10 Years Today

Today is the 10 year anniversary of when my father lost his battle to cancer. I seemed to have come full circle because the manager I was working with at the time is now who I report to after several years apart. For some reason this year it has been harder than in years past. I always get a little down around Christmas simply because I can’t help but think about that last Christmas with him.

We all wanted it to be fun and happy. It was anything but. Mainly due to the guy I was involved with whom I couldn’t see for who he was but my family and friends did. My involvement with him just heightened my father’s fear and/or worry about whether I would be ok or not. No amount of assurance by me or others who promised to look out for me could alleviate that for him. I eventually woke up and have always hoped he somehow knew I did.

I was lucky in that I was able to see my father before he died my brother was not as lucky. Those days after were such a whirl wind that I truly don’t remember much. I do remember not really being able to mourn my dad. The guy and I lived together and he didn’t want me to cry there at least not while he was present. Now I mourn whenever the mood strikes me like now as I write this.

My family and friends are still here to look out for me but there is always something missing. Everyone has an anchor, that one person who has the ability to ground you when things are haywire. When it is lost the search to fill that void is illusive. Maybe one day I will be lucky to find it again. We love and miss you dad!

It’s Time to do the “Time Warp Again”

It is the time of year when children and adults dress up and
let loose in celebration of Halloween. One of the traditions in some areas is a
viewing of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” In college my University would show
the movie classic outside on the intramural field during the Homecoming
Festivities. Some people would dress up like the characters but everyone would
bring the necessary props. I believe this reason is why the movie was shown
outside.

I realize there are differing opinions on what the “message”
of the movie is. Some of those opinions are highlighted in the article link I
have provided http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/26/%e2%80%98rocky-horror%e2%80%99-still-accepts-you/.
In the end I do encourage people to watch the film for pure entertainment
value. It is fun to watch Barry Bostwick play straight man to Tim Curry’s foil
and Susan Sarandon playing a straight, pure arrow which is opposite of her
later character in “Bull Durham.” You get to see another side of their acting
ability that you may not have ever seen before.

The campy nature and songs most people know help add to the
appeal. The movie for some seeing it has become a rite of passage. If you get a
chance look up the words to the song “Let’s Do the Time Wrap Again” and if you
are on a social network post a line or two. There is a real possibility that
others will join in and add the next line.

Chrysler Ads

I have wanted to comment on the tag line in the Chrysler ads
for a while and just came across an article on Advertising Weekly’s website on
said commercials. It appears that a division of the Federal Trade Commission in
charge of promoting products made in America has a problem with them. They have
filed a suit against not only Chrysler but also Ford because they are promoting
products as made here which are actually made elsewhere. Here is a link to the
article: http://adage.com/article/news/ford-chrysler-accused-making-false-u-s-made-car-claims/230342/.

I found the tag line funny because some people would
describe Detroit as a world all its’ own. In case you are unaware the tag line
is “Imported from Detroit.” The ads showcase the city especially the
architecture and what it offers in various parts. I do like the perspective in
which the TV ads are shot. They are shot as if you are looking out at the city
from a vehicle window so to see it through your eyes instead of that of an
actor.

I don’t believe the
company intended the tag line to be funny or ironic just a way to distinguish
the campaign from past ones. One problem is that on the ads it isn’t as
prominent as one thinks a tag line should be. It appears small as if as an
afterthought usually under the Chrysler winged logo. Next time you see one of
the ads I encourage you to look for the tag line. I know it took me a couple
viewings before I even caught it after that I found myself looking for it in
all the ads.

 

Internal Marketing

Some of us will have seen an email being sent companywide to
promote a service, new product, or event. At some point you might even see
responses to the email stating “Please take me off the recipient list as this
does not pertain to me.” Inevitably this will start a chain of emails from
people throughout the company requesting the same thing. Which leads to people
feeling annoyed, amused, or the sender wondering what they did wrong that
people don’t understand why it was sent.

Obviously the sender did not communicate their message well
enough so people could understand it. Hopefully they will have learned the
lesson and make sure next time it is clear to everyone that this is simply a
marketing tool to educate others on what is available to them as employees.
There are things the sender could have used such as the wording in the subject
line and the written explanation in the body to help convey the message.
Another technique is by looking at other internal corporate marketing efforts. They
could see that branding the email would go a long a way to limit confusion. Or
if it is an area that doesn’t usually create marketing campaigns/pieces; they
could consult with someone internally who does.

Playing Catch Up

I realize I have been rather quiet the past few weeks with
my posts. There are a number of reasons behind it, lack of inspiration, but
mainly due to a growing awareness of my hours spent on a computer. I needed to
break a cycle before it got any crazier.

Like most people my job entails me being on a computer for
the better part of 8 hours a day. I found myself spending another 2 to 3 hours
a night when I got home. That is 2 to 3 hours I could put to better use then
playing the games on Facebook. I found myself even more exhausted and my mind
over stimulated to the point of dreaming about dishes being cooked or crops
that needed harvested. When I woke in the morning rested was not what I was
feeling.

