Lip-Sticking

It's a Brand, Brand World

What does your brand say about you? The Lip-sticking brand is important to me and that's why I spent a lot of time and consideration before launching The Lip-sticking Society. It would seem that I was/am on the right track by growing my current brand into something stronger and more useful.

A study by the Custom Publishing Council reported in late December of last year that "Branded Content Advertising Doubles in 2009." This came to me via the Center for Media Research, a site I highly recommend.

According to the article, "Branded content initiatives are considered by marketers as more effective than other leading forms of advertising and marketing. Seventy percent said it was more effective than television advertising; 61% said it was more effective than direct mail and 57% said more effective than public relations."

Weighing in on the FTC

I don't profess to be lawyer-ish or to even be able to understand the fine print in my 28 page house contract (it may be 38 pages, I didn't count, the point is there is more legalese than I care to wade through). I do believe I am smart enough to figure the contract out, and I do believe it's important for me to do so, but I fully admit that I rely on Tom for that. Tom IS a lawyer, albeit, a non-practicing lawyer. He doesn't represent us in any legal issues, he just makes sense out of the fine print on contracts. We have practicing attorneys for the legal stuff.

The reason I'm bringing all this up is because of the FTC ruling that is taking bloggers to task. I invite you to read a more a more thorough explanation of the ruling at Damn I Wish I'd Thought of That, Andy Sernovitz's blog, where he deconstructs the FTC ruling for us in today's blog post. (I see Andy will be at MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago on Oct. 21st - wow - wish I could be there; if you can be, you should be) [note: discovered my link to Andy's explanation was wrong, and fixed it today, 10/11/09]

Here's my problem with this whole issue - why do we need the FTC to tell us that honest, open, authentic conversations on blogs are the only way to do business? Do we suddenly need to hire a lawyer, just in case, to have on retainer if we don't disclose our relationship in wording the FTC approves? I don't think so! I think we've been policing ourselves just fine. On the other hand, maybe I'm being too much of a Pollyanna.

Continental Express Your Show has been cancelled!

The story of the passengers stuck on the plane in Rochester, Minn is a revolving door in the news. It just gets played over and over and over. I am totally sympathetic to the passengers - and hold the airline (Continental Express) at fault. But, I'm hearing a lot of misinformation being passed around and that can get everyone in trouble.

So far, I have neither heard from, nor heard about, anyone from Continental apologizing or offering compensation. I expect that has happened, however. Really, it's been over four days since the incident. Problem is - no apology will stand. No compensation will give these people back the horrible hours they were confined on that plane.

How, I ask, can this happen? HOW can any professional organization, especially a big brand that has been around for a long time, allow such a travesty? AND...why didn't the passengers just get off the plane?

Oh Brother! (said with a grin!)

[there are a LOT of links in this post - I added them purposely because they take you to good content; click them now if you will...or come back another time to click them]

I've been back from my trip to NYC for several days now. I was there as part of a small blogger panel to sit at a roundtable on small business. We were facilitated by none other than Steve Strauss, Mr. All Biz, himself.

The trip was uneventful. Driving to NYC was far easier than I'd ever imagined and I think we may do it, again. Parking isn't fun, of course, but even that was a minor inconvenince compared to sitting and sitting and sitting, at the airport.

At the roundtable, we did two things - we talked about how small business is doing in a "down economy," and we talked about Brother printers. Brother, the company that makes printers, was one of the sponsors. I knew that going in and had no problem with it. (ok, I admit it...I'm a fan. Always have been. Have at least one Brother printer in my office.)

I may have to write more than one post, over time, about the roundtable and all of the bloggers who were there. They were all outstanding, but none better than our facilitator, Steve Strauss, who was and is very charming and approachable. (gave him a copy of Lee Thayer's Leadership book...wonder what he thinks of it)

News You Can Use

Short list of good places to visit today.

This one came via email from Dane Carlson, one of my first blogger buddies. I'm impressed with Chuck's creative thinking. Wouldn't it be great if we all just contributed one book? See what it's all about at Work at Home Business Opportunities.

