Online advertisers are now using widgets in an effort to improve customer engagement.  These widgets are packed with tracking functionality and the advertisers hope these fun little applications will become viral to spread their words widely and to collect lots of information about you.

In some ways I like this idea, especially if I want a fun and engaging way to be advertised to, that is, of course, it I choose to be advertised to.  The tracking aspect worries me, as does the potential to spread malicious programs.  I’m also worried that these “games” may be used to hook children.  Anyhow, give the article a read.  The possibility, in general, to use widgets as a way to teach consumers about a product in an engaging way is interesting.

Widgets are the new ad kid on the block

By Elinor Mills
http://www.news.com/Widgets-are-the-new-ad-kid-on-the-block/2100-1024_3-6223229.html

Story last modified Wed Dec 19 04:00:02 PST 2007

Forget static banners. Online ads are evolving into mini-applications with video, games, and dynamic content that people like enough to embed in their own Web pages and share with others.

It should be no shock to anyone that the “live chat” offered through some etailers, is live chat with a computer.  Still this seems quite underhanded.  

This article says Upsellit saved 500,000 sells, but it doesn’t give the number of sales attempts.  Hmm …could this be used as a more engaging way for customer self-support?  I imagine it’s already being done …

Here’s a link to the article

That online chat ‘assistant’ may not be real

A start-up firm is using automated chat to keep online customers from abandoning their virtual shopping carts.

This is brilliant!  Wal-Mart really knows how to play to their audience.  I wonder what they will inflate to offset this lure and who they will squeeze to maintain margins.

Wal-Mart chops prices in bid to lure shoppers

No. 1 retailer to offer discounts of up to 30% on groceries, other items ahead of Super Bowl weekend; more cuts ahead.

Crazed with Google-envy, Microsoft promises to make your drive fun and productive with in-car advertising.  I have to snicker, because the last thing I want in my car is the MS blue-screen of death. 

Personally, I’ve steered clear of having anything TV-like in my car.  This is because I’m a very poor driver and I’m easily distracted when driving.  I won’t even let my husband watch movies on his laptop or iPod while on long drives because I have a tendency to glance over and, unfortunately, the car goes in whatever direction I point my head.  Sad …

As for in-car advertising … well, I got satellite radio to avoid advertising and slowly over time advertising has crept in.  I’ve now gone back to listening to CD’s to avoid distracting channel flipping.  Why would I want my dashboard advertising to me?  When am I supposed to look at this advertising while my eyes are supposed to be on the road?  I wonder, though, whether safety is factored into these designs.  Like I said, I haven’t gone for in-car navigation because it’s too distracting.  Even the voice stuff is too distracting for me.  I sorta feel like anything that takes the driver’s eyes and attention away from the road should only be active when the car is stopped.  I wonder whether others have the same problem as I do?

Anyhow, enjoy the article below.

Here’s a link to the article

Here’s an interesting editorial from “Ad Age” Magazine about branding and owning a word.  It starts by explaining the the success of Barack Obama’s campaign and how he owns the word “change” and then goes on to talk about success and failure of other companies slogans.  I like the quick blurb about how an individual can own a word to help jump start their career.  I thought about this for myself for quite some time — what is my “brand?”  I haven’t come up with it yet, but I feel it’s something I need to do in order to crystallize what I’m about before making my next career move.  How about you?  What is your brand?

Here’s a link to the article

Why You Can (and Can’t) Learn From Obama

Change Isn’t Always the Best Prescription

By Al Ries

Published: February 04, 2008