As a consumer, you have probably noted a large influx in the use of QR codes on direct mail pieces and magazine ads.  In fact, the US Postal Service is currently offering a discounted postage rate on pieces that include a QR code.

From pink KitchenAid blenders to colorful tissue boxes and Toy Story Band-Aids, customizing consumer products is nothing new. However, even in light of the economic challenges, consumers are still willing to pay a bit more for commodity products that bring a touch of personalization to their world.

Frank Lloyd Wright would be impressed. Imagine a living room or office or conference room or retail space with limited or no windows or windows with really bad views... only a TV or computer monitor and a few incandescent or fluorescent lights to brighten up the space (picture the first 10 minutes of "Joe Versus the Volcano").

With hundreds of kitchen products on the market and only so much room in consumers’ cabinets, Sweeney set out to discover just what kitchen product categories consumers are most aware of, what they actually own and their purchase intent. What this survey clearly indicated is consumers love their kitchen products!

I'll bet you never thought you'd see the day when I defended McDonald's, but here it is and here I go. Did you know... San Francisco has banned the inclusion of toys in children’s meals unless certain nutritional requirements are met?

Though I consider myself a fairly smart guy, I am admittedly not a scientist.  So I won't pretend to understand the chemistry of Alcoa Architectural Products' new Reynobond® with EcoClean™ – aluminum building panels (cladding) – that clean themselves, as well as the air around them.

It's the dead of summer, the heat index is above 100 and the media is laser-focused on pretty much any lame story that will get their audiences' attention. One of my favorites - and I never tire of hearing this - is the "staycation" story.