When it comes to the ‘interweb,’ Javascript and HTML can do more than ever before. With the rise of HTML5, the use of Adobe® Flash has been less common as you surf the web these days, but there is still a visual aspect – and impact – where Flash can’t be duplicated. Flash is the best medium for creating graphic-rich interactive visuals that combine motion, sound and video. Here is an excellent example that came to us from the David Suzuki Foundation: http://www.globalzero.org/map/
– sorry to those on an iPad or iPhone; Apple™ still isn’t showing any love to Flash.
Flash Still Not Dead
Radio Heads
We recently got back into the studio, The Forge Audio Company (left), to record a couple of entertaining yet sophisticated spots for Remington Development.
Take a listen:
Remington_Champagne_OnceUponATime_60
And here’s a link to some of our past radio work:
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The truth behind digital communication’s environmental impact
There’s a perception that the internet and digital communication are more environmentally benign compared to printed material. At its core, most of the paper used in the commercial print industry is a combination of wood pulp and chemicals: one component is a precious natural resource that’s vital to the health of the planet; the other a toxic slurry that sullies our air and water.
Pulp and paper mills also require large quantities of water and electricity in the manufacturing process. According to the U.S. government, the industry is the fourth largest industrial emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the third largest user of industrial water. Makes that email and web site look pretty harmless, right? You’d be surprised.
De-Socializing Humanity While Killing the Planet.
All those emails, web searches, tweets, Facebook updates and everything else we do online requires a hardware infrastructure of colossal proportions. Sprawling server farms that retrieve, process, store and route data to computers and mobile devices around the globe consume electricity relentlessly and insatiably.
Both Apple and Google have immense server farms in North Carolina, where power is cheap and generated primarily from coal – the United States’ largest source of GHG emissions. These compounds have thousands of computers and servers that hum ceaselessly so that the two billion YouTube videos we watch daily and the 255 million web sites on the internet are always at our fingertips.
Facebook’s new data centre in Oregon is powered by PacificCorp, a utility that gets the majority of its energy from coal-fired power stations, too. Facebook claims that by storing the 100 million photos its users upload everyday (it has 600+ million members), it prevents hundreds of tons of CO2 emissions that would be required to mail printed photographs. A dubious argument, claim many environmentalists.
Figures from the EPA and the U.S. Dept. of Energy put the anticipated energy consumption of the American data server industry at 100 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) for 2011, greater than what every household (8.2 million) in Texas consumes. The Smart 2020 report, published by The Climate Group and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative, forecasts that by 2020 the global cloud industry will consume 1.9 trillion kilowatt hours. Russia and Japan’s combined power consumption in 2008 was 1.7 trillion kWh.
As a whole, the internet’s not very green. In fact, if it were a country the internet would be the planet’s fifth largest consumer of power, surpassing Germany and India. Data centre CO2 emissions alone are close to those of Argentina. The net’s power needs now rival those of the aviation industry and are expected to nearly double by 2020. A surprising culprit in the web’s blight on the environment is sitting in your junk box right now. Aside from being annoying, spam emails are anything but innocuous.
According to tech blogger Antonio Lupetti, the 183 billion spam emails sent every day in 2009 (83% of the total number of emails sent globally) pump more than 20 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually. This puts spam email’s carbon footprint on par with that of Estonia. By 2010, the number of unsolicited messages promising discount male enhancement drugs and various other scams jumped 43% to 262 billion per day.
Does the Cloud Mean Grey Skies Ahead?
The latest trend being touted by some of the IT industry’s biggest players isn’t cause for optimism. Cloud computing is a concept that’s been around for more than 30 years, but it’s only now that companies are making the hard pitch to consumers. Cloud computing promises convenient access to vast amounts of data, be it documents, photos, music or movies. If you’re on Facebook, Flickr, use Gmail or any other site to read and send email, you’re in the cloud.
In a cloud-computing environment, any device connected to the Internet may access the same pool of computing power, applications and files. Basically, if it can be stored on a hard drive, it can live in the cloud. This makes file sharing, storage and retrieval more practical and convenient than having to move data from device to device.
Already, the size of the worldwide cloud computing market is an estimated $37.8 billion according to MarketsandMarkets, a global research and consulting company. M&M predicts the value of the cloud will nearly quadruple to $121.1 billion by 2015. As the concept gains mass appeal, it will take several times more computing power than what’s currently available to meet demand. Some players are making a concerted effort to reduce energy consumption and emissions, but it remains to be seen if the new technology and clean energy policies can keep up.
