Growing up is hard to do. First, I learned that my future shopping experiences will be a new kind of stressful when (if) I have kids (see previous blog), and now my research drops another bomb on me. It has been recommended that my generation, Gen Y, save at least $2 million dollars to retire, if we even get to retire.

“For a Generation Y person who thinks she wants to retire at around age 70 who is going to have slightly above-average annual expenses, $2 million is probably the right number,” says Michael Farr, the president of the Washington, D.C., investment firm Farr, Miller & Washington and the author of “A Million Is Not Enough: How to Retire With the Money You’ll Need.” However, Farr also warns, “Most people who have high incomes and the ability to set aside $2 million will likely have more-expensive lifestyles.”

It’s not just one person who shares this advice for Gen Y. A survey of 226 registered investment advisers also agreed with Farr. Seventy-seven percent of the advisors suggested the $2 million goal and 68% suggested that Generation X also aim for the same mark.

So, where to start? Well, to reach $2 million by retirement, a 25-year- old will need to save $7,405 every year, or $142 a week, for 40 years assuming an 8% annual return. Woof. Good thing I’m only 23!

It’s questionable whether Gen Y will even be able to retire, ever. Social Security benefits are being pushed back to older and older ages and not all companies have 401K programs to help the saving process. And with the average life expectancy age lengthening, we could be working into our mid-70s, or until we bite the dust.

What can Gen Y and X do to help with the saving process? And how can banks encourage, make recommendations and give advice to their young customers? Here are a few tips for young adults.

1.  Set a worthy goal. Know what you want to be able to do in retirement, but what’s realistic with your current lifestyle.

2.  Take advantage of employer help. A 401K or form of retirement plan will cut back how much you need to save.

3.  Control costs. Minimize investment fees and expenses.

4.  Get a Roth IRA or 401k.

5.  Maximize Social Security. Make sure you have at least 35 years of earnings before you sign up for payments and carefully consider the age at which you decide to claim benefits.

6.  Don’t plan on retiring at 65. Men born in 1980 can plan for at least a 19.3-year retirement, and women should prepare for 21.2 years.

I recently became pen-pals with a college recruiter from a private institution here in the Midwest. I was intrigued by some of the trends she’s seen in the past couple of years working as a college recruiter. Let me share one with you.

The one trend she has found to be most prevalent among students is how cost sensitive they have become. “The ticket price of a Christian college is terrifying for anyone. For me, having to tell prospective families that it costs about $33,000 to attend my school for a year, you just see the stress instantly on their faces!” So what are students doing about it?

A supplementary trend my recruiter friend has also noticed is how students are going to a community college for two years and then transferring into her much more expensive, private institution. “Often times, students will quickly ask about the ease of credit transfer at my institution. The economy is bad these days and any student looking into higher education, especially Christian higher ed, will look into this plan.”

Many students who do this, take one of two routes: they realize right out of high school that the cost of a four-year institution is too much for them to swing and decide to get their two-year degree and then transfer to a four-year program to finish. Or go to a two-year institution initially thinking that an associate’s degree was what they wanted or needed and then transfer to a four-year institution because they have a change of plans.   

This trend shows a two-fold marketing opportunity:

1. Reach  students before enrollment to be a part of their two-part college plans.
2. Market to students attending a two-year institution to encourage them to continue on to a four year degree post graduating.

Highlighting partnerships with two-year institutions ease of credit/hour transfers and financial aid are all “sell points” to these particular students.

We’ve all been taught the quote, “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.” True, but impossible. We can never really see the world from someone else’s perspective. We can certainly try, and we can certainly ask someone to try to explain. But how can we really get into someone’s head and understand how they view the world or how they really, truly feel? And as marketers, isn’t that our goal, to understand the consumer, to strike an emotional chord with them? What was once thought of as figurative is now becoming as literal as ever.

