Have you had enough of cupcakes already? Last year we saw gourmet cupcake shops and mail-order sites pop up all over the place, and consumers gobbled this trend up. But it’s over, and in 2011, pies are the new cupcakes. (One popular restaurant in New York City is sponsoring a “Pie Happy Hour” featuring specialty…
Happy New Year’s Eve! On this last day of 2010, I’m looking back at where we started and finished in our own innovation projects and how we accomplished our goals. How did you do in that respect? Did you notice any trends that can help your business in 2011? One of the bigger trends of…
Imagine being able to grow trees anywhere in the world–including the desert. The AquaPro company developed the Groasis waterboxx, and it has indeed turned out to be one of the most innovative system of 2010. The waterboxx allows trees to grow in dry lands by providing a reservoir for roots with a sustainable water system…
How can you increase your online buzz by 200 percent? Crank up your social media AND your color! It worked for Pepto Bismol. The digestive relief medicine’s TV and print budget was drastically slashed this year, so that a new social media effort could attempt to do what the Old Spice brand did with its…
A new iPhone app, Word Lens, is getting a lot of attention this week. The video by its developers has been seen by millions of people (Check it out below), and many are wondering what the future will hold with this new technology. The app allows you to point your iPhone camera at a sign…
As facial recognition technology becomes more user friendly for social media and other personal applications, we’re starting to see and hear reaction from those who have concerns and from people who think its great. Facebook just launched a photo tagging application using the technology to help users tag photos faster. If you want to see…
Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire by Braden Kelley (John Wiley & Sons, 2010) is a highly readable, helpful book about the practical side of innovation, including guidance on building a culture and processes that support innovation in a corporation. Braden Kelley writes with the benefit of not only having many years of experience in supporting innovation,…
From healthier choices to improved relationships, we all want the things we buy to make our world a better place. How are we as consumers going to shape the coming year for companies striving for innovation success? There are dozens of consumer trends we’re watching for 2011, and soon you’ll see some brand new lists…
I read an interesting article over at InventionMachineBlog about a trend we’re seeing as our workforce ages. Did you know that half of our workforce today is eligible for retirement in the next 18 months? The Bureau of Labor Statistics says as our US labor force grows older, our percent of 55+ workers will be…
The latest trends in the classroom are actually the classrooms themselves. Our student population is increasing, making it necessary to expand the learning spaces. Now administrators are looking at some eco-friendly options that cost just a fraction of the traditional brick and mortar add-ons. Many of these new kit-style classrooms can save up to 30…
