links for 2008-11-20

Marketers Digital Tactic Preferences - Sherpa

While the data source is subject to a huge selection bias, results from a Marketing Sherpa poll re: digital tactics is interesting. Fielded from a late Sept survey of about 400 (presumably visitors to the site, attendees of a conference, etc.), suggest social network maketing, in all its forms, and emailing the house list will be the largest net digital tactic gainers in a down economy. While percentages are striclty binary, i.e., increase or decrease spend, and don't disclose amounts it is still helpful. Search and telemarketing do ok. Display, mobile, DM, events, radio and print all get slaughtered.

(tags: ad_spend sherpa trend)
IBM's Blue Spruce - ReadWriteWeb

IBM announces BlueSpruce an open browser development (co-web server and client toolkit) platform. IBM has effectively targeted the point in the architecture at which all the open source browser, cloud computing, and web app / widget initiatives come together. While it positions them well for software sales growth, it begs the question of why they would get so definitively behind an initiative that moves functionality off their desk/laptops to the network. Regardless, it is more constructive than any MSFT initiative announced to date.

(tags: application browser ibm platform)
Microsoft Joins App Mileau - ComputerWorld

Balmer claims MSFT is cooking up it’s own Apple / Facebook / MySpace / Linked-In / SalesForce / Beehive / Glam Media-like app store. Possibly called TownSquare, it would give app developers a platform for marketing their wares. Given the me-too nature of the announcement, interesting points were few and far between but: 1. The fact that they're getting behind initiatives that move functionality to the browser from the desktop is significant and 2. Not surprisingly MSFT does not plan on porting its browser to the safari, chrome, firefox open standard. The best but unasked question would have to be: “What will the MSFT app store offer that is different, better than the others out there (or from just going to ProgrammableWeb for that matter)?

(tags: application microsoft widget)
Isakson Confesses: "I'm Draper"

Isakson, brand strategist, confesses that he is Mad Men's Don Draper on Twitter. Excellent, concrete demo of how companies can Tweet. Can't help but wonder how much more effective he would be with insights into upcoming shows, linkages to broadcast campaign, etc. Further, had he been able to work "best of" user Tweets into subseuent shows, the feedback loop would be deafening.

(tags: amc isakson twitter user_content)
MRM Supply - AdWeek

Another in a string of announcements where large ad holding companies consolidate digital production across business units into single production entities often composed of networked, offshore creative / production groups. Having gone down this road, we found slower turns, lower quality and less productivity in exchange for short term cost savings. While we eventually pulled production back to the U.S., the potential is there if companies are willing to invest the time to cultivate (read build) local talent base. Regardless of the outcome, it presages considerable pain in the immediate term.

(tags: agency outsource consolidation)
08/09 Ad Spend Poll -ANA

Association of National Advertisers poll from its mid-Oct "Masters of Marketing" conference. 1,200 attendees polled w/ some, now, surprising results. While it's possible plans had already been rationalized in Q2/Q3, only 1/3 planned to reduce marketing spend.

(tags: ad_spend statistics trend)