New simulation technologies are helping people “walk in others’ shoes” and to finally see things from a new perspective. Blixt & Dunder, a Swedish couple who specializes in branding, packaging design and concept development, created an app that demonstrates what a child sees during the first few years of life. Based on medical research on human vision development, users simply enter the baby’s birthday into the app and activate the camera. A generated filter then mimics the baby’s vision by taking their age into account and where their sight is developmentally. What better way for parents to empathize with their babies than to see firsthand why that little dog may seem like a monster to them?

Probably the most common and frustrating perspective that cannot be understood is what women endure through pregnancy. Men can try to sympathize, but it just isn’t the same. So Nutricia, a baby food company, came up with a way to get men “pregnant”- or as close as possible. Using an “Empathy Suit,”  men can experience up to 20 symptoms of pregnancy like jolts of “kicking,” low backaches, having to waddle, and even feel bladder pressure. Nutricia stationed themselves in malls and boutiques, and after wearing the suit for awhile, men were encouraged to download Baby Connection, a pregnancy documentation app. Let’s just say they were more willing to do anything for their wives after putting that suit on; another great example of creating empathy through a new perspective.

This last example isn’t so cute, but instead zeroes in on a serious and somewhat taboo topic. Liz Claiborne, a strong advocate against domestic violence, created an iPhone app called Love is Not Abuse that gives parents an inside look on abusive digital relationships. The app delivers simulated text messages, calls and e-mails from a fictional “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” to parents so they can identify warning signs and indications of abuse.

Simulation technology is a great opportunity for marketers to get inside the consumers’ head and really understand what it is they need. People’s day to day lifestyle becomes routine, and sometimes they are unaware there may be something to make life easier. While focus groups and interviews deliver in-depth knowledge of consumers, there is still a wall that needs to be knocked down in order to really understand them. Spending a day with a consumer, or better yet, seeing the world from their eyes can improve how advertisers reach him or her.

Reaching that point of true understanding can lead to not only great advertising, but remarkable inventions. Beyond advertising, these simulations are monumental for the public. Whether it’s a mother who can’t understand why her baby is crying, a father who doesn’t know why his wife is so down in the dumps after a long, hard day, or parents who can’t figure out why their child is depressed and isolating themselves, having the opportunity to walk a mile, or at least a few yards, in someone else’s shoes will bring a greater understanding of those around us.

Moving into your first home is a rite of passage. There’s the never-ending purchases of kitchen utilities (because if a recipe calls for “minced onions,” you better pray there’s a mincer in your drawer), dealing with either too much “stuff” or the disappointment of having to buy a lot more, the daunting task of moving furniture around, picking out color schemes and of course, writing your first payment. All of it is so new and exciting, but also a monumental step that requires responsibility and commitment, which is exactly why Gen Y isn’t doing it.

The Census 2010 found that practically all of the 11 million unit household growth from 2000-2010 occurred among baby boomer and older households. Within the last few years of the decade, Millennials (those under the age of 35) drastically slowed their rate of household formation. Millions of Millennials continued living with their parents due to the struggling economy and rising unemployment rate. Millennials also avoided purchasing houses by renting.

Millennials outnumber baby boomers (84.7 million versus 81.5 million), but the number of baby boomer households (46.2 million) is still more than the number of Millennial households (23.5 million) and Generation X households (21.3 million ages 35 to 44) combined! With the average age of this enormous cohort at 20, it makes sense why the number of households is down and renting is up.

However, it’s not just Millennials who are nervous about buying a house because of the housing bust and recession. There is actually a renting boom among all age groups. People with tight credit, “foreclosure refugees,” and people who fear the failing housing market are all joining in on the rising popular trend of renting.

This unique household discovery means a few things for banks and how they position and market their mortgage plans and loans. First, banks should start targeting Millennials and creating services that will benefit and appeal to their generation. Millennials will start forming households soon due to either an improved economy or, in my opinion, getting sick of living with their parents. Bottom Line: they will eventually need to take the plunge of owning a home. And with Millennials being the largest demographic (and only predicted to grow because of immigration), the housing market will greatly be affected when they’re ready to buy.

