The following industries have gained prominence in recent years because they have followed smart and simple advertising strategies.

1. Hospitality

This industry encompasses the likes of resorts, hotels, clubs, attraction spots and restaurants. Those who become a part of this industry are required to have good people skills and should know how to think on their feet. The good news is that it is easy to get a job in this industry even if you do not have a degree in hand.

2. Retail

Every country, city and state is laced with retail outlets that sell every kind of merchandise under the sun. This industry is growing because people will never get enough of shopping and spending their money!

3. Real Estate

People have gotten marginally richer over the years which is why property prices have soared in a manner that can only be described as startling. Therefore, people are constantly looking to invest in real estate which is why there is a demand for property managers and dealers at any given time of the year.

4. Education

People have started understanding the importance of education and those who have the money do not think twice before opening training centers and schools. It is safe to say that this industry will stop growing only when humans are wiped off the face of the earth.

5. Media

Media as an industry has seen maximum growth over the past few years. This is because citizens today have become very conscious about having their voice be heard. Therefore, they become a part of newspapers and type out blog posts every chance they get. Also, there is a glamorous tag attached to this industry which is why it is as popular as it is.

6. Financial Sectors

People always need money- be it to start a business, buy a house or for education. However, this need has increased in recent years which is why one can find an excess of banks, insurance companies and stock brokerages in every part of the world.

7. Manufacturing

If companies that assemble cars and use chemicals need to do well, they have to depend on this particular company. They basically look into the development of newer compounds and elements so as to reach the top as far as competition is concerned.

8. Accounting

For a business to flourish, somebody needs to look over the specifics of the inflow and outflow of cash. This is exactly what accountants do- they record the expenditure and analyze past performance in order to determine whether the business has made a profit or a loss. It may be a boring job but because proprietors do not have time to look into each and every part of their business, they will always need you if you are good with numbers.

9. Transportation

These industries manage the movement of people and products from one place to another. They do extremely well because naturally, people cannot stay in one place! The growth is somewhat related to the tourism sector as well.

10. Information Technology

When the computer was created, it brought about a revolution and as they say, there is always room for improvement which is exactly what the IT sector strives for. They manage information and develop newer gadgets. As long as people need to store data and carry information around with them, this industry will reach greater heights every year!

Popularity: 5% [?]

These brands are powerful because they are both financially strong as well as popular among consumers.

1. Google

This brand is valued at about 66 billion dollars and is undoubtedly the most powerful brand in the world. This search engine was started by Sergey Brin and Larry Page in 1996. Google is known for its unique innovations and mind-boggling growth rate. Google has become so big that the term is now in the dictionary.

2. General Electric

General Electric has been valued at about 61 billion dollars which makes it the second most powerful in the world. GE looks into a number of spheres including industrial technology, information technology, financial services, oil, films and much more. GE is very popular in India as well.

3. Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation earns about 44 billion dollars on a yearly basis and its brand value is about 54 billion dollars. Bill Gates owns the brand and founded it in 1975. Microsoft provides employments to over 75,000 people across the globe and Gates is both feared and admired by competitors.

4. Coca-Cola

This brand has been valued at approximately 44.134 billion dollars which makes it the fourth most powerful in the world. The company was incorporated in 1892 by Asa Griggs Candler. It was later bought by Woodruff and Bradley. While it may not be the most powerful in the world, it is definitely the most well-known.

5. China Mobile

The brand has been valued at about 41 billion dollars and is the country’s largest mobile operator. It has over 290 million subscribers and its turnover is almost as much as Vodafone year after year. China Mobile is extremely popular in Hong Kong and is the largest there.

6. Marlboro

Marlboro is worth about 39 billion dollars and is undoubtedly the most popular cigarette brand in the world. The brand has monopolized the industry with its famous billboard and magazine advertisements.

7. Wal-Mart

This brand’s value has been estimated at about 36 billion dollars. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the United States of America and sells the largest number of toys in the country as well. It was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton and became a part of the stock exchange 10 years later. The company is now owned by his widow, his daughter and three sons.

8. Citi

Citi has a brand value of about 33 billion dollars and was formed in 1998 after a 140 billion dollar merger. This company was taken over in 1993 by Primerica and is world renowned for being the first- automobile policy, space travel policy as well as commercial airline policy. The company’s name changed to Citibank during the 1970s and Charles Prince is the CEO today.

9. International Business Machines Corporation

Also known as IBM, this multination company deals with computer technology. It has its headquarters in New York and has about 350,000 employees all over the world. IBM was established during the latter half of the 1880’s and became a part of the stock exchange after 1915.

