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Hello from the newest MMIer!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Testing testing, one two three… Is this thing on?

Well hello!

My name is Maggie McDonald (magsmac for short) and I’m the new girl on the Marion Montgomery team. Well new-ish… Yesterday was actually my two week anniversary but I’ve been busy working on the amazing Mom 2.0 Summit since I walked through the door and hadn’t had a chance to say hi until now!

It’s got to be said though…. As busy as I have been, I could not have asked for a more perfect first project! Last year I was actually a volunteer for Mom2 so this wasn’t my first rodeo and if you know me, you know I love the Mom2 crew. If you don’t know me, I thought I would take a second to tell you about myself.

Once upon a time…. I graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Public Relations. I was a bartender in college (and LOVED it) and I decided I couldn’t do an “office job” so I went into wedding planning for a very prestigious country club. One day I realized that as much as I loved event planning, my brain needed more stimulation than long conversations centered around the difference between taupe and off-white table linens. And I missed writing!! Back to PR it was for me. My first job in marketing was at the awesome Schipul where I learned everything I know about Social Media and now here I am at my new home in Rice Village, MMI.

While I have enjoyed working on Mom2 the last few weeks (especially the part where I had to change a tire in an evening gown) I am looking forward to working with the rest of MMI’s amazing clients. Next up for me is the Shell Houston Open.

**I’m going to put the picture of Jenny and I here and below it, a picture of all of the MMI girls (I scanned the one)**

Wish me luck!

Love always,

Maggie

Www.twitter.com/magsmacWell hello!

It’s got to be said though, as busy as I have been, I could not have asked for a more perfect first project! Last year I was actually a volunteer for Mom2 so this wasn’t my first rodeo and if you know me, you know I love the Mom2 crew. If you don’t know me, I thought I would take a second to tell you about myself.

Once upon a time I graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Public Relations. I was a bartender in college (and LOVED it) and I decided I couldn’t do an “office job” so I went into wedding planning for a very prestigious country club. One day I realized that as much as I loved event planning, my brain needed more stimulation than long conversations centered around the difference between taupe and off-white table linens. And I missed writing!! Back to PR it was for me. My first job in marketing was at the awesome Schipul where I learned everything I know about Social Media and now here I am at my new home in Rice Village, MMI.

Other little known Maggie facts that may interest you: I love Mac ‘n’ Cheese, I used to play the tuba, I hate odd numbers, I have two cats, I drive a big red truck and I LOVE Guitar Hero. But I digress…

Oh… and here is my favorite photo from Mom2. You gotta love photo-booths with a green screen!

Mom2Crew

Wish me luck!

Love always,

Maggie

Posted in Behind The Scenes, MMI News, Our Buzz | 5 Comments »

Marketing Lessons at Mom 2.0, Part Two – Flicka!

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Horse meets girl in "Flicka 2," releasing May 4, 2010

“Ridiculously beautiful.” That’s how one Mom described the scene in Flicka 2 where the starring horse first canters into the frame.

The opening session of today’s Mom 2.0 Summit was a visit from “Flicka 2″ directors Michael and Janeen Damian, an entertainment industry family focusing on family films. As Michael put it, “We need more live-action films the whole family can enjoy without having to use blindfolds or ear muffs during some of the scenes.”

In addition to showing the Flicka 2 promotional trailer, the Damians premiered the first ten minutes of the movie, coming out May 4, 2010. As the lights came back up in the ballroom of the Four Seasons hotel, and the crowd applauded, Michael Damian shared his nervousness — “You are the first people ever to see this,” he confided, “so your opinion really matters to me.”

The opinions of the Mom 2.0 audience really do matter to Damian and the folks at producer Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Not only are the mothers in the room the main movie decision-makers in their families, the moms’ blog readers total approximately 10% of the American public.

Flicka 2 is bypassing movie houses and going direct to DVD. Back in the day, “direct to DVD (or VHS)” meant a movie probably had some problems. Today, going direct to DVD is an increasingly successful strategy for scoring well in niche markets.

If the moms in this morning’s audience like the preview, they’ll tweet and blog about it, they’ll remember it, they’ll tell their friends, and the movie’s potential audience will grow exponentially. Flicka 2 won’t just be another “direct to DVD” movie, it will be a successful film with a successful “Mom 2.0″ marketing strategy.

At MMI, we refer to replicating significant audiences as “identifying psychographic twins.” A psychographic twin is someone who shares a value-set that leads them to similar behaviors and purchasing/use habits.

This may have seemed like a post about a horse, or maybe about a movie. Really, it’s a post about marketing strategies. This morning saw the perfect combination of a product and an asymmetrical, influential marketing force.

Twentieth Century and the Damians made a smart decision to debut their film at the Mom 2.0 Summit. If this core audience rents/buys it, their psychographic twins will too.

Tags: Flicka 2, Mom2Summit
Posted in Behind The Scenes, Social Media | 1 Comment »

Behind the Scenes: Iron Chef from Scratch

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Today I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of GreatDay Houston and be a part of preparations for the Vintage Park Iron Chef segment. Although not directly involved with the project, I’ve learned always to say yes to MMI’s everyday adventures.

Host Debra Duncan and guests enjoy cuisine prepared by our Iron Chef competitors.

Like the iron chefs awaiting their next challenge, MMIers planned for every contingency and helped bring all the components together. Weeks were spent researching kitchens and strategizing the game plan. MMIers saw to every detail–scouring the grocery store for gourds to achieve the perfect reveal display of the secret ingredient, butternut squash.

Chefs and clients were rehearsing sound bites and details with MMIers down to the last minute. Twenty minutes before the show it came to our attention that a few extra supplies were needed. Only at MMI would you find yourself driving around Montrose at 8 a.m. on a Friday looking for butane and spinach.

L to R: Iron Chef from Peli Peli Paul Friedman, Vintage Park Director of Retail Management Melissa Goedde, Iron Chef Winner from Fish City Grill Carolyn Karwick holding the golden wisk, Host Debra Duncan and Iron Chef John Ly from Strata

It’s often hard to give people a description of what we do because it involves activities such as these; creating things from scratch and carrying out projects that may seem a bit strange to onlookers. In short, we make the unusual everyday business and the imaginary possible.

Finally, the show started and our secret ingredient was revealed. Our clients spoke beautifully and the food turned out delicious; filling the studio with rich, autumny smells of Thanksgiving and the great weekend to come.

For more behind-the-scenes photos of GreatDay Houston, visit Vintage Park’s Facebook page here.

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