Second, as baby boomers begin to age, another important cause of home sale growth could possibly occur. According the Census 2010, the age cohort of 65-74 years old will probably grow at least 5% per year until 2020. If the oldest segment of baby boomers decide to downsize or buy a second home, plan to see more optimism for the housing market as well.

With these opportunities arising, banks need to gain trust, push security and encourage potential home buyers to feel safe while investing in a home. By using appropriate marketing to each demographic and offering relevant services that match customers’ needs, banks could be a part of this sacred “rite of passage” of buying a first home.

“Did you just Google…finance?!”

For those of you who can’t place that quote, it’s from “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” In the film the main character starts a new job as a writer for a financial publication. The twist comes when we find out she doesn’t have a clue about anything financy (being in debt herself from her shopping addiction). So after failing on her first task, she tries a new approach, Googling “finance,” and is caught in the act by her boss.

When I am faced with a new, and sometimes completely foreign task, I find myself doing the same thing, and praying no one comes up behind me to ask, “Wait, did you just Google…?!”

I know it doesn’t sound like the most prestigious and professional method of discovering new information, but sometimes it’s the perfect starting point. I read the following on one of the Midcontinent Xstream Team members’ blog posts last week and it stuck with me – “my intelligence is now based on how accurate my search criteria is, instead of how diligent I am in the research.”

Like I.T. & iTunes pointed out, although research is important, sometimes the best thing you can do to begin is discover what you need to search for. You need accurate search criteria. You need to research what keywords best filter the overwhelming amount of information on the web, before you drown in it. When I am tasked with something new that I don’t have extensive background knowledge of, my first step is to gain a little basic information on the issue via the web, or more specifically through Google.

At an ad agency like Lawrence & Schiller, we handle clients from all different kinds of backgrounds and industries, which is what makes agency life so exciting! However, we can’t all be experts on every deeply technical issue that comes across our desks. That’s where the simple, introductory Google search comes into play, which on occasion, can uncover some of the most interesting finds.

When I look back to my most memorable moments at restaurants, one of the first things that comes to my mind is celebrating birthdays and special occasions with loved ones.  But everyone has their restaurant horror stories. My mind wanders down the ‘birthday path’ to one particular incident where I was surrounded by a half dozen “singing” (more like cult-ish chanting) waiters instructing me to sit on a bucking bronco with a ten pound sombrero on my head. It didn’t end pretty, but at least there was a free brownie and ice cream when it was over. On the other end of the spectrum is the incident with the rude, crabby waiter who seemed to be taking some terrible fight with his girlfriend out on me. A celebratory event quickly shifted to “Should I ask him for a refill on water or just let it go?”

While bad restaurant experiences shouldn’t get under our skin, people don’t forget how they’re treated. Even if it’s just one bad dinner, it can be enough to resonate with a customer forever.

A study by the American Customer Satisfaction Index found that the quick service industry increased its customer satisfaction by 5.3 percent between 2010 and 2011, landing them a score of 79 out of 100, their highest score in ACSI’s 17 year history. In comparison, the full service industry only improved by 1.2 percent, leaving them with a score of 82 out of 100. Despite only having a few moments of face time with the customer, quick service restaurants are closing in on full service restaurants.

Consumers are finding more and more reasons to avoid full service restaurants and opt for quick service, everything from looking to spend less due to the recession to enjoying quick service’s continually improving quality of food. Between limited-time offers, a wider menu variety, improved atmosphere and healthier options, quick service restaurants have a growing advantage.

“It’ll really be more of a focus on the quality and the experience versus the price,” predicts David VanAmburg, managing director of ACSI. “So customer service, the quality of food itself, the variety of the food that’s offered- that’s going to play the biggest role if they’re going to keep up the trend.”

Even if face time between customers and employees is short, it’s vital to give the customer a pleasant experience each and every time. And I’m not talking belting “Happy Birthday” or investing in a riding bull. Simple sincerity, friendliness and a smile can go a long way, which is all quick service has time to offer.

