Here are the top digital marketing data and case studies that caught our eye. Global internet users surpass 3bn… but mainly from rich countries Over 3 billion people are now connected to the internet, marking an increase of 6.6% over last year, according to new research. Facebook trends in 2014: Free audiences collapse, “mobile-first” pays […]
Here are the top digital marketing data and case studies that caught our eye.
Global internet users surpass 3bn… but mainly from rich countries
Over 3 billion people are now connected to the internet, marking an increase of 6.6% over last year, according to new research.
Facebook trends in 2014: Free audiences collapse, “mobile-first” pays off
Key trends to check your 2015 plans against:
• RIP free ad exposures: This was the year when the rules were re-written in social and free audience reach collapsed on Facebook. We predicted it back in 2012, but the casualties have been brutal, as the brands that built millions of fans have been left with almost no exposure. From now on they need to pay to be seen, and what brand wants to let go of the audience it’s worked so hard to build up in Facebook? As for what’s next, watch Twitter and others follow.
• Mobile-first: Zuckerberg led the “mobile-first” charge, and turned an IPO flop into a Google-challenging ad behemoth. The standalone Messenger app now has 500 million active users, catching its own $22bn WhatsApp business.
• Better ad formats: Now rivalling YouTube for videos, Facebook’s range of ad options are now vast – including the Atlas ad network, ‘Hyper Local’ and Instagram ads rolling out globally.
• Regulations move to the forefront: From the clamp down on ‘fake’ users, to cookied consumers and privacy protests, the regulation and personal data world heated up, and there’s much more coming in 2015
UK to become first country to spend half of ad budget on digital- report
The UK set to be first country spending over half of ad budget on digital as Brits ditch traditional media for gadgets, social networks and online shopping, according to new research.
The study, from Group M forecasted digital ad spend in 2015, finding that advertisers will be spending £1 in every £2 online next year.
In addition, the report forecasts:
• Total UK ad spend will reach £15.7 bn
• £1 in every £2 spend by advertisers will be online
• Online display advertising to reach £2.7bn
• Search spend to reach £4.2bn
Mobile ‘pub crawl’ test: 4G still falling short in Central London
Mobile internet access is still unavailable in many parts of central London, contradicting the recent findings of an Ofcom report, according to new research across many of the capital’s pubs.
Figure 2: Best pubs for a quiet(ish) drink?
Top Christmas ads on YouTube 2014: John Lewis leads but Tesco spreads its bets
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday over, new stats from YouTube reveals who are the retailers that managed to captivate audiences with their Christmas ads.
Retailers ‘spent 88% more on search advertising’ this Black Friday
With Black Friday becoming a huge shopping day in the U.K., retailer marketers increased their spend on search advertising by 88% year-on-year on Black Friday in 2014 according to new research.
Mobile mishaps: iPhone users ‘most accident prone’ mobile owners
From sitting on them, to dropping them down the toilet, microwaving to washing them, more than one fifth of Britons have damaged their phone so badly it needed to be replaced, according to new research.
US online retail trends: Thanksgiving search ad boom
This November, US retail paid search advertising saw year-on-year increases across nearly all key metrics including impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and conversions according to new research.
CASE STUDIES
Viral video marketing case studies: the 25 best virals of 2014
From an avalanche of ice buckets to World Cup fever, 2014 was another big year for video viral marketing case studies. As mobile sharing went mainstream, it was charities that achieved some of the year’s biggest success stories with the ‘No Make Up Selfie’ and the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ hinting at the future power of social media as a communication tool. To round off the year, we’ve assembled our 25 favourite virals from around the world for your viewing pleasure…
Honda Twitter account ‘hacked’ by Skeletor in social media stunt
In December 2014, Honda faked a hack of its own Twitter account, handing the @Honda handle to Skeletor of ‘He-Man’ fame, even taking potshots at other brands, including Toyota and Burger King, with a number of humorous tweets.The stunt marks a growing trend for guerrilla marketing practices. In 2014, a simple commercial featuring retro action figures is unlikely to stand out from the crowd- hence why social media stunts are a better way to reach a younger demographic.The fact that the campaign also coincided with ‘Cyber Monday’ also helped boost visibility on a popular online shopping day.
Twittersphere: It is I, Skeletor! Now that I have control of Honda’s account, no one is safe! Muaha! #Skeletakeover pic.twitter.com/7DCH2aw9lh
— Honda (@Honda) December 1, 2014
Video marketing case study: Asos lets viewers change colours of YouTube video
Asos’ latest marketing campaign for its autumn/winter collection generated nearly half a million views in a week. When viewing the video, users can click on a colour strip at the bottom of the video, causing the film to switch seamlessly to that colour theme. The film was created by Virtue Worldwide, Vice Media’s in-house creative agency. The ad has been shot five times using five different colour schemes, and lets viewers to click to change the colours and clothes in the video as it plays. The shoppable video has been viewed more than 700,000 times in just over a month.
