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SELULIT terlihat seperti kulit jeruk yang umumnya terdapat pada bagian perut, paha, dan bokong. Dalam buku Cellulite Solutions, pengarang-nya Helen Foster menyebutkan bahwa diet merupakan salah satu solusi untuk ’memerangi’ selulit. Itu artinya, dengan mengatur pola makan, Anda dapat melawan kelebihan cairan, timbunan lemak, dan radikal bebas. Jika kanker saja dapat dicegah dengan memperhatikan asupan makanan (hasil riset menunjukkan sekitar 40% penyakit kanker dapat dicegah dengan mengatur pola makan), mengapa selulit tidak? Ikuti langkah-langkah berikut dan perhatikan perubahan penampilan pada paha, perut, dan bokong Anda. Langkah 1 Ukur pula lingkar pinggang. Untuk wanita, batasnya adalah di bawah 80 cm. Setelah itu, cocokkan dengan tingkat aktivitas Anda sehari-hari sesuai tabel di bawah untuk menentukan kebutuhan kalori banan. Gemuk 25 kal/BB ideal 30 kal/BB ideal 35 kal/BB ideal Jika Anda mengalami masalah kelebihan berat badan atau bingung bagaimana ’menerjemahkan’ hitungan kalori tersebut dalam menu hanan, berkonsultasilah ke dokter spesialis gizi untuk memperoleh keterangan yang jelas.
1. MAKANAN YANG TERLALU BANYAK MENGANDUNG GULA 2. LEMAK JENUH DAN LEMAK TRANS 3. KAFEIN 4. REFINED CARBOHYDRATES Langkah 3 2. Kacang-kacangan 3. Oat cereal 4. Alpukat 5. Pisang 6. Nanas 7. Pir 8. Semangka 9. Citrus fruits 10. Asparagus 11. Bawang merah dan bawang putih 12. Brokoli 13. Daging sapi rendah lemak 14. Daging ayam 15. Ikan 16. Telur 17. Semi-skimmed milk dan keju rendah lemak 1. Makan lima porsi buah dan sayur setiap hari 2. Makan beberapa jenis sumber protein, minimal tiga kali sehari 3. Makan lima atau enam kali sehari 4. Minum banyak minuman bebas kafein |
Senin, 18 Januari 2010
Tips Diet dan Nutrisi
Jumat, 25 Desember 2009
Counterfeit Brands
“Purse parties” are the newest trend in the counterfeit fashion trade, an industry that is running rampant worldwide. Fashion isn’t the only type of brand susceptible to copycats. Pharmaceuticals, beverages, toys, furniture, software, electronics -- you name a brand niche and it has most likely fallen victim to counterfeiting. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates that the counterfeiting industry comprises five to seven percent of global trade and is worth roughly US$ 450 to 500 billion.
Knock-offs of luxury fashion brand accessories, like purses, make up just a fraction of the counterfeit trade industry but they are among the most prominent offenses. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Kate Spade, Christian Dior and Burberry are just some of the big-name (and big-price) brands that are relentlessly knocked off. The replicated accessories go beyond just purses to include wallets, sunglasses, scarves and more.
There’s a lot of profit in counterfeiting. Knock-offs in the US are priced one-sixth to one-eighth of the retail value of an authentic product. When a simple wool Burberry scarf retails for US$ 200, a Christian Dior belt can bring in US$ 400 and big-brand purses, like Louis Vuitton, can sell for over US$ 1000, it’s easy to see how merchants can make ten times their manufacturing costs for mass-produced counterfeit goods.
It seems silly to get worked up over fashion fakes when there are knock-offs that can cause physical harm, even death, when dealing in fake pharmaceuticals or counterfeit automotive parts. Why even worry about the superficial world of the knock-off fashion industry? Is there any real harm in letting someone a little short of cash get the Louis purse they’ve always dreamed about?
According to Ellen Goldstein, chairperson of the accessories design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, fakes do harm the real brand. “It hurts the worth of the brand terribly; it cheapens the brand,” she says.
Goldstein goes on to explain, “People assume that this is a form of flattery, but the brands don’t. It’s stealing and it cuts back on authentic brands’ sales considerably.”
