When Companies Rev Up Their Corporate Routines

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1. Air New Zealand's Sexy Safety

When it comes to perfunctory preflight instructions, New Zealand's national airline knows that less is more: Beyond piquing passenger interest, its "Bare Essentials of Safety" video -- whose starring flight attendants wear nothing but body paint -- has been viewed almost 5 million times on YouTube.

2. Canon's Quick Fix

As part of their training, Canon repairmen played an Operation-style video game: When copier parts were dragged and dropped poorly, lights flashed and buzzers sounded. Ultimately, the players' comprehension levels were 5% to 8% higher than those who used more traditional training techniques, such as manuals.

3. Bank of America's Guitar Heroes

To liven up a standard card-services conference, Bank of America asked two employees to write a song about its merger with MBNA. Although their heartfelt performance -- titled "One Bank," and set to the tune of U2's "One" -- was ridiculed when it leaked onto the Internet, attendees gave it a standing ovation.