TBD blog

London's Twitter Traffic Mapped As Contoured Landscape

Check out the interactive map here:

http://londonist.com/2010/06/londons_twitter_traffic_mapped_as_c.php

Our friends at UCL's Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis never cease to amaze us. Today's dose of digital craftsmanship shows the peaks and troughs of London's Twitter traffic in the style of a contoured map.

In a cute touch, areas of the capital are renamed to fit this new topological visualisation. At London's heart is Soho Mountain, the towering peak of the local Twittersphere. We see the foothills of Peckham Crag, Gherkin Point, Battersea Hill and Hackney Downs Hill. The Lea Valley remains a valley, while the Wembley Plains look ripe for fertile growth.

This work of near-genius was crafted by CASA's Fabian Neuhaus for his Urban Tick blog. You can find high-resolution images of London and other cities treated in this way over on his Flickr pages.

The mashup comes hot on the heels of numerous other notable visualisations, including the real-time Tube map and an artful representation of where most photos in London are taken.

With thanks to Andy Hudson-Smith for the heads-up.

Posted June 30, 2010 by randy dean 
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The Geotagger

Eric “The Incredimazing” Fischer used advanced geo-logic to filter tourists from locals in his Geotagger’s World Atlas.

Some people interpreted the Geotaggers’ World Atlas maps to be maps of tourism. This set is an attempt to figure out if that is really true. Some cities (for example Las Vegas and Venice) do seem to be photographed almost entirely by tourists. Others seem to have many pictures taken in places that tourists don’t visit.

Blue points on the map are pictures taken by locals (people who have taken pictures in this city dated over a range of a month or more).

Red points are pictures taken by tourists (people who seem to be a local of a different city and who took pictures in this city for less than a month).

Yellow points are pictures where it can’t be determined whether or not the photographer was a tourist (because they haven’t taken pictures anywhere for over a month). They are probably tourists but might just not post many pictures at all.

The maps are ordered by the number of pictures taken by locals.

Full set on Flickr, a few interesting ones below (click image to zoom)

NYC:

London:

Vancouver:

LA:

Rome:

Vegas:

Venice:

Detail of San Francisco:

Tourists are rare in the Mission, but they do seem to prefer the Castro, the southwest corner of Dolores Park and the murals on Balmy Alley.

I got the goods from here:

http://burritojustice.com/2010/06/05/damn-tourists/

Posted June 9, 2010 by randy dean 
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Nearly 800,000 U.S. TV households 'cut the cord,' report says

Full scoop here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_gadg/20100413/tc_ytech_gadg/ytech_gadg_tc1598

Now, as TechCrunch points out, the estimated 800,000 cord cutters represent less than 1 percent of the 100 million U.S. households (give or take) currently subscribing to a cable/satellite/telco TV carrier, so it's not like we're talking a mass exodus here. But by the end of 2011, the report guesstimates, the number of cord-cutting households in the U.S. will double to about 1.6 million, and if the trend continues, well...

Have you cut the cord? How much of your viewing entertainment is from the internet or via NetFlix?

While window shopping for an HD tv (yes I still have an SD tv) I have noticed that many of them come with CAT5 inputs and have these widget things and stuff - are cable and satellite providers doomed?

Posted April 14, 2010 by randy dean 
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Behaviorally Targeted Ads Yield Twice The Revenue and Twice the Converts

Behaviorally Targeted Ads Yield Twice The Revenue and Twice the Converts

According to The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), behaviorally-targeted advertising in 2009 secured an average of 2.68 times as much revenue per ad as non-targeted "run of network" advertising. The study also found that behaviorally-targeted advertising is more than twice as effective at converting users who click on the ads into buyers (6.8% conversion vs. 2.8% for run-of-network ads), and that behavioral advertising accounted for approximately 18% of advertising revenue.

Economist Howard Beales, who conducted the study, notes that "... behaviorally targeted advertising is a critical component of ad network, publisher, and advertiser success... significantly enhancing the advertising revenue engine driving the growth of the Internet."

