Oscar Prediction

So my pick, UP, didn't win. It was a long shot as it was going up against some pretty big movies. After the awards the popularity of UP on many of the social networking sites went down a far bit. This was due to the fact that almost everyone was discussing the winners and not so much the losers.

UP did, however, win best animated film. Which is a great accomplishment none the less.

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Now playing: U2 - With Or Without You
via FoxyTunes

Rise of the Devices

Mobile marketing is definitely the next big thing to happen in advertising. With the new rise in 3G mobile phones and app stores such as the Apple store, Blackberry World, and the Android store being able to reach your audience is becoming much easier and cheaper. I believe that mobile marketing is a great way to connect with your audience and am fully open to the idea as long as it is targeted and the person opts-in. Just sending e-mails or text messages isn’t enough it has to be targeted so that it can be used.

One mobile experience that I have come across that I think is a great example of mobile marketing is that you can now get your concert tickets through your phone either from ticketmaster or from Rogers. This is a great way to never forget your tickets at home and can offer a better overall experience to the customer.

the broadband challenge

So our challenge was to see how long, minimum 1 night, we could go with only using the internet for all our media options. This was specifically directed at television and the radio and to see if our experience was better or worse, and of course to keep an eye out for advertisements as well.

Well for me it wasn't that hard. Radio for example i can do without all together. I am still one of those guys who buys and listens to CD's. I almost never listen to streaming music online unless it is a preview of a new album on an artists page and only listen to the radio when I'm in the car. I buy my CD's then transfer them to my computer when i want to listen to them on my Ipod.

Video content is another story. I hardly visit station sites and usually resort to youtube. I think, for me anyways, after being in school for 5 years and constantly doing projects on my computer and time i can get away from it is a welcome change. If i decided today that I will only use online resources for entertainment I would drive my nuts. Two main reasons for this is that i only have a laptop, which is way smaller then my TV and that my computer is located in my office.

Apart from my views however, i do believe that online resources for radio and TV will gain overtime due to the fact that is will be cheaper and in some cases free. Many people, especially students, fell that paying for TV now a days is a waste when you can already view the best shows online. I fully understand this.

Broadband will surly effect ad spending in the future mainly due to the change in viewers. I believe there will always be both, but their will definitely be a clear demographic for both which advertisers will take advantage of.

Branded Utilities

Brand Utilities have become a major part in the IMC strategy. It allows a company or brand or even a product to potentially be with you where ever you go. One great example of this was the Nike+ app for the iPhone. This little app is probably the best example of a branded utility out and one that all others should use as a template. Basically all it is, is a little timer in your shoe that acts as a pedometer and then syncs it to your iPhone. You can then compare it with you friends, trainer, or your running team. But it doesn’t just stop there, you can also by a Nike+ shoe specifically for it and even a watch that can also be synced up too it. It is a great way to not only sell your product but to also engage the consumer straight on and to give them a more positive feeling about your brand. The next time that runner goes for a run the first thing they will think of is Nike+.

As an owner of an iPod Touch and a Blackberry I use a couple of branded utilities. I use several different apps such as Facebook, Sportsnet, and for the past 2 weeks during the official 2010 Vancouver Olympics app. One missed opportunity with the Olympic app, that I felt would have made it much more enjoyable experience would be to allow others to upload theirs photos straight to the app. The app as it stands is basically just a digital tour guide for the lucky ones actually visiting Vancouver, where I felt that it should have done more to make those who couldn’t have made fell more apart of the games.

One brand that I kind of wish would make an app is TD Canada Trust. They have EasyWeb already why not convert it to make a little mobile version.