Job Vacancy: Marketing & Communications Executive

The London Internet Exchange (LINX) is a mutually owned membership association for operators of Internet Protocol networks. It provides a neutral interconnection facility and peering platform, known as an Internet Exchange Point (IXP), and represent the interests of its members on matters of public policy.

LINX currently has a vacancy for a Marketing & Communications Executive. This position offers the opportunity to work at the heart of the Internet Industry in a dynamic team-motivated environment. LINX can offer you – in addition to an attractive remuneration package with benefits that include private health cover – life insurance, pension and income protection.

For more information please visit: https://www.linx.net/job/markcom.html

Please note: No agencies! Unsolicited emails or phone calls are not welcome.

Premium pricing boost McDonald’s profits

After I posted on the topic of price testing and how low prices don’t always encourage sales another example of how offering premium products can boost profits was reported today.

Article source: BBC Business

Selling more expensive burgers has helped McDonald’s third-quarter profit climb 6%.

The fast-food restaurant chain’s global net income for the June to September period rose to $1.3bn (£760.7bn), from $1.2bn a year earlier.

McDonald’s said new more costly products, such as the Angus Third-Pounder burger, were popular with US diners.

Read full story

This demonstrates how using a clever pricing strategy can attract and retain new customers. While people are generally eating out less often during the economic downturn McDonald’s have clearly seen opportunity where they can persuade potential customers that they don’t have to give up entirely on good food.

Obviously the whole eating experience is not the same as a posh restaurant but it is a convenient halfway house. While some cut back others are beginning to see their situations improve with each group will meet in the middle with a quality product that suits both their pockets and their perceptions of their personal circumstance and that of the McDonald’s corporation.

Marketing, Social Media Increasingly Important For Business Development

Written by Resources for Entrepreneurs Staff

A recent survey from The Creative Group found that marketing and advertising departments have greater influence over business decisions than they did three years ago.

It may be due to the heightened need to acquire new clients and retain existing ones, or perhaps it is because of the attention garnered by the social media revolution, but marketing has become an increasingly important aspect of business development in recent years, according to a study from The Creative Group.

The national study found that 61 percent of marketing and advertising executives believe marketing teams now have a greater influence over business decisions than they did three years ago – 18 percent believe the influence has increased significantly, and 43 percent believe it increased somewhat.

Read full story: www.gaebler.com

100 Gigabit Ethernet a top story in LINX magazine, HotLINX

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 13, 2009 – There are two cover stories in this issue of HotLINX: The developments with 100 Gigabit Ethernet and the joint IXP co-operation project between LINX, the Milan Internet Exchange (MIX) and Netnod from Sweden.

Comprehensive membership and engineering sections focus on router technolgy, new datacentre launches and Intersite Private Interconnect services while public and regulatory affairs are covered with articles on data monitoring, Phorm and the recent Digital Britain report.

There is a review of the recent LINX member outreach day held in Paris plus previews for the upcoming LINX66 member meeting and EPF4. The EPF is the European Peering Forum which is taking place on 14 and 15 September in Copenhagen, Denmark. Please visit www.peering-forum.eu for further details.

Other stories feature the progress in the Kenyan IXP market and the launch of a new IPv6 deployment website (www.ipv6actnow.org).

You can download a PDF copy of HotLINX19 today at https://www.linx.net/files/hotlinx/hotlinx-19.pdf. Printed copies can be ordered by emailing: hotlinx@linx.net

Twitter CEO, Evan Williams, to appear on BBC Newsnight tonight

The BBC are to interview Evan Williams on Newsnight this evening. With the massive growth of Twitter over recent months it will be interesting to hear how he feels the micro-blogging site will develop over the next few months and years.

I will post links to video content on this page when they become available. It should make for interesting viewing.

Send your questions for the Twitter CEO

From BBC Newsnight Blog

We’re interviewing the CEO of Twitter, Evan Williams, tonight at 10.30pm on BBC Two and we’re keen to gather any questions you’d like to put to him.

If you’re a ‘micro-blogging’ pro, you can send us a tweet here .

If, on the other hand, you find the whole thing a bit baffling, please send us your ‘Twitter-style’ question (ie in 140 characters or less) by adding it [to the BBC's blog comments].

Article source: Send your questions for the Twitter CEO

UPDATE (06/08/2009)

Here is the link to the BBC iPlayer page featuring the Newsnight episode in question. The relevant section is between 12:40 and 22:32. This will remain online for seven days in UK so if I can find a YouTube clip to replace it, I well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00m0g9t/Newsnight_05_08_2009/

Journalists go fellwalking with Prince William:

From Hold the Front Page

Reporters from Cumbria enjoyed a taste of the great outdoors and an audience with Prince William.

Journalists from Carlisle daily the News and Star and Cumberland and Westmorland Herald went fellwalking with the Prince as he chatted with homeless young people involved with local charity Centrepoint.

Full Story

I’ve not done fellwalking with royalty but I’ve been firewalking with Tony Robbins! Do I win a prize?

Recession encouraging businesses to take marketing online

Article source: www.businessstrata.com

Growing businesses have been encouraged to embrace online advertising by the economic downturn, according to an expert.

Eva Berg-Winters, senior manager and new media specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said her “gut feeling” was that the downturn has “enhanced” the movement from traditional direct marketing to web-based solutions.

However, she added that firms should not necessarily believe that the internet is immune from the effects of the economic climate.

Stephen Fry on copyright

News article on the BBC website by Rory Cellan-Jones

At an event in London last night, the writer, actor, and gadget fan Stephen Fry launched a surprisingly ferocious attack on the music and movie industries over the way they have acted to defend their copyright.

Even he seemed surprised, asking on Twitter as he left the stage: “Have I laid myself open to attack?” and: “Hope I’m not misunderstood. Such a pity if I get misrepresented as a ‘help yourself and be a pirate’ advocate.”

Full story

Posted on alphainventions.com

Peer-to-Peer filesharing story in new Internet magazine, HotLINX

Peer-to-Peer filesharing top story in HotLINX magazine

The London Internet Exchange (LINX) has launched the latest edition of its popular news magazine, HotLINX, available now at www.linx.net.

The cover story focusses on the UK government’s rethink on peer-to-peer filesharing. This forms part of a comprehensive Internet regulatory section which also looks at content blocking and the future for Broadband.

The annual cost savings of up to 40% seen by many LINX members is covered as is the latest data centre and colocation news. There’s a detailed technology feature on the LINX network plus articles on the latest membership stats and industry events.

With these and a host of other stories, this edition of HotLINX has something for everyone with an interest in what’s happening in the Internet world.

Issue 17 (PDF)

Expert claims direct mail offers benefits for ‘astute SMEs’

From Adferro

A new report claims that marketers may struggle during 2009 as potential customers may be put off opening messages due to the sheer amount they are receiving.

The 2009 Marketing Almanac by ExactTarget found that 48 per cent of marketers are planning to increase the use of email marketing.

It also found that marketers are planning to use a wider variety of messaging mediums alongside email marketing, with an increase in SMS text messaging expected during the year.

Morgan Stewart, director of research and strategy for ExactTarget, said it will be “more important than ever” to deliver “relevant, timely information” to consumers.