Public Relations

It has been a long time since I posted here last time. In this time my life moved forward and I was following trying to learn. And believe me, I learnt a lot.

One of the domaines I have been involved in, is called Public Relations. This is a wonderful subject. It demands creativity but t brings quickly results. You can really create wonderful things with but you have to take care what you are communicating. Because once the things are public, they are read, noticed and known. So, you need to think carefully before publishing. That's the point.

But if we take a look on our everyday life, this is the same what happens. We all are giving input to the world and it is read/heard, noticed and known. And we have the best and the worst public we could imagine: other people's opinion. So if we perform actions based on lower feelings like jealousy, selfishness and disdain of other people, this will be seen, noticed and known. And public opinion takes long to forget. And life is never forgetting. What a pity few of us don't respect this rule....

For my own, I will continue to follow my own rule: meeting myself every single morning in the mirror without being forced to avoid my own gaze. And this is quite a challenge today as it is easy to give in feeling the lower emotions... But I keep trying...

Have a great Sunday. 

A beautiful story

I found this story in a community and would love to share it with you. Unfortunately I don't know the author.

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?”

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

“Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness. They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia. They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on CDs. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist. But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish? They would have no sex life and could not bear children. Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad. And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I’d rather be a whale."

Little differencies

Everyone is talking about tolenrance. And everyone needs to tolerate the little differencies of hisown. All we expect is the others to tolerate us. But are we tolerating others? We are promising to do this but do we keep our promises?

Sure, it is not easy to do this. But if we start to do so, we set a sign. A sign that the others can follow. Then we can change the world but givin example. Not in the other way. Unfortunatelly we forget this often. And it is so easy to do.

Keeping our promises and respecting the others reminds us we are not alone. And it is a beautiful feeling to be a part of something big and important. We only need to do a little effort: practice tolerance.

My name is NOT Khan

and I wish I was. I am often mean, jealous, not always honest, inpredictable, career driven, populist, conformist, going with the flow etc. But my heart wish to be like him - sometimes childish but straight forward and honest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQP1OfCFM-g&feature=related

We all should be a little like him. Even if the world is forcing us to be so called adult, we need to keep our ideals we had as we were kids. When we believe in them, we can move mountains. Only the authenticity and credibility make us real.

Hope you enjoyed these thoughts.

Do it yourself is always better

It has been a long time again since I posted here the last time. Unfortunately time is passing quite quickly and work loves me so I can't be without. But it is great so as many of you can confirm.

Today on linkedin I saw an interesting article: some witnessing on not to outsourcing the own website but handling it by yourself. After the experiences of last days I can really second that affirmation.

We all have suppliers we brief on project we want to have done. And we are happy about the work done that is in many times not only time but also money consuming. Even if we have to follow every step and approve a lot of steps, this procedure is great. We know what it is done, we follow and we get results.

But what happens if we brief blindly suppliers without knowing the matters in details? In the first line we need to cut costs and choose not always the world class leader to do work. So, if this is not done perfectly, we could say "at least it was cheaper!" and we didn't spend a fortune for it.

But it is always the truth? Myself, I made experiences that it is not always a case. If the client is following the project very closely, every supplier gets some pression. If the client wants or not, this is the case and the supplier feels controlled. But the work is done in the most of times faster and better.

More money - better results? This is not necessarily true. We have a lot of little supplier companies which are cheaper but faster and sometimes even more professional. But it is always up to us to judge it. And for this we need to be interested in what we need to do for our projects, even if this is not our profession. We need to become generalists. It takes time and effort but at the end it is much faster and more efficient.

Aromes

Hello everyone,

Some breaks in writing are due to some changes we pass in our lives. This is my case. I passed from shoes to cheese domain. Why? I tell you. I love food. Aromatic, spicy, regional, festive - I like to eat. And cheese is a part of it.

Being simple customer and end user before, I was aware about camemberts, hard cheese, fresh/soft cheese. Of course I knew mozarella, blue or some regionals cheese but I didn't ask any questions on it. Right now I am discovering a wonderful world, full of aromes. The differences in the production of the same cheese is seen in the first line on regional level. If you compare for example camembert produced in Germany and the one produced in France, you will find the German one very neutral. French one will give you a great impression of degustation. You will find it maby too strong but it will be not neutral. Please take the camembert Le Rustique (45% of fat in the dry part). This product will give you the idea what real aromes mean.

