#BWENY 2012

I just wrapped up my first visit to the BlogWorld Expo 2012 in New York City and what an experience it was.  I didn’t quite know what to expect, except that I would be meeting and learning from a lot of like-minded individuals who love to blog, and the companies that want our business.  I attended quite a few sessions but the following three really stood out for a few different reasons.

• Rackspace  - Vow to Wow – Being helpful to Customers Online
• Flyte New Media  - 50 Content Creation Ideas: You’ll Never Suffer From Bloggers Block Again!
• Copyright Clearance Center - The Challenges of Copyright in the Digital Age

Happy 4th of July

This commercial is too funny not to share on this great day!

U Must Be Happy 2 C Me

Today I received my print copy of New York Car & Traveler. Please don't judge me...I read it for the articles. How else am I going to know The Truth About E-ZPass? or What kind of merger I am? This magazine also caters to one of my other guilty pleasures....wait for it....they include barcodes on some of the articles...we all know how much I love those things because We R Living In A Scannable World.....and I am just a "scannable" girl.

As I read through the articles I also took note of some of the ads. Truth be told, I do have to laugh because some of these ads just seem so random for this type of magazine. But I won't judge. I am sure the advertisers run because of the articles.

One ad in particular, however, did really catch my attention. It is for a line of shoes called Gravity Defyer. The shoe that they feature in the print ad is an athletic shoe, along with details about these shoes, some cool graphics that illustrate how awesome these shoes are, complete with someone's personal story about how Gravity Defyer shoes made him "invincible". Yes..I did say "him". He just sounds like a "him". In fact the ad has distinctly masculine overtones. I swear. After reading the ad, one might even agree that these athletic shoes are appropriately named - Gravity Defyers - since it could be argued that they helped the GUY to defy gravity.

Rules of Engagement - Twitter Style

The other day I was asked by a friend if I thought he was doing "better" on Twitter. I had to be honest with him. I told him he wasn't because he doesn't engage his followers. To that he asked me, "what should I do to engage my followers?"  This question isn't quite so easy to answer.  There is no training manual, no class, and no single right answer on how to engage your Twitter followers or any social media audience for that matter.

My friend's question also got me thinking about Super Bowl XLV. Why you might ask? Well because I am one of those Super Bowl spectators who, IF I am going to watch the Super Bowl, it is because of the commercials. I like football, and watch it from time to time, but it's the commercials that really draw me in because I expect a good laugh. This past Super Bowl I was roped into watching it, but happened to be Tweeting about adoptable dogs and cute cat videos at the same time. I also have an appreciation for cars so I also follow a number of luxury car brands on Twitter so when my feed started speeding by with Tweets in response to the car ads, my curiosity was piqued.

There were 3 glaring observations to be made from this Super Bowl Tweetfest. 

Snap the Code!

That's the QR Code behind the

standing passenger's head 

As you all know I am a fanatic of the QR codes and can't believe it is taking so long for them to really catch on in the publishing industry. More specifically with advertising. So, let me take you to my happy place - sort of. 

I was on the train the other day and had been trying to avoid the piercing gaze of some chick in the next bank of seats to my left and across from me. Of course in trying to avoid her gaze she kept catching me gazing at her...I still can't figure this one out. During one of these gaze-avoidance exercises I noticed the loveliest poster behind the head of another passenger. It was a large, QR code on a poster...but I couldn't tell what it was for at first...until I noticed the banners overhead - since they are usually all for the same advertisers. Turns out that JetBlue's current campaign is advertising a contest to "Win a St. Pete/Clearwater Beach Escape...". I am so game, especially since there is a QR code attached...I can now use my scanner FOR REAL.  Now here is the dilemma. 

We R Living In A Scannable World...

U know U want 2!

..and I am just a "scannable" girl.  When I finally became eligible - sort of - to upgrade my phone, I KNEW I wanted a smartphone and couldn't wait any longer for the iPhone to come to Verizon.  I was fine with that decision, given that I consider myself a Google-phile so getting an Android-enabled phone was naturally comfortable for me.

What is funny, is my #2 reason for wanting a smartphone.

The Point?

Image via Totino's

Oh my goodness...I know it may seem that I might be a bit fixated on advertising lately, but I'm not...although isn't that supposed to be the point?  There are a number of Totino's "Kids In America" commercials - a few that I have even liked.  There is one in particular, however, that elicits an extreme response every time it comes on and it has been airing rather frequently. But then, repetition is supposed to get me to buy the product.  No?  Isn't that supposed to be the point?  That's not the response it elicits in me.  It's not the frequency of the airings, but rather the actual ad that really grates my nerves. It is the one that Totino's calls "Music".  I don't know what to make of this ad.  I think I understand the basic concept, but they couldn't find a better way to execute it?  Within the ad, the repetition of the message comes across simply as "noise" reminding me that I have 16 seconds to go to the bathroom and get a drink before my show starts again.  I don't think that was the point.

Related articles

• New Totino's Pizza Coupons (forthemommas.com)