Tim Trainer, president of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition in Washington DC dismisses the theory that knock-off brands offer a type of free advertising and promotion for legitimate brands. “Counterfeiters trade off the backs of legitimate brands. They let the real brands pay for the marketing, advertising, develop the designs, and then they profit off of it.”
There’s no question that ripping off a fashion design is a crime, but busts like the one in Florida are rare. If the consequences of knock-offs are so severe for the real brands, why isn’t more being done to crackdown on this growing problem? In fact, if anything counterfeiting appears to be more prevalent than ever.
One used to have to shop big cities to find knock-offs. Now purse parties are replacing Tupperware parties, the web is saturated with sites dealing in fakes, store-fronts in strip malls advertise “imposter goods,” and most county fairs have booths loaded with knock-off goods. The brands being knocked off are, in most cases, multi-million dollar brands so the question remains why aren’t they doing more to protect their products?
“Brands do fight to protect themselves, but it’s a very long and arduous process,” says Goldstein. “Coach went through it and won, but it was a very long process.”
A process that in the end, just might not be worth it. Even if these brands have the money to spend in legal fees, it is a strenuous, drawn out course of action.
Instead brands like Kate Spade and Louis Vuitton tend to take matters into their own hands first by hiring private investigators to find where knock-offs of their brands are being sold. Convincing authorities to step-in is tough; they’re off fighting “real” crimes. So a typical next step is to have the brand’s lawyer send a threatening letter in hopes that it will scare merchants into shutting down shop or canceling their next purse party. Sometimes the threat is enough, sometimes it’s ignored or merchants just lie low for a while. After this, it’s a matter of trying to convince authorities to step in.
Then there’s the chance -- a good chance -- that authentic brands may not win over knock-offs in court. There are intricate details that go into brand protection and fashion design. Unlike other products, copyright protection is denied to fashion designs under the US Copyright Act. Trademarks are available to designs, but it’s a fine line between an actual counterfeit and a “creative interpretation.”
For instance, it’s still possible to find knock-offs of Coach’s popular demi bag despite the company’s fight; the fakes replace the trademarked Cs, adorning the small canvas bags, with Gs. The same goes for Burberry; although the company makes its stance about the trademarked plaid quite clear in communication materials, replicas of Burberry purses and scarves using variations of the colors are popular knock-off items. Even when legitimate brands win, punishment is usually only as harsh as a slap on the wrist.
On top of all this, while brands are putting forth all of this effort and money, the designs they are fighting to protect are already out of style, replaced by new ones.
What’s worse is that as the industry advances, so does the technology used to make the imitations. Goldstein speculates that counterfeiters attain authentic looks by purchasing the real purse, wallet or scarf and copy it detail for detail. “There are knock-offs now where you cannot tell the difference between the fake and the real,” she says.
Those mirror-image replicas mean more sales, even to consumers with distinguishing tastes. Anyone is up for saving money.
If there is a bright side to this whole dilemma, it’s that law enforcement is starting to become more involved in cracking down on the knock-off industry. That’s because counterfeiting fashion brands has a more serious consequence than just stealing legitimate brands’ designs.
“Consumers pay street prices for knock-offs and think they are just pulling one over on legitimate brands…. Narcotics, prostitution, weapons; [the money they spend] could be going to all those things,” explains Trainer.
Trainer says consumers need to step back and think of where the money they spend on knock-offs could be going. Just as selling knock-offs is a crime, a connection is drawn between counterfeit goods and funding for other crimes involving drugs and weapons. Now law enforcement is worried about a link between counterfeit goods and terrorism, which means since September 11, authorities have stepped up their pursuit of those knocking off fashion brands.
As Trainer explained, law enforcement is not so much concerned with brand protection, as it is looking at trade in fake luxury brand names and logos that can bring in enough money to fund crime (which was the case in the Florida purse party where law enforcement seized over US$ 40,000 in knock-offs). “There’s interest from authorities,” says Trainer. “But they are only interested in finding large quantities [that are funding crime] -- the major distribution centers. Knock-offs are coming from large, sophisticated distribution centers.”
Pinpointing the centers is only a guess, but many US sold fakes are suspected to come from Asia, primarily China, Thailand and South Korea.
