Actor Greg Grunberg to be LIVE on MomTV June 30th at 10 PM EST

Danielle from Extraordinarymommy.com will be conducting a special 30 minute interview with Greg Grunberg on June 30th at 7 PM PST / 10 PM EST to talk about his cause: epilepsy on MomTV.

From a recent Press Release:

TV, FILM AND MUSIC STARS SPEAK OUT ABOUT SEIZURES TO HELP FIND CURE FOR EPILEPSY

HOLLYWOOD, March 26, 2009 – Actor, Greg Grunberg, star of shows such as Heroes, Felicity, and Alias, and leader of Band From TV, unveils Talk About It today. TalkAboutIt.org is a new star-studded Web site created to educate the world about seizures and epilepsy on behalf of the 50 million people around the globe, who are coping with the condition, including his oldest son.

TalkAboutIt.org features celebrities of television, film and music talking about epilepsy awareness and proper seizure first aid.

Grunberg collaborated with the Epilepsy Foundation and its professional advisory board of epilepsy experts to create the medical presentations on the site, and ensure the most accurate and timely information is available to site visitors.

The site also features an online community where the public can post videos, photos, stories and make other creative contributions highlighting their participation in fulfilling the Talk About It Promise to raise awareness and end the misperceptions about people with epilepsy in communities throughout America and around the globe.

“Being the parent of a child with epilepsy can be such a lonely feeling,” Said Grunberg. “Going through the process of finding any way you can to make your child better is complicated and draining. But, what we found even more emotionally devastating was how society reacted to people with epilepsy. Most people don’t know what epilepsy is, what to do when someone has a seizure, or how they should respond when they hear someone has epilepsy. I created Talk About It.org so parents of children with epilepsy – anyone with epilepsy – will not feel isolated or afraid ever again. I am so excited and thankful so many of my friends joined me to spread the Talk About It Promise.”

Grunberg’s ALIAS co-star Jennifer Garner, Grammy-winning artist John Mayer and the entire HEROES cast are among the celebrities helping fulfill the Talk About It Promise.

“Greg Grunberg has been a strong advocate for our community and has helped significantly in bringing epilepsy out of the shadows.” said Eric Hargis, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation “Now, with Talk About It.org, Greg has brought together dozens of celebrity friends and helped provide a platform for everyone –with or without epilepsy – to literally talk about it. I believe that with TalkAboutIt.org and other Epilepsy Foundation resources nationally and locally, we are at the tipping point to end the stigma around epilepsy and seizures.”

About Epilepsy When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they have epilepsy, which affects 3 million people in the United States and 40 to 50 million people worldwide. This year, another 200,000 people in our country will be diagnosed with epilepsy. To date, there is no known cure.

About Greg Grunberg Greg Grunberg, whose oldest son has seizures, has been a vigorous advocate for epilepsy awareness on the national stage and in the Los Angeles area. Grunberg serves as spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation’s annual National Walk for Epilepsy in Washington, DC. He also is an active supporter of the Pediatric Epilepsy Project at UCLA and of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Grunberg is best known for starring roles on the television series ‘Felicity,’ ‘ALIAS,’ and currently on ‘Heroes.’

About the Epilepsy Foundation The Epilepsy Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the goal of ensuring that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences, and works to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education, advocacy and research. For more information, visit www.EpilepsyFoundation.org.

Word Of Mom: Good + Bad Buzz

by Lolita Carrico, Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 1:00 PM

Good ol' fashioned sampling campaigns -- which put products directly in the hands of influencers for feedback and buzz -- have made a resurgence, thanks to savvy, new methods that target consumers via online communities, social media agencies and dedicated services. Even in a dismal advertising climate, eMarketer expects social media and word-of-mouth spending to increase by 17% in 2009 because such tactics can prove ROI friendly with greater engagement and reach than traditional media.

Programs like Psst, VocalPoint and ModernMom.com's Mom Tested empower consumers to try products and share their feedback -- whether negative or positive -- for their peers to consult before making a purchase.

So, why would a marketer take the chance of being panned by an influential target market in a mass forum? One word: authenticity. According to a recent eMarketer report, 50% of moms find online reviews from "others like me" to be a valuable source of information. One glowing review or a slew of positive comments lacks substance while, a majority of honest compliments among a few criticisms brings authenticity and is worth the risk.

