Aiming For Success: Meet Sharpshooter/CEO John Bukacek

Advertising, Brand Loyalty | by

    Don't mess with Pongr's Mountain Dew CEO John Bukacek!

    PONGR PROFILE
    Name: John Bukacek
    Age: 20
    Hometown: Waukesha, Wisconsin.
    Real Job: Student at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.
    Pongr Job: CEO of Mountain Dew.
    Career Dream: Become a video game designer.
    Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Legal Sea Foods, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Green Bay Packers.
    Fun Fact: John plans to soon launch a Website called “GameSpike,” which will cover gaming-related news such as Xbox, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo 64 and game accessories.
    Fun Fact #2: He is hopelessly addicted to Nintendo Mario Party and Super Smash Bros.

    Target Practice

    When John Bukacek isn’t shooting photographs of DEW to defend his position in Pongr, he’s literally shooting at DEW. Bottles of Diet SuperNova and Voltage make fine targets for his Nerf-N-Strike blaster gun.

    He’s a perfectionist sharpshooter in other areas of life, too. For example, he recently aimed to win every Mountain Dew Pitch Black prize on Pongr…. and mission accomplished!

    “I love sharing my passion for Dew and other brands by taking pictures,” John says. “Pongr really exercises one’s creativity.”

    Pongr power-player John Bukacek discovered that Code Red appeals to Darth Vader's Stormtroopers.

    John’s brand loyalty is also sometimes the focus of his college roommates’ pranks.

    “I just had a bunch of Dew cans from all the 12-packs I won on Pongr and I had set them all out in the kitchen. My roommates stacked them in front of my closed door, hoping I would trip over them,” he says. “But I knew they were doing it because I heard them stacking them.”

    John’s dedication to Mountain Dew and Pongr — he’s submitted 483 pics and counting — has made him a celebrity fan sought after by real-life executives. At the recent PAX East videogame festival in Boston, John was wined and dined at Legal Sea Foods by Pongr CEO Jamie Thompson and Nate, a Mountain Dew brand manager.

    What they talked about at their top secret meeting, we can only speculate. But we’re guessing it had something to Dew with their favorite beverage.

    Pongr CEO Jamie Thompson (left) and Pongr Dew CEO John Bukacek take a Dew break during the PAX East videogame convention.

    “I think Dew is doing a great job connecting with their fans with Dew Labs, Facebook and Pongr,” John says. “I feel that Dew is one of the best companies that truly listens to their fans!”

    John says he’s impressed with the high level of competition in the Pongr game to keep his position of Dew CEO, expressing special awe for the museum-quality memorabilia collection of rival Shane McGinnis.

    “I’m going to keep recruiting and sending in pictures, and sharing pictures, as much as I can,” he vows. “My message for Shane and Jason? Keep at it guys, I’m not going down without a fight!  I’m not really scared that I’ll be dethroned. But on the other hand, they are both Dew Labs members, so they may put up a good fight.”

    Stay tuned…

    Are you addicted to Pongr?  We’d love to hear from you!  Tell us how the game fits into your life at dgarnick (at) pongr (dot) com. Pongr is a mobile marketing and image recognition company that designs and develops customized brand games for product-engagement.

    Dewing It With Style: Museum curator Shane McGinnis

    Advertising, Brand Loyalty, Our Favorites | by

      Pitch Black outlaw Shane McGinnis

      PONGR PROFILE
      Name: Shane McGinnis
      Age: 18
      Hometown: Parkland, Florida
      Real Job: Unemployed
      Pongr Job: COO of Mountain Dew
      Career Dream: Aspires to be a photographer and/or video editor.
      Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Dunkin’ Donuts, PlayStation, Brinks.
       Fun Fact: Runs the “Bring Back Mountain Dew Revolution” Facebook Page.
      Philosophy: “I’m literally at the point where nothing but Mountain Dew can ever live up to my soda expectations.”

      You don’t need to build a shrine to your favorite brand to enjoy the Game of Pongr. But it sure is fun living vicariously through the lives of players who do. Check out the ever-expanding Mountain Dew Museum in the Shane McGinnis homestead:

      Shane's Dew Museum

      Dew-themed sneakers take center stage!

      DEWmocracy Insider: Original test cans of Typhoon, White Out & Distortion.

      Shane began drinking the Dew back in 2003, when the horse stables next to his house started stocking it in their soda machine. He previously was hooked on Mello Yello, but the business owner’s switch from Coke to Pepsi products inevitably changed his life forever.

