Author Archives: Alex

Defining Green, Including the FTC

Nowadays, when someone says Green, what’s the first thing that pops in your mind?

…a color? a movement? a cause? a political party? earth? environmentalists? global warming? a marketing tactic? Al Gore? Recycling?

Being a full supporter of going green, I still want to stand back, observe and ask the question: In today’s world, how do we, you, define the word green?

…Even the FTC is struggling to answer this very question. Today, the FTC held its first green marketing workshop to discuss its green advertising regulations a YEAR early because of the growing buzz…and concern! Check out this article for more information about the meeting.

It’s interesting how the choice of diction creates images or perceptions in our minds. Green, or going green, is becoming a mantra for environmental movements and going green is the new trend of ’08…or was it the trend of ’07? Even the AMA (American Marketing Association) has adopted the movement and now acknowledges the concept ‘green marketing.’ GreenBiz, a green conscious information resources that tracks companies eco-friendliness, offers green marketing as one of their hot topics by offering features about the various shades of green that run in-style among us marketers.

However what does being green really mean? In 2006, this same question was asked in an article written by Brandweek titled: Companies Find It’s Not Easy Marketing Green. In the article, the authors state quote:

“Spiraling fuel prices and global warming fears have increasingly put environmental issues on the front page and in advertising efforts. But as more companies adopt these campaigns, consumers are growing increasingly confused over what it means to be “green,” making it harder to create effective environmental marketing efforts, according to a recently released study by Landor Associates, New York.

“Is it about the environment, organic food or ‘good-for-you’ living? … It could be about all of those things,” said Allen Adamson, managing director at Landor. “It is easy to say you are green, but consumers are skeptical. And because everyone wants to jump on the green bandwagon, all of a sudden it is noisy in this space, and it is hard to break through.”

The article continues offering statistics on how consumers are weary of the increasing levels of products, services and companies who claim to be green. Though it is an older article, the trend seems to escalate still today, just do a Google search for ‘green marketing’ and it becomes clear that the term continues to grow discussion, especially since the FTC even took notice.

  • So, how do we as social marketing break through the clutter?
  • What does this trend mean for us?
  • And, what does the word ‘green’ mean to you?

Feel free to share your thoughts. This discussion will be continued in my next post. =)

To get a sneak peak about the next post, read this article about greenwashing…

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

As a part of my blog, I am launching a “Blogger Neighborhood Series.”This continuous weekly series highlights different blogs and their respective bloggers in the blogosphere neighborhood. Following the great Mr. Rogers, who tells us to ‘Get to know your neighbor,’ this series introduces us to our blogger neighbors, making for a more unified, collaborative voice for the social sector. Each week a different blog/blogger will be featured. We begin with our friends over at Osocio, with its founder Marc.

Blog Name: Osocio
Blog Topics: Social Advertising and non-profit campaigns from around the globe.
About the Author: Osocio is made by nine professionals, all working in the advertising and marketing industry. The people behind Osocio are not important, it’s all about the work that is shown
If you could live on any street, what would that street be named? Howtogetoutofherelane =)
Who would be your dream real-life neighbor? I would live between Lance Armstrong for a daily cycle ride and Nick Cave for daily inspiration and for borrowing his suit now and then. 🙂
Why do you blog? It all started as a personal collection, from founder Marc, that highlights the social advertising arena. The blog form was just a coincidence. It could be any form and depends on how you define a blog and a website. Osocio is a showcase which encourages comments and interaction.
What inspires you to blog? My own curiosity. And my way to fight against indifference.
If you customized your own license plate, what would it say and why?
I hate driving.
What’s currently your favorite social media application our blogger community should utilize more? Twitter. You can follow Osocio at @osocio.
What’s your favorite blog post and why?
As a libra it’s hard to choose, so I take three:
I was totally surprised by the perfect use of the media in this one. It was one of the first ever posted on Houtlust, the preamble of Osocio, and is written in Dutch. The artwork shows a dessident from Belarus. The mouth covered with tape explains all.
I’m used to all kind of shock-advertising, but this one from Brazil is one of the few which makes me really cry, especially the last mentioned video.

