So you managed to get here!

Our juicee PLUM blog URL has changed from juiceeplum.com to http://juiceeplum.wordpress.com/ We have generously given up juiceeplum to a Sri Lankan web designer who has a lingerie fetish.

PLUM-sters Busy Juicing-up Our Entertainment and New Biz Line-ups

Put it out into the universe and it will come back at ya in a big way.  We spent a good deal of time last year talking to companies about integrating entertainment into their overall advertising and marketing activities.  Since that time, we have been hard at work not only developing great opportunities for clients and their marketing programs but we’ve created a whole new business dedicated to a slate of projects for TV, feature film and online content, from a scripted TV drama based on our experiences working with the U.S. Marine Corps Special Ops, to an all-CGI animated feature film and franchise, to a transvestite animated food character that would make South Park audiences squeamish.

Soon, we’ll also be announcing new clients we are working with, most recently having started with the University of South Carolina.  Go Gamecocks!

Our social media activity has been silent as we’ve been gearing up for an exciting end of 2011 and the new year.  We will soon be back and active in the blog-o and Twitter-spheres reporting back on innovative new ways in which companies can connect with consumers and customers.

PLUM Proud to Be Working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of summer with activities ranging from family gatherings and parties to barbeques and sporting events. Children and adults alike buzzed with excitement as the familiar smell of hotdogs and hamburgers filled the air and the sight of fireworks bursted across the sky.

While Memorial Day is often a time to celebrate with family and friends, at its core, it is a day to commemorate and honor our nation’s military. In NYC, Fleet Week along with Memorial Day enable us to pay tribute to all the selfless soldiers, both past and present, who have protected our country and heroically defended our way of life.

Similarly, at PLUM we value the service of our military and are thrilled to have won a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Now that we have officially kicked-off work with the VA, we are pleased to show our gratitude for America’s veterans and all they have done for our country. It is most enjoyable for us to work with clients who serve or have served to improve the life of each individual American. So here’s to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the soldiers still fighting for our nation’s safety and wellbeing, and the many men and women who are America’s veterans! 

We at PLUM solute you.

New PLUM Initiative

Here at PLUM, we immodestly consider ourselves to be the consummate arbiters of style and taste. We also consider PLUM to be on the cutting edge of communicating in the digital space. Marrying the two, PLUM’s PLUMP Entertainment team is undertaking a truly groundbreaking initiative into the world of providing branded online content in an exciting new format. We’ll be bringing together our best minds to create an entertaining, engaging venue highlighting one of the most spectacular leaders in the industries of design and lifestyle.

Stay tuned as we continue our work on this initiative to bring you an exciting entertainment product you can connect to 24 by seven.

For African American Women, It’s Natural

Eight months ago I made a decision to stop chemically relaxing (straightening) my hair and opted to grow out my natural tresses.  Fast forward to the current day, I have since cut off all of my straight relaxed ends and I am now completely au naturel— a very big deal for me since I have been relaxing my hair since I was eight or so.  When I decided to take my natural hair journey… something struck me:  I saw that I wasn’t alone in my decision.  There were a number of my friends and peers who were taking this same journey.  It felt great to find that we were all taking the same path.

African American women choosing to do away with the creamy crack (aka relaxer) and wear their natural hair has become a growing trend over the last few years. There are countless products catering to the natural hair community and thousands of You Tube videos providing tutorials about new products and how to achieve new hairstyles, which are inspiring to women like myself who are in the process of transitioning.  Years ago, these resources never existed.   Although this trend is nothing new—African American women dating back to the 60s and 70s used their hair as a political statement—it leads me to ask what has caused this resurgence of the  “going natural” movement among African American women?

The answer is: Information.  From experience I can say that “going natural” takes time and research.  Yes, research.  With my relaxed hair I knew what products and styles worked for me.  Once I became natural it was quite a challenge to find a daily regimen to maintain my new fro.  I heavily relied on blogs, You Tube tutorials and product reviews to guide me through my process, and still do.  I don’t know where I would be without it.  Because of these sources of information, I don’t see this natural movement ending anytime soon.  Here are a few things I think we can look forward to in the near future.

