5 Blogs Before Lunch

Gourmet Magazine: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

Just about a year ago, Conde Nast announced that it was shuttering Gourmet magazine after 68 years.

Foodies everywhere wept.

Then in June of this year, Condé Nast announced that it was to launch Gourmet Live, a new digital version of the magazine.

And now, Condé Nast has announced that it is going to launch newsstand-only versions of the publication.

Yep, "newsstand" means PRINT versions of Gourmet will soon return.

So what was all that noise about shuttering the venerable publication?

Clearly, Conde Nast still sees value in the brand.

Source: Folio

Rejected Outright for the Job Because of Their Online Image

This article originally appeared on Huffington Post, authored by Fred Whelan and Gladys Stone and is reprinted with their permission.

Business strategist and Webby Award winner David Allen Ibsen (runs business consultancy 5 Meetings Before Lunch) was helping one of his start-up clients with their organizational needs. Specifically, they were looking to make a couple of key hires. Ibsen tapped into his business/social network on LinkedIn to search and identify potential candidates. "LinkedIn is great because you have the person's resume right in front of you." He then gave the short list of candidates to his client who "Googled" each person's name to do a background check.

The client put the names into two buckets: "People with a positive web presence" and "Not". The positives were called in for interviews, the rest were rejected outright. While these people had professional LinkedIn profiles, they were dinged because of what they had on other social networking sites. A professional profile is great but it doesn't mean you'll get a pass on them checking Facebook, Twitter or blogs you may have written.

According to Ibsen, these people should consider taking a look at their personal brand. "Just like my corporate clients who covet their brand reputation, individuals need to look at what type of story is being told about them online and make sure it matches who they are and how they want to be perceived."

So, where should you start if you have a less than favorable web presence?

Facebook - Look at your profile photo. Is this how you would want to be judged by a potential employer? We know it's supposed to be just for friends, but the reality is that your photo along with your profile's "likes" and "dislikes" are open to public review. Give your likes and dislikes the same scrutiny. If you happened to be "tagged" in a photo, that picture could also make its way to a hiring manager or recruiter. Let your friends know that you would rather not be tagged.

Twitter - Whatever you tweet can get retweeted, on and on. It's like the old Faberge shampoo commercials, "I told two friends, who told two friends" and before you know it, it's out there in a big way. Tweets do fall off Google searches rather quickly, which is the good news. If you need to do some damage control on something you've tweeted, then tweet a number of positive things.

LinkedIn - A way to rebrand yourself here would be to raise your profile by answering questions in your area of expertise. Also, review your profile for keywords and positioning. That can make a difference in how people find you and perceive you. We coached a woman who was a professor, author and speaker. Her profile emphasized her academic background, when she really wanted to focus on her writing and speaking engagements. This was an easy fix and got her more attention in the areas she wanted.

David Allen Ibsen: "The Internet and the rise of social media have changed the rules in terms of how prospective employers do background checks. Even though the rules have changed, one thing still holds true - building a good reputation is invaluable."

People make the mistake of viewing LinkedIn as their professional image and consider Facebook and Twitter as their personal ones. While you might make this distinction, hiring managers don't.

Ibsen: "Never post anything on the Internet you wouldn't want your mother - or boss - to see."

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
Authors of GOAL! Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Baby carrots, "The original orange doodles" takes on Doritos, and kid's salty snack addictions

Who saw this one coming?

The carrot industry is revving up a marketing campaign to push baby carrots to kids.

Bolthouse Farms and nearly 50 other carrot growers are launching the industry's first-ever marketing campaign. 

And, they're taking aim at the $18 billion salty snack food industry, with packaging that looks like Doritos bags (the other orange food), and a tagline "The original orange doodles."

"It's not an anti-junk-food campaign," says Jeff Dunn, Bolthouse Farms CEO and a former North America president at Coca-Cola. "It takes a page out of junk food's playbook and applies it to baby carrots."

"We're happy to serve as an inspiration," Frito-Lay spokesman Chris Kuechenmeister says. "We know people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. We applaud any effort to provide consumers with a wider range of snacking options."

Chief Listening Officer

Imagine the hundreds of thousands of online brand mentions companies like Kodak and Dell receive every month via Twitter, Facebook, on blogs, etc.

Who's paying attention?

The Chief Listening Officer, that's who.

"Our chief listener is critical to making sure the right people in the organization are aware of what the conversations on the web are saying about us, so that relevant people in the business can connect with customers," said Richard Binhammer, communications executive at Dell. Mr. Binhammer points out that "Dell has been listening for four years and created a position called 'Listening Czar' two years ago. We are a leader in the listening space."

Part market researcher--these individuals track and analyze tons of data--sorting through the relevant and the meaningless. Relevant commentary about features and product requests get sent to product development teams, complaints and gripes get sent to customer service.

It is nice to know someone's listening.

Much more at Advertising Age Digital

Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands returning to the U.S.--viva Italia

The last time a Fiat was sold in the United States was 1983. But now that the Italian car company controls the automaker Chrysler, we should start seeing the little Italian brand back on the roads again soon.

The company is looking to reintroduce the Fiat brand into the U.S. with the launch of the popular European subcompact Fiat 500 next year. Chrysler is planning to order 50,000 of the hatchbacks for the U.S. market in 2010, with 165 dealers adding Fiats to their showrooms.

And another legendary car brand is coming back to the States as well. Alfa Romeo (owned by Fiat since 1986) may be sold in the same showrooms as Fiat cars. Fiat in April said its five-year business plan calls for three new Alfa Romeo vehicles (the Giulia sedan and sports wagon and a SUV)  to go on sale in North America in 2012. The last time Alfas were sold in the U.S. was 1995.

Viva Italia.

Sources: Businessweek and USA Today

Head & Shoulders insures Troy Polamalu's hair for $1 million

In the 1940s, executives at 20th Century Fox had the legs of actress Betty Grable insured for $1 million each.

In the 1980's David Lee Roth took out a $1 million policy on his sperm.

Mariah Carey recently insured her legs for $1 billion dollars.

