Media Room Evaluation - Ford VS Toyota

Ford

Ford’s website primary purpose seems to be to keep the audience updated with their new features. To provide the latest news on their products and to show how they give back to the community to those who visit their website. When I visit their website, it seems to be that they are trying to reach mostly men, and people attracted by automobiles and in the mechanics, engineering and technical fields. The website is user-friendly, they have a very clean template, not with too many graphics or much information put together.  Everything is in place, straight to the point and easy to find. The current information showed in their website is updated information, it’s fresh, innovative and unique content. 

They use graphics and no animations or sound.  The colors they use on their website are the colors of the company, dark blue, light blue and white.  When you see it there is no doubt that you are on Ford’s website.  They made a good use of colors for their website to continue to show their brand and their essence to their online visitors. 

Everything is very user-friendly, the text is easy to read.  However, in my opinion, I consider that the size of the text in the home page should be a little bit smaller.  Since the text is all in caps and then the size of the text is too big, in my opinion it seems a little demanding.  I understand that as a car company, it is maybe something they want to portray.  However, I still consider that if they minimize the size of the text just a little bit, it will be less crowded and easy to read.  The rest of the text in the news and in the other tabs is in good size.  They have many hyperlinks that direct the online users to their stories, news, etc. and they are all appropriate used and work perfectly well.

Click here to see Ford's media room.

Toyota

Toyota’s purpose of the website, seems almost the same as Ford’s, however, they both give their message across in a very different way.  Toyota’s website is very simple and clean, it is all white with some color in it making it easy to navigate.  Since the information they provide is about safety, and then they show some posts of photos with children’s toys, it makes me think they are trying to reach young parents and families.  

The site is very easy to navigate as well and the information is up to date. One of the things I found it was a good strategy from their PR team was to include their Tweeter’s feed. That makes you see immediately that they are connecting with the rest of the world via social media, it also allows you to see their recent posts, plus it gives you some sort of incentive to visit their social media channels and start following them.  It makes them show the world that they have an online presence and it gives them credibility. They have no sound on their website. Another thing that I thought that was a good strategy was to include videos, that also makes the online user visiting the website the curiosity to know what are they showing in the video and it makes them want to see it.

The only thing that I would suggest to Toyota is to design a more appealing layout for their website.  I am sure they can create something more creative and innovative rather than a simple website.  I am a believer that simple and clean websites are always the best and they are making a great job with that. However, since they are a car agency, they must portray that innovative and creative image to their audience who visit their website.  I consider that they can keep the colors they are already using, white, red and black, just using a more unique template. The text they use is very simple text and easy to read.  The hyperlinks work appropriately and are used correctly.

Click here to see Toyota's media room.

Let's Explore the Valley Together!

Hello RGV friends,

Hopefully you are all enjoying your Easter break!  I know I haven't post anything in the last couple of months, that doesn't mean I forgot about you all, but it has been very busy lately with school, work and more.

I hope your year is going awesome so far and that you are all accomplishing your 2014 resolutions. One of my 2014 resolutions is to visit new places with the people I love.
I am looking for different places and events occurring in the Valley to share with all of you so you can do the same and that way we can explore the Valley together!

On today's post we will see three upcoming events in the RGV:

1. Vida Verde

"The Valley's Biggest Earth Day Celebration"

The Run Wild 5K will start at 7:30am.  Afterwards there will be healthy cooking workshops, animal exhibits, a folk music concert, a UTPA Recycled Art Fashion Show, projects, and activities all day long!

Date and time: April 26, 2014, 9am-4pm

Place: Quinta Mazatlan

Address: 600 Sunset Drive 

               McAllen, Tx 78503

Price: $2 kids and $3 adults 

RUN WILD 5K:

          $10 prior the event 

          $20 the day of the event

For more detailed info on their schedule click on the image above to enlarge it, visit their website 

http://www.quintamazatlan.com/ or call (956) 681-3370.

