Kit Kat Japan had a major dilemma: How do they stand out from the clutter on a crowded snack aisle at convenience stores.  They didn’t want to buy their way to the top for many reasons - number one being cost - so what to do?

They went to the drawing board and saw an opening that was ripe for the taking and swooped in and did something extremely innovative, creative and “completely out of the box.” (I hate using that term but it works well in this setting.)

When Japan Post was privatized, kit kat went to them with a proposal with the idea of kit kat mail.  This newly packaged candy let users write notes to the attended recipients and then literally drop them in the mail to be sent on the fly.  To mass market this product kit kat took it to the next level. They proposed selling the items right at the register of the post office to maximize exposure.  And in some cases, changed dingy post office locales into kit kat shop in shops.  But the kicker of the campaign had to do with timing.  They slated the launch to coincide with university admission examinations to maximize reach and exposure in an already well traffic local where users primary goal was to send something already.  The assumption being that if they made a superior product; tweaked the packaging so that the box facilitated an ease of use to ship and receive seamlessly; and made it accessible to everyone at a location where it would be relevant - this would equate to a successful new product launch.

O how right they were.  The campaign won the Media Grand Prix this year at Cannes; Kit Kat has grounded itself as Japan Post’s candy of choice at the retail post level; and the social component of the campaign still continues today.

We, like the mass majority of people in the world, are saddened by Michael Jackson’s untimely death. Its hard to imagine life without MJ. His music was a major cornerstone to my childhood soundtrack. It’s still sinking in how big of a thing this is. If people think I’m a bit off, just think of these things going on as I type:

MTV has stopped airing the Hills, Real World and all of it’s tween based ad gold mine to do an homage to MJ.  And guess what they’re showing actual videos!!

MSNBC, CNN, PBS, NPR,, WSJ,, and Fox News all are running 24/7 coverage on his life and legacy. I know there is a news angle to his life, but this type of coverage is normally only given to Presidents - not Pop Icons.

MJ via Twitter (at the time I typed this) was receiving over 30% of  “tribute tweets”.

Its really an odd and sad time. Hopefully some of Jackson’s amazing life resonated with you.  Take some time and think about it. Thanks Mike.

Here are a few classics and if you want more check this link. Probably the best link out there we’ve see.

A few weeks ago Razorfish had their 9th Annual Corporate Client Summit.  From what we viewed in the clips, it seemed like a cool party with some interesting topics and commentary.

Innovation Hell by Joe Crump, Group VP Strategy & Planning, Razorfish from Razorfish on Vimeo.

We at nostrum love that the Web 2.0 space will let others learn and expand their minds through literally viewing the presentation that was given.  In the clip attached, Razorfish’s Group VP of Strategic Planning, Joe Crump discusses the pros and cons of innovating and Razorfish’s insight into what it takes to get this type of work done.

While we here at nostrum would never compare ourselves to the likes of a Razorfish or any other corporate shop of that scope, we do share similar ideals and mantras.  We too believe that creativity does NOT equal innovation and that while a process may be warranted to get a job done, it is not a necessity.  For we feel (like Razorfish) that sometimes the process stymies the ideation and weakens the intended result(s).

Take a look at this presentation and big props to Joe Crump and his digital dream team over at Razorfish.

Thank you for sharing and we will be sharing some of our insights with the masses soon!

You know your app has hit the big time when a major “serious artist” uses it to create art.

Beloved painter David Hockney (The Road to the Studio, that one with the Joshua Trees), after investing in an iPhone, has begun using it to create new pieces. He uses painting and drawing applications to make tiny sketches, deliver illustrated art lectures, or send his friends hand-drawn flowers—before he even gets out of bed. He even has a mini easel to hold the phone while he works.

And the iPhone is not the only new medium Hockney plays with. He uses drawing tablets to turn his desktop into a canvas. Then he manipulates multiple pieces into one major, multi-layered artwork, like The Atelier March 17th 2009.

Some people may find it unusual to hear of a 71-year-old man embracing technology as gladly and adventurously as Hockney has, but the artist himself doesn’t think so. “The computer is a terrific medium,” Hockney says. “You miss some things, you miss texture for example, but you gain a lot. In a watercolor, once you put things down, that’s it. With this you can move things about, change, make them bigger and smaller.”

I remember, as a child, being completely taken with The Road to the Studio on a class field trip to LACMA. I remember being blown away as an adult by Hockney’s Polaroid art at an exhibition in London (which I got to see just by sheer dumb luck after missing it in LA). But nothing about Hockney’s work or work ethic has impressed me as much as his creativity in turning a new, “practical” technology (which frequently devolves into the silly or time-sucking) into fine art.

Coca-Cola released a new vending machine at Cannes Lions which incorporates full user-engagement beyond pushing a letter followed by a number for your selection. These machines will be at special events and will be released within a year around the globe.

