P&G Seeks More Discontinuous Innovation

In InformationWeek: Seeking to use some of the $2.7 Billion cash that they will receive from the Pringles sale to Kelloggs.
" ... Procter & Gamble CEO Bob McDonald is pushing the consumer goods giant for more "discontinuous innovation," meaning products or technologies that create entirely new brand categories or new capabilities, rather than just improve an existing product... "

IBM Announces Completion of DemandTec Acquisition

Announced today.  The integration of the DT abilities into IBM's Smarter Commerce effort makes much sense.  Looking forward to see the details of how it will all integrate together.   I have followed DT here since their first presentation to our innovation center in 1999:

" ... IBM Smarter Commerce on Cloud gives companies broader insights about customer merchandising and pricing preferences to better market, sell and deliver their products and services," said Craig Hayman, General Manager of Industry Solutions at IBM. "With IBM and DemandTec, marketing and sales executives in retail, CPG and other industries will be able to deliver the best prices and product mix based on consumer buying trends."

DemandTec delivers cloud-based analytics software to help organizations improve their price, promotion, and product mix within the broad context of enterprise commerce: retail, business-to-consumer, and consumer goods. As a result, companies can spot trends and shopper insights to make better price, promotion, and assortment decisions that increase revenue and profitability. By gaining a quick analysis of consumer trends, for example, a category manager at a consumer products company can collaborate with the retailer to understand price elasticity and set a more competitive price point.... "

Gartner Quadrant on Business Intelligence

Good recent view of the business intelligence market " ... In 2011, business users continued to exert significant influence over BI decisions, often choosing data discovery products in addition to/as alternatives to traditional BI tools. An avalanche of new use cases, content types and interaction models expands the scope for tomorrow's BI platforms.,,, " 

Exploring the Brain of the Consumer

Just now completing a read of Neuromarketing: Exploring the Brain of the Consumer.   by Leon Zurawicki of  the University of Massachusetts

I had the pleasure of chairing a session with Professor Zurawicki at the Neuroconnections Summit in Cracow Poland in 2009.   I followed up by reading his 2010 book on the subject.  This is a example of where a book has to cover a rapidly changing topic and provide background for the specific application of the innovation as it evolves.  A tough task.  This textbook style,  but largely non technical overview is an excellent place to start your journey.

Professor Zurawicki does an excellent job.  The first chapter, Exploring the Brain, provides a thumbnail overview of the neuroscience involved.    It then follows with a number of theories of brain research methods.  He also covers such recently applied techniques like tracking activity in  mobile settings and the integration of eye-tracking methods.

In the second chapter he covers the influence of multiple senses to emotions,  mood and behavior.  A topic we also experimented with in contextual experiments.   He mentions in particular how our own decision procession behavior can be influenced by apparently rational rules that can be triggered by nonconscious sensory inputs.  He cites Procter & Gamble's Febreze Strategy work as a example of the integration of sensory cues and overt decision processes. 

He specifically addresses the linkage of neural activity and consumer behavior.  And the curious linkage of how behavior breeds emotion and emotion breeds behavior.    I like too the coverage of the memory-learning connection in chapter 3, which links to our own exploration of associative memories.  I am sure there are hints here of how consumers can be convinced in their ultimate behavior.

I have utilized this book and its bibliography a number of times since its publication for explanation of theory and practice.  It is invaluable for the shelf of the marketing emergent technology practitioner.

He completes his journey in Chapter 5: Applying Neuroscience and Biometrics to the Practice of Marketing. Where he outlines the  methods by which many companies are now exploring this approach.  By its nature it is still very complete.  How must we ultimately integrate these learnings with classical marketing techniques?  How are those results implemented in the retail aisle?   There are plans to follow up this book with another that explores some of the specific applications underway in this space.  I look forward to reading that as well.
Enjoy.  I will continue to use this book as a reference. 

Power Outlets that Can Control Use

A development by Sony.  This looks good, but also limits some of the expectations we have grown to expect from readily accessible  power outlets.  Not unexpected direction as electricity moves closer to the general standard for energy delivery.

SAP Labs AI Exec Joins Saffron Technology

Reported Today.   I have now had to pleasure of working with Dr. Hofmann several times in AI related applications .... "   Saffron Technology, Inc., a privately held big data software analytics firm, announced the appointment of renowned Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert Dr. Paul Hofmann as Chief Strategy Officer. Dr. Hofmann, formerly VP Research at SAP Labs, played a key role in developing SAP’s highly regarded research program with top USA universities like Princeton, MIT, University of California at Berkeley, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stanford. Artificial Intelligence has always been a true passion for Hofmann, and at Saffron he will work to connect the corporate world with Saffron’s leading edge Associative Memory technology.... "

Hunting Advertising

Making advertising something you have to hunt for.  A game dynamic of a different kind.  Changes the context of a space to engagement rather than just pasted on ads.

