Apple & IBM: Friends with Benefits | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Apple and IBM are known rivals, so it was a huge shock when the two companies recently announced that they would be partnering together to sell more of Apple’s iphones and ipods to corporate customers and government agencies. As two of the largest companies, there has previously been a lot of tension and competition between the two, however Apple’s Tim Cook and IBM’s Ginny Rometty say that the hard feelings have faded away as technology has evolved and the companies have moved in new directions. IBM moved on from the PC business …

The Summer Experience of a Velocity Agency Intern

Upon receiving the news that I would be spending my hot summer days in an advertising agency in New Orleans, my mind began racing what my first day at Velocity would be like. I have to admit I did my fair share of web stalking and even going as far to check out the clients that were scattered all around Velocity’s website. I was impressed but unsure of what the next few months would hold. As an intern you aren’t exactly in a position to request a job in an office, however this company was smart enough to highlight the strengths …

Billboards the Prize in CBS’ Acquisition of Van Wagner

It seems that every week we hear news about leading tech companies undergoing mergers and acquisitions, whether it is Facebook buying WhatsApp or Apple taking over Beats Electronics. While tech M&A’s practically happen every day, the advertising world rarely sees as big a merger as what occurred on Monday when CBS Outdoor Americas acquired Van Wagner Communications for more than 1,000 billboard displays. Today, billboard ads are an excellent way to strengthen your brand. Learn more about billboard advertising and how you can expand your brand. But what are these mergers really about? In the case of massive social media networks …

World Cup Overview #RiskEverything | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

And it’s another goal! Watching a World Cup game is unlike any other. Every four years, the deafening roar of diehard fans rooting for their home team fills the stadium, and this year’s World Cup in Brazil does not disappoint. The World Cup is an exciting time for everyone, whether you are an avid soccer fan or not. It is unique in the sense that there are no boundaries universally and everyone comes together to cheer their country to the finals. Millions of viewers from around the world tune in everyday to watch their team play and along with the …

#Pantene #SorryNotSorry | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

Pantene is sorry, they aren’t sorry. Stepping forward with a sequel to last year’s “Shine Strong” campaign, the product line recently produced another attention-grabbing advertisement that leaves its target audience in a standing ovation. In case you haven’t seen it, Pantene’s new commercial features a variety of women in multiple scenarios constantly apologizing for situations that should otherwise be void of a “I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry, this is a stupid question..” a woman says to a group of male co-workers, and a whispered “sorry” as a woman hands a baby to a man as she cooks dinner, are just a …

McDonalds Mascot For Happy Meal: Happy | Velocity Agency

McDonald’s let Twitter followers in on a happy little addition last week when they released a photo of their new mascot. Bulging eyeballs and big smiling teeth, a Happy Meal box appropriately named “Happy” made his debut to the internet. This fictional character was created as “an ambassador for balanced and wholesome eating” pushing the idea that kids will be happy to choose healthier options like apples and yogurt in place of french fries in their McDonald’s boxes. These good intentions that began in France in 2009 have sparked mainly negative jokes about the new face of the fast-food chain …

Coca-Cola Targets Brazil For The World Cup | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

Coca-Cola is on the brink of changing their advertising strategy for the World Cup 2014. The classic brand, known for its traditionally wholesome and soft image, may soon be plunging into much deeper waters as it explores a more realistic approach relating to Brazil’s current political situation. While it is isn’t picturesque to imagine anything but sports fans across the globe uniting over goals and jerseys, the truth is that life in Brazil at the moment is pretty unglamorous. The lack of health care, poor public services and extremely high poverty rates are masked by the extensive spending on advertising …

#HashFlag #Twitter #WorldCup | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

Twitter scores, again. Creative and colorful, the network is bringing back the ever popular #hashflags to utilize hashtags for World Cup series in 2014. This promoted bit allows Twitter users to hashtag the national three-letter code (e.g. GER, FRA, USA) with the flag emoji of that particular country appearing along side of the tweet. A patriotic element just added to Twitter for the World Cup 2014, this item is a fun way for World Cup game watchers and Twitter users to show support to their favorite teams throughout the series. Although the feature hasn’t been around in a while, it …

Facebook provides marketers with web browsing history for better targeting

Facebook announced earlier today that it would allow advertisers to utilize the information that was once only privy to Facebook, to other advertisers working to reach specific audiences. The multi-billion dollar company has access to this information by placing code on Facebook user’s desktops and laptops that collect the websites the user visits. On Facebook mobile, the app collects the same sort of information by determining which apps have been downloaded on the user’s phone. Facebook once kept this information private for security reasons, but in spite of resistance from some Facebook users, the company proceeded with the new feature …

Google Grants some Users the Right to be Forgotten | Velocity Agency | New Orleans

For their next trick, Google will now make you disappear… About a week ago, Google out of Europe created a request form regarding outdated, inaccurate or inappropriate search results to be removed by the “Right to be Forgotten.” More than 50 million people live in the area affected by Google’s potential purge, and so far Google has received over 41,000 requests to have content removed (and counting).Within the first 24 hours the site posted the form’s publication, over 12,000 requests were sent to Google seeking to remove personal content. Google supervisors estimated 7 requests per-minute since the form’s availability on …