And not only are paying guests welcome to lounge in the lobby, hotels are welcoming the general public to sit and stay awhile. This new take on lobbies is becoming a viable revenue stream for hotels as lingering guests tend to purchase food and beverages while working or socializing.

Why go to a hotel lobby instead of hanging out at Starbuck’s? Hoteliers are offering more of an upscale ambience. The lighting is brighter; bathrooms are nicer. There’s a choice of coffee or liquor. In New York, it is said that the lobby of choice for freelancers is the Ace Hotel, sometimes so crowded that management has had to set aside an area reserved for paying guests. The Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco has always been abuzz with tourists, but the open door policy was not nearly as welcoming as it is now. Hilton’s new Home2 Suites has realized the wisdom of encouraging guests to get out of their rooms and come down to the lobby to feel more at home with brightly colored furniture, big screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.

The Andaz in Los Angeles offers free computers for those who come without and tables for those who bring their laptops. Additional outlets for powering laptops and mobile devices make it convenient for guests to work efficiently.

With an appealing décor and services to offer, a hotel lobby can become a destination. It’s the first impression people have as they walk in the door, and with a hub of activity, the guest perception will be of a vibrant and interesting place to stay. When the coffee’s on and the welcome mat is out, the word will spread.

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Here’s a look at four Apple products (actually one of them is a post-Apple, pre-return-to-Apple Steve Jobs product) that are best described as failures. This is part of a list compiled by 12 Most:

12 Most Uncelebrated Flops by Apple

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This post concludes my series on Apple in the wake of Steve Job’s recent resignation. The last two posts have focused on the leadership-savvy of Steve Jobs and the brand loyalty building tactics of his company. This post looks at another side of the world’s most valued brand: their flops.

People are quick to re-hash the flops of other tech companies, yet Apple seems immune to this recall. So we’re taking a stroll down memory lane and listing Apple’s 12 Most Uncelebrated Flops.

1. Apple IIc

The IIc was an attempt at producing the first portable computer… if you wanted to carry the suitcase required to lug the 5–7 peripheral devices needed. Oh, and let’s not forget the complete lack of upgradeability and monochrome LCD display.

2. The Apple III

Circa 1981, this pricey computer failed to meet the success of the Apple II due to unreliable hardware components, which handed the IBM PC and its many low-cost clones control over market share.

3. Lisa

Launched in 1983, Lisa was the first commercially produced computer with a graphical user interface but cost US$9,995! Apple’s own Macintosh killed it a year later.

4. NeXT Computer

Technically this wasn’t Apple’s flop but that of Steve Jobs after being forced out of Apple in 1998. Steve, continuing to focus on what’s cool vs. what’s sellable, didn’t learn from the Apple III or Lisa and created a computer that was simply too expensive for personal consumption.

To read this article in its entirety, visit 12 Most.

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Jet Blue planting 83,000 trees

To honor each person flying  Jet Blue on April 21, the airline will plant 83,000 trees  in North and Northwest Haiti through August. The trees will help to rebuild areas damaged by the 2010 earthquake. In concert with the Jet Blue program, volunteers in New York will plant 100 trees in Long Island City, Queens. Read more about it here.

Target puts a bag on it

Target will celebrate Earth Day by giving out 1.5 million reusable shopping bags to customers. The bags feature the words, “Fill. Refill. Repeat” around the company’s bull’s eye logo.

In the lead-up to Earth Day,  Target is also offering customers $50 in savings with coupons for a number of Earth-friendly products.

Origins offers trade-ins

Bring in an empty skin-care cosmetics bottle to any Origins store with this form on April 22 and get a free, full-size tube of Origins moisturizer. After all, you can’t save the planet with dry, chapped hands, can you?

The Mother Nature Network has a great list of other Earth Day freebies, offers and promotions from companies ranging from Whole Foods Market to Pottery Barn Kids.

Do Earth Day promotions make good marketing sense?

With the growing attention that gets focused on Earth Day, some feel that diverting marketing resources to the event is a misstep. The thought being that Earth Day used to be a platform for eco-conscience companies to differentiate themselves. However, with so many organizations jumping on the green band wagon, it’s become harder to stand out in the crowd.

