I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not much of a sports fanatic. Sure, I’ll go to the occasional football game or accidentally stop on ESPN while I’m flipping channels, but generally I’m not one that’s going to turn on a football game. That said, when it comes to Super Bowl Sunday, I usually make an exception—not for the game itself, but the commercials.

Unlike most in the advertising industry this year, I waited all last week to see this year’s Super Bowl commercials. I wanted to see them just like I always have, during the game, not on YouTube days before the actual event. While countless lists will abound today about which ads were the best and which brands could’ve done better, what I noticed more than anything this year was countless commercials starring dogs.

Whether it was the new Volkswagen commercial with a heavy pooch looking to lose a few pounds, a dog bribing its owner with Doritos, a Sketchers-wearing bulldog moon walking over the finish line, or the dog who survived the 2012 apocalypse in the Chevy Silverado ad, it seemed almost every commercial during the big game this year featured man’s best friend.

While dogs have long been staples of Budweiser’s classic commercials, 2012 seems to be the year of the dogs. And when you look at consumer statistics, it makes sense to feature man’s most faithful companion.

According to the U.S. Humane Society, in 2011 39 percent of Americans owned at least one dog and 30 percent of those owners had two or more dogs. Dogs and other household pets have become staples in the American family with many owners shelling out hundreds to thousands of dollars on toys, health care, grooming, pet supplies, etc. all for their pet. Last year, the American Pet Products Association estimated that Americans spent a record $50 billion on their pets alone.

With consumers showing significant spending power when it comes to their pets, it makes sense that Super Bowl marketers would want to ride the wave by including pets any way they can in their commercials and products.

In total last night, I counted five commercials that featured a dog as one of the main characters. When done right, these commercials can not only position a product like Doritos in a new way, but also remind consumers that such products and brands are to be enjoyed by literally the whole family.

Of all the ads featuring dogs, I think my favorite was Sketchers’ :30 spot featuring Mr. Quiggly as he moon walks his way to first place. What was your favorite ad from the big game?

We received an email from the Sioux Empire United Way recently thanking Lawrence & Schiller for its support. The email was another reminder of the generosity of the Lawrence & Schiller team. Seeing the L&S staff give back is just another indication of their character and commitment to the community.

Thank you to everyone at the agency who raised $36,125 for the Sioux Empire United Way. Here a look at what our donation will provide:

• 248 children with one weekend’s supply of food.
• 100 people with suicide crisis support.
• 36 children with free dental screenings.
• 207 meals to a homebound older adult.
• 88 children with one book each month this year.
• 12 cyberbully prevention programs for students.
• 6 rental deposits for homeless families.
• 40 mattresses for bunkie beds, for young children.
• 1 year of after school programs for 4 students.
• 136 families with connections to child care.
• 16 hours of financial counseling for a couple.
• 40 wigs to cancer patients.
• 16 children to take part in swimming lessons.
• 100 grocery deliveries to homebound older adults.
• 60 low-income Cub Scouts with 3 day summer camp.
• 80 girls with scholarships to join Girl Scouts.
• 8 months of helping a disabled individual live independently.
• 18 adults in a GED class with funds for fees and books.
• 1 year of craft supplies for an after school program.
• 6 families with grocery cards incentives to complete their self-sufficiency goals.
• 16 sessions of marriage counseling for one couple.
• 20 hours of interpreter support for refugee/immigrant parents to communicate with their children’s teachers.
• 36 children an hour of safe interaction with a noncustodial parent.

Last week, Lawrence & Schiller’s famed business cards were featured on the iBrand Studio blog in a post entitled, “30 Creative Circle Business Card Designs.”

We’ve heard many comments about our unique business cards throughout the years. They’ve been compared to coasters and used as office frisbees. But the most popular question is, “Can I fit this in my wallet?” We like that question because at L&S we like to stand out from the crowd. We don’t want our business or a client’s business to get “lost in the shuffle.”

Take a look at our business card and other circular designs at iBrandStudio.com.

Oh, and drop us a line if you’d like to find a place for our card in your wallet.

The South Dakota Office of Highway Safety kicked off its latest campaign as the state continues its plunge into the winter season, a time of year that is notorious for its hazardous driving conditions. The campaign — which urges drivers to move over for emergency vehicles — is made up of a series of interviews conducted with Highway Patrol Officers who were involved in severe accidents caused by motorists “overdriving” the road conditions.

