This is the sun
Shot in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum by the new space-based Solar Dynamics Observatory. Definitely no smiley face here.

Speaking of awesome
The Hubble telescope celebrates two decades of amazing discoveries. Can you light birthday candles in space? http://hubble.nasa.gov/

Go marketing!
According to a brand value study by Millward Brown, companies that maintained their voice/marketing spend during the recession are rebounding faster than those that didn't. And the value of brands is recovering faster than the economy overall. (source: Ad Age, 4/28/10)

Corny1
On average there are 600-800 kernels arranged in 16 rows on an ear of corn. Each kernel has its own strand of silk. Verify at your next dull family cookout. (source: Grit, May/June 2010)

Corny2
The corn borer seems to have learned over the ages that the harvest is bad for its health. Before harvest time, it makes its way down from the corn through the stalk below the level that stalks are cut. Its physically identical cousins, that inhabit non-harvested, but similarly structured mugwort, don't exhibit this behavior. (source: NY Times, 4/26/10)

Captcha
Ever wonder what it stands for other than squiggly writing on websites? "Completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart." Learn about tormented megagenius Alan Turing here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

This is why we're fat
IHOP has a new 5-Layer Stackers creation: crustless cheese cake sandwiched between two pancakes topped with fruit goo and whipped cream. Comes with bacon, 2 eggs, and hash browns. 1,250 calories. $4.99. IHOP also offers lower-calorie breakfast items. Their spokesperson says it's about giving their guests the freedom of choice. (source: Glendale News Press 4/27/10)

Stop selling cheap junk
Steve Jobs' advice to the then incoming CEO of Nike. True to Jobs' minimalist style, he thought Nike would do better to pare down its offerings to only the finest.

Corny3
To keep his profile high between gigs, Conan O'Brien partnered with Lamar to fill empty billboards with tweets. (source: PromoXtra, 4/27/10)

The revolution will be tweeted
Although he referred to Twitter as "a haven for terrorists," Hugo Chavez will soon have his own account - not @HugoChavez. Somebody else already owns that. A man known for hours-long speeches, it should be interesting to see how he does in 140. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 4/28/10)

From hospital bed to spiral staircase
If you've just got to have a piece of soap opera history, Castner Auctions is selling scenery and props from "Guilding Light" and "As the World Turns."

Next stop City Hall?
The average state/local government worker earns $39.66 per hour. 34% higher than the private sector with benefits 70% higher. 90% have pensions that aren't affected by ups and downs in the stock market vs. 20% in the private sector. The layoff rate is 1/3 that of the private sector. 20 million people are employed by state and local governments. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 4/26/10)

Monetizing Twitter for charity
Spend too much time dorkin' around in Facebook? Then check out this site www.procrasdonate.com . It lets you make a donation per hour to a charity you choose, whenever you visit the URLs you designate. So either facing your credit card bill will force you to waste less time, or since you're doing something good by surfing, you can rationalize that you're no longer wasting time. Either way, a great idea. (source: Springwise, 4/14/10)

8-legged prankster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DyBkYKqnM&feature=player_embedded

Still zippy
At age 16, Eddie Feibusch opened a shop in NYC that sold zippers he reclaimed from used clothing. 70 years later, ZipperStop is the only zipper merchant left in the city. 502 colors, every shape, size, and application from wedding dresses to hot air balloons, from 50 cents to $100. Tagline: Unzipping America since 1941. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/nyregion/19zipperman.html

It sounded like a good idea at the creative review
An agency in New Zealand charged with getting something viral going for a new assassin video game, did indeed, but of the wrong nature. There's been global news coverage of the guy they sent out to lurk around a popular Aukland entertainment district covered in bandages and carrying a toy gun. At least a dozen people called the cops, and said cops nearly shot him. Says the agency's rep: "It was just marketing gone wrong." (source: The Consumerist, 4/19/10)

Always be prepared
Kevlar-lined jeans, ‘cause you never know what life throws at you. Also available, shirts, jackets, and caps http://www.dragginjeans.com/category.aspx?categoryID=1

Brilliant in Argentina
Way outside the box, a CPG romance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tTQ53OQY0M

