Why Google vs. Facebook Isn't The Biggest Battle About To Unfold

It seems like everyone is looking at two recent numbers out there in the land of tech jaw-droppers – Facebook surpassing Google in traffic and the social network’s recent $50B+ valuation. Big news. But what’s funny is these numbers are also driving the focus on the ensuing battle between the two tech giants, yet no one seems to be looking at the jockeying Google is quietly doing on the sidelines, like they’re using Mark Zuckerberg’s monolithic leap into the limelight as a decoy to take the pole position in the exploding world of mobile and tablet devices and the ensuing intersection of geolocation and entertainment.


Don’t get me wrong, it’s fair to say that both Google and Facebook want it all. And it’s possible they could get it. After all, Facebook Places holds a ton of promise, but don’t expect a Facebook phone or OS to hit the streets anytime soon.


And to make things all the juicier, there’s another little company who lusts after consumer domination and has rode the hype train since the advent of the music download, and it starting to lose its edge – yes, Apple.


Recent events lead me to believe that Google is laying formidable groundwork for control of what will undoubtedly be the biggest, most effective, most accountable, most powerful ad platform humans will experience for the next two decades – and for our sake let’s just call it wireless. It’s the land of paper thin tablets, smart phones, wearables, auto systems, home appliances and whatever else they build on top of the Android OS.


Google’s gracious ‘gift’ of millions of free books on top of a device-agnostic platform, Android handset sales flying past iPhones, and some recent insider information I personally know about where very seasoned, very smart, senior people from the music industry have recently joined the big G, tells me there’s music subscriptions, monster digital eReader libraries and video anywhere coming, all neatly baked into the Android OS and residing on the Google cloud.


My guess is Google could care less about the traffic numbers. They are still killing search, with Microsoft’s Bing barely making a dent in their domination and they’re sitting on mountains of cash. And with these little media and entertainment hobbies – books, music and don’t forget they own a little web site called YouTube, folks and a flexible, wireless OS that’s on a major roll and hardware to boot, I don’t think Google has to worry about Facebook’s sub-$1 cpm ad revenue – they’re going to be frying much bigger fish…er…Apples.


Call me crazy but I think Apple’s days are numbered, but then again Mr. Jobs has been known have some pretty amazing tricks up his sleeve. All I can say is, Mr. Jobs, it’s twenty-freaking-eleven, and I know it’s not Apple’s business, but where are our flying freakin’ iCars?

Guy Borgford
VP Strategy, FGI.com

Extending the TV Experience - Wetpaint

Web publisher, Wetpaint, looks to add come color to the TV Show fan scene with it’s collection of destination web sites that focus on some of TV’s hottest shows.

With a razor-sharp focus on the 18-34yo female demographic, a state-of-the-art publishing system and daily content pouring forth from a team of seasoned editors, this scrappy Seattle startup looks to fill a void where TV leaves off and the network sites and gossip sites don’t completely cover.

Wetpaint’s foray into the web space started with it’s 1.0 platform, which allows anyone to easily create a web site using their back end publishing system and hosting services. After a couple years live, this system grew to hundreds of thousands of independent web sites and close to 10 million UU per month.

Analytics of the data showed that come of the most consistently popular sites in that system were fan sites devoted to popular TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor. With advertisers shying away from UGC content, the executive team led my Ben Elowitz put 2 and 2 together and forged this new strategy around these marquee entertainment titles.



I was fortunate enough to work with Ben on the development of the company’s media kit and sponsorship strategy, where the flexible publishing system and rich palette of content and promotional opportunities, creates what could be a magnet for entertainment, beauty and fashion advertisers and a host of other consumer verticals looking to reach this elusive and fragmented demographic.



Shown here are a couple examples of slides from the media kit, where I develop graphics, layout, copy and sponsorship hooks around this promising new media property.




To read more about Wetpaint, check out this article:

http://www.techflash.com/seattle/2010/09/wetpaint_reinvents_itself_as_an_entertainment_news_hub.html

Movie Theater Advertising - What's Missing?

