Blog
News, insight and tips from the social web.
The Hoop blog covers the evolving digital landscape, social media, mobile communications, content marketing and also includes 5 top finds and Fish on Friday. Feel free to make comments.
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Proof of the ROI of user centred thinking »
Recent research is set to overturn preconceptions of what constitutes a successful approach to software development.
70% say user adoption priority No1
A recent article on RWR points to evidence from research into how businesses gain value from software development. It provides proof that the best way to get a return on your investment is to to follow a User Centred Design approach.
Feature bloat
The research pinpoints what we’ve been saying, that too much software (read websites/intranets/extranets etc) is developed with useless features that nobody needs or wants. In many cases, such development is carried out by people far removed from the end user. The result is that users ignore the software’s features, get confused by the tools, have a bad user experience and stop using it.
Get close to your users
An amazing 70% of respondents to the research placed user adoption as their priority. You cannot increase adoption unless you understand the user requirements. We say it over and over and will keep saying it. If you really want to get value from technology, give people what they want.
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White Tiger wins Man Booker Prize 2008 »
Aravind Adiga’s debut novel, The White Tiger, was announced as the winner of the world’s leading literary prize at the Guildhall in London, 14 October 2008.
Chair of Judges, Michael Portillo, announced the winner to the audience at the Guildhall and simultaneously to the world via the internet.
He said, “The judges found the decision difficult because the shortlist contained such strong candidates. In the end, The White Tiger prevailed because the judges felt that it shocked and entertained in equal measure.”
As well as picking up the Man Booker Prize and £50,000, Aravind Adiga becomes the fourth debut novellist to win the prize and the 40th winner of the Booker overall. Throughout this anniversary year the prize is being celebrated in exhibitions, events and the Best of the Booker award.
2008 is also the 6th year Hoop have been involved with the prize. In this special year we have worked with Colman Getty PR and the Booker Prize Foundation to develop a new brand identity, design a new set of trophies plus all the promotional material for this year’s event.
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The game’s up »
Traditional advertising is missing a trick - that more and more purchasing decisions are based on the customer’s online experience.
And when that online experience doesn’t measure up, as is so often the case, it doesn’t matter how creative the idea or how extensive the media spend, people are just not going to buy.
Wrong message
Now, before we buy almost anything, we seek out comparisons in performance, price, customer service and after sales support. This change in behaviour affects every business, brand, product or service. It also calls into question the advertising business model. How does it add value online exactly?
Customers have a choice
Sitting between seeing an advert and making a purchase is the online experience. And it’s an experience that often doesn’t meet expectations. However memorable or stimulating a TV commercial or a magazine spread might be, consumers increasingly make their decisions to purchase based on their online experience, on the product detail available, on the belief and confidence the website gives them in the brand and of course, the word of other customers.
Switching over
Companies that fail to grasp the importance of the online experience for their customers and that don’t invest in content or integrate their communications, will soon find those customers have deserted them and gone where they will be valued.
Disappointment is no basis for business
We’ve all been there. You see an advert, find the website but then you can’t find the information you want. Where are the decent product shots? Why is the product description only five words long. No dimensions? Colours? What about finish and material?
Worse still when you Google the product you find a site where somebody has posted a message saying, “Don’t buy this, it’s rubbish”.
So even where the advertising effort hits home and the desire to buy is highly stimulated, if the online experience lets users down then that’s the advertising budget blown, game over.
New game
The advertising industry doesn’t want to hear that their efforts will eventually be directed towards promoting the internet. But that’s where we’re heading. And when this day comes, top of the pile of customer needs will not be brand or price, but user experience. Online, in use, after sales and support.
Online shoppers have a huge choice, they can immediately find and see what the competition have to offer and, if the experience is better, then it really is game over.
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Harry Potter, The Complete Story »
The complete audio CD collection - 7 stories, 103 CDs, 124 hours 56 minutes, 1 big box.
From 10 October no Harry Potter completist will feel complete without this big box of audio gold.
Harry Potter, The Complete Story contains all seven of JK Rowling’s stories, brilliantly read by Stephen Fry. When the bumper package designed by Hoop hits the shops it will mark the end of our near ten year association with the publishing phenomenon of Harry Potter.
We’ve worked with Cover to Cover since 1999 on bringing the Harry Potter stories to his legions of fans in audio form. We’ve brought a new level of innovation to packaging design in this sector and are now happy to close the, substantial, lid on the story.
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Last peek at The Sneaks »
The Sneaks, fronted by Hoop chum James Dansey, take to the stage on Tuesday 14 October at the Hope and Anchor, London.
It’s their last gig in the UK before they go across the pond to make a big splash in the States. So unless you’re in Brooklyn, New York on the 26 October, check them out in Islington at the legendary Hope and Anchor.
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Thank Friday, its Fiji! »
Hoop’s Fijian ambassador, Lynne Dyer, is leading the cry of freedom this Friday, for Fiji Day.
Marau sigaanisucu (happy birthday)
Fiji Day marks the birth of the nation in 1970 and is celebrated with pride by Fijians around the world. In London there will be a service in Westminster Abbey where the national flag will be raised. Elsewhere across the globe Fijians will be enjoying a lovo, an underground oven, and a meke, traditional singing and dancing.
Sega ne lega (no worries)
At Hoop celebrations will involve pineapple pie and music supplied by Lynne, the donning of lurid shirts and grass skirts and dancing all the way to the bar on the corner for 2 for 1 cocktails. Fancy swapping stories around a Blue Lagoon? Then come on down, if not sega ne lega.
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