McDonald's Angus Burger: Upgrading America's Burger

McDonald's Rolls Out $4 Burger: Why?

With the nation in its deepest recession in decades, why would McDonald's pick this moment to launch a $4 burger?

You may have noticed the signs that just went up on some McDonald's drive-through menus: The new Angus burger. It weighs one-third of a pound. It costs four bucks.

In its first-quarter earnings conference call this morning, the company did not say it is rolling out the Angus nationwide, but it did not say it isn't. The company was cagey.

Still, they're starting to pop up -- The Ticker saw the Angus on a menu last Saturday, at a McDonald's on the road from Washington to Morgantown, W.Va.

An upscale product in this climate? What could the company be thinking?

McDonald's has been more than recession-proof. Indeed, the company's current slogan, "I'm lovin' it!" could be amended to read, "The recession -- I'm lovin' it!"

Last year, McDonald's was one of only a handful of publicly traded companies to show a stock gain on the year.

Today's earnings showed a 4 percent gain in net income for the first quarter, a number that would have been higher had the strong dollar not eaten into sales overseas, where McDonald's gets two-thirds of its revenue.

Analysts say McDonald's -- like Wal-Mart, Dollar General and other discounters -- has benefited from a "trade-down" phenomenon during the recession, as cash-strapped Americans stop eating out at Chili's and start eating out at McDonald's.

So why monkey with success? Why roll out a burger that puts your price-point in-line with Fuddrucker's, Red Robin and other high-end burger joints?

McDonald's has been testing the burger at some restaurants since 2007, franchisees report. The company created this site to promote it.

The Ticker called Stifel Nicolaus vice president Steve West, who covers McDonald's and who actually flew to L.A. a couple of years ago to taste-test the Angus, and reports that it's a good burger.

He had a good answer to the "why?" question, but not the "why now?" question.

Nicolaus said that the McDonald's menu has been upgraded over the past few years everywhere across the board -- chicken strips were added to the McNuggets, real salads were added, breakfasts were expanded, sweet tea was added.

Everywhere, that is, except for burgers.

"McDonald's has not had a good burger upgrade in years," West said. Note he said "good," which clearly does not include the ill-fated McDLT, which came packed in enough styrofoam to wreck two ecosystems.

West pointed out that McDonald's has lagged behind rivals such as Burger King, which has its own Angus, in the upscale-burger market. But that's understandable, he said, because McDonald's has identified four areas where it wants to "win:" breakfast, beverages, chicken and drive-through.

Note that "burgers" is not on that list. For many consumers, a fast-food burger is probably a commodity, unless it's got a little upscale to it.

As for why now, "I'm with you. I don't know why now," he said.

West even pointed out some potential stumbling blocks to the Angus roll-out: The company already is in the middle of an expensive launch, the McCafe gourmet coffee project, which is aimed squarely at Starbucks and Caribou Coffee.

Further, he said, adding a new one-third burger adds "much more complexity to the system," he said. "You have more SKUs [stock-keeping units], more stuff in the freezer, more stuff to track."

So we called Hudson Riehle, vice president of research for the National Restaurant Association, who provided one possible answer to the "why now?" question. And it's a counter-intuitive answer, at that.

Riehle said his group's research shows that in recessions, higher-income families that never would have gone to a quick-service restaurant such as McDonalds's are attracted to premium-priced products -- such as a $4 burger.

In other words, McDonald's may actually get new customers with a $4 burger from burger snobs who would never touch a Big Mac but, in this tight-money times, don't feel like dropping $7 for a gourmet burger elsewhere.

"Premium products at quick-service establishments is definitely a trend of the future," Riehle said.

We shall see. Despite its galactic success in just about everything else over the past 50 years, McDonald's does not have a good track record when it tries to fancy-up its burgers. We'll see if this Angus has legs.

-- Frank Ahrens
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By Frank Ahrens | April 22, 2009; 4:55 PM ET

CEO's and Twitter: What they try to achieve through this medium

The Rise of the C-Tweet

Points to Consider for Twitter-Friendly CEOs and CMOs

by Jonathan Paisner

Published: April 21, 2009

Social media has obviously given voice to employees in ways that never existed before. Early corporate bloggers were often brand enthusiasts themselves and tended to "get" the brand a gut level; soon enough, voice and tone guidelines became more actively put in play to govern blog writing. But Twitter is different. The nature of the medium encourages users to transmit an interchangeable mix of musings about life, work, daily observations and whatever else. Employees on Twitter are either designated brand ambassadors or simply have personal accounts -- and these lines of distinction help offer guidance. But that line grays with the advent of the "C-Tweet." C-level execs are part-lead ambassador, part-celebrity. Twitter accounts can build a cult of personality and extend a dynamic that has long existed for top CEOs into a broader set of C-level executives.