What is possible for cheese, you can find also in human life. Every situation we meet has its own subtile arome. It is up to us to find it out and to act accordingly. Or to act against if the arome is not appropriated to what we need and like. The only difficulty is to find out the arome of the actual situation. Sometimes it is tto discreet to be found out immediately. But it is still there.

I will from now on study more life aromes as they are as interesting as the ones of the cheese. And sometimes even more interesting. But let me tell you that my favourite two ones are cinammon and coriandre.

Martha

How they see me as a person...

Dear All,

I have read today an article of a friend of mine. My dear friend, Sunny Cervantes, she wrote this. And me as a fan of her, I do have to post it here. Please take a look at:

http://www.allthesinglegirlfriends.com/2011/04/05/do-love-triangles-really-exist/

The most impactfull part for myself was:

"I have male friends who are womanizers. I don’t condone their ways but I don’t want to judge them for it. I don’t know what goes on inside their minds and hearts. I only see and know how they treat me as a person. And they treat me with respect and decency. So, I think that for me to sit in judgment of their actions is not only unjust but extremely hypocritical."

Sunny, you are so right! We tend to see only what is on the surface and we don't take time to check what is behind. Human kind has no easy life today. And in our world, even if we have still not lived in the full emancipation, men has no an easy life. They need to always be politically correct. Every small step of bad direction can be concidered as a macho style or I take all I can get. And noone is really reflecting that this "womaninzer" style can be a trial to understand the other sex.

I can tell you once for me. I really DON'T get the man I love. And believe me, I love him more than my life and I would even die for him. But what I know is that he has the same problem with me. The only difference is: I can show my questions and fears. Him, the society is still expetcing from him to be a superman. He has no right to show any weakness. He is a man. If he shows, he is not credible.

My only thoughts are: we are still not in emancipation age. Neither for women nor for men. And both genders try to understand eachover. Please remember that.

Best regards,

Martha

Mangiare, pregare, amare

I still have to think of the movie "Eat, pray, love". And today more than ever since I read the article on how good an Indian woman entrepreneur is running German fashion label Escada.

You will for sure ask yourself or maybe even me directly: "What the heck these two things have to do with eachover?". I tell you a lot.

The role of woman has changed a lot within last years. Comunism made her expremely emacipated by law so that she was praying for having the right to be just a woman. In the western culture she has still to fight for her emancipation as this is a men's world. Of course there are few so called successfull women who are known in the whole world like Irene Rosenfeld, CEO of Kraft Foods. But believe me - she is playing the men's game and this is what I really DON'T want to do. So, where to go and what to do? Do I have a room
somewhere just to be myself, a woman, myself?

But I don't need to go far far away to be myself. I can do this here. The one point is: I need to have a certain strengh. A strengh to be yourself. A strengh to follow your dreams and not to let yourself influence but external "politics" or influences at all. Neither the fashion or so called good freinds or influences at all. You are always allowed to follow your heart and this is the best thing you can do.

Women today are under biggest pression ever. We need to be successful, perfect lovers, super models and the best wives. Hard to satisfy, no? To be honest? Not at all. We just need to be WOMEN. Not every successful woman has to be a CEo of Kraft Foods. Success is the state of having achieved something. And this is considered individually. And every personal success which guides to happiness is worth millions of political or industrial carrers. We just need to be aware of this in our mind.

I haven't find my way to be successful yet. But I know that this is what I want to do as next. No idea how but I have the best personal motivation - these loving eyes of my special someone. And I know I will find it out. I don't want to sell my grand-mother to be happy. I just want to be myeself - a real woman, a wonderful one.

Have a great Friday evening.

The best time of the year

Hello All,

It has been quite a long time I haven't written anything here on. All my apologies. and as last year I come back with my season wishes. My you all enjoy it, together with your loved ones.

