Techy News Writing Samples – Articles from the Newsletter in English & French
Article 1: Pinterest – What’s All the Hype Behind the Pin-board Popularity?
Pin It! —You might have heard that saying a lot lately in the social media world. Pinterest, the collage driven social media platform, has become an overnight sensation, and is the fastest growing social site to date. But what makes the site so popular? Why are there so many pin- happy users?
There is more to it than just a beautiful interface and visually appealing layout. Maybe it is the exclusivity factor; there is an actual waiting list to become a member, or the streamlined, innovative design. Maybe it is just plain fun for users to recreate a virtual version of an old school cork pin-board.
Whatever the reason, according to the Huffington Post, “Since the pinboard-style Website's inception in September 2009, the site has seen a nearly 900 percent increase in unique visitors.” Furthermore, its referral traffic numbers are absolutely astounding. Currently the number of users Pinterest sends to other Websites is beating out and reigning supreme over Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined explains the Huffington Post.
It is exciting to report that there are about 15 active brands in the LVMH Group that have become “pinterested,” and are creating eye-catching boards to better engage with their customers and clientele. Kenzo, Sephora, Fendi, Dior, Benefit Cosmetics and Louis Vuitton are just a few of our brands that have tapped into the Pinterest craze to increase their business and connect with their customers.
According to Experian’s “2012 Digital Marketer: Benchmark and Trend Report,” Pinterest is the third most popular social networking site on the web, close behind Facebook and Twitter. Pinterest’s target demographic is young, upper-middle class and female. The Huffington Post further illustrates this demographic with an interesting statistic. “Nearly a third of all Pinterest users have annual salaries of $100,000 or more, almost 70 percent are female and the largest age demographic represented on the site are people between 25 and 34.”
What does all this mean for you, your brands and marketers alike? Well, plain and simple, if you have not already done so, it is time to hop on the pinning train and leverage the site’s popularity to increase your business and connect and engage with your customers on an interactive level. Pinterest offers an amazing platform for word of mouth marketing, and is a fantastic way to shape your brand’s image while gaining maximum exposure. Happy Pinning!
Article 2:
The IT Academy – Unleash Our IT Talent
The ever-changing IT world is filled with constant business developments and challenges—what are you doing to adapt and change with it? At LVMH, we want to be out front, leading the way in the technology industry. To do so, we are currently developing a cutting-edge program that will launch in 2013. The IT Academy is a premiere learning and development center that is being created for all LVMH IT manager levels. The goal of the IT Academy is to build a world-class IS&T group across all brands, while adding value to the business. Celine Degreef, Group IT governance manager, said, “We want to create a cross-brand community to share values, best practices and experiences among the management community.”
LVMH wants to invest in building tomorrow’s IT future. By creating an exceptional program, we will transform the IT function to better respond to the needs of the business. This global, tailor-made program will enhance IT employees’ technical competencies, broaden their IT perspective and transform the way they communicate with internal and external customers. Furthermore, it will examine hot topics such as mobile, social and cloud computing. Upon completion, employees will be armed with an innovative approach to foster IT solutions. Investing in the amazing talent that we already have, and attracting new talent is a key initiative of the program. Talent retention is essential to the synthesis of the IT function.
The training approach is innovative; one that will create a diverse network and partnership among all IT employees across brands. Pierrette Frey, CIO of MHIS said, “The IT Academy presents an opportunity to our IT resources to network and share best practices within the Group.” Through interactive, practical and challenging simulations, the IT Academy will strengthen existing skills while developing new ones. Not to mention, some serious gaming will be thrown into the mix to ensure the modules keep employees on their toes. The goal of the training is to provide employees with the necessary tools to better serve the business, and better respond to the needs and challenges of our customers.
LVMH wants to stay ahead of the IT curve, and build an IS&T group that is ready for tomorrow. By investing in our talent today, we are better equipped for the ever-changing future of technology. Our employees are the fundamental link between the business and our customers. You can learn more about the IT Academy on the intranet VOICES in Techy News, or via the IT Academy Community. Stayed tuned for more information about this superior program.
Article 3:
Mobile – A Revolution for the Retail Industry
Mobile commerce—an essential buzz word in the retail industry right now. Have you read the latest statistics? Where does your brand rate in the mobile movement? Did you know…“Approximately 75 percent of the world’s population now has access to a mobile phone,” according to Mashable. And, “Four out of five consumers use smartphones to shop,” in the U.S. states comScore 2012. While “25 percent of consumers engage in online shopping only via mobile,” said Prosper Mobile Insights. Although mobile is currently trending the highest in the U.S., it is quickly making the move to European and Asian markets as well.
