According to a new study from research firm Nielsen, advertising on tablets has more impact than advertising on smartphones in a variety of ways. For instance, 40% of tablet users think that ads on their devices are “acceptable”, while just 30% of smartphone users share this opinion.

Interestingly, while almost a quarter of tablet owners say they have been exposed to an ad every time they have used the device and a similar proportion claim that this happens once a day, the numbers for smartphone users stand at 16% and 21%, respectively. Yet, despite being exposed to more advertising, tablet users seem more willing to accept it.

Meanwhile, some 28% of tablet owners have used the device to search for information about a product they have seen advertised on TV, while a more modest 18% of smartphone users have done so. Nearly two-thirds of the former use their devices while watching TV several times a week, which means that viewers get distracted during TV commercial breaks, says David Gosen, Nielsen’s European managing director for telecoms.

Nevertheless, Gosen believes that brands which can provide creative integrated campaigns on TV, mobile and online search are likely to reap benefits.

More than 2.3bn visits to the Internet were made by UK consumers in January, marking a 4.5% growth in traffic on an annual basis. Overall, search accounts for 12% of all online visits in the UK.

With the growing volume of search, businesses are becoming more dependent on search engine optimisation to deliver traffic. In fact, more than one in three visits to websites came from searches in January, Experian Hitwise figures suggest. Facebook and YouTube have also become major drivers of traffic to sites, figures reveal.

Not surprisingly, Google and its sites remain at the top of the table, despite losing a tiny part of its market share, snatching 90.6% of the total online visits. Its main rivals Yahoo and Bing have gained some ground but the gap between them and Google still looks more like an abyss. While Yahoo accounts for 4.16% of UK searches, Microsoft’s Bing has crawled up to nearly 3%.

Entertainment is the top category in search, accounting for 14% of traffic, closely followed by social media with 13% and search engines with 12%, the Experian Hitwise report shows.

Contrary to popular belief that negativity might put off other consumers, the study shows that bad reviews can make people stay logged on to the site for longer and lead to better conversion rates. In addition they can improve consumers’ perception of the brand, as it is seen as more honest, open-minded and consumer-oriented.

The report, called “Bad reviews are good for business”, reveals that web pages featuring negative comments keep consumers’ attention four times longer than those which post only praise. Moreover, visitors to such sites are 70% more likely to spend on these brands, as bad reviews tend to boost their credibility.

Richard Anson, CEO of Reevoo, comments that although many retailers are not aware of it, posting negative comments from users is among the best strategies to boost conversion rates. By deliberately avoiding bad reviews, retailers inadvertently miss out on purchases as consumers become sceptical about too much praise, he explains.

The research shows that when consumers turn to comments, the number of those actually looking for bad comments is nearly twice as big as those who seek positive reviews. More than two in three polled say they trust reviews more when there are both opinions presented, while a staggering 95% think that entirely positive reviews appear due to censorship, rather than perfection of service.

The area covers more than 70 hectares of real estate in the heartland ofBristol. The aim is to attract major investment into the area over the next 25 years and open up opportunities for more than 4,000 new jobs in the next 5 years. It will be promoted on an international stage by Bristol City Council and West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone is a unique opportunity for local businesses already inBristoland first-in-class organisations looking to expand their operations into the area, from theUKand abroad. TQEZ will offer additional incentives to businesses, such as a reduction in business rates. This will help reduce the risk for investing developers.

Bristol is the most competitive and productive economy ahead of any major UK city outside London, according to the UK Competitive Index 2010 and has just been recognised as the top city in its class in the prestigious FDI Magazine Cities and Regions of The Future.

“We’ve worked closely with the Bristol City Council team to define a brand that encapsulates Bristol’s enterprising culture and showcases its commitment to business now and in the future. The success of the Bristol economy has always been down to its people, and the people that reside here now continue to shape a commercial success story that spans the globe. We’re proud to be part of it”, says Saman Mansourpour, Partner at TheAgency.

The Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone will revolutionise how business is done in the city. Designed to fuel collaboration between businesses and their employees, with the right inward investment it will boast state-of-the-art communications infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, and become the global hub for commercial success.

