Technology for Marketers

For those who think Microsoft and Google aren't our competitors, here's Microsoft's Steve Ballmer.

Quote:

"Over time, all ad money will go through a digital ad platform," Ballmer told a gathering of European ad agencies and clients. "All media goes digital, all advertising goes digital."

Link

More:

Microsoft became a player in the ad business with its August purchase of aQuantive, a U.S. company whose technology places ever-changing Web site ads in front of Internet viewers based on specific conditions.

Now, Ballmer is trying to convince media specialists that Microsoft is serious about catching up with Google in the $550 billion global ad market.

Even includes a video of WalMart's bacteria-like spread through the US market.

Interesting is the growth of internet retailing, and how that dwarfs WalMart's formerly impressive scale. Maybe you can find thousands of things at WalMart, but you can literally buy ANYTHING on the internet:

[T]he Internet is transforming the retail definition of scale. The once-stunning compilation of 142,000 items found in a Wal-Mart supercenter doesn't seem so vast alongside the millions of products available on the Internet. At the same time, the cost of creating and sustaining a national brand is rising because of media fragmentation. Niche brands, created by Internet word of mouth, are winning shelf space and sapping profits required to fund big brands' advertising. Manufacturers such as Apple Inc. and Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., lacking the retail distribution or presentation they crave, are opening their own stores. One result is that retail giants hold less sway over their customers -- and over their suppliers.

WalMart's beginning to remind me of an old battleship, struggling in a new world of jet fighters.

What does this mean to retailers? For one, thing, the smart ones are focusing on experience, service, atmosphere - Target does this well. These are things the Internet is bad at - and so is WalMart.

Link

Mashable notes the debut of Kinset, an immersive shopping application (Windows only at this point).

Notes Kinset's Adam Ostrow:

It’s cool technology no doubt, but is there really value for customers?

Perhaps the answer is to make Kinset social – allow you to interact with other shoppers as you navigate the store and discuss the items you are viewing. This seems to be missing at the moment, but would make the shopping experience more realistic and potentially much more worthwhile.

Now, combine this with the ability to move your avatars between virtual worlds (Link) and you'll be able to shop with friends from anywhere. Conversely, I can imagoine a portal being opened from an RPG or Second Life-type environment - why not just step into a bookstore in-world?

Link


Review coming soon, once I'm back in Parallels...