Also, with more customers eating at quick service restaurants, customer-employee interaction is accumulating over time.  This could mean more opportunities for bad customer service, but if quick service restaurants can keep their smiles and charm on high, in addition to quality food at a low price, the gap will continue to narrow.

We live in a brand-sensitive world. What people buy and use in daily life is becoming a part of who they are personally. Sharing, wearing and “liking” products is becoming a way for people to define themselves, and that fact is becoming clearer every day.

However, the challenge for marketers remains the same. How can we capture all the emotions, feelings and thoughts formulated by consumers about a particular brand or product? The audience is changing, and how we gather consumer insight is changing as well.

In the past, we’ve used traditional focus groups to capture these emotions, feelings and thoughts. We sat a group of users down, conducted a discussion and asked the obvious questions. We asked them about the influence behind the buy, about their experience with the product, and if they would purchase again, etc. etc.

Today, we are moving on from the traditional. There are now more effective, efficient and detailed ways to capture consumer behavior. The New York Times showcases this in a recent article. In the article, “Focus Groups That Look Like Play Groups,” the new-and-improved focus group is introduced. Today, consumer insights teams are using mobile applications, social media sites as well as mini-groups to determine what motivates consumers to embrace products.

According to the New York Times piece, the Gap Inc. and Ikea created virtual focus groups on Facebook, and MillerCoors used a mobile application to see what beer men drink at different hours of the evening and why.

In addition to these digital strategies, the new focus group is changing size and location. No longer is it a group of 12 in a big white room with two-way mirrors and hard-backed chairs. Today, focus groups are even more intimate with fewer participants and less glass walls. They convene in casual environments and feel like real conversations amongst new found friends. Researchers now meet consumers and clients at restaurants over dinner, or they meet moms at coffee shops while the kids have a play date. Focus groups are becoming more and more personalized, and that’s a good thing. When we take down walls and barriers, we have the opportunity to know the person, not the participant, even better.

At L&S, we’re analyzing the data we see and hear. We’re digging deep into the consumer to see what exactly resonates with them. We’re using creative, convenient and smart ways to catch up with people in this fast-paced world, and we’re constantly figuring out what consumers are feeling and thinking about a brands and companies. We are going the extra mile and saying sayonara to focus groups of the past.

It’s time to fess up. You are not just sleeping with your spouse. You also sleep with your smartphone.

According to a recent report released by the mobile service provider iPass, more than 60 percent of workers keep their mobile device in the bedroom at night, and more than 45 percent keep it within an arm’s reach. For this study, iPass surveyed more than 3,700 mobile employees from 1,000 companies across the United States, and the statistics are shocking. The stats prove that work never sleeps, and neither do those employed.

The infographic “Smartphone Pillow Talk” shows that 58 percent of workers wake up during the night to check their phone and of those respondents, 11 percent find themselves awake every night to monitor their e-mail inbox or check Facebook.

It’s clear that people today want to be connected, but what’s even clearer is that employees are willing to work during all hours of the day. No longer is home life and work life separated. The line is completely blurred.

In a 24/7 kind of world, no time is off time. News and work updates can be viewed instantly during any hour of the day, and that is the expectation. We want the all-access pass to information, and we’re willing to sacrifice good sleep for it.

Public Relations, like the mobile employee, never sleeps. PR is all about building beneficial relationships, earning trust and generating reputation, and these things don’t always happen between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. They are constantly happening. And since the advent of the smartphone, PR is becoming increasingly relevant and important.

If you don’t have PR strategies in place, think about what can happen. A customer can run into issues with a product late at night and then feel the need to tweet or Facebook it. PR professionals know that at any moment a business’ reputation can be tested, so having a planned response is ideal. PR is about strategizing, but also about reacting and conversing with real people in real time. And if companies are missing that in the mix, they’re missing key, ground-level interactions.

Remember when you’re up at night checking your iPhone or Blackberry, so are your clients and customers. Chances are they’re talking or thinking about brands and companies (maybe even yours), so keep a PR strategy or two on your nightstand for good measure.