Holiday season is a cosy one. We are busy to finish the year but we are also looking for the end of the year to get some rest and free time. This double face of this times doesn't make it easy. And the pressure of giving is also there. In some situations it has become not only a ritual but a real competition. But it is in the spirit of the time?

Giving is something special. It has to come from the heart. And the best gifts are unexpected ones. Competition has no place here. Love is not a competition, love is selfless, openhearted and openminded. We cannot expect the reward as well as the person who loves you doesn't do this either. The gesture counts and the spirit. And this is the right time to show it.

Enjoy the season everyone.

Happy Holiday!

People behaviour - next part

We are living in a very fast world. And we all HAVE TO fit in. It is not easy to spend 14 hours a day at work and then go home and have a life. Additionally we have so called cultural training that educated us. And at work the situation is not easy - demanding clients, demanding or even offending bosses and will to succeed.

It is normal today that we close ourselves in our own world and establish a mind of protection shild and try to defend us in front of all this. This is absolutely human in this non-human world. But what happens quite often is that we offend/hurt people we love. We try that much to controll the situation that we forget where the controll has to finish. We take the work stuff home. Why? Common behaviour, bad attitude, ambition. All nice qualitites but they shouldn't be put in private life as they are willing to destroy everything in front of them which is not common.

And in private life, don't we look for a little bit of difference? And if we find it, what we do? We scare it and we fight it. As we try to controll our life.

I was thinking about this a lot. This is rare that someone really enjoys what he/she does. And why isn't it so? This is a good question that I need to ponder on.

Have a great evening.

Martha

Would you like to take a cup of tea with me?

Today I saw in a Yoga magazine a story that took my attention. A man came to yoga school and could handle his love to a woman who didn't love him. He was desperated. The yoga master wanted to take a cup of tea with him to explore his state of almost luck. The man didn't get and left. Few time later he came back explaining he got over this and this love was nothing for him and he was not really in love. He asked the master to take this cup of tea with him. the master answered: "Maybe later".

This story shows exactly how the wolrd of today is working. We only do something if we know we can get something in return. We do a favour to someone as he can return the favour, we are in love with someone as we want to marry this someone, we give gifts as we are sure we will receive gifts in return. This is how it works.

But what if this is not the result that counts? What if this is the journey that we are intended to make? What if the state of journey is the most important?

to open your eyes to the world and see opportunities in journey or just doing something is not what we focus. And especially not in business. Sure, we have to live from something. But this aspect lets us forget often how beautiful is just to do something for this doing itself. This joy can change worlds. And sometimes it makes the life easier.

Have a great evening all,

Martha

A Matter of Priorities

Got it from a friend few days ago but got to read it today when I really needed it. Great lesson and great advise to follow.

When we stop worrying about unimportant matters we can devote more to what is truly important.

We experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.

The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.

In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. As focused as you are on this moment in time, your reward for letting go of your emotional investment may be the very happiness and harmony of being whose loss you are lamenting. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost it exacts. You cannot distance yourself from life's inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can relinquish your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.

Looking for eternal youth and fortune

Who of us wouldn't like to live long and in prosper with no financial problems? Who wouldn't like to pay all his moods and efford the things we normally need to do some economies for? We all have dreams.

And some people try to use these two elements to get our money for. And this turned into a new trend called recommendation marketing. We try, we buy and then our money is working for us. How confortable and how great for our selfestimation. And there is no catch behind. We use the product for us and it will help our health. How great can our life be. And we do not that much - just recommend.

But how real can it be? A certain US company called Monavie pretends this kind of marketing will change our life. We are using a miracle fruit Acai, helping Brasilians wokring for them who are anyway happy and we do good for ourselves. A real fairy tale comes true. And there is no catch. WOW!

As a marketeer I don't believe in anything that works for me and I have to do nothing. And all miracles are made by good PR teams. Of course, there are mircales and if we believe strongly in them they happen. But a product? No way.

I am getting in touch with Monavie a lot last days. Today I learnt a bottle of their juice cost 45 Dollars! Nice price. And to get as many oxidants as you need to rejuvenate your cells you need to drink a lot of jucie a day: 2-3 bottles, each 45 Dollars. Nice income for the producers.

