Ladies, Thank Nike.

Okay ladies,

This was just to good not to post.

Nike released a 2 minute ‘welcome winter’ spot and the stars are hot enough to melt the snow before it actually arrives.

I think the ad has something to do with their new super warm line that is to be available soon and thank god because it is getting frosty in Canada!

This will help you warm up I swear!

I know I am a big believer in gender equality and all that jazz and I am. So to make it fair, every person in this ad is super attractive and not because they are size 2 and super skinny but because they are FIT and HEALTHY!

Crazy thought I know!

So thank you Nike for that amazing spot! Couldn’t tell you what it was advertising but damn it’s fine.

Sorry, Skipper.

-M

Mad Men

Hi all,

As today is Monday, I would like to share one of the many things I have learned from Mad Men.

Don Draper is trying to pitch an ad campaign plan to a client from Kodak. The product is a projector.

Here is the scene.

Here is what I learned.

It does not matter what you are selling at all. The best way is to develop a personal connection to the product for your audience. Show them how your product will bring them he past, happiness, a new perspective. Show them how your product will bring them closure to inner peace, to taming their demons, everyone has them and we all want them silenced. If you can do that, if you can develop a bond with your audience sure you will sell some product but you have touched their lives and at the end of this crazy journey we are all on; isn’t that what it’s really all about?

Just some food for thought,

-M

Why I am a Canadian Who is Sick of the Election.

This campaign season seemed to never end. It felt like a life time. This election was massively important and I understand that better than most. I voted and I was a very outspoken advocate about voting. But just voting.

Yes, I like many others have their opinions which they feel strongly about but unlike 98% of my generation, I did not feel the need to publicly bash other parties simply because they were the ones that I wasn’t voting for.

During the campaign I felt like every single time I logged onto Facebook I was being attacked from all angles because now just because we have platforms like Facebook it makes it okay to force your opinion down everyone’s throat.

People complain about how childish our MP’s act when they are sitting in the House of Commons making massive decisions that will impact millions of lives every day but the general public is now better. Look at how we act every single time someone says something we disagree with. Now instead of voicing our opinions in an educated manor we turn OUR political leaders into degrading memes.

And I haven’t even started on the immature behavior of the actual leaders with their mud slinging ads.

Long story short I too have voiced opinions that maybe were not appropriate. I am human but those we also done inside the privacy of my own home, not in a public forum where everyone was forced to listen.

This is sadly the power of the internet sometimes. It can do amazing things but it can also turn around and bite people. Gone are the days where your past stayed in the past and didn’t come back to haunt you via marketing tactics by other parties.

I love BuzzFeed but this is just to much.

I guess what I am saying is please move past the mudslinging and be mindful of what you are posting.

-M

How Many Hours Do I Work Per Week?

Many of you know that I have now moved to working from home for my employer. That means I can’t punch in and out on a standard time clock which well can be a challenge.

I did find this awesome blog post the other day and well this is how I do it. I also do this for project management at school. It allows me to be able to track how many hours I am spending on what and helps me keep my priorities in check.

I would so recommend reading Hannah’s post and trying this out!

-M

Source: How Many Hours Do I Work Per Week?

The Magic of Story Telling

Today in class we watched a video on story telling and the power it has on human emotions. The video showed a TED talk. A very powerful one at that. The talk was given by the creator of many of my favourite childhood movies including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E and A Bug’s Life. His Name is Andrew Stanton.

Now, as a marketing student and someone who loves to write, I am a story teller. I love to be able to make people feel things and have them engaged with what I am saying. This talk hit home for me. It is one of those talks that strikes something deep inside you and inspires you to keep going. To keep telling the stories and trying to spread wonder.

Here is the talk if you want to watch it. I would recommend taking the 20 minutes out of your day and indulging in something intoxicating.

Maybe it will evoke your soul the way it did mine.

Let me know what you think

-M

Is it Friday already?

Hello everyone!

This week seems to have flown by faster than I would have liked but that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn anything. So as always here is what I have learned.

Be Kind

These week I have had a lot of our first years reaching out to me for help with their blogs. The blogging assignment in our program and be intimidating. For those of us who do not post frequently on our umpteen social media accounts it can be scary putting yourself and your thoughts out there for the world to see.

So when I get emails and messages of people asking me for help I could say no that I am up to my eyes as it is but I don’t. Be kind to each other. Sometimes all people need to hear is that their idea is a good one.

Make the most of all of your situations

This week I have faced so many technical difficulties I have been left wishing I was born in 1960 when the most horrible piece of tech was a typewriter. Use those as a learning opportunity. I am sure if you spend enough time swearing at a computer screen you will find a silver lining. Let me know what you find!

My Resume is awful

Just saying. It needs to be redesigned. Like bad.

Also this awesome joke:

I tried to make reservations at the Library but they were fully booked! LOL god I crack myself up!

Happy Weekend!

-M

Lush

So many of you may know that I am a huge fan of Lush. I love the products and the whole companies mission for that matter.

We live in a world filled with chemicals. We are taught to eat organic and healthy; to be mindful of what we are putting into our bodies so why wouldn’t we apply the same practices to what we put on our bodies? That is where Lush comes in. They use all natural and “naked” products for all of our cosmetic needs. From hair masks to massage bars and everything in between.

Recently however they have been under the microscope for an ad campaign that ran in Australia. This ad (shown below) features 4 naked women with their backs facing the camera. Now these are REAL women with REAL bodies that haven’t been air brushed, Photoshopped and distorted to meet the standard of an unrealistic “ideal” woman.

