Monday, March 30, 2009

Happy Monday! - Coffee, check. Email, in process, rest of the day, hopefully will go as planned.

Friday, March 27, 2009

new on redkatblonde.com - Bold Fusion 2009

{Such A} Bold Fusion: My Take




Bold Fusion 2009: Changing the Game


This was the theme for the annual YP summit held yesterday. Hundreds of young professionals, myself included, attended the half-day event. The focus included a closer look at Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to examine how social media can be leveraged not only in business, but to create more awareness of Cincinnati.

Held at the Aronoff this year in the Jarson-Kaplan Theatre, Bold Fusion appeared to be off to a great start judging by the crowd at the sign-in table. After registering, we were encouraged to visit one of four video booths set up in the lobby to record messages for 12second.tv and YouTube. While some people may have been hesitant, yours truly suffers no stage fright, and I gladly recorded my message at the booth manned by Game Day Communications' Jackie Reau.

After opening remarks from both Ryan Rybolt (President, Infintech) and Ellen van der Horst (President, Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce) and we got underway with our first speaker, Rich Boehne (CEO, E.W. Scripps). Rich did a great job presenting his take on the diversification of media, and demonstrated how traditional media is learning to embrace social media vehicles as a way to continue to educate and inform the public. My fave quote? "I feel like Glen Campbell opening for Pearl Jam!" Indeed...Rich alluded that at 50+ years old, he is having to adapt and change to the changes in the media landscape rapidly.

Next up, Mike Boehmer (Senior PR Specialist - Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services). I was a little suprised to see him on the speaking agenda...I found myself wondering what he would be able to contribute. Little did I know that HCJFS has done a fantastic job utilizing social media tools, and with a mere $1,500, has been able to run a $2 billion dollar organization's marketing and public relations.

Finally, Kendra Ramirez (President, Sales Konnect) took her turn at the podium, and talked at length about leveraging your business via social media. Whether via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook, she encouraged us to use these tools to "engage your audience, not broadcast information to them."

My favorite part of Bold Fusion came via "two nobodies from nowhere" - brothers Joe and Dave Herbert from Batesville, IN who won the Doritos 2009 Crash the Super Bowl Ad contest. They had great rapport and kept a running banter going as they explained how a loss in the 2007 Doritos contest propelled them to enter again in '09, armed with every single social media vehicle they could use to encourage people to vote for their commercial. Persistance paid off, and not only did they win the Doritos contest, but they took top honors in the 21st Annual USA TODAY Ad Meter contest.

Before coming to a close, the Herbert brothers screened the winners from the HYPE UP Cincinnati video contest. Of all the winners shown, I liked Tag! and the OTR movie short by Andrew Money best.

Overall, my take on Bold Fusion was that while the info was good, the format was lacking. I went in expecting to have a lively interactive session filled with great insights, and instead, I sat and listened to people speak. I would've loved to have more direct engagement with the speakers, or at very least, with the other attendees. The other thing that struck me was that as a social media connisseur, I expected to see some familar faces (Kevin Dugan, Michelle Lentz, Daniel Johnson Jr.) and I couldn't believe that nary a one of them were participating. Maybe next year?

LINKS:
Much to be said for HYPE (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Bold Fusion (CIN Weekly)

Social Media Playbook (HYPE)

Good morning everyone! TGIF!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

{Such A} Redkat Review: Sally Hansen Color Quick Nail Pen

I'm very particular about my nails. At any given moment, I have a bottle of nailpolish sitting on my desk, one in my laptop bag and yet another in the glove compartment in my car. I have been known to paint my nails after getting in my car, fastening my seatbelt and starting it, just so that they can dry on the way to the office. I'm sure I've amused many a driver as I've gone down the expressway, hanging one hand, and then the other out the window to speed the dry time. My motto is, no chipped nails!

Flipping through an issue of Glamour one evening, I was intrigued to see an ad for Sally Hansen's Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen. Having tried several of these so called quicky manicure pens in the past, I didn't have high hopes for this one, but finding myself with a set of chipped nails this past Friday morning, I decided to give Sally's Nail Color Pen a try. A quick stop at Walgreens and I was the proud owner of a Black Cherry# 13 Nail Color Pen. I eagerly drove to the office, grabbed a cup of coffee and settled in to my chair to put this pen to the test. Let's just say the product performed remarkably mediocre.


The positives:
1. The nail color does go on quickly.
2. I'm on day three of my quickie manicure, and my nails are mostly sans chips.
3. The polish itself didn't smell nearly as strong as my OPI polish, so it was easier to paint covertly at my desk.
4. The pen isn't messy as a whole, so no worries about wayward nailpolish spots on my desk or on my laptop.
5. I didn't wind up with a lot of color outside my nail bed, so no need for nailpolish remover touch ups.

The negatives:
1. The color is streaky. No one is going to look at my nails and assume that I got a professional manicure. I tried two coats and couldn't get all the streaks out.
2. The click and paint mechanism is wonky. I had to click repeatedly to get the color to flow into the pen, and when it did, it came out unevenly.
3. It's hard to paint with the brush, so you can't actually paint all the way to the cuticles. Considering that I want to elongate my nails with color since I've got small hands, this was a noticeable negative.
4. The brush on this pen is incredibly coarse, so it's impossible to get truly even application.

On the whole, Sally Hansen's Color Quick Pen is a great option for those times when you need to freshen up your nails on the run, but I wouldn't recommend it for anything more lasting than a few days. I'll hang on to my Black Cherry #13 for those "in case of emergency" moments, but keep "I'm Not Really A Waitress" for my at-home manicures.

Redkat Score:


2.5 Kats

Monday, March 9, 2009

{Such A} Six savvy spring updates for your wardrobe


Don’t want to spend a small fortune updating your wardrobe for spring? Try these simple tips to have you looking fashionista fab without sending you into a debt spiral.

1. Work with color stories – The hot colors for spring are fuchsia, black and white. Try picking pieces with classic lines in these colors to save on cash. Or, if you have these pieces in your current wardrobe, pull them out and use them. Resist buying trend-specific things like harem pants (hello MC Hammer) or voluminous skirts. You won’t get the same kind of use out of them.

2. Oversize your necklaces – Large chunky necklaces were prominent on almost every runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion week. A statement necklace instantly updates any outfit.

3. Bold color purse – Bright, bold colors are so in for spring and an easy way to incorporate this is by carrying a purse in fire engine red, yellow…any color will add a pop to your outfit and make it look fresh.

4. Boho scarf- The Bohemian look is back, and rather than buy tons of gypsy-esque clothes, pick up a colorful, fringy boho scarf. Generally made of lighter weight cotton, you’ll get an easy accent that is trend-on, and not too heavy to wear when it’s warm.

5. Big bangle bracelets – Arm candy, and not in the “hot man” sense, will easily let you update your look. Layer on several for impact.

6. Oversize sunglasses – No matter what you have on, adding a pair of oversized shades tops it off and gives you a couture edge. Think color, and maybe consider purple or dark red for your pair.

Most local boutiques will carry a great line of trendy accessories at reasonable prices, and don’t be afraid to check their sale bins for treasures. Clearance racks are your friend too, so use a little imagination and search through them with color in mind. Sometimes all a piece will need is a clasp or button and voila, you’ve got a true find.
 
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