I’m a massive eBay fan. If I’m not buying, I’m selling and if I’m not doing either of those I’m browsing – it’s a 24 hour junk sale and I can’t imagine life without it. However in the current economic crisis with so many businesses suffering, is eBay destined to sink or set to thrive?
My first thought was that it’ll be more popular than ever. With people feeling too guilt-ridden to treat themselves to more expensive purchases, it’s the ideal place to visit for some retail therapy on the cheap. But looking within the eBay community it seems sales are slowing. Especially for products such as collectables and antiques – where a large portion of their business lies. The BBC recently reported that eBay now expects 2008 revenues to total between $8.53bn and $8.68bn - below a previous estimate of $8.8bn to $9.05bn.
Could it be the case that the people who don’t use eBay never will do, and the people that do are tightening their purse strings? Like last year I expect I’ll do a large chunk of my Christmas shopping on eBay, however I will be spending less. Whatever happens I really hope eBay’s future is safe, and with a total revenue estimate of around $8.53bn, I think it just might be.
As the title says, it is a common misconception that Facebook is gradually killing Twitter. Why? Because not only does it do the same, but it also allows to do more. Well, it isn’t as basic as you’d think.
Yes, some people are shifting from Twitter to Facebook, but the fact is most users are actually keeping both accounts. Why? Because they serve two different purposes:
- Twitter is a much more simple and direct way to communicate. I doesn’t need a complex registration or building a profile page. It is also much more mobile compatible - due to it’s simplicity - and it allows users to directly talk and feed from each other without the crowd of multiple application feedback (try to set apart a Facebook tweet from a notification that the
user has been bidded on “Owned”…). It allows a more fluent conversation, while Facebook doesnt.
- Facebook is a social network per se - it allows multiple interactions and uses, from profile pages to applications to picture gallery. It tries to be everything at the same time. I could go on forever about Facebook, but why bother? If you don’t know it yet, then you need to seriously get out of the cave and join the online community. Continue reading ‘Is Facebook killing the Twitter Star?’
Infographics are getting hot these days and, riding this trend, the Economist launched a juicy advertising campaign showing us, once more, how to be effective without using stunning images and talking to a selected audience.
And if you want to know more about the possibilities of visual information beyond the classical field of diagrams, take a look at DATA FLOW, an inspiring book, published by Gestalten, concerning complexity, simplification and readability solutions in information design.
We’re all au fait with the phenomenon that is blogging and more recently the debate that genuine bloggers are being replaced by companies falsely representing themselves. While carrying out some recent research for the top (as well as genuine) UK beauty bloggers I was surprised to come across so many uninspired sites featuring the same products, the same girly girly-tone and the same images of cupcakes and flowers.
However among the beauty blogging community there are a few gems. People who write with passion and energy, people that make you want to read their whole site from back to front.
Bloggers who truly love their subject matter stand out by a mile. However putting talented, passionate bloggers aside, here are some amusing articles I thought you’d all enjoy:
How not to look fat in a dress Fed up with getting it wrong? Frustrated looking back at pictures of you looking drab, dreary and worst of all, lardy? This handy article illustrates 16 foolproof tips to herald the end of the frock faux-pas.
How to cope with a freezing office Suffer from pneumonia-inducing air con in your place of work? Check out shefinds.com’s essential survival tips.
False eyelashes for men! Boys this one’s for you! The craze in mancake (male make-up) has reached all new levels with Eylure releasing their Natural Lashes for men.
Two technologies spotted on CNN during Elections 08 season, supposed to enhance the viewer’s experience.
1/ Interviewing an hologram
2/ Large Touch Screen that allows the anchor to manipulate images and data
Both have been heavily mocked by the Saturday Night Live and Daily Show teams, and you can understand why. But I really enjoyed watching the presentator dig into layers and layers of data, state by state, last Thursday.
While NFL broadcasts the traditional Sunday Night games on NBC, the online show takes advantage of the technology, offering 4 extra cameras for viewers to choose desired angle. Via Slate.
“If you care enough to vote, we care enough to give you a free cup of coffee”, the ad that was launched during Saturday Night Live last weekend says. It’s the first time the chain has done such a promotion. More on the Wall Street Journal.
Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to attend Web2.0 Expo Europe 2008 in Berlin. There, I met Gen Miyazawa and Ren Ando, of Cirius Technologies, Inc. - a thriving location-based mobile advertising company based in Tokyo. I attended their presentation, “Location-based Mobile Ad: A Lesson From Japan” which had a huge impact on me. Why? Because living in a western, ultra-connected and digital world, we tend to assume we are the real pioneers. Well… the truth is after Gen and Ren’s lesson, I’ll always look East before assuming anything of the sort.
The picture they presented sounded like a forecast of the Future in 10 years time… However it is Japan’s reality, right now. So here are the figures:
- 90% of the subscribers use the mobile web;
- 90% will be on 3G by the end 2008;
- At the Present, almost 1/2 are GPS enabled phones;
- The Mobile commerce market has hit 10B USD*
It is predictable that TV watching (w/ digital TV tuner) and video sharing will soon become a top mobile entertainment. You Tube on mobile and Nico Nico Video Sharing are already becoming a clear trend.
IC wallets are being integrated with mobile phones by default. This mobile electronic payment method already has 28.5 million subscribers (as of Mar 31, 2008) and is accepted in Public transportations, supermarkets and vending machines.
So why did this market grow so rapidly in Japan?
A combination of broad coverage of 3G network, flat-rate data plans and a bigger influence of the operators upon mobile ecosystem than in GSM markets did the trick. Continue reading ‘Mobile Ads: A Lesson From Japan’
The TrendWatch is the collective postings of some of the FullSIX Group’s designers, strategists, and consultants on new media and marketing trends. It is meant to be an impromptu think-tank, and is a way for us to share theories and beliefs about how we think communication and connectivity is evolving.
We work for The FullSIX Group; a leading full service marketing agency with digital DNA. From our 15 international offices with over 600 employees, we constantly embrace and encourage innovation to make integrated marketing and communication campaigns that are more accountable and efficient for our clients.
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