For some reason my partner makes us go to a movie when they’re still cleaning the theater from the previous screening. We’re there before even the trivia and stuff starts, often taking those first few mouthfuls of greasy popcorn to the sound of an Electrolux.

The other night when the trivia and endless trailers did get going, I started thinking about the promotional canvas before me – one very large screen as the focal point of my attention. The only other mode of amusement was of course my phone.

Promotion after promotion, ad after ad – and all of this after the 10 minutes or so of looping trivia that is no less than promotions for upcoming theatrical releases.

Let’s face it, it’s a great captive audience and guess what, you’re targeting moviegoers and consumers with a reasonable amount of disposable income - $11 popcorn anyone?

Here’s where it fails.

Through countless minutes of commercials of various sorts, not once was there any call out to pick up my cell phone and simply send a text – to get something. Here, advertisers have a captive audience, with the biggest, baddest screen at their creative disposal, 3D, IMAX, 24-speaker Digital Surround Sound, Smellorama, - the sensory candy astounds.

Advertisers have all this incredible power to capture an audience and close the deal and the closest call to action was a URL or two at the end of a couple of the promotional clips. Here is where advertisers are thinking in the box and only focusing on the creative and the medium it was created for - not the core business objective. And let’s face it folks, in our beloved capitalist culture, is all about selling things – stuff, experiences, ideas, values and opinions.

In today’s world of fragmented audiences and media access practically anytime or anywhere, promotional creative should always have a hook around an offer that’s relevant to the audience and the environment. There needs to be the ask…and an ask in return for something of perceived value.

Here’s how it pans out.

Coke runs one of their big budget :60s in theaters. Somewhere in the ad…and I’m not talking a ticker tape or super at the end of the spot, but threaded throughout the spot’s narrative, there are repeated calls to text a short code…to enter to win, to get a clue, to get a bar code that can be redeemed at the refreshment counter for a deal – you get the idea. Think billboards, taxi tops, store windows, guys in gorilla suits…oh the possibilities! It could be low-budget too…with the text-to-get-something calls to action embedded within the trivia game – before all the ads even start. And it could be a simple super at the end of the spot too…it would be a start.

To me, what’s being created out there now is just thinking inside the box…a very big box, no less, with the biggest, baddest screen at their creative disposal, 3D, IMAX, 24-speaker Digital Surround Sound, Smellorama and popcorn that costs the same as a filet mignon – popcorn bags…great place for a text-to-win, don’t you think?

Coors Light Cold Activation Program - Cool Program for Ice Cold Beer!

Over the years I was fortunate to work with the Miller Coors team at Avenue A on the Coors Light brand. Beginning with a sponsorship of distinct independent music performances that we taped in studio, and then brought online, the Coors team expanded their scope in support of music year after year. Obviously, it works.

This year the crackerjack account team of George Carney and Staci Parlari parlayed their solid relationship with the Coors team into a season-long series of music initiatives and impactful media programs. Starting back before Memorial Day weekend, this year’s program included a live event with full content capture in Los Angeles, featuring notable jam band, OAR headlining at the Wiltern. This event coincided with the launch of Coors Light new packaging initiative, the ‘Cold Activated Window’, allowing consumers to ‘see’ if their beloved beer is at optimal consuming temperature.

The stellar project management team, led by music maven Gina Perino organized content capture at the event, where select tracks from the band’s performance were brought online and housed on a Rhapsody.com Hub. Check out the content here:

http://www.rhapsodyextras.com/coorslight/

At the event, Coors Light flowed on tap, while LA music fans enjoyed a free music experience from our friends at Miller Coors - experiential marketing consisted of Coors street team, signage and a distinct branded presence that made it all seem seamless.

Media included site takeovers on key Coors Light dates, including, Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, with a focus on music and entertainment lifestyle properties, including Film.com [shown here].

This was a great example or thinking beyond digital and into the minds and hearts of consumers in environments that best suit the brand and what it’s about.

Now, if you're reading this and it's after 5:00pm isn’t it time to enjoy some Cold Activated freshness yourself?