Bloggers or Brats? July 22, 2009

OK, I’m probably going to get raked over the coals on this one, but at least I know that going in.  So here goes…

 

If there is one group of bloggers that I absolutely cannot stand, it would be mommy bloggers.  And now they’ve given me even more reason for disdain.  Apparently, they have just become oh-so-important that it’s stressing them out and they’re becoming overwhelmed.  To recoup, they’re taking a vacation.  The week of August 10, they will institute a PR Blackout, during which they will not promote a brand or speak to publicists who are trying to push product.

 

OK, wait.  Am I missing something?  What is it about being pumped full of free goodies that causes so much terrifying anxiety and stress?  And why is it such a big deal for advertisers?  There are plenty of families out there who are clamoring for a chance to promote a product.  With all the social media opportunities floating around, what makes these mommy bloggers so special?  Yeah, yeah, they are a great way to get cheap publicity and moms listen to other moms, yada, yada.  But let’s face it, without free loot, there’s nothing to write about.  And without anything to write about, there are fewer readers, fewer women taking advice from the mothers who have always had it.  Did these women forget about that when they declared themselves oh-so-important and imposed their own rules?  The relationship between products and bloggers is a trade-off, and if you start playing hardball, so will the product advertisers.  At least, that’s what they should do.  Social media is a valuable tool, and its explosion in the past few years has created a lot of non-traditional advertising and promotional opportunities.  But it’s also taken away the control of the message from companies that throw all of their eggs into one basket (anyone remember the Skittles debacle?), and that should never happen.

 

Marketers should take this week of so-called vacation time and carve out a new plan of attack.  One that doesn’t involve inflated egos and whiny bloggers.

Blog Redesign April 7, 2009

It’s been a long time since I last posted something here.  After that fact came up in conversation the other day, I thought it best to confirm that this blog is not dead.  I haven’t abandoned it; I just haven’t been motivated.  I could blame it on the blah weather we’ve had lately (except for this weekend, which I’m hoping isn’t a cruel joke!) or my crazy schedule as of late.  But the truth is, I haven’t really been interested in any recent marketing topic lately.  In reviewing some of my previous posts, I’ve found that even with the best of intentions, my posts have started to slide into my personal life.  I really wanted to focus this blog on the field of marketing and pr, given my position in the professional world.  However, I find my personal life much more interesting.   I’m not bragging, but it’s full of great stories.  And since my entire family is 2000 miles away, this will give them something besides a phone call to keep up.

I don’t plan to abandon the marketing world for good.  I just want this blog to live up to its title and become a random collection of stories that reflect me and who I am as a person.  I do also stay involved in the marketing and pr side of things through my tweets (@uncgrl84) and by posting comments on several trade publications.  On a related note, check out my take on the downfall of marketing in the current economic situation and my plan B.

I’m hopeful that this change of course will keep me more involved, more focused and more interesting.  Let me know what you think!

Treadmills, Bikes, Weights…Marketing? December 14, 2008

UPDATE:  This post came up at work, and a co-worker said that it reminded him of Dodgeball (you know, the gym that they were making fun of??).  Here are some Dodgeball quotes.  Take a look at these and then watch the video.  What do you think?

~ Here at Globo Gym we understand that ugliness and fatness are genetic disorders, much like baldness or necrophilia, and it’s only your fault if you don’t hate yourself enough to do something about it.~

~ Of course you’ll still be you in a legal sense, but think of it as a thinner, more attractive, better you than you could ever become without us.~

~ And with our competitively priced on-site cosmetic surgery, we can turn that Frankenstein you see in the mirror every morning into a Franken “Fine”.~

~ Here at Globo Gym, WE’RE BETTER THAN YOU! And we know it!~

In just a few short weeks, we will all be celebrating New Year’s Eve, which will inevitably lead to the traditional resolutions to lose weight, get in shape, eat better, etc.  When choosing a gym, how do you determine whether or not it’s right for you?  Is it the weight equipment, the age of the machines, the perks like saunas and whirlpools, or is it the…marketing?  Yes, marketing.  While I have never directly chosen a gym based on how it markets itself, there is a new one in town that I will never consider joining.  I’ll never even walk through the door, and it’s all because of the message they have sent out as part of their marketing campaign.

 

I was driving to work last week when I noticed workers putting up a new billboard on a busy corner in town.  It was definitely eye-catching–a close-up of a man’s hairy chest with a single website: www.nomoremanboobsmissoula.com.  So immediately, I had to check out the website.  It’s a video of a girl in a bath towel, admiring herself in the mirror and berating men for being overweight and ugly.  According to her, these men should get into the gym and rectify their situation of being overweight and unattractive.  Even if they do, however, they will still not be good enough for her.

 

The billboard is hilarious, and it’s definitely garnered a lot of attention.  I have had several friends ask if I’ve seen the new billboard on South and Russell.  Good job, marketing team.  You’ve created awareness in the consumer’s mind, and you’ve directed them to your website.  But do you have to result to insults to get people through the door?