Ala Dane's blog, I found this great site that is almost female-friendly. They make one (big) mistake - and for a site aimed at Grandma, it's a doozy. See if you can figure out what it is.

Naturally, the best is saved for last. Check out this conference being held in London, focused on Women in Technology. Make sure you stop over at Where the Women Want to Work. There's a big list of orgs "advancing women." Not to be outdone, we have one stateside with Women In Technology. October, CA. Be there!

Katie Couric Makes the News

[update - see below] Yes, I've been a bit absent this week. It's those darn pesky clients! [to all my clients: I love you! You are not pesky! I just have to say that to my blog readers cause my blog readers think they're my main focus in life.]

There is a lot happening over at WME Books, and WME Blogs. Talk about a tipping point! I will write all about it - another day. Today, I want to write about Katie Couric. Obviously, Lip-sticking needs to weigh in here.

I'll be frank and upfront. I don't really like Katie Couric. Never did. I never thought her perky personality was all that great. I never thought her cute little smile was all that cute. I never thought her interviewing technique was any match for - oh, say, Barbara Walters. But, America liked her - nay, LOVED, her, so...I would occasionally turn on the Today Show and see what she was up to.

If find this Katie Couric fascination interesting. Is she the white Oprah? Is she the quintessential 'American girl-next-door makes good'? Or, is she just a pretty decent reporter who got a lot of great PR?

I used to think the latter. Now, I'm not so sure. Now that Katie has gone over to the dark side, [can there be any other description of moving from her fun, sassy little seat on the Tdoay Show, over to the deep, dark, depressing dais of the evening news?], I'm being forced to reassess my opinion of her. Who is Katie Couric, really? Is she influential to women? Does she deserve the tremendous amount of press she gets?

Here's what Newsday wrote about her on Monday, "In interviews, Couric has affected a sort of "oh really?" tone when the subject turns to her status as pioneer. At the recent TV critics' press tour, for example, she said "being the first woman was not the motivating factor for me to take on this new job ... although when my 10-year-old and my 14-year-old and I discussed it around the kitchen table, I do think my 10-year-old was channeling Helen Reddy because she said, 'Mom, you've got to do this. You're the first woman to do this job by yourself.' It's like, 'Where did you come from?'"

Here's what Businessweek was saying, "The network news business needs more than just a killer personality - even one with years of top-flight experience." They don't think Katie can carry the numbers, even though early reports are putting CBS ahead this week. Here's more from BW, "Yeah, well don't bet on it. I've got nothing against Katie Couric... She's smart, has a nifty way of wheedling news nuggets out of folks who don't want to offer them, and seems to make every minute fly by [what Katie Couric was he watching? I never saw her do that.] But, the network news business needs more than a killer personality..."

CNN weighed in with this, "Couric's long-awaited debut capped a tumultuous period for the evening news. For more than two decades, the network news was dominated by Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather. Now, Couric will compete against Brian Williams at top-rated NBC and Charles Gibson at ABC."

And, here in Rochester, the Chapter president of our local Women In Communications group, Diane Garga, wrote an editorial for our paper. I quote, "It's clear Ms. Couric has shattered the glass ceiling. In fact, her new bosses at CBS have already compared her to Walter Cronkite. They believe she has the ability to command respect and attention while being empathetic at the same time."

Ho-hum! Excuse me while I yawn. I believe Barbara Walters did this years ago - broke into bringing us the evening news. I believe Oprah rendered the so-called glass ceiling invisible when she knocked Phil Donahue off his talk-show pedestal. I believe the glass ceiling, no disrespect to my chapter president, whom I hold in high regard, disappeared years ago. I believe Katie is neither a pioneer nor a beacon of a brighter world ahead. She's just a news reporter in a skirt. She deserves the press she's getting because she's a celebrity. Not because she's the new news anchor at CBS.