2. 5 de Mayo Celebration

The first weekend of May, the City of Edinburg and the Mexican Consulate in McAllen will be celebrating 5 de Mayo. The celebration will start on Friday and will end on Sunday. The weekend will be full of Mexican food and traditions.  Grupo Control will be present at this event, they will also have Mariachi, a dress parade, animal shows, artisan fairs and more!

Dates and times: May 2nd:10am-10-pm
                              May 3rd: 10am-11pm
                              May 4th: 10am-6pm

Place: Edinburg City Hall Courtyard
Address: 415 W. University Dr.
                Edinburg, TX 78539

For more detailed info on their schedule click on the image above to enlarge it or contact Magdiel Alfonso at (956)383-6246.

3. Hog Dash

Get ready to get dirty with the fun and challenging 5K run with wall climbs, mud crawls, tire obstacles, hurdles and more! If you are looking to do something out of normal and full of adventure you don't want to miss this event!

Dates and times: June 1, 2014
Place: San Benito, Texas
Price: Early registration $40
           Late registration $50
           Day of registration $65

Visit their website for more information on registration, rules, fees and more: www.mvevents.com/train/hog-dash/
Take advantage of all the great events the RGV is hosting for us, start marking your calendars and keep updating your RGV bucket list!

Best,

Elvita

Happy Holidays!

Hello RGV readers!

It is Holiday season and with Christmas right around the corner, the RGV is starting to celebrate in different ways. See the posters below with the information of the events, to see the picture in a bigger size just click on it :)

1. Holiday Bazaar

2. Navidad Mexicana

3. Christmas Night, Tish Hinojosa's concert

I hope you all enjoy the events the RGV is bringing up to our community and don't forget to come back next year to update your RGV Bucket List.

Happy Holidays!

Elvita

#RGVBucketList

Hello RGV bloggers :)

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving break next to your family, friends and significant others!

I hope you enjoy this week's post and that you keep marking your calendars and taking advantage of everything the Valley has to offer us!

1. Renee's at Sharyland

Renee's at Sharyland is a restaurant where you can eat breakfast and lunch. It is a store connected to a boutique and a hair salon. If you are planning on visiting this place, make sure you check their store!

On their menu: sandwiches, salads, tea, coffee and more.

Location: 2600 E Griffin Pkwy
                Mission, TX 78572

Telephone: (956) 519-9595
Price Range: $6-$12

http://www.reneemartin.com/

2. Quinta Mazatlan

Their mission:  The urban sanctuary works to enrich people's lives by sharing knowledge about birds, plants and environmental stewardship in South Texas.

Location: 600 Sunset Dr.
                 McAllen, TX 78503
Telephone: (956) 681-3370
General admission: $3.00

http://www.quintamazatlan.com/

3. Red Mango

On their menu: Yogurt ice cream, ice cream, smoothies, yogurt, fruit and more!

Location: 5401 N 10th St #129
                 McAllen, TX 78504

Telephone: (956) 630-0052
Price Range: $3-$10

http://www.redmangousa.com/

Have a nice week and good luck in your finals!

Elvita

Japan and Argentina in the RGV!

Hello Bloggers!

Enjoy today's post :)

1.Kobe - Shushi - Hibachi - Bar

Kobe is a Japanese and Hibachi restaurant and bar that offers lunch and dinner. 

Don't miss out their Happy Hour drink specials everyday from 5:00pm-7:30pm. 

On their menu: Sushi, hibachi and more...Make sure you visit their website to take a look at their unique menu!

Location:

5025 W Expy 83 #100, McAllen, TX 78503, United States

Telephone: 956-687-8886

Price Range: Above $7-$26

http://www.kobemcallen.com/

2. Simon Plaza Mall

Stores: Dillards, Macy's, GAP, American Eagle, Guess, Disney, A'GACI, Coach, Crocs, Claire's, Express, JC Penney, SEARS and many more.

Location: 2200 S 10th St, McAllen, TX 78503, United States

http://www.simon.com/mall/la-plaza-mall

3. Solo Empanadas

On their menu: Salads and empanadas, typic food from Argentina.

