tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2936757759840537072024-03-08T17:52:30.287+00:00Matmi's Musings BlogWELCOME
You have found yourself in the terrific treasure trove that is Matmi's magical world of digital musings.
Here is an ever growing collection of stories on digital media matters found while mooching through the web.
Ranging from info on the latest games to new media design to trends in the digital marketing stratosphere (and the occasional post that just makes the Matmians' smile).
- (curated by the eclectic tastes of the Mini Matmian ^SL...and a little help from his Matmian friends)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-27395364217685438822012-03-26T23:50:00.000+01:002012-03-26T23:50:12.641+01:00Merit Badges: How Salesforce Motivates a Workforce<br />
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="120314 Rypple 01.jpg" class="mt-image-center" height="385" src="http://rww.readwriteweb.netdna-cdn.com/enterprise/120314%20Rypple%2001.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" width="610" /></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Here’s a very serious question: Are the tools your company’s employees use to do their job more or less motivating to that end than the apps, games, and social services they use to do something other than their job? Put another way, does the software your people use for play improve the quality of their work, more than the software they use for work?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
This is a question that a company called Rypple first started tackling three years ago. Identifying what Rypple was, was evidently hard enough - in 2009, ReadWriteWeb called it an enterprise solution for garnering feedback; two years later, we re-introduced it as a tool for rewarding employees for good performance. Both were partly right. Fortunately for Rypple, Salesforce perceived it as something substantially greater, and today Rypple is being re-reintroduced as the latest cloud-based component in the Force.com arsenal.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Read the full article ► via <a href="http://rww.to/GGm5rC" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="How salesforce motivates a workforce">ReadWriteWeb</a></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">►Mini Matmian:</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
We are no strangers to the gamifying of the work place (we use a great piece of kit for software development called<a href="http://redcrittertracker.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="RedCritter Tracker - a project management tool"> RedCritter Tracker</a>) and from <a href="http://www.orchard.co.uk/Blog/Guest-Blog---RedCritter-Tracker-Gamifying-the-Work-Place-By-Jeff-Coghlan-Matmi-MD-1685.aspx" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="'RedCritter Tracker Gamifying the Work Place', By Jeff Coghlan, Matmi MD">our experience</a> it can certainly be a great motivational device. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
There are pitfalls to watch out for and you need to carefully analyse whether it would be right for your business but, if implemented effectively, it is a great tool for rewarding employees for good performance.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Check out<a href="http://www.orchard.co.uk/Blog/Guest-Blog---RedCritter-Tracker-Gamifying-the-Work-Place-By-Jeff-Coghlan-Matmi-MD-1685.aspx" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_self" title=" 'RedCritter Tracker Gamifying the Work Place', By Jeff Coghlan, Matmi MD"> Matmi’s experience with RedCritter Tracker</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">What are your thoughts on adding Gamification to the work-place?</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></strong></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;"> <img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyf75oUcUH1qjyzzi.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></strong></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Magic Across Media…</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/contact.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.matmi.com/contact.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.matmi.com/contact.php</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a class="smarterwiki-linkify" href="mailto:info@matmi.com" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">info@matmi.com</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Phone: (+44)<strong style="font-weight: bold;">01625 560771</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Follow us on Twitter">@matmi</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/Matmi</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/110008518934539089118/110008518934539089118/posts" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Google+ </a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-40869868016947196152012-03-05T13:34:00.000+00:002012-03-05T13:34:04.538+00:00Will the Homes of the Future be Gamified?<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/new-digital-media/p/1357810615/will-the-homes-of-the-future-be-gamified" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/MR8ybEr2JtsGv2oDDWwtHDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Here we are again, discussing the buzzword of 2011/2012; Gamification. It has rapidly gained acceptance, seeping into the consciousness of the digital media industry and it is now making noise on broadcast TV. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
There is a new reality TV show on Channel 4 called ‘Home of the Future’ where they ask an average family to experience what it might be like to live in the future, filling their home from top-to-bottom with futuristic technology and gadgets.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Continue reading : <a href="http://www.matmi.com/blog/will-the-homes-of-the-future-be-gamified" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank">Via matmi.com</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-24233055041652917412012-03-03T14:13:00.002+00:002012-03-03T14:13:34.183+00:00RedCritter Tracker: Motivation by Gamification<br />
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/new-digital-media/p/1334430883/redcritter-tracker-motivation-by-gamification" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/RbMoWZl9sC4AfZEiF8be6Dl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Many companies opt to use incentive or reward programs in order to motivate staff and increase sales or work done. Wouldn’t it be awesome to not only have an online incentive/rewards program but mix it in with some Foursquare-style gamification for a conceptually awesome motivation tool?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
That’s what RedCritter Tracker might just be. RedCritter allows you to create new projects, invite your team and reward the completion of tasks. Users will earn points when they complete their tasks which can be spent in your own company rewards store and even earn badges! Trust me when I say that when I was told about the app, I was very excited to try it out. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://web.appstorm.net/reviews/project-management/redcritter-tracker-motivation-by-gamification/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Via web.appstorm.net</a></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
You can also read Matmi’s own experience with RedCritter Tracker <a href="http://www.orchard.co.uk/Blog/Guest-Blog---RedCritter-Tracker-Gamifying-the-Work-Place-By-Jeff-Coghlan-Matmi-MD-1685.aspx" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="'RedCritter Tracker Gamifying the Work Place', By Jeff Coghlan, Matmi MD">here</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-53938977559000119812012-02-28T09:50:00.002+00:002012-02-28T09:50:43.017+00:00Starbucks’ augmented reality app gets all lovey dovey<br />
