Google goes indoors

Ignoring the obscurity of the video, this Google product kicking around that I haven't seen much of. It's called Google Business Photos. The purpose is to get streetview users off the streets and into businesses to check out what a place is like past the front door.

Currently there are photographers being sent out to selected cities to kick this off. Anyone can apply to have a free photography session and Google is keen to hear from anyone that is interested. Check it out.

http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/

1 year of the Facebook 'like', now meet the 'send'

Now we're all accustomed to using the Facebook like button, with more than 2.5million websites adopting it, Facebook are extending their functionality with the 'send' button, which allows for a more personalised share of content. Whilst the like allows us to tell our whole network, the share allows us to pinpoint particular friends.




This is what Facebook had to say:

"A year ago, we launched the Like button, which gives you a quick way to share the things you find on the web with all your friends. But there are times when you find something that you only want to share with a few specific people. Say you're on Orbitz and want to tell your roommates about a great idea for a summer vacation, or you come across a Huffington Post article that you only want to share with people at work. With the new Send button, now you can share things with any of your Groups or individual friends on Facebook."

Most users will be familiar with the functionality as it's exactly the same as the share functionality we use on Facebook, so in that regard it shouldn't confuse. Users can send to email, friends or any Facebook groups they may have set up. From a development perspective, it's terribly easy to implement, in the same way as Like is. 

Take a look on Orbitz, they're one of the initial 50 partners adopting this, and then I'm sure we'll see it pop up as often as we have the like in the coming months. 

Cheers
Nic

Finally a creative approach to LinkedIn

There’s plenty of brands accessing Facebook profile information to feed into fun campaigns. Now VW are venturing into LinkedIn.

This new campaign taps into your LinkedIn profile so you can compare how big your head is compared with other people in your Linkedin network. 


The actual outcome is pretty disappointing but it’s inspiring to consider how brands could tap into more professional information in LinkedIn.


Thanks
Emily

Facebook taking over the world - still

Because you know we love a moving infographic, especially one about Facebook. Jokes aside, there's some quite interesting stats in here and for a minute or so of your time it's worth a look. 48% of people under 35 check Facebook as soon as they wake up, come on you know who you are.


Cheers
Nic



The World Is Obsessed With Facebook from Alex Trimpe on Vimeo.

Google launches its version of like, +1

Google has added a new social element to its search with the launch of “+1”. The new button will appear next to search results and adverts. Clicking on it will allow users’ friends to see what they liked and add to public data.

This is Google's latest attempt at 'social', one that might actually work as in time it might be used to improve search ranking (doesn't for now). Video says it all.

Time we enjoyed the ride

303 have created a new campaign, launching this week for Office of Road Safety.

The campaign is a shift in direction for Road Safety messages and is based on a number of new insights:

• Shock, gore & emotional manipulation are increasingly less effective, as audiences are de-sensitised
• The way we drive is a symptom of the way we live. Too fast*
• Life is better when we slow down

The result is Enjoy the Ride. A campaign that acknowledges the frantic world we live in and takes a holistic approach to reducing speed. Culturally the campaign couldn’t have come at a better time. The ‘Slow Movement’ is gaining traction across the developed world.

The campaign suggests that we take a look at not only how fast we drive, but also how fast we live. When we slow them down they both become more rewarding and less stressful. We should treat our vehicles as a sanctuary from speed and enjoy the ride.

“We don’t want this to feel like an ad campaign, we wanted to help create a movement - in WA and even across the world, where people recognise that life is better enjoyed at a more natural pace, where we don’t feel the need to rush, both on and off the road”. Derry Simpson, Planning Director. 303

The message was launched via a 3-minute launch TV commercial, road-blocking commercial free-to-air TV. This will be followed by two 30-second TVCs, a dedicated lifestyle website featuring editorial and consumer content, radio, outdoor, community posters and a coffee-table book targeting opinion-leaders.

Carl Honore, the bestselling author of ‘In Praise of Slowness’ will officially launch the program. He’ll be supported by a team of industry leaders who will promote the benefits of slow in various aspects of life.

*70% of people with hectic lifestyles admit to speeding.

Only 40% of people with relaxed lifestyles admit to speeding.

Synovate Research 2010

Lovers of art become the creators of art...

In 2011 the Perth International Arts Festival wanted to maximise online ticket sales, so the 303 Group conceived a unique digital device to entice patrons to participate in a unique online digital arts experiment.

303 created a series of generative artworks, called ‘totems’ - one for each event on the festival calendar.

 
Theatre totem

When a patron shortlists the events they plan to see, they bring together their respective event artworks to create their own festival image, as unique as a fingerprint - a personalised visual representation of their 2011 festival experience. This becomes their avatar, shareable in the Festival’s online art gallery and via social media, and even able to be purchased as a high-resolution print.

 
An individual totem

A heady array of totems has been created by the citizens of Western Australia, with site visits currently up 34%, and an artistic phenomenon has emerged from one of the most remote capital cities in the world.‘This was a perfect project for 303 - we’re a blend of technical and creative types who love to push the envelope. Like much of this year’s festival, ‘Totems’ was a balance of art and science. Now that we are live, its incredible to watch people play with it, obsess with it, and create unique forms with it.' says Richard Berney from 303 Perth’s Creative Department.

The bespoke animation was created by FutureDeluxe with cutting-edge programming by Zenbullets, both working out of Brighton, the UK’s current creative hotbed. 


Experience the Totem art on the Perth International Arts Festival site.