The blog of TheSugi is not dead...

...it is procrastinating. Update soon I promise! :-)

Tell Yahoo! OneSearch what to look for... literally

Just when you thought Google had all but Microsoft-ed and Apple-ed the search market an old dog comes back with a new digital bone. Yahoo! has officially launched their innovative OneSearch service allowing for mobile internet (that’s internet on the mobile as opposed to the dongles) users to verbally input search criteria for Yahoo! to seek out for you. Excellent stuff! I saw a demo of it in action (after an annoying load of hunting down the app link that’s not yet made... take note Yahoo! You have a good product here, don’t let it be ignored by lack of ease to obtain it!), and it’s impressive to say the least!

The potential for Yahoo! Search to become the mobile users personal “default” search engine through this is tremendous, and with it the potential to claw back lost usage from Google. Its apparent to me that four of the most widely known and used brands in modern media technology seems to be focussing in much clearer directions. Google are mapping the next universe faster than J.J. Abrams can produce good prequels, Microsoft have been slaving at Windows 7 (awesome by the way... well done) and its mobile OS, while Apple continue to cleverly harness the iPod brand revolution to wrestle Windows market share, and finally Yahoo! have hit back with OneSearch.

My interest and belief in apps, gadgets and widgets as the future of digital media consumption, advertising and brand interaction won’t be anything new to those of you who have done me the honour of regularly reading my posts. If Yahoo! have indeed spotted that the iPhone has created a tidal wave of mobile phone users who are using applications to integrate their lives via their phone, and that there is a huge open plain for them to early settle into with their services, then I think Microsoft may have to re-evaluate its purchasing decisions...

Now perhaps I’m jumping the gun and this is a one hit wonder, but I think this is a fantastic progression for mobile web. WAP was rubbish, and it flopped with no surprises from me. Did someone REALLY think we would pay for JUST B/W web, if you can even call it that!? About as clever as the bendy bus in London if you ask me... however current mobile web services are excellent. I often spend many a bored moment waiting for a bus or friend on my mobile web, in fact I noticed that I tend to read online news near enough exclusively on my mobile these days. Slap a clever Cola logo on my screen and watch me think of ‘The real thing’ while swiping my oyster. But seriously, this application of voice recognition technology to internet search on a mobile phone is a logical yet unexplored innovation up until now and for this I think Yahoo! deserves recognition.

I think this is one of the best examples of a company previously at the top and being overtaken by a newcomer due to lack of foresight into the developing technology market and consumer needs reassessing itself, its services and getting back into the game with a bold new innovation – kudos to you Yahoo! I use Google on my PC and mobile but OneSearch may sway me over for my mobile searching... maybe. Can you see this being integrated into future cars that have live internet connectivity? I know I would prefer this to the click wheel solutions currently doing the round of car cockpits – perhaps I shall hold off upgrading my car for now then.

Radio Twitter

Listening to Capital Radio the other day whilst having a shower, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they were now accepting requests, shout-outs and comments via Twitter. In the past SMS text and web comments, competition entries and requests were available but I never did get to the stage where I wanted to bother to pay that premium rate text rate or have to sign up to yet another website to use them, however using Twitter to enable listeners to do so is inspired; fast, easy and free (sounds like second houses and taxi rides for MPs no...? Look at the uptake on that one!).

Now it is no secret that I have been sceptical about Twitter. From its place in between Facebook, Windows LIVE Messenger, YouTube and mobile phone text messaging to the amount of “targeted” spam I receive from twitter-ers that have bot randomly adding anyone they spot using key terms. I have been eagerly observing Twitter to see how it evolves past becoming the ultimate opt-in spam channel, and I think it’s getting there...

I think finally actual Twitter exclusive benefits of use are emerging. Here are three I would make use of:

• Tweeting communications, competition entries and requests for entertainment, radio and web shows.
• Information update tickers – Wouldn’t mind opting into a rail service update for a route I use for delays and cancellations to be tweeted to my phone (good one Voda!).
• Twitter competitions – why not have a purely Twitter based competition where competitions are tweeted, and entries are also... tweeted.

Twitter needs to also make an app for mobile phones – thought the SMS text Twitter service is great, I think for the Twitter brand, the potential permanent virtual real estate a Twitter app could occupy would further bolster its mobile digital lifestyle integration with users. Make one for the Nokia 5800 first though please, I’ll even beta test it for you.

