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In the coming months, certain aspects of the World Wide Web could become more like the Wild, Wild West. In what has been compared to the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has created an opportunity for businesses to apply for new generic top level domains (gTLDs). We recognize top level domains as the word to the right of the “dot,” the most common being .com, .org, and .net. With ICANN’s plan to rollout new gTLDs as early as April 23rd, we will start to see top level domains such as .shop, .book, .news, and even brand-specific domains including .amazon, .nike or .pepsi. This will result in an over 6,000% increase in the number of website domains available for internet users. While it may not be possible to foresee all implications the addition of these new top level domains will have on the digital marketing world, there are a few things marketers should keep in mind when they consider embarking on this virtual land rush.

Know the Facts

According to a recent survey cited in Daniel Le Ray’s March 28th iMedia Connection blog, 63% of small business managers and owners have no idea that thousands of new top level domains will be introduced over the next few months. As a company’s web presence has become an integral part of any sound business strategy, it’s important to do a little research to see what kind of impact it will have on your business and either take action or take the “wait and see” approach. ICANN released the following video late last year which gives an overview of new gTLDs:

Explore Your Options

Purchasing a new top level domain may not be right for your business. Once you familiarize yourself with the process and cost to acquire your own gTLD, you may quickly find that larger companies with the technical and financial resources to not only go through the application process, but to defend and contest gTLDs, will have a definite advantage. Adweek put together some very compelling estimates to demonstrate just how much it could possibly cost marketers and media outlets to protect their brand identity online from phishers and cybersquatters. It is a good idea to check into your company’s policies and procedures and find out whether new top level domains will affect your brand.

Follow the Latest Developments

ICANN has been continually updating their website with recent announcements as their plan for new top level domains rolls out. You can read more about news and developments including the newly established Trademark Clearinghouse and about the recent ICANN board meeting April 7-11 in Bejing here.

If you’ve ever attended the modern-day equivalent of a ’60s Tupperware party (think Pampered Chef, PartyLite, Thirty One, Premiere — the list goes on and on), you’ve undoubtedly experienced first-hand a tried and true form of marketing known to influence consumer buying behavior. While I have to admit, I’ve collected my fair share of various housewares, candles, make-up and jewelry that I didn’t really need, I never felt a hint of buyer’s remorse when I made those purchases. Being surrounded by friends, sharing some wine, refreshments and good conversation, there is no better environment to open your mind and your wallet to what a sales representative has to offer.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of an in-home direct selling party, it basically involves a sales representative coming to the home of a host or hostess to showcase or demonstrate products to guests (friends and family) that the host has invited to the event. Typically the host will receive a gift or discount in return, and the sales representative will receive some type of commission or free product from the company based on total sales. Those who attend are often encouraged to host a party of their own or even become a representative for the company.

I know there are people out there who may disagree with the effectiveness of this type of marketing, feel it’s outdated, or who have felt buyer’s remorse after attending a party, but there is plenty of evidence showing that social sharing and word of mouth affect consumer buying behavior and sometimes even brand loyalty. The success of brands that rely on this type of commerce is proof.

Even though the in-home selling industry has evolved over the years, it is essentially an early form of social networking. The success of a party relies on the host reaching out to his or her network of friends, family or acquaintances who have common interests, tastes or beliefs that motivate them to buy. Once those people are exposed to the product or brand, they will frequently share their experience with others they know, continuing the sales cycle and growing the network. Adapting this format online is an obvious extension that has enabled many companies to capitalize on existing social networks and potentially influence consumer buying behavior through a variety of social platforms. Just a few examples include:

• Avon Facebook profile
• Thirty-one Facebook profile
• @arbonne on Twitter
• @ManCaveworldwid on Twitter (Not all direct sales home parties are geared towards women!)

Do you see the traditional format of direct sales parties influencing consumer buying behavior well into the future? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Sticking to a workout routine can be hard, especially once a routine starts to become so mundane that you find yourself staring at the same treadmill day after day, counting down the minutes until you complete that last mile. Well, if you could use a little motivational boost in your workouts (as I could lately), you might want to check out some of these great apps and programs that are designed to make working out fun again. In the past, I’ve come across several interactive tools meant to enhance workout routines and even purchased the Nike+ for iPod nano a few years ago, but when I started taking a closer look at some of the latest interactive apps and tools available, I was still surprised at the vast array of options out there.

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete, you’d like to improve your athletic ability, or just want to lose a few pounds, the following are just some of the fun, innovative apps that are definitely worth considering:

1. Endomondo has been around since 2008 and can best be described as a social fitness app and network. According to their official blog, the site now has 10 million registered users and tracks 250,000 workouts every day. If you are looking to improve your running, cycling or distance performance, or just need some encouragement to reach your personal goals, this app is your personal portal to connect to the Endomondo community.

