Digital Recruiting

Publishers spend too little on content

Interesting analysis of the US newspaper industry's cost base by Moody's Investors Service (though most of the rest of the report is unsurprising).

Written by Moody's vice president and senior analyst John Puchalla, the report contends that publishers spend far too much on producing and delivering a printed paper rather than on creating its content and selling it.

Here are the figures behind what Puchalla calls a "structural disconnect": only 14% of cash operating costs, on average, are devoted to content creation, while about 70% of costs are spent on printing, distribution and corporate functions.

The remaining 16% of costs are related to advertising sales, a first-class example of devoting too few resources to the principal revenue driver.

Puchalla sees this as a legacy of the industry's vertical integration and the result, of course, is that the high fixed costs - combined with high debt among many newspaper companies - is squeezing cash flow as revenue declines.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2009/jun/05/us-press-publishing-newspapers

Interesting Article On Newspapers

This was in the FT yesterday ... Future of Newspapers some very interesting points ... have a good old read.

Advertising not a "good model" for Twitter

Twitter, the microblogging website, is focusing on creating value for consumers and companies before attempting to increase its revenues, but doesn't think traditional advertising will be a "good model", says co-founder Biz Stone. WARC

The future of the workplace

Interesting discussion about the future of the workplace ... very interesting points on how the design of the building helps to attract the right level of talent. 

http://www.monocle.com/sections/design/Web-Articles/The-Future-of-the-Workplace/

A couple of interesting posts about Twitter

When Stars Twitter, a Ghost May Be Lurking - IHT

Is Twitter becoming like MySpace - Brand Republic

I actually have no real opinion on twitter as I do not use it ... but i thought i would try and get down with the cool kids and post a few links to interesting articles about twitter.

I am going back to my hole now, texting people, searching for things and checking email ...

Sorry about removing content

You may have seen a rather nasty post about me recently ... i thought that is odd as I had never met the person.

From further investigation I have had to remove the content because not only had they made the comment but it had been linked to to make sure it ws listed highly in the google search results.

It is rather sad that this industry forum was used for a personal attack.

Sorry as I am a great believer in free speach ... but this was done to play a rather nasty trick.

Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) Winter Survey 2009

The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) have just released the latest AGR Winter Survey 2009

 

Phil Lane discusses overall ideas and especially David Lammy’s solutions over in the Barkers Blog

 

But I want to look at a different side … the increase in investment in websites and campus activity vs. the decrease in paper and online advertising.  

 

I just want to say – at last!

 

For many years I have seen pointless campaigns running in the media and I am sure no one asked why are we doing this?

 

And if anyone did question the ideas we were hit with the same old response – we have to do it.

 

Do we have to?  

 

Campus based activity will always give the best rewards … and back it up with a great search campaign and a well optimised website.  Have a dialogue and let people find you.  

 

It makes a lot more sense than shouting to people who are really not interested in the same old advertising …

Mobile internet usage surges by 25%

The number of Britons accessing the internet via mobile devices increased by 25% in the third quarter of 2008, according to new research from Nielsen Online.

Source: Nielsen Online. Growth in internet use via PC and mobile from Q2 to Q3 2008

Results from the study Mobile Media View, highlight that usage of  the mobile internet is increasing eight times faster than PC-based internet growth, rising from 5.8 million to 7.3 million between the second and third quarters of 2008.

BBC News is the most popular site, being visited by 24% of British mobile internet users, followed by BBC Weather, Sky Sports and Gmail. This compares to PC-internet favourites Google Search (23%) and eBay (43%).

UCLA study finds that searching the Internet increases brain function

UCLA scientists have found that for computer-savvy middle-aged and older adults, searching the Internet triggers key centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. The findings demonstrate that Web search activity may help stimulate and possibly improve brain function.

The study, the first of its kind to assess the impact of Internet searching on brain performance, is currently in press at the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and will appear in an upcoming issue.

"The study results are encouraging, that emerging computerized technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults," said principal investigator Dr. Gary Small, a professor at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA who holds UCLA's Parlow-Solomon Chair on Aging. "Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function."

As the brain ages, a number of structural and functional changes occur, including atrophy, reductions in cell activity, and increases in deposits of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which can impact cognitive function.

Small noted that pursuing activities that keep the mind engaged may help preserve brain health and cognitive ability. Traditionally, these include games such as crossword puzzles, but with the advent of technology, scientists are beginning to assess the influence of computer use — including the Internet.

Click here for the full story UCLA

Time for a change

It has been an interesting year … credit crunch, stoke getting into the premiership and a lot of talk about the changing recruitment advertising market.

Ok well maybe it is not that interesting …

But I think this year has shown me one thing … PEOPLE STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

In fact at times it is pathetic …

So in a vague attempt to make sense … I will not quote any research, books or other things that help to improve our knowledge, thinking and ability to do our jobs.

At the end of the day … we work in advertising – why try and understand what we do? Just sell the same old rubbish to the same old people!

For those of you who want to keep on doing the same old rubbish then stop reading.

For everyone else I have a little thing to do – go out and apply for jobs online.

1. Do search for vacancies on search engines, job boards and on employer sites.
2. Apply for a job online.
3. Go for a few interviews.
4. You might even get a new job.

But you will find a truly awful process … painful, gibberish, dull and seemingly designed to make the process one of the most drawn out experiences of your life.

Why is this?

Well for a start people are designing advertising strategies using old visual advertising techniques that were applied in print. Websites are pieces of software and need to be based on human behavior.

Secondly, people are still not tracking the communications correctly. And if I hear one more person say that the client is not ready for solid ROI measurement I might be drawn to kill. Since when did a person not want to make sure what they are doing is working?

Finally, clients need to see the truth behind the products they are buying. How can this be independent when planning (when it happens), buying, creative and web builds are all under full service.

The conflict of interest between each component leads to biased communications strategies, aimed at hitting the media and agency targets. Rather than client needs.

Now I know there are good people in the media and agencies.

Media and agencies also need to make good margin and pay the teams well …

Clients need to invest in the communications strategies, rather than just try and cut costs.

BUT the industry needs to make a step change, and introduce good quality communications planning.