Jessica Heasley

One thing hoteliers all agree on: Consumers’ needs are changing. They want rooms flush with outlets that cater to their tech gadgets they want top-notch in-room entertainment and they want premium creature comforts such as high-end pillows sheets and beds. To meet the needs of a more demanding traveler many hotel brands are revitalizing—rolling out new programs and forging new partnerships to enhance the guest experience. But strangely very few venture outside of their own parking lots to get consumers buzzing.

For most cubicle dwellers it’s merely a question of Apple or PC. But for IT decision-makers database administrators cios and those tasked with keeping their companies’ multi-million dollar information systems running as efficiently as their laptops the answer is often Oracle.

The independent spirit spawned nearly 20 years ago by Seattle’s grunge movement still lives on at Bumbershoot—one of the nation’s largest arts and music festivals. In the shadow of the Space Needle sponsoring brands set up camp in an effort to grab a few minutes with finicky music lovers between performances by emerging artists and indie favorites including this year’s headliners Beck Band of Horses Stone Temple Pilots and Death Cab For Cutie.

Now in its 14th year the once scrappy and alternative sporting event driven solely by youth and counter culture is being populated by 30-somethings who have homes jobs and kids of their own. Yet despite how much the first-generation fan base has changed its attitude remains the same—rebellious. (How else to explain all the pierced and tattooed parents jumping out of their hybrids with toddlers wearing skull and crossbones tees?) Can X Games sponsors continue to connect with a multi-generational audience that wants to forever stay just outside of the mainstream?

As bloggers become more respected thought leaders brand influencers and essential allies in the pursuit of word-of-mouth marketing they also grow savvier in their ability to block brand marketers that push too hard to get in their good graces. In July more than 1 100 women bloggers came together in San Francisco to attend the fourth annual BlogHer Conference.