[Retail] The effort includes a photo contest and a 60-second TV spot that exudes tranquility and flat-out states that "Home Is the Most Important Place in the World." Ikea is inviting consumers to "help document the harmonies and paradoxes of home life across America." Contestants can receive assignments--morning rush, what's for dinner, bedtime rituals--themes that are related to home. ...Read the whole story

[Trend] Marketers of smaller, more personal brands may strike consumers as being more trustworthy than those produced by faceless conglomerates, or inspected by government bureaucrats. "People are looking for smaller, arty brands--anything with reduced or simplified packaging, anything that looks rough-hewn or rustic," says Linda Povey. "It says, 'We're taking great care to be thoughtful and responsible in the way we get them to you.' " ...Read the whole story

[Automotive] XM's VP of automotive marketing says the campaign is squarely aimed at the bottom of the auto purchase funnel. "We have very good awareness from a brand perspective," he says. "But among new car shoppers we are trying to increase awareness that XM is something you frequently get as original equipment with a new car." The Internet focus of this targeted effort plays to the fact that most new-vehicle shoppers shop online before visiting dealerships. ...Read the whole story

[Telecommunications] The move isn't without hurdles. Enpocket president/CEO Mike Baker says the convergence of mobile advertising and telecommunications "make odd bedfellows" because the two come from different worlds, but as companies become more educated Nokia will "build the mobile ad market one confident brand at a time." ...Read the whole story

[Food] Besides a TV ad featuring the hip-hop artist, the company also is offering consumers an interactive experience on the Web where visitors can listen to Elliott's "collisions" and customize their own tracks using different music effects and recording their own vocals. Over at MySpace, Doritos offers users the ability to mash-up their favorite music through simple drag-and-drop actions. ...Read the whole story

[Research] Identifying a demographic target and delivering the right message may seem like different problems superficially, but one determines the other. A new study by Yankelovich suggests marketers are not getting that formula right when pitching so-called diversity markets: African-Americans and Hispanic Americans, in particular. ...Read the whole story

[Food] The latest in a number of campaigns that have taken advantage of the popularity of YouTube and consumer-generated media, Heinz added the additional incentive of the $57,000 cash prize--a take on the "57 Varieties" in Heinz's slogan. Other factors helping the contest do so well included consumers' affinity for the Heinz brand and their growing fluency in digital production and distribution. ...Read the whole story