Really ,Taco Bell? Really?

So, I it's 1:45 am and I just got home from work. Although I would like nothing better than to go to sleep right now, the restaurant business has this horrible after effect of leaving me wired when I get home. So, I will post because I've been meaning to do it for a few days now. I heard about this on the radio a few days ago and was appalled. I'm still appalled, probably more so.

Taco Bell approached the rapper 50 Cent with the idea of a name change to either 79, 89, or 99 Cent to promote their fast food prices. Oh, that's not the end of it, folks. The also asked that he would come to the drive through and rap his order. Can we say sell out? Oh, but don't worry Taco Bell would donate $10,000 to the charity of his choice in exchange.

Do they know who 50 Cent is? Somehow, I'm not surprised that this idea was very, very quickly turned down. Oh, and Fiddy sent his lawyers after them too.

So, now that we have the background let's look at this from Taco Bell's standpoint. I can see how this could be spectacular for creating word of mouth and media buzz if Fiddy would have signed on to this idea. That's dream-worthy promotion, right there. I also see the cleaver thought process of finding a celebrity who already has numbers in his name. Maybe there's no name attachement and he'll sellout. I also see the goodwill side of things. Taco Bell is donating money to support whatever Fiddy does. They are giving back to the community and creating huge buzz in the process. When you put the pieces together though, it's just a big, hot mess.

Come on Taco Bell, you really thought the hard-core rapper would do this? I know he signed on for endorsing Vitamin Water and I have to say, I enjoy that commercial, but that is too far. You have to be a major sellout to change your name to a fast food price. Way to "think outside the bun" Taco Bell, but I don't think anyone was surprised by the "No" that was returned.

However, I still have to give them props. This is not for their unrealistic dream, but for getting themselves into the media. I just devoted a whole blog to discussing this and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Yes, the idea was outlandish but it got people talking. Taco Bell is all over the place for this. I would pretty much guess it's the first time the fast-food chain has been a topic of discussion on shows such as E! News. Taco Bell created buzz and didn't even have to donate the money they suggested (although they should anyway). Now the only problem is the legal fees the company is going to have to pay to ward off 50 Cent's lawyers. Good luck, Taco Bell.

And here's 50 Cent's Vitamin Water commercial, in case you don't know what I'm talking about.

The First "Something"

Please excuse my absence from my new blog but I had to finish my summer school project. One all nighter and one career blueprint done, I am finished with summer school. I am only two classes from a marketing degree. Why is it that I feel those two classes are going to be the longest ones of my life? Don't get me wrong, I love learning and I love college but I'm ready for a new adventure.

Anyway, on to the first cool something I found! If you go to this site The Something Store you will certainly find something. The whole premise of this site is you send the site $10 (this includes shipping) and they send you something. You don't know what it will be, but it will be something. According to the site, "yours may be a cool gadget, rare book, table game, handmade necklace, reverse clock, box of gourmet chocolates, set of shiny shower curtains, popular video game, big-box retailer gift card, the latest version of a software, a set of kitchen knives, a pair of designer jeans, garden tool, kitchen appliance, unique home decor item, electronic equipment, magazine subscription, office supply item, or ..." So! Now that you have the idea, I'm going to order something and see what I get.

I find this a very interesting idea. Every person I've told about this site has been enthralled. Now, most likely the something you're really going to have no use for. It's that element of surprise, however, the seems to interest people. People generally like surprises; it's like Christmas morning or getting a piece of mail that isn't a bill and wasn't expected. So, with that in mind I am ready for my surprise. I will pay $10 to get something random in the mail from a stranger. Being a college student, this says a lot for the element of surprise. I don't have a lot of money. I do have a lot of debt, however. This $10 could take me to a movie, but me dinner, or with current gas prices, I could drive 5 feet. But I am going to spend it on something. Just something. I, like all the other people who have been excited by this, will probably be disappointed but I think it's the sometimes high hopes of consumers or maybe the kid in all of us but no matter what the reason, I hope I get something good!

An explanation

I wanted to explain the story behind my headline on this blog. Last week I was given a valuable experience to network with many people across the marketing industry in both Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Last fall I applied and was accepted for a Marketing Field Experience class through The University of Montana. The class is focused on providing a hands-on experience for the 11 students selected which includes learning more about the various options within marketing. We set out in our 15 person van on June 1st and returned on the 7th. During this time we visited with individuals at Nike, Respond2 and CMedia, Nautilus, Inc., Wieden and Kennedy, Microsoft (mainly focused on Xbox) and Edelman. We met with one of the most interesting individuals I've encountered while at W+K, Jelly Helm. He spoke with us about how he got to his current position and gave us insight into advertising and what sets W+K apart from other agencies. At one point during the conversation he commented that he believes in "walking in stupid". In other words, temporarily discarding egos and past beliefs and using every experience as an opportunity to learn. This is not to say one should truly be stupid but instead, as he worded it, have "naive intelligence". An individual should, of course, be intelligent but also be able to learn and absorb information like a sponge. This comment really struck me as interesting and it is one that I have not forgotten. So, I said the point of this blog is for me to reflect and learn more about the marketing industry, but do it in a public format. I want to learn and express my opinions, but I gave my blog it's current title as a reminder that there is always more to learn and always another opinion. I think that's enough background for today, I need to go work on my career blueprint and enjoy the sounds of the rain outside. To those of you in Montana, enjoy the mixture of rain and snow.

The Beginning

Welcome to my new blog! There is a little background needed to really understand my motivation behind this new venture. I'm graduating in December with a degree in Marketing. With this in mind, I have begun the arduous, but exciting, process of finding a job. I see this as more than just searching the classifieds and making phone calls, however. I want to find a company and a position that I feel is right for me. I need to find a place that meets my goals and objectives but is a place where my employer will be satisfied with me as well. I feel that in these last months of my education I need to further my marketing knowledge and take it out of the school setting. I need to learn from the market and apply my education to what is going on in the world. That is the point of this blog. I am constantly seeing interesting things online, in the media, and in my everyday life that I can apply to marketing. I am going to use this blog as a platform to voice my thoughts on what I am seeing, as well as my process of finding a place for myself in the marketing world. I would love to hear your thoughts on all that I'm doing, so please, interject your thoughts as well. Now, off to my Field Experience homework.