I’m surprised these types of interactive vending machines haven’t been introduced yet as the first coin operated machines first debuted in the United States in 1888. While reviewing its history, I found the possibility of offerings to be endless- from a french fry making machine in Australia, a beer and sake machine in Japan, as well as an umbrella machine, and pizza made from fresh dough and baked in the machine located in Italy. Pepsi has some work to do.

We showed Milo a few weeks ago and now this: Project Natal. Microsoft continues to roll out some amazing XBox offerings. We have yet to play anything yet so we still are in the “Doubting Thomas Mode,” but the promos are sure exciting and make our minds race. The Windows maker is truly taking the gaming experience to the next level with XBox’s newest offerings and we like thus far BUT the proof isin the pudding. Coming soon to a home entertainment center near you - our guess is just in time for Christmas but the date - to our knowledge - is still TBD….

What do you guys think?
And be sure to click the Project Natal link to see some other insights on the horizon that Bil and his team have going on…Some heavyweights in the entertainment industry are behind most of this and I think you guys will be shocked….

Here are a couple that we feel add value to a user as opposed to having an app for an app sake….

Runpee.com - This is a cool app that lets users know the best time to skip out of the theater to make a quick bathroom break so that you don’t miss anything important

Mizpee.com - This site (and mobile app) links users up with bathrooms in major cities.

Trapster.com - This one helps people find speed traps and navigate around those pesky hiding places cops are known to frequent.

Jott.com - turn your blackberry or iphone into a virtual assistant by allowing Jott to transpose your Voice Mails into text.

Pandora.com - Arguable the best streaming radio site on the web can be made portable.

All of these apps are available for an iphone or blackberry.
We’re not prejudice here…Choose your tool wisely and there are answers somewhere….

Yesterday adage digital published a column titled “Why I Hate Social Media.” Now I know in the world o publishing headlines sell and that’s what this was intended to do. Illicit a serious response to start a conversation be it positive or negative. And at the time I’m writing this it sure has. There are some 70+posts both lambasting and praising Matt Jones in their own right.

That said, good writing evokes thought; thought should evoke discussion; discussion a hypothesis; hypothesis some type of conclusion - I know I’m simplifying the process but you get the gist. So big picture adage succeeded with its goal but still the headline to this post thoroughly rubbed me the wrong way and in turn most of the article pissed me off as well.

As I was reading I was getting madder and madder disagreeing with everything only wanting to chew it up and spit it out and give him a piece of mind —>until I finished and started to reflect upon. Is it true that what Matt was saying I agreed with on some levels? I have to say yes BUT – I just don’t outwardly agree on every single point. I hate when I think i’m going somewhere and then I get pushed back to reality ever so cleverly.

I’m going to hit on a point and then share some of the insights that the staff here sent back after I asked them to reflect and share their thoughts on this post.

My main critique is in addressing the negativities that are discussed. When Matt notes we …”should also recognize that these exceptions merely prove the dismal rule of social media right now. Because for every Amazon or Adobe, brands with genuinely good ideas to share and good stories to tell, there’s a Skittles…and Pizza Hut.” While I do agree both of those brands (and others) didn’t do social the to the best in comparison, they took a chance and attempted to play in the social space.

Who is Matt to say that their step was less than stellar. Sure they maybe didn’t wow the masses but they (like all companies) are evolving and learning in this space. One man’s test is another’s discovery down the path of enlightenment. If companies didn’t take the risk, he as well as others wouldn’t have anything to post about.

I do believe the biggest thing this article did for me is to ensure that I and the staff here look at things from a 360 degree angle. None of us have THE ANSWER. There a multitude of players with different questions and agendas to reach the mountain top. So this in turn is just one more player with a great thought provoking post that we all need to read, reflect and respond to.

With that, here are some of the staff’s thoughts on the article. Read the rest of this entry »

Clay’s take on how people utilize social networks to build communal harmony is remarkable. This NYU professor understands the social space and how sociology integrates into the equation more than most. This preeminent thinker should be listened to. I mean that’s why ted booked him.

Please visit his personal site and his comments re: the ted video below can be found here.

And if you’re so inclined his book Here Comes Everybody is a fantastic read. A true must have for any digital player in the industry. I was lucky enough to attend a lecture on the UCLA campus when he was doing the circuit promoting the book. Amazing mind and we here at nostrum are lucky to be able to access his work so freely.

Don’t take it from us, take it from some of the most recognizable and successful people on the planet.

I saw the phrase “lets make better mistakes tomorrow” a few weeks ago on FFFound and thought it was great upon first glance.  I kept mulling it over and didn’t think too much more of it after the initial discovery, except that it resonated on so many levels with how I see learning, even more so digital learning.