<div class="copy" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div class="centredimg" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/branded-entertainment-and-digital-marketing" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank">Branded Entertainment</a><br /><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/branded-entertainment-and-digital-marketing/p/1318751741/starbucks-augmented-reality-app-gets-all-lovey-dovey" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/pkYAfgHGR-xV7ppV6hPrWTl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Starbucks is giving its augmented reality mobile app a little bit more love. Literally. As part of a new update, users of the company’s Cup Magic app can now point their phones at Starbucks Valentine’s Day-themed cups to see new, love-themed effects that appear to be happening on the cup itself. </div>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Besides looking neat, there is—of course—a business hook to get you to buy more than a cup of something for yourself. The app lets users buy and send digital Starbucks gift cards to friends that can be delivered on Valentine’s Day, as well as providing a way to send messages that require the recipient actually head to a Starbucks, buy a beverage, and aim it at one of the limited cups to see. <br /><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57372047-1/starbucks-augmented-reality-app-gets-all-lovey-dovey/" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank">Via news.cnet.com</a></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-4842334781185811222012-02-23T20:36:00.000+00:002012-02-23T20:37:42.719+00:00Petanque 3D - a Unity3D game from Matmi<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="http://petanque3d.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://petanque3d.com/img/mainScreenBg.jpg" width="450" /></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;">Extremely cool game. Boules on the beach anyone?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;">How do you add the "Je ne sais quoi" of French chic to a promotional game? Je ne sais pas – but fortunately, other Matmians do …. and the result is a gorgeous looking game of classic French boules, Petanque 3D.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;">We've used the capabilities of Unity 3D to the max, to show off three French resorts where the levels are set, the game itself & the players (who are pretty good looking too, it has to be said). With single and multi-player options, 4 players and 3 levels of difficulty – plus setting up each shot for direction, height and power – <a href="http://petanque3d.com/" target="_blank">Petanque </a>is rather addictive.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;">It creeps up on you quietly, draws you in with that lovely French holiday feeling, a wonderfully laid-back soundtrack, stunning (sunny) graphics – and all of a sudden it's dark outside! Definitely one of our most evocative games.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Geneva, Arial; line-height: 15px;"><b>PLAY</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">: </span></span><a href="http://petanque3d.com/">http://petanque3d.com/</a><br />
<br />
Developed by <a href="http://www.matmi.com/games" target="_blank">Matmi </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-70394862430445090612012-02-23T20:30:00.002+00:002012-02-23T20:31:58.439+00:00Using Gamification to Build Your Business<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><small style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.5em;">February 22nd, 2012 by Sambo</small></span><br />
<div class="entry" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/blog/?attachment_id=20524" rel="attachment wp-att-20524" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="170" src="https://www.odesk.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/iStock_000013080073XSmall.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SONY DSC" width="254" /></a><br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 30px; margin-top: 15px; padding-left: 20px;">
From senet – a game played by Pharaohs in ancient Egypt – to the more modern phenomenon of Monopoly, games have a powerful draw. And now they are being partnered with business objectives. Yes, it is the hot startup buzzword of 2012: “Gamification”.<br />
If the pairing of “business” and “games” immediately conjures thoughts of time wasted on Farmville, then it is time for you to take a second look. Gamification is all about injecting fun, recognition and/or competition into otherwise standard business relationships – using game-like techniques to motivate employees and customers to help you reach your goals.<br />
<strong>Getting Started</strong><br />
Are you intrigued by the potential of gamification but at a loss as to what your next steps should be? Here are some questions to ask yourself:<br />
<ul style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -10px;">
<li style="margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 7px;"><strong>What are my objectives?</strong> Game elements should not be instituted haphazardly. Instead, figure out what it is you want people to do. Then evaluate which of those goals would most benefit from gamification.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 7px;"><strong>What would most appeal to my target audience?</strong> There is a big difference between what motivates a risk taker versus a more cautious personality. Take time to figure out what rewards would mean the most to your customers; if they dislike it, you could do more harm than good.</li>
</ul>
A snippet of a post via <a href="https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/make-it-a-game-using-gamification-to-build-your-business/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="View the full article here: Make it a Game">www.odesk.com</a> posted on January 18, 2012 in <a href="https://www.odesk.com/blog/category/small-businesses/" rel="category tag" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Small Businesses">Small Businesses</a> by Julia</blockquote>
<br />
<strong>A nice overview of what gamification can do for your brand and key questions to consider when implementing it.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<strong>via </strong><a href="http://www.matmi.com/blog/using-gamification-to-build-your-business">http://www.matmi.com/blog/using-gamification-to-build-your-business</a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-41220973698399280112012-02-21T00:41:00.000+00:002012-02-21T00:41:36.619+00:00RedCritter Tracker – Gamifying the Work place<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><img alt="" src="http://img.scoop.it/AzKXvLcCp4j10OTQeSR09Dl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">“It’s not all just about the badges. Project leaders can assign points to individual tasks (depending on difficulty or time it takes to complete). These points can then be saved up and exchanged in the RedCritter Tracker store to treat yourself to a pressie. These rewards were voted for by the Matmi staff. Take a look at the kind of thing they aim to spend their hard earned points on (not ashamed to say they are very geek friendly)”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.orchard.co.uk/Blog/Guest-Blog---RedCritter-Tracker-Gamifying-the-Work-Place-By-Jeff-Coghlan-Matmi-MD-1685.aspx" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(168, 239, 157); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgb(68, 68, 68) 0px 0px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">Via www.orchard.co.uk</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-61810727086925350502012-02-14T18:10:00.000+00:002012-02-14T18:10:27.927+00:00Gamification in Education<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Gamification in Eduction, image by Matmi" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lze5nsQfZ61qjyzzi.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" title="Gamification in Education" /></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
via <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><a href="http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/">http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mini Matmian:</strong><br />The use of Gamification techniques within education is not on the horizon…it is already here. 6 months ago I <a href="http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/post/8946768197/gamification-education" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Gamification in the Classroom">highlighted</a> the fact that the work teachers have been doing in classrooms across the globe for many years could easily be seen as a form of non-digital Gamification. </div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">The very practice of stickers, group leader-boards and reward systems that are already in place in so many primary school classrooms is already, in part, a form of gamification …</strong></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
