We've been reading some great stuff at Pravda Media Group that you might enjoy as well.  So, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and get your read on -- you'll feel more productive than if you're just trawling Twitter.  Unless you're Robert Scoble.

Super Bowl 2012: 10 of the best commercials from this year's Big Game

What was favorite commercial the Superball?  We’re (still) loving the Seinfeld Acura ad.

10 Israeli Startups With Huge Potential

We love startups, especially when they are lean, responsive and building something useful we love. Ben Lang wrote a great post @ Epic Launch featuring top 10 Israeli startups with huge potential. We agree with his assessment.

Facebook: Here Are the 35 Things That Could Kill Our Company

Now that Facebook has gone public, it has had to disclose the top 35 things that could destroy the company.

It’s Not Whether Google’s Threatened. It’s Asking Ourselves: What Commons Do We Wish For?

John Battelle makes an interesting case for the future of the web, and claims that the web as we know it is under severe, long-term attack by forces of our own creation.  Think Greek Tragedy.  Only Postmodern.

We've been reading some great stuff at Pravda Media Group that you might enjoy as well.  So, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and get your read on -- you'll feel more productive than if you're just trawling Facebook.

Startup Branding: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs

http://onstartups.com/tabid/3339/bid/76648/Startup-Branding-A-Practical-Guide-for-Entrepreneurs.aspx

This is a fantastic post by  Mike Troiano about branding, and why startups should invest more time and clarify  the emotional value of their brand.

Apple, America and a Squeezed Middle Class

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html

New York Times offers a fascinating look at the changes in economics and manufacturing which have caused America to lose almost all its manufacturing labor and have severely damaged America's middle class.

Killing Hollywood Will Require Learning Hollywood’s Game

http://pandodaily.com/2012/01/20/killing-hollywood-will-require-learning-hollywoods-game/

With the SOPA fiasco, Y Combinator's Paul Graham wrote an interesting piece  Just kill Hollywood. The point of his post is that it's not piracy that will kill the movie business, instead it’s different forms of entertainment that will emerge in the upcoming years and gobble up the old paradigm.   Lacy claims that in order to actually “kill” or compete with Hollywood, start-ups need to learn their game and let go of the mindset that eyeballs equal quality.

Why textbooks of the future are not books

http://gigaom.com/apple/why-textbooks-of-the-future-are-not-books

Erica Ogg wrote a post about Apple's new foray into education with textbooks. (rightfully!) claims that these new textbooks are not books at all, but are instead interactive learning experiences: You have text, of course, but you can drag in image galleries, embed videos, 3D models, presentations and slideshows. You can touch and swipe and watch instead of just reading and taking notes.

Our client, PrimeSense is getting ready for CES 2012 which begins Tuesday, January 10th.

For real-time coverage of the world's largest Consumer Electronics Show, we hope you'll visit PrimeSense LIVE at CES 2012.

We've been reading some great stuff at Pravda Media Group that you might enjoy as well.  So, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and get your read on -- you'll feel more productive than if you're just trawling Facebook.

Eight Ways To Go Viral

http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/26/eight-ways-go-viral/

Uzi Shmilovici, CEO and founder of Future Simple, explains virality and demonstrates some great tools companies use to boost theirviral factor.

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Why Android updates are a mess: it's the business model

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/why-android-updates-are-a-mess-its-the-business-model/4300

Ed Bott explains why The Android business model practically guarantees that updates will be a mess.

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The Amazing Power of Deflationary Economics for Startups

http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2011/12/22/the-amazing-power-of-deflationary-economics-for-startups/

Mark Suster argues that the most succesfull internet companies are the ones that offer amazing value  at high volumes which  makes it nearly impossible for high-cost incumbents to compete.

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The year in mobile apps: Where we’ve been, where we’re going

http://gigaom.com/2011/12/25/the-year-in-mobile-apps-where-weve-been-where-were-going/

Erica Ogg gives a nice overlook at the year we've had of mobile apps and has some great predictions for what's ahead.

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And we're curious:  What have YOU been reading?

