Bogdan Gavrila – Core Target

While I was doing my monthly Google Zeitgeist By Country study, I discovered that Coca Cola was ranked no.1 in Colombia (Top Gaining Queries in July 2007). It meant that something big happened and therefore I went and searched the phenomenon on Colombian websites.

Here is the first article on Google that explained many things:

Coca-Cola Accused of Aiding in Intimidation and Murder of Workers in Columbia
July 30, 2001
Coca-Cola utilizes the advertising slogan “Life Tastes Good.” That’s apparently not the case for workers — and especially union leaders — at Coke bottlers in Columbia.
The United Steelworkers union and the International Labor Rights Fund have filed suit against Coca-Cola alleging that the company and some of its bottlers utilize right-wing paramilitary groups to intimidate and assassinate labor organizers. [story from The New York Times]
Coca-Cola of course denies the charges. While I have no first-hand knowledge that the charges are true, it is undisputed that scores of union leaders in Columbia have been killed this year. And the number of union workers at Coca-Cola plants in Columbia has dropped from 1,300 to 450 in the last seven years.
U.S. companies have a long history in Central America of utilizing illegal and often violent means to stifle unions and keep wages low. These allegations would certainly fit that pattern.
The excuse used before was that the efforts were really aimed at fighting Communism. However ludicrous that claim used to be, it can’t be used now at all, given the demise of the Soviet Union.
So again, as before, the real cause is pure greed — the desire to squeeze every drop of profit out of these impoverished workers.

The idea is again to promote the “greedy” multinational company thirsty to suck all the money from the humble citizen/honest worker (familiar propaganda?).

This cheap leftist propaganda hit the Argentinian masses and hit them hard. Coca Cola couldn’t explain their global business and the stupidity of the accusation above but their regular crises cell assembled to find out who is behind this campaign (always is, always will be). Coca Cola is after all not only the strongest U.S. symbol but also one of the most valued brands in the world.

As we speak, Colombia faces a serious armed conflict and there are two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia – Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN (CIA Fact Book).

Also from the CIA public database we can find out that Colombia is illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world’s leading coca cultivator with 144,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2005, a 26% increase over 2004, producing a potential of 545 mt of pure cocaine; the world’s largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets.

Latin American was for some time a battle field between the world’s powers. Operating the largest network of narcotics in the world is another big business and during the cold war this zone was a silent battle field between the CIA and the KGB. As times have changed, the situation turned gray – the ex-KGB agents are now running several mobs across Latin America.

In 2000 the Russian mob was trading arms for cocaine with Colombia rebels (not only traditional Russian AK-47 but also sophisticated weapons). In the article published by the MSNBC there is an unnamed U.S. intelligence official saying: ‘The source of the weapons [smuggled into Colombia] is both organized crime and military. There is a tremendous grey area between the two in Russia and the Ukraine.’

“The enterprise, described by a senior U.S. intelligence official as “literally an industry” involves giant Russian-built IL-76 cargo planes taking off from various airstrips in Russian and the Ukraine, refueling in Amman with the cooperation of corrupt diplomats and bribed local officials, and then using remote airstrips or parachute air-drops to provide tons of weapons” – MSNBC 2000

In 2007 the armed conflict is still going on while the drug production doubled but the new government wants to have peace talks with the rebels (The U.S., the U.K. and France want to see results). But having peace in Colombia can hurt the business big time and the peace talks are not welcomed. And this is how the social leftist wing kicks in pressuring the politicians – the union workers are always a target for the special services as they can pressure the government or start riots.

In 2001 there was a union scandal regarding Drummond’s operations in Colombia – they say the manager made threatening comments during meetings that followed the gunshot killings of two union leaders and the slaying of a third union official a few months later.

The new Coca Cola union scandal is just another special operation (the same Drummond’s scenario) but now they really hit an American symbol and this can hurt business on a global scale as people always believe the news and can’t see all the pieces from the puzzle.

