When in doubt, don't give up.
I have been up, i have been down. I know the best comes when it's least expected and that when you go down you can only go back up. It's tiring being an international student competing against Americans in this economy. All I have are my passion, my never-ending hope, and my firm belief that somebody out there will see the potential in me. Here is a list of the companies I have thus far interviewed with for full-time:
Ogilvy
JWT
BBDO
Grey
McGarry Bowen
Firstborn
The Berman Group
Deloitte marketing
Pao Principle
From all of them, I learned a little bit more about myself, advertising/marketing, and how to interview. I've gotten asked questions from "what do your parents do" to doing case studies on the spot. At the end of this struggle, I learned that some things in this world are beyond my control and that being hardworking and passionate may not be enough. Practicality kills the heart, but no world, I will not give up. I have been very fortunate and I know this is just a test to see how far I can go.
Friends, when you are in doubt, don't give yourself up. :)
- nAnz
Food you'll never get sick of.
Nowadays, all restaurants are so consistent.................ly boring.
Everything on the menu will always be the same, all the options are the same this week and next. Wouldn't it be sweet to go to a restaurant/deli with a limited number of options, that's constantly changing, but at the same time keeping with a recurring theme?
I love food that make me happy. Eg. Jamba Juice, Pinkberry, Mac&Cheese. However, usually 2 of these in a row is enough for me to say 'no.' I get sick of food easily and there is not any restaurant/deli I have gone to that I can say I will never get sick of.
Predictability is just unsatisfying. for me and my taste buds.
In the ideal restaurant, everything will have a limited supply. 100 cupcakes. 100 servings of icecream. etc.
The recurring theme is... healthy (virtue, not vice) and deliciously light (you won't get sick of it after 10 bites). Everyone who purchases from this restaurant/deli will not come across food that deviates from those 2 promises.
I learned in class that people like diversity LESS than they think they do... so they tend to stick to the same things. No worries for those people. At this restaurant/deli, you can still stick to the same things --- eating food that's healthy + deliciously light. :)
Still keeping an eye out for that perfect restaurant/deli!!
Everything on the menu will always be the same, all the options are the same this week and next. Wouldn't it be sweet to go to a restaurant/deli with a limited number of options, that's constantly changing, but at the same time keeping with a recurring theme?
I love food that make me happy. Eg. Jamba Juice, Pinkberry, Mac&Cheese. However, usually 2 of these in a row is enough for me to say 'no.' I get sick of food easily and there is not any restaurant/deli I have gone to that I can say I will never get sick of.
Predictability is just unsatisfying. for me and my taste buds.
In the ideal restaurant, everything will have a limited supply. 100 cupcakes. 100 servings of icecream. etc.
The recurring theme is... healthy (virtue, not vice) and deliciously light (you won't get sick of it after 10 bites). Everyone who purchases from this restaurant/deli will not come across food that deviates from those 2 promises.
I learned in class that people like diversity LESS than they think they do... so they tend to stick to the same things. No worries for those people. At this restaurant/deli, you can still stick to the same things --- eating food that's healthy + deliciously light. :)
Still keeping an eye out for that perfect restaurant/deli!!
"WeVo" -- nAnz* IMM final project
Today, I just finished 3 presentations in my classes back-to-back. Disregarding how painful it was for me last week to prep for these presentations, I am very very proud of some products and marketing campaigns we came up for our final project -- notably, for International Marketing Management.
We are hoping the students will create buzz around what's coming and that they will gather to find out on the day of.
On the day of the launch, we will drive in special WeVo trucks with huge LCD screens on the side. The TV screens will be playing either a popular TV show, a movie premier, or even the World Cup. This will attract attention and as students gather around in each campus around each truck, we will turn on the WeVo box. Immediately, the students will be able to see other students in other campuses watching the same show/movie/game, they will then see WeVo at work and we will hand out flyers that explain our product. Example:
Stage 2:
After the launch of our product, we will sustain a long-term marketing campaign consisting of 5 touch-points: social media, on-campus marketing, referral program, in-store experience, and set-up buzz.
Social Media: nothing new here. goal is to continue generating buzz and getting our name out there in the college community. Facebook fan pages, twitter, youtube, foursquare, etc.
On-campus Marketing: we will continue handing out flyers. However, our main highlight is to advertise using students' bikes' wheels. We will subsidize each student who is willing to put our brand on their wheels a month's free subscription for our service. Example:
Referral Program: Since our product essentially feeds off of network effects (more people = even more people), we want to encourage our subscribers to refer our service to their friends. For each friend that you refer that successfully signs up with us, you will receive a month's free subscription. There is no limit to how many friends, however they must sign up with us for the credit to enter your account.
