Archive for August, 2009
Top 5: Videos About Gen Y
Ever wonder how to capture a Gen Y’er in their natural habitat? Or, curious about how much influence Gen Y carries? This week we share entertaining, yet informative videos that explore the up-and-coming generation.
We have intentionally bypassed the many TV segments that talk about Gen Y as a selfish, “I do what I want” generation. We have chosen realistic videos that take a different perspective and follow the thinking behind our previous posts about Gen Y.
In the News: Brand Marketers Embrace Social Media
If you perform a Google search on any big company’s name with the word Facebook at the end, chances are the top result will be the company’s own official Facebook page. The same goes for Twitter and YouTube. CocaCola and Pepsi, Apple and Microsoft, Target and Walmart—they all have a presence on some social media platform. The Internet was buzzing about the future of social media, media marketing, and how businesses can use social media to their advantage. Within the next year, an astonishing 82 percent of brand marketers will be using social media to promote their brand…
Luxury Trends: Tradition 2.0
As one of the most pervasive trends in luxury, Tradition 2.0 is about revamping and re-imagining luxury. Instead of starting from the drawing board, purveyors of luxury have found success in creating new products, inspired by the old, with a new twist. Whether it’s sweetening the deal with perks or re-stylizing traditional luxury, brands catering to the affluent lifestyle are spinning convention to develop products and services that are grounded in familiarity while updated with a modern edge.
Tales from a Social Entrepreneur: Jared Koch from Clean Plates
Sparxoo had a chance to speak with Jared Koch, the founder of Clean Plates—a healthy, sustainability focused NYC restaurant and education guide. Jared Koch, a nutrition and wellness coach, was inspired by his clients’ love for his restaurant referrals. Jared wanted to pair his passion for nutrition and talents in business to form a company that would inspire cultural change.
Luxury Trends: Positive Impact
In a time when brown bags have, in some areas, replaced the iconic Tiffany blue and Hermes orange, green luxury can curb the guilt some affluent shoppers and travelers face when spending large. Some luxury brands are looking towards positive impact to overshadow many of the negative attitudes towards excessive spending. From hoteliers to iconic auto brands like BMW and Lexus to high-end eyewear, we will explore the many ways in which the luxury industry is adding a splash of green to their colors.
Top 5: You Might Be an Entrepreneur If…
The paradigm is shifting and the call for innovative entrepreneurs to usher in a new era of change is here and now. As the unemployment rate increases and job postings shore-up, a new legion of entrepreneurs are emerging with a new way of thinking that stretches beyond the status quo.
For this week’s Top Five, we’ve compiled key characteristics that embody many of today’s entrepreneurs as they embark on the journey as a small business leader.
How to Launch a Book Website
Book publishers do not always develop a website for every new release. Meaning, the task is sometimes shouldered by the author. Though online stores, such as Amazon.com, sell the book, your website needs to tell prospective readers why they should pick it up. A web site can be a tool for you to spread your message, engage and sell your book to larger audiences. It is a portal to purchase your text and find out more about…
In the News: Tumblr Makes Sense of World
Social media is no doubt a revolutionary technology. It allows users to get to the root of an issue, a trend, or an opinion to make thoughtful decisions via user-generated content. But with all of these different ways to connect, how is this information being organized, and how can we find it all?
Celebrating Social Cause: Case Study and Tips
What started as a conversation item in small pockets across the country is spreading like wildfire throughout the nation. No longer is a social mission a nice-to-have business item; it is a declaration of change. There is an emerging movement in business that is redefining the meaning of impact—to be something more. Fusing traditional business and social mission, entrepreneurs from every corner of the nation are signing on to the new, social business model.
Luxury Debate: Collections VS Hero Items
In this transformational time, many brands are suffering, while a select few are flourishing. Within the walls of luxury, there is an ongoing debate on whether to develop collections or hero items—opposite poles of the spectrum. While the collections trend is about stylistic consistency for a harmonious lifestyle, the hero item trend explores the highly prized gems that eliminate unnecessary and…
Luxury Trend: Accessible Gold Standard
Ritz Carlton. Lamborghini. Prada. These are all brands that have set the highest standards in the luxury world, names that are recognizable to all but held by few. Our world is full of standards; there are certain things we have become accustomed to and have come to expect over time.
Top 5: Ways Executive Teams Can Communicate in Business 2.0
With the inception of the internet, business communication has turned from the back roads onto the Audubon. With the newest and shiniest communication technologies emerging constantly, it seems overwhelming and difficult to manage. The web has created it’s own guidelines and etiquette.
In the News: $43 Million Investment in Gilt Groupe
General Atlantic and Matrix Partners have invested $43 million in the Gilt Groupe, on the premise of making luxury and designer goods more affordable. Since launching in November 2007, Gilt has membership has grown to 1.3 million registered users in the US, along with 200,000 in their fifth month in Japan.
In the News: Microsoft and Cloud Computing
There has been a long running debate in the technology world about the benefits of software vs. cloud computing. Each camp has valid arguments for why their system is superior. Many people use cloud computing technology and don’t even know it, through services like Yahoo! Gmail, and other Web-hosted programs. This debate was brought to a head on Wednesday, when a Texas judge ordered Microsoft to stop selling all versions of the wildly popular Microsoft Word software in the United States.
Quality is in the Details
Seth Godin recently wrote a great post (excerpt below) in which he talks about the importance of details. Indeed, it is more affordable to use regular products, such as the regular eggs that Seth Godin refers to. However, savvy owners will figure out which upgrades matter to consumers, and they will take the time or spend the money, to make them happen. Next time you are at the mall, consider which clothes appeal to you: details in color, materials, threading, and design are visible.
Trends in Luxury: Scarcity
Limited supply has been a guiding principle for economic growth since the dawn of trade. Today, with the ability to mass-produce products and maximize services, consumers are increasingly interfacing with and using products from machines. In this world of overcapacity, scarcity is increasing in value.
2009 Luxury Industry Trends
In our exploration of the luxury industry, we have scoured the web for the most interesting, innovative products leading the latest trends. Resetting the gold standard, the importance of the human touch and our environmental footprint are key concepts we synthesized from industry experts and product bright spots in the affluent market. Further, we introduce our two industry critics, Creo the creative and Ana the analyst to argue different perspectives on the luxury industry.
Top 5: Accessible American Luxury Brands
In our exploration of luxury brands, we have identified key trends and debated over industry paradigm shifts. Purveyors of luxury products and services are changing their brand image or re-tooling in another strategic way to adapt in this harsh economic environment. In our findings, accessible luxury is essential in time when extravagance is taboo. In this week’s top five we will explore brands that are positioned between average and highest end—those that are high-end but not over-the-top.
In the News: Radio Shack and Nickelodeon Rebranding
In a time when companies are scrambling to adapt in the new economy, many are changing their visual presentation to consumers. While some have gone with a simpler, modern look that is trimmed down (just like our bank accounts), others are pursuing more extreme image makeovers. This week, there were two significant examples of corporations adapting their brand images–one from the television network Nickelodeon and the other from tech giant Radio Shack.
Interview with Becki Heller from Trendsta Part 2
In part one of our interview with Becki, we discussed how social influencer marketing is about “going back to high school.” Each “clique” leader exerts powerful influence over their respective followers. Marketing to that select group of thought leaders is a very powerful tool for an advertising industry struggling to adapt to a new generation of media consumers.
