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August 15, 2011

TV Advertising- What Works & Why

By: Levi Shapiro

The record TV upfront market of $18.5 billion, along with robust Q2 earnings from the TV holding companies, means the business of television is stronger than ever. Ignoring Wall Street crashes and London riots, the TV networks saw double digit growth in cable and digital ad sales. However, are we any smarter about what types of TV ads are working, and why? Looking at the US Hispanic audience, the fastest growing segment of the population, humor and emotional elements are particularly effective. Below are top campaigns, by recall, for the first half of 2011.


source:
Millward Brown

According to Nielsen, the top Spanish language advertisers in the first half of 2011 were Procter & Gamble, AT&T, DIRECTV, McDonalds and Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile). The leading Hispanic advertising categories were Automotive, Quick Service Restaurants, Pharmaceuticals, Wireless Telephone Services and Motion Pictures.

The winning ad, in terms of recall among Hispanics, was the Yoplait "Save Lids to Save Lives" campaign, with a Recall Index of 250. That means the campaign is 2.5x more memorable to Hispanics than the average campaign. The message blends altruism (donating 10 cents for every pink lid), continuity (13th year), and familiarity (the spokesperson is popular Puerto Rican actress Adamari Lopez, herself a breast cancer survivor): 
 

If the video above does not play, please click HERE
 

 
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July 25, 2011

2012 Mobile Trends: Commerce, product ecosystems, location integration

By: Levi Shapiro

This week marks the start of H2, 2011- a perfect time to consider key trends for the mobile sector in 2012. Three of the sharpest researchers in the industry, Nitesh Patel (Strategy Analytics), Michael Vakulenko (Vision Mobile) and Dr. Bruce Krulwich  (Grizzly Analytics) share their predictions for 2012. In short, next year will see mobile devices driving commerce, Apple and Google battling for ecosystem dominance and mobile location services more deeply integrated into our daily lives.  

 
 

Why Mobile Will Drive Commerce in 2012?


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May 15, 2011

Opportunism: How to change the world one idea at a time

Unleavened Media's pictureLevi Shapiro advises digital media companies from Hollywood to Herzilya Pituach. From his base in Los Angeles, he works closely with "unleavened" (emerging) companies in technology, media and telecom as a strategy consultant.

The US patent system is failing. Developed 231 years ago by the first US Patent Examiner, Thomas Jefferson, there is now a backlog of 1.2 million applications. Of these, almost 750,000 have never even been opened. Similarly, the number of pending Board of Patent Appeals ex-parte cases grew from 742 in 2005 to over 20,000 today. In fact, according to a 2010 study by the London School of Economics, the US leads the world in the cost of foregone innovation- employers and jobs that don't exist because of the inability to obtain a patent.


 
 
Seeking to remedy the situation, the Obama Administration doubled the number of patent reviewers and championed the Patent Reform Act of 2011. However, these actions simply modify a failed system. In the new book, Opportunism: How to Change the World- One Idea at a Time, Israeli property attorney Shraga Biran advocates a completely different approach toward intellectual property law. Biran would stimulate more economic opportunity for the creative, scientific and artistic classes by recognizing and protecting nascent IDEAS as an asset, rather than simply the finished product. He proposes a "right of opportunity" as an alternative to patent law, enabling individual members of society to more directly profit from the exploitation of their ideas.




 
Currently, the start-up community perceives patents as a tool to inhibit innovation. That was the conclusion of a 2009 research study from UC Berkeley. Today, less than one quarter of software startups even bother to file a patent. Instead, the patent system is used by large companies to extort license fees from competitors. Pam Samuelson, one of the Berkeley report co-authors, concludes the beneficiaries of the patent system are not entrepreneurs.




 
The economy today is dominated by intangible wealth. According to a 2010 World Bank report by Susana Ferreira and Kirk Hamilton, 60-80% of the world's wealth is based on intangible assets. Despite this, legal frameworks ignore the contribution of intangible human, social and institutional capital while ascribing a premium to physical assets. For example, in the last quarter of the twentieth century, the patent system enabled drug companies to raise prices by 1,267% while simultaneously reducing headcount. The fantastic wealth accumulation and 40% gross margins the industry enjoyed did not accrue to individual scientists, university research labs or even the greater humanity- it went to patent holders and patent trolls.
 
