Time to Say Goodbye...hello

Goodbye 2006
Hello 2007

Goodbye Steelers 06 season
Hello Raptors 06 season

Goodbye Golf Newbie
Hello LPGA hopeful

Goodbye desktop applications
Hello web applications

PS. Have you noticed I am addicted to fill-in-the-blanks lately
PSS. What are you doing tonight to ring in the new year?

Marketing in 2007

I am finally getting to Jaffe's post on "10 ways marketing will transform in 2007"...it was from 10 days ago but I have decided to post my thoughts on it anyway since many others didn't. Surprised I am (the yoda in me talking).

I saw Jaffe speak a few months back, along with several other brilliant minds in digital marketing...well marketing as a whole...and the crowd was inspired (so I believe) but silent...and still are.

Maybe his quote tells us why?

"There is a still a massive disconnect between "what we say" as an industry and "what we do." The rhetoric is deafening and there is an abundance of "change is good, but not on my watch" which makes for a sobering inhibitor of innovation and progress."

In 2006, I have seen the planting of seeds...some deep, some just below the surface...I have seen the seeds and still can. When they will grow will depend on us. Are we willing to allow them to sprout by doing something or will we just dry them out by our talk?

I like to think I have planted a few and know many around me who have done the same - inspired mainly by the consumer and accountability. In fact, I know quite a few who have not only planted seeds but are watering it, watching it grow..and reaping the rewards.

What will you do in 2007?

In Your Face

- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" ads during a televised game
- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" holes on the golf course
- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" half-time report
- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" player of the game
- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" logo on the player's jersey
- "ENTER COMPANY NAME" ___(fill in the blank)_____

Hey!Watch ...seriously.

Hey!Watch is one of the companies I came across after going through my RSS feeds over the course of 2 days.

I got my invite to Hey!Watch and immediately went to go play.

Here are the highlights:
- send video from the web
- encode video - MPEG4 and DVD format among the choices
- upload via RSS
- firefox plug-in's so you can dowload on-the-fly

Image what youtube did for many products and marketing as a whole. How we market has changed...for the good I believe. Well a service like Hey!Watch stirs that pot even more. WOM or viral tools are available to make movement of videos easier..RSS is used well and a lot more advanced than just a simple feed many of use it for.

It continues to surprise me how fast web applications are being build, used, embraced. It is key for marketers to stay on top of the latest and greatest...the way we market changes everyday...particularily online.

RSS Strategy and more

I got a week away from the office, and all I do is work. Well, actually play. Cruisin' around SL, catching up on podcasts, playing with new web aps and tools is playing for me ;)

5 days into this break and my lists of things to 'work on' include but are not limited to;
- Figure out who has a solid RSS strategy...know anyone? case study?...this is going to take a good chunk of time. I have tagged articles, book-marked blogs, sites and the like...time to swim...my turn to just dive into it.
- Scotia schutff to kick-off 2007 right
- Organize my iTunes - it is getting out-of-control
- Clean the inbox. I have way too many folders, way too many silly emails...(although silly is always good).
- Figure out how to convert files in Pandora to MP3.

My strategy?

Afterall, it is a break. So movies and sleep are essential. Lots of it. In between is when I get to play...with friends and on the iBook.

I will try to keep you posted on my findings. This is very exciting for me as I love the 'research.' Look out for the articles I save into my delicious as well as the articles I am sharing through my Google reader. Both are accessible in the right hand bar -> -> -> ->

Boxing Day Hangover

Once upon a time, on the 26th of December, I would get up really early, hop into my vehicle and go shopping.

It was all based on WANT. What I wanted that I didn't get for Christmas...that I can buy my darn self. Expect, for many years, most of the stuff I wanted and did not get was no longer available...my Christmas dough was spent on other things, typically things i didn't need...nor really want.

Why? Emotional shopping. I was ready to shop and would purchase anything that I thought was a good deal...most likely a pair of booties.

What has changed? My emotions. The hype is just not there like it used to be. That is pretty much what happens when things are over-hyped. ergh.

It is a Holiday afterall...

Alright, it is December 24th and tomorrow is Christmas. If you are celebrating Baby J's Birthday - Have a Merry Christmas!

If not...and I know many of my pals out there do not celebrate...have a great, fantastic, restful, holiday. It has been a busy last few weeks for many of us.

