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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Your Finest Box of Chardonnay, Please.
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 bottles and bag-in-box packaging, compared with glass packaging. Red wine also fared better in glass bottles during the yearlong testing period.
I am guessing there are no more than three people in the world who are shocked by these findings… and that may be a stretch.
As you might imagine, the wine brands (no names please) who have shifted to plastic bottle and bag-in-the-box formats point out “the new bottles are lighter than glass bottles and also carry environmental benefits.” Which is no doubt true, but does not address the claimed issue.
Best of all, the article offers no definitive conclusion. Which leaves me wondering: could something so simple as buying a bottle of wine be any more complicated?
Here is a test you can take at home: visit a local wine store or even the adult beverage department of your favorite local grocery store. Assuming you are not a connoisseur (and I am not) how would you decide what to buy? What do you even focus on – price, color of wine, color of bottle, shape of bottle, size of bottle, quality of label, coolness of name, type of closure, P.O.P advertising, an article from Food & Wine magazine taped to the shelf? Now add to to all this the new debate about plastic bottle vs. bag-in-the-box vs. glass bottle. Sheesh, this is probably why I drink beer.
Last weekend I found myself at World Market in search of a cheap Australian wine (Friday Monkey) for my better half. Of course they did not have it in stock, but they did offer to order it for me. Unfortunately she wanted to drink it that night, so we opted to roam the aisles. It was a beautiful experience; there were wines from all around the globe in every shape, size and color imaginable. I was mesmerized and somewhat smitten.
Ultimately, however, we acquiesced to the advice of a twentysomething store associate who suggested a particular zinfandel that he tried and liked last week. Interestingly the wine was not featured on an end cap or prominently displayed on a shelf… it was neither under nor overpriced… it was not a recognizable winery or product brand name… they were not offering free samples… and the label was ordinary at best.
But we bought it nonetheless and it turned out to be pretty good, which is more than I can say about the apparent value of marketing in the wine industry.
Is Local or National Media Coverage Better?
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 relations efforts on national consumer magazines or local newspapers and regional magazines?
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By Kayleigh Fitch, Guest Blogger
Ultimately, you will achieve the best results conducting publicity and media relations with both national and local media. But, if you are forced to choose, there are several things you should consider before making a decision:
What type of coverage do you want to see?
National consumer magazines are more likely to include minimal product coverage – a product photo and caption or brief description of your product and its primary benefit to readers. In addition, your product will be competing for the spotlight with five to ten similar products on the same page and potentially hundreds in the entire magazine.
Daily and weekly newspapers (with the exception of national papers like USA Today, Wall Street Journal and New York Times) are more likely to develop an accompanying story or feature fewer products in one article with a common theme.
What is your primary marketing goal?
If your goal is to create national brand awareness, national consumer magazines will have the greatest impact on a wider audience. While most daily and weekly newspapers and regional magazines only reach a general metropolitan area, and therefore build brand on a market-by-market basis.
By targeting local publications there is greater likelihood media coverage may also include information on where consumers can purchase your product locally, ultimately supporting sales goals and supporting sales in brick-and-mortar retail stores.
The trade-off, then, is between building strong brand recognition nationally and supporting sales efforts at the local level.
Do you want to drive retail or website traffic?
Finally, you should consider whether it is beneficial to drive consumers to your website or to local retail outlets to learn more about and possibly purchase your product. If consumers are likely to want to touch and feel your product before purchasing, using locally targeted publicity to drive consumers to brick-and-mortar locations will be most useful. On the flip side, a product that consumers can learn enough about without physically experiencing it can be very successful online, and national publicity will be the best resource to drive website traffic.
To initiate a national or targeted consumer publicity and media relations campaign, contact me at kayleigh at sweeneypr.com or 440.333.0001 ext. 105.
Memorial Day Isn’t Just Another Day Off
Prior to marrying my husband, who is a United States Marine Corp infantry captain, Memorial Day was just another day off to me. A day to plan picnics and spend time with friends and family.
