Hoekstra, who is running to be the Republican nominee against second-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, should end his campaign for producing an ad which is unacceptable in modern society. The ad featured a young Asian woman speaking about the threat of Chinese economic growth and Stabenow’s fiscal policy.

“Thank you, Michigan Sen. Debbie ‘Spend-It-Now,’” the woman says at the beginning of the ad. “Debbie spends so much American money. You borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs.”

Tellingly, she never stumbles over the ‘Spend-It-Now’ or ‘Spend-It-Not” titles for Stabenow or Hoekstra, respectively. She’s Asian, perhaps Chinese, and apparently threatening, but she certainly stays on message.

What’s worse, the scene honestly opens with a gong. The absurd music, intermittent grammar issues and pointed straw hat that follow are all designed to remind us that this is a foreign culture, a people apart — something different from our wounded, reeling America. This sort of race-baiting is simply unacceptable for a person running to represent Michigan at a federal level, but of course it does not belong in any campaign or conversation.

There is no acceptable move Hoekstra can make other than to withdraw from running for the nomination. His appearance at the end of the commercial reiterating the points in front of a fireplace, ending with “I’m Pete ‘Spend-It-Not” Hoekstra, and I approve this message,” tells us he cannot legitimately distance himself from the controversy.

Hoekstra may actually believe both the content and strategy of the ad are acceptable and see no problem with them, in which case he has no business running or holding any elected office. The only other alternative is that he was unaware of the extent of the ad’s racial bias and stereotyping, that he gave into the pressure of a cut-throat campaign team, which demonstrates he lacks the spine and foresight a U.S. senator should reflexively display.

Resorting to the depths he did with this ad sets back the tone of political discourse decades, if not a century. It is an offense to Asian-Americans and other minorities, but it stings basic human dignity. Hoekstra worked hard to portray himself as the moderate candidate in this race, earning endorsements from national figures including Mitt Romney, but that hard work was undone instantly with this embarrassment.

Instead of trotting out evasive half-apologies or jingoistic defenses, it’s time for Hoekstra to step aside and allow the process to continue without him. He has done more than enough already.

Michigan has long battled a poor reputation nationally and internationally. We have suffered as a punchline for industrial decline and social backwardness.

If we are to move forward, tactics such as the campaign commercial must be shelved permanently.

To help us move forward, Pete ‘End-It-Now’ Hoekstra must stop his campaign.

Two coworkers at the Multiband Corporation have teamed together to launch BrainBerryMarketing.com, a website to market local small businesses.

Petoskey senior John Richter and 2005 CMU alumnus Kessler Valentin are the two behind the website.

“Me and (Kessler) had been throwing around the idea, that a small business would be able to have their own marketing department,” Richter said. “We want to make sure local businesses would be able to capitalize on what we have to offer, as opposed to larger corporations.”

The website will offer affordable services to local business owners, such as social media management, website development, customer acquisition and more.

Richter said BrainBerry would mainly be serving businesses in the downtown area or on Mission Street.

“Our target is smaller businesses that wouldn’t have the means to hire their own marketing department,” he said.

Valentin works as a graphic designer at Multiband, a corporation providing DIRECTV and internet solutions to customers. There he met Richter, and later the idea for the business arose.

“It was John’s idea,” Valentin said. “He’s always had a bunch of cool ideas; we thought we’d give this one a shot.”

Valentin said the website is pretty much completed.

Richter has firsthand experience of a business struggling to afford marketing and advertising services when he sold art and furniture in Petoskey growing up.

“That shop would pay an arm and a leg to get advertising,” Richter said. “That was my major decision to want to go into marketing.”

Overall, both Richter and Valentin are looking forward to the website and its services to Mount Pleasant businesses.

“It’s a little bit exciting for us both,” Richter said. “We’re starting something that I don’t think has been done before in this area.”

Graphic design is a major component in advertising, and that’s exactly how the Bay City senior got involved in the trade.

“I was always really interested in advertising,” Rae said. “As a kid, I always appreciated interesting ways that companies would project themselves.”

Rae has dabbled in many different types of graphic design, but said she prefers to work on booklets because they involve both layout design and typography studies.

As with many other professions at the moment, graphic design is switching over to digital. Rae said she is still getting used to working with digital graphic designing.

“Just recently, I’ve discovered digital graphics like web design and motion graphics to which I also find new and challenging,” Rae said. “I’m trying to incorporate my ideas I’ve used in print works into my digital works.”

Rae’s peers have taken notice to the talent she has for working in all aspects of graphic design.

“I worked with Katie in Design Bureau last semester,” Livonia senior Chris Roy said. “We designed promotional materials for the Department of Art and Design. Our designs were ultimately chosen to be produced, something I’m very proud of. Katie was a huge part of that success.”

The third member of Rae and Roy’s team last semester was Lambertville senior Jackie Blaida.

“I love Rae’s design,” Blaida said. “She seems to come at things from a variety of different angles. She takes boring, overused, and over-rated works, and turns them into something new.”

Rae said she draws much of her inspiration from graphic design websites as well as from artists such as Stefan Sagmeister, Paul Rand, and most recently, Simon Page.

She said just searching around the produces so many ideas she must write them down “or my brain will explode.”

“I came into this field wanting to advertise,” Rae said. “It’s fun to make a company look so appealing that people will trip over themselves for a certain product.”

Roy was very appreciative of Katie’s talent to balance business and art when he worked with her last semester.

“(Katie Rae) is a very talented, capable, and hardworking designer,” Roy said.

A bill proposing a statewide digital billboard moratorium in Michigan is being considered by the state House. If it makes its way through the legislature, the statewide moratorium would be in effect until Jan. 1, 2012.

A study by the Federal Highway Administration regarding digital billboards should be released soon. The study could impact legislation around the country in determining new regulations or bans on digital billboards, said Andy Schor, assistant director of state affairs for Michigan Municipal League.

He thinks the moratorium is necessary while the federal study is conducted.

“The study is looking to see if these billboards are public safety hazards,” Schor said. “Do they change too quickly? Are they too bright? A variety of things could institute a recommended changes or even bans.”

Schor said the league supports the bill, but they are not advocating for bans on digital billboards, just a delay on new digital billboards until their safety has been determined.

The original bill was introduced by state Rep. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, on Nov. 5, 2009 to ban billboards except in cities with more than 35,000 people and impose a two-year moratorium on any new or converted digital billboards. The bill has been amended and is not working toward a ban for all digital billboards.

Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, 6800 E. Soaring Eagle Blvd., had rented digital billboards across the state to advertise multiple events at once. The casino stopped renting digital billboards within the last two months, but still uses its own digital signs on M-20 and Leaton Road.

Frank Cloutier, public relations director for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, said these billboards allowed messages to be changed often without the hassle of traditional billboards.

“I do know of many comments from individuals who value digital billboards,” Cloutier said. “I also know that community event level of attendance is higher when advertised on digital billboards.”

Though the digital billboards seemed to garner attention, the multiple messages may have been a disadvantage, said Raul Venegas, director of marketing and entertainment for the casino and resort.

He said they expected exposure, but were missing people as they went by. He doesn’t see the digital billboards as hazardous.

“I don’t think they are distracting,” Venegas said. ”I do see them as beneficial.”

In September, the city of Walker established a six-month moratorium on digital billboards within its limits. Numerous cities across the country have adopted similar bans or moratoriums this year, including St. Louis and Denver.

In an effort to promote tourism and scenic beauty, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont have bans on all billboards.

The old staple of mailing out brochures to potential students isn’t cutting it anymore.

Social networking has joined broadcasting as a key medium for advertising efforts at Central Michigan University. The Office of University Communications handles marketing both in- and out-of-state.

“Part of what the advertising and marketing function does is build reputation,” said Renee Walker, associate vice president of University Communications.

The university spent $131,915 on advertising in 2009-10, down more than $300,000 the year before.

The main change in spending came in broadcast ads and production where CMU spent $98,038 in 2009-10 and $363,875.03 in 2009-10.

CMU can focus on the program they are promoting while keeping the cost low with the lack of spending it takes to create a YouTube video, Walker said.

The first video campaign was launched in August 2009 and supported Facebook and e-mail campaigns. Its inception has also come with reduced spending in broadcasting advertising.

“We use YouTube to create a buzz and excitement,” Walker said. “We focused attention on the new football season, the beginning of the academic career and getting people connected and excited.”

Online advertising also contains benefits the television medium does not, said Steve Smith, director of public relations.

“It reaches out to them as opposed to expecting them to sit down and watch the television and hopefully see your ad,” he said.

Walker said it’s important to share accomplishments and initiatives by staff and students. The medium in which the message is sent is a large part of the advertising sector.

“Broadcast mediums still remain the number one way to advertise,” Walker said.

However, CMU is attempting to keep up with online culture through initiatives on Facebook, YouTube, iPhone apps and other mediums. The new mediums also give the university a way to maximize the dollars they have, Walker said.

Students aren’t the only focus of the new initiative.

University Communications maintains the official Facebook presence for CMU, Walker said. It has grown from 8,300 “Likes” in August 2009 to more than 17,000.

Fifty percent of the fans are between the ages of 13 and 24 and 38 percent are between the ages of 25 and 44, she said.

“It’s a way for us to connect with individuals at a different level,” Walker said.

Attracting other markets

Chicago freshman Karla Griffith cannot help but notice heavy advertising all around her hometown whenever she is home.

“The ads are primarily on busses, bus stops, billboards, sides of buildings and newspapers,” Griffith said.

Out-of-state advertising in several markets is a priority among university marketers, but northeastern Illinois is a primary one.

While Griffith knows about 20 CMU students from Chicago, it was a recruitment fair that attracted her to CMU.

The Office of Admissions has stepped up recruitment efforts in the area and have a specific admissions official working there, Walker said.

Marley Sherwood, another Chicago freshman, has not noticed the heavy marketing tactics in Chicago.

“I only found out about Central my senior year,” Sherwood said.

Whether CMU is advertising in-state or out, the main objective for successful advertising is promoting the innovations developed by the university, Walker said.

“Throughout our university, across the country, Canada and Mexico, we get to do that everyday,” she said. “We are very much a part of the fabric of the institution.”

Smith and Walker said University Communications has many stories about students they want to spread to potential recruits.

“There isn’t a day that goes by in this office that we don’t hear something about one of our faculty members, our staff, our students and we just sit back and go wow, what a great story,” Smith said.

At the end of last month, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, which would ensure the volume of advertisements are not much louder than the programming they’re televised with. The bill is now on its way to the U.S. House.

Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts professor Jeffrey Smith said the Federal Communications Commission had received many complaints about the volume of commercials.

“We go from our preferred volume to way too loud,” he said. “It’s an annoyance for no legit reason other than advertisers feel nobody is listening.”

Advertisers recognized some have gotten more comfortable leaving the room during commercials, Smith said, and, as a result, they’ve upped the volume on television advertisements.

He said the bill will specify the amount of decibels an advertisement may vary from the program it accompanies.

Douglas Berry, a journalism instructor, said the idea commercials are any louder than regular programming is a misconception, which comes from the volume of the actual television shows. He refuted Smith’s claim advertisers increased volume on commercials.

“The programs between (advertisements) are quiet dramas,” Berry said. “They’re not screaming because they’re acting. There’s no cheating with advertising… if the nature is loud, it’s because we don’t know what’s leading in and out. It’s not intended to shiver anybody’s timbers. Advertisers are not taking advantage.”

Berry said advertisements are made carefully. If their volume is increased, their quality will decrease and self-distort. He added the bill is completely political, because it’s impossible to regulate.

That doesn’t make the legislation any less exciting for consumers, however. When told of the pending legislation, Haylie Lane was enthusiastic because she lives in an apartment and does not like bothering her roommates.

“Where I live, I don’t want to be too loud,” the Oxford sophomore said. “But the commercials can be heard everywhere.”

Some people do not agree to its necessity.

Blanchard junior Braden Aultman said the bill is pointless.

“I’ve never been bothered by the volume of commercials,” he said.

The bill may require stations to purchase new equipment, but Smith said most medium-to-large stations will already have the necessary technology. Smith also said if purchasing the new equipment would prove hardship for stations, they would have the opportunity to waive complying with the rules.

“It will be up to the broadcasters to put these new rules in effect,” Smith said. “There are options for stations who simply cannot afford to purchase the necessary new technology by the time the rules is put into effect.”

2U.S.C.431(9)(B)(i) essentially states that political commentary is allowed through “the facilities of any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, unless such facilities are owned or controlled by any political party, political committee, or candidate.”

Keith Olbermann serves as a key example of these hypocritical commentators given the fact that “journalistic” outlets have been exempt from the same restrictions that he calls for when it comes to “other” businesses. This fine specimen of intellectual bankruptcy cried on his show that the ruling has “more dire implications than Dred Scott” (http://tinyurl.com/ydb8ny5) and further went on to claim that the corporate world is going to be deciding elections.

So wait a minute. Olbermann, amongst others, sits comfortably in his prime-time pulpit, enabled by a corporate entity to spew his tripe, and then proceeds to bash the ability for “non-news” corporations to have their say? As John Stossel would say: “Give me a break.”

Did you know that General Electric is the owner of MSNBC? It would certainly be of benefit for Jeff Immelt to have other corporations prohibited from having their say .
So Keith, wouldn’t you agree that either other companies should be allowed to have their say, or that the company that enables you to reach the masses be prohibited from doing so?

Of course it isn’t just hypocrisy to which these critics succumb to either, but their flat-out fear of their agendas being proven wrong. A prime example of this is Mike Hoffman’s latest column (in Jan. 20’s CM Life). In his column concerning the ruling, he talks about how tobacco companies ran ads describing increased taxes on tobacco as increased taxes on the lower class.
From there, he proceeds to say, “This is a perfect example of how big business can skew facts to fit the message.” The next sentence? “The tobacco industry was actually not dishonest because most smokers in America are of a lower socioeconomic status.”

What’s going on here?
Trying to use the tobacco tax fight as an example of things to come with this ruling where companies will distort the facts, all while admitting in the very next sentence that the companies were not dishonest?
What’s the real concern? Is it that companies are going to run ads with untrue statements — which would certainly be countered by an opposing bankroll — or is it that some individuals and organizations are concerned with corporations who would run truthful ads that discredit their agenda?

A closing question I would like to ask the these critics is this: Do you believe that high-worth individuals should be prohibited from bankrolling ads advocating a particular political viewpoint?
After all, Bill Gates or George Soros — real individuals — could easily buy prime airtime for their messages and “skew the facts.”

Tobacco companies have started advertising on social networking Web sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Jeffrey Wigand, a former tobacco executive who operates the nonprofit organization Smoke-Free Kids, said while it is hard to tell how successful the Web site advertising is, it has to make sense for the companies.

“It’s happening — we haven’t been able to quantify it,” Wigand said. “They wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t reaching somebody. They don’t do things without studying it for a while.”

“The Insider,” a 1999 film starring Russell Crowe, depicted Wigand’s true story of being attacked by tobacco companies after he exposed their perjury to the United States Congress.

Eighteen percent of high school students smoke in Michigan, which equates to about 298,000 minors. About 16,000 minors become new daily smokers each year, according to tobaccofreekids.org.

Warren freshman Emily Teceno said she does not think it is right for tobacco companies to advertise on social networking sites such as Facebook.

“I think it’s unfair, just cause it makes it look cool,” she said.

Teceno was not the only student to object to the advertising.

“It wouldn’t bother me too much,” said Ortonville freshman John Eldon. “But it does seem unethical to market through social networking because there’s a lot of young people.”

New products

Social networking Web sites are not the only way tobacco companies are marketing to youth.

Camel cigarettes designed smokeless products intended to be a gateway to cigarettes, Wigand said.

The new products include Camel Orbs, Strips and Sticks. The Orbs are pellets comparable in size to Tic Tacs, and the tobacco and nicotine is released as the tablet dissolves.
The strips are similar to breath strips, and the sticks are similar to twisted toothpicks.

The new products allow people to use tobacco without smoking or spitting.

Monroe sophomore Sara Hendershot believes the products could be successfully marketed to the youth.

“I personally am not for tobacco. I wouldn’t take part in it,” Hendershot said.

The new Orbs and Strips are not yet available in Michigan.

Camel is testing them in Portland, Ore., Indianapolis and various markets in Ohio. If the test markets yield successful results, the products could be coming to Michigan if those test markets yield successful results.

“The industry continues to find ways to make a profit in spite of public safety,” Wigand said. “They keep finding new ways and new tricks to come after our kids.

“Our children are their currency.”