If you’re like me, you’re inevitably stuck in THE slowest checkout lane.  Trying to outsmart the system by getting in the ’12 items or less’ lane is futile; without fail the person in front of you has 20 items.  It’s the 21^st century; if we can’t have flying cars and jetpacks, can’t there at least be a better way for me to pick up eggs and milk without killing half an hour?

The answer is yes—and it’s called ‘Scan It’.  Dubbed the ‘future of shopping,’ Scan It systems are smartphone look-a-likes that enable shoppers to scan and keep a running tab on purchases while navigating the aisles. On top of that, a handful of times per shopping trip, the device lets out a “Ka-ching” accompanied by an electronic coupon for the shopper to use.  When it’s time to pay, Scan It shoppers either go to a self-checkout station to upload their bill and pay, or hand the device over to a cashier. Read More »

Clearly marketing is very important, and the activities we as marketers do have monumental impact on the world (okay, so maybe we’re a little biased). But, even the most passionate among us could agree with the sentiment: ‘It’s not like we’re curing cancer.’  When it comes to marketing innovation approaches, however, perhaps we should think of it in the same way they are starting to think about curing cancer.

For instance, have you seen the Cancer Commons app that is generating buzz (and hope) among the science community?  Essentially it’s a Web application that enables cancer patients, doctors and researchers to connect with each other to share the best possible information and resources.  In the words of its creator, cancer survivor Marty Tenenbaum: Read More »