July/August 2007

Al Gore's $100 Million Makeover

Not long ago, he was the butt of jokes--lockbox, earth tones, a postelection beard. Then he dusted off an old slide show and jumped with both feet into the private sector. The untold story of how an epic loser engineered what may be the greatest brand makeover of our time.
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Fast Cities 2007

We scoured the globe in search of the perfect place to transplant yourself and your business. From Chicago to Shanghai, we selected 30 urban centers that are shaping our future. We have creative-class meccas, R&D hot spots, even cities so fast they're scary. Plus, the world's slowest cities. Is your hometown on the list? Vote for your favorites and submit your own.
Fast Cities 2007
Too-Fast Cities
Slow Cities
Cities On The Verge
The Knights' Tale

Living a quiet life as an animator, Travis Knight never dreamed he'd work for his father. Then the Nike founder gave him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Driven By Design

Pininfarina's legendary craftsmanship helped put ailing Maserati on the road to recovery. But for the $1 billion Italian studio, design is only the most visible arm of a far bigger machine.
Past + Future = Present
Message in a Bottle

Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on ipods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. A journey into the economics--and psychology--of an unlikely business boom. And what it says about our culture of indulgence.

Can CEOs Cure Cancer?

Big Pharma execs may not know more about the disease than the rest of us, but a group of them are using their power to fight it.
Going on the Gold Standard
The Tiger in Costco's Tank

The big box is fueling its revenues with its gas business and freaking the competition.
Join the Pump-House Gang
Building the Cable Company of the Future

Brian Roberts's small bets may not only save the cable business but set him up to be an Internet mogul too.
Big Media's New Face
Email Is Dead …

But communication isn't. Reuters, Capital One, and Union Bank reclaim productivity by rethinking the inbox.
These Robots Play Fetch

Staples discovers that a team of super-retrievers--in day-glo orange--can keep a warehouse humming.
Drink Better Coffee, Save The World

Clean up your coffee.
Rent-a-Farmer

Cultivate a farmer.
Radio Active

Next-generation technology and smart design are reinvigorating the airwaves.
Fare Thee Well

New Web 2.0 services reveal airline secrets so you'll never overpay for a flight again.

Leadership Is a Muscle

How is your attitude about your abilities affecting your success?
The New Web War

Inside Adobe, Microsoft, and Sun's fight to power the next wave of rich Internet applications.
Open Debate

The mommy track: Straight shot to professional oblivion?
Great Moments in Self-Promotion

If you think being ad savvy is a modern phenomenon, think again.

Fast Talk: Hip Car Hits the Clubs
Jeri Yoshizu Sales Promotion Manager, Scion Torrance, California
Jeri Yoshizu, 38, who runs lifestyle marketing for Toyota's brand Scion, has been helping local musicians produce CDs for more than three years. She is now creating limited-release vinyl records, popular with club DJs and Scion's hipster target audience.
Fast Talk: Gamer Controls Music 2.0
Fast Talk: Band Plays a Brand-New Game
Fast Talk: Adman Jangles for a Hit Jingle
Fast Talk: Card Maker Tunes the Holidays
Fast Talk: Coffee Maker Brews Fans

Letter From the Editor

A few days ago, Alan M. Webber, one of Fast Company's founders, stopped by our offices for a visit. He talked about a recent trip he'd made to Tanzania, where he toured a traditional village. The men still hunt animals for meat, he noted, and the women dig up tubers. Although the villagers know about modern conveniences like matches, they still choose to twirl sticks into stones to start a fire. The very idea of innovation and change is threatening to them, Webber observed