In response to Molly’s Blog: Linsanity spreads to Volvo.In response to Molly’s Blog: Linsanity spreads to Volvo.

What other troubles may Volvo face by hiring their new spokesman mainly to gain customers of young and Chinese populations?

I believe since Volvo is going with this new rising star there are many ups as well as a few downs which go along with their decision. The positives are that it gives Jeremy Lin publicity while portraying to the younger generations.  By going with a new up in coming basketball star you are gaining new young fans of both Chinese and American decent.  But focusing solely on the younger generations the older people, which might not watch basketball, might feel left out.  This is why I like Lin as the spokesman.  He is a college graduate from Harvard, and he has worked as hard as he can to just get on a NBA team.  It surprised everyone when he took the New York Nicks on his back when their two star players were hurt on the bench.

What do you think about this move for Lin a young basketball star to be the new spokesman for Volvo?

If you do not like that he is the spokesman, who would you choose?

Small Business Saturday

American Express as a way to gain members and spread the local movement is making the day after Thanksgiving into Small Business Saturday.  They believe that small businesses are critical to the nation’s overall economy.  This Small Business Saturday is a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve the neighborhoods around the country.  “Small business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.”  This movement which American Express is a part of is increasing.  This local movement helps American express as well, because American express can tell people about the movement in their commercials.  Then the people who watch the commercials will see that this company sees the importance of local business cares about how the do.  American Express is not only advertising this movement on their commercials, they have been campaigning on Facebook and Twitter.  The American Express card owners also get perks with this movement, Small Business Saturday.  100,000 card members get a $25 statement credit if they register their card and use it to shop on Small Business Saturday at any locally-owned, independent small businesses that except American Express.  I believe that American Express is doing the right thing to increase their brand.  They are helping the local movement and the local movement is helping them.  They are portraying themselves to more people and they are increasing the popularity of their product to more and more people.

What do you feel about Small Business Saturday?

Do you think this local movement will increase, and more and more people and large companies will help it grow?

http://about.americanexpress.com/news/pr/2010/sbs.aspx

In response to Chris’s blog: Buy Local gains Traction!!

Would you shop locally in Keene?  Do you already?

I try to shop locally whenever I can because I know if I am spending my money for a good reason.  When money is spent on Main Street instead of nationally owned companies, local people win out.  These people are the ones you will see around town, and if everyone started to buy local these people would prosper and the local community will continue to increase.  I try to shop locally when I can but since I am a college student I don’t really have extra cash to help these businesses.  If I worked in Keene and was a part of the local community, I would definitely shop locally every chance I could to help my community.

Do you think the local movement will continue to grow and the nationally owned stores will have to change tactics to entice customers?

Do you think it is possible to have a whole community go local and stop buying from out of town owned companies?

Is Facebook Struggling?

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2012/02/01/facebook-ipo-what-could-go-wrong/?grcc=07bee15b639aa5aa1487a5668dbf6048Z10&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_markets

Due to the increasing tension between Facebook’s culture and the expectations of public investors, and advertiser resistance to companies’ advances. There has been tension for some time but now it is affecting the Facebook business.  People believe that Facebook is going down a similar path as for MySpace and Friendster. It starts with lower and lower advertisement then it ends up with the company losing out. Facebook have to increase their effectiveness or they will start down the path of a downward spiral.  There are a few things Facebook can do to help their situation; they can boost their click through rate or make apps which you can only from this house.

What do you believe is in store for Facebook?

What would you change on their website to increase companies to put adds on their cite?

Do you have any other thoughts about this issue?

In response to Tim’s blog: President Obama Soldiers on despite heavy opposition to solar investment.

Do you believe that investment in solar energy is necessary to strengthen the economy?  Do you believe that protecting desert habitat is more important than reducing CO2 emissions?  What impact will readily available renewable energy have on national security?

I do believe that it would be a great change to go to solar energy as opposed to water and coal. It would be difficult but a gradual change with incorporating it in to people’s lifestyles would be good.  The government on the other hand most likely wants to keep the current energy source because they are getting rich off of coal and hydro plants. I believe that if you can reduce CO2 emissions and if the desert creatures only in that area were affected it would not be such a big deal.  This would reduce the CO2 emissions and increase the availability of good air.  As I said before if America tried to change to solar power, we would generate more power, create jobs, keep our environment clean, and it will allow us to compete globally.  But since to change you would have to stop the coal factories since they have a lot of harmful emissions.  The government would never tolerate because they make too much money with hydro power and coal plants.

What do you think about this issue?

Should we try to fully change to solar energy because the coal reserves are depleting?     

Keep or Not To Keep, TV Shows?

Helpful Links which point out The Nielsen Company, The show Free Agents, and the rating system.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbc-cancels-free-agents-243753

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielsen_ratings

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_are_television_shows_rated

TV Stations use Nielsen Ratings to find out how a show is doing.  The number of viewers is a helpful tool in finding what rating each show receive.  The Nielsen Company creates surveys for people to fill out online and they have transmitters in DVR’s which record what the viewer watches and transmits the findings back to the company.  With this data they can find out how many people watch a certain show, and what they watch after, before, and during the commercial breaks.  This information also allows TV stations to include similar commercials with the shows people are watching.  An example of this rating system affecting shows is with the new show Free Agents.  This show aired about 6 or 7 episodes, but due to their low ratings and people tuning into the show; the show was canceled.

What do you think of the fact that The Nielsen Company have transmitters in your DVR’s to allow them to record and map the shows you watch?

Do you believe that people should have more control on whether a show should be kept or canceled, maybe talking to real people about their favorite shows, instead of finding what they watch through transmitters in their TV or DVR’s?

In response to Tim’s Blog: Limbaugh’s sponsors take their dollars elsewhere, and he rushes to apologize.

What responsibility do sponsors have when choosing programming?

I believe sponsors do have a lot of say when they choose their programing, but they do not have control on what the host of the programing says.  Rush Limbaugh is getting in trouble just like Don Imus did in the past.  Imus on the other hand attacked Limbaugh after Limbaugh made his apology, which Don Imus thought was not good enough. He stated that Limbaugh’s apology was a "lame apology" after his "vile, personal attack" on Georgetown University law student, Sandra Fluke.” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/don-imus-rush-limbaugh-sandra-fluke_n_1321016.html)

After the attack on Sandra Fluke most of Rush Limbaugh’s sponsors did leave him.  “Sensa Wight Loss program, Telecommunications Company Polcycom and AccuQuote life insurance are among a slew of new advertisers who requested Tuesday that their ads be removed from Limbaugh’s show. So did clothing company Bonobos, insurance company Geico and John Deere.” Limbaugh’s radio stations WBEC in Pittsfield, Mass. and KPUA in Hilo, Hawaii have both stated that they do recognize Limbaugh’s 1^st amendment right to state his opinions but they do not authorize the station to be used for personal attacks and intolerance.

What do you think about this issue?

Would you fire Rush Limbaugh like Don Imus was fired from his station when he broke the rules?

Link about this issue:

http://www.thewrap.com/media/column-post/rush-limbaughs-advertisers-flee-over-sandra-fluke-comments-35994