This high profile initiative is the latest in a number of success stories linked to TheAgency and its clients. The company has seen accelerated growth over the past 12-months, and celebrated 4 new account wins since December 2011.

According to the latest Experian Hitwise figures for UK online traffic in January, the biggest winner in the Social Networking and Forums category is Pinterest – the online photo sharing platform. The site, which can best be described as a virtual pinboard, saw a hefty 68% growth in traffic last month, as 1.9m visitors logged onto it in January, whereas in the US it hit the 12m visitors mark. Currently, Pinterest stands at number 46 among the top 50 social networking sites.

Apparently, Pinterest is more appealing to women, as 97% of its Facebook likes are generated by females, while nearly two-thirds of users are between 25 and 44 years of age. Overall more than one million users have liked the site, technology site Techcrunch reveals.

Pinterest’s popularity soared in 2011, as its 50,000 users in March had multiplied to 11m by December. At present users can only join Pinterest if invited, but invitations are sent a couple of days after signing up.

Experts think that users are attracted by the creativity and originality of the platform, as more of them have grown tired of text-based sharing. Pinterest, which is sometimes described as the visual alternative of Twitter, encourages users to be imaginative and to express themselves in a way other social platforms do not provide.

The survey from interactive media company Specific Media shows that creative and original video ads not only appeal to consumers but also increase the chances of a purchase by 25%. In addition, brand favourability rises by 13%, while brand association rise by 12% as a response to video.

A comparison between the purchase intent of consumers who have been viewing video content and those who have not been exposed to it demonstrates that the former are 23% more likely to buy a product than the latter.

Researchers from Specific Media note that online video advertising is certainly going to mature in 2012, as an increasing number of brands have started to take it seriously and invest in it, while consumers are becoming more open to the channel.

In order to capitalise on consumers’ interest, marketers need to work hard on the evolution of online video advertising, to make sure that it matches the public’s expectations, Specific Media says.

The survey also reveals that consumers are happy with the control they have over video content as opposed to scheduled broadcasting and that the length of video ads is becoming of crucial importance, as consumers have a shorter attention span, due to the many channels they simultaneously follow.

The innovative 3D ads will be displayed in bus-stops across the country. Ten fully-wrapped bus shelters will display 2-feet fibreglass potatoes and when people press a button the ad gets heated and the aroma of oven-baked jacket potatoes fills the air. In addition, dispensers that offer discount coupons will be installed.

Apart from the revolutionary scented ads, McCain will also advertise the new product through more traditional channels, such as roadside six-sheets and billboards, in the biggest supermarket chains Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s and digital ads located in rail stations.

McCain hopes that the warmth and mouth-watering smell of freshly baked potatoes will help commuters take the frosty weather at the bus stop lightly and cheer them up.

Mark Hodge, head of brand at McCain Foods, claims that it is not just the campaign that will revolutionise the sector, as the taste of the new baked potatoes will change people’s perception of frozen food. Don’t know about you but I’m already hungry!

Social media, social engagement, open data, social commerce are all buzzwords for how corporate marketing teams armed with their brands can prize the lid off our little digital communities and sell their wares. Social Media evangelists will insist that keeping the social space pure and free of marketing should remain the goal and advocacy will drive deserving businesses to succeed. But the mathematicians have already proved that the volumes don’t exist and commercially this just doesn’t work.

I don’t necessarily approach this with any degree of cynicism, working in marketing we quickly learn that the monetisation of new technologies and media channels often leads to consumer advantage. Aggregators, price comparison sites and Google in general are testament to that.

The problem comes with the sheer volume of noise that is directed at us all everyday of our lives. Recently quoted up to 5000 messages per person per day in the UK. That’s a lot of glare. Competition for consumer attention has become rife and disabling. Social platforms are the new highway from brands to consumers, and in the most part quite cost effective. Unfortunately, there are just too many products and too many companies wanting to sell them. More choice has led to more competition, hence the familiar spiral of commoditisation to many products that are innovative, new and exciting.

