Soccer, or football, is in season. This means, if you are a sports novice, you must struggle to maneuver through workplace conversations, small talk, and Facebook threads without revealing that your silent nods are really a desperate attempt to not let anyone know how clueless you feel. You wish you could scream, “I have no idea what round Brazil is in!” or “why does the United States refer to it as ‘Soccer’?” Fellow novices, choose to suffer in silence no longer, for today, I Googled it.
Property of FIFA
A quick search clarifies the soccer vs football query; the sport’s full name is Association Football. The US shortened it to Soccer from “asSOCiation.” But whether you call it “soccer” or “football” it is a sport that ultimately unites. Mike M. from Ann Arbor writes, “[Soccer] is a sport that everyone around the world plays, really, the only one.” The world coming together as one is something every one can get into; so, let’s get into it.
The Essential Facts:
FIFA stands for Federation International de Football Association
The World Cup occurs every 4 years
The 2010 World Cup runs one month: June 11th- July 11th
South Africa is hosting the event this year among 10 cities within the country
It’s that time of year again – the annual rite of passage when new graduates begin to lose their minds because they’ve entered into one of life’s no-man’s lands – the time between the end of college and the beginning of a career.
This time in one’s life can best be described as being somewhat like purgatory. You know you’re not quite in Hell because you’re relieved from the stresses of finals, proud of yourself for getting that degree, and happy to return back to Ma and Pa’s for a bit once the lease is over to hang with all your leftover high school friends while you search for gainful employment (true story).
But about one month in you realize something isn’t right, you can’t shake this gnawing feeling, and you finally realize what it is – you don’t get to go back to school in the fall. “There are no more excuses.” “This is your life.” “A new chapter is about to begin.” A dozen other clichés. You have no answer for everyone when they ask that unbelievably annoying and patronizing question, “So what’s next?” It’s even worse when you realize that employers aren’t just going to knock on your door because of your fantastic college resumé and that the job market is way down due to the recession. To be honest, it sorta feels like this:
So what’s a college grad to do, short of searching for Mrs. Robinson? Well the answer for some may be right in front of them. Just as graduates are beginning to look for jobs, current college matriculators (is that a word?) are also beginning another rite of passage – the summer internship (or their third or fourth such position for the ambitious). The internship used to be seen as a way for college students to get experience and credit while employers scout the talent and take advantage of inexpensive labor.
Not anymore, my friends. The internship is now for everyone. With the current job market as tight as it is, an internship can be the cure for the occupational blues. For current students, it’s still the tried and true way to get a leg up on your peers while putting to use what you’re learning in the classroom. For the newly graduated, it provides a plethora of positives. For starters, it’s a morale boost for those who haven’t yet found the career their looking for. It’s also another notch on the resumé belt and an opportunity to show your stuff to an employer for when they eventually (and hopefully) resume the hiring process. And, perhaps most importantly, it can serve as a bridge over troubled water stirred up by the recession.
An especially beneficial opportunity is that of the digital internship. The digital internship (especially the Eco-Friendly Internship – no hyperlink necessary. You’re already here!) combines the best of traditional internships past and the necessary skills of the future (which is really now). With the digital internship, you still head down to the office once in awhile, so your office social skills remain primed, but a lot of what you do can be virtually accomplished (and you save gas, which is Eco-Friendly).
In a digital internship (yes, I realize I’ve said “digital internship” quite a bit, but it’s important) (and I’ve used an abundance of parentheses, but I like them) you learn the crafts of blogging, social media as a business tool, podcasting, Google, and the innumerable other spheres of the Internet that are being introduced to the lexicon of businesses on a daily basis. Becoming versed in these techniques will give you a leg up on the competition for jobs over those who don’t possess the requisite technical abilities of the future. Not to mention you can deepen your writing and communications skills, which has been a growing complaint of employers regarding the lack thereof amongst college students and recent graduates. Oh and so as not to end this paragraph on a boring note like writing skills, digital internships are super cool and fun.
The bottom line? Digital internships are where it’s at! Fun times, job skills, way of the future, resume placeholder, occupational peace of mind…whatever you’re looking for, they fit the bill. So quit sitting on the couch, playing PS3 and Wii (guilty) or acting like mowing the lawn is grounds for a successful day (again, guilty), and start scouring the Internet for one. Oh yeah, and as this blog entry began, a regular internship is cool too…just not as cool.
More and more corporations are starting to combine their advertising efforts with the trend to go eco-friendly, a relationship known to some as eco-advertising or eco-vertising. This relationship allows corporations to benefit from advertising about their attitude and interventions in regard to eco-friendly business.