Location: 4109 N. 10th St. Suite B , McAllen, Texas 78504

Telephone: 956-686-1555

Price Range: $5-10

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Solo-Empanadas/198267153530361

Have a nice week!

Elvita

Food under 600 calories!

Hello Bloggers,

I hope your weekend was full of happiness and fun :)

Enjoy this week's post!

1. CC's Sweet & Tweets

They offer different type of desserts, such as cupcakes, cheesecakes, macaroons and much more. They are recognized for their creative desserts and for always baking seasonal desserts depending on the season of the year.

Address: 544 N 10th St. Ste. 117
               McAllen, TX 78504 

Telephone: (956) 627-2420
Price Range: $2-$6


2. Casa Hogar Del Niño - Volunteer Opportunities

If you are looking for opportunities to volunteer and help your community, you might consider visiting Casa Hogar del Niño in Reynosa.  It is a children's home starting with newborn babies to 16 year old teenagers. If you are planning on visiting them and bringing some happiness to their life, make sure you call and save a date!

Address: Pedro Jose Mendez 779, Centro, 88500
              Reynosa, Tamaulipas

Telephone: 01 899 922 4477

3. Corner Bakery Cafe

They offer more than 100 Corner Combos under 600 calories. 
"We create food to fit every lifestyle, using only the freshest ingreients and breads fresh from the oven".

On their menu: Salads, soups, sandwiches, pastas, paninis, desserts and more.

Address: 4021 N 10th Street
               McAllen, TX 78504 

Telephone: (956) 278-8270
Price Range: $7-15

http://www.cornerbakerycafe.com/

I hope you all liked this week's RGV Bucket List, keep coming back and update your RGV Bucket List :)

Elvita

All about Food in EDINBURG, TX

Hello RGV Bloggers!

Today's post will be all about food, and it is dedicated to people who work in Edinburg and specially to those of you who study or work at UTPA! I chose three different locations to eat at
at University Drive.

Enjoy :)

1. Wingstop

"The Wing Experts"

If you are looking for a place where to eat wings, boneless and french fries, you should definitely go to Wingstop.

Address: 2405 W University Dr.
             STE D. Edinburg, TX
Telephone: (956) 287-9464
Price Range: $5-$10

http://www.wingstop.com/

2. Tea with Friends

Tea with friends is an excellent choice when you are looking for a place where to go and have a good time, relax and have fun with your friends. This place is recognized for having an antique shop and for having hats everywhere that the consumer can use while eating or drinking tea with their friends. They offer soups, sandwiches, salads, coffee, teas, desserts and more.

Address: 311 W University Dr.

               Edinburg, TX 78539

Telephone: (956) 380-1399

Price Range: $7-$15

http://www.teawithfriendsrgv.com/
https://www.facebook.com/teawithfriends?ref=br_tf

3. Khan's Grill

Khan's Grill is a Mongolian Restaurant, where you can select the vegetables and pastas you want in your meal, you can also select if you want fish, chicken or meat. After choosing all that, you finally select what seasoning you want in your food and the sauce you want on it. After choosing everything you want to eat, they cook the food of your choice right in front of you.

Address: 1346 University Dr

                 Edinburg, Tx

Telephone: (956) 383-8881

Price Range: $13-$17

http://khansgrill.com/

Hope you all liked today's post!

Have a nice week :)

Elvita

Mexican Food & RGV Events

Hello RGV bloggers!

Today's post will be about two upcoming events in the RGV and a restaurant right across the border in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

1. Doña Claris

If you are looking for a place in Reynosa to eat real Mexican food, Doña Claris is your best choice. Since 1979, this restaurant has been the favorite restaurants for many of the people who live in this city.  They serve breakfast and lunch and are open every day of the week. 

Address: Oaxaca No. 450 Col. Rodriguez,

                88630 Reynosa, Tamaulipas

Telephone: 01 899 922 2553

Price Range: $4-$13

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Do%C3%B1a-Claris/125052497605873

2. Incredible India 

The Indian Association of Rio Grande Valley (IARGV) is presenting Incredible India, a Bollywood Mega Dance Show by Shingari's School of Rythm. If you are an art lover and enjoy musicals, don't miss out the opportunity to attend to this event!

