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Showing posts from August, 2006

In-Game Ads: Working With Developers

In-Game Ads: Working With Developers : "Advertisements can add authenticity to the worlds developed in games. Without billboards or branded products integrated into the game, such as a cell phone or bottle of soda, game designers must spend resources to create fictitious products and brand messages. " (Via .)

Seven Predictions for the Future of Gaming

Seven Predictions for the Future of Gaming : "Interrupted halfway through his keynote by a false fire alarm, EA's David Gardner described such issues as attracting more female gamers and facilitating more user-created content as a couple of prime objectives in the years ahead." (Via .)

Advertising Age

Advertising Age : "LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- If you want to communicate with California, you may need to try a language other than English or even Spanish. A full 42% of The Census Bureau's latest American Community Survey data shows broadening immigration and new language trends across the U.S. Related Resources: AUDIO: American Demographics editor discusses latest findings. Chart: Brief Summary of New Census Findings Full Spread Sheet of New Census Findings in Six Categories Californians speak a language other than English at home, with two-thirds of that group (28%) speaking Spanish and the rest speaking some other tongue. Not coincidentally, 27% of Californians are foreign-born, the highest in the nation. Flip side On the flip side, West Virginia has the lowest percentage of foreign-born residents (1%) and highest share of English speakers (99%). Some 95% of West Virginia residents are white and non-Hispanic (vs. 43% in California). But West Virginia has the lowest shar

Seth Godin's Web 2.0 Traffic Watch List on Alexaholic.com

Seth Godin's Web 2.0 Traffic Watch List on Alexaholic.com : "Seth Godin's Web 2.0 Traffic Watch List There are literally thousands of 'web 2.0' companies, and until now, there's been no easy way to compare which ones are getting traffic. The list of 937 sites below was inspired by the list started by Bob Stumpel and then added to by many others. For our purposes, my definition is that most of these companies are, as the wikipedia says, sites that 'let people collaborate and share information online in a new way.' So, Google doesn't make the cut, because most of their traffic comes to their search engine. eBay is an 'old' company, but the many-to-many nature of the site means that they do. If you have a site you'd like to add, please visit Chris Mayaud's All Things Web 2.0 site and leave your ideas there. We'll do at least one update to this traffic rank list, in October. Many thanks to Ron Hornbaker at PropSmart for creating Ale

Telecoms.com %u2013 News, Events and research for the telecoms industry

Telecoms.com %u2013 News, Events and research for the telecoms industry : "The European Commission fired a broadside at German incumbent Deutsche Telekom Monday, endorsing a regulatory measure that will give new market entrants access to the carrier's new broadband network. This measure, proposed by German telecom regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) in accordance with EU regulations, is meant to remedy Deutsche Telekom's position of dominance in the German broadband market. The proposal requires bitstream access for competitors regardless of the technology used - be it ADSL2, ADSL2+, SDSL or the forthcoming VDSL network. " (Via .)

Watching TV sports on the cheap - Technology - International Herald Tribune

Watching TV sports on the cheap - Technology - International Herald Tribune Watching TV sports on the cheap PARIS With the much-heralded Al Jazeera English news channel bogged down in delays, the Qatar-based broadcaster's most unlikely draw for global viewers is a fast-growing satellite sports channel that offers Formula One auto races and British soccer matches, among other fare. The commentary is strictly Arabic, but the cut-rate service, and other foreign satellite channels, are gaining a broad following in British pubs, where customers are getting accustomed to toasting their favorite soccer teams while watching the occasional ad for a Greek supermarket or Czech car dealer. Britain's powerful Premier League is not cheering. In fact, the league has been pressing copyright violation lawsuits against dozens of English pub owners, with mixed results. The Premier League argues that the only legal way to watch its matches in a local commercial setting is through British Sky Broad

Google wants $74 billion TV ad market (finally) (Google + Eric Schmidt + TV + AV)

