“Topsy Labs Inc., a site that searches data on the microblogging service [Twitter], analyzed tweets during a period around Netflix’s decision last September to split its DVD and streaming businesses. By examining posts such as “just canceled my Netflix subscription,” Topsy was able to pick up signals of a coming drop. Now, it’s taking those results to help build a new service to aid investors in predicting other stock moves.”
I am fascinated by self-publishing success stories. A great/long article about a couple of people who broke out through their own efforts and savvy. It’s also another reminder that all major publishing houses should be setting up services catering to self-publishers to share in the success.
As regular TV shows become less profitable to advertisers because of online content and Tivo/DVR, professional sports seem to be where the viewers will be. Nobody wants to watch a game a day later. So… I guess this means more beer commercials!
Don’t know much about Kate Spade (aside from the name), but a good piece nonetheless. They have definitely done character profiles on their customers and it shows in their outreach. Here are some excerpts from an interview with Mashable:
You’ve also sampled some new ecommerce models, including flash sales through sites like Gilt.com and Sneakpeeq. What drew you to those platforms in particular?
We want to find new ways to reach the consumer. Experimentation is important in general, but it’s particularly important in this space. Sites like Gilt are seen as arbiters of taste, and their customers are really, really engaged. We want to connect with them there. It’s all part of the multichannel approach.
What does your current investment in social media look like?
Social media is an integral part of how we look at our marketing and communications and consumer outreach, it’s part of our thinking every single day. In terms of investment, it’s in human resources. We have young people who live and breathe social media and are immersed in it every minute of every day. We allow them to lead and trust them in this space.
How have you developed the voice for Kate Spade on social channels?
We are really fortunate that we had already developed an authentic voice and persona for our brand. The Kate Spade girl aspires to lead an interesting life — to engage in the arts and literature and travel and adventure. We talk about those things on social media because that’s who she is, and she wants to hear about what her peers are doing. It feels very very natural for us.
What advice would you give other brands — fashion or otherwise — in this space going forward?
I guess it’s not so different from what I would say in general. It’s critical for brands to always be leaders, to always take risks and experiment. There’s this notion that a lot of brands have of not wanting to be first on a particular street or in a particular media space. That has to change, because the brands that are not being leaders in social media are being left behind very quickly. I also think that [social media] is a unique space, and you have got to make sure the people who are most connected, the ones who access it every day, are empowered to be leaders in this environment. Often they are the youngest members of a team.
“Seventy-eight percent are offering promotions, according to Shop.org, an industry group. Almost half will offer discounts, while 38 percent will run limited-time flash sales and a third will have free shipping.”
Looks like every industry is fully embracing the need to provide digital content for free but want to avoid that whole, ya know, pirating thing that’s taken over the music biz. Of course in the physical world, libraries exist providing free books to people, but as explained in the article, these copies wear out over time while digital copies never die.
“Due to new concerns about the security of our digital editions, we find it necessary to delay the availability of our new titles in the digital format while we resolve these concerns with our business partners,” Penguin spokeswoman Erica Glass said in a statement.”
