Tag: Trends

Trending from G/L: How far will personalized marketing and advertising technology go?

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L: How far will personalized marketing and advertising technology go?

Advertising

Every Monday morning, we sit down to discuss industry trends. Topics range from wearable technology to brand-sponsored short films. This week, our Creative Director Dave Geile brought something so technologically innovative to the table that we felt compelled to share.

The new gadget that had us geeking out in the conference room: a centimeter-long origami robot that climbs, swims, and carries loads twice its weight, according to MIT researchers. The fascinating, yet admittedly esoteric, device is expected to provide assistance in the medical industry—capable of reaching otherwise difficult-to-access areas inside the body.

Naturally, watching the bug-like device fold itself and chug through obstacles got me thinking about technology, marketing, and how the separate industries intertwine.

Advertising has a coercively isomorphic relationship with the tech industry; meaning the development and evolution of advertising is at least partially linked to technological innovation. Wait, isn’t this a movie?

“You could use a Guinness right about now!”

Behold, the single line I remember from Minority Report.

In 2054, Washington D.C., wall-attached eye scanners assess moods and chime out tailored advertisements. Tom Cruise must’ve been thirsty.

In 2002 when the film was released, I’m guessing the concept of hyper-personalized marketing was so far-fetched it was promptly dismissed—like time travel or teleportation.

Now looking back, the scene portrays future advertising somewhat accurately. Although most advertisers don’t implement eye scanners or mood detectors, I imagine cookie tracking would’ve seemed equally improbable—but here we are.

The question is not how far can advertisers go? Technological advancement has shown little sign of slowing. The question is how far will advertisers go? As tech capabilities continue to increase, how advanced, personalized, and intrusive will brand messaging become? Will advertising technology ever go too far? Let’s hope these undetectable, body-diving robots stick to exploration… below the neck.

Here at Geile/Leon, we have our own approach. We believe results come naturally by making sure every project, interaction, relationship, and even handshake mean something. Before we even touch a project, we ask ourselves one question: Why? By determining why a project is important, we’re able to recognize what we need to do to make our client successful—now that’s personalized marketing.

Want to learn more about Geile/Leon’s approach to strategic marketing? Let’s chat. Drop us a line and we’ll get back to you within 48 hours.

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Trending from G/L: How Nike’s relationship with LeBron remains timeless

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L: How Nike’s relationship with LeBron remains timeless

Advertising

Sponsorships for professional athletes carry an extreme level of volatility for the simple reason that the outcome of the games they play aren’t predetermined (unless you’re a professional wrestling fan, that is).

It’s remarkable how quickly a golfer like Tiger Woods can watch his stock plummet while Rory McIlroy heads in the opposite direction. It’s incredible to watch a no-name utility infielder like Geoff Blum become a World Series hero in one night. It’s humorous even when it’s for all the wrong reasons and most casual fans probably don’t remember your name.

And then there’s LeBron.

There’s no question that LeBron James is a phenomenal basketball player. His legend was already well known when he was playing in high school, and this was really before the golden age of high school sports clips were available all over the internet. Even before he even played his first professional game for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, Nike had signed him to a deal just short of nine figures.

More than a decade later, that relationship between LeBron and Nike has been accompanied by everything that’s happened on and off the court. On the court, LeBron brought the Cavs to the brink of a title. Then, off the court, there was The Decision.

Shortly after, amid a strong fan backlash, Nike released this iconic spot, attempting to humanize LeBron and explain why he made the choice to leave home:

After winning multiple titles in Miami, LeBron returned home and nearly delivered a championship, falling short in the NBA finals despite a heroic effort.

Over the weekend, the Cavaliers and Nike took out a full-page ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, thanking the fans for their support and reminding them that the journey is not over.

LeBron

The ad is minimalist, but it strikes the right tone and tells the story that just transpired as well as what lies ahead. For a partnership like this, Nike doesn’t have to be front and center because they’ve been intertwined with his story since the beginning. It allows them to focus more on why people should care instead of trying to just sell shiny new shoes.

Certainly not everyone has the resources that Nike does, but as this ad shows, you don’t need to create something overly flashy to resonate with readers and grow a brand. If you’re ever looking for help your brand take the next step, we’re here to help.

