Today I read an article in the New York Times about a few colleges giving some or all of their students either iPhones or internet-enabled iPod Touches. Students could use the devices to be connected 24/7 with their campus’ wireless networks. The examples of uses in the Times article were learning about cancelled classes, delayed busses, campus crises or changes in the cafeteria menu.

So far the Times has confirmed four schools have announced plans for this type of distribution—the University of Maryland, Oklahoma Christian University, Abilene Christian University, and Freed-Hardeman. But if this spreads, mobile marketers may see this as an opportunity to reach college students that may not have had mobile internet previously. Geotargeting for a particular city or campus could be particularly effective if a marketer knows that every student on a campus has an iPhone.

The article also states that with student permission, colleges could potentially track the location of student on campus. This could mean no more skipping one class to finish a paper in the library for another.

This idea raised other questions for me. Who pays for the AT&T service? (The student) Do colleges get discounts for buying the devices in bulk? (Unclear) Will the devices, as the article suggests it might, replace the use of laptops on campus? (I’m guessing no) And most importantly, will this lock students in to using mobile internet, iPhones and AT&T services after graduation? (I’m guessing yes)

This could be the future of technology in higher education. Not to mention, if it continues, a way to ensure that more and more people will become users of the mobile web and at a much faster rate than we thought.

When I was younger, the end of August signified back-to-school shopping. I got my kicks buying school supplies. I loved it. I’d go to the store with my parents, list-in-hand, and excitedly rush around putting sparkly notebooks and colored pencils into the cart.

However, with the slumping economy, kids and parents may feel a pinch come the first day of school. I recently read this article on MediaPost, noting that a study from the NPD Group found that consumers say they’re planning on spending less during back-to-school shopping. The stores being affected most are clothing and shoe stores.

The percentage of people shopping at discount stores dropped from 84% to 81% and those going to apparel store dropped from 20% to 16%. Additionally, only 22% will visit shoe stores, going down from 27% last year. In total, 35% of those surveyed said they would spend less this year than last. Only 25% made the same statement a year ago.

All that being said, some retailers, like Kohl’s, are finding new ways to reach teens and tweens. The company launched a campaign this month using Stardolls.com. The site allows kids to create their own avatars and dress them in virtual Kohl’s clothing. They can buy the clothing using Stardollars, which they acquire by signing up for a monthly membership (around $5-$6). According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, Kohl’s hopes online interaction will lead to in-store sales. The avatar trend has also been utilized by K-Swiss, Eberjey and Sears.

As a quasi-hip and slightly tech-savvy Gen-Y-er, truthfully, while writing this post I said to myself, “What is with kids today spending real money on a virtual pair of shoes?” But then again, I’m sure my mother questioned my reasoning for wanting a pair of L.A. Gear sneakers that lit up with each step.

M&Ms are the latest brand name to join in the race for the increasingly popular Hispanic consumer. The candy has tapped Hispanic stars Wilmer Valderrama and Christina Saralegui to appear in print ads for its “Inner M” campaign. The ads appear in this month’s People en Espanol and will run again in October.
M&Ms will further extend its brand presence in the Hispanic community by sponsoring this year’s ALMA awards, which celebrate Latinos in cinema, television and music.
M&M is just one of the many national brands that’s starting to advertise specifically to Hispanics. For more information on the rise of Hispanic marketing, check out DMNews’ special feature on the topic, coming out in print on July 28.

One of my favorite features that I work on each week is our “vertical” features — in which we focus on trends and DM strategies within a particularly industry sector, everything from healthcare and technology to government and consumer goods. In addition, we highlight three creative DM campaigns (whether it’s direct mail, e-mail, a website, or an integrated campaign) in the sector that have seen success.

When I first started as the DMNews features editor back in November, it was tough to source these stories — it seemed like agencies and marketers didn’t know that such a great editorial opportunity was out there. As readers have seen the features, we’ve gotten a lot more interest. But we’re always looking for more!

On that note, I’m currently on the lookout for creative campaigns in the industrial/manufacturing sector for our July 21 issue. If you have anything that you you’d like to toot your horn about, please send it my way!

DMNews was recently given a peek at the the results of an anonymous survey on b-to-b business conditions done by MeritDirect. The core question asked of the 38 respondents: “What keeps you up at night?” It’s a question near and dear to this insomniac’s heart.

In addition to the usual suspects: innovation and cost-effective customer acquisition, a majority of executives at b-to-b companies cited the economic downturn, Standard Flat postal rate increases, reliable metrics and shrinking margins as enemies of a restful slumber.

More surprising to me was the issues that weren’t as troubling. A majority had minimal concern about the cost of implementing government regulations and raising capital to finance expansion. Perhaps this is because the majority of the respondents expect positive sales growth this year and in 2009.

As for what I’ll be losing sleep over this year, it’s about bringing you the latest news on these troubling issues. DMNews will have it’s eye on these issues as well as others raised in the survey: increase in raw materials and packaging, increased freight costs, competitive pricing, consolidation and understanding how to the dynamics of multichannel sales. As always, reach me at cara.wood@dmnews.com about how our coverage can help you dream up positive ROI strategies for you and your clients.

DM News wants you - the industry expert - to make a case for your views on DM issues. We are looking for experienced executives to choose a side and defend their position for upcoming Gloves Off debates.Where do you stand on:

Long copy vs. Short copy on traditional mailers?

In-house vs. Outsource teleservices staffing?

Single-brand loyalty vs. Choose-your-own reward programs?

Better yet, what’s the latest issue that’s getting talked about around the coffee pot in your office? Do you have a long-standing difference of opinion with a colleague or co-worker.Send me a note at cara.wood@dmnews.com if you’ve got a topic of contention, name your contender and ’slug it out’ on our pages.

–Posted by Cara Wood