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Hiya!

As a 3rd year transfer student from Langara, during my first term in UBC, Sauder School of Business to be specific, we are required to take COMM 299 – which is a one credit course in Business Communications, only offered in UBC. So last term, upon registration time, I wasn’t really thinking before registering into this course. This course is mandatory anyways.

Now we are coming to the end of this 8-month long course. And all I can say about this course is summed up into two words: USEFUL and INTERESTING. This course teaches something that no other course ever and will ever teach. I have been going to school for as long as I can remember – I think since the day I was born. Twenty years of my life, I learn a lot about theories and applications, but I have never learned about what potential I have in myself, that I can sharpen my skills so that I have a lot to offer to the business world. Through this course, I learn about how to behave during an interview, how to dress up formally to business events – almost like the What Not To Wear Show, and how to build networkings. Something that no other commerce courses would provide.

Overall, I am glad that UBC – Sauder School of Business offers this course, and makes this mandatory to students. I have learned a lot about myself, what kind of potential I have, and how to make good use of them, and a lot of other stuff I mentioned above. 🙂

Myrna

My life as a university student might not be different than any other student’s. I stay up late every night, sometimes I have sleeples nights working on assignment and cramming on upcoming tests. My life is normal, everyday I commute all the way to UBC. When I have to walk home alone at night, I make sure that I my cell phone comes in handy, so I can dial 911 incase of emergency. Lol

This happened a few months ago, while I was walking to the skytrain. I live 7-minutes away by walk from Edmonds skytrain. It was Sunday, around 8 in the morning, and it was already winter, so it was still dark outside. I was texting my friend while I decided to take the short cut, because I didn’t want to be late for my preference day on campus. I didn’t really pay attention to anything surround me, because as far as my eyes could see, there was nobody else walking there.

I kept walking and texting, until I realized that a guy was standing on my right, he was about 2 metres away from me. He said ‘Hey’ while I still had my sight on my phone screen. I took a look at him and that was when I noticed that he was such a freak. He had his pants down and shouted ‘Let’s get laid’ while he was chasing after me. I freaked out and started screaming but realized that nobody else was there. I ran all the way to the skytrain while he kept running after me. It was the scariest moment of my life. I was so disgusted.

Since then, I am always conscious. I am really suspicious of strangers (no matter how they look like) and I am reluctant to help people I meet on the street. I am scared that they would take me for granted.

Until 2 months ago, I remember it was Wednesday. I was walking from the Panhellenic House to the bus loop. It was around 10 pm. It was dark, and there were only Ariel (my friend) and I. We were crossing the street in front of the hospital when suddenly we saw a man crossing the street walking towards us.  He was blind, and he used stick to help him walk. He looked pretty shabby and I said to myself ‘Dont get fooled by these kinds of people. He might have something bad in his mind.’ and I whispered to Ariel ‘Watch out, sketchy guy!’ and I thanked God that she didn’t hear me. In no time, she walked to that blind man, grabbed his hand, and helped him cross the street and told him to be careful.

I was really touched by that, on the other hand, I felt bad about myself. How could I think of something that shallow while the fact that he was in need of help and he was really powerless.

That experience changed my way of thinking. I learned a lesson that I cannot judge other people by how they look and I cannot think that all people are bad based on that one bad experience I had in the past. Since then, I learned how I should be able not to judge people, and smartly helped those in need. Stay positive!

I apologize for cramming everything into the last day, but as this is my last post , I just want to write a bit more. I’ve really enjoyed having a course which requires us to write a blog. (I used to read a lot, and that was why I liked to write lol) but I don’t know why it was so hard for me to get this done weekly =( oh well it’s too late anyways.

Introduction to marketing is a really interesting course, especially when you have a good instructor who likes to show you some interesting slides as well as bizarre ads from all over the world. I did recommend this course to a friend of mine who is in the Faculty of Science, and is currently looking for electives.

I had always thought of marketing as how you market your products, and that’s it. But when you dig a little bit deeper, there is sooo much more. It’s how you handle everything. I’ve learned to be more familiar with some vocabularies which I wouldn’t have otherwise used: target, segmentation, positioning, multichannel marketing. I didn’t even know that place is one super important aspect of marketing lol. But thanks to Tamar and her far-from-being-bored lectures which push us ahead and keep us active with tricky-clicker-questions and in-class discussion!

Lastly, I just want to say:

Oh well, better not be too excited for holidays yet, FINAL EXAMS are just there in front of my eyes, ready to attack. I better start studying! Happy holidays peeps =)

I was reading through Kevin Tong’s blog about iPad’s commercial and it got me wondering that this is quite an interesting topic. He mentioned that Apple has smartly decided to position itself towards the less technologically savvy segment, and this video tells it all:  

As we can see, this video is clearly simple and understandable. There are just a few descriptive words, and apple just demonstrates how the iPad delivers it all. Even thought the product is extremely high tech, they’re trying to make the impression of being user friendly, as everything is just one touch away.