These statistics indicate that mobile technology is emerging as one of the most powerful communication platforms, and it is revolutionizing the retail industry. There has been a fundamental shift in consumer behavior due to the rapidly growing usage rate of mobile technology. It is imperative to your business that you jump on the bandwagon, and harness its amazing power. “In the future, mobile devices will be the most common way to recognize our customers, to push and collect information and to perform online payments,” stated Emmanuel Guibert, Architecture Team Manager for Louis Vuitton.
Emmanuel goes on to further say, “Mobile is not even the future, it is right now”. Exciting mobile advancements are happening within the LVMH Group. For example, Louis Vuitton is currently in the pilot phase of launching mobile payments in France, specifically in the Saint Germain and Deauville locations. This simple and efficient form of payment is the wave of the future. It is a first step to transform and improve the customer experience by personalizing the transaction and offering interactive services. Additionally, the brand launched m.LouisVuitton.com, the tablet-friendly version of its fashionable Website. The mobile version allows customers to keep in touch with the brand wherever they may go, while still experiencing the same incredible computer visuals. The site is easy to navigate, user-friendly and visually stimulating. It is pure Louis Vuitton luxury at your fingertips anytime, anywhere any place.
As Louis Vuitton and many other brands in the group embark on the mobile journey, now is the time to get started if you have not already done so, and begin creating your mobile footprint. There is a huge opportunity to further tap into the mobile world, and connect, engage, and personalize the experience for your customers and clients. Whether it is an app, a mobile version of your Website, a mobile version of e-mail, a mobile marketing campaign or location-based targeting there are many ways to get creative, and go mobile! Check out the graph below to see the mobile marketing tactics currently in place in the U.S.
Article 4:
Smart Flows - Understanding Your Customers’ Patterns
Imagine that you could better understand your customers’ shopping behavior, analyze traffic flow and improve overall customer loyalty and satisfaction; sounds good doesn’t it? Well, now you can with a new, innovative technology. A savvy little start-up known as Smart Flows is the genius behind a state-of-the-art technology that allows you to do just that. And the best part—it is a minimal investment, with an incredibly easy installation, that offers an amazing ROI. Here is how it works…
The Smart Flows solution sets up sensor installations in your store that track the presence and position of your customers via their cell phones. This technology provides essential customer shopping patterns, and a birds-eye view to your store “hot spots.” If your brand implemented this technology, you would have the ability to examine and benchmark traffic flow, customer behavior, impact of store layout, visitor dwell time and visitor frequency. Additionally, the solution offers flexible subscription options. You can subscribe for a year, or for a specific amount of time. For example, if a certain store isn’t performing, you may subscribe to do a short diagnostic test to identify your concerns.
This would have an incredible impact on your business; knowing your key sellers, validating your frequently visited areas within the store, and most importantly having the ability to turn visitors into repeat clientele and drive customer loyalty. And, customer data privacy is not an issue. According to Smart Flows, “The information is anonymous and data is encrypted. The phone identification number cannot be linked to a human being and reveals nothing about the visitor’s identity.”
The statistical information and conclusions that can be drawn from the detailed reports provided can add incredible value to your business. Below are three graphs demonstrating the type of reports you would receive. What an innovative solution to better understand your customers and build brand loyalty. Check out the Smart Flows solution at http://www.smart-flows.com and contact Marion Brette at [email protected] for more information.
Article 5:
Tactill and Square Digitize Your Wallet
Mobile wallet—the latest buzz word in the growing industry of digital payment systems, is a new form of payment that is revolutionizing the consumer/merchant transaction. As the campaign to digitize your wallet heats up, companies all over the world are trying to get a piece of the action by turning your smartphones and tablets into the main form of payment. A French start-up named TacTill is doing just that, by transforming your tablet into a mobile cash register. Here is how it works…
Farewell to counters and queues, with the TacTill application (available for download on ITunes) the customer is in the driver’s seat, running the show. Meaning with the touch of a finger, the client can browse the product in a simulated store setting, and complete a transaction in a matter of minutes. A detailed catalogue offers the customer a visually stimulated shopping experience. Similar to the in-store experience at an Apple store, the order and transaction take place via an IPad, eliminating unwanted wait times. And the app it is not just beneficial to the customer, the “cash register 2.0” allows the merchant to expedite transactions, maximize profitability and focus on the customer experience
TacTill has taken the French market by storm with their innovative mobile cash register, while Square Wallet, Silicon Valley’s latest star, has monopolized the U.S. market with their simple swiping device. Square recently made mobile payments mainstream when they partnered with Starbucks to make it possible to use the Square technology in 7,000 locations across the U.S. With one swipe of a barcode displayed on the smartphone’s screen the customer’s name and photo appear on the cash register for confirmation before completing the sale. Now that is a personalized payment at its finest!
