Is this dark and twisted humour?

Is this dark and twisted humour? Ad is for a funeral home apparently. Found via here. Am I missing something?

Internet on phone better than other (original?) internet

There was a time (not too long ago) when the internet on our phones wasn't really the internet. It was the "watered down version" as an Apple ad once alluded to. When bebo first became available on our mobiles, it was a big deal. It wasn't as good as the bebo you'd get sitting in front of a laptop - but it did the trick. And beboers used it.

The iPhone changed all this. And put everything on par. It really was the same internet - just on a smaller screen. Grand.

Recently I've found that I'm actually choosing to use the internet on my phone over the internet on my laptop - even when I'm at home and the laptop is within arm's reach.

Not for everything. But certainly for apps like facebook or LinkedIn.

I rarely visit facebook on my computer. It is easier and quicker to dip into the app, have a quick look at what friends are up to and close out of it again. It is a different kind of internet usage. "Snacking" I believe they call it. But it is not just a passive mobile viewing. Even adding comments is possibly easier than doing so on my laptop.

I mentioned the amazon app the other week. Same story there. I'm buying at least as many books through this app I do through their original website.

Again, nothing new here but (I find it) interesting that mobile has gone from poor cousin to preferred option in just a few years. Given how hooked teenagers are on social networks even when they have to use computers, you can only imagine how this is going to change mobile behaviour when all teenagers have iPhones or similar touchscreen phones.

(Disclaimer: Given my job, it is in my interest for everybody and their mother to start using internet on their phones.)

Only 3 reasons why advertising is not working.

Often when sales are not coming as planned, the first impulse is to advertise more. While this may be the correct action, it may not always be.

As a rule of thumb - there are generally only three reasons (in my mind anyway) why advertising is not driving demand. The action required is different for each.

1. Your consumers don't know about your product / offer / solution. This is an awareness play. The action here is actually to advertise more.
2. They may be aware but don't understand your advertising. This is not about doing more advertising. In fact more of the same will do little for you. You need to tweak or change your advertising, as they don't get it. The benefit (rational or emotional) may be hidden or badly explained.
3. They don't care. In this situation, they are aware and they understand, but couldn't care less. There can be lots of reasons here - wrong audience, wrong insight, wrong product, wrong timing, no clear reason to buy, no differentiation. Your job here is to find out what will make them care. Whatever the problem is, one thing you know is that doing more advertising here won't help you much.
   

If you don't know the problem, you can't really fix it.

Digital Breakfast session this Tuesday @ Burlington hotel.

Just a quick note to say there is a breakfast seminar on, this Tuesday, in the Burlington hotel, Dublin 4.

"Using the internet for profit and political gain" is the name of the session. The organisers tell me they are going for an 'x-factor' type gig - so won't be stuffy or formal.

There will be a panel and some discussion on Search as well as a review of how Obama used digital in his campaign. I won't be there myself but do let me know how it goes if you are there.

The event is free but you must register beforehand. More info on how to register and on the presentations and speakers here.

P.S. They are serving up a free breakfast too. How generous. Kick off is 8am.

Job - media account director

Dublin based digital agency - Cybercom - are looking to fill a new role. To manage a team of four in their media department. More info and a job spec at their site.

Seth Godin's free ebook - what matters now

Just downloaded this (for free) the other day. From here. Lots of contributors. Found via Brendan Hughes. Also listened to The Big Moo over the xmas holidays. Also worth a read/listen.

Digital Festival this Feb. Line-up is good.

I don't make it to many conferences to be honest. I'm lazy and happy to read the book/blog instead. But I'm going to this one. The line-up is good. Very good....Russell Davies, Peter Kim and Shel Israel (co author of Naked Conversations) among others.

The Digital Festival - Wed 24th Feb. In Berkeley Court Hotel, Dublin 4.

More info here.

Creativity in the banner

I think we all agree that an online strategy is more than a suite of banners, some adwords, a facebook page and a preview session with some bloggers. But banners still have a role.

Banners get a hard time. Perhaps rightly so. But they have a value beyond the click-through-rate. I've written before that nobody clicks on outdoor ads - but their value is not disputed. The problem is a lot of the banners are not particularly creative. Then again, most advertising, regardless of medium used, is only average.

But banners can be creative. Click here or on the image to see this Bernardo's ad.