Is it a phone, radio, computer, or TV?

No it is all of the above. Talking about the new Apple IPhone. With the its recent release, Apple has already sold over one million phones in twenty-one countries. The new IPhone is a big hit with consumers.  Reason behind the success it’s success is the integration of all functions into one device and the user interface.  Since it is on the 3G network, consumers are able use the internet as if they were on a laptop.  This allows you to check your mail, surf the web, watch videos, and much more.  Apple doesn’t have a monopoly on the 3G network, but do seem be taking the lead.

With the integration of all these features, especially the internet, into one  device  made myself think of the impact on  marketing and  consumer  research.   One day our cell phone number could become like  the social security number is to the finical system.  Could cell phone providers track our web browsing, location, and cal history for the sole purpose of market research.  Basically they could data mine our life through our phones.

Mind swarms with ideas of how to apply this information  to the marketing and business world.   Billboard advertisements could be placed  better using the web browsing history of all users within the visual range.  Local restaurants could modify daily specials based consumers web search for receipts.  New store locations could be based on Google map directions searches.  Can search how far consumers have to travel to reach a particular store, such as Barnes & Nobles.  Barnes & Nobles can then use this information to determine new store locations.

These are just a couple of ideas of how using individual cell phones to track consumers could benefit marketers and consumers.

Data from Privated Songs Helps Media Providers

According to the Economist online article, Thanks, me hearties, the the information of user illegal downloads could benefit the music industry. In 2007, recorded music sales declined by 8%. Roughly 70% of this decline has been contributed to illegal download from file-sharing sites on the internet.

The article outlines how the music industry or promoters of the individuals artist could use the data collected from these downloads to their advantage. BigChampagne is a company that tracks the downloading of music, movies, video games, and other entertainment  online.   They track all by monitoring streaming feeds and the content users download through peer-to-peer networks.

The information obtain can be used for marketing purposes.  One way to use this information to your advantage is booking of live shows.  You can look up which areas had the highest or lowest download of an artist, and then adjust the seating capacity  for  each  local  area.

Or if a new video game is being released, but only a limited supply is produced.  The online data can be used to help determine which cities will receive the bulk of the inventory based on online interest.

So while the music industry can not completely stop the privacy of music online, they can at least use the trends and download data to their advantage.

Timeless Commerical

Check out this video from Smart Beep!  Timeless commercial from a company that sold beepers long ago.  Not sure if they morphed  into  a  new market,  or just went  out of business.   But thanks to the internet and youtube, this commercial lives on.  It has multiple listings with over 285,000 views.  Too bad they are not still in business to benefit from the ads on going success.

Funniest Ad Ever

Fill ‘er Up!!!

With the soaring price of gas over the last year businesses and charitable groups have offered incentives for customers to purchase their product or service. Incentives are not new. Companies have been using them for a long time, but one recent incentive offered by a myriad of companies is free gas. Yes, I said free gas!! If you drive an older model car, like I do, then I bet I have your attention.

Car dealerships and hotel operators have embraced the gas incentives, cause they have been the hardest hit economically by the run up in price at the pump. Chrysler for example offered earlier this year a $2.99 a gallon gas guarantee for purchasing select makes and models.

Check out this video on free gas give aways!