New Thinking

The “Digital Life” at South by Southwest

March 18, 2010

Well, I had an absolute wonderful trip to Austin (with my colleague Mike Adams) for South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi). Austin lives up to its motto of “keeping it weird”. While it’s weird and you see some things on the street you’d rather not see, I have a whole new appreciation for Austin and the subculture [...]

Can Online Buzz Predict the Oscars?

March 5, 2010

If online buzz from the week prior to the 82nd annual Academy Awards is any indication, the winners may have already been decided for best picture, best actor and best actress. A sample of data gathered by Empower MediaMarketing via our ChatterWatch(sm) service* indicates that Avatar is the favorite among social media fans to win [...]

The Ladder to “Social” Success

March 3, 2010

In 2007, Forrester Research analysts Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li developed the Social Technographics Ladder.  This tool classifies people according to how they behave and participate in Social Media.  While it’s not the only model out there, the Social Technographics Ladder has become very influential as a way to describe the various groups of people [...]

A High-Definition, Highly Social, Super Bowl

February 5, 2010

With Super Bowl Sunday upon us, it’s interesting and appropriate to reminisce on this year’s NFL season.
It’s understood that no other TV event matches the size and attentiveness of the Super Bowl. In recent years, the annual NFL championship game has attracted more than 90 million viewers and last year’s Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh [...]

Magazines and Newspapers Moving from Printed Page to Pixels

December 14, 2009

As consumer magazines continue to struggle with declining ad spending, publishers are finding new ways to bring content to readers across different devices so they can create a two way connection with readers. Some recent headlines showcase this evolution in devices that will be available to advertisers in 2010.
E-Readers Extend Functionality
2009 marks the year of [...]