Dual usage // shop while you watch.

In a previous post we had a look at the growing trend of dual usage as investigated in research conducted by Nielsen. This research showed a significant relationship between tablet and smartphone usage while watching TV. In the latest news, new media product development company Shazam has signed a deal with ITV in recognition of this growing trend. Shazam is best-known for its app enabling users to identify catchy tunes they hear by recognising its audio footprint.

As reported in an article on The Independent, ITV viewers will soon be able to engage further with their TV, connecting with extra content and even purchasing through their mobile phones and Shazam-enabled advertisements. Shazam has adapted its audio-recognition technology to enable the quick link to additional content and e-commerce sites simply through the use of an app.

This is not unexpected news by any means, for some time now we have progressively been taking steps towards creating more engaging and interactive TV viewing experiences.

While the theme of the decade appears to be 'innovative and new' this is not necessarily in reaction to business or strategic needs and as such, it will be interesting to see the actual results of such campaigns. Having content available in a new way does not necessarily mean that this will appeal to its audiences. In fact, I would suggest that the harder we try to get advertising messages and commercialised content in front of audiences the more they will move away from these channels.

News // Facebook makes an emotive purchase.

Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In a recent deal, Facebook has acquired the photo-sharing app Instagram for $1bn - a huge investment and one that has drawn much attention from media experts.

A smart move for Facebook?

According to an article on the GigaOM website here, Instagram was Facebook's biggest competitor, a threat that was growing each day as more and more users discovered this addictive and fun app. Instagram thrives where Facebook lacks, in emotive mobile photo-sharing. Instagram (unlike Facebook) is a mobile-thinking company, which succeeded in creating a social sharing experience, and most importantly, a passionate community. 

Instagram created an emotional social affinity that Facebook lacks and which it so desperately desires as part of its platform. Facebook is essentially built on photo-sharing and Instagram had found a way to do it better, creating a serious threat. And with 15 million users already, Instagram was growing at a rate guaranteed to make Facebook shake in its boots. The solution: a buyout, no matter the cost.

Let's hope Zuckerburg and Facebook hold on their promises, to maintain the integrity of Instagram and the vision behind its creation; to capture the spirit of emotive human sharing through photographic experience that is essentially mobile.

App downloads // the leveraging power of 'free'.

A Nielsen study conducted in the U.S. has explored the types of apps being downloaded to tablets and smartphones, as well as attitudes to advertising on these platforms. The study has found that 51% of consumers say that they are okay with advertising on their devices if it means they can access content for free.
  
The preference remains for free apps, while many will opt for a combination of both free and paid apps, totalling 33 apps in their collection on average. Games, maps, music and social networking apps were amongst the most downloaded.
  

  

The question unearthed by this study; are we happy to be advertised to if we get something in return? Typically this has been found to be true, providing the pay-off is worthwhile. A great opportunity for marketers if we can learn to optimise this platform in an effective way. 

Nutrition app // what happened to simplicity?

A new iOS app has been released that enables consumers to determine the amount of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in more than 20,000 products in Australia. The app, called FoodSwitch, has been developed by medical health provider Bupa and is designed to assist people to make healthier food choices when shopping. 
  

 

  

Shoppers need to simply scan the barcode on the product to retrieve this information. A clever and certainly useful idea, but are we becoming too obsessed with the components of what we consume?
  
After all, we know what's good for us right? The basics of nutrition have always been the same, knowing the specifics is not likely to stop us from consuming bad foods.
  
Let's keep it simple.
  
More information on the Bupa FoodSwitch app is available here.