Brands

Rumours of the Apple iPhone4 have been circulating for months and for so long I’ve been waiting to make my free phone upgrade worthwhile, I’ll finally get my hands on an iPhone. Now the launch date has arrived and I only have a few more weeks to wait.

So, what are some of the new features of iPhone4 that are going to be so special? For me forward facing video calling, is going to be a really good feature (in the main). A number of my close friends live all around the UK so being able to actually see their faces when we chat will be a real bonus and make them feel much closer. This is great. But, I don’t want all my friends, family and colleagues to be able to utilise video calling. Read more about: The iPhone4

Even if you’re not a Facebook addict or regular Twitter user, you’ll know how difficult it is to escape social media. Why? Because social media is revolutionising the way that people consume content.

Social media is opening new channels of communication between brands and customers and there is a lot of potential in the social web that marketers can tap into. For example, a study earlier in the year by Penn State University showed that 20% of all tweets mentioned a brand name. Sales and marketing professionals need to be aware of these significant media consumption trends so they can tailor and target their messages as effectively as possible across a changing landscape. Read more about: Trick or tweet

I want one now…not.

A new Apple product is always an exciting design moment. iMac, iPod (I have owned one since 2002), iPhone, iTouch …and now iPad. Of course when I saw the photos of this sleek, sexy machine, I wanted to get my hands on one. Now. Then the reviews started coming in, and I started reconsidering (there is also, alas, the small matter of budget…) In the end, reason won the day, with two sets of considerations which will help me hold on a little bit longer before I splurge… Read more about: I want an iPad

Johannes Leonardo has launched a mysterious and (potentially) engaging social advertising campaign around New York and it will be interesting to see how New Yorkers respond to it. Read more about: Hide and seek for grown-ups

I recently created a slide pack intended to give you an overview of making social media pay. It is the biggest challenge today for social media, and according to Forrester’s 5 Eras of the Social Web, it is soon upon us. Read more about: Making social media pay

Does emotional attachment to a brand prevail over the online customer experience for Internet-based companies? Read more about: Emotional attachment vs customer experience

By Arthur Moan

By all accounts the first e-Commerce Expo in the North of England was a huge success. Visitor numbers topped 850 which was 40% more than anticipated by the organisers. Visitors were delighted with the convenience of attending a high quality conference programme, and meeting key e-commerce suppliers at the exhibition in Manchester. The organisers have stated that next year – yes there will be a next year; they will be significantly increasing seating capacities! This is good news as the Keynote room and both theatres were oversubscribed for most sessions including mine. The theatre I was in could seat 75, however; all seats were taken plus more than 10 people were standing at the back. I was on at the same time as the IMRG and Bazzarvoice, so was happy my room was packed with so many visitors willing to sacrifice listening to industry advocates and global e-Commerce suppliers to listen to the ShopDirect / Foviance case study. Read more about: ShopDirect case study, e-Commerce Expo presentation

Google’s Street View, which was launched a couple weeks ago, raised privacy concerns because some members of the public are identifiable (for instance, in compromising positions) despite images being processed using face-blurring software. Indeed, the day of its release, we quickly identified two Foviance members engaged in rather mundane activities outside our London office. However, the fact that Google responds quickly to privacy complaints by pulling off offending images reassures many, so I think the privacy concerns will not have much impact on Google’s strong brand perception. Read more about: Using Google Street View for good, not evil