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WORDS TO
THE WISE

Confessions of a Pinterest Addict
02.21.12

pinterest

I’ll admit it: I’m addicted to Pinterest … but I’m not alone. In December, AdAge reported that Real Simple went on the record to say that Pinterest drove more traffic to their site than social media giant Facebook. And considering the difference in size and age (Pinterest is just shy of two years old with 11 million visits a week, compared to Facebook at eight years old and 800 million people strong) – this is a huge accomplishment.

Most recently, in the spirit of “if you can’t beat them, join them,” Facebook recently announced that Pinterest will now be available through their website via an application. If past partnerships are any indication, you can bet that Pinterest’s reach will continue to grow at an even higher rate. Which means that we, as PR and marketing professionals, will need to embrace the network just as we have Facebook and Twitter, in an effort to present clients with strategic opportunities.

However, like all other social networks, there won’t be a “one-size-fits-all” approach to using Pinterest effectively. First, get acquainted with the site and its features (most specifically, its categories, which include everything from “hair & beauty” to “cars and motorcycles”) … then take note of how items are shared and which are the most popular. Are they in-line with what your client offers? Or, more importantly, is there a void that they could fill?

How do you use Pinterest, personally and professionally?

Linda Costa Communications Group Wins Gold
02.21.12

We’re proud to announce that Linda Costa Communications Group’s graphic design team took home two gold Addys at this year’s event. The winning pieces included:

  • Annual report for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
  • History book for OUC – The Reliable One

award

Congratulations to all the other winners … and a big thank you to the American Advertising Federation’s Orlando chapter for hosting the event.

It Takes Tangerine to Tango
02.13.12

I could not be more excited about this year’s newest Pantone color – Tangerine Tango. As a matter of fact, I was ahead of the curve on this one – catching a lot of flak for wearing this color from my Florida State University friends and colleagues. What used to be classified as a borderline “Gator Nation” color is now the hippest color out there.

Besides the color appealing to my personal tastes … just look around. You’ll start to see this “sophisticated,” “seductive” and “energizing” color pop up in many designers’ spring collections, home accessories and product lines.

Here are a few examples of what we’ve seen so far …

tangerine

Are you ready to tango with tangerine, or are you dancing to another beat?

Danielle is a project manager at Linda Costa Communications Group. You can be certain she’ll be adding more Tangerine Tango to her wardrobe.

The Super Bowl’s Pre-Game Advertising Blitz
02.03.12

February 3, 2012 by Vanessa

Millions of Americans will gather around their TVs this Sunday to watch the Super Bowl, and although most people enjoy watching the actual game, many viewers (like me!) are also looking forward to the commercials. With an average of $3.5 million for a 30-second ad, big game advertisers like Coca-Cola and Volkswagen are working to build momentum for their marketing investment. This year, many companies are actually advertising their Super Bowl advertisements, and USA Today even published an article about this trend.

Coca-Cola recently launched billboard and bus shelter ads with its famous polar bears inviting you to watch the game along with them. The company will also be streaming live video featuring the bears reacting to all of the game plays. And Volkswagen posted on its Facebook page an online video teaser with dogs barking the Imperial March tune from Star Wars (which has gotten 10 million views).

These teasers aren’t hyping the products themselves — they’re touting the brands. For many companies, the ad investment justifies the pre-game push if it builds buzz.

How do you think Super Bowl advertising has changed over the years? And do you think the pre-ad Super Bowl buildup is worth the extra effort?

Vanessa Tostes will be cheering on the good Super Bowl commercials this year … along with the New York Giants.

Go Red for Women!
02.03.12

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease kills more women than all cancers combined. But, only one out of every six women believes heart disease is the greatest threat to their health.

red

The Linda Costa Communications Group ladies are sporting red today in support of the Go Red for Women campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the dangers of heart disease.

Thanks to the AHA, the following are “Life’s Simple 7,” tips that will help you live a healthier life.

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