BLABradio?!

No we're not launching a new radio station using some free online software.

Today I got a surprising phone call from Rodney Vassallo at XFM, who was interested to know more about XFM’s top position in this blog’s interactive highlights of 2007. As you may know BLAB is compiled and read by a number of media and marketing enthusiast. At the end of 2007, we had looked back at the online ideas originating from local brands. In our (humble) opinion, XFM’s Virtual Rockstar topped the list due to it being a first and also generating extensive YouTube views. As said, BLABinteractive is run by enthusiasts and not experts, even though we do our share of research and looking around. You may not agree with our top list of highlights…and please feel free to differ (You may also comment about it if you wish)

Too much to digest on the local web

This week a number of local websites have been redesigned completely.

#1: www.xfmmalta.com

BLAB! had predicted this would be the first local website to get a 'face lift'. The new full screen XFM website is all nice and flashy. Layout was designed by the girls at Lab1977 who also designed the Virtual Model micro site. New features include movie trailers and podcasts.

#2: www.maltarightnow.com

maltarightnow.com was also given a new look today. New features include an appropriate Maltese font and an English version of all the pages. Media.link has also redesigned both Radio101 and NetTv websites. A highlight is the launch of another website dedicated to 'In-Nazzjon' and 'Il-Mument' newspapers. The interesting thing about the latter is that it is not another news portal but a soft copy of the actual newspaper layout viewed using macromedia flash player.

I can BLAB extensively about all these new spaces in the online web yet I'd really like to get to know what my loyal readers and friends think about all this. Only then I will add BLAB's initial thoughts.

traditional media going online all the time

XFMmalta.com will soon be getting a new look and feel. We promise to review it as soon as it happens. In the mean time, timesofmalta.com has just launched a music section were local music is reviewed. The section also includes 30 second demos of each song!

Radio goes online again!

The XFM Virtual Model Competition is back this year together with Nestle Fitness. I've just spotted this on the radio's website which some say will also be the first to get a facelift this year. XFM has also invested in another online space, solely dedicated to the Virtual Model competition: www.xfmvirtualmodel.com. Sponsors include Pink Magazine and Hot Couture which also sponsored the competition last year. New sponsors include RyanAir and San Gorg Corinthia Hotel. Ironically, Apple Ipod is not sponsoring the event. A minor suggestion which BLAB would put forward is the use of the very well designed Kiwilicious.com which was launched to promote the competition last year.

2007 Highlights

Below I would like to draw up my list of 2007 highlights of the local interactive and marketing worlds:

#1: Virtual Competitions
In 2007, XFM gave us The Virtual Model and Virtual Rock Star Competitions. The online audience had to vote for their favorite model or band. The winning model got a front page on Pink Magazine whilst the winning rock star got to record her own song, a photoshoot in London (and much more exposure locally). Bands/Artists had to post their home-made video. Some of user-generated content did get some good viewing (ex. Slur - 1,939 views; Drive - 1,249 views; Elisa - 2,141 views)

#2: You - syndrome
On a similar note, Vodafone (Malta) has come up with 'The Face of Vodafone' campaign. In this same year, UK's teen magazine Shout launched a campaign to search for a teen fashion model. The campaign was managed by Miller, the local distributors of Shout magazine.

#3: PM discusses budget online
This was the year in which the Prime Minister (of Malta) discussed politics through an online forum. The budget2008 website has been given a lot of attention in all media. Politics apart, I believe this was a highlight (especially because we did it before The Queen posted her first video on YouTube!). This gets me to the second highlight:

#4: Facebook Malta
The local acknowledgment of online channels also results in a number of important people having their own facebook profile. Apart from the music artists such as Ira, Wintermoods and Salt (my band), a number of MPs also have their own facebook profile. 13,753 have joined the Malta network and that still excludes me and a couple of other lazy people who still plan to join later.

#5: Lamp-post advertising!
In the past 3 years, FacesDisplays introduced bus-shelter advertising in Malta. In 2007, our lamp-posts are also holding promotional banners, similar to the Chogm ones. Brands who have started using the service include Rocs & Inglott, KFC, Burger King & SG Solutions (Apple)

#6: Juice, You and ME
The list of free magazines continued to grow. In March Juice Magazine hit households. The magazine's 160,000 copies are printed in Milan by In-Print. Maltapost also continued to invest in its Direct Marketing services through Mailbox magazine published by 26thFrame. Design magazine ME got its online space at medesignmag.com. Health & Beauty magazine, You, also launched in 2007. The magazine is distributed with The Sunday Times.

#7: 2 Covers, 1 magazine
Tune-in also came up with a first for the local publishing industry. To promote 89.7 Bay's Abel and Elinor, Tune-in published 2 versions of the magazine on the same Sunday. Readers could choose between getting Abel or Elinor on the front page. My household got Elinor!

#8: Shu!
Exit launched Shu! store. The store design was in the creative hands of Chris Briffa Architects. In 2006, Exit and Chris Briffa have also worked together on the 2-22 wine bar, also situated in Valletta.

#9: New / Revamped websites in 2007
I surely did not come across all the local websites which were launched or revamped in 2007, but here are some I know of, and have also blabbed about: GO.com.mt, Timesofmalta.com, Di-ve.com, klikk.com.mt & Kiwilicious.com

#10: I started blogging
And finally, in 2007 we also launched our mini-project which is still at its early stages...and started blabbing on this blog.

HotCouture does it again!

For the second consecutive year, HotCouture has teamed up with a local radio station to choose its campaign model. Last year HotCouture had chosen Eleanor, winner of Bay Radio's Dream Job competition. This year, it was XFM's Virtual Rockstar winner Ann de Gaetano (a.k.a. Slur) who featured in the campaign.

The concept of using 'success stories' such as Elinor and Ann de Gaetano goes in line with "You too can be a star", HotCouture's slogan. The whole thing provides a nice story which the girls may talk about and connect with!

Photographer Alexandra Pace and her team were behind this year's photoshoot, the making of which may be seen on her latest blog post. Final product also featured in Pink Magazine today.