February 2012

Pizza Hut and Amex are teaming up for a Foursquare Super Bowl promotion, offering a $5 rebate on Pizza Hut orders over $10. Amex members will check into Foursquare’s “Super Swarm Sunday” feature, and upon ordering via phone, online or in-store at Pizza Hut they’ll receive an alert within moments regarding their Amex account credit. Pizza Hut will also run their pre-game spot on NBC, a part of their user-generated video contest promoting the Foursquare deal. For more information, please see Mashable.

February, 2012

According to a study, about half of the individuals watching the Super Bowl XLVI will check their mobile phone up to 10 times during the game. It was also proven, that almost one-third of viewers under the age of 45 will be watching with their mobile phone in their hand. People are using their phones to reach beyond the individuals that they are watching the game with through social media. A lot of the commentary will be about the anticipated commercials happening throughout the game. To learn more visit Mashable.

February, 2012

There is a lot of hype around Facebook filing to become a public company. One interesting number that arose during their IPO filing on Wednesday is that Zynga accounts for 12% of all of the revenue generated by Facebook. Facebook’s sales for 2011 totaled at $3.71 billion and $445 million of that revenue came from their current partnership with the game-maker Zynga. The independence of the two companies may become an issue for investors. Learn more about these two companies by visiting Mashable.

January, 2012

Tylenol has placed 2D barcodes on their product packaging to further educate consumers on proper dosages. When scanning the code, users are directed to a site where they can learn about the the drug acetaminophen and the appropriate amount to administer to alleviate symptoms. The site also offers medication safety tips, other over-the-counter products that include acetaminophen, as well as tips on how to properly read the Drug Information labels. The 2D barcodes are part of a new initiative, Get Relief Responsibly, Tylenol will be pushing in 2012. To learn more, please visit MobileMarketer.com.

January, 2012

ESPN has created an action-based video game for Facebook users. The game, titled ESPN Return Man, puts users in the shoes of an NFL kickoff returner. Users must find routes to take to avoid being tackled by the opponent. Within the game, users can select two playing modes: Season (where the user endures training camp, then plays for the chance to make it to the championship) or Blitz (where the user plays against friends and engages with new game levels as the weeks go on). Facebook Credits can be purchased to help users win by unlocking special moves. To see more about this game, please visit AllFacebook.com.

January, 2012

St. Jude’s “Thanks and Giving®” campaign raised an impressive 7.9 million dollars through online efforts alone. During the duration of the campaign, the charity organization received 570,000 “likes” on Facebook and over 150,000 followers on Twitter, an all-time high for the group. Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude said, “It is always our goal to engage with donors in ways that are both meaningful and accessible, whether it’s through traditional or social media or even in their preferred language.” To learn more about the success of this robust 360-degree campaign, please visit PRNewswire.com.

January, 2012

Facial recognition company Face.com has released “Klick” a new App for iOS 4.3+ that links to Facebook and automatically identifies your friends names when taking photos. Immediately sharing with your friends is optional, but to use the app you must configure it with your Facebook account.  Klick supports some Instagram-like photo filters that can make photos more artistic. It also offers feeds from nearby photos and friend’s photos with the option to tag from the camera roll to Twitter, email, Facebook and publically on Klick. For more information, please see TechCrunch.com.

January, 2012

Clio, a cloud-based management service is pioneering a movement in the legal industry of storing information on the cloud.  The cloud-based management service will help lawyers manage their practice by organizing time, client information, upcoming court dates and deadlines. Clio is using $6 million in new funding to push product and feature development around its technology, add support for its growing customer base, and expand internationally. For more information, please see  TechCrunch.com.

January, 2012

Bank of America has announced that it is testing a Groupon-like daily deal service for its account holders. The new “BankAmeriDeals” is currently being tested among employees and suggest deals based on your previous spending habits on your credit or debit card.  When viewing their online statement, the user can see what deals are available to them and then select which they would like to redeem.  When they purchase the deal item from a retailer with their Bank of America credit/debit card, they will pay full price and at the beginning of the next billing period the percentage off from the deal they chose will be deducted from their statement. This move shows how banks are moving towards internet banking services and embracing extra value added offers to keep consumers loyal and increase credit card spending.  For more information, see Mashable.