How Brands Grow

I had the need to look at How Brands Grow, by Byron Sharp again.  A really great book that inspires me to look at the numbers behind brand growth again.   It is rare that I consult a book of this kind more than once.  This one is a gem.  See the official website of the book for more.  Also see Byron's marketing science blog.  P&G and a number of other leaders in the marketing space have supported his work for years.  Highly recommended.

Cloud Enhanced Innovation

IBM on how the cloud can drive new, innovative business models.  A largely non technical post with some useful  thoughts.

Data Science e-Book from AnalyticsBridge

A first draft of a data science e-Book available for free from the AnalyticBridge social network for analytics professionals.  Written by business analytics professionals. Join and review it.   Some interesting topics are included.    Join the group and discussions of methodologies, problems and solutions.

iPads in the Bedroom

A recent survey shows that most tablets are used at home rather than on the road.  And in the bedroom, where this post says tablets have become a fixture.  (68% of 880+ respondents use them there often) Mostly because they are so popular for reading and informal surfing.

Is Twitter Serious?

David Carr on the implied seriousness of Tweets.  He makes some interesting points about the difficulty of considering a communications channel very informal, but then paying the price when it upsets someone.  I remember a similar discovery in the relatively early days of e-mail.  When we started to use that emergent  channel internally it was praised for being informal, easy to use for transmitting creative thoughts without any fear.  Soon afterwards though we discovered that all searchable and discoverable communications are serious to some.   It is important to know how serious your channel is when you speak 'creatively', because we adjust both our speaking and listening according to context.

SuperBetter Labs

Some game designers have put together a system that lets you join an all star team.
SuperBetter is an online, social game designed to help you build up personal resilience. ... Document your SuperBetter journey for our blog. Get personal coaching, private all-star discussions, and surprises!

More information and apply for Beta participation. 

Redefine the employee

With changes in how people communicate, in both social and technical terms, we need to think of new ways to value people.  More thoughts in Chief Learning Officer.

Towards Better Shopper Marketing Strategies

In Mediapost:   Takes a look at a Booz & Company Study:

" ... The big challenge, concluded Booz, is for manufacturers to “better engage retail partners in the development and execution of shopper solutions that deliver added value beyond price reductions.” Those that are successful, Booz said, “will earn the right to win their categories.”ROI measurement results are often inconsistent, the survey found. Most of the respondents indicated that they measure brand sales lift half the time or less from such programs, while share gain results and brand health impact were measured even less.... "

Message Mapping

Over the years I have been investigating all sorts of mapping methods.  Concept, Process and Mind maps are common approaches that I have used in my work for years.  Now I see there are also message maps, here described by Ed Burghard.    Like a concept map, but with for precisely defining the message.  Burghard writes:

" ... A tool I have found to be extremely helpful is message mapping. It is a process I have used successfully for over 30-years to help ensure everybody involved in helping deliver the promise of a brand understands what the message is and how to articulate it. Like most tools that are effective, message mapping is deceptively simple in concept but can be challenging in execution. In my experience, the biggest challenge is in reaching a consensus on content and ensuring utilization.... "

More Big Data Thoughts

In the NYT Sunday Review:  On the impact of big data.  Personally I think it is how business analytical methods  can be effectivey used against the right amount and form of data that is readily available to solve a problem.  Big, medium or small.  Big by itself is not good enough.

On Teaching with Technology

In the Chronicle of Education:  A teacher rethinks teaching with technology.  Like the  solution to any difficult problem, it is never all just about technology. " .... he has a new message. It doesn't matter what method you use if you do not first focus on one intangible factor: the bond between professor and student.... "

Adaptive Marketing

Adaptive Marketing was a new term to be.  Apparently devised by Mindshare to describe consumer focused and data based marketing.  It is good to be as adaptive as possible, because your world of context is constantly changing.

When are Tweets Worthy of Your Time?

I started using Twitter about four years ago, dubbing it an 'experiment'.  I continue to use Twitter, in part because some clients and colleagues use it, and in part because it is an easy way to quickly market  my own work.  Clients who have decided to implement 'social' methods internally are working with tweeting as well.  But how can you make if truly effective, without getting all your work lost in the stream ... which is increasingly a deluge?   Some thoughts in Information Management.    Is there a true or even fuzzy ROI here?