Thursday, August 31, 2006
Flaks get hooked on stats.
Today was the official launch of Browzar, a free web browser which lets you search and surf the web without leaving any visible trace on the computer you are using.
It's not often in PR that you have the opportunity to get real time, independent feedback on exactly what the work you are doing is achieving for you client but working this week on the Browzar launch our team got to see exactly how coverage was driving downloads through the site statistics from www.browzar.com, and boy it is addictive!
The the stats are updated every five minutes giving us enough resolution to literally see particular bits of coverage hit. Grabbing the latest set immediately after Ajaz's interview on Channel 4 news showed a large jump in downloads. A ripple of Scandinavian downloads spread from Sweden, where IDG covered the story, to Norway and Denmark. Slashdot picked up the story before the USA woke up and became the top referring site. We were then able to see the USA and Brazil light up in red as downloads climbed and coloured the map from the East coast across the continent as people woke up to the news.
Not only is it a real motivator to see such tangible and immediate results, but the data we were getting showed up a few good opportunities for follow up calls and angles we could amplify.
The feel good factor target for downloads was passed round lunch time, doubled by 3pm and was still climbing tonight.
Google hits for the word Browzar went from 36 on Tuesday (35 misspellings of Browser and one
for the www.browzar.com site) to 159,000 as I write this.
Book marks for www.browzar.com on del.icio.us rose from my first lone entry less than 24 hours ago, to 251 today.
Who says you can't measure the effectiveness of PR?
Well a lot of people and they have a point, finding a single, meaningful, direct measure for the effectiveness of a campaign is rare but it is great when you have one.
UPDATE
Browzar is now the LifeHacker Download of the day. Good job S. !
It's not often in PR that you have the opportunity to get real time, independent feedback on exactly what the work you are doing is achieving for you client but working this week on the Browzar launch our team got to see exactly how coverage was driving downloads through the site statistics from www.browzar.com, and boy it is addictive!
The the stats are updated every five minutes giving us enough resolution to literally see particular bits of coverage hit. Grabbing the latest set immediately after Ajaz's interview on Channel 4 news showed a large jump in downloads. A ripple of Scandinavian downloads spread from Sweden, where IDG covered the story, to Norway and Denmark. Slashdot picked up the story before the USA woke up and became the top referring site. We were then able to see the USA and Brazil light up in red as downloads climbed and coloured the map from the East coast across the continent as people woke up to the news.
Not only is it a real motivator to see such tangible and immediate results, but the data we were getting showed up a few good opportunities for follow up calls and angles we could amplify.
The feel good factor target for downloads was passed round lunch time, doubled by 3pm and was still climbing tonight.
Google hits for the word Browzar went from 36 on Tuesday (35 misspellings of Browser and one
for the www.browzar.com site) to 159,000 as I write this. Who says you can't measure the effectiveness of PR?
Well a lot of people and they have a point, finding a single, meaningful, direct measure for the effectiveness of a campaign is rare but it is great when you have one.
UPDATE
Browzar is now the LifeHacker Download of the day. Good job S. !
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Trains delayed because ...
...of delays caused earlier when bright sunlight stopped drivers seeing the monitors. There is no form of weather that cannot stop British trains!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
First the camera lies, then the computer provides the alibi.
We all know that the camera lies, from the first days of photography images have been manipulated. Now digital photography has made it simple to make adjustments to images we have almost come to expect "shopped" images especially in advertising and celebrity photo shoots.
However it takes being shown the before and after shots from a pro to demonstrate the extent and sheer quality of what is now routine for the industry. Take a look at Brian Dilg's Photoshop work, move your mouse over the pictures for to reveal the before and after images. Dont' forget to scroll down for his comments on the job.
However it takes being shown the before and after shots from a pro to demonstrate the extent and sheer quality of what is now routine for the industry. Take a look at Brian Dilg's Photoshop work, move your mouse over the pictures for to reveal the before and after images. Dont' forget to scroll down for his comments on the job.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Beginning a blog
I had avoided jumping on the blogging band wagon, mainly as I really was not sure what topic I'd blog on that would be of interest to others. However here I am, with no other initial agenda than to get familiar with the technology by occasionally posting on topics which grab my attention.
So in the interest of figuring out the technology this post, has been submitted by email. It's a shame the mobile phone sms / mms blogging only works in the USA.
So in the interest of figuring out the technology this post, has been submitted by email. It's a shame the mobile phone sms / mms blogging only works in the USA.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Dagenham wind turbines
Having a bit of a green themed surf this evening I stumbled across some details of the deal that provided the wind turbines at the Ford plant in Dagenham. I had been curious about them having seen them so often from a distance.
The two turbines were built and are operated by Ecotricity under a scheme called Merchant Wind Power (MWP) where Ecotricity builds, owns, operates and maintains wind turbines on a partner's site in exchange for an agreement form the partner to purchase the electricity generated for a fixed period, typically over 12 years. The benefit to the partner is boosted green credentials through dedicated supply of green energy, at what Ecotricity describe as a competitive price.
Great idea. If we had more micro generation we would have a more robust and efficient power system.
According to the case study all of Ford's diesel engines assembled at the plant will have been produced using wind power. Did Ford make much anything of this in the press?
The two turbines were built and are operated by Ecotricity under a scheme called Merchant Wind Power (MWP) where Ecotricity builds, owns, operates and maintains wind turbines on a partner's site in exchange for an agreement form the partner to purchase the electricity generated for a fixed period, typically over 12 years. The benefit to the partner is boosted green credentials through dedicated supply of green energy, at what Ecotricity describe as a competitive price.
Great idea. If we had more micro generation we would have a more robust and efficient power system.
According to the case study all of Ford's diesel engines assembled at the plant will have been produced using wind power. Did Ford make much anything of this in the press?
