[polldaddy poll=1821149]

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Maes introduced a yet-unnamed product that, since its demo last week, has created a lot of buzz in the tech world for its far-reaching capabilities.

This wearable device, which Maes refers to as a “sixth sense,” contains a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. When we saw it, we immediately thought “Minority Report.” You remember the futuristic Tom Cruise/Colin Farrell sci-fi thriller where they never touched the computer, but rather manipulated the screens by simply moving their fingers in the air. Well, it’s here – and it’s beyond exciting!

(We can’t even do this invention justice in our description of it, so be sure to watch the video after the jump.)

[ted id="481"]

Most of the credit for the “sixth sense” device goes to its inventor, Pranav Minstry, one of Maes’ students. The product obviously has a long way to go – at current, its design (not to be confused with its technology) is primitive. Maes said she hopes the package will be fully developed and ready for consumers in the next 10 years, but we hope it doesn’t take that long. Much like the iPhone, we think this device will change the way we capture and retain information across multiple platforms. And by “change,” we mean completely revolutionize.

Speaking of the iPhone, Steve Jobs is rumored to be unveiling the 3.0 version at today’s Worldwide Developers’ Conference. We wonder what he thinks of the “sixth sense,” which, frankly, makes the iPhone look like a rotary dial. Props to Maes for planning the demo just days before Apple pats itself on the back for another edition of its best-selling mobile device. At least the lady knows how to steal a little bit of thunder.

We wonder if she’s figured out how to swipe a slice of marketshare too.

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It seems Nesquik – the drink that “you can’t drink slow if it’s Quik” – is spending super major, buku bucks to ramp up its interactive and multimedia advertising.

Nesquik’s adoption of interactive media isn’t new, however. The brand’s been shakin’ things up for quite some time as evidenced by this article first published on BrandRepublic.com more than six years ago. Six years! That might as well be a hundred in digital speak.

Then, of course, there’s this video of passersby dropped-jawed at a massive store-wrapped campaign in downtown Los Angeles. Take a look.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eocM7p2jOU&hl=en&fs=1]

According to the folks on the street, the ad does its job over and over again, several times a day. “I want some chocolate milk!” a few of them exclaim.

Cha-ching!

But perhaps the most revealing display of Nesquik’s command of the interactive language is its presence on ABC.com, where, while watching the most recent episode of “Lost,” I enjoyed (and I mean it!) the exciting ads Nesquik placed between segments.

The first (the screenshot above) was fairly straightforward. Just a regular commercial that you’d see on TV or anywhere else online. But even if you don’t watch the video, which is pretty hard to resist in itself, there’s no way you can ignore the bright, colorful and downright cheery platform on which the campaign was built. It screams happiness – and also invites the captive Internet TV-watching audience to come to its “happy place,” which just happens to be your cupboard or the convenience store right around the corner.

The next phase of this four-part campaign is a game. Not just any game, though – rather, a simple, nostalgic game of Connect Four. I got so caught up playing the game that I totally forgot that I only had to wait 30 seconds to rejoin my program. Somehow, I think that was the plan.

In part three of the series, there are a selection of videos available to watch while the 30-second timer runs down. Again, there are so many options that it’s hard not to spend at least two minutes browsing what seems to be user-generated content. Some of the videos are actually quite funny – if you’re into the chocolate milk as a cure-all kind of thing.

The fourth installment was actually the best of them all. (There’s no image because I accidentally closed the program before capturing it – and it took a half hour of opening and closing streaming videos just to find the Nesquik campaign for the purpose of this post.) It was another game, this time asking viewers to locate Nesquik Bunny on the screen. Once you clicked him, the campaign ended and – get this! – granted you early access back into the program. Brilliant!

How do I know it’s brilliant? Because I was so impressed by this campaign that I had to write about it.

My own giddiness aside, Nesquik seems to really have a handle on how to get viewers’ attention through interactive advertising. It’s much better than those boring auto adverts that I’m usually stuck watching during the online “commercial” break.

Nestle understands its audience, too. It’s not advertising where it doesn’t make sense. Unlike Volvo, Toyota, Nissan, and the other misguided companies misplacing ads on ABC.com.

If you don’t believe me, ask yourself a question: Which are you more likely to run out and buy after your episode is over – a $30,000 clunker or frothy, refreshing Nestle Nesquik?

The defense rests.

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Curiosity piqued, we ran to our office to visit the Web site that accompanied the enigmatic advertising: www.GiftItForFree.com.

