Monday, December 14, 2009

Fashion Jewelry Holiday Sample Sale

Janna Conner - Holiday Sample Sale - Fashion Jewelry

Janna Conner Designs is celebrating the Holidays with a sample sale up to 70% off this Friday - Saturday at their Downtown L.A. Design Studio.

Los Angeles, CA, December 11, 2009 -- Janna Conner Designs is celebrating the Holidays with a sample sale up to 70% off their jewelry this Friday - Saturday at their Downtown L.A. Design Studio.

For two days only, draped chain necklaces, swarovski crystal earrings, semi precious bracelets, enamel studded cuffs and all kinds of jewelry samples will be available for sale.

Founded in 1999, Janna Conner Designs has been committed to the creation of beautiful and wearable pieces of jewelry. Each piece is carefully hand-crafted in Janna Conner's Los Angeles design studio, using only the highest quality semi-precious stones, and natural minerals.

Her jewelry line is carried nationwide at the finest boutiques like Kitson, Fred Segal and Henri Bendels.

www.jannaconner.com
www.facebook.com/jannaconnerdesigns

Friday, December 11, 2009: 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday, December 12, 2009: 11 am to 4 pm
Metered street parking.

Cash/VISA/AMEX/MC Accepted.

Janna Conner Designs
155 W. Washington Blvd.
Suite 208
Los Angeles, Ca 90015
213.741.2137

Friday, December 4, 2009

Newspaper Turns Up Heat On Car Soup

Star Tribune Partners with CarSoup.com

CarSoup.com and Star Tribune Create Online and Sales Partnership.

Minneapolis, MN, November 15, 2009 -- The Star Tribune and CarSoup.com, two local market leaders in automotive advertising services, have entered into a partnership agreement designed to leverage the two companies' strengths in the Twin Cities market.

CarSoup.com, which connects buyers and sellers of car and power sports recreational vehicles through its state-of- the-art website, will become the Star Tribune's automotive web platform, replacing the current StarTribune.com/cars site. In turn, the Star Tribune will become the local sales arm for CarSoup.com products and services in the Twin Cities metro area for both dealership and for-sale-by-owner advertising.

Under the terms of the partnership, beginning Dec. 1, 2009, consumers will be able to access CarSoup.com vehicle listings and products through StarTribune.com, as well as through KMSP-TV's Myfox9.com and CarSoup.com directly. CarSoup.com offers consumers extensive new and used vehicle search capabilities, service coupons and specials from local businesses, vehicle research data and financing pre-approval options.

"We are very excited about the potential of this partnership," said Jamie Flaws, vice president of classified advertising at the Star Tribune. "The Star Tribune benefits from CarSoup's well-known brand, outstanding technology and exceptional automotive website, and CarSoup benefits from the Star Tribune's strong sales force, promotional power and extensive market reach."

"This is a natural pairing of two great brands, "said Larry Cuneo, CEO and founder of CarSoup.com and president of Cuneo Advertising. "We fully expect that both CarSoup and Star Tribune will grow market share as we work together to expand user and advertiser relationships."

CarSoup.com was founded in the Twin Cities in 1998 and is ranked among the top 15 Minnesota e-commerce companies. It now operates in 40 states and serves more than 20 million page views monthly.

The Star Tribune and StarTribune.com combined reach more than two-thirds of the Twin Cities market over the course of a month. StarTribune.com is the leading local news and information website in the market, with more than 85 million page views and almost six million unique visitors monthly.

Looking to post an ad on CarSoup? Become our fan on Facebook to stay tuned to exclusive deals for our fans.

Contact Information
CarSoup.com
Nick Cybela
(866) 768-7411
ncybela@cuneoadvertising.com
www.carsoup.com

Friday, November 13, 2009

Get Married Magazine

Get Married

by Tanya Irwin , Friday, November 13, 2009
Condé Nast recently shuttered Elegant Bride and Modern Bride. How can a new bridal magazine possibly survive in these trying times? Get Married is hoping to carve out a niche by focusing on being "the new shopping and trend guide for the savvy bride."

