QVIews

It’s not easy for companies with long production cycles and complex distribution like the car companies to include volatile consumer preferences in their product planning, but they are finally figure out more ways to do it because, well, they can’t afford not to. Link: USATODAY.com – Ford mines consumers’ wants by Sharon Silke Carty Mike…

The week’s issue of iMedia Connection points out two brand communities being built on the web, one for Absolut Vodka and one for Microsoft-based software developers. In the second article, Steve Rubel talks in general about the challenge of letting these communities ‘be real.’ It’s not easy but it’s the only way to make it…

Over at ClickZ, Pete Blackshaw of Intelliseek continues to offer sharp insights into how to use the new marketing tools effectively. Link: Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Temper Your Enthusiasm?. Word-of-mouth marketing works because it comes from a trusted source. Whether stimulated by relevant product experience (iPod), a highly creative ad campaign (Subservient Chicken), or even a degree…

Today at Lunch Sparks, Doug said he’s on his way overseas to help with micro enterprise development. What a wonderful trend–perhaps the social innovation that will eventually help the world to feed itself. Times article by Rosemary Righter: A charter for Africa’s barefoot entrepreneurs – . Government-led “solutions” for Africa, if I may adapt a…

Over at the Acceleration Studies Foundation, John Smart has an intriguing review and analysis of recent studies which say the rate of innovation, especially in the U.S. is slowing. John calls this apparent trend, which is primarily based on studying patents and obvious and technological inventions, ‘innovation saturation.’ But I agree as he points out…

The New York Times: Hypomanic? Absolutely. But Oh So Productive! by Benedict Carey "of course, I live near the edge; the view is better" So says a hypomanic man interviewed in this New York Times article which surveys recent psychological research into disparate symptoms of bipolar disorder among highly creative people. Is it possible to…

I have hesitated to include pictures from around the web on my blog because it’s so hard to get permission from the artists and photographers. But maybe it will get easier soon. MediaPost : "Yahoo Partners with Creative Commons" by Gavin O’Malley Yahoo!’s Creative Commons Search site, search.yahoo.com/cc, explains: "While most stuff you find on…

It’s been a couple of years since Steve Shapiro visited Houston on a road trip to gather material for a book on creativity in America. His visit stimulated many conversations around FastHouston. Now he has a new project called "Goal-Free Living." There’ll be a book soon and there’s a blog now, including the valuable observation…

If you don’t subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, you can check out the fun at www.physicssongs.org. Link: WSJ.com – It’s All Relative: Songs to Make Physics Easier. "All songs about physics are funny," says Dr. Smith, who hopes the National Science Foundation will provide him with funding to expand the site. "I don’t think…

I try not to clip long excerpts, but the comments below are priceless and build so nicely to justified indignation. Christopher Kenton of Marketonomy wants to reclaim the term "brand" for the advertising realm. He’s argument is well-thought-out but wrong. It is meaningful to distinguish between ‘brand image’ and ‘brand experience’ but in the end,…