Google and Mozilla have posted that they’re adding new features to their browsers that will let users opt out of being tracked by third-party advertisers. The move comes a few weeks after the FTC issued a report recommending browser software developers to implement such a mechanism. [More]
marketing
Louis Vuitton Tattoo Sleeve Takes Brand Loyalty Too Far
By 1.18.11
This is a picture of some cool guy who got a Louis Vuitton tattoo sleeve (that’s what it’s called when you have tattoos all up and down your arm and ending at your wrist, like a sleeve might). Apparently he decided he never wants to be the number one term life insurance salesman. It’s a sick day when people give their bodies up for free advertising for shallow brands, hoping they’ll be able to embed some of the brand’s cachet into their flesh. Why doesn’t anyone ever tattoo pages from Watership Down on their body, huh? [More]
Duane Reade Infilitrates Williamsburg By Adding A Beer Bar
By 1.14.11
When Duane Reade announced it wanted to open a store in the hip poseur enclave neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, it faced stiff opposition from locals and bloggers who feared it would destroy the area’s charm and drive a nearby local pharmacy out of business. So the pharmacy chain bought over the natives with beer. [More]
Will I Or Won't I Get Wet?
By 1.7.11
This sign advertising $5 for five minutes of bubble fun is confusing. Not the part where your child is placed inside a giant rubber bubble and then allowed to run around on top of a pool of water. We’re cool with that. But at the top it says, “walk, jog, run, job and have lots of fun on the water… while completely dry!” At the bottom of the sign it says, “YOU MAY GET WET.” Well, which is it? [More]
Finallyfast.com Refunds Thousands In Scareware Suit
By 1.5.11
FinallyFast, one of those companies with the late-night infomercials promising to make your computer faster, has settled with the Washington AG for misleading and deceiving consumers, and making it hard to cancel or get refunds. One of their tactics was to make the free scan on their site falsely identify harmless files on your computer as being errors. Consumers can now get some of their money back. [More]
Gallery Of Generic Dr. Peppers
By 1.4.11
Naming a generic version of Dr. Pepper requires a special dose of imagination of the supermarket brand specialist not required by other fizzy drinks. You can’t just get away with “Cola” or “Orange.” There are innumerable variations and several websites have cropped up to document and catalog them. Check out postmyportfolio.com/Generic_Dr_Pepper.htm and Dr Kenton’s Generic Dr Peppers Page to get a pretty comprehensive overview. I think my favorite version is “Dr. Radical.” [More]
The Tush Turner Is Perhaps The Stupidest Infomercial Product Ever
By 12.29.10
You need no better sign that The Empire is on the wane then the “Tush Turner,” a swiveling seat cushion that makes it easier to get in and out of your car without all that “contorting.” Just sit your ass down and spin in and out. And maybe with the few extra seconds it gives you you’ll be able to escape the Visigoths hunting you down as fuel for their war machines. [More]
Welcome To Infomercial Hell
By 12.28.10
“Infomercial Hell” is a mashup of 90 different horrible infomercial moments into one 5-minute masterpiece. [More]
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Lots Of "[BofAExec Name] Sucks" Sites Getting Bought Up
By 12.23.10
Over at Domain Name Wire they noticed that starting on December 17th, someone has been going around buying up all the various permutations of BankofAmericaExecNameHereSucks.com sites. So sorry folks, you won’t be able to start your new BrianMoynihanBlows.com, BrianMoynihanSucks.com, or BrianTMoynihanBlows.com blog. You were going to use it host your lookbook of clever Lawrence, KS fashions, right? [More]
King Soopers Defends Easter Creep
By 12.21.10
End displays of Cadbury eggs cropping up in supermarkets in December have had our readers doing double-takes. First there’s Christmas creep, then we had Halloween and Thanksgiving creep, but Easter creep? Yes, because you demanded it to be so, says King Soopers. [More]
Sunny Seat Is A Suction Cup Cat Seat That Sticks To Windows
By 12.15.10
The Sunny Seat is a cat seat that sticks to windows with suction cups so you can create a horizontal raised surface for your feline without even having to know how to use a power drill. [More]
Game Developer Says Farmville Is Designed To Be "Negative" And "Draining"
By 12.9.10
So-called social network games like Farmville and Mafia Wars are intentionally designed to not be fun and cause you anxiety, says a well-respected game developer. [More]
"Quatro Zany" Is Like "Four Loko" But Really For Adults This Time. Honest.
By 12.8.10
UCB’s The Brig sticks a key in Four Loko’s can with this new parody ad for Quatro Zany, “The new alcoholic energy drink totally not targeted toward kids.” It’s got everything adults want, like vodka, sugar, espresso, Adderall, and pixie sticks. And for when you’re on-the go, a convenient no-drip baby nipple! [More]
Buy A Truck, Get A Free AK-47
By 11.15.10
A used truck dealer in Florida, birthplace of dreams, is offering an interesting promotion. Buy a truck and get an assault rifle thrown in the back for free. [More]
Why Can't We Resist These Classic Sales Pitches?
By 11.10.10
No matter how savvy we are as shoppers, there are still some time-tested sales pitches that will make some of us at least give some thought to making a purchase we otherwise might not have made. [More]
84% Of Parents Fed Their Kids Fast Food In The Past Week
By 11.8.10
Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity says that 84% of parents surveyed for their epic new study of fast food nutrition and marketing said they’d fed their kids fast food at least once in the past week. 66% of parents surveyed took their kids specifically to McDonald’s. [More]
Guy Gets Paid To Wear Peoples' Shirts
By 11.4.10
Since so many of us provide free advertising to companies by walking around with their logos on our shirts, it was only a matter of time before an entrepreneur decided to build a business out of the phenomenon. [More]
Smell Like Justin Bieber
By 11.3.10
If you’ve ever wanted to smell like tween spirit, now’s your chance. Justin Bieber has released a line of scents exclusively at the awesomest store in the world, Walmart. Insert five exclamation points! [More]
