Okay, so Apple stays busy coming up with new apps for its iLine. The latest app that I recently read about has to do with hitchhiking . When the program is available, drivers who want to offer rides will first download the app, then record their preferred routes. The driver puts the iPhone on the dashboard, and it records the entire trip and sends the route to the Apple networkets. So the passenger needs to either a) have an iPhone or b) look up a ride on the Avego website. Avego will charge 30 cents a mile, with 85 percent going to the driver to recover some of the commuting costs and 15 percent to the company up their route. How do you think an application such as this will actually work? What selling points could Apple and Avego use in order to gets consmers to use this application? If this becomes popular, I wonder how or if this will affect other forms of travel?

                 iTaxi

I recently saw a commerical where sexy singer, Beyonce is performing one of her songs for Direct TV. The commerical is about customers upgrading to direct TV in order to get the hottest HDTV channels. I think this is an interesting combination, Beyonce and Direct TV. Who would have ever thought to combine these two; but then again I guess you have to think about what DirectTV is trying to appeal to, who is the target audience here?

I guess because Beyonce is a performer, she does appear on TV and she is popular so some people might want to see her on HDTV channels?

The commercial is below:

I know a lot of people utilize Craigslist for whatever, it’s a pretty popular “classified” site. Afterall the site offers plenty of space to place ads regardless of where you live and what you you are looking for. I know that the site recently was trying to cut down on the amount of sex that has be illicited on the site. But a lot of people of live in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area are using Craigslist to rent out their homes for the 2008 Presidential Inauguration. There is a lot of buzz behind these homes being rented. I was watching Fox news one day and they were covering the story of how people were renting their homes for as much as $10,000 a night. Well, I guess when there aren’t any more hotel rooms available, the marketing and inner money -maker awakens and the ad below that was posted on Craiglist results:

$20000 / 4br – Beautiful Brand new home in Morganza (Maryland)

If you are looking for a place to stay during the inauguration for your family or corporation,look no further. Many places in or near D.C. are completely booked or pricey for an unsafe location. This home is located in the peaceful countryside of St. Mary’s County, MD. Very safe and freindly area. This is a fully furnished (Dining Room) and Kitchen Table) sits up to 12 people, sitting room and living area. 3 level brand new home with 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms and half bath, walk in closets. Master Bedroom has Shower and Jacuzzi Tub. The 3 levels includes an unfinished basement that has an exercise area with weight machine and a 2 car garage. Beautiful Kitchen,granite countertops. Just 45 miles outside of D.C. with easy access to the main highways. This house is brand new, never lived in home on a small Lake front setting set away from all other homes. Very peaceful. Situated very close to church,and 5 minutes from grocery, hospitals, etc. Close to Old Leonardtown which is a beautiful small town on the water. Maid Service everyday,Satellite TV, Internet access, food, plus many other ameneties. If you are looking for just a few nights, the rate is $4500 per night. Please call 240-925-5282 for more details and pictures. We are asking $20,000 for 7 nights and 3000 for one night. $3000 non-refundable deposit up front required to take the house off the market, with the balance in full by December 31, 2008. Payments, to be made by bank check or money order; in addition a $3,000 security deposit will be required and will be refunded promptly upon leaving the house (assuming no damage, of course). Background check will be required.

This is marketing at it’s best, utilizing a site such as Craiglist and then because of all of the buzz regarding the renting out of homes FOX news covered the story. While the post above is a little on the expensive side, I am sure that many ads have been answered as Inauguration goers scramble to find a place to stay and to be a part of history- I am sure many people have forked out a lof of $$$ just to be in the DMV area during Inauguration week.

How do you build a website; not any website but an effective website? A website that serves its purpose and has a good amount of site traffice, with repeat visitors? I’ve always wanted to create a website but had no clue how or where to start. I still don’t really know how to actually “build” the site but I do know that I need a registered domain name to begin with. After that where do I start? I guess a layout would be good to start with?

I know there are a few things that must happen before testing, but I have learned that it is important to test your site to make sure that everything is working properly so that there aren’t any broken links or images that don’t display. It is also important for the website to flow; using down to earth language and allowing users to fully take in the site.