Seeing-eye phone
Every day when I walk by ABVI, I'm thankful for my very nearsighted eyeballs. It completely boggles me how those lacking even lousy vision get along. The new LokTel app is helping. Just point a phone at an object and it will clearly tell you what it is - 5 bucks, medicine bottles, signs, whatever. It's preprogrammed, but can also learn. Plus, it has a text reader and interfaces with PCs www.looktel.com (source: Springwise, 4/21/10)

It's time to sell happy
Forbes is seeing a trend toward positive images and messages in advertising again. Brands not only want to encourage spending, but to be associated with winning, as soon as the "post-recession" vibe gives them entrée to do so. (source: Forbes, 4/20/10)

Librarygate
George Washington owes the NY Society Library $300,000 for two books he checked out in 1789, but never returned. One, "The Law of Nations," is an essay on international relations. The other, is a collection of debates from the English House of Commons. At least he was doing his presidential homework. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 4/19/10)

Soon, very soon, my delicious ones
June 4th is National Donut Day.

You'll love my nuts
Shamwow guy's got another infomercial. Watch it, buy it, never eat another boring lunch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUbWjIKxrrs

Worldwide focus group
Got a suggestion for Ford, go to http://www.thefordstory.com/our-plan-progress/ford-wants-to-hear-your-ideas/ . Not only will you be able to have your say, but others will get to comment on it. The most popular ideas will "receive serious consideration" from Ford's design folk. (source: Marketing Daily, 4/13/10)

Fast, slow, doesn't matter
In a study, whether viewers watched regular-speed ads or fast-forwarded ads, they gave them nearly the same likability ratings. They also had similar recall scores, particularly if they'd seen the ad before at normal speed. Surveyors say this is the case because you have to pay a lot of attention to fast forward. (source: Harvard Business Review, April 2010)

Who says funny doesn't translate?
Joe Wang, a PhD biochemist from China, manages to bridge the comedy gap in his US network TV debut on David Letterman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0s7gfTotk . Recently, he played in Beijing, but nobody laughed. He was inspired to change careers when he went to his first stand-up show. He didn't get the jokes, but found the concept fascinating. He's been studying what makes Americans chuckle ever since. (source: Wall Street Journal, 4/11/10)

Reminder: texting is calling
So, don't send any marketing texts without opt-in. And that opt-in language has to be very clear, not hidden in fine print. Both Simon & Schuster and FOX have tried to argue the case against the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and lost. (source: Chief Marketer, 4/12/10)

Shakespeare was wrong
A rose by any other name does not smell as sweet.
I love words. And as a recent study shows, word choice matters. While only 59% of Americans believe homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military, 44% openly, 70% think gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve, 58% openly. Synonym, schmynonym. (source: Quirks, April 2010)

Mapathy
Unusual approach to war games http://www.mediapost.com/media/?f=ActivisionMapathyBleepViral.mov. More http://www.mapathy.com/

Yasgur's farm's got nothing on this
This week, over 100,000 people an hour, including thousands of holy men, took a dip in one of the Ganges' most revered spots during one the largest religious festivals in the world. Kumbh Mela rotates among 4 Indian cities, sites where holy nectar is said to have spilled into the river during a battle between gods and demons. Many believe it's not only a blessing to swim there, but that the water, if touched on the right day, has the power to end the cycle of reincarnation. I can't confirm or refute, but I can never get enough of Indian color aesthetic. Bring on the pink and orange. More marigolds! (source: NY Times, 4/14/10)

iGeek
With $200 and a bike, Robert Stephens started the Geek Squad out of his dorm room. Taking UPS as his corporate model (uniforms, branded vehicles, and house calls), flat-rate pricing from Rapid Oil Change, and brand style inspiration from comic books and "Dragnet," he's grown the company, part of Best Buy since 2002, into a 24K-person customer service dynamo. It's the largest tech support firm in the world. A nerd and his dream: magic. (source: LA Times, 4/1/10)

Mommy TV
If you want to reach moms with TV, be sure to buy time during shows they watch without their kids. How old the kids are doesn't matter, they're still getting more of mom's attention than the show or commercials. Moms are also partial to Hulu and DVRs for catching "me time" programming. (source: Media Post, 3/31/10)

Time for therapy
6% of people over 25 and 11% of those under 25 say they'd interrupt sex to check out a new text message. (source: Retrevo)

