IAB: Metrics for Cross-Platform

Measuring passive audiences for one media platform is difficult enough - what about developing a metric that tries to measure interactive engagement and involvement across multiple platforms.  A number of major research firms are working on the problem, lead by Nielsen (looking to expand broadcast ratings to online) and comScore (looking to extend online metrics to broadcast and print).

Overseeing these efforts is the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), an advertising and marketing industry group, which is setting guidelines and standards that the industry wants any cross-platform and interactive audience metrics to incorporate before they will be adopted by the industry.  The IAB has recently released a report setting out some basic definitions and outlining six broad goals and 30 core metrics that should be incorporated into proposals for industry-acceptable interactive advertising measures.

The goals recognize that it may be difficult, if not impossible, to build one single effective measure - still, core metrics need to be comparable to those used for other media, and have achievable benchmarks of objective performance.  The report also stresses that social media encompasses more than a single form of engagement.

Determining what you want to know is (or at least should be) one of the first steps in research, and particularly in the development of reasonable and valid quantitative measures.  Too many of the traditional metrics for traditional media were based on what could be easily measured rather than trying to measure the things that those using the metrics really wanted to know.  It's good that the industry is thinking about what it really wants to know about interactive advertising exposure and effectiveness, and isn't rushing to adopt something this time (despite Nielsen's several attempts to jump the gun and get the industry to support it's product).

Sources - IAB Redefines Ad Engagement, Clarifies Core Metrics Cross-Platform, Media Daily News
Defining and Measuring Digital Ad Engagement in a Cross-Platform World, IAB report

Research: "Audience Interactivity and Participation"

The EU has been funding academic research into the transformation of media, audiences, and their social implications under the COST Action ISO906 initiative.  One of the working groups has published some initial findings on audience participation and interactivity in media.  The white paper, "Audience Interactivity and Participation," summarizes interviews with practitioners in several areas - televised political programs, action theater, crowdfunding in music, fan production and interactivity in content, and a highly-interactive visitor's center associated with the EU Parliament.

Overall, the various interviews suggests some awareness of, and interest in, the potential that information technologies provide for promoting interactivity and participation in what had traditionally been unidirectional mass media.  Thoughtful, if not terribly innovative or insightful - yet worth a read.

Source -  "Audience Interactivity and Participation,"  Working Group 2, COST Action 906

Poynter - Digital Tools for Journalists

Poynter's website has a good post on 10 digital tools they feel can help improve reporting and storytelling.
  Several are what I'd call research tools - FOIA Machine | (@FOIAMachine) (helps create and track FOIA requests); Census.IRE | (@IRE_NICAR) (search, organize and view 2010 Census data); iWitness | (@AdaptivePath) (curates social media, searchable by time and location). 
   However, most are storytelling resources; things that can provide background, graphics, and facilitate multimedia storytelling.  
Public Insight Network | (@publicinsight) and Ushahidi | (@ushahidi) maintain databases of people eager to tell their story - although I'd worry about accuracy and bias in what is essentially advocacy.
Several help journalists create and develop graphics or incorporate multiple media forms into stories - TileMill | (@TileMill) (creates interactive maps); Tableau Public | (@tableau) (user friendly app for compiling graphs, charts, etc.); Popcorn Maker | (@mozilla) (adds interactive features to videos); Atavist | (@theatavist) (tool to compile elements into a single multimedia story, app, magazine, or ebook.
The final one is The PANDA Project | (@pandaproject), which allows newsrooms to share data and materials among reporters, and allows online collaboration.

I'll encourage you to check the Poynter post for more details, and examples of some of the ways media outlets have utilized the tools.

Source -  10 digital tools journalists can use to improve their reporting, storytelling,  Poynter

Thoughts on SXSW

Not mine, regrettably - I've never managed to make that shindig.  Anne Czernek from Online Media Daily, though, offers her thoughts on the top trends for 2013, as seen at SXSW-Interactive.

1. Democratization of hardware.  Not only is the tech for producing quality media content affordably available and nearly omnipresent, but 3D printing is showing the same potential for physical goods.
2. No breakout app - the focus this year was more on what the new hardware made possible, rather than new ideas for using old(er) tech.
3. Social media's impact on technology.  Technology made social media possible, then feasible, and finally practical.  This year, it was social media through crowd-funding that returned the investment.
4. Inspiration from outside - This year's big inspiration was Elon Musk, who talked of space and reusable rockets, not digital payments.
5. Convergence as a good thing - Increasingly, talent and content is being shared across old industry boundaries.  Ideas flowing from journalism to health care to aeronautics are demonstrating that synergies can develop in unexpected ways.
6. It's a global world - SXSW, which started as a showcase for Austin bands, is attracting vendors, entrepreneurs, participants and visitors from around the world.
7. More focus on content - and going viral -  Both publishers and marketers seem more comfortable with digital and social strategies, and realize that you need content to draw audiences in and get them active.
8. Some trends refuse to die - A few keep breaking out, generating buzz and potential, yet somehow haven't crossed that critical mass point.  In recent years, NFC, RFID, QR (codes), and AR (augmented reality) have gotten attention, and found success in niche applications, yet haven't found that mass appeal value.

For me, the biggest transformative potential is 3-D printing, although costs still need to drop before it's likely to hit critical mass.  That is, if the current industry bigs don't try to outlaw it first.

