Alleblog

by Nancy Landis, Account Coordinator

You heard the sayings, “You had to be there” and “If you only knew…”. There are the times when you wish you could be “there” or have other people understand what you are experiencing. This was my heart was this past week as my daughter, along with a team of 27, was on a missions trip in Haiti.

Within minutes of the news hitting the airwaves, there were three cell phones ringing in the room. We got on the computer and checked out the latest information. Within the next hour, a whole church community and their connections all over the world were made aware of the events. From that moment on, every time someone at home got a message from Haiti, it was immediately spread to the families and community, and from there to all the connections each of us had on Facebook, through Twitter, texting, email and cell phone. At a time as life-changing as this, the Haiti team was not alone.

The team had the concerns and prayers of thousands, many of whom did not know them personally, all through the power of social media. They received messages of support. Messages of love. Messages of hope. All through Facebook or Twitter. Having the resources of a huge community and not just a circle of a few, made all the difference in their options for getting home. They were a team of 27 going to serve, but their efforts were multiplied by thousands. Through such an unsettling week, social media made all the difference.

This is my story. However, it can be heard again and again. In Advertising Age, an article titled “The Earthquake in Haiti, Social Media and Me: A Personal Reflection”, speaks about the positive effects social media had on the families of Haiti.

http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=141497

By Jamie Allebach

As if things aren’t tough enough in our current economy, the government is tightening the noose around the necks of food and beverage companies and restaurants with yet more scrutiny and REGULATION.

What does this mean to you? Here are a few highlights: If you are making any type of “claims” in your advertising, packaging, or menus be prepared to have the government rear it’s ugly head on your doorstep.

It’s no longer going to be acceptable to have an accurate Nutrition Facts Panel on the backside of food products. Now, you will be penalized if you state or even imply “better for you” claims on your product packaging or advertising. For instance, if you claim NO TRANSFAT, but don’t point out the fact (more than simply stating it on the Nutrition Facts Panel) that there is SATURATED FAT in your product, you will be in violation of new regulations.

The beverage industry is under assault, with sugary drinks being blamed for obesity among youth (although I can remember drinking more than my fair share of Coke and Dr. Pepper as a kid, without being “obese”). Government tactics include targeted taxes on sugar beverages and PSA’s and advertising warning of the “danger” of drinking soda. Seem a bit tyrannical?

We’ve all been hearing in the news how the restaurant industry is being mandated to post calorie and other nutritional information on menus and in facilities. Look, when I’m out to eat at a nice restaurant…I don’t want to know how many calories are in the meal I’m about to eat! And, neither do most people. That’s why it’s called indulgence!

The government is continuing to scrutinize and over-regulate the food and beverage industry, making it more and more difficult to run a profitable business. Don’t take it lying down! Join your industry trade groups, help fund organizations and lobbyists who are on your side and the side of freedom. Don’t forget, this is still America