Eric’s keynote gave emphasis to the merging of online and offline marketing strategies in the overall push for brand and product visibility.

According to him, the growth of the internet is likely to continue at double digit pace, due to high penetration on a global scale. Penetration of world population is likely to expand to almost 1.8 billion in the next 4 years. Subsequently, the growth of time spent online is increasing also. Yahoo!’s average daily page views were 3.8 billion in March.

With traditional media, i.e. magazine, newspaper, radio and cable, time spent vs ad spend is huge, and while search and the internet behavior is shooting up, “our job as advertisers is to put our clients’ products in the path of search behavior” (David Verklin, CEO, Carat Americas).

62% of search engine users don’t look past the 1st page of results. (Take note, of course, that this is Yahoo! data.)

41% of respondents switch query and/or search engine after 1st page. (I’m not sure if I got this one right.)

Yahoo! is the only game in town offering both search and display advertising. Based on their research, advertisers increase their share of online sales by 244% and offline sales by 89% when the used search and display at the same time.

The effectiveness of the advertising in driving lifts in sales isn’t limited to online purchase, But OFFLINE as well. i.e. 9% increase through Display only, 42% Search only, 89% Search + Display.

Display increases trademark searches. On average, exposure to a display ad increases trademark searches by 26%.

In traditional media, 72% won’t remember URLS. URL is NOT a call-to-action. People would most likely search for the product online, ergo, marketers should make sure their brand/products are searchable.

There is a need for integration between online and offline media.

Case Study #1: The KFC Display + Search Approach. KFC advertised a coupon display, and took advantage of paid search too, dominating the first page of search.

• Day2 – KFC site crashed due to huge coupon downloading.
• Day3 – Chicken fillet burger out of stock. (Yuuum, I’m suddenly hungry!)
• Day5 – KFC considered a next coupon campaign by finding the high ROI immediately.
• Search volume of the term “KFC” boosted 35 times vs normal.
• In 3 weeks, over 150,000 coupons were printed out.
• Daily redemption index was more than 200%, online coupon redemption comparing with physical coupon.
• KFC sales: 20 times vs Yahoo! ad spending.

Case Study #2: Kellogg’s Special K Promotion. Kellogg’s offline advertising included TV spots, print ads (in magazines like Shape and People), and Cereal Boxes, which all highlight a Yahoo! call to action: “Search Special K at Yahoo! Today.” Subsequently, they tried to dominate both organic and paid search too. The result, increased sales and online brand presence.

In conclusion, online and offline marketing is connected. Integration is a must to reach consumers more effectively from offline and online.

And then he gave a special deal for SEMCON attendees. And no, I’m not giving out the promo code. :)

Nikon 55-200mm VR

Last May, I’ve finally got myself that Nikon 55-200mm VR lens I’ve been so wanting to have. I would’ve opted to buy the 18-200mm (who wouldn’t?) but it costs almost as much as my D40, heh, so yeah, the choice was pretty easy for me to make. :P

Two things I love about this lens:

(1) Depth of Field. It allows focus on an object, making everything else blurred (at least the farther from the focal point, the more blurred).

and (2) Being able to take *real* candid moments ala sniper shots, as well as shoot profiles without having to point the camera to people’s faces.

I have a few more test shots here and there. No post-processing done on all photos, I’m sure it will look even lovelier with some adjustments. :)

Right now, it’s my brother who’s having more fun with it than me. I just don’t have time anymore for this. :( Maybe soon, I’ll have time. No wait, I’ll make sure I’ll have time soon. (That’s better.) :)

Thinking of getting yourself a 55-800mm? Steve’s selling his because he just got himself teh 18-200mm. *dies of envy* Go see if it’s still available! Go go go! :)

Nikon SB 600

Also, I got myself this little baby. I was originally planning on getting an SB400, and I really didn’t plan on getting one so soon — especially since I don’t have a need for it at the moment anyway. But Ninong Dave was in Hong Kong recently, and you can really get cheaper gadgets and accessories there if you know where to look. So yep, there goes my gullible self.

I haven’t tested this one out though. (I know right, I’ve had it for about a month already!) I’ll get back here with a post once I’ve trial-tested it. Meanwhile, Kenrockwell also has an in-depth review of the SB600. Go check it awt. :)

Two more items off the list, yay. But I’m broke already, so I’m gona have to ceasefire on my expenses, like now. *dies* :P

Hence, when I found an opportunity to get a new Sony Cybershot T70 at Greenhills (the same night I got the Sony Ericcson z610i), I was helpless. I had to bite. And I’m soo glad I did. *swoon*. So far, I’m loving the shots I took, they’re actually pretty good — considering how biased I’ve been about Digital SLRs that I’ve unconsciously underestimated what point-and-shoot cameras are capable of. Boo me.

