Stock trading contest!

It's finally here- what every stock trader dreams of! A free online contest where you could win more than $14,000 by predicting the direction of stocks! As announced in the PR Web article "Free Online Game Offering Cash Prizes for Prediction of Stocks Launched by Trading Markets", on Tuesday (February 26, 2008) TradingMarkets.com has launched its game called "Up or Down" and is currently accepting new registrations.

So here's how the contest will work. One-thousand dollars will be given away each month to the contestant who makes the most correct predictions. Then, TradingMarkets will give $3,500 to the contestant with the highest percentage of correct predictions from the entire year. According to editor-in-Chief Ashton Dorkins, "Each trading day, we select a stock and display its price chart." Then all you have to do is decide if you think it will close up or down the following day. One perk that increases your chances of winning is that if the stock closes unchanged, it is counted as a win whether you picked up or down.

To register all you have to do is visit http://www.tradingmarkets.com/trading_contests/upordown/ and then simply start choosing your stocks. The thing I like about this contest is that it forces its participants to really think. You don't just fill out an entry form with your name and address and wait to see if you've won. You actually can research and make wise choices that increase your odds of winning. And if you just want to play a chance game, just log on and pick random answers! Who knows maybe that's the secret to the stock market!

*It should also be noted that "TradingMarkets is not an investment advisory service, not a registered investment advisor or broker-dealer and dodes not purport to tell or suggest which secruities customers should buy or sell for themselves."

Play the game- save money!

There are countless games on the web. You can play anything from solitaire to racing games and checkers to "I Spy". They are fun, most of the time free, and enjoyable to play while at home, work, or lets face it- in class. But why not take time spent playing online games and play a different kind of game instead....

"The Grocery Game" was developed in 2000 by Teri Gault to teach shoppers how to save. To date more than 100,000 households are using it and saving money because of it. In "Saving Money With The Grocery Game" CBS4 reporter Shannon Hori investigates just how this game is played. To do this, Hori joins founder Gault on a shopping excursion. Gault explains that all you have to do to be a part of the game is to pay $10 for an eight week membership to the site. When you do this, you are granted access to "The List" that tells you what products are on sale and at which store near you. "The List" even tells you which coupons to cut out of the Sunday paper to save the most money.

Gault showed her skills when after using a coupon on two bottles of $3.19 juice that were "buy one get one free", she only paid $.60 a bottle. She also suggests to check the prices of buying two smaller sized items with a coupon before buying the larger value size. Sometimes it actually works out to be cheaper to buy the smaller size than the value one. On average Gault said that her shoppers are saving $484 a month for a family of four and sometimes more than 60% on their grocery bill.

When the pair were done shopping the evidence lied in the numbers. Their total was $52.14 with help from coupons and "The List", saving them $86.67! Mother of two, Jennifer Cevallos, also suggests to stock up on staples when they are on sale. She has doubles and triples of most items so when she runs out of something, all she has to do is go shopping in her own pantry! But one thing that both Cevallos and Gault advise before starting any drastic shopping regiment, is to make time and space to prepare before going grocery shopping.

Personally, I don't think its necessary to pay to be told whats on sale and what coupons are available. If you are careful and smart about it, you can do this all on your own. Just keep an eye out when reading the newspaper and magazines for coupons on products that you need or buy often. Then browse the Sunday ads for whats on sale and where to get it. Finally, just simply put the two together and viola! Savings are yours! But if you need a more hands on, informational approach, The Grocery Game is a great option too.

Free? Not free?

Here I am again, coming at you with the latest on promotional stuff. The Boston Globe announced a newcomer, Jackpot Rewards was launched yesterday (February 20,2008) with support from some very famous names. The article, "Rewards site bets it can lure online shoppers", said investors included Boston advertising executive Jack Connors, former Fidelity fund manager Peter Lynch, and Clough Capital Partners chief executive Chuck Clough that backed the site with more than $16.7 million. Jackpot Rewards is a promising hit that will include shopping rewards, sweepstakes, charity, and classified ads.

Jackpot Rewards understands that people want discounts and free things. But they also know that people like to help others. Paying just a $3 weekly membership fee at JackpotRewards.com gives people access to hundreds of online retailer discounts like Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Best Buy. In turn, half of membership profits go to children's charities. Now, I know this violates all that I believe in (free is the only way to be) but I also think that it is a great way for people and companies to give back to the community and those in need.

