Archive for December, 2005
Its Good to be British!
Nielsen has just released figures on Britain's continued love affair with e-retail (figures show unique visitors for the month of November 05). 1 Ebay (12.5m) 2 Amazon.co.uk (9.0m) 3 Yahoo! Shopping (5.1m) 4 Tesco (4.4m) 5 Shopping.com (3.5m) What's interesting about this from my own personal perspective is that many American firms are loosing out with their continued insistence that they will not ship internationally. I cant honestly say I understand it. I guess it's the marketer in me, if they have the money and desire, satisfy the market place surely? Payment is not the issue - there is a plethora of international payment options available with instant transfer of money. Customs shouldn't be the issue either - responsibility for this rests with the customer. It cant be language (we're pretty similar in that regard and the worlds business language is undoubtedly English). International trade history also teaches us that the problem isn't simply a case of splendid isolationism ('the American market is big enough' syndrome). If we don't compete over there they will come here (as Tesco's recent ambitions in the local grocery market suggest, the only thing that kept Wegmans safe was its privately owned status). With exchange rates the way they are at the moment American firms should be making a fortune from overseas markets. The whole issue is of course complicated by lack of concrete figures available on overseas e-retail, a difficult charge to collate in domestic markets let alone international. I also find it strangely ironic that the top three e-retailers originated from the States and now operate as UK based entities. This probably has more to do with deplorable fed-ex service in Europe then it does with anything else. And lets not blame 9/11 or 7/11 either…
No commentsNeil’s top ten gadgets 2005
Neil's top ten gadgets for 2005 - a review: Whilst I cant honestly say I own all of these, here is my list of 2005's top gadgets. 10. Phillips HeartStart Home Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Euro Cell - Streets Ahead of America
There's so much going on in the European Mobile (cell phone) market these days. So much so that I'm all for a fundamental revolution in the way the US cell system is set up. It's a content marketers dream. Already there are signs that Europeans are taking to mobile media, so much so that industry is now talking about a mobile specific genre of programming. what's the difference between watching these shows on one's video ipod I hear you ask? User friendliness for one. Immediate access, no need to pre-record or download content, and of course live content. A trial in my home town of Oxford in the UK made 16 channels available to users so they could track usage patterns. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4529116.stm) What's interesting from a marketing stand point is the long term impact that this new service might have on traveling culture. Studies coming out of Europe suggest people watch the most mobile content whilst on the run, be it work or leisure. I can foresee a time when people opt for public transport on the basis of their ability to experience this kind of service, particularly if it becomes part of the daily routine. Whether this would work in the US where cars are a ubiquitous form of life I'm not sure. One thing is for sure however - this is an advertisers dream come true, no getting up to make coffee when you're on the bus or train, more specific targeting of messages (related to the content of a specific channel) and let's face it, more fun for the end user. The days of converting DVD's to pocket pc format for long haul may be numbered. Especially if we relax the use of cell phone technology in the air. Couple this service with Europes new GPS technology and us Marketers can really start to have some fun! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4555276.stm) Time to wake up America! You're missing a trick..
The Bloody Poker Channel!!
About time… it appears that support for all things POKER have finally started to reach proportional representation. http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/25/news/midcaps/poker.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes don't get me wrong, when it comes to gaming I'm delighted people find it entertaining to watch and to participate in. I've even been more then happy to throw the odd party in its honor. But this acceptance/love stops when it invades my previously favorite channel of all time and turns it into the 'gambling channel' - of course I mean the Travel Channel. When I was last resident in the USA I fell passionately for it, hourly visits to different spots of the world, mad Australians traveling it, equally mad Cockneys visiting far flung places offering advice on surviving local culture and so forth. I learnt about wresling in Iran, dodging con artists in Egypt, living amongst Pigmys in South America, traversing the Amazon river, buggy racing in Libya and pod living in Japan. My biggest disappointment when returning to the US after a three year sabbatical in my home land was this major change in fortune (excuse the pun). Vegas is a great place, don't get me wrong, but it isn't a replacement for the rest of the world. Hopefully the nomenclature in charge of the Travel Channel will now return it to its former greatness. If America wants a Gambling Channel so be it, but market it as such, gambling does not serve my own needs in respect of international travel and I'm sure I'm not alone in this thinking. Travel = Poker… does not compute!
1 commentMerry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! It's times like Christmas when you realise just how important the internet is when it comes to staying in touch with your home country (in my case England). I spent over an hour on Skype to friends and family, we watched the Queens message streamed over the internet (courtesy of the BBC) and had video conversations with closest family over our Christmas breakfast. It's hard to imagine life without it, especially as an Expat living overseas. Enjoy yours!
No commentsPersonal Branding and Email
I've long since been interested in a little known area of branding otherwise known as 'the personal or self brand.' The importance of this area makes immediate sense - we spent all this time and energy promoting and designing brands for organizations, why not apply the theories to ourselves? One might muse, if you cant brand yourself, what hope do you have of branding another entity? Some thoughts on issues I've recently come across that need attention when considering the augmented 'self brand'.
1. People who don't yet have a personal web site. Buy your domain NOW. RIGHT NOW. $9 a month is not a lot of money and your site should form the portal of your own personal brand. Use this to supplement your vitae, your business card, your blog. Tell people about it!
