How to broaden your customer base if you're an airline? Remedy people who are too afraid to fly. Back in 1997, Virgin Atlantic started offering courses for fearful flyers. The courses—which are GBP 199 for a full-day session—are reputed to have an extremely high rate of success. Aiming to replicate that success for a much larger crowd of anxious travellers, Virgin Atlantic just launched its first iPhone app: Flying Without Fear.

Following a personal introduction by Sir Richard Branson, the application covers much of the same ground as the in-person courses. Videos run through the in-flight experience, and extensive exercises cover topics like wing movement and turbulence. If struck by a wave of intense anxiety, users can click on the 'fear attack button' for a breathing exercise and other tips, along with Virgin's reassuring words "This is natural. We know you're scared. You will be ok."

The app sells for USD 4.99 and was developed in partnership with Mental Workout, which has also created applications that are meant to help people learn mindful awareness and overcome insomnia. As for Virgin Atlantic: besides increasing its pool of potential customers, it's no secret that well-placed sympathy—the kind that's sincere, not cynical—makes for excellent brand-building. The hard part is getting that right ;-)

Website: www.mentalworkout.com/store/flying-without-fear/iphone/
Contact: www.mentalworkout.com/contact

It's not uncommon to find museums dedicated to showcasing local history; what's less common is to find a city museum constructed almost entirely of locally found abandoned objects. Sure enough, though, that's just the premise behind St. Louis's City Museum, a hyperlocal attraction that offers up a heaping helping of (still) made here appeal.

Housed in a 600,000-square-foot building that used to be St. Louis's International Shoe Company, City Museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The museum actually opened its doors back in 1997 and is the brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur whose crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city. Old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile and even two abandoned airplanes are now part of the City Museum, which continues its ongoing salvage efforts within the bounds of the city. A collection of vintage shoelace machines from the St. Louis-based Alox Manufacturing Company are still put to work at the museum, while an Enchanted Caves exhibit makes the most of the spiral conveyor tunnel system used by the building's former tenant.

Yes, we realize this doesn't entirely fit our regular focus on "new" and "business", but its an inspiring example of a rigorous approach to being a locally-driven organization. In this era of Starbucks, H&M and countless other homogenizing forces, consumers value more than ever the details that make different parts of the world unique. Focus on the local, and you may just set yourself apart! ;-) (Related: Used cooking oil for ultra-local candlemaking in Tokyo — Mass-made to order, here.)

Website: www.citymuseum.org
Contact: info@citymuseum.org

Spotted by: Rick Noyes

Once popular in Europe, folding campers have come to struggle with a bit of an image problem. They're practical and make for cheap travel, but have as much sex appeal as an orthopedic shoe. Aiming to change that is Opera, a foldout trailer that's as eyecatching and luxurious as it is convenient.

Designed by Axel Enthoven, who has led the department of Man & Mobility at Eindhoven's Design Academy since 1989, the Opera's overlapping domed tent is unabashedly inspired by the Sydney Opera House. It folds out of the trailer in minutes, revealing a sleek interior that includes hot and cold running water, a toilet, a simple stove, a wine cabinet and an espresso bar. As well as two luxury beds that slide together at the push of a button. And an enclosed teak veranda.

More compact than a full-sized recreational vehicle, the Opera allows travelers further off the beaten track, which is why it's being marketed as "your suite in nature". The concept will no doubt appeal to a new breed of nomads who want the feeling of roughing it out in the bush, without the actual roughness. Pricing hasn't yet been announced—Opera will be officially launched in December and taken into production in 2010—but it's safe to say that the company is targeting the high end of the market. (Related: Pop-up cabins designed for stargazing — Upscale camping at summer music festivals — Farm camping in cottage-style tents.)

Website: www.yoursuiteinnature.com (note that the current website is limited to a Flash presentation)

German airline Lufthansa is relaunching its FlyNet in-flight broadband service. Lufthansa was the first to launch in-flight broadband in 2004, then powered by Boeing's Connexion system, which Boeing phased out in 2006. Now, in partnership with Panasonic Avionics, Lufthansa has announced that it will bring back FlyNet mid next year.

In the meantime, Lufthansa has found an innovative way to get its name pinged around the web. Through its free MySkyStatus service, fliers can sign up for flight status updates to be posted automatically to their Facebook or Twitter profiles. Available for flights on any airline, passengers enter their flight details and Facebook or Twitter login details beforehand, and MySkyStatus will post regular updates about their departure, altitude, location and arrival as they travel. Besides providing social media addicts with a cool new trick, MySkyStatus reminds us of FlightCaster for the helping hand it gives anyone expecting the arrival of a friend or coworker.

MySkyStatus taps into two growing consumer trends: the whole world is engaged in ongoing conversations that smart brands can be part of (foreverism), and 'real-time' is becoming an integral element of many products and services we use (nowism). In using this as a marketing tool (a short "powered by Lufthansa" is tacked on to every update), the airline smartly chose to open MySkyStatus to people flying with any airline, thereby initiating conversations that its competitors might not be part of.

Website: www.myskystatus.com
Contact: konzern.lufthansa.com/en/html/service/kontakt/

Spotted by: Mashable via Raymond Kollau

Earlier this year we covered YokmoK, the Spanish travel company that invites its clients to help create new trips. Now, taking a page from TasteCasting's play book—by which restaurants give bloggers free food in exchange for social-media exposure—YokmoK is now offering popular bloggers free trips.

Owners of popular blogs—which YokmoK defines as those with 10,000 or more incoming links—relating to travel, adventure or adrenaline sports are invited to apply for free travel on one of YokmoK's upcoming trips. They need only submit their name, the URL of their blog, which trip they're interested in and a few sentences about themselves in order to be considered. Then, when YokmoK finds itself with an unused slot on a trip, it lets qualified bloggers know—in general, at least two to three weeks before the schedule date of departure. If the blogger is available to participate, YokmoK will pay for all services included in the price for the corresponding trip. In exchange, the blogger is expected to share their experience of the trip, including at least four entries before the trip starts, one entry per day during the trip, and another four entries after the trip ends; each entry must include at least one direct link to YokmoK's website.

Free expeditions are certainly a bigger investment for YokmoK than free meals are for TasteCasting's clients. On the other hand, can any advertising dollar achieve the targeted exposure of multiple posts on a highly relevant and popular blog site? We don't think so, either. A model to emulate for your own company's promotional purposes! (Related: Job contest lets bloggers become pilots — Blogger helps connect consumers and brands — Job contest spotlights Great Barrier Reef Islands.)

Website: www.yokmok.com/bloggers-travel-free.html
Contact: info@yokmok.com

Spotted by: Raul Vigas