Marketing Archives - Page 3 of 9

November 13, 2017

PR Case Study: Meskwaki, Inc.

We can’t help but get excited when one of our clients gets national exposure. And when we’ve helped make that happen, it’s just the cherry on top.

Last month, our PR team arranged an interview between Meskwaki, Inc. CEO Mark Hubble and the Des Moines Register. If you haven’t had the chance to check the ensuing article yet, make sure you do here!

There are some big things happening for Meskwaki, Inc., and we’re honored that we get to be a part of it. In fact, their moving and shaking has caught the eye of the Associated Press. Now, the word about how the tribal business is expanding has spread around the country. Check out a few of the other publications that picked up the story:
San Francisco Gate
Native American Times
KWWL

Public relations is one of the best weapons in our arsenal to get the visibility our clients want and deserve. We have hundreds of connections with publications and news outlets, and we’re always looking for the right spin to catch their attention on behalf of our clients.

If you want to learn more about how teaming up with us can get your business this kind of attention, just contact us.

Rachel Pheasant│ Social Media Marketing Manager

Plaid Swan Inc. is a female owned and operated marketing communications firm with multiple offices located in the Midwest. Looking to make your company’s blog stand out? Don’t have a blog, but want one? What’s a BLOG? Contact betsy@plaidswan.com or call 563-556-1633 x2 to see how we can bring your brand to a new stellar level!

October 30, 2017

Russian Burger King Demands Movie ‘It’ Be Banned Due to Pennywise Looking Like Ronald McDonald

‘It’ is on!

Most of us have heard of Ronald McDonald. We know him all too well as the red headed smiling clown hanging out under those golden arches luring us in with those quarter pounders and biggie fries. But in Russia, they believe Ronald McDonald bears too close a resemblance to Steven King’s infamous clown Pennywise in the movie ‘It’ and they don’t like it. In fact, they don’t like ‘IT’ one bit.

If you haven’t already seen Stephen Kings’ movie ‘It’, you would be in the minority. ‘It’ has been dominating the box offices not only in the US, but also oversees. According to Box Office Mojo, it broke records in Germany, earning $11.6 million in its opening weekend, the largest ever for a horror film in the market. With such soaring success, the Russian Burger King wasn’t too happy over all the publicity that crazy clown is getting in the film, aka: Pennywise, so they decided to get their hands a little greasy by pulling a simple in-theater stunt. Once the film was over, and viewers had their fill of scares, the credits began to roll, and Burger King projected a quick message onto the screen that read: “The moral is…never trust a clown,” followed by the Burger King logo. They took things even further by filing an official government complaint to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service demanding the movie be pulled from theaters because –wait for it – they believed Pennywise, the clown in the movie, resembled Ronald McDonald, which gives McDonalds an unfair advantage in the restaurant fast food biz.

Interesting that the Russia Burger Kings would worry the mass public sees Ronald McDonald as a possible ‘twin’ to Pennywise, the child killing clown. Pennywise has razor sharp teeth and a mouth that can swallow a small child whole. Not certain how that would be an unfair advantage for McDonalds, but I’m also not competing for the fast food market, so I digress. However, for most of us, we just see Ronald as a guy in a weird ‘Where’s Waldo’ shirt, wearing way too much red lipstick. Then, on the other side of it, you have Pennywise, the evil villain of the movie ‘It’ luring children into sewer drains, no happy meals included.

www.mashable.com

www.CNBC.com

So, yes, the Russian Burger King believes that a clown that terrorizes children in a horror movie is driving customers to their competitor. A Spokesperson for the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS), confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Burger King’s complaint has been received and is being evaluated. They also added, “We can’t be concerned with the content of the film because the writer and director have their own creative understanding of any character. The agency would have to determine though whether the movie contains advertising or product placement.” That is some pretty petrifying product placement…

After an epidemic of creepy clown sightings circulated the world last year, McDonald’s cut back on appearances for their mascot, Ronald McDonald. Also, earlier this year, you can bet a Big Mac and a large fry that McDonald’s wasn’t happy after a video titled “It – McDonald’s Edition” was posted on YouTube, containing some of the movie’s plot points and, of course, featuring Ronald McDonald instead of Pennywise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYfAt9DCpaE

