Big Data? Let’s Take A Step Back.

Big data is the rage.  Big data companies are getting funded.  Big data scientists are getting hired.  A slew of blog posts are screaming for marketers to understand and use big data.  So what is Big data?  In a nutshell, it is doing what Google has been doing for over a decade.  Taking in, indexing and categorizing massive amount of data generated from the web.  It involves new hardware and software paradigms and new skill sets to further challenge us. 

Facebook Steals Page from “Old School” Acquisition Strategy

A shiver went down my spine this morning as I read the post “Facebook to Credit Newbies, Buy $1 get $4 free” on AllFacebook.com. Apparently, developers claim that Credits haven’t been reeling in enough paying users, so Facebook has come up with this promotion in an attempt to expand its base.

My thoughts immediately turned to the businesses of cable and wireless.  You know, the model where all the best deals go to NEW customers?  This is due to the massive competition of for lucrative monthly revenue streams of new subscribers.  And what happens when an existing subscriber calls in and asks for the same deal?  You know the answer, not much.  In reality, all that actually occurs is that subscribers are “trained” to follow these deals, and go to a new promotion from a different company when the current one ends.  

A Digital Sign of the Times

The Digital Out of Home (DOOH) Experience is exploding, and most people take it for granted. Why? Because digital signs are essentially familiar, flat panels TVs found in most homes-and signs, digital or not are seemingly everywhere these days. While there has been a push to make signs actionable through QR codes, an increasing amount of companies from retail, entertainment, and hospitality, to cabs and office building are investing in digital signage. Initially, this was because digital signage were simply more compelling visually and its inventory, more flexible.

Personalized Content is Something Consumers Want, but there is a Fine Line…

Mobile Marketer recently covered an interesting GfK MRI panel study-that shows the majority of tablet consumers want personalized ads- and the ability to buy products they are interested directly.

“Seventy percent of tablet magazine readers wish that digital magazines included tailored advertising, showing the need for more personalized experiences, according to research from GfK MRI iPanel.”