Five Reasons Top Talent Leave Their Jobs

Very nice infographic that nails the key issues.

Image Credit: ioVentures Inc.

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Starbucks Free WiFi (Finally) Just as Broadband Demand Slows

Starbucks’ Ambitious Plans for Its Free Wi-Fi

Starbucks is not just offering its customers free wi-fi on the hazy notion that if they spend more time surfing the Web they will drink more coffee. No, the ubiquitous coffee shop retailer has plans to debut the second piece to its digital strategy this fall, which offers a more clear monetization path for it and its partners. Called the Digital Network, Starbucks intends to offer exclusive and premium content from such providers as Apple, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and health publisher Rodale.

Broadband Adoption Generally Slows
After several consecutive years of modest but consistent growth, broadband adoption slowed dramatically in 2010, according to [pdf] the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Two-thirds of American adults (66%) currently use a high-speed internet connection at home, a figure that is not statistically different from what the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project found at a similar point in 2009, when 63% of Americans were broadband adopters.

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The Fascinating World of Digital Coupons

Study Says More Parents Embracing Mobile Coupons

A study conducted by Harris Interactive found adults with children at home are more likely to be interested in text alerts about sales and promotions than those with no kids at home. Of people with kids younger than 6 in their household, 35% are at least somewhat interested in getting opt-in text alerts from favorite businesses, compared to 32% of households with older kids and 25% of homes with no children. (The study, conducted in May with 2,000 adults, does not distinguish between childless adults and empty-nesters.)

The Growing Market for Mobile Coupons
According to this compelling infographic, mobile coupons appear to be what is driving the mobile advertising market’s growth – and are the most motivating to consumers. Mobile coupons were a $90 million market in the U.S. in 2009, but are expected to grow to $6.5 billion in 4 years. Particularly convincing is that coupons and purchase incentives drive people to spend far more than they would have without said coupon – on average, from $122 without a coupon to $216 with.

Kroger Boosts Loyalty with Downloadable Coupons

Kroger Co., looking to boost traffic and use of its loyalty program, is making it easier to download digital coupons and load them onto its loyalty cards. The grocery chain is offering more than 100 coupons on its website and allowing users to digitally “clip” them and load them onto their Kroger Plus loyalty cards – the first time Kroger has put together a digital clearinghouse in this way. At checkout, shoppers scan their Plus Card and the discounts are automatically deducted from their bill, the company explains. The Digital Coupon Center includes coupons for Kroger private label brands as well as for popular brands.

Digital Coupons Beamed to Shoppers’ Cells in the Mall

Simon Property Group has teamed up with a Silicon startup, Shopkick, to give its retailers a new option with digital couponing: an application that beams offers to shoppers as they walk by the stores. Simon Property Group is one of the largest retail real estate owners in the country, with some 370 shopping centers. It will be launching this program in 25 of its stores in New York, Chicago, southern California and San Francisco, with plans to introduce it in 100 centers over the next several months. (via the AP). This is how the application works: retailers install the Shopkick application on small speakers at the entrance to their stores. These emit an inaudible sound – which contains a code for the store – that is picked up by cellphones’ microphones. Consumers need to have the Shopkick app on their phones to receive any offers.

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Approaches to Interestingness: Nice Bottoms, Red Papers…

American Apparel | Best Bottom Contest

My colleague Justin Prunell alerted me to American Apparel’s contest…

Ogilvy Aims to Make White Papers More Exciting with ‘Red Papers’
Driven by its namesake’s forays into the publishing world, Ogilvy is launching a new series of tomes dubbed “The Red Papers”. The agency will talk shop about emerging marketing strategy. John Bell, head of Ogilvy’s 360 Degree Digital Influence group, professor at Johns Hopkins University is author of Red Papers’ piece, “Socialize the Enterprise.” You can subscribe for “Red Papers” free of charge.

Twitter: Inside Scoop, Public Mood, Debt Collectors

USA Network uses Twitter to give fans the inside scoop

Ted Linhart, vice president of program research for USA Network, is better known as @TedOnTV to his 2,900-plus Twitter followers. While USA has its own official Twitter feed — which it uses for more traditional promotion of its shows — Linhart uses @TedOnTV to give fans the “inside baseball” perspective on programming decisions, answer their questions, dole out scoops from upcoming episodes and comment on ratings. SmartBrief editor Liz DeHoff caught up with Linhart to talk about USA’s use of social media.

Using Twitter Data To Track Public Mood
Extracted words from Twitter streams were evaluated by a mood-rating system called Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW). ANEW determines the positive or negative tone of the word and assigns it a mood score. For example, positive words like “love” and “paradise” indicate happiness while “funeral” and “suicide” are negative. Through filtering the tweets by geographic location the scientists rendered a infographic-style video, where viewers can monitor each state’s hour-to-hour trend of moods.

Who Else is Reading Your Tweets?
Social media is becoming a treasure trove for the most unlikely of data hunters – divorce attorneys, health insurance companies and now debt collectors. Yes, debt collectors have begun using social networking sites to gather information about their targets.

