Social media is something most people talk about and use everyday. Some businesses are beginning to embrace it, while others are fighting this rising technology. However, with the potential to spread a negative customer experience rapidly all over the internet, businesses would be wise to monitor what people are saying.

More and more, customers are using Twitter as an outlet to express their opinions of certain companies. The trend seems to especially be growing around the issue of customer complaints. Before Twitter and the Internet, consumers didn’t have a way to voice how they felt when they were disappointed with a product or service, unless they were one of the lucky chosen few who actually got their story printed in the paper. This meant that things didn’t spread too far beyond the customer’s group of friends. Now, things have changed. With the rise in social media, things have the potential to spread rapidly to hundreds, thousands, even millions of consumers.

All it takes is one person who had a bad customer experience to let the world know on Twitter what happened to them and potentially influence the opinions of many others.

For businesses this can be detrimental. For customers it can be the best thing that ever happened. If businesses ignore the fact that people now have a way to talk that can reach the entire world, their brand name might be acquiring damage without them even being aware. For customers, social media can be a positive thing because it creates a new way to solve a problem. Companies who monitor what is being said about them online don’t want any negative word getting out, so when a customer does post about a bad comment, the company can step in and fix the problem by doing whatever necessary to keep the customer ultimately satisfied.

Moral of the story, businesses need to jump on the Twitter bandwagon and pay attention to their customers.

To read the original article and check out the Infograph on Soshable click here.

When running a business of any size, it is always a good idea to know what the customer thinks about your product. But from the inside looking out, how do you find out what people really think?

A great way to get a genuine understanding of how a customer perceives your company is to reverse your point of view and look from the outside in by becoming a customer.

1. Research SEO (Search Engine Optimizer). If you type your product name or key words your company would like to be associated with into a Google search and find that you are not on the first page, then you need to invest time into SEO. If you do the right things, you can improve the visibility of your webpage in search engines and become the number one search result. Think about it as a customer, how often do you type something into Google and then scroll down and click on the next page of the search results?

2. Check forums and read reviews about your products. Opinions are forming about your product and people are not afraid to share them. Check out what people are saying and see what they are saying that is positive and what is negative.

3. If you have the opportunity to buy your product, do it. If you are selling products online go through the process and see what people are experiencing when they purchase your product.

The influential marketing blog talks more about this topic and suggests how to put yourself into the customers shoes without using focus groups. Here is the link to the article in the Influential Marketing Blog.

Everyone has heard of, and most likely used Google to search something on the internet at some point or another, some use the search engine on a daily basis. In June of 2011, Google decided to enter into the world of social media by launching a new site they called “Google+”, which they hoped would become the next popular social networking site.

At first it seemed that Facebook might have met its match when Google+ became the fastest growing social networking site for the first 16 days it launched, even faster than Facebook and Twitter. However, the buzz was short lived. For some people (even those who are tech-savvy) Google+ was difficult to navigate through and most didn’t see the purpose in signing up for another social networking site.

In order to avoid a total flop, Google+ launched a new feature yesterday, January 10, 2012, to make surfing the web for their members more personalized. They achieved this by merging the traditional Google search engine with Google+ to create what is now called, “Search plus Your World.”

Only Google+ members will be able to take advantage of this new and exciting feature. How it works is, the user enters key terms in the search bar and a list of results is produced that are links taken from the web as well as from past posts from “your world.” The results that appear from “your world” are marked with a specific logo so it is clear which results are from the web and which are from your Google+ account. The goal of this new idea is to predict what the user is searching so they can better navigate the web.

Of course, there may be times when the user might want to exclude all results from “your world” and use Google search in the traditional way viewing things strictly from the web. To exit out of “Search plus Your World” it is as easy as clicking a button that allows the user to search Google the old-fashioned way without any posts from “your world” interfering with the listed search results.

Will this new feature help boost Google+ popularity? Will it be enough to compete with the top social networking sites? As with anything, it seems that only time will tell exactly how much Google+ will succeed in the competitive world of online social networking.

