Hong Kong banks keep leadership in the family

Monday, 29 July 2013

Hong Kong's family-owned banks are struggling to find a new generation of suitable executives to take over for white-haired CEOs. David Li Kwok-po, the 74-year-old CEO of Bank of East Asia, repeatedly pushes off retirement as the bank wrestles with succession issues. "The choices for the next boss

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When will American companies start spending again?

Monday, 29 July 2013

 The latest round of earnings reports suggests that American CEOs continue to prioritize reducing expenses to support earnings. "Corporate America has cost-cut just about as much as they can," says Jeffery Saut of Raymond James Financial. "I think the economy is going to pick up, and if you'r

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How federal agencies train future leaders

Monday, 29 July 2013

A study from the Partnership for Public Service and McKinsey & Co. suggests that the federal government's agencies aren't doing enough to train and develop the next generation of leaders. Still, there are some bright spots: The Department of Defense develops senior leadership through a two-yea

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Filled with social media regret? You're not alone

Monday, 29 July 2013

About a quarter of social media users say they've posted content on social networks that could be harmful to their job prospects, according to a FindLaw.com survey. The study also found that about three-quarters of young users had deleted posts after having second thoughts about how something they

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Island hotel integrates Twitter throughout vacation experience

Monday, 29 July 2013

Guests at Sol Wave House in Majorca, Spain, can log in to a Twitter-powered Web application that can only be accessed over the hotel's private Wi-Fi network, giving them a semi-private space in which to chat -- and potentially flirt -- with one another. The hotel also offers Twitter-themed suites,

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Has Facebook missed its chance in China?

Monday, 29 July 2013

Tencent's WeChat social-messaging application has 195 million active users in China, and about 400 million registered users in total. That suggests that WeChat has attained the kind of critical mass that could make it impossible for Western rivals such as Facebook to get a foothold in the Chinese

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Pinterest to introduce recommendations based on Web tracking

Monday, 29 July 2013

Pinterest will use data gathered through its embeddable "Pin It" button to recommend boards and pins to users based on websites they have visited, the company announced. "If you're planning a party and have gone to lots of party sites recently, we'll try to suggest boards to make your event a hit,

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Twitter examines abusive-tweet reporting following U.K. outcry

Monday, 29 July 2013

A journalist who successfully fought to have more female faces included on British banknotes was bombarded with rape threats on Twitter, prompting calls for the social network to take more effective action against online trolls. Some groups called for a boycott, and a U.K. official criticized the

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Online publishers embrace native ad formats

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Almost three-quarters of U.S. online advertisement publishers are already offering some sort of native ad capability, according to a survey from the Online Publishers Association and Radar Research. Engagement is the most popular metric for defining the success of such ads with more than half of p

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Eye-tracking tool boosts value of display ads

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Eye-tracking firm Sticky is offering digital advertising publishers a tool to determine the likelihood that a website visitor will see an ad and for how long. The tool makes ads more valuable by ensuring quality ad placement and allowing publishers to charge more for ads seen for longer periods of

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Philippine marketers catch on to advantages of mobile

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Citing consumer targeting as the most valuable aspect of mobile, about half of marketers in the Philippines report they had invested in the platform as of May, according to survey by Mobext Philippines. One commonly noted limitation, however, is the low penetration of smartphones in the country.&n

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PayPal charts its own course in Australia for mobile payments

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

PayPal is pursuing its own, independent course for mobile payments in Australia, bypassing partnerships with banks or telecoms with a focus on point-of-sale vendors and individual businesses. Now PayPal is joining with EatNow and OrderMate to expand its reach in the restaurant industry. Read More

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Mobext extends co-funding program across Asia as mobile marketing soars

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Mobext is now offering its ATOM Fund co-investment program for first-time mobile advertisers across Asia after an experimental run in the Philippines. "ATOM Fund has had a positive impact on Philippine advertisers, especially in overcoming analysis paralysis when it comes to investing in mobile,"

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Developing-world Facebook users flock to mobile access

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

At least 100 million people around the world use Facebook on feature phones rather than smartphones, the social network has announced. That speaks to the site's increasing importance in developing markets, where regular cellphones are widely used. "Millions of people in developing markets like Ind

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Buckingham Palace tweets news of prince's birth

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

The U.K.'s royal family tweeted regular updates about the birth Monday of Kate Middleton's baby, who is third in line to the throne. Buckingham Palace's socially savvy strategy whipped Facebook and Twitter into a frenzy, but may also have helped lessen the need for invasive, paparazzi-st

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Why digital marketers should focus on boomers

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Digital marketers can take comfort in the fact that online activity spans the generations, from younger digital natives to boomers, writes Chris Horton. But according to a Forrester Research study from 2011, those aged 56 to 66 spent the most online out of all cohorts. "[A]s everyone scrambles to

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HSN looks to emphasize fun in digital rebranding

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

In an effort to change customer perceptions, HSN is rebranding this month with new packaging, a new tagline and a campaign from Deutsch that will focus heavily on digital, such as display and search ads. The shopping network's website also now has an Arcade section that lets visitors play free onl

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Will rise in Web-enabled TVs drive shopping?

