As well as obviously investing in promotional products, is your organisation linked as well as it could be with social media platforms? Facebook has passed the landmark of half a billion global users, and has released fresh statistics about time spent on the site. This announcement means that 7.4% of the estimated 6.79 billion world population is now signed up to the site. It has taken only five months to add the last 100 million users, while the first 100 million took it almost five years. Since February this year, when Facebook last released statistics on reaching 400 million users, the total time...

Google hasn’t been out of the news of late, their recent controversy surrounds their lack of patience with the ever suspicious China. The internet giant has said it may end its dealings in China, after a “sophisticated and targeted” cyber attack originating from the country.   Google’s David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer, made the big announcement on the Google blog. As it turns out, Google discovered that what first appeared to be a random cyber attack on their company, was actually a concerted effort against various organisations. The story...

 Apart from investing in quality promotional products from reputable suppliers such as Gift Selection or the Mug Store, a popular way for businesses to market themselves is via Google Adwords. However Google faces taxes on its massive advertising revenue in France as part of president Nicolas Sarkozy’s ambition to regulate the internet. Proposals in a government-led report handed to culture minister Frederic Mitterrand recommend Google and other internet search providers should be forced to pay a levy every time a user clicks on their sponsored links.   Google France senior policy manager...

The NHS rolled out a £25,000 ‘Cocktales’ campaign designed to highlight the dangers of drink to young people specifically in Derbyshire, only to see it taken off YouTube.   The video shows a young woman who urinates in the street, falls over and is then jeered at by a group of passing young men. When I saw this clip, I just presumed it was a fly on the wall documentary about Preston, and didn’t think anything of it. However ‘Bloody Mary’ received 15,000 hits in the eight days it was on YouTube and was also distributed to local media.   Alison Pritchard, from Derbyshire...

The centre of everyone’s universe, Facebook is set to make a few more changes to its design, even though their tech people have only just finished re-jigging things. These are set to be alterations to their homepage, as well making their search function more important.   However there is no pleasing the general public, as people’s lives were turned upside down, when previous alteration about notifications and the general layout of things came into place. These tweaks have come from screen shots seen on a French technology blog PCinpact.com. However Facebook has not confirmed whether the pages...

For the first time ever, the internet is raking in more add revenue then any other medium, overtaking its traditional big brother – television. Marketing professionals shouldn’t get too excited however, as the UK spent £1.5bn less in the first half of 2009, compared to the same period last year.   Online advertising such as; paid for search, display and classifieds grew by 4.6%, within a market that fell by 16.6% to £7.5bn. Guy Phillipson, chief executive of the IAB, said: “Internet advertising has beaten all expectations to achieve growth in the most challenging market...

The official “cool list” for hipsters to keep an eye on by Cool Brand’s, reveals a new but unsurprising champion in the shape of the Apple iPhone. Despite the so called credit crunch, the unprecedented success of the iPhone this year, which has sold five million units between March and June, led to it rising from second to the number one spot.   The last three previous years, Aston Martin has been the coolest kid around, probably as the luxury car manufacturer is immediately synomous with James Bond. The shortlist for the survey is compiled by 2,500 voters. The final twenty are voted on by a...

Remember when I reported news about Hula-Hoops requesting the public to send in videos of their fingers messing around with their favourite crisps on them? Well they have recently launched their TV add to encourage us to get filming, which features two would be YMCA stars. Helen Warren-Piper, marketing director of Bagged Snacks at UBUK, said: “This new TV advertising campaign, along with the on-pack promotion and Hula Hoops website will drive further consumer engagement with the brand providing retailers with increased sales opportunities. “Some brands are the keepers of undeniable truths....

The clever chaps at The Mugstore have just set up a Flickr account, showing off examples of their printed promotional mugs. These high quality images will act as a  great guide if your in the market for branded mugs, as they will give you a clear idea of what you may be investing it.   Click here to see their latest images of branded mugs they have produced, and of course feel free to get in contact with them if you have any questions. The beauty of having their branded mugs on Flickr, is that you can keep on eye on what client’s they have been working with. Also by looking at examples of their...

Hoola Hoops are launching a fun new competition, for any would be film directors with too much time on their hands.   Starting today, the popular crisp makers want you all to make a two minute film, with you larking about with Hoola Hoops on your fingers. If you’re interested in winning a family holiday to Hollywood, or just £50, then films can be uploaded via their micro-site. Helen Warren-Piper, marketing director of bagged snacks at UBUK, says: “Hula Hoops is a well established brand with a loyal following. This new TV advertising campaign, along with the on-pack promotion will drive...