Following months of delays, Beats X wireless headphones are finally here, but do they resemble Beats by Dre or Beats by Apple? Our Beats X review examines Beats' relationship with Apple to reveal the answer.
All in TECHNOLOGY
Amazon Dash – the Quickest Way to Spend Your Cash
Household essentials are now literally available at the push of a button, thanks to the arrival of the Amazon Dash Button, an innovative new method of reordering household items promoted as simple, smart, and free after the first press. Currently priced at £4.99, Amazon effectively gives the button away after applying a £4.99 discount to your first order. A wide range of everyday products are represented by this new piece of marketing, with brands on-board ranging from personal care specialists Gillette and Kleenex to pet food giants Whiskas and Pedigree.
Poké Marketing – New Fad or Fashion?
For those living under a rock, the Pokémon franchise first appeared in the mid-nineties, managed by The Pokémon Company, itself a collaboration between game developers Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures. The basic premise sees fictional creatures, known as Pokémon, caught and trained by humans, known as Pokémon trainers, for sporting purposes. The franchise is extremely lucrative, sitting behind only Mario in terms of video game-based franchise value, having spawned numerous video-games, television shows, films, toys, trading card games and comic books.
Snapping up a Fantastic Marketing Opportunity
Snapchat’s metrics cannot be ignored; over 100 million daily users, 10 billion daily video views and a hefty valuation of $16 billion. Many may not remember that the image messaging app initially existed as a private social platform with limited appeal, but since its creation four years ago a wide range of new features have expanded its horizons. Namely, the addition of brand channels, publications and live event coverage transformed the app into a hub of public and private content, meaning the app now appeals to a much broader audience. Of particular interest to marketers considering Snapchat is news of older users flocking towards Snapchat in the same way Facebook has recently seen a surge in popularity amongst over 35s. To the dismay of teenage sons and daughters around the world, Comscore reports that over 35s now account for 14% of Snapchat’s user base, up from just 2% three years ago. With a wider audience and plethora of tools available to deliver marketing messages, many brands are eager to partner with a social media giant at the height of its powers.
Complicating Apple
Following Ken Segall’s recent piece in the Guardian regarding Apple’s current product offerings, it appears that Apple has indeed abandoned the simplistic vision of its late visionary Steve Jobs. To reflect on how times have changed since the passing of Jobs simply take a look at the latest Apple gadgets, which exist in stark contrast to the relatively limited products previously offered under Jobs’ tenure. For instance, Apple branded phones and tablets are now available in multiple colours and sizes, while the Apple Watch is customisable with a dizzying array of options.