A Cuddling Program Is One Hospital’s Solution to Treating Opioid Addiction in Babies

When I think of the opioid crisis, I don’t often associate it with the state of Texas. It makes me think of states in the northeast – like West Virginia or Pennsylvania. But a story I heard Monday on the Texas Standard made me aware of the opioid crisis in our own great state.

In a new legislative survey, Bexar County has the most babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) than any other place in Texas. One way University Hospital in San Antonio is helping these babies overcome their opioid addiction is through volunteer cuddle programs.

The story follows partly through the lens of Doug Walters, a volunteer baby cuddler who’s been with the hospital for over three years. So far, the program has been successful.

“We see a big difference in their scores (in) the babies that either the mom, or a volunteer, or someone is here holding them all day,” says Dr. Meredith Flores, a pediatrician who handles babies in the NICU at University Hospital, “Their scores are lower. Sometimes the dose of the medication they require is lower. They’re able to wean faster off of that dose.”

I thought it was heartbreaking and heartwarming to listen to the story. I hadn’t really considered what the opioid crisis could be doing to our state. It was deeply saddening to hear how the hospital is seeking more volunteers as more and more babies are being born addicted to opioids. However, listening to Walters talk about his time as a baby cuddler gave me hope for the future of these babies. It also made me want to volunteer as a baby cuddler, but as far as I know, no hospitals in Abilene have a program like University Hospital does.

It’s definitely a story worth listening to.

A Cry For Baby Cuddlers In San Antonio As the Opioid Crisis Deepens

 

A Super Bowl Ad Swimming in Criticism for a Sexist Audition

For this week’s current event, I focused on the problem with one particular Super Bowl ad. Behind the scenes of the mermaid commercial for the Bon & Viv hard seltzer brand, Anheuser-Busch was left swimming in criticism. The ad shows two women as part of their storyline, but the road to get there is brought to life by Ingrid Haas.

Ingrid Haas had shown up to audition for a part as one of the mermaids, but left feeling violated rather then excited. She states that she had ” to wear a bikini for the audition, but that she was surprised when a male casting employee told the women that they would have to dance in front of the camera for 30 seconds.” She turned down the audition as soon as she realized the sexist motives behind the audition.

For me, I cannot believe how degrading this is and can’t imagine just how humiliating that must have felt. However, I am glad that she found the strength to walk away and to not give them what they want. For me, this brings to life the question, how many other companies/brands are holding inappropriate auditions, no matter male or female? I have seen people take a stand against this on social media and I hope to continue to see people stand up for what is right, whether it’s the advertising world, work world, in school, at home, etc. I don’t mean to make this a pressing topic for this assignment, I just found this topic something of deep passion for me.

SING SONG 2019 LIVE FEED: GOOD OR BAD?

Facebook is an incredible connecter and social medium that many older generations use. Abilene Christian University decided to take advantage of this medium for Sing Song this year by using facebook’s creative idea of a live stream.

Because of this live stream, as a competitor backstage, I got to watch the show! I could also be informed on where the show stood chronologically while waiting, but how each act did before I went on. This made waiting backstage way more exciting and the competition way more intense!

Currently, the live feed shows that 85,000 people have watched the feed, and 950 people watched during the actual live stream. There are 1,200 comments of current students and alumni along with 237 shares! This was an exciting idea for ACU to take part in that I think allowed those far away to tune in to a long standing tradition at ACU.

Some girls apart of the Oxford study abroad group in my club stayed up till 5am and got to be apart of the celebration in winning in the overall results Sunday night. Needless to say, the live feed connected people. But what does this mean for future shows?

The Optimist reported last year that the alumni and families who stay in Abilene for Sing Song weekend brought $400,000 of profit to the city (link included below). This means the actual attendance of an audience in Moody, and not online, matters. The power of connecting that facebook and many other social mediums have to offer gives opportunity for those who cannot be present to feel as if they are. We see this now even with the new commercial about Google Portal.

There is no denying that part of the fun for ACU alumni is coming back to be reunited with their friends. That will never go away. But I think there is a possibility that the streaming of the show may take away from attendance in the near future. It is easier, louder, more efficient, and available to you at any time. This means it can also take away from Abilene’s profit in the community – just by the possibility of a click of a button. There is power in connecting and there is power in sharing. But with technology today there is always a question of  consequence too.

https://acuoptimist.com/2017/02/visitors-bureau-sing-song-brings-400k-profit-city/ 

Battle of the Beers

Recently, there has been an advertising battle between two of the largest American beer giants: Anheuser-Busch InBev (parent company of Bud Light) and MillerCoors (parent company of Coors Light). The beer battle is entering another day of their “corn” war, with neither side seeming to retreat.

