Grumpy Editor

FAKE REVIEWS ON ONLINE SITES DRAW FEDERAL ATTENTION

While fake news has been widely covered in recent weeks, now the focus is on fake online reviews of retailers’ items, notes Grumpy Editor.

The Wall Street Journal points out “pressure is mounting on major retailers to fight back.”

The Journal notes Fakespot Inc., which identifies fraudulent reviews, says more than a third of online reviews on major websites, including Amazon and Walmart, are fake. Those reviews are generated by people paid to write them — or robots.

The Federal Trade Commission is starting to crack down on violators and lawmakers are pressing Amazon to do a better job of policing its website reviews.

Many people searching the web rely on reviews before buying products.

November-December online sales are expected to increase as much as 14 percent, according to the National Retail Federation.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

FIRST MOVIE THEATER DESIGNED FOR TALKIES TO END RUN.  At year’s end the Avalon, a classic 1,184-seat movie theater on California’s Santa Catalina Island will stop showing first-run films, ending a 90-year tradition.  Built in 1929 as part of the iconic Catalina Casino, it is the first cinema in the world designed for talkies.  Daily tours and special events such as Catalina Film Fest and Silent Film Benefit will continue.

BILL TO CURB ROBOCALLS.  The House, by a 417-3 vote, approved a bill to curb robocalls in an effort to halt illegal marketing calls and scams. It is expected to be approved in the Senate and signed by President Trump.

FEMALE MARINE COMPLETES COMBAT TRAINING.  Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth is the first female Marine to complete the Marine Corps’ rigorous reconnaissance training  since the Pentagon lifted a ban on women in combat roles in January, 2013.

NORTH KOREA PLANS 'CHRISTMAS GIFT.'  North Korea says it will send a "Christmas gift" to the United States, but what that means will depend on the outcome of ongoing talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

HEAVY TV VIEWING.  On a day-to-day basis, the average adult watches TV for three-and-a-half hours, amounting to 1,248 hours each year, finds a survey commissioned by LG Electronics.

15 CHAIRS BALANCED ON CHIN.  David Rush from Idaho appeared on TV to balance 15 chairs on his chin and recapture a Guinness World Record.  Rush previously held the record with eight chairs.

CHINA HALTS U.S. NAVY VISITS TO HONG KONG.  China is suspending U.S. Navy visits to Hong Kong in retaliation over President Trump’s decision to sign legislation that supported the city’s pro-democracy protesters. 

EAT COFFEE CUPS WHILE FLYING.  Air New Zealand is testing edible coffee cups in an effort to cut waste on board its airplanes. The cups are made from vanilla-flavoured biscotti. The airline serves more than eight million cups of coffee a year. 

VETERAN MONEY WRITER RETIRES.  Jane Bryant Quinn, writer of a money column in AARP Bulletin since 2010 is retiring.  She and her husband plan to live in Rome for a year.

 

 

Blue and black dress, hypoed on Web, boosts UK retailer

 

A blue and black dress (or was it white and gold) went viral on Friday, boosting interest in the garment, resulting in a fast sellout for British firm Roman Originals, leading Grumpy Editor to wonder if a sharp PR person was quietly involved with the startling overnight worldwide interest.

The big question that was debated in length on the Web, TV, radio and in print was the color of the dress.  Roman Originals’ website showed it clearly to be blue and black.  But some Web viewers saw white and gold.

It all started when Scottish singer Caitlin McNeil posted a picture of the dress on her Tumblr page and asked people if they thought it was black and blue or white and gold.

That led to a brisk debate on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and others.  Even scientific experts on color perception were brought in by print and broadcast media to discuss how visual information is processed.

 

 

All the chatter brought huge attention to Roman Originals.  The Birmingham, England firm started selling the blue and black dress three months ago.

Ian Johnson, the firm’s creative director, said sales averaged about 100 a week online and through stores.  Then on Friday morning, after the color chatter hit the Web, 300 dresses were sold in a half hour.

For those who view the dress as white and gold, the UK retailer was busy over the weekend working on that version.

