Contests

Groupon and its competitors, which build buzz by sending out a daily email alerting subscribers in a city to a local bargain, are listening to gripes like Ms. London's and recasting their operations. Among the new approaches: computer programs to better target consumers with personalized deals and staff on the ground to help merchants.

In a video on the Web site for Edge shave gel, EdgeShaveZone.com, the comedian John Caparulo explains what irritates him about pickup basketball games.

On July 29th YouTube was pleased to announce that they’ve increased the upload limit to 15 minutes. Imagine that this video is all the world will ever know about you: what would you want to communicate? What will be the enduring stamp you've left on us all? Tag your video with "yt15minutes," upload it by Wednesday, August 4, and YouTube will select a handful of people to truly gain their 15 minutes of fame by featuring them on the YouTube homepage in a future spotlight.

Foursquare and other moso networks' popularity relies on the overinflated sense of self importance many people possess in the age Facebook and Twitter. People want to know where I am, people want to know what I'm doing. In other words, it's a tool for feeding ego, or perhaps a receptacle for the excess.

Men's lifestyle publisher UrbanDaddy on Monday is expected to relaunch its Perks programs with an exclusive sponsorship from Heineken. The email magazine directs discerning readers toward exclusive venues for eating, drinking, shopping, and the like.

OgilvyOne Worldwide, part of the Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide division of WPP, is tipping its hat to David Ogilvy by sponsoring the contest, which is to begin this week. The contest will search for what is being immodestly described as "the world's greatest salesperson."  

McDonald's is upping the ante in its social-media push by letting its 1.6 million restaurant crew members speak -- and sing -- for them.  The chain is holding its third "Voice of McDonald's" competition, an "American Idol"-style karaoke contest complete with bright lights, a massive stage and a global media conglomerate. But this time, they're adding marketing savvy and advertising dollars.

Crowdsourcing fever has struck again, as PepsiCo is bypassing the normal review process and instead letting consumers pick which shops will handle marketing initiatives for its Distortion, Whiteout and Typhoon Mountain Dew drinks. Set up as a contest, the latest "Dewmocracy" drive's hub is a website where anyone from agencies to prodcos to bedroom creatives can upload 12-second clips that outline their ideas for marketing the new Mountain Dew line.