Source -  SXSW Interactive: 8 Top Trends of 2013,  Online Media Daily

Ultimate Niche- AMEX channel

Fir the Christmas season, American Express is experimenting with its own interactive TV channel.  The channel is running on DirecTV, Dish Network, Cablevision, AT&T U-verse, other multichannel distributors that support interactivity, and some connected TVs - reaching more than 50 million TV households in the US.
  AMEX plans on providing exclusive content as a draw, and then offer viewers the ability to navigate and explore member benefits and offers.  Among the exclusive content, coverage of the U.S. Open, the Tribeca Film Festival, and live concerts.  AMEX has committed to keeping the channel going for a year.

  American Express is among a growing number of giant marketers exploring interactive television, which can permit greater control over content and message placement, highly valued niche audiences, and with interactivity, improved realtime metrics.  Partner BrightLine, which is providing the infrastructure, described the effort as “the largest interactive TV campaign ever.”

Source  -   American Express Interactive Channel Is Set to Reach 50 Million Homes, NY Times

Magazine use of online Codes, Tags, widespread

The use of QR and related codes in print magazine advertisements has more than doubled it the last year - to the point where 10% of all print ads carry at least one code - at least in the top consumer mags.

  The latest quarterly survey by digital and mobile services firm Nellymoser found more than 2200 QR codes, digital watermarks, and/or Microsoft Tags in the advertisements in the 100 largest-circulation generally-available consumer magazines.  Breaking a milestone of sorts, Nellymoser researchers found at least one code or tag in each magazine examined, and 90% of the titles had more than 10 codes.  QR codes remained the most widely used technique, with embedded image recognition and augmented reality tags growing rapidly.  Around 40% of codes led to video experiences, while almost one-fifth linked to sweepstakes entries or opting-in to content requiring subscription or registration.  Another 18% linked to social media, and 14% led to online purchasing opportunities.
  It wasn't all good news, though -

And while the mobile codes are intended to link the user to mobile experiences, the scourge of the mobile misfire remains with us. According to Nellymoser’s analysis of the post-click experiences, a quarter of the landings were not optimized for smartphones. The problem of broken links and codes that simply do not scan properly persists.

Sources -  Magazine Mobile Codes Up 107%, Now On 10% Of Ads,  MobileMarketing Daily
Nellymoser press release (with graphics)

Barbie goes Online, Gets Augmented (Reality)

Barbie's got a brand new marketing campaign as part of its 50th birthday celebrations. 

  On the glitz side, Barbie installed the "ultimate Dream Closet" as part of Fashion Week in New York.  This ultimate Barbie accessory was 24 feet tall, with jewel-encrusted doors leading into the two-story, 9,000 square foot closet.  The closet also featured its own 'magic mirror' which used augmented reality to let users see how they'd look in many of Barbie's most glamourous outfits.
   Another part of that is the launch of a new, more globally focused web destination, BarbieWow.com.  The site will include a more basic version of the augmented reality mirror, using Zugara's Webcam Social Shopper platform.  It's also partnering with popular social media sites such as Polyvore, Pinterest, and Rent the Runway, "so that girls can create and shop for real-life looks on the site."
  Aside from the interesting application of augmented reality, and seeing how Barbie's following the trend towards increasing interactivity, social media and engaging with your audience, I foresee some interesting questions emerging in terms of privacy and encouraging preteens to shop online.

Source - Barbie's Augmented Reality Dream Closet Let's You Try on Her Most Famous Outfits,  psfk.com

Glamour tests interactive mobile

Post contributed by Krystyna Barnard -

In a recent Folio post, TJ Raphael wrote about how “interactive mobile tactics drove social engagement for content and advertisers.” The magazine did this by implementing Social SnapTag technology into both print and digital editions of their magazine, which enabled readers to access packaging or promotional deals they see in the magazine. It also enabled the magazine to target various consumers and increase consumer communication via social networking sites through a sense of mass marketing. Raphael writes that the Social SnapTag is similar to the QR code, however, users don’t need a QR scanner or smartphone to interact with the program. As a result of Social SnapTag, approximately 67 percent of consumers who used the program also “liked” the magazine, Raphael also wrote. It just goes to show how prevalent social media has become in today’s technologically advanced society, not only for consumers, but for producers as well. 

Source - Glamour Gets 50,000 ‘Likes’ From Social Media Campaign,  Folio.com

Interactive Ads better for Digital Mags

Research from Affinity's VISTA Digital service (which tracks digital magazine use on iPads and other mobile devices) show that readers prefer interactive ads to static ads.  Looking at use of interactive ads with video, those who tapped through to the ad content gained from the effort - 88% said they enjoyed the experience, 87% said it enhanced the magazine experience, 88% said they learned more about the product, and 89% saw the brand as innovative.  The numbers were even higher for photo galleries (scores in the 91-93% range.  This supports other research from GfK MRI that reported that 55% of consumers reading magazines on tablets "noted" ads, compared to 41% of digital magazine readers using the less interactive e-readers.

Exploiting the potential for interactivity in systems and technology, in a meaningful way, looks to be a benefit that other media can also explore.

Source - Interactive Ads Pay Off for Digital Mags,  MediaDailyNews