The best part about this purchase is, I get to carry my T70 around everywhere, unlike my D40 (what with all the lens and flash and accessories I have to carry around with it too.)

So yep, that’s another item off my wishlist. I’m broke, but yay. Who cares. :P

Features/technical specs of the Sony Cybershot T70 after the jump.

* 8.1 Mega Pixels with Super HAD CCD
* Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens with 3x Optical Zoom
* 3″ 16:9 Wide & Touch LCD Screen
* Smile Shutter
* Bionz Image Processing Engine
* Super SteadyShot
* High ISO3200 Sensitivity with Clear RAW Noise Reduction
* Sleek Styling
* Multi-Resizing
* Wide Zoom Display output
* MPEG Movie VX Fine Mode
* HD Slide Show with Select Music Playback
* 1 cm Macro Mode
* Face Detection Technology
* High Definition Output (for still image)

I don’t care about the specs. I’m fully aware that there are gazillions of new (and better) phones in the market right now. More so, I’m aware that there’s an upgrade of this model, the Sony Ericcson z750i which comes in purple and silver. But sorry, no pink (at least none yet), ergo, I settled with the old version.

And I’m lovin’ it! I love that it’s clamshell, and I love that it’s pink. I’m still trying to adjust to the interface and all. I’ve been a Nokia user my entire life, and now, I’m in possession of a Sony Ericsson z610i (for my Globe number), and a Samsung E250 (Sun line).

By the way, it’s not the only item I (impulsively) splurged on that night. But let’s save that one for another post shall we. :)

(1) Nikon Accessories for Konks, my Nikon D40

Nikon 55-200mm VR Lens. (costs around $200 if bought from Amazon). I’d love to have the 18-200mm VR lens ‘coz I hear the 55-200mm VR does not support manual focus, but the latter costs more than double the price of the former, boo. I’d love a 10.5mm fish-eye lens too, but I’m not ready for a $500++ worth of lens just yet. Someday, someday. (Or, I can always borrow Ninong Dave’s. Haha.)

AND/OR

Nikon SB-400 Speedlight Mount Flash. :) ($100+) Because I’m loving the use of flash lately, especially with the recent events I’ve gone to which involved a lot of dancing and once-in-a-lifetime kodak moments. I can’t afford to have blurred shots in moments like that.

(2) A posh mp3 player.

I’d love a pink Zune ($150-180), a pink iPod Nano ($180) — second generation, I don’t like the new version, OR a pink i.Beat from Trekstor ($100+). Preference in that order.

(3) Pink Sony Ericsson z610i.

As far as buying a mobile phone is concerned, I don’t have any other choice but the pink Sony Ericsson z610i ($180). I’m not having problems with Bugi (my Nokia 6630) whatsoever, but after more than a year of faithful service to me, I think I’m ready to give her extra help. I’m planning to have another line, just for the heck of it.

(4) Andy Warhol Wristwatch.

Any of the following Andy Warhol watches ($150) will do. *drool* :) The last time someone bought me a watch was my highschool graduation — my parents got me a Swatch, which I wore until sometime before I graduated from college. Since then, I can’t remember ever wearing one. This ain’t a necessity, I know, as I’ve gotten used to checking time on my mobile phone anyway. But I figured, since I’m getting old, this could be a show of my resolution to value time more. And since I’m at it anyway, why not make it posh? :)

(5) Any desktop computer.

..that my brothers and my mom can use back home. Nothing fancy. Just something they can store pics and surf the net with. I actually don’t know what to get yet and where. I stopped looking at desktop computers since I got my Mac. Any suggestions? :)

I guess that’s it. Meanwhile, I’m still not done with my Christmas shopping, I still have a few people in my list. So I guess no shopping spree for me JUST YET. Good luck, Riz. :)

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

On the other hand, the one thing I really hate about the white MacBook is, the keypad and the trackpad are both too sensitive to thumbmarks and dirt. I have to wipe it up twice a day to remove the marks, it’s starting to get annoying. I need to have one of those keypad skins already. Also, since I can’t afford to have my Mac painted pink (which would cost me 500 USD), I’m gona have to improvise and find pink stuff to adorn my MacBook.

Here are the next items on my shopping list. :)

Pink Keypad Rubber Skin

Light Pink Crystal Case

Fab Trackpad Skin

The pink keypad skin is already on its way. I’m getting it from this guy, the same person I got my Moleskine Journal from. Really fast and efficient service, you should check his catalog out. And cheap too. The keypad skin is actually sold at P1,500 at the Mac Center at Cyberzone Megamall. But from him, it’s only P650!! :) I’m getting the pink crystal case from him too.

