Coyne PR Industry Hot Sheet 11/06/09

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		CHECK IT OUT The dancing Filipino inmates are back with a brand new routine; the original Filipino Prison dance video of Michael Jackson’s "Thriller", posted in July 2007, generated more than 35 million views Source: Buzzfeed.com, 11/05/09
		An Application to Help Scrub Those Regrettable Photos From Facebook Wisk clothing detergent brand has created Wisk-it, a Facebook application which allows users to remove unflattering photos that friends have posted – the user selects tagged photos they would like to remove and Wisk-it sends a request to the poster asking them to pull the bad photos Source: The New York Times, 11/01/09
		Vegemite Contest Draws Protests Earlier this year, Kraft Foods Australia launched a contest asking consumers to re-name spread Vegemite; they received 50,000 entries, resulting in the new name iSnack 2.0 which generated a strong negative reaction in the online community – four days after the iSnack 2.0 launch, the brand announced that they would hold another contest to determine the product’s new name by providing the public with six names to choose from, resulting in the name Cheesybite; the controversy translated into a 47% increase in sales for iSnack 2.0 Source: The New York Times, 11/02/09
		Agency Wants to Get Drunk With Prospects Ad Agency Northlich has created a Vodka Ad Generator, an online application which allows users to create their own alcohol ad by answering five questions about their made-up vodka Source: AdRANTS, 11/03/09
		Weezer and Snuggie Warm Up to Each Other Rock band Weezer has partnered with Snuggie (the ‘As Seen on TV’ blanket with sleeves) to launch their newest CD, Raditude; fans can purchase the Weezer Snuggie, which comes with the CD, for $29.99 – promotion for the partnership includes a viral video of Weezer band members in a Snuggie infomercial Source: AdFreak, 11/04/09
		Finders Keepers Soho furniture retailer BluDot has created the Real Good Chair Experiment – based on the “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” theory, GPS-enabled chairs were placed all over NYC, free to anyone who found them; BluDot plans to use the data collected from the chairs to create a documentary about the chairs’ voyage, which can also be tracked through the company’s Web site Source: MetropolisMag, 11/04/09
		What the Socialsphere Really Thinks About You Social Mention is a new analytic tool which provides data on how a keyword (brand, name, product) is viewed in the socialsphere including passion, reach and online mentions Source: Brandflakes for Breakfast, 11/05/09
		Trivial Pursuit Ponders which Sex is Smarter A new campaign for Trivial Pursuit taps into the oldest rivalry in history, the battle of the sexes – the campaign includes an online video featuring men and women doing stupid things and a microsite, TrivialPursuitExperiment.com, where users can log in and try to prove that they are the smarter sex by answering trivia questions Source: Adweek, 11/05/09
		Trivial Pursuit Ponders which Sex is Smarter A new campaign for Trivial Pursuit taps into the oldest rivalry in history, the battle of the sexes – the campaign includes an online video featuring men and women doing stupid things and a microsite, TrivialPursuitExperiment.com, where users can log in and try to prove that they are the smarter sex by answering trivia questions Source: Adweek, 11/05/09
		When Should Xmas-Shopping Ads Begin? AdWeek recently held a poll on when it was appropriate to start holiday campaigns: 8 percent felt holiday campaigns should start after Labor Day 42 percent felt holiday campaigns should start after Halloween 35 percent felt holiday campaigns should start after Thanksgiving 12 percent replied “never" Source: Adweek, 10/22/09
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Coyne PR Industry Hot Sheet 10/30

