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Latest Message from Moore Liquor

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Brand New Weather.com – So?

Alright, we have all seen the hype surrounding a new, supposedly improved website launch.
Weather.com today released their updated version and have launched a massive social networking campaign to get it recognized.  I saw Jim Cantore tweet about some kind of promotion that for each of his retweets regarding the new site, someone would donate $5 to the United Way; I retweeted.  This was a mistake and I have now retracted the tweet because the new Weather Channel website is awful.
They implemented one of those 2/3 page ads that take over the site and block the very news and information you are seeking.  This advertisement “hangs” for 7 seconds.  7 seconds!
I guess their marketing team is either non-existent or the community college marketing courses they attended didn’t help them understand that opening day of a major launch is NOT the time to inundate site viewers with nearly full-page ads.
I sincerely hope TWC is getting a healthy $ per ad impression. It’s too bad the overall impression by visitors to their new site will now be compromised.

The *all new* TWC website, advertising and all...

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Amex(cessive)

My junk mail from AmEx for Q1 & Q2 2010

Back in mid January I started collecting junk mail from American Express that was sent to both myself and my wife to our home.  Of course the only reason I would even consider keeping junk mail was because of the excessive nature with which Amex was pursuing us previous to starting this collection.  My original goal was to keep the mail for a year and then write about their relentless campaign from a marketing professional’s standpoint.  Today I grew tired of seeing it stack up so I went ahead and called off my little project with the official end being the last day of the second Quarter.  My shredder is now exhausted.

In total, 31 pieces of mail were delivered to me in Q1&2.  There were 26 weeks in this timeframe so that is 1.19 pieces of mail per week offering us crazy credit lines, lookalike credit cards (that screw with my shredder), checks (against unopened accounts), and even some box-mailers with supposed “goodies” inside.  I did not investigate…
My point here is not about the quality of marketing materials but rather the quantity and the overall affect it had on my perception of Amex.

Direct mail is expensive.  I received 10 DM pieces in a 2 week period and at a $1 assumed cost per piece (creative, printing, postage, paper. agency, etc) and 31 pieces over the course of collection – that calculates to $62 per year per customer/potential customer.  Sure, increasing DM spending gains customerbase but that’s just too much mail; especially to our demographic.

I once had a case study subject in college of former CIO at AT&T Consumer, JP Peterson, who came from American Express in the early 90s and used to preach to AT&T marketers about limiting customer touches via direct mail to reduce customer churn and marketing expenses.  I think Amex should dig out some of JP’s older plans and cut down the junk.

Remember, there is no branding value from seeing your logo on the way down to the bottom of my trash can.

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Latest Message from Moore Liquor

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Latest Message from Moore Liquor

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Zebra Mussels = Clean Lake!

Yesterday (6/27/10) I had the pleasure of taking a striper fishing charter on Lake Texoma. I say “pleasure” because it was just that; an easy, relaxing morning on the water where all I had to do was reel in the fish and everything else was taken care of. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not above baiting my hook and taking fish off, etc. but having to load a boat, acquire bait, and clean the catch, well, that’s one thing it’s nice to pay someone else to do!

Our guide is seen here unhooking what would later become my dinner. It was delicious!

I’ve never been on Lake Texoma although I have been over it and around it all my life. It has always been a murky lake, even downright muddy in the wet season due to its tributaries, including the Red River, traveling through some of the nastiest red clay on the North American continent prior to reaching the lake.
Last year it was reported that Zebra Mussels had been spotted in Texoma.  In short, the Zebra Mussel is a mass-reproducer that filters minerals and algae from the water as its diet.  It is transferred between bodies of water by boats and waterfowl.
Let me tell you right now that within only one year after first sighting this mussel has made that lake into one of the prettiest around.  The water is clear in some places up to 15 feet  and in most places, 6-10′.  This is amazing when you consider the water conditions there prior to 2009.  All of the clearing happened within a year and additional clarity is expected with the potential for Texoma to be a popular inland SCUBA dive hot spot in the next couple years.

The government has launched several localized campaigns in and around lakes and rivers that have been infested, raving against spreading this mussel by cleaning and drying boats between putting in at different lakes.  They compare the spread of the mussel to a plague and use scare tactics to try and enforce their efforts (Mussels will ruin your motor & out-drive, etc.).
After doing a lot of research on this little marine wonder, I have to assume that city, state, and federal government is the chief complainer due to the fact that their structures are the only things being attacked.  Hydroelectric and freshwater supply inlets are being clogged by Zebra Mussels and other underwater structures such as buoy lines and flood gates are affected; all things our government (at some level or other) maintains.  The mussel lives between 3′ and 45′ of water so they are not affecting marinas and have not been a true hassle for boaters either.
Luckily, a chemical paint has been put into use to combat the mussel in defense of underwater collateral and divers are used to handle what the chemical cannot.  Application of the chemical seems to be a winning strategy.

As far as I can tell by researching and talking to professionals about the Zebra Mussel today during my couple hours of intense interest; the little hard-shell wonders that filter up to a liter of water a day per animal are more of an asset than not.  They create a clear-water environment, their byproduct is very fertile for plant growth and they are food for several freshwater species of marine life.
I can say for sure that I have a whole new perspective regarding Lake Texoma.  If it were about 45 minutes closer to Moore, I would have a tough time not pulling the trigger on a move of our boat from muddy-ass Keystone Lake down south to cleaner water.

Fortunately, the Corp of Engineers have identified Zebra Mussels in Keystone now so perhaps in a couple years it too will be as clear as Texoma.  I’m crossing my fingers.  Anyone know where I can buy a shit-ton of Zebra Mussel larvae? ha!

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Latest Message from Moore Liquor

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Meteorologist FAIL

I need not say anything further.

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F4 hits home, camera is on!

Take a look at the following video where this family’s home is presumably destroyed by an F4 tornado. I’m assuming this one of the recents in MN or WI although no specific info has been given.
It’s interesting to listen to the conversation between the two individuals and also the comments/thoughts of the man holding the camera.


EMBED-Families Home Destroyed By F4 Tornado – Watch more free videos

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