Yes, that’s sarcasm in the title. Here’s the latest: over 85,000 iPhone apps available, 10,000 apps for Android devices, 80 for Palm, and who knows how many for BlackBerry (update: someone heard me, it’s 2,500 apps).

As of right now, there isn’t a Brands category in any of these app stores and I don’t foresee that ever happening (wouldn’t really make sense anyway). As more big brands release mobile apps, it’s becoming harder to keep track of who is doing what.

So I created a Google spreadsheet to try and organize all these apps in one place. I’ve decided to only focus on the iPhone for now, but should be moving on to the rest soon if there is interest. I’m also probably missing a lot of apps right now but this will, of course, be an ongoing (and hopefully collaborative) effort.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE GOOGLE SPREADSHEET

Some trends

1. Out of the 200+ apps listed so far, only about 15 have an average rating of 4 stars or better
2. AndroLib shows 64% of all Android apps are rated 4 stars or better. Are branded apps in general worse or just on the iPhone? As soon as I build the Android list, we should have a better idea
3. In general, it’s pretty obvious the total number of ratings should be a good indicator of the apps overall popularity (not downloads)
4. The biggest category by far is Lifestyle, News being the second
5. Brands are consistently improving apps because I rarely noticed an average overall rating that was lower than the latest version’s rating
6. Not surprisingly, free dominates branded apps (about 90%)
7. Top 5 most rated apps: Facebook, Zippo, Barclaycard, Weather Channel, and Google

Update: Steve Smith from MediaPost’s Mobile Insider wrote a great article titled Your Brand App Hit Parade that references my spreadsheet. Make sure to check it out if you didn’t come from there.

Please let me know what branded apps are missing by using this form or send me a reply on Twitter @jsmakr with the brand/app name.

YouTube has had many unexpected uses through the years, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted it would be used for public CEO apologies. Who wouldn’t agree that it’s one of the many great ways for a major brand to respond quickly to negative PR online?

Below are 5 (update: now 6, thanks Consumerist) CEO video apologies that I found on YouTube after doing a quick search. A couple of these examples were also mentioned in more detail in a book called Tactical Transparency (pg. 100-104), which is what led to this post.

Domino’s

In case you haven’t already heard, this video was posted shortly after a unappetizing video was posted by two store employees which quickly went viraaaaaal and led to a PR crisis for Domino’s. The apology by CEO Patrick Doyle currently has 754k views, which is by far the most out of all these examples.

JetBlue

The second largest number of views (currently at 361k) belongs to a video posted by JetBlue’s former CEO David Neeleman after the company had a very bad week. This apology mostly got positive responses because it seemed to be the most genuine and unscripted. This apology letter was also posted on the their website.

KFC

KFC President Roger Eaton had to try and calm people down after a free meal coupon was promoted on Oprah and things quickly got out of hand. The original apology video has been removed since then and KFC did a really good job of making sure the it was off the internet (please let me know if you find it). Since I cannot embed the video, here is a screenshot instead:

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Mattel

It wouldn’t be a toy company if they didn’t have to recall their toys at one point in time. Unfortunately for Mattel it was three recalls in just four weeks. The original apology video by CEO Bob Eckert was also removed but this study on believability below highlights the original clip while showing the results of the study.

Maple Leaf Foods

Summary: a major food processing company that had to apologize for bacteria in their food products which actually lead to people dying. It has only received 74k views so far probably because it’s the lowest profile brand out of these 5 but I’m still surprised because it seemed like a very serious health and PR case.

(Update) American Airlines

The Consumerist was kind enough to point out another apology that I missed from American Airlines’ CEO Jim Goodwin. This one is short.

Other

Two honorable mentions which would have definitely made it to this list if they were also in the form of video apologies: Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos apologizing after the remote deletion of Orwell’s 1984 book from all Kindles and Motrin’s ad targeted toward mom’s that badly backfired. Instead all we got was this short message board post from Jeff Bezoz and a short written apology from Motrin posted on its website.