 

Gyms are full of staff who are supposed to help people get into shape and feel better about themselves.  Nutritionists help reshape notions about portion control, water intake and food issues.  Personal trainers guide gym newbies through a program to increase strength and fitness levels.  These people come together to improve the quality of life for their clients.  None of these people use negative reinforcement to motivate their clients.  So why associate those attitudes with your establishment at all?

 

Here are a few ideals tied to the marketing strategies of different gyms that are more positive:

Strength 

Support

Education

 

I’ve worked out at several different gyms over the years.  The ones I’ve stuck with are less worried about your appearance, your dating capabilities and your man boobs and more focused on nutrition, encouragement and self-esteem.

 

Is marketing really to blame? Or is it being used as a scapegoat? November 6, 2008

Food and cigarettes are causing quite the stir this week.  Philip Morris is under fire for releasing pink “Purse Packs” and a Nielsen Consumer Insight survey highlights the consumer belief that food companies should take more responsibility for the food that they produce.  Of course, marketing and advertising are the bad guys in both situations.

To which I say, “Come on!”  Take a look at the Philip Morris website.  There are numerous informational tabs highlighting the effects of smoking, discouraging teen cigarette use and quitting.  If you Google “cigarette effects”, you can get over 7 million results outlining the effects of cigarette smoking.  There are also additional searches that can inform you of the chemicals in cigarettes and what will happen to your body long-term if you smoke. 

Not a smoker?  OK, let’s take a look at consumer reflections on food companies.  Apparently, 75% of consumers believe that “people are encouraged to eat less-healthy food by advertising, and that these companies should provide healthier food.”  Now, let’s take the first part of this statement–people are encouraged to eat less-healthy food by advertising.  Is that really news?  Of course they’re encouraged to eat less healthy foods; that’s the point of advertising.  The brains behind those commercials and print ads would be out of a job if they didn’t persuade you to buy their product.  Now, the second part of that statement gets the same response as the Philip Morris ad. 

The point of marketing and advertising is to draw the consumer in.  It does not, however, brainwash.  We live in a time where every person knows that smoking can lead to lung cancer; that pregnant women who smoke are endangering their babies; that over-consumption of food will lead to weight gain; and that fruits and vegetables are good for you…ice cream, not so much.  It’s the marketer’s job to sell the product.  It’s the consumer’s job to make the educated decision.

Election marketing October 23, 2008

Seems like everyone is taking advantage our right to vote.  Here are some of my favorite marketing schemes revolving around the election season.

Landor & Associates–Presidential ImagePower Brands study

7-Eleven

McCain Potatoes

This is just a start.  I’m sure there are plenty of others out there.  Which ones do you like that I’m missing?

Come on, Diageo. You can do better. October 8, 2008

Diageo has tapped P Diddy, Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, what the hell is he calling himself these days?, as spokesperson for their vodka, Ciroc.  They claim that he portrays sophistication, a trait that they liken to their product.

OK, I looked up the definition for sophisticated and I examined several synonyms:  wordly, cultivated, civilized, mature, refined.

Now, let’s examine P Diddy’s (or the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy??) history:

A dispute with a family-owned business

Cheating on Jennifer Lopez

Then there’s this

And this

And let’s not forget about the 1999 arrest for a stolen gun

I mean, really?  Sophisticated?  Maybe Diageo should look up the meaning of narcissism, egocentric, conceited and unlawful.  Seems more accurate to me.

Come on, just because this guy puts on a nice suit and drapes himself in diamonds and beautiful women does not make him sophisticated.

Chocolate by the numbers September 28, 2008

OK, I’m finally not mad about the airlines or PETA.  I have moved on to happier things like this last post on chocolate and marketing.  There is no doubt a high demand for chocolate–there are 650 companies in the US that manufacture or supply chocolate, 35 states that are involved in the industry and 65,000 jobs revolving around chocolate manufacturing. 

So how do these numbers stack up to the consumption of chocolate?  I could recite tons of numbers and statistics, but because of the wonderful world of linkage, you can just click here to find out who consumes chocolate where and how. 

What I’m most interested in is whether women actually crave (and therefore consume) chocolate more than men, or if this is a huge marketing ploy by genuis chocolate manufacturers everywhere.  It seems that women do actually crave chocolate more–40% of women crave chocolate, as opposed to 15% of men.  One theory is that women crave it more during PMS, perhaps due to magnesium deficiencies. 

Based on everything that I’ve read over the past few weeks, it seems to me that marketing might have it right after all.  It just might be true that chocolate is craved and consumed by women more than men.  What I find more interesting than that is the long history of the chocolate mystique.  Why all the fuss?  Chocolate is worthy of the gods, more enjoyable than sex and the be all, end all of that pesky little day in February (no, I’m not bitter, I’m happily attached, I just don’t think anyone should have to be reminded by Hallmark to show their love to their significant other). 

