October 26th, 2009
A necessary and brilliant move, Apple has added suggestions to their receipt to give a valid call to action. The only problem is the suggestions are based on what others who bought my selections also bought. While this is helpful in giving more suggestions I’d actually like suggestions based on what I bought that’s relevant to me.
Semantic technology may still be in it’s infancy but relevancy can be given based on many other factors. I personally don’t need an app to view my pet pictures on my Mac remotely (Clarus), a separate app to read a blog (Pali Research), and I certainly don’t need to track my neuroses (SymTrend). If Apple knew me they’d know that I don’t have a pet, am reading my blogs via my6sense now and have overcome neuroses long ago.
Tagging is a very simple technology that is successfully implemented by many brands. Foursquare has taken descriptive tagging to another level by crowd sourcing this task and rewarding for levels of input. If the ‘Give Work’ app was properly tagged it would’ve been able to suggest other apps that are similar in the social good, social change categories and crowd sourcing categories. I would even accept most recently added app suggestions, most popular in category, or even what other users in my area downloaded [which they can do because they have my address].
Suggestions are a step forward but these aren’t enough for me. For now I’ll keep archiving my iTunes receipts so I can search through my download history, as Apple doesn’t allow you to do that easily. If apps like my6sense can learn my preferences then surely a large company with vast resources like Apple can figure out how to do the same.
Posted via email from db’s digital branding database
Tags: action, address, address suggestions, app, Apple, apps, area, aren, blog, blogs, brilliant move, call, category, change, change categories, Clarus, company, crowd, database, doesn, download, email, Foursquare, history, infancy, input, iTunes, level, Mac, move, neuroses, Pali, pet, pet pictures, problem, receipt, receipts, relevancy, Research, Semantic, sense, simple technology, step, store, Suggestions, SymTrend, tagging, task, technology, the, vast resources, Work
Posted in branding, featured, social media | No Comments »
May 22nd, 2009
Is the web 2.0 bubble balloon slowly deflating?
Recently Meg Pickard released an updated version of the now infamous Web 2.0 image map. This new map breaks down who is dead, acquired and alive (X, O, and no mark, respectively)
Kevin Eklund’s statistical analysis of the chart:
Web 2.0: Project or Business?
Mashable touted all those on the list (survivors included) as a testament to those willing to do rather than watch. While I tend to agree with Mashable and others concerning the survival/success rate of Web 2.0 businesses, no one is asking the important question. Only Doug Martin begins to touch upon it:
I created one of the projects Xed out on the first chart. Looking back it was a project and not a business – I got coverage on all the hot tech blogs and the associated huge spike in traffic but there really was not a business there. It did help me get my next job though and it was a fun ride.
Many Web 2.0 companies start out with a great idea, ambition and a rush to get it first to market. The problem with that is when you think like a designer or a developer you get those results. A businessman thinks of the bottom line: money.
Amazing ideas are all well and good but if you don’t have a proper monetization model in place before you launch you are setting yourself up for disaster. You also need short & long term road maps and an exit strategy. Core values and belief systems MUST be set up before you can start doing business. Crawl, walk, run, fly.
I’m not interested in a failure rate or what that means for a new web industry. What I am interested in is why. Why did these companies fold? Why are some still around? Why did some get acquired? Rates mean nothing without reason behind them.
Web You.0
Meg Pickard is at least asking one question, a question about creating a new roadmap:
“If anyone would like to make a new collage of startups in this genre for 2009, I’d be very interested to see it – please post the link in the comments. Here’s the collage above, but with all the defunct companies removed. There are plenty of healthy and exciting companies around these days which could fill those empty spaces. Who’ll take on the task of filling the gaps?”
I propose not just a new update to the Web 2.0 map but a new way to organize it as well.
- Create a maximum uniform height and width for logos.
- Separate into color groups according to what their primary service is (sharing, storage etc).
- Make each logo into an actual clickable image map that links out to each service.
- Show how the social networking services are linked together i.e. Twitter > Facebook > Friendfeed <->Twitter
- Repeat for a Web 3.0 (aka Semantic Web) map
- Tie both the Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 map together in parallel linked maps
Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Also, Rome is just a city now instead of an empire. Think about that.
