Yes, the world is changing (shocking revelation #1). New technologies – particularly social media – are changing the ways news is served up and consumed (shocking revelation #2). And “influencers” like Donald Trump and Facebook are popularizing the idea that news is “fake” (shocking revelation #3)....
So, Christian, my son, serves up this little vegan/vegetarian gem via text: Q. How can you tell if someone’s a vegetarian? A. Don’t worry, they’ll let you know. I must admit, after nearly 18 months on a plant-based (vegan) diet, which all began voluntarily after watching the Forks...
In 1995, Steve Jobs told Computerworld that he always felt death is the greatest invention of life. "I'm sure that life evolved without death at first and found that without death, life didn't work very well because it didn't make room for the young. Without death, there...
Thirty-five years ago, Ellen McConnell (Blakeman) was – for lack of a better description – my boss. I respected and revered her… and occasionally even feared her. She was the toughest and smartest woman I had met since my own mother, another classic Irishwoman whose...
Despite being a devoted customer and a dedicated shareholder of The Home Depot for the better part of the past decade, I have finally thrown in the towel and given up. This company simply does not care about me as its customer, so I simply...
I just spent two and a half minutes watching Pepsi's new ad featuring Kendall Jenner and I actually feel like I was violated. This is the most ridiculous excuse for a clever ad I have ever seen. This ain't Coke teaching the world to sing, this is Pepsi...
I am not sure what is worse, the fact that DDB thought it would be special to add an "R" to its name for one day to honor International Women's Day or the fact that Adweek thought it was worthy of covering. So let's break it down...
I have never been shy about my worship of heroes. From Jimmy Stewart to Maya Angelou to Steve Jobs to my dad, I love and admire focused, imaginative, passionate, hard-working, fun-loving people. And Howard Schultz has always been atop my list. This man is a business...
We are obsessed in America – and I believe rightfully so – with the idea of winning. And we love our champions. But we also love to dictate the terms of this relationship: how we should go about the process of winning and how we...
The employees. The clients. The vendors. The friends, supporters and allies. The open-minded, optimistic visionaries. The ones who saw our potential...
Ron Popiel once warned us (but apparently not Amazon): "The problem with buttons is they always fall off." But we just never learn. And Amazon never gives up. They announced this week the release of an entirely new hoard of Dash Buttons. And while even the...
"What's in a name?" Juliet ponders. "that which we call a rose by any other names would smell as sweet." Tell that to Tesco, one of the world's largest retailers. According to its website, its core purpose is: Serving Britain's shoppers a little better, every day....
Has it become increasingly more painful to handle modern day air travel or is it just me? Twice in the past week I was delayed more than 8 hours and experienced one canceled (overnight) flight. It sucks royally, and to make matters worse, the airlines are...
My niece is a brilliant young freshman at Bowling Green State University who is going through her first really big challenge with a very important creative project. My son, Matt, who is also her cousin, and who also graduated from the same University 13 years...
Last weekend, a seemingly normal 45-year-old man in Kalamazoo, Michigan – referred to by friends, family, associates and complete strangers as normal, good, peaceful, polite, mild and meek – went on a spree, shooting eight innocent people and killing six of them. And once again, in...
Sweeney has declared 2016 as a year of positivity. From a practical standpoint, this means we are all trying our very best to experience life from a "glass half full" POV and avoid getting dragged into the muck. This gold stocks may be an exercise...
So I got this amazing gift from my son and daughter-in-law for Christmas, it was an introductory membership to Blue Apron. As an amateur foodie (faux chef), I was delighted over the prospect of receiving fully thought out recipes and fresh ingredients mailed directly to...
Sean Penn is disappointed and regretful. Disappointed in the state of Journalism in the U.S. and regretful – not over his recent actions involving El Chapo – but that people misunderstood what he did. Anyway, that's what he conceded to Charlie Rose, who just a...
Everything you are about to read is true. Don't be mad at me if the truth hurts. There are two fundamental rules about marketing – and perhaps about life – that I have struggled with for more than 30 years now. I want to share these...
This is an actual guarantee. If you follow these four steps, you will achieve success in 2016. Deal with it. Step 1: Reflect I know, it sounds obvious, but it's not what you think. I am not suggesting you take a little time to think back on...
Last night, Paypal CEO Dan Schulman proclaimed to Mad Money's Jim Cramer that for the first time in retail history, Black Friday online sales outpaced brick and mortar store sales. More people shopped online than in store. Is it true? I have no clue, but I...
Anomalies are some of my favorite things. Maybe it has to do with Sesame Street always pointing out "one of these things is not like the other." Or maybe it has to do with my appreciation of the French refrain to celebrate differences (vive la...
The bartender looks up and says, "Hey, we don't serve your kind in here." The agency, obviously insulted, responds, "What's the big idea?" Indignant, the bartender replies, "I guess we'll never know." How is it possible for an agency, owned by a corporation, to remain an...
Had a great lunch meeting yesterday with one of my favorite young entrepreneurs (no names please), that ended with a brief debate: What's the projected lifespan of Facebook, five years or 50? I love these kinds of discussions. They are right up there with "What is...
My lack of love and respect for Mark Zuckerberg is rather well documented throughout my blog. Why God, or the universe, saw fit to give this guy all this money and attention and power simply escapes me. I get Bill Gates, I get Steve Jobs, I...
Without question, "Dieselgate" is a dramatic and traumatic event. Lots of vehicle owners are feeling pretty screwed right now. Lots of employees are feeling pretty embarrassed. Lots of investors are feeling a sense of abandonment. To say it is all unfortunate is a bit of...
As a follow-up to Jennifer's recent post, I wanted to share my personal experience of traveling to Corsica and spending two amazing weeks on a tiny island floating on a beautiful blue sea centered on a rock hurdling through space (Crystal's preferred description). For those of...
It happens every day. Ad agency reviews, media agency reviews, PR agency reviews… On any given day, a billion dollars in business can go up for grabs. Companies want to cut costs, see fresh creative, hire new CMOs or fall out of love with their...
This is some crazy branding game Greg Creed is playing with the KFC chicken brand. In essence, he is telling the world he doesn't care if you love us or hate us, just so long as you pay attention to us. Apparently he believes visibility...
In one form or fashion, I have been a customer of KeyBank for at least 30 years (probably closer to 40, but who wants to admit that?), dating back to a warm and fuzzy institution known as Cleveland Trust. And while that relationship started out...
I had a fleeting conversation yesterday with one of my favorite colleagues (and ex-employees) who is a skillful young media planner and buyer with a fairly big agency serving a lot of very nice clients. Out of curiosity I asked her what she found to be...
One of my great friends and colleagues (let's call him Neil) once told me there are three things he requires from his job: 1. I need to be challenged and learning new things. 2. I need to be paid equitably for working hard. 3. I need to be...
I actually love how people talk about Millennials as if it were a real thing. As if everyone between the ages of 15 and 35 fit into some neat, easy-to-manipulate grouping. Of course it has been that way forever. But it really all began (thanks to...
[Note to copywriters: Don't hate me.] As a young boy growing up n the 1960s, I was fully immersed in the world of Don Draper. TV commercials, radio commercials, newspaper ads, magazine ads, billboards...
Imagine you are planning a road trip from Boston to Los Angeles and the best your GPS can do is give you some general guidance on how to get there: Head West at the nearest entrance to a highway. Now imagine there is no navigational system...
There is nothing "fair" about life. Some get everything while others get nothing. Some are brilliant while others are idiots. Some live long, healthy lives and others die young. That's the way it is. I accept it. But what I cannot and will not accept is...
On any given day, depending upon how granular one gets, chief marketing officers are focused on literally dozens of marketing objectives. Sometimes it gets very complex and even complicated keeping track of which strategies and tactics are targeted against which goals. So the most successful CMOs...
Once upon a time, McDonald's was the king of fast food. In my opinion, it owed that lofty position to three primary factors: 1. Price: Mickey D's was always less expensive than it's closest competitors. 2. Convenience: The golden arches were open from sunrise to moonrise –...
WARNING: This Post Contains Graphic Comments About Our Industry. Ad Age ran a story this morning proudly announcing that Lyft, as part of its search for a lead creative agency, is "putting a call out for a "wildcard" agency on Twitter." And in less than a moment,...
Have you seen the new IHOP logo? It is being lauded as a clever transition from a traditional and tired, frown-faced logo to a modern, social media friendly, emoticon-ready logo. And after all, isn't that what every logo is supposed to be? I am pretty sure...
It's the time of the season. High school seniors are donning caps and gowns, assembling in auditoriums and saying goodbye-hello to the past and the future. It is, whether they realize it or not (I did not), a seminal moment. And though I do not ordinarily...
There is something seriously wrong with JC Penney, and it is endemic to every retail marketer that thinks it can magically cut marketing expenditures (spend less) and achieve greater results (get more). Marvin Ellison, the new CEO at JC Penney (the one who replaced Ullman, who...
Ron Johnson (yeah, that Ron Johnson) is back. And this time he has his own business, a startup company called Enjoy. Focused on providing the marketplace with "a whole new way to buy and enjoy technology," Enjoy is an idea (like Uber) whose time has come....
I am Don Draper, a flawed husband, flawed father, flawed brother, flawed friend. I mean well. I do my best. But I usually come up short...
Measuring publicity results is considered one of America's great past times. Organizations love to know how well their news releases performed. They love clips and clip reports and pass-along readership impression numbers and the previously mentioned advertising value equivalencies. They love metrics and dashboards and...
About a decade ago (before anyone actually cared about digital and social media coverage), organizations would often ask for and receive “ad value equivalency” reports to determine the value of their publicity campaigns. It was one of a thousand wrong ways to determine the value...
There is this age-old story about David and Goliath, which in theory is about how some young shepherd boy took down this fierce giant with the toss of a single stone. But in fact, as Malcolm Gladwell will attest, it is about something else. In the...
So, not too long ago, JC Penney committed itself to revolutionary change. They hired ex-Apple Stores guru Ron Johnson to change everything. Then they cut his legs off a year and a half into the campaign. Surprisingly, two years later, JC Penney still sucks. Coincidentally, right...
Last night, my 83-year-old mom upgraded her AT&T U-verse package (it was not an option) and as part of the upgrade, they cancelled all of the high-def stations. So my brother spent an hour on the phone explaining to the geniuses at AT&T why they...
It's like my dear old dad used to say, "If you wait around long enough, you will eventually see everything." And with the introduction of Amazon Dash, it is official: I have seen everything and it is not pretty. I mean seriously, does anyone, including Jeff...
There is a great scene from the 4th episode of the 7th season of Mad Men. Peggy has just told Don Draper and John Mathis that she will need then to supply 25 taglines each for the Burger Chef pitch. John naturally submits, but Don...
You're about to launch a new product that you hope (maybe even expect) can become your defining moment; it has the potential to be the campaign everyone looks back on as the turning point in your career. I've seen it a hundred times over the past...
In the marketing business it's easy to get hyper-focused on the big clients, the big media, big campaigns, big projects, big agencies, big celebrities. In a way, it's natural. But I am reminded daily that it is almost always the little things that make the difference...
Steve Jobs celebrated his 60th birthday earlier this week; at least I assume he did. It's hard to know for sure, since he's been gone for three-and-a-half years now (10-5-11). But I hope he did. I must say that for me, the world is a slightly...
Even the most confident of us wonder (in moments of quiet reflection or desperation) if marketing really works. Publicity, advertising, direct mail, events, social media marketing, trade show exhibiting...
In keeping with the headline, I am going to keep this post short and sweet. Just because there are now a million and one channels (text, telephone, YouTube, Facebook, Foursquare, Skype, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.) available to convey your every thought – via audio, text, images, videos,...
So General Electric just launched the new GE Café Series refrigerator that includes a Keurig K-Cup Brewing System. Now, instead of having a single cup coffee brewer hogging all the space on your counter and a refrigerator dominating an entire wall, they are both operating...
Ever wonder about the value of branding...
I had a dream last night in which I had an epiphany. And not one of those ridiculous "I just realized I like vanilla ice cream as much as chocolate ice cream" epiphanies, but a REAL epiphany, as in a manifestation of a divine being. And...
Pop quiz hotshot. There's a product you want to buy on Amazon. Once the product is ordered, you cease to exist. There is no customer service; no one to talk to or even email. What do you do? What do you do? Do yourself a favor....
To know me is to know that I am more often than not a happy guy with a healthy amount of optimism flowing through my veins. But to know me is to also know that I have zero tolerance for idiots, morons, inbound marketers, content...
If I were wearing a hat right now, I would graciously tip it to Wieden + Kennedy for what I consider to be one of the best television commercials I have seen in a long, long time. In fact, as a matter of implied policy, I...
I have been a member of AAA (the American Automobile Association) since 1997. To my knowledge, I have used there services maybe three times over those 17 years. This past weekend I attempted to use their service for what will be the last time of...