Or will that be seen as green and gray?

 

FYI, IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE EDITORS MISSED THESE…

 

Climate change chatter subdued.  New York City experienced its coldest February in 81 years.  Other parts of the country felt the chilliest month in decades…Allied with this, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, tossed a snowball on the Senate floor as part of a speech expressing climate change skepticism.  He then went on to whack the Obama administration for focusing on global warming instead of terrorism…The 87th Academy Awards on ABC brought an 16 percent drop in TV ratings from the prior year.  Variety TV columnist Brian Lowry said:  “seldom has an Academy Awards presentation broken down so transparently over one significant shortcoming --- namely, the writing”…An online Stars and Stripes poll seeking the best all-time war movie picked Steven Spielberg's World War II "Saving Private Ryan”…California issued 110,000 driver's licenses to illegal immigrants since January…Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald apologized for misstating he served in the military's special forces, although he was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division…Former San Diego mayor Roger Hedgecock, saying he “reached a transition point in my life,” on Friday hosted his last nationwide radio talk show, on air for 29 years…The Army could be forced to cut thousands of its forces in Alaska, mandated under the Budget Control Act of 2011.

 

Think you are not getting paid enough?

 Try baseball.  Yoan Moncada, a 19-year old infielder who left Cuba in June, signed with the Boston Red Sox in a deal that included a record $31.5 million signing bonus.

 

Related articles

Official unemployment rate misleading, says Gallup CEO

'Loose lips' in Washington tip off battle plan for Iraq

Which shakes up folks most: global warming or asteroid?

Photos: 2015 Boston Red Sox Spring Training - Day 1.

Confidence in print/television news remains weak; Frito-Lay lures personal information from its Cheetos munchers

A Gallup poll finds confidence in U.S. newspapers and television news continues to be weak, notes Grumpy Editor.

Confidence in newspapers slips to 23 percent in the survey earlier this month, not quite touching the 22 percent level, the low point reached in 2007, and is less than half the high of 51 percent in 1979.

TV news clicks up a bit to 23 percent from its low point of 21 percent last year. But that’s far below confidence at 46 percent reached in 1993.

What’s going on?

Gallup points out “newspapers and television news had been struggling for years to figure out how to adjust their strategy for a growing Internet audience.”

It adds growth of social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook caused “news outlets and journalists to work to find their place on them.”

Gallup notes, “Social sites and the Internet in general, as well as the 24/7 television news cycle, have challenged traditional media outlets and brought new ones to the fore, creating an increasingly complex --- and sometimes messy --- news environment.

“While individual news consumers have better access to news and to journalists than ever before, the struggles of the news industry seem to be affecting Americans' confidence in it.”

 

Cheetos munchers get ‘thanks for participating’

Is Frito-Lay Inc., Plano, Texas, using a marketing gimmick to gather personal information on Cheetos munchers?

Frontsides of the orange corn meal snack package now on grocers shelves proclaim: “You could WIN a one-in-a-minion family adventure to Universal Orlando.”  Details on the backsides. 

There, a crunchy muncher sees how to “enter for a chance to WIN the ultimate VIP family trip to Universal Orlando Resort…or thousands of movie tickets to go see Despicable Me 2 in theaters.” 

Munchers are instructed to go to a website, enter a nine digit code on the package and “see if you’ve won movie tickets or a family trip to Universal Orlando Resort.” 

The Frito-Lay buyer enters his/her age and e-mail address. 

But for a muncher there’s no word on winning the Florida trip or even movie tickets, despite capital letters on the packaging promising “SEE IF YOU’VE WON.” 

In the Frito-Lay info-gathering process, all one gets is: 

“YOU'RE ENTERED FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A ONE-ON-A-MINION ADVENTURE.  FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! 

“THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING." 

