| TRENDING STORIES IN BUSINESS & MARKETING | | | | | | | ALL STORIES IN BUSINESS & MARKETING | | |
| Shapeways CEO: 3D Printing Will Fuel Creative Commerce | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 7:21 PM | Sarah Kessler |
|  Although 3D printing has been around since the '80s, it only recently moved out of specialty prototyping shops. As the technology becomes more accessible -- allowing anybody to design anything they want -- it could revolutionize the way products are made and distributed. "We think it will give rise to a creative commerce," said Shapeways CEO Peter Weijmarshausen on stage at Mashable Connect Friday. Shapeways was one of the first companies to put a consumer spin on 3D printing. The startup's website allows designers to upload their wares for printing and sell the results in an Etsy-like store. Those without design experience can tweak existing models to their liking before printing them in one of 25 different materials, including stainless steel, ceramics and sterling silver. Weijmarshausen says the company printed 750,000 products in 2011. He expects "many times more this year -- millions." The other company most often credited for the rise of the consumer 3D printing trend is MakerBot, which sells 3D printers for about $1,700. So how does the trend toward 3D printing products, rather than just prototypes, change the world? "Products will get better, quicker because you don't have stock that you have to sell," Weijmarshausen says. "You can do new versions tomorrow. You can do version seven in a week. And that way, we will get products that are much more relevant to us." 3D printing allows designers to iterate quickly and without risk, which means they can incorporate feedback immediately. Instead of getting a loan, paying a manufacturer, putting it through retail channels and hoping it sells, designers can make just as many units as they sell. If they have new ideas or feedback, they can incorporate them immediately instead of waiting until their latest version sells out. The technology has already lowered the barrier to creating new products, but we're not quite ready to abandon mass production. For one thing, 3D printing is still a lot more expensive than buying a mass-produced item. A custom ring costs $40, a bracelet can be $100 and a small vase costs about $50. While those prices aren't at the most expensive end of their respective categories, they make printing large items impractical. "It's lot of money for this vase," said Weijmarshausen, referring to the $50 model sitting on the podium. "But at the same time, it's the only vase in the world that looks like this...As this technology becomes more and more popular, I think the cost will come down." Mashable Connect Sponsors
AT&T is bringing it all together for our customers, from revolutionary smartphones to next-generation TV services and sophisticated solutions for multi-national businesses. For more than a century, we have consistently provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and excellent customer care. For more, visit http://www.att.com.
Barnes & Noble College Marketing (BNCM) helps brands thrive on campus. It is a division of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. that operates more than 640 college bookstores across the country, serving more than 4.7 million students and faculty members. BNCM has the on-campus access and student understanding to deliver superior marketing programs for its brand partners. BNCM's capabilities include: experiential and event marketing; product sampling, sweepstakes and promotions; digital marketing (social, email, web); on-campus advertising and postering; and programs targeting freshmen, graduates, alumni and athletic event fans. Visit www.bncollegemarketing.com.
Hiscox specializes in tailored insurance coverage for a range of professional services firms in industries like IT, marketing, consulting and more. Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. has been protecting clients for over 100 years and is rated 'A' (Excellent) for financial strength by A.M. Best. We offer professional liability insurance, general liability insurance and other policies direct, either online or over the phone, with customized coverage starting from just $22.50/month. Visit hiscoxusa.com/smallbiz for a fast, free quote now.
Webtrends powers digital marketing success. Webtrends is at the forefront of real-time digital marketing relevance and customer experience management through unified customer intelligence. Our industry-leading analytics across mobile, social and web enables marketers to optimize campaigns, maximize customer lifetime value and deliver highly relevant digital brand experiences in real-time. Webtrends dramatically improve digital marketing results for more than 3,500 global brands including, in EMEA and internationally, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, HSBC, ASOS, Orange, T-Mobile, Microsoft, BMW, Toyota, Play.com, AllSaints, The Telegraph, and many more. www.webtrends.com
Definition 6 is a Unified Marketing Agency that creates brand experiences that unite brands and people in motion. Through imagination, innovation and insight, we execute ideas that deliver continued value across all brand interactions. For more information, please visit http://www.definition6.com.
