At it’s core this allows customers to get instant price points for products matched to a database by barcode snapped by Android camera phones, this is then geo-mapped to a consumers location providing them a ‘best product price’.

As many countries press for free-trade agreements opening the doors for global import/exports it will be interesting to see the progress of uptake for this application and whether a retail ‘free trade’ can exist through the monopolies here in Australia.

Clearly the application for department store consumables is an obvious winner. In light of the global financial crisis most retailers operate revolving ‘sales’ beyond the traditional seasonal periods.

Some consumers today adopt a more frugal approach to shopping behaviour and are legitimately skeptical of revolving sales. ShopSavvy empowers today’s shopper looking for genuine deals, making this application highly desirable!

Time will tell, whether ‘independent’ groups will embark on this route to release this service & importantly whether Australian retailers embrace and freely disclose genuine price points for its success.

Beyond the soon to be released Kogan Android phone, perhaps its our telco friends who will limit and influence the success of these mobile apps.

Sadly, many agencies in Asia Pacific supplement poor campaign analysis by churning out revolving media plans, with little depth or application to client business challenges beyond the typical verticals. Fast forward 30 days past expiration of a client campaign and most media round-ups simply benchmark industry average click-throughs, whatever the business category. Perhaps this correlates to those media players who ‘pre-purchase’ inventory at a discount volume rate and then task account staff to retro-fit this to any client brief…

Global economic uncertainties have fortunately accelerated for many corporations, the need for direct accountabilities and result measurement. A term I’ve come to call ‘result optimisation’ which can only be led by data. Will these global market challenges drive adoption of data indicators into a structured project implementation lifecycle? That remains to be seen!

At a base level for any effective & successful campaign an application of suitable measurement mapped at an early entry point of the project time plan is crucial. A new digital mantra for both agency/client marketing teams alike, has to be ‘dial up the data’

Effective campaign analysis requires more robust pre & post data management intelligence to ensure objectives met and KPI triggers can be modified during an extended inventory period.

How else will you trace new consumer patterns and behaviors without a legitimate measurement strategy?

Some simple steps for consideration:

RESPONSE
Consolidate available background data (histories, trends, sales performance and competitive intelligence) set a response objective prior to campaign launch.

RUN
Launch the campaign, ensuring adequate tracking is set and authenticated with suitable click-tags.

REVIEW
Analyse campaign performance utlising available data. Evaluate performances across inventory (external/internal data) referenced to the original response objectives.

REVISE
Utilise the intelligence to optimise the campaign based on variable indicators across inventory. Contrast available creative controls i.e. message/offer, creative execution, timing (ad server) and dimensions.

REPEAT
Implement performance enhancements to inventory and develop new response objectives based on result optimisation.

Surely, the sign-up process for children can be modified so that a general report can be collected and sent to a nominated parents email account? In a most basic form, extraction reports that provide child activity or areas accessed including social group participation and friend contact details. This might also extend to varied levels of child security access for parents (i.e. low/medium/high) with a summary extract of inbox conversations/IM’s sent to parents.

With ad revenues dominating most content sections & with greater sophistications in site monitoring tools, part of the ad costs could be funneled to develop an output service under ‘research and development’. A simple % dedicated to this R&D much the same as airlines now offer carbon credits for regular flyers. An additional ‘nice to have’ would be a simple tool function for parents to ‘drag n drop’ account info against security and reporting requirements for new sign-ups or current accounts held by their children.

In an advanced application, an icon that sits within the post-log-in frame can send in ‘real-time’, a message alert to a dedicated call-centre for process and investigation. An optional revenue stream, might include a text message to a parent’s mobile handset, using the SMS technology that exists for banking PIN requests. Not that fantastic or inconceivable!

The exponential growth of internet usage by children shows now sign of abatement(and why should it!) if time spent online is balanced with appropriate parental moderation & with reasonable network child safety tools & services. It offers hope that there is a positive step forward in tackling this dark side of cyberspace.

MSN Messenger – Windows Live(TM) OneCare(TM) Family Safety – non inclusive software, requires additional download, advanced/superior internet skills for set-up, convoluted and confusing logins, overtly excessive pop-ups, heavy content. I was able to access adult content post sign-in, no report listed in real-time via active monitoring reports back to my parent account.
Ref: https://fss.live.com/Default.aspx?mkt=en-au

MySpace – Provides tips to both parents and teens, set-up instructions to add/delete accounts with many references to third party organisations e.g. CyberTipline. However, no real-time assistance. Cyberbully links incorrectly quoted in help sections and video failed to load in less then 5 minutes. A simple text box exists via an ‘abuse’ link to cut n paste a complaint. (Incorrect reference text reference link to Cyberbully411.com and refers to Cyberbullying411.com which provides no info, it’s a sign-post page/pulling links to other search strings.)
Ref: http://tinyurl.com/674fz9

Bebo – Provides a simple series of useful ‘How to’ videos specifically on bullying and cyber safety. The ability for consumers to send alerts of etiquette mis-use is found with quick links on any profile page. This does not provide any real-time service sending a simple username capture script. Parental controls absent.
Ref: http://www.bebo.com/Safety.jsp

Facebook – Provides several pages of consumer conduct banded under their site guidelines, code of conduct and terms…They also provide basic security information in a tab under the Help footer section of the site (somewhat hidden) which links to abuse@facebook.com. It appears there is very little parental controls offered and in exceptions for minors under 13 it refers concerned parents to submit an email request under the privacy governed by COPPA (Childrens’ Online Privacy Protection Act)
Ref: http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/guidelines.php
http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/guidelines.php#/codeofconduct.php
http://www.facebook.com/safety

Friendster – Provides simple links on individual groups to report abuse and all other suggestions for safety are contained under the Terms of Service. There are no parental controls offered or real-time services.
Ref: http://www.friendster.com/info/tos.php