Since Burger King’s complaint, The Hollywood Reporter and the Washington Post have picked up the story. Although Burger King has filed this protest, it seems to us like they’ve created one clever marketing move. One could say the real lesson here is in marketing and Burger King certainly knows how to increase their brand’s visibility and get picked up by mainstream news outlets. Does your business want the same thing? Well then call Plaid Swan for all your marketing needs. We’re freakishly good at our job and that’s no clowning around.

www.giphy.com

Plaid Swan Inc. is a female owned and operated marketing communications firm with multiple offices located in the Midwest. Looking to make your company’s blog stand out? Don’t have a blog, but want one? What’s a BLOG? Contact us today to see how we can bring your brand to a new stellar level!

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

October 16, 2017

Dove In Hot Water Over Three Second Facebook GIF

RACIST!

Finger pointing, crowd gathering, rocks held in sweaty hands. This is what the company, Dove, recently experienced when it ran a 3 second GIF on Facebook promoting its product with a woman of color removing her brown shirt, transposing as she did, into a white woman. Dove was left running for its commercial life, once again, scrambling to pick up the pieces of a creative commercial, gone horribly wrong.

It wasn’t that long ago we wrote a piece about Dove in hyper mode trying to correct its image from another faux pas when it announced various shapes of bottles (pear, round, curvy) which were to depict the various shapes of women. They found out quickly women do not want to buy a pear-shaped bottle because they are pear shaped. In fact, women don’t like to be ‘defined’ as a certain shape or size. There is beauty in everything, and every size and every shape. Hence, it’s surprising that Dove has made another marketing mistake so soon. But is it surprising?

www.cbsnews.com

Dove has made giant leaps to embrace women of all shapes, all ethnic backgrounds, and to point out not all women are the size of a toothpick and beauty should not be defined as such. Dove, owned by Unilever, a Dutch-British transnational consumer goods company co., headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands and London, United Kingdom, has been making strides in the marketing world by highlighting women of different ethnicity, as well as different shapes and sizes. One commercial that hit the mark begins with the words: “Why do we search the universe for one type of beauty?” The commercial follows with a montage of various women on screen. The women in the commercial are of different color, size, and age, but all delightfully happy and smiling. The only thing that stands out, in this writer’s mind, is how they do not show anyone who is a natural blonde. In fact, the commercial features numerous women but on review I could only find 2 blondes and both had dark roots. I’m surprised the blonde women of the world didn’t rally together to cry out, but in society blondes are supposed to be the ones ‘having more fun’, or so the saying goes.

www.youtube.com

It wouldn’t take long for anyone in this world to see how we all live under assumptions and biases that do not accurately depict us. We like to say we are all for one and one for all, but society hangs on to its old contradictions and racial slurs. Dove responded immediately to the backlash over this last advertising mistake by immediately pulling the GIF and apologizing, writing on Facebook: “Dove is committed to representing the beauty of diversity. In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused.”

In life, if we own up to our mistakes, most will forgive and allow us to move forward. Dove has and is still striving to push women forward in their ad campaigns by showing there is beauty in all shapes and all colors, in diversity. It’s not surprising there will be mistakes made along the way in their determination. To assume no further mistakes will occur is sophomoric and ludicrous. Waves will be made when change is coming. So, power on Dove, power on.

And apologies to all sophomores who took offence to my comment of being sophomoric. I apologize, can we please move forward?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNYjRmNCu9o

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

September 25, 2017

Benefits of Getting Your Company Published

No matter the shape or size of your company, getting in front of clients and customers is vital to your business’ success. It’s what makes your business, a business. The marketing and advertising opportunities are endless, but one often overlooked way to get your name out into the world is to get published.

Now, you might be thinking, what do you mean by “published?” This doesn’t mean you need to write a novel, but having someone on your team manage or guest write on a credible blog, create a company newsletter for consumers, or write an article or column for a newspaper or magazine will put your company under spotlights where traditional media doesn’t normally reach.