Long before Sheldon Cooper showed up, geeks, freaks and nerds were viewed by the general population as curious outsiders; think James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause or Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. Back in the 50s and 60s, they were troubled tough guys who...
In the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to offer my Top [Pick Your Own #] list of things that are really scaring me this Halloween. 1. I just learned that Molly Ringwald is 44 years old and singing jazz music in local clubs...
According to a recent Edelman study, "brands that are able to meet these three need states (rational, emotional and societal) can expect a greater inclination on the part of consumers to recommend and share brand content, defend a brand, and purchase from the brand." Yeah, that's...
Three Signs the Great Marketing Apocalypse has begun...
In case you missed the major announcement on Tuesday, the "Big 3" soda makers "pledged a 20-percent reduction in beverage calories consumed per person nationally by 2025 by increasing consumer education and aggressive marketing of smaller portion sizes, water, and other no- or lower-calorie beverages." I...
Oh yeah, that's right...
Sometimes my brain connects dots in ways that even I do not understand. Summer is quickly coming to an end, a reality that smacked me in the face this morning as the early temperatures barely hit 60 degrees. It is September; in fact, today is the...
In the spirit of full disclosure, I must say that I am not a fan of most drug stores. This is especially true of CVS and Walgreens. It is not personal or even rational, it's just a thing with me. Anyway, like most people, I want...
So I open an email from Ad Age and click on a headline that reads: "Hey B-to-B Marketers: Lighten Up with the Business-Speak." As a professional marketer, I was naturally interested to see what Ad Age had to say. And then I read an "editorial" from...
Are you familiar with CenturyLink? It is a FORTUNE 500 company that calls itself "a leading provider of Internet, TV and voice." You've probably seen their television commercials with the tagline: "Your link to what's next." In fact, they may be the stupidest company on the...
Here's the thing about national media coverage being easy to get. Anyone who knows anything about publicity and media relations knows that this is a big, fat lie. Unfortunately, there are way too many people who don't know anything about publicity and media relations. So I...
So in case you missed the big news, McDonald's is making changes. And it is taking the next 18 months to develop and roll them out. That's a lot of time, which would indicate the potential for some very serious changes. Obviously Chief Executive Don Thompson...
Although created more than four years ago by the "PR" industry, the Barcelona Principles continue to be a topic of interest throughout the industry. I saw this misguided gem a few weeks ago: Why Measuring PR Shouldn't Include Sales. In case you didn't know (and count...
According to Food Product News, "a new report shows the risk associated with having an obese sibling is more than twice as great as that of having an obese parent, and that risk is even stronger among siblings of the same gender." I read this story...
Despite all the chatter, the annual B2B Content Marketing Trends Report from CMI and Marketing Prof confirms that only 4 in 10 marketers actually have a content marketing strategy. And maybe – just maybe – that's because no one really knows what they are talking about....
Timing is everything. Back in 1981, I was hired as an account executive at Burson-Marsteller/Chicago. Harold Burson was still very active in the business, working out of our New York headquarters. But Bill Marsteller retired in 1979 (selling the ad business to Young and Rubicam) and...
So Facebook is going to let us control the ads we see, huh? Meanwhile, inbound marketers and digital soothsayers are going to lead us to the promised land with content that is...
I received two separate emails yesterday reporting on the "big news" about Michael Brenner. Wait! You say you don't know who that is? Well, you are not alone. But Ad Age thinks anyone who works for a billion dollar company is ordained a genius. So, naturally,...
One of the many problems with "research, statistics and big data" is the concept that whoever has the information has the knowledge and therefore has all the power. Unfortunately most people have no experience, no training and no idea how to gather, analyze and/or use...
So the final season of Mad Men appeared in early April with a new Accutron spot as its focal point. Don Draper is on the outs with SC&P (though he is still a partner). Meanwhile, business has never been better for Freddy Rumsen, who is...
When did everyone turn into an authority about everything? Once upon a time, the world relied on experts to illuminate the masses. People of proven experience would share their lessons and help us all become better human beings – faster runners, deeper thinkers, better drivers, higher...
[Ordinarily I try not to cross the streams of my markeTING and Road to 90 blogs, but I felt this particular baseball post has some relevance to marketing.] Despite the final score (15-4) I watched the entire Tribe game last night full of anxiety, which is...
Like the final season of Mad Men, sometimes – as marketers – all you can do is watch from the sidelines as the game gets played out in front of you. Of course most of the time we cling to the illusion that we are in...
Shakespeare, through Richard III, once said: "Talkers are no good doers: be assured We come to use our hands and not our tongues." A modern translation runs more along the lines of "if you're going to talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk." My...
I received an email last night from a Cleveland State University journalism and promotional communications student. Then I got his call this morning. He is writing an article about the role of technology in business and wanted to know my thoughts on how technology has...
When evaluating agency performance, exactly which performance are you evaluating? On the one hand, there's the performance, as in the pitch or the presentation. On the other hand, there's the performance, as in the actual work – the strategic planning, the creative, the execution and the...
Sometimes I feel like our whole industry has gone mad...
The outcome of last year’s marketing efforts (or even last week's) – positive, negative or neutral – provide valuable data. And if you analyze and assess properly, the insights will be priceless. On the other hand, if you assume you already “know” and “understand” the results,...
I was reminded today of the silliness that sometimes is our business. It all had to do with a client I serviced many moons ago – a national trade association for manufacturers of compressed air and gas equipment. Three times a year, the leaders of the Institute...
Data is a wonderful thing. Which is why our industry is so obsessed with all things data related. And the bigger the data, the better. Because whatever little data can do for you, bigger data can do in a bigger way. But any data, even if it...
For the most part, I grew up admiring news guys like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite...
Last night I had the most amazing JCP moment ever. First, over dinner, my wife tells me that she and her friend happened to wander through the JCPenney at Great Northern and "the new renovation they started a year or so ago really looks great...
More than 25 years ago, I had the unique experience to work on the launch of the industry's very first "at-home soda dispenser." Mr. SoftDrink from Norcarl Products was the thing of dreams...
Anyone with an agenda can source one study or another that appears to support their claims about the shifting marketing impact of one or another strategy – advertising, social media, direct mail, mobile. But the truth is media news coverage resulting from publicity is still the...
Like many people, I was a HUGE fan of the TV show LOST. For me, it was all about the journey and struggles of these very engaging characters. But really, I rarely if ever truly understood what was going on. Every road had a fork...
Seriously? It's not bad enough that way too Americans – including children – are sick, incapacitated and dead as a direct result of obesity, but now we have to insult them with a study to determine if being obese might be healthy for some diabetics. I...
"What's your agency billing rate?" is one of the most common and despised questions in the agency business. It seems innocent enough; even innocuous in some cases, but it is never either. Of course, the presumption always is that you are comparing apples to apples, as if...
I have been a very good and loyal customer of Amazon...
I have seen an endless parade of holiday commercials this year, many of which have been running since Halloween night ended. And about the only thing I haven't witnessed is a birthday wish for sweet baby Jesus...
By now, we have all seen Ron Burgundy’s endorsement for the Chrysler Dodge Durango. The DreamWorks character is dressed in a loud 1970’s suit and exaggerating the need for an SUV. Advertising has expanded to Burgundy co-anchoring newscasts, a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor – Scotchy...
That gentle thud you heard earlier this week was the first of the FTC's many shoes likely to drop over the course of the next year. In case you missed it, the Commission announced in a blog post (yeah, in a blog post, not a news...
Branding is a huge concern among organizations and the agencies that serve them. The brand name – of the company and the products and the services...
There are many faces of John F. Kennedy. But my favorite is the stern and tired, yet hopeful John Kennedy. Stern, because this blog talks about fentanyl and he knew that a better life – better healthcare, better education, better jobs, better housing – does not...
Personally, I am not very big on rules. I mean, I get why we need them, and I tend to abide by them...
Facebook, whose stated mission is to make the world more open and connected, publicly acknowledged today that its true goal under the direction of CEO Mark Zuckerberg is to open the world's pockets and connect with their wallets. In a recent interview, Zuckerberg stated that his...
The problem with the world today is that there are just too many people to keep track of. Even with the explosion of social media, there are just too many people. As a result, even some of the great ones manage to slip under the...
If it feels like the process of measuring the ROI of social media is a bit like the search for the Holy Grail, you may be on to something. But the suggested measurement methodology of Jim Tobin (founder and president of Ignite Social Media, a social...
Two days ago I posted what I promised would by my last commentary on the de-evolution of JCPenney. But Ilied. And it's not my fault. Mike Ullman's new strategy is to make daily announcements about JCPenney until everyone finally surrenders and starts shopping at the retailer...
Seriously, this is the last time I plan to talk about JCPenney and its "leadership." New old CEO Mike Ullman claims a turnaround is underway...
Nothing complements bad service and total operational inefficiency like increased prices. So – naturally – the United States Postal Service yesterday announced proposed price changes, including an increase in the price of a First Class mail single-piece letter from 46 cents to 49 cents. The proposed...
About 2,500 years ago, Heraclitus – the Greek philosopher – suggested that everything flows, nothing stands still. This simple thought eventually evolved into the more commonly recognized "change is the only constant." Anyway, this idea hit me today like a cold, wet epiphany when I read...
If you ever wondered what a collaboration between Steve Jobs, Dean Kamen, Sam Walton and Ashton Kutcher might look like, you may soon have your answer. SMIRK (social media integrated in retail kiosks) may in fact be the most exciting – and profitable – use of...
Nothing against Yahoo!, I am sure this is a really big deal to them, but there's been way too much noise about this logo design and no good reason for it. Logos are such a big deal to organizations, and that makes sense. But when a...
The Internet is a strange place indeed. And the social aspect of it is the strangest part of all. All day, everyday I get invitations to follow people and like people and endorse people...
Campbell's Soups are as American as mom, apple pie and baseball. So it kind of stings when allegations are made that Campbell's and the American Heart Association are pulling the wool over the eyes of unsuspecting consumers. Which really makes you appreciate the power of marketing...
A lot of companies (I would guess 100%) are either currently using social media or attempting to use social media for the express purpose of selling product. Most of them – and the inbound marketers they work with – will deny it. They will talk about...
Not so very long ago, standard marketing consisted primarily of broadcast and print advertising with a dash of publicity and direct marketing...
Well, I hope you're happy with yourself. After years of listening to a hoard of mind-numbing inbound marketing and SEO experts you've finally done it. You've saturated the marketplace with an endless array of content. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen. And now, according...
So just about the same time the American Journal of Health is reporting a new study from Carnegie Mellon University that says: "Menu labeling does not help consumers make better food choices," Starbucks is announcing plans to post calorie information on menus nationwide. You can't make...
Dear James, do you remember back in 1970 when our lives were still ahead of us and only our idyllic youth could be spotted in the rear view mirror? That was an awesome time. You released Sweet Baby James that year. I was 14. Bob Litten,...
We know Sam Walton. We respect Jim Sinegal. We admire Sol Price. But there was another retail giant – a true pioneer – who is too often forgotten or overlooked in today's crowded marketplace: John F. Geisse. To know John Geisse is to love him. Father...
Sometimes I think the further we advance, the closer we come to where we were...
In case you haven't noticed, Walmart is angry – presumably on our behalf – that grocery store chains are selling groceries at "regular" prices and incentivizing consumers with fuel discounts. So Walmart is running a bunch of TV ads comparing its discount grocery prices to...
Seriously, I am not a nut about privacy. I mean for the most part, like Popeye, I am what I am...
So you're planning a grand opening in a new market. Market research, media announcements, ground breakings, local sponsorships, advertising, hiring events, community breakfasts and luncheons, celebrity spokespersons, ribbon cuttings and tours. So little time and so much to do with such small budgets. And through it...
This is one of my all-time favorite questions; it is usually asked by everyone except the one person who didn't see the proverbial train coming. It is what made America's Funniest Home Videos so popular, not to mention YouTube: average – and even above-average –...
Let me start by saying that of all the social media platforms, including YouTube, I love the idea of Vine best. Seriously, what could be better than a six-second video? But Vine has got me thinking about social media in general and it's making me wonder...
Remember that classic Seinfeld episode in which Java World offers Kramer free coffee for life to settle a lawsuit? Poor Cosmo had no idea they were also prepared to give him $50,000. And eventually the effects of all that caffeine forced Kramer to swear off the...
And by "lost" I mean Gilligan's Island. I mean seriously, what in the name of Neptune and Poseidon is going on at JC Penney? First you fire the skipper (Myron Ullman) because the S.S. Minnow is lost at sea. Sales are flat, the JCPenney image is out...
No matter how you sugar-coat it, the truth is always the truth. Chris Christie has always been obese and proud of it. He once boasted to David Letterman that he is the healthiest fat person on the planet. Likewise, Coca Cola Chief Executive Muhtar Kent...
