You might say Mozes is on a rock-n-roll these days.

Within just the last few weeks, Wired ran a feature on how the Palo Alto, Calif-based Mozes powers Umphrey’s McGee’s interactive UMBowl, a concert series that enables fans to shape the concert – in real time – using their mobiles phones.

And just this last week, The Silicon Valley Business Journal ran a profile on the company, which focuses on mobile engagement at live events for brand clients such as Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company and Rock The Vote, among many others.

In part three of tour May Mobile Marketing Roundtable, we get the inside scoop from founder Dorrian Porter (full disclosure: A longtime friend, client, and sponsor of this blog), on how brands are leveraging the power of mobile at the all-important "point of inspiration."

MOBILE ROUNDTABLE (PT 3): MOZES ROCKS THE MOBILE REVOLUTION

Click here to listen to: Mobile Roundtable (Pt 3): Dorrian Porter - Mozes Rocks The Mobile Revolution

(11:07)

ALSO LISTEN TO:

MOBILE ROUNDTABLE (PT 1): Julie Fajgenbaum - How AMEX Banks on Mobile Marketing

MOBILE MARKETING ROUNDTABLE (PT 2): Organic's Rachel Pasqua - Kimberly Clark, Specialized Bicycles Ramp Up Mobile Marketing

I’m sure my hypothalamus is hardwired for chocolate – that old adage, “out of sight, out of mind” may work for some folks – not me. If there’s chocolate in the upper reaches of the pantry or it’s buried two-feet deep behind various foodstuffs in the fridge, my brain immediately sends out tracking signals – a cranial GPS (Godiva Positioning System), I reckon.

So not surprisingly, as a self-confessed ‘chocoholic’, I was thrilled a few years ago when I started reading reports about how dark chocolate – eaten in moderation (inhaled is more accurate for me) – may be good for the heart.

Some dark chocolate confections even contain various vitamins, nutrients and probiotics; research has also shown that flavonoids – antioxidants found in cocoa beans – may help lower blood pressure and LDL (think ‘Lousy’ – it’s the bad acronym) cholesterol, and also improve blood vessel function.

In fact, noted Joy Dubost, a nutritionist and spokesperson for the Washington, DC-based Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “the higher the percentage of cocoa, the higher the flavanol content, the higher the antioxidant content and thus we believe the greater positive health benefit.”

All of the aforementioned now fully justifies my quarterly trips to Ghirardelli’s in San Francisco – I now order guilt-free the hot fudge sundaes with dark chocolate sauce.

This then got me wondering about innovative marketing campaigns various companies have rolled out to drum up sales for their dark chocolate products, and in some cases if interesting enough, plain old milk chocolate.

Cadbury

One campaign that Cadbury would probably like to recall/reboot was to promote Bliss, a chocolate product.

The august British company (established 1824 and now owned by Kraft Foods) ran an ad for the product with the heading, “Move over Naomi, there’s a new diva in town.”

Supermodel Naomi Campbell wasn’t thrilled about being compared to a chocolate bar and even her mum, Valerie Morris, chimed in, saying “I’m deeply upset by this racist advert. Do these people think they can insult black people and we just take it? This is the 21st century, not the 1950s. Shame on Cadbury.”

Cadbury, it should be noted, did do the right thing – the company pulled the ads and issued an apology to Campbell.

On the flip side, another campaign rolled out by Cadbury India fared much better. The objective was to publicize its premium dark chocolate brand, Bournville and further promote the catchphrase, “You don’t just buy a Bournville, you earn it.”

Cadbury launched a blog called The Dark Truth and introduced a virtual character – Old Hound. In one story, another virtual character, Mark, a friend of Old Hound, disappeared. While trying to find Mark, Old Hound got a clue that if he collected 100 stories about people receiving something after they have earned it, he would discover the whereabouts of his friend. The posts generated more than 2,000 daily readers.

Haagen-Dazs

A few years ago Haagen-Dazs rolled out its Dark Chocolate Orange flavor at 14 outlets in Singapore and Malaysia. A campaign slugged ‘Slow Melting in Progress’ was aimed at female professionals in their 20s and 30s who are “engrossed with their profession and family and tend to forget themselves in the process, neglecting to pamper themselves.”

That verbiage seems a bit askew but the radio/print/web campaign apparently worked as Dark Chocolate Orange became a popular flavor in that corner of Southeast Asia.

Cocoa Metro

Cocoa Metro, located in Auburndale, MA, markets various dark chocolate drinks. Their catchphrase on their home page immediately grabs your attention: 'Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark.'

The sweet maker recently rolled a multimedia ad campaign. One image depicts how Cocoa Metro’s decadent chocolate can be consumed – via juice boxes, pop cans and flasks, for example. Another series of ads relies more on clever verbiage and fonts to capture your attention (having a refrigerated backyard bunker full of chocolate seems like a very sound idea).

Rom

While not a dark chocolate, this campaign merits a brief mention. Rom is a hugely popular Romanian chocolate bar, first introduced in 1964. It features the Romanian flag on the wrapper and probably everyone from Bucharest to Brasov to Baia Mare has gobbled one down.

To fuel international sales and branding, the company rolled out a week-long hoax – the American flag was used on the packaging and various YouTube videos explained that due to a poor economy and a frustrated youth culture, Rom was ditching its Romanian heritage. Literally tens of thousands of angry Romanians vented their outrage on Facebook, YouTube and countless blogs.

The campaign was a stunning success – it reached almost 70 percent of all Romanians. Rom’s Facebook page fan total increased by over 300 percent and it’s estimated the company generated about $500,000 worth of free media. McCann Erickson’s Bucharest office also garnered two Grand Prix Cannes Lions awards in the ‘Promo/Activation’ category (for advertising programs that bring on immediate responses/engagements), and the ‘Direct’ category for direct marketing.