However, after two tours in Iraq and getting ready to leave for his second tour in Afghanistan, the day has a total different meaning for me. Having lost friends in both wars, my husband and I now know the true meaning of the day.
While we typically don’t attend the Memorial Day fan fare, mainly because it is too emotional, I always take a few minutes of the day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to remember the families who continue to endure the hardship.
In memory of my husband’s friends, we will never forget their courage and dedication to our country:
Capt Phillip Dykeman, USMC
Capt John Maloney, USMC
1st Lt Joshua Palmer, USMC
SSG Kyle Wehrly, USA
Sgt Joshua Frazier, USMC
Cpl Carlos Gilorozco, USMC
Cpl Brett Lundstorm, USMC
SPC Daniel Sesker, USA
Cpl Joshua Synder, USMC
LCpl Kyle Brown, USMC
LCpl Joshua Scott, USMC
Here are a few ways to participate: observe the national moment of remembrance at 3 p.m. local time or fly an American flag half-staff from dawn until noon local time.
The History of Memorial Day
The following is from the History Channel web site.
Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation’s Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:
The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.
During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.
This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Miss.; Macon, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Boalsburg, Pa.; and Carbondale, Ill.
In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America’s wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)
Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.
Several Southern states continue to set aside a special day for honoring the Confederate dead, which is usually called Confederate Memorial Day.
Live Together, Die Alone
Goodbye LOST… and thank you for a great run.
When I was a young boy,
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band.
He said, “Son when you grow up,
would you be the savior of the broken,
the beaten and the damned?”
He said “Will you defeat them,
your demons, and all the non-believers,
the plans that they have made?”
“Because one day I’ll leave you,
A phantom to lead you in the summer,
To join The Black Parade.”
When I was a young boy,
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band.
He said, “Son when you grow up,
would you be the savior of the broken,
the beaten and the damned?”
Sometimes I get the feeling she’s watching over me.
And other times I feel like I should go.
And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets.
And when you’re gone we want you all to know.
We’ll carry on,
We’ll carry on
And though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
We’ll carry on
And in my heart I can’t contain it
The anthem won’t explain it.
A world that sends you reeling from decimated dreams
Your misery and hate will kill us all.
So paint it black and take it back
Let’s shout it loud and clear
Defiant to the end we hear the call
To carry on
We’ll carry on
And though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
We’ll carry on
And though you’re broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches
On and on we carry through the fears
Ooh oh ohhhh
Disappointed faces of your peers
Ooh oh ohhhh
Take a look at me cause I could not care at all
Do or die, you’ll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you’ll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part
I won’t explain or say I’m sorry
I’m unashamed, I’m gonna show my scar
Give a cheer for all the broken
Listen here, because it’s who we are
I’m just a man, I’m not a hero
Just a boy, who had to sing this song
I’m just a man, I’m not a hero
I! don’t! care!
We’ll carry on
We’ll carry on
And though you’re dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on
We’ll carry on
And though you’re broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on
Do or die, you’ll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you’ll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part (We’ll carry on)
Do or die, you’ll never make me (We’ll carry on)
Because the world will never take my heart (We’ll carry on)
Go and try, you’ll never break me (We’ll carry)
We want it all, we wanna play this part (We’ll carry on)
Bloggers Gone Wild
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 am wondering about is if you think that there is anything that you or a company that you represent might be able to offer some sort of sponsorship for the kids in our tournament. Specifically, but definitely not limited to, I would like to be able to offer some kind of token to each team and preferably each player regardless of a first place finish or a last place finish. Actually, those that finish in the top will receive team trophy’s, however, as I’m sure you realize, at the ages of seven and eight, the kids like to have something tangible themselves.
“As with any requests that I make for help, you will have full reign to guide me in advertising for you. I have 6 blogs with a PR 3 and 5 with a PR 2. You can have 3 months worth of ad space on every blog, or just the ones you are interested in. I will write blog posts directing traffic to you and I can use Twitter, Facebook and Whrrl as well to promote your company. If you can help me, I will do what you need me to do to make this work.”