Initially, we felt duped; we weren’t interested in entering Staples’ holiday sweepstakes. But after careful review of the site’s content, we realized that this wasn’t just any old contest. It is, in fact – and we’re not being at all melodramatic here – Web marketing at its pinnacle: the concept is clever, the copy is creative, and overly competitive Coach Tom is a comic genius!

See for yourself.

We highly recommend the YouTube videos that Staples has integrated into this campaign. If you don’t laugh out loud to the annoyance of your work neighbor, there’s something wrong. With you. Yeah, we said it.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWkc87zjZk0&hl=en&fs=1]

The site also features a personalized “e-trophy” you can send to friends, a cheeky section called “Ask Coach Tom a Question,” and links to become a fan of Coach Tom on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

We would give props to Staples for such an inspired effort, but they’ll just give their requisite response: “That was easy.”

We suspect otherwise.

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Last year, Microsoft launched PhizzPop, a site that allows companies that build Web 2.0-enhanced software to exchange ideas, network, browse job postings, and engage in a host of other related activities. Not limited to its gallery of forward-thinking Web practices, the site is also a forum for online conversation about the future of Internet design.

Three main sections comprise the site: Design, to discover techniques and explore how user experience is defining the Web of tomorrow; Build, to learn about top developers who are reinventing the Web and to get ahead of taxing technical issues and new technologies; and Grow, to make the most of your time and technology, and to drive success with current clients and attract new ones. In addition, there are several other components to note, including the PhizzPop Design Challenge, which “pits top interactive, Web and design agencies against one another to push the limits of technology and creativity in a battle royale.” Sounds serious! Check out the latest winner here.

Although PhizzPop has been active for a while – to very little fanfare – we thought the site was worth highlighting if only for its devotion to the notion that even the most creative and innovative marketers can use a little inspiration.

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Visible Shops is excited to announce the launch of a new site for our client RJWestmore Corporation!

We’ve created and managed RJW’s online product, an e-learning solution for office building managers and owners who are required by law to provide emergency preparedness training to occupants.

Earlier this year, we decided to revamp the marketing site to better highlight the unique features and benefits of this online system. Before we went to work, we brainstormed as a team and reviewed our past work with RJW…

We reviewed our prior marketing strategies for RJW, and conducted both competitor and industry-related research for fresh content. We formulated a design and layout that would both optimize the Web visitor’s experience and increase conversions for our client. Much of our copy was created with SEO in mind, with target keywords embedded in headings and links. We also added exciting new elements to the marketing site, such as a Flash video demo and a fun online quiz.

On top of the new site, we are now maintaining and updating an on-site blog for RJW. On a regular basis, RJW will post company announcements, events of note, and industry-related news.

To read more about our work behind the new RJW site, check out the case study on the Visible Shops site.

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Thanks to Style.com, the Spring ’09 ready-to-wear collections of Charles Nolan, Diane Von Furstenberg, Preen and 14 other designers are now available via an application made exclusively for iPhone and iPod Touch. According to a recent New York Times article, the app offers pics and vids from last July’s couture collections as well as daily updates from many of this week’s runway shows.

Hot on the heels of design demigods Ralph Lauren and Chanel, both of which recently launched mobile apps, Style.com’s app isn’t one of Apple’s forgettable third-party throwaways; to fashionphiles, it’s the equivalent of Gianni Versace rising from the dead to revive what lil’ sis Donatella destroyed. It’s also as comprehensive as apps in this category come, with show listings, blog items, and images that when tapped reveal a model’s name and a short review of the show in which he or she appeared.

So what does all this mean for you, ye of double-breasted Diors and Hervé Léger handbags?

Well, it seems that despite losing 7.5 percent of the smartphone market share in Q1 2008 – down from 26.7 percent in Q4 2007 – Apple continues to be the go-to platform for individuals and corporations looking to make the lives of its cutting-edge consumer bases more convenient. Since the introduction of the App Store earlier this year, more than 2,000 apps have been created exclusively for the touch-screen handhelds, including programs by MySpace, Facebook, The Associated Press, eBay, PayPal, and CareerBuilder.com. Moreover, a staggering 60 million apps have been downloaded in the eight weeks since the App Store’s introduction.

Small businesses and startups also have seen success by creating mobile apps for iPhone. A quick visit to iTunes’ App Store reveals the proactive prescience of hundreds of organizations and individuals looking to capitalize on the craze. Among the top paid apps are “PocketGuitar,” ($.99, Shinya Kasatani) which transforms the phone into a virtual version of the instrument; “Election ’08,” ($.99, Chimp Software) featuring real-time information on who’s winning which state; and “Face Melter,” ($1.99, Nico Becherer) which generates funny facial expressions from users’ existing photos.

