Posts made in December, 2016

on Dec 28, 2016

By Gillian West A smartphone app, designed to help rural communities harvest rainwater, could help stem the effects of climate change in Mozambique. Created by civil engineer, Aline Okello, the rainwater harvesting app relies on live precipitation data from Nasa using inputs for roof type (clay, thatch, iron) and location to determine how much water can be harvested to help local farmers cope in times of drought. Using the information provided, the app suggests the best size of harvesting tank and informs users where to buy said equipment, as well as step-by-step instructions on how harvesting works. “I was seeing all these windmills, Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Dec 28, 2016

By Gillian West Online retailer Boohoo.com looks like it’s about to embark on its second acquisition in less than a month, taking over US-based company Nasty Gal for £16.1m. The Manchester-based brand has announced its part in the bidding process as the ‘stalking horse’ candidate, meaning that it has been selected by Nasty Gal to make the first bid. Founded in 2006, Nasty Gal caters to the same target market as Boohoo – teenage girls and women in their 20s – generating sales of $77.1m in the year to the end of February 2016, but made a loss of $21m after tax leading Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Dec 28, 2016

By Gillian West Facebook has inadvertently spread false reports of a major explosion in Bangkok after activating its safety check feature, which allows users to mark themselves as safe in the event of a disaster or crisis. Prompted by – what Facebook has since called – a one-man protest near the prime minister’s office, the incident is the latest to show up the social media giant’s inability to distinguish real news stories from fake ones. Sharing local media reports of a man protesting and throwing ‘giant firecrackers’ at Government House, Facebook caused confusion by linking the safety check feature to a false report Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Dec 28, 2016

By Gillian West Cinnabon has found itself in the middle of a social media storm following an ill-advised tribute to late Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, who died yesterday (Tuesday 27 December) at age 60. The tweet, which featured the caption ‘RIP Carrie Fisher, you’ll always have the best buns in the galaxy,’ showed a cinnamon-inspired Princess Leia complete with a Cinnabon roll as hair. Loading… Seen by many shocked fans as a cheap promotional tactic Twitter users weren’t slow on calling the baked goods brand out – with some comparing it to Cheerios misguided Read full story › Source: The Drum...

on Dec 28, 2016

By Ayesha Salim With 2017 looming, brands are aware that they will have to do more to truly understand customer behaviour. Search marketing specialist Click Consult may have named personalisation as one of the top SEO priorities for brands in 2017, but it is clear that brands will face the challenge of using the right marketing technology, data, and platforms to create the perfect personalised experience for the consumer. Educating brands about how to embrace digital innovation is something Shelby Saville, president of innovation and investment platforms at Mediavest, Spark knows all about. Named in Read full story › Source: The Drum...