Zappos CEO Tony Hseih has come to be considered the gold standard for CEO tweeting, thanks to a comfortable style that leverages both the brand he helped create and his own personal voice.

Photo Credit: Bryan Haraway

Among C-level execs, Twitter holds an allure as a seemingly simple vehicle to communicate thought leadership while staying connected to the market. Yet a daily supply of profundities in 140-character increments is a lot harder to pull off than it sounds. One natural obstacle blogs offered was the demand to actually have to write. Twitter is much less intimidating -- and the immediacy and ostensible intimacy of the platform may suggest that it is perfectly alright for executives to say things ranging from "Wow that was a delicious hamburger! Jalapenos, yum" to "Holding firm in my negotiations with Yahoo right now." And herein lies the greatest challenge of the C-Tweet: Where does the voice of the brand end and the voice of the individual begin?

Notable tweeting CMOs include Jeffrey Hayzlett of Kodak (@jeffreyhayzlett) and Barry Judge of Best Buy (@BestBuyCMO) -- each of whom ties his account closely to his brand. And each interprets the boundaries between the personal voice and the voice of the brand a bit differently. Of course, each brand has different social-media agendas that these executives are trying to push forward -- with variables ranging from the brands themselves and the strategic objectives to the audiences they serve (and aim to serve) and the styles of these individuals. Is there a blueprint for doing this right?

Tony Hsieh (@zappos), Zappos CEO, has come to be considered the gold standard for CEO tweeting, thanks to a comfortable style that leverages both the brand he helped create and his own personal voice. And he has gained a reputation for responsiveness and accessibility via Twitter that has come to epitomize the entire Zappos aesthetic. Padmasree Warrior (@padmasree), Cisco CTO, has also built a successful account on Twitter, finding that balance between business and personal that offers some good, relevant insight into the Cisco brand while putting a very human voice on a heretofore more removed role. While Hsieh's efforts are overtly endorsed by the Zappos brand, Warrior's does not carry the official endorsement of the Cisco brand.

As we see more such accounts in the rise of the C-Tweet, three things to think about:

1.The objective
An executive's objectives for a Twitter account are likely a mix of the brand's interest and self-interest. A simple rule of thumb here: If it is conspicuously endorsed by the brand (via the account name or use of the logo, for example), then the objectives should directly align with the vision and mission of the brand. If the brand is merely a description of the executive's occupation, there is more room for flexibility. And, with an endorsed account in particular, have a discussion with internal counsel to set up some basic legal guardrails before you jump in.

2. The commitment
Twitter is a hungry beast. If you're truly in it, you've got to tweet. Conventional wisdom seems to have it at somewhere between five to 10 tweets per day as the minimum for an active account with a healthy following. Generating 30 to 50 compelling, pithy statements (or links or retweets) each week may sound simple, but it can easily turn into a chore. Carve out time in the day to address this need -- to feed the beast without turning this into a distraction.

3. The exit strategy
Admittedly, this is a tough one -- considering the lifespan of Twitter itself and the questions that may exist around its own future. At the end of the day, an executive's account will be more of a reflection on him or her than it is on the brand. Executive impermanence is a fact of life -- and while creating deeper connections between a brand and its key executives can have tremendous value for partners, customers, analysts, employees and investors, an executive's inevitable departure along with several hundred thousand Twitter followers is likely to sting a bit. A strong Twitter following is becoming a brand asset -- and succession planning for the future of this asset is an important consideration. It may be worthwhile to try to mirror an executive's Twitter following within a more overtly corporate account. Or perhaps encourage junior executives to build their own followings, assuming this does not conflict with the points above.

Twitter is yet another example of where brands have to accept a loss of control. In this case, it is not about putting the brand in the hands of the market but in the hands of the people for whom the brand is their livelihood. A certain amount of letting go is a necessity. We will undoubtedly see a few missteps in C-tweets, and we'll learn and move on. Ultimately, the medium may change but basics of branding still apply -- both for the brands themselves and for their executive stewards: Be true, be relevant, be transparent, respect your brand and your customers, don't make a promise you can't keep.

