Number One Christmas Ad Campaign

....As voted by me. Obviously, that means a lot. So, I've been thinking about this blog post for the last couple of weeks and trying to find an ad with enough spunk + Christmas spirit. At first, I though Best Buy's Game On Santa was entertaining, but where was the holiday cheer for all to hear? Enter Tommy Hilgifer with the models and cow bell. Winner. Enough said, watch this and enjoy my festive friends. Happy Holidays!

George Dawson

In my haze of unemployment I've found numerous things to fill my days: internships, volunteering, reading, coffee chats with girlfriends in similar positions and of course, wedding planning. All have been rewarding and given me a greater purpose in my days, but I have found one stands out from the rest: reading. I have read a bunch of online PR publications and read about branding daily (sorry for the non-share, I will pick up my game). The biggest reading project I've had is Life is So Good, a biography by George Dawson. Far.Out.

George Dawson learned to read at 98 years old. He spent his entire life remembering things because he couldn't read and he couldn't write. If someone gave him directions, it was up to him to remember them accurately. In diners, he would order what he saw other people were eating because he couldn't read a menu. This book brought tears to my eyes. This man worked so hard his entire life and never took one moment that God gave him on this earth for granted. George started work at age 4 at his parents cotton farm. When he was 11 he moved away to work on another farm in a neighboring town to him. Never once in his life was a complaint about his position in life or the fact that he had to work hard.

Every once in a while you get a window into the life of someone else. This is one window I will keep in my mind. I never want to forget how hard this man worked and how much he lived and loved life, because I think there is a beautiful lesson in it. A lesson of being thankful to be given the life you have.

All Shook Up

Dear Blog, 

I apologize for my tardy behavior, constant neglect over the past couple of months, and now my American English. No, I did not leave you for Twitter. I live in America now and found myself in the middle of some culture shock. I absolutely loved Philly until I realized it is now my home. I freaked out, ate, ran, freaked out, did yoga, ate some more and then had a visit from my Mama. I can strongly say I have got my head back into gear and I'm ready to load you up with my brilliant witty posts once again. I even have some ideas scurrying around in my mind. 

I'm looking forward to seeing you a whole lot more. 

Sincerely,

Katie 

Steve Jobs

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

- Steve Jobs (someone who changed the world).


May you rest in peace.

Reebok EasyTone/NoTone

Reebok is paying a pretty sum to the Federal Trade Commission, $25M in fact. Why? Because they lied in the worst possible way. They told women that if they were to wear their Reebok EasyTone, then their butt and thighs would shrink and tone. I mean, way to be cruel. 

We all know the answer to shrinking and toning is the treadmill. We all wish the answer to shrinking and toning was as simple as putting on a pair of shoes, sitting on our butt, and watching Breakfast at Tiffany's while the inches disappear. 

Reebok is paying the largest fine in recent FTC history and in addition, has been ordered to allow their consumers to return the shoe for a full refund. To lie about the effectiveness of a product is foolish for any brand. It will damage a brand's reputation and relationship with consumers. For a sporting brand like Reebok, it's foolish to show flaws in your research and design when competitors like Nike and Adidas are killing it in that arena. 

I agree with the FTC's decision. I also secretly think there are some women on that FTC board who heard about this shoe, bought them immediately, wore them every day and saw no results. Of all the products to lie about, Reebok, a lesson for the future: don't tell women you're going to shrink their butt and thighs! They will find you.

You may ask..."but the Kardashian's endorsed them...doesn't that mean they work?" Umm, no. 

Philadelphia Fine Arts Festival

Philadelphia is a city where imagination and history collide. When you stroll the streets, you feel surrounded by energy and when your eyes gaze up, murals (supported by the city) bring brick walls to life. I feel as though I'm walking through a gallery every time I step outside of my apartment building.

Last Sunday was the Philadelphia Fine Arts Festival in Rittenhouse Square. It was as much a celebration of art as it was of history. The festival began in 1932 when a small group of students gathered to show their work. It has grown into a festival that saw artists exhibitions shoulder to shoulder throughout the entire park, displaying the most beautiful art I've seen.