However, the economic downturn has thrown a curve ball. Interesting market trends have emerged, particularly the parting of the sea between low cost and high cost goods. Less money floating around means clear differentiation does win the sale, and there is still a market for high priced goods. Consumers will still pay a premium for brands like Apple, because they’re clearly defined and deliver on their brand promise.

But let’s not ignore that it’s still tough to sell in this economic climate. The advertising mantra of open, honest and fairly priced have never been more true. But the big difference still lies in relevance. Clarity of proposition and differentiation based on market demand is what will sustain businesses long term. Anyone else is dead in the water.

TV is no longer the number one pastime for Brits in the 16-to-24 age group, as nearly two thirds of them would rather spend time on Facebook or Twitter, chatting with friends. This has become their favourite way to keep in touch, as 65% of those polled claim that they even prefer social networks to talking on the phone. In addition, for one in three a visit to networking sites takes more than three hours and they are not shy to use them wherever they are, even on hospital operating tables or in court. A more modest 6% spend eight hours on networking platforms every day, the survey found.

Moreover, older people have also admitted that social media are becoming increasingly important in their lives, as almost one in three UK adults aged 55 and over are now used to going online to social platforms before they turn on the TV.

The authors of the research comment that although the Brits’ infatuation with social media is not a novelty these days, the fact that it is now the favourite leisure activity is remarkable and shows how deeply the digital age influences people’s lives.

During the last three months of 2011 a total of £256.4m was spent on outdoor advertising. Yearly revenues added up to £886.3m, up 1% on 2010, the OMC announced.

Last year’s growth was fuelled mostly by the digital outdoor sector, which hit quarterly record levels in the final three months of 2011. More precisely, the sector contributed £39.3m, a 28% growth, which sets a new all-time best. Numerous digital sites were launched in the fourth quarter as a result of increased interest in digital from brands, which in turn pushed ad revenues upwards. The trend can partly be attributed to a conversion to digital sites at airports, roadside, rail and retail locations.

In 2011 digital accounted for just over 14% of the total outdoor revenue, compared to a more modest 11.4% for the previous year. According to the OMC, 20 of its members provide digital screens in their portfolios. Digital saw the biggest growth in retail and leisure environments, where it increased 13%, and in transport, where the quarterly rise was 2%.

Mike Baker, chief executive of the OMC, comments that the growth in the sector is a significant achievement, considering the tough economic conditions.

The poll, carried out by auto services provider Enterprise Rent-A-Car, shows that nearly two thirds of the 2,000 people polled would not turn to a brand if they have already been let down once.

Mike Nigro, UK managing director of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, comments that UK consumers have changed their perception of service and are not willing to tolerate below-standard service. If brands fail to provide quality service they are not likely to be given a second chance, he adds.

The poll reveals that more than four in five respondents consider helpful staff a key element in their decision to stick with a brand, while three quarters highly value employees’ ability to promptly solve problems. In addition, nearly two thirds quoted staff expertise on the products a major factor for engaging with a brand.

When asked about the qualities that might put them off, almost half of those polled cited rudeness, whereas one in three claimed they would not tolerate failure to sort out potential problems.

In terms of gender the survey points out that women put more stress on service than men, with 57% of the female and 45% of the male respondents sharing the opinion that service is of great importance.

However, the latest CBI figures are unlikely to put the minds of anxious UK retailers at rest. Online and mail-order sales did give a solid performance but it was far from enough to make up for the calamitous decline in high street sales. Actually, the report could give rise to fresh worries, as the rate of growth for online sales fell significantly short of the results achieved in December, the CBI Distributive Trades Survey shows.

So what exactly does it show? During the two-week period covered by the survey, 44% of UK retailers suffered a drop in sales volumes compared to the same stretch in 2011. For 22% there was improvement, meaning a negative 22% on balance. The non-store category, which covers online and mail-order businesses, alleviated some of the high street pain with average sales growth exceeding 50%. However, this figure does not appear as impressive when set against the 91% recorded in December.

