Cocktail Hour: August 17th, 2012

This week we celebrated Shark Week (it’s been airing for 25 years now) with a look at some of the best creative ads surrounding Sharks; Lego celebrated its 80th birthday with a short film showing how they revolutionized the toy industry; Domino’s revamped its logo; Spaceballs began selling canned ‘city’ air to prevent homesickness; The Mars Rover Mission gets pop cultured and Pinterest finally debuted an app that is specific to the Android and iPad.

Did You See?

Kenco Millicano coffee set up a talking vending machine in London that talks to passers-by.

http://youtu.be/vUAxdPj5RXM

Diet Coke updates its cans to align itself with the fashion community.

There is a world cup for sleeping — yes, sleeping. Comedy Central launched the ‘Siesta World Cup’ ad. Check it out to see who is crowned the sleep king.

http://vimeo.com/43822490

There has been much talk surrounding Facebook ads and stocks. Recently we’ve seen Facebook’s stock take a dive, and it’s not looking good.

An app has been developed to help organize Twitter and get rid of the clutter. Tufte-inspired, this app helps you organize your most valuable tweets and authors.

http://youtu.be/BIGImsvULK0

The Huffington Post launched HuffPost Live, a streaming video network that will open up conversation to communities around the world and invite them to join in via live webcam.

Catch Up

Your Life Is Fully Mobile (Tech Land): “Whatever people thought the first time they held a portable phone the size of a shoe in their hands, it was nothing like where we are now, accustomed to having all knowledge at our fingertips. A typical smart phone has more computing power than Apollo 11 when it landed a man on the moon. In many parts of the world, more people have access to a mobile device than to a toilet or running water; for millions, this is the first phone they’ve ever had. In the U.S., close to 9 in 10 adults carry a mobile, leaving its marks on body, mind, spirit.

Four Digital Trends to Worry Media Companies (Ad Age): “If there's any sign that the media ecosystem is on the verge of dramatic change, then these four digital trends bubbling to the surface are the latest proof points of that. These aren't random trends but are illustrative of tectonic shifts that will change the media business dramatically. Tectonic shifts of the type that we have witnessed in the music and book publishing businesses with the rise of the Internet. Shifts that won't change the media landscape in time for the next upfront, but will reshape the landscape over the next five years.”

Why Brands Shouldn’t Discount the Mobile Web (Digiday): “As the debate between mobile apps versus mobile Web rages on, many marketers claim that mobile marketing isn’t about messaging; it’s about creating value for the consumer in the moment. Certainly, marketers need the ability to message effectively in mobile. While there is little dispute around the efficacy of marketers leveraging apps to support and enhance their brand’s position, the more important question and debate is where best to market in mobile today: mobile Web or in-app?”

Cool Down

To help celebrate Shark week, here’s a beverage you’ll want to sink your teeth into.

The Shark Bite

You will need:

• 1 oz Captain Morgan Lime Bit
• .25oz Blue Curacao
• .5oz Pineapple Juice
• Splash of Sour Mix

1. Shake, strain and serve in a shot glass!

Please drink responsibly. Recipe courtesy of The Discovery Channel.

Enjoy your weekend and tell us what you’ve been reading this week.

Cheers!