      He was extremely active in DEWmocracy II, the 2010 promotional contest to choose Mountain Dew’s next flavor. And he worked feverishly on the Distortion Team, making taste test videos and Twitter backgrounds for his candidate, but graciously supported White Out when it became the official nominee.

      Shane’s pair of sweet Mountain Dew Adidas sneaks was earned with cap codes. His quest for one-of-a-kind Dew items includes homemade artwork from his little sister Kiersten.

      Now he’s in a tight three-way Pongr race for Mountain Dew CEO.

      “I was super excited about Dew’s decision to use Pongr after only a few days of ‘Pongring’ my Dew heart away,” Shane says. “I’ve got many friends playing Pongr, and one of them is now the CEO of Mountain Dew (in the game), John Bukacek. This is really an original site that I’ve never seen before, and teaming up with my favorite brand just makes it even better!”

      As an aspiring photographer, Pongr is also a golden opportunity to show off his creativity.

      Promotional skywriting with a Maglite flashlight, photographed with slow exposure on the Panasonic DMC-LZ6's "Starry Sky" setting.

      “Be creative, people will like your pictures more when they are different and original,” he advises other players. “Don’t steal pictures and don’t recruit fake accounts. Where’s the fun in any of that anyways?”

      As for his quest to unseat his friend John Bukacek as Dew CEO, Shane is proving that the corporate world can be competitive without being cutthroat. Check out the friendly banter he recently shared with his rival in the Pongr comments section:

      Pongr in-game social banter

       

      The picture they are discussing is the “bandit” pose posted at the top of this blog. Looks like the race to be CEO won’t be cooling off anytime soon, but it hopefully will remain civil.

      “John B, I’m coming for ya!” warns Shane. “And Jason K, I don’t know how you do it, but you seem to still be keeping up with me. But it’s a competition for a great position, so I can see why you’re pushing so hard. Good luck!”

      There’s still plenty of time to earn Dew Bucks and Pitch Black Bucks for your choice of phenomenal limited-edition prizes. Send your pics to dew@pongr.com and see how far you can climb!

      Simply Dewlicious: Pancake chef Amanda Dean harnesses the power of Pitch Black!

      Advertising | by

        SECRET INGREDIENT: Pitch Black is the difference between blah and Dewlicious!

        PONGR PROFILE
        Name: Amanda Dean
        Age: 29
        Hometown: Liberty, Missouri
        Real Job: Freelance writer looking for full-time work.
        Pongr Job: Market Support Associate at Mountain Dew
        Career Dream: Video game programmer, designer or marketer.
        Fun Fact: Amanda developed a creative writing game called Icefall’s Observatory.
        Fun Fact #2: Also enjoys making plush dolls and collecting keychains.

        We have fond memories of Mom adding Mickey Mouse ears on our pancakes, but Amanda has just brought breakfast to a higher plane of creativity.

        Adding Mountain Dew’s grape-flavored Pitch Black to the batter gives flapjacks a whimsical purplish hue that’s too subtle to show up well in photographs. The taste isn’t so bashful.

        “I love the balance of flavor, which is something Mountain Dew has always been great at,” Amanda says. “It’s a solid grape flavor without tasting like you are drinking a candy. It’s a fun flavor to rotate in with the other flavors of Mountain Dew that I regularly drink and not get tired of it!”

        Amanda, a passionate member of the DEW Labs community, recently had the honor of sitting her tush behind the wheel of the official Pitch Black sportscar.

        Is there a better way to impress the guys? Amanda says playing Pongr is a "much more fun way of expressing and sharing images with friends as well as knowing that those pictures might be seen by the brands we are inspired by."

        But back to the flapjacks.

        “I’m not afraid to try something new,” Amanda says. “I’ve made pancakes with regular Mountain Dew as well as Code Red, so I knew that the basis was sound. Dew helps to keep the pancakes light and fluffy as well.”

        “I have a few other related recipes like Deep Fried Mountain Dew, but I haven’t had a chance yet to fully play with them all. Mountain Dew is a great way to add flavor and sweetness to dishes without having to get out a ton of ingredients. There are many recipes where you can easily substitute all or part of water or oils with Dew and your final dish will be more delicious for it,” she adds.

        We can’t resist the urge to sneak in another “dewlicious” pun and as compensation, we’re sharing Amanda’s family recipe with everyone on Pongr:

        Amanda’s Mountain Dew Pancakes

        Ingredients:

      • 1 cup of your preferred pancake mix.
      • 2/3 cup to 1 cup of your preferred flavor of Mountain Dew. The less you add, the thicker the pancakes will be.

