Never a Lack of Ideas

A Closer Look The next time you’re out to eat at a restaurant and you pay with a credit card, take a look at the pen that you’re using to sign the receipt. Chances are that the pen does not have the restaurant’s logo on it. It’s probably emblazoned with the logo of a local business. And if you’re interested in the business that the pen is promoting, I think you should keep it. Just be sure to leave a replacement. Take a Pen, Leave a Pen I love the idea of a “pen swap.” Get some pens with your company’s logo on them and carry them around with you. Take a pen when its logo is something interesting to you or someone you know and leave one of your own in its place. This isn’t stealing. The person who left the pen would want you to have it if you’re interested in what its advertising. And likewise, you’d want someone to take your pen if he/she is interested in your business. What to Put on Your Pen To create the perfect pen for distribution, you need to include three things on the pen: You

Good Idea Back in March, I proposed the idea that shoe maker Christian Louboutin should create a limited edition pink-soled shoe (instead of his traditional red-soled shoes) to raise money for cancer research. ( Read my original idea. ) Unfortunately, representatives from Christian Louboutin said that they weren’t interested in my idea. ( Read their response. ) Fast-Forward Four Months For a limited time during the month of July, shoe maker New Balance has partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to produce a pink running shoe to help raise money for breast cancer awareness. The shoes commemorate the 20 years that Komen has partnered with New Balance to fight breast cancer. For 20 days in July, New Balance will sell 20 pairs of personalized pink shoes for $149.99 per pair. A personal message can be embroidered onto the tongue of the shoe. New Balance has set up a special website in which you may purchase the limited edition shoes: http://www.newbalance.com/personalizethefight/ A no

I Scream for Ice Cream To launch its new line of coffee-flavored ice cream, Starbucks is running a promotion through July 19th in which Facebook users can give a free pint of ice cream to one of their friends. At the top of every hour, Starbucks will give out 800 coupons for free ice cream via a Facebook application at http://apps.facebook.com/starbucksicecream . Facebook users cannot print a free ice cream coupon for themselves – they must send it to a friend. Since the free ice cream coupons are gone within seconds after the start of each hour, Starbucks offers a coupon for $1.00 off of a pint of their new ice cream to people who do not grab a free pint for their friends. This way, nobody is left out of the promotion. Learning From KFC’s Mistakes Starbucks made three notable improvements to the Kentucky Grilled Chicken debacle two months ago: Never underestimate the power of free food. The KGC promotion prompted millions of people to print off coupons for a free meal. Starbucks is