Free publicity

Yes, you heard it right: free! Getting published in newspapers puts your byline and business’ expertise in front of their readership. In the print world, readership extends beyond circulation, or people who pay for the publication. Think of how many public places have newspapers or magazines sitting out for people to read, such as the library, coffee shops, hair salons… and the list goes on. Beyond paid subscribers, many more people will read the article.

When it comes to online publications, blogs, columns or other forms of digital work, the reach has even greater potential. With a click of a button, an article can be shared on social media or forwarded in an email, where others can then share or forward, and so on. Include your email address or Twitter handle to drive traffic – or should we say, future customers – to your website or inbox.

Establishes credibility

With Google as a verb in this digital age, people are turning to the internet to answer any of life’s questions, from something as simple as how to hard boil eggs to researching college essays. When you share information pertaining to the line of work you do every day, you become an expert to them in that moment.

For example, a chiropractor may write a column in the local newspaper about ways to avoid immediate and long-term health issues from working extended hours at a desk. When a reader sees that the article is written by a health professional and printed in an edited publication, the reader likely to then view the writer as a credible source and follow the advice.

Keeps your company top of mind

Once you are established as a credible source to your future customers by appearing in publications they read, the next time your services are needed, your name will already be at the top of their mind.

Let’s go back to our chiropractor’s story. After a reader finds value in the information found in the article, they are more likely to think back to the author the next time they find themselves in need of a chiropractor.

Last words of advice…

Finally, as with any form of marketing, the more people exposed to your business, the better chance you have to attract business. Pitch your article to as many sources as you can, but make sure your material fits their audience to improve the odds of publication.

So, what are you waiting for? Get writing!

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Emily Bettridge │ Multimedia Specialist & Content Developer

September 11, 2017

Damage Control: How to Respond to Negative Reviews Online

As Taylor Swift once said, “The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” That’s a lot of hate for one song, but sometimes we receive a lot of hate in our daily lives, especially online. Today, with social media right at our fingertips, negative reviews tend to arise. What you need to do is take these reviews, learn from them if possible, and then simply, shake it off. By following these guidelines, you and your business can maintain damage control before it gets, shall we say, out of control, and respond in a proper manner. Let’s get started!

www.giphy.com

Find a Fix: Have a team of people constantly reviewing all social posts. Whenever a customer or viewer comments on your social media platforms, or perhaps leaves a negative review, have a team or team member set up to receive notifications so the review or comment is seen immediately. That way you can respond promptly and in a timely manner. People care when you go the extra mile and make their needs known. By responding right away, you are showing their opinion matters and sometimes that extra care can turn into a positive review for you and your business. A Win-Win!

Think Positive:

www.giphy.com

For most of us, we are passionate about our company and care about our customers. So whenever we get a negative review, it stings. The key to negative reviews is how you respond to them. Always stay positive. Good things will come from it. Take a step back, take a deep breath, and handle the problem with a positive attitude. Just because you get a negative review, that doesn’t make you a bad company. Think of it more like a sticky situation to tackle and an opportunity to learn and grow. There are always going to be people in the world who thrive off of negativity and drama. Often times they are the ones who take the time to write a bad review. It just goes with the territory. There will also be those who are genuinely disappointed in your product or company and are taking the time to share the reasons why. Approach every one of these with an open mind and a guarded heart and always remember, this is business. Learning means growing.

Empathize & Apologize: People are looking for humanity. Be genuine in your response. A negative review can be a great opportunity for your business to respond in a positive and clear way. That approach will have a significant impact on your customers – even on those who didn’t write the negative comment but saw you replied in a positive manner. Empathize with people, and if you’re wrong, admit you’re wrong. People respond well to sincerity and admitting when a mistake was made. It helps everyone move forward and may also help you gain a new customer.

www.tenor.com

Get More Positive Reviews: When customers get a proper and rapid response, they are more likely to edit, delete, or replace their negative review with a positive one. However, not everyone changes their mind, and unfortunately, you can’t delete reviews from certain platforms. However, you can reduce where they pop up online for people to see. By obtaining and promoting more positive reviews, you can push the negative ones further down the line. Never be afraid to ask your valued customers to give you a review or a ‘like’ on social media. Everyone understands how important that can be, and more people than you could ever imagine will want to help you thrive. It’s as simple as asking.

