Shake It Like A Polaroid!





In yet another example of how mature brands are evolving their marketing approach, Polaroid now has a branded iPhone application that simulates the Polaroid instant photo experience, by putting the classic white border around iPhone photos. The App, which is available for $1.99, offers four distinct styles to apply to iPhone images: black and white, vintage, colorized and digital and allows users to add handwriting-style text to the bottom of the photo and share those photos via e-mail or social networking sites, as well as to the company's "Polaroid Studio" cloud storage site. The fun part is that users have to shake or blow on the phone's screen for the picture to develop, just as people had done with traditional Polaroid pictures. The App tactic is part of Polaroid's new marketing platform, "Made in Polaroid," which encouraged people to showcase their creative photos on its revamped website.

The Smartphone Race Track

Smartphone history was made this week when Apple (iPhones) pushed ahead of Research In Motion (Blackberry models) to lay claim to the second largest maker worldwide, behind Nokia. Apple doubled smartphone shipments to 14 million from the year-earlier period, thanks largely to the release of the iPhone 4. The Smartphone race is being closely watched by marketers, as mobile marketing continues to grow rapidly. Of course, while app developers create programs for every mobile platform, it's those platforms with the largest market that get the most attention. So keeping tabs on who's on first and in the lead is crucial for Rainmakers.
Enter Android. While Apple has surpassed RIM, Android's growth rate has shot past both Apple iOS and BlackBerry. Android was installed on 44 percent of phones sold in the third quarter of this year, well ahead of its two main rivals.Apple's answer is it will counter with the debut of the Verizon iPhone early next year, eagerly looking to slow Android's explosive growth. And the Smartphone race goes on.

It's All About Entertainment At Myspace

Myspace has a brand new look and user experience that goes beyond just the building of a social network of friends. With a new brand, Myspace has rolled out a beta website that offers Gen Y users (16-25) a rich, highly-personalized entertainment experience focused on music, celebrities, movies, television, and games available through multiple platforms, including online, mobile devices and offline events. Of course, one of the most exciting features of the new Myspace is that Gen Y users will be able to connect, share with others who have similar entertainment interests. With entertainment as one of the known cultural points to effectively reach Hispanic consumers, the redesign is expected to be particularly attractive to the fast-growing bicultural young Hispanic market segment who make up 18 percent of the U.S. Gen Y population. Hispanic youth are not only the country’s fastest-growing market segment, but are also early adopters to social media and characterized as being trend setters and technology savvy.