Information and Statistics from Jeff Bullas’ blog and Mashable Social Media
Click here to read full article from Mashable

Hello all! My name is Alyssa Hanisek and I am the other new intern here at Bensur. I am a senior at Behrend hoping to graduate in May with a degree in Marketing! I was born and raised in the Erie area, but left for 2 years after I graduated high school to try out life in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After spending two winters there I decided (contrary to what most people might say) Erie’s winters were not that bad, at least compared to Minneapolis. I chose to move back to Erie to escape the -40 degree winds of the Twin Cities. And so far, I have no regrets. Despite being from this area I am a San Diego Chargers fan, not a Steelers or Browns fan. There is no main reason why I chose the Chargers except that I simply love San Diego! I also love to travel, so Southern California is one place I try to visit as often as possible. This picture was taken while visiting some of my family in California a few years ago. Today was my first day at the office, but so far it has been great! I am super excited to learn from everyone here and very grateful for the opportunity to gain this marketing experience.

Hey,

My name is Shane Quigley and today is my first day as an intern. I am very excited and know that I am going to learn a lot, also I get my own cubicle! I am somewhere between 6’3″ and 6’5″ (Every time someone tries to measure how tall I am, they end with a different result). I love all sports but my favorite is basketball. I played college basketball for 2 years and it was a lot of fun and a great experience. I do not watch much television but when I do, I watch either King of Queens or the NFL. I am a big Green Bay Packers fan and usually have to show the picture below to prove that I have always been and didn’t just jump on the band wagon after last years super bowl. Going to Lambeau for a game is on my to-do list but I have not had the opportunity yet. I went to Seneca High School which is out in Wattsburg. The part of Wattsburg I live in is about fifteen minutes away from Erie. I currently go to Behrend as a marketing major. My mother is an accountant, my father is the director of operations at a homeless shelter, my brother works at General Electric, my sister is a pastor, and my girlfriend is about to graduate from University Park and already has a job at General Electric as an industrial engineer that starts this summer.

The BizLink Group Web Site – Another Successful Connection

When The BizLink Group was hungry for a web site to help launch their new business, they came to the right place. Bensur designed a delicious new site that showcases the unique services offered by BizLink… Global networking connections for two distinct sides of the Food and Beverage industry. BizLink makes connections between national brands who are looking for new ingredients and services, and companies supplying unique ingredients and processes who want to develop new sales channels.

BizLink is founded by Dono­van Wong, a pro­fes­sional in the indus­try with 20 years of experience and a track record of prof­itable sales suc­cess. Wong cre­ated BizLink based on net­work­ing resource capa­bil­i­ties, sales and tech­ni­cal expe­ri­ence, and knowl­edge of spe­cific sec­tors of the Food and Bev­er­age industry.

Check out the new BizLink site here.

Social networking is a common practice amongst people of all ages today. Facebook has been the most recognized site with the largest number of members for quite some time. This past summer, Google+ entered the picture and made it their mission to create the largest social networking site around. Google, being the most popular search engine site, was said to blow its competitor Facebook right out of the water. It seems like now though Facebook is not only staying afloat, but Google+ is the website that is sinking.

The layout of Google+ is nearly identical to that of Facebook, which makes some wonder what it even has to offer that Facebook doesn’t. Google+ makes you separate your friends into circles, making it easier to hide things from co-workers and parents if desired. The Facebook grouping option is more of a way to communicate with certain groups of people, instead of keeping them in the dark.

Facebook is a place for people of all ages. By making Google+ exclusively invite only and ages 18 and up, this discouraged a lot of people from trying to join. Also, since there are so many people on Facebook now, they feel like they don’t need another social media website to be a member of. Adults who have been able to track down classmates from high school and college aren’t likely to just walk away from that, especially because it is probable that those people aren’t all going to have Google+ invites.

Facebook also has business pages, which allow members to connect with various companies, bands and celebrities. While this annoys some members, it is something that Google+ is lacking. Although you might not want to see advertisements on the side of your page all the time, occasionally you will see something that you are interested in. This is not an option through Google+.

Google offers a variety of games, but doesn’t quite have the selection that Facebook currently does. They introduced Angry Birds, Sudoku, Bejeweled, and Zynga Poker. By releasing Zynga Poker, that meant that Facebook wasn’t the only social network with Zynga games on their site. Cityville and Farmville are two Zynga games that are exclusive to Facebook, which are incredibly popular. After Facebook heard that more games were going to come out on Google+, they tweaked their gaming platform and decided to provide a separate stream that allows the people who play games to see their high scores and the games that their friends are playing.

Google+ also strictly enforces their rule of no pseudonyms. Some people want to use pseudonyms to protect their identity on the internet. Other people feel as though their name is too long, and some have nicknames that they would prefer to be recognized as. If people want to be called by a certain name, they feel as though they have that right. And if it’s a problem, they are likely to go elsewhere where it isn’t an issue.

A major downfall of Google+ is the lack of users. Sure, they had 25 million within the first month of starting. And sure, that’s a big number. But when you look at Facebook’s 750 million users, it doesn’t even compare. Google+ decided that they were going to have a “field trial period” in which one could only become a member if invited. A lot of people, even if they were invited and do have an account with Google+, don’t use it. They say it’s because no one would really see what they have to say and because they like the diversity and variety of people found on Facebook. Many people are still continuing to use their Facebook accounts even when they are also a member of Google+.

People feel comfortable with Facebook. It is not something they are willing to walk away from completely. More often than not, there are pictures that don’t belong to a member but in which they are tagged in. If they want this picture and the rest of their pictures, they have to take the time and energy to transfer them to Google+ or their computer so that they are not lost forever. This alone helps people to stick around, just because the idea of starting everything all over again just to network socially is overwhelming.

When Google+ came on the scene a few months ago, they planned on becoming more popular than Facebook. But all this competition and added stress has just made Facebook excel. They are improving and adding things to their site, and staying on top of their game. Facebook does not seem willing to go down without a fight, and with their loyal customer base, it would take something drastic and completely different for Google+ to create in order to overpower them.

Jessica Gallman
Bensur Creative Marketing Intern

My name is Jessica Gallman, and I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York.  I’m a senior at Edinboro University where I am currently working on getting my degree in marketing.  I am a devote Buffalo Bills and Sabres fan, which usually means I get subjected to a lot of ridicule from the native Pennsylvania residents.  Throughout the year I work at Dick’s Sporting Goods, at the location in Erie while I am in school and in Buffalo when I am home for the summer.  I double as a “Customer Engagement Specialist” while I am in Erie, where my sole responsibility is interacting with customers, and as a “Nike Brand Coordinator” while I am in Buffalo, where I am strictly responsible for all of the Nike merchandise in the store.  I am the youngest of three children and the proud aunt of a six year old boy.  I grew up on a farm, and recently left behind a donkey, three goats, a dog, ten chickens and countless pheasants when I moved back to Pennsylvania.  I look forward to the experience that I will receive here, where I believe a hands on work will teach much more than a classroom could ever hope to accomplish.

This season as you and your family are vacationing in Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region, why not record some of your experiences for a chance to win $1,000.

For more information on this contest, please visit:  http://pagreatlakes.com/contest.html

Make sure to check out this week’s WiM including:

- 20 Unbelievable Social Media Stats
- Could You Sell A Pumpkin In August?
- And more!
Week in Marketing: Week 20

In just one quarter, Apple sold enough iPhones that every man, woman and child in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio could have one. That is 20.34 million iPhone sales in its fiscal third quarter. This beat expectations and the record set last quarter of 18.6 million. Plus, they sold a whopping 9.25 million iPads, roughly the population of North Carolina!

The strong sales reflected the continued strength of its older iPhone 3GS as well as the newer iPhone 4, which Verizon Wireless began selling in February alongside AT&T Mobility. Apple recorded $1.3 billion in revenue from the iPhone and iPhone accessories. The iPhone is now sold in105 countries.The company said international sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple posted record quarterly net profit of $7.31 billion. The company’s revenue soared 82 percent to $28.57 billion, up from $15.70 billion in the same quarter last year. I think Microsoft and Google could learn a few things about design and simplicity from Apple

A Lesson in Viral Marketing

Ever wonder where viral marketing efforts started?

If you go back about 12 years, you will find your answer with one of the most popular films at the time, The Blair Witch Project. This movie took America, as well as the rest of the world, by surprise because of its unique style.  Not only was this movie unlike anything else that had been seen before, but it also stood out from the crowd with innovative marketing techniques, making it one of the most profitable films of all time.

In the beginning, the filmmakers did not have high hopes for their idea of filming a fake documentary about the Blair Witch in Burkittsville, Maryland. The three college students hoped that their film would just make it on cable television, never anticipating a wide release.  Their initial investment was $35,000, but once Artisan Entertainment acquired the film for $1.1 million, the film exceeded expectations by a mile.

Okay, more like 50 miles.

Artisan Entertainment then spent $25 million to market The Blair Witch Project, but it was how they marketed the film that captured the attention and intrigued millions of people instantly. Artisan’s campaign consisted of using the Internet to suggest that the film was actually a real event. This is where people took interest.

The filmmakers used the creation of this “urban legend” to their advantage in their marketing efforts. The website they created was a great way to reach their specific audience, and Artisan knew it.  Artisan then enhanced the website, turning it into a tool to generate buzz, stoke interest and create hype.  The website fed offthe myth that the film was true, displaying fake newspaper clippings about the disappearance of the filmmakers, showing police photos of the event to make it look real and displaying 16 hours of footage from the woods, a little at a time.  College campuses around the country were covered with movie posters, along with  fake “missing person fliers.”

Also, the movie’s advertising was mysterious, exhibiting the same style as the film with a bouncy hand-held camera and relying on nothing more than darkness and terror.  By continuing to treat the story as nonfiction in their marketing efforts, it stood out from a typical movie advertisement, depicting true guerrilla marketing.

The film opened in only 27 theaters, assuring sellouts, and was followed by a frenzy of publicity.  This publicity gave them free exposure, and this exposure helped define The Blair Witch Project as a cultural phenomenon.  In total, the movie grossed over $248 million… not bad for a film with such low expectations.

Fittingly, after major success at the box office, the movie industry pushed for a sequel.  They should have quit while they were ahead.  The sequel, Book of Shadows, Blair Witch 2, was a disappointment to say the least.  It did, however, manage to make a profit, due to the fact that people went to see the film based upon the overlaying hype and interest of the original.

Paranormal Activity is another example of a small budget film with high revenue.  The story was similar… a fake horror documentary filmed with “real” actors.  This movie also led to a sequel, which like The Blair Witch Project, failed in comparison to the high success achieved in the original.

So what can we learn from this?

Originality.  The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity were effective and unique in their day, and promoting the films led to a viral marketing trend that is common today.

But why isn’t this marketing method being performed more frequently?  Maybe if the industry starts something new and creative in their marketing efforts people will go to the movies again.  Creativity and originality in themarketing efforts of The Blair Witch Project is the reason we are still talking about it today.

A lesson from the Blair Witch.

In the world today, people are more connected than ever. Social networking sites have made it much easier for individuals to connect personally and for business. Businesses have also started using sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to connect with other business professionals and start building relationships through phone or email. But, the one major marketing component that is more relevant than ever, even with the expanding technology, are trade shows.

A trade show is an event where companies in a certain industry get together to present their new products or services. Companies get to learn about new trends and gain knowledge about their competitors. These shows provide opportunities for selling, strengthening existing business relationships, and displaying new products.

It is the one place where you can see everything relevant to your industry and can stumble upon new products or ideas you’ve never heard of. They also give you the ability to compare multiple products in just a few short hours. The hands on experience is one of the biggest benefits from attending. You can watch demos, use the products, ask questions and receive answers right on the spot.

Furthermore, one of the major advantages of being involved in a trade show is that it helps businesses promote their products/services to a large group of people in a short period of time. They are the ultimate B2B marketing and sales component out there today.

Some companies believe trade shows are too expensive for companies to attend, staff, display, and perhaps sponsor. But, the upside of participating outweighs the cost because of the networking opportunities with other professionals and customers within the industry. This is what the Internet is lacking, the face-to-face connection for building business relationships.

Let’s look at the value of trade shows for exhibitors and attendees.
For exhibitors:
- To raise awareness of a company and brand and capture leads from new buyers and prospects
- Create and/or strengthen industry relationships or partnerships

The value of trade shows for attendees:
- 88% say trade shows are an important part of their product searching and buying process
- 83% of attendees have some kind of buying power
- Helps 79% of attendees decide on what products to buy
- 91% say that trade shows are crucial for comparing products and meeting suppliers

It is clear why trade shows are still very relevant today and into the future.  Even with websites like LinkedIn, that help business professionals build relationships, it misses the face-to-face connection one receives from these business gatherings. Generally people are more likely to do business with someone they met in person, something that you can’t get with the Internet.

Statistics from Skyline and Expo Magazine.

Just another week at Bensur Creative Marketing Group, but not just another beer thirty. This week featured four beers, all of which were very different from one another. The first beer(?) sampled was Arnold Palmer Light Half & Half. The “?” after beer is on purpose. This was a malt beverage, not a beer. Nonetheless, it had a 5% alcohol content so we drank it. The packaging was far better than the contents. Arnold Palmer Light Half & Half tastes like a five day old lemonade wine cooler that sat out in the sun. Don’t spend your hard earned beer money on this one. Admire its strange flavor profile and odd packaging in the store, but do not take it home. Next was Vinyl Hat, a new spring seasonal beer from Magic Hat Brewery. Vinyl Hat Lager had a very smokey taste, and that is about all that can be said for this disappointing brew. It seemed to be lacking in taste… maybe it needed more hops or something to add a little more flavor to it. Of course, the label is cool; Magic Hat always does a great job marketing their beers. Maredsous Abbaye-Abdij Triple followed, and the consensus was mixed on this one. Probably the reason for the mixed consensus is because it is a Belgium Triple, not the typical flavor profile of an American beer. Maredsous Abbaye-Abdij has a sweet caramel taste. It is crisp and nicely balanced and not overly carbonated. Like most Triple, the alcohol taste is very pronounced, but this one is more subtle than many Belgium Triples. The final beer of the day was the hands-down winner. Everyone selected it as their favorite. Troegs Nugget Nectar Ale is an American Amber with some real attitude. When poured it was golden orange color and had a wonderful fresh, hoppy aroma. The citrus and hops is a powerful combination that mellows to a nice piney after taste. It is like drinking two beers at once. This is a truly wonderful beer, so if you see it around town make sure to pick up a few bottles, six packs…or cases. “Here’s to Nugget Nectar Ale, may it live respected and die regretted!”

Charlie Sheen just wants to keep “WINNING.”

Not too long ago Sheen was capitalizing on America’s favorite television show, Two and a Half Men, but now he’s capitalizing on himself.  Sheen was the highest paid actor in television, collecting 1.5 million per episode.  But,  Sheen began a wild ride of drugs and partying which lead to one downfall, and a rise to another.

His downfall began in February 2010, after heavy use of drugs, Sheen entered a rehab facility and successfully completed that program and returned to Two and a Half Men in May.  Later that year, Sheen was caught drinking and using cocaine in a New York hotel along with $7,000 worth of damages.  He then began a substance rehabilitation program in January of 2011 at his home.  CBS announced that the show would go on hiatus for the duration of his treatment.

From this downfall, Sheen began to re-image himself in the interviews discussing his current status of drugs and alcohol, Two and a Half Men, and his personal life. This is where things become interesting and strange.  From his interviews came a whirlwind of emotions and self-proclaiming traits (i.e. Tiger Blood) that took America by surprise and made him the talk of the media.

I personally thought he was still on drugs with the nonsense coming out of his mouth. But he was clean,  in one of the interviews he proved it and showed his urine test results to back it up.

Catch phrases like “Tiger Blood,” “Winning,” along with others have made him a household name and Charlie knows it.  He and others are now capitalizing on his high demand and current exposure.   Sheen has signed a deal with LiveNation to have his catch phrases placed on merchandise ranging from t-shirts, mugs, comic books, and an energy drink called Tiger Blood.

After being let go by Warner Brothers for their show Two and a Half Men,  Charlie is now taking his show on the road for his much anticipated “Torpedo of Truth” tour.  These shows were sold out in minutes. Really? Just to see Charlie Sheen? He’s not a comedian or an entertainer, just an actor capitalizing on his current high demand.

So does this make Sheen a marketing genius?

Sheen in a way is turning himself into a brand.  A brand that people can’t get enough of and want more.  From merchandise, talk shows, TV appearances, and a tour, the new Sheen is making money at all avenues.  But, a marketing genius must know how to keep a brand going. That’s the question for Sheen, how long can he keep “Winning?”

Do you know your days of the week?

In Order?

Well have no fear because Rebecca Black is here! Rebecca Black is the latest buzz on the web now.  Her music video “Friday” has over 16 million views, and by the time I’m done writing I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is close to 17 million.  Black is just another example of viral marketing at its best, but trending for all the wrong reasons.

In today’s age, viral videos are all the craze.  Anyone with a camera, a unique-catchy idea,  can create a hit for the world to see (a television show, Tosh.0, was created from this craze).  With social networks sites like YouTube, the up-loader can share their video for everyone to see.

With the phenomenon of viral videos, viral marketing has risen to life.  Companies or individuals, use social networking sites to increase brand awareness.  They are all effective, free and open to the public.  YouTube is used to see videos and gain interest, Facebook is used to “Like” that particular product/service, and Twitter is used as a word-of-mouth marketing device.

With viral videos posted on Youtube, very successful ones can create an internet celebrity.  Justin Bieber is a great example. He showed his singing capabilities at such a young age, and with the help of these social networking sites, it has turned him into a worldwide celebrity.  This success has led Ark Music Industry to create their own “female Bieber.”

Rebecca Black is 13 year old girl from Anaheim, California and is trending for all the wrong reasons.  Her song “Friday” has received horrible reviews, and is known for having “The Best Worst Song Ever.”  No surprise there, the lyrics are absolutely awful and reflects the writing capabilities of a 13 year old.  That’s the thing, she didn’t write the song. The producers from Ark Music wrote the song for her.  Really? What were they trying to get across? How to learn the days of the week in order or should I sit in the front or back seat of the car?

I personally fear for the future of music.  It’s now more common to have your favorite artist(s) being unknown by most because they are blanketed by the dominant force of mainstream media.  The true music, that has deep, meaningful lyrics, unfortunately will never get the praise it deserves.  That praise goes to auto-tuned, artists made in the image by the industries.

I tried to uncover more secrets about Rebecca Black, hoping this was a spoof.  I was mistaken. It’s all too real and sadly she’s becoming a celebrity with the help of viral marketing.  Trending for all the wrong reasons.

It’s that time a year again.  Spring is just around the corner, baseball is about to begin, and a new spring intern has arrived. That’s me! Hi, my name is Joe and I am very excited to be here.  From what I have learned so far, it looks like I have some big shoes to fill…Will.I.Am.

I may not be as unique as him, but I can still be just as creative.  So, a little more about myself.  Well I’m from Erie, born and raised, 5′ 10″, brown eyes, right-handed, attended Mercyhurst Prep, and I’m in my junior year at Mercyhurst College, and I’m currently employed at Calamari’s.  But a little fun fact about me comes from my senior year of high school.

The day was senior skip day.  Until that day, I haven’t missed one day of school, so why not?  My friends and I decided to take the day off and golf.  Once we arrived at the clubhouse, our principle miraculously called the staff member and found out where we went. Till this day I have no idea how she found out, but long story short we got caught and received a Saturday detention.

Oh well, enough about stories right? But I do enjoy to golf if anyone would take me up on a round.  Okay a little more about who I am.  I’m pretty laid back, enjoy watching movies, big Seinfeld fan (may hear me say some famous quotes here and there), love listening to all kinds of music, especially The Black Keys, and unfortunately I am a Detroit Lions fan.  It only seems right that once the Lions start winning the following season will have a lock out. Just part of being a Lions fan I guess right?

Most importantly I am looking forward to being an intern here and I hope that I can the make the most of my stay.  I can’t wait to see what will come.

Yours truly,

Joe Jelinek

P.S.

I’m wide open for any nicknames that you may have.  Go easy on me.

A quick update with some of our current work for Country Fair:

Over NBA All-Star Weekend, Nike released the full-length version of its “Black Mamba” mini-movie as a vehicle for the new Nike Zoom Kobe VI basketball shoes. The nearly 6 minute film stars Kobe Bryant as “The Black Mamba” and is directed by Machete mastermind Robert Rodriguez.

Though Kobe’s acting is comparable to Shaq’s in Kazaam, the overall movie was actually pretty fun. Kazaam was not fun.

The story starts with Bryant being approached by Rodriguez for a movie idea. As they talk about the movie, the scenes play out on screen. In the proposed movie, Bryant is some sort of action hero and needs to protect himself and his shoes from “The Boss.”

He has no higher purpose. He just wants to protect his shoes. Story of my life, right?

Cameos are made by big celebrity-types throughout the movie, including Danny Trejo, Bruce Willis, the dog from My Dog Skip (probably), and–my favorite– Kanye West.

In my opinion, anyone who says that Kanye doesn’t steal every scene is just a no good Cotton-headed Ninnymuggins. And that’s not just because I think he’s the greatest rapper ever. It’s only a little because of that.

So anyway, Kobe plays basketball…he keeps his shoes…Kanye West explodes…blah blah blah.

The movie is pretty decent. You should probably watch it, but you don’t have to.

Like, I’m not forcing you.

It’s a free country.

Whatever.