BuzzSugar

Eight Memorable TV Credit Logos

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:30:41 PST

"Sit, Ubu, sit!" "And dance by the light of the moon!" It's amazing how those little production company logos and themes that air at the end of most TV shows have found a way to wedge themselves into my brain over the years. Here, I've rounded up eight companies whose logos are particularly memorable and/or clever. To see my favorites, just hit "Start."

Apple Fans Add Elusive Grand Central Gear to Wish List

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:15:36 PST

You might think the biggest draw for Apple fans camping out for the latest company store opening is the privilege of being among the elite first people to set foot in the store, fresh with the smell of clean MacBooks and new employees so eager to help. But the major bragging right associated with an Apple opening is snagging the limited edition t-shirt handed out to the first thousand or so customers to enter the store.

Last week's unveiling of the New York City Grand Central terminal store also showcased the free t-shirts with the store's location spelled out in graphic letters resembling the train station's arrivals board. Four thousand shirts were distributed to the Grand Central store's first customers. Just like their tech products, the shirts are carefully packaged into a white box fitting of the Apple logo despite its free contents.

As expected, those who scored the rare t-shirts after camping out in Grand Central are looking to cash in on the cult of Apple, listing the shirts on eBay, with current bids varying from $25-$385. Have you ever stood in line for an Apple store's grand opening? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments!

Photo Source: eBay user spictacular002

5 Firms With Good Customer Policies and 5 That Need Improvement

Emily Co — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:15:37 PST

Consumer Reports released their annual Naughty & Nice Holiday List that judges the customer service policies of several companies. The list is based upon opinions of editors and reporters of the personal finance magazine and isn't a reflection of a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" for the companies, says the magazine. Read on for a list of naughty and nice companies followed by supporting praises and complaints.

Nice:

Amazon: The company encourages customers to share feedback about and photos of the products. This information is shared with the retailers who will modify the products according to the feedback in order to receive Amazon's “Certified Frustration-Free” logo.
American Express: If you buy an item and can't return it within 90 days, Amex will refund the full price up to $300 per purchase. Each account can be reimbursed up to $1,000 every year.
Costco: Great return policy and free tech support. It also automatically extends the warranty of TVs and computers to two years after the purchase date.
Microsoft: If you don't like your new Microsoft software or piece of hardware, you can get a refund if you return it within 45 days. The firm will also reimburse the costs of shipping for up to $7.
REI: Great return policies - accepts returns at all times and for all reasons. You can return the item at any REI store or by mail.

Naughty:

AirTran: Flights don't include the price of the seat. If you want to select your seat, you'll have to pay an extra $6 to $20 each way.
American Apparel: Two different return policies for items bought in-store and online. You have 45 days to return an online purchase for a refund or credit. On the other hand, you only have 30 days to return an item bought at the store for credit.
RadioShack: The company sometimes charges different prices for the same product.
Southwest Airlines: You need to pay $10 to check in earlier than the standard 24 hours before departure. Consumer Reports says, "It’s another reminder that a basic ticket doesn’t buy much these days, and how price-conscious customers can get penalized if they don’t go for the upgrade."
Verizon Wireless: The alert system for notifying customers who are reaching their monthly allotment of minutes isn't always reliable.

Who's on your list of naughty and nice companies?

Earn Up to $1,000 Through Naming Companies

Emily Co — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:17:59 PDT

I recently found out about this cool website called CrowdSpring, a type of crowdsourcing website that has plenty of opportunities for those with creativity to earn hundreds of dollars. It's not just naming companies; there are all sorts of tasks you can do to earn a few extra bucks. You can design a logo, website, or product, create a tagline, and more.

Most of the projects have a payout of a few hundred bucks, but one software company is currently offering $1,000 to whoever comes up with the best name for its firm. The great thing about coming up with a name is that you don't really need any special skill or education degree to do so. The winner is picked based on the quality of the product and not what's on his résumé.