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By Jennifer Manocchio
We are seeing more and more requests similar to the one you received.
Just this week we received a blogger product request for a client that manufacturers outdoor wood sealer. We had already provided this blogger with product to reseal his deck, and now he is asking for more product to do his stairs and porch. At $80 a gallon, this isn’t a cheap investment.
Unlike media, there is no code of ethics for bloggers when it comes to asking for product samples. And there is certainly no separation of editorial and advertising content when it comes to blogs.
The only government mandated requirement from the FTC is that bloggers clearly let their readers know they received a product sample for free when writing a post about that specific product. We see some bloggers doing this and others who either don’t know about the FTC ruling or don’t care.
In the case of this specific request, if you have a product that directly targets 7-8-year-old boys and/or their parents, you have reviewed her blogs and feel the content is relevant for your brand, double checked the page rank to ensure the information she is giving is accurate, checked her authority on Technorati, and visited Compete or Quantcast to determine traffic, and the results are favorable, this could be a good way to gain some exposure.
But I warn you to proceed with caution and ensure this blogger is following the FTC guidelines. See our post “The Impact FTC Guidelines Have on Blogger Relations”.
Swim Apparel for Dogs
I was in Pet Smart yesterday getting dog food for our boxer, Monty. While checking out, a point of purchase display caught my attention. It was Body Glove dog apparel. I was totally shocked. I thought I had seen it all, but now you can purchase Body Glove rashguards (SPF shirts), hooded shirts and even aqua boots for your dog’s paws! 
Now I have to fully admit I’m a crazy dog owner. I’m definitely helping to fuel the $46 billion pet care industry spending frivolously on things like doggie daycare, winter apparel (she is a true southern dog and hates the cold), and an Ohio State football jersey. But I have to draw the line at a SPF shirt and aqua boots for Monty, even though she is a frequent boater and beach goer.
- Monty on the boat with her PFD
She does have a life jacket for the boat so if she does jump off we don’t have to worry about her drowning. So kudos to Body Glove for their new PFD (pet
flotation device) and kudos to Body Glove for seeing an opportunity to expand their product line. Although, I will not be purchasing any of their pet apparel anytime soon.With the U.S. pet care market expected to reach $56.5
billion by 2014 according to BCC Research, we can certainly expect to see more pet products we don’t think we need on store shelves.
Pretty Pictures Leave Bing as Third Tier Search Engine
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, thrived mightily through the manufacturing base that settled there and are now mere shadows of their past… struggling for a new identity and a brighter future.
They would both like to be Chicago or New York, but they are not. They did not have the vision when it was required – some 50 years ago. They did not see the future until it had closed in on them. Oh sure, they tried to fix things. They voted in well-meaning government officials who promised change. They built new stadiums and entertainment venues. But in the end, they simply had nothing special to offer that one could not get better in Chicago or New York.
And that, in my opinion is the problem with Bing. Microsoft was late to the search engine party and when they finally arrived they simply tried to repackage Google and present it as something new, spending more than $100 million to convince the consuming public that Bing had zing.
But in the end, Bing still holds less than 10% of the total market share of searches. I wouldn’t categorize it as a failure, but it isn’t exactly a big success. Just imagine what might have happened if Bing actually came to market with something innovative… something unique… something of value.
While imitation may indeed be the most sincere form of flattery, it is rarely the best business move.
Is a Full-Service Agency Necessary to Launch a Consumer Product?
We are launching a new consumer product with a limited marketing budget, do we really need a full-service agency to support us?
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By Jim Sweeney
Yes… No… Probably not… Maybe not… I have no idea.
According to about.com: “A full-service agency is one that handles all aspects of the advertising process, including planning, design, production and placement. Today, full-service generally suggests that the agency also handles other aspects of marketing communications such as public relations, sales promotion, Internet and direct marketing.”
For me, “full-service” also implies that the agency provides essential research and strategic planning capabilities on the front-end as well as multiple execution services to help implement campaigns on the back-end.
