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August 2009 Archives
Imagine you’re shopping online and you find a shirt that you really love. Now imagine previewing it on yourself before you go through all the hassle that is online shopping.
Well according to an interesting article on adweek.com, it’s not such a far-fetched idea. In fact, augmented reality could be the “next big thing” in marketing.
However, in a world where people try to present a new “next big thing” every three minutes, it’s easy to simply disregard it as the next big flop (remember the Segway? Yea, me neither). BUT, upon closer review, there may actually be something to this AR.
For those of you scratching your heads, AR is where virtual reality meets real time footage. For instance, the most commonly known example of AR is the little yellow “first down” line seen during football games. The real-world football game is meshed with the virtual element of the yellow line drawn in real time.
Pretty cool concept when you think about it. And it seems as though marketers have been thinking as well as coming up with innovative ways to use AR to their advantage as it gains some serious credibility.
No longer just a cool effect used in sci-fi movies, augmented reality has moved into the mainstream through several new Web and mobile applications. And it’s not all just hype; there is some serious potential to launch some cutting-edge digital campaigns.
One company taking a shot at AR is Zugara, with their Webcam Social Shopper app. According to adweek.com, “the prototype, which the shop created as a test for clients, lets consumers “try on” clothing – via their Webcams and monitors – as if they were in a store… users can switch to new outfits by motioning with their hands.”
Regardless of whether or not it could truly be a valuable marketing tool, that is one seriously cool application! Way to make the average consumer feel like Tom Cruise in Minority Report!
Zugara, however, isn’t the first to tap into this sweet technology. According to an article in the New York Times, “Kicking Reality Up a Notch”, there’s a free downloadable app available called Layar, developed by SPRXmobile, a privately held company based in Amsterdam. Layar allows people to use the camera on their cellphones to see information about nearby restaurants, ATMs, even available jobs displayed in front of the buildings that house them.
The same article also mentions a similar product called Wikitude.me, developed for Android phones. “… Wikitude.me provides information on 800,000 points of interest around the world, according to Phillip Breuss-Schneeweis, founder of Mobilizy, the Austrian company that developed Wikitude.me.”
Doctors are even trying to find a way to utilize AR, as another NY Times article explains. Scientists are hoping to use augmented reality to “make transparent the solid walls of flesh or plaster within a decade, or even sooner.”
From doctors to marketers, everyone is trying to find a way to use augmented reality. And it’s not hard to see why. X-ray vision in the emergency room, restaurant guides in the streets, and racks of clothing in a bedroom. Augmented reality is not the next big thing. It is the now big thing.
Hi! It's Shirlee Spitzer, Media Marketing Associate here at AC Lion. As a Journalism and Media major at Rutgers University , I'm constantly looking for feedback on my work. Feel free to leave some criticism, constructive or not! (Although, admittedly, I do prefer constructive).
Tags:
AC Lion
AR
augmented reality
Interviewer: “We’re really impressed by your resume. Walk me through your background”
Job Applicant: “Honey, I’ll take out the trash later, I’m on the phone”
No, it’s not a scene from The Office. Nor is it a weird dream sequence from an old Woody Allen movie. This is real life—as heard from the interviewer’s side of the proverbial table.
Have to say, I just don’t get it. Why don’t people take phone interviews seriously? Do they really think I can’t hear them eating on the phone, giving directions in the car, typing at their keyboard? Don’t they realize that they won’t get a ‘real’ interview if they can’t make it through a phone one?
These days, more and more initial interviews are taking place by phone—and not taking it seriously can hold you back. So, here is Bonnie’s Top 10 Keys to Acing the Phone Screen. Use them and you’ll be the one called back for the next interview.
10. Be prepared. Yeah, you may not be a Boy Scout, but you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is an interview—blow it and you won’t get the job.
9. Use a good phone connection. You may be perfect for the job but the interviewer won’t know it if s/he can’t hear you.
8. Stand up and smile. As I learned from a sales pro, “Motion brings Emotion.” And without face to face contact, you need that emotion even more.
7. Yes, it’s a real interview. Be prepared to answer real questions.
6. Yes, it’s a real interview. Be prepared to ASK perceptive questions.
5. Know how you come across on the phone. One trick is to call your own voice mail and leave yourself a message. Wait 24 hours and then listen to yourself. You’ll be amazed at what you hear.
4. No dogs, driving or other distractions!
3. Find the quietest spot possible—and use it for the phone call. And get there 5 minutes early, ready to talk.
2. Basic rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t do it during a face to face interview, don’t even think of doing it during a phone interview.
1. Have a winning story on tap to start the call—tell a story that will engage the listener, showcase your skills and let your personality shine.
Bonnie Zaben, COO of AC Lion, has conducted more phone interviews than she can count.
Tags:
AC Lion
interview Etiquette
interviewing
Job Search
phone interview
recruiting
top 10
In these difficult times, many new grads have the same thing on their mind; Put to use their spanking new degree and find that dream job.
The issue? Competition from many more experienced candidates trying to get those same jobs because they just recently lost their own. So with lots of competition for just a few jobs, every little factor matters. From the font you choose for your résumé, to the shirt you wear to the interview, every detail is relevant. And that includes a cover letter.
Whatever you do, don’t overlook this major detail. A great cover letter could be the slight edge that gets you into that interview. But how does a fantastic cover letter come about? The New York Times posted an article a couple months ago with just a few helpful hints. I decided to make a more condensed version. Consider it your cover letter cheat sheet.