Citing the internet as an example of social privatization, Biran puts forth a theory of opportunity as a dynamic and inclusive concept. He advocates a Registry of Ideas and Public Market to facilitate free exchange through open access. Idea owners should be able to enjoy the economic benefits of their efforts, in a system that remunerates the broad exchange of ideas. Biran's system rejects neo-liberalism in favor of new property frameworks and social privatization. "The new Opportunism can bring about a Renaissance in applied knowledge and a more stable society." While Biran's proposal is unlikely to be adopted in the short-term, most of us would agree that real, fundamental change is required. In the words of Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, maintaining the current system is like "giving a massive blood transfusion to a patient that has been suffering from internal hemorrhage." 

February 16, 2011

Mobile World Congress Preview (Part II)

By: Levi Shapiro

Mobile World Congress is occurring this week in Barcelona. The large presence of healthcare, automotive and consumer goods companies this year points to the expanding role of wireless across industries. This theme can be seen among the Israeli companies exhibiting in the Israeli Export Institute pavilion, which range from healthcare to CRM to satellites. Below is a short description of each:
 
  • Amos-Spacecom is a satellite company offering global services to mobile operators, ISPs, VSAT, governments, DTH and TV broadcasters. The AMOS-5 satellite, planned for launch in June 2011 to 17°E location, will provide powerful Pan-African C & Ku-band beams over Africa. AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 are already serving Europe and the Middle East. In addition, AMOS-4 and AMOS-6 are scheduled for launch in 2012


  • AtlasCT develops LBS and mapping products for enterprises, developers and consumers.Enterprises incorporate Atlas servers for Maps, Geo-services, GIS and LBS. Developers use Atlas' cloud-based API's and tools. In addition, Atlas created consumer applications including GPS Navigation, Social Location Sharing and Child Tracking. Customers include Nokia, Yellow Pages and Dunn & Bradstreet

Continue reading "Mobile World Congress Preview (Part II)" »

Mobile World Congress Preview

By: Levi Shapiro

Israeli Mobile Companies (Part I)
 
Mobile World Congress, which begins on Monday in Barcelona, is the largest annual trade show for the wireless industry. More than 90 Israeli companies will exhibit, from public companies such as Amdocs ($5.7 billion market cap) to first time exhibitors like Bit2Go, Onavo, TechnoSpin, Quammy, DialMyName and IntuCell.  Below are some of the companies that will be exhibiting in the Israeli Mobile Association
(www.imaworld.org) pavilion:



Allot Communications uses deep packet inspection (DPI) to provide IP service optimization for carriers, service providers and enterprises. This provides visibility for managing applications, services and subscribers. Reference customers include FastWeb, NTL (Virgin Mobile), Vodafone and Portugal Telecom
Amimon enables wireless display of mobile content to the TV screen. Amimon founded the WHDI consortium (Wireless High Definition Interface), helping define industry standards for wireless transmission of video from any source to the TV. They partner with TV and PC manufacturers like Sony, LG, Haier, Asus and HP
ASOCS develops and markets chips that can run across three mobile communication network standards at the same time. ASOCS has shipped products to China Mobile, China Broadcast Corp and key players in the aerospace industry
AttracTV is a web-based, video widget management service for placing video-related widgets on the screen. Viewers can click and engage with applications while watching online video. AttracTV partners include MTV, ESPN and "Big Brother"
Audio Codes works with service providers to deliver high-quality voice services over data networks. To date, Audio Codes has had the most success with wireline operators, such as Cox, Telefonica and Cable & Wireless, seeking to expand their current offering to mobile handsets
BIS is a white-label DropBox for service providers. Fixed line operators, ISP's and System Integrators (SI's) are able to offer a cloud storageplatform. The company is live with Israeli telcos and ISP's, including Netvision, Bezeq and 012 Zahav
Ceragon Networks addresses the biggest problem facing wireless operators- greater backhaul capacity. Carriers are able to migrate from TDM to IP across GSM, CDMA, EV-DO, HSPA, LTE and WiMAX. Customers include AT&T, Hutchison 3 group, Tata, Reliance and KPN
ComAbility develops tools for telcos and service providers (SPs) to automate subscriber and service operations. Cisco, Oracle and IBM are technical and development partners
CommuniTake is a CRM tool in which mobile handset users permit a virtual take-over of their Smartphone device by a support representative. Carriers, device manufacturers and brands are using this tool to augment their customer service and CRM efforts
Ethrix specializes in mobile Interactive Video Services (IVVR). Carriers and content owners are launching mobile video products like live TV, video dating, video blogs and portals, video Ring Back Tones, video mail, speech recognition for mobile video and even video-based mobile banking and tele-medicine
Exent provides a games-on-demand platform for B2B partners like Verizon, Qwest, Telstra, and T-Mobile. Services are available for PC and Android devices. Their catalog includes 1900 games with 1 million users worldwide more than $10 per month average revenue per user (ARPU)
GoNet Systems provides outdoor Wi-Fi infrastructure solutions for urban, 3G offload deployments. GoNet base stations operate alongside 3G networks, enabling cellular operators to build large-scale networks with high data volumes.  GoNet works with several Asian operators and local networks like Las Vegas
Recently acquired by Russian digital media heavyweight DST from AOL, ICQ operates an Instant Messenger service for 45 million PC and 1.2 million mobile users. ICQ leads the market in Germany and Russia, with most consumers aged 12-24. Carriers such as T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2, Megafon and Orange offer ICQ's IM client
Idomoo is an automated tool for carriers to generate targeted, personalized videos. The technology automatically generates an unlimited number of personal, professional videos from content received from the operator. Videos that explain bills, promotions, etc can help reduce churn and increase revenue
Infogin's suite of mobile browsing tools deliver the richness of a PC web experience to any mobile device. Customers include carriers like Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica and publishers such as Microsoft and AOL
IPgallery delivers network-centric solutions enabling converged IP Telephony, IPTV and Web services for residential and business segments. Services include Class 5 IP Telephony, IP Centrex, Mobile Virtual PBX, FMC, IN Services, IMS RCS services, Telco 2.0 and unlimited innovative multimedia services
ITS Telecom has a suite of fixed mobile convergence tools for operators to provide communication services to their SMB customers. This includes IP PBX services, Data routing/switching services, Firewall and WiFi connectivity. The company operates in more than 50 countries
Quammy is an application that automatically updates native cell-phone contact lists with data, photos and enriched caller ID, in real time, by accessing social networks. The data collected by Quammy enables operators to better understand the behavior and habits of their customers
Lexifone provides two-way, voice-activated translation, enabling communication between people who do not speak the same language. Businesses, operators and end-users access the service via telephone. The product launched in English, Spanish and Italian with German, French, Russian, and Chinese this year
MCE enables operators to deliver device content management, configuration and support/diagnostics.  Whether in-store, online or remotely, mobile operators can support all phone types, manage help desk call volumes and address returned devices. Reference customers include Telus, Wind, Pelephone and Telefonica
my6sense uses artificial intelligence (AI) ranking technology to learn & understands each user's preferences and identify their critical updates. The application is available for Android & iOS. It ranks and enables sharing of content to and from social streams like Facebook, Twitter and Google Buzz
 
MicroPointing offers the smallest mouse device yet-- just 1 square millimeter.  This dot sized control saves space for handset OEM while offering the full functionality of a mouse. The product will be commercially available later this year but is currently being tested by handset manufacturers
Mobile Tornado helps operators provide tools for enterprises to more accurately manage, track and monitor their workforce. Operators like China Mobile, MTN, BSNL, Telecom Italia, Cellcom and Orange offer these services to enterprises and then share revenue with Mobile Tornado 
One Smart Star offers corporate customers the opportunity to unify Voice, Fax, SMS, Mail, Email and Website communications with a single four digit number or letter, accompanied by the asterisk (*). The company has over 1400 corporate customers in Israel and is now rolling out to 50 countries
ooVoo is a video and audio conferencing service providing used by enterprises and consumers. Currently, their fastest growth is video calls, permitting HD quality, video messaging and 6 video windows per call. In addition, they provide desktop-to-phone calling across 18 countries
Orca Interactive provides IPTV middleware, content discovery and recommendations solutions for cable operators, ISP's, telco's, broadcasters and OTT providers. Orca is based in is a unit of France Telecom. Other customers include Optimus in Portugal and UNE inColumbia
Perfecto Mobile is an application testing and certification service that automatically validates, tests and certifies any application on any handset, with all content and across all networks/geographies. They are currently working with 4 top European operators and an Israeli carrier
RAD Data Communications provides mobile backhaul, Carrier Ethernet and synchronization solutions, offering cell site gateways for mobile traffic over any wireline and wireless infrastructure. Customers include AT&T, Bezeq, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom,  TeliaSonera, Telstra, and Verizon
Radware delivers application delivery solutions for wireline and mobile operators, enabling them to ensure performance and quality of IP-based service. Customers include NTT DoCoMo, Telecom Italia, Telus, Guandong Mobile and Telecom Austria
Siklu develops milimetric-wave Gigabit Ethernet systems for service providers' backhaul networks.  The company's next-generation, carrier-grade solutions provide Carrier Ethernet services and mobile backhaul for operators.
Competing with Swype, SnapKeys is a simplified text and data input system for smartphones, tablets and mobile devices using Android, iOS, Symbian and Windows.  Its four imaginary letter keys and word prediction engine allow users to quickly enter text using only two thumbs
*BRAND offers customers an easy way to get in touch with services and brands by dialing 'Star' followed by the brand selected name/domain. *BRAND is the owner of a patent application for dialing letters of a variable length.  The service is live on all three Israeli operators as well as Telcel in Mexico
TeleMessage allows operators to provide converged messaging services for any device with Text, Voice, Video and Multimedia. Users can send, receive and manage SMS, MMS, Voice, Fax and E-mail from the Internet, E-Mail, fixed and mobile phones. Customers include Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and Orange
One of the world's largest players in location solutions, Telmap has end-to-end tools for operators to deliver a comprehensive LBS strategy. Over 20 major operators globally have successfully deployed Telmap's location based solutions.
 
