Brand Thunder and “Full Speed 2 a Cure” Create a Custom Browser Designed to Improve Awareness and Early Detection of Breast Cancer by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS, OH — August 28, 2009 — Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the custom browser specialists, announced today an agreement with racecar driver Emerson Newton-John’s “Full Speed 2 a Cure” motorsport cancer awareness campaign (http://www.fullspeed2acure.com) to deliver a custom browser Boom!. The launch of the Boom! coincides with a special auction for a keepsake Gladiator GarageWorks Workbench signed by all 33 drivers from the 2009 Indianapolis 500 and in order of their pole position. All proceeds from the auction benefit “Cure Breast Cancer” (http://www.curebreastcancer.org )

Users of the Boom! can participate in the auction and provide other support through the multimedia sidebar. Other features of the Boom! include an audio greeting from Olivia Newton-John, asking woman to perform monthly self-breast exams, plus links to the sites of ONJ, renowned breast cancer surgeon Dr. Ernie Bodai, Larry Foyt and more. Brand Thunder’s browser customizations provide a more persistent connection to users whenever they are connected to the Internet, regardless of the web page they are viewing, making them an ideal component for the “Full Speed 2 a Cure” campaign.

“I’m not aware of anyone who doesn’t have a personal story about cancer and its affect on their lives,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder. “Knowing that some of our product features can contribute in a meaningful way to people’s lives is wonderful.”

“Thanks to Brand Thunder for their hard work on what we all believe will be an informative and enjoyable way for people to learn about our campaign, our partners, and the importance of early detection,” said Emerson Newton-John, founder and principle of “Full Speed 2 a Cure.”

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality. Users can switch real-time between any installed Booms!, or change from a full Boom! view to a small Boom! (toolbar only).

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Contact:
Patrick Murphy, CEO
Brand Thunder, LLC
614-304-1316

###

Posted in News, Press Releases | Tags: boom, brand thunder, brandthunder, Breast cancer, Cancer, custom browser, Emerson Newton-John, Health, Olivia Newton-John | No Comments »

Brand Thunder and the Lingerie Football League Bring True Fantasy Football to the Internet Browser by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS, OH — August 26, 2009 — Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the custom browser specialists, announced today the launch of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) browser Boom!, a visual browser takeover designed to bring LFL fans closer to the league action. It is available for download at http://www.lflus.com.

With the launch of the new league less than a month away, fans can feed their excitement and stay engaged with the LFL, and its teams, right in their Internet browser whenever they are online. The LFL Boom! features two looks, Garter and Lace, each combines the aggressive graphical styling of the league complemented with images of some of its star athletes. Fans will also have easy access to team homepages, tickets, schedules, the official league store, a live Twitter feed and links to LFL’s Facebook and MySpace pages.

“The Lingerie Football League will provide unprecedented online access to our fans who are incredibly technology driven. Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! will be an essential fan-engagement tool for the LFL and part of our many social media offering,” said Mitchell S. Mortaza, Founder & Chairman, Lingerie Football League. “We felt it was a natural product to offer our fans as the first LFL season approaches.”

“It’s great to be a part of the LFL’s inaugural season,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder. “We’re focused on helping the LFL attract and connect with a new fan base.”

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality. Users can switch real-time between any installed Booms!, or change from a full Boom! view to a small Boom! (toolbar only), all without restarting the browser.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Contact:
Patrick Murphy, CEO
Brand Thunder, LLC
614-304-1316

###

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The Digital Marketing Mix – The Why’s the Limit by Kevin Dwinnell

Last week, Kendall Allen discussed remaining innovative with marketing in tough economic times. See her post “Relationships And The Progressive Digital Mix” on MediaPost’s Online Spin. Andrew Chen, who supplies supporting analysis with most of his posts, covered part one of his thoughts on “How desktop apps beat websites at building large active userbases” in his post yesterday. I think they’ve both made some important points and their posts are worth the read.

While I love to see others endorse the marketplace where Brand Thunder plays, however, it’s not been the value proposition that’s been the most consistent objection. It’s the perceived limitations of how much a company can do and can offer their customers at one time. The most consistent objection we hear is “I’m already doing this. Why would we need that as well?” Because when you can meet your consumer where they want with little expense and time, you should do it. Doing only one thing this year is leaving too much opportunity on the table.