Media analyst at JupiterResearch, Barry Parr also recognizes the threat that charging for memberships could pose for this company. He said that it will be harder to convince consumers to subscribe to this service online when they are used to getting it for free. In general, sweepstakes have an "unsavory" reputation in Parr's mind. He also says that having customers pay for this type of service raises questions about the company's business model.

Despite this, it doesn't seem like the investors of Jackpot Rewards are too worried. Jack Connors said he understands the risk and the concept of online sweepstakes. He also said that basing your business around giving half of your profits to charity will certainly make it a big number. Other questions involving gambling have also arisen around this new launch. Edgar Dworsky, a former assistant attorney general of consumer protection in Massachusetts who now runs ConsumerWorld.org, advises the company to be careful. Because they only make money from membership fees, it could potentially appear that they are selling 'lottery tickets', thus constituting as gambling. But, Dworsky did give the company credit for providing people a way to enter sweepstakes without paying a fee to keep it legal. (Note: It was not clear from the article just how consumers could enter without paying a fee.)

The heart of Jackpot Rewards lies in its shopper discount program. Members who visit participating retailers can earn cash back on monthly purchases and people can enter the sweepstakes as many times as they want by mail. According to chief executive, Jim Miller, the company needs 300,000 members to keep going. But with tens of millions of people shopping online, Miller and the rest of his investors aren't really worried. They are sticking to the idea of giving back to charities and communities to keep their new project running. It will be interesting to see if that is what really happens...

Watch out for fake coupons!

What don't we use the Internet for these days? Anything from finding recipies, keeping in touch with friends and family, and shopping for all of your needs. The rise of the Internet also created another outlet for coupons. Consumers could find, print, and use coupons right off of the web. However, a recent article I found investigates the story behind some stores not accepting them....

According to “Many grocers reject Internet coupons”, your time of searching for and printing off coupons could be a waste. Author Maureen Wallenfang says it is because of fraud. Coupons may look real, with a UPC code and expiration date, but they could be counterfeit. They might even scan Wallenfang says, but because they aren’t real, the stores do not get reimbursed when they turn the coupon in to the manufacturer.

She suggests to call ahead to the store you will be shopping at before you go. Ask them of their policy before you check-out so you aren’t surprised if they don’t take them. Ellen Eisenchink, head cashier at Larry’s Piggly Wiggly in Little Chute, says it is posted in the store that they don’t accept Internet coupons. Eisenchink also said this was because, “We were noticing quite a few counterfeit Internet coupons coming through before the holidays. We were running into problems because a lot of them were high ticket, like free Crest Whitestrips, $4 on a 24-pack of Pepsi or free Tylenol Arthritis. We had to make a policy because we couldn’t tell the counterfeit ones from the real ones.”

Other chains are also following suit. Stores accepted them when they first came out, but soon realized that forgers could easily change the dollar amounts. New London’s Festival Foods lost a few hundred dollars just because of a $5 Tide coupon. However, they do understand that it isn’t always the customer’s fault. Sometimes consumers just don’t know if they aren’t real. Because of this, many stores such as Festival Foods, will take Internet coupons, with a few guidelines. Mark Skogen, president of Skogen’s Festival Foods, says they will take them for up to $2 off of products because a lot of the fake coupons have been made for more than a $2 savings.

Although it is basically impossible to track fake coupons, there are a few things that stores can do. www.cents-off.com is a tool that stores can use to see the lastest scams. Some stores have also added coupons to their own website so they know they are legitimate. As far as consumers are concerned, if you use Internet coupons be aware that not all stores will take them. Also, traditional coupons from newspapers and magazines are still being accepted. Those should be two-sided, in color, and on a glossy magazine-type paper, making them harder to counterfeit.

In the end, it’s all about saving money. But be careful how you go about doing that. Do it honestly, carefully, and most of all savvy. More on coupons, promotions, and contests to come!

Yay Blogs!

You can find blogs on anything these days. The topics range from baseball to knitting and video games to...coupons, promotions, and contests! The truth is anyone and everyone can be apart of blogging culture. It is really easy to do and free to read a lot of the time. In a recent article I found by Donna DeClemente on Adotas.com, it seems that blogs are beginning to be used more for marketing purposes than just daily random thoughts.