Dates and time: November 16, doors open at 5:00 pm

 Place: Edinburg City Auditorium

Address: 207 North 7th Street Edinburg, TX 78541

3. Dia de los Muertos Festival

The International Museum of Arts and Science (IMAS) celebrates a Mexican tradition called "Dia de los Muertos" and presents a festival to all the RGV. It will be full of Mexican activities such as: Mariachi, sugar skulls, face painting, Folklorico and much more.


Dates and time: November 2 from 9am-5pm and 
                            November 3 from 1pm-5pm

Place: IMAS
Address: 1900 Nolana McAllen, TX 78504

 General admission: $7
Senior Citizens and students: $5
 Children (4-12): $4

http://www.imasonline.org/dev/

Remember to take advantage of this events and take them in consideration when planning your weekend activities. I hope you all enjoyed this week's post. 

Have an excellent week!

Elvita

RGV Coming Events

Hello RGV Bloggers!

Today's Bucket List will be about coming events in The Valley, so make sure you mark your calendars and take advantages of this events.

1. UTPA Senior Dance Project

The UTPA Senior Dance Project is a final project done by UTPA senior students who are studying Arts. If you are a dance lover and would like to support the arts, join this event and bring your family, friends or significant other. This event will be happening during the whole weekend so you have many days to choose from!

Dates and times: October 24-26 7:30pm
                            October 25 10:00am and 7:30pm

Place:  Patrick McAllen Performing Arts Center - Edinburg North High School

Address: 3101 N. Closner Blvd. Edinburg, Tx
General Admission: $7
Students with valid ID: $5

http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/daa_home/coah_home/music_home/dance_home/dance_concerts

2. Community Film Screening: 
Pink Ribbons, Inc.

It is October! That means it is breast cancer awareness month and Breast Cancer Action, The Historic Cine El Rey Theatre, The Fooducator™ and many volunteers are hosting an event where they will present a film to create awareness and take action. After the film, there will have Q & A Pannel Discussion.

They have done this event every Sunday of the month of the October and the last day will be next Sunday, so make sure you don't miss this event!

Date and time: October 27, 2013 2:00pm-4:30pm
Place: The Historic Cine El Rey Theatre
Address: 311 S. 17 Street-McAllen

Film Trailer:

 https://www.youtube.com/watchv=3QPZfcYTUaA



3. The Robot Zoo

The Robot Zoo is a 1,500-square-foot exhibit located at the UTPA Visitor's Center. 

"Three robot animals and seven hands-on activities illustrate the fascinating real-life characteristics of animals. Visitors learn how a chamaleon changes colors and a fly walks on the ceiling."

The exhibit is at UTPA since October 7th and it will be there until January 3rd. So if you are interested in requesting a tour or just visiting the exhibit, don't leave it to last minute and go for it!

Address: 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg, Tx 78539

Telephone: (866) 441-UTPA

You can find more information about The Robot Zoo exhibit in the following link:

 http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/features_home/robotzoo_home


I hope you all enjoyed this week's post! If you have any comment or question, feel free to comment below.

Have a nice week :)

Elvita

Do it All in One Day!

Hello RGV Bloggers,

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and that you keep taking advantage of all the good things you can do in the Valley!

Something I like about this week's post is that you can do all in one day, just follow the steps!

Enjoy :)

Step #1: Buy all the snacks you want at:

1. Xquinkles Snack - Land

On their menu: Chamoyadas, ice cream, milk shakes, fruit salads, chips and more

Address: 1003 Bus. 83, Esqu. Ragland, Mission, TX 78572

Telephone: (956) 843-8686

Price Range: $2-$7

                     

                Step #2: Take all your snacks and have a:

3.Picnic at the Hidalgo's Pumphouse

The weather in the Valley has been so nice and fresh in the past days and having a picnic with friends or anyone else is a great idea! The Hidalgo Pumphouse is an awesome place to have a picnic at.