There are some exciting things happening for our clients that we want to share with you:

PrimeSense is gearing up for CES 2012 – a huge consumer electronics tradeshow, located this year in Las Vegas.  PrimeSense has some really exciting things planned, and they promise to revolutionize the way you see your living room.

For more information – including some great tips if you’re attending CES 2012 this year -- check out their new blog:

We are also thrilled to be working with Babylon on their new My Life in Translation series.  These posts are written by well-known bloggers as well as Babylon users, and they offer poignant insights into the peaks and pitfalls of navigating new linguistic and cultural terrain.  These posts are humorous and touching, and we hope you’ll get a chance to check some of them out.

Let's face it. We love to hear the sound of our own voices.

When I was single, one of the best pieces of dating advice I ever got was to let the other person speak through the whole date because she will adore you by the end of it. The reason is simple: It is much easier to talk than to listen to others.

But the reality that just like in any relationship, one must listen to the other side in order to better understand them. Brands are facing the same situation on a daily basis. The holy grail of modern marketing is creating and cultivating relationships between brands and their target audience.  Therefore, listening is a key to reaching this goal

Thankfully, several companies are offering listening and monitoring platforms that makes this task easy. We've chosen Tra.cx due to their great team, technology, and customer service.

Conversation Distribution by Platforms via Tra.cx

But technology is not enough. It is all about what you do with it. So, with no further ado, here are some of the key ways to use listening as a strategic tool in your digital marketing toolbox:

Tweak your product and pitch - by listening to target audience conversations, we have been able to gain insight about general topics of interest. For example, when listening to online discussions of IT managers, we were able to ascertain their key concerns and challenges. This provided  valuable input to our client, as they could fine-tune their pitch and online presence.

Evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing - one of our clients invested a lot of money in extending the warranty of their products. They saw it as a key way to differentiate themselves from their competition. A month after they launched their program we analyzed online discussions of potential buyers of their equipment, and saw that warranty was not mentioned as a key decision factor. Not only that, but we also saw that the amount of online conversations about their offering didn't change at all after launching their extended warranty.. These findings helped our client reach a decision regarding the efficacy and value of their new marketing program.

Prioritize your marketing efforts - the digital landscape is becoming more and more fragmented. Multiple social networks, the need to combine inbound and outbound marketing methods, the ever growing pressure to reach results, and the shrinking marketing budgets pose a challenge to every decision maker. The value of Inbound marketing increases based on corporate investment. This investment grows based on the amount of platforms and campaigns a company is managing at any given time. Therefore, prioritizing and choosing which platform to focus on is extremely important. By effectively  listening to online conversations  about your market, you can easily identify the hotspots that require attention. For some, LinkedIn is the key to success. Others  prefer Facebook, and others still – heaven forbid --continue to use good old fashioned forums to discuss their buying decisions. We are using a cool Tra.cx report to quickly plan and prioritize our marketing efforts, and make sure we are handling the most important platforms for our clients.

Listening in love -- and in marketing -- is a key to success. It is not a one time thing, but should be part of an  ongoing process interwoven in the world of digital marketing. We gave here only a couple of examples on how to use it strategically. Stay tuned for future posts with additional case studies. And in the meantime, we would love to hear your insights.

Dear Parental Unit –

Uh, welcome to Facebook.  I guess.

I accepted your Facebook friend request on good faith but we’ve reached a point where I think we need to lay out a few ground rules because I am seriously thisclose to defriending you.

Ready?

1. First of all, the poking has got to stop.  Seriously.  It’s just weird.   Please don’t make me explain why.  (Not since we talked about where babies come from have I been this uncomfortable.)
2. Why are you commenting on every status update? And do you even know what LMFAO means?
3. Please take down any and all family pictures where I am wearing headgear, have a mullet, and/or am in the buff. If you ever want me to get married and give you grandchildren, you will comply with this request immediately.
4. And on that note, please stop playing matchmaker. Just because it says “doctor” or “lawyer” in someone’s profile does not mean you need to send me a friend suggestion.  It’s especially weird when you don’t even know the person you’re suggesting I friend in the first place.
5. Um, hey guys? Everyone can read what you write on my wall.  Everyone. So please stop publicly reminding me to “get that rash checked.”  Again, if you ever want me to get married and give you grandchildren, you will stop doing this right now.
6. And finally, if I delete a wall post (see above) do not repost it just in case I didn’t see it. Believe me:  I saw it.