The Tersus Visual Programming platform makes it easy to create cross-device smartphone and web applications.  Minimal developer training is required, including no coding or scripting. The platform is free with open source licenses and Tersus provides services around the platform
Traffix Systems helps operators scale, manage and secure their networks. More than 100 service providers use Traffix, particularly their Signaling Delivery Controller (SDC), for 3GPP / LTE control plane. This performs Diameter load balancing and routing and enables gateway convergence
Tvinci provides a pay-OTT TV platform for linear content, catch-up TV and VOD across devices. Operators can stream premium content across TV, tablet, PC, smartphone, internet enabled STB and game consoles, monetizing through Pay Per View, ads and subscriptions. Customers include MSN, MTV and Orange
trendIT develops real time demographic solutions to monitor and analyze any location using mobile derived signals. Analytics services include population count with detailed characteristics and real-time monitoring with historical comparisons. Customers include defense agencies, municipalities and retailers
Vayosoft provides mobile phone management and backup to operators. This includes a remote phone controlling service and a mobile phone backup service to provide over-the-air backup, sync and management.Customers include Orange, Pelephone, Cellcom and Netvision
Viber is an iPhone and Android application for free VoIP calls on WiFi/3G. A Viber user ID is the verified phone number, so users can immediately see which of their contacts has Viber. Since launching in December, Viber has several million active users
Wavion Networks provides metro and rural outdoor Wi-Fi, with end-to-end solutions in 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 700MHz for service providers, government and enterprise customers. Wavion base stations are deployed by TTML (India), MTN (Africa),  USI (Russia) and top operators in China, South Korea and the US
WeFi allows operators to control and manage mobile device access to unlicensed spectrum such as Wi-Fi, with improved service quality and predictability. The system serves 6 million devices globally, with a Wi-Fi hotspots database of over 80 million Wi-Fi networks. Customers include Tier I operators in the US and Israel
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February 15, 2011

EchoStar to Acquire Hughes Communications, Inc.

EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) and Hughes Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: HUGH) announced today an agreement pursuant to which EchoStar will acquire all of the outstanding equity of Hughes and its subsidiaries including its main operating subsidiary, Hughes Network Systems, LLC in a transaction valued at approximately $2 billion, including Hughes debt expected to be refinanced in connection with the transaction. EchoStar Corporation is recognized as a leader in the telecommunications industry for its innovation in satellite solutions and technology, and its broadcasting expertise.  Hughes is the global leader in broadband satellite technologies and services, and a leading provider of managed network services.  The transaction will greatly enhance EchoStar's capabilities for broadband transport of video and data. 

Under the terms of the transaction, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Hughes' shareholders will receive $60.70 per share without interest, which represents a premium of 31% over Hughes' unaffected closing share price of $46.43 on January 19, 2011.  The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to certain closing conditions including receipt of federal regulatory approvals.  Investment funds affiliated with Apollo Management IV, L.P., who own a majority of Hughes' outstanding stock, have approved the transaction by entering into a written shareholder consent. 

Pradman Kaul, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hughes, stated,

"We are very pleased to announce this transaction as it brings together the two premier providers of satellite communications services and delivers substantial value to our shareholders. By combining Hughes' operational strength and proven record of customer satisfaction with EchoStar's expertise in cutting edge satellite video technology, customers will benefit significantly from our shared institutional excellence."

