June 2011

What makes a good product site – one that you'd like to emulate for your own brand, that stays with you even when you've shed your marketer's hat and donned your consumer one? Is it a beautiful design? Flawless functionality? Or is it the experience?

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In this week's PERSUASION column, Work gets its last shot at glory at Cannes ad fest, Simon shares his views and news from the Cannes Lion Festival.


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In this week's PERSUASION column, Creating spots that are both cultural and commercial, Simon talks with advertising guru, John Hegarty, creative director of Bartle Bogle Hegarty. Although Hegarty has spend his career thumbing his nose at convention, he's still been knighted and is receiving the first ever Cannes Lion of St. Mark award.


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Forget Internet penetration. Scratch social media. The latest playing field for the ongoing digital media battle between Canada and the U.S. is mobile. Here's how we stack up against our southern neighbours in the race for mobile domination.

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Cannes Lions begins this Sunday, 19 June, providing everyone working in the creative communications industries the unmissable chance to learn, network and celebrate over seven days in the South of France.

You can still book your place at the Festival...


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In this week's 30-Second Spots column, No Facebook promos please, we’re French, Simon Houpt discusses topics ranging from the French law barring news anchors from sending viewers to their station’s Facebook or Twitter page to the Montreal/Toronto second annual tourism co-campaign.


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In this week's PERSUASION column, A spoonful of sugar makes the additive go down, Simon looks at the controversy surrounding high fructose corn syrup and the Corn Refiners Association attempts to change public opinion through rebranding and an ad campaign.


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Rich media campaigns boost intent to recommend

Display campaigns may not often get credited with the last click before a conversion, but their value as a branding tool continues to be borne out. Research from audience data intelligence firm Lotame indicates a significant lift in intent to recommend a product among internet users who have seen a display ad.


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The term "social currency" may not have been coined to reference the current online space, but it certainly applies. Offline, the general concept is that everything from knowledge about sports and popular culture to sharing a meal can incite social interaction, and has the potential...




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Despite growth, usage is still a niche activity

The Pew Internet & American Life Project announced this month that Twitter usage had risen from 8% of US internet users in fall 2010 to 13% in May 2011, a 62.5% increase in penetration. Twitter usage does seem to be growing, but...


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A weekly compendium of interesting items from the world of media, marketing and advertising.


AdWeek, June 6, 2011
Whether you’re a Mavs fan or a Heat supporter, television ratings are showing that, when compared to the NHL playoffs, the NBA finals are running the show. When Canadian teams are in the Stanley Cup Final, ratings take a dive in the US—in fact, game 2 was the least-watched Final game since game 5 of the 2007 series. Read the AdWeek article


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In my post last week I looked at some ways advertisers can use digital media to reinforce the "character" of their brands. We're seeing sites offer to change their background, reskin their masthead, even temporarily modify the design of their home page for the benefit of clients.

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