Google wants $74 billion TV ad market (finally) (Google + Eric Schmidt + TV + AV) : "Google CEO Eric Schmidt believes television viewers should not have to stand for tv commercials that are %u201Ca waste of your time.%u201D Schmidt is frustrated that %u201CWhen you watch the television you see ads that are clearly not targeted for you.%u201D What does he plan to do about it? Google is preparing to deliver %u201Ctargeted measurable television ads%u201D and Schmidt says Google has %u201Ca good shot at it.%u201D %u201Cwe are in the search business, so we need all of the information. We want to partner with people to get information so our search end users can see it. We're also in the advertising business, and we'd like to provide advertising services to people who have their own proprietary content. So depending on where we are in that spectrum, we either do an advertising deal or a content deal or a hybrid deal. But ultimately our goal at Google is to have the strongest adv

Adidas, Toyota come to Second Life

: "The biggest business news from the Second Life Community Convention here in San Francisco this weekend comes in the form of two reputed brands entering the 3D online world as immersive, interactive objects. First out the gate was an announcement from UK branding agency Rivers Run Red that they%u2019d be creating a permanent presence for Adidas, with more than a couple dozen shoe models for your avatar to wear. (More details here. ) Not to be outdone, new metaverse developer Millions of Us (a sponsor of my SL blog, so take with a rock of sodium) announced they had an agreement with Toyota to offer an official, virtual edition of the Scion xB to Second Life residents." (Via .) http://games.gigaom.com/2006/08/20/adidas-toyota-come-to-second-life/

FT.com / World / UK - Biggest Olympic contract due to be decided

FT.com / World / UK - Biggest Olympic contract due to be decided : "Olympic planners will this week make their choice of the consortium which will become the first winner of the 2012 games by scooping the single biggest contract, worth 'hundreds of millions' of pounds.The Olympic Delivery Authority, responsible for the construction of Olympic projects, will tell Tessa Jowell, culture secretary, the consortium it wants as 'delivery partner' to manage the construction programme for the London games" (Via .)

Windows Live Contacts Beta Launched

Windows Live Contacts Beta Launched : "Today George Moore, GM of Windows Live, announced the Windows Live Contacts Gadget beta at the Microsoft TechEd 2006 conference, in Auckland New Zealand (I'm here at the conference courtesy of Microsoft NZ). Live Contacts provides programmatic access to a user's contact list, providing secure access to 400+ M active users with 12B contact records. The user is in full control over their personal data, George said. Here's the official word: 'Learn how, with nothing more than a little JavaScript, you can allow customers to use their Windows Live Contacts (Hotmail/Windows Live Mail and Messenger contacts) directly from your Web site.' For more, check out the developer info and two working samples." (Via .)

business2blog: B2Day : Scoop: More Details On Amazon's Unbox Video Service

business2blog: B2Day : Scoop: More Details On Amazon's Unbox Video Service We have some more details about Amazon's expected upcoming video service, dubbed Unbox. Kevin Kelleher, a frequent contributor to Business 2.0 was able to actually download the Unbox software when it was up briefly on the Web. Although he wasn't able to try it out because Amazon's server was not responding, he was able to copy the software's terms of service, which he e-mailed to me. I've posted the terms in full after the break. But here are the key takeaways: —The Unbox Video Service will allow consumers to both rent or buy digital videos (movies, TV shows, sports events, etc.), which will be transferred to their computers. In the case of buying, they will be able to keep the videos. In the case of renting, the videos will expire. —You must download the videos within 24 hours of purchasing them. —It appears that the Unbox Video Service will be based on Microsoft's Windows Medi

Fast Company Now

Fast Company Now : "Geo-Coupons Land On Google Maps It's only been a few months since Fast Company last charted the course of online mapping, though ongoing developments in mapping technology and added features are beginning to make 2006 look like the Year of The Map. Last week, Google opened the doors for businesses to begin adding coupons inside the company's map service. In partnership with Valpak Direct Marketing Systems (those friendly mailers of 528 million packets of coupons a year) Google's software allows companies to embed links within the maps and serve up printable coupons (for, say, businesses without an online presence)." (Via .)