The Adobe Digital Marketing Suite is an integrated set of applications which allow businesses to gather customer insight and optimize advertising, conversion and retention efforts as well as the creation and distribution of content. For example, using the Suite, marketers can identify the most effective marketing strategies and ad placements as well as create relevant, personalized and consistent customer experiences across digital marketing channels, such as onsite, display, e-mail, social, video and mobile. The Suite enables marketers to automatically adjust to customer interactions and better maximize marketing ROI, which leads to a positive impact the bottom line. http://www.adobe.com/solutions/digital-marketing.html
The leading resource for human resource and business leaders to explore and discuss the latest workforce and workplace trends including social innovation-providing the in-depth research and insights needed to adapt and take advantage of what's next. www.shrm.org |
| 5 Social Media Activities for Your Next HR Training Session | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 6:01 PM | Sharlyn Lauby |
|  This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. There's a new dilemma in today's training world: Is it prudent to allow technology devices in the classroom? One school of thought is that there should be absolutely no distraction -- technology won't be tolerated and should not be incorporated into a professional training environment. But a new way of thinking is to encourage smartphones, laptops and tablets. Make them a part of the session, since today's training participants are multi-taskers. Trainees may want to tweet, post pictures and take notes to add a valuable interactive element to their own learning experience. In this new school of thought, trainers are becoming facilitators. It's a great opportunity to introduce trainees on how to properly engage with social media to add a professional benefit to not only their own employment but also to the company at large. Adding social media is a terrific means to spark conversation before, during and after a training session. Here are five examples of training sessions that provide students with a great grasp on how to wield social media for the good of the company. 1. Facebook Before you Train Prior to a learning event, a trainer can create a Facebook group for participants. This page can be used to solicit and convey information about the program. In addition, videos can be posted prior to the session to provide background information for participants. You can also post materials using document sharing systems such as Google Docs or SlideShare. Some of the advantages to using a Facebook group prior to training include: getting participants engaged with the trainer, breaking down any barriers between the group and starting a discussion about the subject prior to meeting. All of these are good ways to engage the group before the formal training session starts. 2. Start Networking on LinkedIn Objective: Recruiters are online, companies are online, job seekers are online and you should be too. A professional profile is a necessary tool in our social media-focused world, so there's no excuse not to have one. Technology: LinkedIn Activity: Ask participants to set up a LinkedIn account, then give them tasks. For example, ask them to connect with five people they know, update their profile with their current job, make at least one recommendation and join one group. Discussion: Talk with new users about the experience. What did they learn about the platform? What tasks were easy and difficult? Where can they see the advantages of using this social networking site in the future? 3. A Map of Our Team Objective: Great for virtual teams to build a stronger sense of team identity and the individuals on the team. Technology: A location-based map service like Google Maps or Bing Maps. If your company wants to implement a custom or branded map, OpenStreetMap is a great option. Activity: Assign each team member a unique marker or pushpin. Team members can place the pushpins on the map anywhere to identify landmarks related to them, including details where appropriate. Examples of relevant locations are where a person currently works, the location of corporate headquarters or regional offices and the locations of key customers or vendors. You could also include the city or campus where a participant went to college, the farthest place you've ever traveled or the location of your first job. Discussion: Ask the group about how sharing information helps to build teams and how geography plays a role in a person's work style. Source: The Big Book of Virtual Team Building Games by Mary Scannell, Michael Abrams and Mike Mulvihill. Published by McGraw Hill. 4. Customer Service Role Play Objective: To practice customer service recovery situations. Technology: Twitter Activity: Create a Twitter account that simulates angry customers. Then, assign participants the following roles: customer, sales rep, manager and operations department. Then give the group an assignment. For example, a customer might complain that his equipment isn't working. The team should work together to troubleshoot and offer a solution. Discussion: Ask the group if they were able to solve the problem and how they accomplished the task. This can also be a great activity to discuss clarity in communications. Source: Social Media for Trainers by Jane Bozarth. Published by Pfeiffer. 