Last year alone, the Office of Highway Safety responded to a total of thirteen such accidents; mishaps that could have been avoided had the other drivers slowed down and moved over for the response crews. South Dakota’s “Move Over” Law requires drivers to slow down at least twenty miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and merge into the farthest lane from the flashing yellow lights of emergency vehicles.

The campaign will be supported by a series of billboards and posters, with the posters being placed in areas like truck stops and interstate restrooms. Scroll down to watch all three of the spots. And remember, moving over for emergency vehicles isn’t just a courtesy. It’s the law.

With the weather getting colder and snow starting to fly, I’ve already started thinking about next summer when temperatures will again reach into the 80s and 90s and I can spend more time outdoors enjoying longer, warmer days. And while I daydream about enjoying the nice weather rather than bundling up and rushing inside to escape the cold, those in the travel industry are already a step ahead of me, with destinations and industry members preparing for the 2012 summer season.

Several industry leaders have already shared next summer’s travel outlook. The U.S. Travel Association is predicting that 2012 leisure travel will increase 1.5 percent throughout the next year. Also, hotel performance leader Smith Travel Research (STR) is predicting slightly slower growth next year for those in the travel industry. STR expects occupancy numbers to increase to 60 percent while room rates see mild increases throughout the year.

In addition to modest travel growth next year, destinations will also encounter consumers with new vacation priorities like increased vacation spending coupled with more intrinsically focused trips.

According to TripAdvisor’s 2012 Travel Trends Forecast, 31 percent of people are expected to spend more on travel next year than they did this year. Seventy-nine percent will spend at least $3,000 on vacations in 2012, while nearly 1 in 5 will spend $10,000 or more.

Another trend will be consumers’ shift to more experiential getaways, with several consumers citing increased interest in cultural trips, cruises and all-inclusive vacations as top 2012 vacation interests. Rather than simply haphazardly crossing destinations or vacation icons off of vacation wish lists, visitors in 2012 are looking for vacations that provide a deeper sense of meaning and more intrinsic, valuable memories both for themselves and their families.

For travel destinations weathering the winter season as best they can, early predictions for the 2012 travel season seem optimistic. With visitors exploring a new type of vacation and spending expected to increase, 2012 could be a year of strong growth.

It’s that time of year again – A time for Christmas lights, presents, hot chocolate and Lawrence & Schiller University!

That’s right! Our vigorous and sometimes rambunctious hunt for summer interns is well on its way. To apply online or to get more information feel free to visit us at http://www.l-s.com/internships/index.cfm

We also have an array of fun and insightful videos designed to give this year’s applicants an insider’s perspective on what to expect out of their internship, what all the Meet Greet Repeat will entail  and a few words from our team on what it means to be “5280″ and what exactly it is we do here.

Don’t be shy! Pass this on to anyone who might be interested in a 2012 summer internship at Lawrence & Schiller.

Thank you to all who attended the annual Lawrence & Schiller Ho Ho holiday celebration. We look forward to the event all year, because it doesn’t get much better than spending an evening with clients, business partners, co-workers and friends.

We enjoyed seeing guests sport their 20’s style and attitude in our photo booth. Take a look at a few snapshots.

South Dakota Department of Tourism
and L&S Team Members
Front: Melody Morton, Carrie Burns and Laura Mitchell
Back: Thad Friedman, Micah Aberson and Jim Hagen

Midcontinent Communications
Front: Pat and Patti McAdaragh, Trish and Jeff McCann
Back: Jon Pederson

Great Western Bank
Front: Steve Ulenberg, Melissa Travis, Doug Tribble, Ken Karels, Kelly Nelson and Jill Palcovic
Back: Katie Lebrun, Toni Cranny

Now that the party is over, we’re already brainstorming the next bash to carry on the Ho Ho tradition started by Craig Lawrence and Paul Schiller back in 1976. Have any ideas for next year’s theme? Submit them in the comment section below.

Merry Christmas!

With the holidays officially upon us, the season of giving is in full effect—a time when many consumers will open their hearts and wallets to give to their favorite non-profits and philanthropic organizations. While the American Red Cross found that 72 percent of individuals cite charitable giving as important during the holidays, this year holiday giving is getting a little easier through the help of mobile devices and electronic payment systems.

Through electronic payment cards embedded within smartphones and other digital technologies, holiday giving is now as easy as scanning your smartphone over your credit or debit card. These technologies and websites, like mgive.com, are a great way for consumers to connect with non-profits and show their support in a more practical, digital way this holiday season.

