APA News

Vodafone's Twitter debacle and what brands can learn from it

MonAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

What happens when a major brand's Twitter feed starts delivering messages that are decidedly off brand? Well that's what happened on Friday to UK mobile phone network Vodafone.

Online content strategies - APA Digital Training Workshop - Tues 23rd Feb -

FriAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Following on from the APA's Digital Breakfast presented by Simon Waldman, Director of Digital Strategy and Development, talking about digital strategies, the first APA Digital Training Workshop will be taking a more in-depth look at 'online content strategies'.

The half day workshop is taking place on Tue 23^rd Feb at the IAB. Anyone who attends the Digital Btrategy breakfast will receive a £20 discount on the cost of the workshop.

Find out more about the workshop and book your place >>

Facebook now a major source of traffic to media sites

FriAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Facebook is becoming a very important distributor of news content on the web. According to new data from online research company Hitwise it has now risen to become the fourth most popular sources of news behind Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

Amazon working on Super Kindle rival to the iPad

FriAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

The New York Times has predicted that Amazon is working on a new version of its Kindle ereader that is designed to take on the recently announced Apple iPad. Apparently the so-called Super Kindle will sport a colour touch screen (the current Kindles' screens are mono) and feature a host of built in applications such as social networking facilities.

APA Digital Breakfast Tue 16 Feb - Simon Waldman, Director of Digital Strategy, Guardian Media Group

ThuAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

2010 looks certain to see yet more disruption for publishers, as digital innovation accelerates and consumers continue to adopt new behaviors.

At the next APA Digital Breakfast on Tue 16Feb Simon Waldman, Director of Digital Strategy and Development at the Guardian Media Group, will talk about how a robust digital publishing strategy will maximise your opportunities for success in this time of rampant change.

Find out more and book your place today >>

More publishers employing social media editors

ThuAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Publishers need to employ social media editors to maximise their presence on social networks. That's the conclusion of a trio of high profile media commentators who spoke at a panel called Networked News Gatherers: Defining the Social Media Editor Role in New York this week.

Jen Preston, social media editor for the New York Times, argued that publishers needed social media editors to help encourage other editors to learn how to use community tools to most effectively connect with readers and get their stories out.

Is email marketing becoming less relevant?

ThuAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

A new report suggests that many customers now see marketing emails as much less relevant to them than they were previously. According to the e-Dialog E-mail Attitudes Report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults, there is a 34% increase in the number of people who are finding emails irrelevant to them, compared to the 2009 report, with 39% of respondents now saying that marketing emails are less relevant.

Murdoch at odds with The Guardian over paywalls

WedAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Rupert Murdoch has told The Guardian that he believes that hyped technology such as the iPad and the Kindle would be "unloved and unsold...ingenious and fabulous devices" without the content created by media companies. The media baron is also taking issue with the Editor of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, over charging readers to access content.

Twitter targeting media partnerships

WedAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Micro blogging company Twitter has once again reaffirmed its commitment to work with media companies by hiring an online strategist to work specifically in that area. Robert Sloan, who was a vice-president of strategy at Current TV, the company headed by ex US Vice President Al Gore, will work with Chole Sladden who is director of media partnerships at Twitter.

PMA's last-minute course savings - February workshops' 50% discounts

TueAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

PMA's last-minute course savings
February workshops' 50% discounts subject to availability

Book any of the listed courses by 12pm 3 February, and receive each place at half price.

Find out what courses are on offer >>

Extension of ASA Remit to Cover Marketing on Websites

TueAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

It was announced, at the end of 2009, that funding had been secured for the extension of the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) remit to cover marketing on websites.

FCBarcelona launches footballs first interactive catalogue with Kitbag

TueAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Kitbag, one of the UK's leading online sports retailers, has appointed FMG to create an interactive catalogue on behalf of FCBarcelona. They are the first football club to use this format.

Published on the Ceros platform, the interactive catalogue is provided in three languages - Spanish, English and Catalan. Each version taps into the passion and excitement surrounding one of the world's largest football clubs. Flash animation, video and interactive content brings the Barcelona range of merchandise to life and engages the reader with the brand.

