Is it acceptable to begin creating consumer awareness for a new consumer product before it is available at the retail level? ____________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio Some companies don’t want to put the cart before the horse, while others take advantage of the opportunity to create buzz prior to a product’s actual availability (think Apple iPhone).

Maybe we're all just tired from the Thanksgiving weekend followed by a five-day work week. Maybe the recession has us all in a funk.

How do you establish a spokesperson as an expert among media and bloggers? ___________________________________________________ By Jennifer Manocchio This is a strategy we often use for clients to help increase brand awareness for a company or product, establish credibility and differentiate themselves from their competitors.  It is a process and does take time.

With all due respect to social media, and despite the constant threat of H1N1, I plan to spend this Thanksgiving holiday weekend going mano a mano with human beings.I plan to look deep into the eyes of family, friends and neighbors.

Just last Monday SC Johnson launched a new web site (www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com) that discloses all the ingredients in the company’s cleaning products.  Having worked in the cleaning products industry for many years, this is an excellent step in the right direction.  Rather than having the government regulate the industry, leading companies like SC Johnson and Seventh Generation are taking matters into their own hands.

What’s the best way to monitor media coverage? ______________________________________________ By Kayleigh Fitch, guest blogger While there are several tactics you can use to successfully monitor media coverage, the method you choose will largely depend on the media you are targeting.