Charles Curran, Executive Director of the NAI, says "... This study demonstrates the increasing significance of behavioral advertising to the economic model supporting free online content and services for consumers... we will continue to work closely with policymakers... to give consumers better information, tools and choices, while making online advertising even more relevant to their needs."

Key findings of the study include the following: ·

  • The average relative cost of behaviorally-targeted ads in 2009 was 2.68 greater than that of standard run-of-network advertising
  • The weighted average cost per thousand ad impressions (CPM) for behaviorally targeted ads was $4.12, as opposed to $1.98 for run-of-network advertising
  • Behaviorally-targeted ads accounted for 17.9% of respondents' advertising revenue, with revenue increasing from 16.2% in Q1 to 19.4% in Q4 2009
  • 54.6% of the respondents' advertising revenue went towards the purchase of inventory and was therefore shared with publishers and content producers to support their businesses
  • Data from a smaller subset of the survey respondents suggested that users who clicked on a behaviorally-targeted ad were more than twice as likely to complete a transaction or sale with that site than those who clicked a standard run-of-service ad (6.8% vs. 2.8%)
  • Total online ad revenue for the twelve companies who participated in the study was $3.323 billion in 2009.

The study was conducted from January to March 2010 with the participation of twelve online advertising networks and marketing analytics companies that belong to the NAI. Study participants provided proprietary data on the revenue, composition and effectiveness of different types of online advertising on their networks.

The report includes a comprehensive chart that presents the weighted average CPM among participants for each of the three ad types, as well as conversion rates and revenues. The results show that BT provides significantly higher rates on an industry wide basis. For the full year 2009, BT CPMs were about double RON CPMs, while Retargeting rates were about 1.5 times as large as RON CPMs.

Key Survey Metrics

Q1 2009

Q2 2009

Q3 2009

Q4 2009

FULL YEAR 2009

Average CPM (Weighted By Behavioral Targeting Revenue)

Run of Network

$1.94

$1.98

$1.89

$2.06

$1.98

BT

$4.09

$4.22

$4.07

$4.11

$4.12

Retargeting

$3.00

$3.12

$3.13

$3.02

$3.07

BT Avg. Relative Price Over RON Ads (X Greater)

2.77

2.71

2.79

2.46

2.68

Retargeting Avg. Relative Price Over RON Ads (X Greater)

1.98

1.84

2.11

1.59

1.88

Average Conversion Rate

Run of Network

2.1%

3.6%

2.2%

3.1%

2.8%

BT

5.5%

8.8%

6.4%

6.6%

6.8%

Revenues

Total Ad Revenue ($ Millions)

$708

$780

$795

$1,040

$3,323

Percentage Attributable to BT (Aggregated Across Firms)

16.2%

17.2%

18.3%

19.4%

17.9%

Avg. % of Display Ad Revenue Used for Inventory Costs

54.7%

56.9%

53.0%

53.6%

54.6%

Avg. % of Display Ad Revenue Used for Data Costs

8.5%

8.8%

9.1%

9.4%

8.9%

Source: NAI, The Value of Behavioral Targeting, March 2010

The results lead to 3 major conclusions, says the report:

  • Advertising rates are significantly higher for behaviorally targeted (BT) ads. The average CPM for BT advertising is just over twice the average CPM for run of network (RON) advertising. On average across participating networks, the price of BT advertising in 2009 was 2.68 times the price of run of network advertising
  • Advertising using BT is more successful than standard run of network advertising, creating greater utility for consumers and clear appeal for advertisers. Conversion rates for BT advertising are more than twice the rate for RON advertising
  • A majority of network advertising revenue is spent acquiring advertising inventory from Web content and services providers, making BT an important source of revenue for publishers as well as ad networks
full story here:

Posted April 7, 2010 by randy dean 
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Are Healthy Thinkers also Healthy Shoppers

Steve French, Managing Partner, Natural Marketing Institute &
Todd Hale, Senior Vice President, Consumer & Shopper Insights, The Nielsen Company

SUMMARY: Consumers recognize the connection between diet and health, and for the most part, act on that knowledge. Perhaps a by-product of their quest for wellness, health-aware consumers are careful with their bodies and their budgets, making fewer impulse buys, using shopping lists, savoring the shopping outing and efficiently walking the aisles with a connoisseurs’ knowledge of merchandising and planograms.