I then went on to mention how digital media could be used to augment the education process:</div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">…add a bespoke system that also incorporates digital media (yes games are part of it) for multiple purposes that not only serve the individual pupil but also provide an accurate and easy way of tracking progress [for teachers) can only benefit the whole school environment.</strong></strong></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
All those many months ago I kept it brief. My experience as a former teacher meant that the topic was close to my heart and I knew that if I didn’t reign in my key-tapping fingers I would end up with a 3000 word essay.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
As a supporter of the good gamification techniques can bring, I wanted to make one thing absolutely clear:</div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Sticking the same API or just shoe-horning badges in is NOT taking advantage of the power of game mechanics. </strong></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
Read <a href="http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/post/17610309329/gamification-in-education" target="_blank">more... </a><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-61695078977003548932012-02-13T21:45:00.000+00:002012-02-13T21:45:02.592+00:006 Social Media Rules For Creating Brand Evangelists<br />
<div class="title" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 25px; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
6 Social Media Rules For Creating Brand Evangelists</div>
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="Picture of social gathering" src="http://images.fastcompany.com/upload/evangelist-microphone-620.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" title="Do you follow these 6 simple rules for creating brand evangelists?" /></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Here are six new rules of engagement, based upon an analysis of brand successes, behavioral psychology, and trends in consumer marketing and the social context……. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">1. You See Numbers, People See Themselves</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Marketers who are trained in the nuances of insightful segmentation and consumer nuances seem to forget all that when marketing through social media. They blast one message to hundreds of thousands of people. Even millions. But creating a brand evangelist starts with a personal connection, and personal connections can’t be built with impersonal messaging. Acquiring giant quantities of friends makes this more difficult, but the growth of Big Data and customer intelligence solutions makes it possible.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">2. When People Share Values, They’ll Share A Lot More</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Brands today are complex, impressionistic constructions of product, performance, perceptions, and belief systems. More and more, brands are taking stands on social and even political issues; companies like Whole Foods and The Container Store, for example, are active members of the <a href="http://consciouscapitalism.org/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Conscious Capitalism</a> movement.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Brands can also share values through the choices they make in how they communicate. Style is substantive. Zappos is widely regarded as brilliantly adept at creating wildly devotional brand partisans, and the Twitter feed of its CEO, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/zappos" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Tony Hsieh</a>, is a large part of that.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Here’s a perfect example of that; a Tweet he made last July. No sell, no offer, in fact, an anti-consumption message: <em>Want happiness? Don’t buy more stuff—go on vacation!</em></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
It was preceded by a Tweet about research on getting kids to consume more vegetables, and a quote from Ann Frank. This random glimpse into the mind of a CEO displays an emotional transparency that builds loyalty. You know that it wasn’t rubber-stamped by a Twitter Approval Sub-Committee.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
So social media is the ultimate platform for communicating your values and energizing people around them. Of course, you can’t satisfy everyone, but the process of creating brand acolytes means that you cannot be equally meaningful to everyone. Deal with it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">3. Lameness Can’t Create Loyalty</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Have you noticed how much social media is represented by Tweets and posts like this triteness display from McDonald’s:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>Morning! How’s everyone’s week going so far?</em></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>24 Jan Favorite Retweet Reply</em></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Would you want to be friends, and hang out with someone who always feels obligated to spout something, even when they have absolutely nothing of interest on their minds? So if you want to create evangelists, start with being excruciatingly demanding about every single thing you say. And how you say it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">4. Real Friends Don’t Impose—Unless There’s a Good Reason</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Offline relationships are the psychological model for brand “friendships.” Well, before you ask a friend for a favor, you think through the implications. How important is it to you? How difficult or emotionally fraught might it be your friend to act on your request? When does the request over-stretch the implicit boundaries of the relationship?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Brands need to go through the same social calculus, but they seldom do. So a brand will ask you to forward something to a friend, or invite a friend to join a group, without really thinking through the implications. They are pushing hard, if not violating, the natural limits of the “friendship”—and then they are surprised when they don’t get the results they expected.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
To create evangelists who are ready, willing and able to use their social graphs to advance your brand, you need to develop some rules of reciprocity, and real customer intelligence about which of your current fans and friends are most likely to share. For example, those who have large networks, and high Klout scores, might be better evangelist than those who keep to themselves. But are you treating them all the same?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">5. Surprise Everyone, Including Yourself</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
We become emotionally attached to those who bring unexpected twists and surprises to our lives. That’s because disruptive surprise and intrigue release dopamine, which creates pleasure (and its evil cousin, addiction.) Insufficient novelty creates dopamine boredom. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Surprise can be the way you say something (style) or what you give them as far as rewards or incentives go (content). It’s a rich area for innovation.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Trouble is, many big brands see surprise as a risk, because it requires unexpected behaviors, which by definition, haven’t been done before and might be considered “off-brand.” Dopamine boredom is always safe. Hence the paradox of evangelists: to create them, you need to push on the limits of institutional norms. But if you do so, and surprise them and yourself in the process, you might actually find your dopamine will be flowing as much as theirs. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">6. Go Out Of Your Way For People, and They’ll Go Out of Their Way for You</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
One of the most powerful ways to create evangelists is to behave with breathtaking responsiveness. Many are halfway there. Increasingly, more and more companies are turning to social media to address customer service issues. So we’re seeing tons of responses like this from Target:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>@XTEDDIX That’s frustrating! Thanks for letting us know. We’ll be passing your comments along to our Store Leadership team. Matthew</em></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