A real eye opener. It’s about an autistic women, and we can learn from her that there are many ways to communicate.

***

As a huge fan of social advertising myself, here is one of my favorites in terms of how its powerful message combines with the video’s images. Titled: Stop the Bullet.

Come back every Thursday to see whose been nominated as the next Blogger Neighbor you need to know 😉
***
As a fan of social advertising, here is one of my favorites in how the message and video combine to share a powerful message. Titled: Stop the Bullet.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk01MXx6IfE&hl=en]

Celebrate National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Monday, March 10, 2008 Marks the National Observance of

NWGHAAD

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

10 Ways to Celebrate

1. Find an event near you. Visit Women’s Health Gov for more information.
2. To find a support group, call CDC-INFO at 800-232-4636 or visit www.hivtest.org
3. Want to find a place that offers care? Even if you don’t have insurance or funds? Find a location here.
4. Become educated. Some helpful sites include:

  • Learn the Link between Drug Abuse and contracting HIV/AIDS.
  • The official NWGHAAD site provides downloads for posters, podcasts, facts and more!
  • AIDS.gov acts as a ‘gateway’ to federal HIV/AIDS information and resources.

5. Get tested for HIV.
6. Know Your A,B,C’s…
7. Practice safe sexual practices.
8. Be educated about high risk behaviors
9. Talk about it. Text about it. Tweet About it. Spread the buzz.
10. Write a blog post, ;).

    Going Green

    Any Oprah fans in the atmosphere? On last Friday’s show, Oprah’s show featured: Going Green 101 where she shared many tips and insights on how individuals and families can join the fight to save our earth. Feeling inspired, I wanted to provide my own list of simple and easy ways to Go Green this upcoming year. Some of my favorites from Oprah’s show are also shared.

    Bathroom

    1. Turn your water off in between brushing your teeth.

    2. Unplug straightener, shaver, blow dryer, etc. when not in use. When items are plugged in, they still use up to 40% power.

    3. Buy a shower timer to conserve water.

    4. Use tissue and toilet paper sparingly.

    Kitchen

    1. If you’re making a picnic, choose plastic over paper plates. They can be reused and recycled.

    2. Buy energy saving appliances to help global warming. Look for the blue Energy Star label when purchasing or visit www.energystar.gov for more information.

    3. Use reusable containers to put away leftover rather than plastics wrap or foil. Also, in the same line of thinking, use rags to clean up messes when possible to conserve paper towels.

    Cleaning

    1. Instead of adding yard waste or lawn clippings to landfills, use a mulching mower. Not only is it healthier for your yard, but its healthier for all of Earth.

    2. Use healthier cleaning products. Good clean doesn’t have a smell and are safer for our bodies too. Good companies to look into include Shaklee and Method.

    3. Remember to inflate your tires about every two weeks. This allows your tires to last longer, meaning more rubber is conserved.

    House

    1. Turn lights on and off when entering and exiting rooms.

    2. Caulk your windows to get the most out of your heating and air conditioning. This will save energy and money. Double bonus!

    3. Use energy strips. This helps save power and cuts down on your energy bill. When something is off, but still plugged in, it still uses power.

    4. Use GE energy smart light bulbs. According to Oprah.com, GE Energy Smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than incandescent light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer than most bulbs.

    5. Donate books and magazines to public libraries.

    6. Use rechargeable batteries instead of throwaway ones.

    Food

    1. If you haven’t heard about the questions surrounding bottled water, go no further. Bottled water is more expensive…to our pocketbooks, bodies and our world. Save all three. Invest in a Nalgene water bottle or an aluminum water bottle that can be reused, is safer, cost effective, healthier and saves the earth.

    2. Buy less packaged food. Read the labels and packaging to see if food is healthy for your body, but also take notice if wasteful materials are being used to sell the item.

    Shopping

    1. Paper or plastic? Neither! Eco-friendly canvas bags are the new ‘it’ item to have at the supermarket. Check out these places for your very own: eco-chic shopping bags, Delight.com or Skeeda.