There are scores of other examples but quite frankly, I’ve written enough – time for some chocolate.

Networking

Since I’m a networking junkie, I figured I’d start with what I know. Networking generated the greatest overall value for me at SXSW. What benefitted me the most, and I recommend this to any attendee, is to leverage any local relationships you have, in terms of getting a sense of what events and sessions matter, and it can help in terms of transportation. Secondarily, be sure to plan in advance to meet up with folks you know from your network or city, as it’s much easier, fun and effective to travel in packs.

I attended a variety of parties and venues, some better than others. I’m a big fan of Driskill Hotel, a classic venue and popular hangout. We hit up a Bing party Friday night, complete with hosted bar and food, swag and a decent vibe. We moved on to other local venues lacking sponsors, but packed with people. Saturday, I visited Google Village an impressive compilation of bars, all of which offered free drinks, snacks, bicycle blenders and swag, as well as demonstrations and presentations.

Sunday morning I attended a brunch and panel Google hosted, including a variety of agency, VC and entrepreneurs that captured the essence of why people attend SXSW, including what’s hot (social discovery) and what’s not (Bing Lounge). On Saturday, I attended a Klout house party, complete with food, beverage and a social-powered jukebox: Roqbot. Saturday evening Microsoft & Frog co-sponsored the official SXSW party, which was DIY-themed (build your own LED lights, mini-robots & play life-sized pong). Unfortunately, it was a bit too crowded, so I moved on.

Sunday evening, I attended the SOBCon mixer at Dogwood, which was one of the best parties: great people and a good vibe. In fact, it was so good, I missed the Urban Airship & Mashable parties, which was unfortunate, but a smart investment in terms of meeting great folks. Most nights end at The W, and this was no exception.

Educational Sessions

While I had roughly 2.5 days to attend sessions (and paid $650 for the honor) I only attended 4 (not including the Google Village panel off-campus. The first session I saw, which I was greatly looking forward to attend, was Rainn Wilson of The Office and SoulPancake. It was slightly disappointing, as he was unfamiliar with PowerPoint, rambled a bit, but saved the day by smashing guitars with a lucky audience member.

My next session was Ebay to VC, where the theme was social discovery, (Highlight, Circle, Glancee) and what makes a good investment. The speaker, Jeff Jordan, was solid, but the host was not. The third session I attended was intriguing, but not actionable: Privacy & Neuro marketing. The presenters and audience discussed the conflict between privacy and marketing insights: what is a fair exchange of value between people and marketers (convenience vs. security)? The last but most inspirational session I attended was Internet legend Jaron Lanier, discussing how social media has improved or worsened our lives. He challenged us as consumers and content creators to get paid for the value we create on networks like Facebook (we are the product).

Marketing

My biggest takeaway from SXSW 2012 was definitely that corporations have taken notice of the marketing potential of the weeklong event. That’s potentially bad news for SXSW purists, who’ve likened 2012 to the jumping of the shark by Fonzie. True or not, it was apparent many companies bet big on making a splash at SXSW Interactive in 2012. One of the best sources of news for SXSW was Mashable Buzz, which managed to turn out solid recaps and timely updates. They even made the news themselves during the event, with a rumored $200M buyout.

The big winners at SXSW in terms of buzz, had to be the Homeless wi-fi and Nike, who made news with its venue, parties, Nike+ and Fuelband API during the event. In terms of SWAG, FILTER Talent brought it’s a game with LED light sabers handed out at various parties. Additional kudos go out to the companies that sponsored value-added (albeit somewhat risky) giveaways like ponchos, umbrellas and scarves in a city that ended up being colder and wetter than anticipated by many visitors. By Monday, the sun returned, and with it, sunglasses and sunscreen SWAG.

One of the smartest (yet under-reported) viral marketing campaigns was Catch a Chevy, which is exactly what it sounds like: get free rides care of 45 Chevys. The cars were skinned and branded, but it was dumb luck if you managed to hitch a ride anywhere outside of the convention center grounds, as there was no hashtag or other easy way to contact the drivers. Regardless, it did generate buzz and goodwill from weather-weary walkers. As a foodie, I appreciated the free food carts provided by brands like SquareSpace and The Today Show.

Last but not least, shout out to Google for their significant and strategic presence, in the form of Google Village. It was a great place to get beverages, snacks, swag, phone recharge and even a product demo or two. As far was what didn’t work, beyond distributed venue locations, lines, crowds and general mayhem, I thought the #FAIL sign went to free t-shirts in general (too many of them). I also noticed a trend of brands (like Klout & Google) expecting you to write a personalized message on the t-shirts.

Technology and Company Launches

More a marketer than technologist, I didn’t pay as much attention to the product and company launches at SXSW as others. That said, a few apps did bubble to the surface during my time at SXSW. The first was one of many social discovery apps: Highlight. The social discovery category generated a good deal of buzz, with Highlight leading the pack. Additionally, I was pleased to see one of Formic Media’s clients, Tixie, debut with its digital/mobile concert ticket giveaway platform. I also checked out Guy Kawasaki’s latest venture, AllThis, which is essentially a marketplace for exchanging time with others who have desired expertise. Lastly, I was impressed with, Roqbot, which debuted last year, yet I was impressed with the socially-powered jukebox platform at the Klout party.

Overall, SXSW Interactive 2012 was informative, entertaining and inspiring, but mostly via serendipitous moments, vs. the planned and engineered events. Now that I have a better feel for the event and the city, I will have a game plan in place for next year. If you plan to attend SXSW 2013, I suggest formulating your own plan (and making reservations) as soon as possible.

