Does This Spit Up Make Me Look Fat?

Yesterday I was in the kitchen with Beth taking a breather from the younguns and had a laugh. Beth told me that I had spit-up on my shoulder. Pepper's last burping session came with a prize and I was the lucky winner. I looked at it for a second but since it wasn't a big deal shrugged my shoulders and went back around my business. Then Beth said, "If it makes you feel any better I've got poop on my shirt."

That's right! We've reached the point where getting the kids asleep/fed/bathed/quiet/off each other's throats is more important than how we look. THIS is parenthood. THIS is why a parent's wardrobe freezes at a certain point and never gets any better. THIS is why I'll never have a truly "white" shirt again.

Parents will stop traffic, ford rivers, take on a pack of wild dogs and risk life and limb to wipe a child's mouth and/or nose but find it perfectly acceptable to go around with dirty pants, shirts and hair. THIS is parenthood.

TraxMedia Re-BOOT

Its time for a re-fresh. I've settled into a wonderful job with Smucker's and thought that I'd get back to sharing more of the "defining moments" that inspired this blog.

Kraft Earnings Take A Hit, Store Brands On The Rise

Kraft just reported a 72% drop in earnings during 2008 - the majority during the last quarter. Consumers are cutting back in a lot of ways and turning more to store brands to save money. However, Kraft still plans on increasing its marketing budget to 8% of its total budget (up from 7% last year).

Very smart move! The best way to counter store brand growth is to emphasize the value in the Kraft: Consumers have to believe that they get more value and better products if they spend the additional money. Brandweek reports that, "Kraft will rely on product innovations and value marketing to drive growth behind its brands.

Surprisingly Product Recalls Don't Change Eating Habits

In the wake of the ever-expanding peanut butter recalls I found this news surprising and a little troubling.

The Washington Post reports that, on the whole, Americans will alter their habits over the short term but revert to regular practises once the news swell has passed. Why? Psychologists theorize that "learned helplessness" is to blame.

"Few consumers, if any, had heard of the Peanut Corporation of America, the company responsible for the [current peanut butter] outbreak. Yet the Blakely, Ga.-based company sold its products to more than 70 name-brand firms that used them for foods including cookies, pet food, ice cream and cereal. With the possible spread of tainted product so wide, consumers tend to believe that they can't do anything about it and their response is not to try. When faced with a perceived helplessness consumers tend to carry on with regular behaviour despite the risks.

Trekaroo Helps Families With Kids Plan Vacations

Here's one for the kids (and parents with kids). Trekaroo is a travel planning site targeted specifically at parents with children. The site offers travel tips, top cities for families, kid-approved activities, in depth reviews and a chat option for parents to connect and discuss.

Mashable's take: "Although Trekaroo doesn’t marvel us with any spectacular new technology, we think that parents could really benefit from the knowledge base of an active community of family travelers." I agree! The chat feature helps get answers from a community of parents that have been there and done that.

Pasta Is Cheap Eats

Consumption of pasta is up across the board. Sales, volume and revenues all rose during 2008 as increasingly strapped consumers turned to the staple.

But Peter Smith, chief executive of Harrisburg, Pa.-based New World Pasta, which makes Ronzoni, said that the current economic situation has caused people to rediscover pasta. I know our family is eating more and more these days.

From the Houston Chronicle/AP

Whats In A Name... Your Last Name?

Something very cool for all the family history buffs out there. Dynastree allows you to more sense of your lineage, by tracing the roots of your surname. They have a new surname mapping feature that allows you to see the geographical dispersion of your last name across the country. Check out your surname map. Adams is #30 on the list of most frequent surname in the U.S. and there are folks with the name in all 50 states (Texas has the most). Very cool.

Thanks Mashable

Super Bowl Ads Step Up Their Digital Game

On Super Bowl Sunday viewers will huddle around their TVs to experience what has become the advertising industry's biggest day. This year, however, advertisers are looking to get their money's worth by leveraging new digital technologies designed to "make the most of the short exposure their ads will get on the Feb. 1 game broadcast."

The Wall Street Journal reports that several updated and new technologies will be on display. "Interactive TV ads, sophisticated search strategies, Web-only outtakes, mobile-phone applications and social-networking campaigns" will all have their 30 seconds in the sun. These new extensions and applications are advertiser's way of stretching their marketing dollars and using digital technologies to give their ads an audience before, during and (hopefully) long after the Super Bowl champ is crowned.

