Someone with a bit of time on their hands (Dr. Andrew Hudson-Smith, from UCL’s Centre for Advanced Spacial Analysis, no less) has uploaded data from the urban landscape of London into Second Life. You can see it taking on 3D form in a Matrix-worthy way here:
Its actually great to see Second Life being used in a relevant way …
UPDATE: As an interesting follow-up, the Ordnance Survey requested that Dr Hudson-Smith’s crew remove this project from Second Life. The rotters!
Links for 2007-12-30: Google, Second Life, Media Democracy, Moms, Marketers, Apple v Netflix, Virgin
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An amusing take (from the Telegraph) on 2008…
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The use of online and mobile devices for entertainment has rocketed in the US according to the “State of Media Democracy” new-media survey from Deloitte & Touche
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Marketers’ biggest regret of 2007 was not investing enough in understanding customers according to Next Level SMG’s first annual “Brand Strategy Trends Survey” of marketing executives.
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According to a recent survey of 3,500 U.S. mothers by BSM Media, 65% feel that they are “under-served” by advertisers either because the executions don’t resonate with them or the ads do not address them.
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Apple and 20th Century Fox studio have inked an agreement that enables consumers to rent Fox DVDs on iTunes.
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Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. plans to fit its A380 superjumbos with private rooms, showers and roulette tables, the billionaire said.
Links for 2007-12-28 : Blogging, Shoetube
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For hard-up small or mid-sized businesses, The New York Times calls blogging a “low-cost, high-return tool” for marketing, public relations, raising company profiles and brand-building.
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Launching on Valentine’s Day, the ad-supported web channel has already secured Nine West as an advertiser.
Employee Generated Content…
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Interesting “Employee-Generated” marketing…
Vintage T-Shirts from Tide.com
An interesting program from Tide, who have created vintage-looking tees featuring their logo and are selling them for charity. I don’t know much about the program but I am intrigued.
“Created in soft cotton (actually, its polycotton, but whatever), this vintage tee shows both your sense of style and your support for families affected by disasters. All proceeds from the sale of the tees will go towards rebuilding efforts for families affected by the wildfires in Southern California and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.”
I can almost forgive the “Give Loads of Hope” copyline …
UPDATE: After a bit of light googling I learn that the program is not without warts …
“Call me cynical, but the maximum output of buying Tide vintage T-shirts will be 10 houses in New Orleans. To me, this reflects something deeply wrong with a lot of corporate social responsibility efforts. Rather than making a donation of a share of profits to a cause a routine part of business or, better still, part of the business plan, companies mark a donation to charity as an extraordinary event.”
Links for 2007-12-16: Actual Chat, Johnny Vulkan, Knol, Google Zeitgeist, Ann Summers
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Chat puts gaming social awkwardness into physical space
Featuring a keyboard that hangs in front of the “chatter” and a giant illuminated speech bubble overhead, the wearer can type any message and have it show up in lights.
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Vulkan On 2007: Advertising Suffers While Innovation Blooms
Business Week has invited Johnny Vulkan to discuss his view on the year in advertising (2007). The mate o’ mine and partner at Anomaly painted a none-too rosy picture of the sector.
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Knol – Wikipedia, Google-Style
Yesterday, Google introduced their latest social media heavy-hitter: Knol, a free, user-generated information database that puts an emphasis on the user (and a bit of social networking).
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Google’s 2007 Year-End Zeitgeist offers a narrow but telling window into what topics, stories, and searches topped their charts this past year, from Anna Nicole Smith to Club Penguin.
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Rather than retain an expensive ad agency, media agency Good Stuff have persuaded Ann Summers that they don’t need a traditional creative agency. Instead they have asked the creative classes to join their freelance creative roster.
Apple Christmas Ad
I am a loyal Mac user, but I confess I have always had mixed feelings about the Apple “character” TV ads … you know, the ones where the “PC” is represented by a chubby guy in a suit and the Mac by a skinny guy dressed in Gap-nerd chic.
This festive season though, the chaps at TBWA\ Media Arts Lab have come up with a seasonal spot for the campaign which is at least engaging and funny:
Recently I have been much more impressed by what Apple has been doing outside TV ads … and as for the recent i-Phone “testimonial” offering … please!
Thanks to Drew for bringing it to my attention.
Links for 2007-12-14 : Jackass, Whopper, Elf Yourself
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The “Jackass” gang is about to attempt its most audacious stunt yet: online-first movie distribution. In a radical departure from the traditional movie business model, Paramount Pictures Digital Entertainment and MTV New Media are co-producing “Jackass
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If OfficeMax’s purpose was to proliferate global tolerance for elves, it is clearly succeeding. We have no idea what the site has done for its bottom line, though.
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A city panel in South Los Angeles is taking action to fight the epidemic of obesity by moving to eliminate fast food restaurants.
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Lexus drivers in Philadelphia will soon be able to park in two priority parking areas at the Wachovia Center.
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To celebrate Christmas W+K London have created Wieden’s Wood, an eco friendly display for the agency’s reception and an online winter wonderland.
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Scion’s Installation Art Tour: ‘It’s a Beautiful World’. The tour, launched in 2003, will featured collages, paintings, photography and sculpture
Links for 2007-12-12 : Playstation Network, Next.tv, Kid Avatars, Twitter, Nielsen Top 10s, CXOs, David Kenny, Apple
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Sony to Launch Playstation Video Service in ’08
Sony has revealed plans for a video-downloading service – known as the Playstation Network -accessible through its Playstation 3 console.
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Next.TV to Syndicate Hearst Magazine Content
Hearst Magazines will provide content to new distribution service – Next.TV – a peer-to-peer video-sharing service that, in 2008, will be included as stock software on all HP notebook computers.
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Google’s list of fastest rising search terms in 2007 included two virtual worlds, Webkinz and Club Penguin.
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Video Provides Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Twitter
If you’re interested in Twitter, what it’s all about and how it’s effecting the way people interact online, a video called Phantom Limb explores the phenomenon and how it benefits people’s lives.
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Nielsen Issues US Top-10 Lists for 2007
The Nielsen Company released a yearend look at US trends in 2007, issuing top 10 media and consumer spending lists
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Today marketers have to battle for consumers’ dollars by keeping empowered customers happy every single step of the way. And if they don’t do it, one of their rivals will.
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Keynote: David Kenny, Digitas: The Blur Media Unbound
David Kenny stresses the new global landscape: “It’s not smart for any of us to define our business within the geographic boundaries that we operate today”
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Apple reinvents stores as places to hang out
Apple Inc. has revamped its 201 stores, changing the layout, adding services and increasing its staffing. The concierge service that Apple launched recently is only the latest initiative designed to draw more visitors and bolster sales.
Links for 2007-12-10 : Paranormal State, Scorcese and Freixenet, Social Media
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An A&E Billboard ‘Whispers’ a Spooky Message Audible Only in Your Head in Push to Promote Its New ‘Paranormal’ Program
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What’s Next, Cape Beer? Freixenet Scores Scorsese
Freixenet, the sparkling wine brand, announced last week it was releasing a 10-minute film by Martin Scorsese via JWT, Barcelona.
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E-Book Advises Marketers to ‘Play’ Social Sites as They Would Games
An e-book written by C. Weng, called The Web: Hidden Games, says that improving social sites has to do with perceiving them as giant games
Francis Anderson 