Is her rise to this most-sought-after position on the nightly news good for women? Yes. But, she got there because a struggling TV station was willing to risk everything on America's obsession with celebrity. NOT because she's a good news reporter. JMHO

Here's hoping that the eyeballs stay with her and she proves me wrong. Go for it, Katie.

*** UPDATE: Katie Couric has a vlog! Who knew? She's looking for suggestions on her sign-off remarks - hurry over and share yours.

Who's Internet is it? Mine! Mine! Mine!

Latest news out of Information Week is on who owns the Internet. If you haven't given this much thought - perhaps you should.

The Internet was invented by scientists here in the U.S. It wasn't what it is today, nor was it invented to become what it is today. But, it was invented here.

ICANN, the Internet naming group that controls the dot-coms and dot-nets and dot-edus, to name a few ways of identifying websites on the net, is U.S. based. It's a public org, but some folks think it's time to make it a private org.

Here's a quote from the article by Johanna Ambrosio, "The European Union has been particularly vocal in its criticism of the way ICANN runs now. In fact, lots of foreign voices have been raised in support of the privatization idea, pointing out that something as critical to worldwide commerce as the Internet shouldn't be dominated or controlled by one country. Others, though, say the U.S. government invented the Internet (back when it was Arpanet, a packet-switched network used to share research among universities), and so it's only fair that America retain control over a resource it created to begin with."

What does that mean? What if...control of the Internet was part of an international group - how would that change our lives? How would that change the medium? if you don't know...if you don't even have an opinion, I suggest you hop over to this link, and give it some attention.

While it's nice to think you own what you own, online - the truth is vastly different. At risk is control of everything you own online, and everything I own, and so on and so on. Who gets to say how the Internet works? You or me? The folks at ICANN or a national consortium of European professionals? Or, Big Brother? If I'm reading these articles correctly, the kinds of changes being considered could turn the whole Internet world upsidedown.

Bears thinking about. So far, there are only male respondents to Johanna's article. Ladies, we need to speak up. It's OUR Internet, too!

I'm off to Blogher. See some of you there. To all others - hop back tomorrow for the continuation of the woodsy trip. And, see here where some others are posting about it, too!

Used Cell Phones Help Victims of Domestic Violence

I am often the lucky recipient of information on topics that impact women. When I have the opportunity to meet (albeit in a virtual sense) someone who is working on our behalf - and on behalf of the community of man as a whole (I don't ascribed to the problems with the word 'man' referring to all of us - it suits, so I use it), I'm always eager to share. Here's an interview with Mike Newman, Vice President of ReCellular, on a program to recycle old cell phones and help victims of domestic violence. The really good news is that he has information on how YOU can help. Read on...

Yvonne: Mike, the press release I received had a very compelling subject line. It said: Cell phone donations help domestic violence agencies and environment. Let's get to the heart of the matter - we're talking people here, not agencies. Aren't we? Isn't this program to help protect people, specifically, women?

Mike: Yes, we are ultimately talking about people. There are wonderful agencies providing much needed support to domestic violence survivors. Cell phone donations have given lifelines to tens of thousands of women, and provided millions of dollars to the programs they rely on.

Yvonne: My readers and I will be most interested in the people connection. Can you give us some insight into how this idea came to be? Whose idea was it and how hard did he or she have to work to get it approved? Whose approval was hardest to get?

Mike: The idea started with The Wireless Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CTIA, the industry lobbying organization. I would recommend you talk to the director, David Diggs. He can provide greater insight. ReCellular has been there from the start providing all the logistical support necessary to make these programs a success.  [Mike, can you introduce me to David?]

Yvonne: I haven't thought much about "e-waste" until now. This topic brought up some interesting thoughts - like, if we don't donate our cell phones, what usually happens to them?

Mike: Most consumers have an understanding that their phone has value and should not be thrown in the garbage. The problem is that few ultimately take advantage of the donation and recycling options available to them. The typical phone will sit in a drawer or closet for months or years before being thrown in the garbage. This is despite the fact that most American’s now live within a few miles of a phone recycling drop-off point.   

Yvonne: I'm intrigued by the Rethink Initiative by The Wireless Foundation. Can you comment on that?