One forward-thinking aspect to the magazine is the Microsoft Tags, which offer the ability to instantly shop for the wedding products featured on its pages. Via the Tags, brides can connect instantly to Web sites, videos, images and information directly on Web-enabled mobile devices. Note to advertisers: The Tags enable the ability to track campaign success via impressions.

Even without the tags, the magazine has partnered with many of the biggest brands in the bridal business. Nearly 80% of the magazine products are available in its online wedding shop (shop.getmarried.com). The cover includes a blurb for a 10% off coupon for the shop.

The magazine includes editorial features on real brides, wedding professionals and experts, plus an array of trend roundups and product profiles. The "What's Hot" section acknowledges that brides have individual tastes and doesn't try to push a cookie-cutter, "one style fits all" wedding theme. Each page showcases a style, including the "Jackie O," "urban cowgirl," "beachy clean," "pink princess" and "preppy grey and yellow." There are a lot of clever and whimsical items for each theme, such as invitations, guest favors, cakes and dresses.

Although the magazine specifically defines itself as being aimed at budget-conscious brides, there's also a fair number of do-it-yourself projects that will appeal to anyone who would welcome some cost-cutting for their big day. The cover photo of the inaugural issue is of a place setting with an ornately decorated guest favor that brides can make themselves. A DIY wedding story shows two tables with items that brides can put together without the help of a party planner or interior designer.

A four-page spread on invitation styles provides lots of eye candy with "fanciful and vibrant"' examples. These are a far cry from the boring and bland invites that were standard fare 14 years ago when I got married. Rebel that I am, I made my own invites. Nowadays I'd be perfectly happy to pick any one of these. Hmmm, I wonder if a 15-year commitment ceremony might be in my future.

In "Real Weddings," couples who have already tied the knot are featured each month.This issue focused on one of the contestants in NBC's "The Biggest Loser" as well as several non-celebrity couples. The stories are sweet, focusing not only on the weddings but how the couples met and how the husband-to-be popped the question.

One standing feature, "Destination Hotspot," spotlights locations that could be considered for a wedding or honeymoon. Of course, this is a great place in the magazine to sell lots of travel-related ads. Hmmm, maybe this magazine will be around a while.

MAG STATS

Published by: Get Married Media

Frequency: Quarterly

Web site: www.getmarried.com

Post your response to the public Magazine Rack blog.

See what others are saying on the Magazine Rack blog.
Irwin can be reached at tanya@mediapost.com.

Magazine Rack for Friday, November 13, 2009:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117392

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like to begin receiving a copy of your own, please visit our site - www.mediapost.com - and become a complimentary member.
For advertising opportunities see our online media kit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you'd rather not receive this newsletter in the future
click here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We welcome and appreciate forwarding of our newsletters in their entirety or in part with proper attribution.
(c) 2009 MediaPost Communications, 1140 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001








 

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Cash for Gold Craze

A Jewelers Perspective on the Cash for Gold Craze

5 tips on how not to get ripped off selling your old gold jewelry.

Ashland, OR, August 07, 2009 -- Is there value to consumers in taking advantage of the ubiquitous cash for gold promotions? An industry expert weighs in. Recently the media has been flooded with advertisements encouraging consumers to cash in on their gold jewelry. Even sign-swingers can be seen on busy street corners waving passerby's into pawn shops with the promise of "top dollar" for gold chains, class rings, outdated-looking pendants, etc. Unfortunately, according to the business news website MarketWatch.com, consumers may be getting gored on gold prices. And, there are plenty of complaints and cries of scam posted on the Net. Certainly sellers need to be wary - they're probably getting short-changed. With the price of gold hovering close to $1,000 and ounce, what exactly does "top dollar" mean? Who makes the determination?

"People simply don't know if their being low-balled on the overall value of their jewelry", according to 30-year veteran of the fine jewelry industry, Ron Hansen of GoldAndGems.com Fine Jewelry. "If you find yourself financially-strapped and truly need to convert your jewelry to its cash value, your best bet is to take the items to your local jeweler." A full-service jewelry store typically is a member of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) - the industry's guardian of ethics and integrity. Here are JVC's tips for selling gold jewelry.