I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something about the new season of Mad Men that has left me totally disinterested. I am confident, based on past seasons that the show is headed somewhere, but after four hours of pandering and meandering,...
Fleishman- Hillard has coined the phrase "authenticity gap" as the next step in the evolution of "reputation management" or something like that. And their recent study shows there is an authenticity gap between what consumers expect and what they experience from brands. Allow me to just...
Evolution takes time. And it is generally a very unsettling, if not ugly process. Ron Johnson was brought into JCP to remove the shackles of a stodgy old retailer and breathe new life into an all but dead brand. "Do for us what you did for...
Pick a canard, any canard. How about this: The world is going to end on December 21, 2012...
I do not want to be the guy who "piles on" in what is quickly becoming an assault on JCPenney and CEO Ron Johnson. In fact, having just shopped at JCP last week (yeah, after going to Macy's and two "men's" stores, I took my...
Don't hate me. I am just wondering out loud about a society that sees at least one new craft brewery open every day somewhere in the U.S., and a population (85%) that simultaneously watches TV and uses their smartphones. You put these together and you've...
I received an email today that linked me to a blog post that made my head want to explode. It is a PR infographic from Beth Monaghan that shows "how things [in PR] have changed, and what will always remain." I don't know Beth, but she...
I really don't have a whole lot to say about this. Forbes, Microsoft and Nova Southeastern University are in agreement on the subject: "How can companies and their sales teams look their best and win the sale over the competition? We think that the key to...
Just how important are the results of your marketing efforts? I'd say somewhere between "very" and "critical." Unlike your experiences as a six-year-old on a pee wee baseball team, when it wasn't about whether you won or lost, but how you played the game, life...
To know me is to know I love the Apple store, just like I love Starbucks, just like I love...
Did you ever have one of those existential moments when just as you were about to do something totally insane, the one sane cell left in your brain lets you know you are about to do something totally insane, but then dies just before it...
Who doesn't love a great infographic? Not me. So when I got a link yesterday offering to show the difference between tradition public relations and content PR, I couldn't click fast enough. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the same old song and dance. Imagine traditional...
Last week I received a call from one of my favorite – and brightest – colleagues. He is a truly evolved and elite leader in the marketing industry today, possessing knowledge and experience in virtually every facet of both the traditional and digital/online. Anyway, he calls...
Imagine you are a retailer...
In the words of Dr. Peter Venkman: "Have you been outside lately? Do you know how weird it is out there? We've taken our own head count. There seem to be six million completely miserable a**holes living in the tri-state area...
Every single day brings new hope for better health and a longer, pain-free life. Or so it seems. This week, we learn the University of Colorado Cancer Center found there is a "a delicate balance of bioactive components in rice bran that together show anti-cancer activity,...
Earlier this week, Joe Agozzino, 57, exited this world and moved on to the next. Like his father (Charlie) before him, he left this world way too soon. It was a shock and a heartbreak to everyone who knew him. And everyone, it would seem,...
My niece hit me up on Facebook last night with a most excellent request: Uncle Jimmy- Was hoping I could pick your brain for a moment? What would you say are the major differences between PR & marketing/advertising? Not in a technical sense, but rather, your opinion,...
The Sterling-Rice Group tapped its Culinary Council to determine the top 10 Food trends for 2013. And while some sound very exciting, others strike me as rather undesirable. On the "sounds good to me" side are sour foods and drinks influenced by the DIY pickling and...
There's been a lot of chatter lately speculating the bloom is off the rose at Apple, and Samsung is the next big thing. Please. Samsung is a lot of things – a copy cat, a me too company, a follow the leader organization. But it is not...
I received an email from my brother-in-law earlier this week requesting my thoughts and prayers on Monday, World Cancer Day. But it turns out Monday is not World Cancer Day; that would be in February. And it is not National Cancer Day or National Cancer...
I read a story last night – you probably saw it – reporting at least five deaths have been linked to Monster energy drinks. Apparently some adolescents can't process all that caffeine and sugar they are so frequently encouraged – with minimal restriction – to...
LinkedIn sent me an email this morning telling me not to miss out on updates from thought leaders...
In the real world, the idea of doing something that has already been attempted and/or accomplished is considered a waste of time. In the world of marketing, the idea of beating a dead horse is not only acceptable, it is often recommended. The age-old answer to the...
I beg for your indulgence as I once again talk about the presidential campaign. PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES 2012...
Seriously America, what's worse, fat cats or fat kids? And by "fat cats" I mean gluttonous bankers. I am all about healthy lifestyles. Eating and drinking properly and exercising routinely are smart moves in terms of maintaining good health and extending your life. But unless you are...
There's this game we play at my house called: "What company was that ad promoting?" Try it sometime. It goes like this: "Hey, remember that Super Bowl ad about the vampire who drove his car to a late-night outdoor party and forgot to shut off his...
Once upon a time in America, well, just four years ago actually, Barack Obama and his wife Michelle made an appeal to the people: "For a change, do not vote out of fear, but rather out of hope." It was a nice idea at a good time. ...
Next to Super Bowl television ads, very little gets the industry more excited than the announcement of a new corporate logo. Pop Quiz: What do logos and opinions have in common? Answer: Everybody's got one! Personally I think way too much time, effort and money is put...
Flying back from Atlanta yesterday, I purchased and attempted to read through the September issue of WIRED magazine. Talk about "57 Channels and Nothin' On". I've been in the business for more than three decades now and I still had to struggle to figure out where...
I just received an email from Marketing Charts whose main headline read: CEO's Big Social Media Spending Plans Continue. "CMOs continue to project big increases in social media spending in the next 5 years," the subhead promises. So I click on the link and go to...
Fact: We Americans love our fast food. Fact: The medical community and the Federal government are doing everything in their power to lead us onto a healthier path. Fact: We Americans love our fast food. A recent survey by Harris Interactive looked into consumer quick-service restaurant (aka fast...
Resistance may be futile, but acceptance is insane. Yes, the convenience of paying your dog walker or your baby sitter with a credit card instead of cash may seem alluring. But at what price? You are inviting the world to take an exclusive and all-inclusive peak...
I have heard some talk lately that 50, which used to be the new 40, is now the new 30. That's just great. It's not enough to be young at heart anymore, you actually have to be young...
Congratulations, you now have 100,000 followers or likes or subscribers or whatever. Now what? If you are among the dozens of people worldwide who celebrated Social Media Day back on June 30th, you probably have an answer for that question. Alec J. Ross, senior advisor for...
Last month my niece (and favorite goddaughter Kerri) graduated from high school and announced that the summer of 2012 was going to be the Summer of Doing Everything. I asked what she meant and she said, "everything." And maybe I am just projecting here, so please forgive...
I am no scientist. Just ask my son the scientist. And I am no Facebook advocate. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg. Still, all the recent excitement over the God particle got me thinking how awesome it must be to be a scientist and to know with almost complete...
I love the term "data mining". I can almost picture a group of industrious businessmen in hard hats shoveling away in the heat and darkness, barely able to breathe, just for the chance to discover an elusive bit of information that will not only invade...
Hopefully this is not a case of the guy who turned old and lost touch with the younger generation. But over the course of the past couple years - and more particularly over the past few weeks - I have noticed a shift in what was...
Every day in Cleveland brings another day of hope and promise for a new and revived city. But hope only gets you so far. It is really high time for someone - anyone - to step up with a solution. We continue to amble around as a...
Considering online advertising, but not sure where to start? Or maybe you discovered one website you feel is a direct fit for your target audience and want to test it. The key is to develop and assess an online advertising strategy evaluating all opportunities across...
During lunch yesterday, I discovered a pretty interesting sticker right on my banana. It was oddly shaped, with a QR code and website with a simple call to action: “Turn me into yonanas”. Intrigued, I visited yonanas.com and learned about a new kitchen gadget that can...
There was a time at the beginning of my career when I literally panicked over deadlines and crunches. I sweated, my heart raced and I worried about not meeting expectations or worse, getting fired. But it all worked out. The fear drove me to work smarter...
Knowing what I know about how Facebook came into existence and what its plans are for world domination, my conclusion is simple: If this guy is for CISPA, then I am against it. Well, that plus the desire to limit the government's intrusion into our private...
Whether a print, TV, web or radio ad campaign, you dedicated your blood, sweat and tears to develop a creative and compelling campaign. But beyond the ad buy, there are ways to extend the reach of your ad campaign and deliver your message to more...
As a young boy growing up in Cleveland's inner city (to be fair, there was very little outer city back in the '60s), my days and nights were filled with music. Just as it has been for thousands of years. But Dick Clark did something no...
This is a lofty goal and one many organizations aspire to achieve. The identity of some brands as prolific or high tech product innovators may serve to naturally position them as industry thought leaders simply due to the nature of their corporate structure. However, there...
Steve Jobs has been gone now for just over six months. That seems like plenty of time to turn on Apple and destroy what is arguably the most successful and respected American company today. Steve Jobs once said that he liked living at the intersection of...
I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the individuals and/or group of individuals behind the "We Hate Sugar" movement that seems to be sweeping across the nation. Over the last week alone, I have seen in-depth news reports on TV, heard experts interviewed on...
We are constantly finding new online tools that keep us fresh and provide inspiration. Check out our top three picks that have been inspiring us this week! 1. Media Relations Tool: When it makes sense for their brand, many marketers are using Twitter to connect with...
Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com) is growing quickly and generating a lot of buzz lately as the hottest new social media channel. In fact, according to comScore, Pinterest saw more than 17.8 million unique visitors in February from U.S. and the average user now spends 98 minutes each...
Do you remember the old Ken-L-Ration TV commercials? My dog's better than your dog...
Hats off - or should I say helmets – to the Great Lakes Science Center for dreaming big and reaching for the stars. The Great Lakes Science Center is widely recognized as the perfect spot to take the kids for both entertainment and education. But did...
I feel kind of bad for Apple CEO Tim Cook, but he is not helping himself by dressing like Steve Jobs, acting like Steve Jobs and trying to promote the company like Steve Jobs. Apple is a great, great company with a great, great tradition. It...
Content marketing is nothing new. However, there is so much “noise” being created on and offline, it is overwhelming. There are online “press releases”, social media sites and websites established just for organic search engine optimization, and it is timely to revisit why generating truly...
Not so long ago, much like Apple and Steve Jobs, Starbucks and Howard Schultz were being dismissed as down and out. And therein lies the beauty of rear view mirrors. Only now – looking back – can we see the true genius of both. Some believe that...
Say what you want about Walmart, they know their customers and they know how to service them with excellence. As Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, authors of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business explain, Walmart customers want...
February is a lot of things. It is the second and shortest month of the year...
Maybe I am just suffering from overload...
When it comes to website design and functionality, there are myriad options and levels of complexity to choose from. However, no matter how large or small your budget, here are the top five things you absolutely need to get right when you undertake a website...
"Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?" - Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Act 3 As an anemic economy continues to grind down...
While enjoying my dinner last night, my wife asked me if I saw the new circular from McDonald's that came in the mail. A freestanding insert that boasted not one, not two, not three, but 12 "buy one, get one FREE" coupons. Free McMuffins, free...
There's a whole lot of talk these days about the child obesity ad campaign running in Georgia. Some think it is a great idea to get attention for this incredibly important issue. Some think it is terribly inappropriate. They are both right. There are a lot of...
If you frequently, or even occasionally, use Google Analytics to monitor, assess and analyze your website traffic, you have likely noticed a new phrase in the key words section recently. (If you are not currently using Google Analytics to better understand your website traffic, you...
As a general rule, gaining media coverage is not about who you know, but knowing how to work with media to gain your fair share of quality coverage. Media won’t cover a “friend’s” news as a favor. That being said, understanding how to cultivate relationships with...
[Jan 5, 2012 Editorial Note: This story was originally posted last week but has been updated] I am so flipping tired of my industry being maligned by idiots who crown themselves "Public Relations Professionals" or "Marketing Professionals" or "Social Media Experts". Seriously. This guy – Paul Christoforo...
I was watching FOX news last night (don't ask). The lead story featured a bird's eye view of a white SUV flying down the middle of a multi-lane street. Cars parted like the Red Sea to make way. Without warning the white vehicle entered an...
Earlier this year we explored what makes QR codes effective, how to use them in your marketing campaigns and how to avoid some of the most common mistakes associated with QR codes. And since the research predicts half of Americans will have smart phones by this...
Dan Pallotta is the president of Advertising for Humanity and author of Uncharitable. Last week Dan wrote a very interesting blog post about business jargon. To quote Dan, "I'd say that in about half of my business conversations, I have almost no idea what other...
Just over a year from now, on December 21, 2012, life as we know it on planet Earth will be disrupted with a cataclysmic event that signals or perhaps even brings about the end of times. And how do we know this? Well, according to the...
A Nielsen forecast revealed 1 in 2 Americans will have a smartphone by Christmas of 2011 – a dramatic increase from the mere 1 in 10 Americans with smartphones in the summer of 2008. And with more consumers using smartphones daily, more people will be...