Crowdsourcing websites are basically online outlets that creatives can visit to find freelance projects. Competition is tight - your submission (which has to be a completed project and not just a concept) will be pitted against hundreds of entrants. Once you win the bid, you will be able to pocket all of the reward money. CrowdSpring doesn't charge freelancers any fees or commission. Here's a tip: To increase your chances of winning, you need to pick the project that will best suit your abilities. Then, put a lot of thought into your submissions and have meaningful explanations and reasons on how you reached your end product.

The great thing about CrowdSpring is that the site does more policing than Craigslist, which means you're less likely to be scammed.

You Know You Want to Design This Fragrance Bottle. . .

BellaSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:22 PST

Perfumer Bond No. 9 makes fragrances that capture the essence of New York's distinct neighborhoods. And last month, this Big Apple-loving company announced that its latest fragrance, Brooklyn, would be encased in a glass bottle with graffiti-style, "street" artwork. They received many strong opinions on what the bottle could look like, so they took it to heart, deciding to offer more options by means of a fun, oh-so-artsy, contest.

Two winners will be chosen in the "Brooklyn Bottle Design Competition," and not only will their designs go into production, but their names will be displayed on the bottles, and each winner will receive one bottle of Brooklyn per month for a full year. Not too shabby. See the rules when you

Create the design to fit within the outline of the Bond No. 9 superstar flacon and to include the circular “token” logo, downloadable on the Bond No. 9 website.
Any style, whether abstract or figurative, will do.
Inspiration should come from any concept or anywhere in Brooklyn.
Any medium is fine, whether watercolor, acrylic, makeup, ballpoint pen, etc.
The contest goes throughout the month of March. Finished designs should be submitted by March 31, 2009 to: contactus@bondno9.com or Bond No. 9, 9 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012. Have fun, and good luck!

Coming Soon: A New Fragrance from Tommy Hilfiger

BellaSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:00:02 PDT

Now, I've never been a big fan of Tommy Hilfiger's clothing, in part because it's one of those lines that slaps the company logo all over the place. But fragrance is another story, and with his forthcoming scent, Mr. Hilfiger is ditching the All-American theme for a more sophisticated one.

Set to launch in February of next year, Dreaming is intended to reach a customer who's more womanly, less girlish. The ad campaign features Swedish model Mona Johannesson in a throwback to the golden age of Hollywood, using Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe as inspiration. Hilfiger told WWD: "[These actresses] have always been a source of inspiration for me, and Mona in this ad typifies their style - sensuous, yet playful." It reminds me of a softer version of the Christina Aguilera campaign-am I the only one who sees it?

To find out what Dreaming will smell like,

read more Dreaming will be priced from $35-$60 for eaux de parfum, and complementary body-care products will join the scent at launch. The fragrance features notes of peach skin, white hibiscus, tuberose, freesia, white woods, and orris. (Orris is the root of the iris plant.) Obviously, there's no way to know how this stuff smells right now, but it seems like it could be very sweet. I'm hoping that the notes of white woods will balance out the fruits and florals-and that maybe Tommy and I can finally make something work between us.

Coach the Fragrance is Finally Here!

BellaSugar — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:00:26 PST

After many months of industry buzz, the American leather and durable canvas handbag company Coach has released their first ever fragrance. Appropriately titled, Coach the Fragrance, $68, it will be available for purchase on March 5th.

Coach and Estee Lauder formed a partnership to create this scent and they are expected to come out with more beauty products in the near future! Made from green mandarin, honey and sandalwood, the scent is a careful balance between sweet and woodsy. It is perfect for the daytime since it is subtle enough not to bug your co-worker in the next cubicle, yet strong enough to create a pleasant aura around you.

The fashionable bottle is made from rectangular solid glass with the Coach signature black and white “C” logo in the background; it has a splash of red enamel around the crown of the bottle. It also comes with the same silver Coach dog tag that adorns each of their namesake bags.

The fragrance is available in a 1.7 oz bottle for $68, a .27 oz purse spray for $42 and a solid perfume for $40. It can can be purchased online, in any Coach boutique nationwide or by calling 1-800-223-8647.