A $50,000 marketing ploy still will not entice me to watch

Country Music Television announced on Monday that they will pay $50,000 to the mother of the first baby born in the United States during the ‘Labor’ Day weekend premiere of comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s sketch comedy show called “Foxworthy’s Big Night Out”.

The show premiers Friday, September 1 so the winning mother will be the one that delivers their baby first on that same day. If by chance there is a tie, CMT will conduct a random drawing to determine the winner. The person that identifies the first baby born will win $1,000.

In addition, CMT will donate a 42-inch flat screen HDTV to the hospital where the winning birth occurs. It will also award $5,000 to the other mothers that deliver the first baby on each day the following 11 episodes air.

To this I say, ‘wow’. That is a whole lot of money to dish out trying to get people to tune in. However, is this marketing ploy really accomplishing its goal of getting people to watch? One can read the various articles out there explaining the ‘game’, become aware of the show, and potentially win money without ever having to watch one episode. I know that I and all my pregnant friends I emailed the story too, telling them to do what they can to have their babies on September 1, will not watch. So what will this do for the ratings? Absolutely nothing. In my opinion this is a bad idea with CMT royally failing. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Till the next bad promotional idea…..

TGIT!

There is a fun new website out there were you can channel your inner celebrity twin! Myheritage.com was originally created for charting your family tree and to be used as a genealogy community, however, it is offering a free service where you can download a photo of yourself and get your celebrity twins! What a great way to pass the time on a Thursday afternoon in July!

This Israel-based site uses algorithms to compare your unique facial features with the features of 3,200 celebrities in its database. You are then given ten results both male and female! My results included Nicky Hilton, Jessica Alba, Shannon Elizabeth, Ashlee Simpson, Sheryl Crow and even Jason Biggs! Who are your celebrity twins?? Enjoy!

What’s all the fuss about?

Ok, so President Bush said a curse word….who cares?!?! Why such the media blitz? It almost feels like we are back on the elementary school playground ‘teacher…little Georgie said a bad word….I’m telling...!” Come on people, so he is an adult dealing with adult issues. When I saw the tape it made me realize just how human he really is! So he is angry with the bombing going on in the Middle East, great! Aren’t we all? Let’s get over this and get on with our lives. No reason we need to keep showing it on prime time television for all our children to see and hear. Move along people, nothing to see here!

Pirates of the Box Office

Was anyone else completely shocked this morning to hear that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest had the largest box office opening in history?!? As much as I loved the first movie, who would have thought that a second installment would have such success, brining in $132 million in its first three days? The movie opening shattered the previous record of $114.8 million held by Spider-Man. What great news for the movie industry!

The record statistics did not end there. The sequel was also the first to bring in more than $100 million in its first two days. On its opening day of Friday, July 7th, it brought in $55.5 million, the largest single-day money maker for any movie, blowing Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith out of the water!

After hearing mixed reviews from critics last week stating things like the film was too long at two and a half hours, the actors were not giving their best performances, etc. I knew that I still wanted to see the movie but thought I would just wait for it to hit the local Blockbuster. However, after hearing such rave reviews from colleagues and others today, I am looking forward to joining the masses and hitting the theatres.

From the way the plot ends in this second installment and with the likes of Keith Richards already signed up for the third movie in this trilogy, I cannot wait to see what happens when it is released on May 25!

Thank You Britney!

For all the young people out there starving themselves, constantly working out, and undergoing surgical means to create and maintain a body like the stars has to check out the latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar with a pregnant Britney Spears on the cover. Because of the numerous paparazzi shots taken of her everyday, we all know what she currently looks like. Most of us also saw her recent interview with Matt Lauer, looking like a train wreck; and now just weeks later she comes out with an amazing cover photo in Harper’s Bazaar magazine. Hmmmm… does anyone else see that this is just plain proof of the miracle of airbrushing and touch ups done everyday to normal people, making them look like superstars? I truly hope that our youth will look at this and realize that these glamorous stars are regular people just like us and do not need to kill themselves trying to look and act like them. Thank you Britney Spears for finally doing something correct for the youth of America even though it meant posing naked on the cover a magazine. But whatever works, right??

I also think it is safe to mention that Britney really needs to get her own gig and stop following in the footsteps of Demi, Madonna and Angelina but that is a topic for another time...

Britney Spears

McDonald's is a bad choice

Build-A-Bear launched its latest plan in growing its empire; now deciding to partner with McDonald’s and provide its Build-A-Bear product in the McDonald’s happy meals. When I heard about this I was completely appalled! How can a business that prides itself on “improving communities and impacting lives through partnerships that support causes that help fight illness for children and families”, put its brand next to McDonald’s and help contribute to what is being called a national epidemic in child illnesses?

By offering ELEVEN unique toys, Build-A-Bear is essentially telling children to come to McDonald’s eleven times and eat more hamburgers and fries so that you can obtain a product not found in the stores! Over the last two decades, the number of obese children in America has more than doubled, according to the American Obesity Association, and about 15 percent of U.S. children are obese today. So how could Maxine Clark, the founder who has made such great marketing decisions in the past for her product, go so wrong? I would love to know the rational behind this decision, one that does not include higher profits for the company at the expense of our children’s health…

Have your 'wedding' cake and eat it too

It is interesting to watch for new ways advertisers are trying to reach their target markets with the advent of TiVo and other technology-driven devices that now enable consumers the option of fast-forwarding and completely ignoring ads. The latest creation to hit the stands - advertisers to sponsor wedding day in front of a cast of thousands.

A marketing-savvy Long Island couple that had always dreamt of having their wedding on the field of a baseball stadium has found a way to accomplish this feat financially by pitching organizations to help them foot the bill, through the purchase of promotional spots and events to happen throughout the day. The wedding will take place on July 8th, immediately following a Brooklyn Cyclones game in front of about 500 guests and up to 8,000 baseball fans.

When I first read this article I was thinking “What a great idea!” To have your wedding at a location you have always wanted at 80 percent off the total cost would be wonderful! Although, the more I think about it the more I think it is a horrible idea, at least for the bride and groom.

Growing up in St. Louis and being an avid baseball fan, I was very excited when our new stadium was completed this year. However, upon entering during the ‘fan appreciation open house’, I was disappointed to see the numerous, over-the-top ads blanketing the stadium. Everywhere you turn there is a new product or service that is featured. To have this as the center of your wedding day would be a nightmare and an eye sore at that! This day is supposed to by about the bride, groom and their loved ones, not about 1-800-FLOWERS, Red Carpet and a host of 8,000 strangers.

The positives to this event are obviously to the companies that are advertising. They are receiving an immense amount of PR leading up to, during, and immediately following the day because of the sheer uniqueness. Even though the target audience of each advertising company may not be in attendance on the July 8th nuptials, they are bound to hear about the company throughout all the wedding day buzz.