Description: “covers views and analysis of small business and enterprise issues with an occasional diversion into the worlds of PR and the media”
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In this first installment of IF’s Podcast Review, we caught up with Adriana Cronin-Lukas from The Big Blog Company. Adriana enjoys listening to SmallBizPod by Alex Bellinger. SmallBizPod promises “news, interviews and practical advice for small and medium-sized businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs”. But does Alex deliver?

Last month, IF polled several influential bloggers to learn more about their favorite podcasts. Astonishingly, we came up empty handed. However, after further research we found a few people that actually listen to these things. They were kind enough to share their thoughts on podcasting and introduce us to their favorites. In the famous style of “he said, she said”, we have decided to review their choices ourselves and post our critique side-by-side with theirs. Look out for the reviews and let us know whether you agree!

Should Walmart acquire Tommy Hilfiger? There is no doubt that the clothes will sell. Walmart always sells. Reports from AdAge and BusinessWeek today claim that this may “boost [Walmart’s] fashion credibility” and “it could be a win-win for both brands.” However, it is certainly possible that both brands will lose. Together, Walmart and Tommy Hilfiger could join forces to obliterate the struggling Hilfiger clothing brand.
Over the past few years, Tommy Hilfiger has slowly eroded its identity. Today, the brand is no longer a high-end fashion label but a collection of confusing line extensions. Further, [...]

Melodramatic title aside, the envisioned future of an entirely broadband linked United States may be in jeopardy. An article in Forbes titled, “Broadband Growth Narrows In U.S.” states, “[a]fter years of double-digit growth, the rate at which Americans are switching to high-speed broadband Internet connections is slowing considerably and could slow further.” A study from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development performed in December 2004 found that only 13 out of 100 residents in the U.S. subscribed to broadband Internet. This year, that number grew at a “statistically insignificant” rate according to John B. Horrigan, research [...]

Shortly after GM unveiled a new line of SUVs to lukewarm reviews, Ford Motor Co. countered by announcing an increase in alternative-fueled vehicle production. Bill Ford said, “We know that our customers are concerned about energy.” “Our job is to alleviate some of their concerns with viable options in their choice of transportation.” Ford plans to release four new ethanol-fueled cars and trucks in 2006 and five new hybrids in 2008. Additionally, Ford will launch a new advertising campaign and internal initiative this fall focusing on innovation. Maybe Wieden + Kennedy has some extra footage [...]

As hurricane Rita approaches the Gulf Coast, oil prices are again on the rise. With gas nearly $3 per gallon, consumers will have much less to spend this holiday season. According to reports from the National Retail Federation and consulting company Ernst & Young, retailers are likely to mark down prices earlier this year to attract cost-conscious consumers and beat the effects of winter heating oil costs. Similarly, analysts suggest that holiday advertising will start as early as next month.
This holiday season, retailers are likely to cut margins not marketing.
Read more at USAToday.com

While sitting in my hotel room working on my next article for IF, I started to feel uneasy. As I proofread the last few lines that I wrote, I realized that my writing reflected this mood. The words sounded forced as if I were trying too hard to prove my point.
I took a break from writing and walked downstairs to the lobby. Immediately, I arrived at several conclusions that I was struggling with in my room. I was sure that there was an explanation for this phenomenon and returned to my room to scour the Internet.

This afternoon approximately 100,000 commuters exited the Queens Midtown Tunnel in New York to see nothing! No, Long Island did not disappear in a David Copperfield-esque stunt. The first and most visible billboard was totally blank. The absence of color on this board was quite powerful and demanded attention.

Home Depot and the Red Cross teamed up to collect donations for Katrina Victims. While collaborations between large companies and non-profit agencies happen all the time, they usually come up with drab (read safe) marketing ideas. This new collaboration developed and executed by the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) is anything but ordinary. The idea: the MTA placed donation buckets branded with the Home Depot and Red Cross logos at each tollbooth along the Maine Turnpike.