среда, 30 декабря 2009 г.

Sympvertising & samples help launch new Maxwell House brand in Dubai

Original: Sympvertising & samples help launch new Maxwell House brand in Dubai

If warm soup and a heated bus stop are the way to Chicago-area commuters' hearts, then coffee, cupcakes and fun are probably a good choice for catching the attention of recession-beleaguered office workers. Such, indeed, proved to be the case earlier this year, when Kraft Foods' Maxwell House launched its new Trio coffee brand in Dubai.

Throughout the months of May and June, the brand targeted Dubai office workers with free "Trio Time" office parties, available for the asking thanks to a campaign developed by OgilvyOne Middle East. Once securing their employer's permission, office workers needed only register online and pick a date for the party at their office. A team of brand reps would then arrive at the appointed time with cupcakes, music, games, balloons, prizes and of course plenty of Trio samples. More than 150 parties were held in offices throughout Dubai during the 5-week campaign, bringing the taste of Trio to more than 3,000 consumers. Additional impressions were made, too, through coverage of the events on Facebook and Twitter.

Particularly during tough times, a little sympvertising can go a long way toward showing consumers that your brand cares. Add to that a dose of tryvertising—an increasingly popular strategy in its own right—and you'll soon be savouring the sweet aroma of success! ;-) (Related: Nationwide tryvertising parties.)

Website: www.trio-time.com
Contact: trio-time@krafteurope.com

Bamboo Bikes?

Original: Bamboo Bikes?

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Tue, 2009-12-29 10:22.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://bamboobikestudio.com/

Shoppers at Urban Outfitters can already design their own bikes in a rainbow of colours, but a new venture in Brooklyn takes that notion a step further. At Bamboo Bike Studio, customers actually build their own bamboo bicycles by hand through the company's guided weekend workshops.

Bamboo is "a renewable and performance-positive material growing right collaboration with the Columbia University Earth Institute-based Bamboo Bike Project and the Millennium Cities Initiative to seed the first bamboo bike factories in developing countries.

For more unusual ways to make money, visit this site.

The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

google_ad_client = "ca-pub-9095123295552398"; google_ad_host = "ca-host-pub-1556223355139109"; google_ad_host_channel = "L0007"; google_ad_slot = "4866884086"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250;

Business Ideas from Twitter

Original: Business Ideas from Twitter

понедельник, 28 декабря 2009 г.

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

Original: Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every tableWhere food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

70s Christmas…

Original: 70s Christmas…

воскресенье, 27 декабря 2009 г.

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

Original: Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every tableWhere food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

70s Christmas…

Original: 70s Christmas…

суббота, 26 декабря 2009 г.

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

70s Christmas…

Original: 70s Christmas…

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

Original: Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every tableWhere food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

пятница, 25 декабря 2009 г.

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

Original: Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every tableWhere food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

Christmas 2009

Original: Christmas 2009

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

четверг, 24 декабря 2009 г.

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

Original: Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every tableWhere food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

Give Someone A Small Biz For Christmas

Original: Give Someone A Small Biz For Christmas

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

среда, 23 декабря 2009 г.

Tis The Season For Ugly Christmas Sweaters!

Original: Tis The Season For Ugly Christmas Sweaters!

Christmas Decorating As Business

Original: Christmas Decorating As Business

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-23 10:21.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

The following is an excerpt from the book, Tinsel by Hank Stuever.

Tammie, who most of the year is one of those mothers devoted to her children's success in school, maintains a business on the side: She does people's Christmas decorating for them, because they no longer want to do it themselves. She charges by the hour. It's not that she needs the money. It's that Christmas needs her.

It is stil rag out all her cardboard boxes and Rubbermaid tubs of Christmases past from spare closets, extra bedrooms, garages, and walk-in attics. These spaces are usually filled to bursting with the signs of full-blown affluenza: never-ridden bikes and hardly trod treadmills, abandoned lamps, vases, pots, boxes and boxes marked "keepsakes."