        • Instructions:

      • Mix together the pancake mix and Mountain Dew, but don’t over mix!
      • Cook in a pan over medium low heat.
      • Drink some Mountain Dew while waiting for each side to turn golden brown.
      • Serve plain, with syrup, or with other toppings and fresh fruit that will compliment whichever flavor of DEW was used. For example, drizzle strawberry pancake syrup on Code Red pancakes. :)
      • This will make about 6-10 pancakes depending on size and thickness.
      • Enjoy and Pongr your pancakes to dew@pongr.com!

        • (Have you tried cooking experiments with Mountain Dew or other favorite brands? Send your recipes and discoveries to dgarnick@pongr.com)

        Dewing It With Style: Backyard acrobat Brad Marshall

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          You don't need to perform superhuman tricks to prove your passion for Mountain Dew!

          PONGR PROFILE
          Name: Brad Marshall
          Age: 20
          Hometown: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
          Real Job: Meat Cutter
          Pongr Job: Administrative Assistant, Mountain Dew
          Career Dream: Become a Pastor.
          Pet Peeve: Finding out a restaurant does not offer the Dew and suggesting Sprite as a substitute. “They taste NOTHING alike,” he says.
          Fun Fact: Brad enjoys making short tribute films about his favorite beverage. Check out his BradDoTheDew YouTube Channel!
          Fun Fact #2: Served guests a Mountain Dew cake at his wedding.

          Brad Marshall isn’t offended anymore if people first assume that he’s lying.

          He concedes that the photo of him balancing an aluminum stepladder on his chin looks so outrageous that people think it’s an optical illusion or an image created in Photoshop. But the skeptics scurry away once they see the video evidence or if they are lucky, get a live demonstration!

          The video encapsulates how Brad taught himself how to become a circus-caliber chin balancer by first starting out with canes, umbrellas and brooms — and eventually moving up to chairs and ladders.

          “What is really funny about balancing things is that the bigger things are easier than smaller objects,” he says. “It’s amazing how fast I learned because after a few failed attempts, I was able to balance the ladder pretty easily. It’s now one of my most popular party tricks.”

          And not once has Brad busted his nose or teeth when the ladder comes crashing down. Next up for the Dewster: Balancing a Tomahawk Cruise Missile.

          OK, now that’s clearly a Photoshop job — and a poorly executed one to boot. Brad had nothing to do with it. It’s our subliminal message that Pongr players aren’t afraid to take on the seemingly impossible.

          “When I balance stuff on my chin, I wear Mountain Dew clothing because it represents the essence of extreme,” says Brad. “One thing I would like to see is more merchandise. Mountain Dew has some of the most passionate fans, so I know they would buy whatever the company puts out there!”

          Speaking of merch, Mountain Dew is now giving away some ultra-limited Pitch Black Gear for Pongr players earning Pitch Black Bucks!

          There are two ways to win:

          1. Snap and send pics of Pitch Black drinks or gear (preferably with you, family and friends) to pitchblack@pongr.com; and

          2. Do a little improv! Snap a pic of the facial expression that best sums up your feelings upon hearing that Pitch Black was coming back and send it to pitchblack@pongr.com with #pbisblack in the subject line.

          “Pongr is awesome,” says Brad. “I am glad Mountain Dew gave us a chance to be part of it.  I do some crazy stuff with Dew in pictures and this lets me share that not just with friends on Facebook, but with a whole new group of people!”

          (Do you have what it takes to become the CEO of Mountain Dew? Get in the game and check out the competition. Fame and Pitch Black Bucks await you!)

          Meet Pongr "Fashion Plate" Camille Serrecchia!

          Brand Loyalty | by

            MAJOR SHOPPING HAUL: This stunning silk top is one of the many amazing scores shared by college student Camille Serrecchia on her "Never Naked" fashion blog. Believe it or not, she bought the $1,300 designer shirt for only $26 at TJ Maxx -- an astounding savings of $1,274!

