While traveling east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike towards New Jersey the other day, I passed a couple of billboards that really caught my eye. They looked like a page from a school notebook, and in simple, clear lettering had pithy observations about the economy.

I wanted to know who placed them, so I did a bit of Googling. According to this Reno Gazette-Journal article, the billboard campaign is “funded by an anonymous East Coast donor who was depressed about how the country was reacting to the economy’s tailspin.” CNN reports that there are about 2,000 Recession 101 billboards nationwide. Of course, there’s a Twitter feed for Recession 101, too. Here’s a gallery of a dozen Recession 101 messages.

Takeaway for marketers: If you’re working on outdoor billboards, simplicity rules. Simple and eye-catching design plus a few well-chosen words able to be easily read while someone speeds by at 75 miles per hour are what you need to get your message across.

As I’ve mentioned before, being a mom blogger means you’re living at the epicenter of digital marketing these days. For most mom bloggers, it probably means you’re getting slammed with spam, bad pitches from clueless marketers and other silliness.

Here’s a nine-minute video from AdAge in which BlogHer COO Camahort Page is interviewed about the best practices for dealing with mom bloggers. If you’re involved in any respect with marketing to moms, it’s must-see teevee.

Takeaway for marketers: Adding the email addresses of mom bloggers to your mailing list so you can send them your press releases isn’t gonna cut it.

… and Crispin Porter & Bogusky is an agency that’s great at delivering buzz. But if the buzz doesn’t deliver sales, then what’s the point?

I’ve heard for a long time that Crispin’s work for Burger King (with such buzzworthy elements as Subservient Chicken) didn’t do much to move the sales needle. This AdAge article confirms it.

Takeaway for marketers: What are your agencies’ main priorities: Your sales or their awards?

Forget the International Star Registry: Now you can reserve your spot in Heaven (or send someone to Hell), and it’s far, far cheaper than a rosary blessed by the Pope (which I assume doesn’t come with a guarantee that refunds your money if you don’t get into Heaven).

Takeaway for marketers: Hey, it’s marketing 101: Find a need and fill it.

As my post the other day indicated, I spent far too much time this week dealing with malicious malware. But there’s good and bad in everything. Here’s the good: Geek Police is awesome, and if you ever wind up with a nasty infection, they’ll help you out — for free. (Though be sure to visit the tip jar once you’re up and running again.)

One of the main programs they use to deal with malware issues is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware; it’s free and you can get it here.

So while I had a Geek Policeman’s attention to my issue, I took the opportunity to ask them: In addition to Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (which I typically like to run every month or so when I backup to external drives), I also use CrapCleaner, Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, System Mechanic, and SpywareGuard. (I’m not a fan of Norton or McAfee; their software is too bloated). What I wanted to know from the expert was: (1) Is there anything on that list that’s a waste of time? and (2) Is there anything else I ought to be using regularly?

The expert’s response: “That’s a good list of protection.”

Best of all: Each of those programs (with the exception of System Mechanic) is available for free.

Takeaway for marketers: And for everyone else: If you’re not using at least two or three of these programs, what are you waiting for? Start downloading!