Glenn Williams, a manager for P&G's Mr. Clean brand has gladly offered products for review to online users. "The reason we did it," he said, "is that we look at products like our Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and we know that the best influencer for the purchase of that is a peer. We wanted to get mom peers talking about the product."

So, how do marketers get involved in effective sampling and word of mouth campaigns? Some pointers:

1. Target the recipients of your product: You know your product best and who should test it. Determine a clear set of demographics and psychographics to fine tune your sample list against. Deploy a custom survey to further fine tune recipients if necessary. The key here is not to control the group, but place the product in hands of likely consumers. Target wisely: Don't send cheeseburger offers to vegans.

2. Look for a partner with an engaged community: Sites that offer reviews but lack consistent repeat traffic for other content and community lack engagement. Ideally, you want to look for readers who are connected to their peers and trust their opinions within a community that they are active in.

3. Continue to engage with your influencers: Consider making some consumers from these tests your product evangelists -- whether they offer feedback to you directly on occasion, or participate consistently on your brand site or continue to spread the word to potential consumers. "Real" consumers who believe in your product and can offer an honest voice -- though careful to disclose any relationships or compensation -- can prove to be highly effective.

Word of mouth strategies are effective on many levels. The key is to be authentic in your outreach and expect authentic feedback in return.

How did P&G's Williams feel about a few negative reviews of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser product?

"I was not disappointed that a small percentage of reviews were less than favorable," he says. "It only adds credibility. If all of them were favorable, well, that's not the real world."

JOIN ME, ELECTROLUX AND KELLY RIPA IN GETTING COOL FOR A CAUSE

Please visit my lemonade stand and help support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. When you buy a virtual glass of lemonade, 100% of the proceeds will go to OCRF to support research to find a cure, and you will be entered for a chance to win a new French Door Refrigerator with Perfect Temp Drawer™ from Electrolux. Plus, for every lemonade stand opened, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF*.

Every effort helps in the fight against ovarian cancer. I hope that you will join our campaign!

Stephanie

*As part of its lemonade stand campaign, for each stand opened, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF (with a minimum of 10k and a maximum of 15k)

Moms Rule The Web

by Jack Humphrey on June 8, 2009

According to eMarketer, 34 Million moms log onto the web each month. That makes them one of the largest user groups online today. They’re powerful too. I call them the “momfia!”

They may look unimposing. But just cross them in the wrong way and you’re in a whole heap of trouble! Ignore them and you’re missing out. Get on their good sides, respect them, and just see what can happen!

What’s the big deal about moms?

1. They know more about what the kids are doing online - so they know more about the web in general.
2. They make the bulk of household purchase decisions.
3. They chat it up - mommy blogs have some of the highest comment counts of any blogs on the web today.
4. They network. Mommy blogger groups are everywhere. And they are some of the most networked people on the web today.
5. They take each other seriously. Their brand of networking is not just casual. They are pretty hardcore about using their groups to help each other a lot more than other groups do.

Here are 10 misconceptions about Mommy bloggers from a mommy blogger who knows.

What do moms have to do with you?

Well, the household purchase decisions should have you sitting up in your seat. What can you do to make sure you are “mom friendly” in your marketing? How about how you describe your products and services? Do you sound like someone a mom would follow, buy from, or blog about?

Mom’s have a language of their own online. They have special keywords that evoke meanings that are different for them than other people.

Knowing these things can help you reach out in more meaningful ways to this powerful, savvy demographic. Because another thing moms do is buy from each other! Trust is everything for them, like with most people. But they are so well-connected, they don’t often have to go outside their circles to buy stuff they need or want.

They trust each others recommendations and buy according to what their circle likes.

Being recommended by a “hub mommy,” (someone who, by simply nodding in your direction, could send you tons of traffic and send sales soaring), is a big deal. Any advertiser can tell you that. More ad dollars are spent on mommy blogs than probably any other type of blog on the web! Advertisers know moms are one of the very most valuable audiences to get in front of on the web.

Learn about the mommy craze. This large group deserves your respect and attention when you are working to impress some of the most powerful people on the web!