Despite remaining on a growth trajectory, online sales are unlikely to compensate for the general retail distress. The CBI found traders bracing for a further sales drop in February after the disappointing January results and the drop in orders. According to Ian McCafferty, chief economic adviser at the CBI, the post-festive period has seen Britons switch back to frugal mode, struggling to balance household budgets while grappling with high inflation and modest wage growth.

One of the key findings that emerges from the survey is the fact that poorly designed websites often prevent brands from yielding more sales, as potential consumers get frustrated and make their purchases in brick and mortar stores.

An interesting comparison is made between the average time spent shopping online (2.4 hours) and in stores (1.2 hours) per week in light of the fact that still more money is spent when visiting physical outlets. More precisely, the survey found that average e-commerce transactions add up to £116 per month, whereas the average monthly purchases from stores reach £126.

Contrary to the popular belief that spending sprees are more common among women, in fact, men seem to be spending more – a total of £273, with 47% of that sum spent online. Women, on the other hand, spend a more modest £212, with this amount split almost equally between the two channels – 49.5% online and 50.5% in stores.

Quite surprisingly, the poll also reveals that over four in five Britons aged 55 and over regularly buy goods online. For over one in three e-commerce is the main channel for retail purchases, with more than half considering the convenience of delivery at home the best stimulus for shopping online.

A recent poll from digital communications firm EpiServer, which interviewed 1,000 consumers and 200 marketing executives, shows a gap between consumers’ and brand owners’ attitude towards m-commerce.

Overall, close to 60% of those polled own a smartphone and one in six have a tablet. Nearly three-quarters of those who have a mobile device have used it to gain online access and two in three have used an app over the past 12 months.

In comparison, just one in five marketing executives have a website specifically designed for mobile devices, while an even more modest 18% have developed a mobile app. Moreover, just one in ten polled executives have plans to develop mobile-friendly functionalities. Still, brands are clearly seeing the need from mobile platforms as three-quarters of those surveyed have long-term plans to optimise their websites for m-commerce.

More generally, the survey reveals that more than half of mobile device owners spend more time online and a quarter of them think that they are likely to further increase the frequency of using mobile Internet. For nearly one in three, mobile is their main channel to get online.

The key finding from the poll, which interviewed over 3,800 people in the UK and Ireland, suggests that while consumers have become more loyal to their financial services providers, they have become more reluctant to recommend them to others.

The good news is that the general level of consumer satisfaction with the services provided is on the rise, with 60% of those polled claiming they are happy with their bank, compared to 56% sharing the same opinion in an earlier poll from 2011. In addition, the number of respondents who expressed dissatisfaction has fallen from 17% to 13%.

The study points to improvement in an area that consumers traditionally consider a weak point for brands – dealing with complaints. In the latest poll almost 40% find the complaints process adequate, whereas last year only 34% did so.

Moreover, loyalty has become more important, with just 11% of respondents claiming they have changed a service provider over the past 12 months. In comparison, last year 16% switched to another bank. The vast majority of those who decided to stick to their current bank say they were happy with the services, while 10% say they were put off switching by risks or the time it might take to switch banks.

Quite paradoxically, however, those who would willingly recommend their bank to relatives or friends have dropped significantly to 47%, from 61% last year.

Children as young as nine months old are skillful enough to be able to use apps and this provides immense business opportunities for those who manage to capitalise on children’s interest. Children are simply fascinated by touchscreens, both psychologists and parents know. A recent survey in the UK and the US reveals that while less than 10% of pre-schoolers are able to tie their shoelaces, 20% are able to use a smartphone app.

Meanwhile, research among UK and US parents shows that the vast majority of them find tablets beneficial for their kids’ development. In fact, more than three-quarters of those polled claim that using tablets enables their children to become more creative and to learn how to solve problems.

Moreover, results from the research reveal that the average UK and US parent downloads 27 apps for their children, spending about $100 (£64) per year, with UK parents willing to pay up to £2.70 for a single app on average.

A number of publishers and media companies have already taken advantage of the new market and are producing a wide array of apps for kids, ranging from e-books to role play. According to figures published in the Financial Times, HarperCollins offers between 25 and 30 apps specifically targeted at children, while Penguin recently announced plans to adapt The Tale of Peter Rabbit for iPad.

