Newseum

So I might have mentioned it a time or two, but last week I was in Washington, D.C.  During the trip I saw many incredible things and visited many wonderful places.  

One place that stood out from the rest for me was the Newseum.  I'm sure it has something to do with my chosen profession.

This fairly new museum has everything to do with our first amendment right to freedom of religion, speech, press and the right of the people to peaceably petition the government.

This interactive museum holds up to five centuries of news history, 15 theaters and 14 major galleries.  The kids in my group had a blast at the Interactive Newsroom where they played correspondents at the White House, as well as weathermen and women.  A definite must see when visiting our nation's capital!  We spent two hours there but could have easily spent another two to three more.

A big standout for me was the 9/11 Gallery. A piece of the metal structure sits in the center of the room where front page headlines of the day cover an entire wall.  It almost stops you in your tracks. Once you enter the area you see a piece of the Pentagon and Jet that crashed in Pennsylvania.

 

Moving around the room you then notice a tribute to a photographer who ran to the towers to catch the unfolding tragedy only to perish. His camera, glasses, film, notepad and credentials are encased in a glass display. Very moving and it brought back all those feelings I felt almost eight years ago.

On a lighter note, being a dog lover, one of my other favorites was the First Dogs exhibit where photos of presidents and the pooches align the wall.  I loved that President Johnson named his dogs Him and Her.  What a dry sense of humor he must of had, at least I hope that's what he was going for. 

Ways to Have a Charitable Valentine's Day

Give a gift that is truly from the heart.  Charities all over are feeling the economic pinch so why not help ease their burden this Valentine's Day. Here are some ways you can share a little piece of your heart with those who will truly love you for it:

1. The holiday of love sparks thousands of wedding proposals.  Getting married?   Why not register through the I Do Foundation.
2. Not engaged?  You can still get engaged in your community.  Columbus' City budget has been slashed.  That means, rec centers and senior centers are closing.  Why not look into ways to help the children and elderly who will be loosing the places they've come to enjoy.
3. Will you be my Volunteer?  Sign up to volunteer for a non-profit organization.  You can find volunteer needs at Volunteer Match or The Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio needs volunteers for their Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras event.  Details here.
4. Spring Cleaning is just around the corner.  Why not start a little early and donate old clothes to The Salvation Army or Goodwill.
5. Need to buy flowers or a Valentine's gift for your loved one?  Why not shop on-line through Good Shop where the charity of your choice will receive a percentage donation from the sale.
6. Even though the environment is green, show is a little red and love the environment. Start recycling, pick up trash on the street, conserve water and electricity.
7. Give Blood.  There are plenty of blood drives in Columbus Valentine's week.  Find out where here. 
8. We all love our four legged friends.  The Paws to Party event might be sold out, but you can still adopt an animal at the Winter Adopt-A-Thon at the PetSmart Stores on Polaris Parkway and Sawmill Road.

These are just a few ideas to show support and love for non-profits in our community.  Any other ideas?  Send us a comment, we'd love to hear them.

Christmas Gift Idea- Pooch Portrait

A very talented and creative friend of mine has come up with a product that I just had to share.  Jennifer Beck is a photographer and graduate of Columbus College of Art & Design and she is selling these hilarious portraits of YOUR pet in the early 1900s.  For the best quality, she will come and photograph your dog and then magically transform them to antique photos.  (photoshop is like magic, right?)   On the left are a few of her pieces.  What a perfect gift- hurry she may be able to get a few orders in time for Christmas!  (Be sure to tell her Coley referred you)

For info and pricing, contact jbeck@go.ccad.edu  

Bark Obama

Now that the election is over the Obama family will being preparing for their move into the White House.  With a promise by their father, the girls should enter the White House with a new dog in tow.

Speculations of what breed to choose and all types of advice are circulating the news.  We'd like to weigh in giving our advice.  Not with the type of breed but instead how to get the breed.

Iams created a cause marketing campaign that we love - Home 4 the Holidays.  'Tis the season for giving, why not give a dog through pet adoption.  Together with actress Felicity Huffman, Iams wants to save the lives of 1 million pets this holiday season.