The next step I saw on the net is a diet based on the consummation of this fruit:

http://news13health.com/index.php?storyid=45789

Well... If you drink a lot, don't eat too much and take care of what you eat, you will lose weight for sure. Not only due to Acai. But the page found by me is the nly one who tries to scam us. Please take a look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w75Ym06b9xI&feature=related

All what they have in common is the will to get our money. For the services that are much too overestimated for what they really deliver. I will stay at my grape jucie and will wait till I get older and see my grand-kids play in front of me and be happy about it.

Have a great rest of the Sunday.

Martha

What is luxury?

Following wikipedia: In economics, a luxury good is a good for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises, in contrast to a "necessity good", for which demand is not related to income.

Following this we don't need it to survive. Luxury takes us more money then another goods and it is not available for everyone. But everyone is dreaming of. Little luxury in our lifes ist just healing our soul.

Meaning of luxury can differ depending on people you are talking to. In these days luxury can be also used for mental goods as time, freedom, travel etc. Of course there are still some brands like Chanel, Dior, Rolce Royce and others who will be always associated with this notion. And of course in the eyes of everyone.

It is not easy to rise a brand today, especially not a luxury one. You always need the special additional value that another brand doesn't have. today it is not easy as they are more brands than people on earth.

Especially difficult it is in the sector of hospitality. There are many ressort and many hotels offering the same or similar. And your dilema is: which one is better? Do I spend my money in the right way - I want luxury and I am willing to pay more for the best quality but is this the best quality? And will I get what I need in the environment I wish to be?

There are many offers for clients and not everyone is keeping what it is promissing. But I know one that is. Do you?

Have a great evening.

Facebook - the life after

Dear All,

My last post was handling on facebook. And I am proud of what I did after having finished the post - I left facebook! Hiya!

I know this is a ridiculous sentence but many of us are too much used to facebook. It is like a drug - it looks for an explorer and gamer in you. And everyone of us in a kid deep inside of our soul. That's why café, farmville or paradise island are so popular. Myself, I played all three of them and at the beginning I was even a citisan of farmtown! Fortunately it was too complicated so I gave up quickly.

Today I got an answer on my blog on network SENATUS and I learnt there are different types of facebook users. All of them try to leave facebook but all fail. There are:
1. The Games Maven - You spend too much time playing Facebook Games
2. The Paranoid Android - You’re skeptical of the privacy setttings on Facebook and don’t want everyone to know everything about your life.
3. The Romantic - You only signed up to get in touch with one special person. Now that’s complete, so you’re quitting.
4. The Regretful Socializer - You feel that you’re overdeveloping your loose acquaintance relationships and not spending enough time with your real friends.
5. The Entrepreneur - You’re starting a business, and you are spending too much time on Facebook and not enough time on LinkedIn
6. The Spammed Gamer - You just can’t handle all the random application invitations, notifications, group invites and other types of spam. The tool has become unusable for you.
7. The Explorer - You want to try out a new social network, like Orkut or Bebo.
8. The Kid - You’re too young to use Facebook and your parents caught you.
9. The Traitor - You work for MySpace and Fox doesn’t like traitors.
10. The Trapped Adventurer - You are moving to a new life and want to break away from your old habits and friends.

Fascinating. This is a real culture for its own. And this could be a perfect new world if this little privacy thing wasn't there.... And Mark Zuckerberg has no profile but a fan page whith limited access to post on it. Interesting... And giving the reason to ponder and to learn from it. Myself, I did and I am happy about. I let facebook live but without my data input.

And guess what? I have more time for really interesting things, including networking.

Have a great evening,

Martha


To know more about types of facebook users see below:
http://www.allfacebook.com/2010/03/quit-facebook-fail/

Life in the glass house

Dear All,

The winter doesn't want to leave this year. However, it starts melting again. The hope for spring is still there.

Lately I was confronted with an interesting article which scared me a little bit. It was written on privacy rules at google and facebook. And I started to ponder on this.

Google is THE search machine on the internet. If you are looking for something in the web you tell: I will google this. At least in German. And facebook is THE networking site. If you lost contact to someone, you can be sure to find this person there in 99%. Everyone is there.