            PONGR “FASHION PLATE” PROFILE
            Name: Camille Serrecchia
            Age: 20
            Hometown: Boston
            Real Job: Bridgewater State University Student/Cashier at TJ Maxx
            Pongr Job: Market Support Associate at Hello Kitty
            Blog: I Am Never Naked
            Twitter Feed: @CAM1LL3S
            Career Dream: Would love to work in TJ Maxx’s corporate office.
            Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: TJ Maxx, Dunkin’ Donuts, Guess, Cosmopolitan, Coach, Bath and Body Works, Forever 21, Marc Jacobs, and L.A. Colors.
            Shopping Motto: “See, Buy, Wear, Repeat.”
            Favorite Quote: “Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves, and of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys, they’d just walk around naked at all times.” — Fashion designer Betsey Johnson.

            College student Camille Serrecchia often finds her dream outfits at TJ Maxx, where she also happens to work part-time as a cashier.  She calls herself a “Maxxinista,” and can testify first-hand that fresh surprise batches of the world’s top fashion brands arrive two to three times a week. “The stores can be hit or miss sometimes, but that’s what makes shopping there fun and different,” she says. “Because the selection is different at every location, there is something for everyone!”

            On her “I Am Never Naked” fashion blog (see Betsey Johnson quote above), Camille shares her latest outfits, shopping hauls, “steals,” nails, makeup, and general shopping advice. She also writes about room/closet organization and is working on an itemized picture list of her entire wardrobe.

            Camille is one of the contestants in Pongr’s new “Fashion Plate” contest, which invites shopping fans to model their favorite clothes for a chance to win a professional fashion photo shoot, a $100 Visa gift card and subscriptions to fashion magazines (full details here).

            Aside from enjoying the social and competitive aspects of playing Pongr (how to play), this devoted fashionista says the game also has proven to be the ultimate shopping tool!

            “I was actually accidentally prepared to play this,” Camille says. “When I’m shopping, as a rule, I take pictures of things I really like but can’t afford or don’t need. Then every so often, I go through my pictures and think about if I would have actually used the item or not. If I happen to still want it, I go back to the store. So, when I discovered Pongr, I was ahead of the game.”

            “Every time I shop, I also just send the picture to Pongr right away,” she adds. “I knew all of those shots would come in handy some day!”

            Camille happens to be a die-hard Hello Kitty fan and recently painted her nails as a tribute to the popular Sanrio feline. She also has accumulated a collection of Hello Kitty dolls, t-shirts, watches, Band-Aids and handbags.

            Cute Shoulder Bag: Another Hello Kitty shopping haul!

            “I really like all the different Hello Kitty expressions, and all of the different products you can get with the Hello Kitty branding. There isn’t that much they don’t make with a Hello Kitty on it,” Camille says. “I just saw an uncut key and the part you turn was a Hello Kitty head. I wanted it so bad but I already have Hello Kitty covers on my keys.”

            If Camille ever bumps into Sanrio CEO Shintaro Tsuji at one of the company’s numerous boutiques, she’d love to share her fashion vision for her favorite character.

            “I really wish they made Hello Kitty high heels with the Hello Kitty bow on the toe area or on the back of the heel,” she says. “I would buy those in a second!”

            (Attention Fashionistas: Competing to win prizes is one benefit of snapping pictures for Pongr. Another is trying to attract the attention of real executives at your favorite fashion brand. Learn More.)

            Calling All Fashionistas: Show us what's in your closet!

            Brand Loyalty, Mobile Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Social Media | by

              Pongr is searching for America's most devoted Fashion Plates!

              Ooooh la la! You’re someone who turns every place you walk into a fashion runway.

              We’re searching for shopaholics to show off their favorite dresses, sparkling jewelry, designer shoes and handbags for a chance to win a professional fashion photo shoot or a $100 Visa gift card.

              Let’s face it: More than half the fun of clothes shopping is trying everything on again when you get home and sharing your new looks with your friends.

              So open up your closet and let the modeling sessions begin!

              PONGR’S “FASHION PLATE” CONTEST PRIZES

              First Prize: Professional fashion photography shoot* in your city or town, including prints and digital files for your modeling portfolio or just to share with your Facebook friends!

              Second Prize: $100 Visa Gift Card for that next gorgeous dress!

              Third Prize: Ten winners will receive one-year subscriptions to the fashion magazine of their choice. Choose from Cosmopolitan, Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, Allure, Redbook, Seventeen, Harper’s Bazaar, Lucky, InStyle, Jane, or W.

              All winners will receive “Certified Fashion Plate” award certificates suitable for framing.

              (*Note: It is our preference to hire a fashion photographer based in your area. Depending on the location of the winner, some additional travel may be required.)