In the end I must say that I’m also an activist – I’ve organized even a strike in my good days but I believe in democracy, authorities and justice. I also think that the leaders and the activists should always have access to information in order to make informed decisions. If not, the activists will always be subjected to manipulation and various interests and the provoked scandal they had in Colombia can be implemented in many other countries of the world.

Further reading:
- The Coca Cola Company – the official point of view
- Killer Coke – leftist anti-Coke propaganda
- Coke Facts – Coca Cola Corporate Citizenship
- PBS – Frontline World
- Coke claims it’s ‘caught in (Columbian) crossfire’
- YouTube – Killer Coke in Colombia
- If you want your employees to proper identify these type of situations and protect your brand, you can train them

Enjoy the Coke side of life!

Yemenis belonging to the Bagefer tribe attend a wedding ceremony at Wadi Lesser, in Hadramout August 28, 2007. The Hadramout is an isolated tribal region in the south of the Arabian peninsula and is the ancestral home of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. (YEMEN):

Photo: REUTERS/Str

I’m not a specialist in firearms but It seems they display the Remington M1903A3 (circa 1943 Rifle). The M1903 was used in World War I and World War II, and in Vietnam. It was also used as a sniper rifle in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Although the rifle was sighted for 2,300 m (point-blank range of 457 m) this gun could fire at a rate of 20 shots per minute. Each stripper clip contained 5 cartridges, and standard issue consisted of 12 clips carried in a cloth bandolier.

Looking to the picture above I told to myself that these US weapons are quite old. Having old weapons and showing them on REUTERS it’s like posting a desperate ad on the internet and saying “we need new weapons”.
The best deal for them could probably the new AKM (AK-47) Kalashnikov modernized assault rifle (these guns look mean and can provide great PR in the village) but the best news is that changing the weapons can be a very good business. Here is what can be done:

1) Collect all the old weapons and sell them on the Internet – Prices (plus shipping, handling and insurance) for M1903 – $1,395, M1903 Mark1 – $1,495, M1903A3 – $1,395. The fact that the Arabian peninsula is the ancestral home of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden means that the old weapons also have a story (this should ad at least 20% value to the price).
2) The Russian AK-47 is a good weapon but their price begins with 800$. You’d think this is a good price but there are some issues – I don’t recommend buying Russian because my country is a NATO member so I have to promote my side of town. So, practically the Russians will rip you off.
3) THE BEST NEWS is that you CAN buy an American AK-47 – the AKM 47RS built by Lancaster Consulting IS ONLY $469.00 – The price also includes free shipping to your village.
4) Selling the old weapon (a piece of history) with 1,495 and buying the $469 American AK-47 means $1026 in your pocket out of nowhere for every gun.

The thing is that having new weapons is good, you’ll look great in the pictures and you’ll have a new story to tell (not to mention your capabilities to increase the damages for your enemies in the desert). And the best thing is that the great PR is just a bonus for this great financial deal.

Now, let’s see who’ll notice the old weapons in today’s newspapers and hurry up to make a sell

“Relations between Russia and Britain were facing fresh turbulence yesterday after a billionaire oligarch wanted by the Kremlin for tax evasion was reported to have escaped to London. Mikhail Gutseriyev – the former head of one of Russia’s largest private oil firms – disappeared from Russia last week. On Tuesday a court in Moscow issued a warrant for his arrest.

Last month Mr Gutseriyev stepped down from his oil company, RussNeft, citing “unprecedented bullying” by Vladimir Putin’s government. Mr Gutseriyev – whose personal fortune is estimated at $3bn – accused the Kremlin of “illegally” forcing him out of business using trumped-up tax claims.”
The full story in the Guardian…

Meanwhile Dinu Patriciu sold Romanian gas company Rompetrol to Kazakhstan state company for US$3.6 billion so maybe now It’s easier for Gutseriyev and Patriciu to meet and talk business. I guess It’s not easy being eastern billionaire

The Commander-in-Chief of the World discusses global warmings:

P-UNIT is now fighting the BOYZ N THE HILLZ . Smirnoff Tea Partay comes with this new sequel: West Coast response to East Coast video.
Here is their new video:

And here is how it started 1 year ago:

Please partay responsibly

Because of all the James Bond movies, the general public is familiar with the MI6 (collects Britain’s foreign intelligence). I don’t know why (It’s probably a secret) but they decided to rebrand the service and use the old name (but not the oldest): The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS).