I don’t know if I will ever know the answer to this.  What I do know is that I’m going to the freezer to break out my Hershey’s bar.

Dark Chocolate Truffles September 18, 2008

As I sit here relishing my dark chocolate truffle straight out of the freezer, I keep trying to read up on chocolate and religion (during commercial breaks of The Hills, of course).  It basically was treated as a delicacy in ancient times, even being served in golden goblets.  What’s really interesting, though, is the modern reference of chocolate and religion, even if it’s not directly tied in to a particular religious practice.  Check these out…

What’s more amazing to me is the tie between women and chocolate.  Look at these pictures:

Chocolate candies shaped as shoes.

When I look at these two pictures, I see chocolate and women in the context of shopping and sex.  It seems that this view may not be just the work of the big marketing machines, either.  Check out this post from Danielle Egan, who examines if, and possibly why, some women actually enjoy chocolate instead of sex.  There seem to be some scientific explanations behind those cravings.  It also seems that women prefer shopping to sex (sorry guys!).

I haven’t quite reached my determination on whether or not women prefer chocolate more than men.  The cold hard figures will be outlined next time.  I do have to say, however, that maybe the marketers did their homework.  Maybe, instead of starting with the chocolate and trying to figure out how to make it fit into an advertising campaign, they first looked at what women want.  After all, women do make most of the purchasing decisions.  Especially when it comes to something that ranks right up there with sex and chocolate…

 

Chocolate craving September 10, 2008

This post started as a casual conversation between myself and a co-worker.  We were chatting about my recent impulse buy at the drug store–a bag of chocolate truffles.  As I walked by their display, on my way to the laundry aisle, I could just imagine how they would taste after a few hours in the freezer.  As I was explaining this to my office mate, he posed this question:  “Why do women crave chocolate?”  And I began to wonder–do women crave (or consume) chocolate that much more than men, or is it a marketing ploy?  Chocolate has become associated with everything from sex to a woman’s cravings at that “special time” of the month.  Is this a true association based on fact, or is it a way to create a market for the industry?

It looks as if this will become a multi-post subject, so I’ll start this discussion with a little bit of chocolate history.  According to the Field Museum, chocolate was first utilized in ancient Mexico and Central America, where it was combined with various seasonings to make a drink.  In the 16th century, cacao was taken back to Spain after Hernan Cortes conquered Mexico. 

The Spanish, however, didn’t like the bitter taste of the chocolate drink.  They began to add flavors like cinnamon and sugar.  Of course, they got hot chocolate (although, I bet they didn’t enjoy it with marshmallows, which is my favorite drink when there’s lots of snow on the ground outside).  As the chocolate craze began to spread around Europe, it became a hot commodity with the royals.  In France, no one was allowed to drink hot chocolate except the aristocracy!

The industrial age gave people of normal means a chance to enjoy this treasure, as chocolate began to be made into a solid candy at a reasonable price.  As chocolate began to enjoy mass appeal, advertising campaigns popped up, particularly aimed at women and children.  Interestingly enough, chocolate was distributed to soldiers as part of their rations during World War I. 

Chocolate has since been established as a candy, religious symbol and cure for illness.  Next time, we’ll explore these areas, and see if we can find out anything else about how chocolate has become so tied in with women and pleasure.

To read more about chocolate and its history, check out the Field Museum’s chocolate pages.  This is where I found my information, and there’s plenty more!

Re-entry into the blogging world August 27, 2008

I have been trying to get into blogging for a while, and it has just never come to fruition.  I comment on other bloggers’ postings but have never maintained my own.  I abandoned this blog after the first entry!  Life was just too busy, and I never got around to keeping it up.  But this is a new time, so here we go.  I’d like this first post to tell a little about me, my interests and what I would like to cover in these postings.  This should give some framework for future posts. 

 I am a young marketing professional with a background in public relations and event planning.  I only recently moved to Montana and am still getting used to the winters.  I’m still a Southern girl at heart.  I’m fascinated with how a marketing message can be created and communicated, and, as a result, how it can affect public opinion and action.  I would like to go back to school, although I can’t decide on a program.  Integrated Marketing Communications sounds interesting and very applicable to today’s marketing environment, and it would be a good complement to my undergraduate degree.  Then again, I have a huge desire to help people and feel like I’m making a difference through my work, which leads me to an MPA.  While I was researching MPA programs, however, I found meeting and conference management degrees, which also grabbed my attention.  Hopefully, I’ll settle on one soon.  Any suggestions to help me figure out which way to go?

 

I love to volunteer.  In the past, I’ve worked with the Wake County SPCA, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and UNC-CH’s Dance Marathon.  While living in Missoula , I’ve spent my time at the Children’s Museum. 

All of that being said, I would like to focus this blog on issues that are close to my personal heart—animal rights, volunteerism, education—and professional world—unique marketing campaigns, social media marketing and the like.  I hope it will be an educational and fun experience for me, as well as enjoyable to any readers that I may pick up along the way.  I will welcome any critique, comments or questions!!