But how do they stand out in such a cluttered marketing environment, especially in the digital space, which is increasingly becoming the go-to travel resource? One of our strategists provided some very valuable tips on how to do just that in this month’s issue of Food & Drink Digital.

The key pearl of wisdom? Brands need to embrace the premise of ‘Value Exchange’—that is, brands need to provide something of value to consumers in order to build a deeper, meaningful relationship—one where the consumer in return will pledge their loyalty, advocate the brand to their personal networks and importantly purchase or engage with the brand’s products.

This idea of a Brand Value Exchange is something we’re very passionate about here at AgencyNet, so make sure you check out the rest of the article here.

What other travel brands do you think are doing a good job of this?

Photo credit: Food & Drink Digital

The end of remotes, the end of the cable box, and end of “dumb” one way video boxes… TV is about to reinvent itself. And it’s already happening.

Television hardware is currently experiencing a wave of innovation. Soon, people will be interacting with their TVs in more robust, interactive ways leveraging the capabilities of apps and new gadgets that promise to change the role of America’s living room staple.

We’ve broken down the key trends that will shape the future of television in the next few years.

TV and Computing Finally Combine

Televisions are about to start acting a lot more like computers.

As with smartphones, apps will be key.  While there are several app platforms already in place from the major set manufactures, the user behavior surrounding apps on TV has yet to be established. Consumers have yet to see the benefits of using apps on their TV’s.

However, a major push from television and device manufacturers aims to change this. Leading the charge are the game consoles.

This past fall, Xbox overhauled their interface to support apps. With this modification Xbox is bringing apps to a massive audience and helping consumers get comfortable with the idea of apps on their televisions.

The current Xbox dashboard allows for video streaming popular sites like Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu. Deals with several cable providers (including Comcast Xfinity and ATT U-Verse) allow users to watch TV through the console itself. Ultimately this could eliminate the need for a cable box altogether.

Xbox Dashboard

It’s been rumored that Nintendo’s upcoming console, Wii U, will also have an integrated app store that will offer a wider variety of apps beyond games and basic utilities.

Nintendo’s Wii U

It’s not just game consoles that are jumping on the app bandwagon. Internet-enabled TV’s are also growing in popularity and come conveniently preloaded with apps.  For instance, Sony TVs offers the Android-powered Google TV suite that connects users with the same list of services as Xbox in addition to the Android Marketplace. However, Sony has stopped production on this TV due to lack of sales and has instead dedicated it time to bringing a Google TV 2.0 version update to its current iterations.

Android Market

Despite Sony’s bad luck, sales for Internet-connected TVs are projected to grow 30% annually over the next three years (DisplaySearch). Not to be left behind LG (NetCast), Samsung (Internet@TV), and Panasonic (Viera Cast) have all put out similar products.

It’s safe to say the TV is evolving into a robust computing platform, but how will we interact with it?

Say Goodbye To Your Remote

It’s clear that the classic dial pad remote is not up to the task of dealing with the next generation of multi-media apps and interactions. Thankfully, there are a lot of companies working hard to redefine the way we interact with our television sets.

User centric design is at the heart of the recent influx of universal remote controls. The Griffin Beacon, the Philips Prestigo SRT8215, VooMote Zapper, and the Peel Smart Remote are all looking to simplify the living room multimedia experience.  If manufacturer’s have their way, you’ll no longer need 5 different remotes on your coffee table, just one to rule them all.  And it’s not even a remote… it’s a smartphone.

The Yves Behar designed Peel Smart Remote in particular is a beautifully crafted device that mimics the shape of a pear. This uniquely designed gadget began development as a glorified TV guide but wound up as a multi-device remote control that can not only control all your devices, but can actually help you find new things to watch.

Peel Smart Remote

Along with the free app, Peel allows users to control their entire entertainment system from their iPhone or iPad. Once the app launches the Peel fruit helps to aggregate television programs and makes recommendations based on what the user records. It also allows the user to post what they are watching on Facebook making the TV viewing experience social.

There are many new devices that are changing how we interact with our television sets; but will consumers be comfortable with all this change?  Don’t we love our TV’s just the way they are?