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Internet-enabled televisions are becoming more common, and 68% of consumers surveyed recently said they would be interested in shopping from their TVs, according to Delivery Agent. Additionally, 82% of those interested in shopping from TVs said they would consider buying products featured in TV sh

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LinkedIn maps new course with sponsored-content feature

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

LinkedIn has taken another step toward becoming a business publisher, officially launching a sponsored-content feature that has been tested in recent months. The tool allows brands to buy space in LinkedIn's desktop and mobile feeds, in a move that could help the social network to win eyeball-shar

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AT&T said to pursue 4G gold in Euro telecoms

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

AT&T sees bargains among European carriers who have been slow to roll out 4G services, according to this published report which says the telecom has engaged in discussions with a range of companies, including Vodafone, Telefonica and the EE venture in the U.K. "Europe is stagnant and ripe for

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Take 5 minutes now to download anti-theft protection apps

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

Before your wireless device is lost or stolen, take 5 minutes to download these anti-theft protection apps so you can easily remote track, locate, lock and/or wipe your personal information.. Read More Here.

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Hackers find security holes in femtocells

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

A pair of security experts have demonstrated to journalists how they can hack into femtocell hardware and eavesdrop on private cellphone conversations. Carriers deploy femtocells to boost wireless signals inside homes and businesses. "This is not about how the [National Security Agency] would atta

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Microsoft takes Customs to court over lax Google import ban

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

Microsoft sued the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office in federal court Thursday for allegedly failing to enforce a trade panel's import ban on Motorola Mobility smartphones. The U.S. International Trade Commission imposed the ban in May 2012 after ruling that Google's unit had violated Micr

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How increasing celebrity worship is changing marketing

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

As the consumer culture focuses more on celebrities and allows these celebrities to give credence to products, much of marketing has followed suit by focusing on celebrity endorsements instead of the products themselves, writes Al Ries. This means agencies are focusing more effort on public relati

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Poker fans will soon see e-cig signs on ESPN

Wednesday, 17 July 2013

The electronic cigarette industry is expanding its advertising push into the world of sports entertainment, hoping to draw young male consumers. The brand e-Swisher is now the official e-cig of the World Series of Poker, meaning its signage will appear in the background when ESPN broadcasts poker

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Peter McGuinness is leaving DDB Chicago for Chobani

Sunday, 14 July 2013

DDB Chicago chief Peter McGuinness is leaving the agency for a new job as chief marketing and brand officer at Chobani. He is succeeded as CEO by Paul Gunning, head of DDB's digital division, Tribal Worldwide. Read More Here.

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Talent agency William Morris to buy 49% stake in Droga5

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Talent agency William Morris Endeavor by next week is expected to obtain a 49% stake in the Droga5 ad agency, a deal worth $225 million. Their partnership would facilitate better cooperation among respective clients and "infuse ... pop culture" into

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3-D without glasses proceeds on some fronts

Sunday, 14 July 2013

While the BBC and ESPN are backing away from their efforts in 3-D television programming, Stream TV Networks is plunging ahead with 3DTV technology that doesn't require the use of special glasses, Adrian Pennington and Carolyn Giardina write. Dolby Laboratories and Royal Philips Electronics are al

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Nokia debuts $300 Lumia 1020 cameraphone

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Nokia is betting that consumers will pay a premium price for its new Lumia 1020 smartphone, which features a 41-megapixel camera, when AT&T puts it on sale for $300 on July 26. At a media event Thursday, Nokia Chief Executive Stephen Elop predicted that phone buyers will pay $100 more than the

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5 social media insights B2B marketers should use

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Social conversations among customers provide strong avenues into understanding customers and figuring out who influences them the most, writes Carter Hostelley, founder and CEO of Leadtail. Hostelley writes that social media use can improve a company's marketing efforts because it provides insight

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4 things B2B purchasers are looking for from vendors

