Plans for Aug. 24? We hope you join us at Proper Gastro Pub, where we will be hanging out on the Sports Deck from 5:30 – 8 p.m. for the first San Diego Wine Wednesday.  NST is hosting this event in conjunction with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (or WOMMA for short), and it will be an evening of networking and conversation centered around the role social media and word-of-mouth marketing plays in industries of all types and sizes.

As you may recall, NST hosts the San Diego Social Media Symposium, and we see Wine Wednesday as a way to continue the conversations that were started there.  What better way to do this than to discuss the latest social media and word-of-mouth marketing trends, technologies and concepts over tasty appetizers and wine at one of the coolest outdoor patios in San Diego?

Come prepared to chat about the all things social media and word of mouth. What’s working? What’s not? And, where is social media and word of mouth headed?

Wine Wednesday is free to attend, but registration is required. Plus, the first round of drinks and tasty appetizers are on us!  To register, visit www.sdwinewednesday.com.

We hope to see you there!

No doubt you’ve heard about the backlash surrounding 7-Eleven’s free Slurpee day on Monday.

Many consumers went to multiple stores looking to receive a free 7.11-ounce sample of the brain freeze-inducing treats, but left empty handed when samples ran out.

Sure, no big deal, we all know these things come with a  “while supplies last” caveat, but not “while free cups last.” Stores stopped giving away samples because they had run out of the special sample size cups, but full-size Slurpees were still available for purchase in many locations.

This left a lot of consumers scratching their heads and calling the supposed “bait and switch” tactic a “scam” on social media sites. Fuel was added to the fire when a USA Today article alluded that the 38 percent sales spike seen during last year’s promotion prompted the company to revisit the promotion again this year.

Sales figures are one of the most critical (who am I kidding, THE most critical) aspects of a company’s success, and while increases in sales are important, so is the longevity of the relationship with the consumer. My guess is the promotion probably hit its sales goals, but is more than likely missing the mark when it comes to increasing consumer trust and loyalty.

Nuffer Smith Tucker Wins Heilbron Award

At the recent memorial service for NST’s co-founder, Dave Nuffer, Mayor Jerry Sanders said he thought no one cared about San Diego more than Dave Nuffer.  It’s true – Dave loved America’s Finest City (and its neighboring cities south of the border) and was happy to provide communications counsel to anyone helping to make it a better place to live, work and play.

Following in Dave’s footsteps, we at Nuffer, Smith, Tucker believe it’s important to give back – it not only helps those in need and sets an example for other organizations, but it also makes us a better team.  On June 23, 2011, NST was honored at the inaugural Heilbron Awards, presented by San Diego Rotary Club 33 and the San Diego Business Journal to companies that exhibit high ethical standards, a commitment to community service and a willingness to utilize its professional skill sets to help others in the community.  We were among a group of outstanding San Diego organizations recognized and are very grateful to be included in such great company.

Whether you’re a plumber or a PR practitioner, we all have something of value we can use to help those in need.  NST’s team members serve on a variety of non-profit boards, regularly volunteer for local non-profit organizations and provide pro-bono counsel to clients, to name a few things.  What type of things do you or your professional team do to “pay it forward” and make your community a better place?

As the world’s population continues to grow, so does the demand for food supplies. By 2050, the world’s agricultural production will need to be doubled to meet this demand, but at the same time use less of the world’s natural resources. In this month’s California Farmer, NST’s Kerry Tucker and Dan Dooley of the University of California, highlight the tipping point of change the agricultural industry faces and the need for farmers, large and small, to work together.