No wonder Pantone has selected emerald green for its color of the year. It's Heineken's 140th anniversary, and the Dutch beer giant is unscrewing all the caps to celebrate.

Today in Amsterdam, the Dutch brand is debuting a video wall projection made from 5,000 beer bottles on the side of its headquarters building. Not in Amsterdam? Worry not — fans can check it out from 4pm ET to 10pm ET, every day from Dec. 7th through January 2nd, on Heineken's Facebook page and post on the brand's virtual wall.

And that's not all it's doing on Facebook.Continue reading...

BMW this week launched a concept called Future Retail with the grand opening of its first new BMW Brand Store in a luxe pocket of metropolitan Paris this week. It also signalled that the brand is stepping up investments in its dealers and retail network to better equip them to win BMW's worldwide fight with Audi for luxury-vehicle sales leadership — and in the United States, with Mercedes-Benz for upscale-segment supremacy.

The Brand Store aims to be more than 'just' a brand experience or halo outlet. Much more important to BMW strategically will be how it executes the Future Retail concept in its dealerships worldwide. Among other things, the brand plans to increase the number of contact points with customers and prospects, increase the services and benefits offered in its retail channels, and enhance the retail experience "at all touch points."Continue reading...

Apple bows to Israeli pressure on controversial app; iPad dominates tablets.

Facebook passes 750 million users.

Google faces US subpoenas.

Netherlands becomes second country to put net neutrality into effect after Chile.

Nokia reveals first Windows phone.

Nomura (inspired by Wolff Olins?) expands into beekeeping.

Radio Shack leaves S&P 500 Index.

Twitter considers promoted tweets in user timelines.

& America's most wanted criminal, Whitey Bulger (who inspired The Departed), is captured by FBI use of social and traditional media.

Well, this is uncomfortable. Hong Kong-born soy sauce and food brand Amoy is attached to a Facebook app that allows people to Asianate themselves. British marketer Gavin Marshall asks on Twitter, "Is this the most inappropriate use of Facebook by a brand yet?" It's certainly one for the social marketing hall of shame.Continue reading...