Sonia Andresson-Nolasco

MORE THAN EVER people are connected 24/7 via text messaging and the web. Still nothing beats an old fashioned house party for sharing meaningful conversations among friends. As a result more companies are joining the conversation by organizing consumer house parties centered around their brand.

Some of the biggest marketing breakthroughs have come from brands that made new connections with unexpected demographics. Consider Nintendo Wii and its raging success with trendsetting moms for example. Who knew right? Following Nintendo’s lead brands once considered long shots with certain market segments are finding success by targeting tastemakers at niche events. The key to bringing together these odd couplings: connecting the dots through creative and relevant experiences.

Mobile phones have become more than just a device for making calls. More than ever they’re an integral part of people’s lifestyles and their identities. People are watching movies and listening to music on their cell phones taking pictures and playing video games and getting their daily dose of news.

Doing the right thing is not always easy. Just ask any marketer trying to build green marketing practices. Despite the fact that environmental awareness is at an all-time high the industry is still searching for a definitive system for qualifying sustainable events.

If Larry King can Twitter then anybody can. The recent Twitter popularity contest between the CNN host and actor Ashton Kutcher (a.k.a. Mr. Demi Moore) to see who could gain a million followers first had crowds tweeting fast and furiously to put their favored celebrity on top. Kutcher took the trophy but in the end Twitter won the biggest popularity contest of all.