As for the trackpad skin, hurry over to this site and get one yourself. They have lots of different colors and designs! And it’s only P350. Yay. Watch out for my pinkified MacBook soon.

Up next. Laptop bag. :)

BUT, I still need a digital camera, and this can’t wait another two months. I think the one thing nice about investing on a point and shoot digital camera is that I can purchase it from the mall, swipe my card, and pay for it on an installment basis. That’s the same way I got my mobile phone. I didn’t have to wait until I have the money before I get to start using it.

So that’s what I was thinking. Besides, I told Ninong that even with a DSLR, I still might need something small and dainty I can carry around with anywhere.

So what am I looking for? Specs come in second. I need something pink. (I mean, if I’m planning to get that D40 anyway, I might as well get something pink for a camtoy, right?) So after looking around, I end up with these two options: A Pink Sony Cybershot DSC-T10 or a Pink Canon Ixus i7.

And let me just say it was fun searching for pink digital cameras because you end up in sites like this and that, and you’d feel like, *insert perky voice* omygosh, I’m not alone, they actually understand what I’m talking about and stuff *perky voice off*

So anyway. I said the specs should follow. I like the pinkness of both so I’d go either with this:

Pink Sony Cybershot

• SteadyShot Optical Image Stabilization reduces blur
• Big-Screen Slide Shows and Long Lasting Battery
• Ultra Slim Credit Card Size
• 7.2 Megapixel Super HAD CCD
• Adjustable Clear Photo LCD Plus Screen
• Slide Show with Select Music Playback
• 14x Smart Zoom Feature (at VGA Resolution)
• Real Imaging Processor LSI
• Picture Motion Browser Software
• and more!

Or this:

Pink Canon Ixus i7

• 7.1 Megapixels and 2.4x optical zoom
• DIGIC III with Noise Reduction Technology and Face Detection
• Extra telephoto reach with Safety Zoom(1)
• 17 shooting modes, including movies
• ISO 1600
• My Colours photo effects
• Camera Station with Wireless Controller for easy charging, direct printing, PC connection and AV out

The price could be the deciding factor. I’ll start canvassing this week. Hopefully, by the end of the month, I get myself a new shiny pink digital camera. Yayness.

Whatcha think pink?

The release of the Nikon D40 Kit blew me away and made me think that maybe, this is it. I’m in love (again.) ♥ And considering that this camera is NOT pink, I figured, this must be true love. Hehe.

The basics: D40 takes over D50, and is now the starting point for Nikon’s line-up of Digital SLR cameras. It’s small and handy, it comes with an 18 – 55 mm lens, long battery life, and best of all, it’s affordable.

Truth be told, among the few things that’s holding me back from doing serious photography is the investment part. I’ve always thought that photography is a very expensive hobby. Back then, aside from the main SLR, you need to invest on lenses and other accessories. And then you need a lot of money to develop rolls and rolls of film. Talk about jurassic era. Then again, when DSLRs came to grace our lives with their existence, the investment is still way too expensive for most of us to handle.

The new Nikon D40 cuts through that particular “consideration”. Priced at just $599, and with features that match monster cameras that are available in the market today, I know in my heart that I found my match. So I spent a good 2 hours of my Monday day off, hopping from one review site to another, drooling, and wishing I was part of Picturetown — that small community at Georgetown, SC, whose residents were lucky enough to get 200 free units of Nikon D40. WOW.

Anyway, *wiping the drool away*,

Nikon didn’t cut a lot of corners to keep the price down, either — this is a very capable camera. It has a 6 Megapixel CCD, a large and sharp 2.5″ LCD display, full manual controls, an elaborate help system, and the kind of performance that you’d expect from a D-SLR. Did I mention that it’s also very compact? (Via DCResource.Com)

Yep! Very compact, indeed, it’s almost like regular point-and-shoot cameras.* Prior to this, I was considering on buying a new p&s digital camera (somewhere in the line of a Canon Ixus or a Sony Cybershot — and a pink one at that) since the Kodak Easyshare p&s I was using had gone blpht. Needless to say, I need a handy digicam because what good is it to be a camwhore and NOT have a camera?

