Google Love

So, an American finds love in Paris, via Google. If it were a movie, there would be George Clooney, Charlotte Gainsbourg, lots of clichés, some crying, lots of smiles,  and a happy ending drenched in Google truffle. And that's exactly what this piece is, without George and Charlotte, obviously.

Due to run very soon (later tonight during the Super Bowl), a lovely bit of story-telling from Google. Conjures up romance, emotion, passion and love; all from that ever so well known place we refer to as the 'Google search bar'.

And now do we get a short film, please.

Size Matters

A brand exists entirely in peoples minds. Therefore a brand is whatever they say or think it is. Words can only go so far in emphasizing meaning or substance. However visual aide and simple imagery can help decifer the most complex, or ubiquitous of data.

So here's a few brands to see how well you know your brands...and yes, the most obvious of words have been excluded, but I'm sure it won't be too difficult...

From looking at some of the 'tags', surely certain brands need to look a whole lot closer at their brand image and consumer perception.

Power of Simplicity

It's 'our' information and we'll share if we want to

Social media is undoubtedly changing the shape of how we interact and behave on the internet. And now it seems that those changes are shaping the way we share information and content across the web.

The graph below shows how our behaviors have developed and changed in the way we share content. From traditional Email interaction it is now evident that social media in the way of Facebook and Twitter, is becoming a more prominent force in content and link sharing.

Facebook, which may be of a surprise to us, is used more for sharing information and content than Email. This shows the value of interaction and sharing, and the passing of information from content-sharers, which fulfills our need for 'realtime' information and news.

Twitter is about half as popular as Facebook in third position after Email, with only about one-tenth of users in comparison to Facebook. However, the way in which Twitter interacts with it's users and the ease of content and information sharing, combined with the ease of accessibility, it will most certainly become the number one realtime sharing force in the very near future.

Information we want, when we want it, how we want, where we want it.

'White people stole my car'

From where I'm sitting, a very humorous prank on Google. And no, trying to get a similar result by searching that phrase will not work, I've already tried. Either Google has made a quick amendment, or it never actually 'existed'.

Whether this is true or not, I hope everyone can see the funny side of it and laugh it off, at the expense of Google.

iPhone set to spread it's wings...

With the 2 year exclusivity deal with O2 set to come to an end next month, the iPhone is set to yet again spread it's far stretching wings and expand upon it's already fruitful market. With the rights of the iPhone 3G being opened up to both Orange and T-Mobile, the Apple iPhone is set to further it's stronghold within the UK mobile phone market. Already holding a dominant position within the market, the new opportunity for the iPhone to expand and reach even more is one Apple will most definitely be relishing.

The new opportunities for Apple do not merely lie in the consumer markets, with Orange having a stronghold in the corporate side of communications too. This will undoubtedly be a key factor in the continued drive for growth and success for Apple and it's grip on the mobile communications market. In essence this is the second wave of attack from Apple in the UK market. Opening up the exclusivity of the iPhone now increases their relative target market as well as it's presence on the shop floor. By firstly gaining a larger presence in the high street the product is set to interact with more consumers, and benefit from more retail space. Secondly, it will now become a viable and competitive option for network loyal customers, who did not want to move from their respective network providers over to O2.

In addition to this, the new competitiveness within the market will help create new offerings and better value for money for the consumer, which should therefore help reduce the price and costing of the iPhone. This in-turn will make the iPhone gain a larger target market again, with it's lower price attracting more consumers, and therefore the iPhone tapping into more than just the top end of the market.

However, what must be stated, and considered is the fact that it's only the iPhone 3G that is being opened up to Orange and T-Mobile. O2 still remains the sole provider of the iPhone 3GS, the newer, more refined iPhone. This is a very important factor to both O2 and Apple, as this still keeps O2 at the forefront of the iPhone market, and most importantly, the exclusivity of the 3GS allows O2 to maintain it's own pricing strategy, with relatively low concerns in regards to Orange and T-Mobile.

So, after the dust has settled, and the iPhone becomes more freely available, and consumers see prices dropping, and network providers get a more level playing field, there's only one true beneficiary of this, yes, you got it...Apple.