iMedia Connection - ad:tech blog

In the culmination of a nearly two-month quest to identify the hottest new tech startups, attendees of the iMedia Breakthrough Summit named their top picks for the companies that digital marketers need to be watching.
On Tuesday night, nine companies -- three each in the categories of brand engagement and awareness, digital commerce and digital signage, and shopper marketing -- took to the stage to present their unique value propositions in the world of digital technology. These nine finalists were hand-selected among nearly 30 candidates by you, the iMedia audience, during a several-week voting period leading up to the event.
The winners, as selected by Breakthrough attendees, are:
Brand Engagement and Awareness

Winner: Viddy
Runners-up: GetThis, TopVoice

Digital Commerce and Digital Signage
Winner: Keepio
Runners-up: Adaptly, TapIt!

Shopper Marketing
Winner: Receept
Receept is an online platform for receipt aggregation and digital delivery.
Receipts are a hassle. Consumers struggle to organize the thousands of receipts that they receive each year, each one either on a different paper size and type or adding to an already-crowded email inbox. Receept members can finally put all of their receipts in one secure location using their web browser or smartphone. By having all of this purchase data organized and easily available, returns and exchanges, expense... Read more

If, as a marketer, you want to keep your finger on the pulse of pop culture, you'd be wise to watch the music industry closely. But not just the artists and songs that are climbing the charts. Rather, you need to be tapped into the larger technology trends that drive how people listen to and share their music.
Caroline Giegerich, VP of innovations at Initiative, tackled this topic as moderator of an Insights panel at this week's iMedia Breakthrough Summit. In doing so, she highlighted the following key trends to watch in music listening:
New ways to listen: Music isn't a passive listening experience anymore. It's interactive. Keep an eye on the artists and labels that give people what they want -- namely, the opportunity to play with, modify, and engage with their music.
Listeners become DJs: Music services like Turntable are giving people new ways to discover music and showcase their own discoveries in online music club environments.
Album sales shrinking, singles rising: Since the dawn of iTunes in 2003, people have had the opportunity to invest in the songs they love most, leaving the scraps of larger albums behind.
Music is social: You need look no further than Facebook's recently announced deeper integration... Read more

Digital is everywhere, right?
Not quite. In fact, according to Brian Cooley, CNET editor at large, there's one place in our lives that is still a virtual digital wasteland: our cars. "The car has remained a digital ghetto for the most part for most consumers," he told attendees at this week's iMedia Breakthrough Summit. During his Insight Address, Cooley gave the audience a glimpse into the future of this "digital ghetto" -- which is not likely to remain a ghetto for long.
In the near future, we'll be living in a world of connected cars. Here are a few areas Cooley says we should keep an eye on:
Communications: When it comes to calling, Twitter, texting, email, Facebook, and other forms of communications, we're going to see more (and safer) options for remaining connected while in our vehicles.
Navigation: Maps, navigation, traffic, search, and send-to-car functions are going to greatly improve. The days of bringing a Post-It down to your car and keying in an address are going to be a thing of the past.
Entertainment: Streaming audio and video capabilities will continue to advance within the car environment.
Telematics: The ability to check, locate, and control your car remotely will become widespread and intuitive.
So what... Read more

At this point, most brands know that their digital marketing efforts should be seeking to do one of two things: either entertain consumers, or provide them with a valuable utility.
Well, to the chagrin of employers everywhere, Diesel is continuing to do both. As an extension of its Be Stupid at Work campaign, the company is now encouraging people to download an application called Excellbook. The application, which transforms the familiar Facebook site into something that resembles a spreadsheet, enables desk-shackled employees to cruise around the social network without fear of being caught by passing bosses.
Of course, as a journalist in the interactive industry, the utility is lost on me. After all, every time I'm busted on Facebook, I get to call it "research." But I have a few accountant friends who I know are going to appreciate this.

Stay informed. For more insights into the latest brand marketing strategies, attend the iMedia Brand Summit, Sept. 11-14. Request your invitation today.