And now, P&G's Head & Shoulders has put a $1 million price on the head of Pittsburgh Steelers' football star Troy Polamalu.

Polamalu says he has not cut his hair since 2000. He has been a spokesman for the Procter & Gamble Co brand for two years.

"They've created the first ever insurance policy to protect his iconic mane for the entire NFL season," Procter & Gamble said in a statement.

No word as to whether the policy covers unwanted dandruff, or if that's P&G's responsibility.

Source: Reuters

Introducing the Mercedes S600 iBusiness Sedan

A company called Brabus has decked out a Mercedes S600 and is calling it an "IBusiness Sedan"

The business and entertainment-centric back seat includes an ultra-small Mac minicomputer placed under the rear shelf. Two iPads in the rear compartment play movies, music and connect to the Internet and control the entire functioning of the S-Class COMAND system, which includes the radio, the telephone and the navigation system.

Luxury Launches reports that the entertainment system also includes a 15.2-inch TFT display set inside a headliner which is covered with Alcantara and contrasted with leather. For music, there is a 64GB Apple iPod touch, with a 14, 000+ song capacity, which is synced with either the S-Class sound system or Sennheiser Noise Gard headphones. The system also provides for USB2.0 ports in the rear compartments for connecting devices. You can dock two tablet PCs and a Bluetooth keyboard in the rear adjustable tables provided for them. The car features custom-made compartments to put away all these gadgets when not in use. A BRABUS app for iPad and iPhone to be launched shortly will also come as a part of the deal.

Anything they missed?

Carlashes: the ultimate girlie accessory for your car

A company named Carlashes is selling curly headlamp eyelashes for your automobile.

Yep, this is an aftermarket "glamification" that's available for $24.95, and you can add "Crystal Eyeliner" for an additional $19.95--a clear, rhinestone-style bling that attaches directly to the paint, so once you go girlie, there's no turning back.

Source: autoblog

Foursquare checks-in at the largest digital billboard in Times Square

Guess who's checked-in at the largest digital billboard in New York City's Times Square?

Foursquare.

The geo-locating services that lets you "check-in" ad alert friends of your location and activities, has worked a deal with the American Eagle (who owns the retail space, and billboard located atop it) to broadcast its message across one of the most heavily trafficked sites in the U.S.

The billboard is a multi-level, multi-directional digital outdoor board which is said to be the largest digital billboard in Times Square.

The board urges people to "Check in. Find your friends. Unlock your city."

It is a big marketing step for the fledgling start-up.

Here's TechCrunch's take:

The phrase “you can’t buy this kind of publicity” comes to mind — probably because Foursquare, while well-funded, undoubtedly couldn’t buy this type of ad. (American Eagle owns the billboard, [head of business development Tristan] Walker tells us.) And yet there it is.

This also managed to one-up the big branding rival Gowalla got in New York City earlier this year when they were a part of a massive billboard that loomed large over Madison Square Garden.

Does anyone want to work at Newsweek? Anyone?

It looks like Sidney Harman, the stereo-mogul who recently bought Newsweek magazine may head into the office on Monday to find some empty desks.

Here's the current body count: Editor Jon Meacham, Editorial director Mark Miller, Editor-at-large Evan Thomas, and international editor Fareed Zakaria have all announced their departures.

Rumors are circulating that digital executive editor Gabriel Snyder and general manager Geoff Reiss plan to leave as well. 

As for replacement staff, two EIC names have been floated around--The Daily Beast's Tina Brown, and "Time" editor and friend of Harman, Walter Isaacson. But both deny having interest. 

Ouch.

Source: FishbowlNY

Pizza Cono: drip-free, spill-free enjoyment

While it is true that the pizza was invented in Italy, the American version does not resemble the original very much.

I think we did the same to gelato--and made it into ice cream...and served it in a cone.

So it seems fitting that the Italians would take the American version of pizza and twist it up a bit--into a cone.

Marco Messuti created "Pizza Cono" in 2001 in Milan.

Now, Cono Italiano, headquartered in New Jersey, owns the North American distribution and manufacturing rights for Pizza Cono.

Slashfood says Pizza Cono is made from a "proprietary dough," and promises drip-free, spill-free enjoyment of what is essentially an inside-out slice of pizza.

Oh, and the American version is kosher, and was featured at the Indiana State Fair.

Camelicious: Camel milk coming to a store near you

Camel's milk has long been consumed in the Middle East and across North Africa. It makes sense for those traveling by camel, across the desert. But how will the salty-tasting liquid be accepted by Americans?

There are health advantages. Camel milk has less fat, and higher levels of unsaturated fats than cow's milk; has five times the level of vitamin C; and is naturally lactose free.

This may be why a venture backed by Dubai's ruling sheik wants to introduce Americans to camel milk.

The company has recently been cleared by E.U. health regulators to become the largest exporter of camel milk products to Europe. If all goes well there, camel milk could eventually make its way to the U.S.

The milk in Europe will be reportedly marketed under the name "Camelicious," and sold as a powder. There are long-term plans, however, to one day open a camel farm somewhere on the continent. The U.S. already has such a farm--the Oasis Camel Dairy near San Diego, California, which curiously states on their website: "At this time, we DO NOT sell camel milk for you to drink.  If you would like information about camel's milk, please contact us."

"We're thinking about [starting with] health food stores and alternative markets," a Camelicious spokesman told the AP, "It's probably going to be a niche thing at first."

Curiously Odd: Altoids mints launches a Facebook-friend sorter...huh?

The Tune Out app allows users to keep up with their favorite—and only their favorite—people on Facebook.

Interesting.

And, the source of this app?

Altoids--of course.

Curious.

I don't get the connection.

Altoids = list management on Facebook?

The poor PR folks at Altoids could only come up with this, curiously odd connection between the brand and the application:

"The Altoids brand is all about knowing what you want and ignoring everything else, which is why it has celebrated its Curiously Strong™ flavor for more than 200 years. To amplify this message, the Altoids brand announces the launch of Tune Out for Desktop..."