“With everyone and their mother doing some kind of quasi-green messaging around Earth Day, you risk a truly environmentally responsible promotion, product or service getting lumped into consumer’s green fatigue and being consider green washing,”

Albe Zakes, global vice president of media relations for TerraCycle,

Amy Westervelt’s article on GreenBiz.com titled, Has Earth Day marketing jumped the shark? on GreenBiz.com offers some great perspective on that question. The takeaway being that marketers may be able to do a more effective job promoting their green initiatives by stepping away from Earth Day-related promotions and activities.

Until they do, however, I’ll be collecting free shopping bags and free moisturizer.

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For the TV spots, we enlisted Susan and Judi, two real life arthritis sufferers to tell their stories. Prior to taking the warm water classes, both women were bedridden. Once they began taking the classes, they began to reclaim their mobility and their lives.

Many thanks to Steve Tobenkin of LeTo Entertainment and Andrew Peterson for dedicating so much time and effort to the campaign.

Here are Susan and Judi’s stories, in their own words.

SUSAN’S STORY

JUDI’S STORY

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Pinterest Board

What do you know about Pinterest, the fastest growing social trending site that recently reached over 10 million monthly users? Pinterest is now considered to be one of the top 10 social networks in the world with the main user group being females between the ages of 25 and 44.

Pinterest is a free website by invitation only. You can request an invitation from Pinterest or be invited through Facebook, Twitter or via email by someone you know who is already a member.

Pinterest is really about you. You are sharing things that reflect your personality, things that appeal to you. And it’s a way to connect to others who are interested in the same things.

Pinterest changes the way visual content is being delivered. Instead of tweeting it or liking it, you can pin-it. With their “Pin It” tool, Pinterest will allow you to grab any image from the web and pin it to boards you categorize according to your interests. Not only are you keeping an organized record of your searches, but you are sharing with everyone in the Pinterest community.

One of our co-workers recently pinned several recipes she intends to make at some time in the future. Within an hour, no less than 20 people were “following” her. Followers can view your boards, and they can re-pin entries on to their own boards. They can also comment on your pins. You can see how quickly these pinnings can go viral.

Many reviewers mention that Pinterest is very Etsy-like in part because early on, the content has been focused on crafts, fashion, decorating; but there is a much broader spectrum of categories that span just about anything you can think of – from motorcycles to Michelin to Mariachi Bands.

Pinterest is also a great way to showcase your business or products. You can create a board with photos of your products. Your description identifies the source which includes a link to your website. When your board is viewed or when an image is re-pinned, it provides a direct link to your website where consumers can view and purchase any of your products.

And just a reminder that the photos on your website need to be posted in a format that makes them easy to pin.

You will be hearing a lot more about Pinterest as marketers find ways to use this powerful and popular site to enhance their programs and promote their client’s products. Or maybe you will just find out more about your friends and what things interest them.

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The Chinese website is an adaptation of the general market site that we created last year to promote LA Urban Homes’ four neighborhoods within the Azusa master-planned community of Rosedale.

In order to completely engage the buyer profile, mainly first generation Chinese or buyers of Chinese descent, LA Urban Homes marketing director, Jil Blumberg Froman, charged us with creating a Chinese language website. Made total sense. After all, beyond having sales professionals who could converse in the proper Chinese dialect,  it was truly the best way to connect with this target.

Prior to translating the English language website’s copy into Chinese, we worked with Chinese marketing strategists to revise the content so it would resonate more with the target. For example, on the English language site, the Local Area section highlights stores and conveniences in the immediate area. For the Chinese site, we modified the focus of that section to provide information on nearby vacation destinations that we knew were popular with the target, such as Mt. Baldy and Lake Arrowhead. In addition to showcasing the local public services, we also made a point of highlighting the neighborhoods’ close proximately  to public services in neighboring cities that would be of key interest to Chinese buyers.

Once the copy was reworked, it was translated and incorporated into the site design. We were very selective with the team members we put on this assignment. For the process to work smoothly, they had to be proficient in both Chinese and English. They were. The site launched on Saturday, January 21, just days before the Chinese New Year.