10. Toyota

Toyota’s brand value is about 33 billion dollars, making it the 10^th most powerful in the world. It is a Japanese company and the world’s largest automobile manufacturer of buses, automobiles, robots and trucks. It has its headquarter in Aichi and generated about 179 billion dollars in terms of revenue during 2006. The present chairman is Fujio Cho and Katsuaki Watanabe is the CEO of the company.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Apple is known to create extremely stunning advertisements- both visually and in terms of design.

1. The Single Apple

One particular advert in a magazine showed the fruit against a simple beige background. It read- Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Apple computers are extremely basic and not adorned with complicated buttons and features like other computers. This was their USP initially and what made them so popular. The simple ad was stunning because it was plain and straightforward.

2. The Boring Man

This advertisement showed two men standing side by side. The one on the left wore a boring suit and glasses while the other wore a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The caption under the man with the suit read- I’m a PC and the other one read- I’m a Mac.

3. Paper Thin

When the Macbook air was launched, it was meant to be the thinnest laptop in the world. A magazine printed a screen on one side and the keyboard on the other which made the reader feel as though he was looking at a computer when he turned the page. The message was basic and simple- the Macbook air is as thin as paper.

4. Spyware

This advertisements showed the same two men standing side by side. The PC was wearing a trench coat and was under disguise while the other looked as cool as a cucumber. The PC said that he was trying to catch a virus which can enter the system and destroy it and encouraged the Mac to wear the false mustache and nose as well. The Mac says that he doesn’t need it as his system is strong enough.

5. The Pencil Test

Another advertisement by Apple showed a pair of hands holding a Macbook Pro and a pencil on its side. The verdict was simple- even the basic Mac laptop is as thin as a pencil and can be carried around without any difficulties.

6. Powerbook

This advertisement showed a woman using the Powerbook. The voiceover announced that the user could run the MS Dos software as well as the Macintosh software. The camera then pans out to show that the woman is using it at the Grand Canyon and it says “It lets you run away”.

7. Save Your Data

This advertisement showed Ellen Feis standing against a simple white background and talking about how she lost her homework assignment on her PC when the power went out. The advertisement ends by saying- switch to a Mac.

8. Think Different

This advertisements showed different people who changed the world including Einstein and Mahatma Gandhi. It was said that because they were crazy enough to believe, they changed the world. The Mac, similarly, encourages its users to think differently.

9. Easy to Use

This advertisement showed two overworked men trying to reboot a PC and change the settings in order to increase their productivity. A woman passes by and asks them how much longer they would be on as they had already spent 3 days on the process. A voice-over then says- “ if you want a computer that is easy to use “ while Apple’s logo flashes on-screen.

10. The Dial-Up

This advertisement was broadcast during the era when dial-up connections were used for the internet. It said that the first step was to connect the Mac’s plug into the outlet and the second step was to connect the telephone’s wire to the same outlet. The voice-over then laughed and said that there was no third step. And the Mac turned to show the following text- Say Hello to the iMac.

Popularity: 6% [?]

It is never fun filing for bankruptcy, but sometimes, it’s the only option you can think of. The following companies and individuals faced rough times and while some managed to walk out with dignity, the others were not as lucky.

1. Lehman Brothers

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. succumbed to the subprime mortgage crisis and became the biggest bankruptcy filing in history. The 158-year-old firm, filed a Chapter 11 petition with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan on September 15, 2008. The collapse of Lehman, which Pre-Bankruptcy Assets were more than US $639-billion. Lehman was forced into bankruptcy after Barclays PLC and Bank of America Corp. abandoned takeover talks.

2. Washington Mutual

Washington Mutual (WaMu), was a savings bank holding company and the former owner of Washington Mutual Bank, which was the United States’ largest savings and loan association until it became the largest bank failure in U.S. history for the time. WaMu, the 119-year-old Seattle-based thrift, sought Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on September 26, 2008 and according to court records WaMu listed more than 327.9 billion in assets in its bankruptcy filing.

3. WorldCom

WorldCom, founded in 1983 as LDDS Communications, the nation’s second-largest long-distance company and the largest handler of Internet data, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 21, 2002. The WorldCom filing had been anticipated since the company disclosed in late June that it had improperly accounted for more than $3.8 billion of expenses. The WorldCom filing listed more than $107 billion in assets.

4. General Motors

GM’s bankruptcy filing is the forth-largest in U.S. history and the largest for an industrial company. The company said it has $172.81 billion in debt and $82.29 billion in assets. After the Chapter 11 filing, effective  June 8, 2009, GM was removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and replaced by Cisco Systems.