Think expands digital offering announcing two new recruits!

TueAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

As a result of a continued period of growth and expansion Think Publishing has appointed Darren Hart as Head of Digital and Rebecca Burn-Callander as Online Editor.

The effectiveness of different online magazine formats - Forward Pop-up Breakfast Debate

TueAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

The House of St Barnabas in Soho was home to key marketers on Wednesday 27 January who attended Forward's first Pop-Up Breakfast Debate. On the day of the Apple iPad launch, the timely topic for debate was the effectiveness of different online magazine formats, with a focus on the pros and cons of digital page-turning software.

Forward's Business Development Director, Helen Ketchin, welcomed guests from brands including Tesco, Alfred Dunhill, Fat Face and Orange, explaining that the purpose of the debate was to explore the effectiveness of different online magazine formats and find insights that would help improve the reader experience and brand engagement.

Debate summary >>

Survey claims multi-channel customer engagement central to future of marketing

MonAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

A new survey from Database marketing firm Alterian has shown that the number of companies investing in social media marketing campaigns is rising significantly.

Five reasons why mobile is important to customer publishing companies

MonAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Mobile phones offer great opportunities for customer publishing companies; so said John Mew Head of Mobile for the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) in a presentation at the APA Digital breakfast earlier this week.

Mew outlined five reasons why mobile should now be taken very seriously by branded content companies.

White Light Media wins Met Office tender

MonAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

Edinburgh-based White Light Media is delighted to announce that it has won a place on the creative services roster for the Met Office. White Light will be one of just five agencies retained for three years to work on the Met Office's creative services requirements. The pitch process, which began last summer, required the submission of print and online design concepts and a presentation at the Met Office HQ in Exeter.

Briton's are biggest online shoppers in Europe

MonAMPSTE_RFebruaryC822Feb

A report by pan European online price comparison site Kelkoo conducted by Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has shown that the biggest online shoppers in the continent are in the UK. And the company predicted that we will be spending even more online this year too.

More about online shopping trends >>

Brightcove join APA with special member offer

FriAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Brightcove a leading supplier of online video distribution technology has joined the APA as an affiliate member.

To introduce themselve to other APA members Brightcove are pleased to announce a special offer for APA members - register for an account in January and get a free licence until the 28th March.

Caspian founder joins Seven Squared

FriAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Mike Bokaie, founder and former CEO of Caspian Publishing has joined customer engagement agency Seven Squared as its new Director of B2B. One year after leaving Caspian, Bokaie has been given the brief to expand Seven Squared¹s growing portfolio of B2B communications, both online and through magazines.

Scopes Disability Now partners with FuturePlus

FriAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Leading disability charity, Scope has joined with FuturePlus, the award-winning customer publishing agency, to support its in-house editorial and sales team on the production of its monthly Disability Now magazine.

What Apple's iPad means for the customer publishing industry

ThuAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

After months of rumours, leaks and press speculation Apple finally unveiled what it hopes could be a game changing new computer the iPad.

What does Apple's iPad means for the customer publishing industry? Find out >>

Apple iPad the basics

ThuAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Here's your quickie guide to the new Apple iPad

What is it? - Essentially it is a laptop style computer that doesn't have a physical keyboard. Instead all the controls are operated via a touch screen, just like the one on the iPhone. According to Apple CEO Steve Jobs it is designed to fill the gap between a smartphone and a laptop. It has a 9.7inch screen and is available in several different permutations depending on how much storage a user requires.

Think to produce fishing magazines for Environment Agency

ThuAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Think Publishing is pleased to announce it will be the publisher for the Environment Agency's Regional Fisheries Magazines 2010.

River to produce Weight Watchers® Guides

ThuAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Weight Watchers has awarded the advertising sales contract for its annual POINTS values guides, Shop and Eat Out, to River, publisher of Weight Watchers magazine and Irresistible. River has successfully sold advertising into the Guides since 2007, attracting high-calibre food advertisers and other Weight Watchers food licensees to advertise.

