The Power of Mobile Gaming: Nintendo DS
What's the best selling game console of all time? Right now it's Sony's Playstation 2. But by October, that is likely to change and the Nintendo DS is set to overtake the PS2.
The Nintendo DS debuted back in 2004 (it's in its 7th generation now and a glasses-free 3-D version is set to be released soon). It's a testament to the power of the mobile gaming market that a handheld device is poised to be the top-selling game console of all time. But things are just starting to get interesting with the rise & penetration of devices like the iPhone and iPad. And Nintendo sees the battle lines being drawn: Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's CEO, went as far as to call Apple "the enemy of the future" for Nintendo.
We won't go as far as the Nintendo CEO & declare the war with Sony to be "over." But we love where Nintendo (and Apple's) eyes are headed: convergence.
A New Way to Browse?
This morning Opera submitted an iPhone version of its popular mobile browser to the App store. If approved (and it's a HUGE if), it could mean a big improvement in the iPhone's web browsing experience.
The app was debuted to a small circle of reporters at the recent Mobile World Congress, and the reviews have been nothing but postive. Opera's speed would be one of the biggest differences and could help relieve some of the pressure on the AT&T network, especially in the data-clogged NY & SF areas. That's because Opera uses server-side rendering to compress 90% of the data before sending it to the phone (which means faster page loads for users, and less work for AT&T)
Chances Apple actually approves the browser are (incredibly) slim, as it's notoriously reluctant to allow anyone to alter or compete with the phone's native apps. But our fingers are crossed.
Tweet Me
Valentine's Day is this Sunday and the holiday staple candy, Sweethearts, is back to help you tell that special someone how you feel. This year's list of messages feature a new social media-influenced addition: "Tweet Me."
Sweethearts took an online survey last year asking consumers to suggest the next Sweetheart candy saying. It received more than 10,000 replies and "Tweet Me" me was the runaway winner (finishing way ahead of "Text Me" and the Jonas Brother-inspired "Love Bug").
Sweethearts will also be launching an iPhone app that allows users to send virtual Sweethearts with personalized messages that can be posted to Twitter.It's a great way to celebrate a relationship that works well for both parties. And isn't that what Valentine's Day is all about?
It's Coming (Maybe)
Mother Nature was not too kind to Washington D.C. last week, as evidenced by the time-lapsed video above. Round 2 is apparently on the way tonight, and us New Yorkers may not escape it this time around.
Safe commuting everyone!
Pregame Show
Kickoff is only a few hours away, so it's time to take a look at the starting lineups. For the ads, that is.
Take a look here for a list of what advertisers are scheduled to run during Super Bowl XLIV, as well as when they're airing, and the premise of each spot (not a bad way to win some money from your guests in case office pool numbers aren't looking too good).
No surprise that Anheuser-Busch gobbled up the most time during this year's game (5 full minutes of inventory). We'll also see a lot more of the usual suspects in the form on auto companies and recent Super Bowl darlings (E-Trade, Doritos, etc.), in addition to some first timers (a lot of people will be talking about kgb and FloTV for the first time in a lot of offices across the country)
But we're excited to see if all the discussion around Tim Tebow's ad was worth it, and to if Snickers decides to stir up any more controversy in its first Super Bowl spot since '07. And expect to see a lot a parade of celebrity cameos across the board.
So follow along live, or replay your favorites on Hulu's Ad Zone, where you can actually watch ad-supported advertisements. It's the closest thing to the Twilight Zone we've seen yet.
Super Bowl Shazam
Apparently there's a pretty big football game on this Sunday. And many of the biggest brands will be shelling out exorbitant amounts of money to woo us with their fancy new commercials while we all gleefully stuff our faces with buffalo wings & pizza.
This week we'll try to highlight some of the new & innovative campaigns that will debut during the game. Consider it your Super Bowl Ad pre-game show (and since we're starting on Monday, we're only about a week behind ESPN's pregame coverage).
One of the best examples of creative execution this year will come from Dockers. The khaki company will be partnering with the popular mobile app Shazam to "tag" their spot. Viewers can use the Shazam app to interact with the ad, and will be driven to a specially designed branded-content page where they will receive more info on the campaign, the opportunity to download the jingle, & the chance to register for a giveaway.
Shazam CEO Andrew Fischer says that app is already frequently used by viewers to identify music heard during advertisements (especially automotive commercials), so it's a great next step for Dockers & Shazam to build upon what's already a natural viewer behavior. Expect a lot more of these mobile calls-to-action in 2010.
