SIGMA::BLOG

PAST WEEK’S FUEL FOR THOUGHT

1. When web search began, marketers used paid search and SEO to make content findable on their own web pages.  Today, it’s not just what’s on a page or who links to it; it’s how it relates to the user’s personal networks.  Social Media Means for Search provides a great view into how the traditional search is converging with social media.
2. A refreshing article from the NY Times on how some marketers are staying true to both their brand and their customers through new product innovations
3. A recent Hitwise press release states that Google leveraged 72% share of searches in Feb-09.  The report also noted that longer search queries are becoming more popular (20% increase for 8-plus keywords) and search engines continue to be the primary way Internet users navigate to key industry categories. (more…)

Recently, I was tasked with creating a soundscape for a flash-based project we were producing for a client. I wanted to create something that would allow a user to navigate an image with their mouse and blend different audio files together—changing the pan and volume of sounds as they moved their mouse. Here’s the result:

http://www.sigmagroup.com/ftp/jschorn/preview/soundscape/The result seemed quite flexible and easy to implement. So I thought perhaps other Flash developers might find it useful. Here’s how it works.

I came up to two AS3 classes: SoundCell and Soundscape.  A SoundCell is a circular representation of a sound in space.  As you move closer to the center of the sound from any direction, it becomes louder.  Move to the left of the sound, and it pans to your right.  Move to the right, and it pans to your left.  Move past the radius of the sound and it shuts off.  The SoundCell also has a graphical representation that you can turn on or off so you can position cells. The Soundscape is an object that holds various SoundCells. It includes methods for adding cells, playing cells, and destroying them. Cells can overlap each other—creating some really nice blended sound effects. (more…)

PAST WEEK’S FUEL FOR THOUGHT

1. During these turbulent times, we all need some good brand-building advice. Time for a Brand Stimulus Package: Invest Now in Building Brand by MarketingProfs is an excellent article that points out the new 7Ps of Branding to survive the downturn.
2. Is mobile advertising moving from experimental to essential? At a recent digiday:Mobile conference in NY, Nielsen stated that the popularity of smartphones is driving consumption of mobile content of all types. Key findings: 145 million mobile media consumers, with 127 million using SMS, 70 million downloading mobile content, 48 million using the mobile Internet and 12 million using mobile video. (more…)

PAST WEEK’S FIND

1. Last week, Google launched interest-based display advertising on their partner sites and YouTube.  Some are in favor, while others are concerned.  You have the option to either add interest categories to get more relevant ads, or opt out of this service.
2. We frequently get the question – “How much should I spend on advertising?” While there is no definitive answer,  Business Week offers some good sound advice. (more…)

In our daily digital travels, we come across some really cool, innovative and interesting places that fuel our marketing minds and spirits. Starting this week, we will summarize our highlighted findings to keep you in the loop.  Let’s jump right into our first weekly round-up!

PAST WEEK’S BUZZ

1. Social networking is no longer a youth phenomenon.  comScore finds more than 50% of Facebook users were over 35 years old.
2. Searching for new customers in the recessions?  eMarketer finds that they might be hiding in plain search. (more…)

I stumbled on an article today that admittedly I wished I found a few weeks ago to make it align with Valentine’s day (perfect packaging strategy!).  I loved it because it really helped me reflect on one of our own core values here at Sigma – - The most important element to our success are RELATIONSHIPS.  Relationships with each other, with our clients, with our vendors, with our client’s customers.  Period.

Although the official Valentine’s day has long-since passed, having and being in love is relevant all year round – and especially during these trying times I’m reminded how important it is to value what you have, and to treasure those relationships that define you.  So, I’m posting a selection of Rhonda Abrams‘ All You Need is Love to Run Your Business here to inspire and remind us what matters. (more…)

The NY Marathon.  Yes!  What an amazing event – - people of all types, from all over the world (young, old, beginner, elite) running for a reason.  Some reason.  In memory of a loved one, to get a personal best time, to raise money for a cause, to win the gold, or…to just to say they did it.  That was me.  I thought, “Sure! I can run 26.2 miles! I’ll be able to check it off my list. So I signed up, and about 5 months ago, I started to run. Boy did I run. Before work. During work. After work. And especially, on the weekends.  I really should have done more, but I ran out of time. On race day I was nervous. I realized I had over committed. I was under trained.  And I was intimidated. By the “real runners” and, of course, the streets of NYC. (more…)