Month: June 2015

2015 Internet Trends Report – What Stands Out

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

2015 Internet Trends Report – What Stands Out

Advertising

Every year, Mary Meeker from KPCB, a top Silicon Valley firm, releases the Internet Trends Report, which offers a comprehensive look at how the web is changing and evolving.

And at just under 200 slides, it sure is comprehensive. While most of the information makes sense, some of the numbers and trends are simply staggering in terms of pure volume.

Here are some of the trends that stood out in terms of importance as well as sheer entertainment value:

Mobile, mobile, mobile everything

In case you missed it, accessing the Internet from your phone is kind of a big deal these days. In fact, over the past year, mobile grew at three times the speed as Internet usage in general. On top of that, mobile data usage rose by nearly 70 percent in 2015.

So what does this mean? People are consuming media on the go more then ever. The times at which consumers are being presented with information continues to evolve, and as long as they remain glued to their phones, marketers would be wise to find opportunities to meet them there.

It seems like that’s what’s happening, with mobile ad revenue growing by 34 percent while desktop only growing by 11 percent. It’s not surprising on the whole, but the numbers behind really drive the point home.

Facebook Video – An attempt to keep growth going

You’ve probably read 74,393 different articles by now about how Facebook is dying or dead. Which is good for clickbait headlines, but the jury is still out.

On the one hand, Facebook revenue per user growth is slowing down. It grew nearly 60 percent last year and is down to only 30 percent this year. Some people are indeed looking elsewhere for their social networking needs.

On the other head, Facebook video is going through the roof. There are nearly 4 billion video views every day. Unsurprisingly, 75 percent of those views are coming from mobile. Not too shabby.

So while some may think Facebook is on the way down, I tend to believe the platform still has some room to maneuver. While the desktop version is down, there’s still a high ceiling for video, messenger and calling options within the platform that should help the old standard stay relevant.

What a difference a couple of decades make

The tech industry is one of the most disruptive. As such, companies that have been on top in the past might not evolve well enough to stay on top. Early in the presentation, there’s a great example of this.

Here’s an example: can you name the top Internet company in 1995? It was Netscape, who rose to prominence in large part with their product Navigator, which was a precursor to Internet Explorer.

Where are they now? Well, AOL owns them now and uses the brand to market a discount Internet service provider.

In fact, while the dot-com bubble burst knocked out a good chunk of the names on that list, there is one notable company who has able to hang around:

That’d be Apple, who finished second on the list in 1995 and is now #1.

Staying on top of trends is a full-time job, and we treat it that way. It keeps our digital offering relevant and our clients benefit immensely. Contact us and lets talk about what’s trending for your brand.

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Trending from G/L: How can FIFA sponsors weather the storm?

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L: How can FIFA sponsors weather the storm?

Advertising

(UPDATE: Just as we posted this, FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced his resignation. We feel like there’s a good chance some of the head honchos at the top FIFA sponsors might have played a role in it.)

This won’t come as a shock to those who know me well, but I’m a huge sports fan. Especially soccer. When the United States Women’s National Team was in St. Louis in April, my voice was completely gone the following Monday during our G/L status meeting (oops).

My over-the-top fanaticism aside, being a soccer supporter means having to deal with FIFA, the organization that governs the sport, at a worldwide level. Last week, law enforcement agencies in the United States formally accused the organization and members of the top brass of systematic corruption with regards to the lucrative contracts and events that FIFA is in charge of.

While corruption accusations have whirled around FIFA for decades, these latest allegations have gained traction and created public outrage, not just in the United States, but worldwide. And fans are demanding accountability, not just from the organization, but also from the brands that are aligned with it.

This puts multi-national FIFA sponsors like Adidas, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Hyundai and Visa in a precarious spot. Most of the companies tied to FIFA have made statements to the effect of asking the organization to take firm action to address the charges at hand. But that may not be enough, at least in the short term, according to a recent Ad Age article.

A bold move would be for one of the aforementioned brands to consider pulling their sponsorship of FIFA, including marquee events such as the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar. This would certainly send a strong message globally.

On the other hand, in the age of the 24-hour news cycle, it’s quite possible that they’re just waiting for another worldwide scandal to take hold and relegate the current crisis to a level of lesser importance. The timing of the scandal, along with the reelection (and subsequent resignation) of FIFA president Sepp Blatter created a perfect storm of calamity. But without any new developments, will the story hold the same level of prominence weeks and months from now?

Or is there a cynical hope that, with soccer being the “World’s game,” that supporters will flock to stadiums regardless of who’s in charge and the allegations at hand?

Consumers do seem to care more about where their products come from and the brands they align with stand for than ever before. While the “safe” move might be to issue a statement and stand pat, if the controversy continues to grow, the brands involved may have no chance but to adapt a more substantive approach…or take John Oliver up on his offer:

Crisis Communications almost always doesn’t involve issues that are black and white. When determining the best way to act in a suddenly explosive scenario, what processes does your brand have in place? We’re always happy to chat.

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G/L is Hiring! – Associate Creative Director

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

G/L is Hiring! – Associate Creative Director

Advertising

Geile/Leon is growing! We’re looking for creative individuals who want to build brand-driven strategic marketing solutions that mean something to those we’re trying to reach. Folks who want to work hard and have a lot of fun along the way. If that sounds like something you think you could be a part of, read on:

G/L is looking for an Associate Creative Director with strong writing experience to assist our creative director with every aspect of the creative process, as well as management of the department. We’re looking for someone who’s comfortable leading and supervising our awesome creative team.

We’d also consider a seasoned writer who has ACD potential. If you’re not sure whether or not you should apply, our advice is DO IT!

The ideal candidate is a proficient copywriter with a strong track record of developing strong creative campaign concepts. They’re someone who can inspire our team and clients. Someone who’s able to develop ideas and creative work that’s compelling, memorable and strategic.

Responsibilities and Requirements:

  • Providing concepts for projects/campaigns to meet approved marketing communications objectives and strategies.
  • Working closely with account services as a liaison to the creative department, helping the creative department sell their best ideas to account executives and the client.
  • Managing the creative/production department’s day-to-day operations.
  • Attending creative input meetings in the creative director’s absence or at the creative director’s request.
  • Selling creative internally or to clients at the creative director or account executive’s request.
  • Making recommendations to the creative director for creative positions and freelance services.
  • Has working knowledge of all software programs needed to fulfill approved creative concepts.
  • Must have at least four years of agency experience.

Bottom line: If you want an opportunity to lead and grow with some awesome (and modest) creative minds in a mid-sized agency environment, this is one heck of a position.

To apply, send a resume and portfolio to Anne-Marie Vaughan at [email protected]

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