Sweeeeeet Caroline… oh, sorry, got carried away for a second there.
As we alluded to in yesterday’s post, today we’re going to talk a bit about touch. Specifically, where touch is at, where it’s going, and why it’s finally relevant in-store at the point-of-purchase.
Oh, and why it may be inherently obsolete.
In one panel, hosted by some [...]

But you might need a little guidance.
Lucky for you, Upshot’s own QR code will help you find which bands are playing nearby during Interactive Week!
(When we told you that QR codes would be an interesting SXSWi subplot, we may have known a thing or two.)
If you’ll be in Austin this week, keep [...]

There’s a reason why we’re not embedding this ad for Tostitos Salsa. Click that link and you’ll see why – it’s definitely worth it.
(And yes, YouTube did it first with that Wario ad a couple of years back. But since that spot’s not online anymore, and since Vimeo did something similar with Honda last year, [...]

You know the drill: follow Upshot on Twitter to keep up on the latest SXSW Interactive news. It’s only three days away!
We’ve already mentioned that location is the watchword at this year’s SXSWi, but we’d advise you to keep your eyes out for news on QR codes as well. Longtime readers know that we’ve been [...]

It wasn’t too long ago that we talked about how to generate word-of-mouth conversations, especially for brands that don’t inspire a whole lot of chatter on their own. Since then, we’ve introduced you to the concept of Delighting Consumers with Hidden Surprises.
And now, to connect the dots.
If you’re trying to get people talking about your [...]

Ok people. We know January’s habitually a month of soon-to-be-abandoned hopes for shedding the extra baggage you brought home over the holidays.
But, did we miss the memo on the public workout fad?
First, Gap announces that they’re temporarily dedicating their NYC concept store to workout attire, and partnered with Crunch gym to bring in trainers for [...]

And we’re right. About trend #10 from our 10 Trends for 2010, that is.
It’s as if Coca-Cola read our trend deck, fell in love with the notion of Delighting Consumers with Hidden Surprises, and came up with a guerilla campaign that fits the notion to a T. That notion, of course, warns of a consumer [...]

If you haven’t already heard, our 10 Trends for 2010 are making their way around the interwebs at a blistering pace. (You can catch our press release here.) Click here to request a copy of your own by email, and be sure to share it with your clients, coworkers, friends, and pets. What? Maybe Mr. [...]

By now, you’ve certainly realized the importance of befriending the blogosphere for generating word-of-mouth about your brand (if that’s news to you, may we recommend a quick refresher?).
Of course, some blogger outreach programs are better than others.
We’ve previously called out a couple of innovative campaigns, including an amazing effort for the Coraline movie. In both [...]

And you thought barcodes needed to be uniform!
Check out these clever little guys, courtesy of Japanese firm d-barcode. (There’s a larger collection over at The Dieline.)
Besides the fact that this breaks up the monotony of an art director’s day, there’s a benefit here for the brand as well. Remember when we mentioned the joys of [...]