"Interactive Promotions + Blogs = A Winning Combination" analyzes blogs as well as promotions as an opportunity for media growth. DeClemente explains that since there has been an increase in the users of social media, such as Facebook and MySpace, there has also been an increased desire to advertise on those sites. Even blogs are starting to enter the mix and want to be purchased by advertisers. However, advertisers do not seem to be jumping on the chance as fast as blog sites would like. Research suggests that by the large increase of blogs in the recent year, this soon will change. DeClemete reveals that blogs are popular because they allow millions to publish and post basically whatever they want online. It is then available for many more millions to read and comment on. The idea of instant response and recognition is an ever evolving one.

One way that marketers are gaining attention is interactive promotions. The article takes a look at a few of this year's Super Bowl ads like Doritos and Pepsi. Both of these programs require the consumer to be interactive and personal with the brand in their own way. Other brands such as Unilever's Sunsilk hair care, kicked off a consumer-generated contest promotion called Life Can't Wait that features Madonna, Shakira and Marilyn Monroe. Tide is also driving consumers to their brand by creating its campaign, My Talking Stain. This promotion invites consumers to produce and submit their own stain ad and play their Be the Stain instant win game to win other prizes.

According to the article, when asked what was their top online activity, 50% of consumers answered participation in contests or sweepstakes. Some other activities that scored higher include email, search, product research and buying and online billing. Interactive promotions have proven to be one of the most powerful ways to get consumers to a certain product's site. By targeting the right contest or promotion to the correct audience, you then gain greater attention for your product and brand name as well as create a stronger consumer relationship. DeClemete suggests that this bond between consumer and brand can be made even stronger by adding blogs. "Social Sweeps" as she calls it, is the combination of social media with engaging promotions. This would be beneficial because bloggers tend to enjoy giveaways and contests and they also like responding to and evaluating things. So the current trend is marketers approaching bloggers to try their products and even use as a prize giveaway. Marketers would enjoy this because they would be able to easily target consumers. It would also be beneficial to the bloggers because more people would be drawn to their blog. And the readers even have a chance to win something just by reading their favorite blog. Perfect situation for everyone involved!

The article then goes on to give some tips on how to incorporate a blog outreach program into your brand. To me, any program that involves giving me something or giving me the chance to win something for free is worth five minutes of my online time. And if it is added to something I already enjoy doing, like reading blogs, I will be even more likely to participate in them. Blogs are not going to go away anytime soon, so we might as well use them to our advantage. Advertisements are everywhere too. And we definitely know that those aren't going to go away...

Fight the rise!

It's not secret that energy prises are rising. But did you know that the spike in those costs can also affect other things you are buying? According to a recent article published by TheState.com, last year Americans paid four percent more for groceries than they had in the previous year. "Go to the grocery store with a plan- and lots of coupons" takes a look at how to make the most of your grocery and food spending. It isn't as hard as it looks...

The article follows Cheri Beesburg who has a family of four. She says although she is a careful grocery shopper, she still spends about $300 to $350 a week on food. These numbers do include the cost of dining out twice a week, but still they are very high. She says that she has noticed an increase in many different products from produce to Kleenex. She was quite surprised to find that at some stores a gallon of milk was almost $5 dollars!

An economist with the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ephraim Leibtage, says the 4% increase from 2006 to 2007 was the highest increase since 1990. The end isn't in sight either. The prices are not likely to return to their original state. We cannot stop buying groceries so we will just have to adjust. Cheri Bessburg shares a few of her tips. First she vows to cook at home at least four out of seven nights a week. She also says that she utilizes her Crockpot to have dinner ready when her family is very busy. Secondly, she focuses her shopping trips on meal plans that she develops after checking the Sunday coupons and store sales. And lastly, she shops at only two stores, one that has the best prices on staples and one that she trusts for her meat and produces purchases. Beesburg also reveals that she uses both store discount cards and coupons religiously.

Beesburg suggests to make a plan and stick to it. Purchasing larger quantities during weekly shopping trips will also make you less likely to make those short, expensive runs just for a few items. By following these tips you may even be able to reduce your monthly shopping by one week, like Beesburg has. The money you save could be put toward other family necessities.

Another smart shopper, Candace McMenamin, stocks up on sale items like chicken stock, that she uses all the time. She buys canned goods and freezes vegetables when they are on sale during the holidays. McMenamin also tips that if you are cooking for a smaller number of people to simply halves the recipe. Instead of throwing away leftovers, she saved money and cooked just the right amount.

