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iPhone 6 launch makes app marketing more expensive than ever
The launch of a new iPhone and release of a fresh new version of iOS always boost App Store activity, and this year's iPhone 6 launch has not only pushed more users to the App Store, but also pushed the cost of acquiring a loyal customer on iOS to the highest point it's ever been. According to new data from app marketing firm Fiksu, the cost of a single loyal user rose to US$2.25 in September. Fiksu also tracks both the marketing cost per new app install and the cost per app launch (each time a user repeatedly opens the application), which stand at $1.23 and $0.29 respectively. By comparison, the cost of an app launch on Android is just $0.08. These numbers mean two things: First, the App Store remains the Fifth Avenue of mobile marketplaces, and second, it's a place where it's increasingly difficult for smaller indie developers to score a hit without spending a huge amount of money in order to build their initial user base. [via TechCrunch]
CoD Black Ops writer Anthony: National security a matter of marketing
Call of Duty: Black Ops series writer and director Dave Anthony addressed U.S. military defense as part of a recent presentation for political think tank The Atlantic Council, claiming that public opinion regarding national security can be manipulated using methods similar to video game marketing. "When we have a new product that has elements that we're not sure how people will respond to, what do we do as a corporation?" he asked, in reference to Activision's pre-release strategy for Black Ops and Black Ops 2. "We market it, and we market it as much as we can - so that whether people like it or not, we do all the things we can to essentially brainwash people into liking it before it actually comes out. When you have decided to make these changes, you have a marketing campaign to introduce them before it is forced upon you. "I'd like to see the government doing this too, because the government is becoming more and more unpopular and I have a lot of sympathy for it. It is an enormously tough job they have. I would like to see more effort into how we communicate with the people and educate the people into what we are doing and why."
Why Omeed Dariani left EverQuest Next
When SOE Brand Manager Omeed Dariani left the EverQuest Next team suddenly, there was no small amount of curiosity and speculation over his reasoning. Obviously he knew something that fans didn't, but what was it? He recently appeared on Reddit to briefly explain his departure, stating that it was the result of an ideological difference that could not be corrected. Dariani states that his immediate supervisors did not support the community-first structures that have been established for both Landmark and EverQuest Next, so he ultimately felt that he had no options beyond resigning in protest. No personal issues were involved, contrary to some fan speculation, and Dariani was quite clear that his departure was entirely voluntary and he was in no way given an ultimatum. He maintains that he has the utmost respect for the teams still working on the games and that neither of them caused his departure. It might not be the happy news of another job just waiting in the wings that fans would like, but it at least explains why he left.
Sega pins Aliens: Colonial Marines marketing mishaps on Gearbox
After Aliens: Colonial Marines publisher Sega moved to settle a class-action lawsuit to the tune of $1.25 million in August for alleged false advertising for the game, it shifted the blame for the game's marketing issues to Gearbox Software, according to court documents obtained by Game Informer. Internal emails from Gearbox and Sega representatives cite examples of the former revealing information about the game without the consent of the publisher. One such email refers to a New York Comic Con panel in October 2012, in which Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford firmly states that a Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines would launch in February 2013 alongside the other versions of the game. Emails within Sega stated that "no-one on the call was aware" of the Wii U version, and that it's "not been picked up so far." Of course, the game missed its Wii U launch window before Sega confirmed in March 2013 that it was no longer in development.