It's Christmas Eve for Gadget Geeks
After months of rumors & speculation, the big day is just a few hours away. At a press conference tomorrow, Steve Jobs & Co. are set to unveil what they are calling a "major new product," and what some patent-research/conspiracy nuts are calling the iSlate or iPad. Some super-ambitious headlines are already proclaiming the tablet to be the savior the publishing industry has been desperately seeking. We'll reserve our expectations, but we definitely can't wait get our hands on one.
And we're just as excited about tomorrow's potential "oh-by-the-way" announcement of the rumored June/July release of the iPhone 4G which may be available on Verizon (fingers crossed).
When Opportunity Knocks...
By now it's old hat for brands to lend their name to sponsor a glitzy new stadium. So Kraft is taking a different approach: It's sponsoring the implosion of the famed Texas Stadium in support of a new version of its Mac & Cheese brand (aptly named Cheddar Explosion).
The sponsorship, arranged with the Irving, Texas city council will cost Kraft $150K (which will go directly to local charities & nonprofits in the area), and will be broadcast online and surely covered by local & national media alike, as the historic stadium is reduced to rubble.
The price of the sponsorship is mere pennies compared to the actual cost of the demolition ($5.8M). But it's another example of marketers reaching out to communities and helping support local projects. Recently KFC has helped fix potholes in five cities, and provided (and branded) fire hydrants & extinguishers in others.
It's the type of strategy that has generated major news coverage and local goodwill beyond the original cost.
GDI at Lunchtime
Hi Everyone! I wanted to introduce myself to the GDI blog as this is my first entry. I decided to upload pictures in this post along with my introduction to give it color. My co-worker recommended an iPhone app that "cartoon-izes" a photo. I thought it was a unique way to share with the world who we are. The key part to these pictures was to catch people off-guard. Today, during lunch, was a good time to capture people being themselves.
Some of my colleagues pictures are below. As you can see, we are working and eating as there is much to do! It is always great to catch someone with a fork in their mouth or typing away thinking no one is looking.... Enjoy the candid shots!
The App Economy
What are your favorite iphone/ipod apps?
From virtual golf caddies (Ohmygolf) to finding the nearest bar for a pint with augmented reality (Yelp), there's an app for just about everything these days. Actually, there are over 133,979 apps created by 28,000 plus developers available to download from the apple app store. Just last month 280 million apps were downloaded, generating more than $250 million in total revenue. Some paid apps have been wildly successful (I Am T-Pain and Redlaser), but there are more than a few that are unnecessary, annoying and just plain useless (Hold On! or Proposal "will you marry me?"). As demand for apps continues to grow both apple and designers will cash in big on this app economy.
Take a look at the app store by the numbers.
Putting Up The Pay Wall
This morning, the New York Times announced that it will start charging for online content at the beginning of 2011.The new NYT model will allow readers access to a limited number of free articles each month, and then charge readers once they exceed this limit.
We've heard rumblings from content providers recently who are anxiously looking to add a second revenue stream to support their businesses. Everyone from Hulu to the Rupert Murdoch is talking pay wall these days. At least the NYT isn't looking to unplug from search in the process, like some others (looking at you Murdoch). Smart move considering a third to a half of traffic to the 5 major U.S. newspaper sites comes from search engines
And don't tell anyone, but even when the NYT pay wall does go up, a nifty little Google hack may still help you get your news fix for free (it works now to help access paid content across the web).
Tea Time
It's hard to make a more than 3,000 year-old product seem cool & fun. But sometimes you can teach a old dog new tricks.
Check out the tea bags above (and another set here) for a great example of adding a twist to tea that doesn't involve even a hint of lemon.
The strongest branding succeeds in making your brand stand out. And many times this is best accomplished by creating a memorable experience for your consumer.
Lend a Helping Text
The horrifying images are pouring in of the devastating earthquake the struck Haiti yesterday. Early estimates report that more that 100,000 people alone may have died within the first minute of the quake. Some fear as many as 500,000 may have been killed, which would represent a staggering 6% of the country's entire population.
People and organizations around the world are scrambling to deliver aid to Haiti. The Red Cross has taken to launching a mobile effort that leverages the immediacy of the mobile platform. With two simple one-word texts ("Haiti" & "Yes") users can donate $10 to the Red Cross' earthquake-relief efforts.
