Each month we publish a series of four marketplace specific Trend Tracker newsletters that take a quick topical look into the banking, snacking, telecom and tourism industries. While we sometimes look at traditional stuff like new campaigns and promotions, we really tend to focus on interesting insights that relate to emerging technologies, digital and social happenings and consumer behavior.

Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the respective links.

Banking

• Pageonce Powers Personal Finance On Any Smart Phone
• DBS Bank To Crowdsource Gen Y Branch Concepts
• Belgium Bank Runs First QR Code Bank Commercial
• New Tools Allow Consumers To Window Shop Banks
• MasterCard Launches iPhone App To Compete With PayPal
• Walmart Takes Another Step Toward Banking
• Virtual Goods Boom In 2010
• Keybank Offers iPod Touch To Entice New Customers
• Zendough Calms Personal Financial Management

Snacking

• 7-Eleven Lure Snacking Gamers With Virtual Goods
• PepsiCo Seeks Media Start-Ups For PepsiCo10
• Make Your Own Candy At Hershey’s Chocolate World
• Dreyer’s Ice Cream Adds Mobile To The Marketing Mix
• New Ben & Jerry’s Flavors Debut At Target, Taste Like Volunteering
• Kettle Chips Launches “Loud Food Club”
• Klondike Multi-Screen Effort Taps Mobile To Engage Customers
• Mars Adds A Pretzel To M&M’s
• Why Do Consumers Visit CPG Websites?

Telecom

• Thermoelectric Willies Charge Festival-Goers Phones
• Nokia And Heroes Creator Team For Good
• Sprint Demonstrates 4G Through IGN Gaming Community
• Puma Introduces Solar Smart Phone
• 70,000 People Were There. Where You One Of Them?
• Sony’s Move Into Web TV
• V-me And Verizon Provide On-The-Go Video For Spanish Speakers
• Samsung Launches Low-Cost Solar Phone
• Phone Booths Repurposed To Charge Electric Cars

Tourism

• Six Flags Launches Funactic Badge With Foursquare
• American Express Survey Shows Variety Of Summer Travel Plans
• Hotel Offers Cultural Night School For Guests
• Where’s My Tip – A Cashless Way To Tip When You Travel
• Chicago Marriott Creates Some Serious Buzz
• New Zealand Crowdsources Expats To Promote Tourism
• Hotel’s Splitsville Package Sweetens Sudden Singleness
• Dutch Auto Association Touring France In Shop On Wheels
• Pantone Expands From Color Services To Hotels

For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or our other monthly newsletter, Generational News and Views — just drop David Stutts an e-mail at david.stutts@luckie.com

Each month we publish a series of four marketplace specific Trend Tracker newsletters that take a quick topical look into the banking, snacking, telecom and tourism industries. While we sometimes look at traditional stuff like new campaigns and promotions, we really tend to focus on interesting insights that relate to emerging technologies, digital and social happenings and consumer behavior.

Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the respective links.

Banking

• ATM Machines Offer Embedded Charity
• AMEX Puts Plastic In Teens Pockets
• ATM Finder With Augmented Reality
• Piggymojo Makes Saving Money Social And Fun
• Paying Offline For Virtual Online Purchases
• Chase Revamps Mobile Banking Service
• Swipely Enters Social Shopping Field
• Mobile Banking: Early Signs Of Huge Trend
• PayPal Powers In-App Payments For Android Developers

Snacking

• Retailer Issues Bonds To Be Repaid With Chocolate
• Stride Introduces Flavor Changing Gum
• Ghirardelli Asks Consumers To Explore The Dark Side
• G4 Lends A Hand To Nestlé’s Campy Butterfinger Search
• Kraft Targeting Facebook Ads At Latina Moms
• Mountain Dew Asks Fans To Crowdsource Media Buys
• Bulls-Eye Urges Bold Choices For BBQ Fans
• Pringles Combats Oversharing On Facebook
• Promoting A Potato Chip Using Many Farmers

Telecom

• Verizon Wireless Unveils 2D Bar Code Initiatives
• Cell Phone In New Role: Loyalty Card
• Nokia Bicycle-Powered Phone Charger
• Layer Launches New Augmented Reality Browser
• iPhone App Lets Users Earn Cash For Small Tasks
• Android OS Now Outselling iPhone OS
• Sprint Debuts First 4G Phone
• Gifts By Text Message
• Comcast To Debut Social Networking Site

