That’s where Quixey comes in. A shiny new start-up company, based in California and providing a functional search engine for apps,  Quixey aims to address the common failings in adopting accurate app search keywords. Tomer Kagan, co-founder of Quixey, explains that many apps on Facebook, for example, “don’t even have a description attached –  just a name, (and) from a search perspective if all you have to work with is three words, it’s extremely difficult.”

With the app market growing rapidly, the problem could significantly worsen. To put it in context, across all platforms Twitter boasts more than 1 million apps; Facebook some 500,000. In Apple’s App Store, there are 400,000 apps. In the Android Marketplace, 300,000. This is coupled with web based apps and those developed with API’s from well-known sites like Dropbox, aswell as newer social networks like Google+ and a full array of mobile devices and operating systems.

Considering this dilema, Quixey came to the table recognising the increasing need to develop a new type of search, molded specifically on the unique characteristics of searching for hard to track down apps. Their solution is a “functional search”, which scans major app stores along with blogs, review sites, forums, and social media sites to build a comprehensive picture of what an app can do – through reviews, word of mouth, and demos.

This search engine allows users to type in queries such as “find the nearest Indian restaurant,” with results appearing as a list of apps which can be filtered by platforms. The search engine will also support Windows, Chrome and Mac apps and not just the usual Apple, Android and Blackberry options generally available.

The company will use investment of over $4 million to continue securing top-level partnerships with app stores and various other big third party app resources. In a recent interview with the Quixey team, they hinted that there are more than 25 potential partnerships in the pipeline with app stores, manufacturers and carrier networks. The more partners they have, the more effective the search engine becomes for users.

Along with their web based search engine, Quixey’s business strategy includes offering specialized search services to mobile providers, app stores and handset makers – at no cost to the company’s customers and uses their existing tools. One prominent idea is for a mobile provider or handset maker to fill a users phone with a selection of apps based on their personal interests. For example, one set of apps for journalists and a different set for doctors.

And for the future, the company has identified an opportunity to provide ad-supported search results along with organic results – similar to what you now get from Google. With a better understanding of how the world views an application, they can also allow developers to make changes on their end to better reflect that understanding. By tweaking these items, developers should be able to improve their rankings and ratings as they may think their app belongs in one category, while the public and apps users think it belongs in another. * Developer accounts are still in private beta for now, but Quixey is reporting a positive response from testers.

With reported competition among themselves and Chomp, Kagan says Quixey is thinking bigger than their mobile focused rivals: “We’re building with a different long term goal. We want to be a completely independent platform.”

After a play around with Quixey we found the results spot on! We’re looking forward to following it’s continual development and find it a useful tool for monitoring Digital PR, in terms of tracking the success and development of a variety of app releases.

Have a look at the below video from Quixey which explains exactly what they do:

On the 20th July 2010 James suffered a near fatal accident in Arizona Texas whilst participating in a crazy challenge of cycling, rowing and swimming from Los Angeles to New York. Whilst cycling, he was hit on the back of the head by a trucks wing mirror at 70mph, leaving him with lasting brain damage.
One year on, James is fronting a new campaign for the UK department of transport simply titled ‘Use your head. Use a helmet.’

In the ad created by AAMVBBDO London James explains that he credits his life to the fact that he was wearing a helmet, saying “I was lucky…if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet I would have died.”, before encouraging everyone to pass on the message.

Extraordinarily, James is back on his bike and on his way to a making a full recovery.
One of the best digital campaigns I’ve seen for some time, and will hopefully make everyone think twice before going for a ride without wearing a helmet.
Do you already wear a helmet? If not, will this make you reconsider?

credits

The mobile marketing and multi platform competition, DS4 Seekers is essentially a massive game of hide and seek where players hide a virtual DS4s in the streets around them.

After registering on their Facebook page, players are given a virtual DS4 to hide across Google Mobile Maps and Streetview. Players are then rewarded points if they successfully hide it from competitors or if they find a rival’s virtual Citreon DS4s. The points gives the player one entry in the draw to win a brand new DS4, the more points won gives them more entries and more chances to win.

As tablet and smartphone sales set to eclipse laptop and computer sales this year, knowledge of how best to implement new technology combined with innovative digital campaigns like this is essential to companies wishing to stand out.

The ad from LA Based agency TBWA\Chiat\Day…shows the bartender offering Santa a pair of Coca-Colas for himself and Mrs Claus. Santa declines the offer in favour of a (shock horror) Pepsi!
But Santa is enjoying his summer holiday, just wanting to relax and have some fun. “I’m on vacation! I’m going to have a little fun!” he tells the bartender before taking a big swig of the Pepsi. This goes down very well with the elves, who possibly didn’t do too well out of the Coca Cola ads!

Massimo d’Amore, CEO-PepsiCo Beverages America, explained that on the back of the summer campaign, activity around the American version of the “X Factor” will pick up. Advertising for the show will focus on Pepsi, which could be a major boom if the show’s success mirrors that of “American Idol” and its Coke sponsorship.

The campaign also includes radio and social-media elements. A “Naughty Elf” from the ad will take over the brand’s Twitter, and a Foursquare partnership will see consumers checking into summer locations, such as beaches and waterparks.

“We want for Pepsi to own the summer,” continued Mr. d’Amore. “It’s a time when people want to have fun, go on vacation. …the whole company is committed to really owning the summer.”