5. CIT Group

Lender CIT Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Nov. 1, 2009 with listed $71 billion assets in its bankruptcy filing. Disruptions in the credit markets coupled with the global economic deterioration led to bankruptcy filling that also took other biggest financial institutions. The lender funded about 1 million businesses across US, Canada, Europe and Asia.

6. Enron

Enron was originally involved in transmitting and distributing electricity and natural gas throughout the United States. Enron Corp. filed for bankruptcy pursuant to Chapter 11 on December 2, 2001, with previously recorded assets of $63.4 billion. The Enron collapse caused significant losses to pension funds and shareholders. Because of Enron, accounting practices across the United States were called into question, and penalties and regulations were tightened for both banks and corporate legal businesses. Multiple international banks were sued for claims by creditors for allowing accounting fraud and all most were eventually settled.

7. Conseco

Conseco based in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, the nation’s 26th-largest life insurance company and finance giant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on December 17, 2002. The company collapsed under a huge debt load resulting from a rash of acquisitions. The filing by the company, with $52 billion in assets, led to the sale of its finance business.

8. Chrysler

Chrysler Group LLC, a U.S. based automobile manufacturer headquartered in the Detroit, Michigan filed a Chapter 11 petition  on April 30, 2009 and announced a plan for a partnership with Italian automaker Fiat. After months of living on government loans, the nation’s third-largest car manufacturer finally succumbed to bankruptcy  caused by higher fuel prices, the recession and customer that were moving away from the gas-guzzling SUVs that were once big money makers. Chrysler  previously recorded assets of $39 billion.

9. Thornburg Mortgage

Thornburg Mortgage Inc.,  an American publicly traded corporation headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1993, the company was focused on real estate investment, acquisition and managing mortgages, with an adjustable rate. During the recent Financial crisis the company experienced financial difficulties related to the ongoing subprime mortgages, and it filed for bankruptcy on April 1, 2009. The company listed $36.5 billion assets in its bankruptcy filing.

10. Pacific Gas and Electric

On April 6, 2001, Pacific Gas and Electric filed for Bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The company, a unit of PG&E Corp. provided natural gas and electric service to approximately 12 million people in Northern and Central California, or about one in every twenty Americans.  Nether parent firm, nor any of its other units were included or are affected by the filing. Deregulation of electricity market and massive debt led to its bankruptcy protection. The company listed $36 billion assets in its bankruptcy filing.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Contrary to what people like to believe, global warming is not a myth- the situation is getting worse as we speak. The environment is in great danger and it is our job to preserve it by using the products of the following pro-green companies that propagate healthy environmental practices. Today, the debate on Global Warming elicits a mixed bag of responses – some believe it is not as serious as it is depicted by the media, while some feel the exact opposite. Here are ten companies which strongly feel for the environment.

1. 3six5 green

3 six 5 is basically three hundred and sixty five and the green part comes in because the company is passionate about living in an eco-friendly manner all through the year (365 days). They give beautiful calendars to their customers which include photographs and tips that list out how a lay man can save the planet. Their products are bio-degradable and the popular ones include jute rugs and jewelry made with bamboo and terracotta.

2. 420 Hemp Shop

This retail store has a respectable reputation as it is a conscientious and dependable member of the community. Their main aim is to promote the benefits of sustainable resources and simultaneously address the most prominent issues that surround the planet.

3. A.R.E Naturals

A.R.E Naturals’ mission is to protect and propagate the values of a ‘green life’. Their products are handmade, recyclable, sustainable and 100% organic. Those who supply to their store are aware of the fact that they ultimately need to give back what they have taken from the planet.

4. Athena Environmental Sciences, Inc.

This company specializes in the production and research of those products that are eco-friendly with the help of biotechnology. They collaborated with the U.S. Coast Guard for the purpose of creating a system for paint removal that was both effective and biodegradable. Athena Environmental Sciences, Inc. has created products like MagiGlue and MuckPuck.

5. Wallaby Boomerangs

Wallaby Boomerangs produces sturdy and natural boomerangs and has been in business since 1993. These boomerangs are handcrafted and made using bamboo. The varnish and paint used is ecological and biodegradable.

6. Honeypot Luminaries

This company creates beeswax globes which need to be affixed with low wattage bulbs. Each globe is hand-crafted and the ingredients used to create the aromatic oils are completely eco-friendly.