Any others that I missed? Leave a comment or let me know on Twitter @jsmakr.

While I am a big fan of everything digital/social media, it was refreshing to come across something from a group of very smart marketing people which did not focus on it being the answer to everything.

Let’s start with:

We must approach our fans—our friends—on a level that gets to the root of shared passion. It’s not about the product—it’s what the product allows your customers to do. How it enhances their lives. (pg. 4)

Identifying and getting to know your customers and why they started using your product or service should be common sense for any business. Chances are they have valuable opinions and genuinely want to see you improve, but they just didn’t want to participate in a one-way feedback method like a boring form or a survey which most people don’t believe is taken seriously anyway.

Influence can be made – passion can’t. (pg. 5)

Sure people that have built big followings online can get your message out quicker, but that won’t start a movement. It’s easy for brands to get attracted to a marketing campaign that brings them lots of short-term PR attention. That may work for certain situations, but they should always be thinking about how they can start working on something more meaningful that will bring them long-term benefits.

Although I haven’t even owned a Volkswagen in 3 years, I am still a regular visitor and actively participate in a VW community I joined over 8 years ago (even before I bought my first car). Like most of the other members, I share a passion for all cars (not just VW’s) which I why I still go back regularly. What I like about online forums is no matter how many posts or how long you’ve been a member, everyone is equally influential when they voice their opinion.

Companies are made up of people. And people are fallible. The ones that admit this win. (pg. 6)

The last time you saw a company admit to a mistake, did you think worse or better of them? My level of respect definitely goes up when I see a company is willing to admit to their mistakes and how they are actually learning from them to prevent them from happening again. A recent example of this was when Jeff Bezos from Amazon.com apologized right on the company’s forums for a mistake that affected owners of a certain book that was taken off their Kindle’s without permission. Take a look at all the positive feedback he got (even from unaffected customers).

As great as all the Twitters and Facebooks and MySpaces and blogs and message boards and digital do-dads are, they will never, ever replace the power of shaking someone’s hand, looking them in the eye, getting kindred spirits in the room (or better yet, at your brand’s Mecca), laughing together, getting a drink, sitting at the dinner table—whatever. (pg. 8)

This is an important reminder for brands and agencies to try and link their digital strategy back to the real world. If they are successful, that real life experience people will have with the brand and other passionate customers will go a long way. The same advice is true when it comes to job hunting as I was reminded after recently coming across this article in AdAge. I also agree with Dave Fleet how we sometimes become a little too obsessed with social media ROI.

Reward people with recognition. (pg. 9)

The idea here is that people would rather be recognized for being loyal and important to the brand rather than just be given material rewards. Some of my favorite brands are the ones that regularly perform small and simple customer appreciation gestures without even being asked, and not necessarily just refunds and free products. Virgin, Amazon, Apple, Zappos are just a few that have become known for this (although they certainly aren’t perfect either).

Small business entrepreneur’s seem to be the most passionate when it comes to their own company’s success and it’s not surprising that I keep reading about more CEO’s making time to interact directly with their customers – time that I’m sure they will always agree was well spent. People love recognition and that will never change.

An increase in sales is a byproduct of a movement. (pg. 9)

I am a big believer than nothing worthwhile ever comes easy and the same will always be true when thinking about a potential movement.

Also check out this review on Conversation Age. Photo credit.

Before you read further, watch the demo video if you haven’t yet:

Download it here (iTunes link). I personally paid for a few similar apps a while back and have since removed them because I found them confusing and they really didn’t help me easily answer the big question, “What is a new drink I can order or make instead of the usual?” I’m pretty sure almost anybody that drinks and who isn’t a bartender has this problem.

Drinkspiration does a better job at helping you answer that question and at the same time it went above and beyond by adding several other social and location-based features which really sets it apart.