"Be curiously strong, and ignore the rest"

Quite a stretch.

Air New Zealand safety video features rugby stars and a wee bit o' nudity

I was on a United Airlines flight recently. The safety video was the perfect sleep aid. I dosed off about 20 seconds in.

But Air New Zeland has a video that's more pick-me-up than Ambien-alternative.

You may remember an Air New Zealand's cheeky safety video from about a year ago that showed a body-painted "naked" crew.

Their new one is just out, and while this one does feature a little nudity, the rugby stars and coaches from New Zealand's All Blacks team are the stars of this truly entertaining 3 minute pre-flight video. It is so good, you probably won't even need the tease of a little nudity to keep you interested.

Congrats Kiwi's!

Failure to communicate: Customer service call centers are returning to the U.S.

Have you noticed, an increasing number of corporations are returning to U.S.-based call centers, staffed by customer service representatives who are more fluent in english, and comfortable with American societal norms and conflict resolution.

Why?  An increasing number of American customers say they have been having more trouble getting their problems solved satisfactorily when they're routed to call centers outside the U.S.

Ten years ago, it seemed to make a lot of sense to outsource call-center jobs overseas. But that's now changing. 

Just as costs for overseas workers is increasing, wages in the U.S. are falling and companies are rethinking the trade-offs associated with outsourcing. In some cases, workers in India are making only about 15 percent less than workers in some U.S. cities.

Driven by a thinning cost gap, consumer demand, and technological advances, corporations are hiring more and more "home workers" --freelancers (and some full time employees) who can be trained, and take calls from the comfort of their own home. This has opened up a whole new workforce pool of American-based workers.

This all seems good for the American workforce, and for customer service.

NPR reports on a study by the CFI Group that shows American consumers expressing varying levels of satisfaction with call centers depending on whether the center is perceived to be overseas or in the U.S.,

— Customer satisfaction with calls perceived to be handled in the U.S. was more than one-fifth higher than with calls perceived to be handled outside the country.

— Callers said one of the biggest disparities between foreign and American call centers was the ease of understanding the customer service agent.

— Consumers report that fewer calls are now being handled by agents outside the U.S. Nine percent of consumers say that their calls were handled by an agent outside the U.S. in 2010, down from 11 percent in 2009.

There are an estimated 60,000 people doing call center work from home--a workforce that will continue to grow as companies look for quality that used to be harder to afford.

hat tip to BruceWW

When marketing turns into vandalism: Zynga taking things a step too far to promote "Mafia Wars: Las Vegas."

Zynga, the 800-pound gorilla in the consumer online gaming space, is in a bit of hot water over a guerrilla marketing campaign that is being seen by some (including law enforcement officials) as vandalism.

Zynga's agency, Davis Elen Advertising, devised and executed a program which glued fake $25,000 dollar bills to the streets of San Francsico and New York. The campaign is to promote the company's latest game: "Mafia Wars: Las Vegas."

The fake bills forced San Francisco's Department of Public Works cleaning crews to spend three hours steam-cleaning the glued down fliers off the sidewalk. And, for what the city attorney's office called "illegal and actionable" marketing tactics, the agency will now face legal action from the city, partly as a deterrent to future acts of vandalism.

"It's not okay to vandalize public property, and benefit from illegal advertising, and then hose it off and congratulate yourself for your clever guerrilla marketing," Matt Dorsey, spokesman for San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said.

This could be chalked up to a one-off, ill-conceived idea were it not for another stunt Zynga pulled off just the other day. The company commissioned rapper Snoop Dogg to blow up an armored truck in the middle of a Nevada desert.

They're clearly wanting to create controversy.

And, the edgy, legally questionable marketing efforts may be paying off:  Zynga says three million users played Mafia Wars: Las Vegas during its first two weeks of beta play.

Source: SF Weekly and BusinessInsider

When the novelty wears off, Daimler's Smart Car proves to be not smart enough

Daimler introduced the Smart Car to U.S. consumers in 2008.

Sold through Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the United States, the car entered the market at a good time (gas prices were skyrocketing) and with a great marketing strategy (exclusivity and the ability to pre-order months in advance created a back-log of orders, and generated a feeling of high-demand).

Unfortunately, drivers of the Fortwo are dissatisfied with their cars. In fact, CNW Research says that only 8.1 percent of New York City owners (a core target) claim that they would purchase a Fortwo again. Not a good figure.

Why the lack of brand loyalty? Apparently, poor ride quality, an unrefined “automatic manual” transmission and the impracticality of the two-seat car trump the advantages of good gas mileage and the ability to park in tiny spaces.

And, Michael Zak from AOL Autos points out one more incredible important emotional factor in consumer's decision to but the car:

Perhaps the most important force working against the Fortwo right now, however, is the fact that the novelty seems to have worn off. According to CNW data acquired from consumer surveys between 2006 and 2010, the majority of drivers of the Smart Fortwo actually bought the car because of its looks and uniqueness, which they deemed more important than its fuel economy, friendliness to the environment, or fun.

Apparently, eccentric looks are not making up for the widespread driver dissatisfaction. Proof once again that product and brand only work when both engines are running at full speed.

Source: AOL Autos

Blockbuster of a bankruptcy

Blockbuster, the video store chain who's demise has been predicted for years, is prepping for a bankruptcy filing.

The company plans to restructure its debt of nearly $1 billion and abandon leases on 500 or more of it 3,425 stores in the U.S. through a Chapter 11 pre-planned bankruptcy. They are attempting to work out deals with Hollywood studios/distributors to ensure they still have stock to rent and sell during the restructuring.

Once the home entertainment king, Blockbuster missed the digital revolution and watched Netflix, Redbox and Hulu (among others) take its place. By getting out from beneath its debt and real estate commitment, hopefully Blockbuster has a strategy to re-build its brand--for today's marketplace.

Source: The Los Angeles Times

USA Today shifts to a more mobile-friendly organizational structure

USA Today is organizing itself around "content rings" and shifting away from print and turning towards more mobile-friendly content.

