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The Blagger’s Blog 20th April 2012

Friday, April 20th, 2012

A weekly roundup of talking points, sans effort

Worth the paper it’s printed on?

Last week’s light news success stories included…

…On Direction being sued for $1million, whilst touring Australia, and Rihanna’s desire to hook up with band member Harry Styles, which collectively appeared in 88 articles, seven more than the 81 that reported on Instagram being bought for $1billion by Facebook…

…Rihanna promoting her new, rather dubious looking film, Battleship, and managing to get the title into 73 stories, whilst US republican candidate Rick Santorum pulled out of the race to be come his party’s presidential nominee and appeared in just 62…

…and finally, Adele coming out on top of the youngest rich list with a reported stash of £20million (who said the record industry was dead?), the crux of 57 headlines, whereas the National Union of Teachers threatened to strike if their summer break is cut and only 42 reported on the stand-off.

(Source: Journalisted)

Weekly high

Our beloved all-natural snack Panda has been up to its innovative tricks again. The famous bear has previously been involved in all manner of activities (not least an indoor skydive), but this new video, Panda Balboa, takes things to another level. Adrian!

Weekly low

At school you learn the importance of deadlines, but Home Secretary Theresa May apparently didn’t listen, as radical cleric Abu Qatada is sticking on British soil for the time being after his deportation stalls, again, due to Government delays.

Battle of the tweets: Manchester vs London vs New Orleans

Top Manchester #tags (seven days to 19/4/2012)

#mufc #mcfc

#primaryschoolmemories #highschoolmemories

#grandnational #secondaryschoolconfessions

#towie #thevoiceUK

#cfc #lfc

Clearly from this list the Tom Jones, Jessie J, will.i.am, and Danny O’Donoghue fronted talent show The Voice UK is being watched by someone in Manchester. Last weekend also saw the Grand National keep us entertained, so plenty talking about that controversial race too.

Top London #tags (seven days to 19/4/2012)

#primaryschoolmemories #cfc

#secondaryschoolmemories #thevoiceUK

#lfc #towie

#f1 #secondaryschoolmemories

#twothingsthatdontmix #grandnational

Quite what has caused Britain’s two most densely populated cities to engage in such an exchange of memories from school is a mystery to us, but Londoners are also sharing nostalgia. Other than that the UK’s biggest horse event also crops up, as does The Only Way Is Essex, again.

Top New Orleans #tags (seven days to 19/4/2012)

#nola #thoughtsduringschool

#yougetmajorpointsif #nationalbestfriendday

#incollege #saints

#itstimeforyoutorealize #ididnttextyouback

#ifindthatattractive

Amazingly even in N’Awleans Tweeters are harping on about their #thoughtsduringschool. Elsewhere #nationalbestfriendday sounds like a great idea, whilst we could think of numerous ways to finish the sentence #yougetmajorpointsif…

That was The Blagger’s Blog, a selection of statements, statistics and noteworthy newsies from across the media and social world, amalgamated, allowing the time-starved professional to start a conversation from thin air.

If there is a success story, blunder, or tweeting town you’d like to see included email hello@smokinggunpr.co.ukor tweet using #blaggersblog. Happy Friday!

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The Blagger’s Blog 13th April 2012

Friday, April 13th, 2012

A weekly roundup of talking points, sans effort

Worth the paper it’s printed on?

Last week’s light news success stories included…

…Samantha Brick, and the article she wrote about her own beauty, with 54 articles reporting on that self-declaration of greatness, in contrast Sky News admitted to hacking into emails, twice, and only made it into 35…

…Cheryl Cole admitting her interrest in Prince Harry, and showing off her assets in various hot pants, a move that bagged 54 stories, whereas Nick Clegg disagrees with Ken Clarke over the use of secret courts in the UK and just 32 appeared…

…and finally, Katy Perry publicising exactly how upset she was after parting with ex-hubby Russell Brand and admitting celebrity life may be getting a bit boring, an announcement reported by 37 newspapers, but Hilary Clinton’s promise to reduce economic sanctions currently in place against Burma only featured in 33.

(Source: Journalisted)

Weekly high

Ah creatives, so unpredictable, so full of ‘outside the box ideas’. Bosses at Nike obviously agree with this, as the handed a lump sum over to director Casey Neistat (of HBO’s The Neistat Brothers). He then took his friend travelling for ten days, blowing the lot, and the loved it.

Weekly low

OK, so the other week London buses carried pro-homosexual slogans as part of a campaign promoting tolerance. It’s slightly (or rather far) less acceptable for members of the Christian right to launch an opposing initiative attempting to promote therapy to turn gay people straight. No!