Verizon to shell out $7.4 million to settle FCC marketing privacy investigation
An FCC investigation determined that Verizon failed to offer around two million new customers instructions on how to decline personal info being used in marketing tactics. The Commission announced today that Big Red would pay $7.4 million to settle the matter, and it has to notify customers of their right to opt out on very bill they'll receive for the next three years. While phone companies collect personal info from customers on the regular, use is limited to things like marketing, but only if the chance to say "no thanks" is explicitly offered. When the participation process isn't working correctly, the FCC has to be notified within five business days -- something Verizon did not do. Going back to 2006, millions of cases were found where the opt-out notices weren't properly disclosed. Although Verizon found the issue in September of 2012, it did not notify the FCC until 126 days later, in January of 2013. The sum that Verizon stands to pay out is the largest of its kind to date for settling an investigation into personal data privacy for landline customers. [Photo credit: Rick Maiman/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Every iPad ad, reviewed and ranked
The thing about Apple ads is that even when they're bad, they're usually still good. Compared to the marketing efforts of Apple's peers, the company's TV commercials have been pretty much golden since the early 2000s. And some of the best ads Apple has ever released are for the market-defining iPad. Going by the list of iPad ads compiled by the EveryAppleAd account on YouTube, there are a total of 24 ads for the iPad (not counting variations of the longer "Your Verse" ad). They've been gradually tapering off a bit in terms of frequency, with only one released so far in 2014 and four in 2013 compared to eight in 2012, but still arrive on a relatively predictable schedule. After repeat viewings of every ad -- on top of the dozens of times I likely sat through each one during a commercial break -- there are many that stand out as fantastic, and others that miss the mark. Here are all 24 of them, ranked from best to worst. 1. iPad Air- Pencil (2013) - I can't remember another Apple ad that deliberately tricks the viewer for as long as this one does, and if one does exist, it definitely isn't pulled off this well. Like a good movie, this ad is even entertaining to watch after you know the twist ending. Delightful. 2. iPad 2- Now (2011) - Of all the iPad ads since the device was first introduced, this one does the best job of showing how the device can actually change the way you go about your day to day life. In 2011, everything the ad showed felt futuristic (and still does, really), and when the narrator reminds you that you can actually do all these things right now, you immediately want the device that makes it all possible. 3. iPad- Meet iPad (2010) - This was the ad that introduced Apple's tablet to huge numbers of consumers, so it had to make a great first impression. The genius of this ad is that it doesn't show off gimmicks, but instead focuses on how we all would end up using the tablet every day. Even today the ad remains totally relevant. It's almost as though Apple was dictating how the future of consumer tablets would play out, and as the first iPad ad to hit TV screens, this one got it totally right. 4. iPad Air- Your Verse (2014) - Depending on your outlook, this one can come across as either extremely powerful or heavy-handed. If you don't buy into the idea that a company and its devices can change the world, it will probably strike you as the latter. Unfortunately for you, you'd already be mistaken. 5. iPad- What is iPad (2010) - "It's already a revolution, and it's only just begun." Probably the most accurate tagline ever slapped onto the end of an Apple ad. 6. iPad 2- We'll always (2011) - Apple finally goes after the heartstrings. It's a day in the life of Mr. & Mrs. John Q Taxpayer -- reading a book, attending a work meeting, preparing a home-cooked meal, and then some time with the youngster. Big points for that. 7. iPad 2- Love (2011) - Yes, you're going to love the iPad, but you're going to love it because it's a tool to help you do the things you already love to do. That's a message a lot of companies overlook. 8. iPad- iPad is delicious (2010) - It looks extremely dated now, but this one had a big wow factor in 2010. Multi-touch gaming, augmented reality, and artistic endeavors on a touch screen were all still "new" to a huge number of consumers, and it exploited that wonderfully. 9. iPad- iPad is Amazing (2010) - An important step towards showing that the iPad can be a work and play device. Nothing special, but certainly not bad. 10. iPad 3- This good (2012) - The one standout of the iPad 3 ads, it puts a huge focus on the screen quality with good imagery that makes you believe the screen is better than the ones you've seen before. 11. iPad mini- Books (2012) - The iPad mini looks like it was made for eBooks, so that's a great focus for one of the public's first glimpses of the smaller tablet. 12. iPad 2- We believe (2011) - In a rare move, the focus is taken off of the consumer and placed instead on Apple, and what the company is trying to accomplish. Apple doesn't often reference itself in its marketing, which ads some weight to an already meaningful message. 13. iPad- iPad is electric (2010) - Probably the second best ad in the "iPad is" campaign. It's a little bit on the ho-hum side until the guitar paired with the AmpliTube app rescues it at the end. 14. iPad mini- Piano (2012) - Giving the mini the more complicated role here was a great way to show that just because it's smaller doesn't mean it's any less capable. It's also a great way to show that the screen is still large enough that touchscreen tasks aren't a problem. 15. iPad 2- If you (2011) - Showing the tablet doing a bunch of cool stuff without anyone actually using it? There's a message of unending progress in the dialogue, but overall it seems to be an excuse to show the iPad in a bunch of familiar settings. Pretty average. 16. iPad 2- Learn (2011) - It feels like the obligatory "You can use this thing to learn about stuff" ad, which is fine, but it's not the easiest thing to get excited about. 17. iPad 3- All on iPad (2012) - The iPad 3's biggest new feature was the Retina display, but that's something that is really difficult to show off on a TV commercial. Instead, Apple decided to remind us what we can do with the device, while mentioning the new display as a footnote. Bummer. 18. iPad- iPad is music (2010) - Stonehenge sells this one for me, but overall it's pretty straightforward. Zooming on a video, playing a rough-looking NFL game, and preparing a presentation are fine uses of the iPad, but without one or two more punchy items it's an underwhelming package. 19. iPad 3- Do it all (2012) - Largely the same as the "All on iPad" ad. A rehash of things we already know we can do. 20. iPad mini- Photos (2012) - Meh. A nice reminder that iPads exist. 21. iPad- Hollywood (2013) - This is where I'm probably going to draw some ire. I can't stand any of these rapid-word-yelling ads. There are three in total and none of them strike me as anything but annoying. The first time you see them, they are a bit jarring, and with every repeat viewing they become more and more irritating. It actually became a game in my household to yell a different obscenity during these ads whenever they would appear, just to keep us from smashing the TV. In short, all three of them are "Ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-da-ba-BULLSHIT!" 22. iPad- Together (2013) - See above. 23. iPad- Alive (2013) - See above. 24. iPad mini- I'll Be Home (2012) - More awkward than sentimental. It captures the strange feeling you get when you're talking to a human face on your tablet -- you feel like you should be doing something or saying something, but don't know what. I'm sorry, grandpa, but I don't know what you want me to do. Ranking them in terms of appeal and overall message is no easy task, and some of it is personal preference, so feel free to voice your tastes in the comments.