January, 2012

Minecraft is a game that allows players to build anything they can imagine out of blocks that look similar to LEGOs. Players build low-resolution landscapes in the digital world, that are now coming to the physical world. LEGO is partnering with Minecraft to develop these “worlds” into toys. Any homemade platform that receives 10,000 votes from the public will be reviewed by LEGO to potentially be transformed into a toy. For more information, visit Mashable.

January, 2012

McDonald’s started a Twitter campaign that was supposed to ignite discussion about positive stories around McDonald’s experiences. This hashtag, #McDsStories, turned into a way for unhappy customers to display their more than unpleasant stories. Customers completely bashed McDonalds, and their social media director Rick Wion, had to change their course. To watch the video and learn more about this campaign gone wrong, visit Mashable.

January, 2012

Tiffany & Co. is asking users to share what they find to be “true love” through their Valentine’s Day mobile application. The application shares love stories, tips on keeping a successful partnership, and a map where users can mark their initials on their favorite romantic spots. Users can also upload their own images and put a special Tiffany & Co. filter on it to make it more romanticized. The application also features a link to the Tiffany & Co. store where mobile purchases can be made. To learn more, please visit LuxuryDaily.com or the iTunes App store.

January, 2012

For the XLVI Super Bowl, a social media command center will be set up in Indianapolis, IN. Sports strategists and analysts will man the center and monitor all communication regarding the biggest football game of the year. For football fans who tweet or post questions regarding to the actual game (including, “I can’t find parking anywhere!”), the command center will provide them with responses to make the event more enjoyable. The amount attention being paid to social media’s involvement in the event is a first, and marketers should expect to see more types of pop-ups like this happen as digital media continues to grow in importance within this generation. To learn more, please visit AllFacebook.com.

January, 2012

A leader in leveraging digital technology, Starbucks will turn to QR codes to poll consumers on their favorite coffee blends. To encourage code captures, Starbucks delivered the code via a coupon flier. Users who scan the code can vote on their favorite blend and link to Facebook to see what others have been voting. This QR code usage is a good example of a brand providing engaging content through a mobile medium. To learn more about this promotion, please visit MobileMarketer.com.

January, 2012

President Barack Obama will be addressing citizens’ questions and answers via a live chat on Google+ next week. Users who want their questions addressed will have to load a video question to YouTube by January 28th. Not all videos will be chosen, but for those which he does select, the users will be invited to the “Hangout” to live chat directly with the President. For more information, please visit Gizmodo.com.

January, 2012

The Citi Thank You Point Sharing Facebook app allows Thank You rewards members to pool their points together with their friends on Facebook and extend their reward possibilities.  The collective value can be used toward sharing a goal or reward, such as a trip or charity donation. “This new app is a first in the marketplace and a fun, flexible way to share points,” said Ralph Andretta, head of co brands and loyaltu at Citi Cards. For more information, please see promomagazine.com

January, 2012

GOP presidential hopefuls are experimenting with mobile ad campaigns to target specific locations and interest groups. These ads target ZIP codes that have been determined to have a high concentration of supporters and deliver actions such as watching a video or looking up a caucus location.  Mobile ads are cheaper than display ads and have higher engagement rates. “If we don’t hit them on their phones, we’re missing a huge opportunity for people who are voters,” said Mitt Romney’s digital director, Zac Moffatt.. For more information, Please see adage.com

January, 2012

According to a CNET report Facebook is looking to exclusively host Vevo- YouTube’s top streaming channel. This adoption would put Facebook in direct competition with Google’s YouTube, and give Facebook users the ability to simultaneously listen to music, upload pictures, comment on walls and message friends. Vevo is currently the top national entertainment music web platform with projected 3.7 billion videos viewed globally each month. For more information, please see Mashable.com.

January 2012

Chevrolet introduces The Chevy Game Time app, leveraging the mobile space where many viewers existed during last year’s Super Bowl. The app will quiz users with trivia and poll questions on the Super Bowl game, teams and commercials. Correct answers will enter users into a drawing for thousands of prizes from Chevrolet, Bridgestone, Motorola, Papa John’s and more. Users are also assigned a “license plate” number upon download of the app. Consumers’ license plate numbers matching license plates in Chevy’s commercials will win a Chevy’s vehicle. For more information, please see AdAge.

January, 2012 Google is working on a solution for people to login into their Gmail more securely, while using a public computer. This week they  experimented with using a QR code. Although the test is no longer running, Google says there are more to come and users who tested reported having success. To learn more go to Mashable.com.