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Trending from G/L: How Patagonia let Denali have the spotlight

Meg Strange
Senior Account Executive

Trending from G/L: How Patagonia let Denali have the spotlight

Advertising

By now, most of you have probably seen this video that has gone viral and likely reduced you to a giant puddle of tears. Unless, of course, you have no soul.

That video is a short film called Denali.

Denali

Can we talk about the feels?

In case you haven’t had the pleasure of viewing, Denali is a heartwarming film created as a tribute from one man to his best friend. In June 2004, Oregon-based photographer Ben Moon was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and endured over 10 years of battling the illness until finally freeing himself of it. The unwavering support system that saw him through? His beloved dog, Denali.

Denali, a shelter dog Moon adopted in 1999, served as a constant companion delivering that unconditional love that only man’s best friend can, for nearly 15 years. After beating cancer in 2005, it was Denali who was struck with the illness and endured surgery to remove cancerous tumors, and suffered both respiratory and kidney problems. Denali finally succumbed to his illness in February of last year.

Upon being approached in the interest of producing a film about his own story of battling cancer, Moon ultimately decided that it wasn’t his story but Denali’s story that should be chronicled. Thus, the tribute to his beloved buddy was created…and cue the waterworks.

Keying into emotion is not a new trend in media—brands like Hallmark, P&G, Disney and Apple are experts at tugging our heartstrings. Why is emotion such a standard when creating ads? Because it’s effective! When an ad evokes a true emotional response from a consumer it not only increases the likelihood that they will recall the ad’s message and purchase a product, but it creates brand loyalty. And, in this day and age, when we’re moved by something emotionally, we share it.

Brands have to be careful with emotion, though. They can’t just jump on a serious issue solely for the purpose of banking off its attention—consumers hate this (e.g. using September 11 as a platform for promotion). It comes across as self-serving and insincere.

For a brand to be able to associate itself with a serious issue or event that evokes strong emotions and opinions from consumers, it has to have a right or relevant reason to play in that space. Take Caitlyn Jenner, for instance. Within 24 hours of Vanity Fair releasing its July issue featuring a 22-page cover story on Caitlyn, there were nearly 30,000 mentions of her in the media. However, only one brand stepped forward to comment in support of Jenner—GAP, a brand that has a long history of supporting LGBT issues and advocating for the community, making their inclusion in the Caitlyn conversation relevant and credible. As Jamie Gutfreund, chief marketing officer at digital agency Deep Focus, states in this article from Advertising Age, “This is not a bandwagon moment.”

So, what does all of this this have to do with Denali’s story? Well, Patagonia happens to be one of the primary sponsors of the film. Patagonia, a certified B-corporation, has a vested interest in supporting organizations and movements that have a positive impact on the society and environment. Prior to sponsoring production of Denali, Patagonia teamed up with the film’s director and production company in 2014 to commission DamNation, a film about dam removal and river restoration. When it came to Moon and Denali’s story, Patagonia had an opportunity to support a great, feel-good story relevant to their brand given Moon and Denali’s place in and appeal to the outdoor enthusiast community. Patagonia’s contributions to projects like these shows their authenticity as a brand and, with over 8 million views of Denali in about a week, gives their brand one heck of an amount of good visibility.

However, Patagonia’s involvement in Denali is a back seat position, one they are happy to take and leave the praise, notoriety, support and tears to the true stars of this endearing film: Ben and Denali.

Denali2

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Trending from G/L: Social Impact Cruises

Randy Micheletti
VP, Director of Brand Strategy

Trending from G/L: Social Impact Cruises

Advertising

So you say you want to help others. You say you would if it was easy. You say you would if someone would figure it out for you. Well, now it’s time to lose the excuses and do your part to make the world a better place. And, starting in 2016 you can do this on a vacation – a social impact vacation.

With all the negative things going on in the world, Carnival Corp. will launch Adonia; a 710-passenger ship focused solely on social impact vacations. Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald says, “we will cater to an underserved market of consumers who want to make have a positive impact on peoples lives and aren’t always sure where to begin.” He goes on to say, “We believe travel is a meaningful way to allow for personal growth while making purposeful and engaging contributions in the world.”