Tammie will take a long look at the Christmas junk, zeroing in first on the key item: What condition is the family's artificial tree in? (Tammie's rule on prelit Christmas trees is that anything less than 100 lights per foot isn't worth assembling.) Next, she wants to know what the client had been doing on her front door, porch area, and foyer. (A wreath? Of greenery or of decorative twigs? Ribbons?) What sort of Nativity scenes does she own? (This is also Tammie's way to ascertain, if she does not already know, the degree to which the house is, in her words, "Christ-centered.") What objects should go in the kitchen? How to decora odates her idea that she is work

Peer-to-peer platform for trading frequent flier miles

Original: Peer-to-peer platform for trading frequent flier miles

We've been writing about swapping marketplaces for several years already, with Uneven Feet—which facilitates the trading of single shoes—being the most recent example. Working on much the same idea—but this time for frequent flier points and miles—is the Global Points Exchange, a peer-to-peer trading marketplace from Toronto-based Points International.

Points International already gives consumers a way to manage their reward miles and points from a variety of airline, travel and retail partners, as well as a way to move airline points and miles from one carrier to another. Now in beta, the company's new Global Points Exchange differs in that it lets users set the exchange rate for their trades. Through GPX, users of the platform can seek out other members who are interested in trading points and miles, either by posting a trade offer or responding to another user's posting. Either way, it's the users—not the airlines—who decide how many points and miles they get in one program, and how many points or miles in another program they must give up in return.

Users remain anonymous throughout the process. Once two members have connected and agreed upon an exchange rate, GPX allows them to transfer points and miles between their respective accounts. Current airline partners include Delta SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage and Continental Airlines OnePass, among others. Posting a trade offer is free, but once the trade is made participants must pay a fee assessed by the reward programs along with Points.com's processing fee of USD 6.95. Earlier this month, Points.com added Facebook Connect functionality to the service, allowing consumers to post GPX trades directly to their Facebook walls in order to tap their extended social network in the trading process.

Giving consumers the flexibility to convert what they have into what they want, GPX is similar in many ways to GiftCardRescue, which lets consumers trade in the gift cards they don't want. With the addition of peer-negotiated exchange rates, however, it adds a degree of eBay-like control that other such services lack. A model to apply to the niche of your choice! (Related: IKEA organizes furniture swapAmazon trades gift cards for used video gamesClothes swapping meets Netflixwww.points.com/gpx
Contact: christopher.barnard@points.com

Spotted by: Julie Bates

вторник, 22 декабря 2009 г.

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

We've been writing about swapping marketplaces for several years already, with Uneven Feet—which facilitates the trading of single shoes—being the most recent example. Working on much the same idea—but this time for frequent flier points and miles—is the Global Points Exchange, a peer-to-peer trading marketplace from Toronto-based Points International.

Points International already gives consumers a way to manage their reward miles and points from a variety of airline, travel and retail partners, as well as a way to move airline points and miles from one carrier to another. Now in beta, the company's new Global Points Exchange differs in that it lets users set the exchange rate for their trades. Through GPX, users of the platform can seek out other members who are interested in trading points and miles, either by posting a trade offer or responding to another user's posting. Either way, it's the users—not the airlines—who decide how many points and miles they get in one program, and how many points or miles in another program they must give up in return.

Users remain anonymous throughout the process. Once two members have connected and agreed upon an exchange rate, GPX allows them to transfer points and miles between their respective accounts. Current airline partners include Delta SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage and Continental Airlines OnePass, among others. Posting a trade offer is free, but once the trade is made participants must pay a fee assessed by the reward programs along with Points.com's processing fee of USD 6.95. Earlier this month, Points.com added Facebook Connect functionality to the service, allowing consumers to post GPX trades directly to their Facebook walls in order to tap their extended social network in the trading process.

Giving consumers the flexibility to convert what they have into what they want, GPX is similar in many ways to GiftCardRescue, which lets consumers trade in the gift cards they don't want. With the addition of peer-negotiated exchange rates, however, it adds a degree of eBay-like control that other such services lack. A model to apply to the niche of your choice! (Related: IKEA organizes furniture swapAmazon trades gift cards for used video gamesClothes swapping meets Netflixwww.points.com/gpx
Contact: christopher.barnard@points.com

Spotted by: Julie Bates

воскресенье, 20 декабря 2009 г.

Pepsi asks crowds which community projects to fund

Original: Pepsi asks crowds which community projects to fund

When the Super Bowl rolls around in another few weeks, there will be no fabulous ad for Pepsi beverages. Instead, Pepsi—which was the largest advertiser during the event last year—will be focusing its efforts on the Pepsi Refresh Project, a crowdsourced marketing effort to revamp U.S. communities.