Despite the message the eco-friendly ads these corporations are sending many are forgetting that the means through which they are sending them are far from eco-friendly. Using mass print media such as magazines or newspapers, fliers or billboards all of which require paper, printing, transportation, and numerouse other un-natural and environmentally deterring resources to create. The big question is, is it the profit margin of this new niche market they are trying to capitalize on or are they really hoping to make a difference?
Although some corporations unfortunately might be making the choice for the wrong reasons there are many out there that are leading the way in eco-vertising.
For starters Toyota known today for being one of the leaders in Hybrid cars took their eco-friendly outreach to a whole new level when introducing their 3rd generation Prius at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Instead of handing out glossy brochures inside large plastic bags to be carried around the show by as many people as they can get their hands on, they chose to continue to make positive changes by handing out paper cards in the shape of their new car with seeds embedded in them. When placed in soil and given water and light the seeds in these cards provided beautiful flowers for their audience to remember them by all summer long. Stepping out of the box and into an eco-friendly mindset Toyota not only lead the way with their eco-friendly car but also stood as one of the eco-vertising leaders at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show!
So how many other ways can a company eco-vertise?
Curb, a natural media company based in London, UK has answered this question with their unique eco-vertising concepts. Clean advertising and snow tagging are two out of the many I found interesting in their bag of tricks.
Clean advertising: laser cut stencils are put on surfaces like a pavement and the surface is then cleaned to let the message shine through the dirt and grime.
Snow tagging: company logos/messages are branded into the snow for a winter advertising.
Despite the out of the box thinking and unique eco-vertising techniques being developed there are other ways to go green which can start sooner than you think. One niche that I personally have become a big fan of that is growing exponentially is the use of digital media as a platform for advertising. It requires nothing but the power of technology that is already on the desktops and palms of your target audience. Digital media eliminates the need for most (or at least some to start with) print material and provides mass outreach like never before, best of all this method of going green saves you some green at the same time!
Derek Mehraban (CEO, Ingenex Digital Marketing) continues to develop the digital media presence for individuals and businesses so they can eco-vertise to reach their audience. Mehraban is not only focused on providing an eco-friendly service but like Toyota, he supports this green initiative through other parts of his company. In Mehraban’s case it is not an eco-friendly pamphlet but a unique eco-friendly internship program that helps interns like myself reduce the carbon footprint on the world.
Ingenex Digital Marketing is looking for 5 or so quality interns for Summer 2009 Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Internship. This internship is a combination of networking, real life experience, face time in a professional office, and training on digital media. It rocks! And it won’t take too much of your time.
You come to Ann Arbor once a week to work for 2.5 hours. You learn about all forms of digital media. You work for real clients and non-profits. And you do the rest from the comfort of your apartment, library or coffee shop. It’s a low emission, kind internship for people who want to grow in the digital space.
If you have the goods – apply to this post. We will accept applications through April 15. The next class of interns will begin May 18. Please apply to the internship in a variety of ways. Make a comment on this blog post with why you feel your a good candidate. Connect w/ me on Linkedin and ask for an intersnhip. Be creative online and get our attention. It may just pay off for you.
The Digital Marketing Internship at Ingenex will run again Spring 2009 for Michigan State University students. This intersnhip meets for two hours at Ingenex headquarters in Ann Arbor each week. You will have 5-10 hours of work on your own. You will learn Digital Marketing techniques including: Online Public Relations, Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Blogging, Podcasting, Search Engine Marketing, and Google Tools.
I am looking for some talented students looking to start a career in digital marketing. This growing field is where the action is these days. This internship program has been growing since it began in Summer 2008. It has also evolved into a class at MSU – The New Media Drivers License. This two credit class begins on Saturday, January 10. I am taking less interns this semester as the class will take a lot of my time. However, I am looking for a few good men/women who want to learn and have some time this semester. This is non-paid, and can be done for credit.
If you’re a good candidate, respond quickly please. Submit in 200 words or less a comment on this blog why you are a good candidate for the Eco-Friendly Internship. Tell me your goals for the future. Why are you interested in this position. And a bit about yourself. I will pick 2-3 good candidates and you will know soon if you have been accepted. Ask some of our past interns their experience if you have questions.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Derek Mehraban – CEO Ingenex Digital Marketing
PS. Here are two interesting projects you will help on in Spring 2009. Social Harbor and Nudge Them.