So President-elect Obama, if you or your people see this post, consider giving your girls a dog through this worthwhile cause.  You'll enter the White House appealing to even more people, possibly winning the hearts of those that didn't vote for you.

Pedigree Adopt A Dog Drive

Pedigree has found a way to touch dog owners individually, rather than masses of people. It is the perfect example of a unique campaign using a powerful passion point.

The Pedigree Adopt A Dog Drive Foundation has several components but the part that made an imPRession on me is the "Million Dog Mosaic." On the Pedigree website http://www.pedigree.com/03Adoption/Million%20Dog%20Mosaic/Default.aspx , visitors are encouraged to upload a photo of their dog to be added to a mosaic. A code is given so that the photo can be found among all of the pictures. (My code is stevie6 feel free to check him out). The beauty is that for every dog photo that is uploaded Pedigree donates $1 to their Foundation.

This campaign is engaging for so many reasons..
I got to show off a photo of my dog, see photos of other adorable dogs, take part in helping to find homes for shelter dogs, and I got to share the opportunity with others. Looking around on the website made me want to get involved with a local shelter, buy Pedigree dog food, and donate to the cause. (Man, I am a sucker.)

And Pedigree also benefits for many reasons... aligning themselves with this cause improves their image, as web numbers increase, brand awareness increases, they are collecting email addresses of their target audience- dog lovers... to sum it up, they are drawing in new customers and pleasing them.

Can you think of any other "interactive" campaigns like this?

Using pets for your brand's success

Over 43.4 billion dollars is estimated to be spent in the US on pets this year! That's up from $41.2 billion in 2007.

Pet owners have money to spend and they don't think twice about spending very generously. Yes, this is favorable for the pet industry, but other company's are jumping on the pet band wagon in order to connect to new customers.

If you want to tap into this vast group with a deep passion and a big wallet why not try these tips to enhance your brand awareness:

1. Feature pets in your ads and messages - who can resist a cute puppy
2. Create products that can intersect with pets - posh pet hotel packages are all the rage
3. Create brand extensions for pets - how about a brand specific dog sweater or collar with your brand image
4. Host a social event around a pet - dog parks are the newest hot spot for dogs and their owners. Great for word of mouth networking.

Visit the Franklin County Dog Shelter site see a listing of the Columbus Ohio area dog parks:
http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/commissioners/ancl/programs/shelter_dog_parks.cfm

Capitalizing on our Canines

Colleen is right - dogs are a HUGE passion point. So many people treat their dogs incredibly well, like their children. They really are part of the family!!

The market is booming with many doggy boutiques where you can buy anything from apparel, to treats, to the best bling any dog could want. Worthington, Ohio based Moochie and Co. http://www.moochieandco.com/moochie/ has thought of everything to pimp out your pooch! But not only are they making a profit on their products at their various stores in the Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton, Michigan and Indianapolis areas they also give back and support local rescue groups, shelters, and animal organizations through monetary donations, in-kind contributions, volunteerism, as well as welcoming these groups into their stores.

Our hats go off to this wonderful company for providing us with products to spoil our furry children as well as for helping our local four-legged friends!

Here's my puppness extraordinaire - Cora. I told her she was going to be famous and to get ready to share her pawtograph with the world!

Colleen's Passion Point.... STEVIE

I don't carry him around when I am shopping at Fendi, socializing at charity events, or walking down the red carpet, but I do have to say, Stevie, my chihuahua is the love of my life (my husband isn't into blogging- he'll never know that he's my #2). If I hear someone mention a chihuauhua on tv, see a "wittle guy" on a walk, or meet someone who shares my affinity for the breed, my ears perk and I am immediately interested. It is embarrassing, but it is a perfect demonstration of a common marketing buzz word... "passion point." Sports, art, music and animals are a few common examples associated with the phrase. Camping, beer drinking, relaxing with friends may also be passion points. Side note- those things were also captured in this photo with Stevie (but cropped out).

What are your passion points? How can they be used in the marketing world?