Carnival

And you know what, I agree with him whole-heartedly. And believe me, I’m not easy to convince when it comes to vacations. I’m one who loves my resort, relaxing in the sun, sand between my toes and a cold drink in my hand. But even I can give a week of my time to help improve the quality of life for others. And if you think you still can’t help, think about a country where the average household income is $6,000 a year and more than two million Dominicans don’t have access to piped water.

With the cruise time to and from the Dominican, each person will get three days on the ground to help make a difference before returning to Miami. Transit time includes great activities such as orientation to the country, conversational Spanish lessons and creative workshops. Once you’re in the Dominican, you have several choices of volunteer activities ranging from teaching English in schools, helping to cultivate cacao plants and building water filtration systems.

For all you naysayers out there (and you know who you are) that say this can’t make a big difference, think about this: with 700 passengers arriving each week – week after week – in the first year alone, that means 18,000 travelers will spend more than 55,000 days volunteering. That’s more than making a small difference. We really can help make a difference in the region.

So give it some thought. Get off your beach chair, put down your umbrella drink and help do your part. It’ll help others and maybe even put a smile on your face too. Price point starts at just over $1,500 per person. To find out more visit www.fathom.org or call 855-932-8466.

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Trending from G/L: Wearable Tech Cycles On

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending from G/L: Wearable Tech Cycles On

Advertising

It seems like not that long ago wearable technology was still just an emerging trend still waiting to take off. Now, with the industry expected to be worth nearly $20 billion by 2018, and the number of units in circulation expected to be more than $110 million within the same time frame, that trend is now.

Along with smart apps, smart watches, FitBits and so so so much more, another really cool concept is now added to the mix:

Smart Bikes.

Trends 6-8

Well actually, it’s more of a smart bike pedal. Concepted by French start-up Connected Cycle, the pedal collects information that’s transmitted to an app that tracks usage stats and other health info. Pretty cool, right?

But that’s not all. The product also helps protect against theft by tracking the whereabouts of the pedal (and by proxy, the bike) at all times. Plus, the pedal requires a code and other information in order to remove from it the bike, so it’s kind of a thief’s worst nightmare.

Wearable tech is continuing to explode, with both established brands and tech start-ups entering the fold. Apple, Samsung and Garmin are among the frontrunners in the industry as they create products that are innovative and quickly become must-have items. And as consumer data is collected, the marketing opportunities are endless.

It’s fascinating to think about the possibilities for the wearable tech industry. Just the way that basically everything can be turned into a data point is pretty cool, if not a little bit scary. But, as more products like the Connected Cycle pedal show, keeping a focus on security and taking aim at pain points to solve classic problems (e.g. keeping tabs on a bike), the wearable’s market will keep rolling on.

(Sorry, bad cycling pun, I couldn’t help it.)

Interested in learning more about how new products can be branded effectively to make end users feel that connection? We’re always available to chat.

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Higher Education: Is Free Coursework Charity or Promotion?

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Higher Education: Is Free Coursework Charity or Promotion?

Advertising

Now you can achieve MBA status for free—well, sort of—it may just be a higher education marketing masterstroke. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will offer a seemingly revolutionary MBA program they call the iMBA. It works like this—UIUC will offer the entirety of its iMBA coursework on Coursera, a free online education platform where students are able to earn specializations such as accounting, business operations and digital marketing. Pretty cool, right?

Well, as the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. While course “certificates” may be earned for free online, legitimate iMBA’s can only be obtained by gaining admission to the University, then paying somewhere in the ballpark of $20,000. That ain’t free.

So what’s UIUC’s angle here? Maybe we can chalk it up to an act of charity—here’s a university providing a solid curriculum to folks who can’t or simply don’t want to pay for a traditional MBA. Could be, but what if UIUC saw free online coursework as an education marketing opportunity?

Perhaps UIUC realized prospective students’ reservation to delve into the all-too-familiar realm of student-loan debt. Maybe prospective students just needed a small taste of MBA coursework, like a sample at Costco, to fork over the $20,000 for the official iMBA. After sampling the coursework and assuring themselves that an MBA is attainable, they’d feel confident investing tens of thousands of dollars.