Yahoo! established a data centre in New York state that’s powered by energy from a hydroelectric power plant. This makes a significant difference in the company’s carbon footprint. Google’s walking the walk with a $5 billion investment in Atlantic Wind Connection, a massive underwater energy transmission project off the coast of the U.S. According to the developers, the estimated 7,000 MW of clean energy produced by the project is enough to power approximately 1.9 million households. This could go a long way in meeting the energy needs of the data centre industry.
Maximizing efficiency through technology and consolidation will also make a significant difference on a global scale. Server manufacturers are developing increasingly efficient technology and many firms are “virtualizing computing capacity” by removing large numbers of inefficient hardware realizing a 20:1 consolidation of servers in some cases. In Wisconsin, computing firm SGI is capitalizing on an abundant natural resource for measureable results. Its facility in Chippewa Falls uses cold water from Lake Michigan to cool the data center, lowering energy costs by $1 million annually.
Despite these well intentioned measures, environmental advocates are concerned about industry’s apparent confusion with the difference between efficiency and sustainability. As Simon Mingay with Gartner Research claims, “companies need to recognize that energy efficient is not ‘green’ on its own, and is no longer enough.” Furthermore, Greenpeace points out that a highly efficient data center powered by coal still destroys the planet – it just does so more slowly than one lacking in state-of-the-art efficiencies.
Less is More.
Scratch the surface and you’ll find negative environmental consequences of using paper-based communications as well. Like any major manufacturing industry, there’s going to be large scale impact. But, more importantly, there are many examples of how the industry has made significant strides reducing energy use and emissions. By processing biomass, the organic by-products of trees, many mills are generating their own power and significantly reducing dependence on energy from dirty sources like coal.
The air’s less toxic, too. According to a study conducted by the National Council of the Paper Industry for Air and Stream Improvement Inc., emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides have declined between 1980-2005 by 60% and 15% respectively – despite a 50% increase in paper manufacturing during that period.
While we can all take individual steps to make a difference, environmentalists believe it’s industry that must lead the charge for meaningful change to happen. It is the Googles and the Facebooks with the power (money) to influence change, says Greenpeace, “The potential of ICT technologies and cloud computing to drive low-carbon economic growth underscore the importance of building cloud infrastructure in places powered by clean renewable energy. Large players in the cloud computing market must advocate for policy change at the local, national and international levels to ensure that, as their appetite for energy increases, so does the supply of renewable energy.”
Organizations that are committed to ethical, responsible communication practices shouldn’t assume that going digital is the answer. The message here is not unlike what we’ve been told by environmentalists, government and industry about responsible forest stewardship: use less and be informed. Digital devices and the complex infrastructure that make them so revolutionary require energy – and lots of it. Is that energy coming from a clean, sustainable source? If not, think twice before that Facebook post about how delicious your dessert was. It’s not only trite it’s shortening the earth’s lifespan.
This blog is also available on 100% PCW recycled, chlorine free paper from a wind-powered mill, printed with vegetable-based inks. Write to:
Ombudsman
C/O Tandem Marketing
#102, 1822 – 2 St SW
Calgary, AB Canada
T2S 1R9
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Costumed boob seen during Vancouver riot
In a bizarre scene captured in this photograph, a mysterious costumed figure is caught between rioters and burning vehicles during game seven of the Vancouver Stanley Cup rioting. Witnesses on the scene report seeing what appeared to be a superhero darting between looted storefronts and torched cars. It was unclear whether the man was inciting the violence or coming to the aid of those caught in the mayhem.
"I don't know if this guy is with the fire department or what," speculated witness Art Vandelay. "He was in this reflective, silver foil-looking suit that looked like it was fire retardant. He was yelling at the crowd in this really bad Aussie or English accent," said Vandelay. "It's like some kind of terrible nightmare."
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Caught redhanded
The camera never lies, but give a picture to a photoshop expert and who knows what’s true and what’s reality.
Tandem's web director, Glen Thompson, decides to help himself to a Coach handbag during the game seven riots in Vancouver. "It's a buy one get one?" asked a perplexed Thompson as he swiftly exited the store window. "Oh, I thought it was a smash and grab promo ...my bad!"
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See Your Site Through Their Browser
Browser compatibility is an integral component to an effective on-line experience, but it is one that most marketers may not fully appreciate when planning and budgeting a web program. Your CEO’s computer likely isn’t the fastest machine in the office and it may not have the most up-to-date browser, but the company website must render properly on it. And the hardcore tech junky with the sickest hardware and latest browser release? If your site looks poor on his brand new Firefox update you can be sure he’s tweeting everyone in his blogosphere about it.
The differences between a computer in a corporate environment and that of a personal computer can be vast. While some companies are quick to upgrade browsers and get the latest software upgrades, the daily demands of business and endless IT troubleshooting usually trump updates. As well, corporations place strict limits on unauthorized updates or installs to mitigate cyber attacks.