To me, it exemplified the 360 nature and fast paced trial and error approach of the social web.  So I kept it as a ‘lil personal find’ and honestly that’s where I was planning it would stay.  It wasn’t until I put it up as my screen saver and it happened to show prior to me starting my keynote presentation that I saw it was a serious conversation starter. People immediately started asking questions and commenting about it.  I got everything from what does that mean to people’s unsolicited interpretation to it.  For a small little quote that never was intended to be seen, I soon realized that it truly struck a chord with the audience and I needed to share it.

So after the meetings subsided for the week, I sent a mass email to the core nostrum team and asked them what it meant to them. I got back insights showcasing each individual’s unique style of thinking and how it resonated with them.

Each answer is unique to the individual and truly is the foundation of how nostrum sees the digital world and thinks within it.  The comments ran the gamut: a bit of skepticism, cynicism, idealism, pragmatism and understanding all with the overarching theme of doing it for the betterment of the project.

So take a peak at how the team sees that statement and tell us how it resonates with you? Read the rest of this entry »

Nothing.

When I watch my favorite reality TV shows, I experience the same giddiness and delight I felt when eating the pepperoni pizza that used to be sold inside Fedco.

My addiction started with the debut of The Real World, The Swan (extreme makeovers for the “aesthetically challenged”) and Survivor. Then I became mesmerized by shows like Wife Swap, and Flavor of Love. I have now developed a much more sophisticated palette for “serious” content like Project Runway, Top Chef, The Housewives of (OC, NYC and ATL) and the newer seasons of The Bachelor/ette and Millionaire Matchmaker. And one new – don’t hate me: Jon & Kate Plus Eight.

Previously taunted when mentioning these avant-garde shows, I now find support in friends and peers who have finally come out and proclaimed their obsession with “bad” reality TV. We appreciate the lack of intense intellectual stimulation and revel in the hilarity and chuckles that these shows provide. Laughter, as you know causes us to release good endorphins to help our immune system, raise levels of T-cells, B-cells, etc. and decrease stress.

Yes, Reality TV can help fight disease.

A&E has a viral hit, ‘Hammer Pants Dance’ promoting their new reality show, “Hammertime” which premieres this Sunday at 10pm PST. As I’m sure many of us have danced to ‘’You Can’t Touch This’, this video only brings smiles, embarrassing memories, and laughter.

The approach of a flash mob in sparkling gold MC Hammer pants was brilliant for this launch and the week old video has received almost 2,400 comments on YouTube, of which the majority are overwhelmingly positive. The campaign encompasses a micro-site, widget, games, ‘Twitter Time’, recipes from his wife, and a drawing to see the one and only himself in Las Vegas. Upon entering the sweepstakes, there is an option to sign-up to receive a phone call, text, or email from MC Hammer preceding the premiere. I’m interested to see the ratings as the campaign involves many opportunities for user engagement and thus word of mouth.

In my opinion, there needs to be more music and dancing integrated into advertisements on television. GAP had an enthusiastic campaign promoting their line of khakis, jackets and pants in the late 90’s and early millennium. The commercials were filled with different genres of music and dance techniques. Highly appealing and fun to watch. Here are a few more commercials that have incorporated dance, resulting in entertaining and memorable advertisements. Enjoy these videos, and notice if you find yourself itching to move around in your seat.

“

T Mobile - probably the most number of dancers ever used for a commercial. makes me wish i was there with my T Mobile phone. Read the rest of this entry »

When I first read Wired Magazine’s recent article about Hal Varian and the economics behind Google’s AdWords and AdSense programs I was impressed by the innovative thinking on Google’s part. However, as I dug deeper into the ideas behind the auction model, I encountered those on the net who point out that there is often a fine line between innovative ideas that make billions of dollars and finding yourself on the wrong end of antitrust legislation. I am no economist and no expert on antitrust laws, but it seems the general definitions of terms like “monopoly” and “price-setting” do apply to Google and/or their advertising systems, and as a result Google has been subject to at least a couple of antitrust investigations.

Check out the article and tell us what you think - innovative economic model or ethical gray area? For my part I think Googlenomics is both.

A few months back I decided to enter the Stride contest to rename their Nonstop Mint gum. The contest lasted a few months and just recently ended. With a grand prize of $10,000 and a year’s supply of gum, I took this contest as a serious assignment, spending hours thinking about and submitting potential names. I was extremely disappointed when I received two e-blasts this past weekend informing me the contest had ended without a finalist being selected due to a “technical glitch”. Do they know how much time I put into this, as well as all the other excited participants? I was irritated, so the first thing I thought about doing was blogging about it in hopes other companies will never make this mistake and risk turning loyal customers into an angry mob that can quickly crush a company’s image in a matter of minutes using today’s technology.