~ ~ ~
Jonathan Paisner is brand director at CoreBrand. He works with Fortune 500 clients in areas of brand architecture, strategic alliances and brand messaging. CoreBrand clients have included Cisco Systems, AT&T, Internet2, ADP, TV Guide, American Century Investments and BearingPoint.

PepsiCo Mexico Stuffs Cash into Chip Bags!

Tough-to-Swallow Snack Promotion Goes

Down Well

Mexico: Sabritas Cash

By Laurel Wentz

Published: April 06, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Seeking a promotion that would appeal to recession-hit consumers, PepsiCo's Mexican subsidiary Sabritas decided to simply stuff cash into Doritos, Tostitos, Ruffles and other snack packaging.

It was a hit. During the promotion, which started in January, sales were up 18% by value and 20% by units, said Francisco Jimenez, Sabritas' marketing director.

In Mexican slang, lana means cash, so the promotion was dubbed "Sabrilana," or "Sabritas Cash." Almost $4 million in 20-, 50-, 100- and 1,000-peso bills was tucked into snack bags, Mr. Jimenez said.

The basic promise was that one of every two snack packages contained a prize. To remove the incentive for shoppers to simply forage for cash by tearing bags open in the store, and to keep the promotion affordable, the vast majority of packs contained a coupon for a free Sabritas product.

"Sabrilana was tailor-made to face a harsh first quarter, where the global crisis was going to hit the Mexican consumer hard," he said.

Within three weeks, 83% of consumers were aware of the promotion, and the coupon-redemption rate was over 40%, Mr. Jimenez said. The promotion also broadened Sabritas' appeal among older consumers.

To call attention to the promotion, snack bags were wrapped with a bright-blue strip that proclaimed "Cash! More than 47 million pesos in cash! Sabrilana." The company also did a TV, print and outdoor campaign. In the spots, featuring two popular Mexican comedians, one man shows the other a 20-peso bill he won in a Sabritas bag. The second man is amazed, and after some banter, a voice-over explains how the promotion works.

PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division said it recently introduced products from its Sabritas subsidiary in select U.S. Hispanic markets.

Defining 'Get It' When It Comes to U.S. Hispanic Marketing

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An Axis of Hispanic Advertising - The Big Tent - Advertising Age

Defining 'Get It' When It Comes to U.S. Hispanic Marketing
Where Do You Fall: Enlightened or Frightened? Trial or Denial?

Posted by Rochelle Newman-Carrasco on 04.06.09 @ 01:21 PM

Rochelle Newman-Carrasco Rochelle Newman-Carrasco
During the AHAA conference in Vegas this past week, there were several references to those who "get it." These references were either stated outright or implied. For example, right off the bat it was mentioned that the conference co-chairs, Grupo Gallegos' Ken Deutsch and Global Hue's Tracey Decker, were both non-Hispanic (an AHAA conference first). However, there was no doubt about their credibility, as their professional backgrounds have earned them great respect as U.S. Hispanic-marketing specialists.

Then there was an excellent panel featuring the 4A's Nancy Hill, the ANA's Bob Liodice and Adriana Eiriz of the CMO Council. Nancy Hill introduced herself with a comfortable level of bilingualism and shared some personal connections to both Mexico and Ecuador. It was her way of suggesting "I get it." She did not, however, just rely on that. She also spoke about her professional involvement with big agencies, small agencies, holding companies and independents: another "I get it" moment spoken from industry professional to industry professionals.

Bob Liodice acknowledged no ability to speak Spanish and refrained from doing so. In a way, it was also an "I get it" moment, suggesting in his tone and manner that he is well aware that our industry is tired of the uncomfortable and awkward moments when a non-Spanish speaker feels forced to say a few words in Spanish to a bilingual audience for no specific reason other than possibly to pander or brush off some high school memories. He gracefully spared us that. What he didn't say was that in the '80s as a brand manager at General Foods, he was an early adopter of U.S. Hispanic marketing practices in his business strategies. He also went on to join Televisa prior to joining the ANA. In other words, he, too, gets it. The clarity he exhibited during the panel quickly confirmed his level of awareness and interest in building the skill set of ANA members and creating a culture of CMOs that "get it" more often than they don't.

Keynote speaker Angel Martinez, CEO of Decker's Outdoor (home of Uggs and Teva), is of Cuban descent. He spoke of marketing as the rhetoric of business. His rhetorical skills were evident as he eloquently laid out the story of how his career in the shoe industry has informed his philosophies about branding and marketing. Nary a mention of U.S. Hispanic marketing in specific, but there didn't need to be. It was clear that we were being spoken to by someone who "gets it."

