In this month’s digital news roundup we discuss the importance of image search and new ways it will be introduced, new branding for John Lewis & Waitrose – with an advertisement nod to Queen. And we discuss some of the features on the new iOS 12.
Lens us a hand
Earlier this year, Pinterest and Google introduced ‘Lens’; a new visual search tool that detects objects from a user’s camera (or images from their galleries) and suggests related items on the platform.
The idea behind this feature is to give users an easier way to discover the things they’re inspired by in the world around them.
The introduction of the Lens feature, using related search, has led Pinterest and Google to update how their search results will be displayed. The results of a Lens search show the object searched for in context. For instance, if a certain pair of shoes were searched for, these would be shown in the results as part of an outfit, stylized in different ways.
It’s not just clothes and décor this feature works with, you can even Lens search an object such as an ingredient to find a recipe! Perhaps this means it’s time to put all those unused herbs & spices in the back of your cupboards to the test!
The feature is freely available on the Pinterest and Google Android and iOS app.
We’ve got an eye for it
Although Pinterest is leading the visual search revolution, they’re not the only ones who are investing in the increasingly popular use of visual search.
It’s reported that three-quarters of consumers feel that text-based keyword searches are inefficient in finding the product they want online. And with 90% of information transmitted to the brain in human processing being visual, it’s no surprise that technology is now adapting to this too.
There are multiple types of visual searches being used, a couple of the most popular include:
- Reverse Image Search – Pioneered by Google, this search is simply the act of searching for an exact image. This has predominantly been used by brands trying to find out if their company images have been used unauthorised.
- Filtered search – Another one of Pinterest’s bright ideas, this function focuses on filters such as colour and size to assist users in their search.
The next step in the visual search revolution is to not only be able to recognise objects within visual content but also to understand the context of it through its composition.
For Us, It’s Personal
In case you haven’t already seen, John Lewis and Waitrose jointly released a new marketing campaign earlier this month to reinforce their new visual identities since their rebrands to John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners.
The campaign ‘& Partners’, thought up by adam&eveDDB, aims to highlight the stories of their staff (the ‘partners’), to emphasise how they stand out from other retailing chains.
This was launched in the form of a new TV and cinema ad, first aired during the first episode of the new series of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4. The ad revolves around a primary school’s performance to Queen’s song, Bohemian Rhapsody, featuring the tagline ‘When you’re part of it, you put your heart into it’ to illustrate both retailers’ commitment to their employees and customers.
Whether or not you like the ad, it’s hard not to admit that it’s pretty eye-catching.
It’s that time of year again…
It’s that time of year when everyone’s iPhone suddenly starts to get slower… oh, and when Apple releases their next generation of iPhones and iOS software.
This time, Apple has unveiled three new models; the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, all of which will be pre-installed with the new iOS 12 software.
iOS 12 will come with two main new features:
- Time Management:
This feature will allow the user to track how much time they spend on their smartphone in a bid to tackle the growing tech addiction… through an application… on a piece of technology… seems legitimate?
- Measure App:
This feature will be in the form of an app to measure from point-to-point through the use of augmented reality. Discover all of the latest features here https://www.apple.com/uk/ios/ios-12/features/
Facebook's security breach
Last but not least, this month we saw that 50 million Facebook users accounts were compromised! The Irish Data Protection Commissions have opened an investigation, which could result in Facebook being fined up to $1.63bn.
The breach actually happened on the 24th of Septemeber, but the world only knew on Friday after the issue had been patched up. If you were one of the unlucky ones you may have woken up with Facebook asking you to re-login to your account, although there has been no formal instructions, it's better safe than sorry to change your passwords.
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