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		HAPPY HALLOWEEN! KXVO-TV (CW; Omaha, NE) Pumpkin Dance!!! Yes, this was broadcast on the news. Enjoy! Source: KXVO-TV (CW; Omaha, NE), 10/30/09
		Nerds Spend $2,000 and Two Years on iPhone Halloween Outfits Two Apple fans have created working iPhone costumes – the wearable iPhones weigh 85 lbs and took two years and $2,000 to build Source: BrandFreak, 10/29/09
		Burger King: BK Dollar Menu Banner A new banner ad by Burger King utilizes webcams to promote their dollar menu – after clicking on the ad, users are brought to a microsite where by holding up a dollar they can see what menu items are available; the application will also allow users to transform themselves into The King Source: Creativity, 10/29/09
		Food Bloggers Cook Up Big Business Food bloggers are the "pièce de résistance" for marketers, who are creating special events with foodies in mind – for example, Club Med is hosting "Food Blogger Camp by Club Med ," a week-long network where foodie bloggers and food writers can meet and network, and big-name wine companies are sponsoring events such as the Wine Bloggers’ Conference; not everyone is thrilled about the increase in food blogs, in the post “How Food Blogs Led to the Demise of 'Gourmet',” Newsweek’s Jennie Yabroff claims that the closing of Gourmet was partially the result of food enthusiasts switching from print to the blogosphere Source: Marketing Vox, 10/23/09
		Chipotle Continuing Green Push with Solar Panels at 75 Locations As a part of its "Food with Integrity" campaign, Chipotle is installing solar panels on top of 75 restaurants in an effort to be “green” – the supplier of the panels has estimated that the panels will eliminate 41 million pounds of CO2 emissions Source: BrandFreak, 10/26/09
		Russell Athletic 80’s-IZER The Russell Athletic 80’s-IZER allows users to insert their photo into one of four 80’s video sequences to create a back-to-the-80’s video, featuring Russell Athletic gear; users can share their videos via a variety of social media outlets Source: Russell Athletic
		A Campaign for Clothes by a Guy Not Wearing Any In September, a number of popular blogs including Gawker, The Huffington Post and Gothamist, and CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” reported on sightings of “the world’s fastest nudist” – an unidentified man seen running through NYC in running shoes, socks and a fanny pack; the nudist turned out to be an actor creating viral videos for online store Zappos.com, and was not intended to be picked up by media Source: New York Times, 10/28/09
		Improv Everywhere Grocery Store Musical Pimps Trident Gum Improvisation group Improv Everywhere has released their latest stunt, a grocery store musical about squishing fruit together – production was sponsored by Trident Layers Gum; the video has been viewed close to one million times since being posted on 10/20 and was aired on CNN Source: AdRants, 10/28/09
		Rockport Returns to NYC Marathon Andy Baldwin of “The Bachelor” will be running the New York Marathon in Rockport’s new line of DressSport dress shoes; Rockport will release 500 pairs of limited edition marathon DressSports which will benefit the ING Run For Something Better program Source: WWD.com, 10/28/09
		Fox Builds Record-Breaking Ice Squirrel for 'Ice Age' DVD Release To launch the DVD release of “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” Twentieth Century Fox created a 133,000 lb., 48-foot-8-inch ice sculpture of Scrat, a prehistoric squirrel from the movie – the sculpture took four days to create and broke the Guinness Book World Records for largest ice sculpture Source: Brandfreak, 10/29/09
		Movember is Coming. Is Your Upper Lip Ready? The “Movember” campaign is asking men to grow moustaches in November to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer – to participate, ‘stache-growing men (and women who support the cause) must visit the Movember Web site and enter and donate; month end competition/parties will be held around the globe for participants to dress up and show off their ‘stache Source: USA Today, 10/29/09
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Rigatoni or Spaghetti?

 

Not sure what your favorite pasta is, but today is World Pasta Day presented by the National Pasta Association (NPA), the International Pasta Organization (IPO)…another great point-in-time for many businesses and brands associated with “pasta” to make news.

Check out the following segment seen on this morning’s WPIX morning show - great hit for Barilla – my personal favorite!

 

Coyne PR Industry Hot Sheet 10/23

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		Nike 6.0 Team Takes Tunnel Jam To promote Nike 6.0, a line of shoes and apparel for alternative sports, the brand built an underground BMX course in an abandoned tunnel in England; following the launch event, Nike turned the tunnel over to local bikers Source: ESPN, 10/05/09
		Your Charlie Brown-esque head could win you prizes Legendary comic strip Peanuts is holding a look-a-like contest – fans are encouraged to send in a picture where they look like one of the characters to be judged by Jill Schultz, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Jo Frost; prizes include a family trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park and Peanuts merchandise    Source: USA Today – Pop Candy, 10/19/09
		#BeatCancer Sets Guinness World Record, Raises Over $70,000 The Guinness World Record for most social media mentions in a single day was broken last week by the #BeatCancer Campaign, which generated 209,771 online mentions in 24 hours; the campaign also raised $70,000 in donations from financial sponsors [eBay/PayPal and MillerCoors donated 1 cent for every tweet, Facebook status update, or blog post containing the #beatcancer hashtag] Source: Mashable.com, 10/19/09
		Create a 'Simpsons' character -- and it may get on the show Ever dream of hanging with Homer? The creators of The Simpsons are asking fans to create their own character for the show – the coolest character’s creator will be flown to L.A. to help design the animation, which will be featured in the January 31 episode along with Coldplay’s Chris Martin Source: USA Today – Pop Candy, 10/20/09
		How to save your reputation from an online onslaught A recent article in The Financial Times lists ways to survive a social media crisis; tips include acting quickly, utilizing traditional and non-traditional (social) media and setting up an internal communication plan prior to a crisis (login required) Source: The Financial Times Online, 10/16/09
		Coca-Cola campaign sends 3 bloggers around world To promote the “Open Happiness” campaign, Coca-Cola is sending three bloggers to 206 countries – the three participants, chosen through online vote, will blog, tweet  and post while traveling the world, meeting new people, attending major events (like the Winter Olympics) and sharing the love of Coca-Cola Source: Associated Press via Forbes, 10/21/09
		Celebrate the Windows 7 launch with a 5-inch-tall Whopper To celebrate “Windows 7 day,” the launch of the newest Microsoft operating system, Burger King restaurants in Japan sold “Windows 7 Whoppers” – a regular Whopper sandwich with 7 patties and a $17 price tag; in the US, the launch was celebrated in a more “animal friendly” way with midnight store openings Source: Gadling, 10/22/09
		P&G looking for bathroom bloggers Charmin is looking for five TP lovers to spend five weeks in a Charmin branded bathroom and share their “experience” with others – requirements for the $10,000 position include greeting thousands of bathroom guests, posting on the “Enjoy the Go ” Charmin-branded Web site and social media sites and sharing family-friendly video; to auditions for the position will take place on November 5 at the New York Hilton Source: Business Courier of Cincinnati, 10/22/09
		Mom not pulling her weight? Just get another one, from Kleenex Kleenex has launched a new microsite, Get Mommed, which allows users to pick a new “Mom” to take care of them and offer helpful advice during the cold and flu season; users can visit the Get Mommed website and take a quiz to see which virtual “mom” would be their best match – login is required to participate Source: Brandfreak, 10/22/09
		Google, Microsoft's Bing to Include Twitter in Search Announced Wednesday, Twitter posts will now be included in Google and Microsoft Bing search results Source: Advertising Age Online, 10/22/09
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Coyne PR Industry Hot Sheet 10/16

