Awareness Networks recently published insights from a collection of marketing leaders as part of its 2012 Social Marketing and New Media Predictions report.
The 28 page report examines how leading social marketing thinkers see the landscape evolving. One of the key problems is separating having a social media presence from having a social media strategy.
Brian Solis of the Altimeter Group chimes in on some of the key points…
On the evolution of Social Business: “Companies of all sizes will need to transform their business and existing infrastructure, and reverse engineer the impact of business objectives and metrics. Businesses will have to embrace all of the disruptive elements, such as mobile and social technology, in a new, cohesive organization that is focused outward and inward.”
On the concept of Big Data: “No organization, no matter how large or small, is ready for big data from a process, collaboration and innovation perspective. Business Intelligence (BI) is still siloed. In marketing, insights usually are still driven by community managers. Companies will need to centralize BI to feed every aspect of the business — marketing, product, innovation and customer service.”
On the future challenges for marketers: “Recognizing that they are part of the problem. Today, much of what we see is still traditional marketing disguised as social media. It’s still 1-to-many. And, by default, they have created a marketing silo in their organizations. Marketers need to connect the entire organization and put everyone to work for marketing. We need to move to an era of 1-to-1-to-many.”
Digital Trends offers a snapshot of its favorite tech startups launched in the past year.
Included in the list: Lytro, Turntable.fm, Code Academy, Square, Instagram, Path, GetAround, Pinterest and Giftly.
On Turntable.fm: “Since its debut, the hype has definitely died off, but its use hasn’t. Turntable.fm is one of the many music apps integrated into the new Facebook Open Graph and will also be part of Spotify’s app platform.”
On Instagram: “The filter app for iOS has more than ten million registered users and has no intentions of stopping there. An Android app is in the works, a new service is launched to make use of your Instagram photos every day, and there have even been hints that a video element could be included in the future.”
On Lytro: “[It] inarguably stole the startup spotlight this year. When it debuted in June, it had already managed to accrue $50 million in investments and immediately caught the attention of the entire tech world. Since then, it’s only piqued our interest by releasing its very mysterious camera. So what’s next? We’d love to see Lytro turn out more, varying types of devices [that use] its plenoptic camera mechanism, or possibly lease the technology to other manufacturers.”
According to new research by the NPD Group, 73 percent of small to medium businesses (SMBs) with less than 1,000 employees are planning on purchasing tablets over the next 12 months.
Apple’s iPad is the most widely considered tablet among those planning a purchase.
“The iPad, just as it is in the consumer market, is synonymous for ‘Tablet’ in the business market, leaving Apple poised to take advantage of the increased spending intentions of these SMBs,” says Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD.
“NPD’s research shows that iPad purchase preference is higher among larger firms than smaller ones,” he adds, “which is an important indicator that Apple is gaining traction far outside its typical consumer space.”
Analysis by Advertising Age magazine and social TV analytics firm Bluefin Labs places FOX as the leader among television networks generating social TV comments in 2011.
“FOX accounted for 13.2 percent of all the TV-related social-media comments collected by Bluefin from Jan. 1 through Dec. 27 (primarily on Twitter and in public Facebook updates),” reports Ad Age.
Programming winners for FOX in terms of social chatter included the Super Bowl, the World Series and “The X Factor.”
ABC took second in 2011 with the American Music Awards, the NBA Finals and “Dancing With the Stars.”
Following FOX and ABC in social ranking: MTV, CBS, NBC, ESPN, TNT, BET, VH1.
Just how much has social TV grown during the year? “When the Oscars aired in February, there were close to a million — 996,000 — social media comments about the telecast,” explains Bluefin’s Tom Thai. “Fast-forward to November: Even the telecast of a comparatively smaller awards show, the American Music Awards, activated more than 2 million social media comments.”
The article includes a pie chart that illustrates which broadcast and cable networks dominated social TV for the year.
After a great deal of speculation, Facebook has quietly activated its desktop chatting client.
