Thanks to the 24-hour news cycle we now enjoy, everyone’s had the opportunity to hear about Alec Baldwin’s latest Words With Friends snafu. (As a big Jack Donaghy fan, I am going to avoid comments about Mr. Baldwin personally and go right to my favorite development in this very newsworthy saga.) When asked about the incident, he responded saying, that the flight attendants have made flying a “Greyhound bus experience.” 

When I read his comment earlier this week I cringed a bit for Greyhound. Dragging them into the fight seemed unfair regardless of how off-the-cuff the statement may have been. Well, it looks like Greyhound’s CEO, Dave Leach, didn’t appreciate the shot either and decided to very tastefully stand up for his company, sending an open letter to Mr. Baldwin touting Greyhound’s service. The best sections of the letter were  summarized in this CNN article – http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/09/travel/alec-baldwin-greyhound-response/index.html?hpt=hp_c2 – including the CEO’s offer to meet Mr. Baldwin in New York and accompany him on a free trip to Boston so he could experience Greyhound’s service for himself. 

Touché, Mr. Leach. Whether it was his idea or that of some very astute PR advisor, this response was pitch-perfect. It would have been easy to ignore it and let the “Greyhound bus experience” perception persist. Instead, Greyhound took this as an opportunity to change the conversation and has gotten national attention as a result.  Who knows – maybe next time Mr. Baldwin will decide to go Greyhound.

Back in 2010, Mashable and Morgan Stanley reported that mobile Internet use is expected to exceed desktop access by 2014. More than a year later, skyrocketing mobile use is making this milestone more attainable every day. In fact, for all the time that users spend on their smartphones, just 45 percent of it is making calls … and when those same people see an ad on TV or in print, 71 percent of them search for more information using a mobile device.

Bottom line: If your website appears on any of your collateral materials (e.g., brochures, letterhead, business cards) or advertisements, and you don’t already have a mobile website, you’re missing out on potential business leads and supporters.

But it’s not as simple as optimizing your current website for mobile use. Think of it in terms of marketing to Baby Boomers vs. Millennials. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach; you have to consider tone, message and attention span. The user on the go expects instant gratification – so your most important messages should be easy to find. For nonprofits, this may be your “Donate” page. For a restaurant, it should be “Locations” … and for a local government, it’s probably “Emergency Numbers.”

Whatever your industry, the need for a clutter-free and easy-to-use mobile site is crucial for keeping pace with competitors. With mobile use increasing by the minute, it’s important for brands to develop a site now … rather than play catch- up later.

What do you think are some of the most important characteristics of a mobile website?

This holiday season, Costa DeVault is giving away a free mobile site to one deserving Central Florida nonprofit – and we want you to help us choose the recipient. For more information, visit http://on.fb.me/rC1G20.

More and more companies are subscribing to the idea that giving back isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good business, too. Corporate giving rose 10.6 percent in 2010, according to a recent report by the Giving USA Foundation.

Some organizations are taking philanthropy a step further, creating charitable campaigns that emphasize brand attributes and align with their business objectives.

Pepto-Bismol gave $1 to Feeding America for every Facebook fan who "liked" this photo.

While most Pepto-Bismol users are seeking relief from overeating, the brand’s Thanksgiving-themed Facebook campaign invited consumers to help those who don’t have full bellies. For every fan who “liked” a photo of “Modern Family” actor Eric Stonestreet posing with a turkey, the brand donated $1 to Feeding America.

A New York Times article about the effort noted that Pepto-Bismol’s parent company, Procter and Gamble, is no stranger to charitable initiatives capitalizing on product features, such as the Tide “Loads of Hope” and the Duracell “Power Relief” programs.

Meanwhile, the snack company Planters has funded several city park projects that feature elements like peanut-shaped trellises – promoting the iconic brand image while showcasing a commitment to earth-friendliness.

Done well, strategies like these can elevate consumer perceptions – and, of course, benefit deserving causes. Do you know of any other companies that incorporate brand attributes into their social responsibility efforts?

Mary Tindall is a staff writer at Costa DeVault. Pregnancy-induced heartburn is making her seriously consider sipping some Pepto-Bismol.

Costa DeVault was again honored to be a part of Camaraderie Foundation, Inc.’s most recent flag event held in Jacksonville on November 21. A team of volunteers gathered at Metropolitan Park with a common goal, placing 21,173 flags in the ground – one to honor each soldier that has served in the area post-9/11. Fifth Third Bank is matching in-branch donations made in the name of the nonprofit now through the end of December. To find the branch closest to you, visit www.53.com.

For more photos from the event visit, please visit our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CostaDeVault

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA, ERS) reported that 48.8 million Americans, including 16.2 million children, are food insecure – meaning they lack consistent access to nutritious food. It is a sobering snapshot of the pervasiveness of hunger in our nation.

Florida, along with West Virginia and Alabama, showed the largest increase of people in need. According to the USDA report, approximately 7,520,000 Florida-based households are at risk for hunger every day.

Most of us will enjoy delicious home-cooked food with our families this weekend, but many of our neighbors are in danger of facing empty tables this Thanksgiving. As the PR agency for organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank and Seniors First, the Costa DeVault team has spoken with many families that have never had to rely on charity before. It’s heartbreaking.

Donations to anti-hunger programs are more important than ever during this holiday season. There are just a few days left until Thanksgiving and every dollar donated can help provide several meals to families facing hunger.

Nobody should have an empty plate on Thanksgiving – or ever.

To donate to a local anti-hunger program, visit:

• Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida — foodbankcentralflorida.org or 407-295-1066.
• Christian HELP: christianhelp.org or 407-834-4022.
• Jewish Family Services of Greater Orlando: jfsorlando.org or 407-644-7593.
• Community Food & Outreach: communityfoodoutreach.org or 407-650-0774.
• HOPE Foundation: helpforthehomeless.net or 407-366-3422.
• Seniors First, Inc.: seniorsfirstinc.org or 407-292-0177.

This blog post originally appeared on CDe in 2010.

Last week, we helped the Camaraderie Foundation place 10,678 American flags in the ground at Loch Haven Park in Orlando. Today, we had the honor of volunteering with them again at Cambier Park in Naples, Fla. This time, there were 12,714 flags – each representing a local soldier who has served post-9/11.

Photo credit: Naples Daily News

A recent USA Today article examined the use — or perhaps more accurately, overuse — of the word “artisan” in marketing campaigns. More than 800 companies are following this trend. Tostitos has an Artisan Recipes tortilla chips line; Starbucks sells Artisan Breakfast Sandwiches; and Wendy’s serves an Artisan Egg Sandwich.

When exposed to “artisan” ads, I never thought twice about the word or what it actually meant. Merriam-Webster defines it as “one that produces something in limited quantities often using traditional methods” — which, to me, doesn’t exactly fit a chain restaurant like Wendy’s.

So what is it about this certain label that appeals to consumers? As most marketers know, it’s all about perception. To many, a product touted as artisan is perceived to be more gourmet, fresh, homegrown and/or exclusive — resulting in a higher cost.

Domino’s used an opposite approach with its recent “We’re Not Artisans” campaign by poking fun at the snobbery associated with the term and emphasizing their low prices.

With so many “artisan” products clogging the market, does the label still retain its original meaning by describing a gourmet product — or should marketers be called out on this food foul?  

Nina Laureano is a public relations intern at Costa DeVault and is a senior at Stetson University majoring in family enterprises with a minor in marketing. Writing this blog post made her hungry.

Dominoes pizza box for its "Artisan Pizza" promotion