Although the whole issue may first appear to be a simple yet rampant case of copycatting, in fact it demonstrates that there is a real need for stricter protection laws of luxury fashion brands, enforcement of those laws, and harsher punishments for merchants and makers of counterfeit goods. But as far as knocking out counterfeiting completely, Trainer says like other crime, it’ll never be gone and brands need to view counterfeit products just like any other competition.
Indeed FIT’s Goldstein agrees: “Counterfeiting will always exist. It’s the subculture of the fashion industry.”
Knock-offs of luxury fashion brand accessories, like purses, make up just a fraction of the counterfeit trade industry but they are among the most prominent offenses. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Kate Spade, Christian Dior and Burberry are just some of the big-name (and big-price) brands that are relentlessly knocked off. The replicated accessories go beyond just purses to include wallets, sunglasses, scarves and more.
There’s a lot of profit in counterfeiting. Knock-offs in the US are priced one-sixth to one-eighth of the retail value of an authentic product. When a simple wool Burberry scarf retails for US$ 200, a Christian Dior belt can bring in US$ 400 and big-brand purses, like Louis Vuitton, can sell for over US$ 1000, it’s easy to see how merchants can make ten times their manufacturing costs for mass-produced counterfeit goods.
It seems silly to get worked up over fashion fakes when there are knock-offs that can cause physical harm, even death, when dealing in fake pharmaceuticals or counterfeit automotive parts. Why even worry about the superficial world of the knock-off fashion industry? Is there any real harm in letting someone a little short of cash get the Louis purse they’ve always dreamed about?
According to Ellen Goldstein, chairperson of the accessories design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, fakes do harm the real brand. “It hurts the worth of the brand terribly; it cheapens the brand,” she says.
Goldstein goes on to explain, “People assume that this is a form of flattery, but the brands don’t. It’s stealing and it cuts back on authentic brands’ sales considerably.”
Tim Trainer, president of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition in Washington DC dismisses the theory that knock-off brands offer a type of free advertising and promotion for legitimate brands. “Counterfeiters trade off the backs of legitimate brands. They let the real brands pay for the marketing, advertising, develop the designs, and then they profit off of it.”
There’s no question that ripping off a fashion design is a crime, but busts like the one in Florida are rare. If the consequences of knock-offs are so severe for the real brands, why isn’t more being done to crackdown on this growing problem? In fact, if anything counterfeiting appears to be more prevalent than ever.
One used to have to shop big cities to find knock-offs. Now purse parties are replacing Tupperware parties, the web is saturated with sites dealing in fakes, store-fronts in strip malls advertise “imposter goods,” and most county fairs have booths loaded with knock-off goods. The brands being knocked off are, in most cases, multi-million dollar brands so the question remains why aren’t they doing more to protect their products?
“Brands do fight to protect themselves, but it’s a very long and arduous process,” says Goldstein. “Coach went through it and won, but it was a very long process.”
A process that in the end, just might not be worth it. Even if these brands have the money to spend in legal fees, it is a strenuous, drawn out course of action.
Instead brands like Kate Spade and Louis Vuitton tend to take matters into their own hands first by hiring private investigators to find where knock-offs of their brands are being sold. Convincing authorities to step-in is tough; they’re off fighting “real” crimes. So a typical next step is to have the brand’s lawyer send a threatening letter in hopes that it will scare merchants into shutting down shop or canceling their next purse party. Sometimes the threat is enough, sometimes it’s ignored or merchants just lie low for a while. After this, it’s a matter of trying to convince authorities to step in.
Then there’s the chance -- a good chance -- that authentic brands may not win over knock-offs in court. There are intricate details that go into brand protection and fashion design. Unlike other products, copyright protection is denied to fashion designs under the US Copyright Act. Trademarks are available to designs, but it’s a fine line between an actual counterfeit and a “creative interpretation.”
For instance, it’s still possible to find knock-offs of Coach’s popular demi bag despite the company’s fight; the fakes replace the trademarked Cs, adorning the small canvas bags, with Gs. The same goes for Burberry; although the company makes its stance about the trademarked plaid quite clear in communication materials, replicas of Burberry purses and scarves using variations of the colors are popular knock-off items. Even when legitimate brands win, punishment is usually only as harsh as a slap on the wrist.
