LinkedIn gets a new Pulse for $90 million

San Francisco based LinkedIn (the place you go to get famous during a lunch break) has snapped up a newsreader app, Pulse. The acquisition is a mix of stock (90%) and cash (10%).

Pulse assembles news from different industries and presents it in a tiled interface. With over 30 million people using the service to read their news, it is another classical eyeball acquisition, and continues a strategy of news delivery.

If only Linked In could shield us from all the ’20 different ways to write an effective email and get sexier while doing it’ posts. Perhaps it’s about to get knocked off? See below.

Linked In killer? ClosedNet hype or tripe?

If you listen to publicist Kizzi Nkwocha, LinkedIn is going to be smoked within 12 months. Big call, but all empires have to fall at sometime. Hope they can get their money back (see above).

Kizzi reckons that, “ClosedNet is the future of professional online networking and is likely to overtake LinkedIn in less than a year. The idea behind the platform is simplicity itself. It takes all the great bits of Facebook and LinkedIn and creates something targeted, intimate and valuable to business owners and their customers.”

It is a free service, so don’t get too excited by the 20,000 companies who have already signed up. How many social networks can people join? If you take it for a spin let us know in the comments.

Research says that Twitter is a B2B favourite, but nothing about effectiveness

UK-based website, B2B Marketing, claims that Twitter is the most popular social media platform among B2B brands. 85% of B2B brands claim a presence on the microblogging platform. LinkedIn comes in a very close second, with 82% of respondents claiming a presence.

Question is, what does this actually mean? That not enough B2B marketers can be bothered with the extra work of LinkedIn? And what is the effectiveness at engaging with target audiences?

There are lies, damn lies and then there are statistics – thanks Mark Twain!

Panasonic gets stuck into India for B2B growth

Looking towards the profitable B2B and B2G sectors, Panasonic is launching the Toughpad to target mobile workers. The aim is to double B2B contribution to revenue by 2015. There’s not much more to add…

CDW take Barkley mobile to win

Ogilvy & Mather have cooked up a series of TVCs aimed at business, government and healthcare, using the hall of fame basketball star Charles Barkley.

Cast as the ultimate road warrior, Barkley has to navigate a naked IT nerd in the shower, the latest in mobile technology and being the new guy on the job.

Think big Charles is up to it? Check out this engaging TVC, and try not to get hooked on the whole series.

http://youtu.be/I5JEj_SE9J4

B2B MARKETER SPOTLIGHT: John Clay

Company: Arup

Position: Principal, head of marketing and communications, Australasia

Why did you get into B2B marketing?

After completing a sports science degree and a postgraduate diploma in business analysis, I decided that many principles apply equally to sport and business, and especially to marketing-related activities such as team work, competition and goal setting. I decided that the path for me was a career in business, with sport as an enjoyable pastime.

Your biggest B2B marketing high?

Winning a $15m dollar contract when working for a small IT business. All the long hours involved with relationship marketing, pricing and contract reviews melted away after receiving the news.

A forgettable marketing moment? (Or someone else’s!)

One of my first mistakes (in my first job out of university, for a small high tech business), was misreading some copy for a company brochure/folder. I rushed through the proofing and transposed the last two numbers promoting the firm’s main telephone number.  I felt terrible, especially after having to apply some sticky labels to 10,000 pieces of collateral. (Needless to say now I double check all pieces of artwork that come to me, and organise for other team members to review. Even then, the occasional typo still slips through.)

What 3 challenges do you have as a B2B marketer?

• Remain focussed upon the big items that are going to make a real difference to the company winning business, and not get distracted by information overload and pressing time demands from numerous stakeholders,
• ensuring that your team is aligned and empowered to do their jobs, and
• nurturing talented staff in their pursuit of a fulfilling career.

What is the most useful book you have ever read?

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey comes to mind.

If you were a brand, which one would you be?

Adidas – taking three stripes and transforming them into a respected worldwide brand, even during various downturns and supply chain issues.

When not marketing, what else do you do?

My main interests outside of work are playing golf, going to the theatre and travel – I’ve just come back from a fantastic trip to Cambodia and Vietnam.

Your big B2B marketing prediction for the next 12 months?

In times of economic uncertainty, there are always opportunities for respected brands to gain market share.