Has anyone else seen the Accenture ads in Heathrow lately?
As you may remember they used to star Mr Tiger Woods. Well now - sticking with the animal theme - Tiger has been replaced by an Elephant on a surf board!
oh the irony......
Friday, 26 February 2010
Tiger replaced by elephant
Has anyone else seen the Accenture ads in Heathrow lately?
As you may remember they used to star Mr Tiger Woods. Well now - sticking with the animal theme - Tiger has been replaced by an Elephant on a surf board!
oh the irony......
Lebedev on verge of getting Indie
Ive just returned from South Africa where I got it on very good, very senior authority that the Indie deal is done and the buyer is Lebedev.
So disregard all the rumors of other buyers and of interest from 'prominent UK family' and watch the Indie story unfold under new ownership.
On strength of todays NRS news that Standard's readership has increased 113% since it went free its probably a fair assumption that Indie will try something similar along free or part free lines.
It could get very interesting as triple digit readership growth at the Indie (if it happened) would be a big enough event to cause advertisers to sit up and take notice of the paper for the first time in 15 years and it might even cause the Telegraph and Times mild concern.
So disregard all the rumors of other buyers and of interest from 'prominent UK family' and watch the Indie story unfold under new ownership.
On strength of todays NRS news that Standard's readership has increased 113% since it went free its probably a fair assumption that Indie will try something similar along free or part free lines.
It could get very interesting as triple digit readership growth at the Indie (if it happened) would be a big enough event to cause advertisers to sit up and take notice of the paper for the first time in 15 years and it might even cause the Telegraph and Times mild concern.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Redundancy Deals at the Indy stopping Lebedev takeover?
Picking up on this morning's MediaGuardian lead story, to get the Lebedev deal done, journalists will be asked to halve their redundancy terms from 4 weeks pay for every year served, to 2 weeks pay, a number of things spring to mind.
Mr Lebedev obviously has grand plans to strip the carcass of the Indy even further back, which suggests a joint Standard/Indy editorial resource.
If there are journalists still at the Indy who have previously turned down a generous four week offer for each year served, that's surprising in itself. "Independent to finally break even next year" is a headline that's been trotted out every year for a while. To be left at the end of the dance, without chance of getting the same deal as everyone else, must be particularly hurtful.
As a combined business model - free London edition, with a free national edition - using the same resources - it's an interesting idea. How to distribute the national free paper and make it pay, will be a massive challenge, before getting onto branding issues.
We wait with interest
Mr Lebedev obviously has grand plans to strip the carcass of the Indy even further back, which suggests a joint Standard/Indy editorial resource.
If there are journalists still at the Indy who have previously turned down a generous four week offer for each year served, that's surprising in itself. "Independent to finally break even next year" is a headline that's been trotted out every year for a while. To be left at the end of the dance, without chance of getting the same deal as everyone else, must be particularly hurtful.
As a combined business model - free London edition, with a free national edition - using the same resources - it's an interesting idea. How to distribute the national free paper and make it pay, will be a massive challenge, before getting onto branding issues.
We wait with interest
Farewell Times 2?
Reports this morning that Times 2 is to be axed, after a somewhat troubled life.
Born in a different age, when Editorial whim could predict a circulation uplift and bypass a business case, T2 ended up being a dumping ground for features, TV and fluffier content.
It never really worked, despite numerous re-launches and editorial changes, and never managed to carve out a niche as a destination section, rather than a generic catch-all.
Doubt it'll be missed by many, but will the main book improve with the absorption of the better T2 content? Placing the features pages back in will prove a harder challenge than pulling them all out, as there is the potential to disrupt the flow between domestic - international - business - obits and then into sport.
But then, that's why the Editor gets the big bucks, to make the best use of available content. Bit harder to do this on a print newspaper, than on a website, but that's the value of experience.
Born in a different age, when Editorial whim could predict a circulation uplift and bypass a business case, T2 ended up being a dumping ground for features, TV and fluffier content.
It never really worked, despite numerous re-launches and editorial changes, and never managed to carve out a niche as a destination section, rather than a generic catch-all.
Doubt it'll be missed by many, but will the main book improve with the absorption of the better T2 content? Placing the features pages back in will prove a harder challenge than pulling them all out, as there is the potential to disrupt the flow between domestic - international - business - obits and then into sport.
But then, that's why the Editor gets the big bucks, to make the best use of available content. Bit harder to do this on a print newspaper, than on a website, but that's the value of experience.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Two Dozen Carriers Worldwide Unite Against Apple’s App Store
Two dozen of the world's largest mobile-phone companies, including Verizon, AT&T, NTT DoCoMo, Deutsche Telekom, China Mobile and Vodafone, are teaming up to create an "open international applications platform,".
