This year is sure to bring lots of fun and innovative things in the marketing and advertising world. As in 2009, the technology and gadgets out there will surely drive the marketing dollars and efforts toward new and unique ways of reaching the masses with our branding messages. In blogs past, we’ve reviewed how Apple is working on a patent for a device/software that forces consumers to interact with ads, but what other unique gadgets and gizmos are on the horizon?

1. L5 Remote – This little device allows the iPhone or iPod Touch to serve as a remote to your television or other electronics.  But what is cool is that by pointing the iPhone or iPod Touch at any remote-controlled device and pushing the right programming code, the iPhone will program itself to correspond with the device. Cool, huh? Now whether this fits into Apple’s master plan of servicing ads to consumers, that’s unknown, but I have an inkling that the two might be connected. For a more detailed look, check out the video below. And please forgive the rambling, but the tech is so new, this is the only one I could find!
   http://bubble-cast.com

   
   
2. eReaders – While everyone and their dog is making an iPod-esque gadget to mimic the Kindle reader, such as Barnes & Noble Nook, Plastic Logic Que, Spring Design Alex, and LG’s solar eReader, I my myself am excited about The Skiff Reader geared toward digital newspaper and magazine. This thing is decidedly larger than the others and is supposed to be under 1 lb, 11.5-inch size, a high 1200 x 1600 pixel screen resolution, and under 1/4-inch thick. But best of all … it’s flexible. That being said, the market for advertising space could be revolutionized, since we all know that mags and newspapers are struggling in print. A surge of easily downloadable info via these babies could serve as a new platform for brands and consumers to interact.
   
3. Boxee Box – This little device is really going to be amazing, if it does what it says it does. So, a little black box smaller than a coke can will serve as a tool to bring all your media together in one place on your television screen. There are multiple inputs that allow you to download pictures, hook up your computer(s), etc. to give you the ultimate media experience. It will even show your Twitter and Facebook feeds with links from your friends. Sounds a lot like just surfing the internet, no? NO. As you can see in the demo below, this gadget does more than just make a pretty face for your media storage. Say you want to watch an episode of your favorite TV show online. All you do is search for the show by name and it provides the feed from anywhere online. So much easier than checking twelve different network websites for all your online viewing pleasure.
   
   http://bubble-cast.com

   
4. Tablets – While ambiguous at best and product development touted by behemouths such as Apple and Google, these things are the talk of the town. Sure to be a new ad platform for marketing-heavy corporation Google, the details on what exactly a tablet will be is elusive. However, Apple claims to have a $1000 price tag, so I’m pretty sure they will be more than the rumored iPhone on crack. Some say they may include free global Wi-Fi, others say there are even cooler traits to this gizmo, especially due to the high price point and secrecy behind both global networks’ production. Say tuned for more …

So, with all these new innovations in using existing technology in new and interesting ways, it isn’t hard to assume that 2010 will be packed with marketers’ and brands’ scrambling to find the new way to reach consumers. And undoubtedly, if you’re the first on the bandwagon, it could be a relatively cost-friendly endeavor. Here’s looking forward to what’s in store for this decade!

I’m definitely not getting a holiday season job at a Microsoft store …

http://bubble-cast.com

To read more about why brands should be themselves and not fail at pretending to be others, read this blog blast from the past.

Recently, an Apple fan responded to the ad with the following video. Already it has had over 100K hits and growing as it is proliferated through the net via neat little blogs like this one.

http://bubble-cast.com

And in more recent and tragic news, Microsoft’s never-ceasing quest to be as “cool” as Apple has failed again. Though surely Windows 7 does have its fine points, all anyone is really talking about is its embarrassment on that Japanese TV show. They really can’t catch a break.

http://bubble-cast.com

It’s true. Apple has it made.They are the golden child. They have loyal fans that defend them in quirky and catching ways and other companies just keep feeding the critics fodder to trash them.

Note to these corporate entities: You aren’t an Apple product. You never will be. Stop trying to convince us all you are.

Instead, why don’t you act like the grownup premium brand you are and distinguish yourselves from the pack? You’ve lost yourself and your worth inside a race to steal a group of consumers that can’t be stolen. You’ve lost the battle, and now it’s just getting sad.

So, this raises a very important question for you, the masses: why do you think these companies are so intent on comparing themselves and repeatedly coming up short, instead of marketing their brands as something with worth?