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Buyers typically don't care about a vendor's blog or Facebook page, what they actually want is a relationship built on trust, Robert Minskoff writes. Marketing efforts should help companies reinforce this trust by highlighting how they provide what customers want from vendors relationships such as

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Want more Twitter followers? Put your ego in check

Sunday, 14 July 2013

The average Twitter user posts content about themselves in more than 40% of their tweets, say researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan. That's understandable but ineffective: Outward-facing, informational tweets were about 30 times more effective at buildin

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Facebook to let U.K. users gamble on horse races, soccer matches

Sunday, 14 July 2013

In a first for Facebook, Irish bookmaker Paddy Power will launch an application allowing users in the U.K. to place real-money bets on sporting events such as horse races and soccer matches. The move follows Facebook's controversial decision to allow

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7-Eleven celebrates anniversary with "online dance party" for fans

Sunday, 14 July 2013

7-Eleven celebrated its 86th birthday Thursday by encouraging fans of the Slurpee to post videos of themselves doing a "Slurpee Dance" to social networks. The convenience store chain also released a video of YouTube personality Nathan Barnatt doing his own version of the dance. "Every year, we thi

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Shopzilla acquires mobile commerce player Zappli

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Comparison-shopping site Shopzilla has acquired mobile commerce startup Zappli for an undisclosed amount, with plans to hire the entire Zappli team and integrate the mobile technology into its portfolio of sites in the coming months, the company said. Zappli co-founder and CEO Philippe Suchet will

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Mobile ad impression rules are released by MMA

Sunday, 14 July 2013

The Mobile Marketing Association released finalized guidelines for measuring mobile application ad impressions including a requirement for counting only client-side totals for ad impressions and additional guidance on how often apps can auto-refresh the ads it displays. "Now that there is clear an

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Just.me adds Android version, updates iOS and Web apps

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Social messaging and sharing application Just.me is pushing beyond its quarter-million users by introducing an Android version of the iOS hit. A Web-based version of the app now works with rich media on browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox OS and the flagship iOS version has a new dashboard. "Just.m

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Lexus partners with auto magazines for Instagram buzz campaign

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Lexus is teaming up with auto publications including Motor Trend and Import Tuner for an Instagram video campaign to build buzz for its 2014 IS sports sedan. Editors from each publication are being asked to test-drive vehicles with cameras attached to them. The luxury brand will use the video to m

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Search referrals provide most valuable customers over lifetime

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Customers who find an e-commerce business through online search provide a lifetime value 54% higher than average, according to a study from Custora. Second behind search were customers referred through cost-per-click ads with a 37% higher-than-averag

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Developer eyes amusement retail center for Bangkok

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Developer Prinsiri plans to build an amusement community retail center in Bangkok. The project, Plearnary Mall, will be in a high-density area with favorable demographics. Read More Here.

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Fans, critics come out to discuss proposed retail center in Queens, N.Y.

Sunday, 14 July 2013

The New York City Planning Commission heard from critics and proponents of a proposed $1 billion retail-and-entertainment center planned for the parking lot of the New York Mets' stadium in Queens. The commission must vote on the project for it to move to the City Council. The proposal is part of

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Windows Phone plans enterprise pack in 2014

Friday, 12 July 2013

Microsoft will release an enterprise feature pack for its Windows Phone 8 in 2014 in order to provide companies with better control over corporate phones, including enhanced encryption support and the ability to shut off certain functions and applica

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Lenovo takes top spot in PC market as sales fall again

Friday, 12 July 2013

PC sales declined for the fifth consecutive quarter with an 11% decrease in the second quarter, according to research firms IDC and Gartner. Lenovo had the most shipments, knocking Hewlett-Packard out of the top spot. "The battle for PC leadership co

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How will Microsoft reorganization affect advertising and marketing?

Friday, 12 July 2013

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is expected to announce a companywide reorganization today that could see its advertising or marketing departments outsourced to a larger extent, according to this report. The company may separate its display and search ad

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Building a business without an initial outside investment

Friday, 12 July 2013

Startups can build profitable businesses even without interest from venture capitalists or angel investors, writes Sramana Mitra, founder of One Million by One Million. The trick is to focus on revenues early on. "The initial cash needs to come from revenues, not financing," Mitra writes. "But lat

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Matomy raises mobile profile with MobAff acquisition

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Matomy Media Group will be upping the mobile game of its MediaWhiz digital marketing agency with the acquisition of MobAff. MobAff's nine staffers will be relocated to MediaWhiz offices in New York. "We have mobile advertisers and mobile publishers. But this will become a very significant accelera

