Category Archives: Delighting Consumers with Hidden Surprises

2010 TREND: Consumers will embrace brands that bring them moments of happiness, but will grow increasingly skeptical of brands offering “manic happiness.”

Technology November 10, 2010

Invisible Pop-Ups & Augmented Windows

It’s been a while since we checked in on augmented reality, the technology which overlays virtual items on views of the real world. What started as a gimmicky look into the future has developed into an increasingly practical tool for … Continue reading →

Marketing November 3, 2010

Rise of the Machines

Since we mentioned vending machines in our latest Potty Posting, it struck us as a good time to catch up on what’s pending in the world of vending. Believe it or not, it’s quite the happening place to be. Part … Continue reading →

Clients October 28, 2010

POTTY POSTING – Set the Ex-Sample

No trick-or-treating required; we’ve got some sweet candy for your brain, in the form of our latest Potty Posting! Following up on our most recent Smartshot, in which we tackled the best practices for world-rocking sampling, this Posting presents you … Continue reading →

Sociocultural Trends October 22, 2010

Zombies Invade Sears Seeking Brains, New Dryers

Regular readers know that we like a little levity in our Friday posts (and, they also know to follow us on Twitter), which is why we’re bringing– wait, what? No, it can’t be… NOOOOO!!!! ZOMBIES HAVE TAKEN OVER SEARS!!!! RUN … Continue reading →

Clients October 14, 2010

Why a DWI Really SUCKS

We at Upshot have been working with alcoholic beverage marketers for a long, long time. So, when we say we’ve seen our fair share of “responsibility” messaging, we mean it. Which is why we’re quite impressed with the above video … Continue reading →

Sociocultural Trends October 13, 2010

Check Out Who’s Checked-In

In the Year of Location, things sure do change quickly. So, we’re not all that surprised to see a lot of noteworthy foursquare campaigns coming out since our last update. And why not start with the biggest, brightest, and presumably … Continue reading →

Marketing October 7, 2010

Bridging the Gap in Logo Design

Uh oh. Here we go again. Gap just broke out a new logo. But rather than refreshing the brand to connect with a new generation of consumers, Gap managed to send the world of art directors into a tizzy. Many … Continue reading →

Clients September 29, 2010

Upshot Smartshot #4: Holy S#!t, Your Sample Rocked My World!

Above, you’ll find the boldly titled webinar, “Holy S#!t, Your Sample Rocked My World!” In less than 15 minutes, we tackle the following topics with reckless abandon: Why sampling (still) matters 5 benchmarks for best-in-class sampling Examples of great samples … Continue reading →

Sociocultural Trends September 15, 2010

Keep On (Food) Truckin’

If you’ve been paying any attention at all to recent food trends, you’ll know that the only thing hotter than packing things between pieces of fried chicken is serving high-end street food from mobile trucks. Adventurous chefs like the folks … Continue reading →

Sociocultural Trends September 10, 2010

Reluctant Hunter Meets Subservient Bear, Shenanigans Ensue

D’oh! In yesterday’s coverage of innovative marketing via online videos, we meant to include Tipp-Ex’s Youtube takeover that’s currently running on the brand’s Youtube channel. We’re glad we forgot it, though, since it deserves a more in-depth look. The campaign … Continue reading →