On top of all this, while brands are putting forth all of this effort and money, the designs they are fighting to protect are already out of style, replaced by new ones.
What’s worse is that as the industry advances, so does the technology used to make the imitations. Goldstein speculates that counterfeiters attain authentic looks by purchasing the real purse, wallet or scarf and copy it detail for detail. “There are knock-offs now where you cannot tell the difference between the fake and the real,” she says.
Those mirror-image replicas mean more sales, even to consumers with distinguishing tastes. Anyone is up for saving money.
If there is a bright side to this whole dilemma, it’s that law enforcement is starting to become more involved in cracking down on the knock-off industry. That’s because counterfeiting fashion brands has a more serious consequence than just stealing legitimate brands’ designs.
“Consumers pay street prices for knock-offs and think they are just pulling one over on legitimate brands…. Narcotics, prostitution, weapons; [the money they spend] could be going to all those things,” explains Trainer.
Trainer says consumers need to step back and think of where the money they spend on knock-offs could be going. Just as selling knock-offs is a crime, a connection is drawn between counterfeit goods and funding for other crimes involving drugs and weapons. Now law enforcement is worried about a link between counterfeit goods and terrorism, which means since September 11, authorities have stepped up their pursuit of those knocking off fashion brands.
As Trainer explained, law enforcement is not so much concerned with brand protection, as it is looking at trade in fake luxury brand names and logos that can bring in enough money to fund crime (which was the case in the Florida purse party where law enforcement seized over US$ 40,000 in knock-offs). “There’s interest from authorities,” says Trainer. “But they are only interested in finding large quantities [that are funding crime] -- the major distribution centers. Knock-offs are coming from large, sophisticated distribution centers.”
Pinpointing the centers is only a guess, but many US sold fakes are suspected to come from Asia, primarily China, Thailand and South Korea.
Although the whole issue may first appear to be a simple yet rampant case of copycatting, in fact it demonstrates that there is a real need for stricter protection laws of luxury fashion brands, enforcement of those laws, and harsher punishments for merchants and makers of counterfeit goods. But as far as knocking out counterfeiting completely, Trainer says like other crime, it’ll never be gone and brands need to view counterfeit products just like any other competition.
Indeed FIT’s Goldstein agrees: “Counterfeiting will always exist. It’s the subculture of the fashion industry.”
Jumat, 18 Desember 2009
Official Launch New Telkom
16 October 2009Bertempat di Gedung Grha Citra Caraka, Gatot Soebroto Jakarta, Telkom meluncurkan logo terbaru mereka dan juga mengumumkan group company mereka. Dan pada saat itu ada juga sesi fashion show untuk memperagakan seragam baru mereka yang didesain oleh designer ternama Poppy Dharsono. Baju tersebut dipergakan oleh 6 model; Celine, Alvin, Chaca, Thamrin, Eric dan Nandya.
Jumat, 27 November 2009
McDonald's Corporation "Are We Still Lovin' It?"
By A.K. Cabell
Corresponding by email, brand consultant Martin Lindstrom feels the new management can succeed. “Yes, [Cantalupo] has the talent required to do this, so does Charlie Bell (COO) and Larry Light (CMO), they are a very tight team, good friends, and old timers in the industry, [which is] required to turn around such an enormous company,” writes Lindstrom. “However, they only have one chance left to do this before shareholders lose patience.”
Tony Spaeth of Identity Works, an independent consultant to corporate leaders, feels the strategy will require some time to take hold with consumers. “You can create an effective new brand strategy in eighteen months,” says Spaeth. “But you can’t change the meaning of an established brand any faster than its customers die. McDonald’s is basically [a] three components product, which is menu, distribution (franchise and stores), and brand.” Spaeth’s recommendation? “Keep the distribution, selectively change the product, and rebrand…. [This will be] much faster than trying to change the meaning of ‘McDonald’s.’ ”
As part of the rebrand effort, McDonald’s appears to be seeding key positions with new blood. Executive vice president and global chief marketing officer Larry Light was recently brought in to re-charge the organization. Light’s bio reads like a how-to-get-it-right story of the quintessential corporate marketing executive with high-appointment stints at Bates, BBDO Worldwide, and lecturing background at New York University, Wharton, Indiana’s Kelley School of Businesses, and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business.