There will be no news, money, life and sports departments in the newsroom. Instead, the newsroom will be divided into 13 “content rings,” which will include Your Life, Travel, Breaking News, Investigative, Washington/Economy, Tech, and Auto. Sports will operate as a separate business unit.

The restructuring requires staff cuts of 9 percent (about 130 jobs out of the current 1,500).

Source: Paid Content

Dodge digitally erases monkey to appease PETA: "This event could not be more amazing...duh wait, there's a monkey. I stand corrected."

Chrysler's Dodge brand created an ad for their "Big Tent Event" featuring a monkey dressed like a stuntman setting off some confetti fireworks.

The folks at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) viewed the ad and saw an opportunity to get a little press (their marketing weapon of choice). 

"Most top ad agencies in the country won't even consider producing an ad featuring a great ape these days given the well-documented abuse that young chimpanzees and orangutans suffer in the entertainment industry." PETA says in a statement.  "After watching a video narrated by Anjelica Huston about the use of great apes in entertainment, savvy ad agencies such as BBDO, Young & Rubicam, Grey Group, Draftfcb, and Saatchi & Saatchi made the compassionate decision not to exploit great apes in future ads. Dodge isn't going to dodge a bullet on this one. It needs to pull the ad - and we've contacted the company asking it to do just that."

In response, Dodge, noting the statement for what it was, decided to respond with a little clever altering of the spot--which now features a digitally-erased "invisible" monkey. They even created a microsite called "Where's the Monkey?" to get a little press of their own.

"We are not a company that hides behind issues or brushes them under the rug. We are a company that meets issues head on and moves forward. And we promise to keep doing everything in our power to be one of the most honest and forward-thinking companies out there."

Jalopnik's response to the new version: "This might be the best Dodge commercial yet."

Saying no to Mary Jane: Facebook bans image of marijuana leaf in ad campaign for "Just Say Now"

Recently, an organization promoting the legalization of the use marijuana created a campaign called "Just Say Now" and began running ads using the Facebook advertising platform (Facebook Ads).

Their effort features a call-to-action to "sign the petition to President Obama to support states' rights to legalize marijuana."

The organization test marketed two campaigns, one featuring an image of President Obama, the other featuring an image of a marijuana leaf. It turns out the pot leaf ad was twice as effective as one with Obama's image. 

Their efforts were dashed, however, when Facebook alerted the organization that the use of the cannabis leaf violated their rules against the use of "illegal content."

Facebook said it has not banned the ad promoting legalization, just the leaf. "We'd like to reiterate that Just Say Now can promote their campaign and petition through Facebook Ads as long as they use another image," said Annie Ta, a spokeswoman via Latimes.com.

"We're not allowed to show the image of the candidate that we are advancing," said Michael Whitney, with Firedoglake.com, a progressive blog that is part of the campaign and has called on Facebook to retreat from its "really backwards decision."

5 Blogs Before Lunch things both parties to this matter should just chill out, dude.

Ad image via Just Say Now

Sun Chip's CRUNCHY and compostable bag--turning a product flaw into a PR advantage

The folks at PepsiCo's Frito-Lay Sun Chips spent four years perfecting packaging made from compostable material.

The bag is designed to decompose within 14 days.

But the bulk of the press surrounding the launch of the new bag has been around the sound it makes.

Yes, you heard me, apparently the new Sun Chips bag is really LOUD.

Some consumers have compared it to a "revving motorcycle" and "glass breaking." One airline pilot says it is louder than the sound in a jet cockpit.

Beyond press reports, there's a Facebook group called "SORRY BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THIS SUN CHIPS BAG" with nearly 30, 000 fans.

One must wonder if all of this hullabulu around the crackly sound of the new bag is simply a well-orchestrated PR campaign, turning a VERY LOUD product defect into a major asset for the brand.

After all, Frito-Lay has long pitched many of its various snacks as crunchy. As the WSJ.com points out, Cheetos has used the slogan "The cheese that goes crunch!" A Doritos ad rolled out in 1989 featured Jay Leno revealing the secret ingredient: crunch.

Mad Men, Mrs. Harris, and London Fog

Mad Men's Mrs. Harris (actress Christina Hendricks) is featured covering up her well-documented curves by a London Fog jacket in the company's new advertising campaign.

 “Christina has a modern appeal but also harks back to a bygone era,” according to London Fog's chief marketing officer, Dari Marde.

The ads, for the company's Fall line, will debut in October.

Source: Stylist,

Reindeer Research Program examines consumer's appetite for reindeer meat

Researchers at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks are conducting a study to determine whether consumers will buy reindeer meat.

They're using 500 pounds of the meat from three slaughtered reindeer and offering it for sale at the HomeGrown Market in Fairbanks, Alaska. Since the start of August, about 350 of the 500 pounds have been sold.

The meat sells for $25 a pound ($20 per pound for burgers)--quite a high premium considering the average pound of ground beef sells for $6.

While you may question the sample target (Alaskans), people as far away as South Carolina have ordered shipments, too. 

"To me it's the novelty of it that's making it go at these prices," said the owner of HomeGrown Market (via AOL News). "The first 60 days, I think people are just going to buy it because it's reindeer. But what's it going to take for people in Vegas to want to buy reindeer, to go to a restaurant and say, 'Beef, pork, chicken, that's great, but what about reindeer?' I don't mean just the upper-end class, but for average people to say, 'We're going to mix this in to change up our diet because it's exceptionally good meat.'"

Image source here

Now Donald Trump can have his own Tea Party

The Trump Organization and Talbott Teas have launched Trump Tea, with blends named for some of The Donald's favorite places.

Luxist reports that the Park Avenue blend combines orange and raspberry teas with white tea leaves to create a naturally sweet tea with a silky texture that is rich in antioxidants. The Union Square blend is whole-leaf estate Assam black tea with hints of bourbon vanilla bean and cocoa. The Mar-A-Lago blend is Sencha green tea and the Westchester blend is rosehips, hibiscus, elderberry and antioxidant-rich organic blueberries.

