Bryan Landaburu (aka Reno Bryan, Willie Vega, and Fuze) | Dont call me a blogger

Reno Airport vs. Las Vegas Airport "Free" WiFi

So this is a post that came from a "Tweet".  Originally I posted these to TwitPic, but today, in an effort to get organized I was cleaning my desktop and came across these 2 photos that contrast the "free WiFi" in Nevada's 2 major airports.  It got me thinking that I haven't ranted enough on the topic.

Here at the Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO), the local fishwrap (RGJ) has made it their charter to "monetize" free WiFi access at the airport...turning access into a profit center through the "magic" of abundant banner advertising. See ad's circled below:

In comparison, our friends to the South, Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) have a version of "free WiFi" that is not littered with banner advertising. See below (notice no pink circles):

One must wonder how in the world Las Vegas survives and puts shoes on their kids without "monetizing" their free WiFi. Must EVERYTHING be a streaming ad? 

Speaking of RGJ...on the RGJ's redesigned site (which I think is a vast improvement over the previous rev) you are still served irrelevant ads non-stop - constant pop-outs, video ads, display ads, and random links disturb the user experience on the site. Other newspapers seem to manage without it (ex. TheGuardian).  So, if one must have ad's to keep ones publication alive, then cant one serve the ad's contextually and relevant?

The ad's on RGJ are rarely (if ever) served contextually.  Example: I am reading a story about Artown, so OF COURSE I am REALLY thinking about Carpet Cleaning (a video ad for Evergreen carpet care was served in the article).  An example of a good contextual ad here would be something for downtown bars/restaurants, art galleries, or something that GOES WITH ARTOWN.  My theory for the reason ads on RGJ.com are most often OUT of context and irrelevant is that they don't have enough advertisers to be contextual and relevant.  They just need to fill inventory.  To their advertisers, they call this Johnny Appleseed disbursement of advertising "value-add" but I call it "wasted-cash".

Anyway, I don't [necessarily] want to rant on our local news rag because they publish many (1) articles about Fuze and Me. I just think the free WiFi should be free.  Simple, no?

BL

More crappy emails: RealEstateProNews.com Advocates Firing Webmasters

From the world of crappy email, rises a new contender:  RealEstateProNews.com who in this crappy email suggests you "fire your webmasters".  Whoever sent this email for them should be fired:

Why you ask?

• They start with an accusational headline, but cant pay it off
• Images wont render in Outlook 2003 or 2007 (used by ohhh, most business users)
• No way to view online
• No text equivalent of the offer or the company - who knows who its from
• Even the dead images ARENT CLICKABLE

I assume this message is for a seminar of sorts where they are going to spew genius of template based web products and their "email systems" but who knows.  Now, RealEstateProNews, aka MortgageTrends, aka Verticalemail, aka who knows what else, is a typical ambiguous shell company that sells "services" to [unsuspecting] real estate agents. As an email provider, verticalemail.com (a namesake rip rip off of VerticalResponse) has shown that they aint got it together so, shame on them. Here is how they send such dynamic/compelling emails:

"This is accomplished utilizing our Patent-Pending    Database-Controlled Broadcast Email System developed specifically for    the commercial real estate industry" - taken from their website

Make any sense? No. I am not saying this company is unethical, or illegitimate, I am simply commenting on this email that I took some offense to.  The links to their websites should be a fair trade for this critique from an opted-in subscriber. Till RealEstateProNews/Verticalemail gets their shyte together, may want to think about firing them.

Enjoy.

BL

Ad:Tech Day 3 - wrapup

Art of Persuasion - New laws of eCommerce Marketing
Natalie Long - Internet Marketing Manager, REI
Peter Brumme - Director of Web Marketing, Intuit
Monte Hudson - VP Sales, Revenue Science
Joey Wilson - Director of Marketing Strategy, Sapient
Moderated by Bill Tancer - GM Global Research, Hitwise

Currents:

• online sales US 155.8B - up 17% from 2007
• Internet penetration slowing but sitting at 71.1% - meaning people that want internet, have it
• Number of new retail sites slowing (3.5% growth)
• Visits to retail sites are up 26%

Are there any new rules of eCommerce?

