To combat falling domestic merchandise sales and increase Mickey Mouse’s relevance amongst children, Disney has undertaken a quiet, albeit full-blown revitalization of the character.

The mayor of Paris recently announced plans to implement an electric car share system.  While details are still sparse, it appears that they will be building an infrastructure to support 2,000 EV’s within Paris, and another 2,000 cars will be distributed amongst the surrounding cities.  At an estimated price-tag of $14 million dollars to both build the infrastructure and purchase the vehicles, the system is not only affordable, but is yet another example of movement away from a product driven model towards a service-focused one.  There are a wide variety of immediate implications to this program, ranging from reduced [...]

Siemens has paired up with Orange County Choppers, the custom bike building outfit of TV fame, to build a one-off electric chopper.  The “Smart Chopper” showcases Siemens technology, boasting a 60-mile range and a 100 mph top speed compliments of a 27-hp electric motor.  Charging time is anywhere between 1 and 5 hours depending on the voltage available.  In addition to leveraging Siemens electric technology, the bike also features LED lights compliments of Sylvania, a Siemens subsidiary.  The bike has OCC’s characteristic flair, the least of which is a rear tire that wouldn’t look out of place on [...]

Mercedes-Benz has recently announced plans to go ahead with the electric-drive SLS Gullwing.  If this car makes it to final production, it will join cars like the much talked about Tesla Roadster in the electric sportscar category.  What is interesting about both of these vehicles is the strong design element.  The original 300 SL Gullwing, introduced in 1954, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful cars that Mercedes-Benz has ever built.   Forget about the mileage, performance, and other green credentials, people will want to own this car because they are going to look good driving it.  Similarly, although not [...]

Toyota Motor Corporation has recently announced that they will be bringing their marketing and advertising efforts based out of Japan in-house – forming two as yet unnamed entities that will handle domestic (Japan) and global marketing, respectively.  The move is intended to streamline Toyota’s marketing activities, bringing them closer to their consumers and allowing for a more localized message.
In addition, the aim is to carry out marketing activities that also bear in mind ways to contribute to TMC’s product development and sales innovation by promptly and accurately gauging the needs of customers and then providing prompt feedback to TMC.
This move [...]

Getty Images has partnered with Flickr to create “The Flickr Collection” – a collection of images that reflects the passion of a community of photographers worldwide, featuring uniquely personal images with an authenticity rare in stock photography.  The featured Flickr photos cover a range of subject matter and are available in rights-managed and royalty-free licenses.
This collection is geared towards creative professionals who rely heavily on imagery for their daily work. PSFK has partnered with Getty Images and will be testing their new Flickr Collection during the months of July and August.
We will be featuring images from the collection in [...]

There are a number of fashion blogs such as the Sartorialist and Street Peeper that have risen to prominence over the past couple of years. These sites typically feature photos of ordinary people who are doing something special with their personal style. Photos are often submitted by a wide variety of contributors, and the sites are usually localized.
We recently came across a new iteration of this type of site – Manonthemove (MOTM). MOTM has chosen New York City as its backdrop, and rather than feature fashion, it features cars. Unlike typical car spotting, which often takes [...]

Swarovski has recently made its first foray into the world of self-branded timepieces. The company continually looks for new applications in which to use its crystals – whether that be embedding them in tiles for use in the home, or utilizing them as the basis for their well-known figurines.
The standout from the new line of timepieces is the D:Light digital watch.  It retails for upwards of $1800, but for that money you get a pretty unique watch.  The watch is made from 172 “Xillion-cut” crystals that make up a display panel. A light under the crystals can turn on or [...]

We were recently invited to a roundtable discussion with David Schembri, President of Smart USA.  The event marked Smart’s first attempt at engaging bloggers as part of their marketing outreach.  While there wasn’t any car being launched, it was a nice opportunity to hear about how the company is fairing and what they have in the pipeline.
Smart has been selling cars in the U.S. for just under two years, and in that time has sold in excess of 30,000 units.  They are in the process of bracing for some new competition, expected to pop up in the next two years [...]

PSFK recently debuted its revised newsletter format (click the photo above to expand). In an effort to achieve greater ease of use, and to enable subscribers to quickly scan through featured articles, we have included both images and article excerpts.
Let us know what you think and feel free to subscribe to the daily updates HERE.
If you are an advertiser or sponsor, and are interested in reaching our newsletter audience, email jeff.weiner@psfk.com or call 917-595-3401.

PSFK was invited today to test the Honda Stride Management Assist. The device, which provides assistance with walking and general mobility, is intended to assist the elderly and those undergoing certain types of rehabilitation, among others. It both improves posture and stimulates additional muscle use by encouraging longer strides.
We found the device to be sleek and light (although, they continue to work towards a smaller and less intrusive design). It was user friendly and the additional boost provided by the machine is subtle, but makes a difference—most noticeably when taking stairs two at a time. When [...]

We recently joined Honda at the New York International Auto Show for the unveiling of a new Honda Element concept car.  Honda, in response to a growing demand for pet-friendly vehicles, has risen to the occasion and created a concept car specifically meant to address the needs of people who frequently travel with their pets:
Developed specifically for the Element, the Dog Friendly™ components demonstrate the potential for a dedicated pet restraint system designed to meet the needs of dog owners. A finalized version of the Dog Friendly Element is scheduled to debut this fall. Major components will likely include:

a cushioned [...]

The results are in.  Thank you to everyone who participated in our Annual PSFK Reader Survey.  We received an overwhelming response and now have even greater insight into who you are, how you consume PSFK content, and how you share it with your peers.
It turns out that we already had a pretty clear idea of our audience: a group of highly-networked, tech-savvy, urbanites.  Here are a couple of statistics that we thought were worth sharing:
Your network:
- 91.9% of PSFK readers have a Facebook page
- 64.6% of PSFK readers have a Twitter account
Your background and activities:
- 53.7% of PSFK readers publish [...]

Formula 1, after having gone through a decade of profligate spending, a general lack of eco-consciousness, and manufacturer domination, is currently experiencing a small renaissance.  The introduction of eco-innovation, various cost control measures, and the early season dominance of a “privateer” team, has set the tone for a season that is set to be one of the most exciting to date.
The global recession has hit F1 quite hard with ING, RBS, and Honda all withdrawing from the sport, albeit in various capacities and on various schedules.  The harsh economic realities have enabled the FIA (Formula One governing body) to push [...]

It may have taken several years, but people have become pretty comfortable with buying and selling items through online auctions.  Sites like eBay, in conjunction with PayPal, have done a nice job of putting participants at ease. While still “buyer beware,” there are satisfaction surveys, customer feedback tools, and conflict resolution processes in place that provide a modicum of comfort when entering into a faceless transaction.
Yet, a certain amount of trepidation still exists when buying and selling expensive items such as cars or luxury goods.  Pictures help to tell part of the story, but the question always lingers, “is that [...]