In Warren we trust
Berkshire Hathaway tops the 11th annual Harris Interactive US Corporate Reputation Survey. What's not to love about a down-to-earth, self-made gazillionaire? Rounding out the top 10 are: Johnson & Johnson, Google, 3M, SC Johnson, Intel, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and General Mills. On the naughty end are: Freddie Mac, AIG, Fannie Mae, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Chrysler, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Delta Airlines. Ford made a huge 11-point leap into the "good" category. (source: Marketwatch, 4/5/10)

Today, Drano
Every day for 3 years, Kate doodled something she bought. It's her attempt to personalize mundane consumption. Now her doodles along with prices, locations, and comments are a book. Oddly interesting http://katebingamanburt.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kateconsumption/sets/72157622976912066/

Rejection by association
35% of Americans have decided not to buy something because they found the brand's advertising distasteful. 28% because they didn't like the spokesperson. 27% because they didn't like the program or event the brand appeared in. 22% have considered it. (source: Center for Media Research/Harris, 4/8/10)

Magic wheels
Doctors in the Netherlands have found that many patients with Parkinson's who can no longer walk can ride a bike over long distances. They have trouble getting on and off or stopping, but they can pedal and balance. There's no clue why yet. (source: NY Times, 3/31/10)

What does WPP stand for?
Wire & Plastic Products. When Martin Sorrell left Saatchi & Saatchi, he bought a company that makes supermarket carts in hopes of financing an agency empire. 25 years and 99K marketing employees later, they still make carts. (source: CityAM.com, 4/8/10)

Brandlings
U of MI has found that 3- to 5-year-olds recognize brand names and symbols and are willing and able to make judgments about products and people based on their associations with brands. For example, they know that a kid who has his birthday party at McDonald's has lots of friends because he takes them to McDonald's to eat and play on the jungle gym http://slate.com/id/2248986/ (source: Slate, 4/3/10)

Cheers to Model 1460
Dr. Martens are 50 years old this month. Rock on.

2 million calories
That's what Donna Simpson, currently about 600 lbs, figures she'll need to eat over the next 7 months to reach her goal of 1,000 lbs. She's going for the record. (source: Wall Street Journal, 4/2/10)

Super shoppers
10% of a supermarket's customers generate the lion's share of its sales and profits. They stop in twice a week, spend over $39 per visit, generate nearly 39% of total sales, and only 11% of that spend is on marked-down goods. (source: Shopper Marketing, April 2010)

This is a cappuccino
Tip that barista. (source: Daily Candy, 3/26/10)

Trippy
Over 600 people have reviewed Schrute Farms on TripAdvisor.com, even though it doesn't exist. The fictional B&B, which boasts an 82% positive ranking, is owned by "The Office" character Dwight and his cousin. Reruns and DVDs keep the reviews coming. TripAdvisor was over the moon when NBC called because they "don't have a big marketing budget and don't do TV ads." Most people realize it's a fake, but TripAdvisor has added a footnote for those not-in-the-knows who complain they can't locate the place. (source: NY Times, 3/28/10)

Don't chili me, man!
The Indian military is planning to use the world's hottest pepper as a new weapon in their war on terror. They'll be adding it to tear gas grenades. The "bhut jolokia," or "ghost chili," got its name because it's so hot, even ghosts won't touch it. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 3/30/10)

Doing good, doing well
Can't say enough about corporate social responsibility. Every survey I see confirms its value to consumers, esp. since the recession has killed our trust in big companies. Although half of consumers aren't really sure what CSR is, 75% believe it's important, 55% would choose a product that supports a particular cause against similar products that don't, and 38% plan to spend the same or more on products or services from socially responsible companies. 70% are willing to pay a premium and 28% are willing to pay at least $10 more. Most define CSR as "giving back to the community." (source: Brandweek, 3/30/10)

Funny money
To close its budget gap, Maine is considering a tax on clowns, jugglers, and comedians. (source: NY Times, 3/27/10)

Pac(k) money
In 1937 a handful of sitting senators received $1K each to act as spokesmodels for Lucky Strike. In a testimonial ad, ND Sen. Gerald P. Nye praised the "comfort and safety a light smoke gives my throat." (source: Ad Age, 3/27/10)

Time is relative
Last weekend, Russia dropped 2 time zones to just 9. If this move jumpstarts the economy by making it simpler to do business across the country, as is the plan, they may eventually slim down to 5. (source: Global Post, 3/27/10)