One of our very own employees recently tested out the Square technology while vacationing in New York City this past December. She was shopping at the famous Chelsea Market and fell in love with a gorgeous Ronay handbag. Markets such as these normally only accept cash, and she did not have any with her. Luckily for her, she was able to purchase the bag using Square Wallet because the merchant had the mini swiping device that allowed him to accept credit card payments via his IPhone.
Both smartphone and tablet applications are transforming the way a merchant and a customer completes a transaction. Now, just about anyone can be a merchant from anywhere in the world. All it takes is the help of an IPad, and the tenacious little app from TacTill, or the innovative swiping device that attaches to your IPhone from U.S. based start-up Square, et voila you are ready to make a sale. On the flipside, the customer experience has changed as well, making it possible to make a simple payment using only an IPhone or IPad. It’s a win/win situation for all parties involved. It might just be time to say goodbye to your wallet and make your first digital transaction.
Article 6: Tagwhat – Be Your Own Tour Guide
Want to be your own expert tour guide wherever you travel? Well…now you can with a clever little app called Tagwhat. Say goodbye to your Lonely Planet, Frommer's and Rick Steves’ guide books, and get ready for the ultimate travel experience with an application that connects online content to real-world locations. And the best part…Tagwhat is always available, incredibly knowledgeable, catered to your interests, and free. Here is how it works…
Founded in 2009 by Dave Elchoness, Don Cramer, and Angus Shee, the savvy start-up strives to create a “mobile tour guide for the world.” The companies’ core belief is “people are curious about the world.” So, in an effort to satisfy that curiosity TagWhat is geo-tagging the web, organizing, and using the endless amount of content that is locked away inside social networks and other platforms to provide you, the customer with a vast amount of unique and usable knowledge for your travels. Tagwhat hopes to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds by making it extremely easy to deliver premium multimedia at real-world locations.
For example, here is how Tagwhat is changing the travel guide experience. Elchoness uses the example of Kat’s Delicatessen in New York City. Using Tagwhat, a tourist walking past the famous deli could check out menu information and reviews, but also learn that a very famous scene from the movie When Harry Met Sally was filmed there as well. The experience of the deli isn’t just about eating a pastrami sandwich; instead it becomes historic or fun including fun, pop- culture facts that not everyone will know.
So what does this mean to you and your brand? For example, if Tagwhat users were on the Champs-Élysées near Avenue Montaigne the data would show there is a Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Celine store close to their location. It would also show a gallery of visual Tags with multimedia stories about these places. These random, fun facts are an ingenious way to further engage our customers with a beautiful multimedia experience.
Additionally, the app has social attributes too. Each Tagwhat “Tag” can easily be shared with your friends through Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail. You can even attach it to your check-ins or tips to add a storytelling quality to your Foursquare activity. Your friends will get the full multimedia story that you experienced, wherever they are. So…what are you waiting for? Tag You Are It!
Article 7: (French version of Mobile – A Revolution for the Retail Industry)
Les devices mobiles – Une révolution pour l’industrie du Retail
Les devices mobiles – désormais un incontournable du retail. Avez-vous vu les dernières statistiques ? Comment votre marque se positionne-t-elle ? Le saviez-vous ….selon Mashable « 75% de la population mondiale a désormais accès au téléphone mobile ». Et « 4 consommateurs sur 5 utilisent un smartphone pour faire du shopping » selon le comScore 2012 américain alors que « seulement 25% des consommateurs achètent en ligne via un téléphone mobile » selon Prosper Mobile Insights. Bien que cette tendance soit plus marquée aux Etats-Unis, elle se propage actuellement très rapidement vers les marchés européens et asiatiques.
Ces statistiques montrent que les technologies mobiles n’ont pas fini de révolutionner nos métiers. Nous assistons à un changement fondamental dans le comportement des consommateurs en raison de la croissance rapide du taux d’utilisation de la technologie mobile. Exploiter cette technologie n’est plus un moyen de se différencier de la concurrence, c’est devenu un must ! « Dans le futur, les smartphones, tablettes et autres devices mobiles seront le moyen privilégié dont nous disposerons pour reconnaître nos consommateurs, fournir ou collecter de l’information, effectuer des paiements en ligne » a déclaré Emmanuel GUIBERT, Architecture Team Manager de Louis Vuitton.