Fast Company theorizes that starting a tea brand is the new status symbol for the up-and-coming, and the already-uber-rich.

From Paris' Mariage Freres and Kusmi Tea to Singapore's TWG Tea, it's no hidden secret that tea has its romantic, luxurious, exclusive, haute couture aspects, but with Trump's entrance onto the tea scene, I wonder how exclusive the whole tea trend will remain? Wineries and museums, because of the sheer size of investment needed to start them, will always remain a status symbol of the rich and elite, but what about tea?

The Trump Tea collection will be available at select retailers beginning Fall 2010. The tea costs $12.95 per tin.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers buys a barrel of monkeys

Haim Saban, the billionaire best known for bringing the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" series to U.S. television sets in the 1990's, has bought Paul Frank Industries Inc. known for its iconic Julius the monkey character.

Paul Frank has a wide range of apparel and accessories tied to its 150 different characters. They've largely been a wholesale and manufacturing business until last year, before they ramped up licensing efforts.There are now more than 30 Paul Frank retail stores around the world.

The deal was estimated at around $50 million.

"We paid full price," Saban said in an interview. "Talk to me in two years and I should be able to say even though we paid full price, with our added value, it was well worth it.' "

The Los Angeles Times reports that Saban plans to give greater exposure to the Paul Frank line of about 150 characters, including Clancy, a large-snouted giraffe, and Skurvy, a nonthreatening skull-and-crossbones figure that's a takeoff on the original monkey.

Saban's investment arm reportedly would like to buy more iconic characters, but they're finding inventory hard to come by. "You don't see Warner Bros. selling Tom and Jerry. Turner is not selling Scooby-Doo, Viacom is not selling Dora the Explorer and Disney is not selling Winnie the Pooh or Mickey Mouse," Saban said. "The brands that you can put on children's pajamas, ones that give moms a feeling of warmth and comfort, are in short supply."

Source: The Los Angeles Times

Snooki from MTV's Jersey Shore: The Typhoid Mary of the luxury branding world?

The gifting of celebrities is a high-stakes business.

A dress, shoe, bag or pair of sunglasses worn by the right "it girl" celebrity can bring-in hundreds, thousands, or tens-of thousands of orders from wanna-be consumers. Fashion marketers covet a good celebrity product placement.

But it seems that Snooki, a character from the MTV "reality" show Jersey Shore is not a celebrity many luxury brands want to be associated with.

So, why has the pseudo-celeb been seen sporting un-told numbers of Coach purses and bags on the worn-red carpet circuit?

Well, it seems it wasn't Coach who was sending her those bags.

It was Coach's competitors.

In a highly nasty campaign, competitors are sending Snooki luxury goods hoping she'll be seen wearing them, and HURT the competitor's brand through negative brand association.

It seems that the Jersey Shore gal, and Coach, have been "Snookered"

Simon Doonan in the New York Observer explains it this way:

Call it what you will — "preemptive product placement"? "unbranding"? — either way, it's brilliant, and it makes total sense. As much as one might adore Miss Snickerdoodle, her ability to inspire dress-alikes among her fans is questionable. The bottom line? Nobody in fashion wants to co-brand with Snooki.

Hat-tip: @chasnote

Levi Johnston for Mayor of Wasilla: The marketing campaigns

First, TV host Jimmy Kimmel offered some campaign buttons, signs, and stickers for Levi's run for Mayor of Wasilla. And now, the folks at Slate V have produced a campaign ad on his behalf.

It seems everyone supports Levi's effort "...to take Wasilla back from the career politicians."

Dirty Doll Laundry: Toy maker accuses Mattel of spying and stealing secrets

As you may have heard, the maker of Bratz dolls has been in a protracted legal battle with Mattel, the iconic toy maker. The issue is around copyright infringement, with Mattel essentially claiming that its competitor stole trade secrets by hiring eight former Mattel workers who took confidential documents with them when they left.

But now MGA Entertainment, the maker of Bratz Dolls, is turning the legal table on Mattel, claiming that Mattel has been spying on its rivals and stealing trade secrets for at least 15 years.

In a legal filing, Bratz maker MGA Entertainment Inc. alleges Mattel employees used fake name badges to gain entry to the private showrooms of MGA, Hasbro, and other toy manufacturers, and secretly photographed new toy product designs at toy fairs.

It claims the spies were part of  Mattel's market intelligence group, who, through deceptive means, got advance information on new toy lines, price lists and marketing strategies.

Mattel said MGA's claims are baseless. "They are a cynical attempt to deflect attention from MGA's own wrongdoing,'' said a Mattel spokeswoman.

Source: The Wall Street Journal and Reuters

H2Orange: Texas purified water, with a cause in mind.

Texas, known for its famous crude, may soon be known for its Texas pure...water.

H2Orange is a new purified Texas water, with a portion of sales going to raise money for academic scholarships, fellowships and internships at the University of Texas at Austin.

Orange (as you may have guessed) is the school's official color, and the bottle has been fashioned into the shape of a scale-model replica of the iconic University of Texas at Austin Tower--the university's most distinguishing landmark.

The Texas pure is the brainchild of Texas advertising agency GSD&M co-founders (and UT alums) Steve Gurasich and Tim McClure.

"H2Orange represents a first-of-its-kind partnership between a cause-marketing movement and The University of Texas at Austin," university President William Powers Jr. said in a statement.

H2Orange is Texas rainwater that has been collected from the Atascosa, Nueces and Frio Rivers. It’s then purified and bottled.

The Texas purified water will have distribution throughout Austin and in other select Texas markets, and may be available online for University of Texas at Austin fans outside of Texas.

And it goes without saying, H2Orange has been named the official water of the Texas Exes tailgating parties.

Sources: UTA News with Hat tip to Phil "Tex" Allega

Gillette Fusion ProGlide "Razor Guys" have the "Ultimate Summer Job"--shaving their way cross the country

The Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor guys are part of Gillette’s newest marketing campaign; targeting a younger audience, and using social media.