The beauty of the full-service agency is it theoretically does not have a bias toward any one strategic solution (e.g., if I am a social media agency, then my solution to every problem is social media, but if I am a full-service agency, I am looking for the best solution overall).
Assuming you’ve already done all the necessary research and strategic planning, you have a launch plan and you know precisely what marketing services you need to contract (e.g. you need a PR agency to help you mount a targeted publicity and media relations campaign), then the answer is no, you do not need a full-service agency; you can hire a PR firm or a full-service agency with PR capabilities.
If you are not looking for an objective assessment of your marketing plan and you are not looking for alternate ideas or strategies to achieve your objectives within your budget limitations, then the answer is once again no.
A $50 Light Bulb?
You are looking at the future of lighting – LED light bulbs. GE will be launching their Energy Smart LED bulb sometime in late 2010 or early 2011 for $40-50.
Sooner than later we will all be using LED lights in our homes, offices, malls, etc. because the government is mandating we find more energy efficient lighting. By 2012, the 100-watt incandescent bulbs we are using will no longer be on store shelves, by 2013 75-watt incandescent bulbs will be put to bed and in 2014 say goodbye to the 40-watt bulbs … our options will be fluorescent and the wave of the future - LED light bulbs.
Currently, GE, Philips, Osram Sylvania and a number of other competitors are racing to produce high-quality and cost effective LED light bulbs. Which means the technology will continue to evolve and cost will continue to drop so that we aren’t paying a whopping $40-$50 for a light bulb.
However, when you start to look at the benefits of LED light bulbs, the price point becomes a little easier to handle. GE says the Smart LED light bulb will last for 17 years! Think about it… you can install a LED light bulb in your newborn’s room and not have to replace it until he or she is packing up for college! The bulb also delivers a 77 percent energy savings when compared to a 40-watt incandescent bulb. And it includes no mercury.
So when the LED light bulbs hit store shelves who will be the first to front $40-50 per bulb?
Remember When Fat was Fun?
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 must be feeling now that the White House wants them banned from future marketing.
But hey, if that’s what it takes to stop the runaway fat kids train, then so be it.
According to the Wall Street Journal, “A new 120-page report released Tuesday by the White House says food companies should extend their current self-imposed regulations to cover all forms of marketing to children, and food retailers should avoid in-store marketing that promotes unhealthy products to children. It says all media and entertainment companies should limit the licensing of their popular characters to food and beverage products that are healthy.”
Finally, sanity reigns supreme. The chubby crisis is all but over. And it was so freakishly easy: Just get the evil marketers to kill off or otherwise transition their popular characters into health nuts and everyone will be thin and healthy. No more plump pubescents, no more obese babies, no more chunky children. Karen Carpenter would be proud.
Thank you Federal Government. Thank you White House. Thank you First Lady Michelle Obama.
What to Expect When Launching an Online Product Sampling Campaign
We are launching an online product sampling campaign and are wondering how many product requests we should expect?
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Online product sampling campaigns can be very successful in building company and product awareness, increasing product trial and driving sales. However, the success of the campaign and what to anticipate as far as product distribution really depends on a number of factors.
First, what type of product are you offering? Does it have a broad reach?
Second, how do you intend to launch the online product sampling campaign? Online advertising, email, blogs, Facebook, Twitter or a combination?
Third, what is the duration of the campaign? Weeks, months, etc.?
Finally, are there any geographic boundaries on the shipment of the free product samples?
Since consumers tend to respond well to free product samples, see recent blog post “Product Sampling Proven to Drive Sales”, the campaign can easily go viral and word can quickly spread like wildfire online.
For example, we recently launched a blogger review and product sampling campaign for a leather and carpet cleaner. Twenty-seven leading bloggers, including mommy bloggers, pet and equine bloggers tested the products, wrote positive reviews on their blogs and encouraged readers to sign-up for a free product sample. The offer for free product samples spread rapidly online. We achieved more than 300 blog, Twitter and Facebook posts about the sampling campaign that drove tens of thousands of consumers rushing to the web site.
