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11.02.06
What's Cooking In MSN's adCenter Labs?
 By Chris Richardson
Microsoft has updated a couple of features in their adCenter Labs to give users a more robust experience… or perhaps to make them simply say “wow”. But they didn’t stop there.
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Not only have they rolled out updates for adCenter, the folks at Live or MSN or Microsoft (whatever they are called now) have also introduced a couple of outside-the-lab features designed to improve the communication cycle between the adCenter and its members.
Within adCenter, Microsoft has updated their Search Funnel feature (analyze and visualize user search sequences in the form of funnels) and they’ve also introduced the Keyword Forecast, which allows you to, “Learn about the impression count forecast and demographic predictions of your search terms. The search forecast results can be shown as Flash, pictures, or text.“
From the looks of things, these updates were intended to give users additional tools to perform their SEM research with. However, another point of view from Barry Schwartz is probably closer to the target: “This is outside of the adCenter product, directly. It is there to make people go ‘wow’.“
The adCenter Lab was not the only Microsoft adCenter service to be bitten by the update bug. As I mentioned earlier, in an effort to improve communications between adCenter reps and users, Microsoft has launched an adCenter forum, complete with sections for both adCenter and adCenter Labs users. The final communications update was to move the adCenter blog from its old location to a Live Spaces format.
If you’d like to see either of the two adCenter features at work, check out Barry’s post at SERoundtable. Cool charts, indeed.
About the Author:
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest search news.
Want to add your thoughts?
As always, visitors of WebProBlog are invited to share their comments, suggestions, ideas, and contributions. Visit WebProBlog and contribute your opinion today! |
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Using Soundbombs For Marketing
 By Rohit Bhargava
In this month's issued of Wired Magazine, there was a profile of Soundbombs, an innovative new concept designed to merge audio with physical experiences to bring a new dimension to just about anything from billboards to art.
As unique as the concept is, the distribution strategy is even more so ... with Felix Beck, creator of Soundbombs, noting that "one can apply for the purchase of a Soundbomb - only those who deserve a Soundbomb, get a Soundbomb!" This has created significant viral buzz about Soundbombs and generated more than 2,500 requests according to the Wired article.
I love this concept not only for the idea behind it, but also for the distribution strategy that is keeping some amount of control and prestige behind the use of Soundbombs and keeping the artistic integrity of the concept intact.
Contrary to what some might think, I don't believe this means that there cannot be any marketing implications or uses for Soundbombs that fit into the philosophy behind the invention.
Rather, this purity of the idea - when associated with the right brands - could create an immensely powerful marketing tool that adds to a customer experience, connects with potential customers, and shows an added dimension to a product, service or experience that could otherwise have been lost. Here are just a few marketing situations I think could be ideal uses for a Soundbomb:
1. Street Donations for Charities - Imagine if you could amplify the message of volunteers soliciting money for charities by adding a Soundbomb close by offering more information about the cause before passersby are solicited. It would certainly be an interesting social experiment to see if someone on the street is more likely to support Saving Tibet after hearing an emotive plea from the Dalai Lama ...
2. Auditory Tourism - As tourists are walking by historical points of interest, adding Soundbombs could enhance the experience by allowing them to listen to sounds from the past that could be associated with a place. Consider it a vastly more mobile version of the audio phone tour so popular in today's museums.
3. Virtual Instructions - For interactive kiosks, display stands, and coin-operated machines - sometimes the method of use is not immediately apparent. In these situations, have a voice to proactively answer a common question or simply provide a welcome and offer guidance on the first step could be a welcome addition. At the very least, you could use a Soundbomb to answer the common question of how to make an ATM (which already has braille instructions) easier to find for the visually impaired ...
Have any other great marketing applications for Soundbombs that fit with the philosophy of the project?
Add a comment to this post and send an email to Felix to see if he agrees.
To learn more about Soundbombs, visit the website or watch a video of how soundbombs work.
About the Author:
Rohit Bhargava is the Vice President for Interactive Marketing with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.
http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com
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