tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40333159916978260242023-11-16T07:46:47.790-05:00Cluttered ImageIt's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
- Henry David ThoreauKatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-42772744776660245442010-10-21T05:56:00.009-04:002010-10-29T09:41:29.665-04:00Party People<span style="font-family: arial;">I am huge fan of practicality with a side of whimsy, and I received a gift recently that truly fit the bill. I was given a set of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.vacuvin.com/Glass_Markers_Party_People_286_334_269.html">Vacu Vin Glass Markers Party People</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Everyone has run into the "Is this my drink or yours?" dilemma. When you have wine or beer glasses or even just glasses for soft drinks and more than one person is drinking the same drink it's a common problem. The Party People can come to your rescue. They stick to the side of your glass and are a fantastic conversation piece because each one has it's own "personality". The gang includes Sneaky, Deep, Curious, Macho, Naughty, Veggie, Honest, Cuddly, Devilish, Cool, Jolly, and Mysterious.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNbtNARmffy04E4c-8j2Uko5aq_U0Clco7qmNXWK9qY0iPXHK-eecm3ceJaG4UMb6ZfA7ueTiQ0y5QdnI05n_MGQsDhVYHpAGHBK8wy5K0NMFEBQ8GZqWjKLEnnQFy6ahId1WYCxYzxYx/s1600/Party+People++-+Deep.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNbtNARmffy04E4c-8j2Uko5aq_U0Clco7qmNXWK9qY0iPXHK-eecm3ceJaG4UMb6ZfA7ueTiQ0y5QdnI05n_MGQsDhVYHpAGHBK8wy5K0NMFEBQ8GZqWjKLEnnQFy6ahId1WYCxYzxYx/s320/Party+People++-+Deep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533462283153379058" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Clearly the Party People are not a necessity. Life would go on without having a cute character stuck to your glass, but they're fun and the do genuinely solve common a problem. They certainly brighten up my boring clear wine glasses.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-57244639578869789742010-10-21T05:18:00.004-04:002010-10-21T05:33:49.308-04:00Inspiration in Contrast<blockquote style="font-family: arial;">In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer.<br /> <br />It’s interior decorating. It's the fabric of the curtains of the sofa.<br /><br />But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design.<br /><br />Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.<br /><br /><em>— Steve Jobs</em></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">The above quote comes from a<a href="http://inspire.boranikolic.com/"> diverse collection of thoughts</a> about inspiration and creativity.<br /><br />I'm back.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've realized that there are still so many things I encounter in my everyday life that inspire or intrigue me and beg to be shared.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The collection of quotes in which I found the Steve Jobs one above struck me as an interesting display of contrast. There's a wide variety of thoughts about creative pursuits and their relationship to culture and society.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I have found that my personal view of the world centers on the realization that one cannot have light without darkness, success without failure, good without evil. In order to do something "different" and artist must know from what he or she wants to differ. The realm of art, design, and creativity would not exist without the presence of contrast in materials, challenges, purpose, thought, perspective, vision. Similarity is equally important, but I think the contrasts in life provide the true flavor and fulfillment many of us seek.</span><br /><br /><br /><em></em>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-32009186994910839782009-12-23T15:10:00.002-05:002009-12-23T15:31:53.672-05:00Biscuits and Basketball<span style="font-family:arial;">Many people outside North Carolina may not know about a particular promotion Bojangle's, the chicken and biscuits fast food chain, does for UNC basketball fans, but I think it's rather brilliant.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The set up is, if UNC scores 100 or more points against an opponent during a game, Chapel Hill area Bojangle's offer 2 sausage biscuits for a dollar the next morning. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">At the end of last nights game, UNC was crushing Marshall. With a few minutes left, UNC was within a few shots of the 100 mark. Many fans were on the edge of their seats, in hopes of getting those 50 cent biscuits in the morning. The hopes for biscuits made things exciting during what would have otherwise been an unexciting conclusion to the game.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The marketing scheme is a win-win. It works for both UNC basketball and for Bojangles because fans stick around for the end of a game when they otherwise wouldn't and also get excited about Bojangle's product. The promotion has been going on for several years, so even casual UNC fans know to cheer the team on when they're approaching 100 points. I think Bojangle's sponsorship/promotional dollars are being well-spent on this approach to marketing. The 'Biscuits' promo seems to be much more worth the money than any court-side banner or marquee elsewhere in the arena.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For businesses to make such a promotion work there has to be the right combination of loyal fans, a strong athletic program, and a suitable product. I think Bojangles and UNC have figured out the formula.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-43910692706820724602009-12-02T21:49:00.000-05:002009-12-02T21:55:19.999-05:00AT&T Challenges Verizon<span style="font-family:arial;">We've all seen cell phone commercials. There's a multitude of them and it seems that each company has it's own gimmick, theme, or celebrity. Recently I have noticed a couple TV ads that stand out. They're from AT&T and feature actor, Luke Wilson.<br /><br />I noticed the ads because they are fighting back Verizon's recent claims. Verizon puts great deal of emphasis on their "4G" coverage, and how they out-do AT&T. I noticed (before the new AT&T commercials came out) that when Verizon shows a comparison between the map of their coverage and that of their competitors, they only show 4G. They never compare the total coverage area. In other words, it seems to me that Verizon may have a greater number of super awesome spots, but they have a lot more spots that have mediocre or poor coverage than they're competitors. AT&T has taken to pointing this fact out to the rest of the world.<br /><br />There are several commercials in the series, but my favorite is the "Postcard" one, which shows Luke Wilson tossing postcards that represent all of the places that AT&T has coverage. I like the ad because the commercial specifically addresses Verizon's claims, it's not an overly complicated concept, it gets its point across visually and it does something clever that I've never seen any other commercial do.<br /><br />It has a part one and a part two. When you see the commercial, after 30 seconds, it moves on to the next product's advertisement. Then, before you've returned to the program you tuned in to watch, you see Luke Wilson again for a few seconds, continuing to toss out postcards. Brilliant! It reminds the customer about the product without bombarding them. It's pleasantly unexpected and not annoying. It turns 60 seconds of advertising $ into a couple minutes because during those other commercials in between you assume Luke has been tossing postcards the whole time. I think the whole thing was not only clever, but results-oriented. (Too many commercials are neither, but that's another soap box.)<br /><br />I thought the commercial was great, as well as the other one's in AT&T's recent line up.<br />What do you think? See for yourself.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wjwBHqa6lZI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wjwBHqa6lZI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qrx2qEoND5I&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qrx2qEoND5I&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-52250301034902636292009-11-25T18:41:00.005-05:002009-11-25T18:54:04.498-05:00Poptarts v. Toaster Strudel<span style="font-family:arial;">I think Pillsbury's Toaster Strudel should give up trying to directly compete with Kellogg's Pop-tarts.