Are you the world's greatest sales person?
Then OgilvyOne is looking for you. They're hosting a contest on YouTube which asks entrants to sell the ubiquitous red brick. The prize is a 3-month fellowship at the agency and the opportunity to write a contemporary manual on salesmanship. The inspiration was two-fold: 1) Mr. O got his start selling stoves in Scotland. 2) The feeling that modern marketing has gotten too far from its sales roots. (source: NY Times, 3/28/10)

Outstanding
Pearl's hobby, portrayed in this new John Deere ad, gave me goose bumps. Does your avocation make the world a more beautiful place? (source: Adweek, 3/29/10)
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1227613352?bctid=74439102001

Wok luge
German-Asian mash-up http://online.wsj.com/video/wok-racing-causes-stir-in-germany/A2EEADCE-2C31-4E84-82AD-8B870C95ECA8.html (source: Wall Street Journal, 3/26/10)

Here comes Earth Month
The 40th Earth Month, to be exact. And another rock band fundraiser compellation disc to go with it. If there had been rock stars shown in this ad, I never would have given it a second look, or shared it with all ya'll. It's nice that their agency didn't go for the easy solution even when preaching to the choir. (source: Mother Earth News, February/March 2010)

Back to basics
Calvinism is staging a comeback. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 3/27/10)

Cheerios on the go
Meijer is testing drive-thu grocery. Buy online, pick it up. Considering the #1 thing grocery shoppers want is to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible, not going in at all should be a hit. Although not being able to select your own meat and produce could be a speed bump. (source: Chicago Tribune, 3/30/10

Beautiful Peoples
Oliver Peoples' eyewear video. During a recession, are vignettes of bored rich people playing at Gatsby really a consumer purchase driver? Nice music tho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olHj2WxbYUE

How do you say "badabing" in Dutch?
MTV's "Jersey Shore" goes global, rolling out to 30 countries this week.

Unwedding china
The British department store Debenhams has opened a divorce registry so single-again people can make a fresh, celebratory start with new stuff. 45% of British marriages end in divorce. Clearly a huge, untapped market for toasters. (source: Christian Science Monitor, 3/22/10)

Chucks beg to differ
Keds' new campaign is based around having created the first shoe with soft rubber soles and coining the word "sneaker." When challenged by lexicographers etc., neither claim turned out to be true. The company is backpedaling. More info http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/business/media/22adco.html?ref=business (source: NY Times, 3/21/10)

Now on aisle 5, Hefty zipper bags
Walmart is returning hundreds of products to their shelves after shoppers found their culling "aggravating." Last quarter, Walmart's sales fell for the first time in its history. (source: Ad Age, 3/22/10)

Clown power
In NYC members of an environmental group dress up like clowns and ask people to move their parked vehicles out of bike lanes. They've tried it without the costumes, too, but have less success. (source NY Times, 3/19/10)

Buyers' market
Experts predict beginning in 2018, there will be a huge US labor shortage -- approx. 5 million unfilled jobs - as Boomers retire in droves. (source: Northeastern U News, 3/22/10)

GPS high
No practicality pretext, no priceless family moment. This ad for a Spanish bank gets right to the point: Buying stuff makes you feel good. Just swipe it http://creativity-online.com/work/banco-hipotecario-gps/19411

Fast fashion past
The average American throws out 54lbs. of clothes and shoes per year. What happens to the stuff we donate that Goodwill etc. can't resell? 45% is sold to other countries, 30% becomes cleaning rags, and 25% is turned into stuffing or insulation via recyclers. Hence Spice Girls T-shirts on grown men in Mali. (source: LA Times, 3/21/10)

Hold the sake
Unless you're a sumo, it's illegal to be fat in Japan. In hopes of warding off health problems in older citizens, the government imposed maximum waist measurements for people over 40. Those who fail to meet guidelines at their mandatory annual check-up face counseling. If they don't reduce, their employer will be required to pay more into Japan's version of Medicare. For the record, Japan's obesity rate is less than 5%, yet healthcare costs are expected to double by 2020 because of their quickly aging population. (source: Globalpost.com)