Tourism

• PA Tourism Checks In On Foursquare
• Chicago Asks Visitors To Recreate Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Via Foursquare
• Margaritaville Hotel To Open In Florida
• Hotels.Com Unveils Augmented Reality Project
• Nebraska Asks Tourists To Fill Passport
• Most Visited Travel Websites
• Tourism Australia Crowdsources New Travel Inspiration Site
• South Africa Getting Ads From The Masses
• Starwood Hotels Holds Global Social Media Scavenger Hunt
• Niche Travel Tours For Late Sleepers
• Google Moves Into Online Travel Business
• Macy’s Presents Itself As A Tourist Destination

For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or our other monthly newsletter, Generational News and Views — just drop David Stutts an e-mail at david.stutts@luckie.net

Each month we publish a series of four marketplace specific Trend Tracker newsletters that take a quick topical look into the banking, snacking, telecom and tourism industries. While we sometimes look at traditional stuff like new campaigns and promotions, we really tend to focus on interesting insights that relate to emerging technologies, digital and social happenings and consumer behavior.

Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the respective links.

Banking

•   Mobile Spenders Can Put Their Own Face On Virtual Cash
•   BofA Sponsors History Series; Replete With Examples Of Its Own Contributions To The Republic
•   WePay Helps Groups Share Expenses
•   In Protest, Americans Moving Their Money To Smaller Banks
•   Chase Sapphire Trailblazes New Ad Units Within New York Times iPad App
•   Bank Of America Rolls Out Texting Option
•   Starbucks Card Can Now Be Managed Via Facebook
•   Warren Buffet Becomes Cartoon Character To Teach Kids About Money
•   Amex Promo Helps Thank Admins

Snacking

•   Linking Customer Loyalty With Social Networking
•   Meet The Ecoist Frito-Lay Collection
•   Barnum’s Animal Crackers Go Designer For A Cause
•   Coke Taps Facebook Profiles For Earth Month Push
•   Good News If You Love That White Castle Smell
•   Kraft Heads To The Big Screen
•   Starbucks Launches However-You-Want-It Frappuccino Blended Beverage
•   Kraft Prepares To Launch iVend Machines

Telecom
•   Walmart Gets The Word Out On New Phone Service
•   Sprint Launches NFL 2010 Live App
•   Oprah Declares No Phone Zone Day
•   Sprint And Samsung Further Green Efforts With Restore
•   Blackberry Tablet Device To Arrive In 2011?
•   LG Partners With Iron Man 2 To Launch First Android Phone
•   Verizon Wireless To Offer Kin Phone
•   Nokia’s Ovi App Wizard Simplifies App Creation For The Masses

Tourism
•   Roadside America App Entertains And Connects
•   KLM Uses Facebook For Luggage Gag Promo
•   Travel Agents Bid On Consumer’s Dream Trips
•   Travel: On Sale Now
•   CarRentals.Com Takes The iPhone For A Spin
•   Curious Minds Check In With Fairmont’s Apprentice-Trips
•   High On The Travel Itinerary: Meet The People
•   Taking The Stumbleupon Idea And Putting It In Travel
•   Hotel Concierges Equipped With iPads
•   Post Recession Online Travel Trends
•   The Search Is On For England’s Best Minute

For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or our other monthly newsletter, Generational News and Views — just drop David Stutts an e-mail at david.stutts@luckie.net

Welcome to the Luckie Fifty 2010, the third edition of our annual list of digital travel/tourism destinations that we have found to be both interesting and essential to know if you want to stay connected with how leisure travelers are approaching their vacations these days. This year’s edition focuses on mobile travel apps that help plan, entertain and help you figure out what to do, when you get to where you’re going.
 

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Each month we publish a series of four marketplace specific Trend Tracker newsletters that take a quick topical look into the banking, snacking, telecom and tourism industries. While we sometimes look at traditional stuff like new campaigns and promotions, we really tend to focus on interesting insights that relate to emerging technologies, digital and social happenings and consumer behavior.

Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the respective links.