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Don't get me wrong, I think Toaster Strudel is delicious, but the strudel lacks many of the main features that make Pop-tarts so great. </span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjkdy5gm_Gfo38mzYcGRSOyffXS8aPVy1ZlG9TgkI6R1-xLVAji3FKtwhPBmnbOa-vt1ptNnsWMb5XosrMVaDqpwhyphenhyphenbNTjPIgdLV7hVzBb2VL3MZeISQB4k502nswKBU8u39eIGKJYWK/s1600/Strudel&Poptarts.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjkdy5gm_Gfo38mzYcGRSOyffXS8aPVy1ZlG9TgkI6R1-xLVAji3FKtwhPBmnbOa-vt1ptNnsWMb5XosrMVaDqpwhyphenhyphenbNTjPIgdLV7hVzBb2VL3MZeISQB4k502nswKBU8u39eIGKJYWK/s320/Strudel&Poptarts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408190677953965858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Toaster Strudel must be stored in the freezer and then heated and frosted before it can be eaten. Pop-tarts, on the other hand offer much more convenience. They can sit on the shelf right next to the dry cereal and oatmeal, and can be easily taken with you to be eaten at a later time. In fact, when I was in high school, i used to bring the brown sugar ones with me to school and eat them mid-morning as a snack. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The TV advertisements for Toaster Strudel are aimed at kids, the same main target that Pop-tarts are marketed too. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Toaster Strudel is never going to be a Pop-tart. They should quit trying to beat Kellogg's and go for a different demographic such as young professionals with "more sophisticated" taste. In fact, they could be marketed as the perfect breakfast food for pairing with a hot cup of joe. We all know that coffee has become a social craze through Starbucks and other coffee competitors.<br /><br />I think Toaster Strudel is a great product and a delicious breakfast food, but Pillsbury should go for a different market segment rather than trying to take on Pop-tarts head-on.<br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-10165775374066520172009-11-22T19:20:00.001-05:002009-11-22T19:22:00.836-05:00Are Catalogs Still Effective?: An L.L. Bean Case Study<span style="font-family: arial;">We're fast approaching the season for holiday shopping. The places I first think to shop are the internet (especially if I need to do some research on a product) and browsing in local brick and mortar stores. However, the current L.L. Bean catalog appeared in my mailbox last week and got me thinking about whether catalogs are still relevant and effective for modern consumers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">L.L. Bean, a well-known company that has been around for quite sometime, started off only selling their particular kind of shoes, ideal for nasty weather and keep toes warm and dry. They have expanded their products over the years to include outdoor apparel and accessories, casual and classic clothing, and are famous for their monogrammed totes and back-packs. Though they have retail stores, it seems that the bulk of their sales, historically, happen through their catalog (and more recently their online catalog option). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I think L.L. Bean is successful because they provide high-quality products and have developed a loyal group of customers. In fact, I know of the company, because my aunt and uncle have always been fans of their products. I also think they maintain their relationship with customers through their catalogs.</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGz-ydJGzIoMKUKMTU4nxL_swPQiWmfkdMW2fAAZXSIuHBmGkTe84fsazi_S46BA30LWTaeR5EzolmfTCD6qiIpEuoc0jAPlduH37knJezX6EKNJNkt106YOa9UWO4DZmvI4jOTWdB2UHM/s1600/LLBeanCatalogclutteredimage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGz-ydJGzIoMKUKMTU4nxL_swPQiWmfkdMW2fAAZXSIuHBmGkTe84fsazi_S46BA30LWTaeR5EzolmfTCD6qiIpEuoc0jAPlduH37knJezX6EKNJNkt106YOa9UWO4DZmvI4jOTWdB2UHM/s320/LLBeanCatalogclutteredimage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407087544941791586" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Having a catalog appear in your mail box every several months can be annoying if unsolicited or from a company you have no intention of continuing a relationship with. However, if a company with a good reputation and a more subtle approach seeks your attention, it's not so off-putting. L.L. Bean catalogs have a piece of artwork on the front, rather than a celebrity or star product. They are organized so that you can easily flip to the section you're interested in, and they're not overly sales-pitchy. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I like catalogs because they allow you to browse from your couch in a way that the internet can't. The internet, for the most part, only shows you items directly related to what you typed into a search box. A catalog can put things in front of you that may enhance your daily life, but you didn't know you needed (which is a great benefit to the catalog company). In general, I won't buy clothing items from a catalog, but I certainly have looked up items on the internet for more details, after a catalog introduced them to me.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Catalogs are not dead yet. For certain companies, like L.L. Bean, they have a way of keeping products in the consumer's field of vision and drive loyalty and sales. They are expensive to produce, and not appropriate for every company, but some can certainly still make them work to their advantage.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-76668564975748829172009-11-11T18:55:00.000-05:002009-11-11T18:55:39.459-05:00Party in the USA<span style="font-family:arial;">When I hear </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Party in the USA</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> on the radio I immediately change the station. Partially, it's because just don't like the song, but also Miley Cyrus annoys me because of how her fame has been used to create products. <br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm sure I will never understand why anyone finds Miley Cyrus appealing, but she seems to have legions of fans. Personally, I think t</span><span style="font-family:arial;">here are many young women out there who could out shine Miley both in talent and style, but my biggest pet-peeve is how the "Miley Cyrus" brand has been used.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />There countless Hannah Montana and more recently her alter-ego, Miley Cyrus branded products. Hannah Montana items include everything from dolls to wigs. Miley has transformed into being a pop star instead of just playing one on TV, and she now has a clothing line prominently featured in Wal-Marts across the country on top of everything else. I can understand using a celebrity name as a branding tool, both for the benefit of the performer or personality and for the retail industry. However, I think there is a line that has been crossed in this case. </span> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.netnewspublisher.com/national-retailer-launches-hannah-montana-inspired-product-line/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 285px;" src="http://www.netnewspublisher.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/hannah-montanna-at-walmart.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I don't think her product lines are simply a part of being a teen pop celebrity. Taylor Swift has been equally successful. However, because Miss Swift's class and wider appeal, I think her career will go much further than Miss Cyrus.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I suppose Miley's handlers are trying to capitalize on her boom of pre-teen (and getting older) fans, but I think it may be detrimental to the rest of her career (if she has one). Celebrities that "play hard to get" and seem classier seem to have more longevity in their fan base and successful careers throughout their lifetime. Maybe Miley could try the classier approach, but maybe instead she'll burn out, fans will get tired of seeing her products, and we'll all be spared her musical "genius." Harsh I know, but her over-merchandising and her songs annoy me.<br /><br /><br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-12817106589554514102009-11-04T23:10:00.003-05:002009-11-04T23:18:46.788-05:00Pet Fish<span style="font-family:arial;">Like many people, I enjoy having a pet (even if it's just a plant). It gives me someone to care for and interact with. My pet of choice would probably be a people-friendly feline. Unfortunately, I'm very allergic to cats and don't have a living situation that would fit with keeping a furry pet. The next best option, I think, is having an aquarium.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I know that Betta Fish are popular and I have friends that keep them as pets, but I really don't understand the allure. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">They just seem so boring to me. Maybe people are lazy or just don't want to deal with a more expensive tank that requires a filter and other maintenance. But I think if you're going to go for fish, it's much more worth the effort to make an investment in fresh water fish that actually have some life to them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I've had fish before, but I recently acquired a new aquarium and stocked it with the essentials: gravel, fake and real plants, rocks, decor items with hiding places, and of course, finned friends. I have 3 Pineapple Swordtails (2 females and a male) and 5 Danios. My fish don't have big fluffy tails or aggressive tendencies. They seem to coexist happily in my 10 gallon tank, hide in the "broken pots" tank decor and among the plants, and gobble up the flakes I feed them daily.<br /></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RCtKA_0qX8AR4FB7xIAff7-AFfL5h924HzOvHfSVUeWbT4f0TbClhoySywPZtkJbgqz7Ds-mV-8kSR7D7oeSoIX9JrlCojZ7w8M3wIwH0TWPDv4ueZSrq_3j5nxsn1f4HX6QyO4_Pqpo/s1600-h/Aquarium.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RCtKA_0qX8AR4FB7xIAff7-AFfL5h924HzOvHfSVUeWbT4f0TbClhoySywPZtkJbgqz7Ds-mV-8kSR7D7oeSoIX9JrlCojZ7w8M3wIwH0TWPDv4ueZSrq_3j5nxsn1f4HX6QyO4_Pqpo/s320/Aquarium.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400469079993025394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Maybe I'm just amused by the simple things in life, but I could sit and watch my fish for hours and not get bored. It seems that they never swim the same path twice, and I can pick out the differences between the personalities of the danios and swordtails. It has struck me how amazing something as seemingly simple as an aquarium is really a complex balance of organisms and chemicals. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I guess my point is that I don't understand why people bother with seemingly lifeless Betta fish, but more importantly, I think we should stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Marveling at life's seemingly simple things, like the fish in my aquarium, can give us perspective on how life is truly complex and beautiful.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-44139194557697518842009-10-28T09:40:00.006-04:002009-10-28T09:58:31.795-04:00Masters of Disguise: Sunsweet Ones<span style="font-family:arial;">October is the right time of year for disguises, but did you ever think cleverly packaged prunes would be the next "super fruit?" </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Though some produce companies have been able to successfully brand their fruit products, such as Chiquita, it's a difficult task to marke</span><span style="font-family:arial;">t a commodity item. It seems like a piece of fruit is a piece of fruit is a piece of fruit (as long as it's fresh). </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />There seems to be some more room for marketing in the processed fruit category. Smucker's Jams and Jellies are well-branded and Ocean Spray Craisins (sweetened, dried cranberries) have a made a few well known marketing efforts. The newest player in the branded fruit game seems to be "<a href="http://www.sunsweet.com/products/info.asp?product=ones">Sunsweet Ones</a>," which are p</span><span style="font-family:arial;">runes that are wrapped in a pretty package and cleverly marketed.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sunsweet.com/products/info.asp?product=ones"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_70U455D80nXVtxEeKQAPe3WggKVhfl9APdIkhB8YRaVxSCm6_N-oDHi5W-EXPjr0z760QVI8Oz2YFUv-HpEbL7b-zsmoUoUDSqJeUqRaC_2wtHI_wx6bCinOFOIhLhILy11AITj5rUY_/s320/sunsweet+ones+prunes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397646253091601410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I saw the Sunsweet commercial recently and thought it was very interesting that not once did they mention the traditional name for their product. The word "prune" is never uttered. Instead they describe all of the wonderful things "dried plums" have to offer. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"> Notice it says "dried plums" at the top of the package. The word "prune" is at the very bottom, softened by saying they're from California (California gives them cool points right?). </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Prunes are the same thing to plums as raisins are to grapes, but dried grapes don't have the same marketing issues dried plums do. So what's the solution? Apparently, change the name.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I think prunes do indeed have a bad reputation. </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Prunes are associated with older people drinking it for it's digestive effects rather than it's delicious taste.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> I can understand the lack of appeal when that is the connotation.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Many people hear the word "prune" and automatically think "Oh, disgusting," or at best "I wouldn't go out of my way to get one." They have a foreclosed opinion about dried plums and shut down immediately.<br /><br />It is smart for Sunsweet to re-brand prunes as a healthy, sweet and simple snack and also smart for them to leave the word "prune" out of their commercials. I commend them for framing their product well, focusing on the benefits to the consumer, and taking on the challenge of the fearsome prune. I doubt they will find their way into trick-or-treat baskets, but maybe people will give Sunsweet Ones a try, not realizing they are the dreaded prune in disguise.<br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-83514934272551032452009-10-21T21:53:00.003-04:002009-10-22T09:13:37.200-04:00Friend Request<span style="font-family:arial;">I don't know if anyone else develops a list of favorite advertisements, but right now I'm a fan of the commercial that's currently out there selling Dentyne chewing gum.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">While watching my favorite TV shows, I often find myself noting not only the goings on of the show's characters, but also the commercials in between. I know many marketing gurus have noted the trend that is steering away from mass media advertising towards direct marketing, but I think that when done thoughtfully and for the right reasons, traditional advertising can be effective. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Dentyne's commercial (if you haven't seen it, here's the youtube link <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5LnMngY51c">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5LnMngY51c</a> ) plays on the popularity of social media as a substitute for human interaction. I like the fact that the concept for the commercial not only prominently features the product, but shows it in a way that prospects can relate to. Anyone who has ever chewed gum has offered a piece to someone else and perhaps started a conversation that way.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Most importantly, the commercial elevates the gum from being just something your mouth experiences to being a networking tool, a conversation starter, and a bridge between you and the people around you. Though I'm a fan of the commercial, I fear that the brand of the gum is not prominently featured enough to stick in the minds of the viewers. The prospect might be encouraged to buy gum, but not necessarily Dentyne. </span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-48104258767531179012009-10-14T15:37:00.004-04:002009-10-14T15:50:59.208-04:00Definining Creativity<span style="font-family:arial;">I consider myself a creative person, but I believe that all people have some capacity for creativity, despite what individuals believe or profess about themselves. I think my opinion about "creativity" is centered in how frame where creative thoughts come from, and what creativity truly means. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">To me, no thoughts or ideas are truly and strictly original. There is always a wisp of something that came before, some outside influence, inspiration, or impetus. Creativity is more a unique or new combination, use, process applied to old materials, thoughts, or modes of action. Things can be discovered, as in a new plant in the rain forest or imaging the far reaches of the universe, but creativity is not discovery. The materials of life on Earth have been in existence far longer than I have, but I may find some new way to use them. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Artists, who are usually the first "creative" people who come to mind, use media that generations before them have manipulated. The creativity comes from drawing on inspiration and experience to make something unique. Alternately, artists often take materials that have not traditionally been used to create art, such as lego blocks (that's a topic for another post) and make them into sculptures the same way ancient artists worked in stone.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >I hope that the paradigm relating to who is creative and who is not can change, but that will only happen if those who claim to lack creativity allow themselves take the old around them and make something new.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >--------</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Here's a Stanford Professor who agrees with my point of view. He's talking about creativity as it relates to entrepreneurship.</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1187">http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1187</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-5147990661454060732009-10-03T14:36:00.005-04:002009-10-03T14:41:36.976-04:00It's a Soft Drink<span style="font-family:arial;">Ever heard of the "Unique Sparkling Soft Drink" commonly known as Cheerwine? If you're not from the South East, you may not have had the pleasure of enjoying this distinctive cherry-flavored soda.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlrTSxBYkQhpF6jVrZgABrkRcnwNKs9uLcXjXMRrki_qz9xhuiH1sTeZOeMRAkb9nRw1_hpLlQtNDmCWt0x9yMCF_ut-3T_4KyJ_LY_btoyNLtsNEVXIQEAmOCLD1svrGUyfVVQ07GOwA/s1600-h/cheerwine2.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlrTSxBYkQhpF6jVrZgABrkRcnwNKs9uLcXjXMRrki_qz9xhuiH1sTeZOeMRAkb9nRw1_hpLlQtNDmCWt0x9yMCF_ut-3T_4KyJ_LY_btoyNLtsNEVXIQEAmOCLD1svrGUyfVVQ07GOwA/s320/cheerwine2.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388445492886302066" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Cheerwine, produced by the Carolina Beverage Corporation, has been in existence since 1917 and has many avid fans throughout the South. In fact, some who live out of the area but grew up in the Carolinas drinking Cheerwine stock up on the soft drink while visiting home. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The brand is still relatively unknown outside North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, but their loyal fan base in that region makes the company unique.<br /><br />The reason Cheerwine caught my attention, other than the fact that I enjoy the taste of the drink, is their website and marketing. If you check out their website, they offer information for distributors and branded t-shirts, but also offer a culture. The quirky set up of the site and the series of videos featuring the product help to position the soft drink in the minds of consumers.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Word-of-mouth is something that could really work to the advantage of such a company. In fact, I heard about the product via word-of-mouth. I don't know what the future plans for Cheerwine include, but the company should take advantage of it's loyal fans and expand distribution. Clearly a nearly 100-year old recipe has worked in the Carolinas. Maybe they can apply that to an ever-widening market.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.itsasoftdrink.com/">www.itsasoftdrink.com</a><br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-69220441729145363462009-09-30T15:47:00.001-04:002009-09-30T15:47:35.716-04:00Keeping Tabs<span style="font-family: arial;">I have always enjoyed the chance to sit and flip through a magazine. In fact, the content isn't the only draw. I find the ads fun to look at too because they're meant to be eye-catching and attractive.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">In a recent copy of Allure Magazine, one advertising page especially caught my attention for it's creativity and interactive element. I have to give them credit for thinking outside the box. The page features pull-off stickers of the lip color products that the reader is encouraged to use as sticky-tabs to bookmark pages while perusing the magazine.</span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQnvBHzBe-YkoXpP0lFEoJGEnNmSBwkU6nX7lWlNqPZYPrPrWm3CFRlEJEUGJP5UnxnKo5ULdxj4x1t8Lt-0h5P1srVWuxywXTTf4yA5i0VNV_vf4iBCYkh2odQcZwUdRa0XBgJUkH0hU/s1600-h/magazinead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQnvBHzBe-YkoXpP0lFEoJGEnNmSBwkU6nX7lWlNqPZYPrPrWm3CFRlEJEUGJP5UnxnKo5ULdxj4x1t8Lt-0h5P1srVWuxywXTTf4yA5i0VNV_vf4iBCYkh2odQcZwUdRa0XBgJUkH0hU/s320/magazinead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387278763770640002" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I like the idea because the stickers increase the length of the interaction between the consumer and the advertisement. It takes advantage of the qualities of having print media form, something that's in the hands of consumers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The idea was great, but the execution needed a bit of work. The stickers weren't sticky enough to adhere well to the glossy pages and fell off easily. Maybe they should get some tips from 3M, makers of "Post-its." Also, the brand name was not a prominent feature of either the ad as a whole or the individual stickers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So many "creative" marketing ideas focus on being "innovative," without the component of practicality and goal of reaching the hearts and minds of consumers. I give them points for having a creative ad that goes in the right direction, and has the specific intent to increase product interaction with consumers.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-14585420857219730392009-08-26T11:02:00.000-04:002009-08-26T12:02:57.085-04:00Top of the Box<span style="font-family: arial;">I think the "</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.boxtops4education.com/Default.aspx">Box Tops for Education</a><span style="font-family: arial;">" campaign launched by General Mills in 1996 was a brilliant bit of marketing genius. The on-going Box Tops program helps to create positive brand image for participating brand name products, but also motivates buyers to chose Box Tops products over comparable non-participating brands. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">What could be better than having a charity program that is tied directly to the product packaging and supporting a cause dear to the hearts of target consumers? The Box Tops products are ones that families buy, and improving schools and education is a cause that has wide appeal. </span><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Kb0GlxLsnCqNgPy0EjJPnr6HJK_LsXiIHtU5DuWWRl0Mab-MwT_095r4wgrwT2sp7ZLU9t_185VABUlM56mHNHPgtxzT_iiW6fYzLJuriyRnSNiysuJA8_-WMR-zv0mIhMaIXAV6VNCf/s1600-h/BoxTop.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Kb0GlxLsnCqNgPy0EjJPnr6HJK_LsXiIHtU5DuWWRl0Mab-MwT_095r4wgrwT2sp7ZLU9t_185VABUlM56mHNHPgtxzT_iiW6fYzLJuriyRnSNiysuJA8_-WMR-zv0mIhMaIXAV6VNCf/s320/BoxTop.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374303425161440562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I think the Box Tops program also functions as a tool for product differentiation. Everyone has walked down the cereal isle at the grocery store. More than many other isles in the super market, it's marketing that makes one product in the cereal isle seem vastly different than the other. It's amazing we're not all overwhelmed by the bright colored boxes and seemingly endless number of choices we have. In the end, most cereals serve the same function. The taste and sugar content may vary, but they're all essentially dry chunks of processed grains. Clearly, I don't have detailed marketing research on the subject at my disposal, but I think the Box Tops may persuade a indecisive shopper to choose a General Mills box over a similar cereal. That little $.10 tag psychologically makes a difference. You think you're getting more for your money than just sugary grain puffs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The company is required to redeem the usually 10 cent value of the labels submitted to participating schools, and while the cost of millions of Box Tops adds up, the face value of them is negligible compared to the cost of the products. The Box Tops website notes that more than $250 million-worth have been redeemed to date, but I can't even imagine the gross profit margin of the products that those tops came from. That doesn't include the value of those that went into the trash with the rest of the cardboard package. I've even collected them myself, and thrown them away simply because I didn't have a convenient place to donate them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">The Box Tops program has been expanded to include many other products and brand names outside the cereal isle, but the tops seem to serve the same function. They make that Box Tops brand a little more appealing than the one next to it on the shelf, and more likely to end up in the a basket waiting in the checkout line.