However, the more recent ad does appear to be closer to addressing the concern of representing various curves.  It’s just not as obvious as to those who may not understand female body types.

Levi's more current ad - Courtesy of Shine - Yahoo.com

Keegan Bradley, Professional Golfer - Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

Yes, Bradley did what baseball, football, track, soccer, rugby and other athletes do during a competition.  As if they didn’t have to remember to refrain from unsportsmanlike conduct, one has to remember to not spit in public too.  It is understood you wouldn’t want a basketball player or bowler spitting on the floor and causing someone to slip.  But shouldn’t more grace be given to the athlete who plays out in the heat under extreme weather conditions?  Will we then ridicule an athlete for not stopping to wash his hands if he sneezes?

Regardless if Bradley does it again, which may draw more people to watch him just to see if he does, we can appreciate his tweet on Twitter which said, “Id like to apologize for my spitting.  It’s like a reflex, I don’t even know I’m doing it, but it’s a longtime habit I’ve got to try to conquer.”  It’s a crazy reason for crisis communication, but we give him and his team an A for effort and the content in the response.

What do you think?  Should an athlete have to apologize for spitting at no one during a game?

We’re trying something new.  There are some other things we want to share with you so all of the tips for this week have been compiled into this blog post.  These are opportunities you won’t want to miss.  So check out these gig, co-branding requests or B2B opportunities. Of course we match these up with our existing customers, but there are some that may just need to be shared with you. Please note that you will have to investigate and reach out to the POC yourself. So let’s get started!

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Write the next great Chicago Cubs song and it could become the official WGN Radio Cubs song of the 2012 season!

To enter, write an original song about the Chicago Cubs and email it as an mp3 file attachment to cubssong@wgnradio.com
by February 29, 2012. The lyrics must mention the Cubs and WGN Radio, but may not mention names of individual players, coaches or Cubs management.

View the Official Rules Here: http://www.wgnradio.com/wgnam-wgn-radio-cubs-song-contest-rules-2012,0,7578277.htmlstory

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Passionate College Interns Wanted for the Above Promotions family. If you know of any college students (non-seniors) who may be interested, please have them to visit the link for additional details. Thank you in advance! http://abovepromotions.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/passionate-interns-wanted/

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Event Producer Position:

Manage, coordinate, and execute meetings, programs and special events for both internal and external groups.
Liaise with internal departments, caterer and vendors.
Manage internal and external expectations.
Answer telephone inquiries.
Prepare and reconcile invoices. Control expenses.
Collect monies based on contractual payment schedule.
Oversee inventory of equipment.
Support revenue, sales and marketing efforts.
Bachelor’s degree plus minimum of 3 years of related experience in event operations and planning, and/or hospitality.
Highly organized with great attention to detail.
Excellent interpersonal, communication and problem-solving skills.
Working knowledge of food and beverage services.
Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities, work under pressure in fast-paced environment, and interact with wide range of people.
Good management, supervisory and customer service skills.
Familiar with budgeting and sales reporting.
Able to work evenings and weekends/holidays.

Apply Now: http://ziprecruiter.com/cl/a2632bfa

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Creative Liquid Productions is seeking a creative and motivated video Editor to join their team. The perfect candidate will have experience with Final Cut Pro 7 and preferably Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premier.

The ideal candidate will have:

Post-production experience, with a Bachelor’s Degree and at least 1-2 years editing in Final Cut Pro.
Be knowledgeable in video web delivery formats and compression techniques.
Experience and a working knowledge of Motion, After Effects and Photoshop
Familiarity with HD and SD video formats and codecs
Familiarity with Panasonic P2 workflow including both DVCPRO HD and AVC-Intra codecs
Ability to do basic color correction and audio editing of videos
Familiarity with Red Giant ‘s Magic Bullet, Trapcode and Effects suites is a plus
Good time management skills and is punctual
Familiarity with Corporate, Non-Profit and Government video a plus

Creative Liquid offers a full-range of competitive benefits including paid vacation, sick time, medical, dental and vision coverage, profit-sharing bonuses and a retirement plan is expected to be offered to all full-time employees sometime in Spring 2012.

