Imagine walking down the street and hearing that your hair looks good or that your jacket is cool. No we’re not talking about those irritating wolf whistles that guys have foisted on the fairer sex since the dawn of time. We’re talking about expressions of cheer and goodwill spread by two Purdue University students Cameron Brown and Brett Westcott who on Wednesdays since 2008 have been standing outside the chemistry building on the West Lafayette IN campus with a “Free Compliments” sign and singing the praises of passersby.

Long before the recession forced businesses to slash travel budgets and ground their globetrotting workforces ABB was bringing the trade show to the people. Since 2006 the company’s Automation Products Division has been diligently traveling the country with its road show program and bringing all the bells and whistles of a traditional trade show experience right to their customers’ doorsteps.

The temporary pop-up shop is a successful strategy for many event marketers but there are brands that bet their dollars on permanent branded spaces. What’s the value of a permanent space versus a pop-up? Samsung claims it creates a sense of continuity nearly impossible to achieve with a pop-up. The electronics brand considers its Samsung Experience in Manhattan’s Time Warner Center now in its fifth year to be a destination that regulars return to more than once for the gadgets and cool events.

Since the economic downturn internal events of all stripes are still under fire. From the lavish incentive programs held at posh resorts to the company picnic shareholders and cfos are questioning every expense. Yet despite this shift smart corporations realize business isn’t all about the money. They know profits result from employees who work hard function as a team and understand the meaning of their toil. To that end many are switching up their experiences now hosting more philanthropic team-building events that benefit others and give their corporate persona a boost too.

Think “teambuilding exercise” and usually the first word that comes to mind is “corny.” But there’s a new service that might get your ho-hum internal programs singing a happy tune. It’s called Song Division and not only does it bring co-workers together in a spontaneous and musical way it can also provide the platform for a rockin’ b-to-b marketing program.