Apple today announced that is has already sold a record 13 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s Plus phones after launching both models just three days ago. The new iPhones will be available in more than 130 countries by year's end. Now, I have never owned an iPhone. In fact, I've remained loyal to Samsung when it comes to mobile phones -- I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active -- and TVs. I do, however, use a Mac computer at work and have been using my trusty iPod for all things music for roughly nine years now. But I have to give credit where credit is due: 13 million iPods in three days is a staggering number. Everytime I walk past the Apple store at my local mall, it is jam-packed with shoppers ostensibly looking to shell out big bucks. Apple has succeeded brilliantly at creating an appetite for its product like no other company in the world. When one thinks of cutting edge consumer products in the 21st century, Apple is top of mind. And the funny thing is that the c...

We see it with every new iPhone that hits the market: People making lines days if not weeks in advance of the product's launch. We see people scouring stores for the "best" brands, whether it be Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, or Coach. Where did this frenzy for the latest and greatest stuff come from? People are replacing their perfectly functional phones once a year,  if not sooner. They're swapping clothing bought two or three years ago for newer garments like it's nobody's business. This illustrates one key fact: Advertising/marketing is alive and well. The promotional landscape has been altered tremendously by the advent of social media. From product recommendations to banner ads, exposure to content shared by friends and companies alike on sites like Facebook exerts an immense influence on our purchase decisions. That's not to say that traditional media like TV and radio are no longer effective, but what makes online marketing so potent is that it...