Start counting down the days, dads.  This year, Father’s Day is going to seem a bit more like Christmas.  According to a report by the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend an estimated $11 billion on dads to make up for previous Father’s Days impacted by the recession. Americans will spend $106.49 on the average dad, up from $94.32 last year. Still not quite up to par with Mother’s Day (average of $140.73), dads will notice a little extra attention than what they’ve been used to in the past.

While dads may actually be the ones upset about this unnecessary spending, they should be proud to know their countless lectures on spending and personal finances may have paid off. Personal, yet practical gifts are on top of buyer’s minds, and almost a third of spenders will buy the gift from a discount store. Suck ups.

With summer finally in swing, Father’s Day presents another great opportunity for retailers to showcase outdoor games and activities, such as grilling, lawn and deck accessories and sporting goods. Consumers will spend $653 million on sporting goods and $1.4 billion on home improvement/gardening tools and appliances for dad this year. These gifts promote fresh air, activity, and of course, bonding time. Dad loves a good grill-out or game of catch, so adding a personal touch to these items will really hit the nail on the head.

Retail stores can also take this as an opportunity to make both dads and spenders pleased with their purchase. Sales, promotions and advertising can lead buyers in the right direction to the perfect gift because let’s face it, what dad considers ‘practical’ can definitely generate eye rolls and leave us dumbfounded. But this is the year of the dad, and it sounds as if we owe him.

For years men have joked about the female psyche and its infinite mystery – but being a woman myself I often am at a loss for what women want, especially when it comes to marketing.

Women account for 80% of healthcare decisions and 85% of all consumer purchases, a.k.a. women are in control of the purse strings.

So how do advertisers tap into this lucrative market? Even if there isn’t a cut and dry answer to that question, I do know women can no longer be put in a box. Today, we are continually establishing ourselves in the workplace and exploring more diverse lifestyles, as a result, women don’t want/can’t be labeled. They believe the many facets that make up their lives make them unique and therefore many don’t relate well with overgeneralized ads.

Sarah Haskins created a mocking, yet insightful video to show how yogurt manufacturers have used generic marketing to reach women. Although brands in the past have gotten away with this approach, the marketplace has become oversaturated with messaging to women, thus making the prospect of reaching each woman with a single message less effective.

Right or wrong, recent in-house research conducted by Lawrence & Schiller is proving that when messaging to women, marketers need to go deep. It is all about what women think and feel, rather than their demographics. For example, when talking to women about healthcare, are they truly looking for “better health” or are they really seeking the ability to live the lifestyle they had before an illness or injury, or are they looking for comfort and guidance when going through life’s milestones such as becoming a parent for the first time?

 When creating a campaign, especially one centered on a woman’s lifestyle and health, you must discover what connects them to the brand, what they ultimately want or need, and how the product or service can help achieve that.

After days of intense training, detailed debriefing, many introductions, and a plethora of coffee and Red Bulls, week one at Lawrence and Schiller is complete.  Having yet to make one photocopy, fax or office coffee run (not to say it’s not coming), Billie Jo Waara, director of account planning and research and my internship advisor,  instead presented me with the tools needed to complete real work for real clients.

As a Consumer Insight intern, I’ve been learning how to navigate countless databases and resources to find research and investigate markets and industries.  Let me tell you, this agency can tell you anything about everything! The notepad Lawrence & Schiller gave me is already half way-full, and I swear Friday night I dreamt about Google Analytics.

I’d be lying if I said my heart didn’t race and my hands refrained from sweating throughout the course of training. But maybe it was the Red Bull.  The overwhelming amount of information had me questioning myself, “Can I do this?  Am I able to give them what they want?  How in the heck am I going to make that great of a presentation?”  Unlike college, producing a flawed report or bad project doesn’t only affect your own personal grade, but also affects your co-workers, clients and potentially, the bottom line.

