You be the judge. Which logo is the new one?

The power of branding

By: Sher Hann

Nowadays, we hear a lot about branding – not of cattle but of companies, service providers and the like. Now Thousand Oaks is buying a new brand for its publications and website.

The new look is not without controversy, primarily because it has cost money from public funds. After the City Council rejected an $89,000 bid from a Nashville firm, which included extensive community research about updating the city’s visual brand, the public information office decided to allot funds from its own budget. At a trimmed down cost of $25,000, a local company, Mustang Marketing, designed a new logo for the city’s publications, signs and website.

The city plans to start using its new look in April.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

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This energy tax credit could be just what you need

By: Sher Hann

So it rained and rained and rained. And my Cal Classic French door, installed after the 1994 earthquake, leaked and leaked and leaked. We hadn’t planned on replacing it soon, but Mother Nature intervened. Within a few weeks we will be the proud owners of two new Energy Star French doors.

Yes, two doors, because the Cal Classic in the kitchen is dog-ravaged. The only silver lining here, other than having nice new doors, is that a federal tax credit is available on our purchase (not installation and finishing though).

With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009, homeowners  who purchase “qualifying products” are eligible for a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the product cost. Installation is not included. For windows, doors and skylights, homeowners must obtain a manufacturer certification statement to be for the tax credit; the maximum tax credit for the current year for all improvements combined is $1,500  (including roofing, insulation, HVAC, and water heaters).

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Remember: A tax credit is generally more valuable than a tax deduction or tax allowance of the same amount because a tax credit reduces tax directly, whereas a deduction or allowance only reduces taxable income.

For more information, visit  www.Energarstar.gov,  the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder, www.MyEnergyTax.com or a recent blog by my colleague, Rob Jordan – “Tax Credits for Replacing Heating and Cooling Systems.”

By the time our days are sunny and warm, with nary a cloud in the sky, our new doors should arrive. Meanwhile, let the old doors leak away and be scratching post for our dogs. And since the  tax credit on the two new doors doesn’t quite add up to $1,500, let’s see what else we could fix ….

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

sherhann1

Do You BOGOPOD™?

By: Sher Hann

In this age of tweeting, texting and chatting, there is a new verb in town: BOGOPOD. In a nutshell, BOGOPOD is a free service for consumers in Ventura County, the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles that provides bi-weekly alerts via e-mail and social media channels – Twitter, MySpace and Facebook – on deals and promotions from area merchants.

At BOGOPOD.com you can find hundreds of tempting offers from more than 125 local merchants. For example, at Bruegger’s Bagels in Agoura Hills you can receive three free bagels. “BOGOPODING” at Cosmos Grill in Calabasas will give you 50% off an entrée.

For local merchants and service providers, BOGOPOD provides feedback on the effectiveness of their promotions.  BOGOPOD’s patent-pending technology tracks how many customers have viewed, clicked, printed and redeemed merchants’ coupon offers, as well as where those customers are coming from. The cost to the merchants and service provides, according to Bay, is  around $150 to $200 a month.

BOGOPOD offers one additional benefit to merchants and consumers alike: It’s a “green” form of promotion.

The brainchild of longtime Oak Park resident David Bay and his business partner, Adam Leff, of Newbury Park, “Buy One Get One Plus Other Discounts” is primarily local. But the concept is transportable. “Our plans are to expand regionally and then nationally,” Bay says.  “Right now our hands are full with Ventura County, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles and Portland. We will be entering Seattle in the next month.”

So the next time you step out the door, step up to your computer first and print out your BOGOPOD coupons to help stretch your dollar and your shopping experience.

EwingSIR does not guarantee information contained in this blog, readers are encouraged not to rely solely on this information and to do their own independent research of facts contained herein. Blog information was obtained from independent sources that we do not endorse, and we do not investigate this information for accuracy.

sherhann1