To Apply: Fill out an application at: http://creativeliquid.com/about/careers

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Bleacher Report is adding an additional 20 writers over the next 4-6 months. Designed to help give direction and guidance to the company’s vast contributor base as well as shape editorial content, Lead Writers have also been one of the contributing forces helping increase traffic to Bleacher Report’s Web site by 50 percent since launching five months ago. As part of the program’s expansion, Bleacher Report plans to hire Lead Writers with backgrounds covering specific sports including National Football League (NFL), college football, Major League Baseball (MLB), Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), college basketball and soccer. In addition to their writing responsibilities, Lead Writers will also leverage innovative platforms including video and social media in delivering news around teams and topics that Bleacher Report’s readers are passionate about.
Prospective candidates for Bleacher Report’s Lead Writer Program can email their credentials to leadwriterjobs@bleacherreport.com

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The 2012 Offense – Defense All – American Bowl, which airs on NBC Sports Network, ESPN and Fox Sports Network is looking for brand partners both for the game and for the broadcasts. All interested brands should contact barry@barrymezey.com to talk about corporate partnerships. http://wwwo-d.com

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Best wishes on this week’s tips!

Above Promotions Company

Whitney Houston - How Will I Know

Here we are the day before the funeral of the late great Whitney Houston.  Many shows are paying homage to her this week by breaking out her greatest hits.   There is one chart topping song that has stood out this week in many ways.  In particularly eight words in the chorus of the song, “How Will I Know“, by the late Houston where she sings,   “How Will I Know” and her background singers quietly chime in with “Don’t trust your feelings”. 

As the words continued to play over and over here at the Above Promotions Company headquarters, those 8 words kept ringing beyond the romantic feelings the catchy lyrics provide.  In speaking to many business owners on a regular basis, they too have been known to pose the same question.  They are wondering whether or not their marketing strategy is working.  If it is worth attending monthly networking events or posting a blog regularly.  Even recently I saw a post where an individual questioned the value of a few social media sites.

The proper response to ‘How Will I Know’ when it comes to your business boils down to measuring your ROI (Return on Investment) rather than going by your emotional feelings.  It’s not a fun task for the solo entrepreneur, but one that must be down to ensure profitability at all times.  So, how will you know if going to a monthly two-hour networking event which costs you $25 (in entry, parking and gas) to attend each time is worth it?  Let’s say your hourly salary is $50.  Your salary for time at the event alone, plus admission to the event would mean you would have spent $125 to attend this monthly event.  If you’re making the most of your time there by meeting 5 individuals who can either be a direct customer or provide you with access to others who could be a direct customer, your time there may have been worth it.  

Here’s why:

- On average medium to large companies are spending $50-$150 per potential lead with media buying companies.

- With the numbers listed above, you’ve now spent $25 per lead.  (If you have a solid business plan, you’ll know what the amount you should be “paying” for a lead for your company.)

So if you’re selling widgets that cost $2 each, then you would want to step up your networking game at the event and the presentation of the elevator pitch.  However, if you are a business whose average customer spends $2,000, then you can see your ROI is high.

Now, this same principle can be applied with your social media campaigns.  Remember, ‘Don’t trust your feelings’.  Tally up your numbers and you too will see if your “feeling” is right.  Are your efforts causing your potential clients to think of you?  Are you seeing traffic and positive attention from your actions? 

We would love to hear from you.  What other ways do you use to determine if your marketing efforts are worth it?

Jeremy Lin (New York Knick Player) – MSG Network Graphic Politically and Factually Incorrect. (courtesy of thepostgame.com)

Readers of our blog!  We must together do a better job of sharing the information posted here.  Clearly we failed to get yesterday’s blog, “Dark Humor No Longer In” into the hands of the team over at the MSG Network (a regional sports network covering New York city teams). 

It can be said that this graphic was PC (poor choice) all the way around.   It is one that a few viewers found a tad bit on the racist side.  While others found it to just be an image with an incorrect reference to the NBA player, Jeremy Lin.  (read the history of fortune cookies as well as Lin’s bio and you’ll know why.)