Tags: ambition, belief systems, beliefs, blog, brand, branding, business, businessman, chart web, collage, colors, commenters, communications, core values, design, designers, doug martin, eklund, excitement, exit strategy, experiment, Facebook, failure, failure rate, Friendfeed, fun ride, functionality, grouping, image map, interactions, lists, marketing, mashable, models, network, networked, networking, one question, organization, road maps, roadmap, social, social media, startups, statistical analysis, statistics, strategy, success rate, tech, technology, twitter, update, Value, web industry
Posted in branding, business, featured, social media | No Comments »
April 23rd, 2009
© Lisa Hickey
There’s a scene in The Wizard of Oz I can’t get out of my head. The flying monkeys have attacked; the Scarecrow has been torn apart. What’s left of the Scarecrow laments: “First they took my legs off and they threw them over there! Then they took my chest out and they threw it over there!”And the Tin Woodsman looks down and replies: “Well, that’s you all over!”
I’ve got to think that’s what it feels like to be a brand these days. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: attempts, audience, blog, brand, brand values, branding, business, business standpoint, communicating, communication, communications, creativity, design, designers, differential, discussion, feelings, flying monkeys, guideline documents, heart, humor, interaction, interactions, legs, logical conclusions, marketing, media, poetry, present, productivity, reply, scarecrow, social, thinking about things, thoughtfulness, tin woodsman, Value, visuals, weirdness, white space, wizard of oz, words, zappos
Posted in branding, technology | 2 Comments »
April 23rd, 2009
I’m not one for distinctions. Personally I think that awards can be meaningless, self-congratulatory and ego-boosting- especially in a sea of endless accolades. However, this one is different. Not because of who is behind it but because of the company we now keep by being included on Branding.Alltop. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: about, alltop, badges, blog, bloggers, brand, branding, collaborative effort, commenters, distinctions, ego, high quality, lists, mensa, Peers, quality content, thought leaders
Posted in featured, life | No Comments »
April 22nd, 2009
© dbking
Is your brand outstanding or just standing out in the cold?
A business’ full visual identity is what sets it apart from its competitors. With a landscape full of copycats, fakes and mundane bussinessmen, it’s your duty as an exceptional entrepreneur to set yourself apart from the rest. Getting an amazing business card is only one part of the equation. Receiving multiple business cards from different people at the same company is when you realize a brand is truly special. Here’s why your brand is sucking at making a lasting impression.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: blog, brand, brand identity, branding, business, business card, business cards, card portfolio, clever design, cohesion, collectibles, colors, communicating, communication, communications, competitor, copycats, core values, design, designers, differential, digital space, entrepreneur, excitement, fakes, feelings, fight club, gift recipients, gimmick, grouping, lasting impression, marketing, media, organic matter, organization, productivity, science, social media, twitter, unique snowflake, update, Value, visual identities, visual identity, visual translation, visuals, words
Posted in branding, featured | 7 Comments »
April 20th, 2009
THANK YOU AND I’M SORRY
© wasabicube
First off, I’d like to thank ALL OF YOU for visiting, subscribing AND reading this website so far. Without your support I would have no desire to continue to grow this venture to greater heights. That being said, I’d like to apologize.
In my excitement for reorganization with adding/moving user pages, some of you may have received a post that was inadvertedly sent through the RSS feed entitled “Damien Basile”. I have an ego, but not THAT big of an ego to name a WHOLE POST after myself.
Tags: about, av flox, badges, blog, bottom left, brand, branding, communicating, communication, communications, community aspects, convenience, damien basile, desire, ego, excitement, Facebook, Google, habit, jargon, knowledge, lisa hickey, media, mybloglog, network, networked, networking, new features, niche, niche communities, reading, reorganization, retaggr, retweet, reviews, sidebar, social, staci j shelton, subscribers, twitter, widgets
Posted in technology | 1 Comment »
April 18th, 2009
Businesses are often so focused on selling and making money that they stray away from their core message. The way your customer receives you is crucial for sustained sales over time. If you’re operating with the short term just in mind you’re setting your business up for failure.
- Why did you get into business?
- What are your core values?
- What sets you apart from your competitor?
- Why should your customer favor you over anyone else?
Selling is easy. Cast a wide enough net and you’ll catch some fish.Catching a specific type of fish and plenty of it is a whole different story.
- What is your customer telling you?
- Do you know their lifestyle inside and out?
- Have you bought their mindspace?