7. Bottled Up Designs

This eco-friendly company makes jewellery by hand from glass pieces picked up from dumps and rural farmlands. Every piece is unique, historical and recycled.

8. Ecobabble

This company’s mission is to create clothes that are at par with the fashion and trends but do not compromise on the needs of the environment. The material used is recycled and usually contains 50% cotton and 50% polyester. The polyester is made by crushing material that is found in dumps and mixed with eco-friendly bi-products.

9. Renewable Energy Pottery

Renewable Energy Pottery uses potters wheels that make use of solar, hydro and wind energy. They make vessel sinks, tiles, bird houses, urns, vases and much more.

10. Craftsbury Kids

If you are looking for natural and handmade toys, this is the company you should contact. They stock up on wooden and organic toys for babies and toddlers. The items are imaginative and like nothing you will find anywhere else. The products are biodegradable and since the company has a strict no-no policy when it comes to plastic, your child will remain safe even if he puts the toy in his mouth.

Popularity: 2% [?]

The Superbowl is a championship game of American football. It is so widely watched that the day it airs on television is said to be a national holiday all over the USA. The advertisements that are featured during the game are some of the best. Here is a list of the top 10 Superbowl Advertisements.

1. McDonalds-1993

This advertisement was featured during the 1993 Superbowl and showed Larry Bird and Michael Jordan competing during the HORSE championship for fries and Big Mac from McDonalds. There are a number of obstacles in their way which is what makes the commercial as interesting as it is.

2. Apple’s Macintosh-1984

The advertisement featured a woman running through a massive auditorium and breaking the screen with a hammer. A person similar to Big Brother was speaking on the screen before it exploded and “We shall prevail” were his last words. The main idea was to make the audience understand that Macintosh was on its way.

3. Master Lock- 1974

This company ran a series of advertisements through the year which showed sharpshooters targeting Master Locks and hitting them but leaving them unscathed and unopened. The message is simple- the strong lock will not open without its lock even if you burn it down.

4. Coca-Cola-1980

This superbowl advertisement featured “Mean Joe” Greene. A young fan gives him a can of Coke and as repayment, he throws the kid away effortlessly. ESPN says that this popular advertisement was never featured during the superbowl, but fans argue that it was.

5. Coke- 2008

Coca-Cola created this advertisement during the 2008 superbowl. It showed two parade balloons, one was meant to be Underdog and the other was Stewie. The two then fight for another parade balloon in the form of a Coke bottle but are defeated when a fourth Charlie Brown parade balloon shows up and snatches the aerated drink from them. The popular cartoon characters are adored by Americans which is why Coke decided to use them.

6. 300ZX

This commercial showed a toy version of the car being controlled by G.I. Joe who then zooms over and picks up his Barbie-doll date. Even though the advertisement was very popular, Mattel sued the company and made them take it off air.

7. Budweiser

The Beer company aired this advertisement during the superbowl in 1995. It featured three frogs sitting in a line. The term “Budweiser” was broken up into three parts and each frog croaked it. The Americans went crazy for this ad and many other companies featured different versions over the years. People today can still be heard croaking the brand’s name through the streets.

8. Reebok-2003

This advertisement shows the famous “Terrible” Terry Tate who enters a made-up office and tackles them because they are not following the etiquette rules set by he office. He is wearing Reebok shoes and keeps barking at the nervous workers.

9. Snickers- 2010

This advertisement shows a timid and energy-less man who is playing the game as well as Betty White. The elderly actress is then shown to be the man among them. She is tackled and it’s supposed to be funny.

10. Disney World

These advertisements have been featured through the years to encourage people to visit the theme park. The ads show players after successful games being asked what they will do next and their answer is always “I’m Going to Disney World!”

Popularity: 2% [?]

Branding means to create an identifiable entity which makes a promise of value. This term is largely used in the business world. Through branding you can create an image or an awareness of your business. It is your company’s personality. The following are the top 10 most common mistakes when it comes to branding.

1. Inability to think analytically.

Many companies treat branding as marketing or as having a logo or a catch phrase. It has got to do with more than just grabbing attention. A brand enables you to grab client’s attention on a consistent basis. Branding also represents something that cannot be got from your competitors. For instance it can be offering the best customer service in your industry.

2. Non-maintenance of your brand.

Businesses tend to alter their identity very often in a shaky economy. This can confuse steady customers. You must think of big brands — Nike, for instance, who made use of “Just Do It” as a logo for several years. It takes a while for your logo, tagline, and branding efforts to sink in with customers. Hence you must not change it very often.