5. Tweet Your Training Another consideration is to create a Twitter hashtag for your training session so participants can read through all of the tweets. After the session, the hashtag can be used to post a summary of key points and articles or blogs of interest. Trainers can host Twitter chats or a guest speaker to keep the conversation going, as a method of increasing learner retention. Conclusion Adding social media to training isn't creating a distraction; it's a way to engage people with the tools that most of us are already using in our lives. What better way is there to enhance the learning experience for everyone involved? Would you incorporate social media into a training session or do you wish your company would train you in social media? Let us know in the comments. More Small Business Resources From OPEN Forum: - Should Small Businesses Follow Everyone Back on Twitter? - Are You Falling into the Pricing Trap? - How to Take Your PR Pitches to the Next Level |
| 47 Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 5:58 PM | Matt Petronzio |
|  Mashable won a Webby Award for our business coverage, so how on earth could you let yourself miss our latest digital media resources? Just kidding -- for whatever reason you couldn't keep up this week, check out our features roundup for the best social media, business and tech resources. This week, we've covered mobile trends that your company needs to watch out for, rules for responding to customers online and specs on the forthcoming BlackBerry 10 that are pretty cool. We also have a ton of content from Star Wars Day, a list of quirky and downright strange YouTube channels and infographics on Apple's worth, the presidential campaign, mobile commerce and other hot topics. We also announced the date of Mashable's Social Media Day 2012 (June 30) and listed ways you can participate! Enjoy this week's resources. Editor's Picks How to Explain Facebook (and Its IPO) in 150 Seconds/a> Want a Facebook refresher? Need to how why its may be worth its $100 billion valuation? Simply screen this short video. Growing Up Google: How Cloud Computing Is Changing a Generation Google's free Apps for Education program is turning kids into loyal, long-term users and changing the way institutions think about technology. Beyond Craigslist: 10 Sites for Apartment Hunters Here are 10 sites to help you find the perfect apartment in the neighborhood of your choice -- and within your price range. Obama vs. Romney: The Social Showdown How do Obama and Romney compare on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Pinterest? How 7 Top Brands Are Using Facebook's New Ad Tools The social platform has switched up its ad rules. See how these brands are shining on Facebook. Social Media 10 Heart-Warming Animal Friendships Captured on YouTube There's something special about interspecies friendships. We've gathered some of the most remarkable footage of animal buddies on YouTube. Freedom Tower: 11 Beautiful Instagrams of NYC's Tallest Building A steel beam was secured to One World Trade Center, making it officially the tallest building in New York City. Instagram users captured the moment. 20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz This Week/a> Which TV shows have generated the most buzz on social networks? Find out each week from our social TV chart. 21 Ridiculously Cute Dog and Cat Instagram Pics We scoured Instagram for the most stylish and adorable canines and felines. Celebrate Mashable's Social Media Day 2012 On Saturday, June 30, 2012, Mashable's worldwide community will celebrate a common interest in and passion for social media and innovation. 4 Ways to Drive Engagement With Facebook Ads Here are four ways to drive more engagement with the new Facebook ad units, along with tips for how to enhance performance. 15 LOL-Worthy Instagram Pics There are plenty of laughs lurking on Instagram. Here's a roundup of some of the best comedy gems out there. 20 Lunchtime Photos From the Mashable Community For last week's Mashable Photo Challenge, we asked you to send us a photo during your lunch break. Take a look at these 20 spectacular shots. 7 Quirky, Comical and Downright Weird YouTube Channels These seven YouTube channels will have you laughing more with each click. Scumbag Steve: How the Internet Meme Became a Rapper Internet meme "Scumbag Steve" -- AKA Blake Boston -- has turned his unintentional web fame into a burgeoning rap music career. 16 Instagram Pics Moving at the Speed of Life Mashable scoured Instagram for pics that convey high speeds -- because the faster we do things, the more we can do. 25 Stunning Cityscapes on Instagram Feast your eyes on some of the best and most beautiful cities in the world with this curation of Instagram pics. 10 Most-Shared Star Wars-Themed Ads on YouTube Check out the 10 most-shared YouTube ads inspired by Star Wars. For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable's social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Business & Marketing 5 Mobile Trends Brands Need to Watch The post-mobile future is upon us. Here's how brands can prepare for a period that's evolving before their eyes. 6 Tips for Organizing Your Small Business Finances Here are six ways you can take control of your finances and move your small business forward. YouTube's 20 Most-Shared Ads in April/a> Check out the 20 most-shared YouTube ads for the month of April, featuring Google, Nike, Tipp-Ex and more. 7 Rules for Responding to Customers Online Here are seven social media management rules to help your employees boost customer loyalty and revenue. Hungry? Appetude Finds Delish Dishes Near You "'What is good to eat near me?'" That's the question Appetude wants to answer by creating a social platform revolving around dishes, restaurants and friends. How One Startup Is Reinventing the Mail Paperless Post took the idea of stealth mode to new levels; its founders didn't even tell friends what they were making early on. But all that secrecy seems to have paid off. How Much Is Apple Worth?