Battle of the tweets: Manchester vs London vs Leicester

Top Manchester #tags (seven days to 12/4/2012)

#mufc #mcfc

#thingsthatfrustrateme #mancgirlprobz

#bgt #lfc

#takemeout #worstchatuplines

#favouritefootballgoals #fourwordsyoudontwanttohear

The race for the Premier League title is still on, despite the fact we all thought #mcfc had messed up leaving #mufc to steal the trophy. Elsewhere people are listing four words they really don’t welcome, and finally we can all find out about those important #mancgirlprobz.

Top London #tags (seven days to 12/4/2012)

#thingsthatfrustrateme #lfc

#bgt #fourwordsyoudontwanttohear

#confessionhour #mufc

#icantstandwhen #sheaintwifeymaterial

#takemeout

Amazingly in London this week the only Tweets concerning football have been about teams several hundred miles north of the capital. Aside from that plenty of home truths have been spilt during #confessionhour and everyone seems to still love #takemeout.

Top Leicester #tags (seven days to 12/4/2012)

#thingsthatfrustrateme #lcfc

#worstchatuplines #icantstandwhen

#fourwordsyoudontwanttohear #yourenotfromleicester

#femaleattentionseekingstatusupd #bgt

#takemeout #icantdatesomeonethat

Who knows what they’re putting in Leicester water, but whatever it is people seem to be rather sardonic. Our favourite this week has to be #femaleattentionseekingstatusupd (read as status update), purely because we’re pretty sick of them too.

That was The Blagger’s Blog, a selection of statements, statistics and noteworthy newsies from across the media and social world, amalgamated, allowing the time-starved professional to start a conversation from thin air.

If there is a success story, blunder, or tweeting town you’d like to see included email hello@smokinggunpr.co.ukor tweet using #blaggersblog. Happy Friday!

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$1billion for a faded old picture- shrewd or stupid?

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

As many people who keep an eye on the digital media landscape will already know, this week has seen the sale of a company that designed an image-editing smartfone application fetch a staggering amount of money for its ex-owners. Like us here at one of central Manchester’s best public relations agencies, the final figure paid out may have raised a few eyebrows, but what’s the real value behind this deal?

We are, of course, referring to Instagram, which Facebook has just bought for the not so small sum of $1billion. The programme allows users to take pictures with their phones, and then share them with friends after applying a filter to the photograph to make it look like a Polaroid. So why is making a no-doubt average quality shot (no offence, smartphone users, but you’re hardly Jeremy Bailey) look like an older, but still average shot so valuable to a firm that already has the world and their brother posting status updates on its network.

It’s a query compounded by the fact that we are increasingly being told video, not still imagery, is the future of the internet. But then this notion misses a key point in that Joe Public is a very different beast from Tech Geek and New Media Wizard. In short, those that can be bothered will experiment with video, but anyone who felt a little frustrated after two minutes tinkering on iMovie will almost certainly continue to point and click with a still camera in order to retain a visual record, rather than spending half a day preparing a five minute clip.

Clearly there’s a long way to go before we’re all editing footage to create shorts to share with friends, so for the time being a photograph is still the choice medium for the average social networker with a visual penchant. As such by buying up Instagram Facebook is not only ensuring they control a rival (albeit far smaller) social network, but it’s also claiming a large stake in the burgeoning user generated image marketplace, with the new acquisition already boasting 30million members and counting.

On top of this, as Instagram is used through mobile phones, Zuckerberg and Co have secured another tool with which to target the mobile media customer. It’s a hugely important step, as a large number of Facebook profiles are still only updated from a desktop computer. As such it’s clear there’s more to this than one company simply fancying a pop at photography-focused computer software. Furthermore, these points suggest that whilst there are never guarantees, the real value to the buyer here has potential to reach far beyond what was originally paid.

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Facebook most searched brand of 2011

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

New data from internet traffic analyst Experian Hitwise, released at the end of last month, reveals the most searched for brand on the face of the world wide web during 2011 was Facebook, the most popular social network. No surprises there then, as it was the same story 12 months earlier.

YouTube, which is in fact the world’s second most popular search engine, ranked at number two in the list, with the number one option for internet queries- Google- managing seventh in the league, which is rather impressive considering most of our web browsers now link directly to said site, so we don’t have to request it via a search. The planet’s top news website, Mail Online, is the only journalistic outlet aside from the BBC to appear (at #9), with retailers ebay (#3), Amazon (#4), Argos (#5), and Next (#10) all showing up too.

Perhaps the most staggering of all the numbers to come out of the report is that Facebook now represents 2% of all UK internet searches, which if nothing else begs the question ‘why do more people not use bookmarks or auto-complete?’ A copy of the full table is below, whilst the original press release that caught our eye can be found over here at hitwise.com

Top Search Brands of 2011 - Experian Hitwise

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How to… get the most out of the fresh-look Facebook

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

With over 700million users the world’s most popular social network was familiar to many people. This month huge changes to the interface are taking place, but by reading this you’ll understand exactly how your business’ brand page can benefit.