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Architecture & Design: Urban Outfitters Fake Block, Dutch Home from Home

Urban Outfitters Creates A Fake Neighborhood Block For New York City Store

Urban Outfitters, a Philadelphia-based retailer, is opening up a new store in New York City that will resemble a series of local mom-and-pop shops. The store’s facade would be split into four storefronts to look like a hat store, a hardware store, a neighborhood bar and a bodega, all reminiscent of what New York City once looked like. Ron Pompei, creative director of Pompei A.D., which designed the store says: The whole idea was to do this kind of ironic statement of lining the building with storefronts that would be reminiscent of independent businesses. It’s the story about the streets of New York as they once were.

(Pic) Dutch Hotel Is Your Temporary Home Away From Home
With the help of Dutch architects, WAM architecten, Inntel Hotels’ newly designed hotel pays homage to Zaandam’s industrial history. Situated minutes via train from Amsterdam, Zaandam, was one of the world’s premiere hotbeds for industry and an ideal place for construction as its rich history was modernized through the playful design for Inntel Hotels‘ new location. The unique structure is comprised of stacked green wooden houses popular to the Zaan region, symbolizing that the hotel is your temporary house.

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Beverage: Glen Rossie Rossi, Fucking Hell Beer, Coca Colla

Whisky brand gets Status Quo makeover

“Glen Rossie has a tremendous whisky heritage and as we approach its 200th anniversary in 2014 we want to turn it into a global brand,” said David Birchall, chief executive of The Brand Cellar. Rossi signed up to become the face of the brand earlier this year, with Birchall claiming the rock legend can improve Glen Rossie’s success in overseas markets: “As ‘front man’ for the Glen Rossie brand, we believe he can help us reinvigorate sales not just in the UK but, as someone who has sold 118m records worldwide, overseas too.”

German Execs Win Rights to Best Beer Name Ever
An Upper Austrian village called Fucking, is the inspiration for a new beer called Fucking Hell. Yes, the common English term for surprise and/or frustration is now a brand name thanks to a German firm which has been granted permission by the European Union’s Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office to brew beer and produce clothing under the name.

Coca Colla: the new ‘real thing’ in Bolivia

A certain US soft drinks giant may disagree, but Bolivia has come up with a fizzy beverage it says is the real thing: Coca Colla. The drink, made from the coca leaf and named after the indigenous Colla people from Bolivia’s highlands, went on sale this week across the South American country. It is black, sweet and comes in a bottle with a red label – but similarities to Coca-Cola end there. One is a symbol of US-led globalisation and corporate might; the other could be considered a socialist-tinged affront to western imperialism. The first batch of 12,000 bottles, priced about $1.50 (96p) for half a litre, were distributed in the capital, La Paz, as well as Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. The familiar-sounding name and packaging may rile the Atlanta-based soft drinks manufacturer, but Coca Colla could also cause groans in Washington.

Roadside Americana, Metropolitan Etiquette

Roadside America: 11 Relics of the Lost Highway

For 30 years John Margolies has been documenting the diners, drive-ins and motor lodges that remain along our highways as box stores and strip malls slowly erase the quirk and character of consumerism. His book Roadside America collects nearly 400 photographs of this vanishing vision of over-the-top architecture, automotive freedom and the American dream.

The Metropolitan Etiquette Authority
Artist Jason Shelowitz has created a series of subtle posters that explain common courtesy to New York City subway riders. Using the format of MTA announcement signs, Shelowitz’s “Metropolitan Etiquette Authority” posters spell out the finer points of not being a rude public transportation passenger.

Statistics: World Warms to USA, Lowest Tax in 60 Years but Teabaggers Don’t Get It

World warming to US under Obama

Views of the US around the world have improved sharply over the past year, a BBC World Service poll suggests. For the first time since the annual poll began in 2005, America’s influence in the world is now seen as more positive than negative. The improved scores for the US coincided with Barack Obama becoming president, a BBC correspondent notes. As in 2009, Germany is viewed most favourably while Iran and Pakistan are seen as the most negative influences.

Taxes at lowest level in 60 years… so why are Tea Partiers angry?
Almost all Tea Party activists have seen their federal income taxes drop over the past few decades, thus Tea Party anger focused on the federal government is misplaced. The financial sector bailouts are also poorly understood by most (not just Tea Partiers). The bailouts imposed stringent requirements on recipients of government funds. The funds were also conditioned upon payment to the government of warrants or senior equity or debt securities (designed to help recoup government losses).

People: Steven Grasse

Steven Grasse Does His Own Thing, or at least that’s what Piers thinks. At the recent PSFK New York Conference, (self described) “maverick creator-entrepreneur” Steven Grasse closed out the day’s discussions with a spirited talk about his journey from “disgruntled ad man to revolutionary businessman”. He spoke candidly about his inspirations, trials and tribulations, and his passion for living a life driven by art, authenticity, and conscience.

I have been an admirer of Mr Grasse’s work for some time, since seeing him and his team (from Giro as it used to be called) present credentials to my then-client Virgin Mobile. I had been particularly impressed with their Camel Lounges and work with Sailor Jerry. I later learned he invented one of my favorite drinks (Hendricks Gin). Such is the esteem in which I hold Mr Grasse I can (almost) forgive his rather strange views on English people…