The Pro Shop

Call this a lesson in learning what customers want by watching their behavior—even if ithat conduct goes against millennia of human instincts for self-preservation.

Chicago’s landmark Sears Tower has found a way to enhance its must-see tourist status: a pair of glass-enclosed, glass-bottomed platforms hanging off the 103rd floor of the building’s west façade and offering a 360-degree view (well, minus whatever portion is attached to the building) of a large portion of the city from 1350 feet up. more

Just when you thought that national promotions built around “free” were beginning to look like invitations to disaster, someone’s pulled one off—and even managed to control the blowback when the supplies of free product ran out. more

There are few topics that matter more to men than hair and the shaving thereof.

When we’re young we rush it and start with the razor, most of us, long before we need to. Fast-forward 30 or 40 years, and most of us have decided that this task we once couldn’t wait to get to has become, quite literally, a daily pain in the neck.

But the neck is not quite the pain point involved in a new set of viral YouTube videos from Gillette, giving instructions in the art of manscaping areas other than one’s face: namely the head, the back, and yes, the… south forty, so to speak. more

With this lousy economy we certainly have seen marketers turning to “recession” themed campaigns, including a ton of promotions around the idea of providing consumers with some type of financial relief or reward.

This is certainly timely and may give consumers a sense that these companies and their brands are trying to lend a hand in these troubling times or simply be relevant. I’ve seen debit cards like Chase awarding random free purchases, loss of income guarantees from car companies and wireless carriers and a ton of sweepstakes and contests giving away cash to be used to pay off debts, etc.

more

What better way to hire employees than to recruit from among your own loyal customers.

That’s what Coldwater Creek is doing. It is sending out postcards to known buyers that live near new store locations and inviting them to “become part of the Coldwater Creek team.” Good timing since so many people are out of work. The card identifies the location of the new store and provides an 888 number for interested parties to call.

more

I stepped out of the office today to see how marketers can give away free food without Oprah Winfrey’s help.

The event was a sampling session for a new product, Flatbread Melts, launching today from DiGiorno, a Kraft division. And it was a good reminder of how very simple it can be to get a new food item into tasters’ hands for free—with, perhaps, a few caveats and concerns. more