Emmanuel va plus loin. « La mobilité ce n'est pas le futur, c'est maintenant ». Des avancées passionnantes en terme de mobilité ont lieu au sein du groupe LVMH. Ainsi, Louis Vuitton a lancé un pilote de paiement via mobiles en France, en particulier dans ses boutiques de Saint Germain et Deauville. Cette forme simple et efficace de paiement est la voie du futur. Il s'agit d'une première étape pour transformer et améliorer l'expérience des utilisateurs en personnalisant la transaction et offrant des services interactifs. Parallèlement, la marque a lancé m.LouisVuitton.com, la version tablette de son site internet. La version mobile permet à l'utilisateur de rester en contact avec la marque où qu'il aille tout en continuant à bénéficier des mêmes effets visuels que sur le site. Le site est ergonomique, facile à utiliser et visuellement stimulant. C'est le luxe Louis Vuitton au bout des doigts à tout moment, partout et de n'importe où.
Comme Louis Vuitton d’autres marques du groupe se lancent dans le commerce mobile, il est temps désormais de vous lancer si vous ne l’avez pas déjà fait et commencer à créer votre empreinte mobile. Ces technologies offrent de nombreuses opportunités de se connecter avec ses clients, d’engager et de personnaliser la relation. Qu’il s’agisse d’une application, d’une version mobile de votre site internet ou de vos mails, d’une campagne de e-marketing ou de ciblage, il y a de multiples façons d’être créatif et orienté mobile. Consultez le graphique ci-dessous et voyez les stratégies de marketing sur mobile mises en place aux Etats-Unis.
Article 8: (French version of Pinterest – What’s All the Hype Behind the Pin-board Popularity?
Pinterest – Quelle est toute cette frénésie autour du tableau d’affichage ?
Pin it! (Epinglez !) Vous en avez peut-être entendu parler dans le monde des réseaux sociaux. Pinterest, la plateforme d’épinglage en ligne, est devenu un phénomène du jour au lendemain et le réseau social à la croissance la plus rapide à ce jour. Mais qu’est-ce qui rend ce site si populaire ? Pourquoi y-a-t-il autant d’ « épingleurs » heureux ?
C’est plus qu’une interface agréable avec un visuel attrayant. Peut-être est-ce le côté exclusif, il y a une réelle liste d’attente pour devenir membre, ou le design novateur et dépouillé. Peut-être est- ce juste amusant pour les utilisateurs de recréer le bon vieux panneau d’affichage en liège. Quelle que soit la raison, selon le Huffington Post « depuis le lancement en Septembre 2009 du site d’épinglage, Pinterest.com, la croissance des visites uniques a été de près de 900% ». Ces chiffres de croissance de fréquentation sont parfaitement ahurissants. Actuellement, le nombre d’utilisateurs renvoyés par Pinterest sur d’autres sites web bat et dépasse Google+, YouTube et LinkedIn réunis explique le Huffington Post.
Il est intéressant de noter que 15 marques du groupe LVMH sont devenues activement « pinterested » et crée des tableaux toujours plus attirants afin de mieux interagir avec leurs clients. Kenzo, Sephora, Fendi, Dior, Benefit Cosmetics et Louis Vuitton sont quelques-unes de nos marques qui ont bénéficié de l’engouement pour Pinterest afin d’accroître leur business et d’interagir avec leurs clients.
Selon le rapport d’Experian’s « 2012 Digital Marketer : benchmark and trends », Pinterest est le 3° réseau social le plus populaire sur le web juste derrière Facebook et Twitter. La cible de Pinterest est jeune, issue de la classe moyenne supérieure et est bien souvent une femme. Le Huffington Post illustre bien cette tendance avec une statistique intéressante. « Près d’un tiers des utilisateurs de Pinterest gagne plus de 100 000 $ annuels, près de 70% sont des femmes et la classe d’âge la plus représentée sur le site est celle des 25 – 34 ans ».
Qu’est-ce que cela signifie pour vous, vos marques et le marketing ? Et bien, que si vous ne l’avez pas déjà fait il est temps de monter dans le train et de profiter de la popularité grandissante du site pour améliorer vos ventes et engager une relation interactive avec vos clients. Pinterest offre une plate-forme étonnante pour le bouche à oreille, c'est un moyen fantastique pour façonner votre image tout en offrant à votre marque une exposition maximale.
Bon épinglage !