Thursday, December 29, 2005

Functional Food?

Although I hardly ever watch morning TV, the Today Show was on in the background as I was sleepily getting ready for work. I caught part of a story about a new food category called "functional food". Even sleepy that didn't make sense to me. Isn't all food 'functional' to some extent; even my beloved french fries? They went on to say that orange juice that was in this category would help relieve constipation. Interesting.....except that if you drink enough orange juice you won't have that problem any longer anyway without some additive that has who-knows-what side effect a few years down the line.

I wondered who coined the phrase "functional food". Was it the media or a marketing department in one of the major food manufacturers? My vote was marketing departments. The New York Times has an article about these new 'fortified' foods here that says the "food industry calls (these new foods) functional foods, which promise a host of health benefits...." Ah- ha...a marketing person's dream - think up a phrase and the media start to use it on national television and major newspapers.

The article goes on to tell about a few companies and what they are adding to foods to create these 'fortified' foods including a form of starch and bacteria strains. I don't know about you, but I think I'll stick with what I know. If you really want benefits from foods the best ones are the natural fruits, veggies and grains. You know, the things you learned in grade school and then we all promptly forgot when we got into our 20s. Ok, so maybe not all of you forgot, but I certainly did. That's when I learned that Smartfood popcorn, while oh-so-yummy, isn't really 'smart' when it comes to my scale.

But I digress...my point is that although this new catch phrase is a great success, so far, for the marketing people that thought it up (congrats to them!), it might not necessarily be such a great thing for people looking to eat better. It certainly isn't an overnight 'fix' for anything, something the companies will, also, readily tell you. it will be very interesting to see if the 'functional food' phrase really does catch on for more than a few days.

Just a tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Lance gets win #4...and more Lance

Yes, I know that Lance Armstrong has won Le Tour 7 times. But, he's just been awarded the Associated Press' "Male Athlete of the Year" for the 4th consecutive time. Wow. Now he's not only the only person to win Le Tour 7 times, but the only athlete to win this coveted award 4 times.

Now, for those of you who have had a touch too much Lance these days, Smart Cookie Tim has a link on his site to something that Smithers in Minneapolis has done that is Lance related. Thanks to both of them for the giggle.

Just a couple of cycling-related tidbits for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

"Gifts" from Boulder

Joe Lindsey's Boulder Report details his wishes for cycling personalities, companies in the industry and the world, in general. It's an entertaining read.

Just a tiny tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Merry, Merry to All!!!

Hello everyone:

Although I had great designs of doing another post before the holiday this weekend that just isn't going to happen. I was going to introduce you to the people listed to the right and tell you why they are there (because all are important to my blogging 'story' in one way or another). But wrapping, visiting with friends and relatives and, well, going to work (!) has all taken up more time than I thought.

Next week I'll properly introduce these smart, wonderful people. This week I'll just wish them, their assorted animals and kids and all of you a merry, merry, happy, happy holiday, whichever one you celebrate this weekend. May it be filled with friends, relatives, good food and warm fuzzies!

Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Happy Holidays to Pedro's!

Not only did the holiday elf bring a new sponsor to Team Inferno (see below), the elf also brought Pedro's a new managing director! Nice elf. Pedro's has been looking for a managing director for months, but the wait was worth it! Chris Zigmont will finish up his stint as Director, Sales & Marketing at Mavic/adidas Cycling and start at Pedro's on February 1, 2006.

The press release says that Chris, "will oversee all sales, marketing and product development activities for the brand." What it doesn't say is that the afternoon rides might be kicked up a notch come spring with him in the mix.

Congratulations to both Chris and everyone at Pedro's. This is just fabulous news and I look forward to seeing Chris' touch on the company's growth in the new year.

Just another cycling tidbit for the day. Thanks for stopping by.

Team Inferno gets early holiday present

Tim Jackson broke the news yesterday that Team Inferno has signed clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch as their title sponsor. The team will officially be known as Abercrombie & Fitch presented by Inferno Racing Team. A little bit of a mouth full, but terrific news for this new team. The team is based in Ohio as is A&F. The team has also signed Jackson's Masi Bicycles as a bike sponsor and lists other well-known cycling companies including Kenda Tire, Spinergy, Crank Brothers and Rudy Project USA as supporters. Not bad...

Tim talks about the great marketing opportunity each of the sponsoring companies will have by building on what the other companies are doing over on the Krew's site. Let's hope they all realize the great potential here and work together on some projects, too. I'm sure A&F could use a little guidance in the cycling industry. Tim's probably just the guy to help them make the most of their sponsorship, too.

