As if any were needed, Disney is building buzz for the Dec. 17 release of its new 3-D sci-fi adventure "Tron: Legacy" with a social app that lets users put themselves at the handlebars of a lightcycle from the picture

To judge how hot the "social coupon" space is now, try this unscientific experiment. Look up an online article on one of the category leaders—Say, Groupon or LivingSocial.com

All aglow thus far, the 2010 holiday shopping season has delighted a wide range of marketers, but expectations for holiday success vary widely, just like the metrics that have already hit the newswire.

With roughly a week and a half before Christmas, it would be easy for marketers to feel their fates have been set. It would also be incorrect, according to Dennis Armbruster, managing partner at LoyaltyOne Consulting.