Acxiom Gives Consumers Access to Data

Data services company Acxiom will launch AboutTheData.com “overnight,” a website that allows consumers to access their personal data and edit inaccurate entries.
This is in line with frequent requests made by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has been asking so-called data brokers for more transparency. In a March 2012 FTC report entitled “Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change,” the FTC called upon data brokers to create a centralized portal where data brokers could identify themselves, describe how they collect and use consumer data, and detail access rights.

Read More:http://www.dmnews.com/acxiom-gives-consumers-access-to-data/article/310025/

Microsoft buys Nokia's handset business for £4.6bn

The deal will see Microsoft purchasing Nokia’s services and devices business, which includes the Finnish company’s smartphone and feature phone business; its marketing, operations, sales and design teams; and its manufacturing and assembly facilities. Microsoft will license some of Nokia’s patents for use across all Microsoft products, including the ability to use its Nokia HERE mapping system - although this will continue to be owned by Nokia.
Microsoft is also acquiring the “Lumia” and “Asha” brand names that Nokia has used for its most recent smartphone and feature phone ranges respectively. It has licensed the use of the Nokia brand on current products and on feature phones under a 10-year agreement, although Nokia will retain ownership of the brand, which has led to early speculation the Nokia brand will disappear from future smartphone devices.
Read More:http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/microsoft-buys-nokias-handset-business-for-46bn/4007794.article

5 Ways to Build Brand Advocacy and Magnify Customers' Passion

Customers love to share their enthusiasm for their favorite brands. Marketers who ensure that their brand is at the center of these conversations can gain a competitive advantage and spend less on reach, according to analysis of a study by Social@Ogilvy and partners CIC, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and Visible Technologies.
The study is based on analysis of nearly 7 million brand mentions of 23 brands and eight feature films from customers in four countries: Brazil, China, the UK, and the United States. According to the study, the number one driver of customer advocacy across all four countries is product features. Advocacy mentions comprise about 15% of all brand mentions; the remainder was neutral and negative mentions. 
Read More:http://www.dmnews.com/5-ways-to-build-brand-advocacy-and-magnify-customers-passion/article/308848/

A Plus Warehouse Announces Lewisbins Parts Bin As Product of the Day

It is time for A Plus Warehouse to discuss its product of the day. Every day, A Plus Warehouse changes these items. Some days it may be a type of locker and the next day a type of conveyor. A customer never knows what the product of the day may be. This is the fun of it all. Change is exciting. This is also why A Plus Warehouse is constantly updating the website. Todays product of the day is the Lewisbins parts bin. According to Ed Stairman, president of A Plus Warehouse, “We often talk about Quantum bins, and often forget about Lewisbins bins. Lewisbins is a great manufacturer that deserves to be recognized.”
Read More:http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/microsoft-buys-nokias-handset-business-for-46bn/4007794.article

Infographic: Spice Up Your Marketing Mix

Multichannel marketing is a lot like cooking. It requires trial and error, and each company has its own acquired taste. But consumers have a broad palate when it comes to devices. According to “The Mobile & Cross-Device Study” by ValueClick Media and Greystripe, the average American uses three or more devices to access the Web. Hence, marketers need to integrate their channels, rather than serve them à la carte, to satisfy consumers' tastes.
But cooking up new multichannel strategies doesn't scare marketers. In fact, 77% of marketers surveyed deem cross-device targeting as important, and 89% say targeting the same user across different devices is critical. Likewise, 75% of media buyers say they've seen an increase in effectiveness with cross-device campaigns, according to the study. This sweet success has lead marketers to dedicate 30% of their 2013 digital media spend to cross device, compared to 24% last year.
Read More:http://www.dmnews.com/infographic-spice-up-your-marketing-mix/article/309535/

EBay: 'Marketers cannot afford to miss out on Xmas long-listers'

The ecommerce giant’s advertising arm has published a study showing there were more than 150,000 UK searches for “Christmas” on its site between May and June this year, as consumers  begin contemplating their seasonal gifts ahead of the holiday, a behaviour eBay Advertising calls “long-listing”.
The study also shows that from September to December 2012, there were over a quarter of a million searches for the generic term “Christmas presents”, plus 170,000 searches for “stocking fillers”, with eBay adding that marketers “can’t afford to miss out” on influencing these “long-listers” as they start to finalise their purchase decisions.
EBay also recommends marketers begin tailoring their messaging for the ‘gifting market’ as early as October, as this is typically when they start to research purchases for others.
Read More:http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/news/ebay-marketers-cannot-afford-to-miss-out-on-xmas-long-listers/4007760.article

E-commerce and the Sales Force, Enemies No More

Anyone who has spent time working in B2B industries will tell you that the sales force is king. Sales owns messaging, promotions, product mix and, often, even pricing. CMOs and marketing directors are extremely hesitant to rock the boat if they know sales won't like the changes. In fact, many B2B companies choose not to invest substantially in e-commerce because the sales force thinks of e-commerce as the enemy. They think e-commerce steals their commissions, reduces the size of transactions, turns their customers away from the strong relationships they have cultivated, and inevitably eliminates critical sales positions.
Read More:http://www.dmnews.com/e-commerce-and-the-sales-force-enemies-no-more/article/309536/