Banking

• Paypal Lets Users Bump Phones To Transfer Money
• Only 30 Finance Category iPad Apps Available On Launch Day
• Capital One Runs Ads Within Menupages.Com Mobile App
• Verizon Ramps Up Online Payments
• Coke Vending Machine Uses Finger Pulse Recognition To Sell Soda
• Triodes Bank: Socially Responsible Banking
• Citigroup Faces Consumers On The Web
• Show Mi The Money: Latino Credit Union Making Loans
• Keybank Sponsors Snuggies Guinness World Record

Snacking

• Frito-Lay Creates Digital Collage
• Domino’s Recruits Online Fans To Sell Pizza
• Leafy Snack Foods Are The Latest Way To Get Veggies
• Snickers Ties Mobile Game To In-Store Marketing
• UK Dr Pepper Uses Social Media To Ask What’s The Worst That Could Happen
• Coke Vending Machine Uses Finger Pulse Recognition To Sell Soda
• Funky Monkey Runs Twitter Sweeps
• It’s One Stop Snacking With Beer Chips
• Odwalla Mixes Juice, Live Music And Facebook

Telecom

• Furniture Surface Charges Mobile Devices Wirelessly
• Verizon Wireless And Skype Intro Free Mobile Calling
• Sprint Urges People To Recycle Cell Phones
• Google’s Search Supremacy Takes On The TV
• Verizon Ramps Up Online Payments
• Docomo Introduces “Separable” Phone
• Fandango Sets Up Paperless Tickets In Eight Cities
• FiOS Reveals Mobile Remote For Consumers
• Smart Phone Meets Smart Charge

Tourism

• Everytrail: See The Terrain Before Booking It
• Fairmont Launches Online Photo And Video Sharing Portal
• Mobile Users Eager For Travel Apps
• Iceland Pushes Tourism Via Friend Requests
• Travelocity Takes Spin On Chatroulette
• Augmented Reality Travel Apps Bolster Smart Phones
• MapEnvelope: It’s What’s On The Inside That Counts
• Adventures For Non-Sighted Travelers
• Tennessee Tourism Pros Target Moms To Sell Attractions

For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or our other monthly newsletter, Generational News and Views — just drop David Stutts an e-mail.

The following is a press release excerpt from our Alabama Tourism client regarding a strong social media program Luckie helped concept and develop:

Alabama Tourism has launched a Facebook fan page for 215 cities participating in the “Year of Small Towns and Downtowns.” The Great Alabama Homecoming makes it easy to become a fan of the towns, find information about homecoming events and RSVP for the celebrations.

The Facebook site provides an innovative “Great Alabama Homecoming” state map that highlights participating towns for quick access to each event. Each city is located on the map with a historic marker icon. A simple click on the icon takes visitors to the fan pages of each town. More than 12,000 Facebook users have already become fans of the small towns and several cities already have more than 1,000 fans.

You can read the full release here.

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

Each month we publish a series of four marketplace specific Trend Tracker newsletters that take a quick topical look into the banking, snacking, telecom and tourism industries. While we sometimes look at traditional stuff like new campaigns and promotions, we really tend to focus on interesting insights that relate to emerging technologies, digital and social happenings and consumer behavior.

Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the respective links.

 Banking Tracker

• Beta Stock Portfolio Unites Most Loved Brands
• Mash-Up Takes The Pain Out Of Filing Taxes
• Could Twitter Kill Credit Cards?
• Buxter Money Transfer Service Launches On Facebook
• Zoompass Launches Contactless Mobile Payments Test In Canada
• Parents Teaching Kids Money Values
• More Than 100 Banks To Launch P2P Payments Service In First Half Of 2010
• Buzzworthy At The Bank: A Hybrid Credit And Debit Card
• AMEX Partners With AirTran On Open Savings

Snacking Tracker

• Chocolate With A Conservation Commitment
• Skinny Cow Uses Facebook To Focus On Quality
• 2009 Top Ten Coupon Categories
• Wonder Bread Takes A Bit Out Of Mobile
• Dunkin’ Taps Twitter For Waffle Sandwich Promo
• Odwalla Strikes Deal With All 50 State Parks
• Nineteen Kit Kat Flavors And Counting
• Del Monte Cultivating Vending Machines
• Greeting Card Folds Out Into Living Garden

Telecom Tracker

• New Concept Phone Uses Coke For Battery Power
• Sony Developing Playstation Smart Phone
• LG Urges Youngsters To Think Before They Text
• New Sprint Work Takes On Verizon And AT&T
• Mobile Phones Are Going Postal With Postcard Upgrades
• Nokia Helps Runners Track Their Miles
• App Designed To Keep Motormouths In Check
• Zoompass Launches Contactless Mobile Payments In Canada

Tourism Tracker

• Nike’s True City App Gives Inside Scoop
• Weston Opens Storefront On Amazon
• Spain Offers Free Trips Via Facebook Contest
• Airport Rideshare Continuing To Grow
• TripTracker App Relieves Frequent Data Entering Fatigue
• VisitMobile App Puts Visitors Bureaus In Control
• Panama City Beach Gets Social To Lure Wild Co-Eds
• Stowe Mountain Resort Rewards Loyalists Via Mobile
• New Global Review Directory For Medical Tourists

For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or our other monthly newsletter, Generational News and Views — just drop David Stutts an e-mail.

