Follow that Lemming!

Even though this little blog is less than a month old, I have decided to start a new blog. Follow that Lemming! will be my take on the wonderful world of advertising and creative.

While there is certainly a strong link between the worlds of advertising and marketing, I would like to keep the Tenacious Marketer focused on marketing issues. Running two blogs may be a task, but I enjoy a good challenge!

Blog Rant: Learn to write!

We're all professionals here. We're astute marketers offering sage advice. People turn to us for our guidance and expertise. Many of us strive to better understand our craft. We network. We research. We join industry forums. We do this because we want to become better marketers.

Why is it that when we create our online professional personas, professionalism seems to fly out the window. I have spent the past couple of hours visiting various forums and blogs. While on my little online excursion, I kept stumbling upon threads, posts and comments written in a text/instant messaging format. I'm sure there's a proper term for this, it's just not coming to mind at the moment.

It seems that there are a few of us who seem to think that this type of technological casualness is appropriate in less-than-casual settings. For example, you wouldn't dream of attending a business meeting in cut-off shorts and flip-flops. But some of us don't think twice about writing something along this line:

hi, i need sum hlp plz. im new 2 mktg and need sum ideas 4 a slogan.

Come on, you've seen this before. You may even be guilty. But truth be told, I tend not take posts -- or posters -- who generate this drivel, very seriously. If you don't take yourself very seriously, why should anyone else? Now, I can understand the occassional typo or misspelling, but this is ridiculous.

So please, do us all a favor. Show a little professional courtesy.

Toys 'R' Us New Year Baby marketing snafu

There is just something about a newborn baby that brings a smile to one's face. Their innocence. Their vunerability. The mere fact that they're cuddly and cute. Even the idea that something mar such a perfect picture is enough boil anyone's blood. Bring in one of the world's largest toy retailers, and you've got the makings of a sordid tale.

Here's the scoop. Toys "R" Us and sibling company, Babies "R" Us, decided to launch a "First Baby of the Year" sweepstakes. The first baby born in 2007 would win a grand prize savings bond worth $25,000. Sounds great, huh. It's the perfect campaign to kick off the new year, add a baby to the picture and you can't miss! The marketing and PR departments must have been drooling. (Sorry, couldn't help myself!)

What could possibly go wrong? Well, the official Babies "R" Us press release calls for "all expectant New Year's moms... with a due date on or around January 1" to register for a chance at the big prize. Problem is the mother of the first baby of the new year was not a legal U.S. citizen. The prize was initially awarded to baby Yuki Lin, who was born at the stroke of midnight at New York Downtown Hospital. After the sweepstakes administrator was informed of baby Yuki's mother's immigration status, the prize was revoked and awarded to another child. Apparently there was a clause in the official rules that the mother must be an American citizen. Hmmm.

Taking candy or anything away from a baby has never been viewed as a wise choice. So, naturally Chinese-American advocates protested loudly. Not that I blame them. It was indeed an utterly stupid move on behalf of Toys "R" Us. Seriously, what the hell were you guys thinking?

After much scathing publicity, the company decided to reverse its moronic decision late Saturday evening. "We love all babies," the company said in a written statement Saturday. "Our sweepstakes was intended to welcome the first baby of 2007 and prepare for its future. We deeply regret that this sweepstakes became a point of controversy." Uh-huh.

Well, better late than never. For more on this, read Toys 'R' Us flip-flops, gives 3 babies New Year prize.

A quick introduction...

I’ve spent well over a decade working in the ubiquitous realm of marketing and advertising. It definitely takes a wry sense of humor and ninja-like skills to navigate this quirky industry. You’ve got to have a thick skin, a quick wit and the ability to handle daily deadline pressure to survive. And trust me, only the strong survive.

This blog will be my venue to explore whatever catches my fancy or earns my wrath. Together, we’ll explore marketing mindsets, case studies and the like. That said, I hope that we’ll be able to perhaps gain a better understanding of our profession.