And these types of giving are not just good ideas. Several brands have already started putting digital donations into practice. For example, working with Square Inc., the Salvation Army has equipped bell ringers in large markets like Dallas and New York with a mobile card reader that has the ability to collect donations directly from consumers’ credit cards.

Even eBay is using mobile QR codes that connect with interactive digital store fronts, allowing window shoppers to scan virtual toys displayed on the window display. Toys scanned come to life in the virtual environment and benefit  the Toys for Tots organization.

With donations and non-profits adopting more robust mobile technologies, consumers can now give to their favorite charities even while on the go. Non-profits looking to reach out to consumers this season in new ways should focus on digital engagement, even if it’s simply though reaching out on one’s own social media channels. Engaging with consumers in the spaces they frequent most will keep you top of mind when it comes to holiday giving this season.

QSR Magazine released the list of “100 Ways to Improve Your Drive Thru,” with categories in Customer Service, Management, Look and Feel, Technology, Operations and Design. With speed and accuracy as the top drive-thru characteristics a consumer demands, quick-service restaurants should stay on top of their drive-thru experience not only to ensure satisfaction, but also to offer a point of differentiation.

I pulled my 13 favorite tips, but click here to see the full list.

• Who wants to eat a salad by hand or use his dry-cleaning receipt as a napkin? Provide the appropriate amount of napkins, utensils, and condiments.
• Offer breakfast. According to Technomic’s 2009 Breakfast Consumer Trend Report, 22 percent of consumers named the availability of drive-thru service as one of the top three reasons they visit their preferred breakfast restaurant.
•  Drive-thru staff should start the ordering process rather than relying on guests to initiate the order.
• Clean the windshields of waiting cars. No one does this, which is precisely why you should.
• Hire for personality. Engaging, articulate, and naturally pleasant personalities are specifically effective in the drive thru.
•  Appoint a troubleshooting staff member who is capable of stepping in wherever necessary to fix drive-thru issues.
• From litter on the ground to hazy windows, dirty and ill-maintained drive thrus negatively impact consumer confidence.
• Install a trashcan with an extended chute next to the lane, a simple product customers universally value.
• Use an order-confirmation screen. Providing the customer a visual rundown of the items ordered and the final total helps certify accuracy. Better yet, an order-confirmation screen is routinely cited as one of the top drive-thru improvements consumers want to see.
• Installing noise-reduction technology at the order post minimizes customer angst while improving speed and order accuracy.
• Grant customers the ability to place an order ahead of time, by phone or online, and pick it up in the drive-thru lane.
• On-the-go, multitasking drive-thru consumers want packaging that keeps food safe and contained. Identify packaging that protects the product and the customer’s lap.
• Institute a special drive-thru value meal complete with drive-thru-friendly items easy to eat while driving.

More than 60% of revenue comes from the drive-thru in the quick-service restaurant business, so implementing these improvements can help keep  drive-thru lanes full and help increase revenue. What improvements would you most like to see?

With just one year to go until the 2012 elections, candidates are already setting up campaign headquarters and producing new advertising campaigns to lure voters to their side of the political line. Although just 42 percent of all eligible American voters turned out in last year’s Mid-term election, with next year being a General Election year, voter turnout will undoubtedly be higher, especially if youth voters turnout in the high numbers we saw in 2008.

With more young people reveling in digital communications and using social networks to stay up-to-date on issues, more campaigns are reaching out to these voters by speaking to them through online chat platforms and social media debates.

Just last week, Mashable reported that Fox News will be hosting a series of debates through Google+ Hangouts, something sure to resonate with younger, digital voters. Previous Google+ Hangout debates have garnered more than 6.1 million viewers according to Nielsen and received more than 18,000 questions for the candidates.

Digital political engagement doesn’t end there, though. Individually, several candidates have realized the influence of social networks not only on the under 30 segment, but also on those digitally active boomers. As a result, several candidates like Mitt Romney and John Thune  have set up active accounts on spaces like Twitter and Facebook and may consider further moves into places like Google+ or Pinterest. Other platforms are also under development to connect voters with the issues that matter most to them in a more streamlined, mobile way.

With the average American population spending 21.7 hours online every week and the expected increase of mobile devices over the next year, the opportunities to reach potential voters in newer, more robust online spaces are huge. Candidates who connect with their audience not only through similar issues and causes, but also the evolving mediums will garner the most respect from their followers and possibly increase their political reach across several social and digital spheres in just a short time.

We would like to welcome three new employees to the L&S team.