OK, so we know someone once said something about how if it wasn’t broke then a fix wasn’t required. But still, things never stay the same, least of all in the rapid fire world of web based media.  Regardless of whether they’re welcome or not then Facebook’s changes are happening, meaning you need to get to know the fresh faced site. Take a look at these five key factors of the all new interface to ensure the switchover is smooth.

Where’s my landing page?

Landing pages, or fan gates, have been removed, meaning you can’t ask people to Like your page in order to see its content. Controversial, yes, but at least you can get creative with a clean looking Cover Image to dominate the top of your Timeline.

Telling your story

The emphasis is now on storytelling via your Timeline, which acts as a diary for your posts. Highlight stories by starring them and post larger photo and video content for stunning image-based pages, with pictures stretching right across the screen. Meanwhile, pinning trophy pieces to the top of a page focuses attention.

An event worth shouting about

A fantastic opportunity to tell the brand story in an easy to digest way, simply click on the line in the middle of your Timeline, select Milestone, and then fill out specific information. Whether it’s the date you founded the firm or a major launch event you can let the picture, and a few well chosen words, do the talking.

Improved apps and content management


Pre-define applications to sit at the top of your Timeline, and even add a call to action to the description for competition purposes. On top of this you can approve user posts before they appear on your Timeline, whilst those from Fans now appear in the bottom right, just below posts about your brand made by their friends, further socialising the experience whilst keeping your company messages in focus.

More feedback, please


Interactions between Fans and brands will be more direct, as individuals can now send Private Messages to a company. Once the lines of communication have opened it’s a two way street too, so your business can respond to a particular person without the public watching, which could be a game changer.

Of course it won’t be too long until a whole host of additional alterations are made to the Facebook modus- after all, the world’s most popular social network didn’t get so big by standing still. So what would you like to see changed about the way it currently works? Why not let us know via the comments form below.

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Social media for the design savvy: Pinterest

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

There’s no shortage of press flying around about the world’s newest online network. With 4,000% growth in four months this isn’t surprising, but should we really bother spending time getting to grips with it?

We’ve all seen social networks come and go, so when people start spouting superlatives about another startup it’s easy to cast such comments aside as hype. But then clearly from the opening statistic, Pinterest, the social network in question, is attracting a huge number of eyes to its pages.

More so, it’s pointing them on to even more, with a better rate of referral traffic than YouTube, Google+, and LinkedIn combined. Needless to say then, it can pay to be on the end of those links, but first and foremost it’s important to establish that this isn’t Facebook, or Twitter, or…

As some have put it, Pinterest is a lifestyle brand building site. Not that the developers want business or self promotion to become part of day to day activity on the network, apparently. Which is surprising, as this is a place for people to post things that interest them- be that a photo, video, article or blog- and have it presented in cleanly designed glory, a great way to advertise services or stock.

The real question is whether Pinterest is right for your brand. So far the biggest take up has been amongst women aged 25-34, which is indicative of the way things have a kind of ‘fashion spread’ feel to them, with a clear visual focus. As such without content that suits great video and pictures it’s really a redundant resource, but clothes brands, design firms, freelance creatives, food manufacturers, retailers, entertainment firms, and more should certainly take note.

An estimated 3.3million unique users access the site every month with wheat in mind, not chaff. So only quality posts- or ‘Pins’- are any use, as you’re looking for someone to ‘re-pin’ the content they like from your page to theirs. This means you don’t want mindless clutter, and it’s vital you think in terms of longevity.

Someone may have stumbled upon your Pinterest account accidentally, which means there’s no guarantee they’re going to comeback. Those purely using the platform for advertising experience a far lower number of returning fans and get less followers than those pushing content from other sources. Again, the comparisons with a lifestyle magazine are prominent; it’s about recommending the best to people, and making sure they refer to you as a high standard source; standard social media behaviour, really.

Of course there’s nothing to stop you running competitions, and opening things up to ‘guest pinners’, allowing people to pin whatever interests them to your noticeboard. Take a look at the so-called ‘World’s First Pinterest Campaign’, which saw Kotex use the network to find 50 Israeli women, and what inspires them, before creating individual gift boxes based on what each had on their Pinterest noticeboard. Take a look at the video below:

That’s about as business focused as the network can get at the moment though, so really it’s all about redirecting traffic to your site (the items pinned act as links to the source material). This also means doing the same in reverse, so promoting your Pinterest account via Facebook, Twitter, and all other online outlets is a must. After all, this is a social network for sharing, not simply communicating.

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Simply unmissable 3

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Another four weeks, another load of internet treasure well worth shouting about. From ethical videos boasting nearly 100,000,000 hits to US politicians rapping, the best selection of coffee break content is right here for you to enjoy, so without further ado we present the finest of our finds.

