you're been MIA! where's the blog?

First off...it has been TOO long since I've checked in to share the latest & greatest marketing and advertising news! I promise I will jump back into it to share my enthusiasm of marketing for all my readers and followers! Even more so as a pre-New Years Resolution :)

'Nuff said...let's get down to business...

Creativity...in barcodes?

Bet ya didn't think you could ever make a barcode...creative. Wrong! Check out this incredible barcode creative agency site that really will inspire! Bar Code Revolution, you rock!

Thanksgiving checklist...turkey, cranberry sauce...turkey SODA...what!

Yes, you heard it right...Turkey soda may be this year's addition to the Thanksgiving meal in a couple weeks. Most people stick to the traditional fixings like - potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce...yada yada....but this year there is a new item to add to your checklist.

Surprisingly, this is not the first year Jones Soda has created a crazy/innovative flavor of Turkey soda. The main difference this year is that it is vegan...meaning that Tofurkey brand and gravy flavorings went into the soda.

Is it a hit or a miss? We shall find out after Thanksgiving this year. Until then, drink up the Turkey soda!

Vending Machine: goodbye gumballs...hello face care?

Long are the days when we used to say..."hey mom, can I have 25c for a gumball"? Now the question may be, "mom, can I borrow your credit card to purchase a Proactiv Solution to help my acne"? WOW...talk about innovation for a vending machine! I recently was at a mall in Connecticut and walked by my first Proactiv vending machine and was blown away that they were selling their products in this format.

I mean...we all remember when Jessica Simpson promoted this product and she seemed to be a good fit with her clear skin and all. (Although info-mercials work for some consumers, they definitely don't work for me as I was born a skeptic.) I set out to do more research on the website to see if there was any mention of these new vending machines and was disappointed. From researching prices of Proactiv it looks as though a typical kit costs approx $40 for a 3 piece system...which seems a bit pricey to me especially if you can't test out the product.

Personally, I hope Proactiv adds in low cost/free sampling packs to its vending machines so it allows consumers to test out the products & return with a purchase. Let's see it happen!

The Big Warm Up

The Big Warm Up...and no we're not talking sports teams warming up before a game. Creativity Online has a Land's End video about this cause-marketing program.



Here are the facts:

• Land's End partnered with the National Coalition of the Homeless
  
• Together...they are launching the Big Warm Up
• What is it?
  
• "a national coat drive asking people to donate their gently used coats at Sears-based Land's End shops across the country"

What can you do to help? Watch the video...check out info on the Land's End website, & donate a coat or two to help warm someone else's winter season with your donation of a cozy coat.

Mystery Phone

Everyone wants to know...when will Apple kill its exclusive iPhone/AT&T deal? It's still a debate...but for now hold tight & wait out until the rest of the year. Although, with the latest Verizon commercial for the iDon't aka the Droid...looks pretty neat but it's SO mysterious!

What exactly does it mean to "not have widgets" & "to not customize"? Is this something that the tech-savy consumer wants? Who exactly is the consumer for this product? We are all just as confused as the next person on this one...

In the meantime check out this AdAge article & droiddoes.com for more info until the November release!

Ann Taylor steps it UP!

Ann Taylor is one of those classy, sophisticated stores for middle-aged career women & it seems to have been lost in the mix the past couple years. With nothing to really make it STAND OUT with designs and lines made...it's tough to stand out against rivals Banana Republic & Talbots & J Jill...who also have been hurting throughout the recession.

GOOD NEWS! Ann Taylor designs were recently seen strutting down the aisles of NY Fashion Week's runway. Here is a great quote from the Canadian Press article I found: "We've all been working really hard to reinvent the brand," Lisa Axelson, senior vice-president of design, said in an interview before the show. "We want to get the news out that Ann Taylor is changing. ... We're breaking the myth of what we used to be. A lot of the feedback we heard from market research was that the impression was that we were clothes my mom would wear. Now we're for the crazy, busy stylish working woman."

Read more @ the article in The Canadian Press & looking forward to seeing a more trendy/chic/stylish Ann Taylor soon!