Apple Changes the Game Again

While Microsoft and other tech companies have taken the initiative to start the process, Apple will be the one that truly brings the promise of connected TV to life.

When Apple tosses their hat into the ring the whole game changes. The release of the Apple iTV (the name has yet to be released) will set the bar for the future of television.  Not only will Apple set the high water mark for the user interface, but they are sure to bring their incredible army of app developers to the television platform. The large influx of developers are sure to find ways to surprise and delight consumers with a range of functionality no one has even thought of yet.

Apple iTV

The Apple iTV promises to be an all-encompassing hub for our digital lives. Now, I am skeptical that a TV will replace our computers all together. However, I am sure that Apple will be a dominant force in consumer adoption. So who knows what will inevitably happen?

With add-on’s like voice recognition (similar to Siri on the iPhone 4S), Kinect-like features, and remote-less capabilities people will undoubtedly undergo a whole new viewing experience with the iTV. Users will be able to surf the web, get program recommendations, and share what they’re watching easily with their friends all without the use of a keyboard.

In short, Apple will continue to do what they do best: package technology into easy to use, inviting packages and show us how all this innovation is relevant to our lives.  The brand will do wonders to put consumers at ease in the midst of all this change.

Predicting the future is always a tricky business and certainly we’ve seen similar predictions for connected TVs before.  But 2012 is the year.  Disagree?  Share your vision for the future of television below.

Photo credit

To celebrate we have launched happybirthdayjustinbieber.com, a platform where fans can tweet or post the official message and then send their own personal birthday messages to help give Justin a very special present that only they can give: a Guinness World Record!

The site has now gone live and is urging fans worldwide to join forces to break a Guinness World Record within the next 24 hours for ‘Most Social Media Messages Within 24 Hours’—by tweeting, retweeting, or posting this official message to Facebook:

Please RT: Setting a world record for @justinbieber! #leggo http://bit.ly/jb18th

The  site features a real-time counter showing progress towards the world record, as well as a countdown clock to midnight (accurate across all global time zones). The site will reward fans for participating with exclusive badges unlocked by their involvement (custom Facebook cover photo, custom Facebook achievement and custom graphic badge download), designed to create an additional social sharing ripple beyond the site experience itself.

To participate in the Guinness World Records® attempt, head to happybirthdayjustinbieber.com now to send out the official message for Justin and follow the prompts. Please note the record attempt will take place for 24 hours between 12:00am (EST) through to 11.59pm (EST) on March 1st , 2012 only.

Follow along for the latest Justin Bieber Birthday Guinness World Records® attempt news via Twitter: @JBWorldRecord

Fans will be driven to HappyBirthdayJustinBieber.com on March 1st, where they’ll be encouraged to participate in a Guiness World Record™ attempt for ‘Most Social Media Messages Within 24 Hours’—by tweeting or posting to Facebook the specific message that will be provided on March 1st (target of 209,772 to break the existing record).

Our CEO, Richard Lent notes:

Justin has always been all about his fans, and there’s no question his 18^th birthday is a landmark occasion. What better way to let his fans celebrate with him than to actually give him a World Record? This initiative is all about empowering his fans to continue being a part of the Justin Bieber story. With a firm grasp of the ‘new’ consumer and ‘new’ channels, we realized that we could tap into the cultural zeitgeist and do something truly collaborative and powerful.

A teaser page is now live, featuring a countdown clock (accurate across all global time zones) building anticipation for the big day. Fans can currently RSVP for the social media event on Facebook and share the page via Twitter, Facebook Like, Facebook Send and Google +1. Beginning at 12:00am (EST) Thursday, March 1^st, the countdown clock will be replaced with the record-tallying site itself.

Once the campaign is live, fans will be provided with the specific social media message to share on March 1st via HappyBirthdayJustinBieber.com, Twitter or by posting to Facebook anytime during the 24-hour period from 12.00am (EST) to 11.59pm (EST).

The site will also reward fans for participating with exclusive badges unlocked by their involvement (custom Facebook cover photo, custom Facebook achievement and custom graphic badge download), designed to create an additional social sharing ripple beyond the site experience itself.

