Many Apologies

For those of you who do read our blog - we send our apologies for not having posted anything in a while. Things have been a bit crazy since the New Year. Promise to write soon.

-MC & HK

iTunes U

I'm probably way behind on this one but I just stumbled across a great feature on itunes called itunes U. At no cost, users can download podcasts of courses from a variety of universities and colleges around the country.

Learn more here: http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu/

Your Average Teenager

Interesting blog post from threebillion on marketers' perception of teenagers and their obsession with connecting with the cool kids. We spend a lot of time talking about how to reach the influencers within this segment when in reality, the majority of kids are just plain average.

"When you look at the facts, your average teenager goes to school, does their homework, spends more time with their parents than their friends, saves money, listens to pop music, doesn’t drink (that much), doesn’t take drugs and wears a limited supply of high street fashion…"

I think this post is interesting and yes, thought-provoking, but while most teenagers may be average, they've always aspired to be a cool kid. Is 20% dedication to the cool crowd enough to connect with teenage majority's deepest desires?

SEO in a Nutshell

Noah Brier posted this on his site yesterday and I think it's a pretty good overview on the world of SEO. Check it out if you have time (and want to learn something new today).

Through the Looking Glass

Image: HBO's Voyeur

I might be a little late on this one but there was a great article in the NY Times last week. It discusses how people are increasingly making their lives more transparent, not only through voyeuristic architecture but also through the use of sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Researchers interviewed for the article have indicated concern for a society that never experiences time behind closed doors and suggest.

"There is a behavioral connection between the unconsciously 'for show' lives of those living in glass condos and the consciously “for show” lives of those spending more and more of their time online, where domestic activities are recorded in achingly specific detail. The result is a cultural confusion about private and public."

Check it out here.

Widget Wonderland

Check out Target's new Widget Wonderland. Not only does this widget count down the days ‘till Christmas, it’s also customizable and helps you search for gifts on target.com. While we hear widgets are “so hot right now”, it appears brands have had a tough time finding ways to pull it off.

Who knows – maybe Target’s combination of personal + useful will = success...

Branding With Powerlines

Spending a week in the land of Disney (Orlando, FL) has its ups and downs. The brand is EVERYWHERE. However, this simple yet creative form of Disney branding did catch my eye while cruising down the interstate.

P.S. I can't take credit for snapping this photo. My new camera phone just isn't that good. Thankfully Google images had the perfect shot that I could share.