"In Lieu of Gifts:" Inlu May Be the Solution

In this month's issue of The Champlain Business Journal there is a great write-up about a new business called "Inlu." Inlu is creative, relevant and simple...although the idea itself is very innovative! The idea of Inlu is to be a specialized gift registry which benefits charities. Inlu is similar to a gift registry because "the recipient's gift or charitable wishes are revealed to celebration attendees." They direct funds to a recipient's charity choice and can act as a collection point for anything from funding group presents to school fundraisers. Personally, I think this would have been a fantastic business plan idea for the St. Mike's Enterprise Plan Competition.

Monica Ostby and Jamaica Jenkins are the co-founders of Inlu and have made the entire process very straightforward and easy. Participants can sign up online at www.inlu.com and Inlu sends out invitations and coordinates receipt and allocation of the funds. Inlu was actually started in 2009, but as with any business, it takes a little while to really be recognized in the community. Ostby says that what really sets them apart is the fact that "Inlu is a time saver for the purchaser, but also guarantees that the recipient receives that longed-for special gift." The article states that a big part of being recognized is the partnerships the women have made with local area businesses. As far as the numbers go, Inlu has issued payments in 25 different states and some participants have already been a part of over 30 Inlus!

Both co-founders want to always remember why they began the business in the first place: to reduce consumption and one's carbon footprint. So, for every 10,000 points users accumulate, Inlu will plant a tree. As an organization, they are currently up to 160,000 points! Do you think the notion of gift giving will change because of business like this and that people will decide to go more "green" in their purchases for gifts? Do you have any suggestions for the future of Inlu?

Subscribing: Yay or Nay?

I've recently been thinking about a question I have: what is the purpose of subscribing to someone's YouTube page? My personal feeling is that there is no point in following someone's personal videos because most of the time they are simply for entertainment purposes and are not anything you would seriously share with anyone...they just seem like they're for fun. So why put the effort into following them and subscribing to their page?

I believe I'm confused about this phenomenon mainly because it doesn't seem to fit into my idea of social media and making connections online. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all meant to share interesting information, make genuine connections, and build and keep relationships for the future. In other words, these ways of connecting represent a real connection to you. When subscribing online, you get lost in the thousands of other subscribers, so where is the personalization? What do you as an individual get out of being one of many followers? There is no give and take, just watching and commenting without really knowing if the people in the videos will take the time to read all the comments. As you may be able to tell, I am unfamiliar with subscribing to someone's channel, but I wonder why someone would do so. For instance, there are some videos that I have found on YouTube that I find to be really funny, but I have never considered subscribing to someone's page. Do you know of anyone who has, and what they might do on a weekly basis in relation to their subscription to that channel?

Do Nothing and Do Good

Recently I was flipping through my mom's AARP magazine (I know what you're thinking, but it actually has a lot of interesting articles :) and I found a write-up about "embedded generosity." I had never specifically heard of this term before, yet as I read on I realized that this is something we all have most likely encountered.

This is a great way to market a product because you are helping a cause without even really being conscious of it sometimes. The article explained how many companies feel it attracts customers more when the "giving" is part of the purchase, and not a separate decision. In this way, when businesses ask as you are checking out "would you like to donate a dollar to the children's fund today?" You are psychologically more likely to buy a product that supports the children's fund in your initial cost, than to make a donation after buying something.

Another example of this was the RED campaign which raised money for fighting aids in Africa. Customers could purchase cards, shirts, CDs, etc. in support of aids awareness. Another example is when you purchase Procter & Gamble goods or redeem Kraft coupons, you help fund Feeding America, which provides food to low-income Americans. The article also mentions that skin care company Philosophy donates their net proceeds from sales of nine bath and body products to nonprofits via its Shop For A Cause Program. Henry Mason of Trendwatching.com says that embedded generosity "makes giving painless - and automatic."

Have you ever bought something because it supported a cause? Were you even aware of that fact that you were supporting it?

Digital Nation

On Monday night I went to a viewing of the film "Digital Nation" (Frontline, 2010) which was a part of the "technology fast" this week at St. Mike's. The film discusses the global issue of social media and virtual realities as a shaping and influential factor in how we (as a society) view new technology and embrace all that it has to offer (and take away).

