Newsletter/Blog
Totally Tubular
I never knew toilet paper could be exciting until I met Dave.
Dave joined me in the Veryfine Marketing Research Department in the early days of 1993 after a two-year stint at James River, maker of Quilted Northern bathroom tissue. He entertained us with stories of the brand’s relaunch the year before. Segmentation studies had characterized different types of toilet-tissue users. Press releases detailing the segments had persuaded radio personalities to talk about the product.
Clearly James River employees and their marketing agencies had both great creativity and a good sense of humor.
Driving Miss Millennial
Last Wednesday, my husband Dan and I took a two-hour course on the Massachusetts junior operator driving laws with hints on how to teach our son AJ to drive.
Like every other childhood milestone, approaching this one for my son conjures memories of my own experience. Being the eldest child in my family, I believe it was my driving education that caused my father’s first gray hairs.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Would you hire an ambulance driver to repave your driveway?
My parents did.
Two days before Thanksgiving in 1980, my mother broke her ankle. She tripped on something left on the stairs while she was descending and carrying a laundry basket that blocked her view.
My mother is an overachiever and this was no simple break. A neighbor called for an ambulance which came and took her to the hospital where she had surgery soon thereafter.
What Barbara Walters Can Teach You About Marketing
To say that I was a curious child is an understatement. I asked questions relentlessly. I was always trying to figure out how things worked and to understand why people did what they did. My parents patiently answered my questions, probably hoping I would outgrow the phase.
It never happened.
When I landed in the field of marketing research, my mother was not surprised. Now I got to ask questions for a living. I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews and scores of focus groups.
But I have nothing on Barbara Walters.
How to Score Big on the Small Stuff
On March 18 of this year, I was signing into Sirius XM Radio online when the graphic above caught my eye.
It wasn’t the flying baseballs. Or the blue sky.
It was the spring traning. T-r-a-n-i-n-g.
I was born with an observant nature and a proofreading eye. Most of the time, my observations have been welcome and have served me well.