But what we’re not seeing are a lot of results. The average friend or fan is exposed to a torrent of problems, not solutions. So in the interests of being a responsive organization, brands can come across as customer-service train wrecks.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Wouldn’t it be cool if a brand posted, each day, the resolution of its most triumphant, confounding, and amusing customer services issues. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
via <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1814362/beyond-the-one-night-click-using-social-media-to-create-brand-evangelists" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="6 Social Media Rules For Creating Brand Evangelists">Fast Company</a></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mini Matmian►</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Cultivating a Social Media community who engage with a brand takes time, research and constant monitoring…alot each. It can be a daunting task to begin on this long road. These 6 points are a good place to start.</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Each brands needs are unique in some way and it is important not to lose sight of this fact. Tailor your SM campaign to the needs of the brand with the needs of the customers you want to engage at the forefront of everything you do.</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Be bold, be relevant, don’t be afraid to try things out and most importantly…be real. No one likes to feel they are talking to a automated robotic response. <em>[end transmission]</em></strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Have you any tips to share with someone starting out their social media planning journey? </strong></div>
<div>
<strong style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-81285304731298368232012-02-13T21:43:00.003+00:002012-02-13T21:43:58.880+00:00Interactive Artwork<br />
<div class="media" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="281" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36466564?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="500"></iframe></div>
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Sick and tired of staring at Van Gogh’s<em>Starry Night</em> and being unable to manipulate it with your fingers? Enter: Greek digital artist <a href="http://vimeo.com/user10348450" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Petros Vrellis</a> and <a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/02/interactive-starry-night/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">his interactive Starry Night animation</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Using <a href="http://www.openframeworks.cc/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">openFrameworks</a>, Vrellis transformed Van Gogh’s masterpiece into an interactive painting capable of rearranging itself through touch-sensitive gestures. Additionally, background music responds to changes in the animation’s flow.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
You can learn more about it <a href="http://www.creativeapplications.net/openframeworks/vincent-van-goghs-starry-night-interactive-by-petros-vrellis-openframeworks/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
[<a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/02/interactive-starry-night/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">colossal</a>.]</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
via <a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://tumblr.thedailywh.at/post/17375659188/interactive-artwork-of-the-day-sick-and-tired-of" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">thedailywhat</a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-48584356047547944052012-02-07T09:13:00.000+00:002012-02-07T09:13:05.750+00:00Myspace announces partnership with Panasonic for Myspace TV<a href="http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/post/15667245785/myspace-announces-partnership-with-panasonic-for-myspace#.TzDq2gaL8gc.blogger">Myspace announces partnership with Panasonic for Myspace TV</a>:<div><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxlsgkBhHZ1qclfey.jpg" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; ">Myspace in their journey to become relevant again has partnered with Panasonic to launch a new service called <a href="http://www.myspace.com/tv" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204); text-decoration: underline; ">Myspace TV</a>. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-75415769552292069312012-02-06T22:42:00.001+00:002012-02-06T22:42:50.179+00:00NW1: Nerf War 1<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Nerfing Private Ryan" src="http://www.matmi.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Nerf-poster.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>The escalation: </strong><br />It began with a single shot. One whistling tube of foam, flying through the air like a dive-bombing hawk. It’s target? An innocent Matmian’s head.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>*THUD* </strong><br />It had begun. Within a week, a full-scale battle could be heard coming from above the peaceful lower-living Matmians. The sky dwelling ones had started something that would eventually lead to a full-scale war. An arms race developed. But this was no cold war, this was a ‘Foam War’.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>The fight:</strong><br />The lower-living Matmians were out numbered and out gunned, but their spirit was strong. One brave soul took on the aggressive sky-dwellers. He did not last long.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
However, single man strike teams continued to raid the sky dwellers domain. Each and every time, they were taken down. Occasionally, the sky dwellers would venture down in 3 man parties to target an individual. They began to put resources into research and development, culminating in a magnum based nerf gun. You certainly knew if you had been hit by one of them. They even started a training camp, using printouts of the faces of lower-living Matmians for target practice.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Yes, the sky dwellers were organised and equipped while at the same time, the Matmians below were embroiled in civil war – targeting each other.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Balance of power:</strong><br />It eventually became clear that if the lower-living Matmians were to survive, they had to band together. The fight was on. A new weapon was brought into the fray by a well funded lower-living Matmian: a rapid firing nerf gun, bigger than anything either side had witnessed. Modded to the hilt, it struck fear into all who saw it. The balance of power began to shift. However, could the lower dwellers remain organised to take the fight to the sky dwellers and win?</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Time will tell…</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>Disclaimer</em><br /><em>Do not try this at home. Trained professionals were used.</em><br /><em>No Matmians were truly injured in the nerf war.</em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>[image manipulated from original Saving private Ryan poster]</em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-51491674978694754382012-02-05T22:59:00.000+00:002012-02-05T22:59:09.737+00:00Using Gamification to Increase Brand Loyalty and Engagement<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Gamification image via BigDoor" height="304" src="http://www.bigdoor.com/images/billboard/wheel-static.png" style="max-width: 100%;" width="306" /></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span>Samsung is embracing a business trend called gamification, which takes elements from games and applies them to other settings.Companies like </span><a href="http://www.recyclebank.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="The companys site.">Recyclebank</a><span>, for example, use game incentives, like points and rewards, to prompt consumers to perform eco-friendly activities. Other businesses offer awards like virtual badges to induce their employees to embrace corporate goals and increase productivity. Meanwhile, a number of well-known retailers and brands, including Samsung and </span><a href="http://insiderrewards.warnerbros.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="The companys reward program.">Warner Brothers</a><span>, are employing point reward systems as a way to engage customers more deeply.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
