2. Trends and Innovation
About.me iPhone App Launches With ‘Who’s Nearby’ Feature:
About.me, a successful profile platform that launched in 2010, is now available as an iPhone
app - complete with a new feature called ‘Who’s Nearby.’ “People enjoy the people-watching
we provide,” said co-founder Ryan Freitas. “Not voyeurism, but about getting additional
Mashable
information about the people around you.” 4-8-12
A Big Survey Of JC Penney Customers Says The New Model is a Hit:
The new changes in JC Penney’s pricing model - such as doing away with frequent sales in
exchange for everyday low prices and rounding prices to the nearest dollar - are being
reacted to favorably, in a survey recently completed by CitiGroup. According to the survey,
26% of shoppers said the new model would make them shop more. Business Insider
3-30-12
CityBlis Launches “Direct from the Designer” Fashion Platform:
Cityblis.com is pleased to announce the launch of a new social fashion platform, backed by
government bodies both in Europe and the US. The Cityblis community enables designers
around the world to reach out to new markets while at the same time giving fashion savvy
consumers the opportunity to buy unique pieces from international designers. Examiner
3-30-12
3. Technology
The 100-Year March of Technology in 1 Graph:
A graph has been released by Visual Economics that compliments The Atlantic’s trilogy on
household spending in the 20th century. The graph shows the adoption of new technologies
across the century and is a must-see for anyone who is interested in 20th century economics.
The Atlantic
4-712
-
AOL to Sell 800 Patents to Microsoft for $1 Billion:
AOL Inc said it would sell 800 of its patents and related applications to Microsoft Corp as
well as grant Microsoft a non-exclusive license to the patents it retains for $1 billion in cash.
“This is a valuable portfolio that we have been following for years and analyzing in detail
for several months,” Microsoft’s General Counsel Brad Smith said.
Reuters
4-9-12
Ubi-Camera, Take Photos with your Fingers:
Still in development by the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences, the Ubi-Camera
allows you to frame a picture with your fingers and capture the shot. The camera is attached
to the end of your thumb through a hole on the top right.
Gadget WIki
4-8-12
4. Culture
You’re Listening To A Musical Instrument Made Of Jell-O:
Noisy Jelly is a project by Raphaël Pluvinage and Marianne Cauvard, two students at
L’Ensci Les Ateliers. They experiment with agar agar jellies, placed upon sensors that convert
their vibrations into music with the help of arduino processing. But beyond that sound itself,
Noisy Jelly is really about the experience of playing for the musician. Fast Co.DESIGN
4-2-12
Hitchcock's Rear Window Edited Into a Panoramic Installation:
Rear Window is a classic Hitchcock movie - and you should never mess with the classics,
right? Not in the age of the Internet when messing with the classics is encouraged. In this
video Jeff Desom turns this voyeuristic suspense film into a visual installation, cutting up the
film in After Effects and stitching it back together into a continuous panorama.
The Creator’s Project
4-3-12
The Imaginative Surfaces:
Aurélien Juner, an artist currently living in Barcelona, introduces us to his latest works
dubbed, “The Imaginative Surfaces.” As Juner explains, “It is an attempt to question the
fictional and idealized world created by magazines.” Presenting it in a real world context as
if being read by someone, or completely reworking the magazine itself to build upon
pictures and textures the periodical suggests, Juner is doing something completely original
and thought-provoking. Hype Beast
4-5-12
5. Agency News
Crate & Barrel Taps TBWAChiatDay:
TBWAChiatDay, Los Angeles won the Crate & Barrel business after a recent review. Crate
& Barrel has no agency of record but it is a well-known brand that will give TBWAChiat
Day a little boost. The agency’s duties will include in-store and traditional advertising,
packaging, catalog support, and more.
AdAge
4-6-12
Leo Burnett Picks Up Firestone Creative:
Leo Burnett has picked up the creative account for Firestone after a review by Boston-based
consultancy Pile & Co. The scope of the work is expected to include Firestone’s retail
operation, as well as its Complete Auto Care business.
AdAge
4-6-12
News From the Advertising Industry:
RadioShack Corporation selected Grey New York as lead agency for its creative account.
The assignment had been handled by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, which decided against
accepting an invitation to take part in a review for the account.
NY Times
4-8-12
6. Sustainability
How QR Codes Make You Feel Like Part Of a Fair Trade Cooperative:
Geo Fair Trade is a three-year project funded by the European Commission to develop the
use of geotracing as a way of telling the story of growers and cooperatives through their
different landscapes. Use your smartphone to run over the QR (Quick Response) code on
your packet of coffee and the screen produces a map showing the location of the
PSFK
cooperative that produced it and much more. 4-4-12
Infographic - Why Don’t Americans Recycle?:
See in this infographic how just half of Americans recycle daily, and 13% don't recycle at
all. Most people recognize the benefits of recycling, but they are often not sure which items
can be recycled and find the process inconvenient and time-consuming. GOOD
4-5-12
App and Social Network Tracks and Rewards Users’ Good Deeds:
French CitéGreen has already implemented a platform rewarding citizens for green
behavior, and now US-based Youtopia is extending the gamification model in order to
encourage good deeds, academic achievements and community service. Designed for use
in the workplace, schools and charities, the Youtopia app enables users and their
organizations to keep track of activities and gain rewards for completing them. Springwise
4-3-12
7. @TBWANYPlanning
for more information please contact
elizabeth.stroud@tbwachiat.com