Audio Interview: MTV%u2019s New User-Gen TV Service Flux | paidContent.org

Audio Interview: MTV%u2019s New User-Gen TV Service Flux | paidContent.org : "Audio Interview: MTV's New User-Gen TV Service Flux [by Rafat] Ed%u2019s Note: Peggy is our European contributing writer, covering mobile search & discovery, and conducting interviews for MocoNews.net. Below is her latest, also relevant to paidContent.org readers. [by Peggy Anne Salz] Hot on the heels of its August 1 launch, I caught up with Matthew Kershaw, head of digital for MTV UK & Ireland, to talk about Flux, a new TV channel that allows members to upload their own content on to TV and ultimately control their own TV channel. This is a UK-only launch, with similar channels operating in couple of other countries in Europe. So far, Kershaw reports %u201Chealthy numbers%u201D and only a few glitches. To encourage self-expression MTV %u2014 together with DA Group %u2014 has created 3D avatars for Flux, giving members Manga-like digital identities on any screen. A

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | The soft soaps in the press box

MediaGuardian.co.uk | Media | The soft soaps in the press box : "Sports journalism often receives a bad press. It has been characterised as the quintessential 'toy department' of journalism, a bastion of sloppy and lazy practice that is divorced from the rigorous constraints applied to other areas of the trade. Often this critique has been well merited. Yet what constitutes sports journalism or, more accurately, journalism about sports, is changing. In the past decade there has been a substantial expansion across print, broadcasting and online media." (Via .)

Social Shopping with ThisNext Crowd

Social Shopping with ThisNext Crowd : "Now in beta, shopping site ThisNext plans to go a step beyond price and spec comparisons by having its users review products and create 'shopcasts,' lists of recommended products they share with the community. Some users will emerge as influencers and play a role in the site's marketing relationships. 'The genesis behind ThisNext is to enable product discovery,' said ThisNext CEO and Co-Founder Gordon Gould. 'Traditional search engines are terrific if you know what you're looking for, but you can't ask Google what product to buy.' Users posting reviews will be able to create shopcasts in the same way they create a playlist on iTunes or other music site. Users will gain reputation as they review more products, and as their product profiles are viewed and acted upon. These users with good reputations will be seen as influencers, and ThisNext expects to be able to provide the group with a sampling program wher

MasterCard Hopes to Engage With Mini-Drama

MasterCard Hopes to Engage With Mini-Drama : "MasterCard's new short film, produced by Turner Network Television (TNT), aims to engage consumers with the company's brand both online and off. 'Late: A MasterCard Mini-Drama' will premiere Saturday night, when it will also be made available on TNT.tv, TNT on AOL, and MasterCard's Priceless.com community site. After the premiere presentation, Late will air again on TNT the following four weekends, during the TNT Drama Lounge featured film. Beginning in October, it will also be available to viewers as a standalone offering on TNT on Demand, and embedded in two featured TNT films. 'This is part of our strategy around emerging media, and we continue to look for ways to deliver unique and compelling content through our new media extensions,' Michael Lao, VP of global media for MasterCard Worldwide, told ClickZ. 'Much like many of our other programs, our primary objective is to engage and interest consumers,

EA Invents New Holiday for Madden Release

EA Invents New Holiday for Madden Release : "Each year Electronic Arts takes 'truths' gleaned from fans of its Madden franchise to fuel the launch campaign for its new release. This year, the publisher has declared August 22, the release date for Madden NFL 07, a new holiday. 'We picked up on a consumer truth that people really do treat the Madden launch day as a holiday,' said Dana Glazer, senior manager of advertising at Electronic Arts. People call in sick, create fake jury summons and some break up with their girlfriends to free their schedule on launch day, Glazer said. It might not be recognized by the government or employers yet, but for the gaming community, EA's agencies Weiden & Kennedy and Freestyle Interactive worked jointly to create Maddenoliday, which includes a TV, radio and online campaign. All ads lead to a Maddenoliday microsite, which is separate from the Web site for the game itself. Emphasis will shift from the microsite to the offici

The Underground World of Private P2P Networks

The Underground World of Private P2P Networks : "While the pros and cons of P2P networks on the Web are still being debated, there are a number of private invite-only P2P networks (aka darknets) out there which enable users to get quality-approved media and software. They are decentralized, secret and almost certainly not very legal in their media-sharing activities. Many of them use the Bittorrent service. A reader who goes by the name The Rub of Clubs let me in on a few of the secrets... " (Via .)