I totally agree with Kevin about the part where he says that the creators of this commercial  did a great job selecting which functions to display. It basially covers interesting aspects of life: delicious, current, learning, playful, literary, artful, friendly, productive, scientific, and one word that shows up in the end sums it all = magical. I personally am not the type of person who is crazy about technology, but after watching this ad 3 times, I feel like calling my parents, and telling them hints regarding what christmas present to get me! The ad gets me just like an arrow hitting the bullseye of a target. Good job APPLE! I am a fan!

In response to Queenie Ma’s blog Is It Effective? regarding the effectiveness of putting ads on facebook, I personally have different views. It is true that lately I have been noticing that facebook is letting the companies use our name, for example: ‘Hey, Myrna, here’s a 50% off coupon for liposuction.” Lol, I know it is not the nicest thing ever, but hey, I think those ads work. Seeing your name popping out on the screen while you’re facebook creeping, to me is kind of interesting. Indeed, I had actually clicked on some ads during my pleasure time browsing through facebook, even though after once or twice, I just totally stop opening any ads that call my name. The word effective is more appropriate if you relate it with the idea of putting ads on facebook. That’s it.

Those companies work together with facebook, I’m pretty sure they get access to our IPs and personal informations (that’s why I have always learned not to put everything up on facebook. Even though sometimes your devilish coworker or your super stingy cousin could be the first people you wish to turn into frogs – just don’t put it up in your facebook status!). Anyways, facebook has managed to show us ads from the stores in the city, so everything is more specified and related to us. For example:

Those are the first three ads that popped out once I logged into my facebook just now. Those three are events happening in Vancouver. Indeed, I once saw an ad of 3OH!3 (band) playing music in Commodore theatre, which I had no idea that they were coming, and if it wasn’t because of Facebook, I had already missed my favourite band playing music in Vancouver – thanks to Facebook then.

I think everything is about understanding the most-facebook-users (treat this as a target market), what they like (preference), and what things they have no interest in – this is kind of hard. I think people will actually click on ads that are interesting to them. You don’t have to look for it yourself, but they are just coming to you. Putting ads on facebook is a great idea, because as I can see that the number of people especially parents (who create and actually check on their facebook oftenly and even stalk their kids and their friends) and teenagers (my cousin is just 10 years old and she has a facebook account which she checks on regulary – WOW!) who have facebook accounts just keep increasing. It’s just so happening now. You place an ad on facebook, and bam! those people will be your targets.

Thanks to Facebook, again, for letting me know that Calvin Harris will be coming to town on December 28th. I wouldn’t wanna miss this.

Myrna

I was sitting quietly and enthusiastically listening to Tamar’s lecture last Thursday, November 25th, when she talked about the push and pull strategy, and she went on showing us some interesting ads which she found online, and I was smiling when she showed this ad:

I was smiling because, firstly, this picture is so funny, showing how the automatic railway gate resembles a gigantic cleaver, and secondly, the picture is taking place in Indonesia (I am from Jakarta, Indonesia, and I recognize almost every single spot in the city lol) and the line is in Indonesian!

‘Jangan nekat kalau mau selamat’ which means ‘Do not be reckless if you want to be safe’ is more like a reminder as well as persuasive advertising. Reminder ad as in to remind reckless drivers to be patient and not trying to speed up and slip under the gate because it is dangerous (there are LOTS of traffic collisions happen in the railway area) and persuasive as in motivating all the drivers to take part in complying with the traffic regulations, putting nobody in danger.

Effective advertising is about selecting the right media, and this, I think, is the perfect medium. Every time people drive by while the enormous-cleaver-gate is about to close, people will just notice it right away. It is noticeable yet eye catching but promoting safety at the same time.

Bravo Indonesia, by putting up the persuasive line on the gate, which I think is a great idea, you’re on the right track to make driving-experience in Jakarta safer and better.

Hello!

Lately I have been really obsessed with this Proenza Scshouler PS2 hand bag, especially after seeing this ad online, which I don’t exactly remember how, but the ad popped out on my screen (well, I was surfing the internet and opening some fashion blogs :P) Here’s the ad:

That purse is just adorably gorgeous, and don’t you just agree? And if you take a closer look to the ad, you’ll realize that it somehow makes you want the purse. Those hands there just make you wish that those were yours, so you could easily grab the amazingly-beautiful-but-painfully-expensive purse and run. Well, at least that was my wishful thinking.