For companies, the premise of gamification is that it engages people in the kind of reward-seeking behaviors that lead to increased brand loyalty, not to mention increased profits. By tracking the online activities of people who sign up for such programs, companies can also amass more detailed metrics about each user — the better to identify the most active customers.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
“People use gamification to measure and influence user behavior to meet their business goals,” says Kris Duggan, the chief executive of <a href="http://www.badgeville.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="The companys site.">Badgeville</a>, which designs game-based programs for companies, including Samsung.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Game techniques, Mr. Duggan says, prompt consumers to spend more time on company Web sites, contribute more content and share more product information with Facebook and Twitter adherents. One of his clients, he says, uses a gamification program to collect information about 300 actions — like posting comments or sharing with a social network — performed by several million people.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Read the entire <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/business/employers-and-brands-use-gaming-to-gauge-engagement.html?_r=1&hpw" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">NY Times article here</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-66791705180514002062012-02-01T12:37:00.002+00:002012-02-01T12:37:21.966+00:00Disney’s Second Screen technology a treat for movie lovers<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="Half of consumers use a second screen while watching TV - [via siliconrepublic.com]" height="400" src="http://www.siliconrepublic.com/fs/img/news/201111/digitalmedia-1.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" width="500" /><br /><em>Image via <a href="http://www.siliconrepublic.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.siliconrepublic.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.siliconrepublic.com</a></em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>“…as movie technology itself has advanced so too have the additional features, becoming slicker, more refined, and in the case of Disney’s Second Screen feature, extremely interactive.</em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>Launched last year with the Blu-ray release of Bambi, the folks at Disney devised a way for you to watch a movie while simultaneously getting a peek behind the curtain on your laptop, PC or iPad via an app that’s available a day before the film’s Blu-ray release date.”</em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em></em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>“…From storyboards to something called “seamless branching” - a visual tangent that essentially pauses the movie while the director expands on a certain scene and then reverts back to where the movie was - Second Screen represents several hours worth of potential playing, clicking, flicking and watching.”</em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>[via <a href="http://www.cineplex.com/News/Disneys-Second-Screen-technology-a-treat-for-movie-lovers.aspx" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Cineplex</a> <span>By <a class="AuthorLink" href="http://www.cineplex.com/News/?author=Andrea-Miller" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Andrea Miller</a></span>] </em></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mini Matmian►</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">We have only skimmed the surface of Second Screen possibilities. There are many exciting prospects in the future for this technology and we at Matmi are exploring them all.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Research has shown that over 60 percent of viewers have an internet capable device within reach. This means there are already huge portions of viewers who could be given the chance to have a much richer experience than passively watching the ‘talking pictures’ (not that, from time to time, I don’t like sitting back and just relaxing while watching my favourite show/film).</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">From TV to film to product placement to advertising to education, second screen technology has almost endless possibilities. It can change the way we consume media. It could revolutionise the manner we interact with the box we have been staring at for decades (strong words I know, but I’m as excited as kid on Christmas day just thinking about it).</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">We can even become part of the narrative we are watching; interacting and engaging in a way never before thought possible. Combine this with IPTV and, well…it’s the future :)</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Our MD <a href="http://www.momomcr.org/speakers-and-chairs/jeff-coghlan/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Jeff Coghlan - Matmi MD">Jeff Coghlan</a> put forward just one possible use for <a href="http://www.momomcr.org/2012/01/2nd-screen-event/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="2nd Screen Event">Second Screen technologies</a> at a recent <a href="http://www.momomcr.org/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="MoMoMcr">MoMoMcr </a>event.</strong></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">“Imagine this. You could be watching a clothing show, a signal is sent to your mobile device via sound waves (<a href="http://blog.eltrovemo.com/529/synchronized-second-screen-technologies-panorama/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">audio watermarking</a>) which triggers an event. The peice of clothing being discussed on the TV all of a sudden appears on your mobile. You can then apply it to a virtual manikin of yourself to see how it might look and then share this with friends, asking their opinions or to vote on it. You could have the option to click a link which would use GPS to locate your position and show you where you might be able to buy the item.”</strong></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">That is a mere snippet of what could be done.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">I could go on, I could delve into the subject in greater detail. Laying out Matmi’s thoughts for the future of digital media. But then we don’t want to give away all of secrets. However, I promise you, this will not the last we speak on the subject of Second Screen technologies.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">What are your thoughts? Does the encroaching tide of second screen technologies entering your viewing experience trouble you? Maybe you already take advantage of it (GetGlu for example - a VERY simple form but an example none the less)?</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
[Read the full article here: <a href="http://bit.ly/AfXOGG" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Disney's Second Screen technology a treat for movie lovers"></a><a href="http://bit.ly/AfXOGG" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/AfXOGG</a>]</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Realted post: </div>
