Hacking Apple

Apple’s new iPhone 5s comes with a fingerprint sensor, called TouchID. Apple says it promotes the use of the TouchID as an easy and secure way to protect information and privacy given that some 50% of smart phone users who do not secure access to their phone with a passcode. Its fingerprint sensor, built into the iPhone 5s is about the same thickness of a human hair.  The claimed accuracy for their software is that there is only a 1 in 50,000 chance of someone else’s fingerprint being mistaken for one which is registered in their system.

However, despite Apple’s lofty claims, it took only days before hackers in Germany had successfully foiled the TouchID. Using high res photographs, laser printing and a film of wood glue, they were able to create a fake fingerprint copy, enabling them to access the iPhone 5s with ease. 

But that should not come as a surprise. Fingerprint spoofing has been around for quite some time, and recipes for obtaining and faking fingerprints using little more than silicon and gelatine abound on the Internet. Apple’s TouchID is more difficult to hack because of the higher resolution and subsequent higher number of match points checked. But that does not mean their system is fool proof.

So while the TouchID is a reasonable way to protect non-confidential data, you should use multiple methods to secure confidential and high-worth data. Use a combination of fingerprint and passcode or other biometrics such as voice or facial recognition.

Apple may do well to look at how education giant Pearson ensures security at its testing centres. Pearson uses palm vein scanning, a biometric that is much more difficult to hack.  Combined with other security and identity processes, it ensures an extremely high level of confidence in their protocols. This is used in the delivery of a number of high stakes tests, including PTE Academic, a product that I was closely involved with, pre and post-launch, during my time with Pearson.

Facebook Zeitgeist

September 9th saw the rollout of a new suite of conversation mining tools by Facebook. Initially rolled out to select media partners including CNN, BSkyB and Slate, the Public Feed API allows media to integrate a real-time feed of publicly available posts matching keywords. Meanwhile, their media partners can gain rich insight on same using Facebook demographics through the Keyword Insights API.

Undoubtedly, this will not stop with media and content providers. Big brands are already eyeing up an opportunity and it cannot be long before the social media giant makes this suite of trend profiling tools available to the business world. That's one up on Twitter, then.

Global Digital Marketing and Cultural Dimensions - Part Two

Cultural differences pose challenges for international marketing as companies strive to acquire and retain customers.  An understanding and implementation of local needs is essential for success.

China

As a long-term oriented culture, long term relationship building is essential to building trust. Also as a collectivist culture, the influence of the group on consumer decision should not be underestimated. Friends and colleagues have more influence than advertisements or sales people. For younger Chinese, this influence is channeled through social networks. For western companies it could be very advantageous to engage with Chinese consumers in the Sina Weibo and Tencent QQ networks, building trust.  This is particularly pertinent to rolling out to mobile devices. Minimize existing customer attrition and contribute to increase the customer LTV through the use of contests, frequent giveaways etc, all targeting the Chinese customer base.

Brazil

As a collectivist and polychromic culture, social network exposure is high and is often live concurrent with other media.  Brazilians unsurprisingly claim a high number of online friends. Communication is subdued and works on likability. Engagement and entertainment with these consumers is key.

Turkey

Turkey ranks highly on both uncertainty avoidance and power distance.  The country also has one of the highest cross-segment internet usage penetrations in Europe although digital marketing activity often tends to be rudimentary but there are some brilliant campaigns happening. Clear but sophisticatedly-planned use of PPC around a broad keyword portfolio will reap rewards. 

Russia

Russia is high in uncertainty avoidance and power distance. Performance marketing needs to focus on broad keyword portfolio within key players Yandex and vKontakte while organic SEO remains  challenging with regional-specific search the norm.