freshtrax

Well, this SFNewTech Tech-crunch event was a software mashup of sorts.   Again the agenda had a mix of software apps from iPhone/iApps business development help to backend behind the scenes NoSQL database management.

Even Myles’ #1 man, Matthew Gonzales, got into the act last night.  Let’s go down the summary of the each presenter last night:

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appbackr – Do It Your Way

Are you an iPhone/iPad app developer?  Want to get paid up front? Matthew Gonzales, presented a wholesale marketplace for iPhone and iPad apps developers.  With the 2010 Paypal Developer Challenge win under their belt, with their Win-Win model “Developers get immediate payment; buyers profit as the app sell on iTunes” says Nathan Beckord, Business Development Consultant for appbackr.

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iVDopia – Mobile Ad Goes Primetime

COO & Co-Founder Chhavi Upadhyay, showed us an interesting Ad network called Vdopia.  He claims “iVdopia is the largest video and rich media mobile ad network” with more than a 100 million mobile video impressions and more that 4 billion WAP impressions every month.  Not a mom-n-pop organization with that type of reach.   The video content for the iPhone was very impressive and they have some blue chip brands showing their wares on their system.  With Mobile Ad spending increasing, why not?

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4delite – Display Ads +Wordpress = AdPress

Mary Ray, Co-Founder & marketer for the product, introduced us to 4delite.  4delite is a cloud-based rich media publishing platform that “mobile and online advertisers can use to build and showcase rich media creative in minutes.” You can use the platform to export multiple rich media formats to work on any web browser-even on browsers within the iPad.  Seemed very easy to use and enables the non-web design geeks a hand at creating on-line banner ads.

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Membase – Simple, Fast, Elastic

Anyone making an interactive web app or mashup? James Phillips, Founder, demoed Membase which is perfect for anyone making an interactive web app or mashup. It’s an open-source (Apache 2.0 license) database which is running behind the likes of Farmville and Cafe World today. Not a bad resume.  Membase is a distributed, key-value database management system optimized for storing data behind interactive web applications which service many concurrent users; creating, storing, retrieving, aggregating, manipulating and presenting data in real-time. Supporting these requirements requires “processing data operations with quasi-deterministic low latency and high sustained throughput.” said James Phillips.

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Surfmark – Reclaim the web, one search at a time

Vivek Agrawal, CEO, presented an application that brings a smile to us web-info-research junkies.  Typically what one does is bookmark links or even copy sections into a word or note file which Vivek calls “Task-oriented searches.”  Surfmark simplifies this operation and links your inspirational web thoughts in one place.  Knowledge management is something we all can use when surfing.

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Honorable Mention- We always meet someone at these events.  We met with Stephen McCurry, Product Manager at betfair US.  The London-based online gambling company is under the radar in the U.S. despite its sumo size. It now has its US headquarters in San Francisco.  Looking for people for their team, check them out.

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Thanks to Myles and staff for a great tech night in the city by the bay.  Mark your calendars, next SFNewTech event is September 15,  and also SF Japan Night is Oct. 13 – 43 days and counting.

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Some people view Japanese web pages with curiosity and puzzlement with its busyness.  We will try to relieve the mysticism and frustration by pointing out certain elements in an example Japanese web page and why it works for the Japanese.

As a general guide, Japanese web pages act as a one-stop trip for most Japanese-a sea of information that just tantalizes our brains but comforts the inhabitants from the land of the rising sun.  It is quite organized as the each section or module has meaning.  Pastel colors and flash is a given for these pages.

In a previous blog on Japanese landing pages, we discussed how ‘kanji’ characters add another level of busyness for the our eyes with its 23 strokes versus the more simple 4 stroke roman alphabet.

The sea of information creates the aura of an information dashboard for the Japanese.  It gives the Japanese customer the feeling that the company has a lot to offer.  The marketing approach is to put a lot of products with reasonable prices in front of the customer so that they may walk away with more than what they were looking for – a kind of Costco-here it is/buy me- approach.

We will review 7 elements from a Japanese web page to discuss its nature  from a well known women’s catalog B2C company.

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#1 Catalog Subscribers Get Preference

Print is not dead in Japan but lives in a very common co-existence with its digital sibling.  E-commerce is big estimated to hit $49.8 billion in 2010.  Ease of catalog purchases by allowing web entry of catalog numbers enables e-commerce.

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#2 Flash Advertising Campaign Area

Adobe Flash elements are very common in Japanese websites.  Sales promotions or campaigns are centralized in one small area near the top.  Many promotions run in parallel especially in large e-commerce sites.