Pepsi has reportedly set aside USD 20 million to fund a variety of community projects across America. Rather than simply donating to existing charities, however, it will be inviting consumers to suggest and vote on the projects it funds. Pepsi will hold contests every month for 10 months beginning in January. The first will begin Jan. 13, when consumers will have 10 days to submit ideas "that make us think, inspire us and ignite participation," according to a report on GigaOm. Toolkits for developing an application will reportedly be made available online starting this week. Ideas will be accepted in categories including health, arts and culture, food and shelter, the planet, neighbourhoods and education. After the 10-day submission period, contributed ideas will be opened up for public voting, and the top projects will win awards of USD 5,000, USD 25,00

Frank Cooper, senior VP-chief consumer engagement officer at PepsiCo Americas Beverages, explains in Ad Age: "In 2010, each of our beverage brands has a strategy and marketing platform that will be less about a singular event, less about a moment, more about a movement.‪"

Besides increasing involvement with its brand and tapping into the all-powerful global brain, Pepsi's effort is also sure to please the skeptical masses of Generation G, who increasingly expect—nay, demand—that companies give something back. (Related: Crowdsourcing economic solutions for IrelandContest replaces ad campaign for Nissan launchYouTube contest for eco-minded kids.)

Website: www.refresheverything.com
Contact: cr.pepsi.com/usen/pepsiusen.cfm

Spotted by: Katherine Noyes

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

суббота, 19 декабря 2009 г.

Why I Didn’t Think Of That

Original: Why I Didn't Think Of That

Wine tasting packs feature four mini samples

Original: Wine tasting packs feature four mini samples

Between the knowledge required and the not-unsubstantial investment, choosing a new bottle of wine can feel like a risky endeavour. That's why it's an ideal area for tryvertising, as we noted in our story last year about WineSide's trial-sized tubes, and it's also presumably why San Francisco-based Brixr recently launched a set of tasting packs designed specifically for sampling.

Now in beta, Brixr offers two different tasting packs, each featuring four 50ml bottles of boutique wines along with an online video tasting guide. The 2008 Pinot Noir Holiday Tasting Pack, priced at USD 69, includes samples of three wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and one from the Sonoma Coast appellation. In addition to the four samples, recipients of the pack get a coupon for two full-sized bottles of their favourite sampled wines, shipped directly to their door at no charge. Also available is a Napa Cabernet Holiday Tasting Pack, whose USD 79 price includes a coupon for one free full-sized bottle. The sample packs themselves, meanwhile—sans coupons—are each available for USD 19 and USD 29, respectively.

Tryvertising may make extra sense for wines, but it's a strategy that can overcome purchase hesitation in just about every product area. Particularly during tough economic times, it pays to let customers try before they buy! While Brixr was developed by the wine innovators at Crushpad for their own customers, the company has also had considerable interest from other winemakers. (Related: Tryvertising store expands in SpainA box of samples, delivered by UPSVending machine dispenses free samplesWebsite: www.brixr.com
Contact: www.brixr.com/contact

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

пятница, 18 декабря 2009 г.

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

Between the knowledge required and the not-unsubstantial investment, choosing a new bottle of wine can feel like a risky endeavour. That's why it's an ideal area for tryvertising, as we noted in our story last year about WineSide's trial-sized tubes, and it's also presumably why San Francisco-based Brixr recently launched a set of tasting packs designed specifically for sampling.

Now in beta, Brixr offers two different tasting packs, each featuring four 50ml bottles of boutique wines along with an online video tasting guide. The 2008 Pinot Noir Holiday Tasting Pack, priced at USD 69, includes samples of three wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and one from the Sonoma Coast appellation. In addition to the four samples, recipients of the pack get a coupon for two full-sized bottles of their favourite sampled wines, shipped directly to their door at no charge. Also available is a Napa Cabernet Holiday Tasting Pack, whose USD 79 price includes a coupon for one free full-sized bottle. The sample packs themselves, meanwhile—sans coupons—are each available for USD 19 and USD 29, respectively.