Artist Ning Lee's work took my breath away. Lee is a contemporary realist using oil paintings. If I had the dollars my wall paper would be replaced with his work, it's majestic.

Three Plums

Roses #5

Eggscape #3

Pomegranates On The Wall

To see more of Lee's work, his website is ningleeart.com.

The Fine Arts Festival was yet another reason why I love Philadelphia. This city takes you on journeys.

A Woman's Voice

In 2015, women in Saudi Arabia will be able to vote during the nation's election. 

The Middle East has been an epicenter of unrest and violence for the past year as communities are rising against dictators, but in Saudi Arabia, King Adbullah passed the new law quietly this morning. With the law, he also announced that women can now be a part of the Shura Council, an advisory body selected by the King. The Shura Council offers opinions on general policy in the kingdom and debates economic and social-development plans and agreements signed between Saudi Arabia and other nations. 

To me, voting is one of the most important acts a person can perform for her community. It's something every person should have the ability to do. It's your voice about how you believe your state/country should progress. It's a symbol of a person's liberty and symbolizes the importance of what they have to say. 

I want to welcome these brave, wonderful women to their voice in 2015. 

todays thought

from heymissawesome

9/11

To think that ten years have passed seems unreal. I remember September 11th, 2001 and feel the emotions like yesterday.

I was watching television with my sister. We watched the flames on World Trade Centre Tower 1 and then watched the second plane hit World Trade Centre Tower 2. Even though my sister (age 12) and I (age 17) were living as far away as possible in Australia, it was a shock, and we both screamed. My Mama walked into our family area and asked what movie we were watching. We told her that it was no movie; it was New York City. We watched together as the towers crumbled and then watched as the Pentagon was hit and then new reports of a plane going down in Pennsylvania. It was unreal.

I remember not wanting to go to sleep that night. I couldn't sleep with so many people harmed, so many lives lost, and no idea yet if I had seen the last of the attacks. When I did eventually fall asleep, I didn't sleep that well. Every time I'd close my eyes I'd feel I wanted to be there to help. I prayed. I woke up to more devastation. I remember all the doctors and nurses waiting to help people pulled from the rubble. Except that there were none. They stood there in their scrubs clean. Unreal.

It was the first time I'd heard the name Osama Bin Laden. I remember how foreign that name was to me and wondered how this person could cause so much damage. Mostly I wondered why he would ever want to.

Since then, I am lucky enough to have visited New York many, many times. It is the most fascinating, energetic and wonderful city in the world. I met my future husband there. My love for New York is immense and everlasting. I hadn't been to Ground Zero until this past April on about my 6th visit to New York. Until then I couldn't bring myself to stand where the towers once gazed over New York. The experience was unreal. What is most confronting is the open space. There is an enormous space where the towers once stood. 

I now live in Pennsylvania and travel to New York regularly. It's obvious that ten years have passed, but my memory of those days are so vivid I know I'll live the rest of my life feeling like September 11th 2001 was yesterday. My prayers, respect and admiration for those who first responded, those who continued to respond in the days after, and those who today continue to work on the memorial will never waiver. The goodness of humanity will prevail.

Freddy.

Do you love something that is so terribly over, but still hold that lit candle HIGH? You do. For me, this is Queen. I listen to Freddy Mercury "ride his bicycle" and sing to his "best friend" pretty frequently. I will seriously rock out while walking down the street and mostly it's at home where I can hit notes that would make Freddy proud. Yesterday would have been his 65^th birthday and Google paid tribute with a viral video. I'm psyched. 

I'm psyched for more reasons than one: obviously the man was a TALENT, but also it means there are others that think like me. I'm not the only person who wants "best friend" as the first dance at her wedding. The geniuses over at Google think the same and then went to the effort of a viral video campaign. Totally approve. 