<ul style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<li><a href="http://www.siliconrepublic.com/new-media/item/24434-half-of-consumers-use-a-sec" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Half of consumers use a second screen while watching TV">Half of consumers user a second screen while watching TV</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_shift_from_watching_tv_to_experiencing_tv.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="ReadWriteWeb article">The shift from watching TV to experiencing TV</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">If your company is looking for a digital agency to provide you with a unique, inspiring and engaging form of branded entertainment, then look no further than <a href="http://matmiltd.tumblr.com/about" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="About Matmi">Matmi</a>…. </strong></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;"> <img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyf75oUcUH1qjyzzi.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/contact.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.matmi.com/contact.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.matmi.com/contact.php</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span><a class="smarterwiki-linkify" href="mailto:info@matmi.com" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">info@matmi.com</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span>Phone: (+44)</span><span><strong style="font-weight: bold;">01625 560771</strong></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Follow us on Twitter">@matmi</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/Matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/Matmi</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/110008518934539089118/110008518934539089118/posts" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Google+ </a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-72575864321090108122012-01-18T20:10:00.002+00:002012-01-18T20:10:29.928+00:00Microsoft introduces Xbox-like achievements for developers<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/html-css-web-design/p/1001306047/microsoft-introduces-xbox-like-achievements-for-developers" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/DEdRnslwRzuKIrMOnPsC9Dl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/html-css-web-design/p/1001306047/microsoft-introduces-xbox-like-achievements-for-developers" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Scoop.it</a> - <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/html-css-web-design" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">HTML and CSS Web Design</a></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Microsoft introduced a beta plug-in for the company’s Visual Studio development environment today. Visual Studio Achievements is a free plug-in that allows developers to unlock achievements and badges, in the same way that Xbox gamers pick up achievements. Developers can even compete with each other on a virtual leader board for coding bragging rights. Microsoft says the plug-in is designed to be “playful and pragmatic,” built to help developers discover new features of the Visual Studio application.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span>Developers will be greeted with the classic “achievement unlocked” toast on their desktop after particular events are triggered inside Visual Studio. There are 32 achievements across six categories, and badges can be shared on Twitter, Facebook and blogs thanks to a javascript widget. With achievements like “Lonely” and “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD),” it’s probably a good idea not to share every badge on your social network though. You can grab the free plug-in at the source link <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/achievements/visualstudio" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Visual Studio plugin">here</a>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span> </span><br /><a href="http://www.theverge.com/microsoft/2012/1/18/2716215/xbox-achievements-badges-visual-studio-developers-gamification" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Via theverge.com</a></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Mini Matmian:</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Another simple implementation of adding game mechanics to Microsoft’s products (remember ‘<a href="http://www.officelabs.com/projects/ribbonhero2/Pages/default.aspx" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Ribbon hero">Ribbon Hero</a>’? - I personally found it quite useful as a tutorial system).</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Be interesting to see how developers take to this plug-in. They can be quite a competitive bunch :-)</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Looking for a way to add a layer of game mechanics to your website or a new app? Then get in touch with Matmi. We would love to hear from you and I’m sure we would be able to spruce up your next camapaign/website/App. The Matmians are people of many talents.</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong><a href="http://www.matmi.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.matmi.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.matmi.com</a></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/matmi" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">@Matmi</a></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Email: </strong><strong><a href="mailto:info@matmi.com" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">info@matmi.com</a><br /><br />Address: </strong>Matmi New media, Dukes Chambers, Dukes court, Mill street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, sk11 6nn</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Phone: </strong>(+44)1625 560771</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-4556078035320384682012-01-03T23:49:00.002+00:002012-01-03T23:49:58.068+00:00Sony, Nintendo, EA Drop Piracy Act Support<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/new-digital-media/p/925414987/sony-nintendo-ea-drop-piracy-act-support" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/NdMAnixCy3CsRmGGl-qJKjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span>Major companies such as Sony Computer Entertainment, Nintendo and EA officially pulled support for the Stop Online Piracy Act, which was created to “promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation by combating the theft of U.S. property, and for other purposes.” The Act was introduced by the United States House of Representatives in October 2011 and has received massive backlash from a lot of people who argued that it is a threat to freedom of speech.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The legislation gives companies the power to slice revenue and shut down web sites at individual discretion. In addition it could be abused for censorship purposes.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The gaming giants withdrew not long after the hacking group <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WjOPXpd9PSU" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Anonymous threaten supporters of SOPA">Anonymous threatened to destroy Sony’s </a>network for supporting SOPA.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.actiontrip.com/news/sony-nintendo-ea-drop-piracy-act-support/010312_3" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Via actiontrip.com</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Mini Matmian:</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">This battle against/for SOPA is likely to get very messy before a conclusion is reached. I would like to make my position clear here and now, SOPA is NOT for the good of the internet. It will reduce innovation, give even more power to the large corporations and risk freedom of speech. The internet would no longer be a place for individuals or groups to express an opinion that goes against a governments’ or corporations’ wants and needs. </strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">If you are not sure of your own position on the subject, here are some reading materials, make up your own mind:</strong></div>
<ul style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<li><u>Business</u><a href="http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-12-17/tech/30404716_1_sopa-internet-freedom-innovators" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"> insider</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/22/2648219/stop-online-piracy-act-sopa-what-is-it" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">The Verge</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mindequalsblown.net/2011/11/22/a-brave-new-world-what-is-pipasopa-and-how-to-stop-it/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">MindEqualsBlown</a></li>
<li><a href="http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/why-we-must-stop-sopa" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Why Stop SOPA?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gamepolitics.com/2011/12/27/bloggers-sopa-pipa-will-be-end-blogosphere" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Bloggers</a></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
