanation is critical. The real wonder is how Brown and Channel 4 have left enough space for people to fill in the gaps, and create an inescapable mass of viral content that will reach pretty much any online audience.

Disclaimer: Brown’s biggest trick will be to convince the world that there was more to this than a camera trick. If he manages that, I’ll be really impressed.

Social networks. Virtual goods. But real cash

Steve — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:10:00 GMT

On Wednesday the New York Times had a piece on the unlikely but multi-billion dollar market for purchasing virtual goods for real cash - Asian Social Networking Sites Profit from Virtual Money.

Yesterday the Guardian's Victor Keegan had a post - Is Virtual Boom our Industrial Revolution? - on the same subject.

Clearly, if the real economy is still scraping along the bottom of the curve, it may be best to look online for virtual salvation.

PRWeek, short lists Metia and GlobeOp for best PR campaign

Sam Howard — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:56:00 GMT

Seems the only time I blog is to brag. Perhaps they should be called brag posts, better than blag posts I guess.

We’ve been nominated for another, yes another award. This time PRWeek has shortlisted the Metia PR team and our client, GlobeOp for most effective PR campaign in financial services. This is already an award winning combo as the same team scooped the 2009 PRSA Big Apple Award for the most effective b2b PR campaign.

It’s enough to make some people blush – though not me – it’s a good job humility doesn’t come naturally.

Twitter continues to generate friction (still)

Steve — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:45:00 GMT

Venerable UK journalistic institution, John Humphrys caused a kerfuffle around making his first tweet today - here on the BBC web site.

UK Govt got slammed (wrongly) for reportedly appointing a Twitter Tzar - here the story put to rights by Charles Arthur.

My favourite comment about Twitter, recalled from memory, was from Stephen Fry, something along the lines of: 'its called Twitter, not Meaningful Debate'. The name and the 140 character limit, should give everyone some clues.

Elsewhere Milo at TechCrunch Europe highlights the curious leadership of the UK in Twitter use and early adoption. Why is that? There's something counter intuitive about supposedly buttoned up Brits tweeting day and night. Anyone have a theory?

Meet your journalist hero (the monetized version)

Peter Springett — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:11:00 GMT

Whether or not it's got long term viability as a business model, you have to admire the vision of the New York Times for offering readers the chance to take a course hosted by a celebrity writer, as reported at the Nieman Journalism Lab.

Courses cost up to $185 and can be attended in person or online. While the financial possibilities seem a little limited, it shows how publishers are starting to make better use of the community model.

A current recruitment advertisement for The Guardian (also posted on the Nieman Journalism Lab) also speaks volumes:
"Increasingly we believe our future resides at the centre of a community of engaged readers and users, whose relationship with us will be much closer and more involved. The Guardian Club will be our transformational next step in bringing these customers to the centre of our business, rewarding loyalty while growing our reach and revenues. We want members of the Club to feel that they are genuinely part of our organisation, and as close as it is possible to get to the editorial heart of our company."

I really like this because it shows that rather than bemoaning the rise and rise of blogging and citizen journalism, publishers are taking advantage of their marquee writers to reach out to readers and connect in both real and virtual worlds.

It also suggests another way in which newspapers will offer a series of pick and mix services from free (text only, advertisements, delayed delivery) to premium (real-time, advertisement free, multimedia) and everything inbetween.

Of course we're still waiting for a strong pool of e-readers and tablets to make this possible, but perhaps we'll see this diversification emerge around a sporting event in the next couple of years. Next year's soccer world cup is probably too early. Are the 2012 Olympics too late?

The Altimeter Group: Galacticos one and all

Steve — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:49:00 GMT

Great post from Jonny Bentwood here and again here on the allstar line up now gathered at Altimeter Group - love the description of the assembled luminaries as the Galacticos. Really hope that nickname sticks.

They are Charlene Li, Ray Wang, Jeremiah Owyang and Deborah Schultz.

It was always going to be hard for Charlene to refer to herself as a Group, with just the one employee, so now she has three partners, Galacticos one and all.

Altimeter aren't trying to pigeon hole themselves as an analyst firm, the term consulting is used and they distance themselves from competing directly with Forrester.

Selling consulting as a service is a tough gig though. Only so many hours in the day (and all those blogs and tweets to get done). And even at Galacticos day rates, one wonders whether the services model can be scaled to give them the leverage their massively high profiles should command. Interesting to see how it evolves.

For anyone involved in engaging 'influencers', well, yet more complications. Altimeter aren't an analyst firm or media or (exclusively) bloggers but are obviously critical influencers of buying decisions, both directly and indirectly, so need to be engaged. And, if Altimeter justify close engagement, then who else? Defining exactly 'who is what' consumes a lot of time among professionals in analyst relations and influence.

Increasingly in the world of influence, taxonomy, tiering and segmentation, just can't be bent around every evolutionary twist in the story and the players involved. My new answer is: trust me, they are influencers, Because They Are. It's as simple as that.

