Sandra O’Loughlin

When Harley-Davidson in January revealed its new Forty-Eight motorcycle, all the details had to be spot-on. From the music, to the mood, the venue, even the booze (beer, whiskey and tequila), every element had to reflect the particular tastes of its newest group of prospective riders—those hip 18- to 34-year-old dudes who are into the American underground: tattoos, street art and rock music. Appealing to this cool crowd is a key strategy for the Harley brand as it rides into the future.

Flash nights, or on-site pre-promotions, can make a marketing event more than a one-night stand. These supplemental parties are smaller in scope but offer a taste of the big event to come. They can also build anticipation and word-ofmouth buzz in a way that promotional posters and other traditional methods can’t.

Brand mascots have inhabited advertising since the dawn of time. Ask any self-respecting baby boomer about Charlie the Tuna, Tony the Tiger or the Pillsbury Doughboy, and chances are he or she still recalls the ads that starred these icons. Not all were cartoon characters, either. Madge the Manicurist touted the magical qualities of Palmolive dish detergent (“You’re soaking in it!”) for 26 years. And remember the Dunkin’ Donut man and Charmin’s Mr. Whipple?

While it’s tough to compete with the Olympic Torch Relay, several brands gave it their all with pre-Olympic events that touted their connection to the games and scored an emotional connection with consumers. Though Coke takes the gold medal, the following are strong contenders for the silver. Congrats to all for a great run to Vancouver.

YES, IT’S A TOP BUZZWORD ALREADY. No, you don’t really understand it. To the uninitiated, the very term “Augmented Reality” may seem a little Star Trekky, but it’s not that far out there. Through AR, developers superimpose computer-generated images over a real-world environment in real time. The firstdown line superimposed over the field on football games shown on tv is a rudimentary example.