Urban Decay - Making Up Technology

Technology and make-up are not two words that you would often see in the same sentence. However, cosmetic giants, Urban Decay, have decided to change this by releasing a new innovative make-up palette.

Along with 16 eyeshadows, mascara, liquid eyeliner and eyeshadow primer the palette comes with a mirror, a smartphone dock, a speaker and a connecting cable. Also contained in the box is a card with 5 QR codes that you can scan with your smartphone to download step-by-step make-up tutorials. Each respective tutorial shows the customer how to create a certain look using Urban Decay products contained within the palette.

In an attempt to capitalize on the increasingly popular trend of watching 'how-to' videos, Urban Decay have launced this product which now makes it simple and convenient for their customers to learn new make-up techniques. Furthermore, the tutorials promote the use of Urban Decay products compared to online tutorials which usually combine a number of cosmetic brands.

For anyone interested in purchasing the product it is currently available in House of Fraser, Dundrum.

Bestie's Bar

With so much made in the media presently about the dangers that alcohol poses in today's society, has the announcement of the latest celebrity endorsement of alcohol and its consumption gone a step too far?

I have no problem with the mention of Patron and Hennessy in the songs of musicians around the world. I have no issue with Dublin Football captain Bryan Cullen announcing that he will see everyone in Coppers tonight after a fantastic All-Ireland final victory. I do, however, have concerns with Calum Best announcing that he will be opening a George Best themed pub in Dublin's city centre. For a man who so sadly joined the whole world in watching his fathers career demise and who subsequently died at the age of 59 having publicly and privately battled alcoholism, I ask the question; why endorse this?

I agree that the memory of George Best and his achievements should live on for years, and his son should undoubtedly be proud of his father but why not a cafe, a shop or a museum?

Calum's endorsement has reportedly upset members of Best's family, including his sister Barbara who set up the George Best foundation to help people struggling with alcohol abuse. The areas of alcohol sponsorship and celebrity endorsement of alcohol brands are being discussed more and more in media and marketing. Many query whether both encourage under age drinking and over consumption.

People should consume alcohol responsibly and enjoy the products on offer. But the business men and women who run the industry and develop the marketing strategies to promote their brands and establishments must be more conscious of who is seeing their message and what those messages are. I look forward to the opening of Bestie's bar and Calum's endorsement provided the focus is on responsible drinking. I think with hindsight that is what George would want too. Article references can be found at; http://goo.gl/RzemJ

2011 Rugby World Cup

With 1 billion people tuning into the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup, sponsorship revenue is a vital part of the sporting event. Therefore, protecting the sponsors Heineken, Emirates, Microsoft and Range Rover from guerrilla marketing is a vital element of major sports event.

In the past two decades, ambush marketing, where a brand establishes an unauthorised association with the event has become one of the most significant problems facing rights, holders and sponsors of major sporting events.

Examples of ambush marketing that occurred at previous world cups include, a Tongan player changing his name by deed poll to Paddy Power in order to promote the national team’s sponsorship by the bookmaker. The IRB did not accept the name change and, following this, the Tongan squad members dyed their hair bright green before the team’s match against England. In the end, the dye was removed prior to kick-off.

Another example was at the soccer World Cup in South Africa, 36 orange-clad Dutch women were removed from Holland’s game with Denmark and arrested under legislation relating to merchandise marks. They were accused of an ambush campaign to promote Dutch brewer Bavaria’s Orange beer. Anheuser-Busch’s Budweiser was the official beer for the tournament.

Aside from advertising revenue I was surprised to find out that although organisers are aiming to make 269 million dollars from 1.36million tickets sales, New Zealand will incur a direct loss from hosting the event, Therefore the benefits will have to be indirect such as short and long-term boosts to the tourism industry or a lift in national confidence after the horrific damage that was cased due to the recent earthquake.

New Zealand will record a direct loss from the event, estimated at $40 million dollars which will be shared equally between the Government and the New Zealand Rugby Union. The projected deficit does not include capital costs associated with the rebuilding and refurbishment of stadiums and other non-operational costs.