The Skinny…A daily double-shot of digital goodness.

The Skinny is a synopsis of current digital marketing and social media trends. The Skinny’s mission is to deliver the buzz
to you in a few minutes or less so you can be in the know and focus on what matters most- your work.

AT&T and Verizon Offer Free Calls & Texts to Japan From U.S.

 Today AT&T has made all wireless calls and text messages from the U.S.

and Puerto Rico to Japan free for postpaid customers through March 31.

 AT&T has also made the 24-hour a day news channel TV Japan free through

March 17 to all U-verse subscribers.

 AT&T also announced that customers can text “redcross” to 90999 ( free of

charge ) to donate $10 to the Red Cross to help its disaster relief efforts.

 Other companies, including Google ( online crisis center ) and Microsoft (

$100k donation for victims ) have also made efforts to help those in need.

 Verizon recently Tweeted that it will also be offering free calls and text

messages to Japan from wireless and residential landlines.

Digital Marketing Spending up by Almost 75%

 Many businesses have increased their budgets for online digital marketing in

2011 by an avg. of almost 35% with the intention of increasing them further.

 Almost 75% of companies using digital marketing campaigns told

Econsultancy that they were planning to invest more money in email

marketing and online direct marketing in the coming year.

 Research is based on responses from 500 in-house and agency marketers.

iPad 2 Sold Out, 70% Went to New Buyers

 Mashable.com analysts who surveyed retail stores over the weekend are

reporting that the iPad 2 is sold out.

 The analysts estimate that Apple sold 400k-500k iPad 2s ( first iPad only sold

300k ).

 The analysts also suveryed 236 buyers waiting in line for the iPad 2, and

70% of them were new buyers ( 51% Mac users, 49% PC users ).

 65% of the buyers surveyed owend an iPhone, and 24% owned a Kindle, but

only 6% of users said they planned to read with the iPad 2.

  The iPad is not perceived as an e-reader and it’s not too closely tied to

Apple’s product ecosystem, so the numbers indicate the iPad is carving a

niche of its own.

 Apple is expected to release its official opening weekend sales numbers later

today or tomorrow.

Game Developers are Eyeing the iPad 2 as Next-Gen Console

 The second-generation tablet has been built to deliver high definition video

game experiences on part with what gamers are used to playing on

consoles.

 The game development community is excited about the new 1GHz dual core

A5 processor built in to the device.

 “Games will push the capability of the new iPad 2, and we are excited to see

what this device can do.” Said Travis Boatman, Sr. VP of Worldwide Studios,

EA Mobile.

 The dual core means faster load times, higher frame rates, better draw

distances and more impressive effects such as radial motion blur and real

time reflections and shadows.

 Apple has an installed base of 20 million iPads worldwide which gives game

makers a great target audience for new experiences.

“Today’s smartest advertising style is tomorrow’s corn.” –William Bernbach