/a> This infographic compares Apple's massive reach to things around the world. Shazam: The Secret to Better TV Engagement? Shazam has come a long way from its sound-recognition roots. Check out innovative ways the platform is pioneering the second screen. 65+ Hot Events in Business and Social Media The Events Board allows event organizers and the Mashable community to organize events in social media, tech, marketing and other fields. Want to Book Restaurants You Find on Foursquare? This Startup Helps Reserve My City makes it easy to book restaurant reservations on your Foursquare to-do list. Fashion Designer Launches Platform for Crowdsourced Design Cut On Your Bias lets you vote on a range of design goods mockups, and purchase the ones voted most popular by the community. Want to Turn Your Brand's Fans Into Expert Advisors? Try This Startup Needle offers expert live chat service to online retailers to help customers find the best products and increase sales. For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable's business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Tech & Mobile What If LinkedIn Was Invented in the '80s?/a> Imagine what job hunting would be like today if we relied on software programming from the '80s. Celebrate 'Mean Girls' Day With 34 Fetch Memes Mean Girls was released 8 years ago and went on to become a pop cultural smash. Enjoy the best memes inspired by the film from across the internet. 8 Hilarious 'Avengers' Parodies/a> In anticipation of the release of The Avengers, we've gathered eight hilarious parodies to keep you entertained while you wait. 7 Fantastic Celebrity Portraits on 'Draw Something' Along with our partners at CNN iReport, we asked you to send us your best celebrity portraits on Draw Something. Take a look! 6 Serious Movie Scenes Recut With Corny Laugh Tracks We found six fascinating examples of serious movie scenes re-edited with laugh tracks. Talk about counterintuitive! 5 Things That Are Actually Pretty Cool About BlackBerry 10 RIM showed off some novel features about its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphone platform. 2012: Year of the Online Political Ad/a> Politicians are spending more on digital ads this year than they've ever spent before. Why Creating a Successful App Is Harder Than You Think/a> According to one survey, nearly 60% of app entrepreneurs don't even break even on the cost of developing their project. 10 Tech Innovations That Streamline Air Travel Stuck with the bureaucracy found at your local airport? Check out these innovations bound to make your trip a lot faster. The Future of Money and Mobile Commerce/a> Mobile payments represent the new frontier in ecommerce technology. Find out how people and businesses are preparing for a new form of money. Films as Startups: How Indie Producers Build Buzz The days of shopping scripts around Hollywood are over. If you can prove there's online interest in your film, you've got a better shot at attracting studio backing. Is Too Much Tech Bad for the Modern Teenager?/a> This infographic provides some perspective on just how immersed the modern teenager is in technology. 10 Best Android Puzzle Games Mobile puzzle games are so addictive that players have been known to lose a few hours on them. Here are ten for Android that you'll love. Half of Consumers Use Smartphones While Working Out/a> A new infographic from Lab42 found that 51% of consumers are using smartphones during their workouts. From Skateboarding to Door-Kicking: 12 Hilarious Obama GIFs A look at some of the most hilarious GIFs made of President Barack Obama. 9 Star Wars Tech Accessories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away "May the fourth be with you" on Star Wars Day! Here are our favorite tech toys from around the web. Look at These 35 Star Wars Memes, You Will These are the memes you're looking for. Check out these 35 galactic Star Wars memes we've gathered from across the Internet. For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable's tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, courtneyk. |
| Shopping App NetPlenish Is a Win for Consumers and Sellers | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 5:20 PM | Kate Freeman |
|  NetPlenish CEO Dave Compton believes "there are two types of shoppers: convenience and price-driven." Compton says his wife was faced with a common shopping problem -- having to visit multiple stores to find the best deals. It was a weekly challenge for her to find a particular brand of dog food at the best price. So Compton and his NetPlenish co-founder Steve Markowitz created their app to let merchants compete for sales based on who has the best-priced in a given week, addressing the consumer problem of having to shop at multiple stores to get prime deals. Even more convenient, items get shipped to you in 3-5 days. Need something ASAP? Overnight shipping is available too. The cost of shipping depends on the number of items and where they're from -- order around 25 or more items and shipping is typically lowered. The free app was launched in the iTunes app store and for Android on Thursday. The app is connected with dozens