Success always has a price

Steve — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:13:00 GMT

Interesting post - and especially comments - on the issues with Apple's AppStore from Dave Weiss.

If you are building a developer community - or any kind of community for that matter - from a standing start, be aware that if you do manage to succeed, you will simply encounter different sorts of challenges.

Building communities

Steve — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:32:00 GMT

OK, not a real post just lazy linking, but well worth a look at Jeremiah's post on How to kick start a community.

Has Murdoch started a content gold rush?

Peter Springett — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:43:00 GMT

Rupert Murdoch has played with the idea of paid content for a while, but now it looks like News Corp is actually going ahead with the plan. Probably within the next 12 months, if yesterday’s analyst conference call is anything to go by. The company lost $3.4bn (£2bn) in the year to the end of June, which the chief executive said had been "the most difficult in recent history".

The response so far has been fairly sceptical. Commentators point out that while subscribers are willing to pay for the Wall Street Journal, for example, they do so not just because of what Murdoch calls ‘quality journalism’.

Instead they are attracted by daily, in-depth financial analysis, a customisable, personal portfolio, and up-to-the-minute market data. The WSJ works because it puts everything in one place.

So where does that leave The London Times and The Sun? In Murdoch’s words, the challenge is to "just make our content better and differentiate it from other people". Which means there’s still a lot of work to be done to make the current delivery model stand out. Murdoch did suggest that exclusive celebrity gossip could be a killer app of sorts. And perhaps well-executed sports coverage could do the same.

During the call he also asserted that News Corp was working with software and hardware developers, and other publishers to develop a model that works for consumers. Hardware? Back in May, News Corp said that it wasn’t an appliance maker. Although that doesn’t rule out a looser hardware partnership. Think Microsoft and HTC perhaps.

So here’s another take on the story. With profits plummeting, what News Corp fears most of all is an upstart IT industry dictating terms. That’s why Murdoch is sticking his head above the parapet now in an attempt to set the agenda and put Amazon, Apple, Twitter and others on notice that the news industry is about to bite back. The announcement will also inspire other publishers to ramp up their plans to charge for content.

And perhaps that’s the point. In the end we’re left to speculate on a publisher shedding profit by the millions, a commitment to transform online subscription models, and a cunning reference to a new technology platform. No precise details but enough of a smokescreen to get rival technologists and publishers into a cold sweat.

Now that’s what I call news.

Metia interviewed by Channel9 at Silverlight 3 launch in UK

Steve — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:52:00 GMT

Andrew recently presented at the UK launch of Silverlight 3. Looks like Microsoft's very excellent Channel9 were in attendance in the form of Mike Taulty, and grabbed a quick interview with Andrew and all the other speakers, here's the link.

UPDATED:

Here's a link to Jason Slater's take on the Silverlight and Expression 3 UK launch

Jeremiah vs Goliath

Steve — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:13:00 GMT

Interesting to see in this post from Carter Lusher that Jeremiah Owyang's estimable blog - Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang - gets more traffic than the whole of Gartner.com. Well, actually for that matter, more than the whole of Gartner.com and IDC.com combined. The key graph is here.

That doesn't, of course, equate to being an accurate measure of influence but does explain one reason why Gartner and IDC have been getting their social media acts together in recent months.

Meeting of the minds; Metia to host AR seminar in the Big Apple

Sam Howard — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:49:00 GMT

Never a dull moment for our Analyst Relations team, even during the dog days of summer. Following a series of successful AR seminars in London, we are hosting the next one in New York, designed for the East coast’s large community of financial technology vendors.

Taking place Thursday, August 6, at the Warwick Hotel in New York City, the breakfast seminar is focused on helping technology vendors capitalize on analyst relations. The seminar will share insight from the industry’s best and brightest on developing a winning analyst relations program which will help you stand apart from the competition.

We’ve got some experienced practitioners along to give you the inside track, including David Potterton, vice president of global research for Financial Insights and George Ravich, EVP and chief marketing officer for Fundtech. From our side, Tinne Teugels and Mark Provost, will moderate the event. Mark will lead a session highlighting key elements for a successful analyst relations program.

If you want to attend drop me a mail.

Apps, Tablets and the Future of Content

Peter Springett — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:55:00 GMT

Nobody anticipated the stunning success of the mobile app store. Not even Apple. The iPhone, by all accounts, is a pretty average voice device, while MMS has only just been added. Yet the app store, since its launch little more than a year ago, has already inspired RIM, Nokia and Microsoft to launch their own versions. That's an entire industry holding up its hands and howling 'no-brainer'.

It's also transforming the way that we consume content. Having had nothing less than an almightly kicking since the first news pages went online, it's hardly surprising that publishers are trying to get their retaliation in early this time round.

First of all the Editor of the London Financial Times, Lionel Barber, speaking in The Guardian , asserted that most online news organisations will be charging for content within a year. As if to back this up, the newspaper has launched a new mobile application, heavily trailed in this weekend's edition of the Financial Times, offering a subscription based service (three articles per month for non-subscribers). Other applications including The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph and Le Monde offer a reasonable selection of current and archived stories for free, although for how long is anyone's guess.