The razor guys are winners of the shaving company’s “Ultimate Summer Job,’’ requiring them to be shaving ambassadors and to try to convince other guys into using the shaving brand’s newest product.

They've been on a summer road trip, with all expenses paid, and pirques like VIP access to ESPN’s ESPY sports awards, NASCAR car races, and Major League Baseball games, oh, and of course, tickets to games at Gillette Stadium in Boston.

The guy-bassadors have been posting consumer reactions on the promotion’s website, and have been recording their adventures on a video blog and on Twitter.

Gillette clearly understands that one key to business success is frequent usage, and the way to encourage usage is to connect with their target audience.

At each stop on their summer road trip,  the ambassadors set up a mobile sink and let other dudes shave away. So far, have given away 10,000 razor samples.

“Young guys can relate to us,’’ said Jason Fisher, one of the ambassadors. “We’re not celebrities. We’re not paid endorsers. We’re just two normal guys.’

Source: Boston Globe

The de-titillating of Playboy, thanks to Apple's anti-obscenity rules.

Playboy magazine has jumped onto the digital bandwagon and created an application to view their magazine online via Apple's iPad.

Unfortunately, all the content will be "nipple free" and "SFW" (safe for work).

In fact, all you'll see of the Playmate of the Month is a headshot, thanks to Apple’s strict anti-obscenity rules.

Playboy agreed to censor its content in order to secure a place in the App Store, from which any software which Apple considers “obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory” is banned.

At $4.99 an issue, it seems you'll be paying full newsstand pricing, with all the "interesting pieces" removed.

Sources: UK Telegraph and PC World

Toyota's Scion using the search term "the machine" as call-to-action for its new campaign

Toyota's Scion has aggressively used social media marketing since its introduction.

Now, a new print, online and television campaign for the 2011 Scion tC sports coupe asks consumers to enter the words “the machine” in their search engine of choice. Through keyword media buys on the major search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo and Bing) around that term, Scion hopes to drive consumers to TakeOnTheMachine.com, which provides info about the car.

Scion is not the first car company to use a search call-to-action. Brandweek points out that In 2006, Pontiac ran an ad asking consumers to “Google Pontiac."

Sources: Brandweek and MediaPost

 

P&G ups ad spending by $1 billion

Procter & Gamble, the world's largest advertiser, upped ad spending 14% in 2010.

The spending increase (sourced from their annual report) is due in part to P&G's efforts to win back market share lost during the recession, and pushing new products and promotions. P&G saw shoppers defect to cheaper brands during the hard economic times.

The CPG behemoth spent $8.6 billion on advertising and marketing in the 2010 fiscal year, up $1 billion over 2009.

Some P&G campaigns include the "Proud Sponsor of Moms" Olympic effort, the "Smell Like a Man, Man" ads for Old Spice and pushes for new products such as Gillette Fusion ProGlide shavers and Pampers DryMax diapers.

Source: Cincinnati.com

Starbucks expands Wi-Fi offering with a Venti-sized cup of premium content

Starbucks is planning to serve-up a Venti-sized cup of exclusive premium content via its new free Wi-Fi offering.

Starbucks' Digital Network will deliver access to content from such providers as Apple, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and health publisher Rodale.

It is the second step in a plan that began with the addition of free Wi-Fi earlier this year. 

The network will have localized channels with curated content under News, Entertainment, Wellness, Business & Careers and My Neighborhood categories.

The deal between Starbucks and its premium content providers involves a revenue share should customers go on to purchase while browsing. "We know that people would pay us for this opportunity. But instead of asking them to pay us, we thought, 'Let's aggregate and compile the best content that [Starbucks customers] can't get any where else,'" Vice President of Digital Ventures Adam Brotman is quoted as saying to Mashable.

The program is slated to launch in the Fall.

Image source: Mashable

Hulu heading for IPO

On the heals of announcing a $9.99-a-month subscription service to be added to its core advertising-supported business model, it appears that Hulu is reading itself to go public.

Hulu executives have begun talking to investment banks about pursuing an initial public offering as soon as this fall according to The New York Times.

It all makes sense, as the company appears to be getting its financial house in order, and needing to secure itself as the market leader.. The NYT reports that even though they had a lowly $100 million in revenue last year, they've already made that much in just the first half of this year.

While IPO's are good for investors, they're really good for consumers, as companies become tethered more closely to the bottom-line. We call that "thinking with your wallet."

Let's hope Hulu resists the temptation.

NBC pulls Jimmy Fallon Mad Men promo until after Emmy voting

You may have seen the first of NBC's three 'Mad Men' spoofs promoting its Emmy broadcast last week.

If you missed them, you'll have to wait until after the Emmy voting is over to catch the spots featuring Emmy host Jimmy Fallon playing Don Draper and Christina Hendricks playing her character Joan Harris (or watch the video below).

NBC pulled the ads, saying that they aired “prematurely.”

You see, since voting is still open, some see the 'Mad Men' promo as giving the show an unfair edge, with shows against “Mad Men” in the best drama series category weren’t amused -- especially since NBC had no plans to spoof their shows too.

Emmy voting ends August 17.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

5 Books Before Lunch: Your reading list, volume two

"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink

This is one of my favorite books right now. The ability to motivate teams, individuals and small groups is essential both to getting internal organizations on track, and how we communicate to  external audiences. Pink's hypothesis is that everything we think we know about what motivates us is wrong. Autonomy, mastery and purpose is what gets us going. Pink draws on research in psychology, economics and sociology.

"Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcom Gladwell

Why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Gladwell suggests that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius and talent: "they are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot."An easy, powerful read.

"What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question" by Po Bronson

50 profiles of people searching for "their soft spot--their true calling" designed to motivate us in our careers and our lives. Bronson's premise is that "nothing is braver than people facing up to their own identity." Through stories of individuals, he examines the paradoxes of money and meaning, authorship and destiny, brain candy and novelty versus soul food. Also by Bronson: "The Nudist on the Late Shift: And Other True Tales of Silicon Valley"

The Essential Drucker: The Best of Sixty Years of Peter Drucker's Essential Writings on Management

Peter Drucker continuously identified critical principles in management, economics, politics, and the world in general. And this book is the perfect reference book to all of the above. Drucker wrote over two dozen books, and this is an excellent compilation of his most important fundamentals.