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Arnold launches a social "Runnovation" for New Balance

Thursday, 11 July 2013

The latest campaign from New Balance, via Arnold Worldwide, moves away from lone-wolf runners, showing running as a social and group-training activity. Print ads will run in eight magazines including Runner's World and Women's Health, and they will feature headlines such as "Redefine girls' night

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Campbell Ewald will be the new U.S. hub of Lowe & Partners

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Interpublic announced that Campbell Ewald will be the U.S. hub of its Lowe & Partners agency network, replacing Deutsch's New York office, where it has been operating since 2009. The move to create what will be called Lowe Campbell Ewald is largely being driven by the need to align the Cadilla

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The 2013 Smarties™ Mobile Marketing Awards open call for submissions

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Submissions are now being accepted for The Smarties™ 2013 Awards program, recognizing the best of innovation, creativity and leadership in mobile marketing from across the globe. We invite you to stand up and be counted with the best-of-the-best worldwide. The Smarties has a full range of 20 categ

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Gadget lets the world know about your Facebook "likes"

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Proud of how many Facebook "likes" you've received? Let the world know about it with the Fliike, a ticker unit that connects to your Facebook account via Wi-Fi and displays your "like" count in real time. The $390 gadget is intended as a promotional gimmick for businesses, although brands with mor

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Ads for 2014 World Cup coming to Twitter

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil won't kick off for another 11 months, but Twitter's sales team already is limbering up for the event. The network will hold a blind auction for World Cup-themed promoted trends next month, using the upfront-style market in a bid to maximize the return from its limited

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Google+ lets users see friends' +1s in their streams

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Google+ users will be able to see when their friends have endorsed content shared on the site, in much the same way that Facebook users can see when their friends have "liked" something. A small line above the shared content will detail who among a users' friends have awarded the item a "+1" click

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Can Facebook stay on top by copying another network?

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Twitter's president of global revenue, Adam Bain, is the impetus behind Facebook's decision to use hashtags to organize users' content, experts say. Bain's vision for hashtag-based ad sales put Twitter on track to top $1 billion in revenue next year, and Facebook may also make a truckload of money

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Engaging, personalized campaigns are key to mobile ad strategy

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Engaging mobile brand fans through social channels such as Instagram or by offering mobile games are some of the strategies brands are using to earn consumer attention in a space crowded with banner advertisements that users would prefer to ignore, executives from big brands including Forever 21 a

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Factual debuts new geotargeting services for marketers

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Big Data company Factual is introducing two services, Geopulse Audience and Geopulse Proximity, aimed at helping marketers provide more targeted advertisements through location-based data. Geopulse Audience creates a historical map of user location to determine demographic associations such as whe

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Graph Search tool aims to increase Facebook's utility

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Facebook's Graph Search tool, released in the U.S. on Monday, is aimed at making it easier for users to rediscover older or more difficult-to-find content. Experts say making information easy to access will prove essential to the network's ability to court advertisers. Facebook brought in $1.5 bil

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Twitter to open up to third-party data for retargeted ads

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Twitter will begin allowing advertisers to target users based on purchases they make elsewhere on the Web, the company announced July 3. The social-networking site said it will serve the ads itself, and users will be able to check a box to opt out of receiving retargeted ads. "It's really just ena

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Build-A-Bear, Sony Pictures team in Instagram campaign

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Build-A-Bear and Sony Pictures are joining in a campaign that invites mobile users to submit photos via Instagram for a chance at prizes. The campaign promotes the Sony movie "Smurfs 2" and new toys representing movie characters. Users' submission of photos incorporating the toys, using the #Ilove

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North American mobile ad sales more than doubled last year

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Revenue from mobile ad sales more than doubled last year in North America and increased 82.8% to $8.9 billion globally, according to data from the Interactive Advertising Bureau's Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence, IAB Europe and global consulting firm IHS. Mobile search ads accounted for 52.8

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Why real-time content marketing must reinforce brand narrative

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Publishing branded content related to a breaking news or a buzz-worthy story can be one of the most effective ways to grab attention, but it's important not to let this tactic dominate your brand's content marketing strategy, writes Jack Macleod. Content tied to the topics of the day should still

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Marketing mistakes small businesses make on social media

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

Marketing mistakes small businesses make on social media  The most common mistakes entrepreneurs make in social media marketing include skipping over social media entirely, trying to establish a presence on every social media platform and expecting social media marketing to be free, accordin

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