For starters, what you don’t readily see is vitally important. UK-based, publicly-held Imagination Technologies creates and licenses multimedia IP cores for graphics, video, and display processing; licensees include many leading semiconductor and consumer electronics companies.

According to VP-Marketing Tony King-Smith, a key issue is improving texture compression in order to get the best quality game with the fastest download times.

“Increasingly in software downloads the total file size is dominated by texture data – indeed, up to 70% or more of a top game title may be textures,” says King-Smith. “This has had a massive impact on everything from app store download and update times through to device main memory usage.”

The most notable trend we’ll see this year is the shift to mobile games – from independent developers to traditional publishers, most companies are now directing their efforts around mobile strategies (smartphones, according to IndustryGamers, already comprise the majority of handheld gaming revenue).

Wanda Meloni, who heads up Encinitas, CA-based market research firm M2 Research, predicts the mobile games market will exceed $6 billion this year.

“With mobile comes more social games and more companies are starting to target core gamers,” said Meloni. “This in turn will lead to higher quality graphics in mobile and social games which we believe will start to play a defining factor with consumers.”

Ultimately, noted Meloni, as competition heats up in the mobile games space, more companies will be looking to differentiate around feature sets such as enhanced graphics quality, deeper game play, and engaging storytelling.

“We are still just at the beginning of the growth curve for mobile games,” said Meloni.

Games on the iOS and Android ecosystems will continue to grow in terms of development support, user base and revenue. And the industry is clearly developing different ways of playing and interacting with games and media.

“Smartphones and tablets are offering ways for smaller and indie developers to get noticed and sell their game to potentially millions without needing a huge budget or marketing campaign,” said Kristina Kozlova, a marketing manager at Altabel Group, a Vilnius, Lithuania-based software development/consulting company.

“We’ll also continue to see voice integration as well as motion controls make a big push in 2012,” said Kozlova.

Ted Pollak, a senior gaming analyst with Jon Peddie Research, a Tiburon, CA firm that provides consulting/market forecasting services, added that the handheld market may lose some casual consumers to smartphones and tablets, but the 3DS and PSVita control dynamics “blow away the competition in most cases, and playing handhelds doesn’t decimate your smartphone battery. Gamers get this – build them and they will buy them – tens of millions of them.”

A few more trends worth mentioning.

Denuo, a digital marketing shop, predicts that this year we’ll see a game come close to breaking the $1 billion sales mark in its first week.

“We’ll also see huge growth in the approachable games category as well. A social game will break the 250 million player mark thanks to being available on multiple platforms in addition to Facebook. Across all categories of games, our minds will be blown by the number of gamers these big titles are able to acquire.”

Denuo also thinks we’ll see more downloadable content releases to keep gamers engaged.

“There will be more collaborative development of game play and associated assets. Developers will work alongside consumers to produce game titles and create a vested sense of commitment with their players.”

Streaming games will make an impact in 2012 too. Last month at CES, it was announced that Gaikai is being built into new LG televisions and OnLive is being built into Google TV.

Steve Peterson reported in IndustryGamers that every big TV set manufacturer will include some degree of connectivity in most new sets.

“This means significant numbers of people will be exposed to a wider variety of gaming, with a variety of business models making it easy to try out games,” said Peterson. “More games getting to more people means good news for the gaming industry.”

I could prattle on as all of the aforementioned is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but you get the gist. There will be some upheaval, of course, but the industry should continue to post healthy double-digit growth rates for the foreseeable future.

In terms of pricing, Oscar TV ad spots outrank most award shows. But the actual “worth” of these spots have come into question in recent years, as viewership of the awards show has waned, especially among younger demographics. The Hollywood Reporter published a report in their February 17 issue that showed how hosts and best picture nominees affect overall viewership. After pulling together additional data for review, there is some truth to the analysis.

The chart proves that during years with big pictures such as the “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” in 2004 won, viewership was at a high of 44 Million.  But when critic darling, “No Country for Old Men” won in 2008, viewership was at only 31 Million.  This year may also be difficult for viewers to get behind since “The Help” is the only box office hit among the nine best-picture nominees.  Other networks are also competing heavily as multiple programming options are set to distract viewers such as TNT airing the NBA All-Star Game against the Oscars, likely peeling away male audiences.

However, with viewership in question, digital efforts are being put in place to build interest in this year’s festivities.  The Academy is hoping to attract younger viewers by streaming the show live online this year, including a pay wall for viewers to get exclusive high level content. ABC also increased its online advertising efforts, placing rich media and display ads on targeted web sites in the 3-4 weeks leading up to the Academy Awards to build interest in the TV broadcast*.

Also announced this week, ABC and the Academy are working to boost viewer engagement before, during and after the live telecast through an all-access application for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.  The official application is part of the new Oscar Digital Experience, which includes increasing Facebook, Twitter and overall social media engagement.

Big brands that notoriously spend large budgets on TV ad spots are also increasing social media efforts to help bolster advertising campaigns. Hyundai, Diet Coke and JC Penney have all tripled social media efforts and are working to coordinate messages with digital platforms.

Are our big TV events of the year becoming more and more digital? Even the Academy is “going digital” in their own way – they’ve announced plans to incorporate electronic voting in 2013. The Academy and advertisers are staging a new way to keep the Oscars relevant with broader demographics. Balanced with perhaps another look at the format of the show, Digital could set the stage for our next award winning performances.

*Source - Kantar

After multiple years of declining music sales, 2011 finally saw a stabilization and slight growth, but most reports trying to decipher the reason have it all wrong. By trying to match the industry’s success to the success of certain artists, even experts are missing the point. The music that artists created wasn’t necessarily more compelling… but through more engaging delivery channels, the industry made a better connection in the way that it could be purchased.