There's something about Queen's music that can lift any mood and make anyone just excited to ‘be’. In my current state of harassing agencies until someone notices my glittering talent, I will be listening to Queen every single morning and then I'll blog. How about that? 

I'm out of the closet now. I love Queen. Yes, I'm listening to Queen right now...and so can you, just like 1,053,149 others have. Awesome.

The Little Green Gecko

Remember the other day when I wanted to blog about television ads but I was dealing with a sabotage situation? Well, all has been repaired and as promised I have a TVC for you. In fact, I have the TVC for you. 

Geico has a reputation for entertaining ads that advertise their product and maintain their brand image of always giving you more money saved in one small green punch: the Geico Gecko. Geico's ads give the insurance giant the ability to penetrate the prime time clutter and give the brand valuable 'top of mind' when their market is considering affordable insurance purchases. Especially here in America, the British accent of the Geico Gecko steals the audience's attention with something new. We all love something new. 

What Geico has come up with now had me giggling. It's fresh, it's compelling and it's actually quite awesome. Can I describe TVCs as awesome? Well, I just did. What's new here is the absence of the brand's advertising strength: the Geico Gecko. There is however, no lack of humor or hilarious animals, so naturally it gets my vote. But don't let my vote talk for you, check it out for yourself.

Sabotage.

So here's what's up, I've landed in Philadelphia, right, and I've been pretty psyched about blogging about television ads from over here because I love the delicate, quirky humor in the ads over here...but the cable's out! Imagine that. Also, due to Hurricane Irene, the cable man won't be here for days. So my original plan to blog about advertising has been sabotaged by Comcast and Hurricane Irene. What a combination.

Logically, the next best thing to blog about is my arrival in the US of A and then attach a theme song...where would be be without a theme song each day? Once upon a time when I worked in politics, my office would delegate song of the day each morning and it would brighten everyone's day. Believe me, when it was your turn you did not want to miss your chance to shine in your DJ capacity.

Here's my DJ capacity for today cleverly themed to my fresh arrival in Americano. Hope that doesn't give anything away. Go on, bop away at your desk, no-one's watching.

The Power of an Extraordinary Teacher

Throughout my life I've had some brilliant teachers and some not-so-brilliant teachers. Throughout my entire education, I have had nothing like my teachers at Bond University. I'm not trying to plug my university here, I'm trying to plug the difference a knowledgeable, passionate teacher makes on a student’s life. 
 
A teacher who is passionate about their expertise and is excited to share their knowledge with others, not only motivates students to attend every class, it invites students to read on, further discuss topics with their teacher, and commit to study and learning. This is so because they know how awesome this knowledge is. When these students go to sleep each night, they do so with great pride in their accomplishments. Passion and excitement about education is contagious. 
 
This is the type of education I wish for all students, from the time they enter school as five-year olds through to university (if they choose to attend). Imagine the future of a child who is surrounded by this nurturing and encouraging educational environment. Awesome. Imagine our society if our children are constantly surrounded and supported in this manner. Brilliant. 
 
I believe education is one of the most important aspects in a person's development, and teachers who mirror this belief and then act it out in the classroom everyday are legends. The power of an extraordinary teacher is exceptional. The people who are committed to educating, inspiring, encouraging and supporting students have the ability to shift a person's life and have a positive impact on society. Let's give it up for these teachers. 
 

Hey! That's my red.

So Christian Louboutin is currently seeking an injunction to stop Yves Saint Laurent from designing their Spring/Summer 2011-12 Cruise collection with a red sole. How exciting!

Obviously, as far as the red sole space goes, Christian Louboutin absolutely and completely owns that branding space....and has done for years. Girls, have you ever seen a red-soled shoe and assumed it was YSL? That red sole is the symbol of quality, style, and glamour from Christian Louboutin.

I agree that anyone can have a red-soled shoe and historically, Christian Louboutin is not the first house to come up with a red sole; but it is so famously the branding of Christian Louboutin that why would YSL want to allow anyone confuse their product with another luxury brand? YSL shoes, in my opinion, have more elegance and grace and can stand on their own two heels. 