I have to be perfectly honest, I don't know Daniel Henninger from Adam. He is a native Clevelander, which is nice. He's also a Georgetown graduate, a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial staff and an award-winning journalist. And he has an agenda...
Are you driving quality traffic to your website but experiencing a disconnect when it comes to converting that traffic to online orders? While the design and usability of your site are not the sole factors influencing a consumer’s decision to buy, simple missteps – like...
Once upon a time, we went to work for a singular purpose: to do work. We dug ditches, directed traffic, operated machinery, sold insurance, created advertising, designed clothing, milked cows and on and on. And whatever your job was, that was pretty much all you...
Wouldn't it be awesome if our biggest concern regarding school-age children was the weight of their backpacks...
A case study detailing the specific results of how your company or product helped overcome a unique or difficult challenge can be a powerful marketing tool. Since developing case studies is often time consuming, be sure to maximize their use. Here are our top five tips...
Bacteria rules the world | REM's final album is just old music...
A successful media relations strategy includes three major components: an excellent and up-to-date media database, compelling content and aggressive media follow up. But as you execute a strategy with these three elements, also implement these six small habits that will make a big difference in...
You are universally recognized as one of the great visionaries of your age. Big, lofty, creative ideas flow through your brain like oxygen through your lungs. You see things most can't fathom upon explanation...
According to a study recently released by Bulldog Reporter and Business Wire, about half (48.4%) of corporate communicators have an online newsroom, and an additional 13% intend to develop one in the future. The study also revealed the single greatest challenge with online newsrooms is...
According to the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, children and teens are drinking massive amounts of sugary drinks that increase the risk for obesity and diabetes. And guess who's to blame? According to a new report entitled: Evaluating Sugary Drink Nutrition and Marketing...
Measuring marketing campaigns is key to determining if you should continue a campaign and necessary when showing upper management the value of marketing. The first step is setting measurable objectives and ensuring each marketing strategy has measurement metrics in place. Following are six simple ways to...
In fairness to the other side, I would like to offer some pointed and useful advice on how to not succeed in business and life. In the words of Dwight Schrute: "To me, success is simply the opposite of failure." Indeed. I call them the Pyrite...
When considering advertising – whether it be print, broadcast, online or even through Facebook – run a test campaign before making a long term commitment. This is a good method for determining if advertising in general – and a specific outlet in particular – is...
My dad (Dennis B. Sweeney) always said: "All things in moderation...
More often than not the critical step of conducting market research is skipped when developing a marketing strategy. The oversight is typically because of lack of funding and time. However, the good news is market research does not have to be a costly and overwhelming...
Satchel Paige, the over-aged, overachiever is famously credited for once saying this about his passion for playing baseball: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." Steve Jobs had a similar idea. "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking...
Earlier this year we shared 8 Ways to Determine a Blog’s Value. Here are six tips to drive more influential blogger reviews: 1. Set expectations. You are sending a product sample to a blogger for review. Develop a personal letter that thanks the blogger for his...
If you guessed that a secret is NEVER a secret, you are correct. As a young boy, my dad once advised me that if I didn't want people to know my business, I should keep my mouth shut. That was pre-Internet, pre-social media, pre-Andy Warhol's 15 minutes...
Pitching a new or existing product, company spokesperson or useful tips are all successful ways to secure media coverage for your brand year-round. But there is one strategy you can use to secure immediate media attention-it just requires vigilance and a bit of strategic thinking. You...
Over the past 2-1/2 years I have run more than 1,375 miles, not just to stay in shape, but to enable me to eat Five Guys burgers and fries whenever the spirit moves me. According to Amplicate, the social media analysis firm, people who use social...
In the movie Flashback, Dennis Hopper’s character tells his young protégé "when we get out of the '80s, the '90s are going to make the '60s look like the '50s". So would you think I am crazy if I tell you that when we get...
Tom Hanks has nothing on me. Yeah, he was cast away on a deserted island for four years, but did he lose his iPhone? Did he survive a week without checking his email at every convenient moment? Did he suffer the inability to check baseball...
You have not had any media training but suddenly a key media outlet is on the phone or at your office requesting an interview. Use the guidelines below to get you through an unexpected opportunity in a pinch. 1. Be professional at all times. Interviews are...
1. Unless you are an Olympic swimmer...
I have no special insight into the plans and/or capabilities of Specific Media, the new owner of MySpace. But after reading Scott Martin's assassination of MySpace in USA Today, it got me thinking about why an incredibly successful entertainer and a very successful digital media company...
If you conduct publicity and media relations, you probably have a decent media list, including editors for Good Housekeeping, Today Show producers and local and national industry beat reporters. But beyond the obvious must-haves for any CPG media database, expanding your list to reach untraditional...
Serendipity. I gas up the computer this morning and begin the daily ritual of scanning all the news alerts that appear in my inbox. Side-by-side I read these two headlines: Sara Lee launches multimedia campaign for deli meats and School kids’ sack lunches rise to unsafe temperatures,...
B2B companies and industry experts have made rapid use of Twitter, Facebook and personal and corporate blogs to enhance their positioning as experts. Often thought of as a virtual resume or networking tool, LinkedIn – when used properly - can act as a powerful tool...
Not that anyone will ever see this film or even care...
As a consumer, you have probably noted a large influx in the use of QR codes on direct mail pieces and magazine ads. In fact, the US Postal Service is currently offering a discounted postage rate on pieces that include a QR code. With QR codes...
Frank Lloyd Wright would be impressed. Imagine a living room or office or conference room or retail space with limited or no windows or windows with really bad views...
I'll bet you never thought you'd see the day when I defended McDonald's, but here it is and here I go. Did you know...
Though I consider myself a fairly smart guy, I am admittedly not a scientist. So I won't pretend to understand the chemistry of Alcoa Architectural Products' new Reynobond® with EcoClean™ – aluminum building panels (cladding) – that clean themselves, as well as the air around...
So you have done it! Proverbial success: you did your homework, picked the right journalist, sent a great pitch and now they have called you to set up an interview. Now what? There are six key questions you should ask media every time to ensure you...
It's the dead of summer, the heat index is above 100 and the media is laser-focused on pretty much any lame story that will get their audiences' attention. One of my favorites - and I never tire of hearing this - is the "staycation" story....
A recent study on email marketing by Harte-Hanks revealed both good and bad news about consumer response to email marketing messages. On the one hand, average email open rates declined to 17% for 2010, down from a 26% average open rate in 2009. However, the study...
Once upon a time, you couldn’t read “once upon a time” unless you first visited the local library. But that's no longer the case… and it is causing a serious problem. Due to decreased funding, libraries are short on technology, short on hours and short on...
I have been in this business of marketing and public relations for more than 30 years now. All of it on the agency side. During that time I have had the opportunity to work with and represent hundreds of organizations, from global industry leaders to one-person...
A recent study by Forbes Insights in association with Coremetrics reveals customer retention is becoming a greater marketing priority. In fact, more than half (52%) of the marketing executives cited customer retention as the top priority, and 39% of those plan to dedicate the largest...
It's UP2U, so UBdaJudge. Perfetti Van Melle is gearing up to introduce Mentos UP2U, its first stick gum sold in this country. The initial advertising efforts will be focused in social media like Facebook. To get its Facebook fan page started, PVM offered the first...
For this week’s blog post, we spoke with News 14 Carolina reporter Andrea Pacetti in Raleigh, NC, to get her top tips for securing TV media coverage. Prior to her current gig, Andrea launched the network’s Coastal newsroom, acting as bureau chief and Morehead City’s...
Packaged Facts just released its newest report on Snack Foods in the U.S. (4th edition). And apparently "meals" (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are slowly but surely being replaced by snackles (just what you want, whenever you want). In fact, the report predicts that Americans will plow...
Considered a serious frontrunner in the 1988 U.S. presidential elections, Gary Hart did what so many politicians before and after him did...
Let’s be honest, when most people think of successful consumer publicity, monthly glossies like Real Simple and Good Housekeeping are at the top of the wish list. However, securing coverage with the right online media sites can make just as big of impact for your...
You would think an iconic figure like Mr. Clean would be synonymous with truth, justice and the American way. But you tell me. Is the new Magic Eraser 30% larger AND 30% more durable or is it just 30% larger and some other percentage more...
Content marketing is nothing new. However, we see so much “noise” being created on and offline from online and traditional press releases to social media sites and sites set up just for organic search engine optimization purposes that we wanted to take the opportunity (prompted...
Believe it or not, a lot of people were afraid of Lady Gaga when she first captured the nation's attention in 2008. Before her, they were afraid of Madonna. Before her they were afraid of David Bowie. Before him they were afraid of Elvis Presley....
We just returned from the LightFair International trade show in Philadelphia and noticed lots of exhibitors using QR codes creatively in booth signage, literature, product displays and much more. So, we thought the post below on QR codes deserved another week on top. Have other...
It's bad enough when your CEO looks like a goober, but when he starts talking nonsense that threatens to undermine your entire brand, what do you do? According to the Associated Press, "The head of cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc. told a cancer nurse...
The Wall Street Journal reported today that Easter boosted April retail sales and allowed retailers to experience continued momentum, "posting strong sales." Well that's good news. Now everyone can go back to work, companies can start spending again and all will be right in the world. The...
Recognizing that American consumers are "under renewed economic pressures", Walmart CEO is confident that his scenario "could work in Walmart's favor." In short, what's bad for consumers could be good for Walmart. What a lovely and empathetic sentiment. Mr. Duke, I wish you could be poor enough...
The past half decade has been brutal for many – if not most – consumers. The economy has either cost them their job or denied them pay increases essential to keep up with rising expenses. Meanwhile, taxes continue to increase, the cost of staple goods...
You probably have a good sense for which trade and consumer publications are most influential in your industry and among consumers. But with blogs, it’s not so cut and dry. How do you know which blogs to target and which blogs to send product to? Following...
We are a nation obsessed with numbers and crowds. It is all about volume. How many impressions did you make? How many unique visitors came to the site? How many click-thrus did you score? How many followers do you have? How many Likes do you...
With all the talk and advice out there on what companies should be posting on Twitter, get back to the roots of social media and start by listening. Following are five categories of people that will give you the most insight on what you should...
Media are always on the hunt for new products they know readers will love; and some will even refuse to cover anything other than brand new products from a strict “product review” perspective. But just because your company is not launching a new product this...
What does Walmart suddenly know that no one else seems to know? At a time when traditional retail sales are struggling to even stay in the shadows of online sales, Walmart has decided to increase its base of SKUs with more than 8,500 products it...
Exhibiting at key industry trade shows can be a very effective marketing strategy. However, trade shows require more than just a booth and booth space. Following are 12 considerations when planning and budgeting for trade shows. 1. Trade show strategy: It is key to develop a...
I had lots of heroes growing up. Edward R. Murrow was one of them. And I am reminded of something he was once quoted as saying: "Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached...
I have been participating in a personal social media experiment this week to measure the networking value of LinkedIn. I picked an interesting topic in the eMarketing Association Network: "Can you use ONE WORD to describe the biggest challenge facing today's Marketing?" So far, there have been...
Look at this guy; even he knows he is cool. This is the face of American entrepreneurialism at its very best. Ron Rezek is an industrial design rock star. Perhaps best known for his contemporary light fixtures and ceiling fans, the likes of which make you weak...
Hello Diet Coke! Goodbye Pepsi. Hello traditional media! See you later online marketing. According to the Wall Street Journal: "PepsiCo made a big bet in 2010, when it didn't market its flagship cola on the Super Bowl or in other TV spots. Instead, it launched the...
The Super Bowl ended about a month ago, and the Housewares Show ended on Tuesday, but the sentiment for Made in America products continues to grow. Unfortunately, it appears to have nothing to do with protests against a communist government or a swell of nationalist pride...
In one short day, Charlie "The Ma" Sheen has amassed more than 1 million followers on his Twitter account. That's a Guinness Book of World Records achievement. This is social media, providing a global platform for a man with nothing to say to a mass...
"Good publicity is like free advertising...
I love the idea of what Rubbermaid is doing. From a business perspective, the concept of generating a continuous revenue stream for a service (as a complement to all the products it sells) is noteworthy. Unfortunately, it is a flat note. According to HomeWorld Business, for...
Sometimes we learn through passive observation. Sometimes we learn through active participation. Sometimes we don't learn at all. Today there are more channels for being exposed to information than ever before, which in and of itself is a pretty obvious and relatively useless point. But as...
Food is a symbol of survival and success alike. The Lord promised to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Marie Antoinette upon hearing that the peasants had no bread, suggested they eat...
A recent issue of Packaging World Magazine suggests that CPG companies can leverage eye tracking to assess shopper behavior and validate ideas. I guess, but CPG companies should also be aware that while the eyes may indeed be the window to the soul, they are...