Tryvertising may make extra sense for wines, but it's a strategy that can overcome purchase hesitation in just about every product area. Particularly during tough economic times, it pays to let customers try before they buy! While Brixr was developed by the wine innovators at Crushpad for their own customers, the company has also had considerable interest from other winemakers. (Related: Tryvertising store expands in SpainA box of samples, delivered by UPSVending machine dispenses free samplesWebsite: www.brixr.com
Contact: www.brixr.com/contact

Biz Gift Idea: Vers Wood iPhone Case

Original: Biz Gift Idea: Vers Wood iPhone Case

четверг, 17 декабря 2009 г.

Store Helps Keep Moms-To-Be & Kids Fashionable

Original: Store Helps Keep Moms-To-Be & Kids Fashionable

New low-impact marketing tool: glow-in-the-dark bacteria

Original: New low-impact marketing tool: glow-in-the-dark bacteria

Last time we featured CURB (the natural media agency) they were promoting the London Aquarium by stenciling its logo on city surfaces using seawater. Now, just in time for Christmas, CURB has launched its latest low-impact innovation. GlowFungi, also known as DiscoFungi, is a marketing tool that uses glow-in-the-dark bacteria. The harmless bacteria's glow is a natural reaction, requiring no chemicals, and can last up to a week. To create a glowing piece of work, CURB adds bio-luminescent bacteria to petri-dishes, a bed of mushrooms, or a writeable gel that can be applied directly to any surface, indoors or out.

CURB has sent petri-dish holiday greetings to twenty clients and agencies across the UK. Which brand will be the first to create a glowing nocturnal campaign using DiscoFungi? We'll keep you updated ;-) (Related: Media agency focuses on low-impact advertisingMore low-impact branding from Curb: snow taggingLatest eco-friendly branding tool: sea tagging.)

Website: www.curbmedia.com/what-we-do-glowfungi.asp
Contact: showmethefungi@curbmedia.com

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

среда, 16 декабря 2009 г.

Crowdsource Your Branding

Original: Crowdsource Your Branding

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Wed, 2009-12-16 11:20.
Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You

http://www.freshlybranded.com/

Small companies can already tap the power of the crowds for help with their graphic design, advertising and other business challenges. Whereas most such services reward the creator of just a single winning solution, however, FreshlyBranded pays its marketing creatives for the top 10 ideas.

Buyers begin by signing up with Kansas-based FreshlyBranded and posting a description of their project, along with how much they'd like to pay. Typical projects include logo design, slogans and product names; the minimum award for the winning entry is USD 50, with a secondary award minimum—split among the other top nine—of USD 5. FreshlyBranded, meanwhile, takes a r people.


The Million-Dollar Idea in Everyone: Easy New Ways to Make Money from Your Interests, Insights, and Inventions

IdeaSpotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea

With consumers' purse strings tightened by the recession, we've seen the emergence of a variety of alternatives to the full-service restaurant. Cooking classes, semi-cooking options, home-cooked meals for hire and a roaming "anti-restaurant" are among the offerings we've spotted, and now—enabling all such initiatives and more—comes the commercial kitchen for hire.

Philly Kitchen Share is a shared-use commercial kitchen available for hourly rental by caterers, personal chefs, bakers and other food professionals in the Philadelphia area. Created by the founders of PhillyCarShare, the 800-square-foot cooking space actually features two adjoining kitchens, for rent separately or together: one focused on traditional cooking or catering and the other on baking. Together, they're equipped with stainless steel work tables, convection and standard ovens, commercial ranges and a variety of other tools. Rental prices are USD 39 per hour for one kitchen during off-peak hours, or USD 44 per hour during peak times. Since its launch last winter, business at Philly Kitchen Share has been steady, minipreneurs in your neck of the global kitchen...? (Related: Open restaurant night showcases aspiring chefs.)

Website: www.phillykitchenshare.com
Contact: phillykitchenshare@gmail.com

Spotted by: Jim Stewart

вторник, 15 декабря 2009 г.

To improve employee health, gadget tracks every move

Original: To improve employee health, gadget tracks every move

Does exercise have to mean jogging, sweat and tears? Not according to Philips, whose DirectLife personal fitness programme aims to help people adopt a more active lifestyle by monitoring and motivating them in their daily activities. Like Fitbit which we covered in October, DirectLife is based around a wearable device that uses a 3D digital accelerometer to track a person's movements. The data is uploaded via USB to a personal web-page, where it's matched against daily targets, long-term goals, and (optionally) other users.