One staggering fact that was given at the beginning of the talk was that 1/3 of teenagers send more than 100 texts per day. When do they find the time to do this? Going off of that, the film makes it clear that no one really takes a "vacation" anymore. We are always attached in some way to the working world because we are finding that the lines between work and leisure are increasingly being blurred. This idea strongly relates to what is written in "The Third Screen."

A main point of the film was that this new technology is changing the way that teachers teach because they need to stimulate their students on another level: they have to use technology to keep their interest. However, classic psychology tells us that it is impossible to multitask; that our brains simply are not built for it. So how do we decide the manner in which we should be teaching children? The world has sped up and education generally hasn't; should we be teaching multitasking? One research study found that students that do something around 6 things at one time are actually slower at completing those tasks. This is because they are not working effectively. The filmmaker states that technology is "changing what it means to be a human being."

Another main issue that is presented in the documentary is video games and virtual realities. The film looks at video arcades in South Korea, and how many young men (high school age) are becoming addicted to them. Some doctors are even saying that it may be a psychiatric disorder. Therefore, the Korean government opened up three "internet rescue schools" where young men would learn to live without their gadgets and games and get back to nature and the value of face-to-face friendships.

What may be causing these addictions? It is certainly hard to say, but it's important to note that Korean children are taught to go online and read at the same time (at the same age). But they are also taught to use online resources responsibly. How does this compare to America? Are we doing this as well, or should we be doing this?

The film also states that technology teaches you to have every urge answered and satisfied. It's instant gratification. The film makes the point that many college students write in paragraphs because they feel accomplished after they have gotten a good "snippet" done and they reward themselves by checking facebook, texting, or watching a YouTube video. Personally, I find that this is very true. I try to catch myself when I'm doing it because I'm obviously not working effectively, yet it's hard when you are being stimulated and "pulled" in so many different directions by interesting things online and with friends. Do you find that this is true in your life? If so, how do you balance the "pull" with your own free will to make decisions for yourself? In other words, I'm curious if you feel as though you control your technology, or does technology control you?

Gender and Advertising

For my final project in my gender studies class I am going to focus on how food is advertised differently to men and women. I'm wondering if I am the only one who notices that there are major differences in how "female" food is presented and how "male" food is advertised. Of course, I don't think that every food in a commercial or magazine is gendered, but there is almost always a certain tone to the advertisement that sways one gender more so than the other into buying the product (or at least being interested in it).

For example, DOVE chocolate usually has a very strong message towards women. The message is that nothing can be as rewarding as eating chocolate. I understand they are targeting their largest market, which is women, not men, but it still makes me wonder why  their message has to be so stereotypical.

In contrast, the recent Dr. Pepper 10 ad states that their low-calorie drink is "not for women." I realize that they are trying to change a stereotype - that only women drink low-calorie drinks, yet their message can be read as offensive to some. Mio, which is a flavor additive that can be added to water is also taking the same approach. They feature a man in their ad which I thought was great because it is done in a tasteful way, and they are doing what they set out to do, which is challenge the stereotype.

Usually ads that cater more towards males feature a more active scene. Ads that come to mind are usually fast-food or "game day" munchies such as chips, Taco Bell, and anything "fire," "hot" or "spicy" is almost always advertised to males. When viewing ads that are more directed at women, it shows them floating on clouds (such as for Philadelphia cream cheese ads) or there is usually a constant theme of checking their weight, such as in Yoplait yogurt ads. However, the other day I did see a Yoplait yogurt ad that focused on women watching their calcium intake and staying strong for the younger generations in their life which I really liked.

Overall, do you see a drastic difference in how food is advertised to men and women? Where do you see the biggest difference? In other words, does it depend on the brand, the product itself, or a stereotype?



Fix It With 5!

On Tuesday night I went to my first student association (S.A.) meeting. I was motivated to go this time because it was the "Fix It With 5" presentations. This program has only been going on at St. Mike's for a couple years. "Fix It With 5" is a philanthropy activist organization that gives a $10,000 grant to a local nonprofit. The money comes from $5 of each student's activities' fee. There are three local nonprofits that present what they would put the money towards if they won it, and then students vote on which nonprofit they think should get it.