Mike: Rethink is actually an eBay initiative, not from the Foundation. From my work with them, I believe they are viewing Rethink as an opportunity to create a destination spot for individuals looking for information on how to recycle their electronics. eBay would like for it to be a comprehensive source of all credible options.

Yvonne: How long will you be doing this? Is this only in the U.S. or is it international?

Mike: I believe that their will always be a need for recycling phones. As a result, there should always be a need for the services that we provide. Just last month we launched the first phone recycling program in Venezuela. We now have national programs in the United States, Canada, and Venezuela, with two more South American countries coming on board in the next few months.

Yvonne: Can you estimate how many phones have been collected?

Mike: ReCellular collects 3 million or more per year. Independent estimates have us at 50% of the market, so my assumption is that approximately 6 million phones are collected by private companies every year. It is also important to factor in the phones that are returned for warranty repairs, or that are sold on eBay. I would at least double that 6 million number, so that there are potentially 15 million phones recycled every year.

Yvonne: Paint a scene for us - when a phone is donated, what happens to it? Who benefits, exactly, and how does she benefit?

Mike: Hundreds of boxes and envelopes arrive at our dock every day from around the country. The phones, batteries and accessories are all unpacked. Each phone has a unique identifying number that is scanned into our system, giving the collecting organization credit for that phone. Obsolete or badly damaged phones are sent off to be recycled. All other phones are put through a testing protocol to make sure they are functional and have all their personal information removed; any broken phones are fixed so that they can be reused. 

From here, phones are placed into inventory and sold around the world. ReCellular sells more than 500 models of phones; more than half the phones we sell end up in developing markets where the price of a new phone is prohibitive to many consumers.

Yvonne: It seems to me that this is a bigger issue than we have time to cover here. I was reading the information about Lifetime's Stop the Violence event and it struck me that for all the publicity it got, I hadn't heard about it. How can we bloggers help get the word out and keep it top of mind?

Mike: You have identified the biggest challenges – education and motivation. The phones are out there, and people believe in the cause. Until phone donation and recycling becomes a standard activity for consumers, we will struggle to get the majority of phones. I think that bloggers ability to reach motivated individuals can make a significant difference for these important causes, but also for the environment. 

Yvonne: Which leads me to ask...why don't you have a blog? This subject cries out for a blog.   

Mike: We have had a number of internal conversations about starting a blog. The biggest challenge is resources! We are all so busy growing the company we haven’t been able to get it organized yet.  I suspect that we will have something in place in the next few months. [I hope you will let me know. Perhaps I can help? I know a thing or two about blogs. :-)]

Yvonne: Let's end this with some advice on how to start a program like this in our local area. Can you help make that happen? Is there a link we can visit to see if there is already a program in our area, that we can partner with? Thank you for the interview and please keep us informed on this program by letting me know when there are updated news reports.

Mike: There are a few options for people looking to do local collections. You can sign-up to manage your own program through our website. It is a fully automated site that gives you all the tools you need to run a successful program.

Or, you can find your nearest existing drop-off location at Wireless Recycling. Simply enter your zip code and it will give you the name, address and map of each recycling center. You can refine the search by cause if you want as well.

You can also organize a program for an existing cause by going to Wireless Recyling Donations. This lists off national programs for you to choose from.

Thank you, Mike. This taught me something and is good food for thought. Let me know when you start your blog. The education you talked about earlier can start there.

The Boys vs The Girls: Who's Winning?

A week or so ago I was watching the evening news and one of the anchors mentioned a study showing that boys in school were NOT being adversely affected by the attention paid to girls, as has been widely reported in such respected journals as Psychology Today. I don't remember the report - as I was busy doing something else - but I remember thinking, "No duh!"

Let me clarify one thing: I like boys. I'm all for boys getting whatever attention they need and deserve in the classroom. The issue is whether or not the recognition of how schools were letting girls down by not calling on them in science and math, calling on the boys first and most, is valid. As the mother of 2 girls and 1 boy, I think I have some insight into this issue. As a woman, I also have an interest in it.

