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Traditional promotions still work

When you’re mapping out your marketing strategy for your business, regardless of size you should consider a wide variety of options.

Of course, in today’s world, online advertising, mobile advertising and social media are critical components that you need to consider. If you’re not sure what a Twitter account or a Facebook page can do for your business, then you better get some help. These are the basics, and there are plenty of other options for new media promotions such as Groupon as well.

On the other hand, traditional methods have been around for a long time for a reason. Some are going away with the emergence of the web, but many old-school methods can be very effective. Think about things like mailers, coupons in newspapers and calendar printing can help you get attention when your competitors are exclusively thinking about new media. Also, online ordering has made these traditional methods much more affordable and efficient.

So consider all your options and create the best strategy for your business.

In tough economy Las Vegas strip clubs offer discounts

Things are still tough in Las Vegas. Check out this article about the state of business at strip clubs.

Times are rough in Las Vegas, even for Sin City’s second-most lucrative vice.

With the recession still dragging down discretionary spending, just the opportunity to ogle — or fantasize about your chances with — dozens of beautiful naked women isn’t enough to pack in the tourists these days. So a number of Las Vegas strip clubs are offering discounts and freebies to seal the deal, particularly during off-peak hours.

Some, such as Cheetah’s, will give you two-for-one lap dances every afternoon.

Others, like the Can Can Room and Crazy Horse III, halve the price of a lap dance that usually costs $20 for three to 4½ minutes at an all-nude club or two minutes at a topless joint.

These clubs are a huge business in Vegas, and it’s a great barometer of the overall economy.

“For years, Las Vegas has pretended like the adult community doesn’t exist,” says Wayne Bridge, CEO of the Sin City Chamber of Commerce, an alliance of adult-oriented businesses. “It’s a huge part of the economy and it’s really helping to carry a lot of people.”

At last count, there are 32 active strip clubs and between 30,000 and 40,000 registered exotic dancers in the Las Vegas Valley. On weeknights, some 1,500 women bump and grind at clubs here; weekends, that number doubles or triples.

“It’s huge,” Bridge says.

How huge?

An estimated $8 billion per year, second only to gaming as a component of the Las Vegas economy.

The freebies are working, as business has picked up. You couldn’t get a deal anywhere in Las Vegas 4 years ago. Now, the hotels, clubs and other establishments are working hard for business. It might be a good time for a trip!

Chrysler repays $7.5 billion to U.S. government

With the announcement today that Chrysler will repay its $7.5 billion bailout loan it received from the U.S. government, the auto bailout has reached another milestone.

To get out of its credit fix, Chrysler has lined up loans of $4.3 billion and will issue $3.2 billion in bonds. Italy’s Fiat, which controls Chrysler, will kick in $1.3 billion and get 46% ownership.

Private money has stepped up, thus validating the approach taken by the Obama administration. It’s also a significant victory for all the employees at Chrysler who worked through this difficult period and came out with new versions of vehicles like the Dodge Charger pictured above and the new Chrysler 200.

Has Donald Trump destroyed his brand?

Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart and co-owner of the Miss Universe Pageant Donald Trump (R) meet with the Miss Universe 2010 contestants at the Events Center in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 22, 2010. The Miss Universe 2010 competition will air live on the NBC Television Network at 9 PM ET. UPI/Patrick Prather/HO

Donald Trump has put his brand on all sorts of products as he leverages his success over the years in real estate along with the his status as a reality TV celebrity. Yet he turned many people off with his bizarre and mean-spirited attacks on President Obama. He questioned Obama’s birth certificate, and then moved on to questioning Obama’s qualifications to get into Harvard Law School.

Basically, he came across as a jerk. Then, Obama smacked him down by releasing his birth certificate, mocking Trump in front of the Washington press corps and then interrupting “Celebrity Apprentice” with the news that Navy SEALS had killed Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, the press has started to dig into Trump’s business dealings, shining a light on some of Trump’s less impressive ventures. Trump is getting sued by some who purchased condos thinking they were Trump projects, only to find later when the project folded that Trump was just licensing his name.