Trying to push the pressure to the back burner, I quickly formed bonds with my co-workers.  In college, my journalism professors warned of cut-throat, back-stabbing agencies.  “They’ll do anything to get ahead,” and “Interns are considered bottom-feeders,” were common themes of my professors’ theories.  But that’s just what they turned out to be; theories.  Regardless of position and seniority, everyone at Lawrence & Schiller exemplifies respect, attentiveness and sincerity.  I am so thankful and appreciative of the welcoming and friendly environment.  This made me comfortable to voice my worries and receive encouragement and reassurance in return.

Now through a few weeks, training is complete and my team has assigned me my first few projects.  With every bit of interesting research I find, I get a little giddy thinking about how it will play into the big picture.  I can’t wait to witness how my position plays a part within the team and to see end results.  I feel much more confident and excited as I dive into work, yet I know this summer will consist of constant learning and lots of notepads.

When college campuses were first exposed to the addicting effects of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, I’m sure most professors weren’t thrilled when students brought them into the classroom. But now, those same professors are adopting social media and making these platforms usable tools for interactive teaching. See the circle?

Schools.com depicts this rise of social media in the classroom with an interactive, visual tool, which displays how professors are using social media. These findings were constructed from a survey of 2,000 college professors. The study shows that over eighty percent of college faculty members have an account on at least one social media platform and a quarter of those have accounts on four or more platforms.

Aside from the obvious social benefits, eighty percent use social media for some aspect of a course they teach. Examples of this include requiring students to read or view social media as part of a course assignment, gernerating content for other students to view or assigning students to comment on or post to social media sites.

As many as seventy percent of faculty believe video, podcasts, blogs and wikis are valuable tools for teaching. A great example of this comes from San Diego State University where a professor had her students create their own Wikipedia page on an 18^th century novel. She then had the students act out and videotape a scene from the novel and upload it to YouTube. 

Many teachers have mentioned how social media helps students to speak up in discussions because it creates a less formal and intimidating setting. For many students this also aids in bringing the material to them in a new, fun, and engaging light, making the classroom a fitting location for these tools to thrive. As teachers continue to integrate new technology into their more traditional style of teaching, I believe students will be looking to attend universities who value social media as a tool for the classroom.

Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large, undefined group of people or community. Fittingly, this definition came from crowdsourcing giant Wikipedia. The idea of crowdsourcing isn’t new, but with each day it is reinvented through new platforms and uses.

Quora and Formspring are social networking sites that use their network to crowdsource answers, similar to a Q&A system. These sites allow users to ask a question and receive responses from others within the network. Respondents can also rate each answer to help ensure accuracy.

Crowdsourcing has seen most of its early growth in social media, but it hasn’t stopped there. The practice is also making a name for itself in corporate America. Why is that?  According to WIRED Magazine, businesses are using crowdsourcing as a tactic to save company resources, “The labor isn’t always free, but it costs a lot less than paying traditional employees. It’s not outsourcing; it’s crowdsourcing.”

The FDA “Bad Ad” program is an example of using this technique to “crowdsource” monitoring of pharmaceutical drug advertisements. The FDA implemented their “Bad Ad” program last year, requesting medical professionals to report any healthcare and pharmaceutical advertising potentially violating FDA regulations.

According to Advertising Age, to date, the FDA has received a total of 239 “red flags.” Of these, 54 percent were from healthcare providers, 31 percent from consumers and the remaining portion from a variety of other sources. Only one of these red flags has resulted in formal action by the FDA, leading some to give the method mixed reviews.

These examples show how crowdsourcing has been implemented by organizations to essentially “outsource” certain tasks, but I don’t believe this is the end of the road for crowdsourcing uses and innovations. As the Ideavibes Blog points out, “As more companies embrace crowdsourcing and find innovative solutions for crowdsourcing, it truly proves that crowdsourcing is constantly evolving.”

Crowdsourcing has grown from a social media trend to a time and money saver for businesses. The challenge in some cases, such as the FDA Bad Ad program, remains maintaining reliability.

People are willing to go to great lengths in order to save money, some brave the crowds of Crazy Days sales and Black Friday, while others cut coupons or play the “waiting game” for an item to go on sale. Shopping around for the best deal isn’t a new concept, but are we prepared to “shop” for healthcare? 

