Last week on ViralBlog among others “Facebook #1 Social Network In 127 Countries”, “Check-in With Air China At Selected Restaurants” and “3 Reasons Why CMOs Should Care About Chinese New Year”.

3 Reasons Why CMOs Should Care About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, a big festivities in China. What’s the big fuss about? Well, it’s one of the biggest holidays for Chinese people. And why is this important again? Because you’re an early bird and are eager understand a market that will most likely change the world economy. Chinese New Year is a very interesting holiday marketers should pay close attention to.

Check-in With Air China At Selected Restaurants

To promote Air China in Sweden, and highlight the fact that it flies not only to China but to destinations throughout Asia, Air China have been using restaurant check-ins on Facebook in a cool concept. The airline created partnerships with a number of popular Asian restaurants in Sweden, to act as ambassadors for Air China. At each restaurant guests were encouraged to check-in with Air China on Facebook as they sat down to eat.

Facebook #1 Social Network In 127 Countries

Strategic social media planning is about Owned, Earned and Paid media. And many global CMO’s are breaking their brains on global, glocal and local social media strategies. This new world map of social networks will make your life much easier… The map, created by Vincenzo Cosenza, an Italian digital strategist, shows the global popularity of various social networks.

Viral Friday: Samsunged

A weekly viral video chart of ViralBlog, showing the 5 most popular viral videos, commercials, games or user-generated videos, carefully selected and ranked by popularity, viral impact & spread.

Why Social Games Are So Popular On Facebook

Social gaming has become quite popular these days. The combination of Facebook and Zynga surely were a helping hand in this trend. A market expanding so quickly this is one to look out for. So how many people are actually playing social games? In the US alone over 100 million people play on social networks. And this is a 600 million dollar market of virtual goods!

The map, created by Vincenzo Cosenza, an Italian digital strategist, shows the global popularity of various social networks.

Unsurprisingly, the blue monster called Facebook tops the list in 127 countries out of the total 136 countries in the list…

Facebook has over 800 million active users. And its userbase will hit 1 billion, since more and more brands are promoting their Facebook URL in their TV commercials. Even the laggards are now turning towards blue.

Facebook is killing local social networks like flies on the wall. In June 2011, Facebook surpassed Hyves, Holland’s former most popular network.

Impossible is nothing, since Facebook also pushed Orkut (Google) out of it’s dominant #1 position in Brazil.

Facebook also overtook Japan’s popular mobile social networks; Gree, Mobage and Mixi.

To all social and strategic planners at WPP, GroupM, Omnicom etc, just take a look at below transformation, and see how the world is turning blue.

And I do hope that you remember that social goes beyond reach and engagement; buying friends is nice, throwing a great party (WOW Facebook content and community marketing) is even more important to get organic growth and brand advocates.

Europe is dominating the Facebook numbers with 223 million users, followed by North America at 219 million, and Asia and 202 million users.

History repeats itself, since Russia has not yet capitulated to the blue force; the two Russian local networks, V Kontakte and Odnoklassniki seem to be holding Mark Napoleon Zuckerberg at the borders of their country.

The number two and three spots in the social networking world vary from country to country.

In Australia, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US, Twitter and LinkedIn are playing catch up with Facebook.

In Spain, the before so popular Tuenti has been overtaken by Facebook as well.

Badoo is a popular choice in several European countries including Italy, Austria, Belgium and Spain. Orkut is now the number two choice in both Brazil and India.

You can see the details per country here:

I will try to create a similar overview of the video sharing portals around the globe soon, so follow me on Twitter to be the first to know.

Source: TheNextWeb and grazie mille Vincenzo.

The airline created partnerships with a number of popular Asian restaurants in Sweden, to act as ambassadors for Air China. At each restaurant guests were encouraged to check-in with Air China on Facebook as they sat down to eat.

Check-ins were displayed on a leaderboard on Facebook and every week those with the most votes won two tickets to China. The campaign garnered over 3000 Facebook ‘likes’ and reached over a million consumers.

Check the case in the video below:

Source: Creativity-Online.com

Last week on ViralBlog among others “Measuring The Business Impact Of Social Media”, “How Should CMOs Change The Communication?” and “Retail Trends 2012: Bricks Perish, Screens Profit”.

