Internet Marketing Blog

The Wild West of Mobile Advertising

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Apple rolled out a mobile advertising platform this summer to much fanfare, and had several strong partnerships on the docket. According to the Wall Street Journal, only Unilever PLC and Nissan pushed campaigns this summer. Other companies have slowly unbundled their platforms, with little evidence of a great impact.
From a distance, one could wonder if Apple’s penchant for proprietary control could catch up with them in the mobile advertising market. Their battle with Adobe over Flash has silenced in the public, but nobody is convinced that HTML5, despite its open source adaptability, can surpass the reliability of Flash video. Adobe executives are incensed at Jobs’ effort to monopolize interactive content. The Android has used Flash Interactive to great affect and continues to creep up the sales chart. Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, served Google with a suit in the District Court this past Friday, accusing Google of copyright infringement in the Android open source platform. Google had a secret dalliance with Verizon that grew criticism from the cyberworld to the hot dog vendor on Seventh Avenue by FIT.
I spoke with a woman this weekend who was a marketer for Johnson & Johnson, and we both agreed that the rate of interactive advertising growth has exploded beyond comprehension. As I type on this keyboard, the technorati is looking to claim their space within the cloud sector by all means necessary. Government agencies like the FCC may need to rule on intellectual properties with little legal precedent. The platform distribution ranges from television to personal computer to mobile phone to display stands.

It is unclear if the absolute freedom of digital space remains in jeopardy. On another level, one cannot quantify at this point the value of mobile marketing. The potential for revenue is strong if marketers can get applications available quickly. Apple could learn this lesson as they attempt to eliminate third-party applications.

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Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Content Marketing, Flash, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, blog | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, iAds, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, oracle

Cyberhealth Search, M.D.

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Once upon a time, not too long ago, we visited the doctor to keep us from eternal woe. Your doctor could have been John or Jack Doe, for all we cared. In the new millennium, things are a little different. We have a national health care plan, although the possibilities of redemption will be told on a future date.  Healthcare consumers are going online to access information and services.  Insurers such as Aetna and Oxford have comprehensive statistics and resources for patients.  Couriers and freelancers have a long-running joke that WebMD takes their temperature.

These elements have forced consumers to become more empowered with personal health care.  Pharmaceuticals have acted accordingly, securing record profits with aggressive online campaigns and sharp website design with comprehensive facts.  According to a 2009 study by Harris Interactive, 78% of US Internet users searched online for health information.  Social media definitely integrates the personal health experience into a far more communicative, enlightened venture than its clandestine past.

It begs to ponder the value of search in our medical experiences.  We can access information from endless sources, but it’s difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff without a specialist.  In turn, the specialist loses value if he or she is inaccessible to citizens who need their routine services.  Specialists also lose value with informed patients, and must be willing to engage in critical discussions to ensure a healthy relationship.  The medical field, unlike others, has been slow to embrace mobile technology in supporting operations.  You may love the WebMD Sports Injury Reports on Fox, but if you’re covered, go see the doctor.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Flash, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Website Design, blog, online advertising | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, aetna insurance, Blueliner Marketing, harris interactive market research, healthcare, internet marketing nyc, new york social media agency, online advertising, oxford health care, pharmaceutical websites, web md

AT&T Nets Augmented Reality

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Augmented reality is a form of online advertising that is gaining traction. The World Cup, which has seen record figures of advertising revenue, has also become a test board for many firms, including AT&T.  The communications giant created a banner with Zugara’s Augmented Reality motion capture technology called ZugMO.  The banner is an innovative form of Flash and other properties.  It has you heading crosses towards to goal straight from your webcam. The user gets five shots to score as many goals as possible. In the future, we’ll get more in depth about the creation of these banners and their effectiveness in segmentation.  But for now, begin to head for goals here!