That point you've probably come to realize already. Let's get more specific from here on in with a few things you probably haven't thought of regarding a close cousin.
2. Your email. If you are still using the default Times New Roman, font size 12, you need an immediate and prolonged course of self flagellation. The presentation of your email says as much about you as the content. Another word of advice, the jpeg or gif of your signature is so 1999. Get rid of it (lest you show those nice criminals how you sign your credit cards). Likewise the multi coloured email signature. Keep it simple, three colours MAXIMUM. As an old professor of mine once said to me - you're not applying for jobs in the circus Neil. One other thing, moving emails should be those whose only transit is towards the delete folder. Whilst your auntie might find them cute, people paying your day rate will not. Speaking of signatures, does yours contain all of today's relevant information? Think of it as a mini business card, is the email address spelled out? (people have been known to forward these on or print them off), is your site listed? telephone number and fax numbers come as standard, but what about the new industry standards of skype, AOL or MSNIM? Whilst people may never find the need to use them - they present a POSITIVE IMAGE - your ability to keep up with the times and as a member of the digerati. A further word of warning on signatures. The use of Quotes. I would rather forgo their use entirely then accept the damage associated with say the slightest offense a Winston Churchill quote might create. Your brand should be all about YOU (although I am particularly font of Winston's 'we'll fight them on the beaches' ). Save your quotes for after dinner chit chat.
No commentsPodCast those 5 Questions!
Be the first to listen to a series of COB podcasts on cutting edge issues which will debut on our main COB site in the near future. The first comes from yours truly on the nature of strategic marketing planning processes.
1 commentWe’re in the money… we’re in the money
It was quite a shock waking to find a Henry Moore sculpture had been stolen. Particularly so because it looked so similar to the reclining lady that sits outside our college! The second shock was seeing the market value of one of Moores sculptures - upwards of £3m! It does beg the interesting question of where on earth RIT managed to get its hands on a very rare and very sought after piece of metal (for scrap metal alone it seems - see story). Perhaps I'll do some digging and find out. It could be that our own piece of art is worth more then the building it stands proudly outside of. news link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/beds/bucks/herts/4537670.stm update: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/4539916.stm update: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4538506.stm art on campus link: http://artoncampus.rit.edu/art/18/
Flash Mobbing Gone Wrong!
Flash Mobbing gone wrong. I remember being amused by a craze that hit the UK back in 2003 called Flash Mobbing. The idea was people in London (to start with) would send text messages on their mobile phones with instructions on when and where to meet (usually a furniture shop) and with the charge of forwarding the message to ten other people. These ten people would in return send these messages on to ten others and within minutes (literally) thousands of people would have instructions on where and when to converge. Rather humorous!! The craze was world wide (originating some say in NYC). (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3148053.stm) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3065685.stm) Unfortunately its only a matter of time before people take at worst what was a minor nuisance in terms of public order offences and turn this into something with very painful consequences. I'm of course referring to the use of Flash Mobbing in inciting and participating in violence which has hit Sydney in the last few weeks. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4530488.stm) Preventing this kind of activity is almost an impossibility without infringing on peoples basic human rights (the ability to communicate). This conundrum in its own right invokes Kantian logic - at least in my own mind - the greatest good for the greatest number. Block text messages over the weekend? Plausible? Feasible? Good old fashioned education is probably the best way to go - confiscating phones will achieve nothing. A difficult situation and one initially brought about by some harmless pranksters who just wanted to have a bit of fun in a sofa shop.
No commentsWedding Mags for Grooms!
An untapped market! Having recently been charged with forking out over $50 for so called Wedding Magazines it struck me, just how un-groom friendly these things are. Yes, I've looked at them (and so would you if you'd just forked out $50 for them). Someone somewhere is missing a trick. It appears the issue of 'weddings' is a guys final great taboo. GQ, Esquire, even the new Mens Vogue fail miserably in the discussion of this life changing event. With the modern couple paying for their own wedding in this day and age it seems reasonable to suggest that someone would tap this market and consider 'the other' half. Traditionally as the 'instigator' of this event it should be abundantly clear that men have an active interest in this phenomena! Why aren't we catered to more explicitly? Lest we forget the charge of every marketer: to satisfy needs whilst making profitable exchanges… I refuse to believe that I am a market of one. As a Marketer I can see a whole range of issues that might be addressed - a few tongue in cheek suggestions follow; whether it really is appropriate to hold your stag night in 'no questions asked' Vegas, whether jokes about previous girl friends or the new mother-in-law are really acceptable best man's speech material, the legal issues surrounding the aftermath of being chained naked to a lamp post on ones stag night, what not to bring on your honeymoon (old Ted, a framed picture of ones mother, Batman underwear), 401 ways to say 'you're not invited uncle Tom who last saw you when you were 2' and so on. Humor is an increasingly important attribute in such potentially stressful times remember… Of course the beauty of this wedding magazine market - which I really appreciate as a professional - is that it doesn't stop at $50. No sir'eeee the clever little devils release a torrent of fresh abuse at the start of every new month. Now THAT'S marketing.
No comments