Reflections on a rainy day

Hello All,

I am back on the second day. On such a rainy day as today many reflections come.

Many of us are affected by the crisis - by losing the job or having difficulties in finding clients or losing clients due to costs. Big companies were fighting against in 2008 with new improved global campaigns with enormous investments in media. Another ones were reducing stuff and the other ones were just cutting costs. Small companies tried to find another ways.

2008 and already years before showed us, we need to reflect our communication again. The traditional ways were not enough, new developed compaigns were not more unique, companies were spending too much on pitches for new big ideas. Already then you could see the new trend - away from classic. An approach to inconventional ways to attract the customers, barter deals, grow of BTL activities. All this is growing.

Why? All these unconventional ways are bringing us closer to the product. If you want to buy soem food, the most efficient way to convinve you about the quality is a degustation. Cosmetics - you can take a little test semple to see if it is something for you. And if your skin can tolerate it.

Another way to show the own capacity is to sponsor a raffle. Many hotels are giving special offers for price winning games, mostly a weekend to win. Satified customers will surely come back.

Another way are cooperations. The most popular form are promotions. If you buy a certain amount of a certain product, you will be rewarded by a special price gien by teh cooperation partner or its special offer. Some products that need to be sold, are specially prepared in cooking shows by celebrity chefs or in the restaurants taking part in the promotion.

All this is bringing the brand closer and makes it more real. Big ideas are great to give us a direction but the direct pulse is what we can held in the hand. It works and it will always work. Then what is better than this what I tested and what I liked.

Now I will go back to my Christmas observations and come back with more thoughts.

Have a great evening.

Martha

Human nature

Dear All,

It has been a long time I posted something here on.

Last weekend I saw the latest movie of Jennifer Aniston called "Love happens" (below the trailer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYvFA0MFd-Y&feature=related

and it made me think. This movie is a pure entertainment, a real women movie. But there was something in it that I had to think about.

The hero, played by Aaron Eckhard is real sould solver. He wrote a book after having lost his wife and is helping another people to work their personal losses out. So far so good. At the end, the big hero had to admit he couldn't solve his own lost.

We all are wearing masks. At work, in public and sometimes even at home in front of our loved ones. We are talking about individuality, about the same rights for men and women: women being able to lead and men being able to show their pain. And what are we doing in the end? We are sticking with good old stereotype behaviours. Women are still less paid than men and need to work twice well to get higher level jobs and men are still showing their cold side. Selling of the own grand-mother is the rule and should someone show his human nature, it is considered as a weekness. Sad but true.

You will surely say I am exaggerating. Well... Being a marketeer I am a part of people business. I see human behaviour every day. We are living in extremely unhumanitarian times: companies reducing stuff for better profit, financial crisis, envy at work and in private life, no fun at what we do, politicians without real interest of working for their voters, bosses torturing psychically their subordinates, mobbing victims etc. The list is long. We want to change this but at the end we do nothing against for two reasons: there will be always someone doing worse to get our job and it is not up to a single individual to change the world.

All this is true and that is why we have a new trend in the time of the crisis. We focuss on individuality and on our selfbeing. Wellness trend is growing - we see things under the aspect what is good for us. We take every single possibility to trea us as kings/queens and avoid travelling as tourists. We are all looking for individuality. To pemper our body and soul we are willing to spend more then usually. Fancy food, special hotels (Romantik Hotels & Restaurants, Kempinsky Ressorts, Villa Rothschild or Ar Velin Avel), special healthy sports (yoga, pilates) or wellness treatments (massages, special baths, thermal holidays) - all this is helping us to feel better. And we are dreaming of romance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5svgBBAt7zI&feature=related

This all allows us to escape our daily pression for a while. The world of marketing knows it very well and is overflowing us with a lot of offers. Are they all worth to be taken? It is up to us to chose - by trial or recommendation.

Christmas season is approaching and the constumer is overflowed with more offers. But I will write about this next time.

Best regards,

Martha

Once upon a time...

… in a kingdom far far away there was a special place. This place was to find not far from the see, in a beautiful garden – green, silent, discreet. The garden’s proud were roses and trees. A place where you don’t want to be taken away…

The heart of the place was a wind mill. An old building, placed in this wonderful place, was ready to show off its mystery to everyone who felt drawn to it.