Get to know mommy (or Mom) bloggers to get a feel for the Momfia

• Heather Armstrong - Dooce.com
• Amy Amy Lupold Bair - Resourceful Mommy
• Elizabeth King Humphrey - (no relation) :) Coastal Carolina Moms
• Laurie Turk - Tip Junkie
• Melanie Edwards - Modern Miami
• Jessica Smith - Jessica Knows
• Renegade Moms - Don’t Call It A Mommy Blog, Dammit!

Need More Mommy?

Check out Radical Parenting’s list of top 50 mommy bloggers.

FTC Changes And Social Media

by Robert Wheatley

Could proposed sweeping changes in Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines shipwreck social media marketing and alter the common practice of using third-party spokespeople to deliver brand messages?

"Agencies and clients, especially those working in the social media space, must understand that the FTC's efforts to address deceptive practices can create liability and exposure," said Michael Lasky, senior partner at Davis & Gilbert LLP, a New York law firm that specializes in advertising and communications law.

At issue are additions and modifications now under consideration in the FTC's, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials." Final ruling on the Guides is expected sometime later this summer or early fall. Behind the proposed changes is what Lasky terms, "The 10 Commandments of commercial marketing as found in Section 5 of the FTC Act -- summed up as -- thou shall not commit a false or deceptive practice." The FTC is working to address this: A blogger or spokesperson's failure to disclose a fact or event that could alter the consumer's decision regarding a product or service.

The exploding role citizen journalists and bloggers now play, and the long-standing practice of employing third-party spokespeople for media interviews sit squarely in the bull's-eye of the proposed ruling.

Where's the Danger Zone?

Clients and agencies should look closely at the FTC's efforts in order to steer out of harm's way and any attending legal entanglements. The danger zone and acquired liability arise when marketers pay bloggers or provide other "consideration" such as free products and services in return for a favorable post. The problem is not in the consideration or payment but failure to disclose it. And, thus, tempting a breakdown of the Mom Test -- would mom feel differently about what she reads or hears in a blog post or interview if certain facts were disclosed, whether they be material data or the matter of payment?

Need for Transparency

With liability looming on the horizon, now is the time to carefully examine practices and procedures to help address the disclosure issue up front.

Written Guidelines

Agencies and clients, if they haven't already, should adopt written guidelines that come into play when any "consideration" is involved. The guidelines must work explicitly to "make it clear the company wants the blogger to disclose whether any compensation or any other item of tangible value, such as free product, has been received in return for a favorable post or review," said Allison Fitzpatrick, associate counsel at Davis & Gilbert LLP.

Spokesperson Agreements

When outside third-party experts or celebrity spokespeople are retained for interviews, the acid test is whether or not the consumer will recognize the relationship is paid. According to Lasky, if it is not readily apparent that a celebrity or expert is under contract, then the relationship with the marketer should be mentioned.

Again, the disclosure rule of thumb is transparency first. Spokesperson agreements should specify that the relationship be acknowledged in any interview. This can be accomplished through a statement such as, "I'm here today on behalf of (brand name goes here)."

Again, these rules apply when "consideration" is involved. The world changed concerning what is protected under the First Amendment during the famed Nike vs. Kasky case that put press releases in the spotlight as a commercial marketing tool.

So in the new age of transparency and disclosure, brands should navigate the communications landscape with care about being upfront. Look to the Mom Test as a starting point in your decisions about what to say and when.

Pray for Noah - 2 Year Old NewBaby.com Community Member Drowning victim who suffered brain damage

Please be praying for the tragedy of 2 year old Noah Carter who is brain dead from a drowning accident in their pool at their home in Vista.

He was life flighted to Children's Hospital today. We don't know if the little boy will survive or not.

His parents, Tom and Cherie Carter, have other young children too. They are strong Christians and have a strong faith in our Lord, but, they are suffering in an unimaginable way right now.

The Carter Family will be taking Noah off of life support at a ceremony today at Noon. Your prayers are felt by all. There is still time for a miracle and we all believe the Lord is doing a mighty work in this tragic situation.

