More Opinion articles

Getting people to talk in depth about a particular subject or piece of content can be useful, but we should never expect that sixty minutes of talking with a bunch of random individuals will uncover anything significant, and in the majority of cases, focus groups hold the potential to do more harm than good, says The Media Native. So how else should we expect to gain valuable insight?

Smartphone penetration is at an all-time high, offering brands a new gateway into the heart of the consumer. However a large proportion of mobile advertising is underwhelming and mobile strategies really need kicking into shape, or brands risk losing consumers for good. So what should a good mobile strategy entail? Claire Spencer, head of insight at UM London, investigates.

This week Dominic Mills looks at the striking opportunities presented by online video, from the geekboy fandom of Machinima as it ups production values to team up with Ridley Scott to the incredible rise of ‘social talent’, where non-celebs are reaching serious online stardom – and presenting brands with a whole new level of audience engagement.

Simon Andrews, founder of Addictive! sheds light on how brands are evolving in a time where digital competition is fierce – with Amazon planning to launch its own set-top box and Waitrose and Morrisons embracing mobile opportunities to enrich the consumer experience.

In the first part of a new four part special, News International’s Abba Newbery presents the findings of a ground-breaking new study from The Future Laboratory exploring future trends for news. In part one, Newbery looks at ‘Intuitive News’ and the impact of consumer ‘stuffocation’ in a relentless, 24/7 digital age…

From an angry systems analyst paying out of his own pocket to place a full-page ad in the Guardian, to corporate apologies and M&C Saatchi Thatcher tributes – newspapers are still one of the strongest advertising mediums for sheer impact in a digital age. Why? By Raymond Snoddy.

No-one can deny that the reputation of newspapers is under attack says Newsworks’ CEO Rufus Olins. Putting the exploits of Hacked Off to one side for the moment, there is a perception that technology is killing the business. People don’t stop to think that if radio and television didn’t kill it, why should the arrival of more recent platforms? Why shouldn’t media find their place alongside one another?

The content marketing industry is rapidly evolving with the onset of digital says Clare Hill, managing director of the CMA. From near field communications and ‘slowmercials’, to augmented reality and QR codes, technology is driving unique consumer engagements. So which brands have them working best?

Whenever I think of tobacco companies and advertising, I think of cockroaches: however hard the government stamps on their efforts to promote themselves, they keep coming up the drainpipe and inserting themselves into your life, says Dominic Mills.

Over 50% of the population now has a smartphone. Digital ad revenue is over £5.5 billion and more than £500 million of that is on mobile. Facebook has 15 million mobile users every day, and 50% of all internet sessions on mobile are on Facebook or from Facebook links. These are big numbers. So what’s everyone waiting for?, asks Addictive! founder Simon Andrews. It’s time to experiment and start learning.