I know many of you are having a fancy spancy supper, regardless of the occassion...enjoy it. Have a bevie for me. Wish I could be at all of your places at once...

What am I doing? Three fun-filled days and nights with family and friends. What more can a gal ask for?

PS. This pic goes out to all my homies from TIFF.

Why be ordinary?

When I was 17, I bought my first Betsy Johnson skirt. A short A-lie mini that is white with black spots. Not quite a cow print, not quite a zebra print. It is great. I still have it.

A few months ago I purchased a great pair of blue high heel Betsy's and just last night, I got a Betseyville makeup bag set from JennyB. Seriously hot.

Why am I telling you this? Because Betsy, the designer, the woman is a brand that has stuck through the ages.

She doesn't succumb to the average. She is not the average.

The secret to her success? A simple glance at her work will give you some pointers.

Followup to the Crackberry

The debate continues...
-How much is too much?
-New phone or PDA?
-Should I wait?
-Love the Nicole Miller designs...this may be the reasoning for the purchase.

Depressingly Good

Taxidermia
Love Liza
Dot the i
The King

All of these movies play on your emotions (believe me, not all movies do this well). There is that emotional tie that brings you in and sucks the living day lights out of you...then spits you back out...sometimes feeling refreshed or worse than you did going into it.

Ha, marketing can and sometimes does the same thing. How many times have you bought something because of the emotional state you are in...you are in a hurry, it is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, the gift has to say something about your relationship...whatever.

Depending on how well the marketing is done, from bringing the consumer in to selling them according to their emotional state can mean a lot for your business...however, beware of the 'bad product illness,'...selling a product with all the hype and glory and your product cannot deliver. That is what I mean by coming out worse than you did going in. This applies to services as well.

Alright, I am a bit wonky from all the movies and lack of physical activity sitting in front of our projector in a close to coma-like state - so my apologies in advance if this post make no sense at all.

have a good one.

Patience

honking horns
screaming parents
rude customer service
the rolling of eyes
tapping fingers
j-walking
the shove
budding in line

Santa in the Blogosphere

According to Santa's Live Space - he has 144 friends. Damn, I would have thought he would be in the gabillions considering how many times people talk about him.

Also, just in case you are not sick of the holiday cheer, his site also features the lyrics to some all time classics. No notes are required as he knows you will sing it off tune anyway.

If you haven't sent your wishlist yet, you can do so via email...But, according to his site - you need to email it by December 21, 2006. He must have a super slow connection...and kids, don't forget to read the terms and conditions.

ba-humbug!

My apologies but I expected a lot more from Santa.

CaseCamp SL - styles

If you were one of the lucky ones either in crayonville or at the u-turn cafe...you know what I am talking about.

If not, it is case camp + SL = casecampSL

1.Douglas Walker, Managing Director, World RockPaperScissors Society - Viral & WOM communications for RPS Society. They claimed themselves as the leaders in RPS and became just that. People started sending them their rules/regs...and they collaborated on it all...it is highly played all over the world, but the actual society os growing big on a grassroots level. They are trying to grow it to critical mass - Olympics?


2.Michael Seaton, Director, Digital Marketing, Scotiabank -- Viral Campaign for Scotiabank and Ottawa Senators (FYI: I work for Michael at Scotiabank)...ps. Michael is the guy on stage with no shoes on.


3.John Wall, Marketing Manager, AccuRev -- Google Search Campaign for AccuRev (sorry, no pics..was playing with my settings)

4.Eli Singer of Cundari taking the place of Pam Davis, VP Marketing, World Wildlife Fund -- national global warming awareness and fundraising campaign Save Our Climate

A Tampoya Christmas

Ha, I saw this on Ed Lee's blog today and I immediately wanted to see how mine would turn out...and you know what...it is pretty darn close.

Check, check it out here.


PS. Can someone please tell me what is happening outside.

The right kind of bling

I am not speaking of Tiffany's famous silver or my mom's old school gold.

But the blinging, blingification, blinging it out...of diamonds.

I myself, own very few. A set of diamond studs that were passed on to me by my grand-ma-ma is one thing I treasure more for its sentiment than for its sparkle.

