As many of you know, the city has no money, which in turn means the TTC has no money.

There is no doubt at all that there will be service cuts - just what service cuts - they are not sure. So for a few days last week, they had avid TTC workers handing out fancy pamphlets are major subway stations asking riders to fill out their online survey - to see what they should do.

As a TTC rider myself, I was interested in filling out the survey (which I later did) - but here are a few pitfalls in the campaign which I thought they could/should have done better - but also a learning for any future survey.

1. The call to action on the marketing materials is hidden.
2. The call to action on the survey page is hidden and waaaay below the fold.
3. Usage of possible PR on sound systems within trains, buses, streetcars.
4. What does Transit City have to do with any of this?
5. Using social tools (like Facebook) to get others to do the survey.

Seriously smart. Yes smart.

The Royal Ontario Museum added the very cool photoblog application to their site - a step in the right marketing/pr direction...and a first of its kind in the industry.

What makes this so smart?

1. With new content (great pics) daily, site visitors can get easily engaged with what is happening is and has been happening at the newly renovated museum.
2. Pull. With subscriptions like RSS and email, museum devotees can stay-in-touch when and how they want to.
3. Conversations. Yes, chat chat chat...afterall, artifacts tell stories.

Kudos Mr. Eli Singer...ha! I knew it was you.

I am shocked at the amount of times I check-out of the grocery store without picking up a trash magazine. Seriously. It is quite difficult...for me.

However, this past Sunday...I failed. I picked up the latest 1/2 inch red Cosmo with pretty girl Jessica Alba on the cover....a little treat for the weekend. ah, pure bliss.

After about 15 pages into the magazine...I realized that I had never checked out their website. Never! hm.

Was it?
1. My behaviour to buy the magazine (plus a latte and lie in the sun)?
2. Lack of publicizing the site, unless for contests I can't join because I am Canadian?
3. The ease of transporting a magazine opposed to my laptop?
4. Nothing driving me back to the site over and over again?
5. Content on the magazine or the site?
6. Lack of loyalty to the magazine (afterall, it is quite a push for me to buy it in the first place) - which goes back to content perhaps?

I saw Corteo 2 years back and loved it...I was hoping for the same type of feeling with Kooza, playing here in Toronto until the end of September....but I had no such feeling.

What was missing? Why no love?

That 'speciality' of the whole thing is gone. Gone!

Here is my take:
1. If you visit the website, they have a plethora of shows around the world. This one simply felt like 'just another one'. Another one to add to the growing, manufactured list.
2. Detail. The is plenty of detail in the marketing of the show. But there is a lack of detail in the show. Albeit they are showing very terribly difficult acts...timing to music, the use of lighting and the extravagance of show pieces were not there.
3. The push. The push to buy is annoying. Buy a photo of you before the show, buy not only this show's good but other show merchandise.

In all, I know Cirque du Soleil does an amazing job marketing. Heck, they are one of the best case studies I know...but is the sun setting?

Interesting. PayPal started their own blog. I am sure this is long awaited since they have a huge audience...many which are small businesses selling their goods off of eBay or other online sites - and can benefit from some daily tidbits...

I have to admit, it makes the money-exchange company a little more friendly too. It is nice to see a faces to the service, and of the rest of the company - opposed to the media friendly Meg Whitman.

It will be interesting to see how their content develops.