This year's philosophy can be summed up by Matt Ramella, manager of media and digital marketing for Anheuser-Busch InBev. "We're definitely trying to change our mind-set to use mass TV in a more efficient and effective way... Digital extensions pick up where mass media leaves off."

Personally, I'm pulling for the underdogs - successful digital extensions and the Arizona Cardinals!

Economy Slows Organic Food Growth

The economy is causing consumers to watch their budgets and question their commitment to organic food. The increased pressure on food budgets has slowed the growth of the organic food segment but it is still growing. Sales in December were up 5.6%, compared with 25.6% a year earlier.

Reuters reports that "most people who purchased organic foods were very committed" despite slowing growth in the sector. Tom Pirovano, director of The Nielsen Co. said, "I'm not convinced that we are going to see big declines in organics any time soon." I hope that the growth of the organic food is not a fad but the current economic will definitely put the viability of the segment to the test.

Delete Feature For YouTube Comments - Sweet!

YouTube now offers a "Delete" feature for all your posted comments so you can remove all your less-than-profound nuggets. May I suggest we all take some time to remove all the "Sweet!" and "Killer vid" comments we've made on videos we thought were cool back in the day.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids Are The New Black, Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are SOO Last Year

A recent American Heart Association science advisory said that Omega-6 fatty acids, found in some vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, can lead to a lower incidence of heart disease. The findings of the study put the omega-6 debate to rest and recommend that people get 5% to 10% of their calories from omega-6 fatty acids.

According to the Washington Post, the benefit of omega-6 fatty acids has been the subject of debate because "arachidonic acid, a component of omega-6 fatty acids, is a building block for some inflammation-related molecules, and there have been fears that it might increase the risk of heart disease."

"That reflects a rather naive understanding of the biochemistry," said William S. Harris, director of the Metabolism and Nutrition Research Center of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. "Omega-6 fatty acids give rise to both pro-inflammatory compounds and anti-inflammatory compounds. To say that they are bad because they produce pro-inflammatory compounds ignores the fact that they give rise to anti-inflammatory compounds as well."

Kellogg Tests New Cereal Box

The Kellogg company is testing a new "space saving" cereal box that AdAge predicts will "redefine the cereal aisle." The box holds the same amount of product and uses 8% less raw materials. This is Kellogg's biggest change to its boxes since the 1950's.

This move is heralded as a new solution to consumer space concerns in the kitchens but - please forgive me for being a skeptic - it sounds like a way to prepare consumers for less product in a new and improved smaller box. In 2007 several companies redesigned their packages and touted environmental benefits to consumers while at the same time cutting product sizes. Kellogg could be taking a two step approach so keep your eyes on the product weight in the snazzy new boxes.

Are you the Most Powerful Person on Facebook?

Facebook Grader is a way to rank yourself and others on Facebook. The Grader gives you a grade out of 100 "compared to all the other users of the service." Your ranking is calculated by the number of friends you have, the relative "power" of your network and how complete your profile is.

User beware! Your score will probably make you depressed for the rest of the day. I got a 9... no numbers left out... NINE... OUT OF 100! Yikes. My friends and I have work to do!!!

A Mashable blogger received a score of 86. Thanks a lot, HubSpot! You beat me up, tore down my KISS poster and made me feel all bad about myself.

2008: Year of the Incredible Shrinking Packaging, 2009: Year of the Incredible Rising Prices

Just in case you haven't noticed or heard from the media - the packaging of your favorite products shrunk in 2008 but you still paid the same amount. This year it looks like the prices of the smaller packages will be on the rise.

During 2008 thousands of almost imperceptible changes crept into the grocery isle. Some much-decried examples:

• The "bubble" in jars of Skippy peanut butter jar got more indented, turning an 18-ounce jar into a 16.3-ounce one


• Bryers ice cream containers shrank by one-quarter of a quart


• Containers of Tropicana orange juice got 7 ounces lighter


• Froot Loops lost more than 2 ounces per box

The reason? During 2008, Manufacturers claimed package downsizing was a result of rising commodity prices and they didn't want to pass the higher prices on to the consumer. However, when commodity prices dropped at the tail end of 2008 the packaging and prices stayed the same. Now, in 2009, it looks like they changed their mind and are more than willing to pass the prices on to consumers. Starting yesterday, January 18, Kellogg Co. put into effect new, higher "prices on the majority of its cereal brands and Pop-Tarts toaster pastries." General Mills will most likely follow suit.