To be successful in business it can be as simple as listening to your customers and learning from your mistakes. Every business has a learning curve and the most successful businesses are not afraid to try new things. If Taylor Swift can teach us anything in this world, it’s to “shake it off.” Use negative reviews to improve your company, grow from them, and then move on. You have a business to run, get to it!

www.favim.com

Plaid Swan is a women-owned marketing communications firm operating out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The firm represents clients across the United States in public relations, media planning, social and digital media, graphic design and strategic planning. Visit us online at PlaidSwan.com or on our social media channels as @PlaidSwan. Lines are meant to be crossed.

August 28, 2017

Pedialyte: The Hangover Cure

Your child’s Pedialyte is now curing adult-sized hangovers.

For the longest time people used to open a bottle of Pedialyte only when their child was sick and dehydrated. Today, millennials and adults are opening bottles of Pedialyte because they had one too many adult beverages the night before.

Pedialyte wants you to say good-bye to mornings where your hangover cycle kicks in.

According to Pedialyte’s website, “Pedialyte is a medical-grade hydration solution specially formulated with the optimal balance of sugar and electrolytes needed to help replenish vital fluids, minerals, and nutrients, which, when lost, can lead to dehydration.” In other words, it’s a drink filled with what you need to beat the morning hangovers.

Gone are the days when cure-all mom made you sip on Pedialyte when you were sick. Now, the re-hydrating drink is being marketed to adults. Many of the new ads feature men and women looking like desperate for relief. What can save them from their misery of a hangover? Only the miraculous Pedialyte. It’s always there to save the day. One ad reads, “When last night’s party threatens to ruin today, those in the know reach for Pedialyte.” Another states, “Just one drink they said. Just an hour they said. See the lyte to feel better fast.”

www.pedialyte.com

Since 2012, Pedialyte’s total sales are up 57 percent primarily due to the populous of 21-year olds using it to end their misery of a long night of binge drinking. It is no surprise the brand that previously focused on children, shifted gears to target this new market. While adult use historically had accounted for 10%-15% of Pedialyte sales, it now represents over 33% of total revenue, or upwards of $102 million. Although the company doesn’t plan to change its name to target adult consumers, it is introducing flavors such as strawberry lemonade and orange.

In addition, Pedialyte has been appearing at hundreds of musical festivals and sporting events throughout the U.S., giving away free samples. The hype has even spread to social media with many celebrities from Pharrell Williams to Miley Cyrus posting selfies, crediting Pedialyte as their hangover cure.

Pedialyte has added to their brand by coming out with on-the-go powder packets and freezer pops. These versions are more convenient and less obvious than hauling around the standard jug of Pedialyte.

www.cosmopolitan.com

www.disinfo.com

Is it safe for millennials and adults to chug Pedialyte quicker than their three rum and cokes from the night before? Dr. Robert Glatter explains, “Both glucose and fructose contained in Pedialyte can help both children and adults reabsorb water along with depleted electrolytes, and thus aid in rehydration.” So the answer is yes, a resounding, Yes!

What does all of this mean? Pedialyte has upped their game, changed tactics, and renovated their marketing and targeting.

They’ve traded in their teddy bears for tequila sunrises.

www.pedialyte.com

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

August 14, 2017

How to Improve Your Productivity at Work

I hate when a sentence doesn’t end the way I think it octopus… I’m sorry, what was I saying?

Distractions. They tend to happen, especially at work. There are only so many hours in the day for us to get our tasks done. Would you rather put in more work or work more efficiently? We’re guessing you went with option two. So how can this be accomplished?

