This is probably something we'll see more or in the future. - Niched social networks. This is rather hilarious though.

Tags: social networks, internet marketing, yooba, david hasselhoff

This article talks about the future of the agency. I’m not to keen of making any predictions, with or without any crystal ball. But sometimes these articles make you reflect over your situation. Though, I believe that this issue is becoming quite concrete for any of us. I.e. what will your business be in five years time as we’re facing the big R?

The author speaks about a dramatic shift, where the full-service agency’s days are counted and work being more diverted. The 5.0(?!) agency’s role is either going to be about creation or production. The creators are the strategists that solves the complex solutions for branding, where as the producers executes the ideas. I’m not too sure about this dividing. Sure you, as an agency, might need to speak clearly about what you do as the conditions on the market gets more demanding.

So yes, in some ways I believe the general full-service agency that do a bit of everything needs to evaluate their business and differentiate themselves. And when talking about the “general agency”, I’m more thinking of the local SME business rather than global networks.

When it comes to the local smaller agencies who today may work more as traditional advertising agency, with not much focus on digital, this time is a rather excellent time to get market shares. There’s going to be loads of new techniques available which are going to facilitate creation and publication of digital content.  So for the local agencies it’s going to be about jumping on the digital train, otherwise you’ll be left behind. So when marketing budgets are being cut, there’s obviously going to be less work for advertisers. But as the budgets are shifting towards digital, that’s where you need to be. Basically they can keep doing what they do best, slightly adjust their business as the tools for digital execution is going to be there.  

So there’s still going to be opportunities for the smart generalists.  

Tags: recession, marketing, digital marketing, yooba, budget, strategy, creativity

This is one aspect we’ve had around Yooba Studio:” Why not use the technology to give more?” New technology will give you new fantastic capabilities to streamline your work.                                 

But as Mr. Godin points out – should you use new tools to do less?

No, now is the time to do more. Saving time and money gives you new conditions to do more. More frequently, or/and in further channels. Increase your communications.  

Tags: yooba, marketing, advertising, yooba studio, seth godin, communication

Quick Tip films are being edited, Getting Started texts written...

Tags: yooba studio, yooba,

Just a minor breakdown, as we’re heading towards, or getting closer, to something of a milestone for us here at Yooba. It’s really inspirational, and the excitement is tangible over here.

Soon, we’re going to see some content created, and published from Yooba.com. So far, a bit “behind the scenes”, it’s been a bit winding road. Not in a messy way – we’ve thankfully “always” had a clear internal vision of who we are, and why we’re doing this. But it’s really interesting how the process of positioning your business, forming your identity, entering the market, has been formed. You can very much affect the process, and sometimes things go out of your control. But it’s definitely a very good, and almost necessary, learning process.

I’m still very general, but some of you might recognise the process of entering the market with a new service or product. Are you going to try to create WOM through the blogosphere? What PR are you going to aim for? How are you going to communicate the business values to different segments?  Marketing strategies!?

There are so many challenges! And I can’t see there are any rights or wrongs. Even with some experience we’re acting in a changeable world, where you constantly need to be (pro-)active, keen, reflective and critical.

But still it’s very inspirational.

With a bit of “retrospective”.  

On the other hand this is just the beginning, and you’re soon able to witness it yourself.

Tags: yooba.com, marketing, strategy,

Via

© Jake Goretzki

Tags: marketing

Speaking of economic downturn (as in previous post), I read a very inspirational article (in Swedish) and we had a chat about it here at the office as well. Well, not really a chat, my manager just briefly mentioned that in a recession you’ve got the best possibilities to grab market shares. It sounds very much like a comment from a “visionaire extraordinaire”; as in “that’s easier said than done”. But hey, he’s done it. So I’ve got no reasons to doubt. Yooba was established during the “worst” era in early 2000. So we’ve learned all the way (the hard way); from how the consumers/end users behave, to how you need to act in your business strategies. Obviously there’s no standard manual on how to act during a recession. Partly from our experiences, and referring to the article previously mentioned it’s in some aspects a psychological phenomenon.

Either you get frightened and passive, or active and specialized. The first is about letting the circumstances affect you, and the other is about adjusting yourself to the situation, looking at every possible option to do new business. This is the time (during a recession) when you can get new market shares at a lower price, but you probably won’t get the profit until the economic upswing comes.

Passivity is very uncreative.

You need to be offensive when everyone else gets defensive.

The risks might get bigger in a recession, but you take the biggest if you get passive.

Tags: creativity, recession, yooba, marketing, strategy

Another report on the effects on marketing due to the (forthcoming) economic situation. Moray MacLennan, IPA President, Chairman Europe M&C Saatchi: “The report certainly reflects the increasing gloom of the past few weeks. There is a clear implication that the economy will slow further. Agencies cannot affect the short term economic outlook, but they can do at least two things; firstly, focus even more closely on cost control and secondly, strive for even more original and innovative solutions so they can buck the trend."

Tags: internet marketing, economic downturn, marketing agencies,

As the iPhone craze has started over here (as in Europe), and they’ve had it for some time in the US, a new white paper from Rubicon Consulting might be of interest. This US company has made a survey on the impact iphone and its new features has on its users. Amongst others, 75 % says that the iPhone has led to more mobile browsing, even though 40 % of them have troubles on displaying some websites.

As other prominent mobile manufacturers have commented the iPhone, they think this could be the breakthrough for the smart phone. That hopefully leads to more possibilities implementing Flash browsers to phones, and more interactive content into your mobile.

Soon hopefully.

Tags: iphone, flash, internet, browsing, smart phone

I read an interesting article over here, about (future) successful communications. It’s about the company’s role within various (social) contexts. What we see today is the growing social media usage, which companies needs to adjust to. To be successful you, in most cases, need to take part of the conversation on the various arenas, you need to be more open in your communications etc. But what we fundamentally need to think is about, the company being more social. As a social subject you still adjust yourself to the context. As it is today, I think that it’s still about – we can say this, in this channel or context.

On the other hand, maybe there isn’t any short cuts, and the process has just started, with the rapid growth of social media usage where companies slowly are (needs to) getting more social.  

Tags: transparency, social media, branding, market communications, yooba