So hey, I’m still weighing them all down. This Nikon D40 makes me drool but I’m still recovering from the expenses I’ve put up (and still putting up) with the laptop. So I’m giving this a month or so. If this love continues to grow deeper each day, then there’s no more holding back. I’m going to take the leap. ;)

Below are more Nikon D40 reviews I found helpful:

• Nikon D40 Review by DPReview.Com with tabular comparisons between Nikon D40 & Nikon D50.
• DCRP Review: Nikon D40 with tabular comparisons between D40, D50 and D80, as well as battery life comparisons with Canon DSLRs, and sample photos taken with D40.
• Nikon D40 Review by Kenrockwell.Com
• Nikon D40 Review by Megapixel.Net

Nikon D40’s Key Features from Nikon’s official website:

Extraordinary Nikon Image Quality: The D40’s high-resolution image quality is made possible by Nikon’s high-performance 6.1 megapixel Nikon DX format CCD imaging sensor and exclusive Nikon image processing engine which assures stunning sharpness and color.

Easy Operation with Intuitive Controls: Intuitive controls make the D40 point-and-shoot simple, enabling even first-time SLR users to capture beautiful memories perfectly.

Nikon’s Smallest Digital SLR Ever! At just over 16 ounces, the beautifully styled and compact D40 makes high-performance digital SLR photography easier and more convenient than ever.

Fast Startup with Instant Shutter Response: Fast startup combined with super-fast shutter response and rapid-action shooting at up to 2.5 frames per second makes it easy to freeze special moments instantly.

Includes 3x 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens: Designed exclusively for use with Nikon DX-format digital SLRs, this ultra-compact 3x zoom offers Nikkor sharpness and versatility in a wide variety of shooting situations.

Shoot at up to 2.5 frames per second: The D40 can fire continuously at a speed of up to 2.5 frames per second, capturing high-quality action sequences of children in sporting activities such as soccer, baseball and much more.

2.5-inch color LCD monitor with 3 colorful display options: Playback images are easy to see, and function menus are easier to use with a larger and brighter color LCD monitor. The large 2.5-inch LCD monitor enables image preview at up to 19 times magnification and has large type fonts and easy-to-view menus as well as three all-new display options: Classic, Graphic and Wallpaper.

High-performance 6.1megapixel Nikon DX format CCD imaging sensor: Nikon’s DX format CCD image sensor delivers vivid color and sharp detail, great for making beautifully detailed enlargements of 16 x 20 inches and beyond. High resolution also provides room for creative cropping.

In-Camera Image Editing: Highly versatile in-camera editing features include Nikon D-Lighting, Red-Eye Correction, Image Trimming, Image Overlay, Monochrome (Black and White, Sepia and Cyanotype) along with Skylight, Warm Tone and Color Balance filter effects. These features provide greater creative freedom without the need for a computer, for those who prefer to send pictures directly to a printer.

New advanced HELP menu system with Assist Images: The D40’s newly introduced “assist images” help you select the appropriate settings for many camera features by showing an example image typical of that setting as well as an advanced HELP Menu for the current item selected. The D40’s Question Mark icon (?) indicates that help is available for the currently selected item; just press the help button beside the LCD monitor to see a context sensitive help page.

Fast, accurate 3-Area Autofocus: The D40’s advanced 3-area AF system and the refined algorithms inherited from more advanced Nikon digital SLR cameras deliver fast, efficient and precise autofocus. AF refinements deliver greater precision with fast, more consistent subject acquisition and improved focus tracking for consistently sharper pictures.

Image Optimization Options: The D40’s Image Optimize setting lets photographers adjust color, contrast and sharpening as well as other image settings according to the type of scene or output desired. Settings include: Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, Custom and Black and White, each of which are automatically adjusted based on sophisticated Nikon algorithms or user-selected settings for optimum results.

Built-in Speedlight with i-TTL automatic flash control: Nikon’s innovative i-TTL flash control evaluates flash exposure with incredible precision to achieve better automatic flash balance and deliver outstanding results. The built-in Speedlight is always at the ready and brings beautiful exposures in darkened conditions as well as adding sparkle for fill flash in outdoor situations for enhanced twilight shots or an added impact to daylight images.

Bright, accurate SLR viewfinder: A large viewfinder makes composition easier, and overall viewfinder brightness makes focusing in low-light photography possible. Its bright and sharp viewfinder, with 0.8x magnification, ensures precise composition.

Automatic exposure with 8 Digital-Vari Program Modes: Eight Digital Vari-Program Modes include: Auto Flash-OFF, Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close Up or Night Portrait, each of which adjusts automatically for optimal results under varied conditions.

Nikon 3D Color Matrix Metering II: The D40’s 3D Color Matrix Metering II evaluates each scene for brightness, color, contrast, size and position of shadows and highlights, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance, comparing that information against an onboard database of more than 30,000 actual photographic scenes.

$599.95 ESP Includes 3x 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens.
ESP (Estimated Selling Price) listed is only an estimate. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time.

Know more about the Nikon D40 Kit HERE.

*Image from Megapixel.Net.