Hyperbole aside, this ad makes me sad
Do you need a $60K mobile home away from home because you can't face your non-mobile home? McMansion bursting with possessions, a Godzilla-like child, and eternal digital connectedness? (That's what's in the drawing, in case it's a bit fuzzy.) There's a "work" and "city" version of "Defender," too. (source: MediaPost, 3/25/10)

Tout à manger
This video about how the global food system works, and doesn't, was created for 12-year-old French kids. Pretty sophisticated stuff. Nice infographics http://vimeo.com/8812686

Rebirth of the Bean
It started as a way to maybe get free clothes, but has grown into a movement. A couple of students at Bates College approached LL Bean about promoting their preppy new Signature line on campus through trunk shows and handing out catalogs. Since then, the guys have recruited fellow enthusiasts to do the same at 10 campuses across the Northeast including Harvard and UVM. LLB is thrilled of course to be making inroads with the younger crowd -- all without having lifted a marketing finger. (source: Boston Globe, 3/15/10)

Nice work if you can get it
In Greece, TV and radio presenters can retire at age 50 with a government pension because their job is considered hazardous. All that exposure to bacteria on their microphones. (source: NY Times, 3/12/10)

Me, san serif
If you've got a webcam, you can personalize a typeface based on your face
http://www.rhymeandreasoncreative.com/portfolio/index.php?project=typeface (source: Springwise, 3/17/10)

Successfully speaking
Which voice is better for advertising: male or female? Survey says that male voices may be a little more forceful to some, while female voices may be a little more soothing, but over all, it doesn't matter. (source: Harris Poll, 3/12/10)

P is for parody
Check out the new campaign from Kotex. It's about time somebody mocked the stupid white pants http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/business/media/16adco.html (source: NY Times, 3/15/10)

Asseyez-vous
IKEA set up cozy living rooms with lamps and posters of other products for Paris subway commuters to enjoy while they wait. (source: Ryan H. Tx, Ryan)

Do we speak Boomer?
The average age of an advertising agency creative person is 28. The average age of a media planner is 24. And less than 4% of advertising agency personnel in America is over the age of 50. (soure: MediaPost, 3/15/10)

Aidez-moi
Just add arms and this robo personal assistant would be perfect. Speech recognition app is unbelievable. It even understands its master's Franglais http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GciSisi1cMg&feature=player_embedded# (source: Fast Company, 3/12/10)

Post-paper legacy
Before he died, John Updike donated fifty 5 1/4-inch floppy disks to Harvard. They've not sure what to do with them. Emory is displaying Salman Rushdie's old Macs with his writings inside. Obsolete technology is causing a quandary among librarians and historians. What's the future of your Facebook gallery? (source: NY Times, 3/15/10)

You are what you Tweet
Trending moods match trending foods, according to new research of Twitter. If the talk is about crazy, fun times there's also talk of beer. Love = sushi. Soup is for lonely sadness. Chips signal aggravation. (source: Quirks, March 2010)

Mad plastic
Limited-edition "Mad Men" Barbies. Collect the set of 4, just $300.

Tasteless
This is the visual in an ad for Meyer Natural Angus beef. The other page is simple, white with a little copy and a logo. I like beef. I don't eat it, but I like it. And I'm sure I'd like premium angus, but eeew. Who markets food with a bloody plate?! (source: Supermarket News, 3/15/10)

They're grrreat!
America's most beloved spokescreatures:
1. M&Ms
2. Poppin' Fresh
3. Tony the Tiger
4. Mrs. Butterworth
5. the Gecko & Aunt Jemima (tied)
(source: Forbes.com)

Get your wow on
Creativity's 50 most influential and inspiring creative personalities of 2009 http://adage.com/creativity50/

Half-pipe potty
A Japanese canned coffee-milk-sugar beverage company transforms stalls at ski resorts. Probably dangerous if you're tipsy or over-caffeinated, but very groovy otherwise. (source: Ad Age, 3/11/10)

The most fun you'll ever have learning about shoe technology
Part of a series from Vasque.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ibC2k7_NdQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1nzmw9CdU

North Korean comic books
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/south-korea/100225/comic-book-north-korea (source: globalpost.com)

It's not who you'd expect
Booz & Company's annual endangered industries list: chemicals, retail banking, consumer packaged goods, engineered products and services, oil and gas, technology. Find out why http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00022?gko=2c2d5&cid=enews20100309&pg=all#consumerpackagedgoods (source: Strategy + Business, 3/8/1/0)

