A NEW GUNS N ROSES ALBUM - JUST WHAT THE DR. ORDERED

Lots of big companies - especially soda companies - spend millions of dollars on looking "cool." For me, it never really works. Maybe not never, but rarely.

Enter Dr. Pepper. I've never enjoyed that kind of soda, and I don't feel like they're in your face all the time, like Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, etc. But what a genius idea they had.

They are claiming that, if W. Axl Rose releases the new Guns N' Roses album in 2008, they will give "everyone in America" a free soda. Except for former Gunners Slash and Buckethead. I'm not kidding: you can read the press release here. And follow thier progress in their endeavor to get a new album here.

It's really a funny idea, but I wonder if their legal department is sweating it out right now: "How are we going to do this?"

And I wonder if this will become a trend: "Red Vines will offer everyone a piece of licorice if Amy Winehouse can stay off of drugs and release a new album this year."

Anyway, it's nice to see a huge corporation using its power for good.