Cocktail Hour: August 31, 2012

This week we celebrated Google+ launching several tools and features that will help their business users; Flipboard quadrupling its user base to 20 million in eight months; Lexmark shutting down its printing business and we learned that the mobile advertising market is expected to grow to $13.5 billion by 2015.

Did You See?

- Web series are going to be the future solution to television network problems with the capability of reaching the world instantly and at a much cheaper price.

- Google placed their first animated logo on the homepage.

- The Draw Something App is being used by creative agencies as a tool to attract young, creative talent.

http://youtu.be/AMH2N6rSUQQ

- Old Spice makes an interactive campaign with Terry Crews’ muscles.

http://youtu.be/yZ15vCGuvH0

Catch Up

Setting the Digital Course Forward [Winston Binch]: “Just because we're in the business of advertising doesn't mean we always have to make ads. The most powerful marketing experiences start with the product. And sometimes the best way to solve a marketing problem is through ancillary product or platform invention. Most advertising briefs have a problem attached to them. They also have a deliverable list. Deliverables shouldn't be ignored but start by trying to solve the problem by any idea necessary. And in a connected world, many of the best ideas are rooted in digital experience.”

Amazon’s Zappos Combines Pinterest and E-Commerce In New Site [Bloomberg]: “Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s Zappos online store has created a service that recommends purchases based on what users post on Pinterest, a move to parlay the popularity of the social-sharing site into e-commerce sales. The new Web page, created by a team at Zappos Labs in San Francisco, is called PinPointing and suggests Zappos products, such as shoes, dresses and swimsuits, based on Pinterest posts. Consumers can see suggestions that correlate with their own personal pins or those of other Pinterest users.”

Americans Are Still Clueless about the Cloud [Mashable]: “This survey clearly shows that the cloud phenomenon is taking root in our mainstream culture, yet there is still a wide gap between the perceptions and realities of cloud computing,” said Kim DeCarlis, vice president of corporate marketing at Citrix. “While significant market changes like this take time, the transition from the PC era to the cloud era is happening at a remarkable pace.”

The Power of Words in Brand Marketing [Star Group]: “In communications, creativity is paramount; it’s what separates one agency from another. Without distinct ideas and a fresh approach, the messages we communicate become stale and yield mediocre results. As an intelligent man once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” So, use your words wisely.”

Cool Down

If you’re looking to get refreshed, try this Italian beverage.

Italian Mojito

You'll need:

1. 1/2 lime, quartered
2. 2tsp sugar
3. 6-7 large mint leaves
4. 1 oz. white rum
5. Ice Cubes
6. Prosecco

Please drink responsibly. Recipe courtesy of the Live Well Network.

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

Cheers!