Where DirectLife differs from Fitbit is in the provision of a personal coach, on a subscription basis. Interacting with users through the online portal, personal coaches are real people with expertise in sports science, personal training and behavioural psychology, who use their knowledge to provide users with feedback, encouragement and advice on small lifestyle changes. DirectLife is available for USD 99 plus shipping, including the Activity Monitor and first four months of membership—thereafter, membership costs USD 12.50 per month.

The other big difference is that Philips is mainly targeting employers, claiming the system reduce absenteeism and health costs, while improving employee morale and productivity. Having companies track an employee's every move, obviously isn't free of ethical and privacy concerns. On the other hand, the societal need is also clear: according to the World Health Organization, more than 60 percent of the global population fail to reach the minimum levels of moderate daily physical activity to deliver health benefits. That's a big market to move into. (Related: Fitness focused cell phone.)

Website: www.directlife.philips.com
Contact: www.directlife.philips.com/contact/

The Little Company That Could

Original: The Little Company That Could

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Thu, 2009-12-10 13:26.

Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://www.woodentrain.com/

Surrounded by shelves stocked with 180 different wooden train cars, Sandy Oliver boxes orders at Whittle Shortline Railroad in New London, Mo. (pop. 1,001). Then she stops and picks up a bright blue replica of The Little Engine That Could.

"This is my favorite. I think it has personality," says Oliver, 48, about the beloved storybook character whose positive attitude and "I think I can" spirit help him conquer a mighty hill. e, Pat, 61, gave him a Sears miter saw for a Christmas gift in hopes that he would make crown molding for their house. When the box sat unopened for two years and she threatened to return the saw, Whitworth set it up in his garage and began building wooden trains.

"The neighborhood kids would come by and I'd give them away," he recalls.

Word soon spread about Whitworth's handmade hardwood trains, and orders began rolling in from merchants and companies, including Amtrak. In 1999, Whitworth bought the 1880 Frisco Hotel in Valley Park, Mo. (pop. 6,518), and opened a retail store and offices for his toy company.

Like The Little Engine That Could, the former U.S. Air Force pilot and designer of mail-sorting machines for the U.S. Postal Service embarked on another challenge earlier this year. He invested more than $1 million in equipment to manufacture wooden puzzles, including a line of multi-layered puzzles.

"Nobody wanted to give me a loan, and te. The birch wood puzzles are l

New Business Has Your Bedding Needs Covered

Original: New Business Has Your Bedding Needs Covered

понедельник, 14 декабря 2009 г.

The Little Company That Could

Original: The Little Company That Could

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Thu, 2009-12-10 13:26.

Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://www.woodentrain.com/

Surrounded by shelves stocked with 180 different wooden train cars, Sandy Oliver boxes orders at Whittle Shortline Railroad in New London, Mo. (pop. 1,001). Then she stops and picks up a bright blue replica of The Little Engine That Could.

"This is my favorite. I think it has personality," says Oliver, 48, about the beloved storybook character whose positive attitude and "I think I can" spirit help him conquer a mighty hill. e, Pat, 61, gave him a Sears miter saw for a Christmas gift in hopes that he would make crown molding for their house. When the box sat unopened for two years and she threatened to return the saw, Whitworth set it up in his garage and began building wooden trains.

"The neighborhood kids would come by and I'd give them away," he recalls.

Word soon spread about Whitworth's handmade hardwood trains, and orders began rolling in from merchants and companies, including Amtrak. In 1999, Whitworth bought the 1880 Frisco Hotel in Valley Park, Mo. (pop. 6,518), and opened a retail store and offices for his toy company.

Like The Little Engine That Could, the former U.S. Air Force pilot and designer of mail-sorting machines for the U.S. Postal Service embarked on another challenge earlier this year. He invested more than $1 million in equipment to manufacture wooden puzzles, including a line of multi-layered puzzles.

"Nobody wanted to give me a loan, and te. The birch wood puzzles are l

Cloth Diaper Boutique A Natural Fit For Mom

Original: Cloth Diaper Boutique A Natural Fit For Mom

To improve employee health, gadget tracks every move

Original: To improve employee health, gadget tracks every move

Does exercise have to mean jogging, sweat and tears? Not according to Philips, whose DirectLife personal fitness programme aims to help people adopt a more active lifestyle by monitoring and motivating them in their daily activities. Like Fitbit which we covered in October, DirectLife is based around a wearable device that uses a 3D digital accelerometer to track a person's movements. The data is uploaded via USB to a personal web-page, where it's matched against daily targets, long-term goals, and (optionally) other users.