The second day included T-Mobile client Tim Switzer, who again, while non-Hispanic, clearly got it. He, too, made an "I get it" reference when he spoke about his past work with Nike and its lack of interest in marketing to Hispanics at a time when soccer was a brand priority. Following this, there was a compelling panel featuring Doug Darfield of Nielsen and Sterling Green, president of Spike DDB. This allowed for a different layer of "get it" to rise to the forefront. The panel addressed commonalities as well as tensions that exist between African-American agencies and U.S. Hispanic agencies, particularly as it relates to fighting over the "crumbs" (to quote Mr. Green) all too often allocated to support those initiatives falling under the convenient but questionable labels of diversity and multiculturalism.

Leaving Las Vegas, I was left wondering what makes the "get it" crowd so capable of accepting targeted marketing based on ethnicity and culture as a valid and important pursuit, vs. those who ignore it or, in some cases, are disdainful of both the marketing technique and of the consumers in question. Undoubtedly, much of what we talk about in conferences and here in the Big Tent becomes actionable when you're dealing with people who get it. Business obstacles are minimized when you're dealing with clients who get it.

Perhaps it's all about personal life experience and upbringing. Certainly that helps, but it can't be all there is. I have worked with many individuals for whom the U.S. Hispanic marketing arena is uncharted territory. Yet professionally they have been able to embrace the value and importance of this segmented marketing opportunity and act upon it. So I set out to classify the types of marketers I've known and see if I could find patterns that exist and qualities that distinguish the "get its" from the "never going to get its."

I drew an axis.

On one end of the horizontal I wrote "Enlightened." On the other end, "Frightened."

On one end of the vertical I wrote "Trial." On the other end, "Denial."

This created four quadrants. Two that "get it" and two that don't. Here's a description of each:

Enlightened and Trial: These are individuals or companies that understand all consumer behavior is influenced by culture and that have specific insight into the cultural nuances that define the U.S. Hispanic market, both collectively and in all of its various segmented forms. They are open to Hispanic marketing opportunities, so they embrace them on behalf of their brands, and they keep digging deeper. They are busy doing what marketers do: trying things. Creating initiatives that are well thought out, supporting them and activating them in order to generate desired or even unexpected results. Which sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, but that's not their sole measure of success. They're also measuring success by evaluating how their levels of enlightenment help to drive innovation and how their commitment to stay curious propels them to try new things.

Frightened and Trial: These are the individuals or companies that are, often justifiably, concerned about making mistakes or offending consumers. Perhaps they have heard horror stories about failed programs or poor agency partnerships. Nonetheless, they are willing to get over their fears and put possibilities in front of perfectionism. These are the brands that are trying to build their knowledge bases but don't get stuck in analysis paralysis. In my experience, their efforts to enter uncharted territory or to innovate in spite of their fears are often richly rewarded. This is the category into which I would say most early adopters fall. U.S. Hispanic marketing is full of many success stories from clients who started in or even currently exist in this quadrant.

Frightened and Denial: This category is tricky, because these clients/companies can often look like their Frightened/Trial counterparts. The difference is that they will never greenlight a program. They will, however, have their agency partners jump through hoop after hoop to bring them data and persuasive arguments that they say might change their positions. Nonetheless, their positions never change. No matter what is brought before them, they will not invest in this space. Their motives may range from professional lack of interest to personal objections that they are not willing to admit. Some, for example, are concerned that marketing to Hispanics will damage their brands vis-a-vis the non-Hispanic population, although they'll never tell you that. They live in fear and are often found keeping their heads in the sand.

Enlightened and Denial: Finally, there are those who know all the data, all the facts, and don't quarrel with them. They simply don't want to associate their brands with Spanish-speaking consumers for a variety of reasons, including a personal belief that English should be the official language of the U.S. Talk to them about bilingual consumers who are reached in English, and they'll reject the notion that these consumers are at all distinct from any other English-speaking consumer being targeted via existing methodologies. Whether you agree with them or not, they are at least straightforward and forthcoming in their approach. They won't waste your time like the Frightened/Denials will. They are simply not interested, and they will let you know that so you can save resources and move on.

