"Being a successful entrepreneur means getting ahead of the competition, says Ruwan Weerasooriya, CEO of new media startup CafeScreen, which is rolling out a network of digital news screens into cafes across Sydney and Melbourne, as well as providing free wireless internet access to patrons... Mr Weerasooriya provides free wireless internet access in CBD cafes with no advertising.."

Stumbled across this, and thoughti it was pretty neat. Wonder how they'll deal with the entrenched contracts many have with commercial hotspot providers like Telstra.

"Users of Telstra's high-speed Next G phone network will soon be able to download concert tickets and other content directly to their phones by scanning special barcodes on billboards and other advertisements... All they need do is photograph a barcode, which can be on any surface - from billboards and computer screens to bottles and T-shirts."

About time, but Telstra only? Yeh sure, because the cool kids are all on Telstra right?

"We’ve been digesting Google’s announcement of the Android platform and the formation of the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) for the last couple of days... Our conclusion: ignore the platform itself and look at the motivation. Google’s long-term objective is not be a player in the mobile platforms business - this is all about creating market conditions compatible with its unique business model. Read on to find out why…"

Great, well-written article exploring the reasoning behind Google's android mobile platform. After all, it's all open-sourced, and Apache-licensed, so they effectively have no control over it - so where's the business case? (no even Google doesn't give stuff away for no reason.)

"Guerrilla marketing techniques have been around for years, but they've also acquired a bad rep for sometimes defacing public property...The British company's Street Art service uses high-pressure cleaning machines to wash brands, logos and adverts onto dirty pavements. First, clients provide their design, and SAS turns it into a giant stencil...The result is a sparkling clean image in the shape of the company's logo or message. Nothing but water and steam are used..."

Although I'm not quite sure how it is different to actual graffiti in the law's eyes, I do like the out-of-the-box thinking of cleaning the ad into the public walls.

"Bringing a whole new level of sophistication and class to designer water, Evian is marketing a limited release “Palace” bottle to high end bars and restaurants. Featuring a unique stainless steel coaster, accompanied with a specially designed pouring top, Evian has thought of all the details."

Pretty cool marketing strategy. I have to say though, after drinking tap water for a while, I can't stand bottled water anymore because it has no taste at all.

click to play

Awesome video on the how we make choices and the effects of them. I love this stuff - wouldn't want to study it, but I think companies that understand this do so much better. Maybe they're manipulating with our minds, but on the other hand, they're helping us.

Now if only the open-source people would work this out, instead of thinking they're the second coming and that years of psych research can be invalidated because they're special.

"Acne caused by cell phones is becoming a more and more common reason for breakouts on the jaw-line. Not only do most people not clean their mobiles on a daily basis to remove oil and makeup build-up, but they are also subjecting themselves to electromagnetic waves. The damaging effects include the destruction and weakening of skin cells... Beauty companies on top of this emerging trend have started to pump out products to target cause for zits."

What will they think of next... you gotta give the marketers credit for finding new 'problems' though.

"The Dutch public health service wanted to break a world record and educate young people at the same time. So they sailed a 127 foot pink condom balloon over a concert which read, “Safe Sex”. More than 80,000 youths were expected at the three-day Zwarte Cross event — a combination motor-cross race and rock concert. The health service wanted to draw awareness to sexually transmitted disease prevention. "

Now that's some different, unique advertising I'd like to see in Australia. Unfortunately I doubt the govt will ever be as cool.

"RTA, the New South Wales road safety organisation, has released a follow up to the Australian Pinkies TV ad, this time with the frenetic pace associated with young male drivers. “Like gassing her up? Like getting it hectic? Like putting the pedal to the metal? Well speedsters have we got something for you! New extra extra small condoms!” The text: “Speeding - no one thinks big of you”."

It's nice to see government trying different angles, apart from all these 'shock tactic' ads, but after watching it somehow I don't think they get it just yet. mafmad.com.au is a great idea too.