So that's a sine wave
After helping his young nephew improve his math skills, hedge fund manager Salman Khan quit his job to teach the world math online through short, low-key YouTube videos. From basic addition to calculus, the "Khan Academy" has been a huge hit, with one algebra lesson garnering over 150K views http://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy . (source: PBS News Hour, 3/9/10)

Yay gizmo
The Dow's down 400 points? Who cares when a blinking, wiggling, programmable wi-fi bunny breaks the bad news. http://www.nabaztag.com/en/index.html (source: Murilo. Tx, Murilo)

Here comes the...yikes!
According to Urban Outfitters, the average wedding costs $45K, with the bride spending an average of $4,5K on clothing and accessories. That's why UO and its sister retailer Anthropologie are getting into the business. The company will be launching a new wedding brand by Valentine's 2011. (source: Philly.com, 3/5/10)

Hospitals make you stupid
At least if you're old. A new study shows that patients over 65 who were treated at hospitals for serious and non-serious illnesses were more likely to develop dementia or lose cognitive ability versus those who didn't spend time in a hospital. I'm sure there are lots of caveats to this story, but my grandmother only saw a doctor 4 times in her 90 years (4 babies) and swore avoiding doctors was the secret to her healthy old age. Maybe she was right. (source: NY Times, 3/8/10)

Your briefs are showing
An agency's creative scribblings go public as part of the E*Trade vs. Lohan case http://industry.bnet.com/advertising/10005982/etrades-ugly-creative-process-on-lindsay-ad-shows-that-even-agency-jokes-dont-remain-secret/ (source: bnet, 3/11/10)

Life a little dull?
Always wanted to be kidnapped? Hunted? Or maybe experience life as a high-seas drug smuggler? Ultimate Réalité can make it happen (safely) for 900€. (source: Springwise, 3/10/10)

Changing demos
This year, for the first time in the US, there may be more non-Caucasian babies born than Caucasians. (source: WHEC.com, 3/11/10)

Conan's new gig
"The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour kicks off April 12.

One wacky little dude
Ethan (29) translates his 5-year-old brother Malachai's imagination into a comic http://www.axecop.com/ (source: The Very Short List, 2/26/10)

I'll have some Skittles and save the akiapola'au
84% of consumers say selecting their own cause is important when determining support for a company's cause efforts. (source: Cone via Ad Age, 3/2/10)

Fidel's gonna be mad
2% of Americans (about 6 million people) believe Cuba is a close US ally. (source: Harris Poll)

What would you do with 5 more hours in your work week?
CMOs, according to a CMO Club survey, would spend it with customers (44%), alone thinking (36%), with their marketing team (14%), with peers (3%), with their agencies (3%). (source: Fast Company, 2/24/10)

Just a Slurpee, please
C-store shoppers are the least likely to make an impulse purchase. (source: Instore Marketing, March 2010)

Small snack, big hit
The story of Kit Kat's innovation and outsized success in Japan is too long to tell here, but definitely worth a click-through http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=142461 (source: Ad Age, 3/4/10)

Here comes the sun
Tropicana goes a long way to make a point, and brings light and vitamins to NW Canada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abkIIypRWv4

Method to the madness
Why did David Lee Roth demand there be no brown M&Ms backstage at Van Halen shows? Because if there were, that meant the venue crew hadn't given VH's inches-thick, highly technical contract proper consideration. Wherever he found brown M&Ms, he was guaranteed to find flaws in the electrical set-up which could wreck the show. Diva, not. Meticulous showman with a clever shortcut, absolutely. (source: Fast Company, 3/1/10)

Everybody tweet
Marketers predict that by 2015, nearly 20% of their budget will be devoted to social marketing. (source: CMO Study by Duke U and AMA via eMarketer, 3/2/10)

Bossnap
(bôs nap) vt. [French] 1. to take a manager hostage in order to exert pressure in negotiations over wages or job cuts. The latest: two German managers napped by union workers in Lyon because the Siemens plant there is going to cut its staff by half. The company is refusing to negotiate until the managers are freed. (source: Reuters, 3/2/10)