This may seem peculiar if not downright inappropriate, but please bear with me. Martin Luther King was - among other things - one of the most effective marketers of the 20th century. Like all great marketers, he was passionate about a product; in his case, the cause...
If you were Howard Schultz and you finally managed to pull your stock back to levels it hasn't seen in four years, would you take the chance of changing what is arguably one of the most recognized logos on the planet? Such a bold move can...
Life may be a journey, but we're talking about business now, where the shortest distance between two points is universally recognized as a straight line. We're talking shortcuts. So as we wrap up 2010 and head into the new decade, I'd like to offer 10...
On the one hand, we are told that social media is the great equalizer, allowing citizens of the planet to reach out to one another and form new relationships and even networks and communities where truth, justice and the American way can prevail. On the other...
I spent almost an hour with a major market newspaper reporter on the phone. I gave her what I felt was great information and even provided additional sources to contact. When the article was actually published, the headline was very controversial and our...
This is not what you think it is. It's not a post about sexual predators. It's not a post about out-of-control egotists. It's not a post about traitors. It's not even a post about society's need to idolize athletes then throw...
How do you achieve media coverage when you have no news to share? By Jennifer Manocchio Certainly launching a new product or service easily lends itself to contacting the media; however, you do not need to have “news” to get media coverage. Furthermore, you can...
Thank you President Obama for promising Americans all kinds of relevant change and delivering more of the same. You told us to vote out of hope, not fear...
We are developing a media plan for 2011 and are evaluating trade magazines to advertise in. How important is it that magazines have a BPA or ABC audited circulation? By Jennifer Manocchio Many trade publications are audited by BPA or ABC and many are...
I love Canada, and I love Canadians, but Howard Chimoff and Frito-Lay Canada are a couple of toque-wearing hosers.As the story goes, not long after Frito-Lay introduced its annoyingly loud compostable SunChips bag, real Americans offered Frito-Lay an ultimatum: Make them quiet or give...
We are starting an email marketing campaign. What are the common pitfalls we should be aware of prior to beginning our campaign? Jennifer Manocchio Email marketing is a very cost effective and measurable marketing strategy that can immediately boost web site traffic and sales. According...
How is it that a guy of my age and experience continues to be surprised by how many – and how often – otherwise intelligent and well-meaning marketing executives act thunderstruck by the cost of doing business in the 21st century?And to be perfectly honest,...
I have been thinking a great deal lately about the state of marketing. Maybe it's because we have come to the end of the first decade of the new millennium. Or maybe because Sweeney is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Or...
We recently shot short educational videos on a hot topic in our industry. How can we utilize these videos online? By Jennifer Manocchio Online video is a great marketing tool and has many benefits from search engine optimization to brand building and increasing sales....
When it comes to politics and elections in the year 2010, it is clear the new marketing credo is to muddy the waters until nothing is clear...
I have coordinated with a blogger who would like to test and review my product. What should I include in the package when I ship a sample? By Kayleigh Fitch Before committing to sending a free sample to a blogger, ensure the blogger reaches a...
We are looking for a new public relations agency in 2011. What should we consider when conducting the search? By Jim Sweeney At the end of the day, every organization wants the same thing from its agency: results. Of course every agency will tell you they...
So, Tuesday night I am watching Modern Marvels on the History Channel. The focus of this particular episode was on the world's sharpest swords, knives, razors, etc. I was particularly fascinated by the Cutco cutlery (which I have in my own kitchen drawer)...
By Kayleigh Fitch I had the pleasure yesterday of attending a marketing event where Eric Ryan, co-founder and CEO of Method, was the keynote speaker. As Eric explains, it is no small task competing in a category against multiple goliaths when your marketing budget is...
When I was a kid, hero-worship was encouraged at home, at school and throughout the community. So it comes as no surprise that I admired, looked up to and emulated dozens of people who were heroic to me.Martin Luther King, Jr., Edward R. Murrow,...
So a bunch of carrot farmers get together and decide to launch a $25 million ad campaign to make packaged baby carrots cool for teens. Sounds about right to me.And here's the strategy: Position and market packaged baby carrots as a kind of junk...
We don’t have a database available internally to communicate with our prospects. Where do you recommend we purchase an email database? By Jennifer Manocchio We highly recommend not purchasing an email list. Most reputable companies like magazines and trade associations do not sell...
It's funny how behavioral change can just sneak up on you. Not just individual behavior, but societal behavior. And here we go again.According to a new Pew Internet study, 58% of American adults now perform online research about the products and services that they...
We are launching a new product that has sustainability benefits. How important will the sustainability benefits be to the media? By Kayleigh Fitch While the initial wave of media coverage highlighting all things green has calmed down quite a bit, there is still a significant opportunity...
Kids rock. Kids rule. Just ask them.As a dad of three kids (no longer in their teens) and having once been a kid myself, I can honestly say that I love kids. I love babies, I love toddlers, I love youngsters, I...
We recently started using social media to help achieve our marketing goals. Can you please provide some easy tips for increasing followers on our Facebook page, Twitter page and blog. By Jennifer Manocchio If I had to give one good piece of advice when...
It's late (approaching midnight), it's Tuesday (a school night), and mom is standing outside the Game Stop store with her 12-year-old son to drop $60 on Halo Reach, a new video game that is rated "M" for mature audiences.If that doesn't say I love you,...
I received a solicitation from Sky Radio promoting advertising for in-flight radio. How effective is in-flight radio and magazine advertising? See the email solicitation below. I'm contacting you on behalf of Sky Radio to see if you would be interested in participating in our...
We have invested in getting media coverage, but how can we leverage it to ensure we are getting the best possible return on our publicity investment? By Jim Sweeney Truly effective marketing is both inbound and outbound in nature (despite what many self-anointed inbound marketing gurus...
A few years before the Internet and social media revolution, there was this other revolution that got its legs in the 1960s.Referred to as the "age of youth," it was a time when more than 70 million teenagers and young adults rebelled against the conservative...
Once upon a time in America...
I saw competitive product reviews posted online and I’m fairly confident it was the competitor posting and not a real consumer. Are there any regulations against this type of activity? By Jennifer Manocchio There most certainly are FTC guidelines for this type of deceptive...
In the grand tradition of Alfred E. Newman, Manny is forever wearing that "what, me worry?" look on his face. And who can blame him?This guy is arguably the biggest knucklehead to walk down the pike since Homer Simpson first appeared on the Tracey...
Hey, want to see the most disgusting thing ever? Seriously, something so gross it will keep you awake tonight? If so, click here.Yeah, it's a mattress covered in bedbugs. Nice. It is the new epidemic. West Niles Virus and the Swine Flu...
How do I take advantage of national events, trends or news to achieve media coverage for my company? By Jennifer Manocchio Conducting a reactive media campaign is an excellent publicity and media relations strategy and can help you achieve exceptional results. The key is to...
Did I ever mention that I am a family guy? Not a Peter Griffin kind of family guy or a Don Corleone kind of family guy, but more of a Mike Brady meets Tommy Gavin kind of family guy, which explains why I was...
We are preparing to launch a new consumer product; it will be sold primarily in big box stores. How important is packaging design to the product’s success relative to the brand? By Jim Sweeney Sheesh, that is a loaded question. The most important purpose of...
Big news from the District:The Senate passed a new bill earlier this week. The HHFKA, which includes provisions FMI has sought to help lay the groundwork for a smooth transition for WIC customers to use an EBT card for their transactions. However,...
We are starting a new business and it was recommended to us that we have a brand and a logo. Isn’t a logo and a brand the same thing? By Jim Sweeney A logo (both the name and the design) is an element of the brand. However,...
Imagine falling into two holes on the same day – both seemingly disconnected – and winding up in the same place when you finally land.There are many key ingredients to marketing. But the one I like most of all and the one I am talking...
I have to start a blog for my company. What components - design and content - should my blog include? _______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Developing a blog can be overwhelming, especially if you are a newbie to blogging. The best advice I have is to keep your...
About seven months ago I installed the Foursquare app onto my iPhone and almost immediately found joy in keeping up, sharing and competing with my friends and colleagues on this relatively simple location-based service.I quickly earned 6 badges, including the ever popular Crunked badge (thank...
I just started a Twitter account for our company. How often should I post and what should the content include? ___________________________________________________________By Jennifer Manocchio Let’s start by discussing what not to talk about. Avoid tweets on how you were stuck in a traffic jam on the way...
When should cleaning product manufacturers begin pitching magazines to achieve spring cleaning media coverage, and what is the best approach? _____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Now is the time (July/August/September) to plan your approach and begin pitching long-lead media (home magazines, women’s magazines, parent’s magazines, green...
We are evaluating adding social media to our marketing mix, specifically Facebook and Twitter accounts. Is this a good marketing strategy? ________________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites can be an excellent addition to your marketing strategy, but it all depends...
In the words of Mr. T, "Quit the jibber jabber." For more than 30 years I have listened to one stupid argument after another about who can and should do what in this industry we call marketing. Only ad agencies should create ads, only PR firms...
Once upon a time, people became famous as a result of something they did. Sometimes it was something great. Sometimes it was something diabolic. But it was because of something.Today, being famous is an act in itself.And with all due deference to Andy Warhol, he...
I have been tasked with writing our corporate blog. What do I need to consider prior to starting my blog? How often should I post? What should the content include? How much do I need to write per post? ____________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney A Weblog or...
How do I craft a news release lead about a new product that will achieve media interest and ultimately achieve media coverage? _______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Creating an effective news release lead is essential to getting media to read the rest of your news release and...
Who knows what to believe right now?According to the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, “Consumer confidence, which had posted three consecutive monthly gains and appeared to be gaining some traction, retreated sharply in June.”Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research...
Back in the last century of the last millennium, there were these Iran-Contra hearings to determine if it was true that Lieutenant-Colonel Oliver North actually participated in the sale of arms to Iran.It was a big political scandal that prompted lots of politicians and news...
A trade publication wants to feature our company in its editorial section, but it is requiring a list and contact information for our top 30-50 vendors. Should we move forward with this opportunity? ____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio I would run not walk from this...
Our product was recently reviewed by a blogger and received less than favorable reviews. Should we respond to this blogger? If so, what should the approach be? ______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio In almost every case we would advise contacting the blogger, especially if you feel...
According to a new survey from the Direct Marketing Association: "Marketers are managing their expectations when it comes to paid search. Nearly half say their primary goal in paying for a paid search campaign is driving traffic to their Web sites, but only...
I recently made some enhancements to an existing product. Is this something the media would be interested in? ___________________________________________________________________ By Kayleigh Fitch, guest blogger The media will be interested in updated products if the enhancements benefit the end user or the environment. For example, if your paper towels...
Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come for reasons they can't even fathom. Oh...
Like many Americans wanting to be the biggest loser, I gave up on fast food about a decade ago. No more McDonald's Happy Meals, no more flame broiled Burger King Whoppers, no more Wendy's singles and chocolate frosties. I just quit.And then along comes...
Should I optimize my web site for mobile devises? _______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio There are 42.7 million smart phone users in the United States and 98 percent of them are accessing their favorite web site on their mobile phone according to Information Week. Based on...
It ain't easy being a consumer or a retailer or a marketer; it just ain't.Consider a recent study by researchers at the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences in Bordeaux, France. These scientists found that white wine loses its freshness within six months in PET...
I have a limited budget to conduct publicity and media relations for a new home design product my company is launching. Initially, the product will only be available at retail locations in certain states in the U.S. Is it more effective to focus my media...
I received a request from a blogger for product for her son’s 7-8-year-old baseball team league tournament (see below). Is it ethical for this blogger to be asking for product in return for advertising on her site? Is this a good marketing opportunity? “What I...
When I was living in Chicago, someone once told me that Cleveland was Detroit without the glitz. Being a Cleveland native, I was not amused, but I did understand. They were both once proud lakefront cities that rose up during the great industrial revolution,...
We are launching a new consumer product with a limited marketing budget, do we really need a full-service agency to support us? ______________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney Yes...
The brilliant illustrator Rob Sheridan created Cereal Mascot Reunion a few years ago to show that "things are never as good as they used to be."Apparently Rob is a bit of a psychic. Imagine the depression poor Cap'n Crunch and Tony the Tiger...
The battle to ban corn syrup is succeeding – not in proving that corn syrup is bad for our health; there is actually little proof of that at all – but in scaring consumers and causing manufacturers to buckle under at the first sign of...
We are planning to launch an e-newletter. Do I really need to invest in a 3rdparty email distribution company? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio There are many 3rd party email distribution companies (iContact, Jango Mail, Constant Contact… just to name a few) available to help you quickly...
According to an article in Forbes this week, some pretty major marketers believe consumers need to turn the corner on the recession and start spending their money again."New ad campaigns suggest marketers are eager to shake off the gloom of tough economic times--and they...
