How To Make A Point.

I've stumbled across some genius advertising recently. It's genius because of one thing: it tells you inexplicably what will happen to you if you do not purchase this product and as a consumer, I like that. Tell me what will happen to me if I don't buy your product to ensure I do. Like right now we're getting DIRECTV. Here's why:

Remain Relevant

Relevance is the key success factor in any organization. Relevance of your mission and values to what you do, how to achieve your goals, and how you are perceived amongst your consumers and the community. The challenge is then making sure your audience is aware of what you're doing. Enter marketing and social media. These tools increase online conversation and interest that stems into action amongst your audience. Then, you're relevant. 

I think this creates a segue to giving a perfect example of someone who is relevant to his mission and values: Charlie Sheen, Fiat and DIRECTV. Recently, Fiat and DIRECTV have been able to capitalize on the bold enigma that is Charlie Sheen in their advertising strategy. Both brands have stayed true to their marketing strategy to promote their product and brand value while Charlie Sheen does what he does best, living large (please don't make me type Winning). It's 2012 and the man's still relevant.

DIRECTV

Fiat

The Announcement

In 1991 the face of the HIV virus changed. Pre-1991, homosexuals were the face of HIV  in the community and it was always deadly. It was assumed and feared that HIV was contracted by coughing, touching, sweat. That face changed on November 7th 1991. It was now Magic Johnson. On Sunday night, ESPN film series launched 'The Announcement', a powerfully human documentary that told the heartbreaking story of Magic Johnson's battle with HIV.

On November 7th 1991, Magic Johnson announced to the world that he will be retiring from the NBA due to contracting the HIV virus. In 1991, this was expected. If you have HIV you could not be involved in physical and contact sports. 

Early detection may have saved Magic's life. While undergoing a routine physical, a requirement for his medical insurance at the Lakers, the virus was detected. One week prior to this diagnosis he found out that his wife, Cookie, was pregnant with their first child. They waited an anxious 10 days to find out if Cookie was also HIV positive as this would, in all likelihood, mean their baby would also have the virus. The result was negative. He then announced his retirement.

A man who was a basketball legend, surrounded by friends and loved by so many, suddenly found himself struggling to find a friend with whom he could play one on one. It was clear HIV was still feared. The same stigma was attached, no matter who had the virus. Magic openly discusses the struggles he faced once he announced his illness and at no time says he regrets his decision to publicly announce his illness. As he said "God gave this virus to the right person". He saw himself as a person who could reach people and educate about HIV. He couldn't remain silent; in his eyes he only had one option. How powerful! And he hasn't stopped working since. Magic has become a voice for HIV in the community, bridging the gap between knowledge and assumptions, educating how it's transmitted. He is the powerful voice for safe sex. 

In 1992, after playing on the Barcelona Olympics Dream Team with Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, Magic returned to the NBA playing for the Lakers. This return launched the medical safety now adhered to by sporting teams around the world: gloves to treat athletes and removal from the game when a player sustains an injury that draws blood. He shortly left the NBA once more due to protests by the public and other NBA players.

This man was alienated by so many and yet he continued to work hard as an HIV activist. A strong, cheerful, bright positive personality found his place in the Magic Johnson Foundation and in Magic Enterprises. His foundation today has established five full service HIV/AIDS Treatment Centers in economically challenged, minority communities throughout the US. Magic's Foundation treats 1200 people each year. Since the foundation's launch, over 30,000 people have been treated. He provides 'medicine, anti-retroviral therapy, testing, counseling and ongoing disease management', and continues to educate and spread the safe message to communities throughout the US each year. As Magic said, God gave this to the right person. What an extraordinary man. 

A Ticket to Fashion Week

Fashion Weeks are historically an airtight invitation only event for editors and major buyers. The brand's goal for the week is to show their raw talent to secure their placement in exquisite stores and boutiques, coverage in major media and editorials or front covers of major fashion magazines. If you lived outside the fashion world, only snapshots of this decadent week were available to you long after the runway lights are turned off. This 2012 Fall Fashion weeks gave fashion admirers an exhilarating and groundbreaking exclusive reach to the worlds most exclusive fashion brands. We got a ticket inside.

During New York, London and Milan fashion weeks, liverunway.com streamed runways as the models stomped into fall. Oscar de la Renta set up a live stream on his website as did Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Badgley Mishka, Prada in Milan and Alexander McQueen in London. Twitter hashtags were established to promote conversation about the runway, Facebook pages were set up to stream the live runway and fashion websites had smoke as they worked at lightning pace to have stills from the collection moments after the show ended.