In-Store Experience: We will partner with Currys, one of UK's largest electronic retailers. We will not only use them as retailers, but also as another touch-point to reach more customers. We will set up WeVo Zones in each Currys, where a TV with a WeVo box will be set up. There will be multiple WeVo Zones in different parts of the store, so when shoppers pass by to watch the TV, they can see other shoppers in another part of the shop and interact with them. We are essentially showing them how our product works in hopes of increasing their desire to purchase it.
Set-Up Buzz: Our marketing does not stop there. We are taking it to a final stretch by marketing ourselves through buzz marketing each time we do a set-up. How are we going to do this? Well, our setup team of young, attractive ladies called "WeVo Girls" will be personally helping you set up your cool WeVo box every time. These girls will make a big deal out of each set-up. Since our target market consists of college students who live in dormitories, the buzz around these attractive young ladies will then create interest in surrounding students.
----
Pricing:
We priced our WeVo strategically. Each box+webcam will be 129.99 pounds. Subscription will consist of 3 options:
By month: 12 Pounds/month
1-3 Years: 10 Pounds/month
3+ Years: 8 Pounds/month
We want to encourage these college students to continue using our product even post-graduation. Also, since young people are not too good with paying bills, we want to lock them in to a longer-term contract so they pay the full sum at the beginning.
---
Place:
WeVo could be purchased in 2 places: www.wevo.co.uk (fake) or in Currys.
----
That concludes our simulation proposal. If you are a marketing professional and would like to voice your opinion, please feel free to direct all emails to nanananz[at]gmail[dot]com. I am always craving for more knowledge in this field!
That's all for now, gotta go back to studying for my finals x___x...
-nAnz*
Props to my group members Dione Song, Colin Quek, Lisa Guo, and Rachel Wang.
Our task was to take an existing product, modify it, and introduce a marketing strategy to enter an international market. Our product was a deviation from TiVo --- WeVo. Interactive TV. and we entered the UK. 
It has all the features of an existing DVR, but incorporates interactive TV, which is a new technology that allows users to simultaneously watch the same shows from their separate TVs and interact with each other while doing so.
We target 18-24 year olds who are tech-savvy and enjoy socializing. Our marketing strategy is a two-stage campaign that focuses on 2 things: CHEAP. EFFECTIVE.
----> Buuuuzzzz marketing.
Stage 1: We selected 3 largest college campuses in London, LSE, UCL, and Martin. On the day prior to our product launch, we will put up billboards in each campus that creates a sense of mystery. It will say something like:
It has all the features of an existing DVR, but incorporates interactive TV, which is a new technology that allows users to simultaneously watch the same shows from their separate TVs and interact with each other while doing so.
We target 18-24 year olds who are tech-savvy and enjoy socializing. Our marketing strategy is a two-stage campaign that focuses on 2 things: CHEAP. EFFECTIVE.
----> Buuuuzzzz marketing.
Stage 1: We selected 3 largest college campuses in London, LSE, UCL, and Martin. On the day prior to our product launch, we will put up billboards in each campus that creates a sense of mystery. It will say something like:
We are hoping the students will create buzz around what's coming and that they will gather to find out on the day of.
On the day of the launch, we will drive in special WeVo trucks with huge LCD screens on the side. The TV screens will be playing either a popular TV show, a movie premier, or even the World Cup. This will attract attention and as students gather around in each campus around each truck, we will turn on the WeVo box. Immediately, the students will be able to see other students in other campuses watching the same show/movie/game, they will then see WeVo at work and we will hand out flyers that explain our product. Example:
Stage 2:
After the launch of our product, we will sustain a long-term marketing campaign consisting of 5 touch-points: social media, on-campus marketing, referral program, in-store experience, and set-up buzz.
Social Media: nothing new here. goal is to continue generating buzz and getting our name out there in the college community. Facebook fan pages, twitter, youtube, foursquare, etc.
On-campus Marketing: we will continue handing out flyers. However, our main highlight is to advertise using students' bikes' wheels. We will subsidize each student who is willing to put our brand on their wheels a month's free subscription for our service. Example:
Referral Program: Since our product essentially feeds off of network effects (more people = even more people), we want to encourage our subscribers to refer our service to their friends. For each friend that you refer that successfully signs up with us, you will receive a month's free subscription. There is no limit to how many friends, however they must sign up with us for the credit to enter your account.
In-Store Experience: We will partner with Currys, one of UK's largest electronic retailers. We will not only use them as retailers, but also as another touch-point to reach more customers. We will set up WeVo Zones in each Currys, where a TV with a WeVo box will be set up. There will be multiple WeVo Zones in different parts of the store, so when shoppers pass by to watch the TV, they can see other shoppers in another part of the shop and interact with them. We are essentially showing them how our product works in hopes of increasing their desire to purchase it.
