Social media is no longer confined to mysterious posts and pages on networks reserved for geeks and gurus - it's not even the next big thing, it's a chance for you to talk directly to the fans, customers and potential customers.

Leading digital sports agency Sotic announce their acquisition of a majority stake in design agency Byelateral and the formation of a new breed of design sports agency, Grip Creative

"The next generation will not need desk top PC's; the home office will be where they sit with all members of the family engaging with the outside world on hand held digital devices."

The tension is mounting in the Sotic Empire as the Rugby World Cup moves into the quarter final stages and we find ourselves torn between two clients.

Facebook has the capacity to turn your loyal offline fan base into an army of dedicated followers who are willing to help you market your brand.

To get the ball rolling you can create a simple strategy of activities that will allow you to connect and communicate with this engaged audience in a much more personal way. The following ideas would form an excellent starting point:

A QR (quick response) Code is similar to the bar code that you see on products in the supermarket. The difference being the QR code is 2D (a two dimensional matrix bar code) which means they can store significantly more data than a one dimensional bar code. This allows a QR code to link to lots of different sorts of data such as web sites and online promotions. Most smart phones now have apps that let you to read QR codes by scanning them with your phone's camera, allowing the QR code to deliver either specific text (such as contact details) or take you directly to a website or online voucher.

As the online environment has grown so too has the quantity of unwarranted communication which are sent to customers to the extent that for email communication with customers to be valuable tailored marketing has now become a must.

Astute individuals are becoming more selective about the information they want to receive and are choosing to opt out rather than be deluged with generic news where only a small proportion is of interest. Therefore sending targeted emails to select lists of people who have expressed a desire to know more on a particular subject is more likely to deliver results and fulfill your objectives.

The Rugby World Cup, taking place in New Zealand in September and October of 2011, will be a massive opportunity for all rugby playing nations to market the game to a much wider fan base.
Already countries across the globe are gearing up for the big event ... naming provisional squads ... arranging friendly fixtures ... and setting dates for their fans to see the kit they will wear in the tournament.