Another Way to Promote Your Business

In today’s competitive world businesses are always looking for ways to stretch their marketing dollars. One way that is to participate in community events. Like trade show environments you can see more people with less dollars and increase engagement. Engagement is the key to this atmosphere of sales and marketing as involvement with your product or service will increase recognition and keep you ‘top of mind’.

This weekend many summer festivals will take place. In Twinsburg, our business home, we will have the annual Twins Day celebration. Just 10 miles down the road the city of Streetsboro is holding their annual Family Days event. Interestingly they also have a twin connection. Headline performer Bucky Covington, American Idol runner up, will perform with his band that includes his twin brother. Another double take performance will be the Nelsons (twin sons of the late Ricky Nelson). For other details and times see http://www.streetsborofamilydays.org/

I will be available during the weekend event as the Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce President, so stop by our booth for a visit.

Keep in mind that these events also help promote your community and state. So get out and enjoy the great weekend of events, food and fun.

Bruce

Twins invading Twinsburg, Ohio!

Its official… you are seeing DOUBLE. No, you aren’t going crazy. It’s the annual Twins Day Festival! Here in our hometown of Twinsburg, this weekend we’ll be doing double-takes as this city plans to welcome twins from across the world. Last year, 2,034 sets of twins attended the festival…

So what does this have to do with marketing? It’s a perfect opportunity to showcase Twinsburg, local attractions and your restaurant, hotel, etc. And what a great press opportunity, too.

Highway Beautification Act

Ah, the old argument of too many billboards around the city is back in the news again but this time with a new digital twist. Since Clear Channel debuted its digital boards in Cleveland (little known fact... Ohio is often seen as consumer test market) in 2005, the anti-billboard people went nuts.

Did you know for every new digital billboard that pops up, Clear Channel must remove traditional billboards that equal two or more times the space of a digital billboard? Read the latest argument happening in the City of Cleveland in this article. City Council's President is getting an earful from everyone on this billboard issue. Hey, these billboards still fit within the Highway Beautification Act, right?!?

Lots of controversy this week in our city! Not to mention this is just a few days after the FBI raided the county offices, brush up on those details here.

So would you like to see those billboards gone? Leave your comments here.

~Michelle

Word of the Day

The word of the day is: Exploratory Research

Definition of exploratory research - A strategic research design which emphasizes gaining ideas and insights.

-K

Ah, kids these days

It is only one hour from the official start of "Rock Like They Do" Bus Tour here in Twinsburg. But, already I can hear the screaming of young girls for Miley Cyrus, start of the hit show, "Hannah Montana." Oh, but wait! Miley isn't going to be in attendance of this event, just her tour bus. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with Miley Cyrus and her alter-ego Hannah Montana, click here.)

Does this mean hundreds of pre-teen girls won't be screaming? Don't count on it.

Since its release in March 2006, Hannah Montana has quickly soared to one of the most popular television shows for girls of tween ages 8-12. The "Best of Both Worlds" concert tour was the 15th highest grossing for last year. The tickets are selling for as much as ten times the face value.

It was even reported that a woman in Florida was selling her tickets to the show for as much as her house costs. How did she know that? Because if you bought her tickets, she would give you her house. (She obviously was having some trouble with selling her home.) It's official, there is a Miley Cyrus fever all around.

The part of this that leaves me a little unsettled is that there will be hundreds of girls coming to see the bus today and, no doubt, purchasing various Hannah Montana items.

Does anyone else find it interesting that this kind of event will gather so much attention without the main star?

I mean, sure, sports teams do it all of the time - but there are other people to watch. In this case it is just an empty bus...

Word of the Day

The word of the day is: Viral Marketing

Definition of viral marketing - a marketing strategy encouraging people to pass along messages to others in order to generate exposure.

-K

Backwards advertising

In conjunction with last week's blog on WDOK's Christmas in July celebration, Rob remembered David Letterman's "Morning Show" from years ago set out to confuse the public.