Top 25 Stories On ViralBlog In 2011

It was a busy year in the social media space and tech. Google+; new iPad, Facebook launched Timeline, Twitter with a new design for users and  brand pages and embeddable tweets and much much more. Impossible to name them all. And as there were more than 300 articles on ViralBlog in 2011, we bring you bring you the top 25 that you simply have to read…

Crash Corsage – ‘Til Death Do Us Party’

Remember The Wedding Crashers with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson back in 2005? Did you enjoy how they sneaked into weddings to take advantage of the romantic tinge in the air? Well in 2012, there will be an app for that!

How Should CMOs Change The Communication?

Your company has a Facebook fan page, maybe a Twitter account and thinking about joining Google+ as your competitors do the same and it’s on your “To Do List” for upcoming months in 2012. Hire a few community managers and maybe a consultant, all done and working! Or it may not be so as the social networks are maturing and also the users. How should CMOs change the way they communicate?

Retail Trends 2012: Bricks Perish, Screens Profit

The retail trend for brick and mortar stores in Holland are pitch black. 30% of the stores might have disappeared from the streets before end 2015. The empty square meters will go from 2 million to 8 million. Screen and Social Commerce will grow massively. Let’s take a deeper dive, into PSFK Future of Retail…

5 Mobile Trends For 2012

Always on, connected 365 days a year. Consuming information where, with who and when you want it. Making decisions to go where you want or to buy what you want; on the spot. Finding out what is happening around you and connecting with your friends 24/7.

Viral Friday: Volkswagen Game – The Bark Side

A weekly viral video chart of ViralBlog, showing the 5 most popular viral videos, commercials, games or user-generated videos, carefully selected and ranked by popularity, viral impact & spread.

Virality Lessons From Facebook Scammers

Have you ever looked at your Facebook news-feed and almost clicked on a link, realizing at the last second that it was just another Facebook scam? Or maybe you went all the way and clicked on the scam. Although they are annoying and their presence has been steadily decreasing, you can learn how to create a viral video, by taking a look at some of the more recent Facebook scams…

Measuring The Business Impact Of Social Media

ROI, CTR, engagement rate, fans increase,…Also the social media activities must be measured for analysis and details on the impact of your business. As more companies understand that social media is about long-term and strategic approach that goes hand-in-hand with other marketing channels, it’s no longer perceived as a single shot into the dark.

Although they are annoying and their presence has been steadily decreasing, you can learn how to create a viral video, by taking a look at some of the more recent Facebook scams…

We Love to Be Shocked and Surprised

[Video] – This is what Happened to his Ex Girlfriend!
[LINK]
Play Video! She could not walk properly for days!

Most people who are on Facebook aren’t doing anything too exciting or interesting. If you can create a video with a compelling title that actually delivers on the promise, you will gain positive affinity for your brand. Check out this girl…

Although her eyebrows look to be computer generated at some points, her video is very real and “Girl with a funny talent” has been viewed over 24 million times.

We Love FREE Stuff

‘In Memory of Steve Jobs, Apple has decided to give away 1000 Limited Edition iPad 2s’, ‘In the memory of Steve Jobs, a company is giving 50 iPads tonite’

Making viral content which gives something away for free is not always possible. What is possible is to give valuable information away for free. SimplePickup does just that with its comedic pickup videos…

…essentially telling men the world over that picking up girls is an easy thing to do, something which the dating industry, which relies on “secrets” and “techniques,” does not reveal.

We Want to Feel Accepted

Wow Now you can see Who is Stalking on your Profile

Belongingness is one of the most fundamental needs, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. We all want to feel accepted in one way or another. If you can create a video which makes people feel wanted, feel as if they’re not alone in their problems, you’ll capture the attention of many. That is what Juan Mann accomplished with his “Free Hugs Campaign,” which has received over 70 million views…

We Look At What’s Trending

BREAKING: Lady Gaga Found Dead in Hotel Room
This is the most awful day in US history

Can’t think of a topic to make a video about? There’s no shame looking for what’s already popular and putting your own creative spin on it. That is what Atomic Productions does with its spoofs of popular movie trailers…

Facebook scams are annoying and usually result in nothing more than you filling out a survey. However, they are annoying for the same reasons they are viral: they touch our emotions.

