Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Translation, please?!

What does it mean when a client sends you a job opportunity - at another advertising agency? Is this a hint?

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Moms are lonely, survey says

Gather, an online social network to make new friends and form new social circles, and Mom Central Consulting, a social media agency specializing in Marketing to Moms, today are releasing the results of a survey conducted to understand moms' social habits online. 

[FULL DISCLOSURE: this information came to me from a PR contact representing Gather...an organization that helps people meet online (and as a result, a beneficiary of "loneliness") All that said...the results are interesting.]

More than 1300 Gather Moms answered an in-depth questionnaire about their online and offline behaviors, as well as attitudes about networking, community connectivity, and sense of self. Mom Central Consulting's analysis reveals that the majority of Moms (60%) feel lonely and unsupported in their day-to-day lives and have turned online – to social networking sites, community forums and chat rooms – to make new friends.

The results of the survey show that over 60% of Moms have made a new friend online in the last year connecting around shared passions, life stories, and parenting issues. The data also shows that of Moms who've made new online friends, over 30% have turned the connection into a lasting offline friendship. 1 in 3 Moms also report sharing things with online friends that they do not share with offline ones.

 

Key statistics from the release:

o    40% of Moms report they do not have a "best friend" or someone with whom they can share everything

  • 4 out of 5 Moms feel that they don't have enough friends in their lives
  • 60% of Moms say they have had feelings of loneliness in the past month and report feeling most lonely when their children are under the age of five and again when parenting teens (14-18yrs)
  • Over 60% of Moms reported making a new friend online in the past year
  • More than a third - 34% - have turned an online friendship into a lasting offline one

o    Over 50% of Moms feel they do not get enough support from their spouse

  • Less than 50% of Moms surveyed live near any family
  • Moms who've made friends online have connected most around their shared passions and interests (71%), personal stories (42%), and parenting issues (29%)

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

School Lunch Survey Results

An online social network recently conducted a survey of Moms to determine the most popular back to school lunches.

Some highlights from the survey:

  • There is a nearly even split between those that pack lunches (52%) or buy school lunch (48%)
  • The PB&J is the most popular (37%), but a surprising 24% of parents don't pack a sandwich for their kid's lunches.
  • Which fruit is most favored? In a close race, the banana came out on top with 33% of the vote, followed by apple with 31% and grapes with 26%.
  • More parents pack fruit juice (38%) than milk (35%) for their child's lunch
  • When it comes to getting it there, the overwhelming majority (68%) of parents use insulated lunch bags, compared to 19% who "brown bag it" and 13% who use the classic plastic lunchbox.