Everyone needs a little laugh…..or pretty genius marketing.  Dr. Pepper shot this video to help release their new Cherry Chocolate Flavored Beverage.  Enjoy some Cherry Chocolate Rain

Is Google hopping on the Social Networking bandwagon? Well not quite yet, but user voting on pages similar to Digg is in the testing phase at Google and may get implemented into traditional Google results soon.

What do you think about this? Do you care what other people think about a website before you check it out or is this unnecessary?

Well, ladies and gentlemen…One of the most stressful holiday weeks of the year has flown by once again.

Black Wednesday(the biggest drinking night of the year),Thanksgiving(the biggest eating day of the year), Black Friday(the biggest shopping day of the year), and introducing….Black Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year, all reported great success.

Yup, you heard it. Cyber Monday is as official as a referee’s jersey.

So…what’s the dealio with this new phenom anyways? Well, I thought that it was just a coincidence that I’ve been receiving two emails a day from Macys.com for the past two weeks but apparently it was a very targeted message (sneaky sneaky).

An article from DMNews titled, “Cyber Monday looks strong”, interviewed Scott Krugman, VP of public relations at the National Retail Federation, Krugman was quoted to say, “We are going to see a very aggressive promotional strategy from retailers this holiday season, more so than in previous years.” in reference to both online and in-store sales.

So how did this happen? Is it just another gimmick to get us all excited and hyped up but with no avail? Nope, this is legit. Shop.org’s eHoliday survey, conducted by BizRate Research, showed that 72% of online retailers said they were planning a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 43% two years ago. That’s a whole lot of cyber deals that makes me want to buy a whole bunch of cyber junk.

Ted Vaughan, audit parter at consulting firm BDO Seidman LLP said, “Certain sectors, like apparel and luxury, are opening up to online shopping and the traditional online customer is moving beyond someone younger.” Check out Shop.org’s special holiday store or for more information on Cyber Monday, check out the article from Cnet Cyber Monday gimmick becomes a real trend.

Penny Gniwisch, of online jewelery store, www.ice.com, put it best, “When something’s pushed down your throat continuously, and the Internet becomes more part of your life, the customs of the Internet become more part of your life,” Gniwisch said. “So they finally got a holiday for the Internet.”

Congratulations internet, I applaud you.

Buying and selling links has been an argument in SEO for years, well Google has finally added the wording in its Webmaster Help Center under: Why should I report paid links to Google.

The Document states that selling links is in violation, but does go on to say the purchasing of all links is not under violation and those are just part of commerce.   There are certain practices that violate the Google webmaster guidelines and those type of link purchases can negatively impact the site’s ranking.

Facebook, the ever changing and expanding social networking site, has recently added a feature that publishes purchases you have made online in the news feed. It shows your “friends” these purchases automatically and it doesn’t matter what type of purchase it is, personal or not. MoveOn.org, an organizations that claims to bring real Americans back into the political process, is fighting back by stating that this feature is an invasive invasion of privacy. The organization has created a formalized petition for people to complete in hopes to stop this purchase sharing information feed. MoveOn.org has been criticized for its political stance on numerous occasions, however, with this issue it seems that both major parties are in support of changing this Facebook issue and are praising MoveOn.org for its efforts to do so.

It seems that today people are busier than ever. We have full days at work, sometimes full nights of work, and minimal time to spend with family and friends. Due to this people have become accustomed to the phrase “I would like to, but I just don’t have time.” This phrase applies to many things such as working out, reading, and for me in the working world it also applies to blogging. It can be difficult to find the time to place thoughtful entries and I understand when people tell me they don’t have time to do so. These tips on finding time to blog are very helpful and may decrease the use of the ever popular “don’t have time” phrase.

It was announced yesterday that the co-founder of Google Larry Page is getting married in December.  Page is the richest bachelor in the Silicon Valley and has been dating his soon-to-be bride, Lucy Southworth for over a year.  Congrats on your successful SEARCH for love…..TeHe

It’s that time of year again. Talented students graduating in December will be inundated with job offers. Have vacation plans? Planning to go straight to graduate school? Have no desire to give up the lucrative waitress job?

Here are 10 successful strategies we continue to see that will guarantee you don’t get that pesky agency or corporate recruiter calling you back with a job offer:

1. Resist the temptation to be proactive with informational interviews: Candidates with job offers make professional contacts long before they’re actually looking — For example, they call up PRSA and IABC leaders and ask to interview/shadow them.
2. Don’t get real-world experience until after you graduate. You will be competing with dozens of students who have completed internships, led student organizations, written for school newspapers, organized special events, etc. Do nothing but go to class and those students will get the “annoying” job offers.
3. While trolling for professional contacts, send blast e-mails to dozens of people at the same time. Personalized messages encourage a connection — a slippery slope to a response.
4. Make sure you know very little about the organization and individual prior to contacting them. Research shows a level of sophistication that intrigues professionals.
5. When you do meet with professionals or interview, tell them you don’t like to write but are a “people person.” Writing is the #1, #2, and #3 skill sought for early-career positions because it’s a big part of those jobs and it demonstrates sound thinking skills/judgment. You don’t want to be known for that, do you?
6. Forget to send a thank you. Relationship skills such as sending thank you notes are emphasized in our industry. It’s noticed when you don’t follow up or wait too long.
7. Send your resume and coverletter without copyediting. I have seen coverletters and resumes that say the candidate wants to work in “pubic relations.” Read that again in case you missed it. I’ll usually grant one minor copyedit mistake (with skepticism), but more than that and it’s recycled.
8. Misspell the hiring manager’s name. This goes along with #6, but nothing gets your coverletter and resume to the recycle bin faster. A simple Web site visit or call to the front desk of the organization can verify spellings so just go by your memory.
9. On your resume, lead with your latest employment (i.e. waitress job) or your education, burying communications experience. Hiring managers look for action words/phrases like: “Wrote news stories,” “Organized fundraising event,” etc. And whatever you do, don’t include results such as dollars raised, members gained, stories placed, etc.
10. Give shallow answers that show you haven’t thought about your strengths, weaknesses and career plans. Mock interviews with your advisor, professional