Set-Up Buzz: Our marketing does not stop there. We are taking it to a final stretch by marketing ourselves through buzz marketing each time we do a set-up. How are we going to do this? Well, our setup team of young, attractive ladies called "WeVo Girls" will be personally helping you set up your cool WeVo box every time. These girls will make a big deal out of each set-up. Since our target market consists of college students who live in dormitories, the buzz around these attractive young ladies will then create interest in surrounding students.
----
Pricing:
We priced our WeVo strategically. Each box+webcam will be 129.99 pounds. Subscription will consist of 3 options:
By month: 12 Pounds/month
1-3 Years: 10 Pounds/month
3+ Years: 8 Pounds/month
We want to encourage these college students to continue using our product even post-graduation. Also, since young people are not too good with paying bills, we want to lock them in to a longer-term contract so they pay the full sum at the beginning.
---
Place:
WeVo could be purchased in 2 places: www.wevo.co.uk (fake) or in Currys.
----
That concludes our simulation proposal. If you are a marketing professional and would like to voice your opinion, please feel free to direct all emails to nanananz[at]gmail[dot]com. I am always craving for more knowledge in this field!
That's all for now, gotta go back to studying for my finals x___x...
-nAnz*
Electronic Ambassador
Just thought of a random idea on the subway today...
an idea for an electronic company with a really sick new product and wants to do viral marketing.
select a few trendy-looking ambassadors, give them your electronic product, and ask them to use it on the subway all day.
it sounds trivial, but today I realized how effective it is to see someone else on the subway use a sick new gadget. c'mon, we all peek over at the person sitting next to us to see what they're watching on their gadget and what the gadget is. if it's cool, we'd definitely go "woah what's that!"
-nAnz*
an idea for an electronic company with a really sick new product and wants to do viral marketing.
select a few trendy-looking ambassadors, give them your electronic product, and ask them to use it on the subway all day.
it sounds trivial, but today I realized how effective it is to see someone else on the subway use a sick new gadget. c'mon, we all peek over at the person sitting next to us to see what they're watching on their gadget and what the gadget is. if it's cool, we'd definitely go "woah what's that!"
-nAnz*
I live. I ride. I am. and I sound like Apple.
Every time I come by the campaign "I live. I ride. I am." I always imagine a new iPod at the endframe.
I live. I ride. I am. ---- Is this Apple?
Nope, it's actually for Jeep. [crowd goes: "WHUUUUT?"]
I guess I'm just a big advocate against unoriginality. At Myspace I was the only one who spoke up against the CEO's decision to copy the framework of Facebook, for the sake of originality and identity. Same for Jeep, why use such a popular phrase word when it is so deeply connected to another consumer brand? I think any company should be careful using "i" to start a short phrase, especially when repeating it 3 times. I like the ad's idea, but the tagline just seems quite...unoriginal.
I wonder how it's helping/hurting Jeep's bottom line.
---
Update - 7/3/10
So I was wrong. Arguing against an idea for the sake of originality and identity is an argument too weak when put against the reality of profits and loss.
I ran into an article about the position of MySpace in China recently. They are declining speedily and the group is disintegrating. A line struck me --- The CEO of MySpace, Luo Chuan, resigned after he proposed to copy the Facebook interface and was rejected by the North American office. He saw something in the Chinese market that the NA officers did not. In North America, creativity and originality is the golden eye of a product. However, in China, as Luo saw, originality did not matter so much. What mattered was that the Chinese population liked a product, got used to it, and is less willing to open their minds to trying new products that perform the same function. Also, unlike the NA market, Chinese people have less need for the "music" function and "meeting strangers" positioning of MySpace. Perhaps if MySpace had adapted a Facebook-like positioning in China, it may be survived.
Another lesson learned.
Rethink Possible
Rethink Possible. The new AT&T campaign that diverges from the Map-for-that battle with Verizon and towards branding. I LIKE!
This ad especially.
Butterfly Effect - small differences in the initial condition of a dynamical system may produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect]
Every choice, every step you take, is changing the outcome of your life. Thinking back -- if my uncle hadn't started his own company, his company wouldn't have been sold to Microsoft, he wouldn't have known the CEO of Myspace, who then wouldn't have allowed me to be the first intern at Myspace, and I wouldn't have become interested in marketing, and this blog will not exist.
This is how things happen - in sequence. AT&T uses a simple idea that speaks to everyone, making them think. Everything that is possible is comprised of a billion mini steps prior... the question is, how does this improve AT&T's brand image?
