| In The News |
Baby, It's C-C-Cold Inside; A-B Unveils 'Chill
Chamber'
The maker of Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob and slew of niche brands is introducing a retail
cooler that can chill the temperature of beer in aluminum bottles to as low as 22 F without freezing. The technology, developed by Hussman Corp., a
unit of Ingersoll Rand, can keep beer colder an average of 17 minutes longer than a bottle pulled out from a conventional refrigerator, according to
the manufacturer. MORE ?
Spike TV Ties in Program, New Game Release
Cable TV network Spike will run a custom dedicated episode of its weekly videogame series Game
Head to promote a new game from Activision. MORE
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SideStep Steps Up With Travel Partnership
SideStep's strategy of offering trip planning information authored by consumers will stay on
track with a partnership that pulls RealTravel.com's travel blog onto the meta search travel site. MORE ?
Another Ford Exec Has a Better Idea
One of the top marketing executives at Ford left the automaker this week, continuing the exodus
among the company?s top ranks. MORE ?
Amex Takes Personal Service to the Next Level
If you've ever wondered what the American Express experience is, then go to The Mall at Short
Hills in Short Hills, N.J. That?s where the company opened a "Members Lounge" this week. MORE ?
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| Short Takes |
IF YOU SAY IT ENOUGH, IT BECOMES TRUE: It?s gotta be a tough detail when you have to flog a product without much glitz or glamour. But give credit to
the folks at Great Lakes Kraut Co., who make that humble hotdog topping, sauerkraut. They?ve issued a press release hoping to convince hapless hosts
that adding sauerkraut to their holiday menu will make them budding Rachael Rays. "Sauerkraut is definitely the food to eat now," a company rep
crowed. ?Sauerkraut-stuffed mushroom caps, mini-reuben sandwiches, and cream cheese & sauerkraut spread will definitely impress guests at any holiday
party." (Cream cheese and sauerkraut spread? Spread on WHAT?) A visit to the company?s Web site also notes that the cabbage is ?effective in preventing
food poisoning ?believed to combat avian flu ?.shown to help fight cancer and ?keeps your intestines healthy.? Curiously, there?s not one word about
the taste. Hmmmmm?.
WHAT IS THIS, ?WEIRD FOOD? DAY? We also heard from our friends at Hass Avocados from Mexico, who last summer tried to convince us to put avocado
spread on hotdogs at the ballpark. (We passed.) Now they?ve got recipes for using ?turkey leftovers to create easy and sensational meals with smooth
and creamy Hass Avocados.? Again, we sympathize with a company trying to squeeze some extra mileage out of their product, but man, messing
with Thanksgiving is almost sacrilegious! Avocado on a turkey sandwich? Ewwww. But for those of you with a stronger constitution, their recipes might offer some interesting ideas. Just don?t invite us.
A GIFT THAT SAYS, ?I DON?T LIKE YOU?: Every once in a while, we stumble across something so mind-numbingly weird that we have to check to make sure
it?s not a farfetched Internet joke. Today?s offering is called ?Nabaztag,? which they tell us is Armenian for ?Rabbit.? The device/toy appears to be
a rabbit that receives Wi-Fi Internet information and spits it out in a high-pitched monotone. Why you?d want this distraction in your workspace is
anyone?s guess, and at $150 a pop, that pretty much puts the kibosh on it for us. But maybe our cynicism has gotten the best of us, so see it for
yourself at Nabaztag and you decide. It?s a little too strange,
even for our stilted taste.
SOMETHING ELSE YOU DON?T NEED: Dutch company Ego Lifestyle (And let?s give ?em props for calling themselves what they are, right up front)
announced today that their high-end ?fashion computer? (Oh, Puh-LEEZE!) the Tulip Ego, is now available at luxury retailer Barneys New York.
?The elegant design of the Tulip Ego laptop with its round shapes and fashionable, interchangeable skins, marks the beginning of a new era in
computer design,? the company brags in a release. Apparently, changing the ?look? of your laptop is important to some people. To wit: ?Its
fashion-forward interchangeable ?skins? ? are available now in a wide variety of designer fabrics and finishes.? The unit comes with all the standard
bells & whistles, but ?Retail price in U.S. dollars starts (STARTS!) from $5,000.? See if you think it?s worth it at Ego Lifestyle?s site. We don?t, but our
penny-pinching thrifty ways are legendary.
Exotic foods, exotic gifts; must be the HOLIDAYS looming! If you?d like to comment on any of the above, you can do so at our new blog Here. And as always, we?re reading all your e-mail comments sent to
rthompson@brandweek.com
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Le Royal M?ridien is the tallest hotel in downtown Shanghai. Starting Dec. 1, it also will appear to be the heartbeat of the city. That evening, red
pulsating lights will dress the exterior of the 66-story building, drawing attention to the glass-enclosed nightclub on the top floors. The division
of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, White Plains, N.Y., already knows the power of such visual engagements.
MORE?
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You have entered the Twilight Zone? carrying a copy of The Da Vinci Code: Sci Fi Channel will launch a multimedia promotion with a $5
million prize to boost views of its mysterious miniseries, The Lost Room.
MORE?
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