YSL have submitted documents to show they've been designing red-soled shoes since 2004. A judge found these documents inadmissible, however. Whatever the solution to this branding disagreement, I hope it ends with more innovation from YSL. Stefano Pilati is the brilliant and major force of creative design at the head at YSL. This is a house that has both the financial and human capital to come up with design that blows us away on the runway. I want to see YSL design and surprise, not cut, paste, and repeat. This is why I watch high fashion with admiration; it opens my mind, sparks my imagination and entertains me.

Red is not the only colour.

Christian Louboutin Bibi 140 Suede Platform Pumps

Yves Saint Laurent High Heel Pump, Electric Blue Suede

I'm Almost a Graduate

I'm pretty thrilled to be graduating in a mere three weeks and I can honestly say I've worked my caboose off and have achieved the highest grades possible in every single assessment for every single course. I feel an immense sense of achievement knowing I have done everything within my power to attend and participate in class, read chapters ahead, find further readings on topics, trawl brandchannel and Adweek every day, work hard in my teams to achieve awesome business plans and assignments, keep up to date with business and financial news, and always remain motivated to the cause of being a University Graduate. Those two words just brought tears to my eyes.

With this degree comes a multitude of options for my future and an ability to follow pretty much any path I feel passionate towards. And I have a degree to back me up. It's like my 'Bachelor of Business' written on my resume backed up with high grades on my transcript says "See, she could do it, if you give her this chance". That's pretty exciting.

And what better way to ensure I have a multitude of options than move to Philadelphia with my fiancé and commute to New York each day? Yep, it's going to happen; I'm hitting PR in New York, why not? Some of my Professors have advised staying in Australia, getting some experience and then hitting the big time. Some Professors tell me to pack my bags tomorrow and give it a "bloody good shot" (Australian Professors have colour in their expression, you see). I'm going with the latter.

So here goes, in just over a month I'll be leaving my beloved Australian shores, my beautiful family and friends and giving it a "bloody good shot". Just so you know, I'll be the girl walking around as if I'm floating amongst clouds....See you over there.

Make That Ceiling a Floor.

Often I read in media "(insert female name here) breaks glass ceiling" and it makes me wonder…why is this news? Why should this be news? Women should be in boardrooms and in the C-suite, making major firm strategy decisions. This should be common. 

Indra Nooyi became the CEO of PepsiCo five years ago and began the push to move PepsiCo's portfolio to include healthy alternatives. She also headed the acquisitions of Tropicana, Quakers Oats and Gatorade, and has just launched a meteor-sized television advertising campaign in the US with Coca-Cola's Santa Clause sipping on Pepsi. The girl's got game.  

Today I read that of the 491 reporting companies in the 2011 Fortune 500, only 15.9% of Directors in the US are women. A worse statistic: 2.1% of Directors are African American women. I'm so confused. The most original and strongest ideas come from collaborative teams comprising people of different genders, races, cultures and opinions.  Companies that embrace a collective culture, such as Proctor & Gamble, IBM and Google are the highest earning companies worldwide. A 19-year longitudinal study by Roy Adler (Pepperdine University) found a correlation between companies with a track record of women in the executive suite and profitability. Three measures of profitability were used to demonstrate that the 25 Fortune 500 firms with the best record of promoting women to high positions are between 18 and 69 percent more profitable than the median Fortune 500 firms in their industries." How is all this ignored?

Sisters have got to help sisters. Networking is such a huge part of business. I know men are out having beers after work. Are women having cocktails? Are we thinking of each other to help leverage each other to the next level? I want us to compliment each other on our shoes, then say "Hey, I know this position opening up that would be a great next step for you". I want to see women grow. From this day on I will not read another glass ceiling article published. I will instead spend this time helping another sister out, or take the time to focus my own growth.