    2. Donate old clothes and items you no longer use to The Salvation Army or the Goodwill.

    3. Do not throw away leather shoes. Leather takes 50 years to decompose. Donate them.

    4. Resell or donate your old, used cellphone even! Lots of companies buy back phones, spruce ’em up and then resell them at lower rates. Green mobile is one such company.

    5. Just say no…to receipts. When an ATM or a gas pump asks if you want a receipt, say no. This will save many precious trees.

    Activities

    1. Visit a landfill. As Oprah’s show told us, throwing something away, doesn’t mean that it goes away. It goes somewhere else.

    2. Plant trees. The more CO2 we can create, the better.

    3. Adopt a cause and become an activist. Green is the new pink everyone. Just check out Matt Damon’s favorite organization Greendimes, Stop Global Warming!, or Gwenyth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz’ organization ‘act green’ that works to reduce dependence on oil and for energy conservation.

    4. Use newspapers as wrapping paper.

    5. TreeCycle 2008. Recycle your now old Christmas trees.

    6. Take up Shard Art. Also known as Pique Assiette mosaic art. Use pieces of broken glass to create wonderful new pieces of art.

    7. Visit and shop at your local farmer’s market.

    Entertainment

    1. Beg, borrow or buy Al Gore’s documentary: An Inconvenient Truth.

    2. Read The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostige.

    3. Watch the television series Planet Earth.

    4. Attend a Drive-In movie, according to Eath911.org.

    5. Carpool. This web service helps you connect with others looking to carpool in your area.

    6. Catch Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The Eleventh Hour, about the growing dangers of global warming, set to come out soon!

    And lastly, one way to recycle I would not recommend….using old condoms as hairbands. True story.

    And on that note, hope this was enough to get motivated. Feel free to leave your favorite recycling tips below too!

    Eco-Friendly Websites for further information:

    Green People
    Greenpeace
    Idealbite
    Global Green USA
    TreeHugger


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    Be Inspired by this Week's Blogger Neighbor: Stacey Monk @ EpicChange

    Continuing my weekly “Blogger Neighborhood Series” in honor of the great Mr. Rogers, who called us to “Get to know our neighbor,” I welcome Stacey Monk from Epic Change, who continues to leave me inspired.

    Stacey is an amazing writer, showing both her contagious passion and gracious, sincere personality through every word, so I’ll let her tell you about her journey, mission and how she’s gotten to where she is…

    ***********************

    Blog Name:

    The Epic Change Blog

    Blog Topics:

    The Epic Change Blog is a diary of our experiment in social entrepreneurship and an organization I recently founded called Epic Change. We started it just after we received our 501c3 determination last September, and we blog whatever we’ve experienced on the journey since then, including:

    We try to give a complete, transparent picture of what we’re working on so that our supporters can feel engaged in what we’re doing, and so other folks can learn from our mistakes and successes. We also try to provide regular opportunities on our blog for folks to get involved. Last week, for instance, to celebrate National Volunteer Week, we provided daily opportunities for our readers to perform 10-minute volunteer activities.

    About the Author:

    I’m a nerd, a recovering military brat, a perpetual nomad and a total sap. I believe the world is what we make it. I started my career managing a performing arts series, moved into public sector consulting for Deloitte, then worked in IT strategy & change leadership at Genentech and, finally, launched a small change management consulting firm called Funken Consulting. Last year, I left for Africa, came back, stopped working for money & founded Epic Change, a nonprofit that “helps hopeful people in need tell their epic true stories to acquire the resources they need to create change in their communities.” I have a BA in Philosophy and a grad degree in performing arts management from the public policy school at Carnegie Mellon. I like to think that artsy background helps me be more creative in my approach to social change. You can check out my street cred on LinkedIn.

    If you could live on any street, what would that street be named and why?

    I’d live where Hope, Audacity, Authenticity, & Gratitude intersect because I know I’d like the other people who live there. [This is my favorite quote of the week!]

    Who would be your dream real-life neighbor?

    Any man who can sing. For today, let’s say John Mayer. His song Say is stuck on my brain. Or maybe Josh Groban. His voice makes me feel like I’m in the presence of an angel.

    If you were in charge of the planning the neighborhood’s block party, what entertainment would you plan?