 

In case you missed these… 

With President Barack Obama’s speech tomorrow focusing on climate change, and curbing coal-fired power plants, look for looming higher power bills if abundant coal is destined for abandonment as low-cost fuel --- something most media are reluctant to spell out to budget-squeezed readers/viewers…Not touched on in the scant print/broadcast coverage of last week’s Tea Party Patriots-organized “Audit the IRS” rally at the U.S. Capitol:  In a vocal three-word message aimed at U.S. media, thousands chanted “do your job,” relating to covering IRS scandals targeting conservative groups along with the agency’s upcoming controversial role with ObamaCare. 

Imagine the TV sports audience for this:  Fox Sports dusts off seven-month old high school football footage (a replay from a Pac-5 game between Southern California’s Santa Margarita Eagles vs. El Toro Chargers) rather than a live makeup baseball game between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday following the previous night’s rainout of their New York City game slated for Fox Sports coverage. 

Newspaper happenings:  Ad Age reports Pittsburgh is the best city for a print newspaper, with 51 percent of people surveyed saying they read the paper at least once a day…The Boston Globe will print the full press run of the Boston Herald starting July 1. ..The weekly Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, Mont., won top honors among the state’s weekly and small daily newspapers in the Montana Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest…London-based Daily Mail cycled a hefty 128,599,300 unique visitors through its website last month…The Fauquier Times-Democrat, Warrenton, Va., says it is removing Democrat from its title, making it simply Fauquier Times,  because "Democrat" in its name in such partisan political times "is no longer a very astute business decision."

Television doings:  Glenn Beck’s Mercury Radio Arts goes from renting to purchasing the 72,000-square-foot Irving, Texas studios serving as headquarters for its TV and radio productions…New on Saturdays and Sundays starting Sept. 7 from WNET, New York City: "PBS News Hour Weekend.”  Despite the title, it’ll be a half hour report…Howard Kurtz moves from CNN to Fox News starting July 1 where he will anchor a new version of Fox News Watch on Saturdays and also serve as an on-air analyst during the week and write a column for FoxNews.com…Dan Abrams, previously an anchor, legal analyst and general manager of MSNBC, is joining ABC’s Nightline as an anchor and chief legal affairs anchor.

Bloomberg jazzes up Businessweek with quirky layouts

There have been some interesting changes since Bloomberg bought BusinessWeek (then with an upper-case W) in October, 2009 from McGraw–Hill Cos. and rechristened the magazine Bloomberg Businessweek, observes Grumpy Editor. 

Most noteworthy was getting the fatherly 80-year-old business weekly to appeal to a much younger readership via content and layouts. 

In the July 16-22 issue, for example, Bloomberg Businessweek splashed an inordinate 47 snapshots of Andrew Mason into a six-page spread on the Groupon CEO. 

Actually, with another image on the contents page, make that 48 shots of the “merry prankster,” as the magazine labeled its subject.  One page alone featured 14 Mason photos of assorted sizes. 

Also interesting in the current issue was the sole art plunked in a two-page Olympics story:  a dog with an inverted bucket reading “The Olympics” placed over its head. 

Another space chewer were drawings of 200-plus tiny cars crawling up two pages to illustrate “China Applies the Brakes on Car Sales.” 

Other quirky things included much text with little to break up columns of gray matter, some photos without captions, abundance of cartoons (one featured colorful sketches of 18 pieces of attire linked to a Nordstrom makeover piece, while flipping the page showed two more) and a large, unusual graphic of President Barack Obama that put him in different shades of green via tiny dots, associated in earlier days when zinc engravings were used for illustrations in magazines and newspapers.

The issue also included one of the biggest bylines seen --- the bold-face half-inch writer’s name matched the size of the opposite-page headline, “How the Mormon Church Makes Its Millions.” 

For those who like to keep up with personal care, a report on “the condom war” with a British maker seeking to boost U.S. market share, used art of…well, you know.

The magazine came with a wrapper that showcased quotes on “what the press is saying about the new Bloomberg Businessweek.” 

Among them, a quote attributed to mediabistro.com:  “We like the new, more streamlined look and, of course, the smart coverage the magazine has always been known for.  Only in a more subtle, slightly more elegant way.”

