What Does Google's New Privacy Mean to Digital Marketing?

"Another projected result is that Google will have a more comprehensive view of your online activity, which it can use to target ads to you," says a ClickZ post. "Many find this disturbing. First techies, then journalists, then politicians started clamoring about how the new policy presents a threat to users' privacy and violates the trust users had placed in Google. Even Microsoft jumped on the bandwagon, with a new ad casting doubt on the purity of Google's intentions and pointing to its own services as a privacy-friendly alternative." Read more.

The Role of Presidential Elections in Digital Marketing

"Presidential elections have served as important catalysts and benchmarks in the slow but steady adoption of digital marketing tactics by political campaigns," according to Ad Age. "The 2004 election represented a breakthrough, as the Dean campaign used emerging social networking tools and communities to generate a potent new stream of donations and to organize and engage supporters. In the 2008 cycle, the Obama campaign took this process to the next level, with a well-tuned digital marketing machine, blending search and display, social and email -- and blew the roof off with record-breaking levels of donations and digital engagement, not to mention a residual digital community the President's political organization continues to mine." Read more.

Vicks Helps Moms Track Flus

"Kaz, manufacturer for the Vicks brand, found an innovative way to target a very specific audience for its new behind-the-ear thermometer — moms and expectant mothers — by leveraging the geolocation abilities of smartphones, demographics data provided by apps and an algorithm created by Google that estimates regional flu activity based on Internet searches," according to Direct Marketing News. "Google aggregated Web searches from 2003 to 2008 with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, and using the location aspect of users' IP addresses, Google devised a formula to estimate regional flu activity based on Internet searches. Using Google's predictive model for the flu as its primary data, Kaz partnered with the third-party ad network Where.com to pinpoint the moms and moms-to-be who would be most interested in the noninvasive temperature-taker by indicating to them that they are in a region where the flu is prevalent, via ads served through a number of apps." Read more.

Google Opening Bids for Ads on Its Mobile Ad Network

"Next week advertising auctions for cost-per-click (CPC) placements on Google’s AdMob mobile ad network will take quality score into consideration," says Marketing Vox. "Specifically: on Wednesday, February 15th, ads will be displayed based on their quality of the ad and the bids of that impression. In addition, Google is removing minimum bids and targeting fees, instead letting the pricing be determined solely by market forces. This is part of Google’s strategy to move AdMob closer to its core AdWords product. Previously, the highest bidder won the impression on AdMob." Read more.

So You Thought Yahoo Was Following in the Footsteps of AOL, Newscape, and Alta Vista--Maybe Not

"Yesterday, Yahoo released out of beta a website that visualizes the traffic to Yahoo properties, letting users customize results...," according to an Ad Age post. "Yahoo hopes to roll out in the next few months that will personalize the content experience on its sites, said Mike Kerns, Yahoo's VP-social and personalization.... The hope, of course, is that a more-personalized experience will increase engagement and, with it, affinity for the Yahoo brand."  Read more.

Its Absurdity Is Its Effectiveness

"Visiting the local park not long ago, Shelley Davies-Carr and her four sons were suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of overexcited teenagers wielding cellphones and taking photographs. 'Oh, my God!' the teenagers shrieked, as only teenagers can. “ ‘"Charlie Bit My Finger!"' ” That's the lead of a New York Times post. "Indeed, it is hard to find anyone in the video-watching world who has not heard of “Charlie Bit My Finger,” a YouTube video featuring tiny Charlie Davies-Carr chomping on his older brother, Harry. Since it was posted in 2007, the 56-second clip of English-accented toddler indignation and infant bliss has been viewed a mind-boggling 417.6 million times, making it the most successful noncommercial video in YouTube history." Read more.

Social Platforms Growing Faster Than Can Be Tracked

"Social platforms are still in their Precambrian era, with new services emerging and consolidating large audiences almost faster than they can be tracked," according to ClickZ. "Meanwhile the social category as a whole is on the cusp of becoming the dominant form of online content, accounting for 16.6 percent of Internet minutes spent as 2011 drew to a close. A wide-ranging report from comScore found that while leader Facebook continues its impressive growth - reaching three out of four U.S. users - relative newcomers like Tumblr, Pinterest, and Google+ are evolving and growing at a steady clip." Read more.