Follow along for the latest Justin Bieber Birthday Guinness World Record attempt news via Twitter: @JBWorldRecord

The health industry is poised to be next in the ever-growing list of industrial sectors to be transformed by digital technology.

Already there are electronic medical records, EKGs for smartphones, personal trainer apps, and calorie counters galore! But innovation in health care is booming as innovators launch applications and technologies that make health care more convenient, efficient, and affordable. Here are some of the key trends we see shaping up in the space.

1. Weight loss plans go digital.

Many of us are already familiar with the plethora of apps that promise to give us a healthier lifestyle. Motivational weight loss apps and calorie counters are in no short supply. Take, for example, Skimble’s Workout Trainer app that allows the user to follow along to professional workout routines using their mobile, iPad, or Apple TV.

Workout Trainer App

Fitbit, the new Nike+ Fuel Band, and Up by Jawbone are also capitalizing on this movement. All three devices monitor consumers’ energy and activity levels and upload the findings to their mobile device. The mobile apps help users keep track of the findings over time, inspiring people to live healthier lifestyles.

Nike+ Fuel Band

PlateMate is an app that crowd sources nutritional information and determines the caloric value of the user’s meal from a simple photo. While apps of this fashion are exciting in their own right, there have been advances far beyond eating right.

PlateMate

2. Health monitoring goes full time.

Weight loss apps aside− there are many, potentially less known, applications that have the ability to transform the way we communicate with our doctors and how care is provided. AirStrip Patient Monitoring is one example of what is possible because of digital. The app takes the real time information from a patient’s monitoring system and sends it directly to a physician’s mobile; thus allowing them to check on the patient’s vital signs and blood pressure remotely.

AirStrip Patient Monitoring

Another invention that makes checking on your health a little easier is the home blood pressure tool from Withings. The device easily hooks up to the user’s iPhone or iPad and measures their systole and diastole blood pressure, as well as their heart rate. The app keeps track of the measurements so that the user can follow their progress over time and get advice and answers as if they were talking directly to their doctor.

Home blood pressure tool from Withings.

3. Doctors diagnose, Consumers collect.

Dailel Kraft, in his TED talk this past April, offered some insight into the next few years of innovation in the digital health care industry. According to him, apps will soon bring a doctor’s diagnosis directly to the patient without the need to visit the office. To understand how this might work, take the example of CellScope, a device that can turn a smartphone into a high-quality otoscope. With CellScope, parents and doctors can not only see, but also create and share a digital visual history of a child’s ear without ever leaving the home; thus helping to detect and diagnose infections early.

Could iPhones eventually replace physician otoscopes?

Like CellScope, many devices currently in production will almost eliminate the need for patients to visit their healthcare providers. Scanadu, a startup company, has already begun work on a device that can diagnose different diseases and infections right at home. This handheld device is modeled after the medical tricorder from the Star Trek universe! The device will be able to accurately diagnose without the use of samples or contact with the patient. Scanadu isn’t alone, however, in their quest to create this incredible device. The Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize is dangling a $10 million purse to the inventor who first brings the Star Trek tricorder to life.

We might still be a few years away from owning our very own tricorder, but remote health care is a big business, and there they are already many noteworthy gadgets. Like this wireless glucose meter that made it all the way to the semi-finals at the CES 2012 “Last Gadget Standing” event. The glucose meter records the user’s glucose level and then sends these results to a secure online database where the user, family members, and physicians can all access them.

Glucose Meter

The issue for many of these new technologies is getting FDA approval, which is slowing the adoption of new ideas. Despite this barrier to entry, the digital medical revolution is just getting started, and we’ll continue to see options for people in their quest for a healthy lifestyle.

The Internet went on strike last Wednesday over two controversial proposed pieces of legislation know as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA), respectively. Big names like Wikipedia, Google, WordPress, FunnyOrDie and Reddit worked together to lead an online movement to educate and inform the public. Countless other high profile websites protested the bill by blocking or restricting their sites to some degree.