A great article in USAToday about Luckie’s latest efforts for our Alabama Tourism client. The story is a quick snapshot of “The Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns” which just kicked off as a yearlong tourism push for 2010. To support this effort, we created traditional advertising such as TV and print as well as a slew of digital work including; social media, Web site design, SEO, banner and mobile Web.

A big part of this effort is a state-wide event we created called The Great Alabama Homecoming. A total of 215 communities, ranging in size from Mooresville, population 54, to Birmingham, population 300,000, have scheduled events throughout the year.

These communities have been encouraged to create campaigns inviting former residents and guests to return for celebrations that will be staged under a variety of names. Events such as Demopolis’s Christmas on the River, Hartselle’s Depot Days and Ozark’s Claybank Jamboree are well established, while Jacksonville, Ashland, Gulf Shores and York will host events organized specifically for this year’s homecoming theme. Natives of Ensley, long absorbed by Birmingham, will have a function at Tuxedo Junction.

More information can be found at www.alabamahomecoming.com

Each month David Stutts looks at the emerging trends and stories in the industries of Luckie’s major clients. These provide insights of interest to even those outside of the particular businesses. Read below for the headline stories in each report and download the reports for free by clicking on the title boxes.

Headlines from the October TrendTracker Report:

·Starbucks Debuts iPhone App, Testing Mobile Payment
·Fifth Third Bundles ID Theft & Credit Monitoring
·Firstbank Hides Free Checking, Sorta
·Credit Union Appeals To Youth With Web, Mobile Plan
·Vantage Credit Union Is First To Tap Twitter For Transactional Banking
·Chase Effort Highlights New Small Business Cards
·The Future Of Targeting Gen Y With P2P Payments
·Visa Launches Educational Video Game
·Banking Customers Are Waiting

·Perky Jerky: The Wide-Awake Meat Treat
·Sakes If Potato Chips Thriving In Recession
·Hostess Dangles $1M In Halloween Promotion
·Vitaminwater Enlists Fans In Creating New Flavor
·Inspiring Random Acts Of Kindness
·Doritos Ad Contest Raises The Stakes To $5 Million
·Fullbar Serves Up Non-Surgical Weight Loss
·New Wheaties Fuel Targets Athletic Men
·Doritos Returns With An Insane Follow-Up To Hotel 626

·Augmented Reality App Helps Road Warriors Find A Place To Work
·Niche Price Comparison Meets Analysis
·A Telecom That Pay You Back – Stealthily
·Robo.To Asks Users To Update Themselves With Video
·Verizon Wireless, MTV Team On Vampire Series
·It’ll Keep You Warm And Charge Your Cell Phone
·Sprint Launches “Viral” Videos
·Nokia Invites Users To Create Their Own Widget
·Verizon Addresses Digital Dating Abuse With Teens

·Green London Gives Tourists A Different City View
·Iowa Town “Arrests” Traveler, Offers Free Meals And Lodging
·Wisconsin Tourism Promotes Smaller Breweries
·Disney Offers Free Entry To 1 Million Volunteers
·Motel 6 Offers Free Rooms To Three Rock Bands
·Universal Lifts The Veil On Harry Potter Park
·Communal Pathways Power OpenStreetMaps
·HotelsByMe Launches Location-Based App To Help Travelers
·Brands To Take Turns Running Airport Store

David Stutts is Luckie’s VP/Director of Brand Planning. For a free subscription to Trend Trackers — or David’s other monthly report, Generational News and Views — just drop him an e-mail.

Over the past few months, Luckie strategists David Stutts and David Griner have been asked to speak to tourism-related groups about the evolution of travel planning and marketing.

Now you can read the presentation in its entirety (minus the wit and charm of the presenters) on the SlideShare deck below. It’s essentially divided into two parts: a look back at how the Internet changed travel, followed by case studies on how marketers have used social media to connect with the modern traveler:

For even more tourism smarts, be sure to download The Luckie 50, our annual roster of the most interesting and useful travel-related sites.

David Stutts is Luckie’s VP/Director of Brand Planning, and David Griner is our Social Media Strategist. Here’s their contact info, in case you’d like to get in touch with either:

David Stutts | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn

David Griner | E-mail | Twitter | Blog | SlideShare | LinkedIn