- Will they give you your exact message or something completely different when asked?
Your customers don’t just exist for you when they buy your product. They always exist. How do you always exist for your customers?
It’s important to keep your lines of communication open with your customer. Constant feedback is the only way you can know exactly how they feel about you. Their word isn’t the whole picture but it is a major part of it.
Some tools you should be using to gauge your business impact are:
- Buying patterns
- General industry & product consensus
- Word of mouth in social media networks
- Feedback on relevant bulletin boards
- Comments on blogs
- Customer service surveys
- Face to face questioning
When was the last time you asked your customer what they thought and felt about your business? What did they say?
What can you do RIGHT NOW to find out how your business is doing?
Tags: blog, brand, brand message, branding, bulletin boards, business, business impact, commenters, communicating, communication, communications, competitor, consensus, core message, core values, customer service surveys, different story, exact message, failure, feelings, generalities, lifestyle, making money, media, media networks, mindspace, network, networked, networking, productivity, relevance, selling, social, thoughtfulness, type of fish, Value, when was the last time, word of mouth, words
Posted in business, featured | 3 Comments »
April 1st, 2009
© KRAPPS
Each and every company has a different way of doing business. This results in their brand message being received in a unique way apart from any of their competitors. The following is an interview with Alex from KRAPPS.com, the website that takes a look at the “anti-brilliant apps – slacker apps – not amazing apps” that have shown up in the iTunes app store. And according to their tagline “not all apps are created equal”. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: advice, app, Apple, blog, brand, branding, business, chat, communicating, communication, communications, conversation, DM, downloading, friends, functionality, goals, Google, growth, iphone, iTunes, knowledge, KRAPPS, life, lists, marketing, media, plans, productivity, responsibility, reviews, social, twitter, Value, words
Posted in branding, featured | 2 Comments »
Has the Web 2.0 bubble burst?
Is the web 2.0 bubble balloon slowly deflating?
Recently Meg Pickard released an updated version of the now infamous Web 2.0 image map. This new map breaks down who is dead, acquired and alive (X, O, and no mark, respectively)
Kevin Eklund’s statistical analysis of the chart:
Web 2.0: Project or Business?
Mashable touted all those on the list (survivors included) as a testament to those willing to do rather than watch. While I tend to agree with Mashable and others concerning the survival/success rate of Web 2.0 businesses, no one is asking the important question. Only Doug Martin begins to touch upon it:
I created one of the projects Xed out on the first chart. Looking back it was a project and not a business – I got coverage on all the hot tech blogs and the associated huge spike in traffic but there really was not a business there. It did help me get my next job though and it was a fun ride.
Many Web 2.0 companies start out with a great idea, ambition and a rush to get it first to market. The problem with that is when you think like a designer or a developer you get those results. A businessman thinks of the bottom line: money.
Amazing ideas are all well and good but if you don’t have a proper monetization model in place before you launch you are setting yourself up for disaster. You also need short & long term road maps and an exit strategy. Core values and belief systems MUST be set up before you can start doing business. Crawl, walk, run, fly.
I’m not interested in a failure rate or what that means for a new web industry. What I am interested in is why. Why did these companies fold? Why are some still around? Why did some get acquired? Rates mean nothing without reason behind them.
Web You.0
Meg Pickard is at least asking one question, a question about creating a new roadmap:
“If anyone would like to make a new collage of startups in this genre for 2009, I’d be very interested to see it – please post the link in the comments. Here’s the collage above, but with all the defunct companies removed. There are plenty of healthy and exciting companies around these days which could fill those empty spaces. Who’ll take on the task of filling the gaps?”
I propose not just a new update to the Web 2.0 map but a new way to organize it as well.
Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Also, Rome is just a city now instead of an empire. Think about that.
Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Tags: ambition, belief systems, beliefs, blog, brand, branding, business, businessman, chart web, collage, colors, commenters, communications, core values, design, designers, doug martin, eklund, excitement, exit strategy, experiment, Facebook, failure, failure rate, Friendfeed, fun ride, functionality, grouping, image map, interactions, lists, marketing, mashable, models, network, networked, networking, one question, organization, road maps, roadmap, social, social media, startups, statistical analysis, statistics, strategy, success rate, tech, technology, twitter, update, Value, web industry
Posted in branding, business, featured, social media | No Comments »