Marketing and Language

Starbucks is not infrequently ridiculed for its serving cup sizes – while it is unfortunate that Starbucks isn’t getting their due respect for the brilliance of the “tall, grande, venti” size (which is just the beginning of the entire language education required to “get” what Starbucks is all about), it boils down to people not grasping the fundamentals behind the brand cue. Marketing is definitely a broad and all-encompassing discipline. So, let’s break it down a little.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Not quite a year ago, in discussing a migration from Windows Live Mesh Beta to Dropbox, I wrote:

"Live Mesh beta phased out at the end of March, and Windows Live Mesh launched April 1st, merging Live Mesh and Live Sync... and SkyDrive, um, sort of. Confused? Yeah, me too - what a cluttered, dog's breakfast."

In this context, I chuckled upon reading that Microsoft is introducing "Windows Account" with its upcoming Windows 8 platform, which will require the phasing out of the Live brand...except it'll still be used with XBox Live...or something...um...smh, rme.

Twitter drops the ball

I''ve got the AFC championship game on between the Patriots and Ravens, while editing a book manuscript, and it's been a good game thus far. I'd like to tweet some of my thoughts and play reactions but, if I may borrow from the immortal words of Howard Cosell, "And down goes Twitter."

Like a moth to a flame, social search brings us ever closer to SkyNet

So, Google+ is now showing up on Google search results. While this is big news, it may not even be the biggest development in social search, which is continuing to evolve into all kinds of interesting directions.

Rogers Bank

Apparently, Rogers is considering offering banking services http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1049879--rogers-applies-for-banking-license

Take a look at the general tone of the comments following the article. Clearly, the issue with Rogers (as discussed at length here in previous posts) won't be solved by adding new products and services. I snapped a shot of Moneyville's poll (after casting my vote).