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Did you hear that noise earlier last week? It was the sound of millions of Americans rejoicing. Why? The McRib is back, of course.

Considering there’s a McDonald’s on every corner, it’s interesting how McDonald’s has been able to make a pork sandwich so exclusive. Thousands wait for sightings each year on the McRib locator website. Facebook groups beg for its return. Well folks, prayers have been answered because 2010 is the magical year when all U.S. McDonald’s are carrying the sandwich (for a limited time of course).

I think the last McRib I had was in 1996, but something about the McRib is exciting each year. And not just for me, remember Jack Osbourne’s excitement (video is bleeped but probably NSFW)?

This year, McDonald’s McRib ad campaign highlights the love and passion people have for the sandwich as opposed to focusing on the exclusivity alone. Yep, love and passion for a pork sandwich.

Have you had a McRib sandwich yet?

Starbucks recently announced it will serve regional wine and beer, starting in its home city of Seattle. In an experimental trial, the company renovated a store in Seattle’s busy Capitol Hill area and stocked it with new beverage offerings as well as a selection of local cheeses. In addition to the new menu, the barista bar has been rebuilt to seat customers closer to the coffee.

USA TODAY mentioned that the revamped store looks less like a Starbucks and more like a cafe that’s been part of the neighborhood for years. Muted color palettes, dim lighting and an overall low-key design seem to contradict the entire Starbucks brand.

From the bright green logo to the unique language spoken when ordering drinks, Starbucks has always distinguished itself from other coffee shops. Why then after years of standing out, would Starbucks want to fit in?

Scott Bedbury, marketing chief for both Starbucks and Nike in the 1990s, told USA TODAY that evolution is critical for Starbucks and that wine sales could bring in “latte-like” profits. “Brands have to evolve or die,” he said. “It’s a tall order. But if anyone can pull it off, it will be Starbucks.”

Bedburry is not alone in thinking evolution is critical. Other brands such as Belk underwent major changes this year. For now caffeinated customers across the country will have to wait and see if Starbucks stores in other cities will get a makeover similar to Seattle. I wonder if wine will come in Tall, Grande and Venti sizes?

When Frito-Lay launched a biodegradable SunChips bag, eco-friendly snack eaters cheered! But, it seems as though those cheers were drowned out by the 100% compostable bag’s noisy packaging material. After about 18 months, declining sales and negative consumer feedback, Frito-Lay is pulling the loud snack bags from shelves and returning to the former, quieter bags which cannot be recycled.

While the new bags are undoubtedly louder and a little annoying, is 10 seconds of noise while you open the bag really that big of a deal? It is according to over 44,000 Facebook fans of the “Sorry But I Can’t Hear You Over This SunChips Bag” page. I guess the bags weren’t as loud as they thought if Frito-Lay heard their complaints.

The SunChips brand centers around health and nature. Their website promotes a “healthier you” and a “healthier planet.” SunChips boasts that it is committed to environmental sustainability and changing the world. While removing the bags seems like a step in the opposite direction, USA Today reports that the company is working on creating a new, quieter eco-friendly bag.

Though I’m all for compromise, I think consumers should consider that the sounds of garbage trucks taking the old bags to the dump, or the sounds of children running into the kitchen for a snack are far louder than new bags themselves.

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Times Square boasted a new store recently and the streets have been abuzz over the sweet addition. Promoters call it Pop-Tarts World and the 3200 square foot space contains an hourly light show, a café offering over 30 snacks and desserts including Pop-Tarts Sushi a as well as an interactive create-your-own-variety-pack vending machine. Though the 3200 square foot store has a lot to offer Pop-Tart fans, renting a space on Times Square is really more about brand marketing than it is about sales. “Our long-term hope is to strengthen the bonding between the brand and the consumer, and that has great benefits for the brand,” Senior Director at the Pop-Tarts brand, Etienne Patout, told the Wall Street Journal in a recent article. Averaging $1000 per square foot, Times Square presence comes at a cost but a 50-foot store front and a six-story billboard in view of 26 million annual visitors a year delivers priceless visibility.

Contributed by: Allison Jobes