I use the term utility broadly, as anything that offers value to the customer through the communication. This typically comes in the form of a tool that delivers content or enables people to do something. And if the utility is good, both the customer and the brand benefits from the action. Here are 10 of them that are worth noting this season:
1) Message from Santa: First discovered this through a Sympatico MSN's holiday site and since learned that Disney has a like service. My 4 year old was in awe at his video email from Santa. Especially great for those parents trying to squeeze one more year of belief from their kids.
2) Target Snow Globe Gift App for the iphone: This is a smart, handy app for the iphone that takes advantage of its shaking technology, much like Urban Spoon. When shaken, snow flies and the globe reveals a gift suited for the person's age and sex that you pre-select.
3) Facebook Virtual Gifting and Real Gifts: Facebook enables friends to send virtual gifts to each other, a nice way for brands to get passed around from consumer to consumer without rudely injecting themselves into a newsfeed. Even better, the app RealGifts allows you to time the arrival of a real gift with a virtual gift on Facebook. Spooky, yet clever.
4) Elf Yourself from Office Max: This successful tool from Office Max allows you to send your friends a dancing elf version of yourself or anyone you have a digital photo of. It's hilarious, smart and extremely viral.
5) Beware of the Doghouse - JC Penney Jewelry: This clever tool elaborately explains how men are often hopeless gift givers who find themselves doing more damage than good when giving insensitive gifts to their significant others. It's very entertaining and allows you to send warnings to others or slam them in the doghouse. Also has a nice Facebook connection. It connects to the brand nicely, as you can never go wrong with jewelry.
6) Pedigree Give a Gift, Help a Dog: Mixing a cause with cuteness, Pedigree enables you to donate money on behalf of someone as a gift. Along with the gift, you can customize an e-card notifying the receiver of the donation you made on their behalf. This builds on their awesome adopt-a-dog cause that has become the main thrust of brand marketing, soon to culminate in a super bowl spot.
7) Some-e-cards Facebook App: Who doesn't like some-e-cards? The hilarious site makes it even easier to give funny cards to people over the holidays (or on any occasion) through Facebook. You can track cards sent and received, manage favorites, post cards to people's Walls, use cards to express yourself on your profile and many other things.
8) Zeus Jones Gift Guide: Many thanks to Adrian Ho and the Zeus Jones people for making a really cool holiday gift guide. I found it especially useful when trying to find cool gifts for colleagues, co-workers and clients. The interface is super intuitive, allowing you to browse gifts visually by price and type of person. Well done.
9) XBOX 360 Gift Influencer: Sometimes convincing your family that an XBOX is a great gift for you over the holidays can be tough :) XBOX 360 lends a hand with their "Holiday Gift Influencer." After answering some introspective questions about why you want an XBOX 360 and the person you are trying to influence, it generates a thoughtful letter on your behalf that is emailed to your target...I mean...loved one.
10) Mobile Holiday Apps for the iphone: There are several great apps for managing Christmas lists on the iphone, but none by retailers. Where are the department stores? Why aren't Best Buy, Macy's or even Sears creating these apps for holiday shoppers? What an opportunity. I linked to the post that describes the best of the best, including Pocket Santa, Better Christmas List and Christmas List.
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Posted by: JN0-342 practice exam | January 07, 2010 at 01:24 AM