One thing that I think says a lot about SMC is that two out of the three nonprofits said that they had employees, interns, and volunteers all from Saint Mike's. I think this really shows how connected people feel not only here at our school, but also within the local community. The three nonprofits that were chosen to present were the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, The Burlington Emergency Shelter, and Mercy Connections.

What made me want to share this experience was that all three presentations really embraced the Made to Stick rules of thumb. Firstly, the Boys and Girls Club showed a video of the children and what they think about the club. Needless to say, it was an emotional video because it made your heart go out to these children that may not have had a mentor or role model before coming to the club, but they also evoked a lot of joy because they seemed very happy when they were there. The presenters also gave a surprising figure: the club takes 1-1.2 million dollars per year to operate. This element of including an unexpected statistic really stuck with me because even though that much money can be hard to fathom, I don't think many people would think it would be that much to run the club. Furthermore, the presenters had a clear and concise message. They got to the core of what they wanted to say and then left it at that (it didn't drag on).

The Burlington Community Shelter was this way as well. Their narrative was much more emotional in both an inspiring and touching manner. A woman spoke who had her life completely changed when she was led to the shelter last fall. She told a very compelling story about how she was at rock bottom and nowhere near Vermont, but something led her here and she is now at a place in her life where she never imagined she would be.

Mercy Connections had a story element as well. The director said from the start that she was going to "talk from [her] heart" and then a woman who was previously in prison spoke about everything the program has done for her and now she is a teacher there. Mercy Connections is a place where men and women coming out of corrections can be mentored and partake in transition programs (being integrated back into a social and working lifestyle). In addition, their presentation was conversational. The director asked empirical questions out to the audience to keep their interest and she spoke in a very compelling way. She even addressed her competitors (the other nonprofits), saying that it really did not matter who won because it would be a "win-win" for all of them, implying that all nonprofits in Vermont support each other.

Needless to say, each speaker had their own way of holding our attention and making their message sticky. Personally, I think the two testimonials were the strongest parts of the presentations because it was proof right in front of our eyes that the work these nonprofits are doing is really impacting peoples' lives. In other words, their work is causing people to act and care about their own lives and all the value they have to offer!

Marketing "Bully"

I am both a gender studies and marketing minor and this semester I am finishing up my last gender studies credits. In my class today we watched a trailer for a movie that is set to release soon called Bully. It is a documentary film being made by the Weinstein Company which is a very credible company, having also contributed to the making of The Iron Lady, My Week with Marilyn, and The Artist. The film shows how parents band together who have lost a child due to the mental, emotional, and physical pressures of bullying. The trailer itself is extremely emotional and very powerful. It shows how the excuse that "boys will be boys" cannot be acceptable in schools. In addition, it accuses school staff members of not taking responsibility for creating a safe space. School should be a safe place for children to learn and be themselves. Of course, it is difficult to enforce such behavior, but the film shows that there needs to be consequences when children have lost their lives.

However, there is controversy over the rating of the film because it is currently rated R, yet many people argue that this means that teenagers (who are the ones being bullied) will not be able to see it. It certainly makes sense to me that they should lower the rating to PG 13 which is what they are hoping to do.

I think it will be somewhat of a struggle to market this movie and get people to actually spend the money to go see it. I say this because a lot of people are leery about seeing such a sad movie. Based on the trailer alone, I think a lot of people would say that they would rather rent it when it comes out later, simply because it would be a hard movie to watch. I think it's difficult to market a movie that has such intense content like this.

How do you think this film will be received, and what factors contribute to you/someone wanting or not wanting to see it?

Check out the website:  http://thebullyproject.com/

I'm an Onion

When you read that title your brain will probably jump to the cliche message that provides an image of pulling back layers in order to expose my core and who I really am as a person. But nope. The title has nothing to do with my personality. I'm referring to the Literary Journal at Saint Michael's College known as The Onion River Review. This has been something I have wanted to become involved with for a while now, and this was the first year I actually took action on my wishes and became a part of their editing team. Mind you, I'm not an English, journalism, or even an art major or minor, but I enjoy how they approach each piece because they want to know what YOU are drawn to. They value your opinion because they want their readers represented.