p.s. SOPA is not the only bill that risks all that the internet has stood for since its inception. The US Senate has it’s own bill called PIPA (Protection IP Act) which could have just as far reaching consequences as SOPA. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-69885284535334928142011-12-29T22:13:00.002+00:002011-12-29T22:13:21.235+00:00How 9 Retailers Successfully Leveraged Game Mechanics<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/branded-entertainment-and-digital-marketing/p/899379774/how-9-retailers-successfully-leveraged-game-mechanics" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/WlxJFFlca6C3vS5G38FCPTl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Social games have begun to influence consumer behavior and purchases. According to Saatchi & Saatchi, 66% of tablet owners play social games daily, and 46% of tablet gamers are women. In fact, the largest group of social gamers is women between the ages of 35 and 44, the second largest is women between 18 and 34. Men make up the third largest group. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Marketing to these demographics in today’s economy is a top priority for retailers. And ramification offers companies a chance to engage young audiences and start to build consumer-purchasing habits that aren’t entirely based on continual discounts and free stuff.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://mashable.com/2011/12/27/retail-gamification/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Via mashable.com</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Looking for an agency to whip up an innovative campaign for 2012? Look no further than the award winning Digital Agency <a href="http://www.matmi.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Matmi Home">MATMI</a>!</strong></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-56519563401276535242011-12-23T21:39:00.000+00:002011-12-23T21:39:14.800+00:00It’s a ZOMBIE XMAS from all at Matmi<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecards.matmi.com/xmas2011/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Zombie Xmas"><img alt="Promo Image for Game" src="https://d2q0qd5iz04n9u.cloudfront.net/_ssl/proxy.php/http/newsletter.matmi.com/dec2011/img/PromoImage.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span>To wish you a Merry Christmas, our clever team of Matmian elves created this <a href="http://ecards.matmi.com/xmas2011/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Matmi Zombie Xmas">quick fun game,</a> in lighting speed. Not only must Santa deliver all the presents but he must also fend off a hoard of Zombie Elves… a truly yuley ghouly game - <a href="http://ecards.matmi.com/xmas2011/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Matmi Zombie Xmas">happy clicking!</a><br /><br />2011 was <strong>Matmi’s 10th Anniversary</strong> and what a magical year it has been. The Matmians of Macclesfield worked their little socks off. They put Santa’s Elves to shame. And with all their hard work came the recognition. Christmas certainly came early for Matmi with awards rolling in like snowballs rolling down the hills of the Pennines.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.optathlon.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Optathlon</a> and <a href="http://portal.matmi.com/gorillaz/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Gorillaz</a> campaigns picked up multiple <a href="http://www.matmi.com/portfolio_awards.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">awards</a> from Big Chip, CorpComms Digi Awards, How-Do and the Dadi Awards. Optathlon was also nominated for <strong>‘Best Use of Games’</strong> at Cannes Lions and The Gorillaz App received an <strong>‘Official Honoree Award’</strong> at the Webby Awards. Adding to these, like the star on top of a Christmas tree, <strong>Matmi</strong> was named<strong>‘Digital Agency of the Year’</strong> at the Dadi’s in an open vote. I could go on but a Christmas pudding is calling me.<br /><br />So if you are looking for an award winning digital design agency to spruce up your next campaign in 2012, we’d love to hear from you.<br /><a href="http://www.matmi.com/contact.php" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Contact us.</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-25522502644042052892011-12-22T10:35:00.000+00:002011-12-22T10:37:11.892+00:00Santa Farty Pants - A classic game from Matmi<br />
<div style="color: #0066cc; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/SantaFartyPants/" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank" title="Santa Farty Pants"><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwlocpK1rx1qjyzzi.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<strong style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The Matmi Christmas games just keep on coming!</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<strong style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">It's a Christmas disaster! Santa's sleigh has crashed and he's only just started making his rounds. How on Earth will he be finished by morning?<br /><br />Hang on – what’s being thrown out of the windows? Pies and brussel sprouts!? OK, Santa knows that kids hate sprouts - but he loves them. In fact, if he eats enough pies and sprouts, he can swap the sleigh for the methane gas converter attached to his ass – and fly through the air with the greatest of ease!Ooooh – careful – what’s this? Psychotic, evil snowmen?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Who could have thought that idea up (not me). Don’t let them take a swipe at our hero! Make a dash for the sprouts, fill Santa’s Sprout-o-meter to the max and let’s make sure those presents are delivered in time!Arrow keys to move, Crtl to drop presents down the chimney and refill your sack.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">
<b style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">MERRY CHRISTMAS!</b></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/SantaFartyPants/" style="color: #0066cc;" target="_blank" title="Santa Farty Pants">PLAY</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-5158675189434344432011-12-22T00:30:00.002+00:002011-12-22T10:38:13.413+00:00Santa vs Jack - Another Christmas based Matmi game<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/SantavsJack/" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwkdrnAmrC1qjyzzi.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong style="font-weight: bold;">Another festive game from Matmi’s archive….</strong></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Deliver the fancy dress costumes before the time runs out! Watch out for Jack Frost.<br />
<br />
Our first of 2 Christmas games for 2007. This game was our second one for Joker’s Masquerade (<a href="http://www.joke.co.uk/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.joke.co.uk</a>). Drop presents down the chimneys, delivering fancy dress costumes to all the kids. But look out for Jack Frost, he’ll pop up from time to time to give you grief! </div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
ENJOY!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/SantavsJack/" target="_blank">PLAY</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-29668778113073105772011-12-19T22:42:00.000+00:002011-12-19T22:42:30.139+00:00ICE ROAD & SNOWY’S PINBALL<br />
<div class="title" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 25px; font-weight: bold; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/15tP65EM8XU" width="500"></iframe></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /><strong>Continuing with the showcase of Christmas based Matmi games, next up is Ice Road & Snowy’s Pinball.</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Ice Road / Snowy’s Pinball has all the exciting gameplay of Monster Pinball and hundreds of new goals, challenges and other craziness. With super-smooth graphics and stunning stereo sound, Ice Road is a gaming feast with a whole new theme!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Ice Road / Snowy’s Pinball has 2 x 3 feature-packed tables so novices and pros alike will get the best out of this crazy pinball extravaganza, and with local, global, and Facebook Connect leaderboards, you’re sure to find something – or someone – to challenge you!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="maintext">You can see Snowy’s Christmas Pinball in action here, become a fan on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=164427378264&ref=search&sid=512753344.1006048902..1" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or grab it from the App Store for only $1.99/£1.19.</span></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/app/snowys-christmas-pinball/id337425607?mt=8" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img alt="GET HERE" border="0" height="50" src="http://iphone.matmi.com/snowyspinball/appstore.png" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" width="153" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Snowy’s Christmas Pinball comments:</strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
