Facebook Steps Up Its Mobile Ad Game

We've all been wondering (well, maybe not all of us!) what would happen after the Facebook acquisition of the Atlas ad server in Feb 2013. It turns out their sights are set on mobile first. They're running small tests with publishers and advertisers to serve Facebook ads across a number of third-party mobile apps. This test also gives Facebook the ability to track clicks and conversions without cookies.

Source: Getty Images

The breadth of data available to Facebook is unquestionable. From our engagement actions (likes, comments, shares) to the information within our profile pages, Facebook is set up on the back end to have a very successful ad network. I am anxious to learn more about the quality of inventory (they're remaining hush-hush about which apps they've partnered with) and the exact targeting parameters available for these mobile buys.

(BTW, yes -- this blog is alive and kicking again!)

Source: Facebook Mobile Ad Network to Match the Strength of Google AdSense

Mobui launches group chat product

Mobui, a mobile application development agency, just launched a very cool product called Mobui Audience Chat. It enables TV viewers to interact with the show they're currently watching by posting opinions, comments or questions in chat rooms via mobile. This could provide opportunities for viewers to get behind-the-scenes info by posing questions to TV hosts or cast and crew. Wouldn't it be fun to have something like this for awards shows (Oscars, Grammys) and sports programming?

The first station that's adopted the product VH1 and it works with shows such as "I Love Money 2." CNET's Download blog also reports that it works with Top Chef, but I didn't hear anything about it!


Source: FierceMobileContent

Those Are as Good as Money, Sir...

Ah, the ol' beer I.O.U. "C'mon, help me do ________" and I will buy you a few beers. Unfortunately there hasn't been a way to keep anyone accountable...until now.

Foamee is a free service that allows users to keep track of who they owe beers to (and vice versa). It is based around Twitter so each person must already have a Twitter account. I can already see a trend of other Twitter "applications" whereby more and more people will start following random companies and personalities. There is a woman who is trying to lose 10 pounds and she is seeking support from the Twitter community. With 201 followers so far, it's not a huge number, but it is interesting to see how people are responding to someone that they don't know much about (just 140 character snippets every now and then).

Directionally Challenged

Oh the image of the classic family road trip. Five people piled in a van, bursting at the seams with mismatched luggage. The resident navigator is riding shotgun, head tilted, trying to make sense of a map that had been stuck in the glove compartment since the beginning of time.

Nowadays, consumers are creating their own maps and experiences. Imagine a time before MapQuest and Google Maps! No longer does the navigator struggle with locating highways on a complicated map- they are able to read turn-by-turn directions and even find businesses along the route.

Companies are even starting to think about providing mobile guides for certain cities. While maps are often left in the car or lost, mobile phones are an extension of today's consumer. Do Me ... London, a provider of mobile entertainment guides, recently launched information for London. Users can request a tour via SMS and then a link is provided so free information can be obtained. Including:

Index of 80 attractions
Free audio guides
Finding tips about the city

While the site is not flashy or fancy, the concept is quite advanced (not to mention it will begin to open up opportunities for advertisers). The social aspect will continue to evolve as well. On the Do Me ... London site, there is an area where consumers snapped photos of themselves using the product. I could eventually see users submitting reviews of landmarks and providing travel tips.

Will the family road trips of 2010 have everyone Twittering and Whrrling and Yelping and Google SMSing from their 6th gen iPhones?

whrrl-y gig

I’m sure many of us use Twitter and Yelp and wish there was a combination of the two. I, for example, often find myself somewhere trying to send an SMS to Twitter about a certain restaurant/landmark/etc. because I can’t write Yelp reviews while I’m on the go.

Whrrl, a new service, hopes to aggregate our fragmented social activity by providing a way to track/map/post/edit things with their spiffy technology. Their site is a combination of a map (that visually shows reviewed or “touched” places) and content (where you can write your own reviews, schedule a “meet up” with a friend, etc.). What’s even cooler is that users also have the ability to do almost all of the same things directly from their mobile devices. So if you’re eating at a new restaurant and can’t wait to tell the world about the great chocolate lava cake you’re eating, you can send a quick review (and pictures!) to a short code. These items will be posted to your feed and to relevant locations on the map.

Clients with brick & mortar stores could potentially offer coupons to drive in-store traffic. Since Whrrl is a brand new site, the opportunities are endless…

Additional links:

http://www.whrrl.com/faq.html

http://mashable.com/2007/10/23/whrrl/

Play With Your Food

KFC has hopped on the viral marketing bandwagon with its new campaign for Teriyaki Boneless Wings. Artist Phil Hansen has created a one-of-a-kind mural of Colonel Sanders and the process was videotaped and then uploaded onto YouTube. Don't worry, the full 8-hour production was sped up for the most efficient viewing experience possible. What better way to showcase your new product than to have someone coat their hands and feet in teriyaki sauce then paint a mural on the wall (wow, I think Michaelangelo just turned over in his grave). Consumers are able to bid on the actual painting beginning on July 18.

Between McDonald's and their mommy correspondents to videos of a guy painting with buffalo sauce, has marketing taken a desperate turn toward viral and social media trends?