I’m wagering that most companies and customers can handle more than one digital media initiative a year. I understand the issue of resource constraints (believe me! I understand) but there are a lot of low cost options for you to release a bonanza of new media programs without a significant drain on your time or resources. In most cases, if you have your logo digitized and have initiated a handful of common practices, like RSS feeds for your news, you can launch a number of these programs within weeks — and that’s whether you use one of the self-serve wizards available for a number of digital media tools, or a low-cost, low-touch option like Brand Thunder brings. You can bring several tools to your audience in a reasonable amount of time.

If you’re launching one, you may as well launch more. The promotional and hosting commitment is going to be the same. This is where I see potential upside for companies. With the influx of advertising networks, it’s easier to be in a “sold out” position for promotional real estate and house promotions are the general casualty. Leveraging promotions to drive users to a single download destination on your site will make better use of the limited inventory and you can offer them a robust range of applications.

So, as you look at your digital marketing road map, I encourage you to reshape the questions being asked. Instead of why your customer would want it. Ask why you wouldn’t give them what they want. The difference can mean a lot in terms of how often you’re connecting with your audience.

Posted in Commentary | Tags: advertising, brand thunder, custom browsers, Customer value proposition, desktop widgets, Digital media, marketing, MediaPost, toolbars, web apps, widgets | No Comments »

Brand Thunder Signs with WeatherBug to Bring Integrated Weather Content to Custom Browsers by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS, OH — August 20, 2009 — Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the custom browser specialists, announced today an agreement to include WeatherBug content within its branded browser experiences.

Brand Thunder reworks the visual style of a browser theme to match the colors, logos and imagery of its partners while also adding content and functionality to the browser. Brand Thunder now includes WeatherBug content as part of its capabilities portfolio enabling clients to better tune their customized browsers to the needs of their end users. Through the WeatherBug API, Brand Thunder can integrate weather into virtually any location on the browser; ensure the appearance works within the unique design of each browser; and provide one-click access to the full extent of WeatherBug content on WeatherBug.com.

“We’re pleased to have a premier brand, like WeatherBug, as our partner,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder. “Weather impacts so many daily decisions, from simply deciding what to wear, to whether to act on the browser alert about recently released tickets to the next Major League Soccer game. I’m glad this is now available as an option for our users and clients.”

“Brand Thunder provides a great affinity product for both its users and clients. The inclusion of weather is a logical extension of its value proposition and we’re proud to bring our live local weather to the platform,” said Alan George, Director of Business Development for WeatherBug.

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality. Users can switch real-time between any installed Booms!, or change from a full Boom! view to a small Boom! (toolbar only), all without restarting the browser.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Contact:
Patrick Murphy, CEO
Brand Thunder, LLC
614-304-1316

###

Posted in News, Press Releases | Tags: brand thunder, Brand Thunder Boom, Branded Browser, custom browser, WeatherBug | No Comments »

Help Your Customer, Help Yourself by Kevin Dwinnell

Brand Thunder received some nice coverage over at Folio Magazine yesterday. The story focused on our latest release for the Columbus Dispatch and some technical benefits we added behind the scenes to make the product more useful to Dispatch readers and ultimately The Dispatch itself. I encourage you to read the Folio story and get their take on the work we’ve done.

What we did was enhance search queries made from the browser so that Dispatch content related to the query is presented in a news block at the top of the search results page. It’s not intrusive, it’s presented respectfully and it’s a true value add. Dispatch readers will more easily find Dispatch content, and getting more readers into its online content is what helps The Dispatch.

I like it because it’s a concrete example of marketing using new media. I get lost in all the discussions around social media and how brands need to become part of the discussion. What does that mean? (I know there are a lot of great blogs that discuss this, but the information falls out of my head the moment I leave the site.) I feel we’ve delivered a good example of helping our client’s community, satisfying a need of that community and seeing our client benefit from it. I also think it’s closer to what the social media experts want when they say “engage your community” and less on the side of the conversion marketers who are driving clicks and sales.

Another real world example is Woot. They do a great job on their shirt.woot.com site. The community designs t-shirts based on a topic provided by Woot. The user generated designs are voted on by the community and the top ones are made into t-shirts ($10 + free s&h). It provides a creative outlet and recognition for designers. It’s fun, even for the casual observer like me. And for Woot, it’s a fantastic model for keeping the community active and coming back. You know they’re going to sell some shirts along the way. Woot creates entertainment for its visitors, helps designers with exposure and generates revenue directly from it.

