Ah, the beauty of social media. Wait- let’s be more specific, this post calls for specific, the beauty of Twitter. It freakin’ rocks my world. And you can make fun of me, whatever, but good things can come from slightly over-sharing mediocre details of your life.

I’m on a time crunch (gotta blow-dry my hair in 10), so I’ll get to the point. Today, I was shopping at Express (shocker), which is conveniently located across the hall from my current j-o-b, and I was on a mission: find a cute cardigan. I knew it was on sale, because I’m there about every other day, and I only planned on purchasing the one item. I found the cardi- and the most wonderfully simple skirt of all time. Black with a full A-line cut and POCKETS (yesssss). I was in love; consider my credit card swiped. On the way home with my loot, I really felt the need to tweet my find to the Express CMO (@ExpressLisaG) and from that came the idea for this post.

Why, when I have a good number of friends and family with which to share this amazing skirt, did I want to tweet it to a person I don’t even know? Here’s why: “Lisa G” has sparked my attention on Twitter. She is the ambassador for Express in the social media scene and she has tweeted me personally in the past, to comment on my tweets and even ask to see a presentation I had worked on (I have to apologize to the CMO here, because that video was never posted. I couldn’t get it to upload correctly on Vimeo…). Once she noticed me on Twitter, out of the thousands that tweet with “#Express” as part of their 14o characters, I was immediately connected with the brand on a whole new level. This, in my not-so-expertise opinion is the way brands should be leveraging Twitter to their advantage.

As a consumer here is my train of thought on this: a brand can mail 12 coupons to my house a month, but that only ensures I will purchase. If I find a personal connection with the brand I will think of that brand first, no matter what, and I will always be excited about my purchase. Twitter gives brands a unique platform from which to form a relationship with consumers and build relationships they already have with loyal customers- IF they keep on top of what’s happening in social cyber-space.

Crap, I’m over on time. “Lisa G”, if you’re reading this, it pretty much sums up the presentation I have been trying to put online for you. And, for those of you wondering, THIS is the magic skirt (mine is in black)

Time to blow-dry and hit the sack. And do my nails. Oh, and my eyebrows need some lovin’. And I’ll probably stall online for a good  20 minutes.

St. Louis makes many a top 10 list- Top 10 worst places to find a job, top 10 worst crime cities, etc. But does anyone ever take a second to make a top 10 list of the great things about St. Louis? I mean, probably, but I don’t ever see one. So here is mine. I wanted to do my own because pretty much every college grad (at least from Mizzou’s J-School) I know is dying to get out of the Lou and I am doing whatever it takes to stay here. Why, you ask? Here’s why:

1. First and foremost, on my mind at least, is Cardinals baseball. St. Louis is a great sports town, but we are an even better baseball town. The best, actually, in my opinion. Our Birds might not always win the World Series, or even make playoffs, but us St. Louisians are always 100% LaRussa, Pujols and the rest of our boys. Opening Day is practically a holiday here, and why not? There is a ton going on downtown every year in honor of it, so even if you can’t go to the game you can enjoy the day at Busch Stadium, Al Hrabosky’s or any of the many unique St. Louis restaurants/bars around the stadium.
2. St. Louis is home to unique restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs. We may not have the hottest club scene around, but we have a lot to offer. Laclede’s Landing/Lumiere Place Casino always makes for a good night, and, if you want a scene that is a little calssier, you can always hop over to Washington Ave. On the restaurant side, you can’t really go wrong in St. Louis and the surrounding neighborhoods when searching for unique tastes. Take, for example, The Hill or even Tower Grove, where Local Harvest Cafe is one of the fastest growing and most popular places for fresh, local food around STL. Not to mention, my own personal STL fave, Mosaic on Wash. Ave. The list goes on- check out Sauce Mag for reviews and other fun foody things, or just Google “Local St. Louis Restaurants” and take your pick.
3. Forest Park- need I say more? It’s bigger than NYC’s Central Park and has activities and attractions for anyone and everyone. Running/biking trails, the (free!) Zoo, Science Center (also free!), Art Museum, Art Hill for those enjoy extreme sledding, the Boat House, The Jewel Box, Steinberg Skating Center…too many to name! Who wouldn’t love this place?
4. While we are on Forest Park, let’s add the St. Louis Zoo to this list. STL has a zoo with free admission and some of the most exciting and exotic animals you can think of. My personal fave are the penguins and puffins, to which visitors can get close enough that “Animals may bite” signs are posted. The zoo is always growing and giving visitors more and more to love. It’s a St. Louis must.
5. The Pageant in the Delmar Loop is another St. Louis gem. If you have ever seen a show there, you know what I am talking about. The venue/set up makes the acoustics of any performer sound better than you have ever heard and the intimacy of the place makes you feel like you can reach out and touch that hot lead singer. And I did, once, when I saw the Fray there- personal testimony at it’s finest, people.
6. Shopping in and around St. Louis provides anything you could ever need. There are at least 4 malls within 30 minutes of wherever you live, plus the high-end shopping of Plaza Frontenac. Any store/designer/brand you could want is always within your reach here- from simple pieces at Old Navy to the luxurious and intuitive designs of Marc Jacobs, it can all be found in St. Louis.
7. The City of St. Louis and it’s neighborhoods are certainly great on their own, but add in the surrounding suburbs and the greatness is mind-boggling. I have lived in St. Charles all my life, have ventured into West County/Chesterfield many a times, and have been lucky enough to be able to take a hop skip and a jump downtown whenever I please. The vicinity of the surrounding areas to downtown and to each other makes the entire St. Louis area, St. Charles included, a great place to live and raise a family.
8. For all you ad people, St. Louis boasts some of the best small/medium sized agencies and creative shops to offer. You might not stumble into the massive 500-employee office of a well-known agency, but you will find passion, excellence and quirky-ness within the unique spaces of the agencies here. As an added bonus, a young professional, such as myself, can always count on being able to sit down and chat with just about anyone at any agency, about pretty much anything, as long as you have the confidence to simply ask. The potential for networking is incredible, and everyone seems to know everybody- it’s a great thing to take advantage of, especially when the job market is not at it’s height (like now).
9. The saying goes “If you don’t like the weather in St. Louis, wait 5 minutes”. While this is true, I would have to argue two things: 1) It’s also true in places like KC and Dallas and 2) Who said that’s a bad thing? St. Louis has seasons- you know, winter it snows, spring is warm and rainy, summer is hot and long, fall is crisp and beautiful- and I, personally, love seasons. When I start getting tired of frigid winter weather, I can always count on St. Louis weather to bring me Spring, right on Mother Nature’s time. We have variety and a reason to have a wardrobe for each change in season- what’s not to love?
10. Since this is my personal top 10, I am going to add my personal reason for loving STL- my family. My entire family calls this area home and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m sure lots of you St. Louisians out there feel the same and sympathize with me here.

So, if you are wondering why I don’t venture to cities like NYC or Chicago (both great cities as well) for job opportunities and adventures, now you know. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

These are real toys and kids freaking love them. Who thought of this? Who is rolling around in cash because kids can get their parents to buy any toy that has the potential of shutting them up for five minutes? WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS? But, here is my real question, how did Zhu Zhu pets get so popular with little to no advertising, besides one scarce TV spot?

