The Big Fat Marketing Blog

Full disclaimer here: Lego really doesn’t need to do anything else to build brand loyalty in our house. I have two little boys, and Santa brought a lot of Legos down our chimney at Christmas. My husband grew up loving Lego, and has a flair for building just about anything the kids request (I’m rubbish at Legos but I get the appeal.)

I’m guessing a lot of Lego’s customer base is in the same situation. But that doesn’t mean the toy maker isn’t trying to make those relationships stronger.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like….the time to panic because you got snowed in over the weekend and have three days to finish your Christmas shopping.

Yep, I was out with the hordes yesterday, making a few last minute purchases. And, as always, all the salespeople were merry and bright.

No, really. Seriously. For the most part, they actually were.

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We’re four days away from Christmas, so you’ll be forgiven if you think the biggest controversy in the toy box is the scarcity of Zhu Zhu Pets.

Earlier this year, Mattel subsidiary American Girl has introduced a new doll this season named “Gwen.” And yes, like all the AG gals, you can take her for tea parties and to get her hair done and whatever else you do with American Girls.

But Gwen differs from her plastic sisters in a very important way: Her character is homeless, which has stirred up a bit of attention, to say the least.

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A few months back, my colleague Ken Magill wrote about a mailing he received for the Visa Black Card.

My husband received that mailing too, and like Ken, we thought it was fairly ludicrous.

I always thought that the color of money was green. But judging by the Black Card and two other mailings we recently received, there are apparently many other hues.

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Now, before any robot anti-defamation groups start up with the angry cards and letters, let me make one thing clear: I love robots.

I’m a geek. Of course, I love robots and artificial lifeforms of all types. Data from “Star Trek: The Next Generation?” He’s great. The robot dog K-9 from “Doctor Who?” I’d love to have a robot dog. (Seriously. If you can get me one, call me.)

But robocalls, especially from politicians? No, thank you.

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Oh my goodness. So many nasal/ad lingo puns, I just don’t know where to start.

This is nothing to sneeze at. Forget wanting eyeballs—they want noses. This isn’t a bind-in media, it’s a blow-in media.

Okay, I’m done with that. I think.

Toronto’s Achoo Media launched a new product earlier this week, tissue pack advertising. And why not? As we continue to barrel through the cold and flu season, everybody has a pack on their person, so it seems like a good way to hit consumers where they sniffle.

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