I read an article in Marketing (November, 2007) that brought to my attention a real innovation. According to Luke Berry, managing director of Innovative Solutions Oceania Group, the 18 to 30 year old market tends to be resistant to most advertising. A perfect way to target this segment is with the Wizmark Talking Urinal Cake. Basically, these small devices are installed in male urinals and when activated a recorded message starts. Usually placed in bars, there are many benefits to this innovation...

So its been more than two months since Cadbury Schweppes revealed their ManCans shampaign. As a consumer who would fall right into their target market, I am yet to see an actual mancan, or rather a 440ml can of Solo. The build up and the word of mouth was so successful. In fact, the campaign was so influential it added a word to my vernacular, which I still regularly use. I've received my free stubbie holder and was a member of the webpage...

Yesterday marked the mid of Movember.For those not familiar with this, over the past few years a growing trend has been to sprout a moustache during the month of November. Up until today, I had thought it was somewhat of a parody, much like International Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19th) and had not realised it was actually linked to the charitable cause of men's health.This connection is rather disappointing. Other charity days such as Red Nose Day (June 29th) or Pink Ribbon Day (October 22nd) have been able to claim just one day, not an entire month. There is so much potential here yet it is lacking due to a poor link between the event and the cause.Don't get me wrong, last year alone they raised over $7,500,000 but I can't think how much bigger it could be, even through simple traditional means of advertising.It is like running a shampaign and not revealing the brand behind it....

Surprisingly, the writers' strike in Hollywood has not made the media here in Australia. However its easy enough to follow over at United Hollywood, basically members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have currently stopped production of big shows such as The Office, Lost, >Desperate Housewives, Scrubs, Heroes and Grey's Anatomy.The easiest way to explain it is by watching this four minute piece of footage...

Today is the 7th of November, or rather 7/11. 7-Eleven has capitalised on this with National 7-Eleven Day. Simply go into your local store and say "Happy 7-Eleven Day" to receive your free slurpee.I think this is a really creative campaign that should work well for them, particularly if they run something like this every year. Its targeted well to their market and I believe there should be a good turn out.There's also good use of their Facebook Event which seems to have gained a lot of popularity with over 40,000 people expressing interest. Unfortunately, it seems they've almost hidden away their promotional videos on the official website, with none of these posted on YouTube.I know I'll be heading down for my free slurpee, will you?...

Vary Your Vernacular is a small intermittent series designed to increase one's vocabulary relating to all things Web 2.0.prosumern. pro·sum·erA portmanteau of the words producer and consumer, playing particular importance with the increase of consumer generated content through new means such as blogging, podcasting and social networking.Social Network Fatigue Syndrome (SNFS)n. so·cial net·work fa·tigue syn·dromeMental exhaustion and stress caused by creating and maintaining an excessive number of accounts on social networking communities.to jump on the brandwagonv. to jump on the brand·wag·onTo follow a trend based on another brand's performance in a specific area....

In case you missed it, the title is a late night attempt at an acronym for the Australian Record Industry Association Awards (or ARIAS as they are known). The question of "Are Retailers Intentionally Advertising Subliminally?" should be raised after the airing of the 2007 Awards on the 28th of October. Take a look at this footage as seen on Network Ten...