Baby Boomers More Concerned about Data Collection Than Millenials

"Forrester just published survey results intended to answer the questions "Do people care if companies collect their data, and does it affect their decisions about the companies?'" That's the start of an Ad Age post. "The short answer to both questions is, yes.In a survey of 37,000 US and Canadian online adults, we first asked how concerned people were with companies accessing their personal information. More than 70% were concerned about social security numbers and credit cards. Less than half cared about their phone number, and only 19% were concerned about their online reviews. This proves people are at least thoughtful, and distinguish between extremely sensitive information and other information.The second big conclusion is that age matters, and young people are more open. For example, 47% of 55-64 year-olds were concerned about access to their behavioral data, compared to only 33% of those 18-24. Young people were also far more willing to give up information in exchange for discounts." Read more.

Pharmaceutical Brands Do More Digital Marketing

"A much-anticipated Facebook game from Boehringer Ingelheim, makers of Dulcolax, Zantac, and an array of prescription medications, is just one example of how pharma [pharmaceutical] brands are plowing ahead with digital campaigns," reports ClickZ. "Despite hand wringing about a lack of clear regulatory guidance, BI, Pfizer, and others were already breaking new ground before new draft social media guidelines were unveiled by the Food and Drug Administration in December." Read more.

IKEA Enlists "Like" Buddies in New Marketing Campaign

"The 'Bring Your Own Friends' campaign from IKEA USA gave back to its customers while at the same time raised money for charity. Who can beat that? Plus, IKEA cleverly enlisted its own Facebook fans base to do some of the heavy marketing lifting for them," reports Direct Marketing News. "The way it worked was simple: IKEA told its more than 430,000 Facebook fans to invite buddies to bring along and enjoy a full day of free in-store meals, massages, gift card giveaways, discounts and other perks for one blowout shopping day in mid-January at IKEA stores nationwide." Read more.

Prez Returns to Online Advertising in Re-Election Bid

"Online ad spending by Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee reached more than $7 million in 2011," according to a CiickZ post. "From March through December, OFA alone bought more than $5 million worth of online ads, according to Federal Election Commission reports analyzed by ClickZ Politics. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama's reelection camp only recently began running television spots, reportedly making a relatively small national buy aimed at building his supporter list, and later pushing an economy and energy policy themed message to battleground states." Read more.

What Makes for a Good Social Media Campaign

"Ad Age and Creativity's latest trend report explores what it takes for brands to 'do good Facebook,'" and so starts the Ad Age post. "We gathered a roundtable of seasoned creatives, including Mr. Benjamin, a former CP&B co-CCO who helped steer notable Facebook campaigns such as Burger King's 'Whopper Sacrifice.' We were joined by his former Crispin colleague Paul Aaron, now digital executive creative director at Amalgamated; Tool's Jason Zada, EVB co-founder turned director, who created one of the most viral Facebook efforts of last year in 'Take This Lollipop'; Pereira & O'Dell Creative Director Jaime Robinson, who worked on the successful Intel-Toshiba 'Inside' social film; Team Detroit ECD Scott Lange, who oversaw Ford's 'Doug' social-media puppet effort; and Jung Von Matt Limmat's Livio Dainese, creative director on Graubunden Tourism's 'Obermutten Goes Global,' which earned a tiny Swiss town more Facebook action than the fan pages of Justin Beiber and Lady Gaga.If you don't know their work, you should. All of them have successfully navigated the social-media platform and created Facebook campaigns that people actually cared about." Read and see more (video).