This is 'the industry's' response to Apple's success with its own iPhone App Store.
The announcement was made this morning at Mobile World Congress.
In addition to the 24 carriers, the GSMA and three handset manufacturers—LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson —are also supporting the initiative.
Combined, the group reaches 3 billion subscribers worldwide, making it easily the largest app-store initiative.
This 'stop Apple' initiative is an extraordinary cross industry alliance and shows just how scared the industry is by Apple's success.
Will it work?
Alliances of this scope are exceedingly complicated on a human and technological basis.
Its also significant that there are massive players missing - Google is missing, no. 1 handset manufacturer Nokia is missing and Telefonica is missing.....
So let's wait and see.
In the meanwhile Apple and Google will continue to shake-up the industry and ultimately consumers will benefit so that's to the good.
This is 'the industry's' response to Apple's success with its own iPhone App Store.
The announcement was made this morning at Mobile World Congress.
In addition to the 24 carriers, the GSMA and three handset manufacturers—LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson —are also supporting the initiative.
Combined, the group reaches 3 billion subscribers worldwide, making it easily the largest app-store initiative.
This 'stop Apple' initiative is an extraordinary cross industry alliance and shows just how scared the industry is by Apple's success.
Will it work?
Alliances of this scope are exceedingly complicated on a human and technological basis.
Its also significant that there are massive players missing - Google is missing, no. 1 handset manufacturer Nokia is missing and Telefonica is missing.....
So let's wait and see.
In the meanwhile Apple and Google will continue to shake-up the industry and ultimately consumers will benefit so that's to the good.
Lebedev Gets Two More Weeks On Exclusive Independent Sale Talks
Alexander Lebedev, the billionaire Russian and owner of the Evening Standard is getting a two week extension on his exclusive negotiations to buy the Independent and Independent On Sunday newspapers. Extension enables him "to facilitate bringing these discussions to a successful conclusion"
Toby Constantine
Director | Market Evolution Ltd
Research | Analysis | Insight | Advice | Action
Sent from my handheld
Toby Constantine
Director | Market Evolution Ltd
Research | Analysis | Insight | Advice | Action
Sent from my handheld
Saturday, 13 February 2010
iPad
Apple's forthcoming iPad tablet will cost as little as $229.35 for the company to produce, according to an estimate on Wednesday from research house iSuppli.
This makes things interesting doesn't it.
This lowish cost of production might well make it affordable (and viable) for publishers to package subscriptions with e-readers.
As we've written before we believe that this would prove popular with a broad cross section of consumers and is the model of the future.
We will run the maths and report back.
Toby Constantine
Director | Market Evolution Ltd
Research | Analysis | Insight | Advice | Action
Sent from my handheld
Friday, 12 February 2010
Yahoo! and Creme Eggs use Consumer Connect
Interesting looking development from Yahoo! working with Nectar data to target advertising at consumers based on their previous purchase history. Cadburys have become the first brand to properly engage with the service for their Creme Egg campaign.
We like smart uses of consumer data, this would look like a positive step forward.
We like smart uses of consumer data, this would look like a positive step forward.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Recession even hits the Premier League?
Spending in this year's January transfer window by Premier League football clubs ended up at about £30m, with £7m coming from a single player, Adam Johnson. This is well down on the £170m splashed out last year. Loans played a much larger part in plans this time round, with clubs reluctant to commit the cash.
So, is this a sign of the recession forcing belt tightening in the top flight? With the saga at Portsmouth becoming more dangerous (and ridiculous) as each day passes, and debt levels rising to worrying levels at other clubs, has the Premier League woken up to the realities of the consumer recession?
Short answer is obviously no, the TV revenue outweighs the money through the turnstile, but there is a definite sense that spending patterns have changed for a large number of clubs.
On a different subject, the first 3D broadcast of a live game was well reported and apparently well received. Will it catch on? I'd like to think so, but it will create fans-only pubs on match days, can't see it working well for non-footballing partners standing around without daft glasses on.
So, is this a sign of the recession forcing belt tightening in the top flight? With the saga at Portsmouth becoming more dangerous (and ridiculous) as each day passes, and debt levels rising to worrying levels at other clubs, has the Premier League woken up to the realities of the consumer recession?
Short answer is obviously no, the TV revenue outweighs the money through the turnstile, but there is a definite sense that spending patterns have changed for a large number of clubs.
On a different subject, the first 3D broadcast of a live game was well reported and apparently well received. Will it catch on? I'd like to think so, but it will create fans-only pubs on match days, can't see it working well for non-footballing partners standing around without daft glasses on.
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