Both supermarket chains have ventured into standalone non-food formats, both with dubious success. Asda has decided that just one new Asda Living non-food store will be opened in 2012, in Gateshead, which is a significant slowdown of its initial plans to have 150 operating by the first half of 2015. Meanwhile Tesco has been carefully examining the performance of its 13 Home Plus general stores which sell furniture and homeware.

So far, 27 Living non-food stores have been set up and it is thought that some of them are currently being reviewed by Asda. However, the company still has plans to create 5,000 jobs this year as part of its development strategy, including the opening of 25 stores and three depots in 2012 at an estimated cost of £500m.

Asda’s main rival Tesco is said to be reconsidering its standalone furnishing stores due to lack of interest from consumers. Officially, two of its 13 stores, in Telford, Shropshire and in Staines, Surrey, are up for sale. The retail giant did not comment but sources close to Tesco said that changing priorities from one store to another is a regular practice for the retailer.

According to new research, mobile traffic reached almost 11% of the total traffic online in the third quarter of 2011. One year ago, it only accounted for 4%, which means that mobile traffic has grown by a stunning 173% over the past 12 months.

The study pointed out that one-third of all mobile traffic came from iPads in this period but the majority of sales were made on iPhones, which still remain the most common device for online shopping. However, figures for the third quarter show that tablet purchases gain on smartphone sales, which now account for 50% in total, compared to 60% last year.

iPod Touches registered the biggest drop in purchases. In 2010, 20% of all mobile sales came from iPad Touches, while in 2011 they accounted for just 3%.

The authors of the study explained that m-commerce habits are changing in 2011, with consumers preferring to research products online while they are in-store and then make their purchases online, too. A number of brands have already taken steps to encourage this trend by installing Wi-Fi in their shops.

The latest research indicates that mobile devices continue to increase their contribution to conversion, or generating a purchase, in the third quarter, with conversion rates reaching 6.6%, up from 1.9% in the same period last year.

YouGov’s annual BrandIndex measures how consumers perceive brands in six different categories: quality, value, customer satisfaction, general impression, corporate reputation and whether consumers are likely to recommend the brand. Then, an average score determines where the company is ranked in the index.

For the second year in a row Google, Amazon UK and M&S occupy the top three places as the best-performing brands.

On the whole, the top six contains the same brands as last year and there is only one brand in the top 20 which was not included in the previous rankings.

Google topped the league, with an index of just over 60, while Amazon came second with an index standing at 58.7 and M&S scored 54.6 in terms of consumer approval. Amazon was one of the three brands that saw improvement on their performance from last year, with Colgate and Cathedral City being the other two. Dove was the only new player in the BrandIndex research, managing to push Nokia out of the elite top 20 group.

Sarah Murphy, YouGov’s Associate Director for the BrandIndex, says that most of the leading UK brands have had to deal with a challenging 2011 and as a result very few have focused on improving their image in the eyes of consumers. However, despite the difficulties they faced, a number of brands have managed to register significant improvement of their index of consumer approval, including British Airways, Android and HTC, she notes.

On the whole, last year marked stable growth for most UK e-commerce brands, with an average increase of 16% on last year’s sales, the report says. Britons spent a total of £68bn on purchases online, with almost £8bn spent in December alone, up 16.5% on the same period in 2010. This growth seems even more impressive bearing in mind that sales over the Christmas period had increased a massive 25% in 2010 compared to the year before, Chris Webster, head of retail and vice president of Capgemini, comments.

However, the report predicts that growth in online retail will slow to 13% in 2012, with some £77bn likely to be spent online during the course of the year.

In 2011 e-commerce recorded positive development despite slow growth in spending on clothes at the end of the year. Sales in this category grew by just 12% in December from 40% in the last month, year-on-year. Health and beauty registered faster growth, as it went up by 63% compared to the previous December, while the home and garden sector saw a 45% rise on last year. Accessories also performed well, with sales rising 46%, the report reveals.