You know they have an app for that

It seems that every brand is beginning to do something different, something that pushes themselves further out of the box. With the introduction of social media like Facebook, brands have found new ways to get their names out to the public. Applications, or "apps" as they are fondly known as, and limited edition Facebook gifts are just some of the ways brands are changing things up.

With every iPhone commercial I see, the more I want one, especially for the apps that you can download. There is literally an app for anything. From checking out the weather, to counting calories, to a glass of beer that magically disappears as you "pour" it into your mouth. Pointless, but if its free and gets a few laughs, it is worth it to download, thus supporting the brand and spreading the message. 

Another new media that has surfaced recently is the Facebook limited edition (usually free) "gifts". We spoke a lot about Obama today, and I remember that during the inauguration time period, there was an Obama gift. There have been many more before that and after. I have seen countless brands putting themselves on Facebook like this, too many to list. Along with brands, new movies are also releasing gifts. The most recent one I saw was for Friday the 13th, an image of Jason's hockey mask. A simple, easy Jpeg image that takes a brand somewhere that millions of people visit daily, and brings them to a more personal level. 

I never really thought about it before, but something like a ringtune would be a new form of media. Although this is something that is more novelty that we as consumers choose to do, its a great way for a one-hit wonder to make some extra royalty bucks. Its also another way for annoyingly popular songs to get even more airplay and give undeserving people even more money. I promise, I am not bitter...

In all, the more new and unique the idea, the better. Its always cool to see a brand pop up somewhere you wouldn't expect it to. Like in-game advertising. I still find that really exciting when a real brand is in the background. I look forward to seeing what advertiser's come up with next, the next time a brand pops up somewhere unexpected...