I should add that not all non-participants in U.S. Hispanic marketing are in denial. There are those who choose not to allocate dollars toward the U.S. Hispanic market in any specifically targeted way, and do so purely based on sound business practices. Sometimes there are legitimate business reasons governed by the realities of a specific brand that make it impossible to allocate budget specifically toward a Hispanic marketing program. (I can't think of any, but I do know they exist.) If this is your situation, you owe it to yourself to make sure your decisions are not rooted in denial but rather in smart decisions driven by adequate analysis and discovery. The measure of whether you are in a Denial or Trial quadrant is if your willingness to address the U.S. Hispanic market would flourish if you were in charge of a different product or service line where the upside potential of the Hispanic marketing opportunity could not be called into question.

So, ask yourself: When it comes to U.S. Hispanic marketing, do you get it? Are you working with people who get it? Do you think there is anything to get? If you want to share, I'd love to hear what "getting it" means to you.

Gatorade Sues Powerade for False Advertising - Advertising Age - News

Gatorade Sues Powerade for False Advertising

Says Coke Brand's Campaign Misleads Consumers Into

Thinking Pepsi Beverage Is 'Incomplete'

By Natalie Zmuda

Published: April 13, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- PepsiCo's Gatorade brand today filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola's Powerade, alleging false advertising, trademark dilution, deceptive acts and practices, injury to business reputation, and unfair competition. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, takes Powerade to task for its new advertising campaign, first reported by Advertising Age.

PepsiCo claims Coca-Cola's campaign for Powerade Ion4 is 'a calculated, intentional strategy designed to falsely and viciously attack the readily-identifiable market leader, Gatorade.'

In its suit, Gatorade asserts that the campaign misleads consumers and overstates the product benefits of its Powerade Ion4. The campaign positions Powerade's newly reformulated drink as the "complete sports drink." Billboards, digital efforts and an ESPN cover, which was criticized by ASME, picture half of a Gatorade bottle with the text "Don't settle for an incomplete sports drink."

Powerade is seeking to set itself apart by touting its drink as containing four electrolytes -- sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium -- while Gatorade's formula contains just two electrolytes, sodium and potassium. Gatorade's suit takes issue with Powerade's positioning, noting the "miniscule" amounts of calcium and magnesium that are part of the new formulation. "There is no evidence that the minute quantities of magnesium and calcium present in Powerade Ion4 make it superior to Gatorade in any way," the complaint states.

'No evidence' of Powerade's claims
"As the category leader, we have a responsibility to ensure consumers are accurately informed about the benefits of a sports drink. And the truth is, scientists say there is no evidence that Powerade Ion4 is a more complete sports drink than Gatorade," PepsiCo said in a statement. "This claim is complete in only one way -- it is completely false."

Beyond that, Gatorade takes issue with the creative, from New York-based Ammirati, calling its depictions of Gatorade bottles "mutilated" and "distorted." Gatorade is seeking to preliminarily and permanently enjoin Powerade from running the campaign. It also seeks corrective advertising and damages. "[Powerade's] entire advertising campaign for Powerade Ion4 is a calculated, intentional strategy designed to falsely and viciously attack the readily identifiable market leader, Gatorade, in the hopes of unfairly gaining precious market share," the lawsuit states.

Coca-Cola spokesman Scott Williamson said, "We stand behind our product and are prepared to defend the role that Powerade plays in hydrating consumers."

Tropicana Line's Sales Plunge 20% Post-Rebranding - Advertising Age - News

Tropicana Line's Sales Plunge 20% Post-Rebranding

OJ Rivals Posted Double-Digit Increases as Pure Premium Plummeted

By Natalie Zmuda

Published: April 02, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Tropicana's rebranding debacle did more than create a customer-relations fiasco. It hit the brand in the wallet.

The new Tropicana Pure Premium packaging (right) had been on the market less than two months before the company scrapped the redesign.
The new Tropicana Pure Premium packaging (right) had been on the market less than two months before the company scrapped the redesign.

After its package redesign, sales of the Tropicana Pure Premium line plummeted 20% between Jan. 1 and Feb. 22, costing the brand tens of millions of dollars. On Feb. 23, the company announced it would bow to consumer demand and scrap the new packaging, designed by Peter Arnell. It had been on the market less than two months.