Somehow, I think that the team and Tim are going to be the best dressed cyclists around in '06!

Just a little cycling tidbit. Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, December 19, 2005

Falmouth Road Race

Disclaimer: I've been attending the Falmouth Road Race for many years. For the last 15 I've been involved with the media in some capacity or another. Currently, I'm in charge of the press tent on race day.

The Falmouth Road Race is part of running history. The race is 7.1 miles from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights, Massachusetts. The race will be held on Sunday, August 13, next summer and I, for one, am counting the days! It's a time for me to connect with old friends, have some of great seafood and, of course, "work" on the beach!

This year the race needs a title sponsor, which is part of the reason I'm writing about this. The more people that know about this opportunity the better. Maybe one of you will be the perfect match for this fabulous event.

As for a marketing opportunity...well, let's just say the title sponsor's logo is everywhere race weekend. You can't get away from it even if you wanted to. The four co-directors have forgotten more about sponsorship relations than many of us will ever know. Thousands of runners, who will max out the field by late winter, will see this logo as well as all of their friends, family and folks who live in the town. Falmouth isn't just a road race, it is a happening. One that the whole town participates in and families plan around all year.

This isn't just a regional race so if you are located somewhere besides Massachusetts, don't count it out without looking at all of their entry information. Runners come to Falmouth from all over to run the race and spend a few days relaxing on the ocean. Olympic medalists? Got 'em. Politicians? Usually got 'em. Regional runners? Got lots of 'em. Runners from across the country? Got 'em. International elite runners? Got 'em, too.

Does every single person know who the title sponsor is? I would venture to say that they all do because they can't miss it. The logo is not just on shirts, hats, sweatshirts etc. it's on banners all over the ocean-side course, the break tape, the bib numbers and every piece of media material that goes out. That's just to name a few places...banners at the pasta supper, race headquarters, number pick up, the free mug and poster runners get...I could go on and on.

It's a great race and...if you needed more....they give back, too. By giving guaranteed entries to the quickly maxed out race field to charities such as Lymphoma Research Foundation, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and nearly 25 other charities they were instrumental in these groups raising over $750,000 in 2005. Talk about warm fuzzies.

I know this sounds like a sales pitch. It is. But, it's also passion. I'd go work at this race for free every year just because I love the whole vibe of it. Oh wait...I do. And I'm not the only one. It's truly like no other race. The race organizers would love to find a new title sponsor by the time the big ball drops in Times Square in a couple of weeks. If you haven't made all your sponsorship plans yet, give them a look.

Just a little tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Polite Marketing

Just picked up the mail and noticed a plain white envelope. Above the pre-printed address it said "Please do not Discard". It was just from a credit card company soliciting for a new registration, but their politeness worked to some extent. I wanted to know what was inside before I actually did discard it. Sometimes it pays to simply be polite. The world, in general, could use a little more polite behavior.

Just a tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

All holiday greeting for all seasons

Shel Holtz has a "Greeting for All Seasons" over on his blog, a shel of my former self. It was sent to him by an associate. It's worth a look; made me giggle!

And, the cookies I mentioned below arrived this week! If you are looking for a gift for someone who doesn't mind gaining a pound or ten, check out Termini Brothers online. No preservatives, but when you are eating that many calories I don't think that is your first thought. The cookies are magnificent!

Just a couple of holiday tidbits. Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Traditionalist

With the holidays upon us it is customary to wish people a "Happy Holiday" or "Wonderful New Year" when speaking with them or communicating via email or blog. It's also customary for many to send holiday greetings to business associates, customers and partners.

As technology gets easier to use and less expensive companies are choosing to do different things to capture the attention of their customers and partners. Some I'm all for, some I wonder why they picked the option they went with. Here are a few examples.

One associate sent a holiday ecard. I enjoy ecards as much as anyone else (I'm thinking of the 'I will survive' Thanksgiving turkey right now!) and in certain situations they are appropriate like when you don't know the person that well or don't have their address. For example, your blogging friends and associates that you've met over the last year - more likely than not, you don't have a physical address for them. Completely appropriate to send a holiday greeting via ecard. Also, if you have a small start-up business and don't have funding. Hey, it's the thought that counts anyway, right? True.

However, if you know the person and have their address send the actual, physical card. It sits on the desk for a week or two and lets the person know you took a little time out of your day for them. Yes, we all have busy schedules, but this is once a year and taking time for each other is what the season is about.