A little bit of history:
Although the Special Branch was founded in 1883 and the Millitary Intelligence 5 in 1909 everything was so secret (Official Secrets Act 1911) that the service had no trace, no image and was just a rumor until 1991 when John Major first presented the British secret service and their boss at that time Stella Rimmington (surprisingly a woman just like in the James Bond movies ) and officially in 1992 (the statute in the Intelligence Services Act was adopted in 1994).

The “M” name was there first: MI1(c) was born in 1914 when the first World War started. Now, although the official website now says that around 1920, it began increasingly to be referred to as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), the well-known professor and historian Cristian Troncota points out the fact that beginning with 1921 they changed the name to SIS (this is an interesting historic detail).

The thing is that between 1920-1992 the name was so well kept secret that the world believed in the MI6 brand. By 1994 they were out of the box but the world was still referring to them as MI6 and even they decided to play along and even have a MI6 logo.

Well, I’m writing this post because I’ve noticed their new website and I’ve noticed the new SIS logo. There is also an article explaining the SIS and MI6 names.

Somewhere on the website they say that in the late 1930s the MI6 name was adopted as a flag of convenience for SIS and was the product of many writers and journalists. Nowadays it seems that they decided to take this matter into their own hands and promote a healthy new brand (the scandals with the Russians are just in the beginning).

I’ll say that with the new branding there might be a small issue: we have a the SIS in the UK and another one in the Republic of Moldova (of course, this is smaller and has no history – founded in 1999)

“U.S. Army Europe announced the winners of its soldier and noncommissioned officer of the year competitions Friday in Heidelberg, Germany.

Staff Sgt. Travis Snook, of the 7th Army NCO Academy, was named the winning sergeant, and Cpl. Mihai Mocanu, of 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, was the top soldier.

Both men competed Aug. 13-15 in Grafenwöhr, Germany. Events included two land navigation courses, a 15-kilometer foot march, day and night weapons qualifications, an Army Physical Fitness Test and a series of other combat tasks, according to the USAREUR public affairs office.

Snook, of Lewistown, Pa., was previously named the USAREUR separate units NCO of the year. An armor soldier by trade, Snook is currently serving as a small-group instructor at the 7th Army NCOA. The seven-year veteran has a wife, Melissa, a son, Chanze, and is interested in Army Combatives training and coaching youth soccer. “I’m an example of what a good NCO is supposed to be both in physical condition and in mental capacity,” Snook told USAREUR PAO.

Mocanu, who represented V Corps as its soldier of the year, previously served in the Romanian army. A native of Hirlau, Romania, Mocanu has served as an infantryman for a year and a half after spending six years as a Ponds Security contractor in Hohenfels, Germany.

The 1997 European martial arts champion has a wife, Monica, and daughter, Emily, and dreams of attending Army Ranger, airborne and air assault schools. Even if he had lost, Mocanu told USAREUR, he would not have been discouraged. “Maybe sometimes you lose a battle, but it doesn’t mean you’ve lost a war,” he said.

By winning, both men earned the right to represent USAREUR in the Department of the Army-level competition Oct. 1-5 at Fort Lee, Va.”

Source: Stars & Stripes

In order to stop the migration, ARBOmedia set up a corporate training for the publishers between the 31st of August and 2nd of September in Bulgaria. They’ll use this event in order to promote the new sales team and lift the moral status of some publishers. There are some serious frustrations going on over there and probably Sunny Beach will help them figure out the best approach for 2008.
The main issue at ARBOmedia remains the uneven distribution of sales force and budgets among their website portfolio.