I see nothing wrong with the ad. Yes it shows 4 naked back sides but really people? It’s a but. It is truly not that bad. Watch a prime time TV show and you will see WAY more of some actors than you really want to or than anything seen in this ad.

But that is just my humble opinion! Check out the campaign for yourself and let me know what you think in the comment section below!

-M

Happy Thanksgiving!

For all of us Canadian’s this weekend marks the first awesome food festival of the fall: Thanksgiving. It is one of my absolute favourite weekends of the year. In the spirit of Thanksgiving and instead of my usual posts I am going to talk about all the amazing things I am thankful for.

Family

I have been blessed with an amazing family who redefines the definition of support. Without them I would not be as successful as I am today.

  

Friends

I have the most amazing friends on the face of the planet. You guys know who you are. From listening to me complain about Skipper and those challenges to celebrating my successes and theirs to dancing ridiculously to Taylor Swift or well having one too many on St. Patty’s day. These girls are what make the stress bearable and the fun far funnier than it really needs to be.

    

Skipper

Well he is the best and as much as sometimes I want to smack him, he always comes through for me when I need him. Besides he can always make me smile and what is more important in life than that?

School

I am very lucky to have been born in Canada so I would have the opportunity to not only attend public school but also post secondary. Many girls around the world do not have the same opportunities in life that I do simply because they are girls and that is the worst reason to be excluded from learning.

 

The right to vote

I am so thankful for all the women who came before me and fought for me to have the same rights as men. Especially for the right to do what is the most important civil duty we as Canadians have: voting. I will cast my educated ballot in this election and honor the memory of the powerful and outspoken women who battled to give me this right.

Being born a Canadian

As I get older and continue to look around the world at the way various countries work I grow more and more grateful to have been born a Canadian. We take it for granted but really we are truly lucky. There are no civil wars, no ethnic cleansing’s, and no invasions. We are allowed to love whomever we choose to. Practice whatever religion we would like. As women we are given the same opportunities as men to go to school, join the work force, enlist in the military, work as a first responder, run for Prime Minister or simply be a mom. We can choose to do anything we want. Many people around the world are not nearly as lucky as we Canadians are.

So this Thanksgiving make sure to count your blessings because as Canadians we are blessed with what we have. Enjoy the time with your family and tell those you love just how important they are. Life is to short to focus on the negatives.

Happy Thanksgiving y’all!

Taylor Swift. The Marketing Queen.

Last week Taylor Swift played the Rogers Center in Toronto on her 1989 World Tour. She had two dates, Friday October 2nd (which I was at) and Saturday October 3rd. Both of her shows were sold out to 50,000 strong crowds of screaming and adoring fans, of which I was one.

Taylor Swift is a musician I grew up with. Yes, she is 7 years my senior but I grew up listening to her music which changed as I did. That is something that is very powerful. It gives you the sense you aren’t alone out there in the crazy years that are, being a teenager. Yes, I went through my hipster phase in which I, under no circumstances would ever admit to listening to T Swift. And then I came out of it and as 22 blasted through my car speakers I realized that I did not care what people thought of my addiction to Queen Swift.

I was never the fan who had her plastered all over my room or has her tweets on notification settings but I do buy her album every release day. I was online the very moment her tickets were on sale and yes I do have my very own pair of Keds by Taylor Swift.

Now that I am in marketing and can appreciate her from an all new level I have realized one thing. She is amazing at what she does.

I think her best selling feature is how true to herself and how genuine she really is. I have been to my fair share of concerts and never have I seen the look that graced her face when 50,000 people sang along to her ever famous “you belong with me”. It was one of  true gratitude and joy. She is someone who was born to do what she does. No marketing tactic can ever portray that message. She herself is her best catch phrase. She is real and relate-able and every girls best friend.

I truly hope that one day I can love my job as much as it looks like she does. So thank you, Taylor for one hell of a night!

-M

Experience Friday. From Toronto.

Hi All,

So last week didn’t happen because well I was taking a vacation from life while I visited my 2 amazing and beautiful best friends in Toronto for the weekend. So here is what I learned:

Second Year Comes with Higher Expectations

For any first years who are reading this; be prepared. It is not all sunshine and rainbows. More is expected and you have to up your game to stay with it. I worked a lot a head so I didn’t have to think while I was away and I thought I would be totally fine… For the most part I was but missing even one class felt like I was a month behind and I even read the lectures!

Make Your Plan with Room

When I was making out my weekly plan last Sunday night to make sure I would have everything done and ready to go on time, I gave myself a buffer day. I planned to have a week and a half’s worth of work done in 3 days. It was the best thing I ever did. Aiming to have everything done and ready to be handed in Wednesday by 5 meant that when life happened and something was going to have to wait, I wasn’t left freaking out and panicking.

Sometimes You Just Really Need a Break

Life can suck sometimes and it can leave you grasping for air. The air I was grasping for was space from my real life and spending time with my friends. This allowed me to forget everything that was going on and just be me for a little while.

Taylor Swift is a Goddess

If I need to explain this… well… just no.

Sometimes You don’t Need the Support You Think You do

Last week I received an award for Academic Excellence in my first year at SLC. For me, that was a very proud moment and I thought that I would need Skipper there. Turns out the military life got in the way and Skipper couldn’t come. As much as I hate to admit this, I did just fine on my own. Skipper if you are reading this I am still upset.

-M

And now a note from Skipper:

She’s wasn’t lying, it took a large amount of chocolate to quell this storm – Shout out to spin desserts in Kingston!