REI

• interesting customer centric views - order online & return in store, and many other innovations
• moving towards portable content (good for their customers) but paying special attention to making sure the content and network experience across all channels (blogs, reviews, video, podcasts, etc.)
• Customers expect more our of brands - responsible, at "your" service

Intuit

• spend your dollars in the highest ROI areas
• be relevant at all steps of the purchse funnel - persuasion comes from the consistency at every point in the process
• the power of FREE is a way to significantly shorten the buying cycle
• testing remains one of the best tools that exists - dont forget about simple things like testing buttons - tactics will be different at different points in the funnel

Revenue Science

• personalized & relevant messaging is key to moving people through the funnel process

Sapient

• clients dont take advantage of conversations they have already started with a client - so many dont even do simple things like re-engagement messages on dropped baskets and the like.  If you already have the lead, it is more critical to work it, than to look for new ones.
• knowing what and how to measure is critical - have to name specifically what factors represent success - and this should be based on revenue not based on CTR or CPA.
• media should be optimized - focus on whaat drives sales, retention or profit
• Testing plan is critical important - focus on placements first, creative second - aplit vs multivariate - walk before you run.
• every step of your process can be optimized, personalized and impact can (must) be measured.

Q/A

• Fuze Question to REI - Since REI has always subtly been a "member" organization, has REI considered building social spaces or engaging in more trendy blogging tactics like Twitter to show they are connected to the bleeding edge and engaging with their members/customers.  if not, do you plan to, if so does it drive any sales and who runs the programs?
  • Answer: REI is considering taking on the social space by building tools that allow their global customers/members connect, share, review, travel
  • My Take: this could be the most explosive case study in social networking/media ever - just hang on for a year or 2 - REI over almost anyone, could pull this off - BIG TIME.

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The Empowered Consumer - Are we losing control of our brands?
Chas Edwards - Federated Media
Keith Rabois - Slide (180 Million unique viewers/month)
Bill Capodanno - Microsoft
Richard Becker - Citi
Marc Ruxin - Mcann worldwide/populist

How has the conversation evolved?

• First age - uni-directional - TV/Radio
• Second age - bi-directional - Interactive
• Third age - multi-directional - participatory

Here are my rambling[genius] thoughts...

This session can be summed up in a single word: Yes.  Companies are losing and having to relinquish control of their brands/products/services to the social world.  it will remain incredibly challenging for big brands to stay in the conversation and successfully "advertise" to people who dont want to see their message.  Good luck having a conversation that isnt exploited as we go forward here.

I have much less of an issue with brands reading what i have to say than i do with brands trying to control my conversation or interrupt me with advertising.  For instance, Citi relaunches mortgage.com and is, yawn, showing rates of competitors. Hasnt the insurance industry has done this for years? It blows me away how some brands think because THEY do something new to THEM, that is should all of a sudden be interesting to US.  Being interested in that, folks, requires you to take a healthy dose of Crazy Pills.

Citi [and others] need to respect and submiss to the fact that: no "institution" web tool will be more valuable and useful and visited than an independent. Ex: Which site will you trust a home valuation from: one on Citi vs. Zillow?  Of course Zillow.  They are the pioneers, they are impartial, they are data fueled. They have the eyeballs.  They are NOT TRYING TO SELL ME SOMETHING! This is a fundamental issue with big brands getting into the social space...they try to control too much.  Poop on them.

I hate that marketers "follow" everything that consumers embrace as a format and immediately exploit it for their own benefit.  Sort of wondering when the backlash will happen?  Maybe sites like facebook et al need to start generating a little revenue by charging people some small amounts of money to strip out the advertising.  They cant do this however, because ADVERTISERS pay them WAY MORE than users ever could.  Users are the pawn...and it sux.  Think about what happened to the original "social network" AOL...learn it, know it, live it.

Ad:Tech Day2 - teens speak out [MUST READ POST]

Keynote 3 - Teens Speak Out - Moderated by Alloy Media+Marketing
Panel group of teens (high school mostly) discuss topics, devices and tactics important to them.  interesting realities for a lot of us.  I am enlightened that there are still strong relationships with parents, and a desire to achieve. Technology enables their lives and all indicated that they would not want to be without their PC's and Phones.