Unstuck: A Tool for Yourself, Your Team, and Your World by Keith Yamashita

Yamashita is the leader of the venerable Stone Yamashita Partners business consultancy. In Unstuck, he gives a little taste of what he does for his client list that has included eBay, Gap, HP and Apple. The book concept is a guide to getting out of whatever rut you’re in--whether as an individual or an organization.

Did you ever feel like a freak in high school? Try going to Monster High

Capitalizing on the current fascination with all-things vampire and werewolf, Mattel is launching a new line of dolls called Monster High.

They're the offspring of famous monsters. The teenage brood of (mostly) girls is "fearless, occasionally furry and a bit freaky."

And, the best part of the back-stories around these monster spawn, these teens are a bit rebellious towards their monster upbringing.

From the Los Angeles Times;

There's Draculaura, daughter of Dracula, who is vegan and faints at the sight of blood. Her best friend Clawdeen Wolf, whose father is Werewolf, spends much of her time plucking and shaving her excessive, fast-growing hair. And classmate Frankie Stein, who sports stitches just like dad Frankenstein, loves to shop for "scary cute clothes that are absolutely to die for."

The Monster High franchise is an unusual effort for Mattel, who often starts with one doll to market test, rather than introducing a whole franchise of characters.

I guess it doesn't make sense to try to introduce Dracularua as a playmate to Barbie and Ken.

Who would believe that those two cliques would hang together in the Quad?

It is also seen as risky these days for new toys to launch without a built-in audience or media tie-in--think Toy Story" and "Transformers" products, or Mattel's Mad Men dolls.

Mattel is rolling out the dolls starting today (Friday the 13th).

Of course there will be Monster High youth apparel and accessories,  animated webisodes and Facebook fan pages for the six characters. And there's even a music video on YouTube set to the Monster High "Fright Song." and plans for a young adult book series.

Gen Y chosing to eat in

A new research study from the venerable NPD Group is reporting that young adults--those of Generation Y, are cutting back on dining out.

Gen Y were hit hard by the recession, with a nearly 20% unemployment rate. And in turn, they're pinching their pennies and finding cost-effective ways to consume.

The study says that between May 2008 and May 2010, annual per-capita meal and snack occasions dropped from 242 to 216 for those ages 18 to 24. Those between the ages of 25 to 34 decreased their dining out occasions from 257 to 238 during the same period.

National Restaurant News reports that Besides watching their budget, “young adults are also looking for healthier and lighter menu items, convenient locations, and good customer service,” said Kim McLynn, a NPD spokeswoman. “These ‘needs states’ of young adults are evidenced in the types of restaurants they have cut back on visiting, such as QSR hamburger and QSR pizza.”

Kid's meal toy ban considered in San Francisco

"Toy bans are only proven to disappoint kids, frustrate parents, and generate headlines for ambitious politicians." So says California's Restaurant Association.

But that sentiment hasn't stopped San Francisco's Board of Supervisors from considering a ban on toys given away in kid's meals that contain too much fat, sugar or salt.

The ban essentially targets fast food restaurants, like McDonald's Happy Meals and Burger King's Club BK with meals with more than 600 calories.

If the ban has the affect of encouraging restaurants to provide healthier choices in the kid's meals, the San Francisco law could have a ripple affect across the country--not unlike New York City's ban of trans fats several years ago.

The first municipality to ban kid's toys in fast food meals was Santa Clara, another Northern California County. They're tban went into affect this week.

Source: ABC, San Francisco Chronicle and Burger Business

Facebook's advertising revenue is projected to leap to $1-2 billion next year.

With its 500 million users and plans to reach 1 billion soon, Facebook is a huge success story in terms of transforming the world of social networking--enabling high school friends, political movements, and brands to coexist and exploit the platform.

But one question I am often asked is: "Does Facebook make any money?"

When I tell my inquisitor that Facebook earned an estimated $665 million in revenue last year, with projections of $1-2 billion for next year, jaws usually drop to the floor.

After a moment, I'm usually asked: "Where does that money come from?"

The answer, believe it or not, is that at least half of Facebook's revenue comes from its self-serve advertising platform.

Facebook's self-serve advertisers are largely local, or small businesses searching for specific target audiences.

The other half of Facebook's revenue reportedly comes from display advertising,

Social networking sites had long been avoided by advertisers who believed that consumers were not in the mood to read and click on ad messages while they were trying to get a date, a job or share personal photos of messages. It was also believed that social networking was too personal of an interaction to be invaded by outsiders--marketers.

As more of our lives are "lived" on Facebook, and other digital means, these concerns are fading away.

Sources: Advertising Age, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg

Denny's new Fried Cheese Melt--angioplasty not included

This past April, KFC introduced its "Double Down" sandwich featuring two fried chicken fillets as the "bun."

So there was little surprise when Denny's introduced a fried mozzarella sticks sandwich featuring four fried mozzarella sticks and melted American cheese grilled between two slices of sourdough bread.

They call it the Fried Cheese Melt.

Eater reports that it is reasonably priced at $4 and featured on Denny's value menu, it's served with french fries and a side of marinara sauce. They gave props to Denny's for fusing appetizer (the mozzarella sticks) and main course (grilled cheese and fries) into one singular dish.

Sources: Eater and National Restaurant News (NRN)

Why do we love the rogue JetBlue flight attendant so much?

I'm sure you've heard his story.

JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater is accused of cursing out a passenger over a plane's loudspeakers, taking a beer (or two or three) from the galley and making a quick exit via an emergency slide.

Is the public aghast at his behavior?

Far from it.

Slater is the No. 1-trending topic on Twitter nationwide. Facebook fan pages include "I hate the m-----f----r who called Steven Slater a m-----f----r," and the "Steven Slater Legal Defense Fund."  His story has been featured extensively on national and local newscasts for the last couple of days.