After reading about a woman who decided to start shopping for healthcare after her husband was placed on a new insurance plan with a high deductable, I realized how healthcare shopping may be a growing trend. Due to the increase in out-of-pocket costs, some of the most significant changes in decades are coming to hospitals in order to make price information more transparent to patients.

Hospitals such as Henry Ford Health and Oakwood Healthcare have already begun to make prices of common procedures available on their websites. Other hospitals are also starting to make more basic pricing information and pay plan data available, in order to accommodate the growing number of potential patients looking for this information.

As patients begin to ask more about pricing upfront, they will be less likely to undergo a procedure without requesting a second opinion or for options to reduce cost. This calls for healthcare facilities to be more transparent with pricing information as well as put employees in place to help patients through the “shopping” process.

In a lackluster economy where corporations have a reputation for being greedy, and job hunters have been put through the ringer, it is refreshing to see many companies take a new approach to giving back.

What exactly do I mean by that?

One trend that continues to grow in 2011 is how companies are investing their time and efforts into executing “Random Acts of Kindness.” These random acts can be anything from giving personalized gifts to people on the street to sending care packages to Twitter users having a bad day.

Why would a company do this? First, because it’s an awesome idea, and second, because there are many ways for this to reflect favorably on a company. Secret is a great example – they’ve created a Facebook page focused on bringing out the best in high school girls. That’s going above and beyond the traditional call of duty for a deodorant.

But don’t take my word for it – look at these other examples of how a simple random act of kindness can turn a consumer into a loyal, brand advocate!

This video is an example of how Heineken expressed its gratitude to their Facebook fans for getting them to one million “Likes”

One Million Heineken Hugs

This video is in Spanish but you’ll get the message – even if your high school Spanish is as rusty as mine!

Gifts In Flight

What do we know about women? Women are influential, social, and online – especially when it comes to making decisions about their health or the health of a loved one.

When looking at how best to engage women, it is important to know women want to make educated decisions about their health and the health of a loved one. That’s why eight out of ten women search for health information online, they want to be well informed and play an active role on the road to recovery.

Two out of three women say they are the main decision maker in their family for healthcare related services. This insight elevates the importance of developing messages relevant to women, even in healthcare areas other than those which typically target women, such as breast cancer and OB campaigns. Extending female targeted messaging to other areas of healthcare, for example, talking to the wife, the mother, the sister of a man in need of a prostate exam, can open a door to a new group of advocates for your hospital services. Think about it, who is behind many of the healthcare decisions in your home?

Tapping into this network of decision makers and family influencers, even when the service itself isn’t female specific, can grow your awareness and word of mouth marketing. Focus on areas where women can use their influence as an encouraging family caregiver and key healthcare decision maker.

To best describe my feelings after receiving “the phone call” from Lawrence & Schiller, I think a physical description of myself will get the job done better than listing adjectives. So, in a nutshell, a high-pitched shriek came out of the ear-to-ear smile plastered across my face while I did a little jig and fist-pumped like a true Jersey Shore native. Pure elation.

Receiving the first few emails and reading about the Lawrence & Schiller interview process for the summer internship program left me stressed and without fingernails after the five and a half hour drive to Sioux Falls from the University of Kansas. However, within minutes of the meet-and-greet, the nervousness completely shifted to liveliness and excitement. The speed interviews proved not only to be a great way for 20 L&S employees to get to know me, but for me to get a real feel for the company. The mini speed interviews gave me the opportunity to get a glimpse of the overall camaraderie and genuine respect the team members have for each other. The high energy at the event and cocktail hour after made me realize how badly I wanted to be a part of this team and learn more about their creative and innovative ideas.

While the second, more traditional interview again catalyzed a nail biting fiasco during the long drive, it also taught me to be confident and proud of what I have to offer in the workforce. Thinking I only wanted to work in public relations or copywriting, this interview led me to consider different departments and see myself doing other types of work within the agency.

