This could be a major ‘game changer’ – for mobile, for social, for wi-fi and for you!

November 8, 2012March 17, 2013 / John Ayers / Leave a comment

Facebook may have just entered a new space… or at least made their footprint a bit more heavy on the digital, mobile and social landscape.

Apparently they are experimenting with Geolocation “check-ins” that will enable a user to access free Wi-Fi.

The massive Facebook user base, plus the mash-up of social, mobile and wireless combined together – can truly shift (once again) the way we all communicate, work, share, live. It is already happening which only adds to the adoption rate of this concept.

You may be aware, there has been a substantial movement to make wi-fi free and available to all and this dates back to 2008.

Threre also has been an massive growth in the quantity of mobile devices that have already changed the way we live. Add in a dash of the social media growth and we have the recipe for digital disruption of everything.

Bandwidth still tends to be an issue or at the very least a ‘friction point’ for a positive user experience.

Equipped with an iPad, I ‘check in’ at a local retailer shop and I’m in.

I was involved in a start-up company that developed a local social network based on the Ning platform and in-turn we launched a local area wireless mesh network based on the Meraki Free The Net concept launched a few years back. It can work and the time might be right.

Facebook/Wi-Fi – Check out the full article at LATIMES.

The THIN-SLICING of Advertising. What you should know. #social #media #mobile #marketing

October 25, 2012March 17, 2013 / John Ayers / Leave a comment

BUZZ WORD FRENZY. Advertising, marketing, branding, strategy, digital, social, mobile, experiential, word-of-mouth, out-of-home, ppc, crm, cpm. STOP!!!

So what [REALLY] is Integrated Marketing Anyway?

In a way, it is all of the above and more.

Integrad_marketing_communication_mindmap_v2

We are experiencing something that Television has experienced with it’s viewership. 3 channels became a dozen, a dozen became 50 and 50 became thousands of network and cable channels. So in effect, the pieces of the pie have been sliced so very very, very thin.

Similarly we are now witnessing the thin slicing of advertising. You can call it what you want, but at the end of the day, it is one’s attempt to get another to feel or do something. And now, those of us in the space are seeking the ideal ways in which best to utilize the tools within a given time frame and budget.

Is print really dead? Are banner ads dead? Word-of-mouth can be great when it works, is social media the most cost-effective? What about the consideration of branding vs a true hard sell call-to-action? If you are not considering all of these and more in the process, you are doing a disservice to yourself and your client(s).

Oh, and then there is the realities of budget and results and client expectations and being honest with the target audience about the true value of the product or service.The list goes on.

I have found that I do more daily professional development now than I ever have. That is to say, I read more, I sit in on webinars, attend lectures, meetings and explore the digital landscape for new ideas and creative attempts.

The questions (for me) often align with what I believe in – which is a full 360º approach if/when possible.

Keep your ears and eyes to your audience, know what they are needing and wanting and be certain you are placing the solution for them when and where they want and are ready to absorb it. Most important be authentic in your communication or you can get smashed into pieces.

Check out this recent article on display ads – worth the read.

http://www.adotas.com/2012/10/the-death-of-display-as-we-know-it/

Cheers,

John

Thanks for the visual goes to:

http://www.worldbridgerdesign.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/integrad_ma… reference!