Digital Recruiting

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.

The most pointless research in the world

A recent bit of research from McKinsey ... Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise ... is the most pointless thing i have ever seen.

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/home.aspx

But away from the pointless nature of the report - a few interesting points

14% of response saw legal/hr risks holding back web 2.0 projects
16% say it has changed the way they hire and retain talent

Interesting ... not very

But people are using the tools and it is having a positive effect ...

New research into online tv services

UK television industry body Thinkbox plans to investigate how consumers are using online TV services and how attitudes toward them compare with broadcast TV.

In addition, the study will look at differences in viewing behaviours and patterns; how online TV affects engagement; the role of catch-up TV; and how the online TV ad market is likely to develop.

http://www.thinkbox.tv/server/show/ConWebDoc.1328

Great tone of voice

I was playing around on the internet and came across the graduate recruitment site for Ogilvy ... i thought you would all be interested because it is a great example of how to link the emotional with the rational.

http://www.ogilvy.co.uk/fellows/

You would hope so - as they are an advertising agency.

But - have a look and make you own mind up.

The rational and emotional factors when looking for a job …

I am going to try and remove my head from my own arse with this posting … but it is a difficult one to do it with. Why? Well some people think that emotion and rational thought are separate – well it is not true. Emotion surrounds rational thought and is thus rather important when advertising.

Emotion is key to advertising because … emotion creates attention – AIDA as a model does not work. The emotional connection is needed to create the attention in the first place. Without it you will not generate any response.

So why do we pay so little attention to emotion when planning? I have a few answers but I feel there are more.

Firstly, it is not something that has ever really been part of our mental models and we don’t change mental models unless there is a problem. I think there is a problem with the quality of planning in the industry but I am not sure that is the opinion of clients or agency heads.

Secondly, it is really difficult. As with most things in life the best way is not the easiest way. We are all busy, stressed, tired and maybe a little bit hung over. BUT we are paid to think – so think.

Finally, the lack of integration across and accounts - creative and media are still planned and delivered in vacuums. It is only by working together we achieve the best results – it is the clients and Account Directors who need to push this. Make it happen.

Wow, I am amazed that I have done a whole post without mentioning a book or research paper. There are plenty that go behind my thinking – if you want to know what they are email me and I will send a list (see trying to mot be up my own arse).

Five things to watch in 2008

I have been inspired to try and predict a few trends for 2008 – I have it down to five that I see for 2008.

1. The growth of virtual advertising. More and more ads are created that are not focused on our client; candidates or those we even bother to run in the media. Still, they look nice and win awards.
2. Media and creative continue to be planned with little thought for the other. Just because they are consumed together it does not mean we need to think about how they work with each other. The gamble makes it a little bit more exciting.
3. A number becomes CEO of an agency. With all the CTR, ROI and benchmarks flying around people forget that numbers do not think and people do. All original thought is lost.
4. Bonus schemes are cut. Even thought 2008 ends up a bumper year for profit and turnover we all earn less. Shareholders love a good recession.
5. Digital media planner wages cause inflation. Gordon Brown steps in and ends up giving up his job as prime minister to move into media planning. Everyone has a price.

Who knows what will happen in the year ahead – but I am feeling confident about the above.

This Is Cracking

Carrying on the corporate video theme from last year ...