Nickolay Lamm keeps track of the latest online scams at InventHelp Scam.

Many small and large offline retailers are looking for ways to update their clients to gain store traffic. Many retailers are looking for group deals, point and loyalty programs, ERP and CRM.

Several brands have embedded technology and innovation into their products and stores, to improve customer experiences and to drive sales.

eCommerce will switch to social commerce and we will see many Facebook shops that will offer brand fans special offers.

Mobile and NFC will enable offline retailers the possibilities to improve their customers shopping experience, by knowing them better, servicing them better, sell them better and tell them if shoe size 42 is still available in the store.

I still have hope, that the out of this world customer experience I have shopping at Amazon.com, will be implemented in offline retail stores one day.

Just imagine how cool it would be, that if you enter an offline store you frequently visit would have a sales person coming to saying: Hello Igor. Long time no see. I saw have been on holiday, how was it?

We do have a new collection, arrived last week. It includes the jeans you might like based on your last purchases and they are still available in your size, would you like to see them?

After 15 minutes I leave the store very satisfied with a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes size 42. I did not have to wait in line for 10 minutes, because the shop knows me and I could pay with “one-click”.

That Amazon experience, that’s what I would like to see in offline retail. And without NFC, that experience is getting close in the Nespresso store.

Impossible is nothing, that’s what Adidas would say. I do hope more offline and online retailers will embed such an experience.

What are you retail and etail dreams? Please share them in the comments below.

And as there were more than 300 articles on ViralBlog in 2011, we bring you bring you the top 25 that you simply have to read…

You may not be able to go through all of them at once, but these are the most read posts of 2011 on ViralBlog that should not be missed.  Let us know your opinion in the comments, looking forward to read them!

iPad 2 Compared To Its Competition

On 2nd March 2011 Apple launched the follow up to the iPad, the iPad 2. With the launch Apple took another step forward in the tablet market, which Apple created in 2010.
Later more players entered the “battle of tablets“, but still have a long journey to become a proper competitors to Apple.

It’s Back: Elf Yourself 2011 Is Here!

For Christmas 2011 many businesses  couldn’t wait to expose their most brilliant themed marketing. Some – like Elf Yourself – are so epic that they can be re-launched every year. See the Elf Yourself 2011 edition here.
We think it can inspire a few CMOs as well…

How Branding Works In The Social Media Age

With more than 100 million active users on Twitter and 800 million+ on Facebook, stunning growth rates of other major social networks, it’s already a part of daily life and culture around the globe.
For the brands it’s important to know and understand how their fans, followers and prospects interact and engage with them in the vasts space of social media.

Happily Married: Tourism And Social

Have you got a stop-over, do you have to wait for public transport, are you on holiday or are you just interested in what is happening in a city? Wouldn’t it be great if you can meander around  and get to know the ins and out by using just your mobile? But not just another GPS Tour, but one extensively connected to all social and information feeds…

The Economical Value Of One Facebook Fan?

Since social media and Facebook have matured as viable dialogue marketing, CRM and customer service tools,  the job of a strategist is much more fun. Brand and business objective driven conversionista DNA is shaking in every cell.
We have the value of one Facebook Fan…

Groupon’s Air Fast Ticket Deal Misleading?

Just like in almost any other country, Groupon is also very succesful in the Netherlands. Although there are other Groupon copycats willing to accept lower commissions, many small businesses prefer to partner with Groupon because they reach more potential customers.

5 Creative Uses Of The Facebook Like

The 31st FantasPorto Oporto International Horror Film Festival, held in Lisbon between 25 February and 5 March 2011, is being sponsored by Jornal de Notícias. This local newspaper placed a remarkable ad with a macabre sense of appreciation. A great way to use the popular Facebook Like to promote a horror festival!
And that’s just one of them!

Why Dutch Politics Ban QR-Coded Billboards?!

QR-codes may not be the best promotion, there are also other more relevant ways to engage large audiences. But it’s certainly ridiculous that Dutch politicians are trying to put a ban on QR-coded billboards…

KLM Fly2Miami: It Started With A Tweet?

It all started with a tweet, might sound like a cheesy song- but it’s an amazing story. What happened? KLM announced on Twitter that they would be re-opening their Amsterdam-Miami route on 27 March 2011.

