Creative

Home improvement store Lowe's has a new 30-second ad called Coloring Book, which imagines a house in the pages with decorations and fixtures that become real as its inhabitants draw their ideas on the paper.

State of the Social Universe: What Marketers Should Keep in Mind, from 4 Experts Who Can Help You Reach for the Stars

They shared their insights on where things are now, what trends are emerging, what marketers need to emphasize, and how they can make the most of it all. Sections include:

1) Drive the Mobile Vehicle Smartly, and Honor Your Email Opt-In Relationships
- Sara Meaney President, Strategy & Growth, Hanson Dodge Creative

2) It's About Location, Location, Location: Know Where Your Customer Is
- Asif Khan Founder and president of the Location Based Marketing Association

3) On the Rise: Social Intelligence
- Doug Camplejohn CEO of Fliptop

4) Start - and End - with Your Content
- Ann Handley Chief content officer for MarketingProfs

The way we communicate is moving-literally. Smart phones are outselling PCs, and tablet sales are expected to outpace desktop sales by 2013. But although the screens may be smaller, the possibilities for engagement are larger than ever.

You'll find the following covered in this handy whitepaper:

- What Does Mocial Mean for Marketers?
- Determining Your Mocial Strategy and Goals
- Growing Your Email Database Through Social and Mobile
- Making Email More Social
- Extending the Reach of Social and Mobile
- Deploying Integrated Programs Across Email, Social and Mobile

American Apparel has confirmed that the model featured in its "photoshop mishap" in which the model had a black stomach with a white hand in the pocket was wearing a bodysuit. A zoomed-in product shot for the retailer's Poly-Viscose School Boy Pant reveals the hand stuffed in the pants pocket is a blatantly different skin color than the midriff behind it. 

The Association for Retail Environments has recognized Louis Vuitton's Island Maison store in Singapore as store of the year for being the best in retail design, store fixtures and visual presentation. Designed by New York-based Peter Marino Architect, the entire space reflects a nautical theme consistent with its location and with the brand's historical association with travel.

Zappos.com, a leading online destination for apparel and footwear, today announces the launch of its new Emerging Designer Program, a program developed internally by Zappos employees for up-and-coming fashion designers looking to take their designs to a whole new level. The Emerging Designer Program provides talented people with the big break that every aspiring designer hopes for but so few get — the opportunity to sell their line at a major retailer.

J.C. Penney unveiled a new corporate logo yesterday, giving the store its third in as many years. The new branding evokes the American flag but jettisons everything else that was familiar about the company's last two logos.

Just got off a train? Need a place to stay? Come into the Ikea apartment. The ever-innovative company set up a temporary flat in a Parisian metro station for five people to live in for six days. The idea is to show Parisians how much they can do with 54 square meters if they use Ikea stylings.

Lackluster, nondescript and misinformed creative is a problem that’s actually getting worse despite the sophisticated tools creatives have at their fingertips. This malady is rampant in the design world. It’s often caused by thoughtlessness or lack of experience or training on the part of those who are given the job of design, copy and production of your email program, catalog or website.

When you’re selling your house, you plant flowers in the front yard, keep the lawn mowed and maybe touch up the trim with fresh paint. Your home’s curb appeal catches prospective buyers’ interest as they drive by. You have just a few seconds to convince them to step on the brake instead of hitting the gas. The same principle applies to your catalog covers.