Address: 900 S 2nd St. Hidalgo, TX 78557
Telephone: (956) 843-8686

http://cityofhidalgo.net/old-hidalgo-pumphouse/

    Step #3: Take some games with you and spend all the afternoon there and when you start getting hungry you go for dinner at:

2. Republic of The Rio Grande

Here is a message you find at the restaurant's home website to all their clients:

"At the Republic of the Rio Grande, our attention to detail and the way we present a platter tell you that dining here is going to be special, no matter the occasion."

On their menu: Pizza, salads, soups, desserts and much more

Address: 1411 S 10th St McAllen, TX 78501


Telephone: (956) 994-8385

Price Range: $7-$35

http://www.therepublicoftheriogrande.com/


I hope this week's post was useful and interesting for all of you! 

Have a nice week :)

Elvita

Wine, Shopping & Music

Hello bloggers!

I hope you all enjoy this week's post:

1. House Wine & Bistro

House Wine & Bistro is located in downtown McAllen. It is a nice place to go out for dinner with your friends, family or your significant other.

The proprietors of this restaurant met each other and fell in love while working together at an Italian restaurant in Austin, TX.

On their menu: Pizza, Salads, Meat, Seafood and much more
Specialty: Wine

Location: U.S. 83  McAllen, TX 78501

Telephone: (956) 994-8331

Price Range: $5-$25

http://www.housewineandbistro.com/

2. RGV Premium Outlets

If you are looking for one of the best places in the Valley to go shopping your favorite brands at a less expensive price, RGV Premium Outlets would be your best choice.

Stores: Calvin Klein, Burberry, Guess, Kipling, BCBG, Marciano, Puma, Disney, Lacoste, Steve Madden, Aldo, Bebe, Hugo Boss, Perfumania, Forever 21, Papaya, American Eagle, Aeropostale and more.

Location: 5001 E Expy 83  Mercedes, TX 78570,

Telephone: (956) 565-3900

 http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=74

3. Go to Noche Bohemia

If you are a music and an art lover, you should definitely attend to the Noche Bohemia at Jardin del Arte, event offered by The City of Edinburg.

Location: City Hall Courtyard

415 W. University Dr. Edinburg, TX

Telephone: (956) 383-5661

 http://www.cityofedinburg.com/

This is this week's RGV Bucket List, hope you have some fun and take advantage of all the nice things you can do in the Valley! Have a nice week :)

Best,

Elvita

Tipsy,Sushi & Helping = Challenge Accepted!

Hello RGV bloggers

I hope you had an awesome weekend!

Remember to keep track of your RGV Bucket List and to start checking what you have already done!

This week's Bucket List:

1.Kurai

Kurai has a sushi and Chinese buffet, they also have a menu in case you want a specific dish. It is a place you can visit with your family, friends or significant other and enjoy delicious food and service and have a great time.

On their menu: Sushi and Chinese buffet

Location: 1201 S. Jackson Rd. Pharr, TX 7857

Telephone: (956) 627-3004

Price Range: $7-$15

https://www.facebook.com/KuraiSushi 

2.Tipsy Canvas

Location: 800 N Main St #430  McAllen, TX 78501, USA

Telephone: (956) 307-8161

Price Range: $30-$35

"The Tipsy Canvas is an art studio that offers you a great night of painting without the commitment of a regular art class. The Tipsy Canvas is great for a girls' night out, a team building event, family bonding, and even bachelorette parties!"

https://www.tipsycanvas.com/locations/tipsy-canvas-mcallen

3. RGV Food Bank

If you are looking for a place to do community service hours, to donate some food or money or just to do some volunteering, the RGV Food Bank is a good choice for you.

Location: 724 N Cage Blvd  Pharr, TX 78577, USA

Telephone: (956) 682-8101

http://www.foodbankrgv.com/

I hope you enjoyed this week's post. Keep coming back to continue updating your #RGVBucketList!

Best,

Elvita