Another company this year sent a holiday CD with a short letter. Hmmm...not sure that works for me. There is only one song about Hanukkah and the other 2o+ are Christmas related. First of all, there is a radio station near here that has pledged Christmas songs until the big day; I get all the Christmas I need. Second of all, in business you never know who celebrates Christmas and who doesn't. Probably not a smart move for a company to do because they could offend some of their clients without meaning to. Holiday card would have been just fine and not offended anyone.

One other company I know sends a platter of scrumptious Italian cookies and a small gift card wishing 'happy holidays'. You guessed it, I'm all for that 'no tech' approach! And, yes, I remember that company all year which, I assume is part of the reason they send it.

There are many ways to let your colleagues and associates know you appreciate them and wish them well this season and for the new year. Whichever you choose, I'm sure they will appreciate being thought of during these busy days for us all. Me? I'm for the old fashioned card with a personal note inside. Ok, and maybe a cookie or two...

Just a tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

What is remarkable?

Shel Israel has started an interesting practice on his personal blog "ItSeemstoMe". He asks an open-ended, general question every day or so for 'the world' to answer. Most are thought-provoking and sometimes personal in nature. They are questions ranging from "What do you think the world will look like in ten years?" to "What would you like your children to have that you never had?."

I've been watching the answers with interest yet hadn't posted before today. When I went this evening the latest question is: "Who or what do you think is remarkable?" This was something I could answer without even thinking.

You can see my answer here. Click on over and check out all of the questions and answer them, if even only in your our mind. I'll bet you'll mull over some for more than a minute or two.

Just a little tidbit for the day. Thanks for stopping by.

Holiday Stress Relief

Starting a blog around the holidays wasn't that brilliant. With the shopping, wrapping and visiting friends and family there doesn't leave a lot of time for blogging. However, I manage to get in a game or two each night of LetterLinker. This is a free online game from myway that resembles the word game, Boggle, which was a favorite of mine as a kid. It's a great game to play to destress for a few minutes during the holiday craziness. Text Twist is good,too, and is accessed through the same main page.

Another game that I've tried, but tends to frustrate me more than destress is Boston.com's Snowplow Game. You 'drive' a snowplow through the streets of Boston. It isn't as easy as it sounds!

Go. Play. You know you want to...

Just a little tidbit for this weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Mini Conversation

The Mini Cooper advertising campaign has long fascinated me. They not only have full page ads in some of the top publications (huge budget!), but these include pages cut to Mini's specifications, stickers for your car and cut outs for your desk. The ads are always interesting and innovative.

Today I saw another interesting piece of marketing - at the self service gas pump. Above the pump was a simple placement by Mini titled "Why not strike up a conversation?" The plain copy goes on to say (paraphrasing) Nobody talks at the pumps any more. Maybe take a moment to give a casual "hi" or "nice wheels" to the person across from you. Be friendly. It feels good. And in the bottom right corner is a photo of a Mini. Just another in a series of memorable ads.

Simple. Nice. Not in your face "BUY ME". I like it. Some companies try to hit you over the head with 'buy me now' practically written all over the ad. Sometimes a soft sell is the best way to go. Will I buy a Mini Cooper because of these ads? Probably not as it doesn't suit my needs, but I've been thinking about that placement at the pump all day, told a colleague about it and now I've blogged about it. So did this particular marketing piece accomplish their goal? I'd say it did just that.

Coincidentally, as I was digging around the internet about them I noticed that David Kiley over at BusinessWeek reports Mini Cooper USA announced a new advertising agency today. We can only hope that the new agency will be as creative at the old and keep coming up with nontraditional marketing for the company. I'll be interested to see where they pop up next.

Just a tidbit for the day. Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Tiger Woods in Le Tour?

Today's tidbit actually comes from Dana VanDen Heuvel. He points readers of his blog to an article in the Sunday New York Times, " Wheels and Deals in Silicon Valley", which I found to be a good read.

Apparently, executives are getting together outside of the office more and more on their bicycles to do some networking and bonding in the Valley. This has probably been going on around the country more than has been recognized by 'mainstream press' but it's great for the industry that the Times is writing about it. One guy is even quoted in the article as saying that cycling is the new golf. All of us in the cycling industry would enjoy having that statement be true!