Digital Trends reports, “you can now keep tabs on your notifications, friend requests, ticker, and chat all without opening your browser.”
Facebook’s Messenger could potentially serve a deathblow to other message systems such as AIM and Yahoo Messenger, suggests the post.
The review is generally positive, but offers the following caveat: “The one feature we wish were available would be the viewing and commenting controls that you have when you’re visiting Facebook in-browser. Via Messenger, the ticker won’t actually reveal the items it’s announcing: instead, you’re redirected to the site. Included items like listening in with friends or viewing pictures via the desktop app would be a huge improvement.”
Microsoft has reported record holiday sales for its Xbox 360 game console. During the week of Black Friday, the company moved 960,000 consoles in the U.S. alone, while 750,000 Kinect sensors were also sold during the same period.
Digital Trends provides some interesting tips to help change your Xbox 360 from a simple game console into a full home entertainment system.
The post offers details on Xbox Live; personalizing the dashboard; recommended apps including ESPN, iHeartRadio, Netflix and Hulu Plus (with HBO Go on its way); the Kinect add-on and more.
At the heart of the Xbox 360’s entertainment ecosystem is an Xbox Live account ($59.99 for a 12-month subscription). “XBL gives users access to the Xbox marketplace, streaming, apps, and the friends list which makes the Xbox great for online gaming,” notes the post. “Using the friends list, players can jump into games with friends and see what they are playing, plus they can join a party and talk to them no matter what game or app they are in. It’s great for setting up impromptu gaming sessions, as well as keeping in touch with friends scattered around the world.”
“Make sure you check out the Live Marketplace to download games, extra content, demos, and trailers,” suggests Digital Trends.
Also highly recommended: “When you are setting up your console, if you have an HDTV we recommend using an HDMI cable, which is not included with the Xbox 360.”
Netflix is expected to face significant challenges in 2012, as its customer-satisfaction ratings have fallen below those of Amazon and new competitors continue to emerge with original video plans.
“There’s many more digital players that will command the attention of studios and consumers in 2012, from would-be Netflix rivals to those sporting entirely different business models and aiming to deliver TV programs and movies to every screen in U.S. homes,” reports Variety.
The success of the Netflix model has led to a new category known as subscription VOD, which is expected to spawn imitators. “Hulu, for one, built an SVOD component, Hulu Plus, off its massive ad-supported base that has nabbed 1 million subs in over a year,” notes the article. Both Netflix and Hulu have commissioned original content and continue to secure exclusives on catalog fare.
Amazon’s SVOD spinoff could present a challenge to Netflix, as Amazon Prime is also closing catalog deals. And Verizon “may enter the space in conjunction with Redbox.” We may also see SVOD models from Walmart’s Vudu and Dish Network’s Blockbuster.
The article cites the possible impact of a la carte digital rental options, such as iVOD offerings through Apple’s iTunes, and the one-off movie offerings Facebook has been testing.
Variety notes an additional possibility: “Microsoft’s Xbox Live was the first to try a third digital-distribution model for video that everyone from Verizon to Sony has been reported considering: the virtual MSO model, which bundles a bunch of linear channels akin to how a cable operator does, but with much fewer channels at a much lower price point. All the while, Xbox stays in the iVOD biz via its Zune marketplace.”
Analyst Nathan Safran, writing for Mashable, discusses the emerging shifts regarding the creation, delivery and consumption of visual media.
“Content creators make it, cable providers deliver it, and viewers consume it on the big screen in their living room,” he writes, in regards to the traditional model.
“In the last few years, however, we’ve seen a fundamental shift in the visual content landscape,” he explains. “For the first time since the advent of cable television in 1948, the lines are blurring as the quality of content created by non-prime networks — and even individuals — continues to improve. Plus, content increasingly reaches us over the Internet, consumed on whatever screen we happen to be in front of.”
Safran suggests this will have an impact on the rumored Apple television offering and what that might entail in terms of possible subscription packaging and licensing issues.