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-34350992667642056002009-08-09T22:11:00.000-04:002009-08-09T22:12:37.675-04:00Thrift Store Chic<span style="font-family:arial;">Wine glasses are for much more than drinking grape flavored alcohol. I was recently in a creative mood, but not wanting to spend a lot of money on indulging my urge to make something. I came up with this project.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Pictured below.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvalpbuw6IkmkwWPGYh9al__9KBe9f2B5DCehJ-6-Bd-R32UmPoZvo-8L4CyrPnktlSIF8MYJ7LedbDe_XNUVNQ40Hxm1dzZV3CZxoaNMmmsEFDU1r6JnddIHLo4CykVuVw1uJEwX40rvZ/s1600-h/Wine+Glass+Candle+Centerpiece.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvalpbuw6IkmkwWPGYh9al__9KBe9f2B5DCehJ-6-Bd-R32UmPoZvo-8L4CyrPnktlSIF8MYJ7LedbDe_XNUVNQ40Hxm1dzZV3CZxoaNMmmsEFDU1r6JnddIHLo4CykVuVw1uJEwX40rvZ/s320/Wine+Glass+Candle+Centerpiece.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368150837998172114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Wine glasses from a thrift store, with votive and tea light candles and decorator gravel found at a discount store came together to create what I think is a beautiful centerpiece or decorative element, even when the candles aren't lit. </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This post (or my little project, for that matter) is not profound or deep or terribly insightful, but I just wanted to share. It's fun to create something, rewarding. Even if it's only a couple wine glasses that found a new purpose.</span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-80598908651455000232009-07-21T17:27:00.003-04:002009-07-21T17:30:48.286-04:00NASA: Then and Now<span style="font-family:arial;">The current media attention being given to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, more commonly known as NASA, led me to consider how and what Americans think about space exploration.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">NASA programs, and NASA in general have a fascinating brand identity because it seems to have a general appeal; people think positive thoughts about NASA. However, unlike many brands, they're not really selling a product and they're thought of differently by different generations. Also, as a government agency, their public relations and marketing is important, but not as key as it is for private industry.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm too young to have experienced what I consider the golden age of space exploration, the space race of the 1960's, but I still have a sens</span><span style="font-family:arial;">e of what it meant to Americans. Still, because today's youth didn't experience the excitement of the first man on the moon as it happened, instead learning of it in history books, younger generations have a different perception of what the space </span><span style="font-family:arial;">programs mean. To young <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">American's</span> astronauts and space exploration are largely something to be taken for granted, accepted as "nifty," but not a truly thrilling subject.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Granted, NASA is far from the only brand name that suffers from a generation gap. However, it seems that for NASA, as an agency that is meant to perform a public service and also being on the cutting edge, the generation separation has more significance. How are NASA researchers, scientists, and astronauts going to continue to be innovative and continue to widen the bounds of human knowledge and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">experienc</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;">e without enthusiasm from the youth? </span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/technologies/nextfest_2007.html" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpRx7fQlWJMp8GR28seH3udfnT5oVjkUxxLeHVchpzB1SABofh4GDhgxMOcbAV8CqGRYIVctQJDqLwMfKweMgj8anH0lljeVkJYkcM1hYu2n8BPScXe9xDky4DgFaYhydnIMXaNPcFkwn/s320/nasa50thanniversary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361026463253409922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">I</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> think the recent highlight of the Apollo missions, among other space exploration milestones, may pique the interest of a few. I don't think that's enough though, considering America's collective attention span. Maybe NASA needs to put a few pennies of it's budget into the marketing side and try to make space exciting again. After all, image is still important, even if you managed to put a man on the moon.<br /><br />History of the NASA logo: <a href="http://www.logoblog.org/nasa-logo.php">http://www.logoblog.org/nasa-logo.php</a></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-92225204812618387922009-07-03T15:24:00.002-04:002009-07-21T17:31:49.262-04:00Convertible Furniture: More than Meets the Eye<span style="font-family:arial;">I recently came across a website called <a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Yanko</span> Design</a> that includes new, interesting, or innovative designs for everyday objects. It included everything from a salt and pepper shaker made from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">legos</span> to adaptable modular lighting fixtures. The design that piqued my interest, however, was a <a href="http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/09/26/awesome-table-chair/">pair of chairs</a>, very innocent in appearance. They look very sleek</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> and modern, but did not look like they'd be too comfortable to sit in for any length of time because of their straight lines, 90 degree angles, and lack of curves. What makes these chairs unique can be seen by scrolling down to the next photo which shows that the chairs are not only meant for sitting. When tipped forward and interlocked, they can be converted into a table of the appropriate size for holding magazines and coffee. The website doesn't give much explanation for the origin of the chairs other than giving their designer's name: Joel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hesselgren</span>.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />There is a particular reason why I chose to focus on this particular design of all the ones I viewed while browsing the website. The chairs/table are very modern and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">contemporary</span> in appearance, but they are not actually using an innovative or new concept. The idea of creating convertible furniture has been around for decades. Convertible furniture can be as simple as that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">hide-a-bed</span> your aunt has you sleep on when you visit, or the futon your college buddy had in his living room. Many people have done something as simple as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">re-purpose</span> an old trunk or luggage as a coffee table or end table.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Furniture that is more than what it seems can also take the form of a true "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">murphy</span> bed," A bed that is hidden in upright form as part of a wall. There are of course ones that look like they appeared magically out of a solid wall or set of bookshelves, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">murphy</span> beds also exist as pieces of antique furniture. My parents, in fact, have always had one. It looks like a fancy cabinet (pictured below), but has false drawer-fronts that allow you to pull the entire front panel</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">forward</span>. The gingerbread-like wood detailing that appears to be simply for decoration swings outward to become the legs for the foot of the bed. It may not be the most comfortable bed (because of the age of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">mattress</span>), but it proves that modern Americans are not the first to try to save space and get the most out of their furniture. My <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">grandparents</span> have even more examples of the piece-is-not-what-it-seems concept. Their home is full of antiques including a tall door-ed cabinet and a table that both convert into beds, though they're rarely used as such.