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Friday, August 22, 2008

P&G Taps Bloggers for Unconventional WOM Product Launch

This post is a little marketing and a little product promotion...

In September Crest launches the Crest Weekly Clean Intensive Cleaning Paste, the first and only intensive weekly cleaning paste designed to provide a smooth, clean feeling in-between dental visits. The concentrated formula polishes teeth with an ingredient similar to what dentists use and is intended to complement the daily brushing routine.

The product uses silica-based crystals similar to those found in Crest Pro-Health but in higher concentrations, leaving "that incredibly smooth feeling you get when you take your tongue and slide it along the front of your teeth after visiting the dentist," Ms. Yang of P&G said.

P&G began sending the Crest Weekly Clean to bloggers earlier this month, some of whom also have Twittered their interest in Weekly Clean. And Crest is using P&G's Vocalpoint buzz-marketing program for moms to spread the word too. TV advertising will be relatively light, consisting mainly of five-second tags on ads for other Crest products.

"What we've seen with research with consumers is that once they've seen it, they tell everybody," Ms. Yang said, another reason for the emphasis on buzz marketing vs. conventional media. "The feeling you get is so unique, and women especially love it," she said.

Do you love the smooth feeling of polishing exfoliators, rejuvenating creams and deep-conditioning masques?

Then your going to love this smile-specific indulgence that treats teeth to the ultimate “just-from-the-dentist” smooth, deep-clean feeling right from your bathroom.

Crest Weekly Clean is available in Refreshing Mint flavor in a 16-use tube (0.85 oz) in September at drug, grocery and mass stores nationwide for $3.99. Your gonna love it!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

What's the Best Virtual Tour Product?

What is the real estate industry using now that iPix is gone? I'd love to get your feebback on what works and what doesn't. I've looked at Mapwig and Flyinside.

Monday, August 18, 2008

30 things every woman should have and should know by 30


I was 24 years old sitting at my desk at HFS Marketing Communications in 1997, when I tore out a list from Glamour magazine and pinned it to my cubicle wall... "30 Things Every Woman Should Have or Know Before She is 30" by Pamela Redmond Satran.

A week later I ended my engagement and set off on a journey with my to-do list in hand. That journey led to a year and a half of enlightenment, independence -- fun, and eventually to my husband. I still have that magazine page with check marks and scribbles all over it. Here is a link to the almost original list, the author changed and added a few (I remember something about a ménage à trois in the original.)

Below is the popular web chain letter version, usually titled “Maya Angelou’s Best Poem Ever” but the author is actually Pamela Redmond Satran. Maya Angelou is NOT the author, a note about the poem is posted on her website and on snopes.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
one friend who always makes her laugh...
and one who lets her cry...


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend with out;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
When to try harder...
and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
How to live alone...
even if she doesn't like it...


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
Whom she can trust,
Whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally ...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
Where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
When her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

by Pamela Redmond Satran

Sunday, August 17, 2008

McCain & Obama Rick Warren Interview @ Saddleback


VIDEO: John McCain on "My Greatest Moral Failure"

CNN has posted the entire interview with both of the presidential candidates and has good commentary, here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/16/warren.forum/index.html

This was clearly a huge night for John McCain.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Georgia Men Find Bigfoot Body!

Let me say I've believed in the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot/Sasquatch/Yeti (and Aliens too) since I was able to read. Folklore and mystery are very intriguing to me. However, this particular claims reeks of a hoax. Everything from the initial find, to the way they made the announcement, and finally the men themselves is suspicious.

Here's the scoop in case you haven't heard:

Two Bigfoot hunters, Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer (of Clayton county, GA) say they have the carcass of a Bigfoot found in a remote part of woods in the northern Georgia mountains. Along with Tom Biscardi, a well known Bigfoot tracker (and hoaxer), they will present the DNA evidence and photographs of the dead specimen to scientists and the media at a press conference later today, 2pm PST, in Palo Alto.

The NYTimes does a nice recap of the story here, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/us/15bigfoot.html?em

I'd love to believe. No chance it's for real. This will play out to be a hoax.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

National Pay it Forward Friday?

Remember this? In 2000’s Pay It Forward, with little Haley Joel Osment, individuals performed spontaneous acts of good-will for complete strangers - with no expectation of return or thanks: just the request that they “pay it forward.”

Yesterday I approached the GA-400 tollbooth for the hundredth-millionth time but this particular day was different. As the window went down I was told by the cashier,

"Go ahead. The car ahead of you paid your toll too."

I love the notion of making a difference, affecting people, spreading good will... so the Pay It Forward movement made an impression on me and memories flooded back. Good memories.

Life is short and the days are long so start paying it forward now... I'm declaring tomorrow is Pay if Forward Friday!

(YES... of course! I paid the toll for the car behind me too.)

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Send your BFF an iPhone Cupcake for their Birthday?

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/05/viximo-virtual-goods-tech-ebiz-cx_ew_0806viximo.html

Viximo (www.viximo.com) is confident that consumers who have iPhones will pay up, citing the multi-million dollar market for ringtones, another kind of digital good.

Viximo’s gifts are interactive. With the iPhone’s touch and motion controls, the virtual goods can be played with or, if they come with movie clips, just watched. Taking that concept further, Viximo is developing virtual pets for the iPhone targeting young teens who, in according to Forbes’ interpretation, “are too old to play with virtual pets Web sites like Neopets and Webkinz.”

That may not be a virtual worlds play for the iPhone, but Viximo is still interested in the virtual worlds industry. The goal is to develop the system elsewhere and then engage with virtual worlds.

"Digital goods allow people to reach out in a new way on their phones," CEO Rob Frasca says. "Right now, they're limited to text messages and e-mail."
Check out MoiPal (www.moipal.com) too. They have been on Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones since last year and have over 200,000 installs.

MoiPal has all the usual aspects of a social gaming application, profiles, personal rooms and characters, a facebook like profile page (to link to), virtual currency and lots more. Really surprise me how smooth the character moved on the mobile. MoiPal could be described as a mixture of Facebook and Tamagotchi (or even I’d add The Sims). The software runs on Java and they have three different versions for different phones.

You take care of your character by feeding her, washing her, exercising, etc to keep all the personal attributes in top notch condition. They’ve also put a lot of effort into making the whole system scalable. For example, you can do lots of things with the character in her own room without being connected online hence not accumulating a lot of data costs. Also, all the characters have different types of clothes available for purchase in the online shop. At the moment they have a deals with Warner music for different band attire.

They see their focus as the Middle East, Russia and Far East Asia, which in my opinion is a very good call. There is a lot more competition in Asia, but their mobile usage is on a totally different level.

Go Bananas Every Day, but...

...NEVER, put your bananas in the refrigerator!!!
This one is courtesy of my sister Vanessa. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

The expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain...

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nic otine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Overweight and at work? Studies found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. The report concluded that, to avoid panic -induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Finally… Below 8 degrees Celsius bananas will decay from the inside, they will not ripen but turn black, so…

… never store bananas in the refrigerator!

RESOURCES:

http://www.eatingbritain.com/never-put-your-banana-in-the-refrigerator.html

http://www.chiquita.com/Products/Bananas.aspx

Friday, August 1, 2008

More Casey Anthony Pics @ Fusion and beyond

Holy cow, we've hit the mother load with this Flickr account...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/equalizeyou

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