2. Charity Miles: Earn money for charity by running, walking or biking. The Charity Miles iPhone/Android app tracks your distance and allows you to designate the money you earn per mile to one of a select number of charities. What could be more motivational than knowing your hard work is contributing to a good cause?

3. MyFitnessPal makes it easy to track the food you eat along with your activity — and it’s free! Once you are a member of the community, you can set your weight loss goals and share progress, tips or encouragement. Or, just simply log your food intake utilizing a searchable database of over 1,938,000 items and keep track of your daily exercise.

4. Wello just launched in July of this year and offers personal training sessions with live, certified trainers via two-way video chat. All you need is a laptop, webcam and Internet connection and you won’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home. Similar to an in-person training session, you are charged an hourly rate, but you’ll pay much less than you would for a traditional personal training session.

5. Zombies, Run! Some of us might run a little faster if we thought zombies were chasing us and hundreds of lives were counting on us to complete a mission. Immerse yourself in this audio adventure and running game in which the storyline is delivered right to your headphones. You’ll have to run to survive while collecting supplies, ammo, and medicine to complete your mission. This is also one of Rachel’s App-Tastic favorites!

With so many options out there and new apps being launched every day (that help with everything from finance to wedding planning), I now have no excuse not to rev up my typical, boring workout. Have you tried any of these apps before or do you have a favorite that really motivates you? Feel free to share in the comments.

If you are one of the 800 million users who watched a video on YouTube in the last month, you may have noticed how the site has been evolving to include even more premium channels with original, professionally-produced programming. No longer just a website with amateur videos of cats and babies or instructional videos on how to tie a tie, YouTube has been ramping up its efforts to become a preferred entertainment destination. The media platform recently hosted a big upfront event in New York to give potential advertisers a preview of some of its newest channels and niche programming and announced plans to invest in a $200 million campaign to promote those channels.

In addition to bringing out some star power at the event (Jay-Z, Flo Rida, the Neon Trees, Julia Stiles, Jennifer Beals, and Virginia Madsen, to name a few), YouTube introduced three new channels:

TeamUSA: This channel from the U.S. Olympic Committee will feature original content that will highlight the 2012 U.S. Olympians and hopefuls as well as past Olympic legends. You can look for past footage from the games and even some instruction from Olympic sport coaches.

WIGS: Created by filmmakers Jon Avnet (Black Swan, Fried Green Tomatoes, Risky Business) and Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs, In Treatment, Mother and Child), this new drama channel will feature original, scripted series, short films and documentaries about the lives of women featuring some well-known names in starring roles.

The Picture Show: Debuting later this year, this new channel from Tribeca Enterprises (parent company of Tribeca Film Festival) in partnership with Maker Studios, will present short films and will serve to boost emerging talent—directors, writers and actors—through collaborative programming from established filmmakers and up-and-comers.

These are just some examples of the premium content that will be available among YouTube’s ever-growing community of channel partners. With so much niche content now available, the site can boast that their latest line-up has something for everyone. As a result, YouTube is looking to increase monthly visitors and, with better quality programming, the amount of time users are spending on the site.

Not only does this increase sponsorship opportunities for advertisers, this is good news for brands who want to increase the likelihood of their own videos being seen on YouTube. According to Google VP-content, Richard Kynci, “We will fish where the fish are … and it’s a mighty big pond! If you want to lead, join us now, as the next seven years will be a lot faster than the last. We can build audiences together. We can build brands together.”

Will you be tuning in to YouTube’s premium channels?

Many of us here in Northeast Ohio have been wondering what happened to our typical cold, snowy winter this year. Once the winter season was officially underway, I figured the next big blizzard was probably just around the corner but with February quickly coming to a close, we might just be looking back on a fairly mild winter once it’s all said and done. While this is fantastic news to many, it may be a little disappointing to the avid winter sports enthusiast.

Believe it or not, there are countless ways to get out and enjoy the winter weather for little to no cost, and as I’ve discovered in recent years, this is especially true right here in our own backyard. With everything from cross-country skiing to ice fishing to tobogganing, the Cleveland area has a lot to offer those who are looking for a cure to the winter doldrums. So, if we do get a blast of winter before the season is over, the following are just a few ideas to inspire you to become the winter sports enthusiast you’ve always wanted to be. Otherwise, it will just give you something to look forward to next winter!

1. The Chalet Toboggan Chutes located in Strongsville at Mill Stream Run Reservation in the Cleveland Metroparks features two 1,000-foot refrigerated ice chutes. These are the only public toboggan chutes in Ohio and they remain open from Thanksgiving until March regardless of whether there is snow on the ground.

2. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are fun activities and a great workout! The Winter Sports Center at Kendall Lake Shelter in Peninsula allows you to rent both cross-country skis and snowshoes on select days throughout the season.

3. Hiking or even trail running (depending on how ambitious you‘re feeling) can be especially scenic during the winter throughout the Cleveland Metroparks and along the Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

4. Sledding and snow tubing: What better way to feel like a kid again then to enjoy one of several sledding hills throughout the area open to the public.