“I wholeheartedly recommend Snowy’s Christmas Pinball, one of the finest pinball games around.” - <a href="http://www.geek.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Geek.com</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
“one of the premier pinball experiences on the iPhone … you’ll love this” -<a href="http://www.nodpad.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Nodpad.com</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
“Smoother than hot egg nog” - <a href="http://www.iphoneachievements.org/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">iphoneachievements.org</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
✻✻✻✻✻ “one of the premier pinball experiences on the iPhone … you’ll love this” - Nodpad.com</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
✻✻✻✻✻ “Smoother than hot egg nog” - iphoneachievements.org</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="Visit Matmi.com" src="http://iphone.matmi.com/snowyspinball/bot.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-78649831562237336442011-12-18T21:52:00.002+00:002011-12-18T21:52:43.851+00:00Matmi New Media Ltd presents Ho Ho Ho! Yellow Snow!<br />
<div class="centredimg" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/HoHoHoYellowSnow/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Ho Ho Ho Yellow Snow!"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/Xv6-n_trFz3Up7UNkWxAGTl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />Our fastest ever moving viral / advergame! At one point this game was being played 5,000 times every minute! Its a game of join the dots, but it doesn’t involve a pen. A great festive game that really got everybody talking at Christmas 2007!</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
With the addition of a greetings card (where you can draw in the snow and email your message to a friend) this game has become an incredibly popular game. What a great use of adolescent humour! We’re all kids at heart. I dare you not to laugh at santa’s bum!</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Play: <a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/HoHoHoYellowSnow/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.matmi.com/games/HoHoHoYellowSnow/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.matmi.com/games/HoHoHoYellowSnow/</a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>OR get the iPhone version. Ho Ho Ho! Yellow Snow! DELUXE Edition: </strong><a href="http://iphone.matmi.com/yellowsnow/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://iphone.matmi.com/yellowsnow/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://iphone.matmi.com/yellowsnow/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-74280295013216481092011-12-16T21:49:00.000+00:002011-12-16T21:49:02.502+00:00Matmi’s Elf iPhone App<br />
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /><img src="http://img.scoop.it/MyuaBvaezy8HByKqm-yHljl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /><strong>Another MATMI classic: </strong></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
It’s Christmas morning and there’s magic in the air, enough to send an elf soaring into the stratosphere. While Santa’s away, Irving the Elf like nothing more than leaping skyward, stepping on stars and bouncing on baubles trying to get as high as he can! Build your boost and collect candy canes for a point bonus while you help Irving hit the heavens, but watch out for the twisted tinsel, its pointy prickles will put a real crimp on your day. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
With all the looks and charm you’d expect from a Matmi game, Elf is simple enough that anyone can pick it up and play it, but addictive enough that you’ll be hooked all year round. Aim skyward as you challenge your friends via Facebook Connect and see who can send Irving the highest! </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>Elf Features:</strong></div>
<ul>
<li>Amazing graphics and animations.</li>
<li>Unique sound effects in stereo.</li>
<li>Simple but addictive gameplay.</li>
<li>Suitable for all ages.</li>
<li>Local and Online scoreboards.</li>
<li>Facebook Connect so you can challenge all your friends.</li>
<li>Created specifically for the iPhone/iPod Touch by the wonderful minds of Matmi </li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>CHECK IT OUT:</strong> <a href="http://iphone.matmi.com/elf/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Matmi's Elf iPhone App"></a><a href="http://iphone.matmi.com/elf/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://iphone.matmi.com/elf/</a></div>
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xh071OkYjCA" width="420"></iframe></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://iphone.matmi.com/elf/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Via iphone.matmi.com</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-52107565061132384152011-12-14T21:20:00.002+00:002011-12-14T21:20:51.894+00:00Here’s What People Look at on Facebook Brand Pages<br />
<div class="copy" style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;">
<div class="centredimg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<img src="http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/coke1_thumb.jpg" style="max-width: 100%;" /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span></span></div>
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 4px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-left: 15px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
In an effort to catch your eye on their Facebook pages, brands have experimented with apps and splashy profile photos. But in almost all cases, it turns out, the humble Facebook wall itself steals the show.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
In an webcam eye-tracking study for <em>Mashable</em> by<a href="http://eyetrackshop.com/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">EyeTrackShop</a>, the 30 participants who viewed<a href="http://mashable.com/2011/10/09/top-facebook-brands-talking-about/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"> top Facebook brand pages</a> almost always looked at pages’ walls first — usually for at least four times longer than any other element on the page.</div>
<strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/11/30/social-profile-eye-tracking/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Here’s How People Look at Your Facebook Profile — Literally</a></strong><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
On average, the smaller pictures above the wall were noticed 85% of the time, and the “likes” column was noticed just 58% of the time.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<strong>View the rest of the results on Mashable <a href="http://mashable.com/2011/12/14/eyetracking-facebook-brand-pages/" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Heres What People Look at on Facebook Brand Pages">HERE</a>.</strong></div>
<div>
<strong><br /></strong></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293675775984053707.post-7168547679406466242011-12-11T00:49:00.001+00:002011-12-16T16:26:01.399+00:00The Mega Companies Behind 90% Of Media<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://frugaldad.com/2011/11/22/media-consolidation-infographic/"><img src="http://img.scoop.it/kAn7ALbVaUHdsluLJ5bmrDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBXEejxNn4ZJNZ2ss5Ku7Cxt" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; max-width: 100%;" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The media landscape is dominated by a mere six companies. Should we be worried? </div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
“Frugal Dad—the same company behind a <a href="http://frugaldad.com/2011/12/01/weight-of-walmart-infographic/" target="_blank">Walmart infographic</a> —took it upon themselves to show exactly how concentrated our media landscape actually is.”</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'Apple Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br />
<a href="http://frugaldad.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0066cc;"><u>Via f</u></span>rugaldad.com</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0