Children of all ages have good intentions when it comes to finding the perfect gift for mom’s special day, but sometimes, they just miss the mark.

According to a study conducted by Wakefield Research and commissioned by Western Union for their "Return the Love" with Mother's Day consumer campaign, 42% of mothers have pretended to like a Mother’s Day gift that when they really did not. 

Suddenly, we are having doubts about whether or not mom really appreciated the creative vision of our macaroni art...

Get more information here about this study.

As 3D televisions hit the market, many are wondering how fast this new technology will enter our lives.  ESPN has announced that it will launch the world’s first all-3D television network, ESPN 3D, in June.  It will air the opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa. 

In a recent study conducted by Wakefield Research, watching sports in 3D is a distant 2nd choice to watching movies in 3D.  In fact, US consumers ages 18+ are 3 times more likely to want to watch movies in 3D over sporting events. 

There is no doubt that 3D video gaming is on the near horizon.  It doesn’t take Nostradamus to foresee that.  With E3 just weeks away, one question does remain: when will we actually see this technology on shelves? 

Three in four consumers say that they do not plan to purchase a 3D television within the first 6 months of its launch.  With the country just now beginning to dust itself off from a difficult economic period, is this the best time to be unveiling this new (and expensive) consumer entertainment device?

It’s not quite David vs. Goliath but, nevertheless, we find ourselves revisiting this age old clash once again.

As the economy scratches and claws its way back, more than 70% of Americans think that small businesses are more likely to turn around the economy than the federal government.

But how many are willing to be a part of this effort?  Not many...

Two-thirds (66%) of Americans believe it is easier to climb Mt. Everest than to start a small business in this country today - given the current financial environment.

This information comes courtesy of a survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Alibaba.com, the global leader in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that makes it easy for millions of buyers and suppliers around the world to do business online.

Maybe Van Wilder had the right idea when he chose to stay in college for the better part of a decade.  Things don’t appear to be much better out here.  Regardless of your political stance or who you voted for, the research tells a consistent and dramatic story. 
 
According to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Alibaba.com, Americans are unhappy with the steps taken by our leaders to increase the number of employment opportunities in this country.

In the eyes of two-thirds (66%) of Americans, the federal government has not fulfilled its promise to create more jobs when the recession began and very few Americans have faith that things will get better.  Less than 1 in 10 (7%) Americans think that a substantial number of jobs will be created over the course of the next year. 

In addition to their wavering confidence in the federal government’s ability to stimulate the job market, Americans are wary of what the future holds for their children.  More than 3 in 5 (61%) college parents would rather see their children in a job that made them miserable before they saw them starting their own business in today’s economic climate. 

Think starting a small business right now would be a monumental task?  At least you could count on the respect of your fellow citizens.  More than eight of ten (82%) Americans would be impressed if they learned that your company had been started during the recession. 

Alibaba.com is the global leader in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce, making it easy for millions of buyers and suppliers around the world to do business online. 

Did you have a hard time picking out a gift for your mom this Mother’s Day?  If so, this might be a bad time to tell you that you were probably giving it too much thought.  You could have just gift wrapped yourself and called it a day.

According to a new survey conducted by Wakefield Research for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, more than a third (39%) of Americans believe that stopping by the house to wish mom a Mother’s Day in person is a must.     

But for many of us, this simply isn't enough.  Nearly half (44%) of Americans feel that a phone call is one thing you cannot forget to do, under any circumstances. 

For those of us who can’t find the time or live too far away, four in ten (41%) feel that sending a card will also suffice.  Simple, sincere gifts like flowers seem to go a lot futher than trendy, often over-thought, ideas. 

At the end of the day, mom is perfectly content with a simple gesture that shows her how you truly feel.

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center gives a lot of insight into how teens are spending their time these days.  The study indicates that 54% of teens today text daily.  This is a significant increase from 2008 in which only 38% of teens were daily-texters.  Even more, approximately a third of teens send more than 100 text messages a day.

With such a dramatic increase in texting, marketers are working hard to keep up and reach teens where they are spending so much time - their phones.

Last year a number of fast food restaurants released advertising campaigns based on text messaging.  At Subway’s restaurants in New York City, a customer can text their order in advance. 

Even patrons of Chipotle have avoided long lines by placing their order via a smartphone app which allows them to prepay.
               
However no clear platform exists for retailers to tap into the texting market today.  How can a retailer effectively promote its products via text?  Some retailers are attempting sign-up programs to text their customers exclusive deals.  Data is still coming in on whether these programs are making a significant impact, but it certainly is a start.

Whatever market strategy ultimately develops, expect to see it fast.  Companies are already scrambling to be the first to reach this lucrative teen market via text messaging.  After all, what brand wouldn’t want the ability to send a targeted advertising message that over half of teens are practically guaranteed to see?

June 15, 2010 will be an important day in Los Angeles, California.  No, this is not the date of the Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA Championship victory parade (though check back again in a few weeks on that).  This is a day that gamers and developers look forward to each year – a day filled with surprises and excitement.  On this day, the highly anticipated annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2010) will commence.

