Marketing

Headlights For Your Grill: LED Lights Brighten Japanese Smiles

by Steve Levenstein

Gold and diamond dental “grills” not flashy enough for you? Not to worry, LED smiles inspired by a Japanese retail ad will give your mouth a glow even Flavor Flav can't beat.

1 comment

Social Media For Sale Or Rent, "ThreeWords" Bought By That Domain Gent

Social Media For Sale Or Rent, "ThreeWords" Sold To The Domain Gent!

by Ron Callari

Up till now, the social media space has been a coveted arena where entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg are more interested in building empires than selling their enterprises to the highest bidder. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and others were of a similar ilk. However, the next generation of Internet entrepreneurs seem to be looking at things somewhat differently.

2011's Social Media Super Bowl Puts Twitter & Facebook In The Driver's Seat

Mercedes-Benz Tweet-Fueled Race for the 2011 Super Bowl

by Ron Callari

This year with over 100 million viewers predicted to watch the Super Bowl and commercials costing $3 million a spot, brands are looking to rope in even more eyeballs by promoting their wares on Twitter and Facebook. And this year, Mercedes-Benz is upping the ante by actually awarding 2 of their new 2012 C-Class Coupes to contest contestants they consider the most savvy social networkers.

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Social Media Helps Promote Persian Version Of Jon Stewart's 'The Daily Show'

Social Media Helps Promote Persian's Version Of Jon Stewart's The Daily Show

by Ron Callari

With Facebook friends scaling past a quarter-million and a YouTube account that has attracted over 15,000 views since January 21, the Iranian TV show, Parazit is using social media channels to promote its answer to Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. Co-created by Iranian ex-pats Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi, the popular Voice of America's Persian-language program is produced in Washington, DC, where the founders can lampoon their parent country, without fear of reprisal.

China's Confucius Institute Spreads Chinese Culture Around The World

by China.new

Soft power, hard sell: The non-profit Confucius Institute has been promoting China's language, culture and society to people and nations the world over since 2004. Nearly 500 CI's are now open in almost 100 countries and plans are afoot to establish 1,000 Confucius Institutes by 2020.

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Eric Be Nimble, Eric Be Quick, See Google's Founders Jump Over Eric's Shtick!

Eric Be Nimble, Eric Be Quick, Google's Founders Jumped Over Eric's Schtick!

by Ron Callari

"Was it something he said?" Large infrastructures in the Silicon Valley can sometimes be an inevitable by-product of success. However, the ramifications of such an growth can also stymie a company from advancing, as the layers of decision-making become a bureaucratic juggernaut. Such is the case at Google and of recent date, the founders are seeking to remedy the situation by jumping back into the fray, displacing its previous CEO, Eric Schmidt.

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Social Media Takes Time Off For A Qwiki!

by Ron Callari

When you win top honors at TechCrunch Disrupt- an event that introduces new innovative Internet companies to the world - you know you are on a trajectory for success. It's an arena that attracts developers and venture capitalists, the likes of Peter Thiel, one of Facebook's first major investors. It was there the world first got to become intimately involved with a digital Qwiki.

Social Media Game That Rewards You For Playing Social Media Games

Social Media Games That Rewards You For Playing Social Media Games

by Ron Callari

It was bound to happen. Zynga, the number one game developer on Facebook is not happy just to release another "Ville" game, they had to find yet another way to make online gaming even more addictive than they already are - and in the process add yet more "green" to their coffers. This week, rumors logged by a number of the techie blog sites indicated the firm will be launching RewardVille.

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Taobao Trip Travel Website Spreads Its Pink Piggy Wings

by China.new

Chinese New Year is fast approaching and the year's busiest travel season is about to begin. Taobao Trip is reaching out to millions of would-be travelers with an offbeat video ad featuring flying pigs.

3 comments

Is Social Media Stocks An End-Run Around The Securities Exchange Commission?

by Ron Callari

Social media stock that you can purchase before a social network goes public has become the hot ticket in social media circles. In my post, "Social Media Stock Market Don't Need No Stinkin' IPOs," I noted several financial vehicles that sell these types of stocks direct to pubic, while they are still private companies. However none have caught as much flack as the Goldman-Sachs-Facebook deal.

Social Media Drops Another "P" Bomb On TGIF

by Ron Callari

Who releases a major privacy change to its social network on a Friday evening prior to a holiday weekend? Well, if you're the social network that has rebuffed privacy issues in the past, and believes that online privacy is no longer a "social media norm," I guess it's your world to dictate, and we are still the "dumb f*cks" you so aptly named some six years ago.

Royal Engagement Ring Replicas Are China's Latest Booming Export

by China.new

The April 2011 wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton is proving to be a bonanza for Chinese jewelers, manufacturers and exporters. Want a royal wedding engagement ring for as little as 45 cents? Just say “I do!”

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Hotel Guests Check In To Social Media Services For Recommendations & Meet-Ups

by Ron Callari

Over time, hotels have learned to embrace social media by assigning staff or hiring agencies to manage both the tactical and strategical aspects of an effective campaign. In the "Top Ten Hotel Brands A Tweet Above The Rest," I noted some of the best 'social media' hotel chains' campaigns. But in addition, hoteliers are also utilizing some of the new social media services popping up online and on mobile apps that connect guests and hotels in some unique ways prior to arrival and during their stays.

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Cup Noodle Style Finnish Salmon Soup Warms Up A Japanese Winter

by Steve Levenstein

Japan's popular Acecook brand introduces 'AIR ACE' Finnish Salmon Soup' to fight winter's chill. You'll Lapp it up!

Social Media Stock Markets Don't Need No Stinkin' IPOs

by Ron Callari

While rumors abound as to which social network will jump onto the IPO band wagon first - and with the dot-com bubble of the 90s still fresh in our memory - there appears to be an alternate route for Mom & Pop investors to invest in social media and start trading NOW, before any bell sounds on Wall Street. IPOs? We don't need no stinkin' IPOs!

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Chopstick Tree Art Sculpture Helps Make a Point

by Gloria Campos

In another effort to encourage people to use reusable chopsticks the China Environmental Protection Foundation has sculpted a chopstick tree and handed out reusable chopsticks.

Google's Fare Search For Travel Challenged by FairSearch For Travel

by Ron Callari

Google's acquisitions of AdMob Inc. and DoubleClick boosted the search giant's online services while the government held back from challenging its encroachment on competition. But with Google's recent acquisition of ITA Software, online travel agencies (OTAs) are pressuring the US Justice Department to support an anti-trust suit against Google to block the purchase.

6 comments

Burger King Stuffs Its Steakhouse Burger

by Toby

January 17 is not just the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday this year, it is the day Burger King has chosen to introduce its Stuffed Steakhouse Burger. This alone is in poor taste.

Would Social Media's Bubble Burst If Facebook Were To Cash Out?

Will Social Media's Bubble Burst If Facebook Were To Cash Out?

by Ron Callari

Scaling to 600+ million users in six years is a monumental task for any social network. Ask MySpace which is scheduled to layoff 500 workers this week? But with a Time's Person of the Year nod, an award winning movie, a graphic novel and financial book-makers lining up to seed billions more in investment, one wonders if the Internet bubble we are currently experiencing will eventually burst when and if Facebook cashes out?

1 comment

Pac-Man Pastry From Circle K Japan Celebrates 30 Years Of Video Gaming

by Steve Levenstein

Hungry for some hot arcade game action? You're 30 years too late on the latter but Japan's Circle K Sunkus convenience stores have got a little something to satisfy the former.