Mom's The Word - A Blog by Jen Maier Founder of urbanmoms.ca

McDonald's Moms' Quality Program - Selecting the Moms

As most of you know, urbanmoms.ca is McDonald's official Mom Media for their innovative Moms' Quality Correspondents program in Canada. As a mom and a marketer I LOVE this idea and it is my job to report on the latest news throughout the whole process - from selecting the moms, to the behind the scenes tours, to reporting on the tough questions posed to the McDonald's team.

I recently attended the first meeting at McDonald's head office in Toronto to sit in on a meeting with the McDonald's team where they were sifting through the hundreds of mom applicants from across the country. The purpose of this meeting was to consider the needs of all Canadian moms and make sure the final group represented us.

The selection process considered everything from geography to diversity, truly attempting to represent Canadian moms across the country. The other thing that was made very clear is that they did NOT want only moms who were totally in love with McDonald's. They wanted women who would ask questions, be concerned and dig deeper. This was going to be critical.

The slightly disturbing but strangely appealing Ronald McDonald Moose outside McD's head office.

I, of course, was more than curious to see how this would come together. I felt like I was stepping into the back of a reality TV show! When I saw the pile of applicants the task seemed overwhelming. How would they possibly narrow it down?! The good news was that McDonald's has had some experience with this in other countries such as the U.S. and U.K. so they were incredibly well organized and had a team with a mission.

The Team: Adam Wall, Michelle Mcilmoyle, Ron Christianson, Andrea Dart

So, here I was behind the scenes watching these guys go through each applicant so intently. Man, was this hard work. Obviously I didn't have a say in who got selected and, to be honest, I was kinda glad because there were a lot of really fabulous and interesting women. It would be so hard to choose!

I did however get to enjoy the perks. Yup, you guessed it...lunch from McDonald's:

I ordered my standard hamburger Happy Meal but I have to admit I was a bit jealous of Michelle's snacks wraps...next time.

Anyway, in the end the group had shortlisted and was ready to get in touch with the finalists by phone which will be happening soon. Then, in August, the group will be announced. I am really looking forward to meeting these ladies.

So, I will be reporting back to you in August with the announcement of the finalists. In the meantime, feel free to send me questions about this program by email or in the comments below.

Social Networking. Not just a virtual thing.

Marketers often spend a lot of time analyzing and strategizing about online social media - the power of social networking, the trend of online communities. I, of course, support this fully and completely. However, put aside the often present self-important navel gazing for a moment and at the core of all of this you will find good old fashioned community. "Social Networking" is also known simply as "socializing". "Social Media" can be more commonly referred to as "chatting". Yesterday was a great opportunity for my offline community (aka my neighbours) to get together and "network" (aka socialize) at our first annual Street Party.

Often we are so busy with the hustle and bustle of our jam packed days that we don't get the chance to really get to know the people who live just down the street. I recognize many of my neighbours and even stop and chat on occasion but, for the most part, it is a quick "good morning" or neighbourly smile as I rush off to this meeting or that activity. Yesterday was a chance to slow things down a bit, bring everyone together, and celebrate the beginning of summer.

The weather cooperated, the kids had a blast, and the company was top notch! Simple really, this whole Social Networking thing. Here are some pics from our fabulous day:

Nothing like the street closed off and a little road hockey.

Face painting and tattoos.

Nail salon station.

Basketball and Batman.

And sisters working together.

As a matter of fact, everyone worked together - set-up, take down, cooking and entertainment. Great fun was had by all! Community is powerful both on and offline.

The Official Mom Media!

I know that as a mom I have a hard time balancing my desire to "treat" my kids to a meal at McDonald's with the bit of guilt I have about what exactly they are consuming. There are so many mixed messages! Wouldn't you like to have the opportunity to get the inside scoop or have the chance to see it for yourself?

Well, McDonald's is launching a really cool new initiative. Not only do I think this is totally necessary but it is also a really smart move on their part. They have developed a program called the McDonald's Canada Mom Correspondents. They will select 4 moms from across Canada to be Mom Quality Correspondents. Basically, this group gets a behind the scenes look at McDonald's on everything from food prep and manufacturing to restaurant set-up and future plans. These moms will then write about what they saw and heard and will post pictures and video so that all of us can share in their experiences and get answers to our questions.