As expected, Light is throwing himself into the challenge. This past spring, The New York Times reported that he was to preside over a marketing pow-wow made up of advertising, marketing and creative managers. The focus of the meeting was to discuss various ideas for original marketing and advertising campaigns that would jump-start fervor in the brand. Shortly thereafter, the current “I’m lovin’ it” campaign was born.
As expected, Light is throwing himself into the challenge. This past spring, The New York Times reported that he was to preside over a marketing pow-wow made up of advertising, marketing and creative managers. The focus of the meeting was to discuss various ideas for original marketing and advertising campaigns that would jump-start fervor in the brand. Shortly thereafter, the current “I’m lovin’ it” campaign was born.
The new strategy is based on current tastes and trends. “[McDonald’s marketing strategy team] did research in various countries to find the strengths and weaknesses of our brand,” says Light, from McDonald’s corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois. “The first thing we began to notice was a commonality in five continents. A fun, youthful spirit was at the core of the brand and the most dominant trait. But we wanted to carefully distinguish between ‘youthful spirit’ and children. Our brand is about attitude, not age.”
The US market will see a stream of new TV and print ads featuring a slicker, edgier look that is still synonymous with the McDonald’s brand identity. And the company hired one of the hottest American pop stars of the moment, Justin Timberlake, and hip hop mega producers the Neptunes to create a song for the campaign. The brand also gains access to its prime market by sponsoring Timberlake’s 2003 to 2004 global tour.
The new campaign extends beyond advertising; the “I’m lovin’ it” attitude will be indoctrinated as philosophy in various facets of the company structure across the globe, including customer service and restaurant operations, menu food choices, and new restaurant decors.
“McDonald’s is not only a retail food brand,” says Light. “It is a brand that represents the art of marketing.” That rather grand suggestion is not without merit. Even though the corporation faces major challenges, McDonald’s past brand campaigns have produced acclaimed sales profits in a variety of franchised stores and set the stage for other fast food retail brands. Who can forget: “Two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed-bun”? Or the simple but compelling: “You Deserve A Break Today”?
“McDonald’s is not only a retail food brand,” says Light. “It is a brand that represents the art of marketing.” That rather grand suggestion is not without merit. Even though the corporation faces major challenges, McDonald’s past brand campaigns have produced acclaimed sales profits in a variety of franchised stores and set the stage for other fast food retail brands. Who can forget: “Two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed-bun”? Or the simple but compelling: “You Deserve A Break Today”?
As for menu, attempting to recapture the market share of a consumer base that has essentially changed its taste from burgers and fries to neatly packaged store-bought sushi is not going to be an experimentation for McDonald’s; it is now an expectation. Accused of implementing overly aggressive brand strategies by “training” its customers to eat fatty foods, McDonald’s is fighting not only to maintain brand power in the vast pool of competition, but also to dispel notions that its previous brand strategy was improperly planned for the next five to seven years down the road.
Roger Hurni, co-partner in the advertising firm Off Madison Ave, discusses this by email: “Actually, the reason they find themselves in their current situation isn’t because of improper planning of brand strategies, but rather improper planning of a product mix and the inability to adapt [the] brand image of that mix to an evolving marketplace.”
On the anti-globalization front, the question of whether or not McDonald’s is being unfairly targeted because of its global visibility is not one that enters Light’s mind. He is far too busy with the strategic solution to accept social responsibility and make an effort to develop creative ventures to support it.
Roger Hurni, co-partner in the advertising firm Off Madison Ave, discusses this by email: “Actually, the reason they find themselves in their current situation isn’t because of improper planning of brand strategies, but rather improper planning of a product mix and the inability to adapt [the] brand image of that mix to an evolving marketplace.”
On the anti-globalization front, the question of whether or not McDonald’s is being unfairly targeted because of its global visibility is not one that enters Light’s mind. He is far too busy with the strategic solution to accept social responsibility and make an effort to develop creative ventures to support it.