Publishers should focus on quality, not quantity of website traffic says Econsultancy CEO Ashley Friedlein

WedAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Publishing companies need to concentrate on the quality and not the quantity of traffic to their website if they want to be successful, Econsultancy's CEO Ashley Friedlein told the audience at the APA's digital breakfast this morning.

In a presentation which focussed on how publishers can maximise their revenues Friedlein also argued that publishers need to nurture their readers and think of them as individuals rather than just site users.

Editorialised branded content still seeing continued investment

TueAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

This week the latest Bellwether survey brought more doom and gloom for the marketing industry with a record 25% of companies having reduced marketing spend at the end of last year. Although most of us expected this to be a hard few months, things do seem to be looking up for the digital sector, with spend on the medium going up by 20%.

But despite dwindling budgets elsewhere, editorialised branded content is still seeing continued investment, perhaps because it is relevant to any sector. In fact, since the medium is set to defy the recession to grow from £904m to £1.1bn by 2012, it would appear more and more brands are realising the power it has in reaching and engaging consumers.

Sappi launches Galerie Fine Silk paper

TueAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

As a response to customer demand Sappi has extended its Galerie range, a collection of premium publication papers, with the introduction of Galerie Fine Silk.

Conde Nast to roll out digital tablet formats of 18 of its titles

MonAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Conde Nast in the US is set to roll out a digital tablet format across all 18 of its titles this year, says a report in Mediaweek The company is also apparently working with its editors and publishers to come up with new ways of driving revenue via the tablet format, so for example in the case of Gourmet it could develop an ecommerce platform and start selling branded cooking utensils and related products.

River Build on the Weight Watchers® Portfolio

FriAMPSTE_RJanuaryC822Jan

Weight Watchers has awarded River the job of producing their monthly DM to their keenest members - Monthly Pass users. In addition to the monthly Weight Watchers magazine and weekly in-Meetings title Your Week, River will now produce the Weight Watchers monthly pass mailings and coupons, which are distributed monthly to 230,000 recipients across the UK.

APA News

Vodafone's Twitter debacle and what brands can learn from it

Online content strategies - APA Digital Training Workshop - Tues 23rd Feb -

Facebook now a major source of traffic to media sites

Amazon working on Super Kindle rival to the iPad

APA Digital Breakfast  Tue 16 Feb - Simon Waldman, Director of Digital Strategy, Guardian Media Group

More publishers employing social media editors

Is email marketing becoming less relevant?

Murdoch at odds with The Guardian over paywalls

Twitter targeting media partnerships

PMA's last-minute course savings - February workshops' 50% discounts

Extension of ASA Remit to Cover Marketing on Websites

FCBarcelona launches footballs first interactive catalogue with Kitbag

Think expands digital offering announcing two new recruits!

The effectiveness of different online magazine formats - Forward Pop-up Breakfast Debate

Survey claims multi-channel customer engagement central to future of marketing

Five reasons why mobile is important to customer publishing companies

White Light Media wins Met Office tender

Briton's are biggest online shoppers in Europe

Brightcove join APA with special member offer

Caspian founder joins Seven Squared

Scopes Disability Now partners with FuturePlus

What Apple's iPad means for the customer publishing industry

Apple iPad the basics

Think to produce fishing magazines for Environment Agency

River to produce Weight Watchers® Guides

Publishers should focus on quality, not quantity of website traffic says Econsultancy CEO Ashley Friedlein

Editorialised branded content still seeing continued investment

Sappi launches Galerie Fine Silk paper

Conde Nast to roll out digital tablet formats of 18 of its titles

River Build on the Weight Watchers® Portfolio

APA Digital Breakfast Tue 16 Feb - Simon Waldman, Director of Digital Strategy, Guardian Media Group

FCBarcelona launches footballs first interactive catalogue with Kitbag

Scopes Disability Now partners with FuturePlus

Conde Nast to roll out digital tablet formats of 18 of its titles