Biyan, Indonesian Magic

Dear fashionistas,

My last post (here) was about the role society plays into the way that fashion is interpreted. Some see it as shallow, some see it as an unproductive way to spend time, but I think it is a means through which we present ourselves without even speaking, a means of self-expression.

Thus, I have been looking for what really defines me (honestly, we do that every day through the choices we make) and I found an amazing Indonesian designer, who encompasses my style and what I look up to in terms of fashion.

Biyan is an Indonesian designer who studies fashion in London and launched his first collection targeted to the younger audience. What I liked most about his designs is the juxtaposition of texture, fabric, colour and shape, which is exactly what I was talking about in my previous blog post.

These are some of my favourite pieces from his collections.

Until next time love,

Sonia

 

Let's Talk Fashion

Hello everyone and Welcome to a New Year!

I hope you all had wonderful holidays, as I definitely had time to relax and enjoy beautiful New York City during winter (only the best time to be here). 

During my time here, I wandered the stores in Soho, Fashion District and generally observed people on the street and I realised something that influenced my perspective on fashion: the society seems to be confused in the difference between clothes and bodies. Nothing new here, because we (normal-sized people) all agree that models on the runway are definitely too small and unrealistic, but I also think that the bodies affect too much the impression that someone's style has on us. 

In other words, I am done with fashion that looks good only on the people that society considers acceptable (another concept constructed by society, but a story for a later post)! It's time to talk about shapes, patterns and textures! This is how we know someone's style, by their ability to express themselves through silks, wools, tartans, embroidery, bell-shapes, A-lines, etc. 

And since I feel strongly about this topic, I will leave you with a few examples of what I like for the moment and a quote that I think captures what fashion should be to us: 

"Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It's movement, design and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be." Blair Waldorf

http://www.madamederosa.com/urban/special-christmas-2013/ 

http://www.patternprintsjournal.it 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/a4/d5/d8/a4d5d8c33cc370d08e9934950f8d2f3d.jpg

Alexis Mabille

Mary Katrantzou

And of course, my favourite fashionista: Blair Waldorf

Love,
Sonia

Digital Marketing is Dead, they say! WHAT?!?

Hello everyone!

Long time, no see! I have been busy with uni and visiting my best friend at Warwick Business School, so didn't have a chance to catch up.

However, something interesting is coming your way, as an important marketing executive proclaimed digital marketing as dead. WHAT?!?

Brand building officer at P&G, Marc Pritchard spoke at Dmexpo in Cologne and decided that digital marketing is available for building brand (duh) and offering creative content to customers that they will love to share (again, duh). He added that thinking about the platforms, the tools, the apps, the QR codes, the holograms, mobiles etc, as separate, independent entities is not an option anymore.

I am not an expert, but when was it ever a strategy to separate the digital platforms from the great content? I would go further and ask, when was it ever ok to separate digital platforms, content and offline activities? From my point of view, these are the main characteristics of a marketing strategy: having great content to share with your customers and users, then delivering them through the best possible channels, online or offline.

Therefore, I will be bold here and say that his affirmation [digital marketing is dead, so let's celebrate its end by focusing on great ideas/content] is kind of empty. Never was there in recent years a successful marketing campaign that didn't comprise great content, offline and online excellence; so the fact that we do have to create great stuff that people like and get it to them (be it though Facebook or billboards) is not news.

I am inclined to think that what Pritchard tried to say in a bold, eye-catching statement is that digital marketing has become a norm nowadays (aka, just marketing), as all brands engage in online activities. Therefore, more need to focus now on creating the content for the campaigns that will make them and their brands stand out.

However, I need to make this clear, marketing is not dead...It is more alive than ever and still challenging the norm, so much that executives want it dead. Not going to happen!

As always, let me know what you think!

Love,
Sonia

#ContentMarketingShow

Hello everyone,

Last Friday I attended #ContentMarketingShow 2013, where many speakers from different companies shared with us techniques and tips on how to make content more interesting for users. I will highlight what I believe were the most important facts worth knowing.