 

Bloomberg Businessweek among magazines seeking input

Magazines, nervous about sinking circulation numbers, are sending out more surveys to readers these days, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Bloomberg Businessweek got into the act with a dozen Web pages seeking input on “how important or unimportant are each of the following attributes in determining whether you read or subscribe to a business/financial news magazine.” 

It sought one response for each item labeled very unimportant, somewhat unimportant, neither important nor unimportant, quite important or very important. 

Among subjects: 

Helps me generate actionable insights 

Is a thought leader and innovator 

Prepares me to lead the conversation 

Presents an intriguing perspective on important issues 

Is smart, demonstrates alertness and quickness of thought 

These were dandy for research and marketing folks to mull and digest. 

But for long-time readers, nowhere was there mention on simply how to improve the publication. 

Bloomberg Businessweek, mysteriously, does not include a staff box in each issue.  Thus, readers have no easy way to email editors or writers with news tips or prompt feedback. 

Now, that would come under the very important category in any survey.

+            +            +            +            +            +            +        

In Part II tomorrow (July 20), Grumpy Editor will have some things to say about this week's issue of Bloomberg Businessweek.      

 

 

Air pass idea creates PR problem for American Airlines

An American Airlines marketing gimmick is turning into a major public relations problem for the carrier and its parent, AMR Corp., notes Grumpy Editor. 

The airline, starting in 1987 and through 2004, offered a lifetime AAirpass that, with a companion ticket, allowed unlimited travel at home and abroad for $350,000.  It attracted 66 people. 

Now, the carrier is focusing on ways to terminate the lifetime contracts. 

Steven Rothstein was one of the AA pass holders.  But the airline snatched his lifetime pass, saying it was due to fraudulent activity --- booking flights under fake names if he didn’t know who his companion would be for the trips. 

He filed a lawsuit but a federal judge ruled against him.  The case is being appealed. 

In the meantime, Rothstein has been making the media rounds, including an appearance Monday night on Fox News’ “On the Record” with Greta Van Susteren.  It followed an ABC News interview and a New York Post piece.  In far-off Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald last Thursday picked up a lengthy Los Angeles Times story on the revoked pass saga. 

Such negative news is not exactly what AMR, which filed for bankruptcy protection last November, seeks in the competitive air travel world. 

As Rothstein told ABC:  “AA signed a contract, and a contract’s a contract.”

 

FCC toughens annoying ‘robocalls’ from telemarketers

Telemarketers, even those linked to consumers via an “established business relationship” such as banks or auto dealerships, now will have to obtain your written consent before placing those pesky “robocalls” which always seem to occur at inopportune times, finds Grumpy Editor.

New rules from the Federal Communications Commission make it more difficult for automatic dialers with prerecorded messages to reach consumers.

Also, to simplify things, the FCC will require firms behind “robocalls” to allow those on the receiving end to opt-out of future calls within the first two seconds via pressing keys on phones.

Despite the fresh clampdown, some marketing folks and others still will find ways to interrupt peaceful evenings.

These include pollsters, schools, churches and non-profit operations.

And, not surprisingly, loopholes also allow another group to reach you:  politicians.

The key method to block unwanted calls is to go to DoNotCall.gov and add your name to the National Do Not Call Registry.

No need to re-sign every five years, as some media sources suggest.

Registered telephone numbers will remain permanently, stemming from the Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007 that became law in February, 2008.

 

Spirit Airlines adds to long list of fees for passengers

Spirit Airlines’ Web site spotlights a new service between Atlanta and Atlantic City with a fare from $28.79 each way based on round trip purchase, but passengers these days --- as with flying on other carriers ---  have to factor in other fees and charges, observes Grumpy Editor. 

Spirit this week is in the forefront with a new charge it labels “Department of Transportation unintended consequences fee.”  (Say that fast a few times.) 

That DOT fee tacks on $2 each way to the Spirit ticket price. 

The airline with “ultra low fares” blames that on a new DOT regulation that allows passengers to change flights within 24 hours of booking without paying a penalty. 

The added fee joins a long list of “optional” charges beyond ticket price. 