Greening the Empire
The Empire State Building is getting new energy-efficient windows, but the old ones won't be leaving the tower. From glass washers to film stretchers to ovens, Serious Materials created a pop-up factory on the building's 5th floor to re-process and re-build the old ones, all 6,514 of them http://www.inc.com/articles/2010/03/serious-materials-greens-empire-state-building.html (source: Inc., 3/4/10)

Play like a Brazilian
Buy Nike's new Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II football boot (aka soccer shoe) and get access to top Brazilian players and coaches who'll teach you their training secrets via exclusive online sport camps. Bad name, cool promo. Learn about the splashy launch here http://www.soccerfanatic.com/SFCBlog/soccer_gear/mercurial-vapor-superfly-ii-nike-soccer-london-launch-event-recap/

Sputter and hum
This classic motorcycle, one of the first ever produced, is expected to auction for between $65K and $100K. It had 2.5hp and went about 30mph -- pretty bad-ass for 1890. (source: Motorcycle Classics, March/April 2010)

Jerry's back
Who will replace the Governator in 2011? This week, Jerry Brown announced his candidacy for what has to be the scariest job in America. Dust off the Dead Kennedys! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjMptzRVjw0

Oh, it's on
Private labels have made huge gains at retail and national brands are fighting back with marketing dollars. At the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference marketers from Kraft to Procter & Gamble and General Mills promised bigger investments in advertising, in-store promotion, shelf signage, coupons, and packaging. Some brands are already rolling: Heinz was up 40% last quarter. Hershey's 50% in '09 overall with plans for another 30% hike this year. (source: Ad Age, 2/18/10)

Ode to an elm
This is much more than the story of a massive, ancient tree finally succumbing to disease. It's a 50-year romance http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/2010/0112/New-England-s-oldest-elm-tree-to-be-chopped-down

Americans trust and recommend...
Amazon, FedEx, Downey, Huggies, Tide, Tylenol, Toyota, WebMC, Pampers, and UPS. Based on a new survey from Millward Brown. This is important because the study also found that in a rough economy, people are very reluctant to spend on brands they don't trust. And they're much more likely to bond with brands they do. (source: Marketing Daily, 2/23/10)

Where not to find moms
Reading the newspaper, watching TV, or flipping through a magazine.

Mancakes
What does a laid-off Wall Street lawyer do next? When David Arrick ran out of money to eat out, he started cooking. Next thing you know, he's pumping out pastry for real men http://www.butchbakery.com/ (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/25/10)

The power of Twizzlers
In Mobile, AL, a 33-year-old man broke into a car to steal a purse to use a stolen check to buy Twizzlers at Walmart. For now he's going to jail. Later, parole and brand ambassadorship? (source: WKRG-TV, 2/22/10)

Speaking of happy snackers
Check out this gorgeous spot from Pedigree. Pure joy captured in slo-mo http://creativity-online.com/work/pedigree-catch/19004 . (source: Creativity)

How many stabs equal a workable idea?
In the case of http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ , 80K suggestions have been submitted so far. 50 have been implemented. (source: Ad Age, 2/23/10)

Who knew?
Asics stands for "anima sana in corpore sano," aka "sound mind, sound body." The company is using that tagline as the theme for their new campaign touting the cleansing power of sport. (source: Brandweek, 2/22/10)

High tech meets salmonella
A look inside American refrigerators http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB20001424052748703503804575083453336699386-lMyQjAyMTAwMDIwNDEyNDQyWj.html (source: Wall Street Journal, 2/24/10)

The shelf-talker made me do it
What makes people try new products? Merchandising (39%), promotions (31%), referrals (22%), advertising (8%). (source: Progressive Grocer/Market Force Information, 2/23/10)

One man's treasure
Hoping for a bigger piece of the $40 billion Spring Break pie, Panama City, FL, is launching an integrated program promoting itself as the "spring break capitol of the world." Meanwhile, Daytona and Ft. Lauderdale have all but barricaded themselves to keep the drunken masses out http://pcbeachspringbreak.com/ (source: Ad Age, 2/24/10)

What the?
Ziggy is not melting. It's a blobfish, and he looks so sad because he's endangered. Though not edible, the crabs and such in his Down Under neighborhood are, so he gets netted with them. (source: Christian Science Monitor)

Now for something much prettier
http://www.culturecheesemag.com/ArtoftheRind