Such a sundry offering of innovation means only one thing for your company: Creating an app for iPhone and iPod Touch users is not only relevant but an increasingly successful way to keep your customers up-to-date and in tune.

It’s also, perhaps, the most efficient means of drumming up new business while simultaneously turning mobile materialists into your most loyal demographic: Data released yesterday by retail researcher NPD claims that from “January to July 2008, U.S. consumers bought 9 million smartphones, an increase of 84 percent from the same period a year ago.”

The results, published on PCMag.com, further state that while BlackBerry-maker RIM’s share of the market had grown by 24 percent and Palm’s share increased by 9 percent, Apple – growth data for which was not released – said that its market share had “leapt” with the release of the iPhone 3G in July.

Now, this trademark optimism of Apple’s – shrouded in secrecy, no less – isn’t as promising as solid stats, but it’s safe to speculate how far the tech firm has infiltrated its competitors’ territory: A trip to any Apple Store – now two months to the day after the 3G’s debut – will reassure you that Steve Jobs and Co. are poised for smartphone – if not world – domination; iPhones are still flying off shelves.

That’s good news for you. Because for every phone (and iPod Touch) Apple sells, your app has potential to impact a greater population, subsequently increasing your profit.

Given that upbeat outlook, isn’t it about time you took a bite?

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Poor Steve Jobs. The ardent Beatles fan must have been a little tormented by his company’s decades-long trademark battle with Apple Corps, the rock band’s holding company.

The dispute and its many particulars were finally settled as late as 2007, with Apple Inc. taking away all ownership rights and then licensing some of them back to Apple Corps.

No one wants to be the subject of a lawsuit, and having your branding and marketing concepts stolen by a competitor is also undesirable. How do you protect yourself from copyright infringement?

First of all, you need to understand what a copyright is. It’s a legal concept that gives a person or an entity exclusive rights to the usage of “literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other certain intellectual works” in the public domain.

What Intellectual Works Can Be Owned?

So, as a company, what can you own? In terms of marketing and branding, common intellectual works are the company name, logos, and trade dress (the visual appearance of a product or of packaging). Shape, color schemes, and graphic design are commonly identified as parts of trade dress. In short: imagery.

It’s also another legal concept, and it has two qualifiers: 1. its function must be identifying a brand, and 2. it is distinct. (Of course, “distinction” is very subjective, and may be a cause for some of these lawsuits!) Some trade dress examples are: the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle, Wonder Bread packaging, the freckled girl next to Wendy’s fast food logos, and those MacDonald’s arches.

Why Do We Have All These Copyright Laws?

In case you’re not sick of legal concepts just yet, here’s another: dilution. Dilution is the weakening of a an intellectual work’s identification power, due too many similarities within the same marketplace. Imagine how Kodak’s uniqueness would diminish if most other cameras had that same bright yellow packaging. Or what if all breakfast joints had high, A-framed, blue-roofed buildings, like iHop?

Let’s face it. Some businesses are not in it for the long haul, and they’re content to rip off a more established company for a quick buck. Copyright law offers you the opportunity to preserve your distinctiveness in the marketplace.

How Do I Go About Protecting Myself?

The process you use to protect your intellectual work is the same you use to avoid lawsuits from other companies!

1. Conduct clearance searches.

Before you use your branding in the public domain, make sure that they haven’t been used by someone else who has trademarked them. An intellectual property lawyer can do this for you, although it will cost you more.

2. Decide whether it’s appropriate to pursue trademark registration.

It’s a pain, it’s lengthy, and sometimes it’s expensive. Unfortunately, there is only way to legally protect your intellectual property, and it’s through the government.

3. Use the ™ or ® symbol.

Trademark registration allows you to use the ™ or ® symbol for your company’s creations. And what’s so great about that? A trademark is a phrase or symbol that acts like a brand. The ™ symbol is intended to distinguish one company’s intellectual property from another. Under certain geographical locations, you can proceed in court against another company if you rightfully use this symbol.

With the ® symbol, however, your intellectual property is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. At this point, you have trademark rights at the federal level.

When Can I “Borrow” Images and Words from Other Companies?

Under certain and limited circumstances, it’s permitted to use trademarked intellectual property. Some of these circumstances are:

• News reporting
• Comparative advertising
• Obvious parody

These conditions fall under the Fair Use stipulation of U.S. copyright law. Within these situations, it’s obvious who is the source of the intellectual property, it’s clear what is being endorsed, and there’s no confusion for consumers (so dilution doesn’t apply).

