Threeminds

ThreeMinds Weekly Digest 11.20.09

2009-11-20T14:04:50Z

What's Been Happening This Week? Brands + Social Media = A Happy Marriage? In the same week that Obama admits that he has never used Twitter, a study was released that shows that he's not the only one that doesn't get it. 50% of the Fortune100 twitter accounts have less than 500 followers, and many brands still view the service as another platform to push their "newsfeed". Despite the...

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Too Many Rules Around UGC Won't Get You Much UGC

2009-11-19T15:39:55Z

Brands are smart to encourage consumers to take photos using, wearing or consuming their products and share them. But how they do this is the key to getting good user-generated content.Burberry recently launched a new social photo site that asks customers to upload shots of them or a friend wearing one of their infamous trench coats. The aesthetics and user experience are beautiful. But it has...

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Is It Time for the Academy to Consider Video Games?

2009-11-18T13:46:09Z

Last week was a pretty big week for gamers. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 had record opening sales. It made $310 million in one day. I'll repeat that. It made $310 million in one day. Activision, the maker of Call of Duty franchise, attributes the success to the CoD brands uniquely engaging experience-a combination of compelling story line and rich cinematic feel. That was the second time last...

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Lose The Keyboard Shorthand

2009-11-17T13:05:52Z

image credit: quinn.anya / CC BY-SA 2.0My friend's father says that people who use a lot of swear words only do so because they have a limited vocabulary (a comment that has prompted my current attempt to stop swearing).I feel the same way about abbreviations. I can't abide an LOL, a j/k, or, especially, a ROFL LMAO when there are so many beautiful words you can use! I was thrilled by the...

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Spread Some Brand Love

2009-11-16T15:01:35Z

It's not hard to get consumers into the holiday spirit this time of year. Still, with all of stores vying for the same attention, it could be tough for brands to stay top of mind when it comes down to picking where you're actually going to shop.It's been two years since we've see a cast of pretty people dancing in Gap clothes to a catchy holiday jingle on television. Well, they're back -- this...

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Digital Experiences and the Balance of Sacred Things

2009-11-13T17:56:10Z

There are a few things I hold sacred... • honesty • convenience • privacy • chocolate (but that's not really relevant here) • and the right to experiential discovery What happens when technology pits these sacred things against one another? How can we have more control over what we're exposed to or how we're exposed? EXAMPLE 1: Take Google Maps Street View. GMSV is an invaluable tool for things...

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Our Attention Spans Are Killing One-On-One Time

2009-11-12T14:13:55Z

watching hypnotised on 12seconds.tv In days of yore, people wrote letters to one another to communicate. If you read Jane Austen novels, you'll know that it was all very proper and romantic. Then we got phones so we started talking instead. Bye bye letters.Not long after, we discovered email. Although we still use phones, email has become the primary mode of communication for many. It's...

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When Twitter Jumps the Shark

2009-11-11T14:34:06Z

The word is out. The Twitter account ShitMyDadSays is going to broadcast. And it's not the first Twitter sensation to land a TV show. In May, we reported that networks might be developing a series based on Twitter. And back in September it was announced that Texts From Last Night is being picked up by Fox.These account holders are selling out. I don't think their followers will follow them over...

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Esquire's Augmented Reality Issue: Going Beyond Digital Print

2009-11-10T17:48:35Z

This month, Esquire Magazine launched their anticipated Augmented Reality issue. The issue features an AR cover, where Robert Downey Jr. performs an intro and also a pitch for his upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie. In addition, there is other content, such as a fashion supplement where the weather changes based on the way the user tilts the magazine and the time of day they access the site. An...

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Boredom and Panic. Just an Error Message Away?

2009-11-09T12:20:58Z

Image credit: L'Enfant Terrible / CC BY-ND 2.0In the 1969 song "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" by Peter Sarstedt, the singer tells us of a woman who has everything a modern person could want - money, prestige, education, friends. But in the chorus, he deflates her by asking where she goes "when you're all alone in your bed?"Consumers - and those who market toward them - would do well to...