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Blog books

Blogging seems to be a hot topic with publishers right now. For good reason. Of course there is Shel and Robert's book, Naked Conversations, which will be out in January and is causing a lot of buzz. But there are a couple of other people I've talked to about their upcoming books, too, that you might not know about including Debbie Weil who has "The Corporate Blogging Book" coming out next September. Her book includes a forward by Bob Lutz, Global Vice Chairman of General Motors. Debbie and I had a great conversation late one Fall afternoon and into the evening. I look forward to reading her book.

Nancy Flynn is writing, Blog Rules, which is her 8th book! She and I chatted for awhile and I also look forward to seeing her book. It should be out in June.

Just a tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Participant Cap on Colorado Bike Events

When I visited the Tyler Hamilton Foundation site today I saw a link to Bicycle Colorado for the latest information on the event participation cap the Colorado State Patrol are putting into effect. The State Patrol is saying that bicycle events need to be capped at 2,500 participants for safety concerns. This is a huge blow to many of the big charity rides in that state.

The reply to Bicycle Colorado from the State Patrol states, among other things, "This policy is not punitive, as we are not limiting the number of events a promotor wishes to sponsor." That's all well and good, but there is a little flaw in that logic.

For the sake of arguement, let's say that a big event splits into two events to accomodate all of the participants they have had in the past. And let's assume that sponsors and participants will still be involved with this split event held on different days. Will this not give more of a chance for an accident to happen? For residents and/or motorists to get completely frustrated that their normal route is being blocked by cyclists for two days or weekends in a row and complain to authorities? And will this not potentially create additional ill-will between cyclists and motorists when there doesn't need to be a reason in many cases?

I understand the State Patrol's reasoning behind this new rule; they want all cyclists to be safe. That is a great goal! However, they are imposing additional financial hardships on events, many of which are in place to aid charities. Some of these events will not survive because of this new rule. Less participants means less money raised. Less participants also means less sponsorship dollars. Splitting events into different days probably means less participants and less sponsors, too. It also means more of a cost for organizers with additional permits (including from the Colorado State Patrol), equipment rental time, insurance and, yes, paid police details.

If you live in Colorado swing by the Bicycle Colorado site and sign the petition. Let's all hope there is a compromise that can be reached for the good of all cyclists and their safety.

Thanks for stopping by.

Team Phonak tidbit

Cyclingnews.com reports that Team Phonak will indeed keep the title sponsor. Phonak Hearing Systems has signed on for another year of sponsorship. BMC is also staying on as the bike sponsor. This is great news for a team that has has a rough couple of years. Congratulations to all!

Just a little cycling tidbit for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks a bunch!

A belated 'thank you' to all of you who have stopped by for a tidbit or two! Many of you have been so nice, leaving encouraging messages or mentioning this blog on your own. I appreciate all of your patience and kindness to this newbie. You've made me feel very welcome in this new venture.

One of my 'goals' has already been achieved - too meet other smart people! This includes Kevin and Lee. I'll be checking out their blogs often to hear what they have to say because I'm sure it will be interesting. There are many others that have cruised by that I hope to meet in the near future. I think this is the fastest I've ever accomplished any goal I've set for myself. I might just like this blogging thing after all!

My promise to you all is that this site will get better as I figure out all of the ins and outs of getting it going although some of that may wait until after the holidays. Thanks to Tara for kicking me into gear about a site feed and Mike and Fritz for telling me how to get it. I think I've got it now....

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Who am I? Why am I here?

Although many of you who have stopped by for a tidbit or two know my name from one particular 'incident' within the blogosphere, that in no way defines who I am. If it did, I would have no business talking marketing, events or even cycling with you. So, I thought I'd give you a brief overview of what I've done in my career so you might understand some of my perspectives a little bit better.

In what seems like another lifetime ago, I started my career at the Boston Athletic Association. No, this isn't a health club, it's the organization that puts on the famous Boston Marathon each April. During that time I also did some work for, what I believe to be, the best event management company in the country, DMSE.

Over the next several years I worked at a sports marketing company (for a brilliant woman!), a diversity marketing company and, believe it or not, a public relations firm that specializes in high tech clients. I know, I know, that is hard to believe. For the past six years I've been at the job many of you know me from so I'm far from a newbie there. For the last 15 years I've also been involved with the media relations for the Falmouth Road Race in one capacity or another. It's a 'working' holiday for me every August. But when your 'work' is taking place on a beach, is it really work?

So there you have a little bit about what I have done. Not everything certainly, but enough to see that I might have a completely different perspective than some others. Maybe enough difference to keep you coming back. Time will tell.

Just a little tidbit of information for today. Thanks for stopping by.