Here are a list of the worst webpages for 2008, actually these are listed as “webpages that suck”

http://www.brillpublications.com/

http://www.5safepoints.com/  -OMG beware, this site has soooooooooooo much going on, I can’t focus on anything.

http://www.havenworks.com/- I’m speachless with this site!

http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~mbbjsj/index.htm- This site is pretty simpl;e except for thr color and flying animation.

http://www.alternativetransportservices.co.uk/- Too much color and too many pictures.

What ever happened to designing for FLOW?

I wonder if these types of emails are a new marketing trend. I receive many emails from different retail companies that sell clothing and I have noticed when there is a sale of when the website is introducing new clothing items, not only does the site provide you with a picture of the new items or sale items, but will provide a photo of a whole outfit. The outfit normally includes, accesories (belt, handbag, earrings, necklace, bracelet), shoes, top and bottom. Is this a new marketing plow- to convince consumers to purchase the entire outfit or to help those with less of a fashion sense?

Twitter might be gaining popularity. The social networking site has a new marketing tool, it will soon be offering a way to transfer money over the web, with a service called Twitpay. This service will allow Twitter users to send small payments to other Twitter user’s Twitpay account. What is interesting about this new system to send money via the web, is that in order to replenish your account; you will have to use a site like Paypal. The idea behind Twitpay is enable people to be social givers. Get this, “Along with many of the third-party applications that make use of Twitter’s platform, Twitpay has no official ties to Twitter”. Hmmmm… I don’t get that part of it. Twitpay seems to even be partially named after Twitter but, there are no official ties to one another?

The good part about it, Twitpay is still in it’s trial phase, the reason I say this is a good thing is because it is important when developing websites or rolling out new applications, to have a test period. The test period allows you to make suer that everything is functioning as it should and to make sure that everything behind the scenes are working properly and it allows you to remove all “bugs” before actual implentation is set forth.

The minority population is growing in the U.S. We don’t all look alike, come from the same backgrounds, cultures, or beliefs. America has been labeled as the “melting pot”. There are so many different races and ethnic backgrounds that make up the U.S.  There are many different shades and hues of beauty that surround us each day. These differences create an opportunity for marketers to appeal to consumers through the use of diversity.  Because we don’t all look alike, in order to reach certain audiences it is important to demonstrate the use and promotion of diversity companywide. These days most websites offer at least 2 languages: English & Spanish, due to the growing Hispanic population.  Many companies are using models and actors of different ethnicites to market to different ethnic groups.By seeing people that look like you, it allows a connection to be made.

Short films are a new way of marketing and reaching consumers. The idea is to create an entertaining message with a hero, who wants something, and takes action,but meets conflict, which leads to climax and finally a resolution. Chanel ads to a great job of using short films to market their elegant prodcuts. The films stay true to brand and also display an elegant feel. Besides Chanel, marketing through short films is becoming popular and can be very funny.

I would like to see some home-made short films…let’s see what you got?

Check out Ritz Carlton’s short films: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Films/films.htm?utm_source=rch&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=RCFilmsJun08

I never heard of Cyber Monday before this year, or maybe I did and I just didn’t know what it was…Well, as I opened up my email Dec 1, the Monday after Black Friday; there were all these cyber Monday deals/. Also, when I logged on to Yahoo the main news story was about Cyber Monday. I did find a good deal on a coat, but other than that I didn’t buy anything else. I did see some good deals though. Now it is the Saturday after Cyber Monday and I am still receiving emails about this cyber event. Apparently Cyber Monday has been extended and cyber sales have been happening all week. I did notice on one site the sale was for 30% off on Cyber Monday, but now all items are 20% off instead.

Marketers really take advantage of the holiday season by promoting events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Without the hype stimulated by marketers would these shopping events have as much hype as they do now? Would they be as successful? Would there even be a proper name (ie. Black Friday, Cyber Monday)?

As I sat at my desk today at work a text message came through to my phone from a phone number that I didn’t recognize. The message read, “Send txt message to landline phones with Text to Landline. Personalize your msg with new Record ur Name feature. Try it today. Call 781-577-6885. Std. rates apply.”

Ok, I’m thinking who is this company? How did they get my number? Why are they texting me? I put my cell phone number on the do not call registry, is there a registry for do not text message me? Why is this company sending me a random text about a service that I am not interested in? I’m just wondering is the new era of marketing, forcefully sending text messages to people’s cell phones about services that are no value to the consumer. I’m wondering if more text messages are to follow….Have you gotten any random marketing texts?