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJlDtk_NJ63I1ELJq-e08AbOvctTVlLIO7Qfncm6fr4Zs7eUA0Hld1LF4vIOWfAOUnz6prXBS8JaFzM4RyGQv2ZdgEUBl4J9VYMbTICuPhqMxzq1bnxq0pSs27wQ1dmPVgY44tchshCHR/s1600-h/Antique+Murphy+Bed.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJlDtk_NJ63I1ELJq-e08AbOvctTVlLIO7Qfncm6fr4Zs7eUA0Hld1LF4vIOWfAOUnz6prXBS8JaFzM4RyGQv2ZdgEUBl4J9VYMbTICuPhqMxzq1bnxq0pSs27wQ1dmPVgY44tchshCHR/s320/Antique+Murphy+Bed.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354331419356104130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Clearly people have always been trying to make the best use of their space (and maybe accommodate <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">unannounced</span> guests on short notice). It takes a little creativity, but it can be fun to find new ways to use the things that surround us. If you have one item that does two jobs or even just saves some space, maybe it will help clear some of the clutter.<br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-88700386268721186912009-06-26T13:29:00.006-04:002009-06-27T09:15:22.721-04:00Flo vs. the Gecko<span style="font-family:arial;">I can't possibly be the only one who mak</span><span style="font-family:arial;">es note of which commercials grate on my nerves when they appear on my tube. Everyone probably notices the annoying aspects of TV ads such as loud celebrity spokesmen, irritating jingles, or even ju</span><span style="font-family:arial;">st the amateur nature of local ads. I hope I'm not the only one, however, who takes notice of good commercials, or at least favorite ones (determining "goodness" is subjective).<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Everyone remembers Mastercard's "priceless" commercials. I consider them to be among the classiest commercials: simple, classic, adaptable, and most importantly, memorable. I would imagine that few people have a bone to pick about those ad campaigns. Based on my own informal research, (discussions with family and friends) I have found that there s</span><span style="font-family:arial;">eems to be some polarization over recent commercials created</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> by the big insurance companies.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The insurance industry seems to be more drawn to creating series of commercials with well defined characters and themes. A few come to mind. Metlife has adopted Charles Schultz's Snoopy. Allstate has a trustworthy-looking African American actor giving their pitch. Insurance giants, Geico and Progressive have the cavemen an</span><span style="font-family:arial;">d the gecko, and Flo. The first two of these companies may have a good product, but don't seem to attract loyalty for their ad campaigns. In contrast, Geico and Progressive have created followings for their characters. My informal research shows that those who are fans of the Geico commercials dislike the Progressive ones and vice versa. Personally, I'm in the Progressive camp. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfDxU1TMomgHTJ1-LqCjcw3nkzQB9B2qRCdYqeAjudALqmCdstyUsXb3RSDk18WbyvRMOLh6Mdy61uF61N9kVza7QwIKCwxN7jnreOdonuON48nLRHJ-BvQ5gwPVXym2x8QUvstlqRjs2/s1600-h/geico_gecko_progressive_flo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfDxU1TMomgHTJ1-LqCjcw3nkzQB9B2qRCdYqeAjudALqmCdstyUsXb3RSDk18WbyvRMOLh6Mdy61uF61N9kVza7QwIKCwxN7jnreOdonuON48nLRHJ-BvQ5gwPVXym2x8QUvstlqRjs2/s320/geico_gecko_progressive_flo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351707748463105026" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Maybe I'll discuss each of the campaigns in more detail later. I wish I had access to metrics detailing the success of each campaign, or just to be a fly on the wall in a marketing meeting at one of the companies. For now, I just wanted to make note of the interesting trend. Maybe I'm in the correct market segment to be a Progressive fan and Geico people have different characteristics. I'm not alone, however, in being a fan of Flo. There's even a facebook group for her following, not that there isn't a facebook group for anything and everything these days.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />What commercial characters do you find yourself becoming attached to, or even just simply not finding yourself annoyed by their interruption of your favorite program?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I think it's worth the time to appreciate good marketing, even if it's just to keep from being frustrated by the clutter ads can create.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s10MDxVqSM&feature=PlayList&p=C14B639741EDEC19&index=10"><span style="font-family:arial;">Progressive Commercial featuring Flo</span></a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-28765398352202243362009-06-17T12:30:00.002-04:002009-06-17T13:58:55.626-04:00New Image for the Golden Arches?<span style="font-family:arial;">I don't know about you, but I've noticed their commercials for fancy coffee and the recent addition of stone fascades on their buildings. What is McDonald's trying to do? Are they becoming Starbucks?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Apparently they are putting a great deal of time and effort into revamping their image. New commercials that tout their new coffee line play with the accented "e" of café. (Americans don't seem to understand accented letters anyway, so it's a good opportunity to further confuse them. That, however, is a discussion for another day.) </span><span style="font-family:arial;"> I've noticed include a heavily <a href="http://www2.mcdonalds.com/mccafe/">flash-based website </a>redesign that matches the commercials.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Micky D's is also </span><span style="font-family:arial;">spending a sizable amount of money on changing the appearance of their restaurant locations, inside and out. They've removed some of the worn out plastic parts and added contemporary elements. The new design even includes a change to the roof structure of the franchise locations. </span><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCXyNqbxZVKRzthAQ2vFdgHj82K8bZcyrm16ADweirtf700wIMFt_nQPsq8woYKhtMz5F2P48fXxIfhYXw9FJ8XIX6Z94Xz9_blfdORKAlNPpLRm5PO6uydW0CO2W18BPVjIgw1PNU01K/s1600-h/McCafe+accent.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCXyNqbxZVKRzthAQ2vFdgHj82K8bZcyrm16ADweirtf700wIMFt_nQPsq8woYKhtMz5F2P48fXxIfhYXw9FJ8XIX6Z94Xz9_blfdORKAlNPpLRm5PO6uydW0CO2W18BPVjIgw1PNU01K/s320/McCafe+accent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347928994285561234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> Though I'm not a frequent McDonald's customer (I'm just not a fast food junkie), I have always thought McDonald's regular coffee was delicious and a somewhat hidden gem. It is fantastic source for a decent and inexpensive cup of coffee. The newfangled coffee products seem to be the McD's answer to Starbucks' line of over caffeinated beverage. While the extension to their product line may boost sales, I wonder whether it will provide any long term growth to their sales or customer base.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I think that McDonald's' effort to make their restaurants and company feel more upscale is admirable. They have clearly thought through and are carrying out a strategy to reposition the company's brand and identity in the eyes of their customers and prospective customers. However, one major problem I have with what I've seen of the McDonald's campaign is inconsistency of message. They have the fancy new website and locations, and clever commercials with their more sophisticated McCafé products, but they still seem to have some advertising out there that I would consider less than classy. Maybe it's just my taste, but their current commercial promoting their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bJOIqVAD-s">filet-o-fish sandwich</a> strikes me as rather tacky. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Again, I admire McDonald's commitment to revamping their image, but they need to find some consistency with their message and make sure their marketing sticks. McDonald's has to overcome decades worth of opinions about their company in the minds of American consumers in order to create any significant break through. <br /><br />My challenge for you: Bypass the new "McCafé" products, and try a cup of regular McDonald's coffee for that caffeine fix.