Cup of Java

What's that smell?
New campaign for Old Spice's new deodorant, which P.& G. says uses new technology that provides 24-hour odor protection, is the first extension of Old Spice's Red Zone line. "Gary Stibel, founder and principal of the New England Consulting Group in Westport, Conn., called Procter & Gamble's introduction of the new deodorant a smart move. 'It's for people who are really athletic, who sweat, who are into the outdoors,' he said. 'This is the ultimate in terms of protection, and it may go beyond protection to attraction, because that's what Axe is trying to do for Unilever. This is an offensive response on P.& G.'s part.' One skeptic of the introduction was Irma Zandl, a consultant who focuses on consumers under the age of 30. 'It is not clear to me why anybody would want a deodorant and not an antiperspirant,' she said. 'The only thing I can think is that this is supposed to go against Axe," she added. "But I can't see people switching from Axe to this, because they use Axe the same way they use spray-on cologne.' "

Designer shades for dogs! Yup. That's right. It started as a product to protect the eyes of rescue dogs from the glare of the sun on snow fields. Now they're the "hottest" thing for dog owners.

"Germany said on Friday, August 1st, it would take legal action against a decision to extend a European Union ban on tobacco advertising to radio, newspapers and the Internet, in an effort to help its cash-strapped press.But Germany wants national newspapers and magazines that are not sold in other countries to be excluded from the ban.
"We intend to take legal action," a spokesman for the German finance ministry said, adding the complaint was being prepared now and could be handed to the European Court of Justice in the next few weeks.
Asked about Germany's intention to contest the ban, EU Commission spokesman Thorsten Muench said: "I would not be surprised, but nevertheless disappointed as the German government speaks out in favour of tobacco control measures."

Not all chains kill off local shops business- "When Krispy Kreme recently opened its first Massachusetts store in Medford's Wellington Circle, its opening day sales total was a company-record $73,813.
And with Dunkin' Donuts already firmly entrenched in the area Lowell alone has 10 of them small-time doughnut shops must be on the verge extinction, right? Hardly. Dozens of mom 'n' pop doughnut shops thrive in Greater Lowell today, relying on everything from concocting a superior recipe, to holding the line on prices and down-home neighborliness."