The war started when Bud Light used Super Bowl ads to slam Coors Light and Miller Lite for using corn syrup, to which they say that there is nothing wrong with corn, but Bud Light only use the highest of ingredients, not including corn, which is really called “dextrose.” A bold move by Bud Light to get customers to associate corn syrup as something bad and only being used by “lesser” beer companies. In brilliant fashion, MillerCoors responded by issuing an ad by Coors Light that simply reads “The National Toast To Farmers Friday 2/15,” also using the hashtag #ToastToFarmers with two bottles clinking over a cornfield with mountains in the background. This was an excellent way to rally the agriculture and corn communities as well as the blue-collar beer drinkers of America. Additionally, Pete Coors, Chairman of MillerCoors, personally delivered a truckload of Miller Lite and Coors Light to a meeting of the National Corn Growers Association in Denver, Co. The verified NCGA twitter account posted a video on twitter  tagging Coors Light and stating “@CoorsLight delivering the world’s most refreshing beer to support America’s corn farmers.” Miller Lite also ran a full-page ad in the New York Times addressing the “beer drinkers of America,” stating the distinction between corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which MillerCoors doesn’t use. They stated the corn syrup is a normal part of the brewing process and never makes it into a Miller Lite can.

All-in-all, Bud Light mounted a massive offensive, but Coors Light and Miller Lite are not backing down. Maybe we can declare a winner when the sales results come in.

 

Schultz., E., Schultz, E., & Schultz, E. (2019, February 06). The beer-corn war escalates as Bud Light fires back at MillerCoors. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/corn-war-escalates-bud-light-fires-back-millercoors/316557/

 

Avoid Advertising the “Dove” Way

Advertising and social media go hand and hand. This is a beautiful and helpful thing as social media helps the spread of advertisements and can quickly get the word out about what companies are doing. However, this can also go terribly wrong. We see this in the Dove campaign which shows a black woman “turning white” which sparked a huge backlash across social media. As soon as the ad was released, word traveled throughout social media as #boycottdove trended on Twitter by the next morning. Dove released a statement that said “An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offense it caused.” The ad caused viewers to wonder what on earth Dove could have been thinking and what mark they were striving to hit. It is astonishing that an ad like that could cross so many different sets of eyes and not be flagged as potentially being offensive. Consumers called the campaign “horrendous and a PR nightmare”. This is a perfect example of how social media can come into play in a companies success or failure. The ability to share and view ads and opinions cause social media platforms to be an important factor in advertising. Social media helps to better customer service of companies, helps companies connect to their customers, and they get to increase their brand awareness. Dove should have thought about the ad in general and on top of that the effect it would have on social media. Social media helps to drive advertising and can be extremely beneficial to companies as long as they avoid what Dove did and put out appropriate ads for their campaigns. Dove+Shirt+Ad

Payless Is Closing All Its 2,100 U.S. Stores

Payless is a shoe store that everyone knows about. It is known for paying less for good quality shoes. Unfortunately, it was announced that Payless will be closing down its U.S. stores. It is said that some stores will close in March; however, most will be open until May. They will also be closing their online store. The reason for this is because the company could file for bankruptcy for the second time. This is surprising to me, because Payless came out with their Palessi ad to show people that their cheaper shoes are high end quality. The ad was successful and it got many views. I thought that this would bring many customers to Payless, but I guess this was not the case. At the same time, there are many stores and boutiques that have more trendy shoes. People want to be up-to-date on the latest trends, and they found themselves going to another store.

Also, there are many online shops that people shop at. Some people are busy and do not have time to go to actual stores; therefore, they just order online. I feel that Payless is not a store people see themselves just going to anymore. There have been many new stores and other opportunities for people to buy shoes from. I do not think that payless closing down will affect many people because there are many other cheaper options that are just as good of quality. While I do feel bad that they will be closing down, I believe there are other options for people.

 

Marketing to Millennials with a Je Ne Sais Quoi

Je ne sais quoi- a French term for a certain quality that is hard to describe. Fresh. New. Mysterious. From the advertisers who brought you the Fiji water brand, now comes a wine that is specifically targeting Millennials. Many know their Myers-Briggs personality type. I am an ENFJ. JNSQ is a new Rose with its own personality type. It does not look like an regular bottle of wine. The bottle itself represents a fancy French perfume that is designed to be reused. A buzz word that will most certainly grab any Millennial’s attention.
“Millennial women and older Gen Z’ers are bringing back an appreciation for quality, craftsmanship and functional beauty,” owner Lynda Resnick said. This wine was launched in a unique way that showcases its je ne sais quoi. It was debuted at a high-end fashion show just before Valentine’s Day to capture the Rose market that is dead in the winter. Could je ne sais quoi advertising be the new sensation?

https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-the-wonderful-company-created-a-wine-brand-for-millennial-rose-lovers-in-under-a-year