of major merchants including Target, PetSmart, Sephora, Sears and OfficeMax, and the company is continuing to add more. To use the app, input your grocery list by way of scanning and -- boom -- the app's price comparison software, called Shop Genius, compares the price of that product at various stores to find you the lowest real-time price. Right now, you can only input items by scanning. "What we are really focused on are the things you buy over and over again," he said. Compton said he also wants to make checking out easier. There's no need to re-type your credit card information into the app each time you shop. You register your card once and are done forever. From then on, you tap the "purchase" button to buy products and have them shipped to your home. The app shows your total pricy tally including shipping and tax before you purchase. Whether you're convenience or price-driven, NetPlenish serves both shopping styles. But I wondered: Are the savings cancelled out by the shipping costs? Even if shipping does cut into saving rates, Compton argues that the app's ability to turn a 45 minute shopping trip into a 45 second task is a game changer. I used the app to scan the barcode from some items on my desk: a bag of prepackaged almonds, some tins of a popular brand of tea. I even went into the fridge to scan the barcode on a bottle of mustard and some coffee creamer. But nothing I scanned was available on NetPlenish (sigh), which was surprising because Compton said they have two million products registered. As good an idea as this is, I suppose the developers will need some time to add more items or fine-tune the scanner. But nonetheless, a smart idea that should improve with some tweaking. What do you think about NetPlenish? Would you use it? Tell us in the comment. ?Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, bowdenimages ? |
| Why Marketers Should Get to Know Customers' 'Digital Selves' | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 5:10 PM | Pete Pachal |
|  Today's marketers are under-utilizing the large amounts of personal data their customers are sharing publicly every day, according to Adobe's senior manager of social-media products, Chad Warren. By looking at their customers' activity not just on social networks but all over the web, brands can potentially engage with them in ways that are much more meaningful. When brands successfully connect with customers around the things they love, advertising ceases to be a commercial endeavor and instead becomes simply useful information, Warren said during a presentation at Mashable Connect in Orlando, Fla. While many brands use personalization techniques to reach their customers, Warren says it's often one-dimensional, isolated to a single activity, medium (such as television) or social network. "There's not enough focus and emphasis on gathering and understanding all these signals that our customers are sharing with us, either explicitly or implicitly," Warren said, "And pulling those things together to build a greater understanding of who our customers are and what it is what they want, and then acting upon those things." Warren envisions tying together "signals" customers are sending out from many different places -- from Facebook profiles to Amazon wish lists to Pinterest boards -- to get a full picture of a customer's "digital self." The final step is to act upon the information, possibly overhauling everything from the creative to the target demographic. As an example, Warren cited Acer. The company's marketing effort around the Aspire S3 Ultrabook utilized that type of data after customers signed up for an online sweepstakes. Acer used the data to pinpoint different kinds of customers beyond its initial target demographic -- for example, women who buy high-end clothing. SEE ALSO: Beyond Likes: How Google and Adobe Aim to Measure Your True Social ROI By engaging with customers in those places, with creative material tailored to match, the company managed to more than double engagement with its customers, and experienced a ten-fold increase in Facebook fans. The key to reaching customers in this way is action, Warren said. After realizing the importance of data, a company should not make it an afterthought. It needs to be built into the marketing process from the beginning. How do you think companies can better implement personalized marketing? And as a customer, how do you feel about marketers using your publicly available "signals?" Share your thoughts in the comments. Mashable Connect Sponsors
AT&T is bringing it all together for our customers, from revolutionary smartphones to next-generation TV services and sophisticated solutions for multi-national businesses. For more than a century, we have consistently provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and excellent customer care. For more, visit http://www.att.com.
Barnes & Noble College Marketing (BNCM) helps brands thrive on campus. It is a division of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. that operates more than 640 college bookstores across the country, serving more than 4.7 million students and faculty members. BNCM has the on-campus access and student understanding to deliver superior marketing programs for its brand partners. BNCM's capabilities include: experiential and event marketing; product sampling, sweepstakes and promotions; digital marketing (social, email, web); on-campus advertising and postering; and programs targeting freshmen, graduates, alumni and athletic event fans. Visit www.bncollegemarketing.com.