If you know a little about the history of Woot, you know they have killer writing and very active discussion boards. When Woot first launched, each night there was a race to make the first page of comments. You can see how that became the springboard for looking at other ways to engage their community and still stay true to their commerce mission.

We do have the benefit of leveraging the brand affinity between our client and their customer. That provides a lens through which we can view our products and benefits. “Our customers have expressed a connection to this brand by downloading our Boom!. Is there an opportunity to super serve them by knowing about that relationship?” The ideas and opportunities flow from there. So what unique feature can you leverage to help better serve the needs of your audience? And what do you possess that will help your customer with their needs? From that point, you just might see your next opportunity.

Posted in Commentary, News | Tags: brand thunder, browser boom, Columbus Dispatch, custom browser, folio magazine, Internet forum, marketing, Woot | No Comments »

Brand Thunder and Columbus Dispatch Deliver First Daily Newspaper Browser Experience by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS, OH — August 19, 2009 — Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the custom browser specialists, announced today the availability of the Columbus Dispatch Boom!. The first product of its kind to serve the audience of a daily newspaper, this browser add-on is designed to strengthen relationships and enhance loyalty between The Columbus Dispatch and its readers and subscribers.

The Dispatch Boom, available at http://www.dispatch.com, customizes the user’s Internet experience by enabling seamless and fast access to Dispatch news stories and content. Users will find links to key sections in the paper, a newsreader and a sidebar with news summaries for the Buckeyes and Blue Jackets plus tools for reaching The Dispatch and managing subscriptions. It also features the Surf Canyon search enhancement to help users find Dispatch coverage of news and events. Any search for news terms, regardless of the search service being used, will return Dispatch stories at the top of the results page helping users to quickly find their paper’s coverage of a story. The Boom! offers two distinct looks: one with a view of the Columbus skyline and the other with a look into the ‘Shoe, Ohio State University’s football stadium.

“There’s strong appeal to reading the morning paper and there’s an equally strong desire for the immediacy of news over the Internet,” said Phil Pikelny, Vice President for Dispatch Digital & Chief Marketing Officer at The Dispatch Printing Company. “A Brand Thunder custom browser is a great way for our readers to stay informed when online.”

“The browser offers several ways to get breaking news to users, which makes it ideal for a newspaper and its readers,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder, noting that Dispatch.com is the No. 1 local Web site in the Columbus market. “We’re happy to serve our hometown paper which we hope will be only the first among many newspapers to offer this exciting software to their readers and subscribers.”

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight, active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Posted in News, Press Releases | Tags: brand thunder, Brand Thunder Boom, Branded Browser, brandthunder, Columbus Dispatch, custom browser, Surf Canyon | No Comments »

How to Write Better Headlines and Multiply Your Traffic by Kevin Dwinnell

I wish I could offer all the advice you need in this one post. Fortunately, the “How to” portion is only a click away. Copyblogger has a great series titled “How to Write Magnetic Headlines” and it’s worth your time to study. If you’re really feeling time pressed, then check out Stuart Brown’s “How to Write Great Headlines.”

I’m having you start with the headlines because I’m making the assumption you’re already producing some kind of content. I’m also assuming that if you’re one of our clients, or want to be, you have an audience you’re trying to engage with your content. If you’re not using well-crafted headlines, you’re missing a big opportunity.

Whether you’re using one of our browser Booms!, a toolbar, widget or simply an RSS feed, your news and content is the everyday reminder for your audience to return to your site. A great headline can be the difference between curiosity and a click. We’ve seen it with the click-through in our Booms!. When the news ticker is used, it captures a good percentage of overall clicks from the browser. For the clients who have compelling headlines, the traffic volume can be significant.

I’m just using our product as a reference point. Regardless of the vehicle being used by the consumer, if they’ve downloaded an app or subscribed to your RSS feed, they’ve demonstrated their commitment to what you provide. It’s to your mutual benefit to entice them with well-written headlines.

