Blog
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Happy Birthday Dear CD
This August marked the 25th birthday of the first commercial pressing of the compact disc.
ABBA's "The Visitors" was the first CD produced. Over 200 million CDs have been sold worldwide since then.
Read the timeline of the development of the CD.
Philips and Sony, joint developers of the CD, predicted that it would replace the LP, but they never imagined that it would contribute to the downfall of the entertainment format it was meant to dominate.
Piet Kramer, a member of the optical group at Philips during the development of the CD, said the companies had never imagined that the computing and entertainment industries would utilize the compact disc as a storage unit for content.
Just a mere 25 years later, the future of this world changing, palm-sized electronic is in question. In the age of iPods and digital downloads, not only has the CD contributed to the piracy phenomenon, but it has also played a major role in its own demise.
CD sales have plummeted 22% since 2001. Although record labels are desperately trying to revive the desire for CDs that once existed by releasing CD-DVD combo packages and additional multimedia offerings, their efforts have had no lasting impact as of yet.
posted by Janine Stevens at 11:59 AM
Friday, August 10, 2007
What's In A Name?
Interbrand Corporation, a leading brand consultant, ranked the top 100 brands of 2007 based on their brand value. To be considered for this list, brands had to meet a list of criteria.
Specifically, each brand must:
- Earn one-third of its income outside its home country.
- Be recognizable by audiences other than its customers.
- Have marketing information and financial data accessible to the public.
Not surprisingly, the top five brands featured Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE and Nokia.
Though Coke held on to the top spot, they incurred a three percent decrease in their brand value percent from 2006. Microsoft’s brand value, on the other hand, escalated 3% from 2006 due to the launch of Windows Vista and the rising popularity of the Xbox.
For the full list and to read why certain brands placed where they did, click here
posted by Janine Stevens at 10:29 AM
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
User Generated Content - Dream or Nightmare?
The widely popular social networking site, Facebook, launched a new platform in May that allows third-party developers to create online services for users. The developers create and host the applications on their own servers and then register with Facebook. Users can then add the applications and voila.
Applications are spreading like wildfire in the forest of over 24 million active Facebook users.
The news feed updates regularly so you know who is doing what with which application. "Joe, Caitlin and Dave added the SuperPoke application." "Kevin and Colleen added the iLike application." Users are just one click away from sporting their friends' applications, and from starting new trends by adding the new apps first.
It's hot. It's viral. It's Facebook.
One application, known as "Hot Lists," itemizes a collection of each user's favorite things. It claims that this application will help others get to know you better. For now, though, it's an advertiser's dream!
Company logos are displayed under the heading "Stuff User Likes." Without paying a cent, brands get prime placement on this heavily trafficked social networking site.
The dream may be short lived, though. The "Stuff I Hate" application has hit. Soon enough, advertisers will have to put forth efforts to counteract the negative publicity their brands are receiving from Facebook users who are unhappy with some products and services.
Evidence of the UGC upheaval at its best. Consumers, the power is yours.
posted by Janine Stevens at 4:21 PM