The number one complaint we’ve been seeing lately from developers is the challenge of app exposure now that it’s very crowded in every category. Until there are changes made, the most obvious answer to that question is to create something worthwhile for the user with unique features that are worth talking about. Of course that’s easier said than done.

What Drinkspiration does right…

1. Useful functionality

This app solves that common problem among drinkers in several different ways. Some features also leverage the iPhone’s built-in GPS and other available API’s. The different options that are presented allow you to get drink suggestions based on things like your location, desired taste/color of the drink, the time of day, the weather, liquor type, glass type, and even the type of bar vibe.

They also included two other unique options: see what other people are ordering in real-time across the world (I am 99% sure they got this idea from the popular Ocarina app but there is no harm in that) & recommend a drink by background volume (my favorite one that worked well when I tested it).

2. Well designed user interface

A must IMO for any iPhone app to be taken seriously.

3. Social network optimized

Linking to Twitter and Facebook worked as expected (except it got my location wrong but I don’t think that’s Absolut’s fault). One small change I would make: the Facebook status should also be updated so it says “I just had an Old Vic” like it does on Twitter or else your friends will be probably be confused.

I do like how they link all updates to absolutdrinks.com, the online version of the app where you can search, browse, and find more tips on how to mix the drinks.

If only they would have figured out a way to hook up with the already popular Foursquare app, that would have put the app over the top.

4. Good app name

Drinking + finding the inspiration to try something new = Drinkspiration.

5. Free download

There might be a few other exceptions but for the most part, people won’t bother paying for a clearly branded app. One of the exceptions might be paying for subscription based apps from magazines or newspapers that will have frequently updated content (and most likely replace a paper subscription).

Other Thoughts

Some of the early reviews for Drinkspiration on iTunes aren’t so great but it looks like they are mainly from people who are pointing out some of the bugs that Absolut will likely fix with future versions. I did notice it crashed on me a few times but that’s usually the case with a lot of the new and complex apps I try these days. Besides the iTunes store, the mentions on Twitter for Drinkspiration have been very good.

I imagine that Absolut will create the same app for Android, Palm and maybe even BlackBerry sometime in the near future (Update: already plans to release an Android version as this article points out). They created an app that people will likely show off to friends at the bar which will lead to more downloads. There is a huge opportunity for a major beer company to create something similar for the beer category. I’m also wondering since Bluetooth enabled accessories will be a huge part of the iPhone market very soon if it would be possible for Absolut to develop an iPhone breathalyzer which would allow you to blow into it and display your blood alcohol level within the app.

Let me know your thoughts on this or any other recent examples of branded apps which you thought were well-done. Some others that come to mind right now are Dunkin Donut’s Dunkin Run, Oakley’s Surf Report, Charmin’s sponsored SitorSquat and Kraft’s iFood.

What I’d like to summarize as best as I can in this post is what Palm is doing online to engage with potential early adopters and long-time loyal Palm fans (which there are many of). I believe Palm could be considered a Prom King Brand, which advertising consultant Alan Wolk describes as a brand that people don’t mind “conversing” with. I think that alone has simply been the biggest factor in helping Palm successfully grow an online following.

Here are 7 things I noticed they are doing very well:

1. The Official Palm Blog

The blog looks to be managed by Palm’s Director of Online Communications, Jon Zilber and Palm’s PR agency, Edelman. It is updated a couple times a week, just enough to keep people coming back and interested. There are great discussions going on beneath most entries where Palm fans voice their opinions and seek answers to Pre questions (which usually get answered).

In Rohit Bhargava’s latest book, Personality Not Included, he refers to a great example of a Moleskine blog that was started by one passionate Moleskine customer, or what he calls an “accidental spokesperson” (pg. 59). Moleskine didn’t realize it would make sense for them to have a blog until one was started. The blog owner was later hired to officially continue his efforts for the brand. It’s obvious that a blog makes sense for Palm, especially since there are already several “unofficial” blogs out there that are doing very well. This official blog gives them better control over the information and rumors that are released about their own products.