“I don’t think the question is whether or not it’s fair or unfair,” says Light about the responsibility placed on McDonald’s. “I think the question should be how do we make it an asset? We are a corporation that serves forty million customers a day. Because of that size and scale, we do have responsibilities. But I don’t believe the solution should not be how can we get smaller.”
Although it is obviously possible for a dominant global brand like McDonald’s to take a hit and lose brand edge, the focus now has shifted to restructuring and ultimately, survival. Chances?
“[T]he brand can survive,” concludes Lindstrom. “Just as Microsoft managed to turn its organization 180 degrees when realizing that they [had] lost the Internet boat. Just as adidas turned its organization 180 degrees, and as a result, turned into a serious competitor to Nike. And just as Apple did with [the] return of Steve Jobs. However, common for all the above is a serious change in management, and in fact, this is exactly what has happened at McDonald’s with three new positions: replacing the CEO, the COO, and the CMO in just two years. So I actually believe the organization can change -- not overnight, but over a year or two.”
“[T]he brand can survive,” concludes Lindstrom. “Just as Microsoft managed to turn its organization 180 degrees when realizing that they [had] lost the Internet boat. Just as adidas turned its organization 180 degrees, and as a result, turned into a serious competitor to Nike. And just as Apple did with [the] return of Steve Jobs. However, common for all the above is a serious change in management, and in fact, this is exactly what has happened at McDonald’s with three new positions: replacing the CEO, the COO, and the CMO in just two years. So I actually believe the organization can change -- not overnight, but over a year or two.”
With a company as old and ingrained in the public’s cultural landscape as McDonald’s, two years is a short bump on the path to smoother times.
Marketing to the Affluent Class
By Rahul Chaudhari
Rich and mass affluent customers are driving business for many industries including fashion, jewelry, automobiles, real estate and even banking & investments. The future growth from these segments is expected to come primarily from the emerging markets like India, China, Asia-pacific, Brazil etc in addition to the developed economies of US and Europe. This is owing to strong economic growth in these regions and emergence of neo-money clients who are cash-rich and time-poor. The attitudes and behaviors demonstrated by this segment is quite different for certain instances as compared to the traditional money clients. There are however certain things that run common and can serve as guidelines for marketing to this class of customers.
Before talking about marketing to these customers it’s extremely important to understand the segment well. Their age, income levels, occupation etc. helps to filter them from the rest of the lot. It is however their behavior and psychographics that really matters in striking the right chord with them. What do they wear, where do they buy, how do they think, what matters to them, where are they seen or would like to be seen etc. is extremely important to get this understanding right. Let’s look at some aspects that can help us understand them better:
- Affluent customers want to be distinguished from the crowd: They only want to be seen at certain places, using only certain brands. Not just that, they want to be a step ahead of the crowd and look up to brands to identify the key trends for them and help them access/buy these products before anyone else. Fashion shows are an attempt by luxury & fashion brands to define what’s next and help the customers access it.
- They seek exclusivity: Exclusivity is a big hit with these customers and therefore ‘limited editions’ or ‘only for select audience’ are tactics that certain luxury brands use for their brand extensions. They want access to the most exclusive brands and finest quality and have a passionate desire for the best things in life. In fact snob consumers perceive price as an indicator of exclusivity, and avoid using popular brands. A separate store entrance, exclusive areas, different branding, very fine décor and ambience, differently dressed personnel servicing them can be used to provide this sense of exclusivity.
- They want to feel unique and special: Personalization of products and services helps to provide these benefits. Brands need to recognize this hidden desire and offer them products that help them achieve it. In the luxury market, high service levels are a given. They key to success is to get customer loyalty through providing a personalized/individualized experience.
- They seek convenience: Affluent customers value their time as much as their money, making convenience fundamental to success in this market.
- They are willing to pay a premium: They want the best quality, exclusivity, satisfaction and outstanding customer service. Brands that wish to target affluent customers will have to upgrade the quality/caliber of every person who represents them in the market or has any level of interaction with the customer.
- High involvement buying behavior: Marketing to affluent customers generally involves selling high-ticket-size items where the degree of engagement with the client also needs to be high, as most times these purchases are a reflection of the person’s self-concept and have strong self-expressive benefits. Making buying an experience in itself is the key here, something done well by brands like Neiman Marcus.