What's a consumer to do? Read the fine print and look high and low. Store brands will start looking even better now that consumers are being asked to pay even more for a smaller package.

With help from the Chicago Sun-Times/Minneapolis Star-Tribune and the Convenience Store News

CPG Innovation Stalls During Recession

Despite the fact that new studies demonstrate consumers are just as likely to try new products during a recession fewer companies are launching new products into the uncertain economy. The slowdown in new products is trickling down to the new product testing, advertising and PR sectors Adage reports. Recessions have often yielded great innovations and loyal consumers so it seems like a bad idea to sit this one out. Fair weather CPG brands usually only make sales when the weather is fine.

CSPI Sues Over Vitaminwater Claims

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has joined forces with two firms filing suit against Coke's Vitaminwater for what they call "deceptive and unsubstantiated claims." Their main concern is that "flavored sugar water" shouldn't be marketed with health claims like "rescue," "energy" and "endurance." CSPI feels that the high sugar content negates the benefits the marketing touts.

Another practice that CSPI is calling into question is Vitaminwater's labeling. A Brandweek article notes that "the servings of calories and other 'bad stuff' are shown per every eight ounces while the vitamins and minerals are labeled per bottle."

Coke countered that the suit was an effort to draw more attention to the Washington, DC based CSPI during the pending inauguration and added, "This is a ridiculous and ludicrous lawsuit. Glaceau Vitaminwater is a great-tasting, hydrating beverage with essential vitamins and water, with labels showing calorie content. Consumers can readily see the nutrition facts panels on every bottle of Glaceau Vitaminwater, which show what's in our product and what's not."

Social Networking the #1 Growth Area in Online Marketing

With all the bad economic news swirling around you may have missed the fact that 25% of small businesses said they will increase their advertising spend in the social networking arena. Online Marketing continues to grow and a majority of small businesses saying they expect to spend "about the same" as they did last year on online advertising. For small businesses, the question is not IF they will spend advertising dollars online but WHEN and in WHAT FORMAT.

With budget cuts and layoffs almost across the board it appears as if online marketing is immune to some of the current economic woes. Read more via Emarketer

TweetBacks Help Track Reaction to Blog Posts

Twitter applications continue to multiply and make listening-in and tracking easier. TweetBacks displays all the Twitter buzz attached to a particular blog post. Any time the post's URL is used on Twitter TweetBacks builds a list for your perusal. The program adds a line of code to your template and displays "Twitter activity relating to blog posts in the same way that comments are displayed on most blogs today."

Thanks for the heads up Mashable

50+ Ways to Track Web Traffic

As always in PR, I'm on the lookout for better ways to track website and blog traffic. This list is awesome and is sure to help find the audience numbers we all need.

You've Probably Visited AOL Today and you Didn't Even Know It

AOL is silently buying up a diverse portfolio of sites to increase the advertising "constellation" they can offer. Some of their stars include the TMZ and Engadet.com.

Jonathan Dube, the president of the Online News Association said AOL is “selling a much more targeted, focused product, both to the audience and to advertisers.”

Thanks NY Times

I Was NOT on the List of 25 Most Influential People on the Web

I'll put that on my list of things to do this year (again!). Business Week's list is a great way to put faces behind the platforms and technologies that are changing the digital world. The list also has lots of entrepreneurs and start up companies making fringe technologies that are moving the digital tectonic plates that we build on! Notables:

Google's leadership trio - trying to make their corporate motto come to life "Don't be evil."

Matt Mullenweg of WordPress - he just turned 25!

Craig Newmark of Craigslist - he personally helped Beth and I sell our lightly used crap

Kevin Rose of Digg - Business Week calls him "one of the most well-known faces of the new Web elite"

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia - recently ranked in the top 10 most popular sites in the world

Evan Williams - started Blogger... then one of his employees started Twitter... watch this guy and his crowd for the next way to communicate!

Ketchup is Fun, Delicious and Colorful

BEST CONTEST EVER!