The only thing I would suggest is for Palm to make it easier for visitors to share the content via Digg, Twitter, and Delicious.

2. Facebook Fan Page

The fan page is currently approaching 7,500 fans which is a solid start but still way behind BlackBerry which has 135,000 fans. The newsfeed is regularly updated with links to developing Palm news (even on other sites) and other online media. The Discussion board is very active and is used frequently to have featured Palm employees answer fan questions (where the accompanying blog entry directs you). Comments and Likes are common on most newsfeed items which makes it obvious the fans love the constant updates.

3. @Palm Twitter Profile

The Twitter profile appears to be for many purposes. The profile bio sums it up nicely, “Stay connected with Palm and learn about news, products, tips and tricks, deals and more.” Addressing customer support issues is another way they are using Twitter. What caught my attention was how well they are using their blog, Facebook, and Twitter together to host conversations and spread new content.

When asked about who handles the account, the reply was:

I think that will change after the Pre launches and the account grows along with Twitter.

4. Pre YouTube Channel

No need to go anywhere else, these videos straight from Sprint and Palm offer plenty of in-depth demonstrations of how the Pre will function and improve your mobile life. Apple did something similar for the iPhone but did it directly on Apple.com. Posting the videos on YouTube allows them to spread easily online by allowing people to embed them wherever they want. YouTube videos also tend to rank very high in Google search results.

5. Pre-Launch Pre Buzz

It’s becoming more common to see a brand highlight and try to aggregate all the buzz going on online in one location. Skittles drew a lot of attention to their site recently when they redesigned their homepage to link to Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and Facebook. If you head over to the Pre homepage on Sprint’s website, they are doing something similar but keeping it all on one page. I think this site also aligns nicely with their recent What’s Happening advertising campaign that got a lot of attention.

6. Become a Real Reviewer

The Real Reviewers program is a great way to give back to the online community by creating an opportunity for die hard fans to get their hands on a free Pre for 6 months. This type of transparent focus group can be great if the company really believes they are about to deliver an amazing product. Put it in the hands of some of your brand’s biggest fans and let them do what they do best.

This immediately reminded me of another similar project that was launched recently by Ford called the Fiesta Movement. Ford partnered with Ogilvy to identify 100 “agents” that get their very own Ford Fiesta for 6 months before anyone else in the U.S. These selected agents are already starting to create and share their experiences with the car on Twitter, YouTube, and their blogs. All this new content is being aggregated on the newly created Fiesta Movement website.

Just like Ford carefully chose their agents, Palm is looking for select applicants that are completely wired online (like me!) and heavily rely on their mobile phones for constant connectivity to their social networks. This post called Do Something Small on the Brains on Fire blog reminds marketers that really good things can come from putting a lot of time and effort into working with a small group of loyal customers instead of always trying to reach as many people as possible at once.

7. Notify Me Pre Alerts

SMS/Email alerts are still a great way to reach out to potential customers who are willing to opt-in to your brand and get the first updates about a new product or service. This method of engagement starts online and extends to email, text, or even live phone outreach if it makes sense.

Because Palm is a reputable company that I have known for many years, I trust that they will not use my personal info for any other purpose besides what I signed up for.

Final Thoughts

Palm had a rough couple of years, but with the Pre it certainly looks like they are about to strengthen their position as one of the major players in the smartphone market. Growing their online community and leveraging it to constantly improve upon their products will only help the company overall.

A couple of questions come to mind: How will they react to any negative feedback and press once the Pre is launched and how will they make sure their other products don’t fall off the grid?

Connect with me on Twitter @jsmakr and while you are here, check out 6 ways to provide customer support and feedback online.

I will try my best to cover the presentations starting around 7:15-7:30pm. Click here for event details on Meetup.com. Click on the chat bubble to send me a note!

Update: Unfortunately, I was not able to get it all to Qik because of the WiFi connection. Will hopefully have it figured out for the next Meetup.