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.bizbash.com/washington/content/editorial/15662_mcdonalds_sofia_therios_on_the_national_launch_of_mccaf_coffee_drinks.php">BizBash Article</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-49808059026360624292009-06-11T16:33:00.001-04:002009-06-17T12:34:58.343-04:00Crochet: Not Just for Grandma<span style="font-family:arial;">When many people hear the word crochet, or picture someone knitting, images of grandma sitting in a rocking chair with her hook or needles and a ball of yarn may come to mind. Yes, crocheting with thread (referred to as floss) is how doilies come to exist, and that old afgan throw on your grandparents' couch is made up of appropriately named "granny squares."<br /><br />A lot of time, patience, and a strong wrist goes into creating intricate or extensive crocheted projects. Though afgans and doilies are the tradition, </span><span style="font-family:arial;">a modern crochet aficionado can create</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> scarves, bags, hats, and baby blankets. However, there's something that can be crocheted that may not come to mind immediately. When you're used to making hats, scarves, and blankets, most who crochet wouldn't think they could wear a crocheted project during the height of summer. Ever thought you could crochet swimwear?<br /><br />When you're on the beach or at the pool this summer, you might see someone in a crocheted swimsuit or bikini. They're really out there. They range from modest tankinis to a little too risque for public (be careful if you do a google search). Crocheted swimwear can be purchased online or there are patterns available for do-it-yourself-ers.<br /><br />You'd be surprised where crocheting can show up. It's the detailed patterns or lace on many things you wouldn't expect. I challenge you to rethink things that you think are old-fashioned or out-dated. It doesn't just apply to yarn crafts.<br /><br />Crocheted swimwear: <a href="http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Crochet_Bikinis">LovetoKnow</a><br /></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-60986769710644182142009-05-19T11:22:00.001-04:002009-05-19T11:32:25.497-04:00Dressed for Success: Caps & Gowns<span style="font-family:arial;">T'is the season for graduation ceremonies. Around the country graduate candidates are putting on traditional regalia, listening to the wisdom of scholars before them, and celebrating with friends and family.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Personally, I think the outfits worn by graduates look at least a little out of place in modern society. It seems a bit silly to be wearing an over-sized robe and a hat that is essentially a square stuck to your head with a tassel that smacks you in the face everytime you turn to talk to someone. Of course, there are other traditional elemen</span><span style="font-family:arial;">ts of academic regalia including hoods, cords, stoles, pins, and more that are applicable to different occasions and distinctions.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Academic dress, though it seems strange today has both a historical tradition and a modern purpose. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">The program given out at my university’s graduation reads, “The wearing of caps, gowns, and hoods at college and university occasions dates back to the formation of universities in Europe, beginning around the 12th century. The ordinary dress of the scholar, whether student or teacher, as the dress of clerics, Historians suggest that gowns and hoods were the simplest and most effective method of staying warm in the unheated, stone buildings that housed medieval scholars.” Whatever the origin of traditional academic dress, today we still don caps and gowns for special occasions. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">People like tradition, doing what has done before them. By wearing clothes that are not everyday attire, we help give rituals such as </span><span style="font-family:arial;">graduation ceremonies the feel of being a very special occasion.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0my25UlCjxloCM1gM8lKEqvrHHsDkcP2_FwiG4jlClTIAgGE1CNYGAjYrlo6NkKzPyzajGjnOK5ulLs2g6Lxb3u8tev0OB3IeG1Y-GAYb0jH7vNLXrF9Y10zwc-W9mhoqst5BkfyghDoV/s1600-h/Cap,+Gown+%26+Hood.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0my25UlCjxloCM1gM8lKEqvrHHsDkcP2_FwiG4jlClTIAgGE1CNYGAjYrlo6NkKzPyzajGjnOK5ulLs2g6Lxb3u8tev0OB3IeG1Y-GAYb0jH7vNLXrF9Y10zwc-W9mhoqst5BkfyghDoV/s320/Cap,+Gown+%26+Hood.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337555446050414626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">On a side note, personally, I do not like the common self-impressed nature of academic ceremonies, especially graduations. It should indeed be a celebration of the accomplishments of the graduates, but shouldn’t be taken quite so seriously. It seems to be the faculty and speakers not the graduates who may need to “lighten up.” </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I think that graduation regalia is important and meaningful, but not to be taken too seriously. It is a bitter-sweet occasion marking the end of an academic career, but one that merits wearing a baggy robe and a silly hat.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10625#Historical"><span style="font-family:arial;">A</span></a><a href="http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10625#Historical"><span style="font-family:arial;">merican Council on Education: Academic Dres</span></a><a href="http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=10625#Historical"><span style="font-family:arial;">s</span></a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-38865752426365212882009-05-14T01:08:00.007-04:002009-05-14T11:30:05.465-04:00De-clutter<span style="font-family:arial;">Everyone encounters clutter somewhere in their lives. Sometimes it’s a long looming to-do list or the constant bombardment by advertising messages, but many times it’s simply the volume of things, objects, items that surround us in our lives. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Cars, bedrooms, tables, and floors become the convenient storage place for things that we’re too busy to deal with at the time. Eventually, things that were significant are forgotten and insignificant things that we shouldn’t keep never get thrown away, such as a receipt from long-ago night. A duplicate item might be mistakenly bought because the original was forgotten. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Some people are very organized and almost obsessive about maintaining a clutter-free space, while others allow </span><span style="font-family:arial;">things to pile up until there’s no more than a small path through the mounds of stuff. Most of us are somewhere in between.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Thinking about how the things we own affects our lives makes me wonder where we each get our clutter-gene. I’m sure part of it is what we grow up around and how are parents treat the physical things in their lives during our childhoods. It is probably also influenced by our personalities. I often lament the inaccuracies of poorly crafted and applied stereotypes, but they do exist for a reason. Accountants are known for being organized because their jobs require it and artist are stereotyped as scattered and unconcerned with maintaining orderly workspaces. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For me, the fight against clutter is a constant battle that goes back and forth. My stuff will start to take over when I least expect and then I get into a cleaning frenzy to beat back the clutter than keeps creeping up. Certain spaces I tend to keep very clean, but others deteriorate rapidly, filling up with items that I use on a regular basis. It’s a personal battle. I know I function better when my environment is clean and uncluttered, but I can never seem to keep it that way. It’s hard to find the motivation to get moving and tackle the mess.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2bvbLgE6xGgl600sgDjXTnmHyraza42DNQyDTuKH_B-Ei3lrCKUBzF6vMOLJGqvc1W5awEBI5pZ6DVRKcB_T2PeyD9Dh6cSwaBykMg1bqBwnHhnKaS_MoWH7_Xfyu69ymXh2vM9hA3eK/s1600-h/IMG_0516.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2bvbLgE6xGgl600sgDjXTnmHyraza42DNQyDTuKH_B-Ei3lrCKUBzF6vMOLJGqvc1W5awEBI5pZ6DVRKcB_T2PeyD9Dh6cSwaBykMg1bqBwnHhnKaS_MoWH7_Xfyu69ymXh2vM9hA3eK/s320/IMG_0516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335544322309041730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Clutter is a part of all of our lives and we each have a different comfort level when it comes to the amount of clutter we can stand. Finding that balance between doing important or enjoyable things and combating clutter is the hard part. I encourage you to evaluate the amount of clutter in your life. Maybe it’s time to de-clutter your life and relieve some stress by de-cluttering your space. It can be therapeutic. I promise I’ll join you in the effort.