It's an extremely competitive process to have something published. I've submitted digital photographs (art, photography, and written submissions make up the Onion) for the past couple years and have never made it in. However, after being on their decision board this year and having to read and evaluate all the submitted images, poems, and stories, I can definitely see why what I may have sent in the past was not up to par. Every submission is so unique. There are no sunset photos, no stories about "happily ever after" because it's not what the journal is about. I've learned that they (we) really pride ourselves in choosing unique pieces and images - things that you feel you haven't read or seen before.

Therefore, I find myself using what I have learned thus far in the Elevator Pitch Essentials book and Made To Stick in how I make my choices about the submissions. For instance, I know that especially poetry can be very abstract, but I find myself much more attracted to submissions that are concrete. I like being able to clearly picture in my mind what is being written. Therefore, I like lots of detail because I will remember it better because I can make a picture in my head. I am also drawn to submissions that evoke emotion within me; I want something that I can really relate to. My favorite submission thus far made me recall my old childhood house and the feelings that were attached to those memories. Lastly, I believe that each piece I read should have something unexpected about it - something non-cliche. My thought process is that if a story cuts off abruptly or if you find yourself bored while reading it, then I don't think it will be very memorable.

Alright! Our meeting to discuss all written submissions is tomorrow, and I still have lots to read. Thanks to those of you out there who submitted, it's going to be another inspiring and creative issue!

Make-A-Wish Foundation Recognition Dinner

Last night I had a great opportunity to see old coworkers, friends, and meet some new people! It was the recognition dinner for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Vermont. I worked and interned there during my junior year and each year they have this dinner to celebrate donors and volunteers. Even though I am done working there, I remain actively involved through volunteering at events. In fact, our next big event is the Great Cookie Dunk! If you like cookies (Tipped Cow Cookies is our sponsor) than you should mark this date on your calendar. The idea is to get in the guiness book of world records for the most amount of people dunking cookies in milk at the same time. It will be a part of Kids' Day in Burlington which is May 12, 2012. It will be at the waterfront in Burlington, and it should be a really great time. The former CEO sad that he hopes it will be "as big as the fourth of July!" (Anyone who's been in Burlington on the Fourth of July knows how crowded it is!) It will be a great part of Kids' Day. Plus, be sure to look for our float in the Mardi Gras Parade on March 3rd! We will be advertising for the cookie dunk and I'll be giving out pins advertising the event to everyone.

There were a few surprises during the night! At the start, there was a slideshow and then a bunch of the wish families came in which was really great to recognize them. I learned last night that last year there were 22 wishes granted during the entire year last year. So far this year there have been 17 wishes granted! Their goal this year is fifty! I was also reminded that the Make-A-Wish chapter of Vermont is one of the most successful chapters in the entire United States. This is because they are always able to pay for every eligible child that comes their way. They have never turned a child away if they were eligible. To me, this is an amazing thing to be able to say for such a small state. It's also astounding when you think that the average wish costs around $10,000. Yet a child's life is changed forever. Last night was very emotional at times because one of the wish children was getting very emotional when he was reflecting on his trip to Disney World (which is 40% of the wishes). It was so touching to see a five-year-old be so overwhelmed with emotion and knowing that everyone in the room helped in some way. Last night they honored about 150 volunteers and donors. In my opinion, they are some of the most inspiring and kind people in Vermont! What a great night.

Made To Stick: More Relevant Than Expected

Made To Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath is a great read for anyone who has to get a point across easily. Even in the introduction, the authors claim that parents can benefit from the book because they have to communicate certain topics very clearly to their children. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that each chapter offers multiple relevant scenarios and topics that we (as students) can apply to our lives. Currently, many of us are either applying to jobs or internships and we need to become comfortable with explaining our point in a concise and compact way that gets to the core of what we want to say. By getting straight to the essence of responses to interview questions, we are able to focus our thoughts, because we then give more information without getting into too much detail. The authors refer to this as the "inverted pyramid."

