iMedia Connection - ad:tech blog

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.

My father called me last week to discuss my plans for the holidays. I pretty much immediately dismissed the conversation. I find it challenging to plan what I'm going to have for dinner more than an hour in advance. I sure as hell can't tell you what I'll want to do in seven months.
But that said, I realize that right now is pretty much precisely when brands need to be carefully planning their holiday marketing strategies. And with consumers slowly letting go of their recession survival instincts, this year is likely going to be a big one. Last year, comScore reported that retail e-commerce spending during the holiday season reached $32.6 billion, up 12 percent over the prior year -- and an all-time record for the season. I'd wager we're going to see a nice boost this year as well.
That said, online marketing planning for this holiday season isn't as simple as dusting off plans of years past. The fact that consumers are ready to loosen their purse strings doesn't mean they've forgotten what they've learned over the past few years. They're savvy. They're deal-driven. And they know how to scrounge and finagle for the prices they want.
With this in... Read more

Getting it right with mom bloggers is not as easy as you think. But making the effort is absolutely worth it. During the Insight Address at this week's iMedia iMoms Summit, Debra Aho Williamson, principal analyst of social media marketing for eMarketer, shared the following insights:

The blogger community is bigger than you think. In the U.S., more than 3.9 million moms are currently blogging.
More than half of online moms read blogs regularly. Moms are more likely than internet users as a whole to read blogs.
Facebook and Twitter add reach. Moms aren't just communicating via their blogs. They're using other platforms in a savvy manner to extend their brands.

With these facts in mind, Williamson provided the following best practices for working with blogging moms:
Know your audience. Not all blogging moms are writing about parenting topics. So invest time in understanding each blogger's focus.
Maximize reach across social media. Don't just focus on blogs. Consider the way that bloggers are using Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms to extend their communications. 
Play by the FTC rules. Ensure that the bloggers you work with are disclosing their brand partnerships in an ethical manner. 
Participation is paramount. Don't just blast your message. Bloggers appreciate and respond to a... Read more

Less than 1 percent of Firefox 4 users are making use of the browser's "Do Not Track" option, according to an article in paidContent.
Does that mean marketers should rejoice at this proof that web users truly don't mind having their online activities tracked by third parties?
Don't be ridiculous. Of course it doesn't mean that.
It's simply yet another indicator of two facts we already know: 1) People don't think they should have to hunt through elaborate preferences menus to protect their privacy and 2) The fact that their online behavior is being tracked isn't something that's ever-present on people's minds -- but that doesn't mean they approve of it.
I'm inclined to side with Eric Picard, who makes a compelling case against current industry tracking behavior in his recent column:
"There is no persuasive argument to be made that consumers benefit (really at all) from third-party tracking. The ads are not perceptibly more relevant (to the consumer), despite the advertiser's ability to do deep statistical analysis and see a measurable lift in performance. The only groups really benefiting from the third-party tracking that's going on are the companies that sell it, and to some degree the advertisers that are able to make use... Read more