Hiscox specializes in tailored insurance coverage for a range of professional services firms in industries like IT, marketing, consulting and more. Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. has been protecting clients for over 100 years and is rated 'A' (Excellent) for financial strength by A.M. Best. We offer professional liability insurance, general liability insurance and other policies direct, either online or over the phone, with customized coverage starting from just $22.50/month. Visit hiscoxusa.com/smallbiz for a fast, free quote now.
Webtrends powers digital marketing success. Webtrends is at the forefront of real-time digital marketing relevance and customer experience management through unified customer intelligence. Our industry-leading analytics across mobile, social and web enables marketers to optimize campaigns, maximize customer lifetime value and deliver highly relevant digital brand experiences in real-time. Webtrends dramatically improve digital marketing results for more than 3,500 global brands including, in EMEA and internationally, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, HSBC, ASOS, Orange, T-Mobile, Microsoft, BMW, Toyota, Play.com, AllSaints, The Telegraph, and many more. www.webtrends.com
Definition 6 is a Unified Marketing Agency that creates brand experiences that unite brands and people in motion. Through imagination, innovation and insight, we execute ideas that deliver continued value across all brand interactions. For more information, please visit http://www.definition6.com.
The Adobe Digital Marketing Suite is an integrated set of applications which allow businesses to gather customer insight and optimize advertising, conversion and retention efforts as well as the creation and distribution of content. For example, using the Suite, marketers can identify the most effective marketing strategies and ad placements as well as create relevant, personalized and consistent customer experiences across digital marketing channels, such as onsite, display, e-mail, social, video and mobile. The Suite enables marketers to automatically adjust to customer interactions and better maximize marketing ROI, which leads to a positive impact the bottom line. http://www.adobe.com/solutions/digital-marketing.html
The leading resource for human resource and business leaders to explore and discuss the latest workforce and workplace trends including social innovation-providing the in-depth research and insights needed to adapt and take advantage of what's next. www.shrm.org |
| Why Marketing Is Broken and How to Fix It | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 3:55 PM | Todd Wasserman |
|  The marketing world needs to stop being so afraid and start solving problems, according to Cindy Gallop, an entrepreneur and consultant whose prescription for growth calls for synthesizing creativity and data collection. Gallop, who spoke at Mashable Connect Saturday morning, critiqued the current state of marketing, which she believes is driven by fear. "Fear is the single worst dynamic in business," she said. "Decisions made out of fear are always very bad decisions." Such trepidation, predicated by the economy, has caused marketers to become much more cautious, hence the emphasis on data collection in lieu of risk-taking. In Gallop's view, though, this array of data has caused paralysis. Lacking any single standard for tracking data, marketers are merely analyzing. To get over that, Gallop recommends a DIY approach: "You should decide what you are and what you want to measure," she said. "Design your own metric system." After that, she says marketers should tap that data to improve their marketing. "The new creativity is data-informed," she said. A self-styled system should also be more transparent about its data collection. In an age of transparency, Gallop says marketers should approach their relationship with clients on social media the same way they'd do it in real life. "When you meet someone you like, you want to know about them, so you ask them and you tell them things about yourself," she says. "You reach a point where essentially on both sides you're saying, 'I want you to know me.' That's the relationship you want to reach with consumers." Yet Gallop thinks transparency alone isn't enough, noting that advertisers are now judged by actions, not claims. As an example of this new type of "action branding," she cited Levi's decision to raise $2 million for the down-on-its-luck town of Braddock, Pa., in 2010 and feature it and its young mayor in an ad campaign. It's unclear how effective such solutions are in the real world. Though there were doubtlessly other factors at play, the ad campaign seems to have helped Levi's sales -- the company's 2011 revenues rose 8%. However, a similar program from Pepsi appears to have had a disastrous effect on sales and that brand recently abandoned the approach. Mashable Connect Sponsors
AT&T is bringing it all together for our customers, from revolutionary smartphones to next-generation TV services and sophisticated solutions for multi-national businesses. For more than a century, we have consistently provided innovative, reliable, high-quality products and services and excellent customer care. For more, visit http://www.att.com.