Yesterday I was able to have a practice interview. This was the number one mistake I made: I had trouble formulating my thoughts into an "inverted pyramid" format. I would have many ideas pop up in my head after a question was asked, and I would fall into the pattern of somewhat addressing each topic or issue. I believe that especially after reading Made To Stick I will have a much better idea about how to make responses to questions much more memorable in a situation such as an interview. Chip Heath's other book, Switch has been on my "to read" list for over a year, and after realizing how interesting this book is, I will definitely have to make it a priority!

How Far is Too Far?

I recently saw a commercial "preview" - if you will, for the Superbowl. This is how it was presented: a beautiful  woman is dressed in a skimpy racing-themed outfit waving racing flags. All of this is in slow motion and words appear on the screen saying "See you on Sunday." My initial reaction was that the ad was for Victoria's Secret, yet I then realize it's for the Kia car company. I realize that commercials can have very unexpected turns, yet I thought this seemed over the top. Personally, there are members of my family that own Kia cars, and the ad actually caused me to lose respect for the company. Even male friends I have said that it just seemed ridiculous.

Another friend of mine also mentioned that many companies are now releasing trailers for their commercials. It seems that there is now so much hype over Superbowl commercials. It is understandable considering how much money is spent on having them viewed by most of America, yet is it really necessary that we release trailers and previews for something that is only a couple minutes long at the most?

In addition, I heard that you can now go on certain websites to view the commercials before they appear during the Superbowl. Doesn't this take away from the surprise and novelty of seeing it during the actual game? I also find it interesting that marketers feel that people shouldn't have to wait to see the ads. My opinion is that the ads themselves appear to serve more of an entertainment purpose than causing us to actually desire the product or service. Therefore, I don't think sales would skyrocket on a particular product if we saw the advertisement earlier (meaning before the game begins). But I could very well be wrong - maybe when you view the ad does make a difference. Do you think your behavior would be different if you saw the commercials beforehand? If so, do you think you would be more likely to buy the product or not?

The Four P's with One of My Favorite Places

This past weekend I visited Jay Peak in Jay, Vermont which is a skiing and riding mountain, yet there is so much more they have to offer. There is the Jay Peak Resort, the Tram House Lodge, The Ice Haus, and of course, the new Pump House indoor water park that opened in December 2011.  Jay Peak is one of my favorite businesses for many reasons, yet I'm mainly impressed by their dedication to their marketing strategy  ("Raise Em' Jay" is known for attracting many different generations and keeps people coming back) and their continual improvement. They are always looking for new ways to make their mountain a memorable experience for families. This summer the new Hotel Jay will be opening. It's amazing how many large projects they have in progress at once. Plus, they are consistently advertising their new features. Jay Peak reminds me of Starbucks in the way that they market their services. It's a complete experience. The real eye-opening part of my trip to the water park was that it wasn't the actual water slides and wave pool that made the difference, it was the people that made the trip what it was. I told a friend that it felt like "my whole Vermont family was on vacation together." It's a great feeling to be able to have a conversation with anyone and experience new things together.

Jay Peak truly analyzes the four P's of marketing which certainly shows in their commercials, website, and at the mountain itself. You may have noticed that I titled this entry using the word "places" instead of "companies." This is because when I was there I felt like I was on vacation, escaping the monotony of everyday life. Again, this ties in with the idea of selling you an experience. Their pricing strategy is also spot on in my opinion. When the park first opened they were drawing people in right away by offering a very low deal on both a water park and room package. Now, the price has gone up a bit since the word is getting out that it is well worth the $35 for the day (and kids are $15).

Overall, what I love is that everything about Jay has such a community feel attached to it. Even on their website they post a personal message each day talking about what's happening on the mountain. After my trip this weekend I was exploring their website and signed up to try and win a trip. By the next morning the owner had sent me a personal message back expressing his thanks for my visit and hopes that I would return again soon. Personally, I think direct communication and caring for every person that helps your business are such rare qualities in an organization, and it is very refreshing to see that he took the time to do that.

I would encourage you all to check out the Pump House and support all that Vermont has to offer!

I was unable to find their newest commercial, yet it is shown in many area movie theaters and on local TV stations, so keep an eye out for it!