Charity or genius promotion, free coursework from any university as esteemed as UIUC should be greatly valued in this day and age. Average undergraduate student-loan debt is up to $30,867 per student—the highest it’s ever been. While college costs surge, the value of a degree has remained substantial. According to the Wall Street Journal, workers with only a high school degree earned a median weekly wage of $668 compared to $1,193 for workers with at least a bachelor’s degree.

If all of the knowledge can be found online, I fear it’s become blatantly obvious that we’re paying large sums of money (that we don’t have) for a posh piece of paper. This is neither profound nor a revelation. College has always been about getting the degree, and hey, if you learn something along the way, that’s great too.

We work with a number of education clients to help define their brand and create strategies that drive results. Think your brand could benefit? Contact us today!

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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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Trending Now from G/L: The Evolving Content Landscape

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending Now from G/L: The Evolving Content Landscape

Creative

TRENDING NOW FROM G/L

Every Monday morning, the G/L office starts our week by meeting together and updating everyone on new business, old business, this week’s needs, last week’s successes – all the good stuff. We always take time at the end of these meetings to discuss what is trending now in our marketing and design world. We decided that what we talk about isn’t only beneficial to us, but to our clients and followers – so throughout the week we share some of our favorite trends with you.

THE EVOLVING CONTENT LANDSCAPE

If you’ve been to a digital or general marketing conference during the past year, you’ve probably heard this phrase a lot: “Content is King,” or alternatively, “social media is gasoline; content is fire”.

Creating engaging content should be one of the biggest objectives for most brands for the foreseeable future. However, sometimes there is a disconnect in defining what engaging content actually looks like. While primarily text-based blogs (like this one!) are incredibly important, being creative about the vehicle that content is served on is evolving rapidly.

A recent article from Contently looks at three newer content formats that they expect to gain traction this year. Here are their insights compiled with our thoughts:

Branded Web Stories

The way that we view video has changed dramatically during the past decade. Heck, it’s changed a lot even in the past year. Consumers have continued to move away from the model that half-hour or hour-long TV shows to be viewed at a certain time are the only way that people can get their entertainment.

Branded Web Stories are a big part of the shift. While brands will continue to put versions of their commercials on sites like YouTube, many are going much further and creating stories that stand alone as entertainment in a way that viewers will actively seek out. The branded examples shown are high quality in every way possible. See the video Contently references below.

Plus, with how much YouTube celebrities are making these days, it doesn’t make sense to skimp on costs.

As the article states, nearly 80% of consumer Internet traffic will be video based within the next three years. The message seems clear: invest in video content now and stay ahead of the curve.

Interactive Infographics

Infographics have become exponentially more popular in recent years. They’ve created a compelling way to pull words and numbers together to create a puzzle that’s visually appealing to the viewer.

While static infographics have grown, some notable interactive infographics have captured the attention of viewers. Look out for our blog this week solely about interactive infographics.

Branded Comics

We preach the importance of telling compelling stories on a daily basis. A visual way to do that might crack through in 2015 through still comics and illustrations by telling and ongoing narrative. With this option in particular though, it’s important to make sure that the content fits your brand’s guidelines. See the cartoon Contently references below.

Content continues to grow as a marketing tool, but finding the right medium to use that content is half the battle. Our team is constantly looking for new ways to create and leverage digital content in a way that strongly resonates with the end user.

Want to talk more about creative content landscapes? Fill out the form below or email us at [email protected] and we will lend our time to discuss your digital, design and content needs.

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Trending Now from G/L: Industry Support, Quirky Brands, New Apps and more

Geile/Leon Marketing Communications

Trending Now from G/L: Industry Support, Quirky Brands, New Apps and more

Advertising

TRENDING NOW FROM G/L

Every Monday morning, the G/L office starts our week by meeting together and updating everyone on new business, old business, this week’s needs, last week’s successes – all the good stuff. We always take time at the end of these meetings to discuss what is trending now in our marketing and design world. We decided that what we talk about isn’t only beneficial to us, but to our clients and followers – so every Monday morning we share our favorite trends with you.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK

Last week, we talked about companies moving ads onto Instagram, a designers project The Urban Type and more. This week, we are talking about grabbing a beer with Anheuser-Busch InBev, Joe Boxer’s support for binge-watching shows, Samsung embracing the unboxing video trends, breaking up with IE8, Facebook taking on the video space and an app that reads your facial expressions to save pages for you.