There's no doubt that apps add value to the mobile reading experience, while the new generation of netbooks, e-readers and tablet computers expected before the end of this year will further encourage readers to go electronic. Amazon may be offering painful terms to US newspapers who want to offer content via the Kindle, but in a year's time the market will be awash with portable devices and app-based readers that will break this market wide open.

Conclusions? The business models are getting as smart as the technology. Publishers have sniffed a half-chance of making some money from subscriptions at last. And with mobile devices finally catching up with the expectations of newspaper addicts, more and more of us will pay for highly personalised content, wirelessly updated in real time - this writer included.

Twitter: Three is the magic number

Peter Springett — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:45:00 GMT

Three important announcements from Twitter in the past 24 hours:

1. Rids its database of spammers. This was long overdue. Trending topics were hopelessly compromised, for example.

2. Launches 101 business page. A good guide to microblogging for the business community: 'how to' pages (check), case studies (check), benefits (check).

3. Announces new home page to be launched next week: Speaking to All Things Digital, Co-founder Biz Stone says: "We need to do a better job of explaining ourselves to people..."

It's clear that Twitter is more determined than ever to promote itself as a serious business/marketing/advertising platform. Why? It looks as if Stone and the Twitter team have passed up the latest opportunity to sell the business. By all accounts there was plenty of flirting at Sun Valley earlier this month, but Murdoch and others kept their wallets to themselves.

At the same time, Yahoo has revamped its home page and the much touted merger with Microsoft looks more likely than ever. We've also seen the demise of much-hyped start-ups such as Joost, while the big names behind Hulu are quietly smiling. There's a general sense that the old order is reasserting itself. No wonder Twitter is keener than ever to be taken seriously.

A quick word from our advertisers

Peter Springett — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:06:00 GMT

Just a couple of content snippets today around advertising.

Forrester predicts that interactive ad spending will double in the next five years. Sounds positive, but here's the catch - overall advertising budgets won't change that much. Meanwhile All Things Digital reports that the New York Times has posted Q2 results that include a near 32% fall in advertising, a figure that will send shivers down the spine of any print giant and any local newpaper - just in case any are still in circulation.

Yes, it's a mixed bag. And expect more results and opinions as the Q2 numbers fly over the Web. But there seems to be a shared idea here. Like swine flu and the economy, maybe the worst is over. Or perhaps things are still getting bad, just more slowly. Keep watching the tickers.

Charlene Li compares brand value and engagement

Steve — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:20:00 GMT

Charlene Li, now the sole employee of Altimeter Group, has produced a new report - free to download - correlating leading brands' level of engagement in social media and their value.

The report can be found here and explanatory post from Charlene here.

Metia, PageLife and SEAT

Steve — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:35:00 GMT

Our SEAT Exeo project has been written up as a Microsoft case study and put up onto microsoft.com, find it here.

Many thanks to the SEAT team for agreeing to share the highlights.

Tags: Seat, Exeo, Silverlight,Microsoft Advertising, Metia, PageLife,

Another day, another Twitter PR coup

Peter Springett — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:24:00 GMT

Who does Twitter's PR? Not a day goes by without another story linking the micro-blogging site with a major world event. Last month the Iranian election, this week the first weekend's taking for Bruno. Skipping over Michael Jackson, Torchwood, and (possibly) how Twitter helped fake the moon landings. Today, social media hacks from The Guardian get in on the act: http://tinyurl.com/n7wdge And they've managed to do something pretty remarkable - strip through the hype and still come up with an article that describes the origins of Twitter, what it's like to work at the company and how it might one day actually make some money. Stuart Jeffries and Laura Barton also chip in with some sharp observations on Twitter etiquette for new starters. Footnote 1: No, Twitter doesn't actually have a PR company. Not much need really. Footnote 2: Apologies for the Tiny URLs. My current browser doesn't support embedded links. It will be sorted next time. Footnote 3: Torchwood wasn't a really a major world event, but that's what happens when you spend too much time listening to the hype.

Reuters makes Handbook of Journalism available online

Steve — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:04:00 GMT

On the day that a storm breaks over the Guardian's allegations that the News of the World tapped hundreds of private phone conversations and paid over £1million in damages to keep the stories secret, Reuters is making its Handbook of Journalism available online.

The contrast between these two takes on journalistic integrity is extreme.

On the positive side, Reuters decision to share it's Handbook of Journalism is great news for anyone producing content for the web, whether for personal blogs or corporate web sites.

The handbook is useful to anyone new to content publishing online, who may not have progressed through any formal journalistic training. While today's millions of citizen 'journalists' can't realistically emulate Reuters standards - and many aspects are inapplicable to them - the handbook helps explain good and bad style, and has some useful sections such as Reporting from the internet.

Dean Wright, Reuters' Global Editor Ethics, Innovation and News Standards, posts the full story here.

Tags: Reuters, journalism, News of the World