Noah looks so good. Healthy, good color, and at peace. His brain is completely dead, though. Only the stem remains alive and is keeping the heart beating. The nurses are saying it cannot get any worse as brain conditions go.

Please pray for the Carter Family today as they need to go through some grueling interviews and sign off paperwork for the life support and organ donations. Then they will have the official ceremony at Noon. This will be a tough day for the family.

Thank you for taking the time to pray for the Carters.

Live on MomTV What's for Dinner with Lisa @ 3PM Saturday

How People Share Online Video

Digital WOM

In a world of continuous technological change, the concept of “new” can get old.

Take online video, for example.

A few short years ago, the term “online video” was wishful thinking. Clips could only be slowly downloaded. They had to be viewed in tiny windows on the computer screen. Sound and graphics were primitive. Video was hardly a killer app.

But then, in a rush came—sometime between 2005 and 2006—YouTube in the US, Dailymotion in Europe and Tudou in China, video-sharing sites that all had three basic elements in common:

• Flash Player technology that enabled instant viewing in the browser, without downloading
• Upload-ability that made file-sharing with friends (as well as viewers around the world) quick and easy
• Embedding code that allowed users to post video clips on Webpages and blogs

Suddenly video was an open, consumer-driven platform, with virtually no cost of entry. As a result, online video moved from niche to mass market, and in the process became one of the fastest-growing media platforms in history.

According to “The Global Web Index,” from Trendstream, with research conducted by Lightspeed Research, early this year 72% of US Internet users watched video clips monthly—making video bigger than blogging or social networking.

According to the survey, 62% of US Internet users watched at least one clip a week, a figure that Lightspeed analysts translated into 97 million weekly viewers.

By contrast, Nielsen Online pegged the number of US online video viewers in April at nearly 117 million.

That scale of usage would mean online video in the US is now as big as network TV.

“This research shows that in just three years we’ve reached a watershed in the way that consumers expect to watch, contribute and share video content,” said Tom Smith of Trendstream. “Web users want to participate at every stage, including the creation and sharing of material.”

The age of online video viewers trends younger: 82% of teens (16-to-17-year-olds) and young adults (18 to 24) streamed video, compared with 73% of Generation X (25 to 34) and 65% of older boomers (55 to 64) who said they watched.

Online video-sharing was less common, with only 46% of users participating. While teen, young adult and Gen X sharing percentages hovered around 50%, the older the Internet users, the less likely they were to send videos.

One-half of all respondents shared videos via e-mail to friends and family. Twenty-three percent sent video out to friends on social networks, 21% by instant messenger and 14% to their friends on video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Hulu.

The most widely used platform for discovering and viewing video online was YouTube, followed by e-mail, music sites, Yahoo! and news sites.

Sharing appears to happen mainly among close friends, as 72% of video-sharers sent to just one, two or three people.

“Those who access video are completely engaged in the content that they choose to watch,” concluded Mr. Smith. “It’s an impactful universe.”