A really entertaining digital campaign…wonder if it will evoke a response from Coke!?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Here are a few interesting bits and pieces that have been showcased so far!

Imogen Heap’s Musical Gloves:

Singer/songwriter, Imogen Heap demonstrated what appeared to be a pair of magical, musical gloves during her performance at TED Global. The high tech gloves connect an interface to a live musical production system controlled entirely with the glove wearers hand gestures. Developed by Dr. Thomas Mitchell, a lecturer and researcher at the University of the West of England the gloves can record, synthesize and manipulate sounds live on stage by the artists hand movements.
Dr. Mitchell explained a little more about how the technology works:

” The globes take improvisation to a new level and frees the artist from interactions with electronic equipment on stage. For example by making a grasping motion the artist can ‘catch’ the sound of her voice or any other instrument, they can then filter these sounds by clasping their hands together and then ‘release’ the sound again by opening their hands. You can build layers of music, point and play invisible synthesisers and drums. The creative possibilities are huge and it’s really engaging to watch.”

How does it feel to fly like a bird?




Former fighter pilot Yves Rossy aka Jetman can tell you. Wearing carbon fiber wings, and powered by kerosene-fueled engines, Rossy has crossed the English Channel and flown over the Grand Canyon. The first man to ‘fly’ with jet-powered wings, he has managed to stay in the sky for as long as 13 minutes. For a pilot accustomed to manoeuvring commercial jets, the ability to fly without a plane is liberating:
“Suddenly you are almost naked and you’re flying, once you have tasted it, you need it. I’m addicted now.”

Rossy is not however complete mad man: he has a lever that can discard the wings in case of trouble, and three parachutes with a system that will activate one in case he loses consciousness in the air. The suit, including the four engines, weighs 55 kilos and allows him to reach speeds of 190 mph.

Watch a video of Yves Rossy’s flight across the Grand Canyon in May this year :

Phew…that was only day one at TED Global 2011! Looking forward to some more examples of digital and technological creativity as the week continues!

image credits

Here’s a small selection of the ad pictures which were published in print media across the USA :

More of the images can be found here.

The artwork which was done by Guido Daniele of Milan, Italy can take up to a full day to create. The video below gives a behind the scenes glimpse of the making of the award-winning campaign.

The eye catching and innovative campaign from AT&T is just one from a company who regularly use digital communications as part of their overall strategy.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The ‘Mobilise’ tool was introduced for the first time in the UK by Google’s Ian Carrington at a press conference ahead of the search engine giants Think Mobile event held in London this afternoon (Wednesday 29th June).
The service is being launched first in the UK, as opposed to the US, as the driving force for the tool came from Google’s research which showed that 24% of smartphone users in the UK are actively using their phones in-store to compare prices and specifications of products, and 28% of British smartphone users have used their phone to make a purchase.

“Mobile sites are still a barrier in mobile-commerce. We’re hoping to help businesses take advantage of this mobile opportunity with the new tool” explained Ian Carrington, Google’s mobile advertising sales director for northern and central Europe.

The tool itself provides a fantastic opportunity for SME’s to create another layer of exposure for their business. However with this easy access comes the risk of an influx of poorly constructed sites. The challenge for SME’s will be ensuring that all aspects of a communications strategy are taken into account to ensure a successfully integrated interaction with the public.

Thanks to @stuartdredge for the news!

Remember this advert from all the way back in 2005? (That long ago?!)

The ad was for the arrival of the Sony BRAVIA LCD range, with a short film featuring coloured bouncing balls (in real time) bouncing down the streets of San Francisco. The message conveyed? That the colour from the Sony screens was to be like nothing ever seen before!

Fast forward to the super advanced technological heights of 2011, and Sony have re-created a version of the ad to announce that four key matches from the Wimbledon finals will be transmitted live in HD 3-D to 3D-capable cinemas around the world.

The digital campaign created by Disqo accompanies the T.V ad with rich banners on sport and news sites showing tennis action sequences with the tennis ball appearing to come out of the screen, and a 3D zoom-in of the crowd on ‘Murray Mound’.

Have a great weekend! We’re off to watch the tennis…in 3D…with some strawberries!

The hugely successful smart phone game Angry Birds in which players demolish castles and bomb pigs (who have stolen said birds eggs) is now available to play in real life. Yeah that’s right, real life!

T-Mobile and Saatchi and Saatchi put together a live-action version of the game complete with life-sized angry birds and exploding pigs. Set up in Barcelona, passersby were able to hold their smartphone up to a screen and their moves would then be matched by the oversized real-life versions of the characters.

The stunt is just the latest in a long list of memorable adverts from the “life is for sharing” campaign, suggesting that gaming should be a social activity enjoyed with groups of friends and no longer the solace activity it was once considered.

A great example of Digital PR , the ‘Life is for Sharing’ adverts continue to attract millions. And for the weekend, well, keep your eagle-eyes open for the unexpected thrills that may be in store!

Highlighted by Lauren from Simply Zesty, five of the best mobile marketing campaigns, like any good digital PR, capture the imagination. Whether it’s the Cornetto ad turning a square in Istanbul into a live videogame or Lynx’s perfectly targeted print ad that oddly leaves the reader wanting more.  Great execution makes all the difference when it comes to using all the tools available and bringing them all together for a campaign that is effective, rewarding and memorable.