I remember it like it was yesterday'?¦ It was a rainy Sunday in August when my Pinterest invite finally came. Coffee in hand, I began emptying the countless links I had saved in my browser favorites, organizing them onto my cleverly named virtual pinboards. I won't tell you how many hours it took before I forced myself to tear my glazed over eyes away from my MacBook. Seriously, it was worse than when I read the entire Hunger Games series in two days. Let's keep that between us, ok? Anyway, if you haven't heard of Pinterest, or like my fiancé you refuse to comprehend what it is and why I and others spend so much time 'pinning'? ' simply put ' it's a virtual bulletin board. According to Pinterest, the site 'lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web.'? The reason Pinterest is likely so popular? It combines the traditional social network concept of sharing, with compelling visual content. In other words not only is the site easy to use, it's really pretty! While I haven't built my walk-in closet yet, I've virtually filled it on Pinterest. I've also decorated my entire house, planned my wedding and armed myself with several projects in the event that I decide to become crafty. And, lately, that red notification that someone 'liked'? something I posted on Facebook just doesn't give me the twinge of satisfaction I feel when someone 'repins'? something from one of my boards. Pinterest is not new news, and I'm not the only one wondering & blogging about why brands aren't utilizing this channel, or speculating on how they should be. Just last week Mashable touted the network's referral traffic (more than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined in January). When I registered for Pinterest, the first thing I did after following my friends who were using the network was search for my favorite media outlets and brands, but most of them were nowhere to be found. Pinterest isn't right for every brand, and it needs to be approached creatively & with strategy'?¦but if an opportunity exists to provide content and boost consumer engagement it seems like a no brainer. The biggest reason I see an opportunity for marketers? Since I became a member, Pinterest has driven (several) of my purchase decisions. How do you think brands should take advantage of this platform?

Nerd alert! The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES for those in the know) wrapped up this past weekend with a 3D flurry of tablets and mobile phones galore. I'm not even remotely close to being considered a techie, but I always find myself excited to hear about the 'next big thing'? when the convention rolls around each year. After scrolling the headlines and skimming through countless product launches that were over my head, I noticed Polaroid. Around this time last year Polaroid announced Lady Gaga as Creative Director, which seemed like a smart move for a seemingly 'dying'? brand that desperately needed an injection of style and creativity after going bankrupt (again). Polaroid had become a cult favorite among hipsters and the fashion industry, who mourned when film type after film type was discontinued over the years. In comes Gaga, who collaborated with Polaroid on a new product line called Grey Label, to save the day. According to Polaroid, the Grey Label products 'Showcase the Magic of the Polaroid Instant Experience.'? Don't get me started on the ridiculous GL20 Camera Glasses (fashionable Ray Ban Wayfarers these are not). Let's look at the GL30 Instant Digital Camera first. The camera, looking clunkier than ever, holds up to 10 photos, has a digital display and several filters and borders to choose from. No more waiting for the ink to dry, and gone are the days of having to make each shot really count. The GL10 Instant Mobile Printer, which Lady Gaga claims she pulls out at bars, allows consumers to send pictures from their GL30 Instant Digital Camera or Smartphone via Bluetooth. Um, ok. While Lady Gaga pulling out a (sort of) tiny printer at a bar and sharing hard copies with friends sounds cool, I can't imagine that I'd get the same reaction from my friends. Not to mention the fact that the printer isn't compatible with the iPhone, arguably one of the best camera phones on the market (check out this video to hear the resounding 'boos'? in the crowd when Gaga drops that bomb). In terms of photography in 2011, instant experience to me is taking a picture on my Smartphone and sending it to friends, or posting to my social network. These Polaroid 'improvements'? ruin everything endearingly kitsch about this brand for me. So'?¦marketers, Polaroid enthusiasts and/or Little Monsters, will this launch reinvent the Polaroid brand? Or, do you agree that it's somehow not really a Polaroid if you don't shake it? Sources: http://polaroid.com

