January is the month of New Year’s resolutions – last year we looked at diets and gyms, and this year we’ve taken a look at health food crazes. In keeping with this theme, I decided to round out January with a second Brand Passion Index on the workout gear that is keeping social consumers honest. I’ve never been a big runner, but in the past my sneaker of choice was always Ryka; I have small ankles and a narrow foot [...]

Welcome to the first Brand Passion Index of 2012.  I’m excited to kick off this year with a nod to one of the most common New Year’s resolution: getting healthy and getting fit. Last year, we looked at diets and gyms, so this year I decided to take a different approach and analyze the foods that people turn to when their waistbands are a little more tight following the holiday season. I eat fairly healthily, but still needed some inspiration so [...]

I’ve always loved the holiday season for the hit movies…despite the fact that the only movies I get to see these days are about the Muppets or Puss-in-Boots. But even as I write this, my son is sporting his Batman shirt and sunglasses, and with last week’s release of the trailer for the highly-anticipated “The Dark Knight Rises”, I’m sure the Batman franchise is right around the corner for us. And after seeing the social media response from Twitter and [...]

I was walking through our family room last Wednesday night and some statistics caught my eye.  Turns out it was the Pew Research study on marriage rates in America today. They found that the median age at first marriage is at an all time high of 26.5 for brides and 28.7 for grooms – and I couldn’t help but joke to my husband that we did our part to contribute to these numbers. Apparently not that many others were ready [...]

I am excited to share that SAP AG and NetBase today announced that SAP will resell NetBase solutions which can combine traditional business intelligence with social analytics to reveal insights that drive business results. SAP Social Media Analytics by NetBase enables the socialization of enterprise processes and applications and offers a wider and deeper perspective on a range of activities, from product development to marketing to customer support. The agreement further extends SAP’s social enterprise vision. Recognizing the Dawn of [...]

It’s that time of year where I really need to start thinking (and pulling my hair out) about what to buy everyone. Last year, I put the Insight Workbench to good use checking out the season’s hottest eReaders, but this time I decided to take a slightly sillier approach and looked at gag gifts for stocking stuffers and all of the White Elephant parties I’ve been invited to. After some quick Googling and an office inquiry, I developed this list [...]

My last installment of the Brand Passion Index was all about looking at stores that have the perfect merchandise to accent your holiday table. This time around, I decided to look at one of my favorite items to bring to the table: a great bottle of wine to enjoy with family and friends. Living in California, I have the privilege of having lots of great wineries – and delicious bottles of wine – just a short drive away. However, since [...]

Wow. After trick-or-treating as Lady Gaga with Obi Wan, Minnie Mouse, Tinkerbelle, and a Dalmatian, Halloween is gone and the holiday season has officially begun. Before we talk gifts (it is still November, people – plus, the Index will get to that in a couple weeks ), my mind is more focused on preparing my home for the steady stream of relatives and visitors that the holidays always brings. This time of year is so incredibly busy, but I love [...]

It’s been an amazing experience working with Coca-Cola, the world’s most innovative brand.  And, once again, I am inspired by their recent creative videos Content 2020 (Part One and Part Two) describing their new approach to connecting with customers while stimulating business.  This approach revolves around moving from Creative Content to Content Excellence. Implicit in this approach is the need for content that is both Liquid and Linked, meaning content that is so compelling, it can’t not be shared – [...]

I married into a ski family, so while most people are spending time stringing cobwebs across the trees in the front yard or planning for Thanksgiving, they’re all waiting for the first snow of the season to fall. It’s only a matter of time before the whole family is rounded up for the first chance to hit the slopes. And whether that mass exodus to the chairlift is in Tahoe or Vermont or Whistler for you (check out social media’s [...]