If you are concerned about receiving too many product requests, simply put a cap on how many full and/or trial size products you are willing to distribute. For example, “the first 500 consumers to sign-up will receive a full-size sample, and the next 1,000 will receive a sample size product.” This will also help ensure a quick response to your offer.
Launching a product sampling campaign and need help developing the strategy, implementing and measuring the campaign? Contact me at jennifer at sweeneypr.com or 910.772.1688.
Do You Want a Gofer?
Just this month Sears Holding Company launched a test for a new retail drive-through concept called MyGofer.com. The concept is simple and feeds off American’s need for fast and convenient.
You simply place your order one of three ways - online at mygofer.com, using the mygofer mobile app or by calling an agent. Mygofer.com sends you a text message when your items are ready. You head to the location and they put the items in your car.
Mygofer.com offers more than 100,000 items, including everything from food to appliances, jewelry, bedding and clothing. But don’t get too excited. Sears just has one test location in Joliet, Ill as of right now.
Is this the next generation of shopping?
Possibly… especially for moms who dread taking kids to the grocery store. However, I’m one of those touch and feel kind of people. Even when it comes to the grocery store, I would prefer going into the location when it comes to selecting produce and meats.
The other issue is the location of MyGofer.com. If there is a close location, that is great. However, if the location required a 20-minute or more drive, it would be just as fast and easy to pop into the corner grocery store.
Welcome to the New World of "InYourFacebook" Marketing.
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 adversity. In fact, some manufacturers are so concerned they are going old school and replacing corn syrup with sugar – even though they know it is no healthier and it costs more to produce.
And how exactly did this happen? According to the New York Times, “What started as a narrow movement by proponents of natural and organic foods has morphed into a swell of mainstream opposition, thanks in large part to tools of modern activism like Facebook, YouTube and and movies like “Food, Inc.” and “King Corn.”
If this is the true power of social media – to intimidate – it is time to disconnect or at least distance yourself from the Internet. Marshall MacLuhan told us long ago that the medium was the message, but at least TV and radio and newspapers and magazines were operated by trained professionals adhering to government mandated standards. In today’s new world order virtually any inmate can run the asylum… and the general public seems to be okay with that. Or perhaps the Internet has simply made public what some of us have always suspected: there are a lot of devious people in this world who will use any tactic to get what they want (including social media). I believe Machiavelli talked about that at great length.
Imagine that a bunch of e-mails and Facebook comments and blog posts could actually convince big-ass brand name products like Gatorade drinks, Kraft dressings, Wheat Thins, Ocean Spray cranberry juice, and Mountain Dew Throwback to abandon corn syrup and replace it with sugar. We are not talking about tens of millions of protesters or even millions of protesters. In fact, no one really even knows how many anti-corn syrup protesters we are talking about. We just know there are Facebook groups out there like “THE BAN OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP IN THE U.S.” And based on the misinformation they are spreading, manufacturers are throwing in the towel.
Why? Because what these groups are saying about the evils of corn syrup are true? NO. Because these activists carry so much weight they could sink a brand powerhouse? NO. Then WHY?
“Manufacturers are tired of hearing about the e-mails, the 800-number calls and the letters,” says Phil Lempert, editor of the Lempert Report, which focuses on supermarket trends. “People don’t want it, so why fight them?”
Did you just read that? Did you comprehend it? This guy is saying manufacturers “are tired” and would rather just pay the kidnappers. Forget the fact that this is just a band of loudtalkers. Forget the fact that their facts are wrong. And forget the fact that it is more costly and just as unhealthy to make sugar-based products than corn syrup based products.
Since when did American manufacturers give in to the unsubstantiated rants of any consumer group, let alone Twitter and Facebook groups? When did businesses start allowing fear to run roughshod over reason? In the quest to protect their precious brands, companies are losing sight of logic.
Some could argue that in this age of digital media, perception is reality, ergo, we must act on what is perceived. I would argue that if the perception is based on half-truths and false information, you should stand up and fight for what you believe in.