Let me know what you think of the purse. I will keep you posted with some more interesting stuffs related to marketing, especially after my group projects are done 🙂

Myrna

Hi folks,

I was just sorting out some random photos on my desktop, and that was when I came across this wonderful ad, which I found and saved months ago, and I think is really interesting and creative.

This is an ad for Hermès. I think the ad is really classy and ‘woaw’. I wish this was something that I do everyday…………

What do you think?

MB

HELLO!

Sorry for not updating my blog regularly, these last 2 weeks have been crazy. I had assignments due almost every single day, and last week, as my mom always says ‘the more the merrier’, there I go, 3 midterms for 3 days in a row, plus assignments plus a presentation! WOW

Anyways I was just checking my mailbox when I realized that Shoppers Drug Mart sent me something. I own a Shoppers Optimum Card, and I shop for toiletries there most of the time.

TADAAA

Some free samples from John Frieda…..

1. Nourishing Moisture Shampoo

2. Nourishing Moisture Conditioner

3. Strength Restoring Smoothing Lotion

WOW! Who likes freebies? I do!! Yupp I was just so excited to receive these free samples. I think one of the best ways that companies use to get people’s attention about a product, is by letting them know how and what it really is. If you’re product is a little bit pricier compared to your competitors’, you might want to let your future customers know that the more money that they’re gonna be spending is worth it.

I was just reading an article A Simple Low-Cost Marketing Strategy To Get More Customers and I learned that by doing so, you are indeed demonstrating the value of what you sell in a tangible way. I think it works in a pretty simple way :

people don’t know your product exist —> you put a little effort giving some free samples —> people notice your product —> if they like it, they’ll buy and recommend, and if they don’t, at the very least they know it exists, and they know you’re generous.

It is said that people will often unknowingly feel the need to make a purchase in return. I experience this myself, so I wouldn’t bother to deny.

Well John Frieda, thanks for sending me free samples. I’ve never used any of your products before, even though I know my sister has. Can’t wait to try them out and see if they work better than my Aveeno Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner which I use everyday now. And if John Frieda does a better job to actually moisturize my dull dry hair, well Aveeno, Hasta La Vista!

Cheers,

Myrna

здраво !

If you’re wondering what that means and you’re guessing it is a ‘Hi’ then you are SMART! That’s how you say ‘Hello’ in Serbian. I don’t speak Serbian but that’s how random I am, especially when it comes to one beautiful translator website: googletranslate.

Done with all the randomness, there’s actually one set of amazingly wonderful products that I am gonna be talking about. Meet . . .

DIORSHOW LASH EXTASE SET

which includes:

Diorshow Extase Mascara &

Diorshow Black Out and Diorshow Iconic Miniatures

I got them from Sephora, and it’s been a week since the first time I actually applied those mascaras to my eyelashes – which I fell in love right away. I guess it would be really interesting for me to write some product reviews for each, since I am such a big fan of mascara!!

This Diorshow Extase mascara may not thicken as well as some other mascaras in the market, but it still does a sufficient job in volumizing and it lengthens extremely well, which is exactly what I wanted! Notice that the brush is tiered as it is designed for an even separation so that you won’t have a clumping effect. Dior’s Extase claims that with the SR38 Patended Ceramid it contains, it nourishes your eyelashes promoting their general health while reconstructing the damaged ones. I’ve been using this product for a week and I can tell you that it definitely works. I’ve started experiencing less lash loss and even without the mascara, they look and feel much stronger and fuller.

This Diorshow Black Out is perfect when you are not a big fan of natural looking mascara, and you want a little more oomph and a lot more drama at the same time. This mascara lengthens, volumizes and makes them the deepest black, gives you very fake, slightly clumpy-in-a-good-way lashes.

This goes on my lashes smoothly, I can layer the mascara with no problem, and there isn’t usually major clumping.
With this mascara, I find volumizing, some length, and decent curl-holding while there is no flaking and smudging for me (:

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This Diorshow Iconic is my favorite! This is the type of mascara that I’d want to wear right away when I wake up. The brush can’t be better, it’s really such a brush that fits the best for the lashes. You can flawlessly brush them with it. It does the perfect job on lifting, curling and separating my lashes while it does not have a dramatic false lash thickening effect.

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Although each of the mascara is non-waterproof, it doesn’t smudge or budge at all. It stays on forever while it comes off easily with makeup remover. Each mascara is designed to create a different showstopping effect. You can mix and match them to achieve the look you want, but I’d suggest applying Diorshow Iconic as a base coat underneath.

I hope these reviews are useful (:

xoxo,

Myrna