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#3 PR Banner IDs Site’s Partners

Notice the PR on top of the module.  This is the designation in Japan for 3rd party partners or advertisers and tells the consumer that this is not a direct affiliation with the company’s website.  Like other sites, the elements of the module change every time you enter the web page.

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#4 Icons Provide Visual Identification

Japanese sites give the viewer some visual icons to identify the module’s contents.  It reinforces the type of goods in that are on sale in the product category.

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#5 Colorful Product Area

Use of pastel colors and variation of colors is very common to Japanese web pages.  Since this site is positioned for a female audience, pink is used for female items.

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#6 Customer Satisfaction Area

Entices people with points total and shows ways people can earn more points.  Earning points during different campaigns provide more customer engagement and some extra web page clicks.

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#7 ‘keitai’ or Mobile Phone Friendly

The ‘keitai’ or mobile phone is king here.  Having the ability to view the websites on your long commute home is important.  The QR code helps the Japanese consumer with access to the mobile compatible site.   The QR code is scanned by the user and allows access to the mobile friendly site for the mobile hunter.

Understanding the essence of the Japanese web site is important to understanding how to localize a site for the Japanese market.  Translating the web information is sometimes not enough in localizing the Japanese information dashboard.

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Photo from Martin. Canchola

播客是一种在互联网上以XML文件格式传送MP3到电脑或者移动音乐装置的RSS (简易资讯聚合) 信息发布方式。用户大部分通过MP3播放器或直接在电脑上使用多媒体播放软件比如Media Player进行播放。

播客有点儿类似于TiVo , 用户可以下载到他们喜爱的电视节目并跳过插播广告进行观看。不过播客大多数为音频格式的文件，现在也开始慢慢有视频播客了。

播客自动下载到您电脑上的音频视频文件可传输到iPod或其他MP3播放器上以便随时收听。博客大多是访谈类节目，内容包括主持人与嘉宾之间就一个话题的讨论或采访。由于播客是可下载节目，所以用户可以在休闲时使用电脑或MP3播放器来收听下载下来的节目。

播客和RSS Feeds 地连接，帮助用户有选择性地下载他们想要收听的节目，用户也可以将软件设定成自动下载更新内容模式来更新他们的播客。博客之所以可以那么受欢迎，不仅因为节目是免费的，而且因为它不同于传统意义上的收音机，听众无须从头听到尾。

Wikis,博客blogs和播客 都相对较容易使用。简单来说，播客就是一个用户可以上网订阅，随时更新并免费下载的音频文件。

虽然播客所带来的商机已经显而易见，但是网络营销者们如何操作，比如怎样把广告插入到播客中，又如何去追踪受众对广告得反应却并不显著。在那些排名前两位的播客栏目中插播广告和播放不必要的音乐是商家做营销时不可缺少的策略。

播客两个很主要的优势是：一，方便使用； 二，播客可以与许多免费或者是低成本的软件和服务器上兼容。播客对小成本投资的公司来说是一种很好的吸引新顾客的方式。在现今高节奏和繁忙的都市生活中，播客成为最具价值的传播工具之一来锁定科技新趋势并更新当今时尚流行话题及事件。

播客还有很多其他优势，比如资RSS (简易资讯聚合），网上订购及自动下载更新的内容。根据尼而森网络调查，下载播客和已经使用播客的数量呈逐年上升趋势。截止到2010年，使用播客的人数估计已达约5600万。这也证实了播客具有很大的潜在网络商业机会。

最后我们要说的是，播客的低成本投入，传播面之广以及其对搜索引擎浏览量得正面影响，已经成为众多网络营销和社交媒体策略者的关注对象。

翻译原文来自

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When western people look at Japanese web pages, a lot of us are taken aback from the sheer amount of work on the page.  Some have said the Japanese landing pages are puzzling, even crowded.  It almost seems like the page jumps out at you.

We will take a look at the top three ranked google search engine results for the search term ‘plastic surgery’ in English and Japanese and then do some contrasts and comparisions between US and Japanese landing pages from a marketing, design and cultural context.

Top 3 US and Japanese Landing Pages for Plastic Surgery

Landing Pages in US	Landing Pages in Japan

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US Landing Pages Disected

With some of the horror stories about failed medical procedures out there, the message is trust.  In the US, trust needs to be earned by the consumer.  If you look at the ‘plastic surgery’ landing pages, the persuasive elements answer the basic questions in the consumers mind -Why Dr XYZ?, Why should I go to this clinic? and How safe is the procedure?