Barnes & Noble College Marketing (BNCM) helps brands thrive on campus. It is a division of Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. that operates more than 640 college bookstores across the country, serving more than 4.7 million students and faculty members. BNCM has the on-campus access and student understanding to deliver superior marketing programs for its brand partners. BNCM's capabilities include: experiential and event marketing; product sampling, sweepstakes and promotions; digital marketing (social, email, web); on-campus advertising and postering; and programs targeting freshmen, graduates, alumni and athletic event fans. Visit www.bncollegemarketing.com.
Hiscox specializes in tailored insurance coverage for a range of professional services firms in industries like IT, marketing, consulting and more. Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. has been protecting clients for over 100 years and is rated 'A' (Excellent) for financial strength by A.M. Best. We offer professional liability insurance, general liability insurance and other policies direct, either online or over the phone, with customized coverage starting from just $22.50/month. Visit hiscoxusa.com/smallbiz for a fast, free quote now.
Webtrends powers digital marketing success. Webtrends is at the forefront of real-time digital marketing relevance and customer experience management through unified customer intelligence. Our industry-leading analytics across mobile, social and web enables marketers to optimize campaigns, maximize customer lifetime value and deliver highly relevant digital brand experiences in real-time. Webtrends dramatically improve digital marketing results for more than 3,500 global brands including, in EMEA and internationally, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, HSBC, ASOS, Orange, T-Mobile, Microsoft, BMW, Toyota, Play.com, AllSaints, The Telegraph, and many more. www.webtrends.com
Definition 6 is a Unified Marketing Agency that creates brand experiences that unite brands and people in motion. Through imagination, innovation and insight, we execute ideas that deliver continued value across all brand interactions. For more information, please visit http://www.definition6.com.
The Adobe Digital Marketing Suite is an integrated set of applications which allow businesses to gather customer insight and optimize advertising, conversion and retention efforts as well as the creation and distribution of content. For example, using the Suite, marketers can identify the most effective marketing strategies and ad placements as well as create relevant, personalized and consistent customer experiences across digital marketing channels, such as onsite, display, e-mail, social, video and mobile. The Suite enables marketers to automatically adjust to customer interactions and better maximize marketing ROI, which leads to a positive impact the bottom line. http://www.adobe.com/solutions/digital-marketing.html
The leading resource for human resource and business leaders to explore and discuss the latest workforce and workplace trends including social innovation-providing the in-depth research and insights needed to adapt and take advantage of what's next. www.shrm.org |
| Alcoholic Spray Promises a Few Seconds of Instant Intoxication [VIDEO] | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 3:29 PM | Joann Pan |
|  The product featured in the above video may be the perfect accessory for a Saturday night. Meet the "Spray That Makes You Drunk" -- WA|AH Quantum Sensations -- created by scientist David Edwards and designer Philippe Starck. The WA|AH spray lets users skip breakfast, lunch and dinner and go straight to drinking. The product promises the short-term effects of alcohol -- without the hangover or embarrassing moments. The new gadget premiered at a Paris exhibition recently and will hit store shelves in Europe soon. The small lipstick-sized metallic canister holds around 2 milliliters of alcohol -- 1000 times less than a cocktail, says the Daily Mail. But, the spray's creators say the "shock is immediate, like a sensorial alarm." The spray will cost 20 Euros or around $26 a vial. Would you spend $26 on the alcoholic spray? Sound off in the comments. |
| 3 Signs That It's Time To Quit Your Job | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 2:40 PM | Tony Morrison |
|  Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko. Find him on Talent Connection and connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter. In the recent years, we have heard in the news some pretty creative "Take This Job and Shove It" stories. Joey quit his job with the support of a marching band and posted the event on YouTube. A Jetblue flight attendant quit his job, grabbed a beer and then slid down the emergency chute of the plane he was on. But, in probably the most significant public resignation of 2012 thus far, Greg Smith, a former Goldman Sachs vice president, wrote a personal manifesto of the company's faults. It landed in the New York Times, garnering national attention and even online parodies. Smith has been lauded by various groups as a "folk hero" for speaking out against Goldman. For 143 years, Goldman Sachs was a trusted financial institution, but the company has been in the news with more bad press than good for over a decade. ? For many of us, a creative public resignation may sound like fun and you think it will make you feel better by getting in the last word. You may have the best intentions and envision how your words and actions will positively change the organization or maybe the entire industry, and you imagine how