marketing

Americans are concerned about one of their most beloved treats: peanut butter. The situation was not singular - cases of product contaminated with salmonella were reported since 1985, and instead of declining, the instances only grew: from 168,000 cases in 1985, to 224,000 in 1993 and over 300,000 in 2008 - and products containing infested peanut butter are amongst the main causes in this development. Yet Americans are back and buying, reports say, probably because of the bad shape of the American economy - peanut butter being for many an inexpensive alternative to meat (peanut butter provides protein, vitamins B3... Read More >

There is still a lot people don’t understand about SEO. Most of them expect overnight revenue, overnight search engine placements and all magic answers to their expectations. Then we have the online debates, where some say SEO is ethical, others dispute it as a way to manipulate the search engines in the detriment of the competition. You can find many definitions of “SEO” online, but none of them satisfies the real need of information that puzzles the minds of the Webtrepreneurs. Let me give you my own definition. When you take a book in your hands, what you hold is... Read More >

We recently featured TMG Strategies' pitch as a case of "trick or treat" PR - meaning that the company approached the wrong person (an environmentalist) with the wrong pitch: no more and no less than labeling the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox a "green automobile." The family-friendly car was tested by a few mommy bloggers, and PR companies representing GM started targeting the male audiences as well. The question is, why aren't poppy bloggers jumping on the opportunity to test the cars? Could it be because someone is trying to sell them as "green?" For the folks at TMG Strategies it was... Read More >

This word has long been one of the key attention-getters for PR agencies and marketers. A quick Google search on the word "free" reveals that today one can get many things for free online -- ranging from product samples, to eBooks, to trial subscriptions of services or publications, and much more. Giving away products or services has been a popular marketing strategy over the years, but the key question is does "free" still work as a marketing or PR strategy? The answer to that question is simple, or is it? I'd answer the question with both a "yes" and a... Read More >

Authority - For many public relations campaigns, authority makes the difference between a successful campaign and a failure. You see, you can do everything right in an online campaign - you can write the perfect press release, you can have killer copy, and you can use eye-catching graphics. You can then launch the campaign by uploading it all to your website. However, if nobody responds to your campaign, then you have failed to get your message across. Why might nobody respond if you have done nearly everything right? What could have gone wrong? The missing factor that caused the failure... Read More >

Beginning on December 1, US bloggers and publishers who review products/ services/ websites must disclose any connection with advertisers, including, but not limited at, money, freebies, coupons, etc. The announcement was made on Monday by the American Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Bloggers and publishers who don't comply with the new Guides may face penalties of up to US $11000. The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Endorsements can appear on blogs in any form:... Read More >

We all use them. All of us can identify them. In politics they were originally used to guide the public in making educated decisions on certain political policies and stances. A plan of action and a state-the-facts-and-resolve type of document. For the technology industry, they have become increasingly popular for one main and obvious reason: technology is ever changing. A new technological advance here, an application there, white papers help distribute a great deal of information to the public and create a very quick and concise way to convey it. Business is booming with white papers. They are becoming a... Read More >

Reports of Mercedes Benz sales seem to vary widely in the news lately. Forbes, Bloomberg, the WSJ and many other publications reveal figures that range from a "break even" proposition, to near devastating auto sales for the first 8 months of this year. However, Daimler AG, Mercedes' parent company, appears to be turning over every rock in efforts to find new markets, and plug the wounds of previous made decisions. Even the most conservative reports suggest sales are down as much as 49 percent for some models, with only the E Class models showing any promise. In a statement to... Read More >

Public relations is one of the most important functions of any business obviously. I know, some businessmen might initially have a reaction of; “Who can afford those guys?” especially if they operate a small business. However, public relations is about just this, relating to the public. It is what businesses do whether for themselves (in house), or in retaining experts to do it for them. Reaching the public is not something that an entrepreneur can opt out of, so the key to PR is in the proper valuation of firms and their compatibility with a client. This profession and the... Read More >