                HOW TO PLAY

              1. Try on your favorite outfit or fashion accessories.
              2. Pull out your camera phone or traditional camera and pose like a supermodel.
              3. Email or picture-text your photos to (brand)@pongr.com (i.e. gucci@pongr.com, calvinklein@pongr.com, sephora@pongr.com, dior@pongr.com).
              4. In order for a picture to count, a person must be modeling each fashion item. You need not be in every photo. Including poses from friends and family or group poses is encouraged. Each item can be counted only once.
              5. Full-body or facial shots are not required in every submission. If you want to take pictures of earrings, for example, close-ups of the ear are acceptable.
              6. Winners will be determined by the total number of pictures submitted PLUS the total number of different brands.
              7. Any recognizable fashion brand is acceptable including perfume, cosmetics, nail polish, etc.
              8. Pongr reserves the right to delete any photos deemed inappropriate.
              9. Contest begins on Wednesday, March 16 and concludes at midnight on Friday, April 15.

              By the way, we’d like to stress that Pongr’s “Fashion Plate” Contest is in no way, shape or form a professional modeling contest. It’s for people who love fashion (guys are welcomed, too). Even if you have absolutely no modeling ambitions, it’s still a blast to pretend for a few hours. If you’re doing this for the mobile marketing practice, we’re OK with that too. Pongr may be using its image recognition and visual search technology to help genuine fashionista players score more Pongr Bucks in the game.

              So start shopping and start snapping… Our runway awaits you!

              You don't need celebrity friends to get your dream job

              Brand Ambassadors, Brand Loyalty | by

                (An earlier version of this article was published at TrackAhead.com, a career advice portal for college students searching for jobs and internships).

                So Charlie Sheen is about to hire his summer intern, or as he calls it, his “Tiger Blood Intern.” Epic. Radical.  But out of 74,000 applicants (!), only one lucky human will get to be the “Two and a Half Men” exile’s social media soulmate. What about the rest of us?

                What’s the game plan if Charlie Sheen won’t return your calls?

                How great would it be if you landed a job that was so much fun that it didn’t seem like a job? I’m not talking about choosing a career that you are passionate about, which is a goal that we all should pursue. I mean an opportunity so wild that it couldn’t possibly be true.

                Take for example, the new “Vice President of Pop Culture” opening at popchips, the healthy snack manufacturer that would have you report directly to actor and Twittermaster Ashton Kutcher.

                As advertised on Monster.com, the position requires “assisting Ashton in all official pop culture business, jetting off to report on-location from the hottest pop culture events, helping discover what’s popping, and weighing in on all the important issues.”

                The gig pays $50,000 for a year and lets you work at home unless you have to go to a music festival, award show or fashion event to mingle with celebrities. And did I mention it comes with a year’s supply of popchips?

                Essentially, they are hiring a high-profile brand ambassador to blog, make YouTube videos and work some social media magic. Gillette recently hired shaving ambassadors in an Ultimate Summer Job Contest. The winners got to demonstrate the five-blade Fusion ProGlide at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, WWE Wrestling events and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

                Purina is now looking for a Cat Chow Correspondent to travel in style and bond with fellow feline lovers. And Major League Baseball wants to pay one lucky fan to watch every single game of the 2011 season in person or on TV!

                Companies like Purina are investing major resources into brand ambassador contests.

                There seems to be no end to these brand ambassador contests, but they all have one thing in common. Marketing and public relations careers can be extremely fun if you are creative and love what you are promoting.

                Perhaps the most famous brand ambassador is Jared Fogle, the spokesperson for the “Subway Sandwich Diet.” Jared’s weight loss success (245 pounds!) was first reported by a college newspaper and then it was picked up by Men’s Health magazine. Subway then dove in and made Jared the star of their TV commercials. His enormous 60-inch waist pants were donated to the soon-to-be-opening Advertising Icon Museum in Kansas City.

                So you don’t need to enter a contest to work for your favorite brand – you just need to get their attention and impress the heck out of them! And like Jared, your publicity efforts can start small and gain momentum.

                PERSONAL BRANDING: Pongr co-founder Jamie Thompson meets with potential brand ambassadors at the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) conference at Boston University.

                We believe one of the best ways for marketing, communications and public relations majors to get an early jump on their careers is to play games. Specifically, Pongr, a career ladder picture-sharing game that my company developed to connect brands with their most loyal customers. Pongr’s expertise in mobile marketing and visual recognition is a result of our team’s years of applied research knowledge in the areas of computer vision and image recognition, but also the dozens of global brand campaigns we have done for advertising agencies looking to leverage wireless engagement.