Personal computers can become out-of-date too, but if used often they are more likely to be updated on the software side. By default, Internet Explorer (IE), Safari and Firefox – the big three – either update automatically or alert you to new versions. This means the majority of home computers, even those owned by the less tech savvy, are more likely to have an updated browser.
When planning a website, marketers need to know what browsers will be displaying the website and which version of those browsers are most prevalent. Cross-browser compatibility is important, but you have to decide if you want to limit the user experience on newer browsers to accommodate the outdated ones. This impedes functionality but levels the playing field as all users have the same experience. It is possible to have a feature-rich site that is universally browser compliant, but it impacts project schedules and budget. You have to decide what it is worth to make changes or additions that only affect a small percentage of your viewers.
When analyzing site traffic, the difference usually comes down to the percentage using Microsoft’s default browser, Internet Explorer. Browsers like Safari and Firefox render website fairly consistently when compared to IE. This enables web developers to determine what code needs to be written for IE and what code is created for “the other” browsers. Hardware can also impact how code is developed for different browsers.
Apple’s iPad and iPhones both run a version of Safari that is different than the desktop version of the browser. This means more limitations and customized code has to be implemented if you want your website to be viewable on those devices. All of this can impact budget so it is important to know what percentage of your audience you may be affecting if you don’t have the budget to serve tablets, mobile phones and other devices.
In a developer’s world, understanding the distinctions between browser types is further complicated by the limitations between browser versions. Older versions of browsers can be vastly different in what they can and can’t do. For example, version six of IE doesn’t support PNG files. These are commonly used in many newer websites because, in some applications, they render much smoother and nicer than their counterpart graphic files, Gifs.
If IE 6 was a more popular browser, developers would not use PNG files as they render poorly and it shows. On IE 7 they look great. It becomes a give and take: they are a fantastic file format for transparencies, and people using other browsers get a better experience if you use them, but it degrades the IE 6ers experience. So unless you want to spend a lot of time and budget writing code exceptions for IE 6, you have to do your homework and make an informed decision.
Browser version recently became more important than ever with the launch of IE 9 in March 2011. This is the first release of IE to support features of HTML5 and CSS3. Firefox and Safari have supported these, at least partially for more than a year.
When building the website, this ultimately means you have to pick one or the other: good old fashioned HTML or the new format and features of HTML5. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and like the browser wars you have to decide which elements must be consistent throughout the browser, and the browser version, and which are minute enough that they can change slightly without undermining user experience.
Before you reach for the bottle of Aspirin, know that an experienced and transparent team of new media pros will help you sort through the issues. Maybe you prefer to leave such details up to your ‘web guys’ and pay the bill not really understanding the full scope of what you are buying. But we think an informed marketer is a smart marketer – one who can be assured the budget is allocated wisely and the site functions optimally regardless of which device and which browser, and which version, and….
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Over Do It
Date: May 2011
Location: Tandem’s Design Studio
Title: Over Do It
Medium: Canvas display panels
Concept: Jason Polak, Creative Director
Size: 40 inches x 7 feet per panel
Application: Electronic communication, collateral, exhibit/display
Purpose: Utilize space efficiently; cross-promote products and services and
engage the audience with multiple messages/content from one creative
treatment.
Click the link below to download a pdf of Tandem’s display.
tandem-doitover
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Social Media IPOs – What Have We Learned?
Everyone’s favourite online Rolodex went public this May. By noon EST of its first trading day LinkedIn’s stock had risen to $110, up 144 per cent from its IPO price of $45. As the first major social media company to go public – Groupon, Twitter and Facebook are all rumoured to be ringing the bell soon – one can’t help but wonder if we (gullible investors / gluttonous underwriters) are looking at another tech bubble.
Let’s rewind to the late 1990s when virtually any tech start-up could anticipate buckets of cash regardless of viability or profits… like theGlobe.com, for example. The company set a record for a 606% increase in share value after its first day of trading in November 1998. This was a company with a market cap of $840 million, run by 24 year olds with no business experience and, most unbelievably, no profit (ever). By 2001 shares were trading at less than a dime. Us humans have a poor track record for learning from past mistakes – especially when it involves easy money. What’s different about today’s social media wunderkinds (Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg was 20 when he started the company in 2004, his contemporary, Jack Dorsey, a more seasoned 29 when he fathered Twitter)?