Look.  I think it’s great that you’ve gotten all cyber-savvy and whatnot.  No, really, I do.  Especially the online banking thing – Please keep those cash infusions coming twice a month.

That way, I can beat you in Mafia Wars and Farmville.

Love,

Me.

Social Media is like the party after prom where all the good stuff really happens.

Sometimes it's a little confusing.  Even a little dangerous.  But, life on Facebook and Twitter can enhance your "IRL" experience.

Sure, while there is nothing quite like meeting in person, by keeping up with friends and family through Facebook and Twitter feeds, you can eliminate some of the B.S. smalltalk when you do get together - and more than that, you actually have some salient talking points to rally around.

From the flippant:

("Oh, did you see Krystal from Palms Middle School is sporting a mullet?")

or

("Eamon's new girlfriend looks like her face got caught in a wind tunnel.")

To the life-changing:

("I love all the pictures you posted of your new baby - He's absolutely perfect!")

or

("I read the status about your mom's passing.  I'm so sorry.  What can I do to help?")

Not only that, but since everyone and their mother -- literally -- seem to be using Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, if you're a company or a consumer brand, then these are great outlets  to get your message across to clients and prospective clients.

For instance, Facebook has over 800 million users.

I'll repeat that:  Facebook has over 800 million users. That is one banging party, people.

But, if a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it, then does it make a sound?

Philosophy 101 was a long time ago, my friends, but I do know this:  The more "likeable" your posts are, the more apt people are to share them on Facebook.  In essence, if you put out great content, then your fans will do the work for you and your message will be heard.

According to Mashable, more than ever, now is a great time for companies and brands to open a Facebook page:

"When Facebook unveiled Timeline... many users were struck by the idea of humanizing your profile by summarizing your life and connections... Timeline may have a similar effect on brands as well. In fact, the brand benefits of Timeline could be huge, and will let companies tell a more engaging and authentic story."  (Mashable)

Yeah, of course traditional means of advertising are great, and should be used. Who doesn't like a great billboard ad, or a catchy radio jingle?  But at a fraction of the cost, companies and brands can engage with consumers (and potential consumers) through  live updates,  dynamic pictures, and relevant article and blog links.

In other words, your company or brand will seem more human when using this kind of digital media interface.  And you sure don't want to be left out of one helluva party.

There's a funny picture making the rounds on Facebook:

And it got me thinking:

"Be careful what you put in writing," my mother warned  me once upon my teenage years.  "Because once it's out there it's out there. And that's that."

She said this before  we  all found ourselves careening down a cyber superhighway, racing pellmell toward online discoveries ... A fantasy land where both exhibitionists and voyeurs feed off the others need for instant gratification.

"Once it's out there it's out there ... " These words echo in my mind while I log onto Facebook.

Paper may disintegrate but the Internet is forever.  (Forever-ever?  Forever-ever.) Our ancestors had cave paintings. And we have Walls.   Our forefathers and mothers wrote lengthy missives on leather parchment, and we have blog posts.  They had oil paintings.  We have Instagram. We have gleaned great insight into the world of the past through these artifacts, and  its hard not to wonder what our cyber leavings  will tell a future generation  about our civilization.

Oh dear.

Maybe it's time to delete those photos from the party on Saturday night.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

We hope you had a peaceful, relaxing, and enjoyable weekend.

Now, go get your coffee on,  and check out these links.  We hope you find them as interesting as we did!

First of all, our client, Babylon.com, just started a new series on their blog called "My Life in Translation"

"How many of us have found ourselves visiting or even living in a country where we can barely speak the language?  Sure, while It’s an adventure to navigate new cultural terrain without being able to communicate the way you would ordinarily in your homeland, it is certainly not without its challenges."