Tony Barlow – Digital Strategist

Tony, a Hudson, WI, native, graduated from Northland College with a degree in meterology. He will be working as a Digital Strategist at L&S. Previously, Tony was instrumental in website development and social media strategy for a local news station. When he’s not online, he enjoys spending time with his family and hunting.

Amanda Jenson – Pay Per Click Specialist

Originally from Ralph, SD, Amanda Jenson is a student of Dickinson State University. She has been hired as a pay per click specialist intern at L&S. In her free time, she enjoys playing basketball and shopping.

Nathan Pease – Finance Specialist

Nathan, a Sioux Falls, SD native, graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in economics. He joins the L&S team as a Finance Specialist. Nathan enjoys spending time with his wife and doing activities outside such as hiking.

Welcome to the 5280 team!

It may be just the beginning of November, but the holidays are right around the corner. And with them, holiday travel and winter trips. As consumers aim to get away this holiday season, travel destinations and daily deal sites are already offering incentives to visitors who book their snowy season vacations early.

JetBlue Getaways recently announced a $30 travel deal good for $300 towards a vacation package of three nights or more in December. The deals went fast as consumers in Austin, Boston, New York and Washington D.C. purchased more than 2,500 of the deals. 

With airline costs expected to increase by 10 percent come December, even more consumers will be looking to save where they can throughout the holidays, either by driving to their destination or jumping in on the last minute daily travel deals.

But while consumers may be looking for deals online this year, research suggests holiday spending will actually be up slightly compared to last year despite fears of a double dip recession and high unemployment numbers. According to the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, American families will spend an additional $200 per person on their trips this season, meaning more opportunities for travel destinations to recover from first quarter when weather and natural disasters hampered travel to many Midwest destinations.

With 30 percent of Americans poised to take holiday vacations this year, travel destinations that experienced a slower summer have an opportunity to reach out to winter travelers by offering trips available only in the off-peak season. By showcasing what your destination has to offer in the winter months, whether it’s snowy ski runs or a tree lighting celebration, destinations can entice visitors to get away with family and splurge on those weekend trips they may not have been able to take this summer.

This past week at Lawrence & Schiller has been epic. Why? Because it was our annual United Campaign Week!

Every year we like to host a friendly little week-long competition to get people excited about the Sioux Empire United Way, however this year we took it a step further. We went out into the United Way community and volunteered at the Bowden Youth Center, Lunch is Served and a few of us even gave a “Try-It” Mentorship Day a shot.

But if you really want to know what it was like around here this past week, check out this video… just another day at the office.

It’s no secret that boomers are living more active and vibrant lifestyles than generations that came before them. In addition to wanting to feel younger and ramping up their leisure activities to include more active adventures, today’s boomers are hitting the road and racking up vacation miles as they search out those one-of-a-kind vacation experiences. And as more boomers become grandparents, they’re taking the grandkids with them to “see the world” and teach them all about it.

According to an article earlier this year, every year nearly 5 million families take multigenerational vacations, a trend expected to grow as economic conditions prompt consumers to tighten their wallets and extended family time comes to the forefront of vacation time.

Even the YPartnership noted the increase in multigenerational travel in their Portrait of American Travelers study earlier this year. According to their research, 30 percent of all leisure travelers are now grandparents. More of them are taking such multigenerational trips, not only to spend time with family, but also to provide experiences today’s hectic families often can’t.

Whether it’s due to busy work schedules, tight budgets or nightly activities for the kids, today’s Generation X-led families are struggling to do it all. Grandparents, however, are stepping in and taking their kids to see the places of a lifetime and often paying for it all. Even for families traveling with both the parents and grandparents, taking multigenerational trips can be a great way to not only spend time together, but also to pool your resources and book a longer or more robust trip.

Although currently the U.S. Travel Association notes that multigenerational travel makes up just 7 percent of the total leisure market, these families are a valuable niche audience for destinations that provide a wide variety of attractions and activities. By leveraging activities the whole family can enjoy—everything from bike riding, to museum-going to cave exploring–destinations can reach out to this unique niche audience and become a travel haven for extended family trips.

Imagine sitting in a movie theater, impatiently waiting for previews to end and your featured film to start. A booming narrating voice catches your attention as a sensational, exciting action movie trailer begins. Flashing lights, dramatic colors and pulsing screen shots immediately catch your attention. But wait, is this…what…a bank commercial?

Click here to watch the commercial.