Do you want to know why I am extra excited about this program? Not only do I think it is great to see consumers getting an opportunity to get to know a big brand like McDonald's first hand and to represent other moms but McDonald's has asked urbanmoms.ca to be their official Mom Media! We will be covering the ins and outs and ups and downs of this program from recruitment of the Mom Correspondents to the trips to the questions and answers. We'll be giving you the inside scoop. How cool is that?!

The Mom Correspondents will be selected not based on their love of the McDonald's brand but on their curiosity, questions, and interest in knowing more and their willingness to share. They will be representing moms across the country! As I mentioned, these moms will be going on a couple of trips to visit McDonald's facilities, restaurants, and suppliers to ask questions and get to the inside scoop.

I admire McDonald's for doing this and, to be honest, feel better about them already. Why? Because no brand is going to invite a group behind the scenes and give them license to talk and write about it unless they are sure that what they have to show is going to impress. They must be pretty confident in the quality of their product and in the process which is definitely reassuring.

I am so excited about this because it is truly an opportunity like no other. A big company like McDonald's is working with their consumers to make sure they are getting it right!

If you think you would be interested in representing Canadian moms as a Mom Quality Correspondent go to the website here to submit your entry. If you have questions or comments about this program or want me to get to the bottom of something McDonald's related for you, post your comment below or send me an email and I will find out. Remember, we're representing you so let us know what questions you have. I'll keep you posted regularly on what's happening with The Mom's Quality Team so stay tuned.

Marketing and Social Media - Can they coexist?

So I'm putting on my marketing hat now because I feel the need to make a point. I keep reading about how marketers and brands need to get into online communities. How companies that aren't participating or creating social networks are missing out. How this is the future! Of course, I couldn't agree more. However, I don't think it is as simple as that and I know that many brands and organizations are struggling to figure this one out.

When people talk about social media inevitably the first example they give is Facebook. Want to talk about brands failing in online social media? Then talk about Facebook. I am on Facebook and I see very few opportunities for marketing in that environment. Why? Because it has nothing to do with what I am doing on Facebook, that's why! I am on Facebook to connect with friends and very few brands can add to my experience. The only one that I think comes close is Amazon.com's book tool. Other than that, nope. Also, Facebook may be the social network de jour but it is by no means the only social network out there and really, it is pretty unique.

The other thing I hear all of the time from eager marketers trying to get in the game is that they are going to create "customized branded online communities". Duh! Don't you get it? Just like you can't contrive a friendship or any relationship for that matter you can not "create" a community whether online or off. VERY few brands can make this work and those that do are total lovemarks (Apple) and have a real reason for being (The Running Room). This is not a matter of "If you build it, they will come". Just because it is there doesn't mean people are going to use it or connect to it or care. Most likely if they are a part of it at all, it will be because they think they are going to get free stuff. This is not a community.

So, what is the solution? How do brands take advantage of the opportunity to speak directly to their potential or existing consumer within their community? How can they build a relationship and give their target audience a chance to really get to know them? For most brands my advice would be to find an existing community and connect with your target market where they are already hanging out. There are plenty of them out there from the global to the national to the local.

The key is finding one that is open to brand participation and working with the community members to learn how your brand can best fit in. Yes, that's right, the community members. If you really want to make this work then create a strategy based on what the community wants. Do they want to learn more about physical health? Then have your brand make it happen. Do they want a chance to get out and have some fun? Make your brand the hero! This may take a bit more planning and digging but it is the only way to truly make this work because the whole point of an online community is that it IS a community where community members have a voice, play a role, and decide who is in and who is not pulling their weight.

So, do your research, work with a relevant partner, and do NOT attempt to recreate the wheel. If you really want to find a place for your brand within a community give the power to the people and let them invite you in.

Confession Time...My Secret Little TV Obsession

Confession time. I am addicted to The Biggest Loser. I love this show. Hey, I'm not too proud to admit my weaknesses. I don't know what it is about this silly reality show that has me hooked but I just can't stop myself. Maybe seeing desperately obese and unhealthy people see the benefits of moderate eating and exercise? Or, maybe it is watching trainers Bob and Jillian whip their butts into shape day after day? Or watching the amazing transformation over the course of the season? Check these out:

Un-freaking-believable!

However, there are some things about the show this season that are really bugging me. The show seems to be moving farther and farther away from the whole fact that losing weight IS a challenge and more toward the faux drama of "strategy" and "game play" typical of other reality shows. It bugs me enough that they vote people out each week. Shouldn't they help everyone and then whoever sheds the highest percentage of body fat wins? But to add in all of this strategy and alliance crap takes away from the fact that these people are facing the biggest challenge of their lives - losing weight and getting healthy!