No, musicians last year, yes even the much-lauded Adele and Katy Perry, did anything so radically different than in years past to be the cause of better music sales. The music didn’t suddenly become better in 2011, but the channels in which we can get music certainly did. It all comes down to the downloads, and the increased adoption of smartphones along with better delivery systems like Spotify and Pandora. Analyst Philip Leigh hits the nail on the head in a recent Marketplace interview, saying, “The good times are here to stay for the music industry, thanks in part to all those iPhones and Androids.”

What’s the lesson for marketers?

Yes, you need a quality product (I’d personally argue over the validity of some popular musicians in this regard, though that’s a different blog post entirely), but you also need to engage with consumers through the right channels. While others pontificate on the trend of album sales versus singles, or the rise of female artists, or hip hop against country, we should look past the cyclical ripples and focus on the wave of digital account growth.

Recently there has been a spate of artists and labels pulling their music from on-demand services like Spotify, Rhapsody and others.　

Art.
Many artists, for example Coldplay and Tom Waits prefer that their albums be consumed as a cohesive whole. A piece of art. By uploading their songs on demand, they are practically ensuring that they will be listened to as one-off songs. Just when I thought I couldn't love Tom Waits any more. From what I gather, he's a guy who thinks in terms of a complete work with a specific musical and story telling chronology. So, it makes perfect sense then that he wants his work "consumed" in a prescribed fashion. I get it. Try going to a Michelin Five-Star and ordering dessert first, then salad, then aperitifs and finally a main course. Not likely. The same theory works here. For works created in this fashion, seemingly fewer and fewer, I think artists should have the right to say how their work is presented.

Commerce.
I recently read that the Black Keys didn't want their new album on Spotify either, but for different reasons. Theirs was straight-up benjamins. They just didn't understand the financial model. They're in good company. I've asked Stephen Hawking to explain it to me. No answer yet.　

Until the royalty situation gets worked out equitably, and I believe it will, there will be rough patches. Everyone needs to be paid fairly or else the system doesn't work. Until that time, however, I think the Pandoras and Slackers of the world are at a big advantage. They're not on-demand. They're just a digital version of the curated radio model with a little more choice worked-in. These types of services play an invaluable role in introducing millions of listeners to Coldplay, Tom Waits and Black Keys in the way that FM once did, and still does in some cases. My guess is that this is why many of Spotify's new offerings look a lot like Pandora's.　

So, let's not paint all services with the same brush. Some aim to replace iTunes, others radio. Different models. Different implications.

CES is a physically grueling experience. Your basic everyday needs like Coffee, Transportation, decent food, and Rest are ripped away from you as you deal with long lines, and endless people everywhere you go. To really make the most of a show like this and all of the meetings and activities surrounding it you better bring your ‘A Game’.

Enter the world’s largest brands who invest millions of dollars in a trade show environment to drive buzz and publicity, entertain & inspire key customers, and ultimately rise above the clutter. To do this brands of all walks from gadget markers, to media companies, to automakers are increasingly looking for avenues to reach consumers beyond the showroom floor. Branding is everywhere from taxi tops to giants billboards which often just adds to the noise that is inescapable.

In recent years almost every brand has taken the step to rent out the most prominent nightclubs in Vegas to throw “invite only” open bar parties, which absolutely anyone can walk into most of the time. They will hire big name DJ’s and spend considerable resources towards making sure they fill the club at all costs. And fill it up they do… with anyone and everyone attracted to the free drinks and allure  of the clubs.

The reality is that almost every one of these parties are unremarkable experiences.  The nightclubs are simply too large for brands to create a memorable branded experience so the activations generally consists of a few banners and a few scattered brand kiosks  for consumers to touch the products, which they could obviously accomplish at the show.

These Brand sponsored parties, like CES itself end up being incredibly male dominated creating an awkward and surreal environment at somewhere like Marquee, at Tao, or XS. Everyone just feels out of place. It is way too loud to do any real networking and most people leave without any new appreciation for the presenting brand, it’s just more noise.

The next morning everyone in Vegas will wake up dehydrated, hungover and needing basic necessities like coffee, a ride to the show and would crave a luxury like a massage, someone to help them rebook a flight or find a quiet place for a meeting. The brands? Nowhere to be found as people wait in lines for 45 minutes at Starbucks. 45 Minutes which any brand could give back and reap the rewards by creating pop-up coffee shops throughout Vegas.

There are countless ways for brands to stand out at CES by providing real utility to showgoers in ways that will breakthrough, create buzz, and drive real perception change. When GroupMe gave away grilled cheese at SXSW they dominated a show of equal stature and prominence. Why? People needed to eat! And its safe to say it paid off for them.

So the next time you are thinking of spending anywhere from $100,000 to $1Million filling up a nightclub with folks who won’t remember your brand think about your experience at the show. The attendees at CES are sophisticated and will not be impressed by these glitzy events, but would have tweeted about you like crazy if you were giving out free Gatorade outside the airport this morning.

Who’s in charge here?

Establish your Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Google+ as the go-to authority for all the information your fans need. First, develop and release creative content on a regular basis. Write and schedule updates well in advance that include events, contests, videos and other content. Be prepared to throw some of that out the window and update on the fly as needed.

Second, have a social media manager in place that is engaging and replying to users’ questions, comments and responses in real time. Do (and continue to do) those two simple things and fans will know you’re the boss.

Let’s Get Hardcore!

Hardcore gamers are fewer than casual gamers but they are the most vocal, and therefore influential in the success or failure of your campaign. Get them on your side fast by gaining public support from respected professional gamers who show no affiliation to your title. Once on your side, you will keep them there by being consistent and interacting with any and every user possible.