Kiwibank of New Zealand is aiming to push consumers to switch banks not through traditional marketing tactics, but in what seems like a launch for a new movie or video game. Green Ops: Operation Easyswitch closely resembles the video game Call of Duty or any spy/action flick, and has been all over the bank’s interactive YouTube channel. From a “first-person-shooter-point-of-view” style, visitors can see humorous clips encouraging them to switch banks, follow a team of Kiwibankers as they complete missions to save customers from bad banking experiences and link to a website to start the bank switching process.

The campaign is different and innovative, and it reaches the correct audience in an appropriate manner. There is a noticeable disconnect between young customers (16-25 year olds) and their banks. This demographic often sticks with the bank their parents use, and their parents might even still do a lot of their banking for them (deposits, savings, etc.) no questions asked. Starting a conversation with this age group welcomes the idea of choice and control. They don’t have to bank with their parents’ bank. By giving a thrilling twist to switching banks, the process seems more tangible and easier than what young consumers have been imagining.

This eye-catching, glamorous campaign easily grabs the attention of those hard to reach Millennials through a medium they know – video games and Hollywood. Humor and intrigue takes social media by storm, as younger age groups like to be in the “social media know” and be more apt to pass something great along through the grapevine. Banks successful at these practices will move toward being the “cool” bank to use by image-conscious Millennials.

While a Call of Duty–themed campaign may not be the right fit for all banks, it’s important to remember reaching certain audiences will require taking a leap of faith. Whether it’s trying a new medium, tweaking a message or coming up with a new, big idea, the right campaign will not only resonate with a certain demographic, but lead them to a desired action.

There’s something exhilarating and oddly fulfilling about participating in exclusive activity. As superficial as it sounds, I think it’s safe to say people enjoy not being clumped with the majority or being branded as “average”. I don’t care what the activity is, whether it’s being in the top percentage of basketball players, receiving an invite to an executive dinner or buying the latest black riding boots, people revel in activities that make them feel different, elite or special.

Let’s run with the new black riding boots example and apply this theory to retail. There are plenty of places women can find black riding boots, but we women know where to find the “good” ones. As the most brand-loyal generation, Generation Y also loves luxury brands, proving truth to the theory. The elitism that comes with owning something not everyone can buy or afford influences Millennials, as 65% of females and 61% of males consider themselves brand-conscious. They play “favorites” to brands (with women listing Chanel and men listing BMW as the most iconic “hot” brands) and are willing to use their extra income to show their love for luxury.

However, a high price tag doesn’t have to come with this desired exclusiveness. Generation Y may be willing to buy expensive, luxury brands, but not at full price. Over half of female shoppers purchase these products from discount-websites, and less than a third bought directly from the brand’s website. So if price doesn’t make an item elite, what does? My answer – the availability and exclusiveness of the item. Finding a discount website with the luxury designer items at a reasonable price is hard; not all customers want to share their secret door into the “exclusive club.”

We all heard what happened when Target launched their partnership line with Missoni, a luxury clothing brand. Total chaos ensued, with stores selling out of the 400-piece line ranging from stationary to clothes in a matter of hours, and the Target website crashing as anxious customers stocked their online shopping bags. Prices on Missoni clothing can reach up to $1,500, so with the most expensive item being $599 patio furniture, I can understand the frenzy. The people with the discount Missoni items are now part of the few and envied by the majority because of lack of availability. Only Target has the partnership and sells the items. It’s exclusive.

Aside from designer brands, anything exclusive sells like hot cakes. I’ve witnessed this trend in my personal experience. Victoria Secret’s Collegiate Collection and Old Navy’s College branded shirts were nearly impossible to get your hands on in Lawrence, Kansas and even Kansas City. Women believed the only “cute” game day shirts were exclusively sold there, leaving owners permanent members of the “club.”

Any retail store can create this kind of craze among their customers. The trick is finding something very desirable and making it exclusive to only their store. Maybe it’s a partnership with another brand or perhaps something locally made, but if it’s exclusive and appealing, customers will be lined up at the doors when the shelves are restocked.

“Have an old friend for dinner.” Six little words that turned a good idea into a great one, that got the whole state talking.

That was exactly what Bob Fitzpatrick, wanted. Bob, the Director of Marketing at the University of South Dakota, came to his team at L&S with an idea for a billboard to fire up interest in USD’s football program, the new University logo, and their long-dormant rivalry with South Dakota State. The concept: a coyote chasing a jackrabbit, and the date of the 2012 USD/SDSU football matchup.

But when he saw the results on paper, the idea just didn’t do it for him, and we shifted to some other directions with type on a football, the mascots, etc.

But we knew there was something there. College football fans — in addition to having notoriously long memories — look forward to big games years in advance. The battle for South Dakota is a big deal, particularly to the ascending USD football program.