"Dip it, dunk it, spread it or squirt it, Ketchup is fun, delicious and colorful, and kids love to eat it!" I ate so much ketchup growing up that my parents considered it a vegetable. Since then my quantity of ketchup consumed has slowed but my appreciation/love for the best condiment ever still runs deep. Heinz Ketchup has launched the 2009 edition of their "Heinz Ketchup Creativity" contest for kids and their schools. The winning designs will be featured on 19.5 million packets of Heinz Ketchup.

Click here to vote starting on March 20-25!

Winners receive:

• Their designs printed on approximately 19.5 MILLION Heinz® Ketchup Packets


• A cash prize of $1,000


• Their art displayed in the Winners’ Gallery


• Recognition and rewards for their schools, including: $1,000 toward art supplies, $1,000 worth of free Heinz® Ketchup, A framed poster of their artwork for display

Facebook Hits 150 Million Users, A Random Sample

Facebook's official blog posted that the platform now has 150 million users. Yikes! Apparently this number is ACTIVE users which makes it all the more impressive. Facebook could reach 300 million by the end of 2009 if this growth pattern continues.

Gracias Mashable

Recession Prompting Towns to Loosen Limits for Sidewalk, Banner Advertising

Several small towns across the country are loosening their restrictions on how businesses (particularly small, independent businesses) advertise their services. Alexandria, VA is allowing store owners in their historic district to display sidewalk signs for the first time ever. Giving businesses another tool to help attract consumers will help the owners during this tough economic environment (and raise more tax revenue for the cities).

I see a growing trend in this story - when push comes to shove the dollar will trump aesthetics every time. I'm certain that we will see more and more stories like this as "important," normally "hot button" issues get shelved due to the economic worries. For better or worse the crappy economy is showing us what's really important to us.

From USA Today

New Apple iTunes Pricing Structure is Bad News for Britney Spears Fans

Soon iTunes will be implementing a variable pricing structure. The most popular, top-40 tracks will cost $1.29 and older, less popular music will be available for download for $0.99 or $0.69. If you listen to a lot of "popular" music this will end up costing you more money. If you like music that falls outside of the "normal" purview you could save some cash. I can't wait to download those rare gems from Reggie & The Full Effect and 2 Skinnee Js that I've had my eye on!

New Social Networks: Reading Trails is Way Better than Hanging out at Barnes & Noble for 4-6 Hours on a Saturday

Reading Trails is a new social network for readers. Its goal is to help members find new books and people with similar literary tastes. You create a trail with all the books you've read and enter tags and descriptions on the books in your "trail." Over time you can see your likes and dislikes and find "intersections" (i.e. books you have in common with other users). You can follow trails, see what other users are reading now then find and buy your next read.

Thanks Mashable

During Downturn Consumers Want Economy Sized Options

It should come as no big surprise that nearly 60 percent of U.S. consumers are "very concerned" about rising food prices. Given the lengths that consumers are going to in order to find a bargain and the equally impressive efforts that CPG companies are undertaking to scrounge a profit, The Nielsen Company's recent survey data isn't a revelation.

• 58 percent of U.S. consumers are "very concerned" about rising food costs
• 47 percent of consumers survey prefer CPG manufacturers to offer large, economy sizes with lower price points per serving
• Only 17 percent of consumers prefer CPG manufacturers introduce new, smaller pack sizes at lower prices
• 9 percent of consumers suggest CPG manufacturers downsize or modestly reduce the packaging size of products, keeping the price of the product the same

If only some free food came with this thought...

From Gourmet Retailer

Your Favorite Foods... Now with Caffeine

Mintel's Global New Products Database noted that there were 70 new foods that used the term "energy" in the product descriptions during the first half of 2008. Surprisingly only a few of the new "energy" foods were beverages - in fact, 42 of the new products were snack foods, 16 were confectionery items and 7 were breakfast foods.

"We expect the concept of 'energy' - both physical and mental - to greatly influence food-product development," said Krista Faron, a senior product analyst from Mintel. “Energy is poised to take food in a new direction, giving consumers who need a boost many different ways to get it. From natural energizers, like omega-3s or antioxidants, to foods that are fortified with energizing ingredients, we are seeing ‘energy’ emerge as a core benefit in new food products.”

Food Product Design is reporting that "caffeine is also finding its way into foods like energy bars and even cereals like instant oatmeal. High-antioxidant superfruits, like blueberries and noni, are also added to foods promising mental and physical performance boosts.

From Food Product Design