If Fair Use didn’t exist, we wouldn’t have lovely websites like iSpoof as diversions.

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Some polls show that Barak Obama is doing better than John McCain when it comes to younger voters for the 2008 presidential election. According to Newsweek:

Overall, voters see Obama as the preferred agent of “change” by a margin of 51 percent to 27 percent. Younger voters, in particular, are more likely to see Obama that way: those 18 to 39 favor the Illinois senator by 66 percent to 27 percent.

One reason why Obama may be leading with younger voters is his sophisticated web campaign. Internet marketers may learn a thing or two by how he has handled his online presence. One particularly strong aspect of his campaign has been the social networking. His site, My.BarakObama.com, has the familiar patriotic color scheme of red, white, and blue, but its layout is innovative due to its ingenious simplicity and rich interactiveness. But how does it succeed in reaching out to visitors and getting them involved in Obama’s campaign?

By following 3 simple rules of social networking marketing (or campaigning in this case).

Rule one: Make it all about the web user. The first page you encounter is a sign-up form so that YOU can have your own personal “My Barak Obama” profile. From there, the Dashboard gives you the opportunity to express yourself (via profile and blog) and gives you control on how others can see your profile, much like a MySpace or Facebook page would. Every time you commit an action, such as creating an event or joining a group, the site awards you “points” to further encourage your interest.

Rule two: Offer side benefits to using the site. A strong social networking campaign will NOT have a laser-like focus on the product or service. It should give users plenty of opportunities to discuss related topics or share related media. Obama’s site gives users to voice their political concerns and raise awareness on their own grassroots networking events. On your own site or social networking page, you should offer free downloads, applications, or share news and media that would be of interest.

Rule three: Create a feeling of transparency, which sometimes means permitting a little criticism. For an e-commerce site, this could take the form of allowing bad product reviews from customers to show up. For Obama, this means allowing a group of dissension to organize on his site. It’s up to you to decide the degree to which users can express negative thoughts about your product or service. But little concessions like these may help your site seem trustworthy and your company admirably receptive to critiques.

It might seem a little cynical to compare a political campaign to a marketing one. But if you think about it, many of the underlying principles in marketing are about appeal and trust, which are basic goals for any hopeful candidate. And a smart candidate who wants to to reach out to younger voters should keep abreast of technological and social trends on the Internet. After all, only last week, Merriam-Webster announced 100 new entries to its lexicon, among them being “Netroots (2003): grassroots political activists who communicate via the Internet, especially by blogs.”

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You do a search on web readability and you will come across Jakob Nielsen, the controversial “usability consultant.” Like that of many “Internet Gurus,” Nielsen’s philosophy for attracting and converting web visitors is simple: have worthwhile content and assume that the web reader is lazy and selfish.

But just one look at his site, and you wonder if anyone would bother navigating through his stuff. His content is noteworthy, as he’s one of the best known authorities on the differences between web and print reading.

The point about Nielsen is not that his site is ugly, but how that affects the readability of his site. Like a lot of online marketers who sell how-to seminars and books, he’s a not a “big picture” kind of guy.

Old Hollywood star Cary Grant said it best: “It takes 500 small details to add up to one favorable impression.” Although content is most important, other factors should be taken into consideration for a worthwhile site: design, layout, and branding.

There is one element in which content and design intersect: font choice.

Font choice is a bigger deal for graphic designers, but newbie web writers should have a basic knowledge on how the style, size, and formatting of font can affect a reader. More importantly, you must know how this one aspect may determine whether a visitor will continue reading your content.

Two basic categorizations for fonts are serif and sans serif. Serif fonts are the ones with those cute little curlicues hanging around at the tips of the letters. Think Times New Roman, Courier New, and Georgia. Sans Serif fonts are without the extra bits, such as Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, and Franklin Gothic.

VERY General Rule of Thumb: For body text, in general, sans serif fonts are more readable on computer screens, while serif fonts are generally recommended for print materials.

Also, keep in mind that some fonts were created specifically for screen viewing, like Verdana and Georgia.

One way to improve readability is to use sans serif font for paragraphs and serif fonts for headlines as a contrast.

Font choice is a part of branding, and it is a huge part of developing the character of your site as well as your product or service. You can use it to make your site elegant and journalistic or modern and minimalistic or funky and off-the-wall. And if you become a large organization, you may afford your own custom typeface, like the Economist.

Remember, design and content are supposed to work together. Don’t make the mistake of discounting one in favor of the other.

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