And there were visitor coming, curious but impressed and charmed by the place. All they wished for to escape the reality was fulfilled. The hostess made them feel at home and enjoy the place.

And they did as everything was perfect – rooms, environment, the service and meals.

You surely ask yourself why I am writing this fairy tale. The reason is very simple: this place already exists. In Bretagne/France, at the Morlaix Bay, North coast of Finistère there is an old wind mill, dating back to 1789. It is called Ar Velin Avel. It was renovate and rebuilt into guestrooms. The mill is placed in a big green garden and it has a beautiful rosarium, full of roses coming from Strasbourg.

Guests, who are coming there, are met by a great hospitality offering them all luxury they need and wish for. The owner of this place, Monica Velghe, has an unique philosophy: to meet the wishes of her guests. That is why she cooperates with two another companies from the sector: Petrossian in Paris and DA Prestige. Petrossian is delivering the finest food within 24 hours and DA Prestige is assuring the limousine service of Ar Velin Avel.

Ar Velin Avel is not a big place. But its 3 rooms and a suite are exceptionally equipped. They are the romantic room, the maritime room and the Asian room. And the suite, called Miller’s suite, give their guest an impression to live on the country side of Brittany. All the details there are following each theme and are completing the heart of the house. All is made with love and you can feel it.

Monica told me about a testimonial of one of her hosts: “Madame, étant chez vous, on est chez soi” (eng. Madam, in your house everyone feels at home). And this sentence is the core of Monica’s work. She meets every of her guest as special gift in her life and is treating him or her as someone special. The client is a king and is treated like that.

I will stop my exposé now as all these words are not capable to show you the special charm of this place. I only hope to have inspired your curiosity to check the site of the place: http://www.arvelinavel.com/

Best regards,

Martha

It took me a long time to write this second post down. Life of a marketeer is submitted to many factors, especially in today's situation so I found myself in front of situations I had to handle more urgently than the continuation of my blog. But now I am back here.

My question on the source of success of Meyer in the Fressgass was all the time in my head. And I started to reflect why. And for this I needed to take a look on people behaviour.

We are actually in difficult times. We have to handle more work in the same job, our colleague leave and are not replaced. We are counting every penny and our invoices are getting bigger and we don't buy more than before. That's why we all need a little reward from time to time. And the food is the best one - it helps us getting a better mood. And if this is healthy - even better.

Meyer is not only food seller. The company offers a holistic concept to meet their constumers. They have a shop where you can buy food for immediate consumption in the store, for preparation at home or there is also a catering service. And all this in extremely well made ambience, proposed by service people extremely good looking. You feel special and you have the impression all is home made.

The element of home made suggests us we feel at home. And if a restaurantion company succeed to give us this feeling, we are willing to pay the price to feel specially cared. Even if the prices are double in comparison to a store next door.

In this moment I have to think about a good friend of mine. A lady who succeded to give their host the same feeling while spending time in her little hotel. She understood to give a special treetment by treating her hosts like gods. And they are loving this.

But this story will be treaten in my next part.

Regards,

Martha

First reflection

I have sworn myself not to use French anymore in the following of my professional careere. And now I find myself calling my own blog Lionne de pub. Funny. But what we grow with, is guiding us all life long.

And my first steps in the advertising were done in France and sometimes I think if i shouldn't return there. In any case I feel addicted to that country somehow and am returing there, even in my profession. Could think about some ethno marketing for French clients in Germany addressed to French people living here. Why not? Would be a niche business. And a niche business is what could have future. But the point is to find a niche. :)

There is one phenomenon in current time of financial crisis. People are saving money, stop buying and looking for discounted offers but all fancy food stores are full of customers. If you go in Frankfurt to a place called Meyer's in the Fressgass, you have to stay in a queue to get your sandwich at noon time. Another places are emptier. Why? We all need a little luxury and reward and after hard work we are willing to spend few more to get better. Especially now when people have difficulties with finding jobs. A real phenomenon. As the human being himself.

I will ponder on this a while and come back with new results.

Regards,

Martha