In this video from 1985 shows David Letterman's set portrayed as a morning show rather than his typical late night display.

What other backwards advertising have you noticed?

-K

Word(s) of the Day

Since there was not a word of the day yesterday, today is going to be twice the fun!

The first word of the day is: Hybrid model

Definition of hybrid model - a series of two or more e-marketing payment models.

* * *

The second word of the day is: Media Kit

Definition of media kit - a collection of materials developed by an advertising agency to assist prospective buyers evaluate advertising opportunities and publicity options.

-K

Thou shall not endorse unhealthy advertising!

Marketers across the country are getting a harsh wake up call from the FTC. From an article recently released, there is a great concern for childhood obesity in the United States - and the FTC is blaming markterers.

Although this report is from 2006, advertising "bad" products to kids is nothing new. For years celebrities have been endorsing products harmful to children's (and everyone else's) health. For those of you who are thinking it's because "the times are changing" or because "children nowadays don't have good influences" - you are mistaken. I challenge you to think back not so long ago when you were my age and some of your favorite actors were endorsing cigarettes. What ever happened to those celebrities anyway?

Funny you should ask. Here is a small sampling of the celebrities who endorsed the Chesterfield brand of cigarettes and what happened to them.

Ann Sheridan died of esophageal and liver cancer in 1963. She was 51.
Betty Grable died of lung cancer in 1973. She was 56.
Bing Crosby died of a heart attack in 1977. He was 74.
Ed Sullivan died of esophageal cancer in 1974. He was 73.
Joe DiMaggio died of lung cancer in 1999. He was 84.
John Wayne died of lung and stomach cancer in 1979. He was 72.

It is interesting to note, Chesterfield claimed their cigarettes left you with a fresh taste in your mouth and helped to keep you vibrant and active.

My, oh my.

Any predictions on how Justin Timberlake will fair eating McDonald's food he lovingly endorses?

Surely, Donovan McNabb will be fine eating his Campbell's Soup, right?

And where where will Nelly be in 30 years from drinking his Pimp Juice energy drink?

In your opinion, what products that are around today will be deemed unhealthy in the future?

-K

Word of the Day

The word of the day is: Acculturation

Definition of acculturation - A process in which people in one culture learn to understand and adapt to the norms, values, lifestyles and behaviors of people in a different culture.

(Remember this when learning to cross-advertise in different countries than your own!)

-K

China is going green

This is an update to my, Red, white and blue... and green? blog.

The summer's Olympics will have a different flavor to them, if you will. Taking off on the growing green trend, China will be using green fireworks, so they won't, "blow up the environment."

Click here to read this blog on Green Daily.

-K

What is the cost of quality performance?

In its second weekend, The Dark Knight has surpassed $300 million at the box office - having been out for only ten days and is well on its way to becoming one of the top grossing movies of all time. (In case you are curious, click here to see the complete list.)

Not only that, but on The Internet Movie Database's (IMDB) top 250 movies (of all time), The Dark Knight is now rated #1. This surpasses The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather movies, Pulp Fiction, Schindler's List, Casablanca and even Star Wars.

My brothers agreed, hands down, Ledger made the movie and each time he was on the screen they didn't want the scene to end. (I have not seen it, so I cannot comment.) In doing some poking around online, I noticed a number of stellar reviews from users agreeing with my brothers saying, "what Ledger created was one of a kind" and Ledger gave "the performance of a lifetime."

A few weeks before his death, an interview was released saying Ledger admitted to locking himself in a hotel room for a month to get into the role of The Joker - who Ledger described as, "psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy."

This role was so disturbing it was rumored Ledger was unable to shake it after the movie was completed, leading to constant mental pain and an unshakeable sense of turmoil and ultimately leading to his death. Was the treatment worth it?

Critics and fans who have seen the movie will agree it was worth it to prepare for his performance as The Joker - but, it may have cost him his life. Does anyone agree THAT was worth it?

The begs the question, what would it cost you to give the performance of your life?

-K