57 Articles about Media : June 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Personalising online prices

Businesses are offered software that spots which customers will pay more

Users of price-customisation software have so far been reluctant to peep at potential customers’ social-media pages, for fear that this would provoke a privacy backlash. But the operators at the call centres [24]7 runs for its clients are beginning to scan Twitter for gen on the shoppers they are talking to—and sometimes, says Mr Vijayaraghavan, their tweets give useful hints about whether a discount is needed to clinch the sale.

How marketers can take advantage of consumers’ innumeracy

The psychology of discounting - something doesn't add up

Consumers often struggle to realise, for example, that a 50% increase in quantity is the same as a 33% discount in price. They overwhelmingly assume the former is better value. In an experiment, the researchers sold 73% more hand lotion when it was offered in a bonus pack than when it carried an equivalent discount (even after all other effects, such as a desire to stockpile, were controlled for)

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Davos on the river Neva

Russia’s version of the World Economic Forum highlights its ambivalence about capitalism

'Mr Putin delivered a vigorous speech about making Russia more business-friendly. But under his rule state-backed behemoths have strengthened their grip. And later that day Mr Putin made a point of keeping the bosses of four Western energy companies waiting to see him in a dark, chairless foyer for three hours. Mr Putin needs to recognise that delivering on his promises to create a more business-friendly environment, not least by simplifying regulations, tackling corruption and privatising some state giants, is in his own interests as well as the country’s. The cost of continued ambivalence will be political instability as well as economic stagnation'

Fighting for the next billion shoppers

The eternal battle between Procter & Gamble and Unilever is intensifying in the developing world

'Whereas both firms have innovation centres around the world, P&G’s Cincinnati focus may have made it less effective than Unilever at “distributed innovation”. Consumers in Britain, continental Europe and Turkey have embraced Knorr Stock Pot, a bouillon jelly developed for Chinese consumers, who disliked existing packaged soup. Likewise, Clear, an anti-dandruff shampoo designed for China, where hair is thick, black and infrequently washed, is now being rolled out in America'

Breaking up News Corp - Murdoch does the splits

Investors like the idea of hiving off the group’s newspaper arm

'The fastest-growing parts of the company are its television and cable businesses. News Corp was shrewd in understanding the market for conservative political TV in America: the core audience of Fox News creates a stable cashflow. The company has also made wise investments in sports broadcasting, which viewers still prefer to watch live (making it more attractive to advertisers). BSkyB owns the lion’s share of Britain’s football rights, Fox has American football, and its cable network hosts NASCAR races. The company is expanding its holdings in Australia and Latin America, and is considering a new national sports network in America to rival ESPN'

Wearable Computing - The Eyes Have It

Google advances its plan to bring smart glasses to the masses

'...Google will have to meet several challenges. One is to refine their design so that wearers don’t look like nerds from a laboratory. Another is to assuage inevitable concerns around privacy that the glasses will raise. The firm will also need to reassure people their eyeballs won’t be blitzed with advertising, which is Google’s preferred way to mint money. Mr Brin stresses the aim is to make a profit on the glasses themselves, whose mass-market price will be well below the $1,500 developers are paying for a pair. That should make them worth a close look'