Then, on the totally grates-on-my-nerves side are the very un-subtle product placements. The latest one was for gum. Jillian, one of the trainers, tells her group "if you want to satisfy a sweet craving try this new Extra sugarfree gum!". Barf-o-rama! So contrived. Before that it was oatmeal and before that Brita water filters. It just takes away from the whole thing and I am sure I am not alone in saying that these things make it really difficult to get into the show and trust that what we are seeing is not just one big manipulation. Is this The Truman Show?? YOUR VIEWERS KNOW YOU ARE DOING THIS. And, in my opinion, it makes me actually think LESS of the brand because of how irritating and disruptive it is to the flow of the show.

Then finally, I hate to do this to you just like I HATE the fact that they do it to the contestants. NOTHING could make me strip my clothes off in front of millions of viewers each week to weigh in...especially when one has this much weight to lose. Why don't they simply subtract the weight of their t-shirt? Is it REALLY necessary to embarass these people like this? Sometimes I actually have to turn the channel. The worst are the man-boobs. And, strangely, the only picture I could find to illustrate my point has these appropriately placed blue dots to give the guy a small piece of his dignity back. Maybe they are trying to motivate through public humiliation? I don't know but it is sooooo not cool.

See what I mean?? Yet, I continue to watch because I absolutely love to see their successes. What about you? Do you watch The Biggest Loser? Any other less than stellar TV show addictions? Do tell in the comments below.

Our Final Kitchen Party of 2007!

With holiday entertaining at it's peak what could be better than another Cuisinart and urbanmoms.ca Kitchen Party and tips from our fave lovable Chef Ezra Title of Chez Vous Dining! It was our final Kitchen Party of 2007 and definitely one of the best. This diverse group of Toronto women were definitely keen to hear Chef Ezra's tips and were thrilled to learn more about how Cuisinart can help. They were engaged and engaging...what a great group! (Click here for recipes )

Here's Chef Ezra doing his thing:

Can you guess what this is? It was the main ingredient of our first dish...

My guess (and a few others) was ginger, but nope. It's a Jerusalem Artichoke...who knew?! And it was found in our yummy Jerusalem Artichoke Soup.

Of course, I absolutely LOVE Ezra's mini fajitas with avocado puree but nothing can beat the sweet potato shepherd's pie with short ribs cooked in the pressure cooker. This thing is awesome! It speeds up cooking time by up to 70% and man were those things tender. And who knew that the sweet potatoes would add so much to the dish! Here is urbanmoms.ca's Agathe serving it up.

Then, DESSERT! A molten chocolate cake...delicious. Need I say more...

And finally, what has become a bit of a Kitchen Party tradition, the guests get to get up close and personal with Chef Ezra for our group picture. Thanks to the guests, Chef Ezra, and our friends at Cuisinart for a fabulous final Kitchen Party! Have a wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year!

The Unconference, Sassafraz and Enza the Supermodel

I haven't really slept in a week.  I just had to get that off my chest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining but I am seriously tired. From the Baby and Toddler Show to Breakfast Television to The Holiday Product Testing Party there just hasn't been time. Then, there was Thursday. It was like this strange condradiction.

First of all I am Mom. Getting the morning going and taking the kids to school. Then I have my morning Starbucks and hopefully meet up with a pal to chat - on Thursday it was Carol and Leslie. Then work. And work. And work. We've been really busy lately here at urbanmoms.ca so it has been piling up. Then I was off to the Talk is Cheap "unconference" on Social Media to learn and as a speaker to chat about our Kitchen Party program with Michelle from Cuisinart.

What's with the hands? Hopefully they weren't too much of a distraction to others ;)

Now here's the funny part. Then, I went "on assignment" for urbanmoms.ca to the grand reopening of Sassafraz Restaurant in Yorkville.  Remember when it burned down? Well, it just reopened and I went to check it out. Aside from feeling unfashionable and dirt poor in the company of some of Toronto's most infulential this place is gorgeous AND I got to meet a celebrity! It's not just Fabulous Ali here at urbanmoms.ca who gets to meet celebs. Here's a pic of me with Enza the Supermodel...

Schmoozing with the stars, that's me. Hey, I think Enza might be my long lost sister...

Check out some pics of the new Sassafraz. Definitely a place I would check out if I were you if you're visiting or looking for a special night out in Toronto.