Henry Blodget, Editor-In Chief of Business Insider, points to two major differences between social media IPOs and the dot com debacle: proven revenue streams and a ‘very tight networking effect.’ LinkedIn pulled in $250 million last year and its 2011 Q1 revenues are just south of $100 million. The site draws from three sources (in order of profitability): corporate recruitment; advertising and premium memberships. The networking effect Blodget references means the company is a segment leader because of its strong membership base. Combine this with powerful functionality and it becomes very difficult, and expensive, to unseat LinkedIn. With a virtual monopoly the company looks even more appealing to prospective investors, assuming continued growth, of course. But strong membership alone is not enough to guarantee top ranking.
Before the advent of Facebook, MySpace was the leading social networking site with 100 million users in 2006. When current owner News Corp. attempted to merge the site with Yahoo in 2007 it was speculated to be worth $12 billion. But Facebook surpassed its rival in 2008 thanks to smarter design, innovative tools and powerful functionality. These features held greater appeal than MySpace’s entertainment-centric and user defined interface – the latter making member profiles wildly inconsistent, typically ugly and thus difficult to read. In contrast, Facebook’s uniformly simple structure and design put the focus on the content which is paramount to the success of any social media utility or campaign. Today, Facebook is the leader in social media serving more than half a billion members and estimated to be worth at least $50 billion.
Another distinction between these market runs is metrics, according to Yahoo’s Matt Nesto. Many of the 90s dot com business models were entirely new and the technology underlying their services was changing so rapidly. No one knew how to accurately valuate these start-ups. The typical dot com success was predicated on offering a service or product for free to build rapid market share. With a large and loyal following these sites could then start charging users and, with measurable growth in site traffic, increase ad rates. But how did they pay the bills with no income? Deep pocketed venture capitalists – high on low interest rates – and IPOs flooded the companies with cash. In many cases, however, not even a steady stream of funding could keep up with all the newly minted multi-millionaires and their proclivity for egregious spending (fashion flop boo.com blew more than $130 million in six months before imploding in 2000).
Nesto also speculates about the potential effects of a social media backlash. As the novelty of these social media utilities wears off for some, will that dull their luster from an investment standpoint? A legitimate concern perhaps for Facebook and, to a lesser degree, Twitter. But as long as LinkedIn stays true to its professional network roots, and remains a powerful tool to connect recruiters with job seekers, it should be well insulated from virtual burn-out (for more on the social media’s dark side read Bill Keller’s excellent article The Twitter Trap on The New York Time’s Magazine page).
Let’s give mankind the benefit of the doubt this time. Let’s assume reason and logic will drive web 2.0 investing and that these sites will continue to make money, manage growth and innovate – basic principles all investors expect from companies they underwrite. And if they don’t, well good for all those who were plugged into the proper channels to even get in on the IPO and make some easy money. After all, when it comes right down to it, business is all about who’s ‘linked in’ to the right connections.
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Crowd sourced, content driven, hashtagged, cloud based, VC BS
When sales are slow and traffic wanes, it’s understandable for marketers to become a little anxious about their company’s web program. What are they doing wrong? Are they being left behind? Do they need to start over? In our experience, a measured approach is called for (also known as the KISS principle). Engage an objective team to audit your current activity – this takes emotion out of the equation and provides valuable outside perspective. Examine all the armaments in your digital marketing arsenal: web site, social media activity, advertising, etc. Ensure each one supports the organization’s goals and brand, and that they connect to your market(s) in a relevant and memorable way. Correct the weaknesses and capitalize on the opportunities. In times of panic, however, many well-intentioned marketers forget about the basics and dive right into the latest e-fad. This further complicates things and doesn’t address the core issues that are likely contributing to your ailing web program (outdated or ineffective design, bloated content, archaic architecture and poor SEO, to name a few). But, if after awhile, things still haven’t improved it might be because:
A. Your resources do not match your desired outcomes (lower your expectations or increase your investment)
B. It’s a recession and everybody’s hurting (don’t take it personally, it’s just business)
C. Your product / service is poor quality, too expensive or both (take it personally)
D. You’re working with a team such as this: www.collegehumor.com/video/6507690/hardly-working-start-up-guys
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The importance of website tracking, 101
I found an informative blog post from Google that provides great examples on website tracking. With the use of website tracking, marketers can keep an eye on when and where visitors are abandoning their sites – and thus, if it is in an unexpected place, you can take corrective action. As Analytics users appreciate, marketers can also glean information on how visitors get to your site, how long they stay and which pages are driving the most traffic to your site (or away from your site).
The blog post from Google is directed toward shopping carts and checkouts, but it’s applicable to efficient and enjoyable user experience, whether it be a retail, informational or marketing oriented website (and it includes an entertaining video, who doesn’t love that?): http://goo.gl/tBdDq
Of course, you don’t need to understand how to implement this type of tracking, just the power and importance of proper user experience and what you can do with tracking.