These two companies are collective data on their customer/users. Google can even tell where you are actually with your computer - place, land etc. And it can tell you what kind of sites you were visting. But they are not delivering this information to 3rd party. And this is what facebook is doing. If you allow an application to be a part of your profile, the developer has the full access to your profile. Additionally, there are new applications eg. for iPhone or MS Outlook on facebook, who are using your address book and identifying your contacts. It means - facebook knows you even if you are not a member! If you join, you will be immediately put in connection to the people you know! As the data on you is saved! Scary, no? You have no idea who is spying you...

From my point of view as a marketeer, these both companies have enormous value. They have extremely big data base and this is very important to be competitive today. We all live from data base and from the possibilities of contacting the right consumers at the right time and in the right way. And if people are giving all these information to us voluntary - what can be better? our company knows everything about his consumers - relationship, the look, the activities, hobbies, place to stay etc. What can we want more? This is a real paradise! However we act, we are on the right way and it is easy for us to satisfy the clients. And they are happy about this.

This is my point as marketeer. But as a normal human being I am strongly concerned about this. Esepcially about the fact, it is dangerous and you cannot really controll your privacy. When your contacts act careless with the privacy settings, you are lost. You can be affected till the point of a dangerous virus on your hard disk and you are blocked for days. And this is a very serious issue.

For myself, I decided to be very cautious with receiving any requests via emails or similar. I do care of my privacy and I don't want to have a life in glass house. I want to keep my liberty of choice and of individuality. And I know I will do this.

This year started busy. All good things take time and I am sure all this work will turn out in good things. and if I find something out, I will let you know for sure.

Have a great rest of Sunday.

Best wishes,

Martha

Some positive thoughts for the return of snow

Dear All,

I found this today in a forum of a network I am member of. I would like to share this with you as motivation for 2010.

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

4. Live with the 3 E's - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

5. Make time to pray.

6. Play more games.

7. Read more books than you did the year before.

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

9. Sleep for 7 hours.

10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

1. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

2. Don't have negative thoughts or be anxious about things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

3. Don't overdo it. Keep your limits.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

6. Dream more while you are awake.

7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner about his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

13. Smile and laugh more.

14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

1. Call your family often.

2. Each day give something good to others.

3. Forgive everyone for everything.

4. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

5. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

6. What other people think of you is none of your business.

7. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

1. Do the right thing!

2. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful

3. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

4. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

5. The best is yet to come.

6. When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.

7. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Happy Valentine!

All my best,

Martha

Reflection on a snowy day

I have promised you all a post on my favourite season - Christmas. To be honest, this period got so busy I had no chance to sit down and put in few words. Now I will do that.

Last holiday season seemed to me more splendide as the previous one. And it took longer - from around 20t of November till 6th of January. People enjoyed the world full of illumination and it was great to stop for a little while taking a glass of Glühwein (hot wine - very popular warm drink in German speaking country). The world seemed to be more colourfull and everyone was happy to be there and to see this last part of 2009.

Why do I had this impression? 2009 was again touched by the world financial crisis. Everyone of us was touched by this somehow - personally in business or via circle of friends. We heard about companies and banks being bankrupt and even, what was worse, about states being almost bankrupt. And this was not really encouraging. Employment numbers are still not ok. Many people lost their trust in banks and started paying cash. Times chave changed and we need to live with more risk. But at the end of the year, in a time traditionally more focussed on our loved ones, we just forget all the annoying things or are delaying them on later period. We focus on beautiful and cheerful things of life.

2010 has already started and I noticed the fact it is already a busy year. For my friends, my colleagues, my loved ones and of course for myself. You can feel this will in people to make this year better and to break the line of crisis which is our company since mid of 2008. And I am sure we will make it. But for sure we will have to do a lot of hard work and possibly we will have to rethink/review our thinking and our acting. Many things will change but personally I think we will go out this state right now with proud and head off to new time, even more interesting. Many of things will change and we will have to learn new ones. But I am already looking for this as my own learning has already started.

Buon anno 2010 e a presto!

Best wishes,

Martha

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