iBeacons arrive today in Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor stores
Shoppers at Hudson's Bay and Lord & Taylor stores across Canada and the US are getting an early peek at the future of retail marketing starting today as HBC Department Store Group flips the switch on the Swirl in-store beacon marketing platform. While the systems won't be in place at all stores today, the company's 850,000 square foot flagship store in Toronto and a number of mall and free-standing stores will be equipped with the technology, which uses Bluetooth Smart and Apple's iBeacon technology. Working with a number of company-produced and third-party apps, Swirl's system beams everything from a warm welcome for repeat customers as they enter a store to specific targeted content and offers when a customer enters a specific area of the retail floor. The Swirl setup will work with all iBeacon-enabled retail apps, and has been certified by Apple. The system uses SecureCast beacons that are literally peel-and-stick and can be placed almost anywhere (it's the small white knobby cylinder next to the iPhone below). A marketing console provides a way to create and manage campaigns, with options to target messages based on profile data like a customer's status in a loyalty program, how much they've purchased in the past, or how they're browsing the physical store. Additional reporting and analytics tools give marketing departments information on things like how long a customer actually stays in a portion of a store or redeems a special offer. That information gives the marketers a way to better understand customer trends and improve their campaigns. Swirl beacons are also installed in Kenneth Cole, Timberland, and Alex and Ani stores.
Bloomberg: Microsoft may lay off thousands, Xbox marketing teams affected
A new Bloomberg report claims Microsoft is on the verge of its biggest round of layoffs since 2009, when more than 5,000 employees lost their jobs. The job cuts could go on to top that figure, according to Bloomberg's sources, making it the biggest round of layoffs in the company's history. The sources told Bloomberg the layoffs will "probably" be in Nokia and overlapping Microsoft divisions, but also in marketing and engineering divisions. The sources said that included marketing departments for divisions such as the global Xbox team, potentially including the UK-based European group. "People with knowledge of the company's plans" said Microsoft is looking to trim its 127,000-strong employee base following the April acquisition of Nokia, which brought in 30,000 staff to the company. Two of the people said details of the restructuring are still being formulated, while Bloomberg notes the job cuts could occur "as soon as this week." Microsoft has yet to confirm or deny any of Bloomberg's information, and the publication noted a Microsoft spokesperson declined to comment on it.
There can't be only one: Technology's singular obsession
Last week, Google announced the aptly named Android One, a plan to unite the myriad budget devices running its mobile operating system. But Sundar Pichai and crew aren't alone in banking on the singular power of one. No, Google's One is just one of many in the industry's recent past. It turns out, everyone wants to be the one. [Image: Getty]
The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for June 11, 2014
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
iOS 8 makes it tougher for WiFi hotspots to track your location
Apple made a hullabaloo over iOS 8's user-accessible privacy controls during its WWDC keynote, but it now appears that some of the biggest safeguards are under the hood. Security guru Frederic Jacobs has noticed that iOS 8 uses random network identifiers when scanning for WiFi access, and will only reveal a device's true ID when it connects. In other words, hotspot operators can't get your position simply because you're walking by with an iPhone in hand -- you have to sign in first.