They say that the emerging urban middle class in China already redefines the customer base and its sheer complexity brings enormous opportunities and challenges. With a population of 1,321,851,888 (July 2007 est.) and a $10.17 trillion GDP (purchasing power parity 2006 est.), China is the place to be.

The Fourth China Branding Roundtable called “Winning moves for a changing game” will take place in Beijing, China, Tuesday September 18th and Wednesday September 19th 2007.

The Economist – North America Edition:
“OUR pilots have been grounded for too long. They are happy to start a new life.” So said Vladimir Putin as he sent Russia’s nuclear bombers back aloft on the world-spanning patrols they had suspended after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This comes hard on the heels of talk of reopening a Russian naval base in the Mediterranean, joint war games with China and the planting of the Russian flag in the polar seabed. The Soviet Union is dead and communism long buried. But Mr Putin wants you to know that the Russian bear is back—wearing a snarl with its designer sunglasses.” – read more…

Someone seems to be testing a new kind of graphic card technology, with 520-bit colors and we managed to catch it on one of our websites.

If a standard resolution is 1280×1024, this makes an overall of 1.310.720 pixels. Many of us use the 32 bit colors -> 4 bytes per pixel -> this means that we need 5.242.880 bytes (~5 Mb) per screen.

My Google Analytics reported today a 520-bit color depth (it could be some kind of error). If the report is right, this means that a new technology is out there: 520 bit means 65 bytes per pixel – 85.196.800 bytes (~81 MB).

The second interesting thing is that this guy who has the 520-bit color depth also has a 10.000×10.000 screen resolution.

I tried to find out more about this technology and it seems it is used for 2D/3D supercomputing simulations. Here is a short list of some public supercomputers:

CCRT (CEA Supercomputing Center):
- HP/OSF1 256 quadri-processors alpha nodes
- Linux 128 quadri-processors AMD Opteron

IDRIS (CNRS Supercomputing Center)
-1024 processors Power4 cluster

MareNostrum (Barcelona Supercomputing Center)
-2406 dual 64-bit processor nodes @ 2.2GHz, ~42 TeraFlops
-they say this is the most powerful supercomputer in Europe

This could mean that a supercomputer is now connected to the Internet in a special project. If you want to find out more on supercomputers and their global network, you should check out DEISA.

My stats showed me a clue about University of North Carolina and this is how I found out that they also have a supercomputer. Here is something they do with the technology:

The nanoManipulator, developed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is an interface to scanning probe microscopes allowing users to see, feel, and manipulate samples ranging in size from DNA to single atoms. The interface controls the microscope, provides interactive 3D visualizations of scanning probe microscope data , and allows the user to actually feel the shape of the sample through a force-feedback device. An enhanced nanoManipulator can be used collaboratively by teams of scientists in a “virtual laboratory” environment that allows remote access to a shared microscope and previously collected data. Because the collaborative nanoManipulator handles multiple data flows, e.g. video and system control data—all having different bandwidth, loss, and latency (delay) requirements—a network Quality of Service is required at 100-150 Mbps for optimal visualization and haptic/touch response. In contrast to some high-bandwidth applications that have “bursty” bandwidth demands, the typical scientific experiment using the nanoManipulator lasts for many hours, creating a long-lived high demand on the network.

In the United States they have the George Bush School of Government and Public Service and while surfing the website I found this interesting seminar:

Bush School co-hosts Maritime Strategy Senior Executive Seminar

The Bush School recently co-hosted a maritime strategy senior executive seminar titled “Future Security Challenges and the Evolving Global System” with the Naval War College of Newport, R.I. We were selected to be one of the sites around the nation where a small, highly select, CEO-level group of citizens could participate in the Navy’s “conversation with American citizens” to vet its ideas about a 21st century maritime strategy.

Since Romanian President Traian Basescu renewed his navigation permit, the next thing he should do after retiring from the office is to start the Traian Basescu School of Government, Public Service and Navigation and have an exchange programme with the Bush School.

