Is There Anything That Isn't Sponsored These Days?

Now that I'm working in the advertising/marketing industry, I understand more than ever how important it is for companies to get their name out there as much as possible. In fact, a big part of my job is to use Web 2.0 sites to promote my company (CPX Interactive!) and make connections. But, that said, I think sponsorships have gotten a little crazy.

I started thinking about this yesterday as I was stuck in traffic on the Northern State Parkway, one of Long Island's finest roadways. As the traffic report came on, it was introduced as "Insert Company Name Here Traffic," but when the traffic person started the report, they said that today's traffic was sponsored by "Insert Other Company Name." Then, as I flipped between stations throughout my ride, I found that this was the case on several of the stations I listen to, AND the overall traffic sponsor (the first Insert Name Here) is the same on all of these stations. Isn't that like some sort of weird monopoly?

So, this led me to think about other strange sponsorships I've seen in recent years. Sporting events are the source of pretty much all of these occurrences. For example, the nets on the goalposts at college football games, and a different sponsor for pre-game, halftime, post-game, random stats report mid-game, timeouts, replays, and players of the game. And we can't forget that pretty much every sporting arena in the country has a corporate sponsor and name, and some companies sponsor teams, or the CEO of the company is also the owner of a team. A little ridiculous, no?

Yes, I understand that companies need to advertise, and they try to think of innovative ways to do so. But, every time I see something like this, it makes me think about just how far it could go. Will companies one day compete to put their logo on sweat towels, yard lines, and basketball nets? Will they want to sponsor Wednesday's weather report or every rap song that a radio station plays? I know, some of these are a bit of a stretch, but you really never know.

I'm curious, what's the weirdest thing you've seen sponsored? Any creative ideas for how far it could go in the future? Feel free to leave comments!

CPX Interactive Takes Over the Web!

Check out this new page on the CPX site! It provides links to all of our (super cool) Web 2.0 pages. Creating and maintaining our accounts on these sites is a major part of my job, so to see the fruits of my labor out there for the world to see is a nice feeling. Enjoy!

TIME Magazine's Top 25 Blogs 2009

This week, TIME Magazine released it’s second annual ranking of the world’s top blogs. The list includes a wide variety of sites, large and small, personal and company run, serious and funny, old and new. As a personal blogger, and admin of CPX Interactive blogs, I wanted to see what a blogger has to do to receive such an honor as Top 25. I learned that multimedia is key. In this interactive age, photos and videos are a must. Each of these blogs is unique, and each has a clear message and purpose behind it. Some of them have some pretty witty tag lines, too. So, whether you blog for yourself or your company, or don’t blog at all, these 25 are worth a look.

Check out my post on the CPX blog to read more about “the best of the blogosphere.”

The Power of Facebook to Reconnect

Oh, Facebook. It never ceases to amaze me. Some people love it, some hate it, but everyone agrees that the concept behind it is nothing short of genius. Back when Facebook was founded in 2004, I was still a senior in high school, and when Facebook began to take over the world later that year, I was starting my college years at QU. So, in a weird way, Facebook has grown as matured as I have. Back in the day (hey, in Internet years, it's been a long time!) you could only join Facebook if you had a college e-mail address. Then they expanded to high school, and eventually offered company networks and the "no network" option. Over the past 5 years, Facebook has endured a litany of criticism on various issues (especially the infamous news feed), but it has continued to suceed, expand and prosper.

Okay, I bet you're wondering why I'm giving a Facebook history lesson here, so I'll get to my point. The reason I love Facebook is for what it was originally created to do: connect people. As someone who has always had friends all over the country, FB has allowed me to keep tabs on the people I care about. "Facebook stalking," creepy though it may sound, is actually a very useful way to stay up to date on your friends lives. Let me make it clear that I don't believe Facebook (or any other social networking site or application) should replace real person-to-person contact, or the phone for that matter, but I don't agree with those who say social sites prevent young people from learning how to communicate. It's just a different way of communicating.

Just recently, an old friend who I hadn't spoken to in a long time wrote on my wall to say she's been thinking of me and hopes I'm doing well. It made me smile, and I'm glad she had a way to send me this message. A few weeks ago, I became Facebook friends with a girl, now young woman, who I used to babysit for when she was younger. I'd been wondering for a long time how she was doing, and when I found out she is now a college freshman, I thought I'd try to connect through Facebook. (Once I got over the shock, of course.) I can leave messages whenever I want, even for friends in different time zones, I can play a game of Scrabble with someone across the country or across the world, and I can get a life update on hundreds of friends in a matter of minutes. At CPX, we're using Facebook as another way to get our name out there with a fan page.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that Facebook is without faults, and some of the changes haven't been for the good, in my opinion. For example, I'm not so keen on the idea of my parents getting an account, fortunately they're not either at this point. But, I will always be grateful for the invaluable opportunity to reconnect. So, the next time you're annoyed at FB for some reason, think about all the people you wouldn't be in touch with otherwise. Everyone has a story.

The Amazing World of Twitter

Twitter, like blogging, was something that I thought was really cool, but never thought I would be able to get into. Today I am officially saying that I was wrong... again. I have joined the thousands who "tweet," and it's pretty awesome. I never felt like I could post anything serious as my Facebook status, and I was always cautious of going overboard with status updates. One of the great things about Twitter, is that constant updates are greatly encouraged. It's also been a helpful networking tool for us at CPX Interactive. We have a company Twitter, and I've been tweeting on my feed about things I'm doing here and posting links.

It's amazing who you can find on Twitter. From the President and VP, to friends from high school and college, to celebrities, to non-profit organizations, to sports teams...I'm currently following, President Obama, the (unofficial feed of the) New England Patriots, Save Darfur, Pat McGee, and Facebook, just to name a few. It's quite the combination! So, if this blog's not enough info and you want to know what I'm doing at all times (I know you do! LOL), follow me.

Being Thankful for the Good Things

Sometimes life can get pretty overwhelming. Bad things happen, things change, hearts break, life as you knew it disappears. It's so easy to drown in sorrow and let the negative things consume you. Sure, there are days when you just need to be sad and let yourself feel the things you'd rather not feel. But, if you're lucky, there are people in your life who will be with you through it all. They'll support you in different ways, and you may not even fully realize what they mean to you until one seemingly small gesture or an unexpected call or e-mail. Even if they can't physically be there for you, knowing they truly care is just as important.

I am so thankful for my friends and family and the people who care about me. I don't know where I'd be without them. And I am very grateful for my job at CPX Interactive. After applying to near 80 positions, I am so lucky to have ended up at such a great company. There are times when you can't help but get lost in the negative, but make sure you take a moment to enjoy the positive things in your life. On that note, thank you to everyone who reminds me of the positive. You are my foundation...

The Amazing World of Electronics and Internet

I've been talking with a few of the execs here to learn more about their history, and how they ended up at CPX. It's so amazing to think about just how much the Internet has changed and developed in my lifetime. I know I sound like an old fogey, but think back to your teenage years or earlier...it's just crazy the advances that have been made.

It's interesting though how the younger generations tend to take this technology for granted. They can't imagine a world without Internet, Facebook, iPods, smartphones, and cell phones. Who knows what the future will hold? I just hope it doesn't get to the point where people don't have real conversations anymore. If you saw Wall-E, you know what I'm talking about. Yeah, technology is great, and without it, we would have a lot harder time keeping in touch with people who we don't see every day. With friends who are across the country and around the world right now, I'm so grateful for IM, e-mail, and web cams.

But, I don't ever want to get to the point where I'm so engrossed in my technological world that I forget about the importance of human contact. There is nothing like a face to face conversation or a hug from a friend. Every time I feel like I've been glued to the computer screen for too long, I just think about those people in Wall-E who sat in their chairs all day with their digital screen in their face, and didn't even know there were other people all around them. What a horrible tragedy it would be if that actually happened in our world.

Entering the Blogosphere

As a journalism student at Quinnipiac University, I wasn't so sure about blogs. I knew that the online space had changed the definition of "journalist" forever, and that was a little unsettling. But, now that I've been working with so many different Web 2.0 resources as Marketing Assistant for CPX Interactive, I thought I'd give it a try. So, first, the name...if you don't know what movie I'm referencing, you are way behind on your pop culture. It's from Forest Gump, for those who are out of the loop, and I chose this quote as my blog title because Forest was exactly right when he said, "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get."

Second, the blog itself. I definitely don't claim to know everything at 23 years old. In fact, like pretty much everyone, I have days when I feel like I don't know anything. But, I've experienced a lot and learned countless valuable lessons, so I think I have something worthwhile to share.

So, my first nugget of wisdom: When my friend Max passed away this summer (far too soon, at the age of 21), my dad gave a beautiful eulogy. He looked out at Max's young friends who had come to pay their respects and told them that the best way to honor their friend's memory was to take care of themselves and each other, and make smart decisions. He told them to make every moment count. This is a mantra that I have been trying to live by, and I've found that it's a refreshing way to look at life. Not only is life like a box of chocolates, but it can be a roller coaster too. You never know when something really good or really bad is going to happen.

So, make every moment count...tell people how much they mean to you, make new friends, speak out, stand up for something you believe in, be there for someone who needs you, thank those who have been there for you, take chances, try something new, don't be afraid to follow your dreams, follow through, smile at a stranger, forgive...so down the road you can look back without regrets.