One longtime criticism of automakers is that new car designs sometimes have little to do with what consumers actually want in a vehicle. In the last two weeks, two major carmakers are answering that criticism and turning to social media tools in the process.

G.M. declares, "We want your opinion" with its launch of the Lab, which is available online and through an iPhone app. It's a spot where consumers can see ideas on the drawing board and offer thoughts.

Dave Rand, the outgoing head of global advanced design at G.M., summed it up for the New York Times:

"We are showing things we’d never shown before and learning how people react. This is valuable because it gives us something we do not get from traditional market research or auto shows."

It also brings a once highly secretive design process into the light of day.

Audi is also going to the social masses via Facebook with its Audi Design Challenge, which is all about what cars should be like in the future. They're bringing their 325,000+ fans into the design process and asking for feedback along the way. With any luck, maybe Audi will bring us back a car that Tweets or Facebooks for us.

It's that time of year again, time to vote on next year's SXSW panels. As you dig into the SXSW panel picker, be sure to check our submission and give us a thumbs up vote.

Our panel, "My Dog Tweets: Bringing Personality to Twitter," is all about the growing world of what I refer to as Twiction. From dogs (yes, my dog does Tweet) and a lake monster to a Roaming Gnome and TV personalities, Twitter is becoming a platform for storytelling in short bites. Brands can learn a lot from Twiction and should start getting involved. Many of the Twictional Tweets I check out give me a break in my day, often making me laugh. That could be powerful turf for brands, films, writers, etc.

What we're seeing out there now is just the beginning. There's much to explore and hopefully we can do so at SXSWi next March. Maybe my dog will even make a cameo.

Happy voting!

With print on the wane, where's a super connected fashionista to turn these days for regular updates on the world of fashion? Facebook and Twitter of course.

Yves Saint Laurent is the latest luxury brand to jump into the social media world, recently launching an official page on Facebook and Twitter. The timing seems right with Fashion Week coming up. So far, they've been keeping fans up to date on celebrities spotted in YSL duds and the latest brand videos.

Betsey Johnson has gone further, as one would expect from the bold designer. Her social media mix of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube brings the Betsey fashion info and promos fans would want but also access to the designer. To celebrate her 67th birthday (which is today), Johnson has been popping into her NYC stores for parties with customers, letting them know about the appearances through social media.

Johnson's birthday parties and the way they've been tied into her Facebook and Twitter pages reveal the kind of access fans crave. Access and the ability to connect with a revered designer is one of those things that sets the digital and social media world apart from print.

This summer, Travelocity brought its beloved gnome to social networks like Twitter and Facebook as the Roaming Gnome embarked on a six week summer adventure. Starting at the end of June, he's been spreading the word about his travels online and getting fans to help choose his destinations.

The gnome has been to Chicago, Vegas, Philadelphia, Hawaii, Yellowstone and is now wrapping up his adventures in San Diego (sounds like a good summer break to me). His more than 13,000 fans on Twitter and Facebook have also been encouraged to get involved beyond just voting. For those lucky folks who have spotted the gnome in action, they've been sharing photos as part of an online contest. Of course, Travelocity has thrown in some special deals along the way, as well.

Travelocity's approach here does something important: It shows off the brand's personality, reminding people that travel is fun. It's also getting brand super fans involved and engaged in places where they're already spending a great deal of time. I see a lot of potential for brands to take similar approaches within social media and bring what I like to call Twiction to the masses.

Maybe it's because I find toilet humor mildly amusing but I couldn't help but notice this Huggies' campaign from Brazil. It shows four babies and the poo faces only a mother could love. The accompanying copy is to the point: "Anytime. Anywhere."

What I find interesting is that Huggies tapped into the world of social media for the ads, gathering photos from parents who had posted on Flickr. Of course, a decade or so from now when these babies are entering their teenage years, they may not share my intrigue in this kind of consumer generated content.

[Via Creativity-Online]