Ain't it purdy?

Crowds, music, wine, cheese...cheese...

I LOVE cheese! And there was some yummy cheese and fine wine and other scrumptious treats.

Who would have thought I'd see a familiar face there.  Hi Dale!

Once again, in bed after midnight but I think it is the end of my sleepless week. As long as my kids cooperate I should be sawing logs by 10pm every night this week.

Breakfast Television or Ugh...5:00 a.m.

Before I say anything I am going to state upfront that 5:00 a.m. is an ungodly hour. But, if you want to be on Breakfast Television (which of course I DO!) you have to be ready at 6:00 a.m. so waking at 5:00 a.m. is your only option.  That was me this morning.  Show up at my pal Erica Ehm's house at 6:00 a.m. still half asleep.  We were talking about our wonderful websites and the Yummiest Mummy Contest.

I really shouldn't complain about the hour because while chatting with Jennifer Valentyne (Live Eye Host and mom of 2) she told me that she has to get up at 3:45 a.m. every morning and has been doing so for 15 YEARS!!  I simply couldn't do it.  Kudos to Jenn and her crew.

Anyhoo, check out Jennifer Valentyne's blog to see the clip.  It was very fun (despite the hour).  We are a cool group of mamas!  Oh, and here are some pics as well.

Kim of www.davisvillemoms.com, Jenn Valentyne, Erica of www.YummyMummyClub.ca, Me, Maureen of www.WeeWelcome.ca and the really nice camera guy whose name I can't remember.

In action!

ROCKIN' the Baby and Toddler Show

Just a quick one guys because I am pooped.  Pooped from rockin' the Baby and Toddler Show all day!  Yup, after setting up until 9pm last night we launched our V.I.P. Party Tent at the show to a rave reviews. Born from a brainstorm with Maureen Dennis of WeeWelcome and Erica Ehm of fame of all kinds including her latest YummyMummyClub was the V.I.P. Party. The tent is 30x20 feet of funky fun with prizes and samples and tons of other cool moms.

Take a look at some of today's pics:

Me (Jen), Mo, and Erica...don't ask ;)

The Sun-Rype Juice Bar before the crowds!

The delicious Food Trust of PEI mashed potatoes...yum!

   

One of our V.I.P. Parties!

More later...gotta get some sleep before 2 more days of it. Stop by and see us!

urbanmoms.ca - Community Snapshot and Insight

Recently we put out our semi-annual member survey asking for feedback, ideas, and information from the urbanmoms.ca community.  I always find it incredibly interesting to hear from members on what their impression of the community is and how they would like to improve it.  We also learn a lot about who our members are.  I thought it might interest you to hear a little bit about what we found.

What we learned about urbanmoms.ca Members

• 55% of you are on facebook (Hey!  Me too...go ahead and look me up)
• 70+% of you tell at least 5 people about a product you love (not a single person said they tell no one)
• Almost 90% of you go online at least daily
• 75% of you visit urbanmoms.ca at least weekly (hooray!)
• Most of you have told at least 1 friend about urbanmoms.ca and almost half have told more than 5!
• The vast majority read the blogs but have never commented (come on...please?! we all love to hear from you!)
• Your fave areas of the site are Cool Products & Stuff and Contests and Promotions (We heard you!  We're working on some exciting new stuff)
• The majority of you want to see more contests and promotions, do more product testing, and provide your feedback more often - If this sounds like you - you are PERFECT for the Go2Girlz Product Testing Panel!
• 90% of you have 1-3 children with almost 40% having 2
• over 80% of you are between 25 and 44 years of age

Moms Are Powerful Consumers
Product Categories on the rise - Since becoming a mom your interest in or your consumption of the following has increased:

• Books
• Produce
• Packaged Goods
• Organic/Green Products
• Dairy Products
• Finances
• Electronics
• Decorating/Home Improvement
• Events in your city
• Personal Fitness
• Health and Wellness
• Cooking/Baking
• Online Shopping
• Music
• Gardening
• Coffee/Tea

And even those that didn't grow, consumption of or interest in the following categories remained the same since having children:

• Cars
• Travel
• Wine/Spirits
• Make-up/Skin Care
• Fashion
• Movies
• Media/World News
• Career

Interestingly out of all of the categories we listed not a single one declined in interest or consumption since becoming a mom.  Wow!  Moms are powerful consumers!