                Pongr is now looking to hire campus ambassadors at several colleges around the country. You can download our brand ambassador PDF flier for more details. But overall, we provide you with the ultimate forum and tools for you to impress your favorite company. Not only will you be learning about the latest emerging technologies in the mobile marketing field, you’ll be playing brand games and getting exposure to all forms of digital and traditional marketing.

                For example, if you would love to get a marketing job with Mountain Dew, you could send them a resume and cover letter bragging about how many 2-liter bottles you drink a day. Just like everyone else in the pile.

                Or you could prove to Mountain Dew why you belong on their radar. You could take pictures of their products in creative ways, build a grassroots community of like-minded fans and competitively share your passion. One brand enthusiast has gone as far as balancing a ladder on his nose, but you need not be a circus performer to impress marketing executives with your ideas and talents.

                NEXT ADVERTISING STAR: Mountain Dew fans go to extremes to impress company executives, but you need not go crazy to get the attention of hiring managers. Demonstrating creativity and talent need not involve risking facial injuries!

                It doesn’t matter if you want to work on mobile marketing campaigns for Prada handbags or Snickers candy bars. More often than not, global brands are hiring graduates who are already part of their culture. And becoming the brand CEO in Pongr involves a series of challenges similar to what real-life marketing managers strive to achieve every day. Why wouldn’t a hiring manager want to meet you? We think they’d be crazy not to.

                Jared created his own dream job with Subway. There was no advertised position for an inspirational spokesperson. We believe that the best players in Pongr will create their own job opportunities, too, while promoting their own personal brands.

                More importantly, this brand loyalty game can be an exercise for college students to explore if a marketing or public relations career is right for them. So pull out your camera phone, compete to be the virtual CEO of your favorite company, and let us know how you’re leveraging Pongr to help your career!

                (If you’re interested in applying to be a Pongr Campus Ambassador at your college, download an informational flier here.)

                Look Who’s Playing Pongr: Red Sox/Egypt fan Eric Mendes!

                Advertising | by

                  Red Sox fan Eric Mendes hopes to Pongr the team all the way to the 2011 World Series!

                  (In honor of Spring Training, the official rebirth of hopes and dreams for the 28 teams who didn’t make it to the World Series, we are focusing the spotlight on diehard baseball fans expressing their passion through Pongr.)

                  PONGR SPRING TRAINING PROFILE
                  Name: Eric Mendes
                  Age: 22
                  Hometown: Boston, MA
                  Real Job: UMass-Boston student majoring in Management Information Systems.
                  Pongr Job: Administrative Assistant, Boston Red Sox
                  Career Dream: To work for Google, Apple or Microsoft in Silicon Valley.
                  Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Apple, Android, Axe, Nikon, Nintendo, Pepsi
                  Eric’s Blog: EricMendes.com
                  Eric’s Photography Web site: http://ericmendes.com/photography/
                  Fun Eric Fact: Plans to study abroad next year in Germany and Finland.

                  Raised by a single mother in Boston, Eric grew up in numerous city-sponsored afterschool and summer camp programs that involved volunteer mentors from the Red Sox. He fondly recalls meeting slugger Mo Vaughn during his 1995 MVP season and Sox superstars Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez when Boston hosted the 1999 All-Star Game.

                  In between his studies and Pongr’ing these days, Eric manages to get to Fenway Park for about five to 10 home games each year. One of his favorite moments was touching the hallowed Pesky Foul Pole when fans were allowed on the field for a special promotion.

                  Pongr'ing at Fenway Park's infamous Pesky Pole, the yellow stick that sways home runs fair or foul.

                  And he continues to be a magnet for Sox celebrity sightings…

                  Pongr fan Eric Mendes catches up with Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz!

                  If Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino or General Manager Theo Epstein ever takes Eric out to lunch, there wouldn’t be any lack of conversation topics. From his firsthand experience, Eric would like to personally thank the Sox for their continued community service in Boston neighborhoods. But he also admires it as a smart marketing strategy.

                  “As the Sox visit more kids, they create a new generation of fans that will continue to help Fenway sellout every home game!” he says. “I would also suggest management try and get some players that can maintain strong relations with the community through social networks. Celtic Paul Pierce is doing something similar with his weekly blog posts with Boston.com.”

                  Not to mention the Twitter circus being put on by Shaq O’ Neal, who recently posed as a statue for fans who follow his feed!