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Threeminds Bi-Weekly Digest

2009-11-06T14:13:57Z

Composition Index Trend (Source: comScore Media Metrix)Marta's off today, so I'm stepping in to bring you this week's digital happenings.Twitter's Getting Younger and Facebook is Getting OlderNot only has your Grandma probably posted on your Wall, those college student that have been on Facebook since it's inception are aging. Hence the median age of users is going up. And all those reports that...

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Media Watch: Twitter Beats Cable in Politics?

2009-11-05T16:44:19Z

In a piece by Michael Calderone & Daniel Libit on Politico.com, an argument is made that for this year's election cycle, cable and broadcast news had been usurped by (gasp) Twitter streams of influential political pros. And there's a major insight in this for any company looking to broaden its influence within its particular industry. From the article's top: Political junkie Mike Murphy...

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Socializers: A New Breed of Online Information Hunters

2009-11-04T13:44:53Z

18% of people start their search for new information online via social sites. It's one of those statistics that takes a minute to sink in, and then a whole bevy of new questions rolls out. We don't blink twice when people mention that they start their hunt for new information via search engines, or even portal sites. But is social media really starting to become the primary vehicle for content...

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Online Extroverts Love Mobile

2009-11-03T16:50:38Z

image credit: ianturton A prediction on the Harvard Business Review blog says one of the top social media trends for 2010 revolves around people turning to mobile to keep up with their social media hobby.What's Causing This Shift?We keep hearing (and seeing) that smartphone sales continue to climb. Author David Armano adds that "approximately 70 percent of organizations" are banning social...

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Will Paying With Your Cell Phone Stick This Time?

2009-11-02T14:41:03Z

image credit: wynlok RFID chip payment systems -- such as poll passes, subway cards, key chain tags you swipe at certain gas stations -- aren't anything new. Though Bling Nation hopes to market its branded chip sticker so that consumers can pay at checkouts with their cell phones. How It's Different1. You can leave your wallet at home. There's no integration with the mobile device at...

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Links for 2009-05-12 [del.icio.us]

2009-05-13T00:00:00-07:00

Did Microsoft Just Announce a Zune Phone on Twitter?
Mainly, it's the source of these rumors that bothers me. The info comes from a Twitter account that claims to be connected to Office 2010 The Movie, a Microsoft advertising page promoting the next version of MS Office.
Robot to create Facebook profile
Facebook could soon be helping bridge the divide between humans and robots. Researchers are giving a robot its own Facebook profile page to help foster meaningful relationships with people.
The Big-Screen Kindle: It's About Textbooks, Not Saving the Newspapers
According to a number of well-substantiated rumors, Amazon is set to debut a new, large-screen version of its Kindle eBook reader on Wednesday morning during a press conference at Pace University in New York City.
Twitter Mania: Google Got Shut Down. Apple Rumors Heat Up.
Twitter! Whether you use it or not, or understand it or not, it’s the hottest thing in Silicon Valley right now. It’s brought up in every conversation.
Microsoft Must Buy Twitter (MSFT)
Microsoft (MSFT) is about to finally consummate a search deal with Yahoo -- and that's great. But if Redmond really wants to carve into's Google search business over the next 10 years, it needs to offer whatever it takes -- $800 million? $1 billion? more? -- to buy Twitter right now.
Facebook Inches Towards Real-Time
We apparently can’t get our social information fast enough. In fact, it almost seems like a race for who can get information out the fastest.
Showing Its Twitter Envy, Facebook Gets Serious About SMS
It appears that over the past few weeks, Facebook has widely activated a feature that allows you to text Facebook to update your status, message your friends, or send a poke on the go.
Facebook Shuts Down RSS Feed App
The Facebook Newsfeed: so much juicy information, so little access to it. Last week we wrote about a new Facebook app that turned your newsfeed into an RSS feed you could subscribe to outside of Facebook. It was really useful and now it's gone.
Facebook Amps Up its Music Ambitions With The Jonas Brothers Live
Facebook may finally be making a power play into a world where they are not the market leaders: online music.
Apple proposes iTunes kiosks for movie downloads on the go
Apple has put some effort into conceptualizing a family of next-generation wireless iTunes kiosks that can be placed just about anywhere, allowing users of its portable products to load their devices with a new full-length movie or audio album during travel, in areas where wireless networks may be unavailable.
Facebook Connect Comes to Digg
Digg (Digg reviews) has just rolled out its long anticipated integration of Facebook Connect. The move allows non-Digg users to sign into the social news site using their Facebook (Facebook reviews) credentials, while enabling current Digg users to connect their account with the social network.
Twitter Search To Become Real Search
The fact that Twitter (Twitter reviews)’s search is now often faster and more relevant than any other search engine out there is not a secret anymore.
10 Ways to Change the World Through Social Media
Our children will inherit a world profoundly changed by the combination of technology and humanity that is social media. They’ll take for granted that their voices can be heard and that a social movement can be launched from their laptop.
Hulu iPhone App Coming Soon, 'Badass'
Hulu is in the process of developing an app for Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and iPod touch, we have learned from a plugged-in industry executive.

