HotHouse makes brands work for people online

The traffic numbers you see for social media sites can be staggering. But what do those numbers really mean? Besides getting into the conversion rates,  it’s crucial to ensure that your data is accurate and that you understand it in the way it was intended to be interpreted. CNET has recently reported on an apparent reporting gaffe involving YouTube and Warner Music Group. The surge in numbers reported by ComScore certainly suggest that the numbers are not as they appear.

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After all the fear mongering that’s been going around about the hazards of social media, this heartening article in smh points out how iPhone applications, Facebook, Twitter and Google have literally been saving lives in Haiti.

Read the article here.

There are always quick links and informal email conversations of new technology that get floated around the office. One that recently gained attention is the new HTML5 technology available on the iPhone and used by nextstop.

“Nextstop for the iPhone is a browser based application.”

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Marketers know that incentives are the key to finding ways of influencing people’s behavior. Thefuntheory.com reminds us that often the best incentive is to make the Boring become Fun. Throwing out rubbish, walking up stairs… they may seem like small things, but by making them a bit more engaging we are reminded of their purpose and the difference our behavior can make. The online environment is the perfect platform to incorporate the theory of serving a greater good while offering something fun and new to the end-user. Check out some of the digital inventions like the Digital Graffiti Wall on thefuntheory website.

We recently had a lively discussion here at Hothouse that was sparked by the mention of Flash website indexing. HTML has traditionally claimed superiority when it comes to Google’s ranking, but now Flash is fighting back and is walking the walk in a number of cases. Here’s (roughly) how the discussion flowed: read more

This is a project that my group has been working on for some time. It’s interactive, it’s multimedia and it’s in open spaces. The idea is to provide a public display that’s not an Ad, but something that might provoke thought or interest in the wider community. Check out the SoapBox Project.

I recently came across an article that reported that most U.S. small businesses have not found social media sites to be beneficial in generating business, despite the growth in usage.

What I found interesting is that those results come in complete contrast to big business’ enthusiastic embracement of it. In contrast to the previous report, this Telegraph article reports that Microsoft is setting up an 82-person Future Social Experiences Labs designed to stimulate social media innovation.

Found this super cool Apple ad on Wired

The header plays (with music of course) and takes over the whole mast head and main nav on the page whilst it plays. Apple has done this with a few other sites as well which is very cool. It’s such a fun ad to watch, it doesn’t feel like it’s getting in your way at all!

Take a peek

Audrey Myrden  is a friend of our colleagues at Marketing Angels and she needs our help.

Audrey is 42, 3 kids (7,5,2) + hubby but no family here and has already battled and beaten breast cancer.

Now she’s been diagnosed with a virulent form of brain cancer (think Chris O’brien, Stan Zemanak & Andrew Ollie).

Because of her breast cancer she’s been uninsurable and is rightly worried about the family she’ll leave behind.

Her friends and local community have organised a number of events starting in July to help raise funds.

We’re doing our bit and have put a team together for a tournament at Manly Golf Course on Thursday July 30.

To find out how you can help, visit the website Audrey’s Wish here. Every little helps.

Here’s a gem that won’t have the old ad industry guys singing along.