How can brands target these customers:
One point of essence is that it’s extremely important for the brand to have a clear positioning and the right image in the minds of the customers. Tag Heuer, Rolex, Cartier are all luxury brands but they have different positionings. Consistency in communication efforts plays an important role here and strong brands usually are protagonists for something that is of value to the customers. Celebrity endorsements or as brand ambassadors is also used by some brands like Armani, L’Oreal, Swarovski with good effect.
Though there cannot be a one-size-fits-all kind of an approach to reach out to affluent customers, ones that could be used are:
- Direct Mail: Enormous efforts and thinking needs to go in selecting the correct list. Equally important is the aspect of creating the mailer—the headline, copy, visual etc. and above all, the offer (don’t talk price, talk value).
- Endorsed mails: Mailers from brands whose services / products that they already use makes the maximum impact in terms of the communication being read and carrying the right kind of associations. It also takes away the apprehensions of these customers of being on unsolicited mailing lists, which only harms the brand.
- Referrals: Referrals from existing customers willing to share details of people they know who would be interested is the most tried and tested method of getting access to new clients. These customers may not mind their name being used to make contact with the reference (one needs to take permission) and at times act as your best ambassadors. The phenomenon of word-of-mouth can be very effectively used as a marketing tool here and the brand has to proactively manage it.
- Pull marketing: Show them benefits of your offering and tell them how you can create value for them by giving them convenience, personalized attention, exclusivity etc. Let them have a taste of it with no strings attached by inviting them to your events, launch parties etc. The idea is to make them aware of the need and giving selling a more consultative approach.
Happy marketing! :)
Selasa, 17 November 2009
Public Relations and The Journalists
According to marketing educator Thomas L. Harris, however, many consumers fail to make a distinction between advertising and PR when the two are used together. “I don’t think the consumer is so astute as to be aware of or object to various product placement,” Harris writes in an email interview. In fact, he argues in Value-Added Public Relations (NTC, 1998) that it may be nearly impossible to determine where PR ends and advertising begins in an integrated marketing campaign.
This lack of distinction may ultimately lead to a loss of PR credibility. Says Carole Gorney, Professor and Director of the Center for Crisis Public Relations and Litigation Studies at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, “Public relations credibility has been damaged because it is often heavily involved in and associated with marketing products. It is difficult to maintain the needed objectivity when one’s job depends on how well the product is promoted and how well it sells. If at some point down the road the product is accused of causing harm, that same PR practitioner is called on to defend the product. It’s no wonder that the media is a tiny bit skeptical.”
The practice known as press agentry has not helped matters. Press agents, who create newsworthy stories and events to attract media attention and gain public notice, have a reputation for stretching the truth or going even further to promote a story. Says Paul S. Forbes, chairman emeritus of the Forbes Group, “Just because someone uses a press release as a tool doesn’t make it public relations or even marketing. It’s not the tool that defines public relations but the purpose to which it is put.” Although press agents are generally frowned upon by public relations professionals, the textbook Effective Public Relations notes that “most public relations practitioners engage in a little press agentry at some time or another to achieve public notice through publicity” (Prentice Hall, 2000).
Some marketing professionals argue that PR cannot — and should not — be related directly to the overall success or failure to achieve marketing objectives and sales goals.
Certainly there is less potential for charges of unethical conduct if PR is not tied to return on investment. In any case, there are no magic formulas that predict how positive or negative media coverage translates to sales or stock prices. And PR can presumably be measured in terms of return on investment in a direct way only when it is the sole marketing strategy as, for example, in business-to-business marketing.
Metrosexuals
A well-groomed market?
By Vivian Manning-Schaffel
The term “metrosexual” has been bounced around more than a bad check since it was coined over ten years ago to signify a straight man who not only knows how to make coq au vin, but who also isn’t afraid to be seen getting his toes buffed at a nail salon.
By Vivian Manning-Schaffel
The term “metrosexual” has been bounced around more than a bad check since it was coined over ten years ago to signify a straight man who not only knows how to make coq au vin, but who also isn’t afraid to be seen getting his toes buffed at a nail salon.