If you discover a technical glitch and users are submitting many of the same names, why wait until the end of the contest to announce this? Now, the Stride Marketing Team has to clean up this sticky situation. They have informed participants that a “drawing will be held in which five randomly selected individuals will each get $25,000 and the winners will be announced shortly.“ Why hasn’t this date been decided? When will this be announced? Participants who “submitted the same names as the finalists will be receiving custom packs of Nonstop Mint featuring one of the ten final names that most resembles theirs in about six-to-eight weeks.” I also received a link to print a coupon for one free single pack of Stride. I was a little peeved that all participants would be entered into the drawing as opposed to the ones who submitted many names or finalist names, but felt better after printing my coupon.

Although the contest may not have been thoroughly thought out and tested, the Stride Marketing Team utilized the right tactics to ease consumer backlash. The team acted quickly by notifying and apologizing to participants through email and making the news public on their website; providing an instantly redeemable coupon for a free pack of Stride gum; sending custom packs of the minty gum to finalists; and holding a drawing for more winners and money than the original prize. Lesson learned- always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Over the past few weeks there has been some stuff going on with celebs and their obnoxious ego driven suits to get Twitter to reel in celebrity impersonators on twitter.

Ok I get the need, but to reiterate from my earlier post - lets work at this together instead of suing.
Twitter took that to heart and will soon be offering verified accounts to a select group of high profile users. A very well thought out and respectable solution based offering.

What do you guys think??

Out here in LA LA Land, we had the honor of hosting another E3 and what Xbox showcased - IMO - blew the competition out of the water by leaps and bounds….

Please take a second to view this short intro and let me be one of the first to welcome you to what everyone will soon be gushing over…World Say Hello Milo…..now watch your brain be destroyed!!!

PS - ponder this after watching the clip…
Think about how levels your brain just experienced that whole scenario?
1.) Your Screen
2.) FaceBook
3.) YouTube
4.) Xbox’s filming of the interaction between Milo and Real Girl
5.) Milo himself

Yes you read that right: An inanimate technology is being sued by The St. Louis Cardinal’s Manager Tony La Russa - WTF?

Come on Tony and his team of crazy MLB lawyers and advisors…
Why the hell would you sue twitter? just the stupidity of lawyers and people who don’t understand that technology isn’t the culprit, its dumbass people…

Tony - I’ll give you that it honestly sucks that someone is “impersonating you” but why not do what all other celebs and others do and “ask twitter to take it down” and all will be good…
Not that hard? Pick up the phone or email them and explain the situation? if they don’t take care of it, then by all means- sue your ass off…but a bit of diplomacy goes along way in this type of environment.

So hate this kind of stuff!!! Greed is always at the heart of this kinda stuff….And we hear Bad publicity is as good as any…It’s BS…
Have some dignity and make a concerted effort to recityf the situation before you go around suing people and screwing up a good thing….

Have to show one of the most pertinent and thought provoking comments that @KW2P posted:

“”What’s next? Suing Yahoo because you don’t like the content of an email you received?
If I make a telephone call, impersonate La Russa, and do some harm, you don’t sue the telephone company. Or maybe he would….
I hope the judge throws it out for the frivolous suit it is and makes La Russa responsible for all costs.
This nonsense is another example of why companies like Twitter, Yahoo, Google, should get out of the United States and base
themselves in countries where swollen-head celebrities can’t bring frivolous laws”

Irritating - What do you think?

I don’t pretend to understand the full political history of Communism and the Soviet Union and all that crazy Cold War stuff, but Wired’s article on “the New Socialism” is fascinating. I may not be all that great at political science, but social media I know, and I know that the new collectivism that’s being fostered by social media is definitely the way of the future. In this case, the whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts—individuals writing about, taking photos of, working on projects that interest them combine into huge endeavors. The knowledge of individuals creates a communal encyclopedia. Individual photographers taking pictures of a walk on the beach or a vacation in the jungle add up to a comprehensive database of images of the entire world—kind of gives a new excitement to armchair traveling, doesn’t it?

The best part of this is that, as Robert is fond of pointing out, there’s a very altruistic feeling in this community. People don’t undertake these huge projects because they expect to make money—they do it for the purpose of sharing. Just sharing their experiences and finding out about other people’s. And this, I think, is the mindset everybody needs to get into for the future—not “from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs” socialism, but sharing intellectual resources. Look how much more we can get done when we work together.

Side note: My one disagreement with the Wired article is the statement “I don’t have to shoot yet another photo of the Eiffel Tower, since the community can provide a better one than I can take myself.” Flickr is a great substitute for when you can’t travel to a location yourself, but looking at or hearing about other people’s experiences isn’t quite the same as having them yourself. Plus, I’m pretty proud of my photos of the Eiffel Tower.