The key to a successful cover letter is one that says what you can’t say in a résumé. “Cover letters are a graceful way to introduce yourself, to convey your personality and to impress a hiring manager with your experience and writing skills.” It’s your chance to show how great of a communicator you are. Prove to the hiring manager that you can write and you can write well. It’s a major asset in the job market to be an articulate speaker and eloquent writer, so if you have the skills, now is the time to demonstrate it.
The cover letter is quite literally the first impression you get to make. So many excellent candidates spend hours crafting their resume, but simply throw together a cover letter in a quick minute, almost as an afterthought. But if a cover letter is the first thing the hiring manager sees and frankly it’s bad, he or she will never even bother to see the impressive résumé underneath.
Cover letters should generally be no longer than three to four paragraphs. The first paragraph should explain why it is you are writing, be it you are answering an ad; you were referred to the company through networking, etc. The body of the letter should explain what makes you a good candidate. “Highlight qualities you possess that may not fit the confines of a résumé.” You should also show how knowledgeable you are about the company. Finish off the letter with a promise of a follow up in the near future.
Show what can’t be told in the résumé. But avoid giving away too much information. Like a résumé, the cover letter is only there to get you the interview. Once you are in the interview, that’s when you can work on getting the job.
So that’s pretty much it to the mystery of the cover letter. And it wasn’t even that difficult to crack!
Hi! It's Shirlee Spitzer, Media Marketing Associate here at AC Lion. As a Journalism and Media major at Rutgers University , I'm constantly looking for feedback on my work. Feel free to leave some criticism, constructive or not! (Although, admittedly, I do prefer constructive).
Tags:
AC Lion
cover letter
interviewing
Job Search
jobs
new york times
I remember my first day here. I was warned I would learn more this summer than any college semester course could ever teach me. Talk about the understatement of the century.
Turns out, within my very first three hours at AC Lion, I already had a clearer understanding of the online interactive space. And as my first week progressed, I kept understanding, learning and retaining every bit of information I could. Every intern here had their yellow Staples notebook permanently attached to his or her hand so as not to miss a single piece of info and word of wisdom we were fortunate enough to hear.
But AC Lion has taught me more than just what an ad network is, or the difference between SEO and SEM. I have gained a new set of professional life skills that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. “I daily improved my time management skills and level of professionalism as I balanced multiple projects and dealt with candidates,” said intern Basyah Klyman.
Micha Hershkop, a fellow intern, said, “I believe the internship at AC Lion not only gave me a feel for marketing/recruitment, but also gave me invaluable experience in the business world. Working alongside incredibly bright, talented, and all-around solid professionals helped me learn at an incredibly fast pace- and pick up important new skill sets.”
This internship has been an experience to say the least. Intern Zach Weiner reflected on his summer as well. “I believe the most important thing about an internship is to gain hands-on experience. I got that at AC Lion in so many different forms. From social media campaigns, marketing research, to even cold calling, my resume can now say I have more than just the knowledge of the media space, but the experience to back it up.”
Our summer culminated with the daunting task of pitching ourselves to the CEO, COO, and the entire management staff. I learned that the most important lesson is to have the confidence to be confident in myself. I am ending this internship a more well-rounded, intelligent, and hopefully more employable adult than when it began.
On behalf of all the interns here, we would like to thank the entire AC Lion team for the incredible experience and priceless opportunity. Thanks to Bonnie Zaben, Chris Masters, Dan Goldsmith, Dana Lupton, Edna Brown, Eve Stieglitz, Josh Marmer, Matt Devlin, Mike Adler, Nadav Geft, Ted O’Brien, and of course our fearless leader, Alan Cutter.
I would also like to personally thank my supervisor, Chris Masters. Not only did Chris give me compelling tasks and stimulating jobs that were catered to my interests, but he made the point of teaching me something new every step of the way. Chris had a genuine interest in helping to make me into a better intern and an overall more sophisticated and well-rounded individual.
If you too are looking to obtain a valuable internship with tons of opportunity to learn and grow, feel free to visit our website, www.aclion.com.
Hi! It's Shirlee Spitzer, Media Marketing Associate here at AC Lion. As a Journalism and Media major at Rutgers University , I'm constantly looking for feedback on my work. Feel free to leave some criticism, constructive or not! (Although, admittedly, I do prefer constructive).
Tags:
AC Lion
internship
summer intern
The Second Annual “Club Chris”, AC Lion’s company outing hosted by our very own Chris Masters, Director of Online Media Sales, was recently held. And much better than “The Office” season finale company picnic. No one kicking a volleyball into the woods to delay the game. No emergency room visits—and no surprise endings (though kudos to The Office for a beautifully crafted Pam and Jim hospital scene. With just a look. Amazing.)
For AC Lion, was a wonderful day for us city folk to go out and play in the country. A little team-building with Whiffleball and Family Feud. A little trash talking (ok, a lot of trash talking) with basketball and water games. And a lot of chilling and grilling with guitars and good times. And the new t-shirts from Alternative Apparel rock!
Was the end of the line for our great crew of summer interns. They learned many things during their summer at AC Lion—the most important of which is that tis hard to beat the AC Lion staff at anything athletic.
From grey skies to grey t-shirts, was a great day for the AC Lion team.
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♦Alan Cutter (CEO)
♦Mike Adler (Managing Partner)
♦Bonnie Zaben (COO)
♦Dan Goldsmith (Managing Director)
♦Josh Russak
♦Josh Marmer
♦David Shadpour
♦Nadav Geft
♦Eve Stieglitz
♦Sean Weinberg
♦Matt Devlin
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♦Edna Brown
♦Associates: Sabrina, Alex & Elizabeth
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