So, Creative Director John Pohlman (a USD alum, of course) challenged us to “plus it,” and make Bob’s original idea work. Associate Creative Director Scott Wiechmann and I put our heads together and next thing you know, there’s a billboard parked right outside Brookings featuring a coyote chasing a jackrabbit. With the addition of six little words.

“Have an old friend for dinner” did more than change the way the client saw the idea. Those six little words have generated thousands more, on Facebook, Twitter, the Argus Leader, the USD Volante, on radio talk shows and in TV news reports. They’ve got the state fired up for a football game that’s a year away.

Pretty good for an idea that nearly didn’t get out the door.

Check out a sampling of the buzz at http://sfy.co/JWv.

For those in the travel industry the value of traveler reviews cannot be overstated. Whether gearing up for a cross country flight or booking a one night stay just a few hours from home, travelers everywhere turn to recommendations from friends, family, and, yes, even online strangers, in an effort to minimize hotel hassles or potential vacation nightmares.

Sites like TripAdvisor  and others have carved out nearly unmatched name recognition with travelers looking for hotel and destination reviews. But, combine that well-established user base with  crowdsourced content and new digital technologies, and you create the opportunity for travelers to not only influence visitors in the planning stage with post-trip reviews, but also through real-time information while on their trip.

For those unfamiliar with the term, crowdsourcing involves “outsourcing” the collecting of information, feedback and ideas to an already active and accessible community, giving you more information and content from a variety of personal sources. A buzz word in the advertising industry right now, crowdsourcing has helped establish new company constructions like Victors & Spoils, an entire ad agency using crowdsourcing for creative ideas, and even helped to solve a molecular puzzle in the fight against AIDS.

If users and consumers can utilize the sharing of information to solve problems like these, using crowdsourced content for travel would take the experience of planning a vacation from a personal choice to a collective discussion. Vacations could be even better thanks to recommendations from your own friends or live alerts about events happening at your destination while you’re there.

And some marketers are already on the pulse, anticipating future travelers’ needs and meeting them with crowdsourced content. One example is Trippy, a new travel service launched earlier this month. Using crowdsourced vacation information from your own Facebook Friends, Trippy is able to pull in tips and recommendations from those within your own circle to help you plan vacations a bit more easily.

Even Ogilvy Worldwide’s Public Relations department got in on the crowdsourcing trend by prompting readers to book their next trip using crowdsourced content.

As more users post vacation tips, photos, reviews and recommendations on sites like TripAdvisor and as mobile devices allow consumers greater access to that content any time, the opportunity for marketers to reach out and engage in the travel conversation expands. Creating a space for visitors to meet digitally and share trip ideas will only increase the value of your destination in the minds of your most social travelers.

A few weeks ago while listening to the L&S Webinar on marketing to Generation Y, a co-worker highlighted an interesting finding from the Pew Research Center saying Millennials consider their cell phone to be a “necessary appendage.”  An appendage…as in equal in value to an arm or leg.

While initially this thought surprised me thinking Generation Y has yet again taken the value of technology to its most dramatic peak, the more I thought about it, the more I decided they were right. And not just for Generation Y—but Generation X and even some Baby Boomers as well.

And who can blame us?  Today’s devices allow us to have gaming, email, Internet, and yes, even a flashlight at  the simple touch of an app on our phones or tablets. Tablet usage alone makes up 20 percent of weekly digital media consumption, and with more consumers poised to purchase tablets this year, we’re bound to reach another level in our commitment to technology.

Just think of the implications on the travel industry. Tablets will completely change the way we plan travel and the way we experience travel. Why carry a map when you can carry your tablet that not only shows you a map of your own destination, but others in the region for day trips or extended getaways. You can take pictures and upload them to Facebook or Google+ in seconds. Even the simple art of exploring new restaurants or attractions on your trip will be easier with augmented reality apps like Layar, which overlays hotels, attractions and even dining searches directly over the window view using your device’s camera and GPS.  With Layar, instead of searching for nearby hotels or restaurants, you can just hold up your phone and the search will populate automatically.

With more interactive apps like Layar enhancing the digital travel experience, travelers will continue find new ways to make their trips last a little longer and memories a little more interactive.

As these devices take on new roles in users’ lives and recreate the user experience, so, too, will our connection with these devices change from seeing them less as an interesting tool and more as “a necessary appendage”.  And who knows? When it comes to vacations, tablets just may become the travel companions we refuse leave home without.