I cannot wait to be back home in Sioux Falls and begin this journey with Lawrence & Schiller! I’m very anxious and excited to get started and learn more about my department, Consumer Insights. It’s going to be a fabulous summer and I look forward to meeting everyone!

Ashley Timmerman is from Sioux Falls, SD. She is currently finishing her final semester at the University of Kansas and will obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism with an emphasis in strategic communication in May. After graduation, Ashley will join L&S as a Consumer Insights Intern.

When choosing a college there are many things to consider: the size of the college, the different majors offered and most important, the overall “college experience” you will have.

Many students look at a university’s athletics program and clubs when seeking a highly social college environment, but one factor that many overlook is campus housing. Close knit, college friendships are often built through convenience and proximity, especially when dealing with hectic college schedules. Therefore a university’s campus housing structure is also an import aspect to consider when looking for a school that facilitates more social interaction among their students.

 A great example of this is USD’s Coyote Village. This is a great addition to their campus, not just for the stylish and convenient new ‘digs’ for students, but also for the community atmosphere provided to students who still want a dorm experience without the dorms. The Coyote Village is currently open to upper classman, which is another great way to keep students living on campus while adding a level of freedom as they grow older and start looking for housing outside of the dorms.

I believe that these additions to a college campus are a great way to talk to potential students; it shows a long term commitment to growing each student’s college experience as well as offering above average campus housing in both, size and quality.

Facebook has become a student’s primary social media tool for keeping tabs on what their friends and families are up to in high school and college, but as they near the end of their school days Linked-In is building momentum to be the ‘go to’ tool – post college.

“Facebook has emerged as a hot spot for having fun and wasting time while LinkedIn has positioned itself as a place for getting down to business.”

The primary purpose of Linked-In is to facilitate networking amongst professionals. There are ways to be “introduced” to other professionals, as well as see other people’s networks so that connections can be easily made between Linked-In members. You are also encouraged to post your job history, accomplishments and resume as a way to promote yourself to potential employers on the site.

Most high school and college students are new to Linked-In and many don’t use it, but Linked-In is a great way to build professional relationships and networks. In order to get the most out of Linked-In, students need to start utilizing this tool and others like it prior to graduation. More than 90 million people are already on Linked-In, and students need to begin accessing and networking those individuals prior to graduation.

As a university, understanding the benefits of a program such as Linked-In and encouraging your students to use it can help boost graduate placement rates. Starting freshman year and building a strong portfolio both in the classroom and online through tools like social media will be a great way to show the commitment you have to helping place your students in careers when they graduate.

Other online tools your university can utilize are:

Ecademy

Xing

Ziggs

Networking For Professionals

NetParty

In 2011, as consumer demands across industry lines continue to rise, people will expect health products and services to do more than ever to help them reach and maintain their personal goals.

People will be looking for the most effective ways to incorporate good health practices into their daily routines. They will still be found at their neighborhood grocery store counting the calories in food items, but those kinds of practices will be supplemented by using smartphones, gaming systems, and other innovative mobile devices to get in better shape.

This is evident in the rise of interactive video games focusing on at-home exercising such as yoga, pilates, and weight-lifting. One of the newest devices on the market is the Xbox Kinect, which can read your body movements and act as your personal trainer when doing workouts at home.

A study conducted by Research2guidance, “Global Mobile Health Market Report 2010-2015” looked at the rate of mobile application adoption, coupled with how consumers/healthcare providers are embracing mobile devices, and have projected that 500 million people will be using mobile healthcare applications by 2015!

Healthcare providers can tap into this trend by giving consumers a way to easily incorporate new health practices into their lives. Cleveland Clinic, a regional healthcare provider, launched their own mobile app encouraging iPhone users to be active in their “Let’s Move It” campaign. This mobile application keeps track for how far each user walks and will also allow users to compete with one another in friendly competitions.

Looking ahead to 2011, we can plan to see more products offering convenient ways to exercise at home. We can also plan to see more consumers using their mobile devices to download healthy living apps similar to the one provided by Cleveland Clinic.  What is your healthcare facility doing to be a part of it?