Brice Le Blevennec, CVO

Each member of the trio is trying to reach this objective using a different philosophy. Google has become the high priest of an open and anarchic Internet, with no barriers at any of its multiple entry points: browser, smartphone, soon Google TV. For its part, Apple is aiming at creating a more controlled experience, which will include hardware (Mac, iPod, iPhones, iPad, Apple TV) and software and also the distribution and payment platform. With regard to Facebook, the global social network is striving to make itself into a veritable “web operating system” which provides the user with the necessary tools to interact with his/her entourage.

Three different visions of Internet and three different development environments.

Google is an ardent promoter of the so-called “free” development standards of HTML 5 and Flash, which they have even integrated with Chrome, their browser. Google makes numerous development technologies available, such as GWT, Native Client, GAE. But Google can literally make any web site impossible to find which, to gain a better position, infringes Google’s regulations. To develop Android, Google provides an open-source framework and free tools but maintains control of certain key parts of Android.

Although Apple is the origin of HTML5 and supports the Flash plugin on its computers, in the case of mobile applications, Apple imposes the use of particular languages and frameworks and does not hesitate to reject those that it considers to be obsolete, as is shown by the elimination of Flash from the iPhone and iPad.

Furthermore, the mobile world provides a good illustration of this major difference between two rivals: while Android, the Google operating system for the mobile world, is open to all applications without any entry filter, Apple carefully validates each application available on AppStore to make sure of its quality, safety and compliance with certain ethical standards (with all the ambiguities implied in this last criterion).

With regard to Facebook, while in a semi-free context developers may create applications on it using a proprietary framework, the social network reserves the right at all times to suppress applications which infringe its rules of good behaviour, themselves constantly changing.

For the brands this battle between the three giants has meant two major developments. Firstly, the Web is no longer the one and only destination of Internauts. It is therefore necessary to offer one’s brand and message in three distinct worlds, each with its own specific characteristics. Secondly, the cost of interactive marketing may very well be reduced by this competition: the environments developed by Apple and Facebook are fertile ground for the word-of-mouth approach and the viral effect. Once an application proposes an innovative or relevant service, rumour and viral mechanisms take care of the rest with regard to propagation. Search advertising and display advertising campaigns become superfluous.

Consequences for agencies: agencies will have to (learn to) master these three platforms, in terms of development and design but also of strategic planning. In the future it will mean guaranteeing an optimal user experience, integrated with the brand or service whatever the point of contact: today the computer and mobile phone, tomorrow touch screens and interactive televisions. A fine challenge which, once again, is destined to transform the business of all those dealing with the interactive media.

Brice Le Blévennec

Emakina is a full-service Digital Native Agency that wants to build brand experiences that get the attention of consumers and incite them to interact with brands via a multitude of touchpoints (sites, applications, e-mail, social networks, television, radio,…).
The brands of today are the synthesis of all these experiences.

To meet this objective, a multidisciplinary and experienced team was put together. They are called Emakina/Agency. Strategic planners, planners, analysts, creative people and brand keepers will develop innovative brand experiences and make sure these experiences are coherently executed throughout all different communication channels.

Emakina/Agency will work in different fields: concepts, strategic brand advice, brand positioning, strategic planning, develop brand stories, create long-term dialogues with consumers etcetera.

Each brand will be managed by a brand keeper who will guide the client throughout all new media, will support him in his tactical choices and allow him to focus on his strategic objectives.

More information in our French and Dutch press release.

An original concept to remind us that only the quality of the campaigns will succeed in seducing the jury.

This online community, created and updated daily by Emakina, allows users to consult practical articles, share personal experiences and discover new recipes to save time or to be more efficient in their professional lives. Every day a member is put in the spotlight and gets an opportunity to share her experiences with the other visitors. For each type of interaction with the site, visitors receive loyalty points that can then be exchanged for product vouchers or gifts.

At the beginning of this week, Forrester published a study on LBSNs or Location-based social networks. Only 4% of adult US surfers have already used an LBSN service, and only 1% uses it at least once a week.

Although it is connected to Facebook and Twitter, the real interest of Foursquare is limited to the ego boost when one wins points and badges.

But back now to the enormous potential of LBSNs, especially when it comes to click & mortar strategies. We see two reasons for that. First of all, the mobile phone is gaining field in the buying process and context. In its 2009 study, called The Emerging Opportunity in Mobile Commerce, Forrester found that of all Americans having used their mobile to buy a product, 62% have used it to find a shop nearby with the product on stock. 42% used their mobile to look for information on a product in the shop and 39% used it to compare prices within the shop itself.

To those who can’t see what this may lead to in the near future, we would recommend they have a look at this demo by Pattie Maes of the MIT.

Retailers such as Fnac have understood. They offer a barcode scan in their mobile application. And they link it to their loyalty card system.

This week CardStar announced it would link its application with Foursquare. CardStar’s mobile application has already been downloaded over 1,4 million times. It offers the possibility to group physical loyalty cards in just one mobile application.

This functionality is interesting because it increases levels as the customer knowledge increases. The activation of the card is only done when a payment is made but when you link the app to Foursquare, it is active the moment you step into the store.

Just like an e-commerce site that can track the number of connections of a client and his or her interest in products, the interconnectivity between the LBSN and the loyalty card is the key to a better customer knowledge in the physical network.

Taking things still further, it could lead to an integrated physical and digital customer knowledge.

As a result, retailers but also restaurant chains should digitalise their loyalty cards and link them with LBSNs, whilst pushing offers that reward customers who flag their shop.

The LBSNs offer the opportunity to enhance the offer, service and customer knowledge: it would be a pity if retailers didn’t take it…

by Olivier Legris

post by Manuel Diaz

post by Manuel Diaz

Nuance is launching a set of fantastic new applications, including an iPhone and iPad application (already live in US, UK, Germany & France), a speech recognition software for Mac (MacSpeech) and a new version for PC (Dragon NaturallySpeaking). Nuance also provides technology for navsystems like the ones from Ford, BMW, Mercedes and TomTom.

Nuance wanted Design is Dead and Emakina/Motion to bring all these technologies together in one movie. See the results bellow…