When you land at Heathrow Terminal Galaxy S5, you'll know who to blame
A Samsung-sized marketing budget buys airport-sized publicity stunts, as you may well notice if you fly to or from Heathrow this month. For two weeks, starting May 19th, the owners of the "world's busiest terminal" have allowed Samsung, in partnership with JCDecaux, to re-brand all Terminal 5 signage at entrances, security points and gates as "Terminal Samsung Galaxy S5." And who cares if that sounds like an illness? Update: A representative of Heathrow airport has since told iMore that Samsung exaggerated its claims about the rebranding of Terminal 5, and that only existing advertising space will be used as part of the campaign -- not signage and wayfinding as Samsung's press release originally claimed. We'll just have to wait 'til May 19th to see what it really looks like. Update: Today's the day, and our first photo from a reader has just come through. Thanks @Poltymon!
HTC hires marketing exec who led Samsung to smartphone dominance
It's no secret, HTC has an image problem. Despite consistently creating some of our favorite phones, it's failed to reach the heights of popularity of manufacturers like Samsung. That could soon change. In what is almost certainly not a coincidence, HTC has hired Samsung's former Chief Marketing Officer, Paul Golden. The Verge confirmed the rumor, first picked up by Bloomberg, earlier this afternoon. Golden, who "created and launched the highly successful Galaxy brand for Samsung," according to his LinkedIn profile, was reportedly hired on as a consultant to Chairwoman Cher Wang.
This is how Samsung thinks normal people use smartwatches
Samsung's track record on smartwatch marketing has been, shall we say, mixed. Its nostalgic sci-fi TV spot for the Galaxy Gear was a hit, but its awkward (and slightly creepy) romantic skier ad? Not so much. Give credit to the company for learning quickly, though, as its newly released TV commercial for the Gear Fit (shown below) mostly hits the right notes. The 30-second clip sticks to showing real-world use cases, such as tracking fitness data while running and turning down phone calls. It's still a bit silly -- really, who wears a smartwatch over a fancy bracelet? -- but it does make a good case for intelligent wristwear.
White House miffed after Samsung uses an Obama selfie as an ad
Did you catch the selfie that the Red Sox's David Ortiz took with President Barack Obama? That was a great instance of cultural zeitgeist, wasn't it? However, Samsung also has a deal with Ortiz that let it use the shot (taken with a Galaxy Note 3) in a Twitter ad -- and the White House isn't very happy. The administration tells CBS that it didn't realize the baseball star's photo could be used as an Oscars-style marketing ploy. Officials aren't asking anyone to take pictures down after the fact, but they hint that they might not have approved the photo if they'd known about the possible financial incentives. For his part, Ortiz insists that it was a sincere, spur-of-the-moment shot -- while Samsung pays him, he couldn't exactly promise an Obama photo op. We're inclined to believe Big Papi, but something tells us that the President may be a little more camera shy in the future. [Image credit: David Ortiz, Twitter]
Apple touted as most valuable billion dollar brand in the United States
Apple is currently the most valuable billion dollar brand in the United States, this according to a recent report published by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. According to the chart above, which was compiled by Brand Finance, Apple's brand today is worth $104.6 billion. That's well ahead of both Google and Microsoft who occupy the next two slots with brand values of $68.6 and $62.7 billion respectively. Brand Finance, a brand-valuation consulting agency, chose members of the "Billion Dollar Brands" club by estimating the royalty rate that would be charged for use of the brand and factoring in future revenue. It ranked the top 500 companies in the U.S. On a state by state basis, both California and New York house more top brands than any other state. You can check out the full listing of the top 500 most valuable billion dollar brands over here.
