After years of struggling with the youth market, the chain has turned things around thanks to its loyalty program and more culturally impactful campaigns.
Ford builds gamer van for TwitchCon road trip
The automaker steps up its gaming involvement in a collaboration with Wieden+Kennedy and esports organization NRG’s Full Squad Gaming media brand.
Mars Petcare appoints first chief brand and experience officer
Najoh Tita-Reid, previously CMO at Logitech, will seek to elevate consumer experience and drive growth across a portfolio of brands and services.
Why Is RIM Courting iOS And Android?
Apparently RIM has decided to expand IT management solutions beyond the Blackberry and upon other mobile OS devices.
Unfortunately the company pulled the press release from their website, although bloggers and journalists were able to view some of the juiciest details before it was pulled.
The single web-based console is being designed to provide IT administrators with a simple and efficient way to distribute software and manage policies, inventory, security and services for BlackBerry devices, as well as other mobile devices. IT administrators will be able to manage devices over-the-air, including activating devices, distributing software and applications, locking or wiping devices, enforcing and resetting device passwords, setting IT policies, and managing optional mobile applications for end users.  (Courtesy of ZD Net, original PR from RIM)
The company is planning on supporting smartphones upon other platforms including iOS, Symbian, Windows Phone 7 and Android (the latter which RIM has been courting for quite some time).
While while embracing rivals will boost RIM’s image amongst IT professionals (as they’ll only need one tool to managed multiple smartphone OS’s), it’s probably also a sign that RIM is losing confidence in their ability to compete against iOS and Android.
RIM seems to be preparing themselves for a corporate world dominated by iOS and Android devices, with Blackberry smartphones becoming a rarity instead of the norm.
Originally posted on May 2, 2011 @ 1:54 pm
Android Launches Mini “X-Prize” For Africa
With Google dominating the mobile verse, Android is now setting its sights on conquering Sub-Sahara Africa.
In order to motivate the masses to come up with innovative Android Apps, Google is launching a “mini X-Prize” competition where the winner receives not only a smartphone (of course), but some cash as well.
The Android Developer Challenge is designed to encourage the creation of cool and innovative Android mobile apps built by developers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Invent apps that delight users and you stand a chance to win an Android phone and $25,000 USD. To get started, choose from one of three defined eligible categories (see below), build an Android app in a team or by yourself, and submit it via the competition website by July 1st. The winning app will be announced on September 12th at G-Kenya. (Android Developers Blog)
Courting sub-Sahara Africa is a smart move by Google, as it’s one of the few regions in the world where Android’s rivals have no interest in competing (with the exception of Nokia via their dying platform Symbian).
If Google can secure a stronghold in sub-Sahara Africa, it could open doors for Android to the rest of the continent, helping Google to dominate an emerging market with a billion plus people.
Originally posted on April 14, 2011 @ 1:53 pm