Here are 8 Effective Strategies for Increasing Your Productivity at Work.

www.buzzfeed.com

Get Yourself Some High-Quality H2O: Water sucks. Gatorade is better. Right? If you ask Bobby Boucher, aka “The Waterboy”, you couldn’t be more wrong. As Adam Sandler once taught us in this classic comedy, water can be very beneficial. The same can be true for when you’re at work. Water is healthy, refreshing, and can actually subside the feeling of fatigue or hunger. Much has been touted that we actually mistake hunger for when we are simply thirsty. This thought being, if we would stay hydrated our brain wouldn’t be telling us we are hungry and we could eliminate the overeating issues that are prevalent in our society. By keeping a Yeti filled with ice water within arm’s reach, you can stay focused at your desk instead of having to get up and fill it repeatedly at the water cooler, and in return, possibly lose those stubborn five pounds.

www.giphy.com

All Hail the Snacks: Just like water, make sure you have healthy snacks readily available. This can help control hunger, as well as keep you productive. It also keeps you within your workspace and eliminates those office ‘chats’ and ‘visit sessions’ at the vending machines. It’s good to know how certain foods interact with your brain. For example, research has found that the brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose circulating in the blood stream —the amount found in a banana. Other foods that give your brain the best boost and power are blueberries, carrots, whole grains, nuts, seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate. Hungry yet?

www.giphy.com

Prioritize Your Tasks: Did you know people are the most productive during the first hour of work? Why? Because you have just started the day and your energy levels are at their highest. By putting your most critical and challenging tasks on your calendar during your first few hours on the job, you’ll be approaching them with attention and energy. By scheduling the most difficult tasks in the first part of your day, and following those up with the easier tasks, you’ll find you are able to concentrate more and be more efficient. There is nothing worse than having a task ahead of you that you are dreading. It can consume the rest of your day. Better to tackle those right away. Do this simple plan and you will stay focused, not stressed.

www.noplacelikeanywhere.com

Headphones Can Be Music to Your Ears: Ring! Ring! Is that a cellphone I hear? Did someone just drop their stapler? Is that the mailcart making the rounds? In most offices, there are a variety of sources of sounds that tend to distract us. How can you protect yourself from these distractions? Put on a pair of headphones. They will help block out any unwanted or surprising sounds and keep you focused on the task at hand.

www.giphy.com

Trust in the Two-Minute Rule: You might be asking yourself, what is the two-minute rule? Simple, the two-minute rule consist of finding a task you can complete in two minutes or less, and doing it immediately. This simple rule helps overcome procrastination and basic laziness by focusing on tasks that are so easy to do; there is no reason you wouldn’t just ‘do them’! The two minute rule in the work place can mean; send that email, make that phone call, text that message. Anything that can be done in two minutes is such an easy thing to accomplish; you might as well just do them now.

www.giphy.com

Work in 90-Minute Intervals: According to Inc.com, researchers at Florida State University have found elite performers (athletes, chess players, musicians, etc.) who work in intervals of no more than 90 minutes are more productive than those who work 90 minutes-plus. They also found that top performing subjects tend to work no more than 4.5 hours per day. We can’t argue with those stats!

www.giphy.com

Spice Up Your Space: Interesting enough, research shows that decorating an office with visually pleasing appealing elements—such as plants–can increase productivity by up to 15 percent. Spice up your workspace with pictures, candles, and other decorations to boost your mood and your work performance. By making your space at work your own, you will enjoy being there and it can also help your mood considerably.

We’re Feeling Blue: Did you know the color blue is known to stimulate the mind? Studies show that blue rooms improve your study capabilities and increase productivity. Blue can also slow your heart rate and reduce your appetite. Try painting your office blue to increase concentration and your work performance. You’re my boy blue!

www.imgur.com

By following these simple strategies, you could start seeing improvement in your productivity at work!

