The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has inked a three-year deal with Screenvision, a company that delivers ads for movie screens across the U.S. According to Forbes, this is a first for NASCAR and it’s Screenvision’s “largest content deal to date.” This strategy by NASCAR is part of a trend by advertisers... »

Researchers at Sonoma State University and the University of Texas at Austin have concluded that first impressions really do matter in determining personality traits. In a study to be published in the December 10 issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, observers were shown full-bodied photographs of 123 people. They were asked to identity personality... »

A new ad campaign by Virgin Mobile Canada takes aim at Rogers Communications, challenging Rogers to come clean with its customers about new fees being charged to subsidize rural programming – fees that are not mandated by the government. Rogers has replaced the System Access Fee with a Government Regulatory Recovery Fee, which has the... »

If you happen to find yourself in Quebec this winter, check out the Hôtel de Glace, just west of Quebec City. The Hôtel de Glace is North America’s only ice hotel, made entirely out of snow and ice. The walls, the furniture, the beds, even the Ice Bar – all made from snow and ice.... »

The November edition of Harper’s magazine carries an article entitled “Final Edition – Twilight of the American newspaper,” written by Richard Rodriguez.  The article was a disappointment on many levels. I expected a thoughtful analysis of the decline of newspapers in North America, with new revelations and data thrown in for good measure. I expected... »

France’s most famous prankster, Rémi Gaillard, has released a new video on YouTube, where he disguises himself as a bat. Since the video was launched a week ago, it has attracted 1.7 million views and counting. Aspiring comedians, artists, musicians and performers are increasingly looking to YouTube as platform to launch their careers. Large online... »

Advertising Standards Canada (ASC) has introduced new guidelines aimed at preventing the depiction of unsafe driving in car ads.  The thinking is that auto ads featuring any form of reckless driving (speeding, distracted drivers) could influence motorists to behave in a similar fashion, thus endangering themselves and others. ASC said it’s responding to an increasing number... »

The rumour mill was abuzz on Friday with speculation that the National Post might have to suspend publication if CanWest Media wasn’t allowed to restructure its assets. Thankfully, the courts have agreed with the CanWest proposal and the Post will live on. The thought of a Post-less Canada seemed to fill some readers on the... »

Magazine publishers are desperately trying to hold onto their readerships, in light of plummeting circulation figures and advertising revenues. Esquire magazine is no exception. In a move that is a little gimmicky, Hearst Communications Inc. plans to publish its next edition using augmented reality technology. According to the Wall Street Journal, augmented reality “mixes real-life... »

Ford recently stepped into the social networking arena to promote the launch of its 2010 Fiesta in North America. The Detroit automaker provided 100 people in their 20s with the new subcompact to drive for six months. Ford encouraged these drivers to share their experiences online using Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs and other social networking... »

Last week, Technorati presented its State of the Blogosphere 2009, a report of the latest trends and statistics about blogging.  The report featured interviews with some of the most influential bloggers of today, including Seth Godin, Andrew Breitbart, Duncan Riley, Arianna Huffington, Michael Arrignton, and others.  The interviews reiterated some basic truths about blogging – i.e.,... »

Thomas Friedman writes in the New York Times, on October 20: “Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services,... »

The following Guest Column is written by Stephen Da Cambra, Project Co-ordinator and Copywriter at WSI, a Toronto-based Internet marketing company.   Ten years ago, marketing students never learned about tactics for viral marketing on the web, if only for the simple reason that they had never heard of such a thing.  Like most new media,... »

For a couple of hours last week, the world was transfixed on a saucer-shaped helium balloon drifting through the skies above Colorado. When the balloon finally landed, two hours later, and six year-old Falcon Heene wasn’t inside it, the drama took another strange twist. Where was he? Had he fallen out? The world waited and... »

Robert Bateman, one of Canada’s most celebrated artists and naturalists, will speak at the Georgina Arts Centre & Gallery in Georgina on Saturday October 24. Mr. Bateman, along with environmental charity, Earth Day Canada, will speak on the practical knowledge and tools needed to lessen the human impact on the environment. This event is open... »

The following article was supplied by the ALS Society of Canada and is reprinted in full, with their kind permission. On October 7, 2009, ALS Society of Canada board members, advocacy committee members, researchers and volunteers (including those from the ALS Ontario Champlain Regional Office in Ottawa) and staff, headed to Parliament Hill to request... »

A woman’s group has objected to a racy energy drink ad featuring Montreal Canadiens player, Georges Laraque. In the commercial, Laraque is seen playing road hockey with a bunch of scantily clad women. What seems to have angered some women here is the “in your face’” depiction of certain female body parts. The viewer is... »

I’m looking forward to seeing the new Disney film, A Christmas Carol, opening in theatres in December. Based on the trailer, the film looks dark and brooding, and Carrey looks absolutely convincing as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, a crusty business owner who learns some important life lessons after being visited by three spirits (Carrey... »

In August, Ian Shapira wrote an article in the Washington Post about how the popular web site, Gawker, lifted parts of an article he’d written and reprinted them without his permission, without proper accreditation and without any financial compensation. At first, he was flattered that Gawker took an interest in his story, and was... »

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U.S. has imposed new guidelines that will force bloggers to disclose any “material connection” to advertisers. These new guidelines also apply to people who use social media, especially celebrities who use Twitter, and who fail to disclose their connection to advertisers, if payment is involved. The new rules... »