Statistic of the month

72% of marketers handle social media for themselves, the rest outsource.

Cult clips

This video, designed to raise awareness of child soldiers, has attracted over 85,400,000 YouTube hits. Whether this is partly because of the director subsequently being found naked in the street, mid-potential nervous breakdown, is unclear.

The iPad 3 has arrived, with the usual launch day queues stretching the world over. Refreshingly Steve Wozniak, Apple’s co-founder, also chose to get in line, much to the delight of many an internet viewer. Now there’s a man of the people.

US Presidential candidate Mit Romney of the Republican party decided to explain exactly who he was with this spoof of Eminem’s breakthrough single, making scores stand up, take note, and concede that America’s politically conservative populous actually has a little rhythm.

Infographic of the month

Not so long ago we posted this handy visual aid, which looks to show how Facebook and Twitter, amongst other sites, are as addictive as alcohol and cigarettes. Hats off to Biz Media for putting it together then, as it still has us talking.

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Like Madmen, love this

Monday, March 26th, 2012

Fans of a particular US TV series that celebrates the glory era of Madison Avenue advertising have plenty to sink their teeth into this week. And we’re not just talking about the next set of episodes that start airing in the UK tomorrow evening.

Tuesday March 27th sees the arrival of Season Five in the saga that is Madmen, via Sky Atlantic. Of course viewers in the U.S. have already seen the drama begin to unfold (last night), meaning those that want a sneak preview of what happens need only click here for The Guardian’s review of the opening hour.

Aside from this fans can also enjoy an Advergame created to celebrate the fifth coming. You play the part of Don Draper, and must perform a series of tasks, and the order in which they are achieved leads to different endings, with plenty of humour along the way. Digital media at its most fun, and just the thing for a Monday afternoon. Now, where was that bourbon?

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Google in deep over content, part two

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

Back in January we commented on the fact the world’s biggest and bestest search engine, along with its wide-eyed little rival Bing, had been accused of promoting illegal entertainment content (primarily movies and music) by recommending illegitimate websites on results pages. Now it seems similar grumblings can again be heard on the fibre-optic grapevine.

As The Guardian reported yesterday morning Google appears to have landed itself in hot water again, this time with British MPs voicing concerns over the ease of finding ‘controversial content’, and a lackadaisical attitude towards removing such results. The example given is the Max Mosley sex scandal, wherein a video purportedly showing the Formula 1 team boss in a Nazi-themed orgy was circulated on the internet, with critics suggesting the search engine could have acted faster, and with more conviction.

A committee will meet next week on the situation, with other incidents such as Ryan Giggs and the super-injunctions no doubt also set to form part of the debate. As for Google, representatives have said they do not have processes in place to track and automatically remove duplicates of text or pictures, meaning this has to be done by hand- a lengthy process. So, is this a woeful misjudgement on the part of the information gatekeepers, or should we not expect that, once in the public domain, incendiary content will always spread like wildfire?

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BBC’s Barcelona means you’ll never want for anything

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

Most decent TV shows, and plenty of not so great failures, make it onto DVD these days, and in the next couple of years even more will be available on Blu-ray. But if the future is solid state data storage- from films to music- then obviously we’ll be needing these transferring to digital files, rather than physical items.

As ever the BBC, along with numerous other broadcasters no doubt, has already been thinking about this, and believe the solution is ‘Project Barcelona’. Quite why it’s been given such a title is unclear, as this is about entertainment, not covert operations abroad. Regardless, it’s a sign of the times that promises much, including the opportunity for renewed criticism directed at Auntie.

Quite simply the idea is this: allow programmes shown on BBC to be downloaded for keeps immediately after they’re aired on TV. Obviously this answers the age old quandary of how to get our hands on ‘that show’; there simply aren’t enough hours in the year to commit everything screened to home release proper, so some gems are still woefully unavailable. This, of course, sounds like a fantastic idea. There is at least one potential problem though.

Bosses at the Beeb have already made a statement in response to the suggestion that there may be some naysayers that have an issue with people paying £1.89 for a programme they have already funded through a license fee. Pre-emptive yes, but it’s a good comeback, using the example of DVD and VHS, wherein the public happily pays extra to take home and watch at their own leisure. All of which is fair enough.

Yet this attitude disregards an integral point. Physical items cost far more money to produce, granted not the £15 price tag a shiny disc often tries to convince us is reasonable, but still more than a digital equivalent. And, regardless of the fact computer files also require investment to get right (someone has to create and master them), most of the public don’t want to acknowledge this. That’s why free music is everywhere, and we can now store an overwhelming amount of TV shows, recorded at the touch of a button, on an average digital box. Regardless of technological progress then, the same issues with ownership may still prevail… we shall see.

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