    Ditto, previous question. Or I’d plan a performance by a dance troupe that I love like Alvin Ailey or Momix. Or we’d dance ourselves, which might be the most fun. Despite my chubbiness, I love to dance. I’m certified to teach ZUMBA and Shake Your Soul.

    If you customized your own license plate, what would it say and why?

    FEARNOT, URHOPE or THANKU

    What would you gift to a new neighbor as the perfect welcoming gift?

    Blueberry Pie. Despite 1950s connotations, pies = love.

    What’s your favorite blog post and why?

    I’d like to point to something brilliant by someone else, because I’ve taken so much as inspiration. Right now, today, though, I’m really wrapped up in what’s unfolding as a result of my recent, totally random, guest post on the Go Big Always blog of Jive CMO Sam Lawrence. I met him totally randomly on Twitter, and last Wednesday after midnight, when he was tweeting that he didn’t feel like posting to his uber-popular marketing blog, I offered to take his place. He, probably in jest, wrote back “Go for it ;)” and I did. That single post has led to a flurry of others, including one on ZDNet, a tweet by @Scobleizer, and a connection to social media giant Jeremiah Owyang, as well as a drastic increase in the number of people interested in our cause. So for today, the Go Big Always post is surely my fave, despite the fact that it begins with a reference to feces.

    What’s one lesson you’ve learned from blogging?

    Be authentic.

    Past Blogger Neighbors Include:

    *************************

    This continuous weekly series highlights different blogs and their respective bloggers in the blogosphere neighborhood. Following the great Mr. Rogers, who tells us to ‘Get to know your neighbor,’ this series introduces us to our blogger neighbors, making for a more unified, collaborative voice for the social sector. Like to nominate someone or be featured yourself? Contact me @ socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.

    Blogger Outreach Series 2: Law Issues Part A, Defamation and Negligence

    hotoblog

    Continuing in my blogger outreach series, this post will focus on law that addresses issues bloggers need to know, understand and be conscience about when deciding how to go about starting a blog, conduct blogger outreach or a blog marketing plan.

    As the democratization of journalism increases, many bloggers can be considered journalists. One issue with the current Shield Law being debated in the Senate is that some would like there to be a definition on who/what is a journalist. Indeed, bloggers are recognized by the Supreme Court as having the same protections as media individuals and organizations since they engage in similar activities. (Since the Shield Law is currently developing, it is important to note that Shield Laws do not necessarily always protect bloggers). As of now, no such definition exists and the implications of such a definition, could be, well…interesting….and perhaps, dangerous.

    But enough about that, as I admit, I’m no politician and I haven’t been following the case the whole three years it’s been going on. My point –> it is important for a blogger to understand some of the issues the law addresses .

    As a disclaimer, I am not a lawyer, but these are concepts that must be considered in the broader media industry. There are many, but this post will focus on defamation and negligence, while part b will cover copyright and privacy.

    1. Defamation

    A person or organization can file suit for ‘defamation of character.’ For content to be considered defamation, a private plaintiff must prove:

    • falsity (this includes insinuation or implication)
    • about or concerning the plaintiff filing the suit
    • exposes the person to hatred, contempt, aversion or introduces an evil or bad opinion about the plaintiff

    In addition, the law is written differently when the plaintiff is a public official or a public figure. A public official or figure must prove: actual malice. A public official is defined as someone who has been elected, appointed, presented to a position. A public figure is someone who is either known to the public already or someone who were drawn into the issue. Actual malice means that the false statement was published “with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.” To determine actual malice, courts will look at the process and extent of pursuing the truth.

    Other way defamation occurs comes from misidentification.

    Defamation Lessons:

    • Be conscience of legal terminology. (i.e. accused vs. alleged)
    • Take extra measures when any content involves a minor or a private citizen.
    • Double-check names or contact the person to fact check names mentioned in posts.
    • Before publishing an address, phone number or email, be sure it is the correct contact information for the individual/organization.
    • Be wary of depended on internet sources and search engines. This includes wikipedia. =)
    • If you do realize a mistake, correct it, and write a retraction. A retraction acknowledges the mistake and re-iterates its correction.
    • If you are faced with this issue, truth can act as a defense.
    • Satire, parody and hyperbole are not considered defamation.
    • Opinion is not considered defamation. But, whether you and the plaintiff agree that the statement in question can be classified as ‘opinion’ is another story.
    • Corporations are not public figures. They are judged like private figures.
    • There is such a concept as defamation insurance, even for bloggers.
    • Each state has a different statute of limitations for how long someone can sue after a posting has been made.
    • See here for more extensive details about issues of defamation and libel as it applies to bloggers.

    2. Negligence

    Negligence means that the author acted recklessly beyond that of a reasonably, responsible person would have. Private figures – friends, coworkers, people at the bus station – only have to prove negligence to win their case; whereas, public officials and public figures must prove actual malice.

    ****************

    If you are filed a law suit for what you blogged, the Electronic Frontier Foundation advises you to seek an attorney who is knowledgeable about Anti-SLAPP laws. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, and the Anti-SLAPP laws are enforced to help people who get sued for making legitimate, protected speech about public issues.

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation offers a link to the The First Amendment Project, which has a helpful FAQ on Anti-SLAPP laws. Please note, that Anti-SLAPP laws currently don’t exist in every state and tend to vary.

    Stay tuned for my continuing series on Blogger Outreach, issues to address when developing blogging outreach plans.

    Next week: Law Issues Part B, Copyright and Privacy

    Helpful Source: 12 Laws Every Blogger Should Know provided by Aviva Directory

    Creative, Relevant, Modern, Insightful, Targeted Ads from…the Library of Congress?!?

    Yes, it’s true.

    If you are a resident of the Washington D.C. area and frequent the GalleryPlace-Chinatown Metro stop, you can’t help but notice the new ads for the Library of Congress…at every turn, corner and wall.

    According to the Library of Congress blog, the ads support the new Library of Congress Experience, opening April 12 by purchasing ads through private funding and placing the ads in the DC Metro System:

    “We know that once people are in DC and they learn about what we’re all about, they are much more prone to visit,” excerpt from the Library of Congress blog.

    The ads illustrate what the library offers ‘At Your fingertips‘ through four distinct ads, each featuring one of four historically famous people who represent a common good. ‘Imagination‘ for Thomas Jefferson, ‘Integrity‘ for Abraham Lincoln, ‘Fame‘ for Marilyn Monroe and ‘Courage‘ for Jackie Robinson. The tagline featured on each advertisement is ‘Explore. Discover. Be Inspired.” And inspired we are! The Washington Post also recently featured the campaign as a larger story found here

    Images from Washington Post.com


    You're Going to Love This: The Hits Log

    Hits Log. You’ve heard of WordTracker or Web Positions to help you optimize your website for search engine optimization. But, to really reap the benefits, you have to buy those. But this one is free. Yes, friends, I said free.

    It doesn’t nessarily help you with targetting your keywords, but it does allow you to track your:

    • Google, Yahoo and MSN: Search Engine Ranking
    • Google Page Rank Value and Checker
    • Link Popularity

    by KEYWORD!

    For fun, I found this website’s google page rank value for the keyword “social marketing.” SocialButterfly came in with a 6. Not too shabby for the third month in.

    Feel free to try it, for any keyword, for any site you’re curious about. Enjoy!

    TIME Health: More than Statistics – Make Health a Priority for the Holidays

    TIME Magazine recently published their first cover story in what will now be an annual series titled: “Annual Check-up: The Sorry State of Americans Health.“ Perhaps it’s my own desire to become more healthy, but the timeliness of this article could not be better, especially with HealthyPeople 2020 around the corner.

    Reading this article, I immediately got hooked. The article opens with:

    If you’re like 67% of Americans, you’re currently overweight or obese. If you’re like 27%, your blood pressure is too high. If you’re like a whopping 96% of the population, you may not be able to recall the last time you had a salad, since you’re one of the hundreds of millions of Americans who rarely eat enough vegetables. And what you do eat, you don’t burn off — assuming you’re like the 40% of us who get no exercise.

