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Mark Evans

Insight and Analysis from North of the Border

Forget About 3D TV, I Want My Apple TVYesterday

How many rabbits can Steve Jobs pulled out of his magical Apple hat?

Since the iPod’s launch in late-2001, Apple has been steadily introducing new and improved products that have transformed it into the world’s most exciting and leading consumer electronics company.

The launch yesterday of Apple TV 2.0 is another example of Apple’s ability to disrupt well-entrenched markets with something that may not be revolutionary but it’s bound to make an impact based on its design, functionality and, of course, the magical Apple aura.

Designed to stream television shows, videos and movies off the Internet or via a personal computer, the new Apple TV (aka the hockey puck) is simplistic yet it has the potential to be disruptive. At $99 (or C$119), it’s a product lots of people will if only because it’s from Apple, it’s cool and it will easily change how you watch TV, movies and videos. Heck, I’m going to buy one, and I’m someone who has steadfastly resisted buying an iPad because it’s been impossible to justify.

The another interest aspect to Apple 2.0 is how it puts the spotlight on another part of the TV world: 3D. For months, the T

What Agency Should Own Social Media?September 1

As social media becomes a more integral part of many company’s operations, there’s a battle being waged behind the scenes pitting public relations, digital and advertising agencies against each.

The prize they’re pursuing is the mandate to help companies create strategic and tactical social media plans and campaigns. The winner gets to play a key role, while the losers will be forced to play minor supporting roles. This battle is particularly interesting because for decades the three agencies happily co-existed within their own orbs. There was was cross-over but, in reality, there was little competition.

Social media, however, has changed the landscape. Rather than the three agencies having a gentile lunch, they have suddenly found themselves in the middle of a mixed martial arts contest for the big chunk of the social media pie.

The question is which agency is best suited to lead social media?

Is it PR agencies who know how to tell stories but, traditionally, have not done created or developed Web sites, widgets or applications? Is it ad agencies that put together great creative ideas for campaigns but have little experience with having conversations with consumers? Or it digital agencies, who can build great widgets but aren’t story tellers?

What makes the battle increasingly intriguing is how each kind of agency is beefing up their capabilities to transform themselves from one-trick ponies. PR agencies are adding creative and

Idea Paint’s Approach to Social MediaAugust 30

There’s so much talk about social media and the tools that can be used, it’s refreshing to see how a company actually leverages social media to drive awareness and sales.

Here’s a video that I discovered in which Marcus Wilson, Idea Paint’s head of marketing, talks about how the company’s blog is the engine that drives it social media efforts, which, in turn, drive people to a variety of landing pages, which, hopefully, leads to happy customers. In less than two minutes, Wilson provides some great real-world insight.

Is the High-Tech IPO Really Back?August 29

The high-tech IPO is a mysterious beast. It’s attractive, seductive and irresistible. But it’s also fickle, temperamental and not always well-behaved. Still, investors have a difficult time resisting the high-tech IPO even when the fundamentals aren’t solid or even exist.

In the coming months, it looks like investors will get another opportunity to test their obsession with the high-tech IPO as companies such as Skype and Hulu prepare for public offerings. If these IPOs are successful – and there’s plenty of indication they will be enthusiastically received – it could open the floodgates for all kinds of IPOs.

The question facing investors is whether Hulu and Skype are anomalies, or whether the high-tech IPO has really come back from the dead. Hulu and Skype are solid well-established businesses with revenue, subscribers and track records. They are market leaders in markets experiencing rapid growth, which makes them strong IPO candidates.

These are the kind of IPOs that, frankly, were few and far between during the dot-com boom when anything with traction was sucked into the IPO machine. Of course, many of these IPOs bombed because t

Why Social Media is Still a Corporate No-GoAugust 27

I wrote this post for the Sysomos blog earlier this week but wanted to share it with MET readers.

For those of us in the social media, digital marketing or online service worlds, social media is pretty much a no-brainer. It’s a new and different way to connect with customers, employees, partners, the media/bloggers and investors. The various social media tools let companies expand their marketing, communications and sales arsenal to support their strategic and tactical objectives.

Given the potential of social media, it is surprising that many companies are still reluctant or downright dismissive of it. As hard as it is to believe, some companies believe there is no need for social media, including companies that directly deal with consumers. As far as they’re concerned, there’s no role for social media even as a new way to supplement their existing activities.

In a recent blog post, Mitch Joel suggested that one of the keys and challenges for companies considering social media is determining if there’s a cultural fit.

It’s an interesting thesis because it explains why social media can be so difficult for companies to embrace. Social media is the new kid on the block but many decision makers, who play a key part in establishing corporate cultu