Disruptive technology. Wikipedia: "A disruptive technology or disruptive innovation is a technological innovation, product, or service that uses a "disruptive" strategy, rather than a "sustaining" strategy, to overturn the existing dominant technologies or status quo products in a market."

In what promises to be one of the most disruptive technologies of the next few years Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) has developed a technology where the human body becomes the conduit for data transmissions. The possibilities are truly endless when you begin to think of the broad range of applications this new technology could have within the marketplace. It's all about to change from loyalty to cards to music sharing.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

"The power of human touch will soon be used to transmit data.

Telecom giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) is planning a commercial launch of a system to enter rooms that frees users from the trouble of rummaging in their pockets or handbags for ID cards or keys.

It uses technology to turn the surface of the human body itself into a means of data transmission.

As data travels through the user's clothing, handbag or shoes, anyone carrying a special card can unlock the door simply by touching the knob or standing on a particular spot without taking the card out."

Full article here: http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/new-technology-turns-your-body-into-a-swipe-card/2008/02/22/1203467334117.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Early last month we posted a story titled "McTrendy" (original post here http://ngenroom.n-genstudios.com/node/137). The story focused on the revamping of the McDonald's brand within the European market. Late in the post we begged the question, will this be a new trend where U.S. companies export their brands overseas for freshening and a general overhaul? well that question has now been answered.

Account Supervisor, Nguyen Duong with TracyLocke actually had the good fortune to see the fruits of McDonald's labors on the West coast and take some great pictures to boot!

Nguyen says, "Feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of arranging objects that will help achieve balance and harmony in one’s environment.

McCafe, the latest buzz in the US fast food industry, that is capitalizing on our demand for high quality coffee and specialty coffee drinks."

Nguyen also supplies us with a link to a great followup:

http://la.eater.com/archives/2008/02/13/only_in_socal_the_countrys_first_feng_shui_mcdonalds.php

Like any other technology, as mobile media becomes more and more prevalent so do the ways in which consumers interact, customize and drive their evolution past that of which the product was originally designed. Repurposing, leveraging and riding the wave of these consumer driven evolutions is a powerful way to bring cutting edge promotions to market. The Pocket Film Festival in Japan is a shining example of this. How would you leverage this new trend in a promotion?

TOKYO (Hollywood Reporter) - The inaugural Pocket Film Festival in Japan, showing movies made entirely on mobile phone cameras, will kick off Friday in Yokohama.

Forty-eight films, chosen from more than 400 entries from 18 countries -- including Japan, Singapore, China, South Korea and Germany -- will screen in competition at the weekend event, organized by the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

The competition has two categories, one for films to be shown on regular screens and the other for films to be viewed on phones. The winning film will receive 500,000 yen (US$4,500).

"Being the first time for the festival, we weren't sure what to expect, but we've had a range of films from regular narrative stories to more experimental films," organizer Yuko Mori said.

"Of course, the resolution is comparatively low on phone cameras, so effective use of that is important," Mori said. "People have also made films where only a camera phone could go. One entry, by grade-school children, was even shot inside a fridge."

The festival also will feature symposiums on the possibilities for new content and applications using the medium of camera phones.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Link to the main site:

http://www.pocketfilms.jp/en/

Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past few years will tell you that customization is king. It may be updating POS or letting consumers design their own t-shirts. Either way, choice is the name of the game. Domino's is showing that they're willing to lead the charge with their new BFD Builder. Luckily, this is technology that N-GEN currently has in-house. See Sam Moore for details.

Uncrate says:

Domino's BFD Builder
You too can become a famous pizza artist with Domino's BFD Builder. Short for Big Fantastic Deal (we were hoping it stood for something else), the service lets you build a custom pizza — specifying the type of crust, the amount of sauce and cheese, and all the different toppings you want — for a flat rate of $11. They're amazingly fun to build and are ready to pick up 30 minutes after you place the order. Name and save your creation, and your pizza will show up in the BFD database, where other fools can order and try your concoction. http://www02.order.dominos.com/home/bfd/

New research into the effects of stimuli on consumer focus reveal a direct link between scents and purchases.

From Canadian Broadcasting Corp:

The mere whiff of a chocolate chip cookie can cause a shopper to stray off-course, abandoning their budget for unplanned, impulse purchases, according to a study on consumer behaviour.

The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, suggests stimuli that trigger the appetite can cause consumers to opt for immediate pleasures.

"We found that an appetitive stimulus not only affects behaviour in a specific behaviour domain but induces a shared state that propels a consumer to choose smaller-sooner options in unrelated domains," said researcher Xiuping Li, of the National University of Singapore, in the study.

"The findings demonstrated that an appetitive stimulus could induce a general motivational state, called the hot state, which focuses one's attention on the immediate environment."

Two tests involving students at the University of Toronto were conducted. In the first study, participants were asked to select photographs of either food or nature for use in a magazine. Researchers later asked participants if they would prefer playing a lottery that pays out a lower amount sooner or one that pays a higher amount at a later date.

The study found that those who were shown the photos of food were nearly 20 percentage points more likely to select the lottery with the smaller jackpot.

In a second test, researchers found that 67 per cent of women assigned to a room with a hidden cookie-scented candle were more likely to make an impulse sweater purchase, even when told they were on a strict budget. By comparison, only 17 per cent of women in a room without the scented candle decided to make the impulse buy.

The stimulus prompted participants to lose sight of future goals, focusing instead on the present, the study said.

"The scent of the appetitive stimulus led to reduced happiness with remote gains, which implied that participants in a present-oriented state were less sensitive to future values," the study said.

Li noted that retailers might use the findings to create an atmosphere that would entice shoppers to stay longer.

"If retailers want to push their customers to shop more rather than stay longer, they should not only maintain a pleasant environment but also an environment full of temptations and excitement," Li said in a release.

Looking to other continents has always been an effective way to predict what may be on the horizon within the U.S. retail sector. This becomes even more true when dealing with aesthetics and design. The export of the McDonald's brand to European markets has been a long and tedious exercise for the burger giant. Not satisfied with just catering offerings to the significantly different palate of our friends across the pond, McDonald's has been making a concerted effort to not only alter their menu but now their environments. A Parisian design studio was tasked with creating 9 different looks that walk the tight rope of retaining brand identity while overhauling aging environments. Could this signal a new trend in U.S. retail exporting their brands for "freshening" overseas?

McCafe in Germany

McDonald's in Germany

McDonald's Milan, Italy