"Cool to be good" as a topic and theme was interesting to me and great (IMHO). These teens sniff out companies, products, services that they see are "good" companies.  Mischief seemed to be minimal, getting involved seemed more interesting to them. To validate this point 89% said they would switch brands to companies they see as being socially responsible.  They have a quest to want to feel important/involved/engaged in the globe, not just their little world. All good things to hear as a parent.

On the topic of "viral or virality" there was an interesting thought process on how they choose to pass content through their "filter" then they will tend to pass it along or not based on what they view.  They feel that the video has to be from a trusted source (YouTube). But, they are becoming skeptical of all the "american idol wanna-be's" and phony videos where people just want their face to be famous.  Saturation is frustrating and loses authenticity. They do pass along deals, things important to them, well produced things, and of course things that they find funny.

On Open Architecture, namely "facebook applications" they feel that there are too many.  Hard to figure out what apps are real and what are silly & useless. Facebook was seen as a better place to be than MySpace because Myspace has too much going on. They all indicated that photos were important and the basis of who you are on the social network. The applications need to be screened and qualified. Sponsorship is ok but it REALLY has to have value and that is hard to figure out. Causes and groups are being overly exploited and "look at me, arent i important". 

Quotes and the like:

• I get served car ads all the time - i cant afford, not interested in a car
• Desire a single device that does it all - TV, Movies, Mobile, Social networks, etc.
• Use social networks to stay connected to friends.  All seem to focus on a few (1-3) not every one.
• Games are important, but not as highly interesting to them as i would have thought - they did like the "live" elements of PS3/Xbox
• Virtual worlds were depicted as good for middle schoolers that dont have any options [couldn't be more true] as their options to get out and socialized increased, SecondLife stuff bored them.
• Social networks are over saturated - myspace in particular, is burying people with advertising and subtle would be a better tactic, than overt advertising
• the ads are not tuned out, but they dont often see the value in the ad...however, they are receptive.
• Concerned about virus' so they tend not to "click" things that they arent certain of
• Find text advertising to be incredibly annoying unless they can specifically recall actually signing up for the service/promos.
• Games for lame giveaways like t-shirts or pack of skittles are annoying and pointless, they would rather see company give the value of the giveaway and donate it to worthy charities. That vs. the giveaway ties them to the brand.
• Notification of social responsibility in companies comes from WOM, PR, and some trusted news sources.
• Dont try to be Hip & Cool - unless you are cool...you cant buy cool.
• Marketing should prove you are responsible and "get it"
• concerned about people stealing their photos, and intellectual property, and are very concerned about their privacy and security.
• Some concerns that getting very involved in a site and they worry about it closing down (small sites have a tough battle - have to build trust)
• Trust is earned - nothing specifically will make a teen trust a site.

Sites/services referenced: Hulu.com, Facebook, myspace, Hi-5, Youth Noise, WOW!, freerice, shopbob, youtube.

Overall

One of the best panels i have seen in a couple years at a conference. Pay attention to your audience or you are nothing more than the crusty ol' dean with a whole lotta nothing to say, and absolutely NO authenticity. They see through you quicker than shit.

Ad:Tech Day 2 - Workshops

Exchange Series: New Creative Workshop
A new tactic for AdTech but a good one.  Moderated by someone who i respect a lot, Tim Smith

Topics

• creative still an afterthought - design reduced to "decoration"
• big ideas are still best done by small teams working in parallel
• Linear process - very in line with how we do things at Fuze. Session very valuable and validating my full conference pass.
• evaluating the "new" - using it > public trial > internal eval > considering

Breakout

• Andrew Peters - UE Architect - Director of User Experience.

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Exchange series III: Web 2.0 meets Thunderdome
Chris Marriott - VP, Acxiom Digital
Rob Crumpler - CEO Buzz Logic
Jeremy Wright - Global director, Mobile Brand - Nokia

• [link Chris's slides]
  • email marketing should remain part of the mix
• [link rob's slides]
  • social media is here to stay because it allows targeting, pathing and reach and relevancy
• [link jeremy's slides]
  • mobile is so very pervasive, if we just get the tactics right, you have ability to reach more people at one time than most any other medium.  Infinite relevance.