These stories are now all over the media. So it begs the question – did Trump screw up with his high-profile, mean-spirited attacks on the President? Is this going to hurt his brand? I always thought he was a clown, but he didn’t bother me. Now, I have no interest in supporting anything he’s associated with. Others I’ve spoken to feel the same way.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out . . .

NCAA locks in the “March Madness” trademark

The Kentucky Wildcats hold up the Eastern Regional Championship Trophy after the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the NCAA East Regional Round of 8 game at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on March 27, 2011. Kentucky defeated North Carolina 76-69 and advance to the NCAA Final Four. UPI/John Angelillo

The NCAA recently made moves to lock in rights for its “March Madness” trademark.

Quietly last October, the association paid $17.2 million to sports and entertainment marketer Intersport to stop using the term “March Madness,” which has been attached to the NCAA’s Division I men’s basketball tournament since the 1980s.

The settlement, spelled out in financial statements but unbeknown to most in the member schools and conferences, gives it sole ownership of a trademark that has been the subject of several legal disputes and challenges over the years. While large on its face, the eight-figure amount accounts for less than 2½% of the association’s $700 million-plus budget.

It’s another story about the business of college sports, coming at a time when we’re seeing scandal after scandal, mostly revolving around improper benefits like tattoos for memorabilia.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department is asking why there isn’t a playoff system in college football.

The entire issue of money and college athletics will be front and center for the foreseeable future.

Chrysler generates buzz with Super Bowl commercial

Chrysler’s two-minute Super Bowl commercial for the new Chrysler 200 featuring scenes of Detroit and with an appearance by Eminem is getting plenty of buzz. It’s two minutes long and quite compelling. The comeback story for the company fits with the concept of a rust best city trying to come back as well. I wonder if the workers at Chrysler and GM will be sending thank you notes to President Obama for saving the companies?

Tiger Woods loses Gillette endorsement deal

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 11:  Golfer Tiger Woods (L) and cricketer Michael Clarke pose for a photograph during the launch of the Gillette Champions Junior Education Grant at the Crown Entertainment Complex on November 11, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia.  (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

In the photo above we see Tiger Woods in happier times as he’s helping to pitch Gillette products. Since then times have changed and Tiger’s personal brand has been tarnished by scandal, and Gillette is the latest premium brand to end its relationship with Tiger Woods.

Procter & Gamble Co. will not renew its endorsement deal with Tiger Woods at the end of the year, adding another name to the list of companies that cut ties with the golfer after last year’s revelations of marital infidelities.

The company used Woods, Roger Federer, Lionel Messi and dozens of other athletes as part of its three-year “Gillette Champions” marketing campaign. Gillette said Thursday it was phasing out that program and not renewing the contract with Woods and several other athletes. It stopped using Woods himself in the campaign months ago.

This episode of course highlights the risks of celebrity endorsements though the Gillette campaign seemed like a pretty good one.

“Opulence, I has it”

The new commercial from Direct TV is one of the funniest we’ve seen in years. The Russian oligarch is hilarious, and his opening line – “Opulence, I has it” – is becoming a new catch-phrase.

SPORTSbyBROOKS tracked down the creators of the spot, Jon Kallus and Luis Romero, and asked them about how the whole thing came together. Learn how they thought of having dogs playing poker and how they staged the scene with the miniature giraffe.

Mark Cuban loses bid to get Texas Rangers

Apr. 25, 2010 - San Antonio, TEXAS, UNITED STATES - epa02131919 Dallas Maverick Mark Cuban uses an Apple iPad on the bench before the start of the game against the San Antonio Spurs for their Western Conference first round playoff game at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas USA, 25 April 2010.

It would have been great to see an owner like Mark Cuban get the Texas Rangers and disrupt the crazy world of Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, he failed in his bid, losing to a group led by Nolan Ryan.

An even better result would be to see Cavs owner Dan Gilbert go after the Cleveland Indians!

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