I know of an amazing program for women to get in touch with women-in-business; it's called shesays.us.com. This is a great place for women to find mentors, jobs, workshops and events. They're scattered all over the world and there is even one for us Aussies in Sydney. Go on girl, join in.

The only glass ceiling I want to see is the one above my desk in my office on top of New York City. I can handle that.

The immaculate Katherine Hepburn

My blog got blogged

The past few weeks have been manic and I have neglected one of my favourite things to do; write my blog.

I love having the platform to write and be creative to my hearts desire. My brain storming time (also commonly known as showering) has had me bouncing ideas around and then I haven't had the time to sit down with my blog and even get one out correctly.

I can reassure you I have still been having my one kit kat a day. 

Sitting down to arrange thoughts, write, fix grammar, explain life, my ideas and everything else is so much fun and a hugely rewarding mentally stimulating exercise. I'm going to get down tonight to write about something new that has my attention. New blog coming soon! 

Thank you for my platform Google blogger, I love you. 

Free

I am free to choose how I create my day.

Thoughts like this empower me each morning, and adjust my view of the world. Hello, Monday.

The Distance Isn't So Far

For some, life is like the film 'Love Actually'; a tale of love that is seamless through time, distance and circumstance. I believe with faith, truth, commitment and friendship a relationship can weather any storm composed of distance and time.

I treasure my love as the greatest achievement in my life; it has also been the easiest. So here's my love to those in a relationship where you don't come home to each other every night and share the same dinner; you live each day together via email, text, voice and video call.You both know these days apart are numbered and you'll be watching the evening news together in no time.

Distance is merely a minor inconvenience for great loves.

It Gets Better

One thing I love is a good cause with strong support that rallies a community. An amazing campaign at the moment is the ‘It Gets Better Project’. “It's aimed at LGBT youth who can't picture what their lives might be like as openly gay adults. They can't imagine a future for themselves. So let's show them what our lives are like, let's show them what the future may hold in store for them.” - Dan Savage, the force behind this project.

When I was in Washington DC recently, I was walking past the White House and passed a man in a black suit, carrying a brief case and in place of a business shirt, he was wearing a bright purple t-shirt that said "It Gets Better". I thought, is this dude the face of the campaign or what? In this same moment, I could relate to the notion that it does get better. 

As a teenager, I was teased at school as I was a competitive swimmer and had muscles, and for other ridiculous things like the size of my nose. I remember dreading what these kids would say to me each day and could never think of anything witty enough to say in response to make myself feel any better. For too many teenagers, bullying is an everyday occurrence. 

One thing we all can do is wear an ‘It Gets Better’ purple t-shirt. Wear it for the LGBT kids, wear it for any kid who is bullied during their days because I know and you know it DOES get better. I happen to love my muscle-definition as I'm getting older; they're so functional! It means I can help a lot more when moving house for example. 

I love my life and I can only pray and act so that teenagers today know It Does Get Better. Join the movement, watch the videos and get your shirt here: http://www.itgetsbetter.org/.

Is it about love or rocks?

I might lose a smidge of respect for blogging about Kim Kardashian today, but seriously, what is up with her engagement ring?

We all dream of our ring as little girls (my gift from my love happens to be perfection), but who honestly dreams of 20.5 carats. Personally, I think it looks redonkulous. Is it about love or rocks. Sheesh.

Savage Beauty

Right now The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is housing the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibition. I had the privilege of attending the exhibition last week. I've been to many art exhibitions around the world and have never been as moved as I was last Wednesday morning. 

The McQueen exhibition was true to his work and showcased his talent immaculately. The opening room sets the romantacism and dark emotion of McQueen's work with Tony Hymas' "Scent of Intrigue" humming in the background. The first dress you're introduced to is from the Voss collection and uses microscopes stained red to form the structure of the top of the dress and has ostrich feathers to set the structure of the dress. This was the first time I had ever seen anything by McQueen in real life, and I am certain I stood at that dress for about 15 minutes. If the entire exhibition was only that first room, I would have walked away a happy woman.....but the exhibition walks you through his entire career.

