Starbucks Corp., the company that popularized the $4 cup of coffee, is testing a $1 cup and free refills of some of its offerings.
AMERICA’S favourite television presenter is paying a painful price for her intervention in the US presidential campaign last month. Oprah Winfrey has been dubbed a “traitor” by some of her female fans for supporting Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton.
Women turn on ‘traitor’ Oprah Winfrey for backing Barack Obama - Times Online
Appreciate the fact that you’ve considered knighting me, but no thanks.
Beer is a recession-proof industry.
2008 will be saved by Olympics and Politics. 2009 screwed.
Ad Industry Honchos on 2008 Ad Recession Outlook: Grim - Silicon Alley Insider
Inspired by Bubblegen
Most interesting news today: Rogers Media to sell WOM services under BzzAgent name in Canada.
Another great example of media behaving increasingly more like advertising agencies, because people are increasingly behaving more like media.
According to WPP’s Group M, the first country where Internet ad spend will surpass that of TV will be Sweden, and it will happen in… 2008. U.K and Denmark will follow. Interestingly enough, Swedish broadcast statistics institute MMS released a report in late 2007, stating that two out of five Swedes between the age of 16 and 30 regularly watch pirated TV shows. Unsurprisingly, Sweden is the also the country that gave us The Pirate Bay and features a very high percentage of population involved in filesharing.
A good write-up on the study, with all the details, was done by The Guardian here
One of the things I like about every end of the year is “best of” lists. Here is my own.
Best album: Kanye West - Graduation (PitchforkMedia review, Amazon page). Without any doubt, this album comes up as a clear winner. Kanye musically dominated the year for me, starting with the infamous “mixtape” in spring, carried on with the release of the actual album, and then the leak of a live recording, “Late Orchestration.” Radiohead’s In Rainbows is unfortunately and suprisingly a relatively distant second, followed by Daft Punk - Alive 2007. A notable mention also goes to Beirut -The Flying Club Cup, Burial - Untrue, Common - Finding Forever, Fields - Everything Last Winter, Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta, and UGK - Underground Kingz.
Best movie: After The Wedding, although technically it was released in Denmark in 2006 it got here in 2007. I probably missed a lot of movies out there as this is the year when I almost did not go to the movie theatres.
Best TV series: Dexter. The only series that eased off the pain of losing The Sopranos. Brilliant writing, gripping acting, gruesome action — everything a good series needs. To paraphrase the catchphrase — I can’t believe it’s not HBO.
Best new web service: Tumblr.
Best new magazine: Monocle. Business Week has a fair write-up about the magazine here. For fear of not rendering is justice I will refrain from describing the publication. But it’s awesome.
Best new word: Vajayjay
Considered as the apogee of capitalism, people flocked to see what the fuss is all about.
). Without any doubt, this album comes up as a clear winner. Kanye musically dominated the year for me, starting with the infamous “mixtape” in spring, carried on with the release of the actual album, and then the leak of a live recording, “Late Orchestration.” Radiohead’s In Rainbows is unfortunately and suprisingly a relatively distant second, followed by Daft Punk - Alive 2007. A notable mention also goes to Beirut -The Flying Club Cup, Burial - Untrue, Common - Finding Forever, Fields - Everything Last Winter, Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta, and UGK - Underground Kingz.