As far as the design is concerned, we see simplicity and organization.  Many experts promote simplicity – wide open design, common and conservative colors, no moving flash elements.

The pages are very professional, with the picture of a medical professional front and center on the page almost somewhat sterile.  Social bookmarking is probably more common to keep bringing people back.  The strategy is to drive people deep in the bowels of the web site so a site search engine is common.

These landing pages are for rich and famous to look young and pretty and the prices more than confirm that.

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Japanese Landing Pages are “kawaii” or pretty

As with the US, most of the Japanese plastic surgery audience are women.  In contrast to the US, the Japanese audience is targeted towards the average every day woman and affordable prices. The audience appeal is about how happy and beautiful you are going to be after the procedure is done. Many average-looking models are used to convey this message so that the consumer can identify with them.

Discounting campaigns are very common to motivate the Japanese consumer with tiered package deals and discount coupons.

The Japanese landing page design is quite bright and efficient.  The use of pastel colors with every space of the page is common.  Many moving flash elements are used and this is considered fun and happy for the Japanese consumer.  The Japanese expect their websites to be interesting.

The Japanese header has more information because the Japanese are an information society.  They want tons and tons of informantion in one place and with the Kanji you can do that. In a few kanji characters, you can convey a very complicated thought – no need for site search engines.

Speaking of Kanji, another thing that complicates the look of the Japanese landing page is the ‘kanji’ characters.  Kanji characters can have up to 23 strokes as opposed to English characters which have at most 4 strokes.  This also gives the appearance to the western eye of busyness.

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Getting used to the landing page designs are a tough thing for companies moving from the US to Japan markets. Partnering with cross-cultural consultants can help guide you through the puzzling and the crowdedness of Japanese landing page marketing and design.

Thanks to btrax staff members, Reina and Tai on collaborating on the content on this article.

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初めまして、三野泰佑と申します。

日本では東京都内の学校に通う大学生で、主にマーケティングを学んでいるのですが、この夏休みの間は、Social Media Marketing Internとしてbtraxで働かせて頂いています。日本でもソーシャルメディアを使ったプロジェクトを立ち上げた経験がありますが、日本では使われていないメディアやツールも多いので、また新たな気持ちで取り組んでいます。知識も経験もまだまだ浅いですが、今回は僕がサンフランシスコで見つけた、「現実世界でのネットワーク」の魅力についてお話したいと思います。

サンフランシスコ近辺ではイベントが毎日のように開かれており、僕もすでにいくつか参加しました。大抵のイベントはスポンサーが付いているため入場料無料で、ドリンクがついている場合もあります。例えば先日は、モバイルアプリケーション開発者向けのパネルディスカッションを含めて開催された、Mobile Monday（http://www.mobilemonday.us/?p=399）というイベントに行ってきました。実はこれが僕にとってサンフランシスコで初めてのイベントだったのですが、参加者とのカジュアルな会話の中で多くの刺激を受け、早稲田大学に留学していたアメリカ人起業家の方とはディナーの約束までしてきました。

このようなネットワーキングの「場」は、企業ベースで捉えると、特にベンチャー企業にとって有益だと感じました。パートナー、投資家、技術者などの発掘、自社サービスのアピール、起業のノウハウやマインドセット等の情報交換など、得られるものが数多くあると思います。実際僕が訪れたイベントでは、終盤に希望者が前に出て自社のサービスや求めている人材についてアナウンスをしていました。また、僕の知り合いの方の中にはイベントを通して今の会社の入ったという方もいらっしゃいます。雇用に流動性があると言われているアメリカですが、リクルートの機会が多いことも一つの要因となっているのかと思いました。こういう「場」を通して大企業からスタートアップのベンチャー企業に転職する人もいると言います。

個人ベースで考えた時に魅力的なことは2つあると思います。まず、「参加者の質」です。僕は日本でいくつかイベントを運営した経験があるのですが、どんなに運営が素晴らしくても参加者の質が良くなければ満足したものはできませんでした。逆にいえば、人の質が良ければ運営が少々悪くても満足していたと思います(笑)。そういう意味で世界中から優秀な人材が集まってくるサンフランシスコは比較的面白い参加者が集まりやすいはずです。思い思いのアイデアで起業する方、写真家を目指すORACLE社員、大企業の幹部など、バラエティに富んだ参加者は僕に新しい世界を見せてくれました。次は、「横だけでなく、縦にも繋がりやすい環境」です。イベントには学生も参加できるので、会おうと思えばHP, Microsoft, Facebookと言った有名企業の方や起業家に、毎日会って話をできるのです。イベントだけに限らず、こちらでは学生と社会人の垣根が低いように感じます。敬語という文化がないこともあるのでしょうが、学生だからといってなめられることは少ないようです。日本のマーケットにどう参入すればいいのか、日本でソーシャルメディアを使ったマーケティングはどうすれば効果的なのか等々、学生の僕がシリアスに相談されたのは何だか妙でしたが、その姿勢は僕も見習うべきだと思いました。