others will benefit from your courage. However, the truth is that the repercussions of your actions are more likely to be career-limiting for you than they are to ever result in change within the organization. Resignation for any reason, general dissatisfaction or genuine cause, is a serious career decision, and a personal one. Publicly bad-mouthing your employer is one of the worst things you can ever do to your career -- even if you think it's justified. ? That being said, instead of debating whether or not Smith's quitting tactics were a career-ender, let's go over what Smith said are valid considerations if you ever decide to quit your job. 1. Your Values Do Not Align With The Company's Values ".I can no longer in good conscience say that I identify with what itstands for." It is stressful to be in a situation when you are asked to carry out practices that contradict a company's written policies or stated values, or that conflict with your own personal values. The cognitive dissonance alone can drive an employee up the wall. You may decide that the reasons for leaving are mainly because your personal values do not fit with an organization's values (even if at one time they were aligned), or you may decide to leave because an ??organization does not even live up to its own values and contradicts its own written rules of professional conduct. Figure out what values are most important to you and what brings you job satisfaction. 2. You No Longer Enjoy Your Job ?"I knew it was time to leave when I realized I could no longer look students in the eye and tell them what a great place this was to work." If you really have to force yourself to be happy at work, then it is time to move on. Unhappiness at work, or dreading even going to work, is a sign of some underlying problem. The problem doesn't have to be with the company either. Perhaps you are feeling overwhelmed in your role, or your job is no longer challenging. If your job is not personally and professionally fulfilling, and there is no way to achieve that satisfaction where you are currently employed, then maybe it's time to consider a change of employment. You only pass this way in life one time, so choose your path well and do what makes you happy. 3. You're Surrounded By Irresponsible Behavior "I attend derivatives sales meetings where not one single minute is spent asking questions about how we can help clients. It's purely about how we can make the most possible money off of them." Leadership, by its very nature, must be able to create vision and influence others to achieve that vision. Smith blamed leadership for many of the negative behaviors that Goldman allegedly practices towards its clients. He believed that Goldman Sachs leadership was not practicing the values of the organization and lacked personal integrity. No matter if the behavior is unethical or downright senseless for the longevity of the company - it's logical, and justifiable, to leave a toxic work environment. If You Want to Quit, Then Quit Quitting your job in this economy may not be the wisest decision you can make. But, when you have considered all of the alternatives and you know there is only one thing left to do, being able to see the writing on the wall can make it easier to make the right choice for you and your career. As for how to quit -- it is always best to keep that just between you and your employer. What do you think? What are some other good reasons for quitting? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Social Media Job Listings Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities. While we publish a huge range of job listings, we've selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting! Chief Blogger at NVIDIA in Santa Clara, Calif. Digital Media Planner at Sterling-Rice Group in Boulder, Colo. Senior Editor at Daily Motion in New York City Image courtesy of iStockphoto, gulfix |
| Google Could Face $10 Million Fine For Tracking Safari Users | | Saturday, May 05, 2012 1:54 PM | Joann Pan |
|  Google may see the costliest repercussion from its alleged Apple Safari privacy breach coming from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC may fine Google more than $10 million for violating Internet privacy according to Bloomberg, citing "a person familiar with the matter" in its report. "We will of course cooperate with any officials who have questions," Google spokesman Chris Gaither told Bloomberg. The Mountain View-based company was caught tracking user activity on mobile Apple devices. The search giant is accused of violating federal laws and user privacy by installing cookies and trackers onto default Apple Safari browsers. SEE ALSO: Google Caught Tracking Safari Users: What You Need to Know Google allegedly bypassed Safari settings with a software trick, maneuvering around the Safari limitations on third-party tracking using "special computer code." The Wall Street Journal first reported the Google Apple Safari tracking in February. The code was first spotted by Jonathan Meyer, a researcher at Stanford University's The Center for Internet and Society. Meyer described the "Safari Trackers" in a blog post. Google removed the Safari code after the WSJ report was published. In Google's rebuttal, the company said it was only trying to get the Google "+1" button on many different websites. They said the code was not collecting any personal information from users at all. How will a hefty fine affect Internet privacy for users? Tell us in the comments if you think the fine will persuade more companies to abide by privacy laws. |
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