1. More mainstream natural hair products
2. Educational campaigns teaching women basic natural hair care
3. Collaborations between natural hair bloggers and hair companies
4. Celebrities becoming natural spokeswomen for products
5. More natural hair salons and stylists

~ Shakiyla Newland

Cupcakes Gone Wild

How many times have you flipped through the TV guide complaining that there is nothing to watch, only to settle contentedly on Cupcake Wars or DC Cupcakes? If reality TV is not on your radar, surely you have yearned for a daintily adorned signature cup cake as you stroll past the Madison Ave Crumbs shop window.

Simply put, the world has gone crazy for cupcakes. Most people know by the age of six that a cupcake is nothing shy of perfection. Why, then, did a cupcake-crazed trend take decades to grip the nation?

Cupcakes have meta-morphed from frumpy to couture within the last few years. And New York City, of course, has welcomed this chic dessert in stride. Baked goods are no longer simply delicious to eat but are now an art of delicacy. This is easily seen in the famous Baked By Melissa bite-sized stuffed cupcakes, where Melissa Bushell can be equated to the Tory Burch of desserts. Her miniature creations are perfectly shaped, lovely to look at, and as delectable as ever.

The consumer driven glamorization of the bakery industry is another example of a trend that has caught on and spread…only this one is much more appetizing. Entrepreneurs have locked in this delicious obsession by establishing a niche in the market to make their own. People everywhere want a taste of these little treats – who knew that harnessing the power of portion control could lead to such lucrative success? Bakeries such as Crumbs and Baked By Melissa have practically become a household brand, while shows such as Cupcake Wars have taken advantage of the reality TV craze and have exploded into instant successes. Today, cupcakes are not only appealing to buy and eat, but a reason to set your DVR to the latest and greatest of cupcake making. What we can take from this growing trend is that putting a slight twist on something ordinary can very often lead to something huge. What do you think the next big “recycled” idea will be?

Bermuda Gems

The PLUM team has enjoyed a successful history marketing major travel destinations, and our consultants have achieved fame working on significant projects since the ‘90s. So any time we get to talk-up a destination we know intimately, we do it. While this may sound more like a travel piece than a marketing post, this gives you a sense of our passion in finding those hidden treasures of any destination we visit…or market.  

It’s no secret that Bermuda boasts gorgeous pink sand beaches, turquoise water, and swaying palms; however, there are several hidden treasures that make this little island much more unique than many realize. As a native Bermudian, I can offer you a local perspective on what not to miss; hopefully my suggestions will take you beyond the pages of your Bermuda pocket guide and into the heart of what makes my island home so special.

First, if you happen to go to Horseshoe Bay, be sure to walk the whole length of the beach. You’ll see why when you go.  Horseshoe is a top tourist destination, so if you want something less crowded and more serene, you will be mesmerized by the gentle waves and soft pink sand of Warwick Long Bay Beach. A half-mile long, this beach is pure paradise. For the more active, grab your mask and strap on your flippers; there is a great place to snorkel in the calm, sheltered waters of Church Bay. Try to drag yourself out of your hotel room extra early because Church Bay is one of the best spots on the island to catch a gorgeous sunrise. Word of advice: pack a picnic lunch and bring water; these beaches are generally isolated.

Of course, there are hundreds of places to dine during your stay. But one of my favorite restaurants is the quirky authentic English pub, Hog Penny. The Bermuda Fish Chowder is divine, and if you want to be a true Brit, go for the Bangers and Mash! Another of my favorite spots is Swizzle Inn in Baileys Bay. Be it lunch, dinner or an iced Rum Swizzle, this place never fails to satisfy. But let this be your warning, because there definitely is truth in the saying “Swizzle in, Swagger out.” Located just a stone’s throw away from the airport, it is a perfect place to go for a last bite to eat before heading home. A few of my other favorites include Harbourfront, Bistro J and La Trattoria.

Before you set off on a motor scooter to explore the South Shore, put aside some time to see one of Bermuda’s most charming sights. A man named Johnny Barnes gets up every workday from 6-10 am to greet Bermudians as they drive by him on their way to work. Johnny is there rain or shine, and his giant smile and incessant waving is contagious. Head to the Crowlane roundabout to visit him and feel the love. Johnny captures the essence of Bermuda: vibrant, friendly and unlikely to be found anywhere else in the world.

I could go on and on, but these are just a few tips to get you started. You’ll soon realize why Mark Twain once gushed, “You can go to heaven if you want. I’d rather stay here in Bermuda.”