My answer comes from selling the damn things day in and day out at the store I work at, Justice (if you have a daughter you may have heard of it). Moms, grandmas, sometimes dads and kids with allowance come in all the time asking for the newest Zhu Zhu, Zhu Zhu accessories (tiny hamster clothes, anyone?) and Zhu Zhu babies- all because a friend of a friend has a cousin who had one and now they have to have one. Granted, Zhu Zhus were one of the hottest Christmas toys around these parts and the news did a bit of advertising for the toy just by announcing that. But really the success of Zhu Zhu Pets lays in word of mouth. Moms tell moms, kids tell kids, salespeople tell everyone…it’s a cycle. And, to me at least, it is proof that good ol’ honest WOM (especially with moms/kids *winkwink*) is still a very relevant way to move product and build customer trust. Check out these toys at http://www.zhuzhupets.com/main.html

Yeah, that was a short post…but I have laundry to do. So there.

Have a HOPPY Easter!

This post is long overdue (I have been a little busy- emphasis on ‘a little’) but I have had the idea for this post on my mind.

My cousin is currently 2 years old. He likes country music videos, America’s Funniest Home Videos, counting, picking his nose- and Home Depot. Yes, I said Home Depot. Even as a toddler who can barely say the word ‘eleven’ (mememen?), he can recognize the logo for the home improvement giant on TV, at the store and on plastic bags on the counter. He also has the same abilities for Toys-R-Us (shocker) and McDonald’s- which he fondly refers to as ‘nums’. A great logo is the most basic element for any successful attempt at branding. With a good, recognizable logo and a marketing/advertising campaign that backs it up, even a 2 year old will recognize your brand.OK, I know this isn’t the most intelligent and eye-opening post ever, but it makes a point.

Finally, to further demonstrate how awesome my cousin is, let me leave you with this little tidbit: If you ask him to show you ‘the situation’, he will pull up his shirt. And then fist pump. AWESOME. (and thanks to yours truly)

• Snickers “Betty White”- Favorite for me. Really, it has a Golden Girl playing football. And not just any Golden Girl- it’s Betty White. LOVE IT. Plus, it really does make a point for the product, which is that you will feel like Betty White playing football if you don’t satisfy you’re hunger with Snickers. Obviously.
• Bud Light “Stranded”- I can’t be the only one who loved this! It’s obvious why this is funny- “We really are going to be okay…” hahahahahaha
• Doritos “Stay away from my momma”- I like this one because the kid is cute and because he clearly loves his momma as much as those Doritos. There’s really not much more to why I love it- except for the line “Stay away from my momma…and stay away from my Doritos”.
• Google “Paris”- Only because it brought a small tear to my eye, it was pretty clever and because Google had a Superbowl ad (?!?). It was a shocker, but it was a good one, I think.
• E*Trade- I can’t pick a favorite because I love those damn babies. I think my favorite MIGHT be the one with the skype chat with the baby’s girlfriend- “Milkaholic” is now in my regular vocab.

Anyway, it’s not scientific and it’s not even a professional review, but this is my blog and those are my favorites from last night. I should also disclose the fact that I fell asleep for the entire second half, woke up at the end and did a quick TiVo rewind to watch the commercials I missed during my snooze time. Dedication.

What were your faves? Spill, people!

In response (or in conjunction with) Pepsi’s decision to nix an expensive Super Bowl spot and use the money to fund the Refresh Everything Project, Coca-Cola has announced their decision to do (almost) the same. Social media giant Facebook is the vehicle for the charity project from Coke, which will raise money for Boys & Girls Club, and, unlike Pepsi, the brand is using the Superbowl to generate more buzz and more money for their charitable org. Check out this article from AdAge for details of the push.

So who gets the ‘W’ in this battle of corporate responsibility? Yes, Pepsi is by passing a major (HUGE) advertising opp and using the money for a greater good, but for me, Coke is being more proactive in gaining interest in their program. Not only are they offering ‘prizes’ for donations by consumers, but they are also reaching a major audience by still advertising during the big game. Pepsi could have at least purchased a bumper at game breaks to promote the project just that much more (though they do have regular TV spots that are pretty intriguing). Another point to consider with Coke’s program is the assumption (well, my assumption) that by not using a contest like promotion for their charitable cause, the company is truly urging people to do more good. On the other hand Pepsi is letting people know they can make a difference in their world…

Oh well, I think it’s great what these rivals are doing. Giving back and helping others is always a good thing.

