The Sparkbeat
Super Bowl commercials have always been hyped, but these days brands are looking beyond TV to reach American football fans before, during, and after the biggest sports event of the year. From pre-game contests to post-game hangouts, social media has… more
Q&A
Nora Young is the host of Spark, CBC Radio’s show about the influence of technology on everyday life. We spoke to her about the relationship between content and community, and why she finds game mechanics… more
2011 Roundup
It’s hard to believe, but 2011 has (almost) come and gone. The Arab Spring, paywalls, Steve Jobs, and Occupy Wall Street (not to mention a Royal Wedding) dominated headlines. Here’s how some of it looked through Sparksheet’s lens. more
The Sparkbeat
Major media outlets around the world – from The Guardian and La Vanguardia in Europe to The Huffington Post and Vanity Fair in the U.S. – have put out e-books this year. Most of these publications are neither repurposed magazine or newspaper… more
Publishing
E-books, audiobooks, Kindles and smartphones have revolutionized the way we read. But as platforms evolve, the stories they carry must change too. Wattpad’s Nina Lassam argues that when it comes to books, medium and message are intimately… more
The Sparkbeat
The first Asian edition of the Festival of Media Awards was held in Singapore last month. With Asia expected to become the world’s second largest advertising market by 2012, the event highlighted the region’s best campaigns. Johnnie Walker was… more
The Content Revolution
Slow Food. Slow Cities. Slow Content. Invoking the late Steve Jobs, Spafax Content Director Arjun Basu argues it’s time for content creators and conference-goers to stop worrying about trends and start doing good work. more
The Sparkbeat
Next year, YouTube will launch roughly 100 channels in collaboration with entertainment heavyweights like Madonna, Ashton Kutcher and Emmy-nominated producer Anthony Zuiker (CSI). A couple of major production companies are linked to the new online… more
The Sparkbeat
It seems like we can’t avoid the small screen these days. Even if you’ve ditched your TV because you watch shows on your laptop or iPad, you’re bound to see TV screens in thousands of restaurants, stores and even doctors’ offices. These… more
Luxury Brands
How do luxury brands stay hip to the web without ruining their hyper-exclusive image? Zeroing in on Burberry, Hermès and LVMH, Aliyah Shamsher discovers why some brands succeed while others simply go out of style. more