This New York, London and Paris Fall Fashion Week I experienced every moment from my apartment. I oohed at Very Wang because I could see how her draping moved as the model waved through the catwalk. Something I'd never been exposed to in the past and it's something you can't imagine when just looking at a photo. Marc Jacobs runway began kinda kooky before he tranced you through an ethereal journey of Alice in Wonderland, Dr Seuss books, Jamiroquai (yes) and Willy Wonker, and you truly understood the immense talent of Marc Jacobs in the art of fashion. To experience this magic is truly a dream.

I believe fashion bloggers began to creek open the doors for the rest of us. Bloggers such as Tavi Gevinson and Susie Bubble now sit front row next to fashion editors and then share their experiences on their social media to us all.  In fact, Susie Bubble is getting ready for Versace right now. This social media conversation has also introduced us to the designers as they work. I follow numerous designers on Twitter as they tweet through their creative process and lives during fashion week. Fashion houses have extended the power of social media to their team: Nina Garcia, OscarPRGirl and DKNY PR GIRL share their world on Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter accounts. They reply to tweets in real time with a real voice and share their world without losing the essence of the exclusive brand. It's smart social media in a smart industry.

The move for fashion powerhouses to openly introduce themselves to the community of global fashion lovers online is an essential use of resources to keep a pioneering industry on the forefront of media. It's opened an exclusive world to gain admiration from consumers without losing the essence of the brand. We all love and adore fashion brands perhaps more now that we can experience what an Oscar de la Renta runway means. We understand the craftsmanship that goes into each individual piece and have a new respect for the fitting and movement of gowns. We can also see the team behind the brand and our love for the fashion world and our favorite brand blossoms.

Thank you, designers for opening your world. Looking forward to Paris, Mr. Lagerfeld.

Sincerely,

Katie Lee

Oscar at work: thanks to OscarPRGirl Twitter

Backstage at Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta Runway New York Fashion Week Fall 2012

You Go Girl

This month is a beautiful month for the cover of high fashion magazines. Vogue adores Adele and Elle France supports healthy body images of women worldwide with their cover girl Tara Lynn gracing their cover.  Perhaps inspired by Vogue USA who started the year with the January Vogue starring the divine Meryl Streep on their cover.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should also mention Elle France is the publication who put themselves in public relations hot water when they stated the Obamas were embracing "white fashion" just the other month. This change of pace might be a strategy to gain positive conversation about their brand and obviously I'm blogging about it so it's beginning to have momentum.

On a positive note, I just love that the worlds most powerful media influencers are supporting healthy talented women to every reader and woman who passes the magazine cover. To me, this is magazine media using their immense power in a responsible way to promote healthy, happy women. 

You go girl!

January, 2012

March, 2012

March, 2012

Interactive Love

Dove has re-shaped the way beauty is marketed to women in recent years. The new (and improved) message to Dove users, primarily women, is you are beautiful the way you are, Dove wants help you keep your skin moisturized with our product. The Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty" was an immense success in 2006, you can see the launch video here. Since then, Dove has released a trail of advertising all delivering this same message and in quest for real beauty. It only seems fitting their next step in this story fits in around Valentines Day.

Dove has launched an interactive social media forum in London's Victoria Station. A massive electronic billboard lights up tweets and text messages from commuters with the hashtag #DOVELOVE. Questions in the beginning of the campaign were laced around the user of Dove products: "what makes you feel beautiful" and "who is the most beautiful woman you know?  why?". Today on Valentines Day, Dove asks, "what do you love about your Valentine" and is spreading more love by handing out white tulips to commuters.

I'm a woman who has experienced a serious commute and can I say that something sweet like this would have been enough to slow down my lightning pace steps through the train station and take in the beauty that is love. It is estimated 350,000 people will walk past this board everyday for the 7 days the billboard is active (until February 19th). I wonder how many of those are women whose lightening steps are also slowed to give way for a smile and a deep breath.

Marc Mathieu is Unilever's SVP of marketing, he told Marketing Week that brand marketers need to "be more noble". It's true in a world of advertising where L’Oreal creative is being banned in the UK for being too unrealistic. It's refreshing to have a beauty brand discuss the beauty of a woman, not how they can change her or tell her she can look supremely younger. It is indeed "more noble" to market with this intention. Bravo, Dove.

         Billboard at Victoria Station in the UK "who is the most beautiful woman you know? why?"

All Hail Madonna

There is no-one in the world like Madonna and last night she reminded us all of that fact. The woman did cartwheels on bleachers caught in between dancers in thigh high Givenchy boots after she had torn the Indianapolis stadium up by singing Vogue. Only Madonna can fill a sentence like that. 