Tips for Selling Gold Jewelry

1. Choose a reputable jeweler, someone that's known to you or has been recommended by a trusted source. Preferably, select a jeweler that's a member of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.

2. Set off on your expedition with reasonable expectations. When you bought the jewelry you paid for more than the value of the gold. The price included labor, packaging and the retail mark-up of the item. The jeweler will only pay you for the actual gold in an object. Since gold is always blended with other metals to make jewelry, expect that a substantial percentage of the object is made of something other than gold.

3. Don't expect to be paid for the non-gold component of the jewelry. The jeweler may conduct a test to determine how much gold is in the jewelry - known in the trade as its "karat fineness." This is called a "scratch" or "acid" test. Expect the jeweler to actually scratch the gold to conduct the test.

4. The price offered to you by the jeweler may not be the market price of gold that day. Prices are not regulated, so the parties are free to negotiate a price that's acceptable to both sides.

5. Bring a form of government issued identification. Some jewelers are also required by anti-money laundering laws to obtain seller identification.

With rare exceptions, it's unlikely that weight value will come anywhere close to the original cost of the item. If you're not completely cash-strapped, but simply tempted by the relentless media push to empty your jewelry box, then ask yourself if you truly want to sell something as scrap that at one time held some sentiment for you. Talk to your jeweler about redesigning or refurbishing your outdated treasures.

A certified jeweler is highly skilled at appraisal, design consultation, model making, carving, metallurgy, filing, burnishing, polishing, gem-setting and much more. With a fine jeweler's touch, almost any unwanted jewelry becomes valuable again and saves you the hassle of selling your old gold jewelry.

Contact Information
============================

Gold and Gems Fine Jewelry
Ron Hansen
541-488-2753
web@goldandgems.com
http://www.goldandgems.com/

Gold and Gems Fine Jewelry
25 N. Main St,
Ashland, Oregon 97520
877.917.8477
 

Scrap Gold And Silver Recycled Into Jewelry

Hawaiian Alchemy; Jewelry Manufacturer Launches New Process to Turn Old Items Into New

Designs 'N Gold, a Hawaiian jewelry manufacturer has devised a method of turning old, broken and unused jewelry into a new piece of jewelry to help save customers money while at the same time helping to save the planet.

Aiea, HI, August 08, 2009 -- Designs N Gold, a Hawaii based Hawaiian jewelry manufacturer, is pleased to announce the launch of their method for turning old, broken and unused jewelry into new Hawaiian heirlooms bracelets, rings, pendants or other types of jewelry.

Clients who wish to recycle old gold and silver can choose from 2000+ design molds or custom design an entirely new piece of jewelry for themselves or as a gift for a loved one. Clients are also able to keep cherished mementos in a new form of jewelry rather than selling it as scrap gold and silver where dealers may pay them pennies on the dollar.

Recycling also helps save the planet. For every ounce of scrap gold or silver that is recycled into new jewelry, the need for the mining companies to mine a ton of earth is reduced. It is estimated that for an average 18-karat gold ring leaves 20 tons of polluted mining waste behind. There are also pollution risks. For example in 1992 in Summitville, Colorado (USA), a containment dam that held mine waste from a gold mining operation burst. The escaped toxic waste killed all life along a 25 km stretch of a nearby river. Finally, recycling also reduces the consumption of resources and energy.

"Our jewelers/engravers enjoy taking scrap and turning it into a beautiful piece of jewelry which gives them them a great since of pride" said Hawaiian born and raised Colette Aoki, owner of Designs 'N Gold. "Recycling old, broken and unused jewelry into new Hawaiian jewelry not only saves our clients money but also allows them to be a part of helping to save our planet's precious resources for future generations."

Colette's customers who have had a chance to try this process are very enthusiastic. Susan of San Diego, CA writes "Thanks very much for the follow-up. I received the bracelet on Friday of last week- it is so beautiful! I am really happy with it". While April of Maui, Hawaii writes "I received the ring, yesterday and I was already so anxious to open the box. Opened it and oh my. Why, it's surely the ultimate beautiful ring I have ever seen. Most of all it's well made. Thank your designer from the bottom of my heart. I have been sharing with people about your business. I am spreading the word of the great job you all have done."

