COSTA IMC Blog

As of July 1st, Visa implements a new rule on their debit transactions. No PIN number will be required on purchases of $25 dollars or less. Merchants usually force customers to enter a PIN number because it allows them to pay lower bank fees. On the other hand, customers prefer the use of PIN numbers because of security issues; most of the time signatures are likely to go unchecked by many stores.

“It will be up to the card issuer to determine whether they want to provide that option to cardholders,” said a Visa spokeswoman.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

European courts are forcing eBay to pay up because of counterfeit products have been sold through their Web site. Just a month after a French court decided that eBay will have to give handbag maker Hermes 20,000 Euros for allowing the sale of counterfeits, a court in Paris also decided that eBay will have to pay luxury goods group LVMH, $61 million for the same reason.

“We will fight all these decisions in the name of eBay users, and we have decided to appeal,” eBay said in a statement.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

This past Thursday, ICANN executives announced that new Internet domains will be available and may be approved by the third quarter of next year. This landmark meeting of the Internet governance has set registration costs starting at U.S. $100,000.  

They expect to receive applications by April or May of next year. Non-controversial domains might be approved in 90 to 120 days.

Is this the end of .com?

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

The advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi won a Cannes Bronze Lion last week for a 60-second JCPenney spot featuring two teenagers who time themselves while they get dressed and undressed, and who lie to the girl’s parents about their plans in the basement.

JCPenney reacted by stating the following: “JCPenney does not approve or condone [the ad’s] content, and we have asked Saatchi & Saatchi to remove [it] from online circulation and to apologize to our customers and our Associates for misrepresenting our Company in this manner,” said the JCPenney corporate communications team.

Do you think this ad is a good match for JCPenney’s brand image? Or was the company right in distancing their brand from the controversial ad?

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

Nowadays, prices are not the only signs found at gas stations; CASH ONLY is the new message. Many gas station owners have stopped accepting credit cards due to costly fees from credit companies. At $4 a gallon, these owners are incurring high costs each time someone fills up their tank with gas.

“The more they buy, the more we lose…Gas prices go up, and our profits go down.” said Randolph, who manages Mr. Ed’s Chevron in St. Albans.

On the other hand, Visa and Mastercard argue that owners run the risk of losing customers by banning credit cards. If people don’t have the cash or don’t want to spend it, they will simply go elsewhere.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

On Monday, Honda introduced the new FCX Clarity, the first hydrogen fuel vehicle intended for mass production.  Only 200 of these vehicles will be produced over the next three years. Over time, as hydrogen fuel station grow, the number of vehicles manufactured will increase to reflect demand. The first five customers were also announced at the ceremony, including one celebrity.

“This is a must-have technology for the future of the earth,” said Takeo Fukui, Honda’s president.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

To help determine return on investment, marketers and agencies are turning TV into an interactive medium. Backchannel Media is a medium that lets viewers respond to ads they’re interested in by clicking on icons they see on their screens using their remote controls. The medium is now being tested in TV stations like ABC, NBC, Time Warner Cable, and Comcast.

“First, the Backchannel set-top boxes are being installed in the homes of station employees and any Backchannel employees who live in the coverage areas. Next, the boxes will be installed in the homes of so-called friends and family, among them station advertisers and executives at local agencies,” said Michael Kokernak, who shares the title of chief executive at Backchannel with Daniel Hassan.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

After running focus groups, conducting user testing, and reviewing several surveys, MySpace decided it was time to revamp its site. Myspace will launch the redesigned site that features more innovative tools on Monday, June 16th.

The new site will include an enhanced TV player, an extensive search tool, and more advertisers on its homepage. The MySpace homepage will be restructured to enhance its appeal among advertisers; the new format will allow them to take over the entire page.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

Yesterday, Apple presented a new version of its popular iPhone with faster Internet access, built in GPS mapping and more features for business users. The iPhone 3G with eight gigabytes of memory will sell for $199, and the model with 16 gigabytes of memory for $299.

“We’ve learned so much with the first iPhone. We’ve taken what we’ve learned and more and created the iPhone 3G,” said Steve Jobs as he demonstrated the new mobile device at the opening of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

The new iPhone 3G will be available in black and white and will be in stores starting July 11th.

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Yahoo News! 

3G iPhone Price Tags

COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.

McDonalds’ is testing new choices of beverages at approximately 150 locations nationwide. The company is now offering a broader selection of bottled and canned beverages in an attemp to provide customers with greater variety. Red Bull, Vitamin Water, and some of PepsiCo products are among the options introduced.

“We were seeing customers buy food at McDonald’s and then go buy their beverages at 7-Eleven, or they’d go through a drive-through with the beverage already in their car,” said Larry Light, founder of Arcature and former global chief marketer of McDonald’s.

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COSTA IMC is a multicultural integrated marketing communications firm that is passionate about tapping into consumers’ minds and influencing their drive to buy. With access to world-renowned marketing experts, COSTA IMC engages a multinational team to achieve profitable results. The firm specializes in advertising and promotions; brand experience; media planning and buying; public relations; consumer insight and strategic planning; relationship marketing; interactive; and measurement.