It's been an enormous success, having generated more than $800 in relief from text messages alone in less than 24 hours. An absolutely remarkably brilliant way to connect would-be donators with a familiar and accessible platform to contribute.
If you'd like to help contribute, just text "Haiti" to 90999.
(Actual) Digital Billboards
Yesterday we talked about some great Outdoor campaigns we've seen recently. Today, we're stuck still stuck thinking about billboards, but in a completely different way thanks to a patent registered by the folks over at Google. Don't be fooled by the patent's horribly boring title: "Claiming Real Estate in Panoramic or 3D Mapping Environments for Advertising." It's actually really cool, we promise.
The idea is to offer advertisers a way to advertise within Google's popular "Street View" map function in places where real-life outdoor ads actually exist (i.e. posters, signs, billboards,etc.). That way if, say, a movie poster plastered to a building wall in "Street View" is outdated, another advertiser can take the digital space with more relevant & timely ad. It will reportedly also allow advertisers to place ads (on an auction basis, per the Google way) on unclaimed properties within "Street View."
According to the patent, almost anything within the geographic display can be bid on. This obviously leaves a lot of questions to be worked out (who actually owns the digital image of a location? Can a Wendy's decide to advertise on a McDonald's virtual storefront?).
We'll see what comes of the idea, but it's yet another example of the media convergence we see around us everyday. Even Outdoor advertising is becoming digital advertising (take a peek at the buying interface. Looks a lot like AdWords/DoubleClick, eh?)
Mission Accomplished
We here at Gotham like our outdoor ads disruptive. It's a great way to generate some buzz around your brand and extend the impact of your investment. Just last week a client of ours, EQUINOX Fitness Clubs, got themselves into a bit of hot water for a dominating "advertecture" advertisement that wraps their Greenwich Village location.
The Weatherproof Garment Company aimed even higher, erecting a billboard in Times Square featuring an unauthorized image of President Obama wearing one of the company's coats. The company has already agreed to take the billboard down after less than a week, having drawn the ire of the White House. But not before generating seriously more buzz than they ever could have hoped had they done anything less "disruptive." The controversial ad has gotten them mentioned on major media outlets and stirred conversation amongst TV and online pundits alike for the past week.
So kudos to Weatherproof's president Freddie Stollmack who says he recognized the company's coat in an AP photo & "with a magnifying glass, [saw] our logo and zipper pull, and said 'That's our coat.'"
Take heed, Dear E-Reader
The e-reader wars are heating up and gauntlets are being thrown down at the CES show in Las Vegas this week. E-readers have become so important that they have their own exhibition space at CES this year for the first time.
As Amazon sets to introduce its larger, more expensive Kindle, stiff competition keeps coming from Barnes & Noble's Nook , Sony's digital reader and the newly introduced Samsung E6/101. Not to mention...a number of devices running Google's Android operating system. It's projected that six million readers are expected to be sold in the US this year, up 50% from last year.
But, printed word lovers, don't despair, we don't think e-readers signal the demise of books...there are definitely points of contention with consumers over price (Samsung's readers are at a minimum $400 and the Kindle's newest iteration will be $500) and content.
Samsung's e-reader lacks any notable content, having access to only out-of-print and public domain titles through Google. Amazon got customers heated this summer by deleting purchased copies of, ironically enough, 1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Check out this reaction by a disgruntled Kindle customer.
The big question for advertisers and publishers...how to monetize these devices without alienating the reader. With readers complaining about book costs (new books are $10), there is buzz that Amazon may be considering inserting ads in a book's chapter breaks or in page margins. But while this could offset costs, it could anger consumers even more...and drive them back to good, old-fashioned books.
Where's FiOS?
The ongoing contract dispute that has left more than 3M Cablevision subscribers without their beloved Food Network and HGTV has been playing out since the New Year. Each company is trying to pin blame and public outrage on the other. Cablevision is running this message to viewers on the networks' former homes and has launched this page on its site to spin the story in its favor. Scripps (owner of Food & HGTV) has taken it a step further and launched two new microsites (ILoveFoodNetwork & ILoveHGTV) allowing angry viewers a platform to vent, organize, and send letters to Cablevision demanding a resolution. And in a brilliant ploy, they've launched a paid search campaign to capture the hearts & minds of confused viewers who rush to Google to find out what happen to their favorite networks (see above).
Of course, this is all just one example of the fee disputes that are going to wage between cable & content providers in the coming months (FOX just went through a recent standoff with Time Warner). Interestingly, Cablevision subscribers can still use their Cablevision-provided internet subscriptions to watch full episodes of their favorite shows on the Food Network & HGTV sites.