About Designs 'N Gold
The owner of Designs 'N Gold, Colette Aoki, has been in the jewelry business in Hawaii since 1976. Over that period she has designed jewelry for thousands of clients in Hawaii as well as worldwide. In 1985 she acquired the jewelry manufacturer, Designs 'N Gold, which gave her the ability to control the entire jewelry making process from design to finished product. Designs 'N Gold's expert jewelers and engravers create each piece of Hawaiian jewelry including pendants, earrings, bracelets, and wedding rings.

Contact Information
Designs 'N Gold
Colette Aoki
808-484-2699
caoki@aloha.com
www.designsngold.com
98-1277 Kaahumanu St. 106-339
Aiea, HI
96701

 

Thursday, July 23, 2009

People Magazine

People

by William J. McGee , Thursday, July 23, 2009
Most of us undoubtedly think of magazines as year-round reads, not tied to a particular season. But I know quite a few newsstand buyers who equate People, Us, and other frothy entertainment mags with beach chairs and chaise lounges. I even had a friend who only bought People in May and June, just so she could stock her beach house with a few weeks' worth of guilty reading pleasures each summer.

And why not? Earlier this month I promised my teenage son he could spend the first few weeks away from his grueling high school curriculum, free from any serious intellectual pursuits. As for the rest of us, maybe being tasked with nothing more challenging than identifying body parts in an annual celebrity bathing suit issue is a necessary form of battery-charging on vacation.

If so, People remains up to the task. According to the Publishers Information Bureau, it's still the largest of all the 800-pound gorillas, with the highest ad revenue for the year to date. And as noted on this site last year by Phyllis Fine, People still stands out from other gossip and tabloidy mags because it "acknowledges humans beyond the Hollywood axis," focusing not just on the famous, but on interesting unknowns.

As Jeff Goldblum's character so memorably stated in "The Big Chill," the average People article can be read during a bathroom visit. Heck -- if anything, that challenge should be upped to about 2.5 articles. And there remains something vaguely summery about the content; the pages themselves seem particularly well suited to withstand suntan lotion and sand.

Even the correction in the July 20th issue makes for great beach reading: "In our July 6th issue we incorrectly printed the location of where Christina Aguilera shopped. She shopped at Color Me Mine in Studio City and not at the store's Beverly Hills location. We regret the error." Not exactly an editorial transgression to rival what or when Dick Cheney knew about yellowcake uranium in Iraq -- but then how many among us can spend all 52 weeks of the year mulling such weighty topics?

Yet despite the fluff, People seems to view itself as something of a periodical of record when it comes to celebs. For example, Karl Malden's short obituary on the Passages page was reported sooner, more thoroughly, and more eloquently by scores of other media outlets. Yet Passages reminds us this mag itself arose from Time's People page -- which dryly documented weddings, births, and deaths -- and that dogged spirit lives on somehow, even amidst the treatises on Beyonce's mascara.

This issue also contains a single-page "Life is About Choices" piece that details Sarah Palin's sudden resignation as Alaska's governor yet doesn't provide new or particularly noteworthy information or insights. With hundreds of newspapers, news magazines, and blogs covering the same story, the question arises why People would even bother.

However, when the magazine does focus its full editorial and photographic resources on a story, few rivals can touch it. Thus the cover story on Michael Jackson's memorial service, which is the type of event People was founded for in the first place.

What's interesting is how Jackson's passing so polarized the country, as reflected in the cautious commentaries issued by the White House and Congress and cable news shows. Clearly the millions of heartbroken fans seemed to be matched by at least as many who viewed MJ as tragic at best and a child abuser at worst. That's another debate for another forum, but it's worth noting that People quite deliberately did not attempt to take the journalistic middle road: "Farewell to a King" offers a passing reference to "his troubles offstage" but is as much about praising as it is about burying.