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

July 31, 2017

Mythbusters: 4 Myths About a Marketing Agency

Mad Men. A show many of us are still having withdrawals from since it ended. A show that showed us that smoking could be smokin.’ A show where the fictional, Sterling Cooper advertising agency, pulled back the smoke-stained curtain and revealed the truth about what it’s really like to work at an ad agency. Right? Wrong. This happens to be a myth. Although we do like to consume a Manhattan and Old Fashion occasionally, it seems there are many myths behind what working with a marketing agency is truly like. We are here to set the story straight! So put down the lighter and your glass of scotch, we are going to reveal the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us Don Draper.

www.mashable.com

1. Marketing Companies Are Too Expensive: Many perceive marketing agencies as spending extensive amounts of money on long extended lunches, steak dinners, and martinis. An agency that spends all afternoon golfing with their clients, wining and dining them, talking ‘business’ then somehow dumping those costs into a “miscellaneous expense” category, and submitting them back to the client as a part of their billing. If these practices were ever done, they are no longer acceptable. Marketing firms now focus on providing meaningful and measurable results for clients. Costs in a proposal are clearly spelled out and clarified for a customer. From a project estimation, to re-estimating specifications when changes are made, the client is alerted before moving forward and costs occur. A marketing agency tries to be flexible and is always aware of a client’s budget, working to meet their goals but always staying within the budget lines. So enough of those dirty thoughts and dirty martinis. Marketing agencies are upfront and sterling.

www.popkey.co

2. Marketing Agencies Will Leak My Business Information & Pitch to My Competitor: Wrong. Wrong. Completely and utterly WRONG! The truth of the matter is you can trust a professional marketing firm to not disclose information to the competition, and others in the industry, no matter how minute or small the detail. The code of ethics applies to us just as much as it does to you. Both parties will sign non-disclosure agreements. However, as a marketer, why would we want to potentially ruin the relationship we have with a current client to gain what could be a possible client? We wouldn’t. The trust, security, and strength of a relationship are everything in our business.

www.giphy.com

3. Marketing Agencies Aren’t Responsible for Results: The myth here is that marketing agencies can blow through a clients’ money without respect to efficiency. Again, no, no, no. If a marketing agency ever drove their business down that kind of highway, they would be in a car crash as soon as they hit the interstate. Today’s metrics of measuring the success of an operation are far more progressive, complete, and comprehensive in reporting results than in the past. Simply do your research and check on the success of the marketing agency you are considering.

4. Marketing Is Only for Big Businesses: In the past, it was perceived that marketing agencies were only for large corporations and that you needed a lot of money to make an impact. Nowadays, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Marketing is for small businesses as well as big ones. The days of marketing agencies working with exclusively large budget clients has gone to the wayside. Agencies realized quickly that with success comes growth and with growth comes more marketing. Although radio, TV, and newspaper ads can be quite pricey, there are other ways, for a lower price, to get your message across. Being present on social media and blogging are just a few ways for a smaller business to get their message out to their customers. Small businesses need to embrace marketing now more than ever. It’s not always about the big bucks you throw into it –it’s the big ideas you take away.

www.medium.itsniceplace.com

As Don Draper once said, “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.”

There are many myths surrounding marketing agencies, much like the proverbial cloud of smoke. We are proud to set the story straight and change the conversation.

www.giphy.com

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

July 17, 2017

WNBA Star, Elena Delle Donne, Learns Social Media Can Be One Foul Game

Traveling. Palming. Charging. Goaltending. Double dribble. These are all considered fouls in basketball. You know what else can be foul? Social media. WNBA star, Elena Delle Donne, is learning this lesson better than most. On Friday, July 7, the Washington Mystics player was watching Lakers rookie, Lonzo Ball, play in his first summer league, all the while sporting $495 shoes.

www.chicago.suntimes.com

She decided to take to Twitter and tweet, “How great would it be if (Lonzo Ball) would blow his shoe in his first summer league game? Should have gone with @Nike.”

www.sbnation.com

Delle Donne, who has her own exclusive shoe with Nike, didn’t realize how much she would be tripping over her own two feet, falling into social media backlash. Her tweet compiled 2,000 likes, 800 retweets, and 459 comments, which were almost entirely negative. People were wishing she’d tear her ACL and get injured herself.

She quickly explained, “It was a joke, I like to mess around, I think of myself as a kind of funny person. All the hype around the BBBs. How many times have athletes blown out a shoe? A shoe? Not talking injury. People were taking it like I wanted him to get hurt. Are you kidding me? I want him to have a great future. It’s so funny. One joke and it’s like, phew. Guess he’s got a lot of fans already.”

