April 2008 - Posts
Even if you don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, you probably have some stereotypes about us lurking in your head. Well, here’s a dirty little secret -- for all our talk of individualism, all of your stereotypes about us are true.
We are a region of smug hybrid owners, recycling fanatics and recumbent bicycle commuters. We love to broadcast our beliefs via bumper stickers. Before we moved here we may have been more fashionable, but now we see nothing wrong with wearing socks with our sandals, preferably paired with those pants that can unzip to become a pair of shorts should the weather improve. If we want to get fancy, we might throw a fleece vest over the whole ensemble.
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| Pemco |
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From “Fast Food Nation” to “Super Size Me,” McDonald’s has become the go-to villain in the United States’ obesity drama.
Not willing to become the de facto whipping boy, the company best known for its indulgent burgers and greasy fries has already added salads, fruits and other new menu options. Now, it’s defending the rest of its food lineup as well.
The “what we’re made of” campaign includes TV commercials, in-store promotions and a Web site boasting about its beef, chicken and other basic ingredients. In the coming weeks, the company also plans to add billboards and expand the Web site to include more information about cooking methods, suppliers and other practices.
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| McDonald's |
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Earth Day is meant to be a time to think about the how we can preserve our planet for future generations. But corporations, hip to the idea that green has become the new black, have hit on another purpose: it’s an excellent peg for selling more stuff.
This April 22, why help your young daughter do something boring like plant a tree or start a compost bin? Instead, you can hop in your gas guzzler and drive on over Toys ‘R’ Us, which is selling a limited edition Barbie “BCause” line of accessories made from leftover fabric and trimmings that, Barbie maker Mattel says, would normally be thrown away.
The tote bags, diaries and other items are being launched “just in time to celebrate Earth Day in style,” according to Mattel’s promotional materials.
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If you’re a has-been celebrity looking for work - and what has-been celebrity isn’t looking for work, by definition? - the good news is that there are other job prospects out there besides lame reality television shows. There’s also Geico.
The insurance company has for some time now been employing the likes of Little Richard, Joan Rivers and even Charo to “interpret” real people’s stories of how well Geico dealt with their insurance claims.
Maybe the well of real D-list celebrities is running dry, because now the company is turning to … a syrup bottle.
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When most companies want to sell a product, they try to tell you how fun the product is, how much you need it (even if you never realized it!) or how much more you’ll like doing your favorite activities because you have this great, new item.
The running shoe company New Balance is trying a different approach.
The company’s latest campaign, which launched during the NCAA basketball tournament, begins with an image many can relate to – a man sleeping soundly, only to be forced out of bed for the sake of workout.
“You are in a relationship with running. A love/hate relationship,” the narrator intones.
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| New Balance |
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