The 10th anniversary of the untimely death of another scion of another famous American family makes for an even better read. "My Friend John" provides personal commentary and photos from Sasha Chermayeff, a close and long-time pal of JFK Jr. It's People at its best: original, interesting, and even compelling. Just as interesting is the portrait of a San Diego man who founded a nonprofit organization that provides needy families with rides to local hospitals, a profile unlikely to make the cut in rival mags.

But there's plenty of nonsense in these pages too. Most entertainment mags would be happy to print a photo of Kim Kardashian in a red bikini on a waterslide. People ups the ante by printing two versions side-by-side and then, in the spirit of a preschooler's activity book, challenges sharp-eyed readers to find ten differences ("#6: Her bikini top has no clasp in the middle.")

The Kardashian reference reminds us that ultimately People has evolved into a litmus test for each succeeding generation. I'll confess I was hit by a severe case of culture shock several weeks back when I stood before a newsstand and saw the same woman in the same orange bikini simultaneously gracing the covers of seven -- seven! -- gossip rags. I had the odd sensation I was in another English-speaking country, reading about British rugby players or Australian soap stars I had no clue existed. Even though I was spotted the huge hint of her first name, I still didn't recognize Kate, and had to be told about her and her husband Jon and her eight kids and her reality show. Even then, I remember thinking: So are we supposed to care?

Obviously the answer is yes. Those PIB figures don't lie.

MAG STATS

Published by: Time Inc.

Frequency: 53 issues per year, including 2 double issues

Web site: www.people.com

Post your response to the public Magazine Rack blog.

See what others are saying on the Magazine Rack blog.

William J. McGee is a freelance journalist who writes a monthly travel column for USAToday.com. 

Do you have strong opinions and inside knowledge about the topic of this newsletter -- and do you want to share your insights, observations and points of view regularly with the readers of MediaPost? To be considered as a MediaPost contributing writer, please send pertinent info about your credentials, plus several column ideas and one example of your writing on the topic, to pfine@mediapost.com. Please see our editorial guidelines here first.

Magazine Rack for Thursday, July 23, 2009:
mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=110370

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like to begin receiving a copy of your own, please visit our site - www.mediapost.com - and become a complimentary member.
For advertising opportunities see our online media kit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you'd rather not receive this newsletter in the future click here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We welcome and appreciate forwarding of our newsletters in their entirety or in part with proper attribution.
(c) 2009 MediaPost Communications, 1140 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001
 

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Global Seller Activity Profiler Launched

Hellotrade.com Launches Global Seller Activity Profiler

Hellotrade's global seller activity profiler allows sellers to broadcast their updated product/company information at once on the b2b platform.

Noida, India, June 04, 2009 -- Hellotrade.com - The global trade search engine announces the launch of a new seller section which profiles the activity of global suppliers on Hellotrade on real time basis. This feature enables sellers to take their product and company updates to global buyers instantly. The service will also aid global buyers with purchase decisions, through this up-to-the-minute updated information. Apart from this new look, the seller section constitutes many other features like product image display, easy access to supplier catalog and free call facility to the suppliers.

HelloTrade Sellers' Section (
http://www.hellotrade.com/business/)

HelloTrade Sellers' section allows business buyers to stay abreast with seller offerings. Some key features of this section are

- Continuously records & updates seller activity (rare on conventional b2b platforms)
- Offers a real-time information update facility
- Enables tracking of sellers' activity on a minute-to-minute basis
- Helps track updated information/offerings from sellers worldwide
- Offers an absolutely Free access to thousands of detailed sellers' catalogs
- Allows refining of a search for sellers by countries, cities and industry segments
- Free online call service is also available through the site.

About HelloTrade.com (
http://www.hellotrade.com/)

HelloTrade.com is a generation next global trade search engine which intends to make the process of online B2B business easy and free for all the users. Hellotrade intends to offer all marketplace facilities absolutely free to its members. Some of the features freely made available on HelloTrade are:

- Free Tenders
- Free Catalogs
- Free Events Information

And many more to follow. In totality Hellotrade.com offers a win-win solution for global buyers and sellers.

Contact Information
Hellotrade International
Manish Gupta
+91 9999042716
manish@hellotrade.com
http://www.hellotrade.com/
E-46, Sector 30,
Noida
Uttar Pradesh - 201301, India