5. Ice skating: Enjoy outdoor skating in front of the Cleveland Museum of Art at The Rink at Wade Oval in University Circle or if you’d prefer an indoor rink, there are plenty to choose from in Northeast Ohio.

6. Ice fishing locations are plentiful in the Cleveland Metroparks and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park when the conditions are right. Needless to say, this probably hasn’t been the best winter for ice fishing.

Do you plan to embrace what’s left of the winter season or are you counting down the days until summer?

From the festive lights and decorations to the endless department store sales, it is evident almost anywhere you go now that the holiday season is in full swing. While many people flock to retail stores all over the country, movie-goers also bring in big money to the box office this time of year. With such a huge captive audience, marketers have capitalized on the opportunity to incorporate their products right into the storyline of many blockbuster hits and even some better-off-forgotten movies over the years. While some instances may be more subtle, others are so blatant they make you cringe.

Product placement in movies even inspired the Morgan Spurlock documentary, Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. The film, which is all about product placement, was also funded by companies who paid to have Spurlock promote their products or services. The city of Altoona, PA, was even paid to change its name to Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold for 60 days.

Although some people may be turned off by product placement in films, when it is executed well, it has paid off for some major brands. Consider Reese’s Pieces which saw a reported 65% surge in profits just two weeks after the premiere of E.T. (Source: Brands & Films) or that according to BusinessWeek, Mini increased sales 22% the year The Italian Job was released in the U.S. Most recently, BMW will be featuring some of its latest models in the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol movie. The carmaker is even promoting its appearance in the film with a “Mission to Drive” event that features “self-destructing” sales.

Some well-loved brands even make their way into popular films without paying a dime. Apple claims to have never paid for product placement, but according to BrandChannel.com, it has appeared in more than one-third of all number one films at the U.S. box office in the last decade. The following are just a few more examples of product placement you may have seen over the years:

Jack & Jill (2011)

Adam Sandler has become notorious for his use of product placement in movies.

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

There were actually no White Castle restaurants in Cherry Hill, NJ, where the movie takes place so one had to be brought in on a flatbed truck.

Castaway (2000)

FedEx played a huge part in this movie and who could forget Wilson?

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

AOL, our favorite internet provider in the ’90s, had some influence over this movie title.

Wayne’s World (1992)

More of a spoof on product placement, this comedy was packed full of well-known brands.

Back to the Future (1989)

Marty McFly with futuristic Nike shoes from 2015.

Although it’s been around for years, how often do most of us really take note of the information on the small black and white Nutrition Facts label printed on all packaged foods we consume in this country? As part of the population that is trying to make a conscious effort to make better informed nutritional choices, I have been paying closer attention to what these labels say. As a professional in the marketing world, I have also been paying closer attention to how it’s presented. Since the way information is represented visually impacts our decisions as consumers, would a change in design of the Nutrition Facts label change our food choices?

This year, the University of California, Berkeley, School of Journalism’s News21, together with GOOD initiated a project to redesign the food label. They asked designers, nutritionists and food policy experts to submit a design that would “inspire better food and nutrition literacy with clear, simple, easy-to-understand labels.” A panel of judges then selected a winner from a variety of entries, many of which had a different take on what information should be included and how it should be presented.

Here is a snapshot of the winning entry:

All designs can be found at Rethink the Food Label.

Would a new label design affect how you view nutritional information?

With everything from plentiful sunshine and a cool lake breeze to the crackle of the grill and sparkling explosions that light up the night sky, it couldn’t have been a nicer weekend to enjoy the July 4th holiday here in Northeast Ohio. As we took the time to celebrate the freedom and independence of our great country, it was also the perfect opportunity to enjoy some favorite summer pastimes. Sure, everyone has their own traditions. But there’s something about this American holiday that captures the essence of summertime fun.

While we were enjoying friends, family and fireworks, iconic brands were hard at work reminding us that no summer celebration is complete without their products. From what’s on the grill to what’s in the cooler – even what’s up in the air, brands play a huge part in our summer fun. And what a better time to remind us what a big part these brands play in our annual summertime activities than Independence Day. As I went about enjoying the long weekend with family and friends, I encountered several iconic brands that give you the feeling that summer is in the air.

Pepsi’s summertime spot suggests that Santa takes a holiday from his workshop – and Coca Cola – during the summer.

Checking Facebook to see what your friends are doing for the holiday? They could be posting photos of their cookout thanks to a promotion from another summer staple: Ball Park hot dogs.

While not an American brand, Corona’s long-running campaign is synonymous with a summer day at the beach.

Brands can even be found hovering above our summertime sporting events. Anyone at yesterday’s Indians versus Yankees game would’ve been treated to a visit from the Goodyear blimp.

Target gives us a glimpse of all that’s fun about summer in this latest spot.

What brands made an appearance at your summer celebrations?