I heart GRACO...and um, Cheetos!

Our family has always been a Graco family. I think we've purchased most of their products - the Pack'n Play, the strollers, the swing and the car seats - oh mercy, have we had our share of car seats:)   After this weekend though, I will forever LOVE Graco and will proudly sing it from the mountain tops. 

A couple of weeks ago, somehow the usually uber brilliant Lindsey from the Graco team had a lapse of judgement and gave me call asking if I'd be interested in being interviewed for a little project -   Graco's "Ready for the Road Ahead" campaign.  Basically, it is going to be a a microsite featuring tips for new parents preparing for the arrival of their new bundles of joy.  It will have a tool to help you choose a car seat, tips and ideas from parents in the trenches.  She asked if I'd be willing to help demo car seat installation and then give some advice on camera.  Piece o' cake,  after all, I give advice whether people want it or not - ask my husband, he is sure to agree with that assessment.  Heck, I get to give you my opinion and you give me a room all to myself, yummy food and an in-room massage?  I am in!

I've never filmed anything formally like that before and had no idea what to expect. (Well, except for that Price is Right thing -a post for another day.) They asked me to bring a few outfits and gave me some prep questions and off I jetted to Hot-lanta or ATL, as others call it.  I imagined a guy with a tripod and a camera, but was not even close to being prepared for the elaborate set up.  It was fancy!!  They even called us the "talent".  I kept wondering who the crew was referring to.  Geez, I am slow. "That's me, The Talent" - I think I need that on a shirt. 

I got to meet some kick arse bloggers, Joe from Joeprah, Kelcey from Mama Bird Diaries and Vicky from The Mummy Chronicles.  I admit I checked out their blogs before I got there - um, I was a little intimidated by their awesomeness and was even more convinced that Lindsey had hit her head before she called me. :)   Oh well, too late - already got tickets booked.  They did not disappoint!  Joe is hilarious and was quite the trooper when it took an hour in the blazing heat to shoot his car seat demo - ugh!  Here he is doing a voice over for his car seat demo.  Vicky is preggers and a long time blogger, so was kind enough to dole out some of her experience.  It was exciting to meet her since I won a prize on one of her giveways!  My nifty PINK Sandisk  Cruzer Gator.   Kelcey - she was all New Yorker (Hey, i grew up there too!) and she talked about a burlesque show that I will NOT miss next time I'm in NYC.

Some things that stood out about this amazing experience:

*  I often forget that there are "real people" behind the big corporation.  The Graco folks were all parents, who used the products they created, which frankly, made me love my Graco seats even more.  I had a conversation with folks who talked about how they created a product after they saw people hauling their portable cribs on the beach.   I love that they thought about how older kids would want to pick their own seats out ( hence Kiley's pink booster with butterflies).  I was wowed by hearing about the crash test studies and was reassured when they wanted to make sure that when we described how to install a seat that it was perfect. Isn't that who you want to buy a car seat from - real people who have real kids who are going to use those seats too?   I do.  Yes, there are others who work at Graco who are not parents, but I could tell that they really loved what they did and well, that speaks loads to the integrity of a company and their products.

*  I give away family secrets quite freely.  They asked me to share a few stories that were funny and advice that my parents gave me.  I didn't have a sweet answer - but rather shared how my 5 year old said that driving by a cattle farm smelled like my 8 year old and even sometimes her father.  oops!  I also gave away the family secret that my parents are unorganized and usually late - well actually, that really isn't much of a secret anyway. Sorry Dad.

* We eat a lot of junk food, especially Cheetos in my car.  In the process of my interview, I shared how there are probably Cheetos in my back seat under the car seat or smashed on the floor of my car.  My car is referred to as "the cool one" (okay, only by the kids), because I allow the kids to eat, while my husband is vehemently opposed to any form of consuming in his car.   But being the "cool" car means there are cheetos fights in the back occasionally or old juice boxes or  all of that combined with stinky soccer socks.   I know someone is going to bash me for serving cheetos to my kids, but hey they are yummy- admit it you love them too.  Crunch, baked or puffy  they are a sure hit.  We do draw the line at Hot Cheetos though.   They have a peculiar color - unlike the bright orange regular cheetos that match the equally yummy Kraft Mac and Cheese that my kids love and prefer over my "real" version.  argh!  Who knew I had such an affinity for these artificial cheese wonders?

It was a great time with bright and committed people.  Thanks Graco for an experience I will not forget. Often corporations get flack for not treating bloggers with respect and for not putting in a real effort.  I think Lindsey and her  team are the gold standard and "get" their target market. They get that what we value the most is authenticity and quality.  I have always purchased Graco because I thought they were a quality product, but now I know they are a quality company too.

Thanks for the photos Joe!

Comments

[Melissa Parlaman (Graco contributor)]

Sheila--It was so awesome to meet you! I am so happy that I got to spend a lot of time with you at dinner. Thank you for the post--it was so nice to hear your thoughts on our time in HOTlanta. I am excited to be able to hang out with you at BlogHer!!!

[the mama bird diaries]

I will forever think of you as talent!

So great to meet you and share the fabulous Graco experience.

[the mama bird diaries]

I will forever think of you as talent!

So great to meet you and share the fabulous Graco experience.