I was all about the ads last night, but I'll be honest, after her half time performance I just wanted to call the whole thing off and watch a full Madonna concert. Man, I hope that woman tours again soon, I'll be there in my thigh high boots cartwheeling in the stands for her. Obviously. 

All Hail Madonna.

A GIANT 2012 Super Bowl

Insert glaringly obvious blog post. However, this was my first Super Bowl experience in America and so I will rightfully blog about it. I love that the first time I watched the half time show, it was Madonna performing. Major. I lost all sense and was dancing around the lounge room to classic Madonna. Girl, those boots were beyond. 

This was the first time I watched the ads in unison during the game (apparently there was football too).  I loved watching the placement of the brands at different times during the game. At one point, Chrysler was pretty on its game, as was Lexus, Honda and Toyota...but no Ford. Eventually Ford came to the party, but she was wearing the same dress she wore for the last 10 parties and I was left too bored to even mention it here. 

I was tweeting like a mad woman and joining in on the #superbowl, #adbowl, #brandbowl, #whartonfoa party. Super fun. I'm a super nerd. 

Here are my all important top 4 from Super Bowl 2012: 

M&Ms - "Sexy and I Know It"

This was a brilliant introduction of 'Brown' to the M&M's advertising series of characters. It's not just me who loved the tone, message and creative content of this ad. Kellogg School of Management Clinical Professor of Management, Tim Calkins agrees. "At Kellogg, our review evaluates the ads based on strategic execution and the potential to build brands, and M&M's did this well".  On a side note, I think I can relate to Red just a little too much.

Chrysler - "It's Halftime in America"

Anytime you bring in Clint Eastwood, you're bringing in the big guns. Amongst the clutter of fast cars with hot girls doing ridiculous tricks (seriously, the Sonic car sky dived out of an airplane), Chrysler brought a heartfelt clear message to America. The execution of this ad was flawless as it was played during half time. Eastwood's delivery of the message had me proud and motivated for America and hey, I'm not even close to being American. It was a brave sentiment that stood out from every other ad during the Super Bowl. It was deep and provided Chrysler with amazing cut through of the metal clutter surrounding it. Nice.

Doritos - "Man's Best Friend" 

This was one of the first ads shown in the first quarter and it had me laughing for the next three quarters. Doritos is the master of Super Bowl ad execution and now it seems social media influence; Man's Best Friend scored 73, 724 tweets in the 45 minutes after the ad was shown. Doritos always provides a clear message to their audience: you will do anything to get your hands on those Doritos. It's true too, I tried to run down to the CVS on the corner to get my husband some Doritos just before the game and the place had SOLD OUT. Doritos stayin' on top! 

Sketchers - "Go Run Mr. Quiggly!"

I have to say it, any brand that swaps Kim Kardashian for a dog is genius. Dogs had the run of the ad world last night and I think Mr Quiggly was easily in the lead. I mean, he moon walked over the finish line in his red Sketchers. What more do you want? The creative is genius, the message is clear and the product placement is sublime. Mr Quiggly also had a nice response on Twitter with 35, 256 tweets in the 45 minutes after the ad aired. Now, to go get me some red Sketchers and a Mr. Quiggly! 

If you'd like to join me on Twitter, I'd love to see you. I'm over at @therealkatielee

Good Parenting

Super Bowl is a huge time of year for football, but more importantly, advertising. It's the mecca of advertising. Brands spend months preparing for this one day's advertising spot and will invest millions to ensure it's shown where it will gain most exposure to their target market. They're witty, they're fun and they're designed to get your attention. One context that is particularly rare in Super Bowl advertising is good parenting. Last year for the 2011 Super Bowl VW launched a campaign in which a child's imagination was nourished by his parents.

When I was a child there was camping under sheets that were propped by chairs, lounges, beds, washing baskets...anything we could get our hands on. The linen cupboard was left bare and my Mother only supported our fortress, as long as we cleaned it up afterwards. We even had a secret code to enter. Yes, it was that serious. That was the 80's. In 2011, I see things have changed for kids, but the good parenting remains. This makes my heart warm. I don't want to give the element of surprise away; I'm too crafty for that. So watch the film and give it up for awesome parents everywhere nourishing their child's imagination, in whatever form that may be.

Dr. King

August 28th, 1963 was a brilliant day in world history. This film shows Dr Martin Luther King leading men and women of all colors, races and backgrounds, linking arms, walking together to secure a different future for themselves and their children; a future of "riches of freedom and the security of justice". 

Today is Martin Luther King day in the United States. What an important day it is. 

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.