“GRAB A BEER”

If you weren’t thirsting for a beer before, you may be after seeing this site. Anheuser-Busch InBev recently launched a digital campaign entitled “Let’s Grab a Beer”. The site is aimed at promoting the beer industry as a whole. In fact, if you weren’t looking for who made the site, you may never know it’s from A-B InBev. The site includes infographics, photographs and memes in a Pinterst-esque look and feel. This is a good example to show that your audience wants to hear about the industry, not just about your brand – and ultimately, if the industry benefits then the company does too.

Screen Shot 2015-04-20 at 10.57.37 AM
See the website here.
Read the full article from AdAge here.

INACTIVITY MOTIVATION

Joe Boxer is known for its wacky yet clever ads, specifically around holiday seasons. The brand mentions that in a slow time of year, they came up with something to put them back on the radar – it is known as their Inactivity Tracker. A spoof on exercise trackers, this band rewards users for doing nothing. The brand says it encourages slowing down and spending time in pajamas in this crazy world – but does so while showing the quirky personality of the brand. The product is accompanied by a video, a content hub and a PR push.

Screen Shot 2015-04-20 at 11.07.35 AMRead more about the product, and how to get it, in the article from AdAge here.

SAMSUNG EMBRACING THE TRENDS

“Unboxing” videos have become wildly popular in the tech world. Consumers record themselves taking their phone out of the box for the first time and reviewing the look, feel and features on camera. Samsung acknowledged that this is a steady trend in the tech world and made new ads out of their own professional unboxing videos. The brand uses each unboxing video to introduce the product and (at least) one specific feature to the viewer. These ads show that Samsung is in-tune to what their tech world is consuming and committed enough to tailor their style of reach to what the audience will already be looking for. Though action packed and filled with drama, the message the ads convey is the same message a tech reviewer at home would post.

Watch the videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll0iK6fIsI8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=40&v=NEhhIM6K_2o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efjaZeGFWis

Read the full article from AdWeek here.

IT’S OVER, IE8

I think most of us at G/L broke up with Internet Explorer long ago, but because of a influx of new users and the six year anniversary of IE8, a website to help you realize your worth and relationship needs out of a browser has launched. This is the break-up with your IE8 browser site…and it is harsh. The website walks you through the break up, it tells you why you’re ready to let it go or encourages you that your choice to leave is the right one. Once you make your decision, this website has you tell IE8 in 100 characters why it just isn’t working out and then these reasons get displayed on the website for everyone to relate to.

Check out some of our favorite break-up statements:

Screen Shot 2015-04-20 at 11.25.41 AM

See the website for yourself here.

FACEBOOK IN THE RUNNING

Brands (such as Popsugar, BuzzFeed, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and more) are creating video specifically for use on Facebook, leading to Facebook’s transition as a leader in video streaming. This appears to still be unfolding, as there are many thoughts to pre-roll ads, user experience and insights – but marketers are interested in learning more. Facebook targets by age, gender and location among other benefits, so it would be no surprise that brands start investing more in videos tailored to Facebook instead of (or in addition to) YouTube. Facebook has been approaching this from a small and medium size business perspective as well by encouraging them to learn more about the benefits of video uploaded to Facebook and how that performs compared to photos and text posts. In addition to Facebook’s push to keep more content within their platform, we’ll be keeping an eye out to watch this shift continue to unfold.

Read the full article from AdWeek here.

SMILE SUGGEST: SMILE FOR YOUR FRONT FACING CAMERA

Smile Suggest is an app for your browser that (when turned on) uses your front-facing webcam to detect when a website makes you smile. Once it detects a smile, it saves the page for you that you can revisit later or share with friends. It’s a little bit of creepy and awesome at the same time – who knows, it could be the first step to never needing to navigate manually again, like the Xbox Kinect.

Watch the video.

See the website here.

Want to talk these trends with us? Did you see an interesting trend we haven’t talked about? Let’s chat. Connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Did you miss the last trends we shared? See them here.

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