Our company just received an annual award for meeting stringent safety standards; does something like this merit a news release? _________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney For a change of pace, I would like to answer your question with more questions. 1. Is safety an issue in your industry? [YES...
How many agencies does it take to achieve an organization's marketing objectives? Is one enough? Is five too many?There are ad agencies and creative agencies and public relations agencies and and digital agencies and social media agencies and SEO agencies and direct marketing agencies and...
I see a lot of emails and newsletters. Some are done well and others not so well. What do successful online newsletters look like, what’s best way to design them and what is the ideal frequency? ___________________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney E-mails and e-newsletters are different animals under the...
Hi, I am Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer who ever lived. I really screwed the pooch - literally and figuratively. I embarrassed my wife and my family and my fans and the PGA. I am sorry, please forgive me. Let's play golf...
Conducting media follow-up calls after distributing a news release can be very time consuming or costly if you hire an agency. Is it truly worth the internal effort or cost? ______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio If you have quality news to share, absolutely! Media follow-up calls are critical to...
Good News for Sara Lee: Ball Park brand has finally pushed its top competitor, Oscar Meyer, out of the number one beef frankfurter spot.Bad News for Sara Lee: Institutions worldwide are taking a harder line against "junk foods", including America's favorite, the...
We are launching several new products this year and budgets remain tight (less than $10,000/product launch); will we get more bang for the buck with publicity or social media? _____________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney Allow me to assert that the old adage – you get what you...
As the new healthcare reform bill gets sorted out and we learn more of the details, the one thing that seems to be jumping out sideways is the mandate to get healthy...
Did I mention I was a LOST fan?But do you know what I am not a fan of? Self-serving, long-winded, uncreative, poorly produced LOST podcasts.OMG. If you want to know the problem with easy-to-access social media and easy-to-use technology, start with LOST podcasts.For...
Our company is getting 4-5 requests a week from bloggers for product samples to test and a second product for a giveaway. Should I be sending all these bloggers my product? We are a small business and have to be selective who we send product...
Walmart will soon have about 1,500 in-store MoneyCenters – that's roughly one in every other store – where you can cash your check or pay your bills. Apparently company associates just aren't busy enough selling clothes and groceries and electronics and fast food and...
For the third consecutive year, Jennifer is off to Chicago attending the International Home and Housewares Show. If estimates hold up, she will be one of 60,000 attendees (not to mention the nearly 2,000 exhibitors and their teams, plus the media and bloggers) to...
Back in the '90s, there was a Cleveland builder who got busted for building a bunch of new homes that were never attached to their foundations. Turns out it really didn't matter, because the foundations were faulty as well.According to one expert, "the footings...
We have developed 300 new product sample kits for media. The kits feature everything the media needs to test the new product. How should we go about distributing the product kits? ______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Since you have invested in developing these product review kits,...
Everyone opposed to a healthier America, please stand up. People who can't go to doctor need to get self managed care but not everyone can afford it. Now, everyone who believes that a leading cause of obesity in America is deceptive labeling, please eat a double...
Our company would like to start a blog; however, we have limited internal time/resources to develop it ourselves. Is it ethical to hire an agency to manage and write our blog? ______________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Unlike other marketing and public relations strategies, social media (blogging,...
My updated theory on how island Sawyer dies...
Okay, so once a year I indulge my inner child by talking about LOST. I am a fan bordering on being a fanatic. Have not missed an episode since the season premiere. Don't know why. Can not explain it. Hooked. Anyway, for anyone out there who...
With all the media industry changes (layoffs, magazines closing, etc.), is it harder to get media coverage? And what specifically can you do to ensure your story is heard? _______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Yesterday we were in a meeting with a consumer packaged goods marketing VP,...
Call it what you want. Call it spinning. Call it baring his soul. Call it dancing. But please don't call it PR. Our industry doesn't need any help smearing its image.Tiger Woods is to PR what Michael Vick is to...
Lists are great. They help us focus on what's really important instead of getting lost in a sea of data. And for those of us with attention deficit disorder, they allow us to latch on to the essence of things and forgive us...
I’m thinking about starting a corporate Twitter account. What steps do I need to consider before creating an account? ________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Twitter can be a great tool to engage customers and prospects with your brand. However, a lot of corporate Twitter accounts have...
As I read the headlines in the New York Times this morning, my head began to shake left-to-right, then it began rattling uncontrollably until it finally popped off. What in the world is going on out there? Have we lost our sensibilities? Have...
Ann Taylor Loft recently issued an invitation to bloggers to preview the retailer’s summer collection, rewarding bloggers who posted about the new line by including them in a gift card drawing. Was Ann Taylor Loft in compliance with the new FTC blogger regulations? Kayleigh Fitch, blogger...
Among my favorite and most vivid schoolboy memories is Valentine's day. With barely an effort I can still conjure up the fresh smell of chalk and chocolate, and the joyful sounds of giggling girls and tortured boys as we all sorted through and passed out...
Why are web site landing pages important, and when do I need to create one? _______________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio By definition, a landing page is a web site that a visitor “lands” on when he or she clicks on an online banner advertisement, a search-engine result,...
How can I ensure that my blogger relations efforts are in compliance with the new FTC guidelines? _______________________________________________________________ Kayleigh Fitch, blogger relations expert While the FTC’s updated Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising can be complex and difficult to understand...
Life is full of choices.Pepsi or Coke? Salad or pasta? Boxers or briefs? Compact or utility vehicle? Answer it or let it roll over? Go out or stay in? Take the over or the under? Call or send an e-mail? Drive or take a cab?...
The Detroit Free Press announced earlier this month that the government released a sobering jobs report indicating that the number of unemployed nationally rose by 632,000 people in the month of December to more than 11 million.That's a lot of people, many of whom are...
Do publicity and media relations tactics like news releases and media coverage support organic search engine optimization? __________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Publicity and media relations do support organic search engine optimization. In fact, it is very beneficial for the public relations team to be working hand-in-hand with...
More than 30 million Americans sat home on Monday to watch American Idol's two-hour premier. That is a lot of 18-49 year olds who you would think could find better things to do with their time than watch TV...
Recently our company was instrumental in the building and construction of a new sustainable retailer. This new building received a lot of local and trade media coverage; however, our involvement is getting overlooked. Is it too late for us to get a piece of the...
2009 was all about transparency – open communications and honest relationships. No more secrets in a world of social media; give us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. After all, the truth will set us free.Maybe not so much.I...
How can I effectively measure the results of a consumer product email marketing campaign? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Prior to starting your email marketing campaign, set specific and measurable objectives. For most consumer packaged goods companies, email marketing objectives often include: increasing company/product awareness, increasing web...
Over the holiday weekend I managed to catch about five minutes of A Christmas Carol on TV. It wasn't the classic movie starring Reginald Owen or even the 50s favorite starring Alastair Sim. And it wasn't the new Jim Carey animation. Instead it was...
I received a call from the company that produces The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television. They wanted to feature our products on their show, but there was a pretty significant cost associated with it. Should I consider this opportunity? ____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio It is...
Once upon a time (in the early 1980s) I was an account executive with Burson-Marsteller/Chicago. One of my accounts was the National LP Gas Association and gas prices were soaring, which was good for the propane industry. So good in fact that Ford...
What is the best day and time to distribute new product news releases to the traditional media? ____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio We could spend hours giving different scenarios of when are the best days and times to distribute new product news releases because all situations are unique. ...
What is a web site “bounce rate”? And should I be paying attention to these numbers? _____________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio According to Google, “a bounce rate is the percentage of single-page visit or visits in which the person left your site from the entrance (landing) page.” In...
So how's that $100 million advertising investment to launch Bing working out for you Microsoft? And what about that billion-dollar-a-year investment you are making in your Yahoo partnership?Well, according to data from Experian Hitwise, as reported in ClickZ, Bing lost ground during the four-week-period leading...
Is it acceptable to begin creating consumer awareness for a new consumer product before it is available at the retail level? ____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Some companies don’t want to put the cart before the horse, while others take advantage of the opportunity to create buzz prior...
Did you know more than 12.5 million children in the U.S. – 17% of kids and adolescents ages 2 to 19 – are overweight?Did you know as they grow older, these overweight children and adolescents – our babies – are more likely to have risk...
Maybe we're all just tired from the Thanksgiving weekend followed by a five-day work week. Maybe the recession has us all in a funk. Maybe we're all just demented.Regardless of the reason, Tiger Woods has suddenly captured the world's attention beyond anything he...
How do you establish a spokesperson as an expert among media and bloggers? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio This is a strategy we often use for clients to help increase brand awareness for a company or product, establish credibility and differentiate themselves from their competitors. It is a process...
With all due respect to social media, and despite the constant threat of H1N1, I plan to spend this Thanksgiving holiday weekend going mano a mano with human beings.I plan to look deep into the eyes of family, friends and neighbors. I plan to shake...
What’s the best way to monitor media coverage? ______________________________________________ By Kayleigh Fitch, guest blogger While there are several tactics you can use to successfully monitor media coverage, the method you choose will largely depend on the media you are targeting. For large-scale campaigns targeting national print and online...
We have a very small target audience – maybe 50 organizations with 1-3 contacts in each company – that we want to establish lines of communications with and build relationships leading to sales. Is direct mail or e-mail a better bet? Founder & President of Midwest...
" 'Ello, 'ello, 'ello? Admiral's right: 'eavy weather brewin' at Number 17, and no mistake!" -Burt (Mary Poppins)As you read this post, the FDA is actively taking testimony from leading Web companies and pharmaceutical interests about what they'd like to see...
For as long as I can remember, publicity (a primary tool in the public relations toolbox) has been positioned and/or referred to as an efficient, if not inexpensive way to promote a product or service or organization or person. In fact, this common misconception has...
You know that Beyonce song, "If I were a boy"?Anyway, I've been thinking a lot lately about clients and the decisions they make, as well as the decisions they don't make. Having been on the agency side my entire career tends to put me...
From your experience what are the best times to distribute email marketing campaigns? President at ProNetworkMedia ___________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio The answer to this question is not black and white. While there are studies conducted on the best day and time to send business-to-business and consumer emails, the...
I was watching the Antique Roadshow on PBS last night and saw the most unusual early 20th century invention. It was a heat-powered house fan. For real. There was a kerosene lamp at the base of a fan that was lit and emitted...
We recently hired several new employees and have written a news release announcing the growth. What media outlets and journalists at those outlets should I send the news release to? _____________________________________________________ By Kayleigh Fitch, Guest Blogger When announcing corporate news (i.e. hiring a new employee, announcing...
WARNING: THIS IS NOT A JOKE!So, a woman goes onto a medical discussion group on the Internet and asks all the participating group members the following question:"Can anyone suggest the best way to spend my health care dollars to relieve crippling back pain?"Within minutes, the...
What are the most popular, yet inexpensive, methods for promoting a web site? David __________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney If by popular you mean “effective,” and if by effective you mean “drive traffic to your site,” there are many ways - online and offline - to achieve this goal. Of course,...
Should I send a product sample to this blogger? I would love to feature your product with a product review and giveaway! My blog is receiving 18,000+ unique visitors per month - additional stats and information are available on my media page. I...
Whether you are managing a pay-per-click campaign, optimizing a news release, launching a blogger relations campaign or any other of a dozen things to improve search and drive more traffic, be sure to make adjustments for the seasons, cycles and situations that impact on visitor...
Welcome one and all to the Open Innovation Virtual Network sponsored by The Clorox Company.It is a site that welcomes one and all – young and old, amateur and professional – to gather under under the Clorox big top to share ideas in the "hopes...
Is it worth the investment to make our web site available in Spanish? ________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio There are two key considerations that will help determine if it is beneficial to translate your web site into Spanish or another language. First, what is the market potential? If...
By all accounts, Left 4 Dead (L4D) was/is one of the most popular Zombie video games on the market. Compared to previous games created by producer Valve, it was a clear hit.So, expectations for L4D2 are high. After all, sequels to popular video...
Does your public relations agency need to have good relationships with media contacts to be successful? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio If I had a quarter for the number of people who have asked us this question in agency reviews, I could buy a lot of Cokes! There really...
Recently I have come under attack for my iPhone addiction. "He never puts his phone down; it's become an extension of his hand." Interestingly enough, until I purchased the iPhone, I never even carried a cell phone. I hated the distraction and resented its intrusion into...
Clayton Christensen coined the term "Disruptive Innovation" more than a decade ago to describe the process whereby a new product or service takes root and displaces its established competitors (cell phones disrupting fixed line phones for example). Get it? It's an innovation that disrupts.However, the...
What can/should PR leaders/communication professionals do when their "go-to" spokesperson is a dud? It could be the CEO or a leading expert in a particular field. It could be someone who, politically, just has to be the one. Reporter, health care marketing magazine ...
We provide a service to the supermarket and CPG industries and need to reach corporate level executives, VP of Marketing, Director of In-Store Promotions, etc. We need names, titles and contact information whether that is an address, a phone number or an email address. We...