Engage Fans With Insider Information

Interact with your fans in ways that will make them feel “in.” Your social media manager and specialists should know the game inside and out. If your game is The Mario Brothers, then they should know when Mario brushes his teeth and what color underwear he prefers (red right?).  Use that inside information to interact then watch your users engage more, share more, and come back every day.

N3rd Love

Fans taking time to interact with and share your content deserve recognition. Give them some swag like free games, T-shirts, or posters. Run regular and frequent contests on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. A good contest is easy to enter, features exclusive prizes, and boosts subscriber/follower/user counts. Once you have your winners, make it known and give them online shoutouts. Others will take note, share with friends, interact and get you more buzz.

Where Is Everyone? (Pick a Platform)

Decide on which platform you are going to run the core of your social media campaign, major contests, and develop your content for first. Likely, it will be Facebook because it has the largest user base. Run your large, national and international contests here to ensure the greatest number of people can access it with the least amount of effort. Developing content for that platform first serves as a guide for creating content on other platforms.

Tease Fans With Exclusive Content

Maintain the attention of ADHD video gamers by keeping exclusive screenshots, gameplay videos, interviews and announcements up your sleeve and never give away too much at once. Tease fans by telling them you have exclusives coming their way soon to start the conversation and build hype. Take it a step further and leverage their anticipation, “If we hit 1 million Likes, we’ll release an exclusive character trailer.” Doing so makes your limited quantity of exclusive content and announcements as valuable, shareable and effective as possible.

Coordinate Announcements

Big announcements should be made on every available social media outlet at the same time. Blast out that important release date or big contest on each outlet concurrently including top tier blogs.  Keep the information the same, but change the delivery so fans that engage you on multiple platforms are rewarded with extra unique content. Also, be sure to coordinate new content releases and announcements across other departments including sales, marketing and especially PR.

Develop New Fan Bases

Fans that already follow, like and subscribe to you are a captivated audience so focus on reaching new fans as well. Do so by running ad campaigns on Facebook and YouTube, reaching out to relevant blogs and publications, and encouraging your existing fan base to share your content with friends. Also, cross-promote the different social media platforms with each other and within all online and TV ad campaigns to increase traffic and awareness.

Now… If you need a Social Media Agency… Let me know... john AT supercoolcreative.com

Key findings include:

• Industries with emotional subjects tend to have higher engagement rates
• Page engagement rates within an industry often vary significantly
• The more Likes a page has, the harder it is to get high engagement
• High posting volume often aligns with high engagement rates

Some things I expected, and some I didn't.

Stay informed. Looking for the latest digital strategies for iconic branding? Attend the iMedia Brand Summit, Feb. 5-8. Request your invitation today.

Here's one I made for a friend named Kristen.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can make your own here.

I think Google is one of the winners this holiday season. From the Santa videos and phone calls, to their digital easter eggs (search "let it snow" and "Christmas" for google-esque surprises), they're having fun with the season. And their users are appreciating it.

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In other news… sponsored stories are returning to your Facebook timeline. Facebook hasn't included ads in the news feed since 2008. And there are some changes this time:

• You'll see no more than one ad per day
• The ads will be related to your friends, or Pages you've liked
• There will be additional text letting users know where the story came from ("This was already shared with you. A sponsor paid to feature it here")

The ads won't appear in your mobile news feed (at this time).

TechCrunch reports the following:

"Given that Facebook has roughly 400 million daily users, half of which are on the web, Facebook could boost its daily ad inventory by up to 200 million impressions. This inventory expansion could reduce ad prices, though an increase in advertiser demand for Sponsored Stories could offset this. Facebook hasn’t finalized whether advertisers will have the option to specifically request placement in the news feed. Studies have shown sidebar Sponsored Stories have a 46% higher click through rate than traditional ads, and you can expect the CTR of news feed Sponsored Stories to be even higher."

Click here for the full story from TechCrunch.

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North Pole –When you think about the greatest businessman of all-time, who comes to mind?

Ford?  Rockefeller?  Bill Gates?  Donald Trump?  Richard Branson?  Mark Zuckerberg?  Steve Jobs?

Give me a break.

The greatest businessman of all time is, without a doubt, Santa Claus.

8 Things That Santa Claus Does Better than Donald Trump

Santa could find himself in some serious trouble if the ASPCA takes action.

Think about it.  Santa’s customers return year after year.  He has a factory that churns out toys 24/7 with little overhead.  He has loyal and long tenured employees that work for near minimum wage.  Of course, there aren’t a lot of jobs in this tough global economy, so imagine how hard it is for vertically challenged elves these days.

Santa Claus has a promotions department that secures prime visibility in crowded malls and gets him grand marshal positions in parades all over the world.  He also has a publicity crew that writes songs, poems, and even produces movies and television shows with him as the star.  His stamina is amazing and there are no performance enhancing drugs in his body, unless you count the chocolate chip cookies!

He’s an advertising genius.  Just watch TV in December and see how many commercials he’s on.  I’ve seen him drinking Coca-Cola for years now and am still amazed how he can balance himself on that Norelco razor after all the junk food he eats!

And talk about customer service.  It’s the best in the world!  No waiting on hold to talk to his telemarketers “Ryan” from Sri Lanka.  He knows what you want, often without your even telling him.

The Biggest Mistakes Santa Claus Makes

But, sometimes I think Santa Claus is slipping a bit the past few years.  He hasn’t really embraced html5, social networking, apps, or cloud technology very well.

Santa doesn’t own an iPhone or an Android.  He thinks a Blackberry is a health food that he’d never dream of eating.

I think he’s one of only about 15 people in the world that don’t have a Facebook account.  I’m not sure if he knows how to Google anything.  His website isn’t optimized.  I’ve never seen him Tweet.  His Klout score is below 25.

His workers still use basic tools from the pre-Industrial Revolution.  And, they don’t even have worker’s compensation or a decent HMO.