It was at this point I thought I have seen all I have to see in this life. 

Then I walked into the second room. McQueen's work is all about romantasicm first, and what I saw next almost had me to my knees...

The Horn Of Plenty collection. This dress is entirely black duck feathers, this shows his life's dedication to his work. Can you imagine making a piece as perfect as this? It was shown on black mirrors in a dark room with a slight breeze flowing that sent gentle goose bumps over your body. The Met takes you to see Alexander McQueen and then you experience his collection. 

Then you see jackets he structured with fabric only- no padding in the shoulders. His pure technique was all that was needed. The audio tells you stories over and over again of how he would use his scissors as if they were an extension of his arms and seemed to have no inhibitions about taking scissors to a garment to re-create it to its new form.

There were quotes from McQueen scattered at each collection that brought him even closer to the present as you walk from collection to collection. "I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress." I totally get what he's saying here, and I LOVE it.

McQueen's work was controversal in mainstream media, who reported that his Highland Rape Autumn collection of 1995/96 glorified the rape of women. They couldn't have been further from the truth. McQueen is of Scottish heritage which was one of the most important facets of his life, and the collection represented the rape of Scotland by England in the 18th Century.

My favourite piece from McQueen came from his Jellyfish collection. This collection was the last collection he saw on the runway and was based on human life in the future. He thought "what will happen in the future if we continue on the path we're on? Will we return to the ocean?" This was the inspiration for his collection Jellyfish. Seriously, how do minds like this exist? They're to be admired and adored. So I let out a physical squeak when I reached my favourite piece; you'll recognise it, Lady Gaga rocked it in Bad Romance.

Last Wednesday was a turning point in my life where a exhibition brought me to tears. Every single piece is the product of talent I'm not sure we'll see again. I've shared some more pieces from the collection below, but cannot even come close to explaining or sharing the Savage Beauty exhibition. It's absolute genius.

"I'm overally romantic" - McQueen

"McQueen's romantic yearnings guided and fueled his creativity and advanced fashion."- Sarah Burton

Voss, Spring/Summer 2001

 Ensemble, No.13 Spring/Summer 1999

 Ensemble Spring/Summer 2010-11

 Widows of Cullen, Autumn/Winter 2006/7

 Sarablande, Spring/Summer 2007

Emsemble, It's Only a Game Spring/Summer 2005

...this collection was explaining the relationship between Japan and the USA which is why the gridiron gear has an Imperial Japanese design.

Love Stories

In my mind, Tiffany's New York 5th Avenue location is heaven on earth for any sane woman on God's earth. This past week I spent some time there, because I am a sane woman.

The Tiffany's brand is a brilliant case of life breathed into jewelry products. For women, the idea of an engagement ring from Tiffany's is filled with romanticism and desire.  Each year, thousands of visitors to New York City drift through the Tiffany doors, float around the engagement ring level, and then without doubt head to level 3 where the affordable silver bracelets are housed. Once there, they purchase their own piece of romanticism from New York City.

For years, Tiffany's has lead the jewelry industry as they engage their audience with their gorgeous romantic images in Central Park, walking through the snow in New York, and an embrace of a newly engaged couple. Their current in-store placements take their in store advertising to a new level of Love Stories.

One window outside Tiffany's had an iPhone and an engagement ring. The iPhone showed a series of text messages between a man and a woman. The man was asking when she would be home from work, she responded that she had to work late and then make a stop before coming home. He told her not to worry, to come home, he's made her favourite dinner....and then the ring next to the phone symbolized his pending proposal.

Then inside the store was a post-it next to a engagement ring and a set of house keys that read "Come and go as you please, but please never leave me".

There was one close to my heart; there was a airline ticket to Canada and a ring next to it symbolizing great love across distance.

As I watched the customers in Tiffany's walk by these placements it shifted all their moods. It brought smiles to faces as they would appreciate romanticism alone and then would call their friend/mother/daughter/husband over to share with them. Yesterday, with these simple placements of romance, Tiffany's shifted the mood of their customers. It was beautiful to watch, and genius on the part of Tiffany's.