                  Eric might not have 3.5 million followers like Shaq, but he does hail the game of Pongr as a blueprint for career success.

                  “The best real-life lesson in the game is that no one makes it to the top without help from others. If there’s anything I’ve learned in my experience in the ‘real world,’ it’s that you should never burn bridges and helping others is a key to moving up the corporate ladder,” he says.

                  As for moving down into the front row box seats at Fenway Park, Eric ironically won’t have that opportunity at all in 2011. He’s about to embark on a study abroad program in Germany and Finland to pursue his other loves: International travel and photography. Below is a gorgeous shot of one of the Great Pyramids he took from his Cairo hotel’s roof. Learn how he risked significant injury to get this pic by visiting his photography blog.

                  What would the Pharaohs Pongr if there were brands in Ancient Egypt?

                  Good luck chasing sunsets overseas, Eric — and don’t forget to snap and send lots of pics of German and Finnish brands!

                  ATTENTION BASEBALL FANS: It’s time to snap pics of you and your friends in your baseball shirts and hats, as well as pics of Spring Training games in person or on TV… Share them with us and work your way up the ladder to team CEO!

                  Here’s where to email or picture-text your photos:

                  AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
                  redsox@pongr.com
                  yankees@pongr.com
                  orioles@pongr.com
                  bluejays@pongr.com
                  rays@pongr.com

                  AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
                  tigers@pongr.com
                  whitesox@pongr.com
                  twins@pongr.com
                  royals@pongr.com
                  indians@pongr.com

                  AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
                  angels@pongr.com
                  athletics@pongr.com
                  mariners@pongr.com
                  texasrangers@pongr.com

                  NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
                  marlins@pongr.com
                  mets@pongr.com
                  phillies@pongr.com
                  nationals@pongr.com

                  NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
                  cubs@pongr.com
                  reds@pongr.com
                  astros@pongr.com
                  brewers@pongr.com
                  pirates@pongr.com
                  stlouiscardinals@pongr.com

                  NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
                  dodgers@pongr.com
                  padres@pongr.com
                  diamondbacks@pongr.com
                  sfgiants@pongr.com
                  rockies@pongr.com

                  (Would you like to be featured on the Pongr blog? Tell us about your passions, your favorite brands and why you play Pongr! Drop us a line at dgarnick at pongr dot com)

                  Look Who’s Playing Pongr: Yankees fan Scott Ready

                  Advertising, Brand Loyalty | by

                    Pongr player Scott Ready says he was "like a little kid in a candy store" when he recently visited the New York Yankees fan shop in Manhattan.

                    (In honor of the beginning of Spring Training, the official rebirth of hopes and dreams for the 28 teams who didn’t make it to the World Series, we are focusing on the spotlight on diehard baseball fans expressing their passion through Pongr.)

                    PONGR SPRING TRAINING PROFILE
                    Name: Scott Ready
                    Age: 21
                    Hometown: Mooresville, NC
                    Real Job: Student at Appalachian State University (Boone, NC)
                    Pongr Job: Marketing Support Associate, New York Yankees.
                    Career Dream: Major League Baseball commentator/analyst.
                    Other Favorite Brands to Pongr: Coors, Heineken, Netflix, Sobe, Red Bull, Apple, Katy Perry.
                    Favorite Yankee (Current): Jorge Posada
                    Favorite Yankee (All-Time): Yogi Berra
                    Fun Scott Fact: Earned his national certification to be a Little League umpire.

                    When Scott Ready’s family moved from New Jersey to North Carolina, he thought it might be tough to find Yankee Pride in the South. But he underestimated the influence and spread of the “Evil Empire.”

                    “Surprisingly there are a lot of  Yankee fans down here,” he says. “Plus, now with mobile television, free satellite radio, and scoring updates that are sent to your cell phone, staying up to date with the Yankees has never been easier.”

                    The senior broadcasting major at Appalachian State University recently operated the Jumbotron instant replays during ASU football games and has a show on WASU 90.5 FM, recently picked as one of the top college radio stations by mtvU.

                    He’d love to work for the Yankees some day and hopes to approach the team for an internship while he attends graduate school next year. A catcher, pitcher and outfielder for the ASU Mountaineers baseball team, he once aimed for the Major League draft, but a rotator cuff injury last year pushed him to the sidelines.

                    Shoulder problems, however, do not impact his performance in the Game of Pongr.

                    “I think that the Yankees could use this as a model to further connect with their fans,” Ready suggests. “Just as Pongr helps you rise up the ranks and compete with other people, why not do the same with Yankees stuff?”

                    “The more Yankees gear and memorabilia you own, or the more games you go see, the more you points you could earn. As you climb up the “fan ladder,” the Yankees organization could notice your loyalty and reward you with possible job interviews, or free tickets to games, or even rare memorabilia,” he adds.

                    Although Ready enjoys snapping and sending many consumer brands in the game, the Bronx Bombers are never really off his mind.

                    “I love the Yankees because of their undetermined will to win every season.  They care about their fans, so they put the best team possible out of the field every year,” he says. “And if that doesn’t get you pumped as a fan, I don’t know what will!”

                    What Rivalry? Pongr unites Yankees and Red Sox fans!

                    ATTENTION BASEBALL FANS: Time to snap pics of you and your friends in your baseball shirts and hats, as well as pics of Spring Training games in person or on TV.

                    Share them with us and work your way up the ladder to team CEO!

                    Here’s where to email or picture-text your photos:

                    AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
                    redsox@pongr.com
                    yankees@pongr.com
                    orioles@pongr.com
                    bluejays@pongr.com
                    rays@pongr.com

                    AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
                    tigers@pongr.com
                    whitesox@pongr.com
                    twins@pongr.com
                    royals@pongr.com
                    indians@pongr.com

                    AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
                    angels@pongr.com
                    athletics@pongr.com
                    mariners@pongr.com
                    texasrangers@pongr.com

                    NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
                    marlins@pongr.com
                    mets@pongr.com
                    phillies@pongr.com
                    nationals@pongr.com

                    NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
                    cubs@pongr.com
                    reds@pongr.com
                    astros@pongr.com
                    brewers@pongr.com
                    pirates@pongr.com
                    stlouiscardinals@pongr.com

                    NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
                    dodgers@pongr.com
                    padres@pongr.com
                    diamondbacks@pongr.com
                    sfgiants@pongr.com
                    rockies@pongr.com

                    (Would you like to be featured on the Pongr blog? Tell us about your passions, your favorite brands and why you play Pongr! Drop us a line.)

                    From Birdwatching to Brandwatching: The changing face of entertainment

                    Advertising, Brand Loyalty | by

                      As part of their retro vintage packaging, General Mills is bringing back classic cereal box games from yesteryear.

                      Retro brand packaging is still quite a hit with consumers — just take a look at how much fun Mountain Dew and Pepsi are having with their limited edition Throwback drinks!

                      General Mills is getting into the action, too. Through mid-March, there are five Big G brand cereals sporting vintage garb. Of course, how old “vintage” has to be just depends on how old you are.


                      LIMITED EDITION “BIG G” RETRO CEREAL BOXES:
                      Honey Nut Cheerios (1984)
                      Cheerios (1956)
                      Lucky Charms (1965)
                      Trix (1968)
                      Cinnamon Toast Crunch (1984)

                      The best part of the boxes are the backs, which contain fun activities and provide a window to what kids were thinking about at the breakfast table in yesteryear. Check out the instructions to the Cheerios birdwatching game pictured above:

                      Oh, we don’t actually expect you to read all that. The point is that kids in 1956 had the patience to cut up the cereal box into player cards and spend up to an hour interacting with one another face to face.

                      Now being a mobile gaming site, we are NOT about to pummel you with a sappy sermon about how technology has killed human communication. Far from it. Pongr is very much a social game.

                      You can Pongr your favorite breakfast cereals and orange juice brands with your family. In fact, taking pictures of people you love (or like) is far more interesting than pics of just things (see our full list of creative photo tips to get further in the game).

                      But Pongr is also a fun activity to do when you are alone — especially if you are waiting for a subway or bus — or in a long line at the supermarket. Let other people kill time. Use your time to snap and send pics of your favorite brands and compete to be CEO!

                      Back to the retro advertising trend. We’re absolutely thrilled that General Mills is making it their mission to share classic cartoons like Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo! That’s also the perfect venue for generations to bond with each other.

                      TODAY’S CALL TO ACTION…

                      Open your kitchen cabinets and celebrate your favorite cereals by sending pics to Pongr. Just snap and email or picture-text to (brand)@pongr.com.

                      For example, cheerios@pongr.com, luckycharms@pongr.com, trix@pongr.com, etc.

                      We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s breakfast!  Can anyone top Pongr player Lauren G., who recently met the real-life Lucky Charms leprechaun?

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