"Introducing Guest Blogger Debbie Millman: Design Matters" (Fast Company)

"Debbie Millman is president of Sterling Brands, a New York-based branding agency where, for the last 15 years, she's worked on redesigning megabrands by Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Campbell’s, Colgate, Hershey and Hasbro, including the classic Tropicana packaging that was so beloved by consumers that the company scrapped a redesign earlier this year and reverted to Sterling's iconic straw-in-the-orange (New Yorkers can hear her talk about that tonight at AIGA NY's My Dog and Pony II). She has written two books, How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer and Essential Principles of Graphic Design. And this year, Debbie was named founding chair of a new program at the School of Visual Arts that will offer a masters in branding.

Debbie is also the newest president of the AIGA, the professional association for designers, which will be holding its biennial conference in Memphis this October. She gave a rousing speech at the organization's recent gala about why exactly we should be celebrating design and designers, even in times like these. One reason: "No matter how bleak the situation into which we have been thrown by the global economy--it does offer opportunities. Designers need only invent them. By understanding our living and working context--we blow open avenues of opportunity and innovation not yet charted or explored.""...

"Neuromarketing Hope and Hype: 5 Brands Conducting Brain Research" (Fast Company)

"Even before the age of Mad Men marketers were trying to tap into the human subconscious to influence consumers to buy their products.

But over the last decade or so, as the fields of neuroscience and marketing science (as some like to call it) have evolved, the area of Neuromarketing has emerged. Today more companies are investing in the technology and studies. Neuromarketing blogs (Roger Dooley) and books (Buyology) are being accorded more attention and legitimacy. Nielsen's recent investment in researcher NeuroFocus has increased the influence and credibility of neuromarketing. However, the field is young and a bit like the wild west. And many in and out of marketing have raised concerns about the reliability and ethicality of neuromarketing.

What is Neuromarketing?

Neuromarketing is the practice of using technology to measure brain activity in consumer subjects in order to inform the development of products and communications--really to inform the brand's 4Ps. The premise is that consumer buying decisions are made in split seconds in the subconscious, emotional part of the brain and that by understanding what we like, don't like, want, fear, are bored by, etc. as indicated by our brain's reactions to brand stimuli, marketers can design products and communications to better meet "unmet" market needs, connect and drive "the buy".

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Techniques include:
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
SST (Steady State Topography)
EEG (Electroencephalography)
Eye Tracking
Galvanic Skin Response

So who is using neuromarketing (aside from consultants)?

Microsoft is now mining EEG data to understand users' interactions with computers including their feelings of "surprise, satisfaction and frustration."

Frito-Lay has been studying female brains to learn how to better appeal to women. Findings showed the company should avoid pitches related to "guilt" and guilt-free and play up "healthy" associations.

Google made some waves when it partnered with MediaVest on a "biometrics" study to measure the effectiveness of YouTube overlays versus pre-rolls. Result: Overlays were much more effective with subjects.

Daimler employed fMRI research to inform a campaign featuring car headlights to suggest human faces which tied to the reward center of the brain.

The Weather Channel used EEG, eye-tracking and skin response techniques to measure viewer reactions to three different promotional pitches for a popular series."

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Evian Dancing Babies Ad

"Advertising Slowdown Weighs on Media Groups" (Financial Times)

In the current economic climate, companies are trimming their advertising budgets, which is hurting media groups that depend on this revenue stream for survival.

"Advertising weakness is spreading from newspaper and radio groups to the rest of the media and casting a shadow over a year that was supposed to benefit from the Beijing Olympics and a high-spending election season, analysts warn.

The biggest threat to the industry from big advertisers such as car dealers, banks, retailers and airlines, among others, as they tighten their belts..."

"Time for a Brand New You" (Financial Times)

"What do people say about you when you are not there? This may not be a question you have asked yourself before. But your successful, politically astute colleagues will probably have spent quite a lot of time thinking about their reputation, image and impact on others. So perhaps you should start thinking about it. Your career prospects depend on what They are saying about You.

This is the era of the “personal brand”. A decade ago, the management guru Tom Peters urged business people to work on “the brand called You”. Some laughed at the shameless vulgarity. Others felt it too outlandish to take seriously..."