>Denied, by LinkedIn

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Denied, almost

So, you are now on LinkedIn and Facebook. Going a little wild with connections? I did too, until recently. LinkedIn informed me, somewhat politely, that I had gone overboard. See, some people told LinkedIn that they did not know me. (Yes, I guess there are a few folks still left).

Apparently, these ticked off folks tipped off LinkedIn with the “I Don’t Know” (this bloke Felber) button. Anyway, I had to agree to be more careful on invites. They sent me some nice tips as a result of my signing my life away (see below).

See, I was inviting interesting folks that I saw in groups we shared; mostly, it worked very well and I have met with people and made some great connections. Reminds me of the early days of email (anyone remember Cleveland FreeNet?). We sent everything to everyone; that was early spam, sans viruses.

But, be careful. I’ll be trying these tips so I do not get restricted from this great social media tool.

LinkedIn

Dear Robert,

We thank you for agreeing to comply with our policies and know that together we can maintain an outstanding website for all of our members.

We would like to share some tips for the acceptance of your invitations:

1. Editing the body of your invitation to prompt a recollection. This can be done when you arrive to the “invite page”. At the bottom, you have the option to add a “personal note” which may be edited to reflect your personalized message.

2. Click on the “Get introduced through a connection” link if this person is connected to someone already in your network.

3. Add a photo of yourself so that members who may not recognize your name but would certainly remember what you look like.
The restriction has been lifted from your account. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us.
http://www.linkedin.com/

>Say No to Tchotchkes and Yes to Promotional Products

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>Our very own Bruce Felber was quoted in “Take Advantage of the Downturn” about why you should use promotional products during this poor economy. Check it out!

>Cleveland’s Advertising, Mar-com Industry

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>For those college students who think that if they want a career in advertising they have to move to Chicago or New York… you are wrong! We, meaning Cleveland, finally have the stats to prove Cleveland has a strong marketing-communications industry.

According to this article by The Plain Dealer, our industry employs more than 39,000 people in Northeast Ohio! You’ll be shocked by the other stats as our industry is larger than any other industry in Cleveland. Yes, it out-ranks manufacturing, transportation, etc.

Thanks to Dick Clough and the Northeast Ohio Communication Advocates (NOCA) along with The Plain Dealer for conducting the research!

For more local advertising information, check out American Advertising Federation-Cleveland’s new website: www.aafcleveland.com.

~ Michelle Hirsh, Felber & Felber Marketing

>Something to hold close

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If you had asked us, last quarter, “what will be the most popular service being requested from our firm during a recession”, I would have told you it will be public relations. Although a slow burn, with the time it takes to build editorial relationships, story interest and content, for all that, publicity can and should be a more cost effective investment.

So, as we near the end of the first quarter of the recession to end all recessions (you heard it here first!), what are our client projects? Well, surprisingly, we are seeing a greater interest in direct mail, targeted dimensional promotion, print advertising, web and social media. Yes, we are very surprised! Except for web and social media, the rest of these projects are physical. You can touch and feel direct mail and graphic design elements. My only thought is that these are tangible. People are feeling more comfort in the products and services that provide a physical presence. PR is not dead by any means. It can and should be measured. Perhaps we will see a renewed interest as the economy improves.

What are you working on? Are you seeing the same phenomena?

>Favorite Super Bowl Commercial

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>Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great time watching the super bowl, and congratulations to Steelers fans. Since I am working for a marketing firm we thought it would be fun to get the younger generation’s opinion on the commercials. My favorite commercial is the one with the two Potato Heads driving…

Mrs. Potato Head is talking and talking about how Mr. Potato Head needs to slow down and pay attention to the road. Mr. Potato Head swerves out of the way to avoid a herd of sheep. This causes Mrs. Potato Head’s mouth falls off, leaving her not being able to talk; so she takes off her calm eyes and puts on her angry eyes!

This commercial demonstrated how Bridgestone tires work when you need them the most. This commercial is one of the ones that I will remember for a while because of the humor, real-life scenario and the use of a childhood toy. Good work Bridgestone!

Missed the commercial? Watch and rate all of them at USA Today’s Ad Meter.

~ Tali, intern at Felber & Felber Marketing

>PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS AND OBAMA

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>It has been about week since I returned for the annual convention of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and as promised I would report on the event. Well I actually have some real life examples to share with you on where and how effective promotional products are used.

During the Inauguration of President Obama was a great place to illustrate the value of this $19Billion a year industry. Here are just a few:

A One-of-a-kind crystal bowl from Lenox was used to commemorate the moment. Recognition is a large part of the promotional industry as so many items can be used as a keepsake and celebration reminder of the times. This is a great example. View a video story here

You may have noticed how cold it was that day, but don’t despair as everyone was kept warm with a custom embroidered blanket shown here. This is the best coverage of the day and warmed more than your heart.

Then next day the new President signed all of his documents with a custom made CROSS pen made right here in the US. This shows his signature on the timeless gift. You can watch the video of this historic moment.

There were hundreds of examples that day from hats, signs, bumper stickers, buttons and more. Remember that promotional items reach across all audiences and at almost any budget. To learn more contact me at 330-963-3664 x 2 or email me at brucefelber@felberandfelber.com.

Bruce

>The "People" didn’t "Ethically" treat their vegetables

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>So as we gear up for Super Bowl Sunday, the buzz is all about PETA – you know, the “People for Ethical Treatment of Animals” organization who last year started debuting racy magazine ads. Well I think they’ve outdone themselves. According to this article on clevelandleader.com you can read all about the controversy and if you really want to, you can view the commercial that will never air – at least in its current state.

For now, I don’t think the People Ethically treated their vegetables.

More to come on Super Bowl, or “Commercial Bowl” Sunday as I call it.

~ Michelle Hirsh, Felber & Felber Marketing

>2009 is now underway

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Here we are January 14, 2009 and the year is already up an running. So where am I? I am at the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) annual Expo in Las Vegas. This event is where promotional professionals gather to foster new and creative ideas to bring to our clients. There is something for everyone from educational seminars, social networking events, accreditation training and a three day trade show.

The trade show has over 8 miles of exhibit space all dedicated to showcasing promotional products, premiums and incentives all designed to grow brand recognition and assist with communcation and public relations campaigns.

I have been formally installed as a new Director of PPAI for a four year term. Life has been non-stop since I arrived on 1-11 and I have not set foot outside the convention center yet. I can tell you the mood is upbeat and encouraging from most of the 12,000 attendees. Today I facilitated a Peer2Peer luncheon where new and creative ideas were explored.

Upon my return I will share more details.

Bruce

>Happy New Year!

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>I want to wish all of our readers a very Happy & Prosperous 2009. It is with great anticipation that we say goodbye to 2008, especially the last few months, and hello to 2009. We have so many changes on the horizon so let us all stand together to rebuild our country and individual lives.

Best of luck in the new year.

Bruce Felber

>Gotta Love Lists

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>Who doesn’t love a list of top ten weight loss tips, best new year’s resolutions and banished words… wait, what? Yes, there is a list of banished words. As public relations professionals, we can appreciate strange lists like this one: Lake Superior State University’s List 2009 List of Banished Words.

In 1975, the LSSU public relations director and his colleagues started a list of words that were overused, mis-used and just not useful. Some of this year’s banished words are green, maverick, bailout, Wall Street/Main Street and the first emoticon that resembles a heart: <3. So do you agree with this list or are they missing words that should be on there? As Merriam-Webster adds words each year, LSSU banishes them! Have a little fun and brush up on your vocabulary. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to learn a new word each day!

~ Michelle, Felber & Felber Marketing