Of course if this works fine for them, I’m thinking of several new institutions:
- The Bin Laden School of Public Service and Suicide Bombers
- The Vladimir Putin School of Judo, Public Service and Oil Pipes
- The Nicolas Sarkozy School of Fitness and Diet Beverages
- The Bill Clinton School of Public Relations
- The Adrian Nastase School of PVC joinery
- The Hugo Chávez School of Government, Public Service and Anti-Imperialism

And the list can go on

This is how this started – the BMW ad:

The response from Audi:

And when 2 brands fight, the winner is:

And now, here is the new positioning for Subaru:

This latest commercial for the Subaru Imreza is done by DDB Canada.

Related links:
Frederik Samuel
The official website – the 2008 Impreza

New in my blogroll: Vasile Paun, Bogdan Rotaru, Marcel Raducu & Cristi Rotaru.

Competitive times need competitive people.

[IMPORTANT NOTE - the information presented below is not yet 100% verified]

Magda Zander is not only a good online manager working at Netbridge. She also has a secret career as a singer – her latest album (Zander feat Alexis Hart) was a great hit in 2003 in Australia.
If Magda will quit the Romanian online business is most likely to move to Australia and start working for a new album.

After one year working at Google, Vivi decided to launch a small start-up in Vancouver, WA. He is the first Romanian blogger to have a chain of Complete Professional Nail Care & Foot Spas.
Rumors say that the business is great and many Google employees use Vivi’s facility. This is the main reason why in may 2007, Sergey Brin asked Vivi to open a Vivi Nails center in the Googleplex.

Antonio Eram is well known as one of the brains behind NETOPIA System. The thing you didn’t know is that Eram SA is the leading manufacturer of shoes in France, producing more than 11 million pairs of shoes per year.
Another secret is that he is planning to offer free shoes to all the users using the Romanian blogging platform Weblog.

Orlando Nicoara is well known for his managing skills. We all knew that his only business is online but his greatest secret is the Orlando Magazine – the magazine reflects the lifestyle and interests of an upscale, educated readership. Although he is very discreet about his involvement as a media owner, the plans are to bring the Orlando Magazine in Romania in 2010 (when he plans to exit the existing online business).

Finally, the most controversial secret is about the first Romanian blogger to win the first million dollars from his blog. Few people know that his accident also provided national TV coverage for his blog and this is how his revenues reached the sky in just a few days. This is how Zoso made the first million but this was just the beginning and now he managed to build an empire based on blogging.
His latest investment is the Zoso Hotel in Palm Springs but his latest visit to Paris indicates that he is about to open another Zoso Hotel near the Eiffel Tower.

[DISCLAIMER - the information presented below is not yet 100% verified and is just based on rumors. I hope you had fun reading it and please considered it as a week-end posting ]

Cezar, Catalin and Vali met to drink and discuss the best hungarian wines available on our market. They say the best wine is Aldas 2005 – St. Andrea – Egri Bikaver (Merlot, Kekfrankos, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon), 12,5% alc. Read the whole list and watch the movies on vinul.ro…

Great work – I hope next time I’ll be around

PS: we’re testing a new verison for vinul.ro - the official launch is this autumn.

[LATER UPDATE - It was a sick joke on Wikipedia - Don is still alive, taking care of his wife]

I was reading today that the oldest blogger in the world is 92+ and this is how I managed to see his blog. His last post was on the 8th of March and since we’re in August made me do a little research and I came up with some sad news.

Wikipedia says that Donald Crowdis died on the 22th of may due to a heart-attack while he was posting a new entry on hist blog entitled “I never felt so alive before in my life”.

Ninja battle flash mob:

Flash mob chasing random people:

Gun fight:

Flash mob pillow fight:

Russia:

China:

USA:

“[...]Now I would give you news about Katrina, but you know I can’t talk about Katrina,
‘Cause everytime I talk about Katrina, they look at me like it’s a misdemeanor,
Anyways, there’s way more important stuff that we can discuss,
George Bush is playing golf, everybody hush, he’s about to putt.[...]”