In the future, I do see myself purchasing some. Possibly a tennis bracelet or perhaps a schweet shiny pendant...and when I do so, I will definitely do my ethical check (something that I do regularly these days due to my try'to's)

This got me thinking...how will I know if a diamond or (s) is not a blood diamond(s)? Will jewelers like Birks need to enhance this option better and clearer than they currently are? (They offer Canadian mined diamonds) Will diamond manufacturers and resellers be faced with Human Rights violations like Nike and The Gap? Or is it up to the consumer to ask?

Is it important to let your customers know you and your supplier's practices or it is best left to wait until they ask? Will it help sales or decrease them?

Upselling

I was on the phone with Bell Canada last night with a question about our phone/internet/satellite bill.(Yes, I know...I don't write good posts about Bell...and yes, this is another one.)

I had a question about how much we were paying for our internet service. I thought we were getting scammed...and although we technically are not, I still feel like they are not treating us well and could be giving us some perks for being such a good customer.

So, I am on the phone with the customer service rep who goes over our contract, which is coming to an end in less than 1 month. I ask him is there is anything he can do for us now since we have been loyal...and he says to call back next month.

Ha! Next month I may think of switching. Rogers, what you got?

Try-to's

I am not a fan of new year's resolutions. Probably because I can never keep them.

A few years ago, I came up with the term, "try-to's" to take the place of a resolution. It would be a way for me to keep my promise to myself and not feel guilty about breaking it once in a while. A way to train my subconscious.

Some of my past successful try-to's that are now part of my everyday life include:
- minimize shopping at large chain stores.
- stop buying gossip magazines (however, I will look at them if someone else buys them).
- try to stop swearing (I didn't have a potty mouth but still).

Failed try-to's include:
- stop watching reality TV (this ended when I started watching Rockstar Supernova).
- eat less meat (I still love a good rare-medium piece of tenderloin)

2007 Try-To's:
- post on blogto at the minimum, 2x per week
- post on personal blog everyday with a marketing slant
- go to yoga class at least 2x per week, meditate everyday

1 1/2 hours at the dentist

ergh...I don't know many people that actually enjoy going to the dentist. I am definitely not one that does.

Today I was in for a long procedure. It was lots of drilling, waiting, computer work, filling and freezing. yup. I was there for awhile.

However, this was the first time (in the many times I have been to the dentist), that is was seriously easy breezy...here is how my dentist turned a mundane procedure into an interesting one.

1. TV and the remote in my hand. I was in control...of some thing.
2. Explanation of every step - yes, from the type of instrument to the anestethic...he told me everything and I was happy to hear and understand what exactly he was doing.
3. Getting me involved. He took a photograph of my tooth and showed me on the computer how he does his work. He let me ask questions during the tooth redesign process.
4. Friendly. My dentist is one of the friendliest dentists I have ever had. He talked to me in lament terms, asked me how I was doing throughout and made sure I was comfortable the whole time I was there.
5. Fast checkout. Everything in the office is computerized. From the dental form to the form being sent to my insurance company. It is a quick 30 second process finishing up.

Can your business learn anything from my dentist appointment?

The ups and downs of the crackberry

I have been tossing around the idea of getting a blackberry. Afterall, I am an email junkie > currently checking it on my phone and any pc that is close by.

Why haven't I gotten one yet?
1. The cost. Although it is not crazy, it is still quite a lot for someone who will only be using it on the subway and the occasional night out (at which I am not sure I should be checking it at all)
2. Feeding my email habit > which I need to control as it is.
3. Separating my online life from my live life.
4. Trying to give my non-digital marketing hobbies a chance too.

This morning in my reader, I caught a few posts that show the ups and downs of blackberry life...check um' out.

Hm...should I pull the trigger?

Only for my girl

So this weekend is one of my bestest pal's, Ren's birthday! Actually, her birthday is on Monday, but we typically do birthday weekend's...a whole weekend full of fun. Why not?

Tomorrow night, we will be gathering at her place for some pre-dinner/night bevies. Us gals need a little something to start the night off right.

So I am at the LCBO and I read this sign under the vino, Big House Red:

"Description: The perfect wine to enjoy while watching an episode of Prison Break. Also available in 375 mL. See page 8 for details."

I immediately put it in my basket. Prison Break is one of Ren's favourite shows.

This is the first time I am purchasing a bottle without reading any of the product info. This was enough for me...

Alright, my marketing slant on this...what if you hate Prison Break? (which, I actually do). I watched the first three episodes and hated didn't understand the hype...it worked this time...but the next?

curious to know when the LCBO started to do this? Do they have a relationship with Global? What wine should I drink while watching Rescue Me? Perhaps which bevie not to drink is the question.