But the real question is where was Verizon FiOS hiding in all of this? Scripps was right on target by launching a paid search campaign to reach & inform their viewers. But what a missed opportunity by FiOS to capture some of the anger and let Cablevision users know that they have another option.
War Games
The battle between Apple & Google is really starting to heat up and it's being waged mainly in the mobile space. This week has featured several interesting firsts for the two companies.
Google struck first yesterday with news of its first ever hardware, the Nexus One handset. We've heard rumors of the release for weeks, but Google finally made it official yesterday (and made it availabe for purchase immediately). And today came news that Apple is making its first real foray into advertising with the purchase of mobile ad company Quattro Wireless (a counterpunch to Google's recent acquisition of rival mobile ad company, AdMob).
So what's next? And what is Apple planning to do with Quattro? It's likely a move to solidfy its iPhone platform as an ideal platform for app developers (helping them to more easily monitize their apps through advertising). But with recent rumors swirling that Google is looking to release additional hardware (possibly a netbook running on Google's own Chrome OS), it will be interesting to see if Apple starts to feel threatened by Google's move into their space. And where's Microsoft hiding in all of this?
ESPN 3 (-D)
With the popularity of James Cameron's Avatar, and a slew of new 3-D movies to be released this year, 3-D technology is really starting to take off. It's only a matter of time before it makes its way from theaters into our living rooms. Actually, it's only about 6 months.
ESPN 3D, the industry's first 3-D network, will launch in June for the FIFA World Cup. The network is planning to showcase at least 85 live sporting events in 3-D during the first year. So there's a good chance you can go from watching these blue men to these blue men next season
And thanks to a sea of new 3-D patents expect to see an explosion of the technology in the next few years including cameras, TV's, and we're sure some more stylish shades.
New Year, New Google?
Google's homepage features an animated logo Doodle for the first time ever today in honor of Sir Issac Newton's birthday. The Doodles, always a nice treat, have gotten more elaborate in recent years (check out 2001 vs. 2009 versions). And Google's become more open to tinkering with it's homepage recently, even promoting it's Google Chrome browser. And Doodle themes are beginning to more frequently be brand-inspired vs. tributes the cultural/historical events (i.e. the Apollo Moon Landing). In 2009, there were at least 15 brand-inspired messages.
It makes you think, with Google flaunting some new animated bells & whistles on it's homepage, is 2010 the year Google puts all that user data and monster traffic volume to use with display ads on the search homepage?
Top Tech Acquisitions
2009 featured a number of interesting acquisitions that will certainly shape our industry in the coming year(s). Above are the top-15 largest technology (web/software/hardware/mobile) acquisitions from the past year. We're talking some major 0's here.
The list is full of interesting deals, including Amazon's purchase of Zappos (#14) & Adobe's purchase of web analytics company Omniture (#11). Further down on the full list is Google's purchase of mobile ad network AdMob. With so much cash being thrown around toward the end of '09, Google's recent failed attempt to acquire local-review site Yelp (a deal we were really excited about) for $500M barely would have scratched the top-30.
So which deal do you think will have the biggest impact?
Downloading Christmas '09
With Christmas '09 come & gone, it looks like this year's real winners were digital downloads. For the first time ever Amazon sold more e-Books than physical books on Christmas. And app downloads surged on Christmas day (see above) as people around the country unwrapped their shiny new iPhones, iPod touches, and even Droid handsets & immediatly began filling their hardrives with apps. The Christmas Day push helped an already mature Apple App store realize a 50% month-to-month jump & saw the Droid app market grow by 20% over that same period.
So with consumers flocking to download the latest apps & e-books, an interesting new market has emerged for Christmas 2010. Black Friday/Cyber Monday remain key days to launch sales and push gadgets, but app developers and marketers need to keep a keen focus on Christmas morning, when a whole new audience suddenly gains access to their product and is anxiously looking for something to download on their new toy. We're certain next year we'll see some great campaigns centered around this strategy.
via Mobile Crunch
iPhone Grabs Top Spot
The iPhone 3G is the most popular phone in the US for 2009, according to a report released by Nielsen this morning.The Apple product now accounts for 4% of all mobile phones in use in the US, just ahead of the Blackberry Curve. Not bad for a phone that Microsoft's Steve Ballmer once said had "no chance [of gaining] any signinficant market share."