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Flash, Interactive Marketing, Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, AT&T augmented reality banner, augmented reality, banner campaign, BBDO, Blueliner Marketing, digital campaigns, Flash, online advertising, online banners, zugara augmented reality

Stupid Is Following The Conscious and Unconscious

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Back in 2004, I interned with the Press Department of Diesel U.S.A.  My experience was very unique, as I became acquainted with the inner workings of an apparel giant whose influence at the time remained strong with the dynamic and creative.  Despite the high price tag of their denim, sales flourished due to their innovative marketing strategies.  Nowadays, the brand has lengthened their portfolio to the higher end of the spectrum, with a flagship store on Fifth Avenue and the collection Diesel Black Gold.

The decade moved along, with Diesel reaching its thirties. Suddenly, the brand is in competition with an endless labels selling similar apparel.  Recently, Founder Renzo Rosso and his management team decided to recoup market share with a new interactive campaign called Be Stupid.  The message is pretty straightforward, aiming to cultivate those who are not familiar with the brand and its roots in denim.

The website is a tour de force of Flash design.  A streaming video of slogans flow with “Honeytrap” from British dance rock group We Have Band.  After that, we have an application mimicking Upwords, where you can put together various words into your own sentences and share them through social media sites. Here’s my poem.  

That is simply the first part of the campaign.  Once you move on to the video catalog, you get a dance performance with models wearing the spring/summer 2010 collection. If you pause and click on the head of each model, you get a quick bio along with links to their personal social media pages.  You also can click on the clothing to get more depth on where to purchase those pieces, either online or your local store.  The video continues playing “A Hundred Lovers” by Spanish group Josep when you move the arrow off the photo.  It’s a comprehensive use of Flash, and well done.

The website lastly has a contest where you can upload your stupid images and win chances at trips to South Africa, Las Vegas, and other places.  We’ll see the effects of this interactive rush in the future, but Diesel clearly is fueling the consciousness, seen and unseen.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Business News, Flash, Website Design, World | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, diesel spA, diesel usa, eCommerce, Flash, Interactive Marketing

Pac-man Starts Life At 30

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One particular football player won’t grow up because he’s a Toys ‘R Us kid, and other unmentionable things. But his father ages gracefully.  Today, Pac-man celebrates his 30th birthday after years of chasing pellets, big and small, to get the affection of his female cohort.  Google commemorates the celebration with this kitschy website design where you enter a coin and can play with Mr. and Mrs. Pac-man at the same time.  It’s an ingenious blend of marketing and synergy of the iconic, beloved arcade game.  It remains one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and its influence on postmodern society along with the digital age remains strong to this day. I remember playing at the barber shop on Saturdays in between cuts as a boy, and I could never get to the same level on subsequent trips.  I would climb several levels in one visit, then get nowhere the next time.  It is a game dependent on memory, hand-eye coordination, and perception. These skills can be applied to any medium in life, beyond video games. I think this explains its durability in an era of Grand Theft Auto, Wii, and Xbox. Pac-man has endless brand equity.  Before you start playing, flex your fingers because they will get a workout from pounding the arrow keys.  Click on the retro illustration to the right and get started.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Business News, Flash, Graphic Design, Website Design, online advertising | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner Marketing, brand equity, google pacman, Graphic Design, Marketing, pac-man 30th anniversary, pac-man news, Website Design

How Dr. Martens Gets His Sole Back

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Purveyors of drugs, Cocoa Puffs, sex, and punk had a pair in their closet.  They last forever because the industrial revolution of England demanded that durability. I speak of Dr. Martens, the seminal British footwear label.  I bought a pair of Doc Moccasins in London years ago, and they remained one of my favorite pieces of footwear to this day. After escaping bankruptcy in 2002, the brand is using a spirited online advertising campaign to commemorate their 50th anniversary and attract a new generation.  New bands on the scene are playing classic tunes from The Buzzcocks, The Human League, The Pogues, and The Stone Roses.  The roster is diverse with London rockers like The Duke Spirit and master synthesizer DaM-Funk.  Throughout the year, other artists will record covers while wearing the original boots.