Beyond The Mommy Blogger

Beyond The Mommy Blogger

Maria Bailey, May 27, 2009 11:30 AM

A lot has been written about "mommy bloggers" -- a term, by the way, that most moms who blog dislike. Marketers clamor to sites with trips, product samples and incentives by the thousands. Rightfully so, marketers recognize the powerful influence these women have on their peers. It is a 180-degree move in the right direction and a long way from where companies were when Marketing to Moms was published a decade ago. However, there is risk involved in extremes, and focusing too narrowly on mom bloggers as your moms strategy can be dangerous. Before I go any further, I want to say that I believe wholeheartedly in the power of mom bloggers. In fact, I proudly count myself among the population of mom bloggers. But beyond being a blogger, I am a mom Vlogger, a Mom Tweeple, a Mom Webmaster, and a Mom Podcaster. Successful marketing in any segment of consumers requires an integrated approach of delivering relevant messages through multiple channels of communication. It is no different in the mom market. Marketers solely focusing their efforts on mom bloggers not only execute a partial marketing plan, but also miss two-thirds of the overall U.S. mom market. Consider the numbers. Respected social media groups estimate between 23 million and 26 million moms are in the blogosphere. Sounds like a huge group; however, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 83 million moms in our country. This means that only about one-third of all U.S. moms participate in blogging. If marketers are speaking to mothers only via bloggers, they are leaving two-thirds of their target audience untouched. To be successful, marketers must utilize a variety of channels to create a meaningful dialogue with mothers: 1. Video and Vlogging: According to BSM Media research, 90% of mothers have watched an online video in the past week. Yahoo says it's even higher. Moms visiting Newbaby.com, www.newbaby.com, a YouTube for moms, view 11-15 videos per session and they currently have over 500 mom Vloggers. Video is fun, and a mom can watch a three-minute solution-based video while cooking chicken tenders. Brand videos don't have to be fancy. They can even be B roll. Simply upload it to one of many mom video sites, or while you are sending product to bloggers, look for mom bloggers who do video. 2. In-Home Parties: Moms love to socialize and share. In-home parties or mom mixers are a great way to put your brand in the conversation. Moms invite their peers to share in themed gatherings that include product samples and fun activities. We've found that 80% of the moms who attend will tell three to five other moms about the sponsor brand. Another 10% will tell five to ten other mothers. That's powerful word of mouth at work. 3. Radio and Podcasts: There is no other communication medium that keeps up with the pace of mothers better than radio. Moms spend up to 75 minutes a day in their cars with radio. Podcasting takes it even one step further because it allows moms to enjoy selected programs as they push strollers or shop for groceries. Producing a podcast allows a company to connect with moms on iTunes or other podcast directories. If you aren't into broadcasting your own branded show, there are plenty of great Mom shows out there to sponsor. Today's mothers are carrying on hundreds of conversations a day and receiving information from numerous sources along the way. As a marketer, it's important to establish a meaningful dialogue with your consumer through multiple channels -- in blogs but also in their homes, in their cars and even face-to-face.

Matt Cutts from Google Shares Some Basic but often forgotten tips to being found in Google Search

Tonight on MomTV.com - Maria Bailey LIVE @ 8PM and Shynea from the PennyPinchingDiva @9PM EST

Tonight the Penny Pinching Diva is following up on last weeks topic with "How To Compose A Media Kit For Your Blog."

Maria Bailey will also be speaking more about how to work with PR and give some great insight into building your presence as a Mom Blogger!

Hot Topics Rocked MomTV Tonight - American Idol Had an Upset but Nothing More Exciting than over 200 Moms Stopping By MomTV

Next week @9PM Wednesdays Join @ExtraOrdMommy on MomTV on the Spin Cycle on MomTV! See what you missed... don't miss another round of HOT Topics and fun! LIVE

Live on MomTV The ExtraordinaryMommy ~ Danielle Wednesday Night 9PM EST Show - The Spin Cycle!

Giggle Talk about Natural Living Tuesday's 9 PM EST on MomTV

The first show is this Tuesday Night 9 PM EST! Giggle Talk Live: Green Diapering 101

Join Alaina as she share with you a few alternatives to the typical disposable diaper like cloth diapers, biodegradable diapers, and the new line from Huggies- Pure & Natural. She'll also have prizes!

Pass On YouTube - Grab MomTV ~Interview with me on StartupsLive.TV

Check out the interview that we did this week about MomTV ~

From the Startups Live Site:

Moms, do you worry about posting video of your children online? Worried that anyone can have access to your videos online? Wll moms, forget about YouTube! You now have your very own spot online to post your videos safely and can gain great friends along the way.

MomTV is THE spot for you!

Stephanie Piche, MomTV’s Community Director, stopped by StartupsLive TV to chat with us all about how MomTV came to life, all of the great features available to moms, and MomTV’s great launch during the first ever Mom’s Nite Out!

Newly launched May 2009, MomTV has taken sharing videos and vlogging to the next level. This brand new site for moms allows you to safely vlog about your children, share funny videos about your family, network with moms that share your same interests, and more! Another neat option - you can record your video right on MomTV or upload from your computer.

Not interested in vlogging? No worries! You can upload written posts just as easy and there is even a great option to do audio uploads. MomTV has thought of it all. And, I am sure if they feel they haven’t, it will be thought of and added soon.

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On a side note - we are looking for moms who want to host their own LIVE streaming show on MomTV. Stop by and check us out and submit your idea for a show!