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Tepid growth may send a message to Congress
WASHINGTON The U.S. economy grew more slowly in the first three months of this year. Governments spent less, and businesses cut back on investment. But consumers spent at the fastest pace in more than a year.
The result suggests that the economy will continue to expand, slowly but steadily.
The Commerce Department estimated Friday that the economy grew at an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the January-March quarter, compared with a 3 percent rate in the final quarter of 2011. But growth is expected to rebound to around 3 percent for all of 2012 as stronger job growth spurs more consumer spending.
Consumer spending accelerated to an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the first quarter. The strength came from a second robust quarter of growth in auto purchases.
Here's what The Associated Press' reporters are finding:
There may be a bright side to the weaker-than-expected growth in the January-March quarter: It could push Congress to reach a budget deal before the end of the year.
Otherwise, automatic tax increases and spending cuts would send the nation over a "fiscal cliff" and drastically weaken economic growth, according to Bank of America.
"Lawmakers need a reminder that they must reduce the fiscal drag," says Ryan Sweet, senior economist at Moody's Analytics.
The increase in consumer spending comes with a caveat: People spent more in part because they socked away less.
After-tax income grew at an annual rate of 2.8 percent from January through March. That was about the same pace as in the final three months of last year.
But over the same period, the savings rate fell to 3.9 percent of after-tax income, down from 4.5 percent.
Economists worry that people won't keep spending more unless their income grows.
One surprising bright spot in the first quarter's data: housing.
Spending on home construction and renovations rose by the most in nearly two years. Some of that gain was likely fueled by the warm winter. Many construction projects are usually put on hold when building sites are covered with snow and ice. That didn't happen so much this winter.
Housing is expected to contribute to growth this year for the first time since 2005.
Friday's GDP report is just the initial estimate for first-quarter economic output. As is customary, the government will update its estimate in May and June.
And then in July, the first-quarter numbers will be tweaked yet again. That's when the government will revise its estimates of growth from 2009 through the first quarter of this year.
Last year, figures on incomes and saving were revised to show that Americans earned and saved more than previously estimated. Some economists think the current numbers on savings and income will also be revised higher later this year.
As disappointing as the first-quarter numbers were, the U.S. economy still looks a lot stronger than most of the rest of the developed world. It's expected to grow at least 2.5 percent for the full year.


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New York Pizza
Rockley, Christ Church, BarbadosMap
Quayside Centre
+1 246 435 7677
Neighborhood: Rockley Beach
Cuisine: Pizza
New York Pizza offers a delicious range of pizza in a casual setting. Order your pizza by phone, or come by in person and relax while your order is made - it only takes a few minutes. New York Pizza has all of the traditional toppings, like pepperoni, ham and bacon, but New York Pizza also offers a range of vegetarian choices, whether for slices or whole pizzas. Vegetarian toppings include grilled vegetables, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers and black olives. The thin, crunchy crust sets this pizza apart from other pizza places on the island. Four locations, on the West and South Coasts, ensure that this pizza is never far away. Last phone orders are at 21:30 on weekdays, 22:00 on weekends. -Marsilyn Browne
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Tessa Wegert | July 8, 2010 | Comments
If you want your customers to participate with your brand online, you must create advertising that enables it.
When you hear the term "participation marketing," what comes to mind? Do you associate it with engagement marketing, direct marketing, or even permission marketing? Do you immediately think of social media, or campaign customization? In fact, participation marketing is all of these things and more. It's about encouraging Internet users to participate in your digital campaigns. But it's just as much about your brand participating in the online experience.
Now more than ever participation marketing is expected; Internet users anticipate the opportunity to interact with brands online. As you saw last week, those marketing in association with the World Cup have been focusing on interactivity, inviting users to customize and personalize online media in support of their preferred team.
Participation marketing is essential at times like this. We're in the midst of an international obsession that resonates so strongly with consumers that they want nothing more than to be a part of it. Brands that can offer them the chance to feel included will succeed in attracting their attention. Even if the chance to participate seems relatively inconsequential (creating a virtual team jersey for example, or painting one's face on a Facebook profile picture), this simple, but meaningful act gives consumers the chance to be a part of a cultural trend.