A swift reversal
Now that the numbers are out, it's clear why PepsiCo's Tropicana moved as fast as it did. According to Information Resources Inc., unit sales dropped 20%, while dollar sales decreased 19%, or roughly $33 million, to $137 million between Jan. 1 and Feb. 22. Moreover, several of Tropicana's competitors appear to have benefited from the misstep, notably Minute Maid, Florida's Natural and Tree Ripe. Varieties within each of those brands posted double-digit unit sales increases during the period. Private-label products also saw an increase during the period, in keeping with broader trends in the food and beverage space.
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Watch Peter Arnell Explain His Failed Tropicana Package Design

The entire refrigerated-orange-juice category posted flat unit sales and a 5% decline in dollar sales during the period. As the leader in the category, it makes little sense that Tropicana Pure Premium would see such a drastic sales decline while the category remained relatively flat, industry experts said. Through Feb. 22, Tropicana Pure Premium accounted for about a third of sales in the refrigerated-orange-juice category.

Tropicana: no connection
A spokeswoman for Tropicana in an e-mail said, "No dots to connect here." The company did not respond to further requests for comment.

"It surprises me that their performance is so different from the rest of the category," said Gary Hemphill, managing director-chief operating officer at Beverage Marketing Corp. "It's a little tough to draw conclusions over such a short period of time. But I would say that's unusual."

Mr. Hemphill said typically when a beverage brand undergoes a rebranding it signals increased marketing expenditures and leads to improved performance, at least in the short term. "It gets people to look at the brand again and brings some kind of news and excitement around the brand," he added.

Tropicana had certainly sought to create excitement around the Pure Premium rebrand, announcing Jan. 8 a "historic integrated-marketing and advertising campaign ... designed to reinforce the brand and product attributes, rejuvenate the category and help consumers rediscover the health benefits they get from drinking America's iconic orange-juice brand."

'Black eye'
Beverage experts were hard pressed to think of another major brand that had pulled the plug on such a sweeping redesign as swiftly as Tropicana. "It's a black eye when you have to backtrack that quickly," said Bob Goldin, exec VP at Technomic. "There must be [another example] but nothing comes to mind. [Tropicana] is a big brand, and it was a big restage. This is something that I'm sure they were not happy about."

While it's impossible to say whether Tropicana has permanently lost share, as a result of the blunder, competitors are likely taking note. "We think the Minute Maid brand has opportunity for growth, and we're working hard to make that happen," said Ray Crockett, a Coca-Cola spokesman.

The Brewers Look to the Dollar Menu to Deliver Value...

Taken from PartnershipActivation.org

Friday, March 20, 2009 at 07:56PM

Are you looking to make your events more affordable for fans? Are you looking for new ways to spike concessions sales?

The Milwaukee Brewers are responding to the concerns of their cash-strapped fans by recently announcing that they will offer a $1 menu concession stand at Miller Park during the 2009 season. The stand, which will not be open for every game during the season (including the team's season opener against the Chicago Cubs), will offer hot dogs, a 12-ounce soda, a 24-ounce tub of popcorn, a small ice cream cone, and a large cookie all for $1 apiece.

The Brewers can afford to offer such a deal because the team's ticket sales initiative has been so strong heading into 2009 - the team reached one (1) million tickets sold faster than at any other time in team history (despite the current economic decisions).

The dollar menu initiative is a great way for the team to sincerely demonstrate its appreciation of the commitment the team's fans have shown in the past few months despite all of the economic hardships. However, Brewers fans looking to capitalize on this great value can expect long lines throughout the season with the team slated to only offer one (1) stand for consumers to take advantage of at Miller Park.

With the 2009 baseball season set to begin in just a few days, expect the Brewers' dollar menu initiative to be modeled throughout the industry. The San Diego Padres recently announced that they will be offering a "Five for $5" concessions initiative in 2009 where consumers can receive a regular hot dog, a 22-ounce soda, a medium bag of popcorn, a small bag of peanuts, and a large cookie for just $5 (providing $8-$10 in savings for consumers). Check back for more price point promotions being implemented by MLB teams at the concessions stand!

MCD Billboard

This has to be one of the coolest billboards I've ever seen! Check it out!

Internet: Communication: Confessions of the Facebook addict

Confessions of the Facebook addict - Opinion

This is a really interesting article on the way our generation communicates. Being in the internet marketing industry, I am online all day, everyday. I interact on a daily basis this change and how our generation now relies, almost completely, on social networks to keep our friends up to date. It is a smaller, faster moving world in which ideas travel with the touch of a fingertip. New web-based applications dedicated to keeping our friends informed such as Vibe.com, Pounce.com, the new AOL vSide Beta Application, and Twitter.com pop up almost daily.