His mode of transportation still involves harnessed livestock that take a treacherous route around the world.

And, don’t tell me one animal with a light bulb on his nose is innovative.  It’s animal cruelty.  Call the ASPCA!

As for knowing when we’re sleeping, even conservatives would admit that’s taking The Patriot Act too far!

His ordering process?  It’s downright archaic.  I mean, who writes letters any more?

The Only Thing That Can Save Santa Claus’s Business

What Santa Claus needs is mobile marketing.

Worldwide, 5 trillion text messages are sent each year, but how many of you have ever received one, or sent one, to the North Pole?  Even Verizon can’t hear you now at the North Pole.

Did you know that 18% of those 5 trillion text messages are considered commercial text messages?  Don’t you think text message marketing would be a great way for Santa to get rid of some of his closeout inventory?  I hear there’s a warehouse at the North Pole that still has half a million eight-tracks in it!

Ever see the long lines at the mall with kids wanting to take their picture with Santa Claus?  By the time the kids get up to Santa, they are often crying and that doesn’t make for a great Christmas card photo opp.  Why not provide a Custom QR Code to scan while waiting in line?  Mom could scan it and Santa could entertain the kids with videos and the provide text message reminders to be especially good at this time of year.

Did you ever watch the late news on television on Christmas Eve?  There’s usually some hokey satellite picture of Santa flying over some other country.  In the eastern United States, I think Santa is usually somewhere around Slovakia during our 11 o’clock newscast.

Well, I’m an insomniac and I often stay up late on Christmas Eve multi-tasking on my laptop while watching the History Channel, ESPN, or Skinemax.  I would love to check the app on my iPhone to know when Santa and his reindeer are getting close to my hometown so I can get to bed on time.  If his clever little engineers can’t figure out how to develop an app to track the progress of the flying reindeer, I’m sure Southwest could give them a hand.

Ordering is another issue.  How many of you still have envelopes and stamps in your house?  It’s been so long since I sent a letter that I have no idea how much it even costs to send a letter any more.  How many stamps do you need to send a letter to the North Pole anyway?  It’s not even on the USPS.com web site; I checked.  Plus, there’s the issue of the post office losing your snail mail.  No, that never happens, does it?

By the way Santa, I’m still waiting for the Porsche I asked for last year.  I knew I should have sent my Christmas list by Fed Ex.

With text messages, we could send in our Christmas lists to Santa Claus through a short code, say 72682 (S-A-N-T-A).  With an easy-to-use mobile marketing solution like this, Santa could confirm receipt and even tell you if you’ve been…bad or good.

Maybe that’s what happened to my Porsche.

Bob Bentz is president of Advanced Telecom Services which provides text message marketing, apps development, mobile websites, and custom QR Codes to its media and advertising customers.  Bob would like to supply such services to Santa Claus as well, but Santa doesn’t answer his text messages, Tweets, Facebook friend requests, or LinkedIn contacts.  Santa, if you are reading this, please follow @BobBentz on Twitter, friend him on Facebook, or hit him up on LinkedIn.  He has a great deal for you.

From This...

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Chances are that you have either downloaded, used, heard about or seen Shazam in action as it is available for both iOS & Android. With over 150 million users and 45 million installs on smartphones & tablets in the US, the potential reach is impressive. Boosted along the way by great reviews, exposure via Starbucks App pick of the week and continually adding new features to the ever evolving product roadmap, Shazam is quickly moving from simply being a music identification service to a player in the digital activation space.

Shazam's recent Starbucks Pick of the Week. Yes, I may have grabbed more than one....

With a recent investment of 32 million dollars, Shazam is aggressively extending the platform to support different forms of digital activation & engagement. Key changes in their model such as allowing unlimited tagging of content across all levels of their offering and strategic partnerships with NBC Universal properties has led to new features that support entertainment based tagging vs. simply tagging music.

In other words TV Spot + Shazamable Call to Action + User Tagging = Digital Activation.

By now you may have seen one of the many Shazamable ads or shows that highlights the Shazam icon placed strategically on the screen for a period of time. Initially, you may be thinking "why would I want to shazam this commercial"? Case in point, this recent Marshall's ad.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Notice the Shazam marker in the lower right

The app then uses it's spectrogram based audio footprint of the ad to identify and launch the tagged content. Instead of the standard artist & song information, the experience shifts to become the direct response launch point of branded experiences. Now Shazam supports driving a user to a branded destination as well as enable social connections with the brand, or push to an e-commerce offering. The opportunities to create an engaging digital experience is now viable by simply tagging an ad or show with the app.

Without a doubt in 2012 you will see the rise of Shazamable ads. With 150 million user reach and the fact that the second screen is becoming a mainstay to our television viewing experiences, brands & NBC Universal partners will look to Shazam as a means to drive digital interaction directly from your primary screen with the hopes of either enhancing the viewing experience or incenting users to engage with branded destinations.

The biggest barrier at this time is the stigma that Shazam is primarily a music identification service. Work will need to be done to continue to educate the 150 million current and future users that the app is going beyond figuring out what the cool song was in the latest Apple ad to that ad now creating additional digital touchpoints and the ability to buy the featured product via the app and oh by the way still tell you what the name of the song was as well.

Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360

Digital marketers are focusing on how consumers interact with media across multiple screens at the same time. Users plop down on the couch and pick up their laptops, mobile devices or tablets, and ad networks and technology companies are pushing multi-screen ad buys to brands. The problem is, at this point, no one can agree on how many screens advertisers need to consider. Three? Four? Six?

Let’s make it really simple. Marketers looking to align digital and traditional only need to worry about two screens. TV is the obvious first one, but the second “screen” marketers need to utilize isn’t a tablet or a mobile device. It’s social advertising.

