This is a really weird move for Taco Bell.  The content doesn't really relate but the implementation is cool.  You can pick locations and limited actions for the model and then proceed to take your own takeaway photographs from the the shoot.  The controls are limited to zooming in and cropping, but the play control sells through.  I can't help but notice it looks remarkably close the the Pokemon game that came out for 64 awhile back.  Check it out:
http://www.directdaniella.com/
 
 

Sherwin Williams is spitting out gems with their color picking site.  If you're in the market for buying paint this is a great visualization resource.  You can choose from different rooms and different styles of rooms- apply your paint schemes, and build a shopping list.  You can even get daring and paint the ceiling and trim.
http://sherlink.sherwin.com/swapp/color_visualizer/index.jsp

Here’s the basics, it’s pretty simple:

1. Go to www.hawthorneblog.com, click the “Create new account” link and create an account using your full name as username. You can upload a picture of yourself if you like. Remember your username and password as you’ll need to be logged in to your account to post content.

Check out the sample page peel ad in the upper-right corner. This is the default out-of-the-box sample of a new drupal module: http://drupal.org/project/pageear. I've seen page peels with videos under the peel which I think we could do by cleverly replacing the art assets.

Great news to graphics enthusiasts everywhere!  Photoshop, the industry standard in computer graphics software is now free.  Sorta.  Except it's not.  And it's slow.  In all fairness, this free version is really just testing the waters, and it's not meant to replace the full CS3 version currently out there.  I can't say I'm a fan though, it's just not very powerful or responsive and it feels like someone ripped the engine out of my car.  Feel free to check it out though:https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html

The DRTV and Infomercial industry has had a history of scams and fast buck artists. Why? DRTV is an easy way to get immense mass media exposure (and revenues!) quickly - no matter whether you've got a legitimate product or a bogus one  And as long as I've been in the business (24 years), there's always a new article to be written with the age old Caveat Emptor warning.  As there should be. 
 

The creepiest robot... EVER.
Yeah technology is great when it works... but it doesn't always, and sometimes it falls off the grid. When it's a toaster it's annoying, but when it's a giant walking monster- there's a good chance it's hunting you. I'm betting this will fuel a few nightmares over the next few weeks at least.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww

Last evening I conducted a Hawthorne Videoactive Report TV interview with John Yarrington, Publisher of Response Magazine, about his new web site www.asseenonresponsetv.com. John and Adam Carrillo, Response's National Account Executive, braved canceled flights, lost luggage and a 5 hour car trip from Chicago to Fairfield, Iowa in time for dinner and a fascinating demo of their exciting new venture. 
 

www.hawthorneblog.mobi serves up a mobile version of this site using a Drupal theme, http://drupal.org/project/mobi, and module, http://drupal.org/project/mobi_loader. I had to hack the module to work in Drupal 6.0 and tweak the theme.
 

Today we're starting a Hawthorne Direct blog -- all the news and views on integrated response advertising from our Hawthorne staff, that's fit to post.