Saving time and money are just a few perks of clipping coupons. If you follow the steps that fellow shoppers have shared, you could be a part of the savings too. It only takes a few minutes to glance the ads and coupons to see what you could be saving on this week. I know that if it meant a few extra dollars for clothes or textbooks I sure would! (And I do already for the record. I'm only in college but I think that it's never too early!)

Un- what?

We've all heard words that have the prefix un- to them. It usually means the opposite of something like unwrapping, unrelated, underestimate, un-American, the list goes on. But have you ever heard of an un-contest? Well neither had I until I came across this article. "The UnContest" was announced on Pegasus News, a customize-able local news and information service, on February 5, 2008.

First question that came to my mind was the name, why the un? Because they are completely a SURPRISE! Unlike the other contests Pegasus runs on their site, this contest will not be announced and there isn't even an entry process. You just check your computer and see if you've won! The prizes also range from iPods and computers to concert tickets and free dry cleaning. The prizes you could win are directly taylored to you. But how do you ask? Pegasus states that it is simply the memory in your computer that knows what you like. So you surf the net for things you like and you win prizes that you want with absolutely no notice.

Pegasus claims that other contests only target a limited audience and the UnContest targets anybody and everybody who is on the web. Think about it- is a biker dude really going to enter that free wipes and diapers contest that is targeted to busy moms? Probably not. But with the UnContest anybody can enter and get what they really want! Pegasus also stresses the value of The Daily You, their customized program that allows you to make your own version of the site to fit your needs. They also give you the option of suggesting what prizes they give away!

Heres what you have to do:
1. Register as a user for free and stay logged in when you are using the site.
2. Be sure that your email address and/or phone number you provided is accurate.

And thats it! You can also increase your chances by putting and address or at least a zip code in your profile and by opting in for The Daily You. Every time you use all the cool features on the site it increases your chances as well. If you like to go out to eat, simply use the favorite events or restaurants feature and you might just win tickets or a meal! Nothing will be ever announced and the more you use the site, the better chances of winning you have.

The UnContest is on now and its giving everyday run of the mill contests a run for their prizes. Why not get what you want out of your web surfing experience? I mean I could always use an iPod, a computer, a car..... I guess I better start surfing!

A hairy situation?

Seriously, shaving has to be the worst thing in the entire world. It is such time consuming and tedious work that I usually just do it in a hurry and end up with cuts all over my legs. Also, having never been a man, I'm not sure if men feel the same way about hair removal as women do. An interesting article titled, "University of Michigan students win $40,000 P&G marketing prize" investigates how Braun can target a younger male generation. I'm not so sure that they can convince me to think of shaving as an enjoyable experience, but we'll see.

Last September Procter & Gamble Co. launched the "Create a Buzz for Braun" contest to business-schools across the nation. This contest featured its Braun brand who makes electric shavers and other household products. The contest was pitched to students who would develop a marketing plan targeting college males for either Braun's Pulsonic shaver or for what will be a new Braun product, a male boy groomer for back, underarm, and other below-the-neck hair. The winners were an all-female team from the University of Michigan who called their campaign "Manscaping America, One College Campus at a Time," won the grand prize of $40,000.

The winning team was comprised of Emily Hoffman, Karima Holland, Mihira Patel, and Holly Sharp. They researched by talking to 150 college males about body hair issues, their media habits and other information. Their plan included online contests and promotions (yay!) as well as a "Manscaping" campus comedy tour. These type of college marketing contests are popping up all around the nation and are giving students realistic practice at presenting business proposals. A spokeswoman for Braun, Kelly Vanasse, said that the competition helped Braun learn more about the sometimes hard to understand market of college aged males. Vanasse also said the contest got potential top business recruits in contact with P&G and promoted the brand on campuses through publicity about the contest.

I think that the idea behind this contest was absolutely brilliant. College students (especially marketing students) are always a great resource to use when you want to know what's 'hot' and whats 'not'. The experience that these students also receive from these contests are important stepping stones to their futures in the communications world. Congratulations to the winning team and all of the runners up. Also be looking out for contests around you because you never know when you might get lucky!

PS- Tip for the day: Guys, nobody likes unwanted body hair.