Date: Thu, Oct 8, 2009 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT

Is it possible to save the planet by paving it?
Can a good box help feed a growing population?
Will prescription drug packages make patients healthier?

Discover the answers in three revealing case studies that demonstrate proven strategies for “making money and doing good.” Bruce Thomas will talk about MWV’s sustainable innovations such as Evotherm (a warm-paving product that reduces air emissions), Shellpak (an adherence package for prescription drugs), and fresh produce packaging (designed to increase agricultural exports from Brazil).

In the course of these case studies, Thomas will shed light on the growing opportunity for innovators to provide sustainable solutions that meet the economic, social and environmental challenges of governments and consumers in emerging markets – as well as here at home.

Learn more as Bruce shares first-hand experiences that will show you how to:
• Design sustainable products specifically for emerging markets
• Determine which products “play well” in other countries
• Talk to government leaders and get them to listen
• Address the burning needs of consumers around the world

About the speaker
Bruce Thomas, Senior Vice President, Global Market Strategy and Emerging Markets, MWV Corporation

Bruce Thomas, is a leading voice on the challenges and opportunities associated with business development in emerging markets. In his role as chief strategist for MWV’s global market development, he leads several initiatives aimed at delivering profitable growth through innovation and expansion in key emerging markets such as China, India and Eastern Europe.

Mention priority code M2190W3BLOG
Register Here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/596457225

Entertainer Justin Timberlake and star football player Peyton Manning will be the new faces for customers looking to purchase items from Sony. The duo, just announced today, will work to enhance the shopper’s understanding of Sony as a sports and entertainment product. By engaging audiences with Timberlake and Manning, the company hopes that customers will react warmly to the duo and to the brand.

One can’t help but noticing that this ad campaign looks a lot like the basis for Apple’s wildly successful Mac vs. PC commericals with the dowdy office drone as the PC and the hip, creative type Mac user.

Will the sports and entertainment duo have the same effect for the Sony? We’d like to hear your thoughts.

According to the Associated Press, Congress could soon set up a few laws that would change the way information is gathered online by marketers.  Rep. Rick Boucher will submit a bill that includes the following prerequisites before personal information is collected online:

- Web sites that collect information about visitors — or use an outside company to do that  in order to target advertising on their own pages would be required to prominently disclose what information they gather. The Web sites would have to describe in detail how that information is used, how long it is retained and whether it is shared with third parties. The sites would be required to allow visitors to “opt out” of data collection altogether.

- Web sites that share user information with outside advertising networks, which place ads on sites all over the Internet, would be required to obtain user approval before collecting data. That is, consumers would have to “opt in.” But these sites could qualify for an opt-out requirement by meeting certain conditions. For instance, a site could let users review, modify and delete profiles created about them. Or it could ensure that ads contain links to inform users what information is being collected and provide a chance to opt out of targeted pitches.

-Web sites that deal with sensitive personal information, such as medical and financial data, sexual orientation, Social Security numbers and other ID numbers, would be subject to the opt-in rule. So would sites that share consumer information with unaffiliated third parties for commercial purposes.

Seth Godin’s latest post discusses how painting an enormous picture might actually do harm instead of good. He gives a good example of how depicting too many starving children, sick kids, and burning bodies will turn away people instead of getting more donations. Seth mentions that people want to be on the winning side, so its a small problem that can be tackled then you have a good chance of people joining the cause.

See the post here.

According to an article at The Globe and Mail of Toronto, Canada, WalMart will be installing instore LCD screens around their stores to promote products consumers can currently purchase off their shelves.  The screens will be playing advertisements with volume at normal background music level.  In addition, each store can select the ads that best fit their shopping audience.  This may now be the biggest network in Canada, as one million customer shop at the 273 Canadien Walmart Stores.  Read the full article here.

The Wall Street Journal reports that today, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has agreed to pay $2.3 billion to settle charges that it illegally marketed the pain drug Bextra and three other medicines for uses that weren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Justice Department has announced. The Justice Department said the agreement was the largest health-care fraud settlement in the department’s history. The department said that, as part of the settlement, Pfizer subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Co. agreed to plead guilty to a felony violation for misbranding Bextra. The department said Pfizer promoted Bextra for several uses and dosages that the FDA specifically declined to approve because of safety concerns.
The department said Pfizer will pay $1.3 billion in criminal fines and another $1 billion in civil fines.

Will we see more trials and guilty verdicts for drug makers that market bad drugs? What do you think about Pfizer’s debacle? We’d like to hear your thoughts.

Date: Wednesday, September 23rd

Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT

Innovation is a requirement in an up or down economy. To successfully grow your business, you must find ways to sustain innovation over the long haul. Smart leaders see innovation not just as a new product or service, but as a way of working to find opportunities in every job in their organization. Whether it’s to improve the top-line or bottom-line, implementing new solutions that add value to the organization requires leadership and teams to work together.

This seminar will focus on a framework that provides directions and strategies for improving your organization’s ability to create innovative products, services, people, culture, and processes. If you’re concerned with developing the culture of innovation for your organization, this webinar will offer guidance to ensure that you’re covering as many bases as possible.

You will learn:
• Why some organizations successfully innovate and why others fail.
• You will learn where to focus your efforts, from the individual to the enterprise level
• A framework for building organizational innovation efforts
• Why a focus only on innovative products is a short-term solution

Featured Speakers
Jonathan Vehar, Sr. Partner, New & Improved®, LLC
Bob Eckert, Sr. Partner, New & Improved®, LLC
Register: http://bit.ly/7qGid

Mention priority code M2118W4BLOG