Posts by Zoe Mayes, Administrative Assistant

A Few Products That Are Cheaper Today Than They Were 10 Years Ago

February 1st, 2011 by

Due to inflation, what cost a buck in 2000 would cost $1.27 today. Some product prices have not kept up with inflation, and in some cases, are even cheaper today than 10 years ago.

WalletPop found some of these items and teamed up with Mint.com to show some of the top items on the list.

Some of the possible explanations are market competition helped to minimize the increase for example; aspirin and airfare. The price of WalMart stock though was directly affected by the market collapse.

Another company that had difficulty increasing prices enough in the face of a recession was Harley-Davidson and its Sportster motorcycle. A couple of other companies found ways to lower cost of production items, allowing more value for a better price. Sears paint and Volkswagen Golf are likely examples of this.

Here is a list of some products that sell for less today than what we might expect, given inflation since 2000.

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Escapist Movies – What the Public Wants In Troubled Times

February 1st, 2011 by

At times such as these, when the media’s focuses are on terrorist threats at home and abroad, joblessness, and the gulf oil spill, the public chooses  movies offering the best chance of getting away from all the negative news.

Studios have reaped the rewards. Over the last several years, they have released movies that have had enormous success by creating a fantasy environment to where we can escape – Twilight, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings are key examples. Not to mention Avatar, which has grossed $2.7 billion worldwide.

It seems that people want to forget current problems, even for a few hours. 

This all reinforces the current consumer sentiment and adds to the barrage of mistrust and skepticism lately – oil spills, tainted dog food/milk, greedy banks, corrupt mortgage brokers, shuttered local businesses. People today need to find an escape from some of these hard realities.

As we create and implement brand promises, we must strive to help our clients fulfill their promises to consumers so that as to not become another one to fail the people.

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Census participation

February 1st, 2011 by

Did you know that as of April 21, the 2010 census national participation rate was 71% with Nevada trailing at 67%? In 2000 the national rate was 72% and Nevada was 69%.   

 To see the participation rates among other states in real time, click here:

Click on Take Part to see how social media such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube is being used for the first time to push census participation.

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Kraft campaign hardly cheesy

February 1st, 2011 by

Gwen’s Gem

In a new campaign, Kraft Foods is targeting adults to get them back to buying and eating their entire Kraft Macaroni and Cheese line.

They want grown-ups to get the blues in the night, and in the afternoon and at snack time, too.  The blues are the familiar boxes that we see in the stores.

They want adults to remember it’s the taste they have grown to love. To underline that message, the campaign carries the playful them, “You know you love it,” and continues with lines such as “The most fun you can have with your stove on,” “Outgrow outgrowing it,” “Imported from your childhood” and “Parents need warm cheesy hugs.”

The campaign began with a commercial during the ninth-season finale of American Idol. There will be other TV commercials; print ads; billboards; online ads; a website, youknowyouloveit.com; a presence in social media like Facebook and Twitter; and even “noodle art” – replicas of macaroni noodles, 20 feet long and 9 feet high – placed in and around landmarks like Fisherman’s Wharf and Wrigley Field.                    

The company intends to spend more than $50 million this year to promote their products, an increase of more than 30 percent from last year.

It was one of my favorite foods growing up and still is.

 

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Some fun Thanksgiving crafts

December 21st, 2010 by

 There are signs of the change of the season is occurring with some of the trees changing colors, bushes showing off their fall colors and the desert cooling down. This is the beginning of the holiday season, and Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year.

Here are a couple of craft ideas that you might want to consider doing with your children to teach them about being thankful and let them have fun at the same time.

Giving Thanks Place Mats

The goal of this craft is to create a collage filled with drawings and pictures of all the things your children are thankful for. Cut photos from magazines or print some photos from your computer. Older children can write captions under the photos or draw their own. Be sure to put the child’s name and year on it.

If you make this collage from two standard letter-size pieces of construction paper taped side-by-side, you can take the completed collage to a copy shop when you’re done and have it laminated. It then becomes a placemat that you can use every Thanksgiving for years to come.

Turkey Apple

Turkey apples are a fun craft to make with the kids as well as a healthy snack. You will need an apple, six toothpicks, one large marshmallow and five miniature marshmallows, as well as some raisins and one piece of candy corn for each turkey.

Set the apple stem up on a flat surface. Stick a toothpick in the top part of one side of the apple. Add the large marshmallow to the top of the toothpick. Decorate the face of the turkey with two raisins as eyes and stick the candy corn in upside down into the marshmallow to make the beak.

Thread each of the remaining toothpicks with three raisins, and then top it off with one of the miniature marshmallows. These will be the tail feathers of your turkey. Stick the four toothpicks, evenly spaced, on the opposite side of the top of the apple.

“Have an attitude of gratitude in all things.” This is a saying submitted by Carol Aston, Pa., to the Dove® candy company. It was selected and put into a candy wrapper. I think it’s a saying worth remembering.

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