The first phase of this campaign is designed to engage consumers and spark a new conversation about Windows – a conversation that will evolve as the campaign progresses, but will always be marked by humor and humanity.

I am sure CP+B knows what they are doing and somewhat expected this type of response. The more obvious product associations will come further down the line in this series so it’s still way too soon to measure if this campaign is actually effective in giving Microsoft a lift. Overall, I enjoyed this second one very much and didn’t mind sitting through the whole 4 and a half minutes of the uncut online version. I’m actually even looking forward to the next one now which I really wasn’t after the first ad. Did you catch the connection they made when Bill Gates is still trying to break in his new shoes? Very clever.

1. Realize the power of fast, free shipping and easy returns.

Sure it is very costly to the company, but this has to be the most important factor that contributed to the success of Zappos. Many company’s offer returns on orders placed online, but not many offer free and easy return shipping. By offering these services, customers are left to ask themselves, “Why shouldn’t I order online”? Buying shoes online without actually trying them on can be very tricky since not all sizing and fit is the same across different brands. Zappos clearly understood this from the beginning and knew that this factor alone could make or break the company so they made sure returning and exchanging the shoes was easy. Some people may still find many reason not to shop online, but the positives should outweigh the negatives in most cases, such as not having to go through the hassle of searching for shoes at brick and mortar stores.

Some other company’s that I love which also offer similar services are Amazon and Netflix. Besides great pricing, free shipping (on orders over $25) is the main reason I buy so much off Amazon. Being able to send out a DVD and get a new one 2 days later without having to leave my house or pay any shipping costs is why I subscribe to Netflix.

2. Post customer feedback for customers to read.

The customer testimonial page at Zappos is located here and it is very easy to find. This is a great way to give prospective customers assurance that they should not worry when placing an order. Sure, they can see on the website that there is free shipping, free return shipping, etc., but all that does not mean anything unless it is believable that the company will honor it. As an added benefit, feedback from past customers can even answer questions that customers may have about the ordering or return process.

3. Handle each customer issue until it’s clearly resolved.

You can’t really train employees to handle every scenario they will encounter. But you can give them the power to do the right thing without having to ask. I could imagine Zappos customer service employees have the power to make price adjustments, give refunds, and all that good stuff without having to consult with a supervisor. Besides that, it seems like they are smart enough to make the right decisions when handling every situation, which is most likely a result of proper training. This makes everyone’s job easier and should also result in higher employee satisfaction on the job.

4. Sacrifice marketing costs for better customer service.

This is something they openly admit to practicing. Zappos would rather spend their revenue on all these things I am pointing out rather than spending big bucks for TV or Internet advertising. It is unclear what is more effective, but no one would doubt that the Zappos way will result in a larger number of very satisfied customers.

5. Go above and beyond.

There are a lot of company’s out there trying very hard to create word-of-mouth campaigns with little success. Some even hire outside companies such as BzzAgent to create these campaigns. Those methods could be successful, but why go through all that work when it can be as simple as just focusing on customer service through some of these obervations. Just like someones horrible customer service experience can spread quickly, a great experience like this one can also spread just as fast. I agree with Seth Godin, examples like this are clearly because the company’s employee genuinely wanted to make the customer happy, and not because they knew it would be good PR.

There are many other companies who’s customers have shared similar “above and beyond” stories such as Apple and Amazon. At some point as the company grows, it will become harder to satisfy every customer. For example, there has been a lot of articles recently about Apple customer service slipping due to their rapid growth. I think this is inevitably because any company will always here more complaints as they grow. Those complaints sometimes have a tendency to surface and spread faster on the internet. But at the same time, great stories of happy customers also spread very fast. Larger numbers of happy customers will also leave reviews that can be read by anyone on popular sites like Judy’s Book and Yahoo.

In Conclusion…

They say they are “a service company that happens to sell shoes”. So essentially, Zappos is providing a great service to help people buy the shoes they want with no hassles while hopefully saving them money at the same time. I think there is no better way to run a company.