Americans have gotten the message loud and clear: a healthy diet is an essential element in any wellness program. Nielsen researchers found that people practice what they preach, with most shoppers buying foods that are good for the waistline and wallet.

Americans have gotten the message loud and clear: a healthy diet is an essential element in any wellness program. Nielsen researchers found that people practice what they preach, with most shoppers buying foods that are good for the waistline and wallet.

Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) conducts an annual health and wellness survey to determine what consumers consider healthy. Shopper insights showed consumer interest in minimally processed foods, a short list of recognizable label ingredients, less of the “bad stuff” like trans fats or MSG, and more of the “good stuff” like fiber, antioxidants, vitamins/minerals, calcium, Omega 3s, whole grains, heart-healthy ingredients and Vitamin D.

Healthy Segments
When it comes to health beliefs and practices, NMI found that people fit into one of five distinct segments that inform their shopping and buying decisions:

  • “WELL BEINGS”® (19%)—the most health-proactive group; market leaders and influencers whose actions are driven by values. They eat more organics, consume modest amounts of supplements and pursue many different health modalities.
  • “FOOD ACTIVES”® (18%)—more mainstream in their health pursuits, this group strives for moderation in their lifestyle and prefers food that is inherently healthy vs. organics or supplements. Seeking a life balance includes balancing the budget for this price-sensitive segment.
  • “MAGIC BULLETS“® (24%)—consumers who hope supplements, Rx and pills will help them reach health goals. More into health management than prevention. Least likely to cook at home or exercise.
  • “FENCE SITTERS”® (17%)—stressed out, but seeking control. They dabble in the latest exercise kick and actively pursue weight loss goals. Receptive to eco-friendly appeals and reliant on social media.
  • “EAT, DRINK & BE MERRYS”® (22%)—younger shoppers who crave taste and pinch pennies. No concerns here about prevention, making them the least health-active group.
full story and lovely graphs here:
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/are-healthy-thinkers-also-healthy-shoppers/

Posted April 6, 2010 by randy dean 
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Recessionary Impact: Fewer Shopping Trips and Less Spending Per Trip

March 31, 2010

Todd Hale, Senior Vice President, Consumer & Shopper Insights &

Dan Brady, Director, Insights Consulting, The Nielsen Company

SUMMARY: A consistent pattern of reduced shopping trips continues to be a major element of consumer’s economic coping strategies. In the latest battle for share of wallet, those retailers who satisfy consumers through differentiation will gain more of less.

The recession continues its ravaging effect on retailers. According to Nielsen, the downward trend of consumers shopping less hit a new low in February 2010, reporting a 4% year-over-year decline in monthly all-outlet shopping trips. And while per trip shopping basket rings began to pick up during and after the holidays, February remained static with a 1% increase compared to last year. Retailers’ focus on store brands and retail price cuts helped keep spending levels in check driving more value for shoppers.

Full story here:

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/recessionary-impact-fewer-shopping-trips-and-less-spending-per-trip/

Posted March 31, 2010 by randy dean 
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Americans Using TV and Internet Together 35% More Than A Year Ago

March 22, 2010

Americans increased their overall media usage and media multitasking according to The Nielsen Company’s latest Three Screen Report, which tracks consumption across TV, Internet and mobile phones.  In the last quarter of 2009, simultaneous use of the Internet while watching TV reached three and a half hours a month, up 35% from the previous quarter. Nearly 60% of TV viewers now use the Internet once a month while also watching TV.

