Facebook advertising

Advertising on Facebook is big business. With so many accounts and people spending time on their pages, the sponsors have a captive audience and potentially able to target potential shoppers more efficiently. The result being sales. Read this article to find out more. A Facebook fan is worth...

Largest surf contest

Having lived in Huntington Beach California since January I am getting used to the way of life, festivals and various events that happen year round. Being in the US for the 4th of July was an eye opener with all the fireworks and celebrations. Going to watch a soccer game at La Galaxy was fantastic. The US doesn't do things by halves and the latest thing to hit Huntington Beach is the US Open Surf Championships where in excess of 100 000 people a day visit the beach to watch the surfing.Along with the surfing, the organisers have created a carnival atmosphere with hospitality tents, different competitions and involvement from the local communities too. It got me thinking to how much planning has gone into this week long event. From the actual location and putting up the stands, gaining sponsorship, advertising the event. Inviting the surfers. Getting the Police and fire service on board. Recruiting staff to work the event and etc. Is the event a positive event for Huntington Beach? Some say yes, others say no. The vast majority of the no opinions is purely down to inconvenience for that week. Have a read of the article and make you own mind up.

Is it you?

Facebook has been a phenomenal success and has changed the way a lot of people interact with one another. Many of you no doubt check your Facebook pages on a daily basis, some spend hours each day reading one anthers status and putting your lives for others to see on your pages. Businesses are now expected to have a Facebook page too. Unfortunately like all good things, eventually the gloss begins to wear. When Facebook was floated on the  stock market, it made a lot of people wealthy (the ones selling the shares) and the one buying the shares saw the value of their investment in the initial stages fall. Unfortunately, the value is likely to fall again. In an article published, it has been recorded that there are 83 million extra accounts. This could be due to people having more than one account, setting up pets pages and others for sending spam.With 83 million less accounts, Facebook's advertising revenue is likely to fall which means that it is less profitable, therefore the company's market value lowers and it is less desirable for investors. For more information read the article. On the other hand the latest bright light is Linkedin and its progress would be a good company to chart. Will it go the same way as Facebook?

Advertising

As someone who has always taken an interest in business and the wider world, I had often wondered where advertising will go next. It has amazed me how the messages have been delivered through the changes in technology, perception and attitude. I found some adverts from the 1960 for shirts and blenders which in todays world would not be acceptable due to the overtones of pure sexism.

I have seen viral adverts and various others: one of my favorites being the T-Mobile advert . I have seen stories about people selling space on their bodies for advertising space and just yesterday I saw on the news that there is a company who will pay your mortgage for a year, if they can paint your house in bright colors and hang banners of prominent companies on it.The contract is for a year and then the house will be reverted back to its original color. This has caused mixed reactions from people embracing the idea that they will have a mortgage free year to it being an eye sore in the community. You decide.Green and Orange