In a recent interview, Peter Naylor, NBC’s EVP of digital sales, lamented the fact that the television upfront put TV and digital into separate silos. Naylor and NBC are seeing so much overlap between TV viewing and connected device use that they want to find a marriage that works for advertisers. He didn’t directly say it, but Naylor’s talking about the way consumers are watching TV and interacting with social platforms.

TV viewing is now a far less passive experience, and the rise in tablet sales and connected mobile devices is making it so people are actively diving into the social stream of Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ during their viewing time, sharing opinions with their friends and followers.

With consumers simultaneously engaged in both social and TV, the social second screen opens the door for brand marketers to reach consumers in a way that combines both behaviors. The actual device doesn’t really matter, because consumers use the devices to connect to their social network or application of choice.

There are numerous ways marketers can track consumer viewing behavior through social. Twitter updates are public, and it’s relatively easy for marketers to search out hashtags or their program names while a show is airing. Facebook updates are less open, but marketers can still target advertising based on Likes or a friend’s interests. Then there are start-ups that connect consumers with their favorite programs, such as GetGlue, which lets consumers check in to TV programs, movies, and music for possible discounts.

And the ability to know who is talking about what opens the door to plenty of opportunities. For a network like NBC, social suddenly becomes a discovery platform where the network can market new shows, or remind viewers when a new episode airs. With Twitter’s open API, a big network like NBC could build its own software that analyzed what users were talking about, then classify the viewers and sell these audiences to their advertisers.

Consider reality shows, which are exploding with product placement. With a dedicated Twitter analysis, the network can easily identify people talking about the program while it airs and serve ads that combine creative for sponsor brands and the show. We’re talking about cooperative marketing programs for auto manufacturers, CPG, and food brands that can hit several audience buckets and demographics. The best part is that the ads are going to consumers who are already interested.

Thinking about social as the second screen also helps advertisers overcome the problems associated with the rise of DVR usage and cord cutters. Consumers still turn to social networks to discuss the latest episode of Dexter, even if they’re three days behind the show’s original airdate. This mitigates the DVR impact, replaces lost ad opportunities caused by fast-forward, and even creates more advertising opportunities.

TV networks have the resources to build their own social ad networks, but luckily smaller brand advertisers can already buy across networks that sell this type of targeting.

Advertisers can now effectively buy into a true “multi-screen” approach that hits consumers with relevant content on both social and TV. The added bonus is that the social component has a much larger life span. Fans talk about the programming long after the program ends, which means advertisers (or the network itself) can hit their audience again and again.

Jon Elvekrog is CEO of 140 Proof.

First, we found that social gamers are highly receptive to in-game ads, especially when offered real-world rewards or virtual currency in exchange. 42% of social gamers say they would be more motivated to play a social game that offered real world rewards (eg: a coupon or gift card); 55% of players would rather earn virtual currency than purchase it with real money; and 24% of players report they have clicked on an ad in a social game and made an online purchase. Ads placed within games are indeed very effective, particularly when they are paired with incentives that players appreciate, like real world rewards.

Second, the study found that social gamers are avid consumers and are valuable customers in the real world. Many spend frequently on clothing, consumer packaged goods, entertainment, and more. In the past 3 months: 75% purchased clothing, apparel or jewelry; 77% purchased household products; and 72% purchased health or beauty products. Social gamers also enjoy entertainment --having watched an average of 3.6 movies in a theater and 11.4 films total in the past three months. On top of this, many gamers are already in spending mode while playing—they are pulling out their wallets to purchase over a billion dollars a year of in-game digital goods.

Another notable finding was that social gamers are the most social of all social media users. They spend 13 hours per week on social networks and they average 16.5 friends who play the same social game as them. Many play with friends but also meet new people and build new friendships through social gaming. Social gamers make up a valuable network for advertisers since they share information and communicate often with peers.

The survey also found that social gamers are motivated by in-game achievements. They increasingly prefer more in-depth gameplay and do not view social games as merely “time killers.” 22% of social gamers say that the fact that their online friends can see their score drives them to play more and perform better in-game. 56% love the sense of accomplishment that comes from finishing a task or meeting a goal. This also presents the opportunity for advertisers to sponsor free points or in-game items for players, which can give brands valuable exposure while enhancing players’ experience.

Lastly, the study segmented social gamers into four distinct archetypes in order to better understand the market. “Premium Paul” spends money on in-game currency to get ahead. Pauls typically stay up to date on new trends, are career-focused, social and have busy lifestyles but still find the time to play and spend on games. “Competitive Charlie” plays to win and broadcasts his achievements. Interpret found that Charlies are the biggest purchasers of consumer packaged goods and clothing—48% of them agree with the statement “shopping makes me happy.” “Newbie Nancy” social gamers are less tech-savvy than the other player types and prefer free content. Nancys may be budget conscious but they spend frequently on health and beauty products. The fourth archetype is “Devoted Danielle,” a power user. Danielles spend the majority of their online hours gaming and are especially willing to click on ads to earn virtual currency because they prefer free play.  Advertisers can utilize this audience segmentation information and create customized in-game advertisement experiences that cater towards specific player types.

The study surveyed a range of over 2,000 social gamers in the US aged 18 and older, 60% female and 40% male, who play at least one hour a week. If you’d like more details about study results, including the audience segments, please email socialgamerstudy@rockyou.com or call (650) 421-2037.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It does involve a special app - which is asking a lot of consumers. But for those interested enough to download it, the experience is fun, lively and goes at least a little way in helping Beetle seem more modern and (almost) masculine.

I do hope the app comes with a dealer locator and the ability to customize a Beetle using AR, along with the ability to schedule a test drive.

