April 2007

Technology

  • New social communication service, Jaxtr, is hoping to close some of the communication gaps currently found in e-correspondence. Jaxtr gives users a click-to-call option that can be placed on a social network page, blog, eBay posting, Craigslist listing, etc., with an immediate connection to a phone line (mobile or land) for free. Phone numbers remain private and callers don't need a Jaxtr account to click-to-call.

Green Living

  • Philadelphia-based RecycleBank lets households earn RecycleBank Dollars, redeemable for discount coupons, just for recycling. Collection trucks scan and weigh recycling containers (embedded with identifying barcodes) to track how much each household is recycling. The more customers recycle, the more RecycleBank dollars they earn-up to $35.00 a month. Customers can track their points online and redeem them for coupons that can be used at major chains such as Whole Foods, RiteAid and Starbucks, as well as participating local companies. Since implementation, the amount recycled per household has increased from an average of 5 lbs to 35 lbs per week. RecycleBank's reach is currently limited to West Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, but it's quickly expanding to other areas around the country.

Food & Beverage

  • Coca-Cola and L'Oréal are partnering to create a new health-and-beauty beverage, Lumaé, that will launch in 2008. The nutraceutical drink, still in the early stages of development, is a tea-based ready-to-drink beverage with ingredients to help women care for their skin. Lumaé will target active, influential, image-conscious women over the age of 25 who embrace health and wellness. Coke is interested in marketing and distributing Lumaé like a beauty brand instead of a soft drink. Early plans call for distribution in high end department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue.
  • Wine That Loves, from The Amazing Food Wine Company, takes the guess work out of food and wine pairing. Each wine is specifically suited to one dish - pizza, grilled salmon, grilled steak, roasted chicken or pasta with tomato sauce. Each dish, and its accompanying fool-proof wine pairing, was chosen based on its popularity in American households. The wines were picked and paired by Ralph Hersom, a wine expert and professional wine taster, who was Wine Director at New York's Le Cirque restaurant for seven years. Look for it in a store near you soon.

Fashion & Retail

  • Sarah Jessica Parker is launching a new clothing line called Bitten, this June. The fashionista's line will be sold exclusively at mass retail chain Steve and Barry's. The line will include four separate collections - Classics (jeans), Casual, Trend (accessories) and Lounge (lingerie) - with prices ranging from $7.98 to $14.98. Look for Bitten to hit stores June 7th.
  • Spain has just signed a groundbreaking accord between its national Health Ministry and major retailers like Zara and Mango, promoting "healthy beauty." After banning ultra-thin models from fashion week runways last year, this new program is seen as the next logical step in changing unreal, unhealthy attitudes towards beauty. Stores will begin replacing window display mannequins, so that none is smaller than size 38 (U.S. size 6). Zara and Mango hope to implement these changes in their U.S. stores in the near future.

Advertising & Marketing

  • In February (FWV Trend Center - Feb 07), we told you that USA Today was hot on the heels of The WSJ in testing out ‘scratch and sniff' print ads; the paper is now running a 6 month test promotion sponsored by Omni Hotels and Starbucks. Guests staying at Omni luxury hotels will find small, scented stickers on the front pages of their free copies of USA Today. A blackberry aroma will suggest that guests start their day with a cup of the hotel's Starbucks coffee, "paired with a fresh muffin."
  • Wired magazine, in collaboration with Xerox, has created a promotion that is the future of personalization and user generated ‘content' by offering subscribers a chance to have their photo on the cover of the July issue. Subscribers are invited to upload a photo to Wired.com and customize the headlines and color palette. The first 5,000 to do so will receive a customized issue.

Media

  • The Boston Globe is launching a new monthly magazine supplement: Fashion Boston. Alexandra Hall has been named editor of the publication, premiering May 8th.
  • While newspaper circulation continues to slide, readership is growing, especially with younger readers - when taking online newspaper sites into consideration. According to the latest data from the Newspaper Association of America, newspaper sites contributed a 13.7% increase in total newspaper audience for adults 25-to-34.
  • September will bring a special, spin-off issue of Men's Health to newsstands, Men's Health Living. Rodale views the new publication as a natural extension to its lineup. "Just as Men's Health empowers men to take control of their bodies, Men's Health Living will empower men to take control of their environment." The concept recently completed a successful test run in South Africa, where it will soon go monthly.
  • Time Inc. announced it is closing Life, the weekend magazine newspaper insert that had just begun to find its footing after a rocky reincarnation. The iconic title will continue to operate online and through its books. Life will also move its huge archive of photographs onto the Web, where consumers will be able to download them for free.
  • Meredith has announced the closing of Child, but will continue its presence online. The last print edition will be the June/July issue. Child will become part of a parenthood portal, launching in July, that will also include Parents, American Baby and Family Circle content.