Marketing

When we think of viruses…we start conjuring up negative images. Viruses that trigger colds and viruses that damage computers are contagious and something we try to avoid or fight off with mega-doses of Vitamin C and spyware software.  So how can Viral Marketing be good for us?

Challenged by chopsticks? Dread looking like a klutz at a Japanese restaurant? For those who fear straying from the familiarity of the fork, this cool chopsticks practice set is worth its weight in silverware.

Hello Kitty is all about being cute, sweet and loving so it's only natural that Sanrio Japan would offer a variety of Hello Kitty chocolate treats for Valentine's Day.

Frito-Lay Japan has decided that "Coffee Crisp" should be more than just a pretty name. Their new Caramel Macchiatto and Green Tea Latte flavor corn chips pack two cups of coffee's worth of caffeine into each bag.

Chocolate beer is the latest Japanese entry in the bizarre drinks sweepstakes. Imagine the sinfully sweet combination of  rich cocoa and full-bodied beer... and thank Sapporo Brewery for bringing such a delightful nectar to market!

The Neopolitan Printing & Company may be a strange name for a chocolate company; nevertheless, its handmade chocolates are not strange. They are most "sympatico," inspired by local connaisseurs and artists with a taste for taste and dedication to a divine finished product.

 Matterbox uses a sneaky marketing tactic that you just can't help but like. They offer potential consumers boxes of free stuff that they feel would be useful or interesting for their target audience in order to recruit new business for their clients.

Of course, design is not limited to architecture or interiors or hi-tech.... Design is not limited at all. And to prove it, some very well known interior and product designers are getting into chocolate design. How would your valentine enjoy geting one of these chocolates made by the famous French Chocolat Factory for 5.5 Designers?

Chocolate chips, yum... wait a sec, they're not what you think. Forget about cookies, Royce's Potato Chip Chocolate are less about dough and more about DOH!

The 2010 Ford Taurus marks the first model year of the sixth generation of Ford's mid-sized sedan and the third year since being reintroduced after a short pause in production. The new Taurus was (literally) opened to the public at this year's North American International Auto Show to give everyone an inside look at all the features and comforts.

The Scion xB, originally introduced in 2004, has undergone relatively few changes in the last half a decade. It still retains its semi-boxy shape and high fuel mileage, as well as its long list of options. As with the previous 5 years, Scion is offering a special edition of their xB model that brings even more such features to the table.

Did you ever wonder what the Google algorithm looks like and why it keeps changing?  When Google emerged in late 1997, it entered a market that was fully saturated by steep competition; the likes of which included Altavista, HotBot, Excite, Infoseek, Lycos and others. However, while all jockeyed for position, Google was able to take the biggest bite of market share! And they accomplished that feat in less than a decade.  Its success was based on developing an algorithm formula that continuously customizes search engine page results (SERPS) in accordance with the behavioral patterns of you and I, the users! In essence, WE are the reason the Algo turns!

Several carafe designs made the short list, but it was TapTop by industrial designer Neil Barron that took top prize -- a drip-free, inverted rocket shaped carafe with a "tap top" that functions to prevent ice from flowing out with the water.

 At a glance, Gitchers.com may seem like an inane business idea, but its model is really aimed at connecting businesses looking to expand their marketing perspective towards a target audience, to individuals who like to wear free stuff. Want a free t-shirt? Read on!

Dancing Paws is offering to send you a free Breath-A-Licious bone so you can have a "kissable companion." But I'm pretty sure it intends for you to give the Breath-A-Licious to your dog, not your husband.

Now innovation in China has taken on a new and strange dimension that depends upon imitation in order to flourish. If you are about to argue that this is a contradiction in terms, suffice it to say that you are right. Read on anyway, for the fickle finger of marketing and fate points to a very interesting phenomenon.

Would you buy an emoticon? One Russian businessman did, and he has trademarked that combination of punctuation marks used to convey a wink in text messages and email. The question is… why did he do it? Read on even though the answer still may not be clear.

A draft amendment to China’s patent law is hindering the creativity of Chinese inventors living abroad by making it difficult to legalize the idea without much red tape. Read on and… keep your ideas to yourself.

For all the sophisticated gadgets I write about, I am most delighted by simple things. I have a favorite Big Red pen, a bunch of number two pencils, a Magic Rub eraser and a few manual pencil sharpeners I got at Disneyland. These are my writing, drawing, and book keeping staples and I delight when I can escape from my computer and use them.