Other concerned citizens sent out rallying cries to their peers via Twitter and Facebook to take action. Even Mark Zuckerberg saw reason to speak out against the bill stating:

“The Internet is the most powerful tool we have for creating a more open and connected world. We can’t let poorly thought out laws get in the way of the Internet’s development. Facebook opposes SOPA and PIPA, and we will continue to oppose any laws that will hurt the Internet.”

As a result of this online movement SOPA was shelved and the Internet rejoiced!

The SOPA victory is just the latest in a string of digitally fueled political protests that have literally shaped the course of nations. In just the past three years, social media helped fuel revolutions in both Egypt and Tunisia, countered brutal voter suppression in Kenya, changed the face of gender equality in India, and sparked deadly riots in the United Kingdom.

Activists in each of these counties used the power of digital to create awareness and spur action. Many Tunisians used Facebook to constantly upload videos of street demonstrations and ‘alleged’ gruesome police brutality. Twitter enabled people to express their frustrations and give important updates worldwide.

The “Pink Chaddi Campaign” (aka Pink Panty Protest) was launched when Nisha Susan created a Facebook group to help fight against gender inequality in India. That group acquired more than 15,000 members in the first few days and over 48,000 people participated in the movement!

In 2008, rioting was rampant across Kenya because many citizens believed that the presidential elections were rigged. There was increasing confusion and insecurity throughout the country because of a government-imposed media blackout. The Ushahidi Platform (Ushahidi meaning “witness”) was created to fill the void left by the media. The platform allowed individuals to report on incidents of violence; as well as identify places that needed aid. 45,000 citizens actively participated and their combined efforts had remarkable results.

In each situation, the formula was remarkably similar.  Despite the efforts of more powerful parties (governments, corporations, police, and establishment groups) activists were able to leverage digital to create mass awareness and spur organized action. Tools like Twitter, Skype, BlackBerry Messenger, and Facebook made organized resistance possible in a way that was not possible prior to the World Wide Web.

It’s hard to deny the central role played by the Internet savvy people in each of these situations. Digital is able to make a far greater impact than any other medium because it has the ability to easily connect individuals while resisting the control of any one party or interest. This, of course, is exactly what opponents of SOPA fought to perserve.

It’s been a week since SOPA was shelved and I’m sure we haven’t heard the end of it quite yet. But I can only think that our future is bright so long as we have the power of digital behind us.

I couldn’t be happier with my iPhone 4S and my MacBook Pro.  So before the Apple fanboys start flaming me, let me assure you: I’m one of you.

That said, Apple’s policy that “apps can read or play approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content,” is busted.  The policy stems from the fact that Apple claims a 30% cut of all transactions conducted through their payment system… now the only payment system in town.

The latest victim of this practice is Match.com who, last week, had their app pulled from the App Store because it “allowed the lonely to pay for Match subscriptions with a credit card through an external link rather than using the in-app purchases system.”  Apple was pissed it didn’t get their 30% cut, so it had the app pulled in accordance with App Store policy.

Apple’s stance on their popular App Store has long been “our store, our rules.”  Developers and brands hoping to have their wares stocked on Apple’s virtual shelves must play by those rules or risk having their product pulled.  It makes sense if you think of the App Store as a brick and mortar marketplace.  Certainly, Best Buy can choose what it will and won’t carry – that’s their prerogative.  If you don’t like it, stock your product somewhere else.

Except, in the case of iOS, which generates over 60% of mobile traffic, there is no “somewhere else.”  The only code that can run on the device is approved and sold through the App Store.

This means, Apple’s argument boils down to the fact that Apple deserves 30% of all commerce that runs through its hardware!

This is akin to Dell claiming rights to 30% of commerce conducted through its laptops or HP claiming 30% of all contracts printed on their printers.  It’s absurd.  And it’s bad for consumers.

Consumers, who thought they bought into the biggest, most advanced mobile app ecosystem in the world, are paying the price.  They’re paying it by way of less innovation and opportunity in the marketplace.  Brands are hesitant to launch ecommerce platforms through the iPhone because they don’t want to lose 30% of their sales.  They either don’t launch apps, launch crippled apps, or mark up prices to compensate.