Delle Donne clarified to her critics that she never wanted Ball to get hurt. She in fact, really likes him, just not his shoes. She has been active on Twitter for the past couple of years, engaging with fans, all in good spirit. In this case, however, she felt people were twisting her words, taking her tweet to a place she didn’t want.

“Most of the time I look at it and go, ‘Oh, my gosh’ and let it go,” she said. “But when it gets to a point where they take it out of context with me wanting him to get injured, absolutely not! I have to correct that. I would never wish that on any human being. That’s where you get a little frustrated by it. I didn’t say that. So don’t take my words and stretch it to something that it’s not,” proclaimed Donne.

That’s social media for you. It can be one slippery slope. You have to always make sure you have your laces tied tight. Delle Donne may be used to promoting Nike with their catchy slogan “Just Do It” but in this particular matter, “Just Don’t Do It.”

www.buzzfeed.com

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

July 3, 2017

Museum of Failure: The Worst Products of All Time

www.dailypicksandflicks.com

These two robbers made their ‘mark’ in mug shot history. Why use ski masks when you can use permanent marker? It appears guilty was written all over their faces.

Alright, so sometimes people make idiotic mistakes. The same can be true when it comes to products. Who remembers Colgate’s frozen lasagna? That was as useless as the ‘g’ in lasagna. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that invention was doomed from the beginning. But one man in particular did something about it. He made a museum.

Created and founded by Dr. Samuel West, the Museum of Failure sits in the Swedish city of Helsingborg where it displays 51 products “that were intentionally developed for innovation sake, yet failed to gain commercial success.”

“We know that 80 to 90 per cent of innovation projects, they fail and you never read about them, you don’t see them, people don’t talk about them,” West says. “And if there’s anything we can do from these failures, is learn from them.” Many of the items show companies attempts to diversify their brand, but epically failing to do so. Take a look!

1. The Rejuvenique Electric Shock Facial Mask:

www.forbes.com

No. Just – no! Made of rigid plastic, this 1990 mask only comes in one size. The shocks are set up to “exercise” your face and reduce wrinkles. Many of us search for a facial product that will help reduce the look of aging and leave us looking refreshed and youthful. This one simply leaves us with nightmares. As Simon Cowell would say, “It’s going to be a no for me.” On the other hand, we think Michael Myers from Halloween would find it shockingly enjoyable.

2. Coca Cola Blaak:

www.thestar.com

This coffee-cola concoction didn’t make it on the shelves for one big reason, it didn’t taste good. “Blák” sounds like a sound you make when you find something disgusting and in this case, it was true. It could have been the sugary substance was just that, too sickening sweet. The ‘a’ didn’t earn them an A after all.

3. Harley-Davidson’s Fragrance:

www.thestar.com

With the scent being Eau De Toilette, we can see why this product was deemed a stinky mess. In 1990, the company launched their “cheap-smelling” perfumes which caused a huge backlash and an outcry from many fans who accused the company of “Disney’fying” the brand. Eventually, Harley-Davidson understood that brand loyalty does have its boundaries. In the end, they admitted they were wrong and discontinued the perfumes. That had to have been a breath of fresh air.

4. Bic for Her:

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Who remembers this marketing disaster? The Bic ‘Cristal’ pen for her had terms like “elegant design – just for her!” and “thin barrel to fit a woman’s hand”. The pens also came in lovely pastel colors ‘just for her’ – mint, pink and lavender. Can we say, “Sexist?” This one is a no brainer as to why it ended up in the Museum of Failure. Take some notes Bic, this is how you don’t want to advertise

In the end, I think we all learned one valuable lesson. Don’t try electrocuting your face. Although the Rejuvenique Electric Shock Facial Mask could make one killer Halloween costume. It’s the bad ideas that help pave the road to success. It’s all part of the ride. Some of the largest, most productive companies in the world have made errors along the way. As Samuel West said, “Innovation is a risky business and the majority fail.”

Plaid Swan: (563) 556-1633

Email: betsy@plaidswan.com

-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist

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