January, 2012

Beer Brand Samuel Adams has created a Facebook app called Crowd Craft Project to involve Facebook Fans in the brewing process. The beer that is created by using this app will be brewed next month and served in select bars for SXSW patrons. It will determine the beer’s color, clarity, body, hops, and malt. For more information, please see AdAge.com.

January, 2012

Home Depot and PayPal will be testing mobile payments in-store in 51 stores. Guests who will be participating in the test will be able to pay for purchases by entering in a pin on their mobile phone or by using a PayPal designated credit card. In addition to mobile payments, the company has said they may include location-based offers to help incentivize and ease the use of mobile payment. To learn more, please visit TechCrunch.com.

January, 2012

Yesterday over 2.4 million tweets regarding SOPA and PIPA were share during the hours of 12 AM and 4 PM EST. Generally, most tweets were against the new bill proposed by Congress which aims to stop online piracy. If passed, the act would allow content owners to pull any information they deem infringing on foreign sites, such as Wikipedia or Google searches. To learn more about the anti-SOPA campaign on Twitter, please visit Mashable.com.

January, 2012

Toshiba is releasing an ultra thin new tablet based on comments from consumers on social media sites. Toshiba uses Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to listen to what consumers really want and make them happen. Mark Simmons, CEO of Toshiba America confirms this during an exclusive interview. He discusses that a lot of what consumers want is determined with surveys by current customers, but even more importantly than that, the customers true wants and needs are displayed on social media. Watch the entire interview with Mark Simmons on Mashable.

January, 2012

Apple is expected to make an announcement with a focus on education this Thursday. A rumor claims that Apple plans to launch a “GarageBand” style software that allows anyone with an Apple device tools to create interactive textbooks. According to Steve Jobs biography, he had a much bigger idea in mind. He believed that the $8 billion a year industry was ready for a digital makeover. To learn more, visit Mashable.

January, 2012

Express has added QR codes to store windows and clothing tags inorder to encourage downloads of the store’s app and promote their social sites to their consumers.  The QR codes placed on the windows of the New York stores and placed on tags for clothing lead to the mobile landing page where consumers can learn about and easily download the Express app for iPhone, Android, or Blackberry platforms.   Express hopes that the app downloads will lead to more memorable in store experiences as well as increase engagement with the fashion retailer’s social media sites.  For more information see Mobile Commerce Daily.

January, 2012

Huggies Korea engaged new mothers over this holiday season by offerings a “Baby Babbles Translator” through YouTube.   Mothers were encouraged to upload videos of their babies babbling to the company’s Korean YouTube channel.  Huggies then selected videos to ‘translate’ and posted videos to the YouTube channel of their translating team deciphering the babblings and determining exactly what the baby was trying to say. In all Huggies created over 25 videos with their ‘translations’.  The parents of the chosen baby videos received a gift from Huggies after the holiday season. For more information, see Creativity Online.

January, 2012

Walgreens is paying Twitter and bloggers to act as crisis PR against its former benefit manager, Express Scripts.  Walgreens has been at risk of losing customers to rival pharmacies after failed negotiations this past summer.  Walgreens recently purchased the promoted tweet “@Walgreens Patients should be able to choose their pharmacy, not @ExpressScripts. Tweet using #ILoveWalgreens to show your support!”  Walgreens also enlisted Social Spark, a service that connects bloggers with paid sponsorships, in order to recruit and sponsor bloggers to defend the company and garner reader support.  This approach has elicited some negative responses online about the company’s use of purchased promoted tweets and blogger sponsorships to generate support for the company.  For more information and reactions to the campaign, please see AdvertisingAge.

January, 2012

Hulu is in final preparations to launch its first original scripted series, Battleground, online next month.  The show will be available on Hulu.com to its paid ‘premium’ subscribers as well as its free service subscribers.  The show covers a fictional senate candidate in Wisconsin as he battles from third place the upcoming election. Hulu announced the plans for the original series as other online services such as Netflix, Youtube, and Yahoo have discussed or announced adding original programming to their offerings. Hulu offers subscribers the ability to watch episodes of many popular TV shows online with limited commercial interruptions. The company hopes that the addition of original web programming such as Battleground will bolster its already growing profits after the company saw 60% growth from 2010-2011. For more information see TechCrunch.