In "An American Tail", Papa Mousekewitz shares with his wife the wonders and promise of America: Papa Mousekewitz: In America, there are mouse holes in every wall. Mama Mousekewitz: Who says? Papa Mousekewitz: Everyone. In America, there are bread crumbs on every...
I have a blog on my company’s web site, but it hasn't been updated in months and no one is reading it. How can I develop more interesting content and get web site visitors to read it? Entrepreneur and Yoga Enthusiast _________________________________________________________ By Jim Sweeney Two primary factors contribute...
According to a new survey from Mintel, most Americans think they are healthier than they actually are. Or looked at from a different point-of-view, most Americans are not as healthy as they think they are.For example, the CDC says more than two-thirds (67%) of Americans...
By Jennifer Manocchio Media coverage is “free” in terms of editorial placement in a newspaper, magazine, radio show, television news show or online. Since a journalist is writing about your product or service in editorial coverage, you do not pay for that placement. If a media...
What is the most effective method and/or resource to procure a targeted listserv for a successful e-mail blast? Susan, Vice President, Hoffmann & Associates, LLC ______________________________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio There are two ways to measure the success of an email campaign. First, how “healthy” is your list. If...
Okay, so the CEO of Whole Foods recently spoke his mind in the Wall Street Journal about the proposed healthcare reforms. Blah, blah, blah. And now customers are up in arms – protesting and picketing and boycotting and twittering and joining Facebook pages....
In today’s digital environment, can the use of traditional publicity and media relations still be an effective strategy to increase sales? By Jim Sweeney Traditional publicity and media relations is a broad strategy that if properly targeted and effectively implemented can achieve – or at...
We know Sam Walton. We respect Jim Sinegal. We admire Sol Price. But there was another retail giant – a true pioneer – who is too often forgotten or overlooked in today's crowded marketplace: John F. Geisse. To know John Geisse is to...
As bloggers and Twitterers become the new "celebrities" tapped by organizations to drive messages to the masses, when do they cross the line and become the very shills they once so willingly and joyfully persecuted?Here's the answer: Immediately.There is absolutely NO difference between bloggers,...
Why are media not responding to my news release or pitch? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Just because media does not respond, that does not mean the media contacts are not interested in your message. In fact, there are numerous reasons why media may not respond to your news...
Yeah, I know, you've heard this a thousand times. But are you listening? Are you hearing?Now more than ever – with the economy crimping budgets, the number of strategic options exponentially growing and the demand for measurable results ever increasing – testing...
Is mass media advertising dead? Are there so many targeted options that I shouldn’t use it? Conversely, is mass media so splintered and difficult to measure that I shouldn’t use it? (e.g. broadcast, cable and satellite television) Associate Vice President, University Communications and Marketing _______________________________________________________________________ ...
Once upon a time, the answer to this question was: "What day is it?" Now it is more like the weather in Chicago: "Wait a minute, it'll change." Most consumers want whatever they can get; in a perfect world, they want everything –...
How does social media fit into B2B marketing? Channel Development Manager, Aflac –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– By Jim Sweeney Social media fits into the B2B marketing model much the same way it fits into the consumer marketing model. Because of its very nature, social media allows virtually anyone (or any organization) to...
NEWS ALERTAd Age reported today the results of a Forrester survey revealing that time spent online has leveled off at an average of 12 hours per week.Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
One of my co-workers is looking for some top bloggers on health products, health supplements, fitness, etc. The plan is to send free product to bloggers to talk about the product… have any tips? Director of Operations, Canadian health supplements business ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– By Kayleigh Fitch, Guest Blogger Assuming...
The Nielson Co. reported this week that the average U.S. home now has more TVs than people - 2.86/household to be precise. That's a lot of TVs. According to the same reports, more than 114 million homes in the U.S. have at least...
By Jennifer Manocchio The short answer is yes. Blog reviews can increase brand awareness, product trial, SEO rankings, web site traffic and retail and Internet sales. Blog reviews can have this influence because many people read blogs regularly and consider the blogs they follow to be...
Once upon a time, while a Mass Communications major at Cleveland State University, I conducted a research project to prove a three-part theory:Part 1: Most newspaper readers mostly read headlines and not full storiesPart 2: Most headlines are sensationalized and do not...
Sometimes I feel sorry for the color green. It is much maligned and often misunderstood.A green light is a good thing. It is a sign of approval, as in: "You are good to go."A green thumb is a good thing. It...
My son is a brilliant chemist with a Master's Degree in Food Science Technology. Despite his advanced education and superior knowledge he is able to communicate with great clarity all the processes and procedures involved in his highly technical food and beverage research. ...
Is it just me or are we living in incredibly divisive times?Upon reading this week's Advertising Age story – "Forget Twitter" – I was reminded of the old Ken-L Ration commercials: My dog's faster than your dog,My dog's bigger than...
Sometime between the release of Jackson 5's first album (Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5) in late 1969 (coinciding with their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show) and the release of their Greatest Hits in December 1971, I became convinced that Michael Jackson was...
According to a new study, CEOs are not wired-in to social media. Only two (2) of the 100 CEOs surveyed have a Twitter account and less than 20% have a personal Facebook page. Did I mention that these are FORTUNE 100 CEOs? ...
Sirius XM and Tiger Woods are a couple of very powerful brands. Brands that are constantly confronted with challenges and want to succeed at all costs. Brands that have experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. Brands that have stumbled and fallen and...
If you are young (as in younger than me), you may never have heard or even heard of Kenny Rankin. He was a singer-songwriter who floated quietly through the music scene for nearly 40 years. Cool and velvety, he was often referred to as a...
Bing, in case you hadn't heard, is by its own description the "Official Site To Make Key Decisions Quick & Easy." Google is an advanced search engine and more (Preferences · Language Tools · Advertising Programs · Business Solutions). Billy Mitchell, in case you hadn't...
It may not be easy "being green," but it is even harder not having any green. Ask the students who can't afford college, or even the colleges that can't afford to stay open. Just today, Miami-Dade College canceled enrollment drives and capped enrollment. Even smaller...
Good News for the masses: The recession is bringing back fat and unhealthy.According to Ad Age, the recession has reignited Dunkin' Donuts' marketing:NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- With all the fuss about carbs and obesity in recent years, Dunkin' Donuts has been downplaying its namesake product....
I have known Dominic Litten for 27 years now. He is an amazing young man, full of passion and energy and kindness. He possesses a brilliant mind that first revealed itself when he was only three years old and began reading a book to me....
I was reminded this morning by a dear and respected friend of mine to wake up and smell the coffee.In case you are wondering, the wake-up call was courtesy of an industry veteran. She (we will call her Sam) possesses not one, but two Master's...
I am so very pleased that technology and the Internet have brought us all together. We are all now united under the happy-happy rainbow of unlimited connectedness.Seriously?Have you been on LinkedIn lately? This is a social site whose primary - if not only - purpose...
Last night, my wife an I actually removed ourselves from the house, drove to the local recreation center and walked the outdoor path for about an hour - for exercise, and to clear our minds from all the noise, we even used some of our...
Golf Schmolf. I am talking Tiger Woods. He is not simply the sport's greatest player, he is the greatest player in sports.Tiger Freaking Woods.After nearly a year of being unable to watch a single golf tournament, Tiger finally returned to the game and...
Somewhere between stimulating and bailing is an abyss that we should not enter.Two and a half days after the search began for four missing men in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Coast Guard came to the sobering conclusion it was time to end the...
Barack Obama says that "only government" can shake the country out of the recession. Ronald Reagan said that the government does not solve problems, it subsidizes them.Al Gore said that we can't wait for someone else to solve the global climate crisis. We need to...
A-Rod got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Or as Bob Costas points out, someone ratted him out.So, A-rod says he is sorry. Says he was young and foolish. Says it hasn't happened in five years and will never happen again. Yankee haters...
Last month, almost to the day, I wrote this in my blog post:I am going out on a limb and making a prediction: Retail sales in January 2009 will be up. Despite all the incredibly harsh weather and the absolute uncertainty. Despite the transition at...
I just received my afternoon update from Crain's Cleveland Business and see that:RECESSION TAKES TOLL ON PR FIRMSWell, thank you very much for that insightful story.Of course, this is one of a thousand stories I've read since the start of the new year that blames...
I got smacked in the head today (some might say that is a good thing) by two absolutely unacceptable blogger activities...
When it is useless.As a member of the exclusive brotherhood and sisterhood of iPhone users (iPu), I can not even begin to extol the virtues of my iPhone. So I won't.Instead, I would like to direct your attention to the insanity of the world we...
What's that quote from Lewis Carroll? If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.Indeed.If you order a double cheeseburger at McDonalds, it cost a dollar (more or less now that Mickey Ds is testing a new pricing structure). It's...
If it's not a law, it should be. It hardly seems fair that gravity on Earth is just a one-trick pony.But this is reality, so we have to deal with it...
I saw Mr. Barack Obama being interviewed by Mr. George Stephanopoulos over the weekend (is anyone named John Smith anymore?). Let me say first that these are two very cool customers. In addition, and no less significant, these are two guys with clear...
But February made me shiverWith every paper I'd deliver.Bad news on the doorstep;I couldn't take one more step.It's there, all around us. Bad news about the economy is easier to get than the winter flu. Take this little gem, for example:The...
I probably should have done this three weeks ago, but I wanted to get as close to the end of the year as I could. Anyway, here goes:10. Nearly 123 million Americans voted in the 2008 presidential election. Hip-hip-hooray.9. The Cleveland...
Some say John Wooden is the most influential, if not the greatest coach of the 20th century. At 98, he is definitely one of the oldest living coaches from the 20th century.Mr. Wooden is most notable for his success as the coach of UCLA's championship...
Something about the big 3 automakers going to Congress today with their collective hats in hand reminded me of an old story.Once upon a time (in the early '80s) I was a Vice President and Public Relations Manager for Griswold-Eshleman, a very prominent ad agency...
*But Were Afraid to Ask."Before we take the advice of anyone about blogging matters it is worthwhile to remember one vital - and wonderful - fact: Blogging should be the simplest and most straightforward thing we do.I've never blogged before and my friend told me...
The great thing about social media is that it allows you to connect with so many people in so many different ways almost all the time. The bad thing about social media is that it allows you to connect with so many people...
According to Kraft's new CMO, Mary Beth West, "Great marketing drives business. If it doesn't, it doesn't really matter."Forget for just a moment that Kraft's top marketing posts have experienced more turnovers in the past year than a Hungarian bakery; Mary Beth West is a...
At the risk of offending my SEO/SEM friends, I have a bone to pick with the state of search.Last night my daughter and I invested a solid hour searching online (on two separate computers) for a resource selling "down fill" for a winter jacket she...
[Shameless self-promotion alert: my son, Matt, who is presently boarding a jet for England to participate in the Euro launch of Gears of War 2, is an employee of Epic Games]Sometimes I feel like that kid at the playground standing on the wrong side...
Thanks to the business I am in, thoughts (some normal, some less so) about the impact of marketing and media constantly fill my mind. It is both a blessing and a curse.For example, while trimming ornamental grasses in the yard this weekend, I had...
According to ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations), the average weekday circulation of 507 American daily newspapers was only 36.2 million during a six-month period in 2008. This number represents a drop of 4.6% from a year earlier.On the flip side, the NAA (Newspaper Association...
My dad was the very definition of a troublemaker. He reveled like a child in the business of mischief, smiling from ear to ear as he picked and poked and prodded you into an argument. But to his credit, he always knew when to stop."Okay,...
Just last week I was reading the results of the latest Nielsen Shopper Modality Study.According to the report, "Consumers approach different categories of consumer packaged goods with different mindsets, and marketers that understand and leverage these can enhance their products' performance."David Parma, global head of...
Paul Verna, Senior Analyst, reported in eMarketer yesterday (October 16) that blogging has become mainstream. Here's what he says:Blogging has become so pervasive and influential that the lines between blogging and the mainstream media have disappeared.At first glance, this looks really important. The...
Like so many others of my generation, I was raised on and greatly influenced by the Wonderful World of Disney. And I willingly embraced the "can do...
I just came across a Reuters story with the following headline:Making math uncool is hurting America, report saysAs a huge advocate of education and math, I was intrigued. So I began reading the article. And I was immediately taken aback by the...
Richard (Dick) Fuld, ex-CEO of Lehman Brothers would like to blame the ills of the financial industry on a crisis of confidence. Way to spin, Dick.The fact that you had the Brinks truck backed up to the corporate fleet and were dumping cash into...
You know what really kills me (I mean besides a forearm shiver to the bridge of my nose)? When I read about a company (Microsoft, for example) that pays an agency (Crispin Porter, for example) $300 million for a campaign that turns out to...
In the midst of all our economic woes and political wrangling, I almost lost sight of global warming.But the other night I saw a very entertaining news story about how cow farts are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Apparently they are far...
