5 Blogs Before Lunch

American Ingenuity at Work: Obama "Hope on A Rope"

Here's the 5 Blogs Before Lunch winner of most innovative marketing exploitation of the Obama presidential craze.

Is it soap on the rope?

Almost.

No it's HOPE on a rope.

The Dug Shop wants you to help clean up Washington. Totally vegan and and frighteningly purple, this Obama soap is truly a cleaning agent you can believe in.

From the Dug Shop:

What we’ve all been waiting for -- a little hope, and Barack’s the man for the job.  We made him purple, because we here at dugshop feel that he’s a true uniter, there are no red or blue states, we’re all purple.  (we promise not to make you sing Kumbaya...).

This soap measures 4.75” x 3.5”, weighs a substantial 10.5 oz, and comes to you on a water-resistant rope.  He smells like a breath of fresh air, because, well, he is a breath of fresh air!

33% of all profits go to Obama’s presidential campaign, so you’ll make a difference if you buy this soap!

We love American marketing ingenuity.

Green Handout Turns Marketer's Face Red

Sainsbury's, the British supermarket chain, has seen a environmental campaign go terribly wrong, when it was revealed that a program targeting primary school children featured x-rated material.

The retailer has apologized to angry parents for handing out a book called 'How to Change the World for £5' to a group of visiting school children.

The book includes light-hearted illustrations of sexual positions to try in the bath in a section about saving water. Advice underneath included "Save water. Have fun. Just get out before everything becomes wrinkled. It features drawings of about 12 sexual positions.

Opps.

Other suggestions in the book included encouraging readers to shave in intimate places, streaking, talking to strangers and handing out your phone number to five people on the street.

Double oops.

The books were given out to 42 children, aged between eight and nine.

Sainsbury's has apologized for the mistake stating that the book had an environmental theme, which it thought would be an appropriate gift for the children.

Source: Brand Republic

Tide To Go: The Talking Stain

How did they get a hidden camera in during my last job interview?

PR Week PR Misstake: How An "Invitation" to Speak Went Wrong

This is a cautionary tale of how not to approach bloggers, and a definition of what an "invitation to speak" really means.

I was recently asked to participate on a speaking panel at a PRWeek-hosted conference in London. The program was titled
"PR, Social Networking And Blogging In Practice."

My panel was titled "Bloggers Speak Out" and was designed to understand what it is that motivates those who blog, and how PR professionals "can successfully approach bloggers to build good relationships and how they should engage with bloggers differently to traditional forms of press."

The email I was sent was titled "PR Week personal speaker invitation for Mr Ibsen." The invitation said they "would be delighted if you would be able to join us."

I responded immediately, saying I would be honored to accept their invitation.

Several days later I received a note: "Many thanks for the reply, however we have now filled this spot on our panel."

Seems that the fine folks at PR Week sent way too many "personal invitations" out to speakers.

Now, if this was an "invitation to submit an application to be considered," I would not be writing this post. However, the fine folks at PR Week simply sent an invitation to speak. In my book, this is akin to inviting someone to a wedding, and when you RSVP, you're told "we're all filled up. Maybe next time."

Before you call me petty, consider the topic of the conference: "PR, Social Networking And Blogging In Practice." and my panel in particular on how PR professionals "can successfully approach bloggers to build good relationships and how they should engage with bloggers differently to traditional forms of press."

Perhaps someone who DID make it on to the panel can use this as an example of how PR professionals should NOT engage bloggers, and as a case study on how NOT to build good relations with bloggers.

Brand Acronyms: The Long and the Short of It

Guess what these brand names have been shortened to:

THE LONG:

1. Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn
2. Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn
3. Gurasich, Spence, Darilek, and McClure
4. Roux, Séguéla Cayzac, Goudard
5. International Business Machines
6. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
7. Baden Aniline and Soda Factory
8. Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited
9. National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System
10. Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum

AND THE SHORT (answers):

1. DHL (shipping company)
2. BBDO (ad agency)
3. GSD&M (ad agency)
4. Euro RSCG (ad agency)
5. IBM
6. BMW
7. BASF (the largest chemical company in the world)
8. QUANTAS (airline)
9. NASDAQ
10. HOK (one of the largest architectural firms in the world)

The Rebranding of Willy Wonka

A trailer for the classic film, Wily Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has been re-cut.

Now more psychedelic an hallucinogenic than ever before.

"Come-on dad, it's only one pipe a day."

Nicknames of your Favorite Brands

1. Tar-zhay (Target)
   
2. Wally World (WalMart)
3. Mickey D's (McDonalds)
4. Whole Wallet (Whole Foods)
5. Needless Mark-up (Neiman Marcus)
6. Loud & Tacky (Lord & Taylor)
7. Northworst Airlines (Northwest Airlines)
8. US-Scare (US Air)
9. Four Bucks (Starbucks)
10. HoJo's (Howard Johnson's)
11. Golden Slacks (Goldman Sacks)
12. Taco Smell (Taco Bell)
13. FIAT = Fix It Again Tony
    

Please Stand Buy: The Patented Mood Relaxer

This video may be the most relaxing 2:29 you'll spend all day. Sit back, relax and watch the video from start to finish. Those downward brand awareness trend charts, the impending Board presentation and the budget review with the accounting department will become a faded memory.

Paris Hilton Response To McCain "Celebrity" Ad

Sometimes we at 5 Blogs Before Lunch like a little giggle. Consider this "the lighter side of 'Lunch'":

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Florida Man Calls 911 To Complain About His Subway Sandwich

"Hello, 911, may I speak to customer service please?"

A man in Florida who wasn't happy with the sandwich he ordered from a local Subway decided to call 911 twice to complain.

Police say the man apparently was mad because his Italian sub didn't have mayonnaise or mustard. Police arrested the man and charged him with making a false 911 call.

While not the most sensible approach to dealing with a lack of customer service, I can appreciate this man's frustration.

Source: here