by Nicole Ouellette | Aug 16, 2010 | Marketing Monday
Every Monday, Breaking Even looks at a business, website, or non-profit doing cool things online. Have an idea? Contact me and let me know!
It’s easy to do the whole internet marketing bit when things are going well but what about when you have a PR disaster? How do you handle bad press about your company when you’ve made yourself very available online?
Jet Blue had an employee freak out on them last week. He’s been getting tons of press and I don’t feel a need to give him any more.
That said, I do need to say how Jet Blue has handled it seems really great.
They’re keeping calm and carrying on.
The natural instinct when something doesn’t go your way is to disappear for awhile. But JetBlue continues their Twitter customer service and Facebook notifications about news and events.
They briefly and professionally addressed it on their company blog.
It would be weird to completely ignore the controversy but what should you say when you don’t want to be libelous or strangely silent? Read the great blog post solution called ‘Sometimes the weird news is about us…’ They aknowledged what happened and thanked their great employees.
by Nicole Ouellette | Apr 19, 2010 | Marketing Monday
A bit of a break from my normal format, I decided to do a critique of a web advertisement I saw.
The other week, I was looking at Too Cute Tuesday directions on the Instructables website when I came across this ad:
Is that a teenage girl, lying on a bed? I thought I would click through to the website, thinking maybe this wasn’t being marketed to teenage girls.
It doesn’t take a marketing person to see exactly who this site is meant to attract. In cases like these, I hate being wrong.
I know that Zoe Kravitz, the model, is 21 years old and can do whatever she likes but come on. That look. On a bed. Looking like she’s wrapped in sheets )€” until you look close and see that it might be a dress. (This is confirmed in a larger format photograph but still,why did I even have to wonder if she was naked?)
I looked for other people talking about this ad. All I found was a handful of bloggers who sounded like they were quoting a press release about being excited about the new line and enjoying the vanilla and fruity notes of the fragrance. I was starting to feel a bit crazy. Am I getting old and being a stick in the mud about this?
I posed the ad to Facebook, just to see reaction of my friends. Here are a few that reflect the overall sentiment:
My friend Jen, who has a teenage daughter: OMG!!! That is crazy…way to sexualize a 15 year old! Gross
My friend Norah, who is raising a teenage son and daughter: Very tricky raising a daughter with this sort of thing in their face all the time. A bit rough on the sons too.
And my friend Bob, who is a therapist: I’m afraid we’ve become desensitized–being bombarded with this inappropriate stuff all the time. I’m with you…
But this isn’t just about Vera Wang Princess perfume. This is a symptom of a larger problem.
by Nicole Ouellette | Apr 3, 2010 | Marketing Monday
At the end of the week, I write about whatever I want. Because I can.
I’ve been long teased about how much I like Peeps. I figured there was no way they were manufacturing them just for my benefit though!
Peeps are little marshmallow animals with a sugar-y coating on the outside. Yellow chicks are the normal color shape but now you can get all kinds of other shapes and colors. It’s a great time of year for them but you can get them in seasonal varieties for most major holidays now (green trees for example in December). No more waiting for Easter baskets!
My favorite thing to do with my stash is slit open the package and let them age 2-3 weeks so they get a little crisp on the outside. Here are some people who are far more clever:
From my friend John, it was Peeps Sushi from Serious Eats:
All you need is Rice Krisipie squares, Fruit by the Foot, and Peeps to create. For the instructions and more photos, click here.
From my friend Kate, results from the fourth annual Washington Post Peep Diorama contest. (I think they called it that so I’d finally have to learn to spell ‘diorama’). Here’s the winner:
by Nicole Ouellette | Feb 16, 2010 | Too Cute Tuesday
Too Cute Tuesday is a weekly event that involves a craft, a cocktail, and a friendly get together. Join us each week for a different inexpensive craft. Currently there are TCT chapters in Bar Harbor, Maine and Saint Louis, Missouri. If you want to join in on the fun, check out Facebook or contact Nicole.
Mardi Gras always makes me proud to be a French gal. The whole joie de vivre culture, not to mention music, food, and drink, well, it’s a fun time no matter what culture you’re from.
Laissez les bonnes temps rouler!
Materials:
Exacto knife
Takeout chopsticks (for mask handles)
Scissors
Fabric, old costume jewelry, construction paper, ribbon (for decoration)
Glue gun (for hardcore gluing)
1.5 oz. light rum
1.5 oz. dark rum
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice (NOT Rose’s or RealLime)
1/4 cup passion fruit juice, or 1 tablespoon passion fruit syrup
1 tsp. superfine sugar
1 tsp. grenadine
Shake ingredients, serve on ice.
1. Serve happy participants food. I guess I can make good soup after all! Pour hurricanes to go with. Ahhh…
by Nicole Ouellette | Dec 19, 2009 | Personal Finance Tips
It was a pretty good tongue in cheek look at our consumerist culture, which ramps up to new levels during the holiday season. Seeing clips of crazy shopping footage, encouraging television anchors (buy now!), and pervasive holiday commericals all together made me realize just how bad it was. Sometimes I forget about these things since I don’t have cable!
