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Kashi got it wrong

kashi-badI like natural cereal, when I can afford it.

I was surprised when I opened this package of Kashi cereal. There was a full 5 1/2 inches of air between the top of the cereal and the top of the package. I might expect that from Kelloggs or Post – but not from a manufacturer who says they care about the environment.

I realize the “contents may have settled during shipping”. But that percentage of settling is huge.

I also understand the need to give consumers a sense that they are getting a lot for their money. But that feeling wears off very quickly when the consumer is shocked like this. And I understand the need for a product to be a “billboard” on the shelf.

If manufacturers could all agree to use real packaging, the playing field would be level. (Ha – that will never happen!) Transportation and packaging costs could be saved. Be courageous, oh you cereal manufacturers! Make your small packages a statement of how you care for your customers and the environent!

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A sense of occasion

dove-occasionDove got it right. I received this chocolate bar for Christmas. When I opened the package, I was surprised to find three individually-wrapped bars. They were wrapped in gold foil and in a “pouch”.

The chocolate? Nothing extraordinary. But the package gets high marks.

Takeaway: How can you add a sense of specialness to what you are presenting? How can you make your recipients feel special?

Note: the outside is shown smaller than the inside. I just thought you might enjoy seeing both.

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Seared conscience

titles-on-billDuring the new year’s holidays, we broke away from normal life for a family overnight at a nearby hotel. It was a fitting way to see in the new year. We had a great time. The kids spent half the time swimming. Heather and I joined them some but enjoyed reading a bit by the side of the pool.

One of the times they were swimming, I did a little channel surfing in the room. I was shocked to see the way the default channel advertised “risque” movies. It basically said, “Rent whatever you like – it will not appear on your bill.” Implication – your spouse or boss will not know how you spent that lonely hour or two.

Reality (I hope) – your conscience will know how you spent that lonely hour or two. Or if your conscience is seared enough that it won’t bother you, the ripple effects later will. I’ve seen that secret habit destroy two marriages. It’s not worth it.

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Some things should not be combined

iJukeboxWhile visiting Target recently, I spied this lovely entertainment device. Crosley would like you to combine your iPod with a jukebox.

I put forth the idea that some things should not be combined. I daresay the sound quality is not quite what you might find for a different expenditure of $99 plus tax.

What things have you encountered recently that should not have been combined?

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Avatar review

avatarAvatar was indeed a 5-star movie. It had a romance, a plot, incredible special effects – and believability, in a science-fiction sort of way.

I thought it is worth seeing now, as opposed to later via a DVD. The scope of the scenery and the 3D effects were worth the extra expense and hassle of seeing it in a theater.

My favorite part was the texture – rich and deep. James Cameron and his crew lavished massive amounts of attention to detail.

The downside? The battle scenes were too long for my taste. Two hours and 42 minutes cut down to just two hours would have made the movie that much better.

The verdict? Get thee to a theater.

I borrowed the picture came from the film’s website.

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The big change

09-10-transitionI dunno about you, but I haven’t seen much about the change of the decade. It seems like a bigger deal to me than what I’ve seen. In some ways, Friday is just another day – but in other ways, it’s good to remember that we are entering a new decade!

Happy new year.

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Shiny bits in a place I have never been

Shiny-Bits-01Shiny-Bits-03My friend Johanna put some of my Shiny Bits stickers in prominent places in Waxhaw, North Carolina – just before leaving town. I appreciate her willingness to spread the word of this site to places that have never heard of Shiny Bits before.

“This bridge defines Waxhaw. Everyone who visits Waxhaw, everyone who lives in Waxhaw has to walk across the famous bridge, and of course pause at the very top, where the sticker now lies.” (I am hoping that one of Waxhaw’s more conservative parishioners didn’t remove it before nightfall.)

The lower shot is near a very sacred place in Waxhaw.

Again, if you want some for your creative positioning ideas, just send me a note via a comment.

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Trabant

trabantKottke, the author of another of my favorite websites, did a story on how a company is updating the Trabant.

The Trabant, you see, is one of the worst cars ever made. (Thank you, formerly communist Eastern Europe.) It was a horrible polluter, terribly unreliable, ugly – and I have now run out of bad superlatives. This company is making it into a fun car that would be desirable to almost anyone that likes new little cars. (Me. In fact, I’d like one for Christmas.)

Humans sometimes amaze me in a good way.

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Acceptance

scottish-danceI’m not a dancer.

Heather is much more open to such things than I am. Early in our marriage, she realized that my reluctance to do stuff that I am horrible at was strong enough that it wasn’t worth dragging me to things like Scottish dances. These days – twenty years after we said “I do” – we have found enough things that we both enjoy doing together. And she has accepted my complete lack of coordination in the area of dancing.

The lady I dated before meeting Heather was really into Scottish dancing. That might explain a little more of my fear of that form of art.

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