"There is a unique and compelling fit between Hughes and EchoStar," said Michael Dugan, President and Chief Executive Officer of EchoStar. "With a rich engineering culture, an extensive fleet of owned and leased satellites, and experienced personnel in communications centers around the world, the combination of EchoStar and Hughes will create a powerful leader in video and data transport."
Hyperwords

February 9, 2011

Ultra Light Startups, Live Webcast - Engineering Viral Media

Ultra Light Startups is hosting a live webcast panel discussion about what it means to be viral, topics covered include:

What does it mean for media to be viral?
* Why does certain content "go viral" while other content does not?
* Can virality be deliberately "engineered" into a website or does it only happen by chance?
* What are the essential principles of user behavior, media, and technology for making content viral?
* How is virality measured? What metrics are worth tracking?
* Examples of startups successfully "engineered" to go viral
* Which social networks, API's and services are most useful in engineering virality?
* And much more...

How will TV Go Social?

ibreakfast_1.jpg
Wednesday, February 9th New York City at ibreakfast.  The conversation covered a number of concurrent topics around how will television (however its delivered) connect with people using social media.  Simon Applebaum who spoke at the event called it a "revolution with integrating social media, apps and on-line television."  He also said that VC's need to get into the space and fund companies and projects to jump start the process.

Some of the topics discussed; What is the model for usage, how will people use their TV's in a social way? Facebook and others don't know the answer right now according to Applebaum.

"Perhaps its like the start of the Internet, people didn't know all the ways in which people would use and make money with it."

Alan Brody founder of ibreakfast said that VC's want 100x return on their investment "10x will only get them even" He also feels that companies will be kicking and screaming before they are interoperable via any "standards"

If you as the consumer and have a LG TV, and a Sony Blu-ray DVD, how will the Gate keepers make them interoperable? How will you as the consumer connect divergent devices to all your social media?  Its hard to believe they will create standards, either officially or not especially when you look at the example of the turf being turned up right now with the Google and Apple, this over Google's decision not to support H.264, (owed by MPEG LA, the patent troll) in their Chrome browser. 

Applebaum went on to say, Television will integrate and open Apps and development across their platforms, though when you look at cable providers they have yet to open their API's to developers let alone leverage them internally to their full potential.  For example, when you look at Android, its open to all developers across different sources however, lacks consistency,  when you look at Apple, they totally control all aspects of their App Store, but have a consistent sales experience.


Scott Varland, Social Bomb

His company creates social media solutions for large media outlets.  They also have an API it leverages with different clients.  He called it a social layer on top of social TV and is agnostic with different delivery platforms.   He showed their True Blood allows users to share scenes using their Blu-ray remote to their Facebook and Twitter feeds as well as accessing virtual gifts.  When speaking about VC's, he thought typically they are concerned when having to work with gate keepers.

Scott_Varland.jpgAlan Brody (left) Scott Varland@ ibreakfast
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February 8, 2011

Almost 42 Million Worldwide IPTV Subscribe

A list of countries with IPTV availability (in...

Image via Wikipedia



According to the Broadband Forum newsletter from January 6th indicated year on year growth rates of 6.7%, this ending in Q3 2010 for a subscription rate of 508,761,837 according to figures prepared by Point Topic


Robin Mersh, Chief Executive Officer of the Broadband Forum, said, "The patterns of growth are shifting  as some markets reach saturation and emerging markets show remarkable growth rates over this year. In more and more countries we are seeing more than 80% availability and huge take up of broadband.  The Broadband Forum celebrates this major achievement and continues to work towards  empowering new applications and developing enhanced deployment and management solutions to support the broadband and IPTV industries."

broadband_ending2010.jpg
The figures show that China and the US have added more lines then any other single market.  The report also went on to show that Eastern Europe saw the biggest gains




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TV Goes Social The Merging of the Media Giants?


Wednesday, Feb. 9,  7:30am - 10:00am, 100 Park Ave. Facebook and Twitter have landed on the TV set. Subscribers of Fios TV and U-verse, or people with TV sets from Panasonic, Samsung and other makers, have the ability to give and take social media on TV now. That ability, and the social media entrepreneurs exploiting it, may soon be expanded through Google TV, Apple TV and cable/satellite operators. How will all this impact how you use as well as watch TV--and what are the profitable possibilities from an on-screen social culture? We'll explore it all through this Social Media Week NY edition of IBreakfast.

Produced in conjunction with Simon Applebaum of "Tomorrow Will be Televised" for Social Media Week NY

Speakers:Simon Applebaum, Tomorrow Will be TelevisedBonnie Sandy Sterling, 28 Squared
Scott Varland, Social BombSelina McCusker, NBC Consultant  Hosted by Alan Brody, eTV World

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