That isn't to say participation marketing must be limited to major cultural events. Digital marketers are eternally finding good excuses to incite participation in their everyday campaigns. Regardless of their campaign objective, most marketers value the importance of creating positive product associations, increasing brand familiarity, and encouraging a level of interaction that will boost affinity and recall. Participation marketing is ideally suited to accomplish all of these things, because it's primarily about two things: engagement and customization.
When little-known New Zealand broadband provider Orcon wanted to showcase its services and boost awareness of its brand, it looked to participation marketing to help engage potential customers. The company offered new and potential customers the chance to perform in a virtual concert with famed rocker Iggy Pop.
The contest invited consumers to submit a video of their musical skills - an online audition of sorts - through Orcon's Facebook page. The resulting live event employed Orcon Broadband high-speed Internet connections to effectively demonstrate the ability of the company to connect the winners to Iggy Pop in Miami.
If the message behind the initiative wasn't clear enough, Orcon's explanation says it all: "The Internet is enabling Kiwis to do incredible things each day and this helps us prove that." And just in case there was any question as to whether the company's efforts were appreciated, last month the campaign won the prestigious Cannes Lion Direct Grand Prix.
To help boost interest in the upcoming movie "Despicable Me" from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, technology partner Oddcast developed a microsite where users can control the film characters' actions by way of a mic or typed commands. Consumers can also dress and accessorize their own character and share it with friends through social sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Although the user is in control of what the characters do and how they look, they retain their existing personalities, thus offering some insight into these funny little stars of the film. Through participation marketing, Universal Pictures has managed to introduce moviegoers to the film, its characters, and the type of comedy and animation they can expect to get in the theater.
Those who engage with the site are investing time with the product and creating an association with its characters. If they're happy with the experience, they'll surely want to see more.
Participation marketing offers media planners and buyers an important lesson in digital marketing: if you want your customers to participate with your brand online, you must create advertising that enables it. Look to the unique characteristics of your products and your campaign goals and you'll surely see ways in which consumers' participation makes sense. Hold engagement and customization in high regard and you'll find that participation marketing comes easily.
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Tessa Wegert is a business reporter and former media strategist specializing in digital. In addition to writing for ClickZ since 2002, she has contributed to such publications as USA Today, Marketing Magazine, Mashable, and The Globe and Mail. Tessa manages marketing and communications for Enlighten, one of the first full-service digital marketing strategy agencies servicing such brands as Bioré, Food Network, illy, and Hunter Douglas. She has been working in online media since 1999.
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This Magic Quadrant examines leading digital commerce platforms that enable organizations to build digital commerce sites. These commerce platforms facilitate purchasing transactions over the Web, and support the creation and continuing development of an online relationship with a consumer.
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Sedona, Arizona
My Rating
Diggy was our tour guide and we were all amazed at how educated he was about the plants etc. He was a wealth of knowledge and very entertaining. We all laughed the whole time. The process to book the tour was efficient as was the process when we arrived at the tour office. I didn't know what to expect so I had no expectations but was pleasantly surprised at how much fun we all had that day. Diggy made the whole trip and the canyon did the rest. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone and ask for Diggy as you won't be disappointed. L Rude
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'Lolong' tissues sent to UP
MANILA, Philippines—Tissue samples of Lolong, the saltwater crocodile which died early this week, have been sent to the University of the Philippines in Los Banos (UPLB) for analysis.
Protected Animals and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) chief Dr. Mundita Lim said a specimen was forwarded to the UPLB College of Veterinary Medicine in Laguna the other day.
"We are meeting with the team to analyze the findings. We will discuss what is available and we will see if we can derive a conclusion from there," she said in a text message.
Lolong, a one-ton crocodile captured in 2011, died on Sunday at an eco-tourism park in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.
The PAWB said it would conduct a necropsy to determine the cause of death of the 5.48 meter long crocodile, which was touted as the world's largest crocodile.
Dr. Em Lastica of the UPLB College of Veterinary Medicine said the process of analysing Lolong's tissue sample—or histopathology—will take about two weeks.
"We will process the tissues so that we can look at them in detail to confirm or negate our findings on the carcass… The result is a miniature section of the organ which we can look under the microscope," Lastica said.
After the analysis, a meeting will be called by the PAWB to discuss the results.
Lolong was estimated to be around 60 years old at the time of his death. He was captured on Sept. 3, 2011, in a river in Bunawan after reports of a death of a child and a fisherman gone missing.
He was cared for at an eco-park in Bunawan for one year and four months, becoming a tourist attraction until his death on Sunday evening.
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