Nielsen exec: bloggers are like fifth estate of journalism, Apple Inc. reaps benefits

“Bloggers have become a challenge and an opportunity for the advertising industry,” Frank Barnako reports for MarketWatch.

Barnako reports, “Their spontaneous, unedited, sometimes emotional ‘first takes’ on new products are substantially impacting business, according to Pete Blackshaw, chief marketing officer of Nielsen BuzzMetrics, a 100-person division which monitors the blogosphere. He calls bloggers ‘a kind of Fifth Estate or journalism.'”

“Blackshaw says bloggers are everywhere, using laptops, video cameras, and digital recorders to publish their comments, reactions, and criticisms. Nowhere was this more evident than earlier this month when the Detroit Auto Show, the Consumer Electronics Show, and MacWorld were vying for attention,” Barnako reports.

“Apple’s iPhone was the clear winner, Blackshaw said. It was mentioned by more blogs than President Bush and McDonald’s for 10 days. Wikipedia had an iPhone entry within minutes of Steve Jobs’ announcement of the product, and YouTube had more iPhone-related clips than it did for Gucci or the Pope,” Barnako reports.

Barnako reports, “Ad agencies and media buyers are trying to gauge what to do about bloggers and other online media. Since bloggers are looking for Web links to include in their reports, marketers are weighing whether to spend all their money in traditional media or to take some to build a fuller Web site for the brand. Blackshaw cited Apple Computer for coordinating its online assets for the iPhone introduction. Product photos, specifications, and narrative about the product were available immediately at Apple.com.”

Full article here.

22 Comments

  1. “Blackshaw cited Apple Computer for coordinating its online assets for the iPhone introduction. Product photos, specifications, and narrative about the product were available immediately at Apple.com.”

    They act like that’s a new thing. Apple has been putting all information about their newest products immediately on their website for years.

  2. Give them both a break. Of course they are stating the obvious… to the likes of us. They’re preaching to the choir.

    But their voices will be heard in sectors of the free market that know nothing of the manner in which Apple impacts all our lives. Marketers, PR firms, advertisers, and corporate administrators, are all arriving at their epiphanies, and not about who or what Apple is, but how they conduct their business and present their products.

    The drum beat at Apple is a sound they can no longer ignore and the unwashed need people like these to explain it to them, but don’t let it grate on your ears because you’ve been living it for decades.

  3. Well, like everyone at MDN has been saying, Apple “gets it”. With the bloggers, they don’t “bribe” them with ferrari computers (as one Software Monopolist recently did) Although Apple is highly secretive before a launch, once a product is launched they provide the bloggers as much info and resources about the product.

    Its about respect. Who gives you more respect? Someone who “bribes” you to say good things about them, or someone who gives you all the facts and lets you decide. Usually (and this happens in the third world a lot), when you think you can’t win on merit is when you bribe.

  4. > Product photos, specifications, and narrative about the product were available immediately at Apple.com.

    Congratulations to Apple for being able to set up its new pages in advance and “throwing a switch” at pre-determined time. This is nothing special.

    What is very special is Apple’s ability to make people care that “Product photos, specifications, and narrative about the product were available immediately at Apple.com” by orchestrating media events. Also, bloggers will report positively about a product if the product is worthy of positive commentary. So one key factor in Apple’s success with bloggers is that Apple actually releases cool products. No amount of briding with Ferrari-red Windows Vista laptops is going to affect the overall “blogosphere” if the product in question is mediocre.

  5. Blogging has extended the sphere of individuals exchanging and commenting on issues that appeal to them. This should be obvious and expected. I don’t understand Frank Barnako’s thinking that this is something extraordinary or revolutionary.

  6. Zune tang: “the vapourware iPhone is dead in the water”

    “Apple’s iPhone was the clear winner, Blackshaw said. It was mentioned by more blogs than President Bush and McDonald’s for 10 days. Wikipedia had an iPhone entry within minutes of Steve Jobs’ announcement of the product, and YouTube had more iPhone-related clips than it did for Gucci or the Pope,” Barnako reports.

    Confucious say “Man who float in water may just be enjoying his bath.”

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