Since the inaugural expo in 1995, software developers and anyone searching for a niche in the gaming industry have used E3 as a springboard into the marketplace or a spotlight for it to once again shine under.  In the past, expos have turned into coming-out parties for companies with no prior gaming experience (Sony Playstation in 1995) and opportunities for established industry giants to open our eyes once again (N64 in 1996).

Some of the greatest and most controversial games of all-time were introduced to the world at E3 (Xbox’s Halo in 2001 and Playstation 2’s Grand Theft Auto III in 2002) and, since then, the mold has been broken time and time again (Nintendo’s Wii in 2006).

Today, the internet makes keeping a secret a nearly impossible task and, with motion-sensitive gaming becoming a popular trend and 3D concepts being entertained by all the giants (Nintendo, Microsoft & Sony), it’s hard to imagine participants being “blown away” like they once were.

However, regardless of what we see in Los Angeles this year when the gaming community gathers for three exciting days, one thing is for certain: underestimating these people would be a big mistake.

During Facebook’s F8 developer conference last month, Facebook launched a groundbreaking platform designed to extend its reign of social media dominance throughout the net – Open Graph. 

Designed with the intention of promoting openness and increased connectivity for Facebook users, all it has done so far is spark controversy as many users have criticized it for eroding their privacy.

Regardless of whether or not you feel Facebook has gone too far by changing users’ default privacy settings, it is hard to argue with the enormous marketing potential of a concept like Open Graph.

Up until this point, the main features to be unveiled are the “like” and “share” buttons that can now be found on the websites of many Facebook partners.  Whether checking the news on CNN or looking up movie reviews on IMDb – a simple click of these buttons displays a link to that page or article on your profile without you ever needing to enter your Facebook login information (provided you are already logged in to Facebook on your browser).  For the partner sites, this gives them access to over 400 million potential readers.

In the eyes of businesses, the beauty of this marketing strategy is that it lets the consumers do the advertising for them.  A Facebook user is much more likely to click on a link that their friend suggested than click on a paid advertisement on the side of the page.

In this age of social media, businesses are finding themselves constantly scrambling to keep up with sweeping changes in the marketplace and to keep their marketing campaigns fresh and current.  That said, this tool could be an excellent addition to any company’s marketing strategy.

In 2006, Al Gore issued a call to environmentally-friendly action in his movie An Inconvenient Truth.  Warning of a coming climate crisis, he called on consumers and businesses alike to embrace more environmentally-friendly practices to reduce their carbon footprint.  For the most part, his call has been well received.

In terms of the environment, the country has seen a significant increase in the feeling of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) over the past few years.  Most offices have a recycling program in place and some even have training workshops to educate their employees on environmentally-friendly practices.  Much of this is the result of consumers putting pressure on corporations to change their way and make a difference.

Whether or not you agree with Al Gore’s diagnosis of our planet’s ailments, it is easy to see the marketing implications of “green” practices for almost any business.  No consumer wants to support a company with a horrible environmental track record, so businesses are being forced to adjust accordingly.

Coca-Cola knows all too well the need for businesses to demonstrate sustainability when they advertise their products.  In 2009, they launched an advertising campaign centered on consumers recycling their Coke bottle after they’re finished with it.  Designed to make people feel good about drinking Coke again, it was a great way to attract consumers concerned about the sustainability of plastic bottles.

This is just one of many excellent examples of the marriage between CSR and marketing.  Too often, businesses neglect their responsibility in an effort to cut corners and squeeze out greater profit margins.  However, by remembering your CSR when building your company’s marketing-strategy, you can now look to increase sales and be environmentally friendly all at the same time.  In the end, there will be plenty of green in your pockets and on our planet.

When E3 2010 opens its doors to the public next month, software and game developers will, no doubt, once again stretch the definition of the term “game” with a new idea or concept that will revolutionize the industry…at least until next year. 

This begs the question: what exactly constitutes a “game” these days?

A popular addendum to the social media craze, location-based programs, such as Foursquare and Gowalla, are commonly referred to as games.  However, these apps, which launched the craze of “checking in” at locations such as restaurants or stores in exchange for points, are fairly simple examples - as far as games typically go. 

The concept for games like these is unique in that it combines real-world experiences and local flair with mobile technology.  For example, iSpyApp enables a player to take a picture of something in a city, such as a statue, and upload it to the game.  From that point, other players take on the task of finding that statue based on an approximate location of a few city blocks.  When they find it, a picture is taken of the item and uploaded to the site, thus “solving” the game.

From a financial perspective, it stands to reason that this model of location-based game is poised to be more successful than others.  Local businesses can benefit from their town, or even the funny statue in the foyer, being featured in someone’s puzzle.  However, is there enough profit to go around?  Can other games compete? 

Unfortunately, mobile apps cannot advertise the way internet sites can, for obvious reasons.  It’s safe to say that a banner ad or pop-up video on a smart phone would likely only infuriate the mobile user.  The challenge, then, is figuring out a way to generate enough revenue to keep games like these up and running without commercializing them to the point that they become undesirable.