Links for 2008-10-24 [del.icio.us]

2008-10-25T00:00:00-07:00

Confirmed: Obama Is Campaigning on Xbox 360!
Last week we noted unconfirmed sightings of an “Obama for President” billboard in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise. Today we’re able to report that it is, in fact, an official advertisement placed by the senator’s campaign team.
Everything Old Is New Again: Google AdWords Launches Display Ads
Back in the day, online display advertisements used to be all the rage. And then Google AdWords came along and blew the lid off of online advertising with its simple text-based ads and its cost-per-click model.
MySpace Launches “My Ads” Self Serve Ad Platform: Is This Their Google Moment?
MySpace launches their self serve ad platform, called My Ads, tonight, which was first talked about a year ago. Like Facebook’s similar product, it allows anyone to quickly create a targeted ad and serve it on MySpace.
Study: Social Media Transforming Our Influences on What to Buy
For the last two years I have been running global research at Universal McCann that tracks the usage of social media. The results of which have clearly demonstrated the massive growth in usage that is occurring across the world.
Vimeo's Newest Feature: More Predictable Revenue Stream
As more and more Web users gain access to broadband connections, the ability to consume high-definition video becomes an option for more people. But where are they going to access that content?
Mint Leaves Beta, Brings A Bunch Of New Features With It
Mint, the personal finance startup that won last year’s TechCrunch 40, has launched a host of new features including investment tracking, 401k managment, and more flexible budget sheets.
Putting Social Media Monetization in “Context”
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. It will be Widgetized. Fortunately, that revolution is already happening… it’s called widgets. and Facebook apps.
Facebook Music is getting its act together
Facebook is indeed working on a plan to deeply integrate streaming music into its site, I’ve learned. The details of a rumor published last week in the New York Post are, from my understanding, basically accurate.
Why Platforms Are Letting Us Down - And What They Should Do About It
The latest release of Facebook, which was released in July, makes it nearly impossible for new applications to take advantage of the network effect. Facebook has sent a clear message to developers - the platform is no longer a priority.
Rumor: Imeem Laying Off Staff and Looking for an Exit
According to PaidContent, Imeem, one of our favorite streaming music services, is starting to feel the pressure of the economic downturn and is planning to lay off a quarter of its workforce. According to this report, Imeem is also looking for a potential candidate to buy the company.
10 Reasons Why Joost's New Service Fails
Last week, the internet video service Joost relaunched as a Flash-based online portal, having finally ditched their downloadable player for good.
Blogs are so over, Wired magazine says
The blogosphere, once a freshwater oasis of folksy self-expression and clever thought, has been flooded by a tsunami of paid bilge. Cut-rate journalists and underground marketing campaigns now drown out the authentic voices of amateur wordsmiths.
Let's Be Serious: Online Display Ads Will Fall Sharply In 2009
For a year, we've listened to analysts passionately explain how online ad spending will power through any broader economic and advertising weakness. Eyeballs are moving online, this story went (goes), ad dollars will follow.
Obama Wins! ... Ad Age's Marketer of the Year
ust weeks before he demonstrates whether his campaign's blend of grass-roots appeal and big media-budget know-how has converted the American electorate, Sen. Barack Obama has shown he's already won over the nation's brand builders. He's been named Advertising Age's marketer of the year for 2008.
The Facebook Platform is Dead
When speaking at the Facebook developer conference today in Berlin, Scott Rafer declared that Facebook platform dead. He posted statistics including one that I posted that suggests Facebook widgets are dead.