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Coyne PR's weekly newsletter of the industries coolest campaigns, web 2.0, promotions and advertisements
		Your online photos could be product placements Udorse is a “visual endorsement engine” which allows users to “endorse” products in their uploaded photos by adding tags that link to the product’s website – users will receive money (approximately $5 -$10 per month) for each person who clicks through to the product site; tagged products must be one of Udorse’s partners to receive compensation Source: MSNBC Online, 10/08/09
		Green walls taking root in green building design PNC Bank has installed a living billboard on the side of their headquarters in Pittsburgh – the “green wall” is made up of 15,000+ plants arranged to look like the PNC Logo; according to the bank, their 2,400 sq ft installment is the largest in North America and will help to remove pollutants from the surrounding air Source: Associated Press via Yahoo! News, 10/12/09
		Why Email No Longer Rules… According to The Wall Street Journal, e-mail is “over” and the future of communication is in social media; the article attributes the change to the consumer’s ability to access the internet – when access revolved around logging on, e-mail was the best way to receive information, but now that users are connected 24/7, the speed of social networks is more ideal for instant communication Source: The Wall Street Journal Online, 10/12/09
		FedEx drop-off boxes would love to chat with you about Nascar FedEx wants you to know they are fast and they have enlisted the help of Nascar’s Denny Hamlin to spread the word – 700+ FedEx drop boxes have been enhanced with a sound chip that share a special message from Hamlin when opened Source: BrandFreak, 10/13/09
		Kellogg's will use laser to burn logo on to individual corn flakes to stamp out fakes In an effort to set themselves apart from store-brand corn flake cereals, Kellogg’s has announced that they will laser print their logo on each individual flake of their Corn Flakes cereal Source: Daily Mail Online (UK), 10/13/09
		Seth Green isn't angry -- but how do his fans feel? A “behind the scenes” video released this week revealed an angry Seth Green flipping a table over a stolen Butterfinger bar; the freak-out was revealed as a fake by Butterfinger, who created it as part of a new viral campaign, housed at www.DudeWheresMyBar.com Source: USA Today – Pop Candy, 10/14/09
		Schwan's will do everything but spoon the food into your mouth Schwan’s, a home-food-delivery service is giving away free sample meals as a part of their “Let’s stick a fork in the recession,” campaign – the first 500,000 new customers to visit their site can choose one of their ready-made meals, priced at a wallet-friendly $10 or less Source: Brandfreak, 10/14/09
		Wild Things invade NYC in celebration of the Warner Bros. movie NYC & Company has launched “Wild Thing Week” in New York City to celebrate the new movie Where the Wild Things Are – special events throughout the week included exhibits, celebrity appearances and the renaming of Greenwich Ave and Christopher Street, which were changed to Maurice Sendak Way and Wild Things Way Source: Brandfreak, 10/15/09
		Twitter in the wine business for charity Twitter has partnered with Crushpad, an amateur wine producer, to create its own wine – part of the proceeds of the Twitter branded Pinot Nior and Chardonnay will go to Room to Read, a non-profit that promotes child literacy in third-world countries; to get involved with the campaign, dubbed the Fledgling Initiative, follow @fledgling Source: Wine Brands, 10/16/09
		Massive paint fight for Samsung Corby A 200-person giant paint fight was staged in Sao Paulo to launch the Samsung Corby S3650 phone – the 40 minute brawl used 2,000 liters of paint and took 12 fire trucks 3 days to clean up Source: USA Today – Pop Candy, 10/16/09
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