No Big Demand for Small Screen - Los Angeles Times

No Big Demand for Small Screen - Los Angeles Times : "The survey, which asked a wide range of questions about entertainment consumption, highlighted the pervasive influence of television particularly on tween girls, a majority of whom reported that TV shows affected their dress, speech, music preferences or social activities. In addition, it found that a surprisingly high number of teenagers and young adults gleaned news from traditional media sources such as local television and network newscasts %u2014 for many through a sort of information osmosis as they absorbed news from programs their parents were watching. Perhaps most intriguing, however, was the indication of a widespread indifference toward small-screen viewing among teenagers and young adults. While many in the industry expect the demand for such content to rise dramatically in the coming years, the poll offered clues to a consumer reluctance that first must be overcome."

WSJ.com - Pop Mix: MTV's Awards Show Goes Multimedia

WSJ.com - Pop Mix: MTV's Awards Show Goes Multimedia : "MTV's Video Music Awards show has never shied from pushing the envelope in edgy programming, such as the moment when Madonna and Britney Spears kissed in the center of the stage. This year, the VMA is breaking new ground in a different way. Anxious to connect with as many young people as possible, MTV is going further than ever before in offering multiple versions of the event on several different venues. Not only will the Aug. 31 awards show be broadcast on MTV, as in the past, but for the first time MTV2, a sibling cable channel, will air its own version -- complete with live performances of hit songs. At the same time, visitors to MTV's broadband Web site MTV Overdrive will be able to watch a backstage view of the show. Separately, mtvU, a cable channel available only on college campuses, will air a college-themed VMA program. MTV will even send updates of the show to cellphone users who have signed up for wire

WSJ.com - What Are Web Surfers Seeking?

WSJ.com - Portals : "Last week, AOL released a trove of what it thought were anonymous Web-search data from 650,000 of its customers. While intending to help researchers, AOL instead set off a privacy controversy because some of the users could, in fact, be tracked down. But taking up AOL on its original intentions, I got hold of the data set -- 2.27 gigabytes' worth, loaded it into my shiny new SQL Server database software, and started my own research project into how people really use the Web. " (Via .)

German Federation Stands to Lose out in Adidas Boot Dispute

News -- Sportcal.com : "" Soccer - 16 August 2006 Adidas, the German sportswear giant, is set to negotiate a new lower-value deal for its sponsorship of the DFB, the German soccer association, if, as seems likely, the national team’s players win the right to wear their own boots when representing their country in future. The players were reported to be ready to go on strike ahead of today’s friendly match against Sweden but it is reported that a compromise has been reached under which they will wear Adidas boots for the game in Gelsenkirchen tonight but will have a free choice starting with Germany’s European Championship qualifier against Ireland on September 2. The DFB’s sponsorship contract with kit supplier Adidas, the German sportswear giant, insists that the players wear Adidas boots, as well as shirts, shorts and socks. However, this has proved restrictive to several team members, including Miroslav Klose, the top scorer at this year’s World Cup, who are forced to chan

Honda Test Drives the Ultramercial

Honda Test Drives the Ultramercial : "to extend our creative for television to the online space, to maximize the cost of production and take advantage of existing creative,' said Edmund Purcell, management supervisor at RPA. To that end, the agency included in its buy an ad unit every online marketer has likely heard of but relatively few have actually used: the Ultramercial. Ultramercial is perhaps th" (Via .)