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Exchange Series IV: Consumer esperience in a Multi-platform world
T-mobile sidekic and Connected

• interesting case study - tmobileconnected.com
• insane level of integration from a campaign standpoint.
• Results: largest MTV network digital program, 700K streams of the show, 100K xbox live skins, more streams than several MTV hit shows, stickiness of microsite outperformed many other MTVN verticals
• More important: grew sidekick sales by 140%

Stardoll Nim's Island campaign - virtual world and social network - 16million registered users, highest concentration of 9-17 out of the top 1000 web properties in the us.  Targeted around: Fame, Fashion, Friendship

• Stardoll is one of the only virtual world social sites that may hand in there and take. 
• Really nice association between the movie and the demographic group.
• Created real connections between users and their natural environment.

Overall
I really liked these sessions and AdTech overall has been pretty good this year.  They really pulled a rabbit out of their hat because it didn't start strong for me.

Ad:Tech San Francisco 2008 - Day 1

Keynote: Art of conversation Building great brands
Interesting panel of people that included VW, Nestle, MTV, Sony, etc.  Their opinions regarding their social "thrust" were current, and relevant, but getting to a point where a consumer is going to have a harder and harder time having a conversation without being exploited.  There is a jockey-ing about to "get social" and "be viral" - to the point that people ask what the ROI will be on their viral campaign? Doesn't that lose authenticity if you are trying to get ROI on something that isnt based on anything predictive?  Anyway, maybe its too early, and maybe i was up too late, but i am not a good listener yet this morning.

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Power Panel: Tales from the bleeding edge - moderator: lori schwartz - IPG media Pab

• Jason Goldberg - Creative director - MTI Interactive- Interesting concepts for retail environments that are really interesting and truly bleeding edge.  Things like:  pick up a product and be told about the product on an LCD. or, walk through Pep Boys and your keyfob will tell pepboys what the year, make, model of your car is.  INteresting opportunities to link interactive with hands on experiences to prevent people from walking out.
• Alan Schulman - CEO IMC2 - very interesting speaker and topics that discuss primarily integration with GPS technologies. Examples included:
  • Discussed how agencies want bleeding edge and marketers and brands want leading edge.
  • GPS in NYC Cabs - eTaxi GPS maps linked with advertisors - interesting mashup concept (taxitech.com)
  • VW Crispan Porter Times Square live polling - 2 minute live user experience that repeats 4x/hr taking live results and linking in real time on the microsite to completely engage visitors...even tells the submitter when to look a the screen to see their post. www/vw.com/vwhype/whatthepeoplewant/en/us
• michael mak - CEO, bCODE - Mobile coupons and the vision for the future - probably the best speaker with topics that are relevant now. Minority report example:
  • recognition technology/transaction/redemption
  • broadcast offer
  • in-store personalization
  • mobile offer targeeting
  • opt-out / privacy
  • available now
  • bCODE mobile platform
    • scans mobile phone
    • SMS text
    • Flash/Web applications
    • Location, time, mobile, profile, context - knowing exactly what you are doing allows the offer to be much more pointed and relevant and well received.
    • text messaging opt-out
    • mobile loyalty in a box
    • consumer opts in via SMS from anywhere
    • mobile # becomes a profile and part of a CRM database
    • coupons can come in the form of SMS from the brand once relationship is established
    • on the store visit, mobile phone is scanned and coupon is used to interact with the customer - this terminal introduction alleviates any dependency on leading edge handhelds. - 3 billion devices read the text bar code
  • in use currently at IKEA US, and Harrah's (of all people)
  • critical piece is: offer and relevancy
• Bruno Uzzan - CEO of Total Immersion - new term "Augmented Reality"
  • all i can say about what Bruno's company does is: WOW!
  • THeir ability to virtualize contents of a retail package, piece of paper, etc. and see what is in the box without opening the box - gave a good example using video and a lego toy
  • Could REALLY bring new life into print (yes i said it) advertising
  • The term really isnt new: "Augmented Reality is a solution to transform passive guests into active performers." - Walt Disney
  • Another example is the chrysler brochure- where a brochure is detected by video and the car is rendered in real time, users can also interact with the brchure by holoding their finger over a color and in real time the object changes. 
  • in place now for Lego, but as this expands, watch a whole new way of buying houses, cars, approving a landscape plan or seeing your yard in the future based on how plants grow, etc., etc. etc., especially if it was originally put together in 3D/CAD.
  • Its like Minority report come alive - and frankly made the day completely worth the time.  INSANE technology.  Watch for this company to explode and be acquired fast.