This particular initiative is from Canada, and is part of a larger social+mobile+who knows what else that will run through November 26.

What's your take? Does it get you revved up for the Beetle? Or inspiration in reverse?

Read more, here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Universal Pictures has launched a virtual/augmented reality mobile app to promote the upcoming remake of "The Thing," which opens Friday.

(Haven't seen the original? Catch this hilarious 'Thing-in-4-min' video to a ersatz Sinatra tune.)

The app's free, of course, and sports 360-degree flamethrower action where players must use their weapons to survive attacks. There's even one of those "Thing Yourself" features where you can see your mug mutilated from the inside out - and share it with your freaked out friends.

Not surprisingly, the app comes from metaio, which is making a big name for itself in this space.

A nice way to get the film's young, mobile fan base fired up for more.

As one of my readers put it, "It's the THING for Halloween!"

While not strictly a mobile marketing agency - Circ.us is complete transmedia - the firm has been highly active in the medium, having spearheaded initiatives for Ben & Jerry's, A&E and many others.

But one of my favorite projects from Circ.us has been the Red Bull 'Augmented Racer' Game, which you can hear much more detail about here.

In Part 1 of our Fall Mobile Marketing Roundtable, we talked to Julie Fajgenbaum, VP of Brand Marketing & Social Media for American Express about how AMEX is going social+mobile+commerce.

In Part 2, we talk to Broitman about ways this equation will play out over the next five to 10 years (Let's just say the conversation includes NFC embedded in our skin) - and what it means to the world of advertising.

FALL 2011 MOBILE MARKETING ROUNDTABLE PART ONE: RED BULL & WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR M-PAYMENTS & ADVERTISING

Click Here to Listen to: Mobile Roundtable Part 2

(Approx. 5:01)

Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your event marketing efforts.

BEFORE THE EVENT

The bulk of your time and efforts will go into planning, budgeting and promoting.

Set your goals. The first thing you want to do for any event is set your goal. Do you want to gain new customers, build a relationship with existing customers, get the word out about your business, or all of the above? Once you’ve set your goal it’s easier to figure out what type of event you want to participate in.

Most companies participate in events in one of the following ways:

• Attend: This is a great way to meet new people and/or further establish your business in your community, without a ton of upfront investment. Business mixers (often held by your local Chamber of Commerce) are a common way to meet local businesses and community leaders.
• Sponsor: If your goal is to obtain customer leads, or if you want to get your brand in front of a very specific audience, you might want to consider sponsoring or having a booth at an industry trade show.
• Host: Putting on your own event is a wonderful way to thank your existing customers, or to attract potential new customers to your business location. The big plus? You're the star of the party!

Plan, plan, plan. Formulate what you need to do for the event and when you need to accomplish each task. If you're hosting or exhibiting, do you need to rent anything (a venue, tables, chairs, etc.) or order food or snacks? Don't forget the basics like extra business cards, pens and any swag or giveaways. Most importantly, how much money can you afford to spend? Having a budget and schedule at the very beginning – and sticking to it – will save a ton of headache down the road.

Get the word out. Gather the necessary information: Who, what, when, where, why and – if you're sponsoring or hosting an event – how much does it cost? Then promote it like crazy on your website, blog, social media networks, email marketing campaigns and even in-store if you have a retail location. If you're selling tickets, consider using an online event marketing and registration service; you can set up a separate events Web page in minutes and have people purchase tickets directly online. So much easier than trying to make change at the door!

DURING THE EVENT

Organization is key for any type of event, especially if you're hosting or exhibiting. Everything should be set up and ready to go before the “early birds” arrive. If you've got multiple people working, assign jobs to each person and make sure they know the answers to FAQs before attendees arrive.

Get social. Create a Twitter #hashtag for your event, or use the event's official hashtag if you’re attending or sponsoring a booth. This way you can track all tweets coming from the event. Also, encourage people to “check in” using Foursquare or Facebook Places. You can encourage people to check in by offering giveaways.

Look the part. Your employees should be easily identifiable, whether it's a name tag or "uniform." You want attendees to know right away who are the representatives of your company.

Leave the tough sells at home. When you’re talking to potential customers, don’t talk business the whole time. People like to get to know you personally. Instead of launching into your elevator pitch every single time someone comes up to you or your table or booth, give them a few minutes to review your offerings, and if they have any questions, be sure to answer them.

Collect business cards. This is an oldie, but it still works. After all, at the end of the day you're there to make new connections, right? Jot down a note on each business card about what was discussed with that person. This not only serves as a reminder for you, but will give a personal touch to communication when you follow up with him/her later.

AFTER THE EVENT

You did it. You met some interesting new people and attendance was great. After you put down that celebratory beer or glass of wine, don't forget to:

Evaluate. Tally up the final cost of the event, the outcomes of the event itself, and see if it met your goals. How many business cards did you collect and how much business (new or old) did you get? How did your staff feel about the event? Get feedback from everyone to see what can you do better next time.

Follow up. Pull out those business cards you collected and follow up with a personal email or phone call. Put them in your contact manager or CRM system and tag them with the name of the event. You can always follow up with non-responders two or three weeks after. Keep track of what you spent on your event, then what you make from your new customers.

These simple tips should help set you and your event up for success every time!

Janine Popick is the CEO and founder of VerticalResponse, a provider of email marketing, social media, online survey, event marketing and direct mail marketing solutions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

To that end, Warner Bros. is promoting its new Steve Soderbergh movie "Contagion" with a billboard made of bacteria.

I'm not totally sure what the impact is on passersby - probably pretty arresting - but this seems custom built to generate online buzz.

Either way, I suddenly feel the urge wipe down my entire office.

What's your take? Creepy - or a totally en-gross-ing initiative?

Read all about it here.