So why do we love this rogue flight attendant?

The airline industry has been cursing out passengers for the last few years, with fees for everything from food, baggage--even pillows and use of the toilets.

And then there is the whole "passenger bill of rights" issue over holding passengers on runways for hours on end--the airlines have been fighting any passenger rights issues tooth-and-nail.

Consumers are fed up, but have little recourse but to use the the airline industry that seems to hate us all.

So, when a flight attendant looses it, and "snaps," we all know where he is coming from.

This is a PR disaster for the entire airline industry.

And hopefully a little bit of a wake-up call.

NOTE: if you need to catch-up on the whole Steve Slater story, watch this wonderful Taiwanese animation re-cap:

Kmart tries to be on-trend with jeggings, fashions from Balmain and Distressed Slouchy Skinny Jeans

"Jeggings," "Balmain" and "Distressed Slouchy Skinny Jeans" aren't typically discussed on 5 Blogs Before Lunch.

And until recently, they weren't the topic of conversation in the aisles of Kmart, either.

But now, taking a cue from the upscaling of Target a few years ago, the Big K is stepping up its fashion sense.

Kmart's advertising in the September issue of Vogue. VOGUE! and is staging runway shows in Chicago and Los Angeles to promote its three new juniors lines: Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez, Bongo and Rebecca Bonbon.

Chief marketing officer Mark Snyder explained to WWD, "The runway shows are designed to show our capabilities and the type of fashions we have. Customers believed we didn't have enough brands or the right brands. We always had a great selection of private labels.

Snyder is also quoted as saying, ‘Kmart is changing and adding things to increase its relevance and provide the confidence that it’s on trend.’”

Sources: WWD and Huffington Post

Smoothie Wars continue: Jamba Juice is givin' em away, as McDonald's sees a smooth rise in profits

McDonald's reported sales were up 6.8% during July. The company said that beverages, including the recently launched McCafe Real Fruit Smoothies and Frappes along with value-based drinks, were top contributors.

As the McGuerrilla demonstrates the power of being the big guy in the room, smaller folks like Jamba Juice are feeling the squeeze.

First there was Jamba Juice's jab at McDonald's with its mock-U'mercial about the launch of a fictitious Cheesburger Chill Smoothie, and now the company is launching what they're calling The Great Smoothie Showdown in which they'll honor any McDonald's smoothie coupon, even the free ones (through August 15 in select areas).

Lil' Kim is the new O-Face of Three-O Vodka brand "Purple"

Three Olives Vodka (nicknamed Three-O Vodka) is continuing their “What’s Your O-Face?” ad campaign and using Grammy award-winning Lil’ Kim as the first celebrity O-Face.

Lil’ Kim is endorsing Three-O Vodka's latest flavor, Purple--a blend of imported English Vodka and the taste (and coloring) of frozen crushed grapes.

“Since I’m Queen Bee and purple is the color of royalty,” says Lil’ Kim, “I’m thrilled Three Olives has asked me to bring my flavor to the sexy ‘O-Face’ campaign for their new Purple vodka!”

Three-O’s vodka also comes in Cherry, Root Beer, Rangtang and Bubble vodkas, as well as Pomegranate, Chocolate, Orange, Berry, Vanilla, Citrus, Raspberry, Passion Fruit, Watermelon, Mango, Tomato, Triple Shot Espresso. They also have an unflavored brand called "Naked."

Here are a couple of ads from earlier in the campaign:

Be proud of your wood

Spotted on the streets of San Francisco: An ad for EcoHouse, eco-friendly building supplies.

Jersey Shore's "The Situation" is launching a "couture" clothing line

Now you too can dress like "The Situation."

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from MTV's reality show Jersey Shore has announced that he's be launching a clothing line in collaboration with casual-wear brand DILLIGAF—an acronym for "Does it Look Like I Give a F@%k."

The question really is, will consumers "give a..."

In a statement, the clothing company says that The Situation has designed a couture line of high-quality wearable art.

"Couture" typically refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing, "The Situation" appears to be extending this definition to wife-beater t-shirts, sweatshirts and accessories.

So, it appears The Situation may be a bit more Juicy Couture than Haute Couture.

"Mike ‘The Situation’ embodies our irreverent approach to life,” said Jodi Massry, president, Dilligaf by Bohica Bill. “He lives the ‘let's not take things so seriously’ mentality every day."

The line will be available online and in retail stores nationwide, including the company's signature stores in New York.

Source: Racked

Note: Photo is of The Situation's friend, The Unit, modeling Dilligaf

What role did a PR consultant play in the departure of Mark Hurd from HP?

Following Friday's announcement of CEO Mark Hurd's departure from HP over ethics violations related to his relationship with actress, businesswoman and HP events contractor Jodie Fisher, HP's stock price fell 8%. That decline erased $8.7 billion in market value.

The stock slide is likely to continue for a while, as HP finds a successor for Hurd, and the new CEO is tested. It will also continue to slide as stories come out of the details of the decision to ask Hurd to resign, and the reasons behind it.

One of the interesting back stories around Hurd's departure is the role of a public relations firm called APCO in the Board's decision.

Several news sources are saying that a public relations specialist convinced the company’s directors that the company would endure months of humiliation if accusations of sexual harassment by a company contractor against Hurd became public.

The New York Times reports that at a presentation to the directors of HP, the public relations agency, cited recent sexual scandals like the one that engulfed Tiger Woods. The agency cautioned that only 20 percent of top executives survive these types of allegations and then they usually end up leaving because of the weight of negative publicity. The agency also warned that Gloria Allred, the celebrity lawyer representing Jodie Fisher, would thrust HP and Hurd into a media nightmare.

How heavily did PR factor into the decision? We might never know, but many will be around the speculate over the coming weeks.

Regardless, the advice seems to have backfired, with Hurd's departure setting off a massive media scrutiny they had hoped to avoid. 

More at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal