This song is written and dedicated to Nelson Mandela by Canadian Jazz Legend Sonny Greenwich. It is an amazing tribute and can be heard here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXAn1gqo818&feature=em-share_video_user

We are all used to our daily emails from social media discounters such as Groupon. Well, a few days ago, Groupon once again changed the online discount landscape by offering deals that YOU don’t even have to pay for. How is that possible?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/11/20/groupon-freebies-coupons/3644717/

eMarketing Canada is very pleased to be working with the world renowned Italian company Bellelli whose child bicycle seats are among the best and safest in the world.

Did you know that Bellelli owns  MammaCangura-na.com.

MammaCangura sells balance bikes, children’s bike seats, and bike trailers for cargo and for kids! Parents Canada Magazine and Vélo Urbain Magazine have both done articles on their products in the month of July. More information here: http://www.mammacangura-na.com/whats_new.html

The effect that social media coupons are having on your business category is something you have to take very seriously. Because chances are you are losing business because of the Groupon Effect!

Simply put, in your geographical area the market for your services/products is only so big and if a competitor serving that same market segment and area offers an amazing social media coupon of between 30% to 60% off, YOU may find that few if any new customers are looking for your services at the prices you want to charge.

The following articles discuss what it’s like for your competitors who choose to have a social media coupon campaign. The good news is your competitor may go bankrupt because of the deal. The bad news is, your target market now expects to pay a lot less than what you need to charge for the services/products you offer.

http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2011/03/18/why-groupon-is-bad-for-business-and-consumers/#.UVBh0jdE9lh

http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-perils-of-social-coupon-campaigns/

http://www.mediabadger.com/2013/02/coupons-and-social-media-a-risk/

In a brilliant public relations move, Pepsi Max and Nascar legend Jeff Gordon took an unsuspecting car salesman on a wild ride.

Jeff Gordon disguised himself and mounted hidden cameras in his glasses and Pepsi MAX can before taking the used 2009 Chevrolet Camaro and the salesman on a test drive of a life time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Q5mHPo2yDG8

Click image to enlarge

Should anyone and everyone be able to read your tweets and respond to them or do you want more control over who reads and answers your tweets. There is no right or wrong answer and you can easily try both options in your twitter account

Great article on how to decide.

http://howto.techworld.com/security/3262356/should-i-protect-my-twitter-account/

My son emailed me this link about 8 famous examples where people took the law into their own hands and using online resources, went after a person whom they perceived as having broken societies rules.

http://www.cracked.com/article_17170_8-awesome-cases-internet-vigilantism_p2.html

I am not making this up. Like all of you, I take every possible precaution before I open an email, download an attachment or visit a website I don’t know. My assumption is my anti-virus software will protect me.

WRONG!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/technology/antivirus-makers-work-on-software-to-catch-malware-more-effectively.html?ref=nicoleperlroth&_r=0
By NICOLE PERLROTH
Published: December 31, 2012 in the NY Times.

Even though Loblaw’s and YoPro Yogurt are now talking, Loblaw’s HUGE mistake is they are not using social media to counter the very negative publicity they have received.

Their silence is hurting them badly.

While their lawyers may be advising them to remain silent, that is not the way to go. At the very least they could upload a video of Galen Weston Jr the owner of Loblaw’s where he talks to us, his customers, explaining how he is doing all that he can do to resolve the situation. And that he will keep us all updated.

If their idea is to issue press releases and give interviews to reporters, it isn’t working. We, the people have effectively replaced traditional media as the voice of the news.In the age of 24/7 twitter and Blogs, silence is usually a very bad strategy.

As in most sensational news story, the accused get huge headlines, the result of the trial, even if innocent of all charges is usually buried on page 6. No matter how this issue with YoPro Yogurt is resolved, here is a prediction: Even if YoPro wins on all points, that news will never be as viral as the original complaint.

What should Loblaw’s have done? They could have uploaded their own video within 24 hours and linked it from the original. All they had to say was that they were concerned, trying to resolve this and planning to meet with YoPro to discuss all as soon as possible. No admissions of any kind, but that would have diffused a lot of the negative publicity.

Yopro continues to suffer as a result of all of this http://www.yoprotreats.com/notice3.php

The story is still unfolding but the two sides did meet as discussed here:

http://business.financialpost.com/2012/12/14/yopro-loblaws-youtube-video/

Visit the YoPro Web site here: http://www.yoprotreats.com/notice3.php