“Perhaps it’s time for Apple to get into the content creation business and license its own content. Imagine if the company approached a number of successful producers and convinced them to create an Apple series, for instance, ‘TV Series X by Steven Spielberg, exclusively on iTunes,’ or Quentin Tarantino, or Tom Hanks.”
However, Safran adds that the term “content creator” does not suggest that Apple will become the next Disney. He believes “content facilitator” is a more accurate term, “suggesting that Apple target other established, successful creators to generate compelling content that Apple would then exclusively distribute.”
Apple’s TV will still require participation from the usual content creators/owners, but if the company offers exclusive content, it may help drive hardware sales. According to Steve Rubel, EVP at Edelman: “Seems like Amazon and Apple are really opposites. Amazon uses devices to sell more content. Apple uses content to sell more devices.”
Samsung’s Galaxy Note, the 5.3-inch Android tablet/smartphone hybrid with stylus that Engadget calls an “unconventional powerhouse,” has shipped one million units in under just two months.
The phone has yet to arrive in the U.S., but European and Asian fans are already devouring it, which “bodes well for the device’s eventual reception in the U.S.,” reports Engadget.
“The rapid global sales of Galaxy Note are notable since it is creating a new market for something between smartphone and tablet PC,” suggests the company’s press release.
Digital Trends adds that rumors suggest the U.S. launch may include “a revised front panel with the traditional Galaxy home button removed, and the usual four-button Android layout instead, plus the potential for a 4G LTE model.”
We should expect to hear more about the Galaxy Note at CES in January.
ADR Studio has designed a new concept called the Apple iCam (tagline: “Photography becomes smart”), which builds upon the iPhone’s design and camera system.
“The iCam takes the minimalist design Apple is known for and adds an aluminum body, front touch screen, LED flash, Siri compatibility, and a front pico-projector,” reports Digital Trends.
According to the ADR Studio site, the 10.1 megapixel concept also features interchangeable lenses, a motion sensor, ISO range from 100 to 3200, full HD at 60 fps, and Bluetooth connectivity. The site includes a photo gallery and brief video demo.
“Not every great idea has to start in some company’s expensive R&D department,” comments Digital Trends. “ADR Studio seeks to do for the point and shoot camera what Apple has done with the mobile phone.”
In addition to demonstrating its 55-inch OLED TV at CES next month, LG has announced it will unveil an 84-inch Ultra Definition TV.
According to the press release: “LG’s 3D UD TV boasts superb picture quality with 8 million pixels, four times the resolution clarity (3840×2160) of existing Full HD TV panels.”
“The 3D UD TV will also feature 3D Depth Control to allow users to customize their viewing experience by controlling the 3D effect, and 3D Sound Zooming will give users immersive 3D sound,” reports Ubergizmo. The TV will have access to LG’s Smart TV ecosystem, feature a 2D-to-3D conversion engine and support the new Magic Remote.
As previously reported on ETCentric, LG’s Magic Remote recognizes four command inputs: Voice Recognition, Wheel, Magic Gesture and Point.
LG’s Smart TV ecosystem currently features more than “1,200 apps and gives users access to a growing range of premium content services such as the 3D Zone where viewers can select from a wealth of 3D movies,” adds the release.
The company has yet to announce price or release date for the prototype.
Five important developments will take place next year for Microsoft, predicts CNET senior writer Jay Greene.
“The company posted record revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30,” writes Greene about Microsoft’s 2011. “And its 2-year-old PC operating system, Windows 7, hit 500 million copies sold… But 2011 had few big product launches at the company, Office 365 and Internet Explorer 9 notwithstanding.”
“Next year will be altogether different,” he suggests. “Microsoft is prepping the big kahuna of its product arsenal, Windows 8. The company hasn’t set a date, though most analysts expect the flagship operating system to debut before the end of the year… From that product, much else from Redmond flows.”