Steve Jobs sobbed in the wake of Antennagate
In a recently discovered video on 99u, former Apple VP of Marketing Communications Allison Johnson details what it was like working in Apple's marketing department under the always watchful eye of Steve Jobs. Recalling her time at Apple, Johnson describes how there were two words within Apple's marketing department that were considered dirty; "brand" and "marketing." The reason, Johnson explains, is that the word "brand" in Steve's mind was too closely linked to "artificial" things like television advertising. Instead, Jobs wanted to focus more on people's relationship to the product. As for the "marketing" moniker, it was avoided because it's typically associated with selling to somebody as opposed to educating them. Indeed, a common theme put forth by Johnson was that Apple's marketing department was primarily concerned with educating consumers and showing prospective buyers what they can do with the product. One particularly interesting relayed how the marketing department at Apple worked closely with the product development teams. The marketing team was right next to product development and engineering team, so we understood deeply what was important about the product, what people's motivations were... what they hoped the product would achieve, what roles they wanted it to play in peoples lives. And because we were so close, we were able to translate that to our marketing efforts. Using the iPhone as an example, Johnson explains that there were any number of different advertising angles the company could have pursued for such a revolutionary device. Nonetheless, they chose to focus on just three things; that the iPhone was a phone, an iPod, and the Internet in your pocket. As for what it was like working for Jobs, she explained that it entailed "playing your best game every single day." Johnson further elaborated on how Apple's position as widely discussed and followed company gave it advertising advantages not many other company's can enjoy. For instance, during the six-month period after the iPhone introduction and before the iPhone launch, Apple only released one TV ad as it could rely upon the Apple community to talk, write, and read about the device. This phenomenon, Johnson said, is unique to Apple. "I don't think there are a lot of companies that can operate that way." During a Q&A portion of the interview, Johnson relayed two interesting stories about Jobs which serve to demonstrate how passionate he was about the arts and Apple itself. First, Johnson recalls how momentous it was for Apple to finally land The Beatles catalog of music on iTunes. In conjunction with that, Apple sent a team to the UK to pick up over a thousand never-before-seen photographs of the band. When brought back to Cupertino, Steve Jobs pored over the photos as they laid upon a boardroom table, walking around "in tears." For Jobs, it was an important milestone and a "really special moment." Second, Johnson recalls how emotional Jobs became in the wake of the Antennagate saga. Jobs, Johnson explained, was beyond sad and angry about the issue and how it was getting portrayed in the media. With Apple's core leadership team, along with the company's product and marketing teams sitting around a boardroom table, Jobs pounded the table saying, "This is not the company I want to be, this is not what we are building. We don't want to be that company, we don't want people to think about us this way." Driving the point home, Johnson explained that whereas The Beatles moment was one of tears, "this was sobbing." Jobs cared so much about Apple, Johnson explained, that the two were very much one and the same.
HBO pushes the boundaries of virtual reality to sell you Game of Thrones
The frost-crusted wooden cage was carrying me to my death. I didn't know that for sure, but something just didn't feel right as the winch kicked into gear and the empty square of Castle Black retreated from my feet. My knees buckled as I began to ascend the 700-foot Wall. The floor rattled beneath my boots and I had to reach out to steady myself against the side of the ramshackle elevator. There was nothing beyond the stone battlements that the Night's Watch calls home. Well, not nothing exactly. There were a few towering pines and squat rocky mountains whose lower reaches were blanketed in thick featureless snow. Their peaks, if you could call them that, were black stains smeared across the blinding white expanse of the Kingdom of the North. As I climbed higher, the cool breeze turned into an icy gale and my collar flapped against my neck like a sail in a storm.
A look at MMOs from the marketing perspective
Gamers don't tend to think about MMOs from a marketing perspective; that's not what we're most interested in. So it's informative to take a look at a recent piece from [a]list daily about the state of MMORPGs in terms of profits, business models, and future developments. The piece looks at the history of the genre as well as World of Warcraft's apex, considering the likely future path as well as the emerging markets not yet tapped. Unlike many such analyses, this piece sees a bright potential future for The Elder Scrolls Online, explaining that even a small percentage of Skyrim customers buying the game will make back the game's production budget. It also examines the emerging tablet and mobile market, arguing that this is the most obvious sector for substantial growth over the next few years. For a more detailed look, take a read through the full article.
Twitter search results get advertising via 'Promoted' users
There you are, leisurely perusing Twitter (as one does), when the stinking funk of marketing speak smacks your cerebellum like a Mack truck: "Want to grow your presence on Twitter? Reach more people with your Tweets using Promoted Accounts. Learn more today!" It has begun. Too serious? Perhaps, but today's news that Twitter's "Promoted Tweets" (read: adverts) are now also part of Twitter's search results is unfortunate at very least. For one, it takes the point of search and adds confusion -- why would Pizza Hut's new, hand-tossed pizza show up in results for, say, unrest in Ukraine? Here's hoping the algorithms are smart enough to avoid messy situations like that. It's long been the case that (contextual) ads show up in Google search results, but in the case of Twitter search we've come to expect an ad-free experience. As Twitter product manager Nipoon Malhotra says in the announcement, "One of the best ways for users to discover what's happening on Twitter is through search, giving users the ability to instantly connect to conversations and topics of interest." That the logic following such a statement goes directly to advertising is, again, unfortunate. We've yet to see any promoted tweets in our search results just yet, but please let us know what you're seeing (good and bad alike).