Judging Celebs on Their Facebook Covers

"Securing the services of a supermodel to wear minimal clothing is standard for a Super Bowl advertiser, but hiring her based on her social-media credentials is a sign of the time," notes Advertising Age. "To help make its spot go viral, Kia Motors chose Adriana Lima, Motley Crue and MMA fighter Chuck Liddell to appear in its ad largely on the basis of their social graphs and the perceived power of their fan bases. In the ad, the Sandman pours too much sand in the eyes of a sleeping man and makes his dream world a manifestation of his deepest desires to drive around a raceway and be cheered on by legions by bikini-clad women." Read more.

See Growth of Internet Marketing during the Next Five Years

Source: eMarketer, 2012

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Homework Help

Some individuals find it helpful to talk out their thoughts.

You can do that in Monday's class. Bring in your thesis for the letter assignment. I will critique it. I will not say, "This stinks," or make a comment remotely close to that.

I will show you how to improve it, what details may support it, and if you wrote a conclusion rather than a thesis. If you wrote a conclusion, I will attempt to help you "back up" your thinking until you finally have a thesis.

I have done this in the past. The students who participate feel better about what they are thinking and usually find creating their assignments somewhat easier.

I look forward to seeing your theses on Monday.

By the way, you can also review them with me on Sunday between three and five. As always, I will be sitting in the library's coffee shop at that time, my office hours.

Millenials--Your Generation--Drive Digital Content

In Monday's class, I mentioned that your generation had $170 billion [see this blog posting] in purchasing power, that producers gear websites, movies, publications, books, and tv shows to your generation, and as a consequence, that your generation rules. Now your generation will dictate marketing content.

"In a few short years, millennials—consumers currently ages 18 to 34—will account for a sizeable portion of US purchase decision-makers. Yet Bazaarvoice found these digital natives are already using and creating online content to recommend or dissuade friends, family and anonymous site-visitors from a brand, product or service," reports eMarketer. "Compared to their older counterparts, baby boomers, millennial internet users showed a greater reliance on anonymous recommendations and reviews when making purchase decisions." Read more.

Now your generation does have large education loans, and they are coming of age during one of the most difficult economic times in the past 80 years. Yet your number--more than 85 million, 10 million more than the baby boomer generation (mine)--could set this nation in an entirely new economic direction, especially when you start building families. Doubt that. Read this.

Facebook Earned More Than $3B in Ad Rev in 2011

"Facebook's 2011 advertising revenues were $3.1 billion, up 69 percent from the year before, according to the Menlo Park, CA-based firm's S-1 filing today for its initial public offering. Facebook, which has increased its ad units per page from four to seven in the last two years, appears to have benefited greatly from those particular moves," notes ClickZ. "According to the filing, the primary reason for the jump in ad revenue was a 42 percent lift in the number of ads delivered, as well as an 18 percent hike in the average price per ad delivered." Read more.

WSJ Joins the Social Media Video Rush on YouTube

Media Buyer Planner reports that "the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ...launched its dedicated YouTube channel, reports Investors Business Daily. First among its advertisers visible to YouTube viewers: the Ron Paul campaign (with a banner ad and 13-minute streaming infomercial), the United Arab Emirates and Boeing." Read more.

Marketers Looking to Use More Internet Marketing in 2012

"A report from Valpak and the Cox Media Group found that businesses are optimistic about 2012, and improved internet marketing is the cause. According to the study, companies believe that the web provides the best opportunities to boost sales, with search engine optimization coming out on top," says a post on Brafton News. "Sixty-seven percent [of marketers responding to the survey] report that they will center their efforts around SEO, ensuring that their website content is developed with keywords and the behavior of their target audience....Social media marketing will be a major component of campaigns for 57 percent of businesses." Read more.

Insurance Companies Spending More on Internet Marketing

"Healthcare reform and signs of economic recovery have insurance marketers retooling their direct marketing efforts to drive relevant messaging to consumers and prospects. Marketers are putting a premium on offering personalized, accurate content to different consumer demographics, while balancing privacy concerns," according to Direct Marketing News. "While many marketers have had to trim their budgets in recent years, the insurance industry has witnessed steady spending growth over the past few years. During the first three quarters of 2011, insurance television advertising spending increased 10% and Internet advertising spending increased 40% compared to the same period in 2010, according to Kantar Media." Read more.