Tag: pinterest

UberAds: Targeting Smartphone Users Through Social Media

May 20, 2013

As the amount of smartphone users skyrocketed over the past few years, advertisers saw this as an advantage. With internet usage on the go, ads out in the world on billboards, posters and subways are ignored as people have constantly been staring down at their phones and tablets. This is a disadvantage to brands that haven’t transitioned into mobile ads but for those who have, users are bound to come across their ads as they can be anywhere on any application, social media network or the mobile browser itself.

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Mobile ad firm UberAds is launching a new ad product coming this summer of 2013, which targets app users based on their social media data and location. By having ads that are relevant and useful to users, people see them as helpful prompts rather than annoying  ads. This tactic allows better performance and effectiveness.

“So if you follow Tom Cruise on Twitter and are near a theater, you could see an ad for movie tickets,” explained Bill Gross, UberAds CEO.

NBC Universal tested this app recently on Tom Cruise’s new science-fiction movie “Oblivion” by creating 2 million mobile impressions specifically targeting audiences including Cruise’s 3.9 million Twitter followers. The positive feedback increased significantly with a 4% mobile click-through rate compared to the average 1% click-through rate of mobile ads. With the successful trial run, NBC Universal will continue to use this method on Cruise’s new movie “Purge,” which is coming out this summer. They will also use expand to other social media networks including Instagram and Pinterest to pull interest from users.

As other advertisers saw the increasing effectiveness of these targeted mobile ads, they too have decided to join in.

“We see long-weekend types of trips in the summer months,” said Elizabeth Dorrance, director of media and analytics at Expedia. “So people‚ while driving, are more likely to book hotels last minute on their phones.”

uberads

These UberAds will revolutionize the mobile advertising industry using this social signal targeting system. The real-time data will deliver increasing positive feedback rates for advertisers as people will be more inclined to respond to the helpful notifications. With the usage of intent, location and time, the mobile ads made for the right audience will be presented and both advertisers and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.

Helpful Advertising: Y&R for Hurricane Sandy

March 14, 2013

Although Hurricane Sandy was months ago, there are still many families and communities suffering from the aftereffects of the catastrophe. Through social media sites like Pinterest, Y&R started a collaborative Pinterest called “Helpin” as a Hurricane Sandy relief effort.

This is a collaborative project that allows families to pin the things they are in need of for  others to purchase for them in the dire situation. The pins each link to an Amazon registry for the family to make an easy transaction. Each family can have their own Pinterest board stating what necessities they need. What’s great about Pinterest is the community aspect of this social media source. People can pin things onto their board and their followers will see them and so on in a chain effect. This allows the news to spread and find more people to help the cause.

This kind of advertising makes the industry seem more human and emotional. It shows that businesses do care about the people and wish for the best for all audiences. It’s important to instill this thought through the minds of others so that advertisers few more relevant to their clientele.

OREO: Conquering the World Socially

March 8, 2013

OREO won the “Social Media Bowl” by shooting out their instantaneous “Dunk in the Dark” ad through Twitter during the blackout. However, this wasn’t the first time OREO conquered through social media. For the popular cookie’s 100th birthday, the Oreo Daily Twist made numerous ads from June 25 – October 2, 2012 (100 days) incorporating the cookie with current news.

Oreo Daily Twist Campaign Video

The first Oreo Daily Twist Ad fell on “Gay Pride Day”, a day when supporters and members of the LGBT community could participate in the Gay Pride Parade held in New York City. OREO showed their support through the rainbow creme cookie ad shown above. This ad was followed by many creative ads that were spread throughout the web on all social media networks leading to a wildly popular campaign. The campaign was so popular that after October 2, people were begging for more ads when the 100 days were over. This lead to a demand for OREO advertising that they never imagined.

The quirkiness of these ads are what captured audiences and lead them to spread the news to those around them. The success of the Oreo Daily Twist campaign shows what an impact creativity and social media can have on the public.

Branding Your Pinterest Personality

July 19, 2012

In spending more time on Pinterest, I’ve realized that many of the people who flock to the site look for lifestyle-related content. It offers tips for new hairstyles, home decorating ideas, arts and crafts and fashion. The homepage is sprinkled with DIY projects, inspiring quotes, recipes, sunshine, and lollipops (well maybe not the last two, but you get it!). It’s true that the site promotes shopping- where will you get your arts and crafts supplies anyway? But Pinterest is also much more than a potential monetary transaction and should be treated as such when it comes to brands.

Whole Foods Market is now one of the most followed brands on Pinterest for a similar reason. Its page presents a human side of the company. If it could walk and talk, it would be a lot like its Pinterest page. Below, I listed a few boards that I feel helped the brand achieve its success. These boards may hint at a supermarket, but they scream Whole Foods.

1. Share the buzz– Whole Foods sells a ton of honey products including products made with the help of bees. Being a natural foods supermarket, supporting bees is a fitting cause to take up. The board has pins with pictures of bees and bee facts. Not only do they support the cause, this board shows customers how far their interest really goes.

 

2. Texans are pinning it BIG!– Whole Foods originated in Austin, Texas, which is why this board is an appropriate fit for the company. The brand is one of 40 others who contribute to this board. Contribution is a great way to make followers on Pinterest because it brings exposure to the brand. In this case, it’s also a great way to get together with like-minds from your hometown and have fun pinning.

 

3. Mom Rocks– No one cooks better than mom, right? Mom Rocks was a contest held for Mothers Day that sent sons and daughters pinning Whole Foods recipes for the sake of mom. Once at least three recipes were pinned to a board, the user could enter into a Mother’s Day contest. Pinterest contests are a common way to promote brand interaction within the site.

 

4. Strength– Food is supposed to make you strong, right? Whole Foods brings that concept to light with this board about fitness, meditation and yoga. Not only do they want to express that foods should be healthy and ‘whole,’ they also encourage a wholesome lifestyle.

 

5. Delicious Art– This cute board features food art from Obama sushi to Van Gouge vegetable art. Some are ironic, some silly and all reveal a little more about the Whole Food’s personality.

 

Whole Foods Market doesn’t just promote its brand on Pinterest, it also respects the preferences of Pinterest users. The page is full of lifestyle elements that are sure to keep any true pinner clicking away, pushing sales to the side if only for a little while.