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The title of a post in Sonal’s blog really catch my eyes, which is Our Beauty Lies In Our Imperfections.

I am a big fan of skin care and make up products because it is amazing that someone can control its own beauty, at least to me. But, wait a sec, is this really gonna work out? We don’t actually know what is inside these skin care and make up stuff. We are not sure whether these products can indeed improve our skin situation. All those nice ads on skin care products kinda motivates us to buy the product and believe if we use it we are gonna be as young and pretty as the model is. This can be related to ethics of marketing, but I don’t want to go that far. So I am just gonna try to think twice before I got “compelled” buy those beauty ads.

So as I was surfing some of my team members’ blogs, I found Elling’s post on Are you for real? really catches my interest.

I have been thinking for several times on why some many people are in crazy love with Mac. To me, it is kinda unbelievable. Personally, I think Mac is basically designed for artists or animation program developer. At first glance, Mac does catch my eyes because its amazing beautiful appearance, but when I compare the price with a regular laptop with almost the same feature, Mac does not look that attractive to me anymore. I mean Mac is really over priced. Then I start to think why people are willing to pay way too much money for Mac. I understand worth and cost are very different things, but how did Mac do this. The success of Mac should delicate to its successful marketing and this needs deeper consideration. Anyways, I am totally a PC girl and I will never switch to Mac as well as Elling. :p

I found this post when I was surfing internet. The original post  is here. The “like” button is a new efficient way for companys to reach the customer,  and take fully advantage of the fellow influence.

This is how the “like” button works. For example, James clicked like on a website called ‘Peter England – T-Shirts’. He has 500 friends. Now, 20 of them also liked the site The moment they clicked ‘like’ on the website, a post will be displayed on their friends’ newsfeeds revealing the business to a much wider audience. And that is how the Facebook ‘Like’ button virally advertises the products, services etc. of businesses across the web within seconds. ”

This gives me a hint that companies should track  the change of consumer behaviour. Every time when the change comes out , there is always some new opportunity coming out for us to take advantage of.

7 Times for Business Humor

1. When producing video. People have come to expect a level of humor in business videos – probably because we’re so conditioned to passing around links to gut splitting videos in our personal lives. Companies have more room to amuse than in other types of marketing content.
2. When funny writers are at hand. One thing worse than morbidly serious content is content that tries to be funny and fails. Don’t launch lead balloons.
3. When everyone else is being serious. Many contend that humor is not appropriate for certain industries. What do you think? Going against the grain gets you noticed. An example I’ve cited frequently is New Pig. This firm succesfully brought a light touch to the previously ponderous world of industrial spill containment. Can you think of other examples?
4. When blogging and engaging in social media. As with video, folks tend to cut you more slack in social media conversations and content. I wouldn’t write the way I’m writing now on one of Straight North’s SEO Services page, because the tone is all wrong. Reader expectations differ depending on context.
5. When your material is drop dead dull. PowerPoint presentations, case studies, long copy of any kind, can be breeding grounds for boredom. Sprinkling in a cartoon or humorous anecdote here and there can make the difference between being understood and being ignored.
6. When humor is directed at your own organization. Poking fun at competitors comes off as petty. Poking fun at customers comes off as insane (but I’ve seen company Web sites that do it). Poking fun at yourself can be endearing. Enough said.
7. When all else fails. Being heard above the noise can be a daunting task. If your message seems to fall on deaf ears month in and month out, shake up your style. If you can’t win over customers with facts, maybe you can do it with smiles.

It seems advertisers are hell-bent on making the commercial breaks that separate fans from Mad Men and Jersey Shore the longest, most excruciating minutes of our lives. In the last year, we’ve suffered through Progressive’s painful spokeswoman Flo squawking about insurance and awkward State Farm ads that remind us in depressing terms just how bankrupt we all are from the recession (“Our real national past-time? Saving money!”).

Thankfully, The Consumerist has been keeping track. Out today are their nominations for the Worst Ads of 2010, a list of some of the most mind-blowingly stupid commercials plaguing America’s airwaves. We’ve pulled a collection of some of the worst–head here to vote for your favorites, er, least favorites rather.  

ABSOLUTE WORST AD IN AMERICA

Staples: “Wow! That’s a Low Price!”

Why: Wow! That’s a loud yell! About a dumb joke! And no one’s actually buying anything! And hey! Now another guy is yelling!

Progressive: “Flo Dishes Out Discounts”

Why: … With a side of botulism! Or at least it feels like it when everyone’s wacky aunt attempts to make insurance fun ‘n’ quirky!

Honda – Mr. Opportunity – “Paparazzi”

Why: The hack-y cartoon character that looks like he stepped out of the funny papers in 1970 wouldn’t be so bad if he was just the embodiment of a good pun. Missed opportunity.

Quiznos: “Singimals — Starring Kittens”

Why: So, wait. The sandwiches are made of cat food? There’s actual cat in them? Confused. Not hungry.

State Farm – “Pocket Agent”

Why: The dynamic between these two is just terribly awkward. I don’t want a State Farm agent, and I certainly don’t want one in my pocket.

MOST GRATING PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN

1-800 Dentist: The last woman on Earth you’d want in the elevator with you

Why: It’s impossible to watch without cringing.

5-Hour Energy: Mr. “Do You Know What 2:30 Feels Like?”

Why: For an ad showing how groggy we feel at 2:30, this spokesperson is pretty perky, jumping from one cubicle to the next. If I worked with this guy, I’d chug a bottle of 5-Hour and slap him in the face.

McDonald’s: The “Not Until I’ve Had My Coffee” jerkface

Why: Joke’s on him when he’s an obese diabetes-suffering Grimace-lookalike by age 35.

Wendy’s: That “Pico De Gallo!” loudmouth

Why: “You know when it’s real” is Wendy’s tagline. Too bad this back-and-forth between two of the fast food chain’s employees feels totally fake and, well, annoying.  

Nationwide Insurance: The World’s Greatest Spokesperson In the World

Why: The crappy cousin and poor rip-off of the Dos Equis and Old Spice guys.

Hi, everyone. Welcome to my blog. I am Sissi. This is actually my first blog. I build this blog  for the course 296. Hope u will enjoy visiting here!

    A new iPhone4 is displayed in the Apple flagship store in New York.

China’s major telecommunication operator China Unicom on Friday began taking pre-orders for Apple’s iPhone 4 in China.

Users have to pay 5,880 yuan ($875) for the 16GB version of the iPhone 4 and 6,999 yuan ($1,042) for the 32GB version to get the iPhone 4 and two-year service package services with China Unicom, according to a statement posted on China Unicom’s website.

The statement did not give any details about how long customers will have to wait to get their pre-ordered iPhone 4.

Huang Wenge, a telecommunication industry analyst at Essence Securities, said iPhone 4 sales will markedly increase the number of China’s Unicom’s 3G service users.

“China Unicom is expected to have 1.5 million new 3G service users in October, boosted by the iPhone 4 sales,” Huang said, as compared with the current average monthly growth of 500,000.

Other analysts, however, remained doubtful whether the iPhone 4 would greatly increase demand for China Unicom’s 3G services.

“Most iPhone 4 users are expected to be previous iPhone series users, not new customers,” said Wang Liusheng, an analyst at Analysis International.

“I don’t think the iPhone 4 products can contribute a lot to the average revenue per user for China Unicom in the second half,” he said.

The share price of China Unicom rose 1.87 percent to HK$12 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange but fell 0.6 percent to 4.99 yuan on the Shanghai Stock Exchange during the morning session Friday.