Russian Social Network - VKontakte.ru (InTouch.ru) plans to compete globally against Facebook and MySpace

Social networks have spread enormously within only the last couple of years. Although Facebook is a global leader(230 million users, acc. to eMarketer), followed by MySpace (130 million), there are still a number of similar online platforms leading locally, such as: StudiVZ(Germany)- over 15 million users, Tuenti(Spain)-around 13 million users (comScore), Skyrock(France)-over 17 millions and VKontakte (Russia) - over 42 million users.

Even though accused for its high similarity with Facebook's interface, often called "Facebook's clone" (see the picture below), VKontakte (translated: InTouch) has rapidly grown its users' data-base and has now plans to compete against Facebook globally.



It has acquired a new domain name: vk.com (as confirmed by GoDaddy, September, 2009). Also, according to their Executive Director, Lev Leviev, VKontakte is planning to launch globally in the nearest future. Moreover, as of October 2009, Vkontakte will become avaliable in 12 language platforms (at the moment there're only 4: Russian, Ukranian, Belarusian and English).

Judging by recent statistics (view comScore link below), Russians spend more time on social networks than the rest of the world. Among the 40 individual countries reported by comScore, Brazil follows Russia at 6.3 hours, whereas Canada registers 5.6 hours, Puerto Rico - 5.3 hours and Spain - 5.3 hours. The United States is ranked number 9, with 4.2 hours and 477 pages per visitor per month.

Interestingly enough, a new study made by Mobile Marketer (January 2009) shows that Facebook and vKontakte are now the most visited social networks for mobile Opera Mini users, according to Opera's latest State of the Mobile Web report.

So, although local social media champions are facing promissing uprise, the question is : could they compete on the global market, by convincing the international audience? Clearly, the focus will be on innovation and distinct marketing techniques applied locally.

Would be great to hear your thoughts on this news or similar stories.


Sources that caught my attention while preparing this article:

1. TechCrunch Europe: http://ow.ly/oYEe

2. Mobile Marketer : http://ow.ly/oYEV

3. Webmilk.ru: http://ow.ly/oYFS

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UK feed: Online Storytelling: Samsung employing Social Video to spread the word for its new HD camera

We all love watching videos, don't we? Nowadays online tools are making it so much easy to use and to share the content we favour with the others. Long-live YouTube?

Well, brands are now on their way to exploring its opportunities and hindrances. That's when viral videos came along...to spread the word, to get in the limelight of public attention and what's next? How does public interest affect the brand itself?

To be honest I can't wait to share my case studies and let you judge their effectiveness on the brand.

In both cases, the companies were the ones to employ creative agencies in order to launch teaser videos related to either the product, or the campaign. So it wasn't the case of an organic content, posted by consumers. And guess what?

In August 2008, Levi's decided to use viral videos as part of its global "Life's unbuttoned campaign" to get heard in 110 countries worldwide. The first video featuring guys jumping into pairs of jeans held aloft by their buddies gathered unexpectedly 3.5 million hits in just a matter of weeks, having already over 5 million views today on YouTube! I let you see it below:



The buzz was spectacular! Moreover, the company decided to attract a wider audience moving the viral video on TV. Levi's figured it out that a rumour today can spread within seconds globally!

Among the reasons for the video success, Erica Archambault, Levi's Head of PR stated that it was : funny, entertaining, having only a slight Levi's brand feeling behind it. She added that "We didn't want to overtly a brand as Levi's. We wanted people to discover it in their own" (cited by Adweek, May, 2008). And if you look on YouTube to see how many public responses were posted, you'd notice the amount of engagement to it.

Some fresh examples? Samsung used an online storytelling trick to help spread the news about its new HD camera (I8910), making it look as a consumer generated content. In fact, it added to it a flavour of mystery and challenge, generating over 1,03 million views for just a couple of months. The whole idea was a make-up trick, letting the viewers guess on "How it was made?".

I'll just give you a link to the actual video, so that you can easily find Samsung's secret unveiled in the next spot called "YouTube HD Camera Trick - Revealed!". I'd have to say it's a true piece of a genius as the simplicity used is astonishing. Ok, now ready to get into a mysterious witchcraft session? Take a look bellow:



By the way, when you get to see the thanking message from Samsung, you'll probably feel the same admiration for the creative idea behind it, so that the upper step would be to spot on "the next Samsung's trick"?...alhough I couldn't see myself in David Copperfield's shoes, but if you would - maybe the next Samsung's quote would be yours?

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Russia Feed: Misteriously disappearing 3-D Sprite posters in Moscow underground

A few weeks earlier, a creative agency in Moscow working on Sprite's new national campaign "Thirst Free!" was witnessing misterious disappearance of their newly crafted posters placed in Moscow underground.
Their design was particularly unusual, emulating the emergency kits - boxes with refrigerated Sprite bottles inside. While trying to portray the real image of the bottle, the designers employed a 3-D technology, which was supposed to help raise "the sensation of thirst "(media-online.ru, 10.07.2009). Instead, the public reaction went far beyond company's expectations. Perhaps, the thirst sensation lead some enthusiasts even further,as posters started to disappear one by one in just no time. Since the remained posters' amount was limited, the authors came up with an innovative solution, addressing the audience in the same places used before. Thus, the new range of black&white posters were announcing the disappearance of the previous one. Even though no poster was yet returned, the message effect was undoubtful.

I invite you to see bellow the creative work done by: "Rodnaya Rechi" agency for Sprite Russia, 2009:









The announcement bellow sais: "Looking for holographic Sprite posters. Last seen here yesterday. Special characeristics: Raises an immense desire of drinking Sprite. If found, please call on the following hotline number.."

That's what I call: a 2-way communication, even though "guilty" audience didn't engage directly with the authors, they definetely influenced the creative change of campaign direction.

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UK feed: British Icon Celebration - Live from Saatchi Gallery!

16.00: Arriving at the Gallery! Noise, many people arround and lots of kids performing in front of the Gallery. Could it be organized on the occasion of a new Jaguar XJ launch? If so, then why would it be the kids to welcome the new generation car model? A few questions and I got it! Hill House Prep School were having a Sports' Day at Duke of Yourks, Chelsea, which is a stadium located right in front of the gallery.
Their celebration might have been the right match for the reveal day of All new Jaguar XJ. I've just captured this and couldn't wait to share. A British icon is being revealed to the world in a spirit of celebration and fun. I'm not being superstitious, but it could be a nice symbol for the reveal event, furthemore when it wasn't made on purpose. I invite you to see below :

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