3. Trying to please everyone.

You cannot brand yourself in such a way that it appeases everyone. What you can do typically is concentrate on the niche market for your product.

4. Lack of knowledge of who you really are.

You must not profess to be someone who you really are not. Several entrepreneurs imagine that they are offering something that they don’t. You must make a honest analysis of your strengths and weaknesses of what you can do best.

5. Lack of wholehearted commitment to branding.

Most often than not business owners allow the advertising and marketing department handle such things as “branding,” while they turn towards working on sales aspect and other such things. But branding and sales are also important aspects of your business. Smart branding has made several Fortune 500 companies to a great position and have made them household names.

6. Not sharing the joke.

If only the staff in your office get the message or joke, it is not going to appeal to the large audience. This is also true when it comes to branding. Your brand cannot succeed if it is just created for you and not for them.

7. Lack of a dedicated marketing plan.

Although several companies think of ways and means to market themselves and create a brand identity, they have neither the plan nor resources on the way they will reach their audience. You must have a chalked out marketing plan so that your branding strategy can work effectively.

8. Use of too much jargon.

Use of too much jargon does not benefit branding. Most companies are found guilty of piling on the jargon. If anything, it can only muddle your message.

9. Trying very hard for a different image.

Many companies try to have a different image and it can become a mistake. Being different for the sake of being different is not branding. Though you can grab attention, it will not necessarily help to increase sales.

10. Unsure about when you have got them.

The stage when establishment of the brand has to be stopped has to be understood by the companies for success. You must also supervise the results of your branding campaign. You can spend more time maintaining your professional image if your small business is a local household word.

Popularity: 3% [?]

The web technology is an endless sea of new and old entrants. Leading companies across the globe keep launching newer products every year. But they have to understand that the user is in touch with all these technological advancements and need them together. So any product that supports only one out of the lot, cannot be successful as compared to those that support all sorts of software, irrespective of their makers.

A new entry in the league is the iPad, an Apple tablet. Recently, the company has launched it on a very large scale in a press conference. At first glance, the product seems to be quite attractive, but on second thoughts, it not worth spending your precious dollars on. Given here are the top ten reasons for not buying an iPad.

1.    If you check out its features carefully, primarily it only supports the applications meant for the iPhones. Its functions are, therefore, quite restricted. Mainly you can use it to watch YouTube videos, play iTunes, check your emails and read some short eBooks. All these are only good for entertainment purposes, so if you are considering any commercial functions, this product is just not the right buy.

2.    Then another disappointment that Apple’s iPad has given is that it can not operate OS X or for that matter any of the Intel processors. This is again a big limitation as most of the computer users use these operating systems. Though, Apple processors are also used by some people but they are not so common as yet. So this product is not at all helpful for those who use processors besides Apple.

3.    Though the product offers a battery back up of only 10 hours. It is quite less as compared to some other things in the market. So, there also the consumers would not get full benefit in lieu of the money spent.

4.    The backside of the iPad has no rubber plugs or sheets. This makes it extremely uncomfortable and tedious type on a flat screen. This makes it difficult to operate and slow in utility.

5.    YouTube is a relatively new entry in the filed and it is simply not the ‘only’ video playing application. There are several others as well. The most famous out of the lot is Flash. But all Apple devices seem to despise Flash. That stands for another limitation of this new gadget.

6.    One of the key functions that people look for in all these fun gadgets is a web camera. And iPad does not have a camera! This is a sheer disappointment for even those buyers who are simply considering this product for entertainment, forget the commercial viability!

7.    Those who have a laptop or a palmtop or a smart phone, they can get all the features of an iPad along with several other fun and utility factors on the list. For them spending on an iPad is nothing but a waste of money.

8.    Some of you might think that iPad’s size is an advantage. But you must know the fact that to make it fully functional you have to accessorize it with some additional gadgets. That accounts to more expenditure and consumption of more space in your bag.

9.    Some Nokia phones such as the N Series offer all the functions of the iPad. Users who have been using this model of the mobile phones are quite contended and can’t stop praising the gadget. On the other hand, the iPad is restricted to a handful of features (many of which one can find on an iPhone too). Again, one can make the comparison as a rational client.

10.    Last but not the least , its screen space is merely 1028 pixels by 768 pixels in terms of the resolution. This is absolutely negligible when it comes to surfing the internet for fun or for work purpose.

Apple is a leading brand in the world of technology but their products always stay a step behind because the company has never supported the other operating systems properly. We can only hope that the next model of iPad that they launch will be worth a buy. For now save your hard earned money for some other gadgets!

Popularity: 6% [?]