News Blast May 2 2012

Today, Edvard Munch's "The Scream" is scheduled to go on auction by Sotheby's and is projected to bring US$80M ... yes, that is million. (@ABC)  This is a time when I wished I had taken more interest in something other than sports as a kid!


More news...

Weather.com is revamping its website to provide a more "social" experience (@VentureBeat).  The revamped site and mobile app will allow its users to find out exactly when weather will change.  For instance, it can notify you when a rain storm will stop ... to the minute.  As one of the top 20 websites, and the second most downloaded app in the world, it just goes to show that the weather will remain the default conversation filler.
-----

James Dyson of Dyson Vacuums says, "I don't believe in brand." (@AdAge) He went on to say: 

"There's only one word that's banned in our company: brand," he said, speaking at "Disruption By Design," a conference put on by Wired on Tuesday. "We're only as good as our latest product. I don't believe in brand at all."

He isn't wrong.  Disruption usually comes from a design, not typically from a brand, per se.  Without a good product, it is difficult to evolve into a well known brand.  Regardless, I just have to ask ... who is Dyson Vacuum?

-----

NBC's 30 Rock made brand manager's job easy recently by reaching out to Kraft and pitching product placement on their show.  (@AdAge)  While the brand was actually integrated into the script (as opposed to simply having the product on the show), this does bring to light new avenues for marketers ... in-show advertising.  With the proliferation of DVRs and live streaming shows (Netflix, Hulu, and even through network websites), it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify the best us of media spending.  Of course, placement comes at a risk, as Bob-It (Hasbro) found out after it was parodied by the Simpsons, and it appeared on SNL in 2004 in a "sentient" manner.  Of course, Bob-It went onto sell well millions, giving credence to the fact that "any PR is good PR".

-----

Get your Scottrade account loaded ... Facebook shares will be available for sale on May 18. (@USATODAYtech)

-----

American's who have given up their passports to avoid our incredibly high tax rates increased seven-fold. (@BloombergNow).  Granted, this only amounted to 1,780 people (on average, 1,100 each year), but regardless, I would venture a guess that the wealth in this group is significant, which would equate to quite a loss of tax revenue.  Interesting, to me anyway, is that in addition to having the highest corporate tax rate in the world, the US is the only country that taxes income regardless of where it's earned.  I have no problem paying taxes (although, as most, I would argue I don't necessarily agree with all of expenditures we make), and I know that this country's infrastructure was and continues to be built on tax revenue, but fair is fair, and evidently, some wealthy have taken to renouncing America altogether to avoid our tax laws.  Simple solution ... just fix the tax code.

-----
BlackOps II trailer is now out (@VentureBeat) ... (grunt).