What's even more exciting to see is the number of smartphones that dominate this list already. With everyone expecting the mobile web to explode to over 100M users next year, it should be fun to see what this weekend's Christmas holiday does to help that cause.
Breakfast Anyone?
McDonalds has been treating our neighbors to the north to some truly creative campaigns recently to promote their breakfast menu. This latest one was used to support a "Free Coffee" promotion and combines a steam machine with a bus shelter to deliver a unique experience.
This isn't the first time that McDonalds has lured cold & hungry commuters through their doors with some imaginative executions. They've delivered at least two other "experiental" campaigns in the past few months that have done an excellent job of communicating the breakfast experience to their audience. We still favor D&D (or even Tim Horton's) for our fast food breakfast fix, but these certainly have caught our eye and helped us think about the types of experiences we can deliver with our campaigns.
via Cherry Flava
Operation Chokehold
iPhone users beware:If you thought you're AT&T service was bad already, it could be getting even worse for the next hour or so thanks to Operation Chokehold. Angry about claims of shoddy service & AT&T's recent statement that it may start charging data hogs more for the bandwith they use, Dan Lyons (a Newsweek writer who operates a blog under the alias of a fake Steve Jobs) is attempting to organize an army of frustrated iPhone users to "bring (the AT&T network) to its knees". The call to arms:
"On Friday, December 18, at noon Pacific time, we will attempt to overwhelm the AT&T data network and bring it to its knees. The goal is to have every iPhone user (or as many as we can) turn on a data intensive app and run that app for one solid hour. Send the message to AT&T that we are sick of their substandard network and sick of their abusive comments. THe idea is we’ll create a digital flash mob. We’re calling it in Operation Chokehold. Join us and speak truth to power!"
So how's your iPhone performing this hour? The majority of use here own one so we're all anxiously watching what happens. Will Operation Chokehold work or just fizzle out?
Training Day
The Gotham team spent the day at the (very festive) Google offices yesterday getting training on our latest Christmas gift: DoubleClick. For 2010, we've made the switch from Atlas and we're pumped about the exciting new reports we can produce & the exciting new targeting and optimization opportunities available in DFA6.
So yesterday we sharpened our pencils and went back to class for the day to get an understanding of all the new features and how to apply them for our digital clients. Most of the room was filled with assistant media planners with a combined 2 weeks experience. We sent the whole team, from traffic managers to account strategists to quiz the instructors and gain the most knowledge we could for our clients' campaigns. Even some of our print folks came along to get a taste of the digital world (congrats to Allison, pictured above with myself and our Google instructor, for trafficking her first online campaign!).
And don't tell anyone, but we saw the Google phone in person (we even played with it). It is SWEET: It looks great, the screen is crisp, and it's super quick. We're not saying bye to our iPhones just yet, but we're definitely excited for the release.
It's That Time of Year Again
This is one of our favorite times of the year. Of course, the holidays always mean good times and warm memories with friends and family. But we've got a bit of geek in us here at Gotham, and there's another reason we love this time of year: Right now everyone is busy cranking out their Top-10 lists, trying their best to tell us what was "hot" in 2009 & what the media landscape might look like next year.
In the spirit of giving, we thought we'd share one of our favorite videos. It speaks directly to lightning-fast moving digital trends & shifts that are constantly keeping us on our toes and changing our world (& our industry in particular). Plus it's got some pretty fun observations. One of our favorite take aways:
"The computer in your cell phone today is a million times cheaper, and a thousand times more powerful, and about a hundred times smaller
(than the one computer at MIT in 1965).
So what used to fit in a building now fits in your pocket."
-Ray Kurweil
Hello…..Hello…. Is anyone there?
Welcome to our blog....our little corner of the World Wide Web.
We launched this project to give you a sense of who Gotham Direct is. So there are a few things this blog won't do:
- Solve society's ills (unless you consider the wasteful use of one's advertising budget on ridiculous ad tactics a blemish on society )
- Post daily pix of cats or small ponies
What we promise to (try to) do is:
- Offer a forum to read and comment on topics that today's marketers and agency partners are facing.
- Be updated regularly by our staff, not by the President or some corporate suits, but the people who actually run the agency day to day.
- Post occasional pix of cats and small ponies. They're just so darned cute.
We're constantly talking about the fresh & exciting trends we see taking shape around us every day in this industry; we thought you might like to listen in.
So welcome to our blog and please be sure to give us your feedback...the good and the bad.