Simple romance is back.

During my post final-exam days and my re-introduction to the world, I have been rewarded with a sophisticated delight that is the new Schweppes campaign. It features Uma Thurman looking as exotic and glamorous as ever with those 11 feet long legs of hers.

In my mind, I always list Schweppes above other soft drink brands. A sign of a better product? Maybe, but do you remember previous campaigns where the tiger would lay on a white set and talk about the bubbles, or the couple at the Greek Islands drinking Shhhhhhhhhhhhweppes? These campaigns remind us that Schweppes is a product option. But then they go one step further. They place the brand as the soft drink to sip on during your fab-u-lous life.

I love these images and thought I would share. Enjoy your next Schweppes, just don't let it drip on your Prada, darling.

One breath of air

Right now I'm 5 feet under my study notes for my finals beginning this Sunday. My life is books, equations, notes, my whiteboard, tea and study naps. I haven't come up for much air, apart from one escape: my email subscriptions to my favourite blogs.

This morning I got an update from one of my favourites, Design Elements. It is a beautiful blog out of Germany with design elements that are absolutely breathtaking, I highly recommend you take a trip over. Today featured an interview with Delphine Krakoff, an amazing interior designer, who went to business school in Paris that took her to Louis Vuitton, Dior, Coach, and Ralph Lauren New York; all this and she is happily married with three children. Bliss. When asked "What does success mean to you?" she says "Not much. But happiness means everything". Amen sister, Amen.

It's always Wintour

I have one role model in this world where I stand back in awe of the heights she's reined. Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of American Vogue.

I mostly admire her because she is a woman who knows what she wants, she is an genius business woman- she understands and transforms brands to perform better (like when she had Marc Jacobs positioned at Louis Vuitton)- and is the one force who can shift the entire fashion world.  

I believe she is such a powerful and respected woman because of her values. She has stated, "people respond well to those that are sure of what they want."

When Wintour was interviewing at Vogue, Grace Mirabella, then Vogue's editor, asked Wintour what job she would like if she came to the magazine. "Your job," Wintour is said to have replied without blinking. Six years later, she was the Editor. Aiiiiiiiiight!

As graduation is coming upon me in six months, I find myself straying from my plans of advertising/brand management (or death!) in favour of general business consulting positions, where I know I can easily be placed on a career path and make some nice money. But is this the career path I have dreamt of? Nope. 

My plan to combat these quick fix temptations is to remember there is no way Anna Wintour would take on a project that she doesn’t altogether love. And neither should you. When you find yourself swaying from what you absolutely want and desire and most of all, what you know you will be brilliant at; stay focused on you. Tell Mirabella you’ll have her job in six years…whatever is it…do it for you.

Burnt Toast Everyday

I can guarantee you every single morning I eat burnt toast....and not because I like it that way. It's because I set my bread in the toaster then I go off to make my coffee, run to the lounge room and watch a news story, put a few dishes in the dishwasher, grab my iPad to read/send emails while I have breakfast, then stop to talk to my sister OH NO MY TOAST!!! I tell you, this happens every single morning (although recently thanks to wonderful Easter my toast is traded in for hot cross buns....burnt hot cross buns). 

 I've been told that I should stay by the toaster and check on my bread’s progress. Instead of running about, stay still. Whatever. Doesn't every woman do this? Don't we all squeeze 47 different things in 10 minutes? I know we do. 

The other night, I was watching the new TV ad placement for Elevit Womens MultiVitamins. The woman on the ad was sitting at the table eating her breakfast while she was watching the news, while feeding her toddler and then the camera wide shots showed her foot bouncing her baby in the basinet on the ground. As Oprah would say, this was my "Ah huh!" moment! All women do 16 things at once and 47 things in 10 minutes! Nicely done Elevit, you told a very nice and accurate story there.

Well, all I have to say is GIRLPOWER....and burnt toast.