    These are big statistics. However, I appreciate TIME’s article because it goes beyond giving statistics, but also draws some analysis and connects some dots by providing 5 Truths about Health Care in America as well as an A-Z guide of pertinent health issues. One of the most important points I think the whole article makes relates to the health of future Americans:

    Most troubling of all, if you’re like any parent of any child anywhere in the world, you may be passing your health habits to your children, which explains why experts fear that this generation of American kids may be the first ever to have a shorter life span than their parents do.

    I find this most important because it’s about more than statistics. No one wants to be a number. And it’s a general idea that we all want what’s best for our children, and future Americans. We know that. But, what if eating breakfast daily, recycling or drinking more water means healthier living habits for those we treasure most – our kids.

    ACTIVITY. Flip through family picture albums, or carouse friends’ pictures on Facebook that relate to family gatherings. In terms of health, who are the role-models? It’s not just about healthy eating, exercise and a healthy weight. But who are the kids looking up to? Who has a positive lifestyle, who’s words are positive and encouraging, who is giving, who lives what they say, who has a regular doctor, who has an infectious outlook on life or self-esteem. We should want to be these people.

    MAKE HEALTH A PRIORITY. I highly encourage checking this article out in more depth, especially if you work in health or a health-related field. My mother always tells me, “When it’s come to your health, you have to make your health a priority.” This is easier said than done. But, here are some tips and tricks to being healthy this holiday season.

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    AT A PARTY:

    • Give away leftovers. If you are hosting a party and there are left over goodies, give them away to your guests. Not only is it an added treat and gift for them, but it means you don’t have to find yourself eating the leftover cherry cobbler and cheesy potatoes.
    • Recycle. If the party calls for a gift, use newspapers as the wrapping paper to encourage recycling.
    • Moderate consumption. Use a smaller cup to fill your drinks, and a smaller plate for your food. This is an automatic way to moderate your food and beverage consumption as holiday parties often mean holiday-type food and drinks that are heavier in fat and calories.
    • Don’t drink and drive. Duh right? But to help curb this behavior, provide a Taxi number for your guests or put one in your phone before you leave for the night. Or, just designate a driver.
    • Prioritize. There is a lot going on. Prioritize which parties and gatherings you need and want to attend. Don’t overdue it by trying to be the top party-goer this season. Plus, wouldn’t you rather have longer, more in-depth conversations with a few new friends, than meet 20+ but only be able recall the person’s name, if that?

    AT WORK

  • Take mints, not M&Ms. (voiced from experience) For the candy dish, instead of bringing chocolate-rich candies to work, bring candy canes or peppermints as peppermints is still festive, but also healthier.
  • Focus. Holidays make work even more stressful as you multi-task. However, when you are in a meeting or working on a task, focus and be all there. Otherwise, you are doing yourself and everyone else involved a dis-service.
  • Set realistic deadlines. Put in the extra effort, but don’t overwork yourself to the point you are counter-productive. You can balance this by taking deep breathes, finding helpers, and planning vacation time in advance.
  • Make time for sleep. Again, if you are not rested and ready to take on the day, you will get behind and be counter-productive. Know your limits.

    • AT HOME

    • Create your own health e-card. The CDC has both health e-cards that outline 12 Ways to Health as well as holiday e-cards as well.
    • Cook safely and clean often. Germs and bacteria have a tendency to get around during the holidays. The FDA has food safety tips specifically for the holidays!
    • Treat yourself with time. Instead of overindulging, treat yourself with 15 minutes of YOU time. During the holidays, it’s easy to get over-stressed and overwhelmed. Taking 15 minutes just for you, can make all the difference.
    • Get away from the computer. This goes especially to my social media friends, you work hard all year round. Take a day off-line. No email. No social networks. No nothing. We will all be here after the holidays. It’ll be okay. =)
    • Shovel snow. This is not only a great exercise, but it’s also gets you outside. You can even offer to shovel for your neighbors or for the elderly and make your workout into a surprise holiday gift.
    • Be a kid again. Build snowmen, go ice-skating or dig out that sled. This increases time with the kids, while also providing a workout.

    ************

    What do you think? What tips and tricks have I missed?

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