Gore's Current Dreams, One Year Later; Online Expansion

http://www.paidcontent.org/gores-current-dreams-one-year-later-online-expansion http://www.current.tv/ Meanwhile, some more dreaming, this one from Al Gore-backed Current TV channel, a year after it was launched. The long SFC story says it has defied critics in that year, and the idea for such a thing seems more feasible in a user-generated media world. Now carried in 30 million homes, Current will announce a plan next month for online expansion and is planning an international version next year. Madeleine Smithberg, co-creator of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” will start a daily offering this fall that’s still under wraps. The operation is making a small profit, according to Derek Baine, a senior analyst with Monterey-based Kagan Research, though I am not sure that is verifiable yet. But then, the challenges ahead are tough: Its target audience prefers YouTube’s free-form format rather than Current’s more organized site…and this is a great quote: Current “caught t

WSJ.com - Big TV's Broadband Blitz

WSJ.com - Big TV's Broadband Blitz : "" (Via .) Not long ago, video on the Web consisted of pirated TV shows and movies, amateur videos posted on blogs and a scattered array of news and sports programs mostly available by subscription. But suddenly, Web video is exploding -- fueled by high-speed connections, easier downloads and a flood of new entertainment offerings. Advertisers are moving in swiftly with TV-like commercials, feeding more growth. First in a series • MSN Starts Strong in Web-Video Ad Race • Plugging the Web Into the TV Movie studios are negotiating with big digital platforms such as Apple Computer Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to allow sale of movie downloads. Search companies like MSN and Yahoo Inc. are buying programming and emerging as online video destinations in their own right. TV networks are jockeying for position, determined not to get caught flat-footed like the music industry did by file-sharing piracy. But producers also are wary of releasing too

Sony Bets on WiFi With Mylo

: "" (Via .) Not since the PSP has Sony launched a consumer electronics device that falls into the must-try category. However, MyLo (my life online), a WiFi based handheld that is part-Nokia 770, part Sidekick, part OQO and part SkypePhone wrapped in a PSP-like body might change all that.

Fox: $1 billion Search Deal with Google

: "" (Via .) Fox Interactive Media has entered into a nearly $1 billion, 3+ year deal with Google to exclusively power search across most Fox online sites, including Myspace. The partnership will begin in the fourth quarter of this year and extend though the second quarter of 2010. Teams from Google and Fox say they have been working nonstop for five days to nail down the details on the deal, which was just signed early this morning. Google will be obligated to make guaranteed minimum revenue share payments to Fox Interactive Media of at least $900 million based on Fox achieving certain traffic and other commitments. Michael Arrington was on the analyst call with executives from Fox this morning. Fox would not disclose the revenue share percentage, noting only that they were receiving “a majority” of search revenue. The deal will include the integration of a Google search box on all Myspace pages, and Fox also disclosed that they intend to “work with Google” in creating a Mys

SportsEmedia - The Global Media Distribution Network For Sport

SportsEmedia - The Global Media Distribution Network For Sport : "" (Via .) New Look for www.olympic.org as Beijing 2008 Celebrates Two Years to Go Olympics - http://www.olympic.org/ - the official website of the Olympic Movement and the ultimate Olympic reference - today launched a new home page designed to provide Olympic enthusiasts with better access to their favourite information. Geared to feed the interest of Olympic fans but also to assist media around the globe, the new portal brings forward key information and visuals allowing visitors to easily find what they are looking for among the thousands of images, audio and video files available. For example, visitors will now have easy access from the home page to the multimedia gallery featuring over 1,000 videos; to the Olympic medallists’ database, which includes all information from Athens 1896 to the Turin 2006 Games; and to Olympic and world records. They will also find a direct link to the IOC news section, where

Advertising Age - McKinsey Study Predicts Continuing Decline in TV Selling Power

Cites 50% Drop in Viewers, 40% Hike in Prime-Time Ad Spend Over Last Decade By Abbey Klaassen Published: August 06, 2006 NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- A study is about to give Madison Avenue a fresh pummeling: McKinsey & Co. is telling a host of major marketers that by 2010, traditional TV advertising will be one-third as effective as it was in 1990. http://adage.com/article?article_id=110899