Google has revealed the UK’s top search trends in 2009, with Swine Flu, the death of Jade Goody and the popularity of Susan Boyle topping the list.

A Global Icon

People searched about new sensations like Lady Gaga and Jedward, but they also turned to the web to learn about the deaths of Stephen Gately, Michael Jackson and the domestic violence of Rhianna.

It’s fair to say celebrity death and violence tops the list this year, above of any danger of nuclear attack from Iran. If nothing else though, Britney’s mum will be so pleased her daughter’s antics have slipped from the top spot.

1. swine flu
2. Susan Boyle
3. Jade Goody
4. Robert Pattison
5. Rihanna
6. Michael Jackson
7. Google Maps
8. Twitter
9. Stephen Gately
10. Iran

The Google search trends over the last decade have also included a mixture of celebrities and entertainment with the following years dominated by the movie Spiderman, Prince Charles, television series Big Brother, singer James Blunt and the death of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin.

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Axed from The XFactor but already in Marketing

This Conservatives’ poster appeared around London on digital poster sites last night, within five minutes of the bequiffed pair being voted off the ITV talent show.

Two weeks ago, the Labour Party released an almost identical press ad, featuring David Cameron and George Osborne dressed like Jedward.

Everyone's milking it!

They may only end up with fifteen minutes of fame, but it’s been a VERY loud 15 minutes already…The Power of the X!

from www.brandrepublic.com

The fizzy drink has created a Facebook app called the ‘Facial Profiler’ which has the aim of finding people’s online lookalikes.

The app encourages people to upload a photo of themselves to a database, Coke then analyses the characteristics and attempts to find the nearest match from other uploaded images.

http://tinyurl.com/y89xbxj

So far the database is small and it’s unlikely that you’ll find a long lost twin in the short-term but Coke maintains that it is an experiment and, as the database grows, it should return some spooky results.

The idea behind the campaign is: ‘If Coke Zero has the taste of Coke…is it possible that someone out there has your face?’.

Coke already has more than 1.8 million fans on Facebook and is the top ranking brand on Facebook’s Fan Pages, according to the social network.

It also follows several other apps, including ‘Alter Ego’, a Facebook app that used avatar mash-up photo technology to allow users to create a virtual persona around an image of their face.

It’s the first stage of the BBC’s revamp of existing sites to include new and innovative social media features – as announced by Anthony Rose, the BBC’s controller of Vision and Online.

His team is currently researching “what the next generation in social media will be”.

So what are these first stage innovations?  Well, not content with sowing up your own sequined outfits for your living room, The Strictly Come Dancing site allows viewers to rate performances with their own comments with a simple: ‘Boo!’, ‘Good!’ or ‘Gosh!’ How exciting and innovative.

Just be careful you don’t jump on the show’s race row by posting comments like Anton Du Beke‘s use of the “P” word!

http://tinyurl.com/y9lb7b4

http://celebrate.madonna.com/

To Celebrate her latest Greatest Hits!

Don't I look fabulous!

Well, believe the hype for once. Marketing Mole friends in radio can confirm that, yes, they DO turn up separately for interviews, then hold hands on air, then leave separately. While they shamelessly plug their cheapo cover version single (Right Said Fred – please???).

So exclusively, I can confirm, that they’ve exhausted the line up, AGAIN. No surprise. After all, Amelle disappeared in May, causing even her family to call the police desparately begging her to come home (some people will do anything to cling to their fifteen minutes of fame). Let’s not forget that all the ex sugababes have a “I was/wasn’t bullied by Keisha story:    http://tinyurl.com/ncqejh    and    ”Keisha made my life a living hell” :    http://tinyurl.com/ny4e32)

They’ve done well to keep a lid on it long enough for the single to limp up to the top of the charts. But the latest revelations of a new line up challenge even the most die hard of deluded Babe fans….Jade? The Eurovision Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber hopeful…is to be the FOURTH incarnation of the jaded Sugababe cash cow. Surely no amount of remixing can allow anyone to take their jingles seriously (see: http://tinyurl.com/mpgh6p).

Get the new girl in!

As the only original “band” member, Keisha, can you really claim to be so squeaky clean and innocent now? Lightning strikes twice, but double that and even we have to doubt your naive “they never get in touch anymore” act. If  you’re that much of a diva, celebrate it. It launched Alesha Dixon’s solo career!

The sad fact is, you’ve only managed to stay in the charts so long because of the line up changes, and the record company must absolutley embrace the fresh blood to give them one more shot for a number one cover version. Remixed of course. And co-written by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

By the way, The “Babes” didn’t even approve the Right Said Fred song, the record company over rode it. You’re puppets, and your time is up!

I won’t tell you who won my war (but I bet it’s the most popular search). Have a go, you’ll love it!

http://www.brandrepublic.com/famefight/

Who's smiling now....

Unbelievable but true, latest GPS technology means you can now track your friends’ whereabouts through their footwear. (GPS stands for global positioning system)

Shoes that can be tracked by the wearer’s friends using social networking sites. The shoes are equipped with Bluetooth connectivity so that with the touch of a button all of a person’s Facebook contacts can pinpoint them.

Mission impossible style, the satellite-based navigation system consists of 24 orbiting satellites that transmit continuous signals to GPS receivers to determine the precise location of a vehicle, person or other asset it’s attached to. They don’t look too bad either:

To order your Facebook feet go to: http://www.idconex.com/buy_it_now.php

Use your shoes to stalk your ex!

Hilarious, but true! How far would you go to be famous…in Turkey???? Their parents must be soooo proud!

Nine new housemates!

This story from Brand Republic shows how a Malaysian curry house “McCurry” did just that and won a long drawn out court case to retain their own iconic brand identity and gain some global humorous PR at the same time. The judges ruled that no one could own the rights to the use of “Mc” – as it’s already used by Scottish heritage families!: http://tinyurl.com/ns9d2s

Are you tempted?