Holy awkward workplace, Batman!

Apparently the Castle hosts romantic dinners on this day of love, and has been doing so since 1991. Yes, I am serious. Serious as a slider-induced heart attack. Found this article from AdAge while digging through recent articles from the site and I have to say, while this idea sounds ludacris, when you go to think about it this is pure genius. White Castle really knows how to ‘cater’ to their loyal customers, and we all know they have quite a following. More brands should take note of this effort the slider-king is making to show their customers they care. Although, it takes a very special and slider-seasoned digestive tract to make it through a V-Day crave case dinner with little to no, um, aftersmell.

Something else that caught my eye, this time while browsing Creativity Online, was Pepsi’s alternative to a Super Bowl ad. Instead of spending millions for a spot for the upcoming game, the soda giant is asking “Can soda change the world?”. Through the Refresh Project, Pepsi is giving $20 million in grants to people who submit vote-winning ideas they want think will help better the world around them. Big props to Pepsi on giving power to their consumers and skipping the hype of Super Bowl, if only for one year. See the video and learn how to submit your ideas here!

All this talk of sliders and soda makes me reallll hungry. Good thing it’s 1 a.m.- that’s a normal time to eat, right?

I think the count is at, like, four. I don’t know, I didn’t count. It’s a guestimate. BUT SUCK IT UP.

Sorry, that was uncalled for. It was rude. I apologize.

So this week marks the first week since I was five that I am not going back to school after winter break. I love not having a syllabus to read, first-day “homework” and new professors to analyze. I do miss my roommates though- big shoutout to Jen, Dee and Oleg (who better be reading this because he has been begging for me to mention him on here…). Jen called me the other day and said they were sitting on the couches and had the snuggie in my usual spot in memory [cue a single tear running down my cheek].

You all are lucky I’ve been sick tonight, because without the two hour nap I took to try and sleep away my illness I wouldn’t be up at this hour to blog. One good thing came out of this illnes- Oleg offered to make me dumplings via Facebook. I expect dumplings when I make my return to CoMo, my friend.

Anyway, the job search continues, nothing much to report in that arena. I’m waiting patiently for one I would really enjoy so here’s to hoping. Not much else to report, not until the Conan-Leno situation is decided. So this is officially the lamest post ever. Sorry.

Peace.

So many times, I have thought “You know what? I should blog today”. But then I didn’t, obvi, and now I am apologizing. And blogging

Since  my last post I have graduated college (whew!) and started the grown up life…part time job and all. Yes, I have no permanent employment as of yet. It is my understanding, however, that the economy is down and unemployment is way up so lay off me, okay? I have some hope for employment as of late, though, plus a back-up plan and my normal optimism so I’m, well, optimistic about things right now. If you know of anything at all that might suit me, help a sister out puh-lease!

Anyway, tonight I worked on a floor set at my part time retail job- I know, it’s as glamorous as it sounds- and part of my job was to tame the un-Godly amount of Zhu Zhu pets we received in shipment. If anyone is unaware of this new Zhu Zhu craze, here is some info. Tonight, AdAge posted this story on Twitter- it seems the Zhu Zhu is single-handedly pushing battery sales- or at least leading the way. Energizer should jump on this bandwagon before those creepy little hamsters become a fad of the past….

On another note, if it is a Zhu Zhu you seek for your kiddos, Justice stores have them. And the accessories. And the babies. And a lot of back stocked little creepy toy hamsters. Jump on it.

OH and check out this HILAR Family Guy clip…poops in ya kicks! CLASSIC! Almost as good as the Clinton episode when the gem of a line “We could eat that pig…we could do it” came about.

If you haven’t noticed, I’m in an abbreviation stage of life. It comes between college graduation and full time employment…

LOVES.