Every day, the U.S. emits the equivalent of about 118 pounds of carbon dioxide per resident. That’s almost 20 metric tons per year which is about five times the number per citizen of the world, according to the International Energy Agency. Now you may be wondering what the importance of carbon dioxide is or why I am even taking the time to discuss it. Well, here is why. Recently, I came across an article in The Wall Street Journal that discussed a new concept called carbon foot printing. This article peaked my interest and caused me to do further research on this topic.
Carbon footprints are the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that are emitted into the air when goods are made, shipped, stored and then used by the consumer. It has been discovered that many products’ global-warming impact depends more on how products are made than on how they are actually used. With that being said, the easiest way to cut carbon emissions would be to buy a product less, or use it in a way that is more conservational.
Referring back to the Wall Street Journal article that I discovered, I came across some very interesting points that would be good for any consumer to know. The article compared some everyday items and calculated their carbon footprints.The article revealed that for every mile a car travels, the average U.S. car emits about one pound of carbon dioxide (annually that’s about five tons of carbon dioxide per year). 86% of those emissions came from actually using the car as opposed to the 4% that was emitted from making and assembling the car. This proves that consumers can lower their carbon footprints by buying a car with better fuel economy and not driving it as much. Typically, the cars with better gas mileage had less carbon emissions as opposed to bigger cars with worse gas mileage. It has also been suggested that another way to minimize carbon foot printing is to keep your car as long as possible since junking a car and manufacturing a new one produces pollution.
An unlikely product that most people would not think gives off carbon foot printing is none other than shoes. Timberland boots, usually used for hiking, can range anywhere from 22 pounds to 220 pounds of carbon emissions. Not only boots, but flip flops tend to have carbon footprints of 22 pounds to 44 pounds. Normal shoes typically give off about 66 pounds to 132 pounds whereas hiking boots emit anywhere between 154 to 198 pounds. Another thing that drives up carbon emissions in shoes is leather. The average dairy cow produces an amount of greenhouse gas equivalent to four tons of carbon dioxide annually. Most of that is due to the greenhouse gas, methane. A cow’s multiple stomachs produces lots of methane which is 25 times as damaging to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
Even something like the type of laundry detergent you use can effect carbon emissions. For a low-carbon load of laundry use liquid detergent instead of powder and wash your clothes in cool water. In addition to this you should hang dry your clothes instead of putting them in the dryer.Not drying your clothes in a dryer will cut carbon foot printing 4.4 pounds per load. Solid capsules of detergent have the highest carbon foot printing. Powder has a somewhat lower footprint than capsules; however, liquid still has the lowest of them all. This is mainly due to the fact that making solid detergent uses more energy than making the liquid detergent.
A recent study by a Dallas based dairy called National Dairy Holdings, found that the carbon footprint of a gallon of milk in a plastic jug is either 6.19 pounds or 7.59 pounds. The difference is due to what kind of cases the jugs are placed in during the transportation process from the plant to the distribution center. Plastic cases yield more carbon-dioxide emissions than cardboard cases. It has also been found that the single biggest chunk of emissions from milk production comes from all the action in a cow’s stomach.
Beer is a product most college students are pretty familiar with; however, I doubt they are aware of how much carbon dioxide a six pack emits. It has been found that a six-pack alone would release about seven pounds of carbon footprints.The refrigeration of beer at its stores is where most of the emissions come from. This creates a problem since most stores refuse to keep most of its beer out of the refrigerator for fear of losing customers. The other alternative to this is enclosing the beer with clear doors as opposed to having open beer chillers. Now the store’s biggest concern is whether or not thirsty customers feel like making the extra effort to open the door.
So as you can see, carbon emissions are found everywhere in some of the various products we use on a daily or weekly basis. There isn’t much we can do to avoid this; however, there are things we can do to lessen the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. Once again, preservation of the environment lies in the hands of the consumer.
Digital media is becoming more and more prevalent as we venture forward into the future. As a college student, I find myself utilizing digital media more frequently every day. Most people do not realize how useful digital media is. Not only can it help you post your resume, network, and contact potential employers it can also help you find anything from an apartment, to a television, even a roommate.
College students, especially those who are graduating or have just graduated can use websites like Linkedin, Naymz, AboutUs and other various websites to create an online profile and post their resume. Vast amounts of employers then have the ability to view your resume and learn whatever you want them to know about you. It’s simple, fast, easy and expands you job and networking opportunities.
Not only college students, but advanced professionals as well can utilize digital media. Whether your company is new or matured, getting your name out there can greatly advance your business and networking options. Now I can understand that there are a lot of business professionals out there who do not have an adequate amount of time to spend on the computer on a daily basis. So why not safe yourself the time and tedious work and have someone else take care of everything? This is where Social Harbor comes in. Social Harbor is a professional profile management company. For a small fee, they will create an online profile that is current, SEO optimized and completely safe and secure.It’s as easy as that.
