Working with our friends at Boston magazine, we developed an iPhone application that allows consumers to search and access content from the magazine’s highly regarded annual Best of Boston® issues. Best of Boston® is the go-to resource for the expert-selected winners in over 70 categories, from suits to sushi.

Through the app, you can access Best of Boston® winners from the last five years, searching by location, keyword, and category. You can even share what you find and save your favorites.

It simply and effectively gets you what you want: the best from the people that know what’s best. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, it’s ideal for navigating Boston.

We developed the app as part of our newly formed Venture Branding practice, spearheaded by partner Mike Troiano. The Venture Branding model has two facets: we have great ideas and take them to market or others have great ideas and we help take them to market.

Our work with Boston magazine on the Best of Boston® iPhone app is an example of the former; our work with Chris Lohring on the creation of Notch Session Ales, an example of the latter. Whichever way it works, we get to play with smart people and create viable brands and businesses. What could be better?

If you want to check out the Best of Boston® iPhone app (just in time for the weekend), click here. And let us know what you think.

If you haven’t heard, MassChallenge is an inspiring organization that supports early stage entrepreneurs. By providing resources and key elements like networking, training, and support, MassChallenge has infused the Greater Boston entrepreneurial community with a new sense of opportunity in spite of a rocky economic climate. Mike Troiano will be joining MassChallenge for one of their great events next Wednesday: “How to Build Buzz Around Your Brand.”

Mike will not be alone — he will be sharing his knowledge alongside other influential speakers: Jay Wilder (Brainshark), David Hauser (Grasshopper), and Kipp Bodnar (Hubspot). Jay will discuss how solo entrepreneurs (or those with small teams) can overcome the obstacles of making your personal feel and passion scalable. David will show how he has achieved success building relationships and creating value (aka the New PR). And Kipp will demonstrate how creative content should be compelling in order to attract customers to one’s business.

Mike will focus on “How to Take your Brand from Interesting to Imperative,” a critical challenge for any business owner. He will walk through what “imperative” really means, and how getting back to the basics of product, communication, and engagement can be a business breakthrough.

Since MassChallenge is one of the hosts, the event should be quite “buzzworthy” and a hot topic for Boston and its growing entrepreneurial and start-up community. We hope it will coax you into dropping by and seeing what these four gentlemen have to share regarding marketing and brands today. Looking forward to seeing you there!

What you need to know:

Date: Wednesday, 6/23/2010

Time: 6:00-9:00pm

Cost: FREE

Location: Microsoft New England Research & Development Center

One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA

A mixed but on balance positive review of our wonderful Post 390 client in The Boston Globe. Bottom line: The restaurant is a runaway hit, even as it works out the inevitable kinks.

From the piece:

“To its credit, the team behind Post 390 knows the food is not yet up to par. Several days before this review was scheduled to run, the restaurant’s publicist called to say as much. The crowds have been greater than they anticipated, she said. It’s hard to refine things when the kitchen is struggling to keep up.

Still, crowds were the goal. A month before the restaurant opened, I spoke with Kenneth Himmel, founder of the restaurant group. “It will be very high energy, very high volume,’’ he said. By that measure, Post 390 succeeded as soon as it opened. Now the restaurant needs to work on tasting as good as it looks.”

What do you think? Have you had a positive or negative experience at the restaurant? Anything we should make sure they know??

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• Post 390 Opens with Fireplaces and Flatbread in Back Bay (bostonist.com)