Thanks to all of you who regularly participate in our online research.  If you would like any information about urbanmoms.ca Consumer Insights please send me an email.

Why Faberge was Ahead of its Time...

Today was the perfect example of how and why word-of-mouth works. It just blows my mind that so few marketers really get it.  Remember that old ad from the 70's for Faberge Organic Shampoo where "she tells two friends and she tells two friends and so on and so on"?  Well, the hair might have been bad but they were bang on.

Let me set the scene for you: a group of moms sitting at a local Starbucks (me with my grande non-fat no water Tazo chai...see?  word-of-mouth in action) chatting about anything and everything.  A compliment was made to one mom on her great lipstick shade.  Surprise!  It's new and she LOVES it.  She told everyone at the table about the sample of Red Earth cosmetics she had lucked into.  I, for one, was all ears.  Not because I am really into make-up, in fact the opposite is true.  I haven't bought make-up in, well, far too long and I know very little to nothing about it but I knew I needed some new lipstick and a reco from a pal was way more effective than any ads, in-store displays or celebrity endorsements.

So, guess what I did?  After our little coffee break three of us (yes 3) walked the few blocks up to the pharmacy and bought some Red Earth cosmetics.  Not only did I get the exact lipstick my friend had on (Tea Rose in case you're wondering) but I also bought a red lip gloss and a light blush.  And the other two bought even more.  All of this because someone we trusted told us it was great.  And to top it all off I got a compliment on my new lips in a meeting and spread the word to the two women there and now here I am telling you. See what I mean about word-of-mouth marketing?

The Two Parts of the Whole

I've been meaning to do this for months - start my own blog, I mean.  I often write for urbanmoms.ca about motherhood and products I love and cool things other women are doing but I haven't done it regularly and I've never really written about urbanmoms.ca.  I guess I just assumed everyone kinda got it but yesterday, while checking out some stuff on del.icio.us I realized I was wrong...really wrong. How? You ask.  Well...urbanmoms.ca really has two parts and both are a reflection of me - The Mom and The Marketer. 

The Mom
If you want to know how it all began you can read the story here.  The gist of it is that urbanmoms.ca started as a community blog because I was so inspired by the amazing women I met after becoming a mom.  Anyone can contribute, write about whatever they want, as long as their goal is to inform and not offend. 

One of the most important components of this community is that ALL of our bloggers write without parameters.  We do NOT edit their work.  We do not dictate the topics.  We do not approve them and neither do the brands who host some of our blogs.  They are simply sponsoring the page. These forward-thinking brands understand that being a part of our community is good for their brand and that respecting the community is essential.  I read the blogs just like anyone else. Sometimes I laugh, or cry, or cringe but that is the value.  It is not a sanitized, copy-written, dumbed down version of what's real and that is really important.

As a community we want to hear the voices of other members, not one person's perspective or worse, one brand's perspective, but from each individual.  That's where the Marketer in me comes in.

The Marketer
I've always pushed the envelope a bit, asked too many questions, and more than likely got on some people's nerves.  As a marketer things are no different.  For the years I worked in packaged goods, targeting the mom consumer attempting to get a bit more share of her pantry, I asked a lot of questions because things just didn't sit quite right with me.  Here I was, a mom, the target audience, it was my pantry we were trying to gain share of and I struggled to relate to the marketing messages.

My "annoying" habit of looking at things from the perspective of the consumer is what finally led me to where I am now.  It was always clear to me that it is much better for a brand to get to know their consumer and to reflect their consumer's values.  Far better than it is for a brand to try to convince their consumer that they know who they are and what they want more than their consumer does.  This simply does not work and, in the process, it pisses off the very person they are trying to impress.

So urbanmoms.ca is built on that philosophy - Power to the People.  Not because we are radicals turning our backs on traditional media but because there is just too much to sift through and I'd rather hear it from someone I trust.  Drive awareness en masse through TV or print but build a relationship through social media.

That brings me right back to my time on del.icio.us yesterday.  I pride myself on the "realness" of the content on urbanmoms.ca.  That is the whole point.  So to the marketing wizards who have tagged some of our content advertorials or blogvertorials I BEG you to take a closer look. The brands you see here are endorsed by community members through the Go2Girlz or else they wouldn't be welcome and the blogs are written by moms whose only objective is to contribute to their community.

So, we're not about smoke and mirrors here.  What you see is what you get. We work with brands that make sense because we acknowledge that we are consumers.  But we respect this space and the people in it and that's what makes it a community.