Although digital media is something that is usually a positive thing, it does, like anything else, have its negative aspects. A concern of digital media is always privacy issues. Getting your name and information posted all over the internet can possibly turn into a negative thing; however, I can’t help but think about all the times I’ve used the internet to search for jobs, internships, people or other various sources of information. Throughout the years I have been informed of jobs and even my current internship because of the internet. I have also come into contact with old friends, searched for an apartment and have known people who even found their roommate using digital media. Even websites such as www.ratemystudentrental.com allow you to research housing throughout your campus, review ratings and pick which one suits your best interest. Although privacy will always be a concern, I can vouch from personal experience that as long as you are cautious with what you are doing the risks can be slim to none. Just remember to be aware of what you are getting yourself into and what you are posting for others to view.
In this day and age digital media is almost impossible to not take advantage. College students especially can utilize it to their advantage in addition to business professionals. Digital media can be used as a business tool or a source of information. Its possibilities and opportunities are endless. So for all you up-and-coming graduates, current students and even business professionals, go ahead and explore the world of digital marketing if you already haven’t. It is what you make of it, and that could possibly result in something extremely valuable.
Amanda Marandola in her own words on why she should be chosen for the Ingenex Digital Marketing Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Internship:
Advertising and marketing have always been a great interest of mine. The two areas are exciting and fascinate me immensely both individually and together.
I feel that I am a good fit for the Ingenex eco-friendly digital marketing internship for various reasons. I am an advertising major and I have already taken and am also currently enrolled in courses geared toward creative advertising and managerial advertising. At the moment, I am taking a course specifically geared toward creating advertising campaigns which correlates with marketing a company’s product so that the consumer wants to purchase it.
Although my digital experience only extends to a digital camera and Photoshop, I learn fast and feel that I could easily grasp the digital skills needed for this internship. Digital advertising is also a field that I am currently studying. Actual hands on experience would give me a better understanding of the field and more experience going forward. Digital marketing is a significant part of the future of advertising. As we can see from the past few years, more people are utilizing the internet for personal and professional uses, including searching for information on products they wish to buy either in person or over the internet. Today, digital advertising is a key part of the process of advertising and marketing products. It reaches into the homes of everyday people and companies and should inspire the consumer to feel they must have that product. I believe this form of media will eventually become the key vehicle in which advertising agencies drive their ad campaigns.
I am a creative, hard-working and reliable person. I understand that there may be huge shoes to fill for this internship; however, I feel that my creativity, persistence and work ethic will contribute positivity to this position and your organization.
I have always been interested in how marketing and technology can create synergies in order to achieve an objective. Nowadays, while internet and technology in general are more and more important to people, it is essential that the marketing strategies adapt to this constantly changing environment. I think that being able to influence these changes is a great opportunity, and the fact that I can learn how search engine marketing and social media are used in order to implement the marketing strategy of a company makes this internship even more attractive.
Being a recent MBA graduate who is currently looking for a job is challenging, since I feel that I am in a critical point that can determine which path my career will take. I am very positive that this digital internship can be a turning point in my career that will help me to achieve a successful career in the marketing field, which has always been my objective.
I know I would be an excellent candidate for this position and I feel it will be a great experience, since it will bring lots of challenging situations and growth opportunities. It would an exciting challenge, and one that I am confident I could execute successfully.
As our American consumer culture progresses deeper into the technological age, it is imperative that marketing tools and strategies evolve in a manner that meet the needs of the customer as well as those who provide the service. As a child of the Internet, I have immersed myself in both consumer and non consumer-generated content; from that point of view, I’ve gained the understanding that it is very much an interactive experience. My experience working with an ecologically friendly company has reinforced the understanding that digital media reduces costs- both monetarily and environmentally. It is this synthesis of my two experiences I believe would allow me to bring a fresh new perspective to your business. While I am conscious of actively popular content online such as Facebook, YouTube, etc., I also have an acquired skill set specifically in the field of marketing and PR. This skill set has allowed me to approach digital media with my own unique lens. Additionally, I am honest, enthusiastic and hard working. I am continually in pursuit of knowledge and new ways to view the world I am a part of. I find that a sense of innate curiosity drives my life and my views forward and I am always searching for a fresh medium in which to explore the world around me. Moreover, I’m confident that this internship at Ingenex Digital Marketing would be an exceptional opportunity to express myself. I am confident I would have the full ability to rock this internship.
Tiffany | 
06 18th, 2010| 
