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Rebate Phishing: The practice of luring customers online to make a purchase with the promise of receiving a nonexistent rebate check in return. Recently unleashed from the bonds of my 2-year mobile phone contract, I went online this weekend to search for a new mobile phone. Within seconds, I ended up at Wirefly.com – one … Read more
In times square this weekend, I spotted a long billboard with mathematical equations and schematic drawings along with the cryptic URL – www.beyondthedrawingboard.com. Unfortunately, a visit to the website delivers neither a new online community for tech geeks, nor an innovative new virtual drawing board for users to collaborate on. Instead, the site is nothing … Read more
Using celebrity spokespeople can be a tricky thing – especially when it comes to athletes and sports sponsorships. Nike and Visa both learned this with their ill-fated Olympic sponsorships of Bode Miller and Lindsay Jacobellis, respectively. Both turned out disappointing performances, with Bode Miller coming off as a total ass yesterday with his declaration that … Read more
Every year there are lists of the best and worst ads from the Super Bowl – and usually I look at them with frustration because they have nothing to do with advertising effectiveness … just pure entertainment. Entertainment is fine, but it’s hard to imagine that any of the advertisers in the Super Bowl will … Read more
As part of the merger between US Airways and America West airlines announced in November last year (2005), they had an intriguing new decision to make about the beverage brands that they served on their flights. America West had Pepsi and Budweiser, US Airways had Coke and Miller. Over the past decade, both brands in … Read more
A recent print ad from Sun about the Fire X4100 server is modeled on a Playboy centerfold spread and features images of the server and quotes on the data sheet such as "I’m petite and powerful with plenty of room for cables." The ad drives users online to www.sun.com/sweetdreams as a landing page to learn … Read more
Yesterday I came across this box banner ad for the Room Store on the Washington Post homepage. As a consumer, I went to the Room Store 2 weeks ago, and fell in love with a two piece brown leather sofa set. Since the list price is more than $2000, I figured I would wait for … Read more
Perhaps aiming to avoid the mistakes of Dell in ignoring Jeff Jarvis’ blog comments and experience, Chrysler PR chief Jason Vines has taken a wide swing in the opposite direction, lashing out at Steve Hall of Adrants in response to his (justified) posting about the new Firehouse.biz blog as being "stupid, illogical, idiotic and insane." … Read more
In the PR world, I have witnessed no better way to throw hundreds of thousands of dollars down the drain than to pay some expensive and questionably effective spokesperson to do a range of marketing activities, satellite media tours, and limited half-day appearances. True metrics supporting celebrity spokesperson choices are often difficult to find. As … Read more
I recently got an email from a service called "Where Christians Meet" promising to help me find my soulmate. Intrigued at how I made it onto this list (considering I am married and not Christian) I checked into it and found that the email had been sent by a company called Harrison Direct. Apparently they … Read more
Non-Obvious Thinking is my upcoming book about the 4 secrets of becoming a non-obvious thinker - coming 09/24!
Rohit Bhargava is a trend curator, founder of the Non-Obvious Company and the 3-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author of ten books.
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Rohit is the author of 10 books on trends, the future of business, building a more human brand with storytelling and how to create a more diverse and inclusive world.