You know the economy has taken a turn for the worst when you can't afford a cup of coffee.Just as McDonald's was ready to take a final run at the severely crippled and seemingly clueless Starbucks (in the midst of all their troubles, the coffee...
In team sports, when things are not going well, there is a standard process that takes place. First you blame the individual players (ideally the overpaid, underproducing ones; they make good targets) and perhaps even replace one or two of the main cogs. ...
For all the goodwill that the Summer Olympics afforded China, I would have to say that allowing 13,000 babies to be hospitalized after drinking tainted milk formula pretty much levels the playing field and dropkicks the country back into the dark ages. And "oh...
I saw it. The new Microsoft "PC" commercial aired last night. It was half over before I realized what it was, but I saw it."I am PC." Are you kidding me?Kirk Douglas saying the memorable line, "I am Spartacus" in this classic...
So now we know the big scret: Microsoft is going to tell PC users why it's okay to be PC users. Yeah, that ought to work.Let me say a couple of things at the outset. Bill Gates is awesome. He is a tech genius, he...
Okay, I can not believe that I am right back on this McDonald's vs. Starbucks topic, but it will not go away!While Starbucks is launching its new better-for-you breakfast menu with minimal fanfare and questionable success (there ain't no lines outside the stores), McDonald's is...
Bania: Why do they call it Ovaltine? The mug is round. The jar is round. They should call it round tine.Bania was an idiot, but he know a good joke when he heard it. Bill Gates on the other hand is a genius,...
Okay, so McDonald's fired the first volley with the introduction of its premium coffee. And Starbucks - like many onlookers - was stunned at their success (and the immediate damage it inflicted on Starbucks). Now McDonald's is vowing to install coffee bars in...
Did you hear the big news of the day? Kevin Beckner just won the primary for County Commission in Hillsborough County in Florida. But wait, there's more: Beckner is crediting Facebook for the primary win.Are you thinking what I'm thinking?All around me...
Would you be surprised if I reported that not everyone in the United States has a computer and/or regular Internet access? What if I told you the numbers were something like 18 percent? I guess that doesn't sound like a lot, but what if I...
Just in case you are curious about the source of this post, go at your own risk to: http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/13/the-pr-roadblock-on-the-road-to-blissful-blogging/Every time I think I have read the dumbest argument conceivable on the subject of why public relations professionals should just go quietly into the night, I...
Once again, Bulldog Reporter is pimping a New University audio conference that pushes the limits of what is reasonable and does little to enhance the image of our industry. This event is entitled:Blog Relations Update for PR: Top Online Influencers Show How to...
I was just checking my email and clicked on my daily Google Alert on "consumer packaged goods." Amongst the news stories was a report from Internet Retailer (Strategies for Multi-Channel Retailing).Here is the headline and lead paragaphs:“Tweens” use online search when researching productsOnline search plays...
Now that is a good question.According to Wickedpedia, "Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject."In essence, publicists are like Svengalis...
Undoubtedly, the Internet is changing the way we get our news, information and entertainment. As a result, the role of "publicity" and its partner "media relations" has come under question - and in some cases, under fire.So let's cut to the chase and look at...
This past Christmas, my daughter bought Kathy and me a very special gift: two tickets to Rain-The Beatles Experience, showing at the State Theater. Rain is as you might guess a Beatles tribute band. In fact, they are considered by some to be the most...
If you believe what you read in the news (and I do), it appears U.S. companies experiencing the most sales growth and profitability during our economic downturn (recession) have three things in common:1. They are raising their prices.2. They are cutting costs.3. They are increasing...
How can you place a price on the beauty of newborn babies nestled in the arms of their loving parents?Apparently People magazine has the methodology. And the price is $14 million. Of course, that's only for the North American rights.The good news is that the...
One of my colleagues was kind enough to direct me to the Faster Future blog site today, where I read for the 5,000th time about how smart and savvy "online PR" people are and how dumb and naive "traditional PR" people are.Thank you for all...
Okay, so the season is more than half over and the Tribe has only managed 45 wins. And C. C. Sabathia is gone and Casey Blake is gone. And Victor Martinez is out and Pronk is out and Jake Westbrook is out and Josh Barfield...
It's always something.What is it with people? Sometimes it seems that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, no matter what you achieve, you are only as good as your last [fill in the blank].Take Apple for example. The company stock...
Coming soon to a retail store near you: Less.Confused? Just wait. A recent story in the Globe and Mail (the great white north news) reveals how Unilever Canada Ltd. dealt with the skyrocketing price of soybean oil: reduced package size!Last Halloween, I saw a bag...
One of the things I love most about our industry (marketing and public relations) is the total lack of standardization. I am warning you right now to save your emails about PRSA standards.As I indicated in my last entry, our industry is WAY over the...
I wrote my first article on ROI about 28 years ago. As I recall it had to do with the return on investment to cable system operators of an Oak Communications cable system...
I received an email last week from an old friend and associate in response to the last issue of InSites (our weekly e-newsletter). He indicated that they had just started a blog for one of the company's many brands and worried that it might be...
Top 10 Reasons Why I Deserve to Get the New iPhone 3G Before Abe Froman:10. Although I once lived in Chicago, I do not know the location of Chez Quis restaurant and could use my new iPhone for reservations and directions.9. I could use my...
I think I am getting a bad rep; or maybe it's a bad rap. Either way, I feel the need to clarify my position on the subject of (take your pick of idioms) digital media/social media/social networking/internet marketing/online PR.John Booth authored a story that appeared...
Bachelors lose buttons. Kids especially lose buttons. Mothers and grandmothers still sew on buttons the old fashion way. This Christmas get the new automatic Buttoneer 2; it attaches any kind of button instantly.[musical interlude: Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down....
We (Sweeney) have been a customer of Burrelle's Luce for some time now. Before that, we were with Cision, which used to be Bacon's. And along the way we tried other providers (local and national). The services generally involve media databases and media clipping.I can...
A pop quiz (no cheating, please); you have five seconds to answer each question:1. How many unique visitors does your Web site receive each day?2. How many unique visitors did your Web site receive in the last 30 days?3. What is the average time spent...
A couple of topics that are on my mind, but I have not had the chance to develop:1. Barack Obama Smokes. And he is not alone. In fact, some of the professional golfers on the PGA Tour smoke, though they will not be allowed to...
Willy Wonka, what a character.I remember when my oldest son went off to college. He was like a kid in a candy shop (or a chocolate factory if you prefer). So much to see, so much to do, so many new experiences to be experienced....
I've said this before and I will say it again. I really do like Brian Solis. But OMG!If you are going to write a blog, then write a blog. If you are going to write a book, then write a book.Your May 26 entry on...
Let's begin with the truth. Not all public relations people lie, but some do. Not all presidents lie, but some do. Not all legal analysts lie, but some do. Not all media representatives lie, but some do.Shocking revelation.But the two things that bother me most...
Okay, so I was only about 50 percent correct with my predictions about the LOST finale, but I was 100 percent correct about it being an extraordinary evening in front of the tube.Everything about LOST is precisely what makes a successful brand.It is engaging to...
And now for something completely different.Tonight is the season finale of LOST. It will be a two-hour extravaganza. I am already forewarned that it will suck. So be it.I will be planted on my living room couch (aka sofa) from 9:00 pm until it ends....
I have come to the conclusion that too many agency professionals either can not or are not willing to devote adequate time to the "thinking" process. And even fewer clients are willing to pay for it.It's ridiculous, bordering on insane.The business we are in...
It's that time of the year when graduating students are looking for jobs. Unfortunately for many students, it is also that time in the economic cycle when outplaced employees are looking for jobs. Bodies smashing up against bodies.Generally speaking, markeTING is not an advice column,...
I saw Jimmy Carter on TV last night (the Tonight Show with Jay Leno). Jimmy Carter used to be the President of the United States of America. Now he is a superdelegate.Jay asked him who he and his wife would nominate, but he would not...
What is it about the smell of gruel in the morning? Despite its nasty appearance, blunt odor and dull taste, we are desperate enough to ask for more. Take heart good Americans, help is on its way. The checks, as they say, are in the mail....
If you catch a record size fish and no one is there to see it, did you still break the record? And if you didn't catch a record size fish, but there is no one there to deny it, so you tell the world that...
Marketing love is nothing new. The greeting card industry has been doing it for years. So has the jewelry industry. And let's not forget the purveyors of lingerie.But I think Pope Benedict XVI has a different "love" in mind. Merriam-Webster defines love as a strong...
Talk about nerves of steel. Talk about getting off with a slap on the wrist. Look, I won't even pretend to understand what was going on between Hillary Clinton's camp and its chief strategist Mark Penn. Did Hillary know that Penn was meeting with...
Save the whales. Save the children. Save the tiger. Save the rain forests. Save the Jaguar. Save the planet.All noble campaigns; bold initiatives. But if the goal is to save ourselves, we might want to reshuffle the "save" deck and put this one first: Save...
Imagine being the official sponsor of one of the largest and longest "walls" in all the United States. The buzz factor alone will be worth the price of admission. Then again...
The new building property manager stopped by our office today to check on some maintenance they performed last week. I really like this guy.When I first met him a few weeks ago, he told me things were going to be different around the building. His...
As a young boy, I was a newspaper carrier for The Cleveland Press; this was the community's afternoon paper. Back in the day nearly every major city had more than one daily. Not anymore.Some people preferred the morning edition and some liked the afternoon paper....
According to The Kiplinger Washington Editors, we are now officially in a recession. Thank you very much.But according to John Elsasser, EIC of Public Relations Tactics, PR practitioners are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. Thank you very much.Meanwhile, Jim Owens, Chairman and CEO of...
"Through no virtues and accomplishments of our own, we have been fortunate enough to be born in the United States under the most comfortable conditions. We, therefore, have a responsibility to others who are less well off."During the mid-1960s, Robert Kennedy spoke these words about...
I read an informative article in The New York Times today by Stuart Elliott. It was about Pepsi's new Tava brand beverages. Around the same time, I read an informative blog on Bokardo by Joshua Porter (it was forwarded to me by my brilliant friend...
Shortly after the break-up of the Beatles, Paul McCartney (and wife Linda) released Ram, his first studio album (not to be confused with his first solo album, which he recorded at home).Anyway, Ram features a wealth of great music from a still young musical artist...
I caught a few seconds of Donny Deutsch a few weeks ago; some segment entitled Big Idea/Bad Idea.Donny's two participating guests were told of a new McDonald's concept in California. No more arches, no Ronald McDonald, no messy tables. Instead, guests are presented with a...
Why you should NEVER EVER bypass the strategic marketing planning process.I have been doing this (marketing and PR) for a couple decades now, representing hundreds of organizations – from start up companies to international FORTUNE 50 corporations – and it never ceases to amaze me...
I just flew in from Raleigh; man are my arms killing me.Did I ever mention that my oldest son is a special effects and lighting professional with a leading video game company? He is. Matt graduated from Bowling Green State University four years ago with...
Just finished up an RFP for Southwest General Health Center. I am fairly confident that we will not be invited to make a presentation before the final selection committee. That's too bad.Here's the thing: Southwest was asking for a lot; I mean a LOT. The...
Had a sit-down meeting with a client today (imagine that).The only purpose of the meeting was to say hello. But some point, the president of the company indicated that his marketing/sales department had prepared a post card to mail to more than 2,000 log home...
Yeah, that's not backwards.Those of us in the heartland, like those of us in the South and the West and the East, have been feeling the pinch for about 12 months now, give or take a year.Outside of the lucky and the elite, you know,...
Think about it.Which will receive more media attention today: Super Tuesday election returns, Fat Tuesday celebrations or American Idol Tuesday auditions?What will you pay more attention to tonight: election returns, Mardi Gras revelers or Idol contestants?Twenty years from now, which will remain the freshest in...
It took some doing, but the economy is finally on stage with the environment.Unfortunately, this being a big election year, little is likely to happen on either front. Consumers are doing their part...
I had lunch today with the president of a leading graphic design firm and the AVP of communications and marketing for a prestigious state university. Three fairly well educated and deeply experienced pros. Captains of industry as it were...
In my vigilant drive to keep up with new communications technology, I came across an AdWeek article last evening about Vidigreet. Video greeting cards. Apparently they already are or soon will be all the rage. In an attempt to create a hybrid between YouTube and...
If Oprah says "go green!", then what is a person supposed to do? We go green. In fact, we are going so green so fast that for the most part we don't even know what we are doing. Survey after survey confirms two very interesting...
My father always told me that if I didn't have anything good to say, it was best not to say anything at all.Thanks dad!...
Welcome.Tired of all the mindless drivel about "Web 2.0" and "marketing in the 21st century" and the vital importance of "social media" and "online PR" and blah, blah, blah, blah blah? Tired of being talked down to by invisible blog thugs?Me too. Prepare to be TINGed...