The truth is - I don't have the answer. I could go out and do lots of research and present both sides and I don't think I would come up with a definitive answer. My experience would not match your experience. How my children were educated might compare to how yours were educated, but in the end - it isn't so much the schools, as the children and the support system the children have at home, that determines their success rate in life - and whether or not their education sinks in.

Last week I did come across two articles that I thought were relevant to this question - of boys vs girls and who is being better educated, and I'd like to talk about them a little today.

The first one, from The Washinton Post, is called "Whither the Women?" This article discusses the rate of women leaving the workforce - which isn't directly related to the boys vs girls issue except when you remember that women entering the workforce in the past did so in jobs that were far inferior to the jobs (and pay) of men. According to "Whither the Women"...

"...women's rush to employment stopped in 2000 and started to decline, as they began to join their male counterparts in retirement, go out on disability and delay paid employment to get more education. Some economists think the high-water mark of female participation in the labor force was in 2000, when it hit 60.3 percent."

Sixty point three percent...of women in the workforce. Does that number speak to you? It speaks to me. It tells me that women account for the majority of economic support of the U.S. If we all called in sick one day - what do you think would happen?

The article also states (and this is the last quote I will take from it; it's excellent, do go read it for yourself) the reason women are most likely to leave work...

"While nonworking women are still much more likely than men to cite "home responsibilities" as their reason for not holding or seeking a job, that's actually less true now than it was in the past. The share of women aged 25 to 54, considered to be in their "prime" working years, who gave that reason for not seeking employment has shrunk for more than a decade. The share of men citing that reason has edged up over the same period, according to a Labor Department analysis of census survey figures from 1990 to 2003."

Interesting, isn't it? Of course, this study reflects adults - especially baby boomers who spent their youth in the warm, peaceful comfort of new suburbia - surrounded by doting parents and hundreds of friends. No one cared back then if girls learned math or science. Not even the girls.

Let's get to the good stuff. "Whither the Women" goes on to show that younger people are electing to stay in school longer, these days. Women, especially, recognize the value of an education and more women than men are opting to go for that degree, be it a high school diploma or a college degree. I talked about this somewhat in my book, Dickless Marketing, showing that in the near future young women will be the family support person - while their husbands stay home with the children. (I actually wrote a silly short story about this back in the late 1960s! Who knew!)

The fact that young women are choosing to become educated bears some scrutiny, also. Let's look

To My Daughters: Mom Fought For You - Now, Fight Back!

Picture this: a high school in a mid-sized city in - Anytown, USA. The time is mid-twentieth century. The boys have their sports - after all that's what boys do, they play sports. The girls have - sewing, and cooking. After all, that's what girls do. Right? There they are in the halls - boys swaggering about in their sports jackets, girls standing at their lockers, giggling.

Everyone in his or her place, right?

No, not right. Girls play sports, too. In fact, since the passing of a little known law called Title IX in 1972, girls have had the 'right' to play sports right alongside the boys. To put this in perspective check out this article at Women's Health Magazine that shows how powerful this little Title IX law really is,

"The consequences of Title IX have been nothing short of awesome. In 1971, the year before the law was passed, just 294,000 girls played high school sports. Today that number is almost 3 million. And female college students now receive roughly 45 percent of the $1 billion in athletic scholarships awarded every year, which were virtually nonexistent for women before Title IX."

Truth is - while numbers do talk - after all, heads go up and ears perk up with you talk big numbers like that - the reality is sadly different. Title IX is being threatened. The report noted here talks about a loophole in the law and how that little hole is giving some schools the means to deny equal rights to their female students. I agree with Dominique Dawes, member of the 1996 Olympic gymnasts' gold-medal winning team, when she says, "I don't think the average citizen really understands what's at stake." Dawes couldn't be more right. What's at stake is more than having the right to swing a bat, or row a boat, or tumble across a mat. What's at stake is being educated to be part of the world culture - in a way that benefits not only the world, but the individual.

Here's why I say that...