“[...]I saw a movie where George Bush had a bearded man on his squad,
So much power from oil money that poor folks can’t sit by him,
No problem, Osama, Bin Laden, Been hidin’, So long that them pictures all starting to look like him on them milk cartons,
Don Imus made comments that made everybody forget about him[...]”

“[...]The White House is going to stay white even tho’ we know Obama’s black,
9/11 was a calculation, and some would say it was a timed attack,
He gave a speech on CNN, “They bombed us, now we’re bombing back”,
Where the heck is Osama at?[...]”

I’m sure you are not a hip-hop fan but you should see and listen to this electoral clip:

I’m sad to say but the clip above (although very trendy in the US as we speak) is hardcore leftist propaganda (right on target I would add). I won’t comment this but for the first time in the U.S. history, the elections will be very interesting to follow because the student generations “prepared” (ideologic subversion) during the cold war are now the proud left-wing active, mature and loud voters (and this gift is probably something Putin didn’t expect).

On the other hand here is a sad visual comparison with a successful Romanian hip-hop propaganda (you can clearly notice the great demographic gap and figure out the target’s profile). The clip was used in the last electoral campaign in order to support the Romanian candidate Traian Basescu:

I guess hip-hop is just well received by the masses

The famous French artist Joe Dassin singing in Spanish (of course, the viral medium was on magnetic tapes)

I wanted to read the Top 10 in Technology this week and what do I find:
- Got a fresh Mac? Start HERE
- Mag Editor Throws in the Towel on Vista
- Linux Hardware Support Better Than Windows
- PC Manufacturers Finally Embracing Linux, Sort Of

I wouldn’t have written this post but the most read article “Got a fresh Mac? Start HERE” it’s obvious a subversive commercial (the title first tricked me into believing this). The most interesting fact is that the other articles on Microsoft are all negative and this made me think that this is part of a negotiations process. This means that the Microsoft is interested in buying Digg and this is how Digg Inc. is pressuring the big giant to react (and maybe pay more).

I don’t know about you, but I smell Microsoft on Digg . The future will tell.

Fort d’une statistique qui affirme que 5 millions de femmes, Antoine, célibataire, s’engouffre dans une rame du métro de Lyon et interpelle les voyageurs:

Russia’s strained relations with Britain have deteriorated further, with the authorities in Moscow stopping local transmission of the BBC Russian Service from today.

In an echo of the Cold War, when BBC broadcasts were jammed by the Soviet Union, the FM broadcast station in Moscow said that it was taking off air all BBC Russian Service transmissions. Most Muscovites who listen to the six hours of daily BBC programmes tune in on the FM signal.

The move, by Russia’s Federal Service for the Supervision of Mass Media, Communication and Protection of Cultural Heritage, was seen as the latest punitive action by Moscow in the row that broke out between Britain and Russia over the murder in November of Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB officer who has poisoned with the radioactive isotope polonium-210. | Times

Of course, the murder in November of Alexander Litvinenko is just a cover. They were not promoting Putin in a healthy way over there:

Of course, the anti-BBC propaganda has other sides also (see it before it gets banned):

I guess is tough for a brit to do business in Russia this year…

Sensationalism is a manner of being extremely controversial, loud, or attention-grabbing. It is especially applied to the emphasis of the unusual or atypical. It is also a form of theatre.

The term is commonly used in reference to the media. Critics of media bias of all political stripes often charge the media with engaging in sensationalism in their reporting and conduct. That is, the notion that media outlets often choose to report heavily on stories with shock value or attention-grabbing names or events, rather than reporting on more pressing issues to the general public.

You already know:
18.6 million Mattel toys recalled world-wide.
436,000 are being pulled off shelves -> high levels of toxic lead paint. Mattel says these toys were manufactured by a contract supplier in China.

Now, you should now:
18.164.000 – the rest of the toys suffer from another problem. They have small magnets that can be swallowed by children. It seems to be the fault of the U.S. engineers who designed the toys.