It started off with what I call now my favourite talk of the day given by +Hannah Smith, from Distilled, entitled "Throwing Shit Against the Wall and Analysing What Sticks...". The most interesting idea of the talk was probably that marketers need to create content that people will LOVE because we need them to share it. That is the only way that marketing content will be spread organically. In order to be shared, the content needs to entertain, educate, inspire or persuade. There are different tools to help you do that including celebrity endorsement to inspire, competition to entertain, trend reports to educate and webinars to convince. Model on the right can be found in original on www.smartinsights.com

Also, something about branding that I thought was a great idea: your brand is not what you sell, BUT how you sell it! That is such a good way to think about your marketing, because like that you can think outside your box and give content to people that will make them wonder and remember you and ultimately share your content (which is the goal).

On the same note, Matt Roberts from Linkdex talked about content that needs to be relevant to people and make a connection that they will want to share. The way we buy has definitely been changed by internet, computers, smartphones and tablets (see my previous post) and this decision making process is what Google entitled ZMOT. Matt talked about ZMOT and offered examples that he experienced ever since he heard about the concept. For more info on the idea click here.

Another fascinating idea is how offline experiences can create digital results. +tony samios from Caliberi (if you check out my Twitter you can support one of 3 charities to which Caliberi donates £1 for each tweet) talks about the different offline practices that users can engage in and share them online. In order for the content to be shared, memorable experiences need to be created and connections established.

More or less, most speakers focused on the importance of targeted content for users, delivered on a preferred medium (highlighting the importance and influence of mobile), that will create memorable experiences that users will LOVE and SHARE.

If you wanna find out more about the content marketing show check out the # in the title on Twitter or a great blog that I found of the 80 Essential Tips From the Show by +James Perrin.

Hope you enjoy this and as always please let me know what you think!

Love,
Sonia

To Mobile or Not?

Hello everyone,

My first post is going to be about a topic that is very interesting for me at the moment: marketing on portable devices.

Those of you who have met me, know by now that I am most fascinated by how easily a person’s perception of an issue can be changed through as simple thing as a letter or a digit. Think about it. People are more willing to buy a product that costs 9.99 instead of 10, that is bio instead of natural, 75% lean instead of 25% fat. These are psychological tricks that marketers use to push their product to consumers as better than the rest.

Well, this is important in the topic of marketing on portable devices because, as the psychological tricks change the customers’ behaviour so do these devices that we can’t seem to live without.

Nowadays, it seems that customers are not content with one anymore, but two+ seem to be more satisfying (and yes, I hear how that sounds). TV will never be alone again as it will always be accompanied by a smartphone or a tablet or both. Marketers have reached this conclusion and have used it in their favor. That’s why we see in shows the most famous #nameoftheshow and @nameoftheshow, because they (marketers, producers, directors, actors, singers etc) know that we most certainly use another device at the same time and this is the way to get us (customers) engaged.

Copyright Creative Commons

A good example of how much smartphones and tablets have infiltrated the marketing activity of any successful product is America’s Next Top Model. This season, the decision of who stays in the competition and who goes home is equally divided between judges and social media. The more popular the contestants are on social media, the more chances there are of staying in the competition and hopefully winning the prize.

I am currently writing my thesis on marketing on portable devices so any ideas, resources online or offline, videos, examples etc are more than welcome! More about the topic in later posts!

Let me know what you think!

Love,

Sonia

Welcome

Hello everyone!

I am thrilled to be here and finally get the courage to start my own blog.

For ages I have been following my friends' blogs and wanted to have one of my own, but always thought that we already have so much information available everywhere, and at all times that I would only further pollute the digital environment.

However, I have changed my mind because I believe that what I have to say can be of interest to people like me and like you and can really cut through the clutter - hence the title.

This is my cosy place then where I will share my opinion about what I think it's important in life: digital marketing, fashion and travel.

Hope you have a good time here with me!

Love,
Sonia