What We Think -Or - How We Change?

This is a very 'low-tech' video presentation (using high-tech YouTube) on 'mass creativity'

This is from Charles Leadbeater's blog
"Charles Leadbeater is a leading authority on innovation and creativity. He has advised companies, cities and governments around the world on innovation strategy and drawn on that experience in writing his latest book We-think: the power of mass creativity, which charts the rise of mass, participative approaches to innovation from science and open source software, to computer games and political campaigning."



Q1. Is being 'on-line' changing behaviour and the way we think?
Q2. What are the implications for marketing?
Q3. Is this a major milestone or just a transient, minor issue?

Health and Medical Records on the Internet

Recently Google and Microsoft have launched two internet based products for people to maintain their medical and health information on line. Both products are still 'beta' and are only USA based. Being internet based, your medical records are available anytime, anywhere.

Imagine that you are travelling abroad and have a medical emergency. By providing your login the local doctor can access your on-line medical record to help him/her provide the most appropriate assistance. Sound good? Google and Microsoft also provide links with health service providers to upload their medical records to your Google/Microsoft medical record web site. There are also 'value-added' services to find doctors, clinics and even connect some medical devices directly to the PC to upload the data to your medical record!

Links:
The Age: This Won't Hurt a Bit
Google Health
Microsoft HealthVault

Questions:
1. What are the security and privacy issues?
2. What are the marketing opportunities for health service and product providers?
3. Who makes money out of this and how?

Marketing Gurus on the Web

The internet offers lots of opportunities for 'experts' to express themselves and provide information. Blogs are an easy way to propagate information and build a presence on the web. The authority and accuracy of this information is an issue.

An example is the marketing blog of Mike Moran, Internet and Search Marketing. Mike describes himself:

" Mike is an expert in search marketing, search technology, publishing, Web personalization, and Web metrics, who regularly makes speaking appearances. Mike's previous appearances include Search Engine Strategies, AD:TECH, Consumer Reports WebWatch, OMMA East, and the Enterprise Search Summit. Mike also writes the Biznology newsletter and blog is the co-author of the best-selling Search Engine Marketing, Inc., and writes the search marketing column for Revenue Magazine."

Mike also is an author and promotes his books on his blog as well as being a marketing consultant, speaker for hire, newsletter publisher, blogger and columnist. Mike does offer some professional advice, gratis, on his blog. Some good links are:

Internet Marketing Resources (links)
Marketing Case Studies

An interesting case study is Social Media Marketing, a downloadable, 9 page document.

Q1. How does Mike make money?
Q2. How does Mike use the internet to help him make money?
Q3. How does Mike use social networking?
.

Monetizing on Facebook?

Social networking is great! But show us the money. How can a social networking site like Facebook be used for 'monetary advantage'? Easy - it is designed to make you money:

Sourced from Melbourne IT - the Facebook That Launched a 1000 Ships

Facebook Social Ads

Instead of creating an advertisement and hoping that it reaches the right customers, you can create a Facebook Social Ad and target it precisely to the audience you choose. The ads can also be shown to users whose friends have recently engaged with your Facebook Page or engaged with your website through Facebook Beacon. Social Ads are more likely to influence users when they appear next to a story about a friend's interaction with your business.

Pair your targeted ad with related actions from a user's friends.

Advanced Targeting: Target by age, gender, location, interests, and more.

Facebook Events

If you have a conference, product launch or a function, Facebook Events is a handy tool to organize and promote your event.

Facebook Pages

Every Facebook Page is a unique experience where users can become more deeply connected with your business or brand. Users can express their support by adding themselves as a fan, writing on your Wall, uploading photos, and joining other fans in discussion groups. You can send updates to your fans regularly — or just with special news or offers. Add applications to your Page and engage your users with videos, reviews, flash content, and more.

Facebook Applications

For those with a little more technical know-how, you can create a useful application for Facebook users that allows your brand to receive some ‘viral’ exposure.

An application is something users can add to their page to allow some sort of interaction. Some examples of applications include picture galleries, RSS feeds from websites and live temperature reports.

The 3 Trillion Shopping Spree

I read about this website in mX 22.04.08

http://3trillion.org/

It's not strictly about marketing, but it's an innovative way of acheiving public awareness through using the internet as a medium and inviting user participation.
hmm!
I have too much time on my hands.

Brand Power

Milward Brown (brand marketing and investment) has released a report on the 'Top 100 Most Powerful Brands'. This makes interesting reading, given that the determination of 'brand value' seem arbitrary and contentious. The report defines how brand value is determined, but it still is rather mysterious.

10 Most Powerful Brands
_____________________BRAND VALUE__ BRAND
_________________________($M) ______CHANGE

1 Google.............................. 86,057... 30%
2 GE (General Electric) ........71,379 ...15%
3 Microsoft .........................70,887 ...29%
4 Coca-Cola (*) ...................58,208 ...17%
5 China Mobile ....................57,225 ...39%
6 IBM ..................................55,335 ...65%
7 Apple ................................55,206 ..123%
8 McDonald’s ......................49,499 ...49%
9 Nokia ...............................43,975 ...39%
10 Marlboro ........................37,324 ...-5%

Source: Millward Brown Optimor (including data from
brandz, Datamonitor, and Bloomberg)
*The brand value for Coca-Cola includes the values of both
Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Diets and Lites

Some observations:

1. Google has emerged as the most valuable brand, with a brand value of $86 billion, ahead of Microsoft (in third place with a brand value of $71 billion)
2. Both Apple and Blackberry had the largest increases.
3. The technology sector accounted for 28 of the top 100 brands, and collectively reflected more than half of the total brand value of the top 100
4. Emerging markets in China and Russia have brands in the top 100, with a prediction that India and Brazil brands may hit the top 100 soon.
5. Share investment in the Top 100 Most Powerful Brands return a five fold increase in share market performance against the S&P 500.

The Wisdom of Crowds - the 2020 Summit

The involvement of 'clients' as active participants in an organisation's functions takes an interesting turn when it uses the internet. Here are two examples:

1. American Express Members Project

http://www.membersproject.com/

2. Australia 2020 Summit

http://www.australia2020.gov.au/

Q1. What are the similarities between the two intiatives?
Q2. How can the internet be best used in these cases?
Q3. What are the implications for marketing?