Mediaboss Marketing

When Gov. Pat Quinn came to Peoria last week to tout a piece of legislation expanding access to childhood immunizations, he sat at a table inside Kroger at 9219 N. Lindbergh Drive and signed his name on some official-looking papers.

In fact, it looked for all the world like he was signing the actual legislation, making it law during his stop here.

Not so much. In fact, he faked plenty of people out by conducting what we later discovered was a mock bill signing - what his press staff called a "ceremonial signing."

We're told that he does this routinely during flyarounds, when he hits multiple cities in a day to promote what his office determines is a major piece of legislation that they want to highlight.

"We do it with important bills," spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said by phone Friday, noting that the legislation would make it easier for kids to get state-mandated shots to prevent illness prior to the start of the school year. It lets pharmacists administer the shots to kids middle school age where previously they could only give them to youngsters age 14 and up.

Granted, appearing in multiple communities in one day practically guarantees press coverage of a piece of legislation. But does anyone think it's the ceremonial aspect of it - the signing of a name while sitting at a table - that's the important part, that shines the light on the issue? Isn't it the issue itself that matters? Or is it the fact that the governor thinks it's important enough to devote an entire day to it?

Plus, it'd be nice to make it clear that something that looks like a bill signing and sounds like a bill signing isn't really a bill signing. (C.K.)

Location, location, location

There was also a bit of snark going around about the location Quinn chose for the mock signing.

A grocery in Far North Peoria isn't considered the epicenter of need for childhood immunizations, or an area crying out for more people who can administer them.

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Word on the Street: Quinn bill signing: rinse and repeat

Houston, TX (PRWEB) August 26, 2012

Winnie Hart is launching a series of blogs called Twins Know which will give a fresh perspective on the elements of social media marketing. Winnie and identical twin sister, Lorrie Lee, will be contributors. The first offering is titled Twins Know: The Importance of Being Unique Online. The articles will share insights from the singular world of twinhood and apply them to elements of online marketing. http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2012/07/31/twins-know-the-importance-of-being-unique-online/?imcid=nav#%23

TwinEngine, Powered by The H Agency, is an award-winning, strategic marketing and creative agency that specializes in Social Media Marketing.

Winnie Brignac Hart, right engine creativity, and Lorrie Brignac Lee, left engine analytics, bring 20+ years of marketing experience, 125+ industry awards and a passion for leveraging their twin talents to help companies translate traditional marketing channels into forward thinking online and social marketing solutions.

TwinEngine, Powered by The H Agency Where Social Takes Flight. http://www.twinengine.com

Contact Information: Winnie Hart Winnie(at)twinengine(dot)com http://www.twinengine.com 504-522-6300

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TwinEngine, Powered by The H Agency, Launches “Twins Know” Blog Series

The social networking world may be a busy place with users loyal to their favorites, but a co-founder of start-up Branch says his new network should easily blend in.

"We absolutely see ourselves as being complimentary to everything else," said Josh Miller, who co-founded Branch, a new social discussion site. "We don't like the way that other companies point out negatives about other sites. We think Twitter is amazing. We think Facebook is amazing.... I think we'll fit right in."

Branch, which is in public beta with invitations only available by request, is a site focused on helping people have online conversations. On the site, users are able to pick who they want to talk with. Users also can try to be added to a conversation by clicking on an "Ask to Join" button.

"It's like putting people in a room together and having them talk," Miller told Computerworld. "They're swapping messages like they would in e-mail or IM or around the table. It's all about talking to people you know."

Patrick Moorhead, an analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, agrees that there is room for Branch to fit into the social networking world.

"Branch fills a gap opened by Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Quora to enable high-quality conversations without the noise," he said. "It also takes advantage of the desire for more intimate, private conversations of self-selected groups.... Branch is trying to find a way to lower the signal-to-noise ratio of babblers to meaningful participants."

Even so, Jim McGregor, an analyst with TIRIAS Research, said that with so already available, Branch could find it difficult to get any traction.

"Conversations could be done with the tools that are available today, namely Facebook and Twitter," said McGregor. "I think this is more of a solution looking for a problem than the other way around. At this point, there are so many tools available that I think it is going to be difficult for any newcomer to standout from the crowd, not to mention finding a way to make money at it."

Branch, though, has a lot of support. The business is backed by Obvious Corp., the company piloted by Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams.

On Branch, conversations are open to the public, though, at this point, the site doesn't have a way to search for users or particular conversation topics. However, the main page on the site lists the day's hot topics, like Hiking the Grand Canyon, Berlin Trip Tips, and Advice for Friends Who Feel Stuck in their Careers.

Continued here:
Startup Branch Offers Place to Chat

PEPPER PIKE Feminism is not a dirty word, according to Julie Zeilinger, founder of the blog the FBomb (thefbomb.org).

And it is a little Fd up that some people think that it is.

Zeilinger, 19, is a sophomore at Bernard College at Columbia University in New York City. She grew up in Pepper Pike and went to Hawken School. The feminists first novel, A Little Fd Up: Why Feminism is Not a Dirty Word, was published this year by Seal Press.

Zeilingers interest in feminism is not a fad or phase.

I grew up in a feminist household, Zeilinger said. I was raised to believe in equality for others.

This moral belief, Zeilinger said, is at the root of feminism.

It was not until middle school that Zeilinger was introduced to feminism. She was meeting with her guidance advisor, who Zeilinger mentions was awesome. Her advisor told Zeilinger to check out author Jessica Valentis book, Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Womans Guide to Why Feminism Matters, and her blog Feministing.com.

Reading Valentis book and blog sparked Zeilingers interest in feminist concepts such as gender equality and human and reproductive rights.

It is depressing that we do not learn more about the feminist movements in high school, Zeilinger said.

Her prescription to this depressing reality was to start her blog the FBomb in 2009. There were no other blogs to fuel conversations about feminism among teenage women.

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'Feminism is not a dirty word': Pepper Pike teenager's first book takes solid look at positives of feminist movement

25 August 2012 Last updated at 20:08 ET By Dany Mitzman Riviera Romagnola

During the summer holidays, some Italians make for fashionable islands like Capri or the calm waters of Lake Garda. But those who head to the Riviera Romagnola on the Adriatic coast, have a rather less serene experience.

With a mixture of pride and embarrassment - that is how locals tell you they are off on holiday to the Riviera Romagnola.

It is often preceded by "just" and invariably accompanied by a sheepish giggle, quickly followed by an explanation of the benefits. A sort of confession and justification.

What is unique about this coast, stretching 68 miles from Ravenna down to the south of Rimini, is its enormous popularity - in spite of the unanimous agreement that the sea is, well, just not very nice.

It is a turbid greenish-brown that makes you feel like you are swimming in a giant muddy puddle.

It is as tacky as it is chic - as trendy as it is kitsch

Most astonishing of all is that nobody cares. That is because bathing is not what coastal tourism here is about.

As perfectly bronzed Camilla tells me: "Romagnola invented the 'beach without sea'."

Camilla is from Bologna and has been coming every summer since she was a toddler. The Riviera Romagnola is, she says, in her DNA.

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The 'embarrassing' Italian holiday