When soft drink heavyweight Pepsi announced that it would snap its 23 year streak of Super Bowl advertising, the advertising community was stumped. For a company that has spent over $190 million on Super Bowl ads since 1987, and in recent years produced trendy spots featuring such celebrities as Britney Spears, Cindy Crawford, and Ozzy Osbourne, it seemed only natural that Pepsi would continue on this course. But Frank Cooper, senior vice president of PepsiCo American Beverages, claims the company will pursue “a marketing platform that will be less about a singular event,” integrating both cause related and social media marketing in its new campaign. » Read entire post «

As of January 2010, Toyota has recalled 9 million vehicles worldwide after vehicles experienced unintended acceleration. The problem can be attributed to two possible causes: the misplacement of a floor mat on the front driver’s side which resulted in pedal entrapment (and) or the mechanical sticking of the acceleration pedal. Thirty-four deaths have resulted from these problems. It would seem that Toyota would really be hurting at this point… What person would be interested in buying a car may have a gas pedal that sticks resulting in acceleration when they actually intend to break?

Contrary to my thinking, based on a SIM Score  that rates net sentiment of brands, Toyota’s score has actually improved since the beginning of the recall. » Read entire post «

We’ve all been to seminars and conferences where the “hype and promise” exceeded the actual delivery. Being the owner of a marketing firm should have prepared me to set my expectations lower but I still get caught up in the stellar line-ups and lofty agendas that some morsel of knowledge will drop in my lap and revolutionize my way of thinking. The unconference has come about as the new way in which to conduct meetings. » Read entire post «

According to a study conducted in October 2009, more than 55% of retailers stated that their holiday advertising budget is remaining flat this year, up from 43% of retailers at the same time last year. However, the most interesting statistic is that 51% of retailers plan to incorporate social media into their marketing campaigns, a stark contrast from 4% of retailers who utilized social media last year. » Read entire post «

A successful public relations campaign works to generate and motivate buzz or interest for companies or individuals. It creates awareness of programs, products, and services within a defined marketplace, whether local or on a broader scale. It helps mold an image and tell a story that is uniquely different from what the public has already heard or experienced. Whatever the reason for utilizing public relations, today it is impacted significantly by the medium that is used to deliver those messages. » Read entire post «

If Chivalry is Dead,
Has Civility Gone Out the Window Too?

We have all faced a rude shopkeeper, teller or grocery store clerk. In fact, it is more than likely that everyone has run up against a completely obnoxious or ill-mannered rep in a service related business in the last six months. It appears that the economy is to blame for just about everything today. Even teens are feeling the effects of the economic downturn, resulting in an increase in depression, anxiety, domestic violence, and destructive behavior. » Read entire post «

When it comes to increasing a website’s ability to be noticed more often by visitors, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies will maximize successful access. Here are five techniques to help move you toward more effective results. » Read entire post «

Do you need to give something away to get business today? It is likely that you and your team have kicked this question around the boardroom at least a few times especially when times are tough and business is more scarce. The notion that you have to give a little to get a little is not exactly new and honestly is a no brainer when it comes to reeling in low hanging fruit. The real question is how far do you want to go to expose your products, talents and services to attract big fish. » Read entire post «

Social media has taken on a whole new role in people’s lives worldwide. One social media network called “Twitter” is the current hot spot for social networking users. Twitter allows people to post anything within a 140 character limit answering the question, “What are you doing?” These posts are referred to as “tweets” or updates. These quick, frequent updates can be seen by people around the world, opening the door for global connections, interactive comments and dynamic conversations. Most of all, this network allows users to know what’s current in other people’s lives in real-time, no matter where the users are located. With millions of people surfing and posting on the site, there is constant interaction between people of all different walks of life. This makes Twitter an incredibly strong Public Relations platform where an identity can be built or destroyed in one “tweet.” » Read entire post «

Are blogs and social networking the best way to carve out a relationship with new customers? It’s a question Verge180 hears frequently as the world appears consumed with online sites that cater to building friends, contacts or partnerships. Despite the presumptive reasons given for turning to Twitter, frequenting Facebook or latching on to LinkedIn, the fact remains clear, they won’t be going away any time soon! » Read entire post «