Where DirectLife differs from Fitbit is in the provision of a personal coach, on a subscription basis. Interacting with users through the online portal, personal coaches are real people with expertise in sports science, personal training and behavioural psychology, who use their knowledge to provide users with feedback, encouragement and advice on small lifestyle changes. DirectLife is available for USD 99 plus shipping, including the Activity Monitor and first four months of membership—thereafter, membership costs USD 12.50 per month.

The other big difference is that Philips is mainly targeting employers, claiming the system reduce absenteeism and health costs, while improving employee morale and productivity. Having companies track an employee's every move, obviously isn't free of ethical and privacy concerns. On the other hand, the societal need is also clear: according to the World Health Organization, more than 60 percent of the global population fail to reach the minimum levels of moderate daily physical activity to deliver health benefits. That's a big market to move into. (Related: Fitness focused cell phone.)

Website: www.directlife.philips.com
Contact: www.directlife.philips.com/contact/

Spotted by: Pascal de Mul

воскресенье, 13 декабря 2009 г.

Why I Didn’t Think Of That!

Original: Why I Didn't Think Of That!

The Little Company That Could

Original: The Little Company That Could

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Thu, 2009-12-10 13:26.

Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://www.woodentrain.com/

Surrounded by shelves stocked with 180 different wooden train cars, Sandy Oliver boxes orders at Whittle Shortline Railroad in New London, Mo. (pop. 1,001). Then she stops and picks up a bright blue replica of The Little Engine That Could.

"This is my favorite. I think it has personality," says Oliver, 48, about the beloved storybook character whose positive attitude and "I think I can" spirit help him conquer a mighty hill. e, Pat, 61, gave him a Sears miter saw for a Christmas gift in hopes that he would make crown molding for their house. When the box sat unopened for two years and she threatened to return the saw, Whitworth set it up in his garage and began building wooden trains.

"The neighborhood kids would come by and I'd give them away," he recalls.

Word soon spread about Whitworth's handmade hardwood trains, and orders began rolling in from merchants and companies, including Amtrak. In 1999, Whitworth bought the 1880 Frisco Hotel in Valley Park, Mo. (pop. 6,518), and opened a retail store and offices for his toy company.

Like The Little Engine That Could, the former U.S. Air Force pilot and designer of mail-sorting machines for the U.S. Postal Service embarked on another challenge earlier this year. He invested more than $1 million in equipment to manufacture wooden puzzles, including a line of multi-layered puzzles.

"Nobody wanted to give me a loan, and te. The birch wood puzzles are l

Mini web-to-print photo albums

Original: Mini web-to-print photo albums

Much the way HotPrints lets Facebook and Bebo users capture their social network photos in real-life books, so Memolio lets anyone on the web turn online images into a compact print album.

Users of Dutch Memolio, which is now in beta, begin by uploading 24 images from their computer or from a Flickr Pro or Picasa album. They then edit the photos and arrangement of their album and personalize its colour, title and description. Next, they preview and save their album. Each Memolio is given a unique album URL that can be shared or posted publicly. For EUR 14.99 (taxes and shipping included), users can also order a print copy, which measures 103mm by 62mm by 5mm—about the same size as an iPod Classic—and is printed on durable, bright white polyester, making it resistant to water and crumpling. Available for delivery anywhere in the world, Memolios can be used for both personal and business use as tiny portfolios, photo albums, promotional brochures, teaching aids, manuals and guides. Coming soon is a promotion platform that will let Memolio users promote their ideas and portfolios using an embedded Memolio album.

First the world rushed to bring offline materials online; now it's rushing to bring online materials back again. How can *your* brand help forge some OFF=ON connections...? (Related: Email a photo to send prints to friends & familyOnline portal gathers wedding photos from guests.)

Website: www.memolio.com
Contact: www.memolio.com/contact

суббота, 12 декабря 2009 г.

The Little Company That Could

Original: The Little Company That Could

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Thu, 2009-12-10 13:26.

Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://www.woodentrain.com/

Surrounded by shelves stocked with 180 different wooden train cars, Sandy Oliver boxes orders at Whittle Shortline Railroad in New London, Mo. (pop. 1,001). Then she stops and picks up a bright blue replica of The Little Engine That Could.

"This is my favorite. I think it has personality," says Oliver, 48, about the beloved storybook character whose positive attitude and "I think I can" spirit help him conquer a mighty hill. e, Pat, 61, gave him a Sears miter saw for a Christmas gift in hopes that he would make crown molding for their house. When the box sat unopened for two years and she threatened to return the saw, Whitworth set it up in his garage and began building wooden trains.

"The neighborhood kids would come by and I'd give them away," he recalls.

Word soon spread about Whitworth's handmade hardwood trains, and orders began rolling in from merchants and companies, including Amtrak. In 1999, Whitworth bought the 1880 Frisco Hotel in Valley Park, Mo. (pop. 6,518), and opened a retail store and offices for his toy company.

Like The Little Engine That Could, the former U.S. Air Force pilot and designer of mail-sorting machines for the U.S. Postal Service embarked on another challenge earlier this year. He invested more than $1 million in equipment to manufacture wooden puzzles, including a line of multi-layered puzzles.

"Nobody wanted to give me a loan, and te. The birch wood puzzles are l

Mini web-to-print photo albums

Original: Mini web-to-print photo albums

Much the way HotPrints lets Facebook and Bebo users capture their social network photos in real-life books, so Memolio lets anyone on the web turn online images into a compact print album.

Users of Dutch Memolio, which is now in beta, begin by uploading 24 images from their computer or from a Flickr Pro or Picasa album. They then edit the photos and arrangement of their album and personalize its colour, title and description. Next, they preview and save their album. Each Memolio is given a unique album URL that can be shared or posted publicly. For EUR 14.99 (taxes and shipping included), users can also order a print copy, which measures 103mm by 62mm by 5mm—about the same size as an iPod Classic—and is printed on durable, bright white polyester, making it resistant to water and crumpling. Available for delivery anywhere in the world, Memolios can be used for both personal and business use as tiny portfolios, photo albums, promotional brochures, teaching aids, manuals and guides. Coming soon is a promotion platform that will let Memolio users promote their ideas and portfolios using an embedded Memolio album.

First the world rushed to bring offline materials online; now it's rushing to bring online materials back again. How can *your* brand help forge some OFF=ON connections...? (Related: Email a photo to send prints to friends & familyOnline portal gathers wedding photos from guests.)

Website: www.memolio.com
Contact: www.memolio.com/contact

Why I Didn’t Think Of That!

Original: Why I Didn't Think Of That!

пятница, 11 декабря 2009 г.

The Little Company That Could

Original: The Little Company That Could

Submitted by Dmitri Davydov on Thu, 2009-12-10 13:26.

Link of the day - If You Sell Links On Your Site, I Will Buy Them Off You


http://www.woodentrain.com/

Surrounded by shelves stocked with 180 different wooden train cars, Sandy Oliver boxes orders at Whittle Shortline Railroad in New London, Mo. (pop. 1,001). Then she stops and picks up a bright blue replica of The Little Engine That Could.

"This is my favorite. I think it has personality," says Oliver, 48, about the beloved storybook character whose positive attitude and "I think I can" spirit help him conquer a mighty hill. e, Pat, 61, gave him a Sears miter saw for a Christmas gift in hopes that he would make crown molding for their house. When the box sat unopened for two years and she threatened to return the saw, Whitworth set it up in his garage and began building wooden trains.

"The neighborhood kids would come by and I'd give them away," he recalls.

Word soon spread about Whitworth's handmade hardwood trains, and orders began rolling in from merchants and companies, including Amtrak. In 1999, Whitworth bought the 1880 Frisco Hotel in Valley Park, Mo. (pop. 6,518), and opened a retail store and offices for his toy company.

Like The Little Engine That Could, the former U.S. Air Force pilot and designer of mail-sorting machines for the U.S. Postal Service embarked on another challenge earlier this year. He invested more than $1 million in equipment to manufacture wooden puzzles, including a line of multi-layered puzzles.

"Nobody wanted to give me a loan, and te. The birch wood puzzles are l