Some of you know that I teach an early morning boot camp here. And for the record, it’s not that early. Only at 7am. I also teach spin and sports conditioning classes at local gyms. So yes, fitness is a big part of my life. I do it because it’s fun. It’s a great way to meet people. And changing people’s lives is a complete sugar rush sans sugar.

I’m gonna post some tips on fitness, since i’m kind of a freak in this arena. These suggestions are merely for the benefit of mankind and womankind. So taking as you see fit. And if you want to be more fit, I suggest taking them.

Of course, if you have any questions, please, please shoot me an email. I’m more than happy to help and offer any advice I can.

20 Ways To Be A Smarter Eater
By Liz Applegate, Ph.D.
Runner’s World

1.SWAP IN: Omega-3 eggs
SWAP OUT: Standard eggs
The Omega-3 fats in these enhanced eggs boost immunity, protect against Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and cancer, and may lessen symptoms of depression.

2.SWAP IN Dark beer
SWAP OUT Light beer
Darker brews may have a few more calories per bottle than lighter versions, but in general they have far more antioxidants from the wheat and other grains used to make them. Limit your consumption to one or two servings per occasion.

3.SWAP IN: Olive-oil dressing
SWAP OUT: Creamy dressing
Top your salad with an olive-oil dressing instead of creamy blue cheese or ranch and save about 90 calories per two tablespoons. A reduced-fat olive-oil dressing saves a whopping 120 calories per serving.

4.SWAP IN: Mustard, low-sodium soy sauce, salsa
SWAP OUT: Ketchup and mayonnaise
Condiments like mayonnaise and ketchup add unwanted calories and sodium to your foods. Minimize calories while adding flavor and nutrition with mustard (ground style) and salsa, which contain antioxidants, and low-sodium soy sauce.

5.SWAP IN: Organic fat-free milk
SWAP OUT: 2% milk
Eight ounces of fat-free milk saves you more than 30 calories and four grams of fat over two-percent milk. Organic milk can help you avoid trace amounts of chemicals and hormones.

6.SWAP IN: Kefir
SWAP OUT: Yogurt
Yogurt is a great source of calcium but often comes with lots of sugar and without healthy live bacteria. Try Kefir, a low-fat liquid yogurt with extra live cultures to boost immunity.

7.SWAP IN: Pomegranate or cranberry juice and club soda
SWAP OUT: Sugary fruit drinks
Try club soda mixed 1:1 with a 100-percent fruit juice like pomegranate or cranberry—both of which are loaded with the powerful cancer fighters anthocyanidins—to save 50 calories per serving over a sugary fruit drink.

8.SWAP IN: Natural peanut butter and fruit spread
SWAP OUT: Standard peanut butter and jelly
Look for a "natural-style" peanut butter that has ground peanuts, salt, and nothing more. Pair it with a real fruit spread that lists fruit as the first ingredient with no added sugar (corn syrup, sucrose, or high-fructose corn syrup).

9.SWAP IN: Roasted chicken SWAP OUT: Deli meats
Buy a roasted chicken or turkey breast from the deli (without the skin) and use it instead of high-fat pastrami, salami, and other deli meats. If you store it in the meat/cheese drawer, it will stay fresh for one week.

10.SWAP IN: Part-skim mozzarella or feta cheese
SWAP OUT: Brie or cheddar
Brie and cheddar are loaded with saturated fat and calories. Make the switch to feta cheese or part-skim mozzarella and save about 30 calories and five grams of fat per ounce.

11.SWAP IN: Trans-fat-free spread
SWAP OUT: Butter
Butter has seven grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, while margarine contains trans fats. Still, use a trans-fat-free spread sparingly since it has some fat and calories.

12.SWAP IN: Sweet potatoes or red-skin potatoes
SWAP OUT: White potatoes
Potatoes with colorful flesh and skins contain more antioxidants than their pale counterparts. Select small potatoes to control portion size, and eat the skin for extra fiber.

13.SWAP IN: Whole-grain pasta
SWAP OUT: Refined pasta
Fresh whole-grain pasta contains more health-boosting antioxidants and fiber (to fill you up) than refined versions.

14.SWAP IN: Berries, kiwi, melon
SWAP OUT: Green grapes
All fruits are great, but when you’re watching your weight it pays to eat fruits that are lower in calories and higher in fiber.

15.SWAP IN: Canadian bacon
SWAP OUT: Bacon
Compared with traditional bacon, Canadian bacon has twice the protein and half the fat per serving.

16.SWAP IN: Ground turkey
SWAP OUT: Ground beef
Cut 10 to 20 grams of fat per three-ounce serving by substituting ground turkey (white meat) for ground beef.

17.SWAP IN: Baby romaine lettuce and spinach
SWAP OUT: Iceberg lettuce
Iceberg lettuce offers little nutrition, while young romaine and spinach leaves are rich in carotenes and other phytochemicals.

18.SWAP IN: Snow peas, peppers, radishes
SWAP OUT: Carrots and celery
Carrots and celery are a good start, but add peppers for vitamin C, snow peas for the electrolyte potassium, and radishes, which contain compounds that protect muscles.

19.SWAP IN: Whole-grain bread
SWAP OUT: White bread
Whole-grain has more antioxidants and fiber (three to four grams per one-ounce slice) than its white counterpart.

20.SWAP IN: Low-carb tortillas
SWAP OUT: White-flour tortillas
White-flour tortillas pack 150 calories and zero fiber. Low-carb versions offer eight grams of fiber for just 90 calories.

A quick teaser from Lisa Magerl’s session at the 2008 Direct Marketing Association’s Conference in Las Vegas, NV on October 13th, from 11:15-12:15am.

Speakers:  RTCRM’s Lisa Magerl & AARP’s Craig Fontenot

Session: Retention and Loyalty through Engagement: the AARP Story

• Have you ever wondered how to align a decentralized organization around integrated and ongoing communications?

• Have you struggled to define the value of ongoing customer relationships that go beyond one-off transactions?

• Have you looked for tools and techniques that help you unlock and measure the emotions that drive behavior?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll find actionable answers and techniques based on AARP’s real experience.

Expanded roles for Duke and Upton at Wunderman Network agency

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 22, 2008 – RTC Relationship Marketing (RTCRM), a Washington, D.C.–based direct marketing agency, today announced two key changes within its executive ranks. Michael Duke has been promoted from the director level to the position of Senior Vice President, and SVP Elizabeth Upton will now head Account Management at RTCRM. These developments highlight the agency’s commitment to maintaining a strong and dynamic management team across its unique portfolio of clients.

Under Duke’s leadership, RTCRM’s Marketing Intelligence practice has grown significantly. He will continue to provide clients with strategic planning, segmentation, targeting, program metrics and analysis leadership as SVP/Director of Marketing Intelligence. Through detailed test design, results tracking and return-on-investment analysis, Duke and his department provide the agency’s clients with knowledge that enables continuous improvement of marketing campaigns, so that each marketing dollar is spent more effectively than the previous one.

RTCRM CEO Barry Kessel applauded Duke’s “excellent way with clients, his ‘can-do’ attitude and his broad grasp not just of data, but of marketing and direct marketing.” Kessel continued: “The practice of Marketing Intelligence will assuredly be one of our prime differentiators under Mike’s smart, steady hand. It’s comforting to know we have one of the best and brightest in the business at the helm.” Duke will continue to build the confidence and trust he has earned not just with his team, but across the agency and with past and present clients such as NASDAQ, Time Warner Cable, TESSCO, AARP, Abbott Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Duke joined RTCRM after serving as a Senior Marketing Analyst at Lillian Vernon Corp. in Rye, N.Y.

As SVP/Director of Account Management, Elizabeth Upton will bring vision and uniformity to RTCRM’s client-services operations. Her primary focus will be to steward a common Account Services practice that builds client-management excellence, and to acquire and retain the best talent.

Additionally, Upton will develop a training curriculum to grow staff core competencies. Regarding this promotion, RTCRM President Jeff Ross said, “Over the course of her career, Elizabeth has led worldwide agency account teams on strategy and creative development. She has a passion for building the kind of agency relationships clients really value. We are extremely fortunate to have Elizabeth and our talented Account Directors focusing on client partnership and team leadership.”

Upton came to RTCRM from Corbett Healthcare Group, where she successfully led various pharmaceutical accounts. Before her tenure at Corbett, Upton was a Global Account Director for the Procter & Gamble business at Leo Burnett.

Leave your car at home on Monday and find a new way to get to work–walk, bike, bus or train.  By the time you get to the office, you will have already done your part to improve air quality, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Talk about a great cure for the Mondays

Learn more about Car Free Day Metro DC and take the Car Free Challenge.  http://www.carfreemetrodc.com

Congratulate yourself and share Car Free commuting stories at an RTCRM ice cream social from 3:30-4:30pm on Monday, Septmeber 22.

Speaking at the two day event will be RTC Relationship Marketing ’s very own Brent Canfield. Brent will touch on his 12 years of user experience design, project management and development, and layout his thoughts on where creativity and design interface to positively impact the overall "user experience."

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 28, 2008– RTC Relationship Marketing (RTCRM), a Washington, D.C.–based direct marketing agency, today announced a series of recent new hires that have contributed to the agency’s nearly 30% growth in the first six months of 2008.

Corinne Paulsen, Broadcast Production Manager, will provide project management support to RTCRM’s growing Broadcast Production capabilities. Paulsen specializes in contract negotiations among agencies, vendors, talent unions, celebrity talent and music licensers, and also brings a vast working record with Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA regulations. Her previous broadcast productions for Hair Cuttery and the Newseum have garnered her awards including the Silver Addy, One Show Silver Pencil and the Radio Mercury Award.

Justina Sun, VP/Account Director, lends her extensive experience in direct response, media, advertising and brand in the Retail, Energy and Telecom segments to RTCRM’s Microsoft account. Previously, she led Cavalier Telephone with its new singular brand re-launch and overhaul of marketing and sales initiatives following its merger with Talk America. Sun brings with her impressive client-service experience for clients including MCI, Nextel, Qwest, Green Mountain Energy, Disney Live and the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

Emily Reagan, Associate Director, will bring her consumer-focused tactics and marketing initiatives to RTCRM’s expanding Strategy & Insights group. With her direct brand strategy, planning and cross-channel communication expertise, Reagan will identify and create marketing strategies and initiatives, including product launch plans, media and creative execution and promotional campaigns, for client projects and business growth. She comes to RTCRM from Music & Arts, a division of Guitar Center, Inc.

About RTC Relationship Marketing

RTC Relationship Marketing (RTCRM) is a full-service direct marketing and relationship marketing agency based in Washington, D.C., in the heart of Georgetown, with offices in New York City and Chicago. RTCRM boasts more than 40 years’ worth of innovative, targeted solutions that grow its clients’ brands and help them forge lasting, valuable relationships with their customers. What distinguishes RTCRM is its unique ability to analyze data and research on both a rational and emotional level. RTCRM’s clients include major brands in the telecom, technology, pharmaceuticals and other business sectors, such as AARP, GlaxoSmithKline and Time Warner Cable. RTCRM’s innovative campaigns have won numerous advertising and direct marketing awards. RTCRM is part of the Wunderman Network, one of the world’s largest communications companies, which includes Y&R, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, JWT and Landor.

To learn more about RTCRM or to inquire about an exciting new position, visit www.rtcrm.com .

RTCRM Contact:

Rebecca Johnson

202-315-4554

rjohnson@rtcrm.com

It’s been over 2 months since the Great Cupcake Taste-off , and I think I’ve only just now recovered from the sugar-induced coma that followed. It was a battle of epic proportions: 10 very brave colleagues stepped forward to taste 4 different cupcakes each. We laughed, we cried, and thankfully no one puked. Keep reading to find out if our beloved Baked and Wired came out on top.
The newcomer Georgetown Cupcake put up a good fight (never mind the 45 minute wait in a long line with screaming children, just to get the sample cupcakes). But in 5 separate head to head flavor match-ups, Baked and Wired edged out the competition.

B&W’s highest ranking cupcake was the Strawberry, with perfectly delicious frosting and gooey strawberry center. GC put forth a very strong showing in the Red Velvet category with “yummy” cream cheese frosting. Unfortunately that cream cheese frosting showed up on other flavors like Vanilla Squared. And while GC also scored high in the Chocolate/Vanilla category, their bittersweet chocolate cake and ganache bombed in the Chocolate Squared face-off.

Overall, I think tasters were drawn to the homemade quality of B&W. Their dense cake, dreamy frosting and cute paper wrappers brought us to a warm and happy place. So for now, it looks like all is right in the world of cupcakes. Or is it ?

The winners are the first team to walk our team around the world. We’re competing for honor within a variety of categories: The World, United States, WPP, and of course against the four other RTCRM teams. Teams and companies from all over the world are participating with the Aussies dominating the leader board –cheaters . My team the “RTCRM Hot Steppers” is currently ranked 516 out of 7000+ teams. Not too shabby. We’re in 5th place within WPP companies and we’re the leaders in the RTCRM race.

More updates in the coming weeks. Keep up the amazing pace Hot Steppers!

I had originally intended today’s posting on consumer privacy issues to be the second of a three part series. But after last week’s discourse , response from the public was immediate and massive. “We can’t possibly wait two entire weeks to hear about HIPAA or the Final Word on RTCRM’s baseline approach to managing PHI!” they shrieked, frantically wagging their thin claw-like fingers at me. “Post both remaining chapters next week — or else,” they threatened.

“Or else what?” I asked, wishing quietly for the millionth time that I’d gone to librarian school.

“Just finish the post, pretty boy. Don’t make us hurt you,” they said.

“Okay, okay,” I acquiesced. “I’ll finish it up next week. Jeez, Mom.”

Thanks for reading.

ZR

Fair Information Practice Principles

Fair Information Practice Principles are a widely accepted set of guidelines for how companies should collect, store and use personal information collected from individuals. Though technology-agnostic, the ideas behind the principles are fundamental components of relationship marketing ethics, and are as applicable today as they were 30 years ago.

They are:

Notice/Awareness : Data collectors must disclose the intended use of collected data in a clear and forthright manner.

Choice/Consent : Consumers must be given options with respect to whether and how information collected from them may be used for purposes beyond those for which the information was provided.

Access/Participation : Consumers should be able to view and contest the accuracy and completeness of data collected about them.

Integrity/Security: Data collectors must take reasonable steps to assure that information collected from consumers is accurate and secure.

Onward Transfer: Basically requires organizations to apply the Notice and Choice principles before sharing collected data with additional organizations.

Enforcement : A set of rules is only as good as the ability to enforce them. This principle therefore provides for two important stipulations. First, that entities processing personal data be subject to independent oversight. Second, that individuals have a right to legal redress should entities in possession of their data fail to adhere to the law with regard to its use.

Enforcement is where the gap is bridged between ethical principles and tangible law – where specific federal and state privacy statutes come to bear – most notably the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the federal statute better known as HIPAA.

What Is HIPAA?

Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provides national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information. Among other things, its objectives are to give patients more control over their health information and the ability to set boundaries on the use and release of their personal health records. More specifically, HIPAA requires covered entities to receive written authorization from an individual prior to using or disclosing their PHI to a third party for any reason other than those functions essential to providing quality health care.

Not surprisingly, marketing – defined broadly in the statute as “a communication about a product or service that encourages recipients of the communication to purchase or use the product or service” – is not considered essential to the provision of quality of health care. Covered entities are therefore prohibited from sharing or selling individual PHI to any organization for the purposes of selling a product or service without that individual’s written permission.

Who Is Covered?

Entities considered covered by HIPAA, and therefore subject to its privacy and data treatment guidelines, include health care providers, health plans and HMOs. Individuals themselves are free to share their own PHI with whomever they choose, including market research firms, CPG manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and any number of other entities not covered under HIPAA. Assuming that their data collection and usage practices are in accordance with Fair Information Practice Principles , these entities are free to make full use of individual PHI even without the express, written consent of the individual. Once an individual voluntarily provides his/her PHI, the federal statute ceases to apply.

What Does HIPAA Mean to Marketers?

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of the law. For non-covered entities, HIPAA does not place specific restrictions on acceptable use of PHI assuming that the information was collected and obtained in a legally compliant manner. There are other important considerations, however, with regard to use of individual PHI:

1. When acquisition names are purchased from third-party sources (e.g., iCOM ), the owner of the data generally limits the number of times mailers may contact list members – excepting cases in which the targeted individual opts in to additional communications from the mailer. In other words, the limiting factor in how many times a consumer can be mailed to in these cases is not any government stipulation, but the data rental agreement between the mailer and list owner.

2. Marketers must consider the consumer experience . Ultimately, PHI is only available from covered entities (who are forbidden from sharing it) or the individual. A positive and mutually beneficial relationship with a consumer cannot exist if the consumer feels unfairly manipulated or, in the extreme, illegally violated. For this reason, it is always a good idea to gain a consumer’s trust and acceptance of a marketing relationship before setting forth without them.

3. Competitive advantage . When health care providers and HMOs partner with pharmaceutical companies, they can become subject to aspects of HIPAA governing the behavior of business associates. Penalties for the non-compliance of a business associate can be steep, therefore these covered entities are going to be much more amenable to partnership with organizations they know to be conservative in their treatment of PHI.

4. A fourth and often frustrating consideration is that HIPAA itself is only the minimum standard set by the federal government; it is the floor, not the ceiling. Individual states can and do impose additional restrictions that govern the way entities can leverage the PHI of their residents.

What Is the Impact of Individual State Laws?

It depends. A number of states, including California, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia have enacted laws affecting pharmaceutical marketing. They impact everything from allowable gifts to physicians to limitations on the mining of pharmacy data.

The Texas Medical Privacy Act expands upon HIPAA’s definition of a covered entity to include, among others, pharmaceutical companies. This prohibits companies from sharing or using individual PHI for any reason other than that given when the information was collected without first obtaining a consumer’s signature. This does not necessarily preclude marketers from using PHI to market a product to an individual as long as the Notice doctrine was appropriately applied.

The state of California requires pharmaceutical companies to comply with The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) guidelines when marketing to consumers. PhRMA is an organization comprised of the country’s leading drug researchers and manufacturers, so its point of view on the subject of DTC marketing is decidedly fair. It begins with an underlying belief that DTC marketing can benefit public health by educating patients and fostering collaboration with the medical community. A selection of PhRMA DTC principles are summarized here at a high level.

> DTC claims must be accurate and clear, supported by evidence, and compliant with FDA regulations.

> DTC advertising should foster communication between patients and health care providers. Providers should be educated about new treatments prior to launch of DTC advertising.

> DTC advertising should be clear about alternative treatments (e.g., diet, exercise) and risks of therapy.

> Companies should submit DTC television advertisements to the FDA prior to broadcast. The PhRMA guidelines here are actually more strongly worded than the FDA rule itself.

The Final Word

Ultimately, we are obligated to act in accordance with our client partners’ legal interpretations and applications of privacy law. Some clients may choose, for example, to always behave as a HIPAA-covered entity in certain states, while others may take a more liberal (and literal) stance. It is important that we not only understand and document our clients’ policies related to PHI; we must also ensure their policies are applied accurately and consistently across their business.

Apart from individual client directives, however, it is imperative to establish our own organizational baseline position on how we collect, store and use sensitive consumer data. It is a standard that must be universally applied across internal business units as well as to external partners and data providers. Our point of view in this area must be coherent, consistent and based on consumer marketing best practices.

Specifically, our agency’s policy is to consider Fair Information Practice Principles and PhRMA DTC advertising guidelines as the minimum required of new programs that incorporate the collection and use of sensitive consumer data – the starting points from which to build marketing strategies that benefit our clients and their customers while further establishing RTCRM as a leader in the business of Relationship Marketing.