So we’ll just have to sit back and see if any groups will pop up asking for an apology or if MSG will offer one up first.  Wonder if anyone will also ask Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock to be suspended (see information on CNN and Roland Martin) for his tweet, ‘Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple inches of pain tonight’?  Or if anyone will attack Floyd Mayweather for his tweet?

All of these recent stories have provided us over here at Above Promotions Company answering the questions from associates as to which type of humor is appropriate these days.  Stick with this blog and we will share more with you on what is still safely to laugh at.  Well, at least this year.

Don't Get Arrested By the Public for Your Dark Humor

Over the past few months it has become more and more evident that the dark humor comments made years ago by celebrities and companies is no longer “in”.

Looking back at Roland Martin’s comments on Twitter the night of the NFL Super Bowl a few weeks ago, the opinion of a group showed jokes of physically touching someone because of their likes is not acceptable.  Last week another group pushed Target to remove the “stalker” Valentine’s Day card from its shelves.  (See video here.)

What made its way to the forefront is the voice of the people.  It’s no longer a matter of saying what one thinks in a sarcastic tone and it be accepted by those who hear it.  Does this shift in sensitivity have you concerned?  Worried about your company’s message?  Feel free to contact us to discuss your current brand’s spokesperson, product and ads.

Today is Valentine’s Day.  Or is it?  At least that’s what the calendar says.

Whether you celebrate the day or not we know for many it’s a day of constant reminders of love being shown through thoughtful or last minute gifts.  This year you may feel like everywhere you turn today is another reminder of the “holiday for lovers”.  Constant hearts being thrown in your face and you wonder if this year there are even more.  Please don’t think you’re going crazy.  You’re not!  There are more hearts everywhere.   And with the information we will share below, you’ll understand why we now call today, Happy Retailer’s Day! 

According to the National Retailers Federation, their 2012 Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, revealed that today alone will yield a very nice return for businesses since the Christmas holiday season.  The average person celebrating the holiday will shell out $126.03, which is up 8.5 percent over last year and the highest in the survey’s 10-year history.  The spending for today is expected to reach $17.6 billion!*

From spouses to domestic relationships, family members and friends, the average dollar amount each will spend has increased.  And don’t think that the animals have been forgotten.  The average person will spend about $4.52 on their pets.

Now with this in mind, we do hope our retail followers are fully prepared for online sales and their websites are tablet and smartphone friendly.  The same survey states, “more than half of all tablet owners (53.8%) will use their device to research products, compare prices, redeem coupons, look up retailer information or purchase products. Four in 10 (40.4%) smartphone owners will use their mobile device to do the same.”

So no.  You’re not going crazy.  Businesses have positioned themselves to rake in some of the billions expected to flow in our economy today.  Just hold tight a few more hours and this will all be over.

If you are a business owner and can admit you weren’t ready for today, don’t worry.  Above Promotions Company is available to tell you how to unload some of your Valentine’s products and supplies.

Happy Retailer’s Day!

*Official NRF release of data http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=1304

Whether or not Adele won a Grammy for Record of the Year, Target took a chance on the star’s large voice to provide them with a great advertising opportunity.  She proved to be one of the most anticipated performances of the evening and the cross promotional commercial with the group of girls from the PS22 choir in New York singing her song, Rolling in the Deep, won the hearts of viewers.

Target proves once again, you don’t have to re-invent the wheel.  Simply line your brand up with another and take advantage of what is popular and strong.

Unfortunately, the weekend was overshadowed by the recent passing away of singer, Whitney Houston right before the big night for the music industry.  A shock for many, her music and acting career will live on for years.  Prayers go out to her daughter, Bobbi Christina Brown, Bobby Brown, Cissy Houston and the rest of Whitney’s family and friends.

Although she had some challenging years, her talent was her marvelous brand and it will always be remembered for years to come.

We at Above Promotions Company will always love you Whitney!

The Storm of a Crisis Always Dies Down

What is today’s front page, becomes tomorrow’s small caption on the back.  And in today’s online world, the major headline dwindles to a future hyperlink in an upcoming column.  The same theory applies to this week’s top headlines stemming from the NFL Super Bowl.  Society has moved on to this weekend’s Grammy Awards and other news.

 Let’s recap what stirred the pot this week thanks to the Super Bowl.