To  direct prospects to the site most relevant to them, the  English language site features a graphic in Chinese directing viewers to the Chinese language site. Similarly, the Chinese language site features a graphic in English directing views to the English language site.

As far as we know, this is the first Chinese language website for a US developer.

In addition to the new website, red rocket LA has been supporting LA Urban Homes’ Rosedale neighborhoods with ads in Chinese newspapers. We also intend to communicate with the target via other Chinese language online tools, such as email, for those prospects who select it as their preferred language.

At red rocket LA, we believe this is just the first of many Chinese language websites that we will either adapt from existing sites, or create from the ground up. It’s simply too large a market for home builders to ignore.

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A QR Code leading to Red Rocket LA

“QR code” is shorthand for “Quick Response Code,” and even if you don’t recognize the name, you have probably seen them around. They look something like this – - – - >

QR codes are simply a new way to store information as a graphic, much like a bar code (or an alphabet, for that matter).  Typically, these codes are used to store the information required to make a hyperlink, allowing them to point smart phones to a specific webpage. In fact, you can think of them as real world “links” for smart phones.

Why should Home builders use QR codes?

We know that when a new housing development is being constructed, many people are curious about the new homes in the area. Typically, home builders have provided signs with a picture, a small description, and contact information for the benefit of homebuyers and neighbors alike. However, times have changed. Since the mass adoption of smart phones, many consumers expect information to be immediately accessible.  A simple telephone number will no longer cut it.

Instead of seeing QR codes as just another hoop to jump through, the smart home builder will think of them as an opportunity to provide high quality, engaging information that will keep a development at the top of the prospective buyer’s list.

A QR Code display sign from Marcraft Homes

What information can Home Builders provide with a QR code?

Here are 7 ways QR codes can help home builders:

1)   Welcome Video – by recording a short video, builders have the opportunity to create a personal message to prospective buyers that offers a human side to your development. Videos are great for establishing a first impression of what it will be like to live in the community.

2)   Map of the Area – if likely buyers are unfamiliar with the area, consider creating a simple map of the area that highlights attractions.

3)   Coupons – by partnering with local businesses, home builders can encourage potential buyers to sit down and have a cup of coffee in the area, giving them the opportunity to imagine living in the neighborhood.

4)   Listing information, including building plans, floor plans, amenities and pricing.

5)   Links to the websites of local schools and community centers.

6)   Registration for a walk through or open house.

7)   Photo galleries

Potentially, builders could create a unique micro site for each of the above categories, or they could make one large website that covers several topics. Whatever you do, be sure to optimize everything for mobile. That means no flash sites!

QR Codes Sound Great, But How do I Get Started?

Here is a basic overview of the QR code process:

First, create your destination sites, and make sure they are optimized for mobile browsing.  Then, use a QR code generator to create the codes for the destination sites. Next, use a smart phone and download a QR code reader to test your codes.  You’ll want to print out your codes at different sizes and test them from various distances.  Finally, incorporate your codes on your signs, business cards, fliers, or other promotional materials.

For more detailed instructions, check out Builder Project’s guide to QR codes and tech savvy agent’s 5 best ways to use QR codes in real estate.

Additional Resources:

Vyoo.it is a service designed specifically for mobile real estate listings. It even automatically generates a QR Code.

Goo.gl will turn any URL into a QR Code, and will help you scan the number of codes tracked (just add .qr at the end of the short code!)

Zxing Project free QR code generator

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To understand the evolution of Google’s new venture, lets take a look at some recent internet history. Since 2009, Facebook users have been able to “like” content posted by their friends, a gesture that allows users to indicate approval without writing a comment. This simple change lowered the barrier to entry for participation, and presumably increased social interaction across the platform.  At the F8 developer’s conference in April of 2010, Facebook announced that the “Like” button would now be available for 3^rd party websites to install (and 50,000 sites did so within a week of the announcement).

Allowing outside websites to use the “Like” button had important consequences. While previously a “Like” was a purely social action performed in response to a friend’s post, the new “Like” blended the commercial and social aspects of the internet. The “Like” became both a tool to bookmark interesting content, as one might “like” a blog post or news story; and a show of allegiance to a brand entity, as one might “like” Nike or Coke.

