Does Your Company Block Social Media Sites?

A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Mannequin American

Love. Wear. Return.  Works for me

Okay guys ... now you can give your significant other an $800 - $1,000 dress ... for a day. Enter Rent The Runway, the Netflix of online dress rental.

Here's how it works:
1. Pick out a dress designed by folks like Diane Von Furstenberg, Hervé Léger, Proenza Schouler or many other designers that I've never heard of ... but women know all too well.
2. Pay $50-$200 for a 4-night loan
3. Dress gets shipped to your door
4. Your significant other can wear it and have fun
5. In the morning pick the dress off the floor, put it in the pre-paid envelope and drop it in the mailbox

The site appears to be in some sort of beta mode where you have to request to be added to a wait list, but it seems like a good idea.

Does Your Company Block Social Media Sites?
Big corporations are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to harness the benefits of employee participation in social media while mitigating the risks. Clearly there's no one-size-fits-all.

As many as 40% of companies deal with the issue by blocking social media sites altogether. If your company falls into that category, it could be to its benefit to reconsider. A better option may be to turn to your communications department to develop internal employee Internet guidelines that set clear expectations and monitor them.

If you are an executive, keep in mind that social technologies including blogs, social networks and Twitter are communications that should be integrated with your existing communications channels and goals.  If your company is delving into the social media world, consider developing a strategy to guide employees who will be representing your brand online. A written communication plan in place now is better than a crisis plan enacted later.

The company that pays me to write this blog can help you deal with social media issues. Email me at chip.martin@bmpr.com

No Wonder Ralphie Wanted a Daisy Riffle

According to the ad, shooting "will make it a Christmas to remember."

For more vintage Daisy ads click here ... there's even an ad for creating an indoor rifle range for your Daisy rifle ... for those "rainy days when you can't play outdoors."

At least the Daisy ads are better than this Iver Johnson Revolver ad (below) from a 1913 Saturday Evening Post. Six dollars for a killing machine that won't harm your daughter if she plays with it in bed ... not a bad deal.

Apparently Your Cleanser May be Watching You Shower?

Okay, until I saw this commercial for the "Household Products Labeling Acts," I didn't know that those little "scrubbing bubbles" stuck around to watch you shower. In this case we see a woman enter her shower only to be confronted by a gaggle of horny bubbles who leer at her and begin chanting Loofuh! Loofah! Loofah!"

Funny and creepy all at the same time.

Sometimes Being Green is Just Ink

The name "Ecosense" implies some kind of crunchy environmental friendliness, doesn't it? It's even written in green right on the package. So why does the package also have the disclaimer, "not intended to imply environmental safety either alone or compared to other products"?  Apparently being "green" just means they've used green ink on the label.

How Many Times?
How many times would you like to hear from me or see me each week ... (Go ahead; pick a number that's more than once but less than ten. Do it!)
Now multiply that number by two.
Add 5.
Multiply by 50 ... I'll wait while you get a calculator.
If you've already had your birthday this year add 1759. If you haven't had a birthday yet this year, add 1758.
Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number. The first digit was your original number in step one.  The next two numbers are your ___________. (You'll recognize the number because it'll mean something special to you ... I promise.)

Who Knew Garbage Collectors could be too Thorough?
 

I always think it's a nice service when city garbage collectors haul away old, unwanted appliances. But when they haul away your brand-new appliance, you've got a problem.

That's what happened to a West Virginia couple, whose dryer disappeared from in front of their house before they had a chance to install it.

According to an affidavit, "The old washer to be hauled away was right beside the trash bin and the dryer that was taken was new and about 70 (feet) away, sitting on a concrete pad." The new washing machine had been delivered and installed several days prior. 

The city is considering reimbursing the couple for the cost of the dryer.