Alf's Blog

Cancer, Fish & eBay

Clean out your closets, sell your "stuff" on eBay, and donate the proceeds to The American Cancer Society--everybody wins.

In addition to, "one man's junk being another man's treasure", your junk can now actually help fund cancer research. MissionFish, a nonprofit organization specializing in online charitable auctions developed Giving Works for eBay. Giving Works items are marked with a charity ribbon icon so buyers know they are supporting a good cause. Giving Works items appear in three categories for the price of one: the category you select, the eBay Giving Works category and on the American Cancer Society MissionFish homepage.

You can donate from 10 to 100 percent of the final sale to support the American Cancer Society’s programs of research, education, advocacy, and service. This service is FREE and is a simple way to make a contribution. Your gifts may be considered tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules.

Spammed by Zombies and Frightened by Spammers

According to reports published by Information Week, zombie machines and scare tactics are spammers choice in tools-of-the-trade.

For the third straight month, most spam sent across the Internet originated on zombie machines, hijacked computers remotely controlled by spammers.

According to Denver-based MX Logic, 56 percent of the spam it tracked during July was sent by zombies infected with a malicious Trojan horse and transformed into spam-spewing monster. That's down from June's 62 percent, but up slightly from May's 56 percent. 

MX Logic also said that the percentage of unsolicited commercial e-mail complying with the federal anti-spam CAN SPAM Act ticked up a bit in July to 4 percent from the previous 3 percent. No wonder my inbox is bulging day after day with rediculous offers.

If zombies aren't frightening enough, spammers have apparently grown weary of their hard-sell sales tactics and are switching to scare tactics instead.

Spam promoting personal or family safety is on the upswing. A new wave of junk mail, with alarmist subject headings such as "Protect your child from sex offenders! Download now!" and "You can't see it, but it can see you," is hitting mailboxes.

Where will it end, and who will be the smart marketer who effectively counteracts the growing public frustration over inbox invasions?

The Death of Brands--Brandicide (TM)

Marketing expert, Steve Arbeit, has written an excellent opinion piece on the death of brands or as he terms it, "Brandicide". My recent disheartening experiences with once great consumer names such as General Motors, McDonald's, Macy's, any of the major domestic airlines or "three color" car rental companies would confirm his observations. Read Steve's full article in the current edition of The Alf Report

Naming--is it science or art?

If you are struggling to name a company, product or the like, this is an interesting, basic article on the subject. Iconcast makes the point that Naming is not a science. Naming is an art. We are not linguists or scientists, and a good product makes a good name.

Teen Body Image & The Smart Marketer

From USA Today-- "In the largest study to date on adolescents' views of their bodies and their use of hormones and supplements, one in eight boys and one in 12 girls reported using such products in the past year to improve their appearance, muscle mass or strength."

"Based on a nationwide survey of more than 10,000 adolescents, the study, out Monday in the journal Pediatrics, shows a high rate of concern about body image in both boys and girls and finds that teens who worry about body image are much more likely to use hormones and dietary supplements to try to enhance their physiques."

Recent media coverage has focused on American's size increase, both adults and teens, and obesity has been named a national epidemic. Somewhere in the middle of the fattening of American, and teens using drugs to get skinny or muscular, there must be a middle ground. A smart marketer will find a new focus and present the teen market with healthy, appropriate role models and cultural icons. If Jennifer Lopez and Catherine Zeta Jones can make millions while sporting curves, well…there’s a big message.