 -          M.I.A.’s middle finger stunt over shadow’s Madonna’s performance.

-          Clint Eastwood was accused of being President Obama’s “puppet” because of Chrysler’s ad.

-          Teleflora, M&Ms and H&M stirred controversy amongst parent and family groups for “selling sex”.

-          Roland Martin and CNN end up in the hot seat over tweets.

-          NBC and NFL point fingers over M.I.A.’s above mentioned actions.

-          Victoria Secret Model, Gisele Bundchen, blames Patriots players for the loss.

Did we miss anything?

As you saw this morning, headlines have turned to other news, JCP and Ellen DeGeneres, The Grammy Awards show, New York Fashion Week and other topics will also lose their savor in a week.

The storm of a crisis always dies down.  It’s not the news of the crisis that kills a brand, but it is how it’s handled based on the public’s outcry that leaves a lasting impression.  Surely as a business continues to operate, it will encounter some form of outside criticism.  The last thing the public remembers is what affects the brand for months and years to come.  In the race of crisis communication and brand protection, you must be equipped to handle most major scenarios. 

Yes, all of these topics above will rise again; and Above Promotions Company will be here to share insights on how to handle a crisis in the face of the public.  If your company does not have a plan in place, please contact us.  From creating the plan, to being your company on standby “in case of an emergency”, we are available to discuss this and other important topics concerning protecting your brand and effectively communicating to the public.

Have a great weekend and let’s see if the Grammy’s give us anything to discuss next week!

We must admit, as a Twitter follower who occassionally interacts with Roland Martin (fellow National Association of Black Journalists - NABJ Member), the tweet by Roland did not surprise us.  His voice is one that is rarely silenced and one who is not afraid of a good debate. 

As we were watching a few of his tweets amongst others during the Super Bowl, the one called out the loudest was from GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).  (Noticeably his comment to the men regarding the Super Bowl ad by Teleflora was overlooked, but not the one regarding David Beckham‘s ad. )

Roland is known for his large comments leaving all sorts of people upset.  Let’s face it.  It’s why CNN, TV One and Tom Joyner amongst others bring Martin to their outlets and venues.

Today’s blog isn’t to discuss the right or wrong of what was said, but to simply look at the various responses from a public relations, crisis communication and branding aspect.   Here is Above Promotions Company’s Clean up list for the parties involved.  Give us your opinion if we missed any.

• Roland Martin:  An offensive tweet went out and joke or not, was not taken in the content for which his later statements suggested.  144 characters is not enough space to create an intelligent communication to criticism.  A longer more articulate one from the personal blog and linked in a tweet, would have been more suitable.  Admission to publicly vocalizing a dark comment which was intended as a joke.  Talk to GLAAD directly and immediately in regards to how discussions on violence against anyone in America is not one to encourage and is not encouraged. 
• CNN:  Stand by the comment being made in an arena outside of their broadcast and their brand.  Reiterate how the network does not promote violence of any nature and will not do so through their employees.  Offer GLAAD a platform to discuss their personal agenda on air.  As the network cannot control the actions of on-air talent off-air, offer Martin classes on public engagement.  Remove the suspension.  From a branding standpoint, it is difficult to encourage freedom of speech and then knock your own employees down from doing such an act during their non-working hours.
• GLAAD:  The statement was not made on the air with CNN.  Directing all campaigns to correct Roland’s behavior should be directed at him solely.  Freedom of speech right wrong or indifferent is an avenue where an organization who seeks to push their agenda through the media under freedom of speech must tread lightly.  The push to go to CNN and not the other minority outlets is one that has left many wondering the agenda of GLAAD.  From a branding standpoint, representing the overall community of those in the gay and lesbian lifestyle should be dictated to all outlets and not just one.  Also, recognizing how the organization can willingly make a difference in one individual’s response instead of attempting to force the hand of one individual, is more effective in the long run.  Hate in any form cannot be won by force.

In talking with many journalists and media professionals, TV One and the Tom Joyner Morning Show are doing right by remaining low key and not responding to questions.  This is especially noted as being a favorable position since GLAAD has not made a public declaration against those outlets. 

Whew!  And you thought it was going to be a regular Super Bowl football game!  Go Team Go!