As a marketer in the digital space, anything that’s bad for consumers and bad for innovation is a big frowny face in my book.  Unfortunately, I don’t see this being resolved any time soon.  Lawsuits will undoubtedly last decades (and by then the industry will have moved on) or Congress would need to invoke the Commerce Clause and do some regulating (don’t hold your breath.)

So in the meantime, we can only just make some noise and hope Apple does the right thing here.

I love Apple.  But I hate this practice.

With the year coming to an end, I decided to make a few digital trend predictions for next year:

ROI will not be the sole focus

Finally, agencies will not be held accountable for only bottom line ROI. More brand marketers will be looking to agencies to increase visibility, engagement and brand affinity, not just sales. New important metrics will not be static independent numbers like Facebook likes, ROI, Twitter followers, etc., instead we will use an algorithmic cocktail of weighted social and sales metrics.

Google will get smarter, SEO will become less relevant

When SEO works, Google has failed. Search is a huge part of media plans, but that just increases visibility. Google is known for getting consumers what they want organically, not what someone with SEO software optimizes for. Google will continue to update its algorithm to include more personal and social data to serve more accurate results based on interest, less so on keyword optimization.

The purpose of mobile websites will be defined

The majority of mobile sites are built for easy browsing (and most look like crap). Designing for mobility will be more important going forward. What does this mean? Mobile sites will not be mini versions or tab-browsing versions of .com websites. They will have a specific purpose in the marketing system that is different than the main website. Designing for mobility means designing for context, utility, and purpose.

Agencies will be more responsible for content

Commercials suck. Content rules. Branded content will become more important and will ultimately be what agencies get paid the big bucks to do. Short content and social experiences can only be so engaging. Longer content to engage with and share will become more important.

Alright, time to sit back, relax, and see if these take place!

And it’s no longer restricted to pre-pubescent teenage boys. For example, Zynga’s newest game, Castleville peaked at 5 million players in less than a week. And 68% of its users play it at least twice a day.Whatever your end marketing goal, gamification can help you achieve it. Here are two ways AgencyNet has applied gamification successfully for their brands.

1. Achieve end user action desired.

For its 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards, Nickelodeon wanted its core audience – typically averse to voting – to cast votes for the 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards nominees.

So, we turned the act of voting into a game.

The insight was that teenagers may not like to vote, but they love to play pranks on their friends. So why not take pranking onto their social networks, by letting them slime their friends with Nickelodeon’s trademark slime.  Users earned slime for every engagement with the KCA 2011 app and cast over 14 million votes, far more than we or Nickelodeon expected!

Read the full case study here.

2. Heighten awareness of product

We applied game mechanics to Rihanna’s latest album launch with immense success.

Rihanna:Unlocked is Facebook initiative that rewards users who complete fan missions with fresh, exclusive content. In gaming terms, we used “challenges” to encourage gameplay – users had to complete a fam mission in order to access new content and the next fan mission. This is similar to a user advancing to the next level in a SuperMario  game.

Furthermore, every challenge unlocked “currencies” (or incentives to keep playing the game) in the form of Rihanna content like album art, a new music video etc.

Read more about Rihanna:Unlocked here.

It’s not just what you make, but how you make it.

The future is green.

With “Climate-gate” debunked and the Occupy protests still going strong, it is more important than ever that brands and companies behave as good corporate citizens.  This means transparently adhering to rigorous environmental, labor, social and manufacturing standards.

Every year, Ceres, a non-profit coalition that addresses business sustainability challenges, assesses sustainability reports from companies around the globe to help each take realistic stock of their performance in the past year and set goals for the future.

Last year, we helped Anvil Knitwear submit their first ever report.  That effort was recognized at the Ceres Conference as the “Best First Time Report” of 2010.   This year, we helped them publish an update that shows off their strides towards greater sustainability.

We broke the report into two sites.  A slickly produced executive summary that offers a top line look into Anvil’s progress and the full report for the serious Sustainability enthusiasts out there.

We’re glad to work for brands that take their responsibility so seriously.

View the Executive Summary

View the Full Report