Meat exacts a costly toll

This great essay of Mark Bittman put another step in my personal process toward a conscious way of eat.
And put another step, or it should, in the mind of marketers.

"Mr. Rosegrant of the food policy research institute says he foresees “a stronger public relations campaign in the reduction of meat consumption — one like that around cigarettes — emphasizing personal health, compassion for animals, and doing good for the poor and the planet.”

The key fact is that the public relation campaign against cigarette begun when the web was not born yet. It took several years to achieve some results.
But we live in an era of fast change, sometimes faster than we can imagine.


We live in a world with almost 6 bn inhabitants and every single shift in habits may turn to prove incredibly healthy for millions of people.

Therefore, if you work in a food industry, it's time to re think your perspectives. Before it may be too late, all of a sudden.
What about you?

Still able to eat meat?

This video from Repubblica may have nothing to do with marketing, er, wait a minute this could have a lot to do with marketing.
Imagine you are approaching your favourite restaurant or fast food. You already feel the taste of a filet or a double hamburger or whatever is your meat plat du jour.
You sit down, got connected wireless and look at these images.
Two option:

1. your restaurant provide you with a certificate that the meat you eat come from places where animals are treated well and killed softly
2. your restaurant cannot exclude that the meat you are going to eat come from places where cruelty is the routine

In case #2, are you still able to eat that meat?

That's why this has to do with marketing.
Because in a world more and more conscious of the need of a fair treatment of the world, this may become a lethal weapon for your competitors.
To apply ethic principles at every step of the production is a must for all the companies. And it will be vital, at least I hope so, for all the business.

Me? After having seen the video, it's two days that I eat only vegetables.
No, I'm not turning to be vegetarian. But I'm thinking a lot about it because of video like these.

Microsoft new look

Did you read Robert Scoble's yesterday post? Intriguing, isn't it?
Wow, Microsoft is going to become the next cool thing.
Or is it just a great piece of PR, Apple style, for Microsoft and for Fast Company TV?
Too many question and no answer.

Let's see on Feb. 27th, then.

It's the recession , stupid.

Do you remember how Bill Clinton won the first round as president of the US? With this basic approach to the economy: it's the economy, stupid.
Now that most of the countries are facing a slow down of their economy and, perhaps, a recession, it's time for us as marketers and for the companies, to think that with a weak economy, some basics do change.
In this great post from Groundswell, Josh Bernoff hilights key factors that will influence the way companies face these tough times.

Awareness ads will lose effectiveness
But social applications are about consideration, not awareness
It's cheap

It's the recession, stupid!
Getting to know what your customers, of today or prospects are far more important in troubled times, cause they can be the provider of consideration.

The buzz is on!

Yes, we do all know that the buzz is on.
Around us or generated by ourselves. About us or our friends, about the brands we love and the one we hate.
So why do not add my two cents?
Friday will be the kick off day of Buzzdetector, a company that I founded and own.
The goal is to hear from, to understand the sentiment of the web and to translate the voices in strategic advice.
Some clients are already on board as I tested the process since May 2007, but this is a work in progress, as any project related to the web.

I'll be happy to welcome you on www.buzzdetector.com this Friday.

Stay tune.