Five Things Meme - who is next in the chain

Michael tagged me a few minutes ago...and I always hated being "it"...but always love to play...so here goes nothin'

1. The first thing I look at when I go to a restaurant is the dessert menu.
2. I have had a heart problem for the past 10 years that is undiagnosable. Yes, I am an anomaly.
3. I dream about making the LPGA almost once a week.
4. I picked journalism school over medical school...and regret it :(
5. I am scared of birds, terrified of rodents.

Who's it? Suzy, Eden, Sameer, Eli and Peter (currently in India)

My non-blogger list - JB, Al, Ren, Christine, Andy Strote, Jeff Yee and Mark

Lists

The year isn't over yet and already I am being bombarded by 2006 best of lists...and a few others...

- Techie Toys
- Music for pals getting over a dirty breakup.
- Not your average top 10 (for some) - make sure you bookmark this.
- I didn't take computing in University (j-school for moi), and am kinda wondering why I didn't...here are reasons why you should.
- Toronto street trends...love the neck ties...alas, I don't have enough hair for curls or bangs.
- Top selling Adult Hardcovers...um, at least I read all the best selling kids books on that list.

An Inconvenient Truth

I watched Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" on the weekend. My thoughts - um, it was okay.

Okay, because I already knew what he was talking about...it wasn't an eye opener for me...however, I can see how it can be for many people.

What I do like, however, is the website the documentary directs you to when the film is over. There are great "call to action's" here...something I rarely see on most documentary films.

Things that make this site strong:
- A great blog/news section to see Gore appearances and other related information
- Take Action! This is my favourite part of the site. Not only does it have tips that you can do now, as part of your everyday life, but a very scary calculator to see how you measure up.
- Educator resources

I will be looking for more content rich sites from now on... Whether it is a call like SoaP or (although I haven't seen it), Blood Diamond...whose site has a neat interactive component that showcases the impact around the world

In the reader

- Most viral videos of all time - According to The Viral Factory that is...which in my books to not too ethical...but here ya go anyway.
- Youtube audience is over the age of 34 (heck, I am still a youngin')
- I hate this, but have to tell you all about it since many of you are soooo into the gift receiving, whoops, I meant gift giving - gift tagging has come to a browser near you.
- Crack that whip!
- Accordian Guy gots some great updates too.

Store Layouts

I am really confused about how stores choose to layout their stuff.

For example:
1. Hollister - extremely dark with annoyingly loud music...plus tables with sharp corners I tend to get bruises from.
2. Sporting Life - stuff everywhere. Seriously. Sometimes sectioned by brand, but not always.
3. Dufflet - why have the goodies counter all the way at the back of the store...and there is always a line-up?

PS. It is snowing again.

PSS. Read Seth's post on guac...if you are a foodie, you will be oh so disgusted.

New Liberal Leader

I was a bit addicted to the CBC Newsworld's coverage of the Liberal Convention on Saturday. Mark and I were glued to the TV the first thing in the morning to post interviews with Dion.

It was like watching a soap opera, but with ordinary looking people. Hey, the drama was there, possibility of back stabbing and of course, joy and tears.

I liked how each party played its political moves, the PR and marketing for votes (who do you think can beat Harper? Person A or Person B?), branding beyond the liberal red and the blaze-blaze of speeches.

Heck, it was even funny watching people dance to the bad music and even funnier listening to the assumptions of the reporters (well, if you look at his face, you can only assume he is trying to smile).

blogTO

After three weeks of personal chaos, I am back posting on blogTO...foodie schtuff of course.

Check out the posts on Amuse Bouche, Richtree and Picard's Peanuts this week...Monday, Wednesday and Friday to be exact.

Happy eating as always ;)

Making Yonge Brighter

Have you been to Yonge & Queen lately? Man, is it ever bright.

Forget about the blue snow flakes streamed a top of the street, but add on the glare and glitz of Y & Dundas advertisements, plus the old-school records of Sam's...this street is becoming our Times Square faster than you think.

Walking towards my yoga studio Friday night, I noticed The Bay's new addition to the street's star lights too bright...I am actually not too sure what it is to begin with. It is not a screen to project store specials, it is not that nice. When I looked at it, all it showed was the stores four famous stripes and...snowflakes.

I'm confused.