Fortunately for you, if you’re not doing this today, RSS is the common delivery mechanism. It is not a major development effort, but it can be leveraged across multiple apps and feed readers making it a major driver of traffic. If you’re already using RSS, then make sure your headline-writing skills are polished. You can improve your results several times by moving the quality of your headlines from mediocre to good.

Posted in Commentary | Tags: brand thunder, Brand Thunder Boom, Branded Browser, Copyblogger, custom browser, Feed Readers, RSS, Syndication and Feeds | No Comments »

Brand Thunder Brings a Little Fun to Custom Browsers with Come2Play by Brand Thunder

COLUMBUS, OH (PRWEB) August 13, 2009– Brand Thunder LLC (http://www.brandthunder.com), the custom browser specialists, announced today an agreement to distribute Come2Play games within its custom browser experiences.

Brand Thunder’s browser customizations provide marketers with a more persistent connection to their customer whenever they are connected to the Internet and regardless of the web page they are viewing. The company’s growing client list includes the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, the NBA’s Orlando Magic, the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, Universal Music Group, NYC’s Hot97 Hip Hop and R&B radio station and more. The addition of Come2Play will offer more incentive for the user to interact with the browser’s content for extended periods of time. Come2Play games can be made available from the browser toolbar or integrated into the browser’s multimedia sidebar.

“Come2Play has demonstrated a remarkable ability to create engagement and improve retention,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder. “Engagement and retention is core to the value proposition of our customized browsers as well and we think Come2Play will enhance that value even more.”

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality. Users can switch real-time between any installed Booms!, or change from a full Boom! view to a small Boom! (toolbar only), all without restarting the browser.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at http://brandthunder.com/gallery/.

Posted in Press Releases | Tags: brand th, brand thunder, Brand Thunder Boom, Branded Browser, come2play, custom browser | No Comments »

Brand Thunder CEO Talks Grass Roots Marketing – Aug 11 Only by Kevin Dwinnell

Mind Your Bizness is an online radio & TV show focusing on “EduTaining” content for entrepreneurs and microbusinesses. Host Danielle Hampson interviews Patrick Murphy on using Grass Roots Marketing to Reach Top-Tier Clients. Interview runs August 11, 2009 only. Listen here: http://www.mindyourbizness.com/

Posted in News | Tags: brand thunder, custom browser, Internet radio | No Comments »

Brand Thunder and House of Blues Bring the Spotlight of the Stage to the Internet Browser by Patrick Murphy

Brand Thunder, the custom browser specialists, announced today an agreement with House of Blues to deliver a customized Internet browser experience that celebrates the music and art it brings to its fans.

Experiencing House of Blues is a true event from the top-name music acts, to the eclectic mix of folk art to the Southern-inspired dining. Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! bring that kind of immersive experience to the Internet browser. A Boom! is unlike other browser-based tools with its visual takeover of the browser, integrated toolbar for content and functionality, plus the multimedia sidebar for videos, photos and more. The House of Blues browser Boom! is expected this September.

“House of Blues is a great fusion of cultural and musical influences,” said Patrick Murphy, founder and CEO of Brand Thunder. “It’s going to be fun applying Brand Thunder’s browser technology to extend the experience to their fans online, and done so in a way that maintains the spirit of diversity that lives throughout their company.”

Brand Thunder’s browser Booms! are free, lightweight active customizations that can include themes, toolbars, sidebars and other content or functionality. Users can switch real-time between any installed Booms!, or change from a full Boom! view to a small Boom! (toolbar only), all without restarting the browser.

About Brand Thunder:
Formed in April 2007, Brand Thunder creates custom-browser experiences. Brands enjoy a more persistent connection to their Internet consumer through the custom browser Boom!, which increases website visits and revenue. Through a software installation, end users change the look and feel of their Internet browser into an immersive experience from their favorite sports team, entertainment franchise or Internet site. The custom browser Booms! feature official logos, colors, content and functionality, but can also extend capabilities including video, music players or other Internet widgets. Current business partners and clients include the Huffington Post, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Universal Music and Yahoo!. Samples found at Brand Thunder’s Gallery.

About House of Blues:
Founded in 1992, this dynamic company with soul, spirit and vision was acquired by Live Nation in November of 2006. With 13 branded clubs, including Atlantic City, Anaheim, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Diego, each House of Blues club features live music, Southern-inspired cuisine in an eclectic environment celebrating the African American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art. www.houseofblues.com

Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »