Are patient loyalty programs a viable marketing tool for hospitals?  How can colleges increase their retention and graduation rates?  Which Super Bowl ads were the biggest hit?  Find out in this edition of The Monday Marketing Mix.

1. Patient Loyalty Programs Show Their True Value

It’s standard for grocery stores, drugstores and restaurants to offer loyalty rewards programs to customers, but do VIP incentives work well for hospitals?  One Detroit area hospital began a VIP (Very Important Patient) program late in 2010 that now has more than 900 patients enrolled.  Perks of the program, which has been heavily marketed to seniors, include discounts on non-prescription drugs, free valet parking, gift shop discounts, and free attendance at hospital events.  How did Botsford Hospital market the program and how successful has it been?  Read the full story from Health Leaders Media.

2. Multi-year Study of Community College Practices Asks: What Helps Students Graduate

During the Obama administration several new policies have been enacted that require orientations and academic barometers at community colleges.  All of it has been implemented in an attempt to make the United States the most educated country in the world by 2020.  In 2012, the question is what’ s working?  A report released last week outlines 13 strategies for boosting graduation rates.  While the advice is specific to community colleges, it’s relevant for the higher education community in general.  Read the article from the Chronicle of Higher Education for the full report. What do you think about the findings?  Weigh-in with your thoughts in the comments.

3. Super Bowl 2012 Commercials: Watch Them All Here

Advertisers spent millions this year on spots during the Super Bowl.  Whether you watched them all and want to check out your favorites again, or you missed some in the madness of the parties, Mashable has compiled them all here in one place.  Watch and enjoy!  Which ad was your favorite this year?

Having trouble with your new year’s resolution to get healthier or lose weight?  If you own a smartphone or tablet, The American Medical Association can help.

This week the AMA released a free health app that allows users to track their fitness and lifestyle goals.  The Weigh What Matters app is a logging tool that enables patients to enter and track their weight, exercise, and eating habits on a daily basis. Patients can also enter their goals, set either by themselves or their physicians, and track their progress in reaching those goals.  The app generates reports that can then be forwarded to physicians.  Patients can download the free app for use on their iPod, Android, or iPad.

Would you use the Weigh What Matters app, or do you prefer to use more traditional means to track your health related goals?  Sound off in the comments below.

To learn more about the app, read this article from the AMA.

I stumbled upon this YouTube video yesterday and I think it’s both cute and insightful.  Adam Ladd, a designer from Ohio, showed his five year old daughter a series of well-known logos and asked for her first impressions.  Some she recognized, others she didn’t.  It’s interesting to get hear her thoughts on logo design, because her reactions are simple and honest.  Watch the video below.  Do any of her insights surprise you?  Agree with her take?  Share your comments!

Is it possible to create a textbook for free?  Should robots start cleaning hospital rooms?  How can businesses use Pinterest to generate sales?  Find out in this edition of The Monday Marketing Mix.

1. How to Create Your Own Textbook– With or Without Apple

When Apple announced the release of its new iBooks2 device last week, it created a lot of buzz among educators.  The device, along with an app, allows users to author and create their own books, but educators may be able to create textbooks without the costly product.  This article from mindshift gives educators some advice on how to create textbooks at little-to-no cost using tools such as Delicious.  Check out the full article for all the tips!

2.  Robot Cleaner a ‘Game Changer’ for Hospital Infection Epidemic

1 in 20 hospital patients in America are battling an infection that they caught during their hospital stay.  While technology has changed greatly over the years, most hospitals are still cleaned the way they always have been–with a cleaning crew and disinfectants.  Are robotic cleaners the answer to a more sterile hospital?  Perhaps.  The Xenex, a robotic device that looks like it belongs on Star Wars, disinfects rooms with tiny rays of light in as little as five minutes.  The ultraviolet light kills bacteria and sterilizes everything from the phone to the bedrails.  Read more from CNN. What do you think of the device?  Share your comments below.

3.  Pinterest Becomes Top Traffic Driver for Retailers

This headline is really easy for me to believe.  Earlier today I “pinned” a link to a dress I like from a local boutique.  Within minutes, 12 different girls (none of whom I actually know) from all around the country “repinned” the picture of the dress, thus sharing this link with all their followers.  Imagine the web traffic (and potential sales) generated from my one pin!  Still confused by, or not sold on, Pinterest?  Check out this great article and infographic from Mashable and find out how your company can best utilize the bookmarking site. Already have success stories with your business using Pinterest?  Share them below!

Flowtown released an infographic this week called “The Small Business Cheat Sheet,” and I think it’s worth sharing. Whether you’re a community hospital marketing director just getting started in social media, or an online boutique owner looking to boost sales,this infographic shares some great tips. I might replace reddit with LinkedIn or Pinterest, but overall the tips are spot-on. I especially like their “learn the lingo” advice. Getting started on a new social network can be confusing at first, especially since they all use different vocabulary. This graphic does a good job of breaking it all down in a simple way!

Ads like this one are the reason I watch the Super Bowl every year.  Chevy issued a call for commercials to be featured during the game on February 5th.  They received a lot of impressive entries. (Which you can view here)  The winner happens to be my favorite!  Watch and enjoy.  Do you think this commercial will be a fan favorite?

Is it safe and appropriate for doctors to communicate with their patients via email?  Which conferences should higher education marketing professionals attend in 2012?  What does the average Super Bowl viewer look like?  Find out in this edition of The Monday Marketing Mix.

1. Should Physicians Use Email to Communicate with Patients?

Email has become a primary way for many businesses to communicate with customers.  So far the healthcare industry has been an exception.  With privacy being a main concern, most doctors and health care providers still choose to communicate with patients via more traditional means such as by phone or mail.  Is it time for that to change?  This opinion piece from Wall Street Journal takes a look at both sides of the issue.  Read and decide for yourself.  Share your comments below; would prefer for your doctor to communicate with you via email or not?

2. Top Highered Web and Social Media Conferences for 2012

Attending conferences and webinars can be a great way to learn more about your industry.  I’ve particularly learned a lot about social media by attending events.  Collegewebeditor.com has compiled a list of the best higher ed web and social media conferences of 2012.  If you’re a higher education marketer looking to take social media to the next level, check out the full list and mark your calendar.

3. Advertisers, This is What an NFL Fan Looks Like

The Super Bowl is less than two weeks away, and there’s no mystery left about which teams will be playing in Indianappolis.  But who will be watching?  This infographic from Mashable breaks down all the important facts when it comes to Super Bowl advertising.  What kind of products is the average NFL fan in the market for?  Who are the top Super Bowl advertisers? How much are they spending?  How many fans will tune in for the big game?  Take a look at the article and infographic. Will you watch the big game?  Who are you rooting for?  Sound off int he comments.

I admittedly did not know there was such a thing as the American Mustache Institute until I read this article from Mashable. I decided to Google it and found that it does, indeed, exist.  (Side note:  in case you were wondering which cities in America are the most “mustache friendly,” visit their website).

Why the discussion about mustaches?  Because The American Mostache Institute has endorsed a newly launched male counterpart to my favorite website. The new website is called Gentlemint, and it seems to be a man’s answer to the wildly popular social network, Pinterest, which is mostly used by women.

The site claims to be “one of the more manly sites on the Internet,” and it allows users to share content they find useful, interesting, or funny.  It’s much like Pinterest, but instead of cupcake recipes, engagement rings, and quotes from romantic comedies, you’ll find recipes for the best ribs, car reviews, and links to sports articles.

Will this social network find as much success as Pinterest has so far?  It’s a solid concept, but traditionally males are less engaged in social networks than females.

Guys: tell me what you think.  Will you sign up for Gentlemint? Have you already?

Is Gentlemint another social network to watch in 2012?  Share your opinions in the comments below.

I’m always looking for unique healthcare ads, and yesterday I stumbled upon one that I really like.  New York Presbyterian is doing something a little different with their television advertising by running 60 second documentary-style spots.  This particular spot tells the story of a little girl who needed very complicated and risky surgery to remove a tumor.  I think the message is very powerful, and the style in which it was filmed makes it all the more memorable and effective.  Watch and tell me what you think.

I’ve never been a huge football fan, but I have to admit that I’ve gotten a little caught up in Tebow mania this season.  Partially because my boyfriend is a lifelong Denver Broncos fan, but also because I love rooting for the underdog and I’m fascinated by viral social media sensations.

Early in the season most people had written off the Denver Broncos.  With a 1-4 record it didn’t look very likely that the team had any chance of making it to the playoffs.  Angry fans began calling for Kyle Orton, the former starting quarterback, to be replaced.  Someone even purchased a billboard demanding that Tebow get play time.

Fans got their wish, and the rest is history.  Last Sunday, Tebow led the team to an exciting overtime victory in the playoffs that generated a lot of online buzz.  So much buzz that it broke the record for the most sports-related tweets per second.  At 9,420 tweets per second, the Tim Tebow pass landing comes in second place all-time for the most tweets per second.  The only event that resulted in more tweets was the TV premiere of a Japanese Animae movie.

To put this in perspective, Tim Tebow got more tweets per second than the Osama bin Laden raid or the tsunamis in Japan (both of which generated so much traffic that it caused Twitter to slow down).  Crazy!

Will the magic happen again this weekend?  I’ll be tuned in (and signed on to Twitter) to see.

Do you use Twitter or Facebook while you’re watching sporting events?  Have predictions for the playoff games this weekend? Tell us in the comments below!