The History Of Social Networking

We all know that social media have been just a few years around now and that these means have changed our lives significantly.
But do you also know how it all started and how people were connected using the Internet before the invention of Facebook and Twitter?

Predicting Online Retail Sales & Growth 2011

Famecount aims to help people locate and connect with celebraties and brands in each of the major social networks. If  you look at the current top 10 of popular brands, half of the brands mentioned are FMCG’s.
The only retail brand is current number one, Starbucks.

Build Your Own Social Network

Probably all know the benefits of Facebook on a personal level and business level. But why enjoy all of these benefits just on Facebook? Wouldn’t it be great if you could create your own social network?

Instagram Boosts Levi’s Social Interactions?

From old Polaroid cameras to photo app Instagram for iPhone, seems to be a small step for mankind. Levi’s Brazil tapped into Instagram on iPhone to boost the social interactions with its targets..

Top 10: 3D Projection Videos

More brands are using the amazing 3D projection mapping on buildings or products in order to earn some attention of their target audiences. The projections are fully adapted to the architecture of a building or facade and as the events are filmed the 3D projection video may go viral.

Viral Friday: Volkswagen Commercial: The Force

On #1 position of Viral Friday was Volkswagen Commercial: The Force. Watch the power of the Force and a young boy. The runner up spot is for Google: Art Project – Visitor Guide. Some of the best museums are now open for everybody online thanks to Google! Kobe Bryant is, “The Black Mamba” completes the week’s top 3.

10 Mind Blowing Facebook Games Statistics

Social gaming is still a growing trend and gaming on Facebook is definitely the place where social gaming takes place. We showed you amazing facts & figures before regarding the Rise of Social Gaming & Zynga.

Android vs. iPhone

A study by Nielsen shows that more U.S. prospects are considering getting a new smartphone with Android operating system than one from Apple or RIM. The overall market share in the U.S. shows iPhone was used more,  but this is changing.

How CPG CMO’s Can Tap Into Social Gaming?

Why should CMO’s in CPG and Retail care about the trend social gaming? Maybe because the games industry is larger than the movie and music industry together? Or because social gaming can inject intensity into their brand, products and sales?

The Real Cost Of Social Media

Costs for social media projects, whether they are a short term campaign or a long term engagement strategy, tend to be under estimated. Most agency will have heard something along the lines of “but it’s free to set up a Facebook Fanpage, right?”  from their clients…

Tourism Ireland: 1st Social Game On Facebook?

We frequently try to inspire CMO’s to embrace social marketing, Facebook and social games. The most groundbreaking full year social program in tourism we have seen so far is definately the one of Tourism Tuscany. But Tourism Ireland claims to have launched the 1st branded social game on Facebook…

How 3D Projections Create Buzz & WOM?

Traditional billboard advertising is in many ways appropriate. In fact many and major advertisers still give it a fair position in their marketing budget, and they should.. Here an impression of this development, accompanied with some nice examples and an example breakdown of the costs is given.

If Social Media Were A High School?

Which social media channel is the class president? Who is the nerd? And who is the typical gossip girl? Flowtown has not only added all the major social media channels, but also added the new kids in town, like Instagram and Formspring.me.

Analyzing Your Social Media Strategy

For a couple of years social media has been on the radar of nearly every marketer. Some really understand how to make it work for them, others struggle and some are still clueless. Araceli Perez of e-interactive created an amazing infographic, showing us all the relevant steps one need to take for a solid social media strategy.

Viral Friday: Dead Island Trailer

The #1 position went to Dead Island Trailer. An amazing short movie, definitley one to watch! The runner up spot is for Rear View Girls, see how many men look at your ass ladies!  Lady Gaga completes this week’s top 3 with her crazy arrival at the Grammy’s!

Happily Married: TV And Social Media

I believe that a great long-lasting, interdependent marriage is in the making by combining Social Media and Television.
Just look at RTL’s talent show: The Voice Of Holland.

Thanks for all the tweets, shares, likes and comments!
Which article would you nominate in the top 25?

Image credit: precinct25.co.uk

Last week on ViralBlog among others “40 Smart Uses Of Social Video Metrics”, “IKEA: The Facebook Fan Sleepover” and “Apple & Google Bid For UK Football TV Rights?”.