Here’s a trend I approve of. Portal-type sites that do away with all those time-consuming words. First up is Agence Eureka, dedicated to retro-ephemera, much of it from 1950′s France. Best of all, the thumbnails lead you to high-resolution images, and there are lots of links to similar sites.
http://bibigreycat.blogspot.com/

And, if you’re really a hardcore illustration nut, check out this site, where the
collection is so extensive you won’t live long enough to see it all. And more
high-res to boot!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leifpeng/

Another Flickr entry, beautiful hi-res old labels..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wavesjax/

Next we have ffffound! Same idea, all contemporary images collected and submitted
from around the web. No words! Total visual association. Interesting the way images
are linked together, sometimes by theme, by color, by who knows what? Leads you
some interesting destinations when you’re in the mood to “drift” online. A must-see for art directors and designers.
http://ffffound.com/

Even more fine-artsy, see
http://www.vvork.com/

Gotta love this one. Did I say NO WORDS?

1.) The Chicken Soup at Chambers Kitchen, MPLS.
I don’t know what is in this soup besides chicken, noodles and broth, but like almost everything else on the menu at Chambers Kitchen, it’s great. Best of all, it’s only $8 … So even if someone’s not in the mood to drop $150 for dinner, one can still swing by the art decorated bar, have a glass of wine, the soup and get out of there for around $50.

2.) Moose and Sadies Cafe (coffee)
I have been going to Moose and Sadies Cafe, located in the warehouse district for almost 2 years. Every time, I order the same thing — Large Skim Cappuccino. As a self-proclaimed coffee snob, which means I’m pretty picky about how espresso drinks are prepared (and why not they cost 4$), Moose and Sadies is the best prepared coffee I have found in Minneapolis. Plus, they have really good breakfast. (212 Third Ave N Ste 210 Minneapolis, MN)

3.) Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure

Last Sunday, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure was on, I watched it for the first time in nearly 5-8 years. If you haven’t watched it recently (assuming you liked Pee Wee) I suggest breaking out the VHS and watching it again. At first I was skeptical, but as soon as I saw the beginning scene and heard the theme music, it was over, I had to watch it. And I liked it.

4.) Clark’s Wallabee Shoes

If I remember correctly these shoes were originally designed in 1960′s for use on Cobblestone. They have this really rubbery sole that feels like your walking on jello. Plus, they look pretty sweet with out socks.

5.) When my mom says “Hella”

The exact phrase was, “What’s the weather like in Minnesota? It’s Hella cold here.” I guess I don’t need to exaggerate any further.

6.) Adult Education Courses at MCAD

Whomever said, “One should never stop learning / be a life long learner,” would be proud of the course offerings at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. There’s a whole slew of courses offered at one time rates. Recently, I took one for Flash. It was fun and I learned a lot + it was only $300, which is comparably lower than what other institutions wanted. Another class, 6$ figure drawing, is a reasonable way to get into or back into traditional art.

7.) People Watching

My girlfriend and I love people watching. We are both Advertising Art Directors, always absorbing human truths — insights into peoples lives, something we can make great ideas out of. A few places for people watching: The Mall of America, big airports (ohare/dfw), State Fairs and while parked in rush hour traffic. People are interesting – trying to understand why people do things – have certain mannerisms – will always be something I like.

8.) Pizza

3 years ago, I would have written Quesadillas. 10 years ago, probably Grilled Cheese sandwiches. Of late it’s pizza! One can make the argument that they are all the same basic thing, bread, cheese and some kind of tomato mess plopped on top, I beg to differ. The best places in MPLS to get pizza: Punch Pizza and Pizza Nea. I like Punch better, it has a better atmosphere and you get your pizza fast. Pizza Nea on the other hand, takes about an hour and you have to deal with a waitress, but the pizza is not as wet and you get a crispier crust. My favorite frozen pizza is Wolfgang Pucks brand, coming in tied for second, California Pizza Kitchen (thin crust) and Amy’s Pizza’s.

9.) Noise Canceling Headphones

I have those Bose ones, but I’ve heard any will do the trick. When flying, these headphones block every annoyance (the most obnoxious ones can still faintly be heard which in some cases is still too much). When at work, they block all the white noise – even if you aren’t listening to music. If I want it to be quiet, all I have to do is put them on. I like these.

10.) Fire

Fire is neat.

11.) Pine Scented Car Air-fresheners

Preferably the ones shaped like pine trees. They smell like Christmas.