学生と社会人の垣根が低い文化であること、移民を許可していることが、サンフランシスコで横にも縦にも繋がる広いネットワークを形成しているのではないかと思います。

このような最高の環境に自分を置けることに感謝し、多くのことを吸収しながらも、常に自分と向き合い、自分を俯瞰して見るように心がけていこうと思います。日本と違う環境で過ごすことは、自分をゼロベースで捉えて考え直すきっかけにもなっています。自分だけの価値観を形成してぶれない軸を持って生きることが、楽しい人生を送ることに繋がると信じています。なぜなら、自分に嘘をつく必要がないからです。日本では「海外に行くのなら目的を持っていけ」と頻繁に言われますが、僕は海外未経験の方なら「ただ一人で行ってみる」だけでも十分価値があると思います。自分と向き合うきっかけを作ってくれるからです。海外には友達も家族もいません。自分が今までいたポジションとは全く違う場所に立つことになります。今まで自分の価値観だと思っていたものは相対的に創り上げられたものでしかなく、環境によって簡単に変質するものだと気付きます。環境に左右されない、自分の絶対的な価値観を持つために海外に出ることは一つのオプションだと思います。

実はこれは初めてのブログです(笑)　読んで下さったかた、有難う御座います！

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Even though the economic slowdown spreads all over the world, many top U.S. brands such as GM and Coca- Cola has been increasing sales revenue during the last couple years in China.  Let’s take a tour of some popular US brands in China.

Coca-Cola

According to China Daily, Coca-Cola, the world’s largest soft drink maker, registered double-digit sales growth in the China market during the last year.  The latest report shows the sales in China has increased 29% during the fourth-quarter, and Coke said it will continue to focus on generating double digit annual growth rates.  Recently, due to faster-growing juice producing market, Coca-Cola has invested more on the juice beverage market in China and built the Shanghai Technology Center and two production plants in Jiangxi and Xinjiang province with total investment of $120 million.  A new plant in Inner Mongolia region with $19 million investment has expected to open this year.

GM

According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, GM boosted Chinese Sales 68% to 230,048 vehicles in March, compared with U.S. Sales of 188,546.  China became the world’s largest automobile market over took the U.S last year.  GM is planning to introduce 25 new or updated models by the end of 2010 and maintain the leadership in the world’s biggest auto market.

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart began its retail operations in China in 1996, until now it serves more than 7 million customers weekly by its 175 stores in 90 cities.  The interesting thing is that Wal-Mart is the largest retailing company in the world by revenue, but it competes directly with Carrefour and Tesco in China.  Wal-Mart entered China later than Carrefour, however, its revenues will likely surpass Carrefour during 2010.  Recently, Walt-Mart promotes an Eco-friendly lifestyle in China.

McDonald’s

“China is McDonald’s Inc.’s fastest-growing global market” said Tim Fenton, the company’s president for Asia, Pacific, Middle East and Africa. He said China has $300 billion-a-year “informal eating out” market, and the annual expanding rate is 10%, compared with 2 to 3 % in the United States. The latest news is MacDonald opened a Hamburger University in Shanghai, China for the purpose to train the employees marketing and business management.

Nike

According to a recent Hill & Knowlton survey, the Chinese consider Nike the Middle Kingdom’s “coolest brand.”  The overall sales is $ 4.64 million, and Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) is 1.87 million, EBIT margin is 30%.  Nike has more than 10% EBIT margin higher than other countries such as the U.S. , and Japan.  The reason for the high sales but high EBIT, is that the Chinese consumers especially middle class are more likely to shop for particular brand name and China has higher import taxes.  An interesting oddity is even though Nike has 136 factories in China, all the Nike products still need to transfer to the third countries and then ship back to China.  This is due to the import contract between Nike and the Chinese government.   Still, Nike is considered by most of the Chinese consumers as a symbol of sports fashion and luxury.

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Looking at the successful cases from the U.S companies in China, one thing that is in common is all of companies developed the localization strategy, which is the key for entering Chinese market.  Thanks for taking the tour with us.