I had found myself rushing through my morning routine so I
could have time to play a game or two before leaving for work. When I got sick
everything took a back seat to getting well. Even though I found it annoying it
was a blessing because I could look at my new obsession with some perspective.
I began playing the games as a way to kill time while waiting for my primetime
TV shows to come on. Then I began complained that I didn’t seem to have time to
get things done during the week.

This week I am playing catch up and getting into a better
routine. I am ready to get back on the horse but in a more controlled manner.
Thank you for your patience!

A Win for Consumers

Today saw a victory for consumers in the form of Netflix
announcing a reverse course from last month’s decision to split their business
into two entities, one for mail order and another for streaming. There are
several articles discussing the announcement throughout the web all saying the
same thing.  In the company’s rush to
keep ahead of competition and differentiate the two services they acted
hastily.

I don’t believe they thought the original announcement would
have such an adverse affect. I wonder if they truly looked at the data
accumulated on customer usage especially looking at the overlap of services. I
personally do not belong to Netflix but I know a number of people who do. They
like the flexibility to choose whether to stream something or have it delivered
to their homes. There could be a show on a paid channel you would like to watch
but not enough to subscribe or you financially can’t subscribe. Netflix gives
you the ability to watch it within your monthly subscription to the service via
streaming.

I understand that the separate pricing issue is still on the
table. But I encourage consumers to take heart and marketers along with
businesses to pay attention. Consumers have more power than they think and they
need to let their voice be heard.

Speculation

Speculation is an interesting word. By definition it is a
guess at what something or someone will do. People will hear a bit of
information and try to figure out what it means or implies. Another way to look
at this word is gossip.

An interesting correlation between the two words which many
may not have explored. But if you think about the correlation it makes perfect
sense.  One bit or hint of something can
start a ball rolling that can lead to fabrication and possibly the loose of
something bigger like a business or a person’s reputation.

As human beings, we can’t help but speculate on things. We
develop a fantasy life early on and never fully grow away from it. Because of
this we can drive ourselves crazy trying to figure something out.  In some circles speculation is encouraged and looked
at as a guess, hunch, or even a theory to either build facts around or created
by facts already known. In other circles speculation is looked as a bad thing
due to unforeseen consequences similar to gossip.

The lesson is to be careful about speculation. You never
know who you can hurt. It could end up being yourself.

Bra Support

Today American Eagle Outfitters Inc.’s aerie brand showed a
unique way to support a cause to coinside with a promotion running through the
end of October. The company has teamed up with Bright Pink an organization that
helps promote awareness of both breast and ovarian cancer to donate a $1.00
from every bra sold in the Aerie stores to the organization. To kick off the
promotion the company decided to hang bras off a bridge outside their
Pittsburgh, PA office.

In fact they hung around 4,000 bras in various colors and
styles. When the undergarments are taken down, they will be cleaned, and then
donated to local shelters for distribution. I was made aware of this by a
colleague whose friend participated in the event. I have included a link to a
video highlighting the activity along with a link to the Bright Pink site: http://multimedia.post-gazette.com/?ClipId=6297470,
www.BeBrightPink.org. This is a creative way to use a support garment
to support a good cause.

 

Hallmark’s New Card Line

Of course the classic slogan of the company “When you care
enough to send the very best” comes to mind when receiving a card from this
brand along with term “Hallmark holiday” in reference to non-traditional
occasions such as “Sweetiest Day.” In that vein, I found an article on cnn.com
on a new line put out by Hallmark. According to the article, the line is a
direct result of customers coming in to location and asking if they carried a
card to fit the situation.

What is the new line? Well it is a line aimed at those who
have lost their jobs. That is right you can now send a ‘Thinking of you” or
sympathy card to someone you know that lost their job. It appears the line
offers both humorous and not so humorous cards to help encourage those dealing
with such a loss. Though not all stores may have the new cards you can find
them on the company’s website.

I was of the opinion that a card within the current thing of
you category would fit the bill. Evidently not for some consumers that wanted
something more specific. I don’t know about you but it just doesn’t strike the
right balance for me. Yes these people have lost their job and are dealing with
this on a daily basis. I am not sure if they truly want to receive a card
stating “Hey sorry you lost your job but I thought this card would help.”
Ultimately, the success of the line will be determined by demand which with the
current job loss numbers could be high.

 

Smart Ad Buy

Around the area I work a new convenient store/gas station
franchise has opened up.  Now I haven’t
seen the new business but I have heard about it but not from co-workers. The
company used its advertising dollars to buy air time on local radio stations.
Their ads play several times within an hour throughout the entire day. So any
given listener can hear about them 2 or 3 times within their drive time.

The company wants to bring in customers that are on the go.
So why not target them in their most on the go place, their car. I have seen no
other ads for the company but that isn’t saying they are not out there.  The company has appeared to use their budget wisely
if it translates to business is yet to be seen.