Brands quickly recognized the value of “Likes,” as a type of free marketing and as a meter stick of general popularity.  Although the dollar value of each like is highly debated (and may be subject to variation across different industries), brands agree that “likes” are a good thing to have.

The real coup, though, was the announcement of the integration between Facebook’s “Likes” and Microsoft’s Bing search results.  As part of the “Open Graph” announcement, Facebook and Microsoft revealed that searches would include the “likes” of your Facebook friends underneath their results.  Not only does this make searches more relevant to the user, but it also has an extra effect for businesses: people consistently report trusting their friends’ opinions more than advertisements.  The “like” button now serves as a seal of approval from friends for everything from apples to zombie films.

But who cares about Bing results, you might wonder, when Google is the search behemoth (although recent data suggests that Bing commands about 25% of search traffic)?  Enter Google Plus, stage left.

Google has long been envious of Facebook’s 500 million users, and was correct to see Facebook’s integration with Bing as a threat. They had a failed attempt to create a social network with Google Buzz, and were forced to go back to the drawing board to create something new.  Early reports suggest that Plus is the real deal. Preliminary users are especially happy with the “circles” and “hangout” features, and many people seem ready to leave Facebook.

Thanks for the history lesson, but what does this mean for me?

Essentially, you have an opportunity to increase your SEO by encouraging users to “plus 1” your page. Google’s search algorithms have started to take into account how many “plus 1s” you have, using them as an indicator of quality and importance.  This is good news for legitimate websites that provide value, since nobody is going to “plus 1” a website with poorly worded articles laden with keywords.  Although we do not know exactly how “plus 1s” will be used within Google’s algorithms, it is safe to say that savvy webmasters will begin to incorporate Google Plus into their SEO strategy.

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Earlier this week, TechCrunch posted an article about Apparel Media, a new startup that acts as an intermediary between large brands and small organizations that could use some extra funding for their apparel.   Big Brands looking to go local can chose specific customer demographics and locally target down to specific zip codes.  Small organizations like little leagues, college intramural teams, and community groups can get discounts on their team apparel between 20%-80% off, according to the company website.  So everyone wins, right?

I’m not so sure. On one hand I have to hand it to Apparel Media; they came up with an exceptional idea and seem to be executing it quite well. Other start-ups should take note at how they successfully intertwined the physical and digital – without relying on smart phones to do the heavy lifting.  So, kudos to Apparel Media.

On the other hand, I’m a bit worried about the long-term consequences that could result from this technology.  My first fear is that this service could slowly erode our sense of community.   Apparel Media’s “core strengths” page says explicitly that they “build relationships by weaving your brand into the fabric of local communities,” but is this something we really want?  I’ll concede that Coca Cola is definitely part of the fabric of Atlanta, but something tells me they’re already sponsoring local teams.

Despite their claims, I’d argue that this technology unwinds the “fabric of community” while the brands are weaved in. Consider the example of a collegiate ultimate Frisbee team that wants to raise money. Without this program, they are forced to go out and engage with fellow student groups and possibly small businesses in the area. If Apparel Media takes off, they might only have to log in, pick up a Honda sponsorship, and cover the remaining costs themselves. Granted, this will be convenient for a bunch of lazy college kids, but possibly bad for the social fabric of the institution.

Another fear is the gradual incursion of big brand messaging into our most commonplace spaces. Naomi Klein writes about this problem in her work “No Logo,” specifically in the “no space” portion.  Although I think Klein’s work can be overstated, it does give me pause that Coke can now sponsor a T-ball game.  Many readers may think, “well, if the parents don’t like it, they don’t have to use it,” but in an era when many schools are cutting athletic funding, parents may not have a choice.

I’ll certainly be following this company, and I’d love to hear what you all have to say on the issue. Please leave your comments below, or drop by our Facebook Page.

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1. Log into Facebook.
2. In the top-right corner click on Account and go to Privacy Settings.
3. Click “customize settings” (toward the bottom-middle of your screen).
4. Look for the section titled “Things others share.” The permission you accidentally gave Facebook to use facial recognition suggestions is located in the “Suggest photos of me to friends” option. Click on “Edit Settings” to change that.
5. Choose “Disabled” and then push “OK.”

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