Super Bowl Brands: Monster.com vs. CareerBuilder
......................................................................................................................................................................
Move over Steelers and Cardinals, the real match up this year is between Monster.com and CareerBuilder. Both companies are walking into a tough arena as Americans face a losing job market. A well thought-out game plan is essential for both Monster.com and CareerBuilder to gain job seekers and employers.
Here is a quick breakdown of the competitors:
Monster.com
Game Plan: Monster is back after a few years without presence in the SuperBowl. The company will be touting their newly redesigned and enhanced website during their TV spots. Monster’s ads will also promote a contest and prizes around the idea of applying for “Director of Fandemonium”, highlighting the company’s new role as the NFL’s official career service sponsor.
Read more
23andMe: Genomenclature
......................................................................................................................................................................
The surge of data from the Human Genome and HapMap Projects has catalyzed amazing advancements in genetics, something we have witnessed first-hand with the rapid growth of the biotech industry. But now you don’t have to be a doctor or a scientist to tap into the wonderful world of DNA. 23andMe, recently named Time magazine’s Best Invention of 2008, is available to the public.
Named for the 23 pairs of chromosomes found in humans, 23andMe “combines genotyping with a set of tools and features that depict each customer's personal data within the context of environmental and other factors that contribute to variation in human traits and conditions.”
Fast Food Fads
......................................................................................................................................................................
I am going to go head and admit to the world that I eat fast food on a regular basis. My meals quite frequently consist of the following keywords: Double cheese, Nuggets, Soft taco, Crispy Chicken, and 6 inch turkey on wheat (when I’m feeling conservative). I’ve brought a salad to work for lunch. But make no mistake; the salad is just a façade. A feeble attempt to fit in with some of my health conscious colleagues. But I am not ashamed anymore. I love processed foods, ketchup, and sesame seed buns.
I consider myself to be somewhat of a connoisseur to the fast food/delivery food industry. I’ve witnessed several trends that have swept across my favorite fast food brands.
Read more
The Mojave Experiment
I recently saw a commercial where “real people, not actors” were giving testimonials about software they had just used. The reviews were glowing, particularly regarding a functionality that allowed people to form continuous panoramic images with individual pics. The commercial then cut to a screen that said: “Learn more about Windows Live PhotoGallery at MojaveExperiment.com. And then to another that simply displayed the Windows Vista logo.
Curious, I checked out the site.
“What do people think of Windows Vista when they don't know it's Windows Vista?” it asks, offering you videos upon videos of an experiment that ‘tricked’ users into taking the operating system for a test drive. The goal: potential customers see the positive reactions Vista received in the experiment,
Read more
Branding Bowl Games: GMAC Bowl
......................................................................................................................................................................
What was once just a daydream has now developed into a game that fields some of the most competitive and exciting games of the bowl season. Stan Tiner, former editor of the Mobile Register, is the man who realized the possibilities of another Alabama Bowl, in addition to the already existing Senior Bowl. Since 1999, his idea quickly grew into the success it is today!
Mobilians recognized the importance of the bowl name, so many ideas were originally discussed. Such names included the Azalea Bowl, the Mardi Gras Bowl, and Jubilee Bowl. Eventually the Mobile Alabama Bowl was officially born. In 2000 the bowl received corporate sponsorship from GMAC Financial Services, hence the existing name, the GMAC Bowl.
With the addition of the GMAC Bowl, Mobile joined Miami as the only other city in the country to host two major college bowl games every year. The GMAC Bowl is repeatedly rated as one of the top 10 bowl games to watch. This year the GMAC match up will be Tulsa vs. Ball State on January 6th, so don’t miss out!
Branding Bowl Games: Fiesta Bowl
......................................................................................................................................................................
In 1968, Arizona State University President G. Homer Durham proposed that Phoenix should have a football bowl game. Thanks to the support of several local sports enthusiasts and community leaders, this dream was realized on April 26, 1971. Until this point, the Rose Bowl was the only other bowl game played outside of the South.
On June 10, 1971, the Arizona Sports Foundation and the Arizona Republic held a “Name the Bowl Game” contest. According to the Fiesta Bowl’s official website, 6,500 entries were received, 73 of which suggested the name “Fiesta Bowl”. In a blind drawing of the 73 winning entries, Gary Keltner was chosen as the lucky winner and received four lifetime tickets to the Fiesta Bowl Classic.
Although the name Fiesta might seem a bit abstract at first, I think it is rather appropriate for a bowl game. The dictionary definition of the word Fiesta, as defined by www.dictionary.com is “A festival or festive celebration.” What could be more festive than a football game? Football games not only engage the players and their fans, but also the larger community in which the game takes place. Football games, and more importantly, bowl games, are celebrated with food, friends and team spirit, truly embodying the definition of Fiesta.
By: Jessica McGrail
Branding Bowl Games: International Bowl
......................................................................................................................................................................
The 2009 International Bowl was played on January 3rd at Canada’s Rogers centre. This recent addition to college bowl games takes its name quite literally from the fact that it is the only post-season bowl game played outside of the United States.
In the first International Bowl in 2007, the NCAA pitted Western Michigan University against the University of Cincinnati. It was the first post-season bowl game played outside the United States since the Bacardi Bowl was played in Cuba in 1937.
This year's matchup included two winter warriors: the Connecticut Huskies vs. the Buffalo Bulls.
Contributed by: Maghan Cook
Branding Bowl Games: Liberty Bowl
On January 2, 2009, the University of Kentucky and East Carolina University will play in the 50th annual Liberty Bowl. Without knowing its history, it is quite puzzling why a bowel game played in Memphis, TN would be called the Liberty Bowl. However, the bowl game was first played in Philadelphia, PA before it landed in Memphis in the mid-1960s.
The Liberty Bowl name certainly plays off of Philadelphia’s heritage as it is the home of the Liberty Bell. Therefore, it is fitting that the trophy presented to the winner of this game is an authentic, one-quarter-sized replica of the bell that rang in Independence Hall to announce the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To check out the Liberty Bowl yourself, click here.
By: Rebecca Parker
Branding Bowl Games: Cotton Bowl
On January 2, 2009, Ole Miss will take on Texas Tech in the 73rd AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. According to Wikepedia, the Cotton bowl first was played in 1937 in Dallas, Texas. However, the name has gone through several changes due to sponsorship over the years as seen in the evolution of the logos below.
Also, the Cotton Bowl will be moving in 2010 to the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington. If you’re interested in finding out more information about the Cotton Bowl, click here.
By: Trista Thielker
Branding Bowl Games: Rose Bowl
......................................................................................................................................................................
Let me introduce you to “The Granddaddy of Them All”...the Rose Bowl Game. This annual American college football bowl game achieved its nickname by being the first post season game, dating back to 1902! It starts things off right on New Year’s Day in Pasadena California, and since 1945, has been the highest attended college football game!
Don’t be fooled though! This legacy goes far beyond an annual football game. The first tournament was actually staged in 1890 when a local group decided to hold a festival to tell the world about their paradise of blooming flowers and warm weather. The Festival included such amazing games as ostrich races, chariot races, and bronco busting demonstrations.
What eventually developed into the Tournament of Roses, also known as “America’s New Year Celebration,” is famous for an amazing parade that consists of floats now featuring high-tech computerized animation and exotic natural materials from around the world.
This year the Rose Bowl Game will be Penn State vs. USC, so make sure you check out who wins the granddaddy of all games! Learn more here.
Contributed by: Ashley Hollingsworth