Stop Pushing Pop-up Ads In My Face!

Remember those annoying pop-up ads when you visit a website? Most websites got rid of them in the last decade. Well in China it’s still being used on a widespread scale. In China online marketing is still mostly pushing banners in people’s faces. It’s so annoying that sometimes users cannot even click it away.

40 Smart Uses Of Social Video Metrics

Brands can still buy media, but attention can only be earned. That’s why CMOs will massively embrace social videos and video metrics in 2012, says eMarketer. So see below video and our list: 40 smart uses of social video metrics…

Anarchy – A Social Game By Axe Is Coming

A graphic novel from AXE? Yes and no. Axe will provide the sketches and users take active part in the story. At least that’s the plan.

IKEA: The Facebook Fan Sleepover

After a few years of just focussing on gaining as many likes, friends and followers, brands slowly start to realize that real fan engagement is far more important than just showing a big number. IKEA is such a brand that goes beyond ‘the Facebook Like’.

Viral Friday: Golden Loves Guitar !!

A weekly viral video chart of ViralBlog, showing the 5 most popular viral videos, commercials, games or user-generated videos, carefully selected and ranked by popularity, viral impact & spread.

Apple & Google Bid For UK Football TV Rights?

Insiders say that Apple and Google are likely to enter the auction for the Premier League football TV rights in the UK. Both tech companies could easily afford the amount. What are the odds? And what could be the impact…

Can You Copy Rebecca Black?

Seeing that virality is such a sought after prize among marketers, is it worth marketing your brand in a way that gets you a lot of criticism but attention at the same time, much like Rebecca Black?

The inspiration for this event was a Facebook group called ‘I wanna have a sleepover in IKEA’, which has almost 100,000 fans. IKEA allowed 100 of these fans the opportunity to spend one night in IKEA.

The campaign was smart as not only is it a great PR stunt but it also gives consumers more time to look at and try out different products (i.e. the furniture and beds). Apparently people only spend five minutes of their time choosing a bed so this sleepover gave them the chance to try out a bed for the night.

Check out a video of the event below:

Source: ICON&Co

Last week on ViralBlog among others “China’s Social Media Revolution”, “How to Buy Social Media Snake Oil” and “Facebook 2012: Placing Ads In User News Feeds”.

Non-Linear Media And Advertising Changes

The Internet has changed media and entertainment in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. The linear, or broadcast, model of content delivery is rapidly coming to a close as people switch from devices, media types and sources dozens of times per day.

Facebook 2012: Placing Ads In User News Feeds

Facebook will feature its Sponsored Story ads in users’ News Feeds per January 2012. This will greatly increase brand presence in Facebook. Mark and the rest of his gang did not meet their 2011 revenue targets and will have to show new revenues before Facebook’s expected IPO.

Putting The “Social” Back Into Network

Checking up on what closest friends are doing and getting into contact with family abroad that’s why some pick Facebook as primary social network. As a broadcasting platform and to keep up to speed with the thoughts of great minds, here goes Twitter. But both these platforms are loosing their playful charm, as they are turning into powerful marketing platforms. Now let’s meet Path…

China’s Social Media Revolution

Chinese citizens have clearly massively embraced the internet and the social web – with 500 million internet users! Even more stunning, a quarter of all global social network users are Chinese…

Viral Friday: Top 11 Virals Of 2011

A weekly viral video chart of ViralBlog, showing the 5 most popular viral videos, commercials, games or user-generated videos, carefully selected and ranked by popularity, viral impact & spread. This week we made a slight change and present you Top 11 Virals of 2011!

2011 In Social Media – What’s In And Out

With 2011 over, it’s time for a recap, what was In and Out this year, what really mattered in the field of Social Media. Have a look on two reflections of 2011 in two infographics - What Mattered In 2011 For Social Media and Out With The Old, In With The New.

How to Buy Social Media Snake Oil

3,000 Facebook Fans! 5,000 Twitter Followers! Engage in conversation! Sound good, right? Wrong. Too many businesses are being duped by social media “experts” who promise brand building and more relationships. Words like relationships and trust make many people feel warm and fuzzy inside.