I perused the website and found its design color consistent. The video page with antiquated televisions is also a nice touch.  Overall, the web page is very reliant on the featured musicians.  They have a presence on every section except for the e-commerce store, which has a site for the US separate from the UK. You could say that Dr. Martens is trying a little too hard to recapture its youthful ethos when its reality is one of an aging relic.  You could also say that Dr. Martens’ symbolism as a working class statement transcends the space and time of its environment, like the Chuck Taylor All-Star. I would like more still images of the footwear’s historical spectrum, be it as an industrial piece or revolutionary on the old Madchester rave scene. These days nobody is fighting the machine or the system.  We love the systems that produce them, and have stopped worrying about their actions. Perhaps the reemergence of Dr. Martens will get us stomping around again with Johnny Rotten. In the meantime, here’s a promotional clip:

Dr. Martens 50th Anniversary from exposureUSA on Vimeo.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Business News, Flash, Marketing, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner Marketing, dr. martens 50th anniversary, dr. martens originals, eCommerce, ecommerce agency, Interactive Marketing, online campaigns, Website Design

Echo and The Bunnymen Take SXSW Award for Best Web Design

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The seminal 1980s band Echo and The Bunnymen won the 2010 Best Website Award from the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. It features rich sound and fading click transitions to live imagery of the band. The site also has a wheeling menu corner linking to many multimedia images, tour information, and news updates. Enjoy.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Flash, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, creativity, echo and the bunnymen, great web design, sxsw, web design agency, web design trends

Throw The Kitschen Sink at Web Design

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In any creative enterprise, we reach a block where nothing fresh and genuine comes to our senses.  As an interactive marketing firm, Blueliner looks at endless channels to create innovative content that will increase traffic and improve our development techniques.  Boagworld.com posted an interesting topic back in Winter 2009, pressing web developers to take a step outside the box, so to speak.  They look at various websites who create poster templates of kinetic styles.  Here’s one from The Kitschen Sink, who use a pulp movie theme to sell jewelry and accessories.  Click here to visit the site.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Flash, Graphic Design, Marketing, Website Design, web development | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, boag world, internet marketing agency, kitschen sink, new york web design, seo media agency, web design, web development

A Best Buy

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As our channels of communication widen and our consumer shopping experiences change,  retailers must make adjustments to their target strategies.  Best Buy has revamped their website in order to keep their consumer base engaged on several channels, including social media, mobile applications, and traditional stores.  I visited the site this morning for the first time in a long while and am very impressed with the much more focused color schematics.  I also find the menus to open much smoother than before along with the flash interface for featured sale products.  Several options are available on the left panel for search refinement, which was not a standard before on the site.  The integration of Napster.com allows for simple music downloads right to your laptop, a plus considering their competition with the retail heavyweights of Amazon and Walmart.

John Thompson, the general manager of Best Buy.com, Inc., received a lot of negative feedback on the website’s prior lack of intuition and accessibility.  He knew that for the brand to remain a credible electronics retailer, streamlining the efficiency of its digital communication was critical.  The unit tweaked their SEO methodology, updated their URL links, and added content for clarification.  The company also used an m-commerce strategy that has reaped sales and consumer dividends.  For more information on Mr. Thompson’s initiatives, click here.

Below is the latest visual of BestBuy.com’s website.  Click here for a tour.

Posted by Arman Rousta
Posted in Business News, Flash, Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Website Design, eCommerce, online advertising | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, amazon.com, Best Buy, Best Buy.com General Manager, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, dali singh, eCommerce, internet retailer, John Thompson, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, napster, social media, walmart, web design

A Love of Color

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Smashing Magazine is an outstanding source of web design news and link for building the best web page possible.  It also provides valuable tutorials, such as this one.  Cameron Chapman discusses how to use color in a multi-part series called “Color Theory for Designers”.  He takes an exploratory view on color’s subjective nature and how the right color scheme can affect your digital strategy in terms of traffic, brand development, and ultimately, brand equity.  This feature can provide some invaluable feedback on Blueliner’s future direction with web development.  Take a look.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Flash, Graphic Design, Website Design, web development | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, cameron chapman, Graphic Design, photoshop, smashing magazine, web design, web development