“The rise in simultaneous use of the web and TV gives the viewer a unique on-screen and off-screen relationship with TV programming,” said Nielsen Company media product leader Matt O’Grady. “The initial fear was that Internet and mobile video and entertainment would slowly cannibalize traditional TV viewing, but the steady trend of increased TV viewership alongside expanded simultaneous usage argues something quite different.”


Full story here:

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/three-screen-report-q409/

Posted March 29, 2010 by randy dean 
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Happy Birthday tbd

Today is St. Patrick's Day. In addition to wearing green, here at tbd, we celebrate the 13th anniversary of the genesis of an amazing working environment that just happens to produce great branding work for our clients. It has become the norm to expect the unexpected here, so when Paul announced we were going to have a special exercise on creativity, I made no effort to predict what was to be. With the rest of the team, I arrived at a blank canvas of sorts, a 4x4 foot piece of plywood with an assortment of paints, accompanied by Sarah from the tbd loft community of artists, the Poethouse. Sarah led us in an intentional exercise in creativity. Gasp! We were going to collectively create art.

It's worth noting, my last experience in creating art dates back to 1998 when I used oil pastels to create a piece for my then future wife. It entailed a nice mountain scene with tall timbers reflecting on a peaceful lake. It included a giant man and giant woman, disproportionate, but conveniently naked, lounging in the chaise that was the ridges of the mountains, all in the midst of a colorful sunrise, maybe, sunset, I don't know. It made no sense to anyone including me when completed. I poured my soul into the art for a weekend, and gave it to my future wife. I never painted again. So, you can imagine the trepidation for which I approached today's exercise.

Through the process, some interesting themes arose. First, when 10 or 12 people are painting at once, your bound to lose control of outcomes. How many times did I put a little dab of red over some yellow, only to find a giant swath of blue tracing behind a 2 inch brush overpower my red, leaving only a slight trail of purple? 

As we progressed, the decorations of dots and swirls became passionate fusions of color, texture and shapes. We were all getting into it, even me. What started as one layer, turned into five, and then was scraped off the canvas, leaving artifacts of shapes and colors only to be buried again with new colors, blends and imprints. 

As the painting transformed with each iteration, it became obvious our creation was unfolding collaboratively but without any linear intention or plan. And, it was beautiful to us as a symbol of the team and culture we've created over the years at tbd. It was exciting and refreshing to see each member of the team participate and add. The piece's true aesthetic is probably questionable, but as an account of the spirit of creativity and teamwork it's a bona-fide work of art. 

Come to the loft for art hop on april 2nd to view our piece and other collected works of the community. We are showing "Who are we?", a collection of work from the Central Oregon community expressing just that. We hope to see you there. Who knows, maybe I'll submit my untitled gigantic love piece. Not.

kevin smyth




Posted March 17, 2010 by Kevin Smyth 
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20 minutes of knowledge from TED

Daniel Kahneman: The riddle of experience vs. memory

About this talk

Using examples from vacations to colonoscopies, Nobel laureate and founder of behavioral economics Daniel Kahneman reveals how our "experiencing selves" and our "remembering selves" perceive happiness differently. This new insight has profound implications for economics, public policy -- and our own self-awareness.

Thanks Cass!

http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_kahneman_the_riddle_of_experience_vs_memory.html

Posted March 2, 2010 by randy dean 
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Micro-Targeting: It’s Not Just for Niche Brands Anymore

February 16, 2010

Jason Green, The Cambridge Group

SUMMARY: The rise of new technologies and increased channel fragmentation makes reaching consumer targets more challenging than ever. More and more consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers are finding that micro-targeting strategies—traditionally employed by specialized business—are unleashing new, deeper insights into their customer targets enabling them to grow brands in creative and profitable ways.

Full Story here:

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/micro-targeting-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-for-niche-brands-anymore/

Posted March 2, 2010 by randy dean 
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