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://organizedhome.com/declutter-101-where-do-I-start">Declutter 101</a>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-7250499088781037692009-05-08T23:31:00.007-04:002009-05-08T23:45:38.490-04:00Frightening or Funny?<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">When most Americans today hear the word “clown,” if they’re lucky they think of Ronald McDonald or Bozo. If not, images of demented and horrifically disturbing clown characterizations such as those in the movie It come to mind. Many people claim to be terrified by clowns, even though they don’t even know the official name for their irrational fear. There’s also the connotation created by local party clowns who may be untrained and unwanted at a children’s birthday party.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">What has twisted the image of a clown into commercialism and fright? </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Clowning has a long history and tradition, but in recent decades the image of a clown has morphed and been warped. Clowns such as Emmett Kelly and Lou Jacobs are a bygone breed. They were clowns of the great tent-circuses known as “mud shows.” However, these are not the clowns that today’s public recognizes. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Modern clowns wear less make up that does not hide their faces, but simply accentuates and exaggerates their features. They engage their audience in a way that pokes fun, but are not seeking to be threatening or humiliating to the spectators.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">In my view, truly good clowning uplifts people. The clown is the butt of the joke and makes their audience triumphant through the clown’s bumbling failures and successes. A clown pokes fun at humanity and general and rather than claiming victims who become the object of laugher, invites the spectators to laugh at themselves. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Good clowning can certainly be an art, though a vastly underrated one. Circus giants such as <a href="http://ringling.com/">Ringling Bros</a>. and <a href="http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/">Cirque du Soleil</a> are continuing the clown tradition, but adapting it to the needs of their productions. Small outfits such as Vermont youth circus, <a href="http://smirkus.org/">Circus Smirkus</a> are bringing young people into the artform.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94y2w6kEt7EnGEWkx4gWrU1wsBl5ePKWmToVmREJnmqaZNEBsvpuFtHiBtVodla_qWqGUA6XWggw1o7lv2ypZK9VlrX-4TCqmRElJFc3KsZMKiZmqIVs7wjKNk5udj6XAjlhZCWXqdWAV/s1600-h/IMG_5526crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94y2w6kEt7EnGEWkx4gWrU1wsBl5ePKWmToVmREJnmqaZNEBsvpuFtHiBtVodla_qWqGUA6XWggw1o7lv2ypZK9VlrX-4TCqmRElJFc3KsZMKiZmqIVs7wjKNk5udj6XAjlhZCWXqdWAV/s320/IMG_5526crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333662813932082754" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The public paradigm about clowns may be a difficult one to change, but if shows such as the Greatest Show on Earth continue to monitor and craft the interaction the clown performers have with the public, ideas may change, even if it’s only one person at a time. </span></span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-36557945206969923502009-05-02T15:36:00.007-04:002009-05-02T16:02:34.859-04:00Derby Hat Day<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ca%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.5in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Today is Derby Day.<span style=""> </span>The infamous <a href="http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/lifestyle-entertainment/hat-parade">Kentucky Derby</a> seems to still attract some of the biggest hats imaginable.<span style=""> </span>It seems that hats have always been associated with a day at the racetrack, but they creep into the rest of our lives too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Hats can have great symbolism and can express individual personality like no other piece of clothing.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>They can be functional or decorative.<span style=""> </span>They help one fit in or stand out. <span style=""> </span>They can mark a milestone or achievement.<span style=""> </span>They can even be a symbol of shame.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Hard hats, base-ball caps, and wool stocking caps can keep you safe or keep you cool or warm as weather dictates.<span style=""> </span>Some stunning chapeaus often adorn the heads of women heading to church on Easter Sunday. <span style=""> </span>Picture a sea of graduates wearing mortar boards with tassels<span style=""></span><span style=""></span> and everyone’s heard rumors of the shame of wearing a dunce cap.
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<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Some people wear the same hat all the time, or never wear a hat at all.<span style=""> </span>Some hats are compulsory such as those worn by the military or employees in other industries such as foodservice or construction.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-size:78%;">
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >There are even figures that are famous for their hats.<span style=""> </span>Who hasn’t heard of Dr. Seuss’s <i style="">Cat in the Hat</i>? <span style=""> </span>Images of Uncle Sam always include a hat.<span style=""> </span>And who would Charlie Chaplin be without his derby? Could you picture an old western movie with John Wayne hat-less? </span><span style="font-size:78%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsF9mE3v78sz-chvDBfW_yO0kbUtgDM2q1GtT0LOB6eHoAya_2reBpc2KaunacrRYDE7Cit-ka8UwHzDTo_JOv1OWbsDtSMFtnDZ_qjLcE4pRXBjW25gIAfsAsgMcLMU8ipx0IyHh1mNw/s1600-h/SunHatHawaii.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsF9mE3v78sz-chvDBfW_yO0kbUtgDM2q1GtT0LOB6eHoAya_2reBpc2KaunacrRYDE7Cit-ka8UwHzDTo_JOv1OWbsDtSMFtnDZ_qjLcE4pRXBjW25gIAfsAsgMcLMU8ipx0IyHh1mNw/s320/SunHatHawaii.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331312974878115154" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Different types of hats go in and out of fashion, but they will be around forever. <span style=""> </span>I’m going to pull out one of my favorite hats in honor of the Kentucky Derby and continue the long tradition of fancy hats.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" >Want to see some fancy hats? Check out the ones that this lady makes: <a href="http://www.ladydianehats.com/">http://www.ladydianehats.com/</a>
<br /></span></p> Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4033315991697826024.post-47517888742953152582009-04-12T11:57:00.011-04:002009-04-12T20:27:37.944-04:00Good News<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">In a world where there's talk of economic crisis, failed bailouts, crime, and destruction, it's hard to watch or read the news. While there are occasional news stories that are hopeful and uplifting, they seem to be few and far between. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Today, a day when Christians around the world are celebrating good news, I am encouraged to look for the good news in my own life. This morning, my attention was called to a website, <a href="http://www.happynews.com/">HappyNews.com</a>, that only reports encouraging and uplifting stories. I think I'm going to make it a habit in my daily web surfing to check out positive news stories. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.happynews.com/images/creedo_happyface.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 37px; height: 37px;" src="http://www.happynews.com/images/creedo_happyface.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">HappyNews.com proclaims:</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"> "We believe virtue, goodwill and heroism are hot news. That's why we bring you up-to-the-minute news, geared to lift </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">spirits and inspire lives. Add in a diverse team of Citizen Journalists reporting positive stories from around the world, and you've got one happy place for news."</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />We can't forget all of the negative things in the world, because they affect our lives, but maybe we need to spend more of our time and energy focusing on the positive. It's all in how you look at what you've been given. I plan to find the joy in my cluttered life.</span> </span>Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02872529605280023379noreply@blogger.com0