Be Careful with That Web Address

It's no big deal whether its a dot com or dot org site, right? Wrong, according to what just happened in the vice presidential debate. It seems that Veep Cheney cited the Fact Check Web site, although he said FactCheck.com instead of FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan site run by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center. Here's an AP article on the snafu, which caused a ton of traffic to the wrong site, which graciously provided a redirect. So the next time you promo a Web site, especially with all the domain extensions now available, be sure to say the right one -- dot com, dot org, dot net, dot us, dot dot dot...!

That's a Costly Cheesesteak

A $100 Philly Cheesesteak? You want to set your product apart from the rest, and at least one restaurant in Philadelphia has done that with a pricy, upscale Cheesesteak where the chopped steak and melted cheese standard includes goose liver and truffles - and costs $100. Served with a small bottle of champagne, Barclay Prime's cheesesteak is made of sliced Kobe beef, melted Taleggio cheese, shaved truffles, sauteed foie gras, caramelized onions and heirloom shaved tomatoes on a homemade brioche roll brushed with truffle butter and squirted with homemade mustard. Of course they're not trying to lure in the average cheesesteak consumer with this idea, which is freely acknowledged as a "marketing ploy."

Pizza Box Advertising

Mangia Media in New York State does some awesome looking pizza box ads. Now, according to Promo Extra!, the e-mail newsletter of Promo magazine, Mangia has developed talking pizza boxes that are being used by the TBS Superstation in 12 markets across the country to promote TBS Saturday Night college football. When opened, the boxes play a 12-second audio clip complete with cheering and details on how to tune in. What will they think of next?

Man-Shaped Pillow

Ideas for new products come in all shapes and sizes, and this idea is in the shape of a man. A man-shaped pillow that is. It's only available in Japan (for now) and costs $80. So far about 1,000 folks have purchased the pillow. Kind of gives new hope for that guffy idea you've got in the back of your mind, huh?

You're Fired! or Perhaps You're Hired

Seems that Crest is riding on a "crest" (sorry, couldn't resist) after an appearance on Donald Trump's hit TV Show "The Apprentice." The two Apprentice teams battled it out to find a winning way to promote the new mint vanilla flavor by Crest. And if you don't think the effort was worth it for Crest, they've already received over 4 million hits to the Crest Web site, the highest level of online interest in a single product launch in parent Procter & Gamble's history.

The Demise of the Twinkie?

Interstate Bakeries Corporation, the nation's largest wholesale baker and distributor of fresh baked bread and sweet goods, under various national brand names, including Wonder(R), Hostess (including the famous Twinkies), Dolly Madison, Baker's Inn, Merita and Drake's, received court approval on its first-day motions in its voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which is headquartered here, employs approximately 32,000 in 54 bakeries, more than 1,000 distribution centers and 1,200 thrift stores throughout the U.S.

Promotional Products Education

According to Promo magazine, "Hundreds of professors at schools across the country will be receiving kits this week in a pilot program designed to aid them in teaching students about the value of promotional products as a valid advertising medium. The kits, the brainchild of the Promotional Products Association International, will reach 500 marketing and advertising professors with a two-part lesson plan focusing on research and the benefits, uses and creativity of promotional products. The students will learn from case studies how these products have proved successful in a real setting. The curriculum includes the history of promotional products, which dates back as far as the election of President George Washington, as well as details about the PPAI, the association said."

Hurricane Gift Cards

According to the Promo Web site, "Sears, Roebuck and Co. provided United Way of Florida with $120,000 in gift cards for the families most affected by Hurricanes Charley and Frances. The retailer is also providing free flat-tire repairs for tire damaged by the storms. Sears offered the help through its Sears American Dream Campaign, a $100 million commitment to help families in need. And Food Lion gave the City of Jacksonville Disaster Relief 100 store gift cards in the amount of $10 each to help families after Hurricane Frances. It also delivered ice, drinking water, snack foods and juice to the area." Sears and Food Lion win on several fronts... they are viewed as a good corporate citizen and community member, they create good will among their customers (and potential customers) and generate positive media coverage as well. It's hard to get all that with a traditional marketing campaign.

Nurses Calendar

The 2005 calendar features nurses from the state of Nebraska. But it's not what you think. These nurses are men. According to the Nebraska Hospital Association, the "Nebraska Men in Nursing 2005" calendar aims to bend gender stereotypes about nurses and recruit more men into the female-dominated profession. The calendar features the men in their work attire, such as nursing scrubs, air ambulance uniforms or shirts and ties. Pictures of them with gear from their hobbies - tools, guns, pets, bikes, jogging strollers, all-terrain vehicles, golf clubs and water skis - offer a glimpse of their lives outside of work. According to the Nebraska Center for Nursing, Nebraska has more than 26,000 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, and about 1,100 of them are men. Nationally, nurses are in high demand, and a growing number of men are joining the profession. Calendars aren't a new promotional item, but it's the "twist" on this one that has helped generate national news coverage, and most likely, help increase sales.

Update on Tipping

Remember this past Saturday's (Sept. 11) entry on the guy (Humberto Taveras) who was arrested for not leaving a big enough tip? Seems the charges against him have been dropped. Restaurant owner Joe Soprano -- wonder if there's any connection to a famous TV family -- said he did not pursue charges because of the money but because Taveras' group was obnoxious. "We did what we thought was right," he said. But get this... according to the county district attorney, if the 18 percent gratuity had been called a surcharge or service charge, Taveras would have been legally obligated to pay it. Moral of the story... read the menu's fine print before you decide to make a statement about poor service with your wallet.

Have a Drink to Your Health

Here's a story about beer being good for you -- at least in moderation. According to an AP story, a study from the University of Western Ontario finds that a brew could be good for you. The researchers say beer has antioxidant boosters that could help fight cancer, heart disease and diabetes. But they also say the funding of the study (from beermakers Guinness and Labatt) didn't have any impact on their findings.

Spring Break

Looks like the Panama City Beach CVB has launched an official Spring Break Travel Web site. The ultimate spring break vacation awaits in Panama City Beach, Florida. This official guide will help you plan your spring break package. According to the Web site, "It's never too early to start planning for Spring Break 2004. See why over 500,000 students have discovered that on Panama City Beach, Florida, G.P.A. stands for GREAT PARTY ACTION. Panama City Beach was voted #1 Spring Break Hangout in the World by The Travel Channel." Looks like an example of if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it must be a duck. Looks like the CVB knows what they are and they're marketing it.

Better Leave a Tip

Here's an interesting story... what happens if you don't like the service at a restaurant? Your choice is to reflect your displeasure with a low tip just as you would reward excellent service with a large tip. Well here's an interesting story from New York where someone was arrested for not leaving a large enough tip. And I've always wondered why large parties are told what their tip rate is going to be. I know many times when I've eaten out, the service is perhaps worse when with a large group, so why is it fair to force the patron to pay a high tip? After all, aren't tips supposed to reward good service?

Cover That Coffee

Ten years ago, did you ever think a great business idea was to make cardboard insulators that would go around hot beverages to make them more comfortable to handle? Well one company did and now BriteVision Media distributes their patented functional cardboard insulators to thousands of upscale cafés across the world. BriteMedia now has a promotion going with Hyundai Motors using color-changing coffee sleeves to promote the new 2005 Tucson SUV. The black wraps will transform when placed around a hot beverage to a scene of the vehicle in front of a mountain waterfall; then return to black when the beverage temperature drops below 100 degrees Farenheit. A couple of thousand upscale cafés will use the insulators during September and October. Another great example of finding a niche market!