Since the advent of metrosexuality, companies have realized that they have a new market to capitalize on—men who spend their money on grooming and appearance supplies. Walk through the aisles of any US drugstore, and you’ll notice an abundance of male-targeted personal grooming products, such as anti-aging eye-creams, shower gels and formula facial cleansers, slowly monopolizing the shelves.
With so many brands clamoring for their slice of the pie, metrosexuals have out and out become their own market segment. And as sales figures roll in, there is clear evidence that the metrosexual market is indeed quite viable.
“With men becoming more involved with their grooming habits and the explosive growth in the men's segment (dollar volume +49% in 2005), we saw a huge opportunity to introduce the male consumer to a new proposition in skincare,” says Carol J. Hamilton, president of the L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, Inc., whose Men’s Expert line was among the first to hit the mass market a few years ago.
“With men becoming more involved with their grooming habits and the explosive growth in the men's segment (dollar volume +49% in 2005), we saw a huge opportunity to introduce the male consumer to a new proposition in skincare,” says Carol J. Hamilton, president of the L’Oréal Paris division of L’Oréal USA, Inc., whose Men’s Expert line was among the first to hit the mass market a few years ago.
According to L’Oréal Paris’ 2005 annual report, men’s skincare—with its 11% growth in sales—was L’Oréal Paris’ fastest growing sector. And it’s not just a US-based trend. There are numbers that quantify this as a global trend. The same report states only 4% of European men used a skincare product in 1990, compared to a whopping 20% in 2003.
Interestingly, younger men seem to be leading the charge, which points to a generational shift in thinking. In Europe, 24% of men under 30 use skincare products, compared with 20% of the population as a whole. In Japan, some 30% of men under 30 use a skincare product, and in South Korea the figure clocks in at over 80%.
The numbers do not lie. Younger men are clearly more interested in taking care of themselves than their fathers or even their older brothers. But is it because metrosexuality has become more widely accepted by the masses or simply because of their generation’s habits?
Edina Sultanik-Silver, owner of BrandPimps and Media Whores, a New York-based men’s fashion public relations company, thinks metrosexual tendencies are a sign of the times.
“It’s a generational thing. I think that Gen Y and millennial guys view all the creams and grooming preparations out there as OK and perfectly natural for them to use, rather than girly,” says Sultanik-Silver. “The guys in these generations get their bodies waxed, work out, style their hair, go to tanning salons, etc., more than their predecessors. Possibly because they were raised on MTV, the Internet and reality shows, every minute of their lives is a photo-op, they always want to look like they’re ready for their 15 minutes of fame, and don't think there's anything feminine about that.”
So what liberated the inner metrosexual in these young men? Sultanik-Silver thinks it’s the marriage between the media and consumerism, producing a sector that will continue to grow for some time.
“It (this trend) was mostly media driven, I believe,” says Sultanik-Silver. “Everyone wants a piece of ‘the next big thing.’ Our popular culture is driven by image and consumerism right now. Word on the street was that men were interested in dressing up more, spending more on clothes, moisturizers, etc. Men's fashion and style were the hot buzz segment of the youth market and as a result, more brands began targeting young men as more retailers begin catering to them. To me, this signals the mainstreamization of metrosexualism,” says Sultanik-Silver. “And it’s going to continue to grow.”
As the success of Men’s Expert bears testament, L’Oréal Paris has played an active role in the ongoing mainstreaming of metrosexuals. “In our first year, we brought a significant number of these ‘men on the cusp’ into the category and we will continue to do so,” states Hamilton. “Our efforts, combined with other heavy activity in the category, will mean continued growth for many more years.”
Although she agrees that the remaining stigma about men who are keen on grooming is dissolving rapidly, there is still a serious learning curve in regard to marketing to metrosexuals.
“Despite tremendous growth rates over the past several years, the men's treatment segment is still in its infancy,” surmises Hamilton. “Today, less than 20% of men use a facial moisturizer. However, another 25% of men today say that they are interested in trying skincare treatments, but have not yet made the leap. On the whole, most men have moved away from any stigma associated with using what could be considered a more female product, but they are still not sure what to do and how to do it.”
Young or old, metrosexuals apparently are here to stay. Eventually, the term “metrosexual” might even become dated. Then, metrosexuals simply would be known as men who enjoy their right to groom and shop for clothes.
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