From the category archives:

the online consumer

Social Media Survey – April 2010

by Peter McMahon April 2, 2010
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Those involved in social media – myself included – naturally view it as being of major significance. However, viewing it that way doesnt necessarily make it so. And in some quarters there is tacit scepticism surrounding the extent of that significance. So I thought it worthwhile to throw out some questions (see below) and to [...]

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How social media & traditional journalism can really ruin your day

by Peter McMahon February 9, 2010
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Brands and marketers who continue to treat information generated by online sources as isolated and inconsequential do so at their peril. Yesterday I was talking with a marketing acquaintance. He didn’t consider social media to be particularly topical. In fact his exact words were “oh yeah – social media, blogging, twittering…its all cr@p…I don’t have [...]

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H&M keeps its facebook fans guessing

by Peter McMahon January 13, 2010
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On the morning of Jan 6, the New York Times New York edition ran an article claiming that the world’s 3rd largest fashion chain had intentionally and systematically damaged and dumped unsold stock outside its 34th street outlet. In a city where the economic crisis remains a painful daily reality to many Americans, a third [...]

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What messages does your digital presence really send about your brand?

by Peter McMahon January 4, 2010
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Recently I stumbled upon Seth Godin’s typically erudite definition of brand value. According to Seth…”a brand’s value is merely the sum total of how much extra people will pay, or how often they choose, the expectations, memories, stories and relationships of one brand over the alternatives.” Hmmm. It struck me that expectation and relationship are [...]

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Does online research really lead to more rational purchase decisions?

by Peter McMahon December 30, 2009
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As consumers we are supposed to be getting smarter – or at least more rational. To help with this evolution, the internet offers an endless array of comparison and peer review sites designed to help you locate the ultimate house, camera, insurance policy or nanny – all with a few mouse clicks. These sites are [...]

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