I don’t think you’ll see this on the news. The PR machine is working too well… but you can read it between the lines

Basically, this is the SUV following the US president (of course, the machine gun didn’t stop the thief from stealing the presidential watch but still… looks good):

Via Gizmodo

I was writing in June that Cleopatra Stratan has the most viewed Romanian movie on the YouTube: 2,324,951 views, over 1563 comments.
Now, in August, this movie has 3,043,638 views and over 3066 comments… and still counting:

Both the movie and Cleopatra Stratan have great viral potential and I’m guessing YouTube would love launching online the new Cleopatra Stratan clip and also feature it for some time. But first, this idea should come to Pavel Stratan, the loving father and manager

QuietAgent is the safe and anonymous way employed people stay in the market for a better job. This was a Super Bowl ad, not aired at the time:

The soldiers say that they have to drive like this through Iraqi streets to limit risks of attacks. I agree this is good PSYOP:

A. According to the GfK Roper Consulting Annual Worldwide Study:
1. Sony, 2. Coca-Cola, 3. Nokia, 4. Nestle, 5. Pepsi, 6. Colgate, 7. McDonald’s, 8. Nike, 9. BMW, 10. Samsung.

Also, Mercedes is no. 13 while Disney is no. 15. The brand power scores are based on consumer response regarding three key variables: “familiarity”, “really like”, and “advocacy.” According to the GfK, CocaCola lost the 1st place in 2007 and marks a decline for the American brands.

B. According to the Best Global Brands 2007 Report – Interbrands:
1. Coca Cola, 2. Microsoft, 3. IBM, 4. GE, 5. NOKIA, 6. Toyota, 7. Intel, 8. McDonald’s, 9. Disney, 10. Mercedes.

C. According to Google, the TOP10 most googled brands (June research) are:
1. NOKIA, 2. Toyota, 3. British Airways, 4. Krispy Krem, 5. Bank of England, 6. UPS, 7. Daewoo, 8. Prada, 9. Corvette, 10. Air France.

Conclusions:
- CocaCola marks the beginning of a decline for the American brands together with Colgate, McDonald’s, Nike and Pepsi.
- NOKIA is the only brand present in the 3 tops
- SONY Bravia and SONY Playstation really did their job.

NOTE:
- Nokia warned Tuesday that up to 46 million batteries used in some of its cell phones could be faulty and pose a risk of overheating – this will affect the brand (maybe in a good way – after all, calling back 46 million batteries can be a great PR campaign)

I wanted to have on my blog a list with the best freeware there is on the Internet so here are the first available programs:

Open Transport Tycoon Deluxe – OpenTTD is a clone of the Microprose game “Transport Tycoon Deluxe” – helped me lose some nights during the college.
Google Earth is well known for its options and I like surfing around the world from time to time.
Wordpress is the greatest blogging platform and I use it every day.
Winamp multimedia player was the first mp3 player I had and was a really cool piece of software. I still use for my favorite mp3 songs.
Y! Multi Messenger is a useful multimessenger tool if you have several yahoo accounts. Another good software is called Advanced Replace Tools – can help replace codes/texts in hundreds of files in a few seconds. Finally, the iPhone Unlock Toolkit can help you unlock your iPhone

That’s it for today – I’ll post more links for cool freeware in the future.

The Romanian advertising law no. 148/2000 allows comparative advertising but the rules are not very permissive. For example, you can compare your product with another unidentified brand, you can also compare prices but that’s it!

While surfing Neogen (popular local website) I saw the ad below presenting OLYMPUS vs. SONY. The banner suggests that the SONY cameras are bad while OLYMPUS are the ones you should buy. I don’t know why Neogen allows this type of illegal advertising to run on their server but again, I’m not surprised and they should be aware of the risks:

This is the second severe problem Neogen has in the last 24 hours with its advertising system and I’m afraid they are not going to stop here. The first problem was yesterday when a VODAFONE ad was next to a movie showing child abuse. Now SONY has serious reasons to demand some answers.

Noro, for the second time my blog provides critical info for the business so you should consider the right wine bottle.