Motionflow in translation

I have loved every Sony Bravia advert since the iconic ‘Balls’ ad back in 2005, not only for their artistic flair but for being able to effectively convey a message of the brand and the product USPs without actually having to directly demonstrate them. Sony has recently released their latest Bravia Motionflow 200Hz technology; a feature of new high end Bravia HDTVs that produce 200 frames per second for the smoothest picture HDTVs have reportedly seen....yet.

Before watching the ad, one massive ‘Q’ emerged from my right ear as though I were part of a Power of Dreams brainstorming session for a new Integra Type-R... it was this – ‘How do you demonstrate and explain effectively a technological innovation and product feature that improves picture quality and smoothness in a motion picture advert that will be viewed on TVs, computer monitors, mobile devices and projectors that do not possess the capabilities being communicated?’. Fair enough question I thought, and with it excitement to see just how those clever creative minds at Fallon dealt with it:

Brilliant, I thought, Sony/Fallon have again managed to capture the brand and product USP into an advert that again doesn’t use the actual product to demonstrate them. Featuring the best soundtrack to an advert I have heard yet this year (that also cross links to Sony’s music brand heritage I thought), some celebrity endorsement we all seem to love, and most awe inspiring - the world’s biggest Zoetrope in the middle of a picturesque square in northern Italy, the ad delivers the message ingeniously; Motionflow 200Hz delivers smoother motion pictures with more frames. Not only does this ad make me love my Bravia more, but has also sown the seed of desire to get myself a Zoetrope – damn you Sony and Fallon, I was doing so well with curbing my random gadget hunger. Cheers guys, cheers.

Brands – Virtual is Reality

‘Virtual space’ has proven itself to me more real than tangible space. What I mean by this is that, with a magazine or a broadcast advert, the life of the message is as long as the broadcast or however long the tangible is kept; once a magazine is thrown away or once an ad has aired, so too is the message. ‘Virtual space’ is the sanctum for messaging to become immortal.

The Cadbury’s Gorilla ad was aired back in August 2007, yet it still received regular views and discussion related to it. Have a look at the video I have immortalised below, the last comment post at the time of my writing was but a few hours prior). Not only does it retain its buzz but also thanks to its permanent and replicated presence on the internet, occupies potentially infinite ‘virtual’ real estate. Short of framing an advert from a magazine and using industrial grade ink retainer this wouldn’t be possible with magazines – and before the smart alecs start with the microfilm angle, it still wouldn’t be able to reach or more importantly, BE reached by so many from so many places with a click.



Be it on work emails at lunch, on Facebook or through Twitter tweets, the internet has provided us with a central place for sharing and discussion. YouTube links and tiny URL links fly about more frequently than Jack Bauer has bad days. We no longer appear to need tangible media to show and tell intellectual content with our friends; CTRL + C > CTRL + P and broadband does it for us. Social web 2.0.5.81389138612 is brilliant for extending social networks and sharing isn’t it...



I firmly believe that we will soon reach a point whereby brand equity and trust will stem heavier from their online presence and messaging than from the actual products they offer. At present, online offerings from brands help to raise, augment or sway brand presence, offerings, and opinions. With television adverts now showing signs of being designed with digital in mind (yes I am indeed STILL referring to the musical ape – it’s been a draining few weeks so let’s stick to him).

If I were a betting man (or had the money to), I predict mobile applications will become the next focus digital medium for branding to concentrate on. What better than virtual immortality online than, virtual immortality offline! With mobile applications on the iPhone proving to be a hit with the cool kids, even HDTVs are following the PC/Mac suit with them. Gadgets, Widgets, Apps, whatever you wish to refer to them as are occupying many a desktop, home screen and home page all over the globe. I think the first app I installed was the Honda Red H application that was effectively a ticker and media stream for whenever new information and tidbits related to the new Civic Type-R were announced, and occupied my desktop up until my OS gave out – The Power of Apps. The beauty of them is that they are voluntarily downloaded, installed and kept; what better way of knowing if a brand or campaign has flirted with the right tone? I will follow this subject up more soon depending upon certain developments in my life...