Overall, I think "Rethink Possible" is a little blurry... I think AT&T/BBDO needs to think of a clearer tag line to explain the concept and relate it to the company. For example, "Rethink Possible -- AT&T redefines possible".
Great campaign though, much much better than Map-for-that. :)
-nanz
hola!
I am back in the US of A. :] Withdrawn. Depressed. and missing the free food and sunshine.
Enough deviation...
While I was on vacation to the happy and sunny Dominican Republic, I was not entirely on "break." I took a good look at the advertisements in this foreign and tourist-centric country, and noticed a dramatic difference with American ads (which was actually pointed out by my finance-major boyfriend) (thanks jimmy!)
I wanted to find some ones that I saw on TV in DR, but unfortunately I could not find any... my apologies! I could briefly describe one, and see if you guys can come to the same conclusion as jimmy did:
Commercial of a shampoo -- A smiling woman around 25, brunette, hopping down a festive street, does a few turns, and is rejoiced by those around her. The sky is sunny and bright, and the people were all smiling and looking joyous. We both got a very good feeling from watching the commercial. The effects were minimal and even the end-frame was overly simple. There were no CG, just a carefree and happy woman bouncing around the street with her bouncy and shiny hair.
Do we still see commercials like that in America?
Lets think back to the last shampoo commercial we watched... probably a famous star with impossibly smooth hair, HD quality, and the woman looks flawless. Just like every other shampoo commercial. It promises to give your hair 200% more shine, 310% more volume, and 140% thicker. Most of all, the woman is indoor and the background is white. Then a sudden flow of complex graphics jump onto the screen. Looks real professional. You then think to yourself: Photoshopped, maybe?
See what I'm getting at?
I could go on and on about the difference between a society like America and one like DR. I may be biased since I am absolutely in love with the simplicity of Dominican's lifestyle versus the complexity and unfulfilled lives of New Yorkers. They say culture shape ads, but if you look deep enough, ads are the best reflectors of what society values most. In DR's shampoo ad, emphasis is put on happiness, sunshine, and social interaction. American shampoo ads emphasis on image. Image is important in any culture, ofcourse, but it's not everything is it? Alright I will stop.
Anyway, anyone who's thinking of taking a trip, please be advised to consider Dominican Republic. The people are absolutely ADORABLE and they will be so satisfied with just one dollar bill. They work hard day and night, even multiple jobs, without expecting extra tip or a sign of appreciation. They always serve with a smile, a casual chat, and generosity. Combine that with sunshine and a beautiful resort, tada! you have paradise.
Yup...a typical post of someone going through vacation withdraw.
Enough deviation...
While I was on vacation to the happy and sunny Dominican Republic, I was not entirely on "break." I took a good look at the advertisements in this foreign and tourist-centric country, and noticed a dramatic difference with American ads (which was actually pointed out by my finance-major boyfriend) (thanks jimmy!)
I wanted to find some ones that I saw on TV in DR, but unfortunately I could not find any... my apologies! I could briefly describe one, and see if you guys can come to the same conclusion as jimmy did:
Commercial of a shampoo -- A smiling woman around 25, brunette, hopping down a festive street, does a few turns, and is rejoiced by those around her. The sky is sunny and bright, and the people were all smiling and looking joyous. We both got a very good feeling from watching the commercial. The effects were minimal and even the end-frame was overly simple. There were no CG, just a carefree and happy woman bouncing around the street with her bouncy and shiny hair.
Do we still see commercials like that in America?
Lets think back to the last shampoo commercial we watched... probably a famous star with impossibly smooth hair, HD quality, and the woman looks flawless. Just like every other shampoo commercial. It promises to give your hair 200% more shine, 310% more volume, and 140% thicker. Most of all, the woman is indoor and the background is white. Then a sudden flow of complex graphics jump onto the screen. Looks real professional. You then think to yourself: Photoshopped, maybe?
See what I'm getting at?
I could go on and on about the difference between a society like America and one like DR. I may be biased since I am absolutely in love with the simplicity of Dominican's lifestyle versus the complexity and unfulfilled lives of New Yorkers. They say culture shape ads, but if you look deep enough, ads are the best reflectors of what society values most. In DR's shampoo ad, emphasis is put on happiness, sunshine, and social interaction. American shampoo ads emphasis on image. Image is important in any culture, ofcourse, but it's not everything is it? Alright I will stop.
Anyway, anyone who's thinking of taking a trip, please be advised to consider Dominican Republic. The people are absolutely ADORABLE and they will be so satisfied with just one dollar bill. They work hard day and night, even multiple jobs, without expecting extra tip or a sign of appreciation. They always serve with a smile, a casual chat, and generosity. Combine that with sunshine and a beautiful resort, tada! you have paradise.
Yup...a typical post of someone going through vacation withdraw.
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