I know I'm not alone in thinking the iPad is for the most part, pretty pointless. Is it an e-reader, a gaming device or an iPod for old people with bad eyesight? I'm head over heels in love with everything my iPhone and iPod Touch have to offer, and one of the things I adore the most is their portability. My purse is literally overflowing at all times, and I can't imagine adding a 1.5 pound 9.56'? x 7.47'? x .5'? device to the mix. When I need a bigger screen or yearn for a keyboard, I turn to my MacBook Pro. However, when Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn told NME Magazine last month that his band was poised to release the first album ever recorded on an iPad, I was intrigued. 'I've made it on an iPad ' I hope I'll be making the first record on an iPad,'? he said. 'I fell in love with my iPad as soon as I got it, so I've made a completely different kind of record.'? I'm not familiar with the countless music production applications out there, or their capabilities, but I can't help but wonder if 'completely different'? will translate to 'awful sound quality.'? I'm skeptical, but my Bose headphones and I are ready to be proven wrong. The Gorillaz album, titled 'The Fall'?, will be released as a free download for fan club members on Christmas day, and is expected to be distributed through traditional music channels in 2011. Fans are excited to hear new music from the band, whose last album was released in March 2010, and typically average 4-5 years between projects. Now, I'm sure there are millions of bands in basements across America who are ready to dispute the fact that the Gorillaz album will be the first produced on an iPad, but it will likely be the first to get any global attention. The idea that the iPad can be used for creation, not just consumption, excites me. If the device helps busy musicians that might not be fortunate enough to have a mobile recording studio on their tour bus deliver new content to their fans, then I'm all for it. Music has played a huge role in Apple's TV advertising, and has offered several artists (including the Gorillaz in 2005) a career boost over the years. Despite a recent Microsoft endorsement deal by the Gorillaz, Albarn is hyping the iPad and its capabilities, and Apple would be smart to take advantage. I'm predicting a 2011 iPad commercial that features a new Gorillaz song from their album created on an actual iPad. I mean, seriously, does it get any better than that? Sources: http://nme.com, http://gorillaz.com, http://www.twitter.com/gorillazband

I know I'm not alone in thinking the iPad is for the most part, pretty pointless. Is it an e-reader, a gaming device or an iPod for old people with bad eyesight? I'm head over heels in love with everything my iPhone and iPod Touch have to offer, and one of the things I adore the most is their portability. My purse is literally overflowing at all times, and I can't imagine adding a 1.5 pound 9.56'? x 7.47'? x .5'? device to the mix. When I need a bigger screen or yearn for a keyboard, I turn to my MacBook Pro. However, when Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn told NME Magazine last month that his band was poised to release the first album ever recorded on an iPad, I was intrigued. 'I've made it on an iPad ' I hope I'll be making the first record on an iPad,'? he said. 'I fell in love with my iPad as soon as I got it, so I've made a completely different kind of record.'? I'm not familiar with the countless music production applications out there, or their capabilities, but I can't help but wonder if 'completely different'? will translate to 'awful sound quality.'? I'm skeptical, but my Bose headphones and I are ready to be proven wrong. The Gorillaz album, titled 'The Fall'?, will be released as a free download for fan club members on Christmas day, and is expected to be distributed through traditional music channels in 2011. Fans are excited to hear new music from the band, whose last album was released in March 2010, and typically average 4-5 years between projects. Now, I'm sure there are millions of bands in basements across America who are ready to dispute the fact that the Gorillaz album will be the first produced on an iPad, but it will likely be the first to get any global attention. The idea that the iPad can be used for creation, not just consumption, excites me. If the device helps busy musicians that might not be fortunate enough to have a mobile recording studio on their tour bus deliver new content to their fans, then I'm all for it. Music has played a huge role in Apple's TV advertising, and has offered several artists (including the Gorillaz in 2005) a career boost over the years. Despite a recent Microsoft endorsement deal by the Gorillaz, Albarn is hyping the iPad and its capabilities, and Apple would be smart to take advantage. I'm predicting a 2011 iPad commercial that features a new Gorillaz song from their album created on an actual iPad. I mean, seriously, does it get any better than that? Sources: http://nme.com, http://gorillaz.com, http://www.twitter.com/gorillazband