/https://www.jnsq.com/

Using a Competitor’s Ad to Your Advantage

This past Super Bowl had many great ads that created a lot of social engagement for brands on a national stage. The beer company, Bud Light, was no exception. They created an epic co-branding, national tv spot with Game of Thrones. Social media was buzzing with fans of the show and beer drinkers alike with high praise and excitement. However, there was one demographic group that did not sing high praise: farmers. Corn farmers, specifically. During one of the Game of Thrones/Bud Light mash ups, there was a barrel of corn syrup that was taken on a journey. It became apparent to the viewer that Bud Light beer does not use corn syrup in their product, but Miller Lite does. While the original intention was to promote “good” beer that did not use any unhealthy or poor ingredients, they angered many corn farmers who are proud what they produce. Miller Lite took this reaction and ran with it. They created national #ToastToFarmers day, today, February 15th. They gave the outraged farmers a national platform to voice their frustration while putting their brand in the spotlight. I think Miller Lite brilliantly took an “attack ad” and flipped the script on their competitor. They created more buzz and engagement by making Bud Light look like the bad guys while Miller Lite supports hard-working American farmers. The best part or the annoying part if you are Bud Light is they did this without dishing out the money for national tv spot during the Super Bowl. We will have to see just how big #ToastToFarmers day helps Miller Lite.

What Gillette Is Doing Right

At the beginning of the year, Gillette released its The Best Man Can Be campaign totaling over 29 million views on Youtube. Following the Me Too movement, the purpose of the video was to highlight behavioral issues seen in countless men over the past year. The company received a mixture of praise and backlash on social media from consumers. Some believed this advertisement was perfect timing to try to help eradicate the “boys will be boys” notion, while others believed it was generalizing all men and putting them in a negative light.

The company responded to its haters in a positive manner claiming, “Our intent is not to blame all men–we know many men are already acting as incredible role models. We want to celebrate that and encourage these men to hold others accountable because a few bad apples are a few too many. We will also be holding ourselves to a higher standard. Because it’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that we get closer to our best.”

Recently, an image of women wearing skin-tight suits with Gillette written across their butts has been resurfaced and criticized on social media for objectifying women. Twitter users have taken it upon themselves to berate the company for having two contradicting messages. They claim the image has been going against everything Gillette has been discussing for the past month. Since then, the company has responded by stating they take full responsibility for the mistakes they’ve made in the past and are working to better the company.

As far as public relations goes, I believe Gillette is doing everything right. The company is taking the time to respond to all of their comments whether they are hateful or nice. Gillette has owned up to its mistakes and pledged to do better in the future. The dialogue between the brand and consumers on social media has been nothing but open, honest and conversational. When it comes to controversy, honest communication between a brand and the public is key.

 

Schultz., E.J. “Gillette under Social Media Fire for Old Promo That Objectified Women.” Ad Age, Ad Age, 23 Jan. 2019, adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/gillette-social-media-fire-tweets/316358/.

Quit Bugging Me

Love is in the air with Valentines Day coming up quick but sometimes finding the perfect gift is so hard but this year it’s being made much easier. Have you ever had an ex that gets on your last nerve? One that you somewhat despise in the nicest way possible. The El Paso Zoo ran an advertisement last week that has since gone viral that gives the perfect give for each of our special exes in our lives.

https://www.facebook.com/elpasozoo/photos/a.482518977621/10156975620942622/?type=1&theater

This is an example of an extremely successful advertising campaign that used its social media platform to gain awareness of it. The zoo posted it and got over 7,000 shares within a few days. People commented on it and tagged their friends who also shared it and tagged more friends.  The advertisement displays cockroaches and hearts and says that if you pay a certain amount of money they will name a cockroach after your ex then let a meerkat “devour” it. Oh, also did I mention they will be broadcasting the entire thing via Facebook Live? The campaign has been so successful that they had to stop taking names. Ad Age even sent out information on it in their weekly email calling it, “Cockroaches vs. red roses”. I think the reason this advertisement was so successful is that you don’t have to be in “love” to celebrate this Valentines idea. In fact, you can be extremely bitter towards love and still participate. People are tired of the typical roses, chocolate, and cards. Having an edge on advertisement and being new and original is really putting new ideas on top of old, basic ones. I also think this form of advertisement is so interesting because it did not cost the El Paso Zoo anything. I believe modern advertisement is moving more towards this way because social media is so huge for our generation.

Worth, Dallas-Fort, and Nbc. “Zoo Receives ‘Overwhelming’ Response to Cockroach Promotion.” NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth, 11 Feb. 2019, http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/Forget-Chocolate-Name-a-Roach-for-Your-Ex-Lover-505565471.html.

Lewis, Sophie. “This Zoo Will Name a Cockroach after Your Ex, Then Feed It to a Meerkat on Valentine’s Day.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 8 Feb. 2019, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/el-paso-zoo-name-a-cockroach-after-your-ex-feed-to-meerkat-valentines-day-feb-14/.