Curated by Stuart Fogarty stuart@admaticallycom for AFAO'Meara Advertising, Streamabout The Video Agency and Admatic Ireland.
All comments will be posted - promise!
Oh dear, President Obama didn't look himself last night and so say Twitterers. It was broadcast live on YouTube for the first time. An analysis of Tweets by Crimson Hexagon reliably, showed that 10.3m Tweets during the debate, set a new record, with 26% saying Obama looked "rusty". 16% were in support of the President, 22% for Romney (with only 12% disagreeing with him). In plain English that's actually a landslide for Romney. The moderator, ex US marine Jim Lehrer (a well experienced debate corespondent) was badly criticised for not keeping control and 14% of the Tweets were just jokes. A post-event poll by CNN gave victory to Romney 2:1. Topsy, a Social Media aggregator, showed that Romney tweets spiked 2.5 times more than Obama. So if you want to use Social Media as a guide, there's no doubt that public opinion was with Romney. And I concur. Having no bias and having sat up until 330am, there was little doubt in my mind who was the winner (and I've worked on political campaigns in Ireland so I've a little experience of this). He was confident, thoroughly well briefed and almost presidential. Obama looked a tired, beaten old man with an almost "couldn't care less" demeanour. And yet, Obama is one of the greatest orators. It seemed to me (and it's one of the old tricks) that Obama was told not to fight, look confident and casual. In other words, don't try too hard because you're a winner. In keeping a stance like that, it often looks like you're in control but can sometimes just look so casual that it's like you're not bothered. "I am the President and I've nothing to fear" so the strategy goes. It makes the other candidate fight and possibly, trip up. But this backfired. Clinton was the master of the "I'm in control" stance. And if you're interested in American politics, buy Robert Caro's just published new book on Lyndon Johnson - a truly wonderful piece of work as was his previous. It's just terrific. The video on this blog is worth a listen to get a sense of the real Johnson. A really remarkable fellow. Anyway, Obama is in trouble. So expect one thing - a different fighting stance next debate. He'll come out charged up and attack Romney. Watch it and smile.
No longer do you need to go to the bar, the solicitors office or the annual accountants festival to meet someone new, because Social Media is the place to be. According to a new survey in Mashable, 95.8% (you often wonder about the .8%...probably a short person) of people say they most often meet people online through Social Media. Dating sites, Apps, all play a role and it shows the huge potential for online dating businesses. Nearly 21% of people surveyed said they met "more than 100" others online - not a bad day at the office. Signs of interest are, people constantly commenting on your Facebook pic and updates, with a good tweet, a new way to get the ball rolling. To tweet is sweet (I just made that up but you get the idea). In one way it makes sense because the people you're connected to probably share similar interests which is why you connected in the first place. So the field is narrowed down. Your profile pic is the most important hook (which knocks me out) and then location, interests and your friends. 50% of the people also said they'd meet up offline when they get online interest - worrying issue for kids. 28% wait a week before going on a date and happily, 7% only wait a day! Users also use Social Media to connect with people they know offline in the hope of developing a crush. So I'm now disconnecting from Mark Zuckerberg in case he gets the wrong idea. But definitely Social Media is the place where it's at to meet up. And a dating online site can prove to be a fruitful business with results like these at nearly 96% of people prepared to "date" online. Tread carefully my friends.
It's getting nearer and nearer, the US Presidential race. Three presidential debates between Romney and Obama and the vice-presidential debate, will be broadcast, live, on YouTube for the very first time. The first ever debate between candidates was Kennedy/Nixon in 1960 and it cost Nixon the election. You'll be able to watch Obama/Romney on a laptop, tablet or even your phone (Iphone users who recently upgraded to IOS 6 will have to download the youtube app in the app store). But how cool is that. They're also going to be available worldwide so without restriction on IP addresses. They're taking the feed from ABC News and of course, the full debates will remain on YouTube for viewing later. A Spanish language version will be available and some YouTube partners will be discussing the debates online live, just after. Indeed, they'll be integrating Social Media throughout. October 11, 16 and 22nd is when they're on the web and of course, the election is November 6. The significance of this is the fact that YouTube is entering live streaming broadcasting news, "as it happens". Something we've all being saying (http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/03/youtube-is-new-tv-keep-calm-people.html) and it will show where the real global audience is - on Social Media. These broadcast viewerships, will wipe the floor of traditional TV and cost them dearly on audience. You'd expect the audience to be circa 80 million so it will be interesting to see what slice youtube takes. It's the start of online live broadcasting. And the start of the dominance of YouTube as a broadcaster. There's no doubt, this will be something special and a landmark in the world of TV. Here's where you'll find them YouTube Elections Hub (http://tinyurl.com/94h8db7)
Google 'catalogs' (as in catalogue) launched in 2011 as an App for Android and Ipad, is now coming to the web. It's just a great idea, straight out of the old world, but where catalogue readers can easily click the offer, look at it in more detail and of course, buy direct from the retailer. An interactive catalogue. Now I know, it's hardly ground breaking, and not exactly the "new Facebook", but terrifically effective and taking something that's so long being part of marketing, into the digital age. It's also just in time for Christmas and Microsoft have recently launched a similar product in partnership with 'glimpse catalogs'. It's all part of Google trying to enhance the shopping element/experience of its brand. A nicely designed catalogue on ipad for example, is a pleasurable way to shop and browse plus with the power of Google search, online brands will want to be featured because the catalogue will be easy to find. The design will allow you to mark products as "favourites" so as to return to them later or indeed, to share them on Social Media. It will also give you store locations, in case you want to visit in person. Google will then earn revenue on a per sale basis or perhaps, per click because sometimes the sale will take place off-line. Yet again a simple idea comes of age. And there's lots of these old world ideas, that can be easily integrated into digital. It just needs a bit of thinking.
Here's a winner if ever I saw it - Findercodes. For a while, I tried to get involved in a GPS tracking/locating business, especially aimed at real time tracking of children for parents. It didn't happen -largely because of the need and cost to manufacture - but there's certainly a business there. People lose things all the time and mostly, they are of little value to anyone except the owner. Leave something on the bus, lose a dog/camera/phone, a scarf, a jacket and so on. Findercodes now solves that issue. Using QR codes attached by way of a sticker, key ring or ironed on, they contain all of the owner's details and are easily scanned into a smartphone. If they don't have a smartphone, they can enter the code manually and it will tell them who owns the item and how to contact them. The pet market alone is huge. It does require of course, someone to scan the item but largely people will and certainly organisations (airport managers, air lines, bus companies and so on) will. You can also add a reward to the QR code if you wish, so the reward is seen when it's scanned. Findercodes are a very simple idea that has lots of applications -such as for books in a library - and costing only 25 usd for 5 tags, it makes sense. Findercodes is going to be a standard and uses QR codes cleverly. QR codes are something we almost wrote off. There's plenty of software out there and technology. It's now a matter not of inventing more, but rather, cleverly applying what we've got.