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Futuresearch Panel - big panel of speakers and SEMPO that discussed the future of advertising (in the context of "advertising" as an industry).

Factoids:

• Search is still a $16B industry
• integration and digitization of all content
  • research > experience planning > optimization > advertising > cross-channel reporting

Q's presented to all panelists

• biggest opportunities for growth of brands
• What challenges will face brands with regard to search

Speakers:

• Jane Butler - google - search is part of a consumer's behavior
  
  • Opportunities:
  • Make all forms of media/assets discoverable
  • 100% of assets always on
  • Connecting offline & Online
  • Reach out to consumers throughout the funnnel
  • Obstacles:
  • Standards
  • Sales Attribution
  • Measurement
• Jen Dorre - microsoft
  • Opportunities:
  • power of 2 - search and display are better together - combination of search and display has a lift of 22% when used in combination.
  • stronger analytics & yield management - Microsoft is developing a new keyword discovery tool
  • engagement mapping - through acquisition aQuantive Msft is getting more involved in engagement mapping, which weighs clicks and activity and combines them for a more real picture of what a conversion looks like.
  • Obstacles:
  • Growing the advertising Ecosystem
  • data warehouse > buy side > sell side
• Lauren Coberly - Dir WW Marketing, Kodak
  • Opportunities:
  • more and more entrants (paid & organic)
  • ways companies utilize search is evolving
  • model is extended into traditional marketing creating an auction model
  • advanced targeting  - enhhanced behavioral, remarketing, contectual, personalization, and customization
  • social media - open dialogs vs. intermittent campaigns, key integration point in 360 degree marketing
  • Obstacles:
  • measurement poses a significant challenge
  • quantification of web 2.0 activities
  • privacy - must take caution with customer/member information
  • content - supporting the advertising - dynamic website, content distribution vs drive to sites, have to "let go" of your brand.
• Grazia Ruskin - Manager WW consumer online market development for AMD -
  
  • Opportunities:
  • use marketing leverage to keep momentum & increase budgets (huh?)
  • advance strategic alliance to benefit the parters and the corporation
  • rethink virtual merchandising strategies
  • Obstacles:
  • Stick with what youre doing - online strategies need to be sustainable  - target cant be a moving one.
  • drive demand for brand using a global footprint (if you can - a-hem)
  • Budget!
• David Kidder - co-founder/CEO - clickable - GREAT 2 Slide Presentation - Couldnt be more dead on.
  
  • Opportunities:
  • reputation transparency (voice) - brand core is dependent on this
  • universal brand penetration (reach) - meet customers where they are with digital ubiquity
  • authentic customer experience (RT touch) - experience drives quiality and value of digital media impression
  • Obstacles:
  • trust - brand needs to be in concert with corporate ethos ( authenticity)
  • data quality - a conversion, is a conversion, is a conversion (Gertrude Stein)
  • Simplicity - WWAD (what would apple do)
  • 3x hurdles - hurts ability to see through (actually 9x when it comes to user experience) incumbent v. competitor
  • Clickable-NINJAS - participation concept

Overall

• I always feel like this conference is a place where people laugh at their own jokes, prop eachother up, and generally "agree" with themselves.  Hard to see who is doing anything new...back to my consistent sentiment: there are no more unique ideas, just bastardizations of previous ones.
• TREND: "let go" of your brand.

I've Been To Reno...err Greater Reno[dash]Tahoe

Was passed this today by some of my more creative friends and i am going to try to spread it "virally" to my 10's of loyal readers.  From Corey McAbee, comes this Sundance Short Film Entry on our fair city.  Lyrics are damn funny if you're from here.

Here is also a link to Corey's Sundance Institute interview on the concept.  It's cool, not just cause I said so.

Enjoy it a plenty.

BL