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Category Archives: Fun with . . .
Finding the Hole in the Social Media Donut Metaphor
A market research team at Three Ships Media inadvertently spread a viral sensation following an internal discussion of social media.
The group used donuts to explain current social media. Once Three Ships’ creative director Nuno Gomes had hammered out the list on their whiteboard, a colleague snapped an image of it and then shot it into the world it attempted to make sense of. Hundreds of thousands of likes and retweets later, the donut just might be the new standard against which social media are measured.
We think the list works. Here are our additional fields for the database:
It’s a shame that Three Ships’ list tops out at a mere nine donuts – three short of a dozen – though it seems inevitable that at least as many new social media sites will debut sooner than we’re likely to see decent new donut varieties. It’s hard enough for us to keep track of the differences between all of these, let alone explain them to parents, spouses or friends. Laminating a small but high-res print of this image would provide a handy wallet card.
SNL + Focus Group = Research Nightmare
Often, when conducting qualitative research, marketers may try to recruit respondents who are already loyal to the brand in hopes that the respondent will provide more in-depth feedback.
Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live
However, sometimes brand loyalists can be a bit too enthusiastic, just like Melissa McCarthy’s character in this hilarious Saturday Night Live skit shown below. Has this ever happened to you?
President’s Day Fun Facts
Most people find a reason to celebrate President’s Day because of the great sales.
But it’s really a day to honor all of the leaders who have served our country in good times and bad.
Until 1971, both February 12 and February 22 were observed as federal public holidays to honor the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and George Washington (February 22).
In 1971, President Richard Nixon proclaimed one single federal public holiday, Presidents’ Day, to be observed on the third Monday of February, honoring all past presidents of the United States of America.
So brush up on some Presidential fun facts below before you hit the stores!
Understanding Consumers’ Motivations for Valentine’s Day Purchases
February 14th was declared as Valentine’s Day in 496 AD by Pope Gelasius I. It is a holiday observed honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is a day that traditionally loved ones express their love for one another by giving flowers, candy, and sending greeting cards known as “valentines.” Hand-written valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards. Esther Howland, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, sold the first mass-produced Valentine cards in the 1840’s.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the United States. At the turn of the millennium, the rise of Internet popularity has created new traditions. Now each year, millions of people send Valentine’s Day e-cards, love coupons, or printable greeting cards. An estimated 15 million e-valentines were sent in 2010.
The National Retail Federation’s Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey predicts the average person will spend $126.03 this year, up 8.5 percent from last year’s $116.21, and up 22 percent from 2010’s $103.
Spending this Valentine’s Day is expected to reach $17.6 billion. Americans will spend the most on their partners with the average person planning to spend $74.12 which is up from $68.98 in 2011. Men are expected to spend more than women. With 50.5 percent planning to buy their loved ones candy (top gift of choice), followed by flowers and then dinner, approximately 19 percent will purchase jewelry – the highest in the survey’s history.
What motivates an individual to purchase one thing over another? Is it fear of a negative ramification or is it the need to nurture or be nurtured by your partner? Or is it the need to achieve by purchasing the ‘best’ gift? Retailers could benefit by commissioning The Forbes Consulting Group to do a MindSight® study. By using the company’s proprietary applied neuroscience technology, retailers can gain a better understanding of the specific emotions that influence buyers’ decision-making. This would help retailers understand why someone would choose to buy candy over flowers on Valentine’s Day for their loved one. With this understanding, retailers can strategize and target specific shoppers to help increase their sales revenue.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!!!!
With Superbowl XLVI craziness all around us, it may not come as a surprise that football is America’s favorite sport. Passion for watching the game is at an all time high – 36% of adults say professional football is their favorite sport. Compare that to baseball, in second place with only 13% of adults saying it was their favorite. Check out additional facts here.
Will you be watching the New England Patriots take on the New York Giants on February 5th? I know I will!
Super Bowl Fun Facts
Super Bowl ranks 2nd (after Thanksgiving) among America’s top eating days. Looking at the amounts of food consumed (1.25 billion chicken wings), it makes you wonder does football motivate those of us on the sidelines to eat?
http://theweek.com/article/index/223872/americas-super-bowl-feast-by-the-numbers
Do Video Games Make Kids Violent?
By Ric Dube
In a roundup of psychiatric research on the topic, TIME magazine declared this month that “video games don’t make kids violent.” Somebody is bound to take issue with that.
Similar to the question of whether wine is good or bad for the blood, expert opinions on this issue are batted back and forth in a perpetual game of research tether ball by sides never satisfied with results.
It’s asking a lot to prove that video games make kids violent because popular culture is a chicken-and-egg combination of attitudes and commerce. It may be more revealing (or at least amusing) simply to note certain social attitudes that have dovetailed with video game culture.
In Honor of the King
Best known for his “I have dream speech”, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. achieved much, much more in his lifetime. Read the interesting facts below and take a fun, short quiz to better understand why we celebrate this holiday!
Source: Social Wayne.com
Click here to take a quiz to see how much you know about Martin Luther King Jr.
A Day for Thanks and Respect
Did you know… that Veteran’s Day was formerly known as Armistice Day? It originated on November 11th, 1919, which was the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1939, it became an official national holiday to pay tribute to all American veterans, living or dead. We send a huge “thank you” to all of America’s veterans – you have our respect and admiration each and every day.