Worth watching in 2012: 1) The emergence of Windows 8-based tablet computers (“As the core of computing moves beyond the PC, Microsoft needs Windows 8 tablets to succeed”); 2) Increased live TV viewing on the Xbox 360 (“The company is moving toward the goal of getting consumers to fire up their Xbox whenever they flip on their TVs, not just when they want to play a game”); 3) A higher profile for the Windows Phone 7 OS; 4) Microsoft will become more aggressive with patent litigation (including suits against Barnes & Noble and Motorola); and 5) Integration of the Bing search engine with Facebook and other social platforms.
Digital Trends takes a look at the year in consumer electronics by publishing its Best of 2011 Awards.
The multi-section report features categories including: Digital Cameras, Headphones, Computers, Home Theater, Cell Phones, Tablets & eReaders.
“Smartphones now connect at 4G speeds, pack dual-core processors, and run two mature, fully featured operating systems, with a third still brewing,” reports Digital Trends. “Ultrabooks have taken the successful design elements pioneered by the MacBook Air and made them more affordable. A number of potent Android tablets have given the iPad a run for its money, and low-price introductions like Amazon’s outstanding Kindle Fire now sell for as low as $200. It’s a good time to be a geek.”
Best desktops and laptops of 2011: Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, $1,299 and up); HP Pavilion dm1z laptop ($400 and up); Origin Genesis with quad-core Intel processor ($1,337 and up); HP TouchSmart 610 with touchscreen ($1,350 and up); and the ASUS G74SX laptop ($1,449 and up).
And some of the other winners: Fujifilm Finepix X10 (under Digital Cameras), Sony XBR HX929 LED TV series (Best LED TV), Samsung D8000 series (Best Plasma TV), Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Apple iPhone 4S (under Cell Phones).
Digital Trends recently interviewed Silicon Valley’s most prominent firms regarding what tech categories are expected to stand out in 2012.
“If the venture capital community has anything to do with it, this time next year, you’ll be monitoring your blood pressure with your iPhone, recruiting helpers from the Web to help around the house, and automatically receiving coupons for free coffee at your destination the next time you board a train,” indicates the post.
According to the VCs, categories set to explode include Healthcare, Education Technology, Data Science and Big Data, Consumerization of the Enterprise, and Collaborative Consumption.
Healthcare-related companies to watch: Healthtap, Vertos Medical, Avado, Skimble, Patientslikeme and 23andme.
Education-related companies to watch: Khan Academy,Grockit, Piazza, Course Hero, Codecademy, Skillshare and Tutorspree.
Data-related companies to watch: Socrata, Palantir, Addepar, Hortonworks, CitusData and Relevvant.
Enterprise-related companies to watch: Evernote, Box, Socialcast, Survey Monkey, Yammer and Dropbox.
Collaboration-related companies to watch: Airbnb, GetAround, Rentcycle, Zipcar, Kickstarter and Task Rabbit.
Painter Loren Munk offers a compelling social media twist to the art world, posting hundreds of videos to YouTube that cover a wide range of New York museum and gallery shows.
Using the alias James Kalm, Munk once had a combative relationship with venues and security forces concerned about copyright infringement.
However, now that his videos have attracted about 2 million views, galleries are turning to him for free publicity.
“His videos — recognizable for their unseen narrator’s labored breathing, jerky camera work and informed but uncritical commentary — run about 10 minutes and are shot with a tiny Canon Elph digital camera,” reports The New York Times.
“Coverage of the art world is fading from the mainstream press, so I’m trying to use alternative media to fill the void,” explains Munk.
While recently recording some charcoal drawings by the painter Bob Thompson (who died in 1966 at age 28), Munk was spotted by artist Katherine Bradford. “He deserves a MacArthur grant for what he’s doing,” she said, adding that Munk had shot one of her shows in 2007. “Look at him,” Bradford said. “Bob Thompson’s been dead over 40 years, and here’s Loren doing him a favor.”