Among them: 

Carry-on bag fee, $30 at booking or $35 at check-in.

Customer-requested seat assignments, $1 to $50 per seat.

Unaccompanied minors fee, $100 each way.

Pet transport fee, $100 per container each way.

Onboard snacks, $1 to $10.

  

See the full list here.

 

Good Housekeeping needs some marketing housekeeping

With national magazines keenly eager to keep readers subscribing these days, confusion grows not only in prices, but in all sorts of wild “deals” and marketing tactics, finds Grumpy Editor. 

A good example this week is with Good Housekeeping. 

The Hearst magazine (a unit of Hearst Corp.) sends two subscription pitches, with variations, arriving at the same household on the same day. 

Pitch No. 1, labeled “rate adjustment” and “this is a non-transferable discount offer,” indicates the magazine with an annual cover price of $41.88 can be had for $7.97 --- and a Good Housekeeping tote bag will be tossed in with the offer that expires Feb. 15. 

Pitch No. 2, labeled “preferred subscriber claim form” for Good Housekeeping, also includes a one-year subscription to Redbook, another Hearst publication, at a combined price of $8. 

That form notes “combined annual cover price” of $77.76.  The $8 comes after a “credit adjustment” of $69.76.  The offer, good until Feb. 13, also cautions, “This credit is not transferable.” 

But wait. 

While the two-magazines-for-one-small-price in pitch No. 2 shows the other magazine as Redbook on the mail-in slip, the bottom part indicates the other Hearst publication in the deal is Woman’s Day, complete with reproduction of a cover photo and one paragraph description of that magazine’s highlights. 

A plus, however:  Unlike some other publishers’ pitches these days, a prepaid envelope accompanies each. 

Among Hearst’s other magazines are Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Popular Mechanics and Harper’s Bazaar.

 

Better Homes and Gardens renewal messages scold

 

Magazine renewal notices usually are rather cordial, often with an inducement --- such as a token gift --- to spur prompt action from subscribers, but mailed messages from Better Homes and Gardens border on something that would originate from the IRS or a collection agency, finds Grumpy Editor.

Scolding and threatening valued readers are sure ways to deter renewals.

Think subscribers would “re-up” to the magazine, a Meredith Corp. publication, that first mails an “urgent notice” from the “collections department” that reads:

“As you know, we have been very patient, but your bill is now seriously delinquent. 

“We fully expect you to resolve this situation as honorably as you began it…please pay your debt now.” 

(The “account balance” on the form shows $12.97.  The bill is not delinquent and there is no “debt” since no renewal is happening.) 

Then a month later, a follow-up mailed greeting arrives in a yellow envelope labeled “TELEWIRE, electronic message”: 

Inside, a yellow sheet from “accounts receivable,” all in capital letters, reads: 

“ALTHOUGH WE HAVE REPEATEDLY ADVISED YOU OF YOUR DELINQUENT ACCOUNT, WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $12.00 FOR THE BETTER HOMES & GARDENS MAGAZINES YOU ORDERED.”  

(Note: The renewal is not ordered and the pitch incorrectly uses an ampersand in the magazine’s title, rather than and.)

“IN ORDER TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL MEASURES, WE URGE YOU TO REMIT YOUR PAYMENT AT ONCE. 

“YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DETERMINING OUR COURSE OF ACTION. 

“DO NOT DELAY.  REMIT YOUR PAYMENT TODAY.” 

(Note: On the follow-up pitch, the “Status: past due amount due: $12.00”--- that’s with two “dues” in the pitch --- shows 97 cents less than in the month-earlier scolding.) 

Also, unlike other magazines that provide postage-paid envelopes for renewal payments, envelopes from both Better Homes and Gardens pitches require readers to affix stamps. 

Bottom line:  Would a normal subscriber renew after those tongue-lashings? 

By the way, going “cold” to Meredith’s Web site to order a similar 12 issues of Better Homes and Gardens costs half the “overdue payment”:  $5.99.  And with that comes a free “All-Time Favorites Cookbook.”