The Best Mascara Never Comes Off

The best mascara I’ve ever used is Maybelline XXL Waterproof Extensions. I have no reason to endorse this product other than the fact that I love it and it works. However, there is one problem – it’s impossible to remove. Thanks for being waterproof but I would like to take it off eventually.  I went online to see if there is a conventional solution to the problem of waterproof mascara and I couldn’t find any one in particular.  Several people cited make up remover and some other remedies that seemed a little too dangerous for the eye area. I see a brand co-op opportunity in the making.

Burberry Loves this Technology Stuff

Although it’s a staid, traditional brand, Burberry has been one of the most effective fashion houses at incorporating social media into its new business agenda. At the end of 2009, the manufacturer was among the first to build out a complete website dedicated to Facebook style communication for lovers of the brand’s signature trench coat. In 2011, they are outfitting key stores over the world with ipads and 5 foot tall touchscreens which are loaded with Burberry runway footage and images of the most recent line.  

Dinner Party at Bill Lowe Gallery

Art feels intimidating. Just the walking into a gallery can seem like a difficult first step, let alone being confronted with limited knowledge of artists, art history, techniques and materials. However, the reality is that art is not as intimidating as it seems. The challenge in selling fine art, and fine goods of any kind for that matter, is connecting with people who love it enough to make an investment. 

We know that consumers of fine goods tend to have an appreciation for quality on many levels and actively seek out new experiences. One who loves fine food and fine wine will likely appreciate fine art.  So it was fitting when Bill Lowe partnered with Dinner Party Atlanta to host one of their famous dinners on the gallery floor. 

It’s not REALLY about the Perfume

I love this Chloe ad! I get this woman. She looks powerful and determined. She’s coming from somewhere and she's on her way to somewhere else. She’s crisp and she’s apparently not afraid to be out, walking the streets alone at night. She’s tough and demure all at the same time. I want that.

I love these two ads also, the first one for Ralph Lauren Romance. What’s sexier than a man smelling a woman’s neck? Taking it all in, before…well. The woman’s head is slightly above the man's in both. Signifying a little dominance, but not really. The second one is for Gucci Guilty, again with the tough and the demure.

Brand Failures Can Actually Hurt Your Consumers’ Self-Esteem

A new study conducted by the University of Illinois finds that consumers who build a strong relationship with a brand, can be “personally impacted by incidents of brand ‘failure.’

The study, which will be published in the next issue of the Journal of Consumer Psychology, tested a group of subjects to see how they would respond to negative information about brands with which they closely identified. According to the paper, “Because the brand is seen as a part of the self by virtue of being intimately tied to the self, failure on the part of the brand is experienced as a personal failure.” 

Interesting...

Mad Men and Banana Republic

The most important television show for beauty, fashion and feminity, in my time, was easily Sex and the City. Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin owe their household name-ness to Candace Bushnell and HBO. Mixing a little nighttime into daywear, the word “fabulous”, tutus on the street, can all be traced back to our favorite four TV girlfriends (I’m Carrie. Which one are you?).  

I cried at the end of the era.  But now it seems that Mad Men would like to quietly take their place. While Mad Men has certainly influenced the feminine silhouettes that we’ve seen lately, they have yet to catch fire as an influencer in the same way as SATC. 

How Relevant are Street Style Blogs?

Picture, borrowed from thesartorialist.com

On one of my new favorite blogs, PopAfricana.com, editor Oroma Elewa poses the question, “Is attention moving away from designer shows? Has the street become the new runway?” Elewa cites the popularity of sites like The Sartorialist and Face Hunter as the new influencers of fashion. “It seems people are more concerned with how people interpret fashion these days.”

It’s an interesting question to ponder. Are these new websites, impacting the relationship between the consumer, the manufacturer and media in fashion and beauty? Is it an extension of a Facebook, reality TV culture that is eager to see real people in real habitats? The fun of these sites, as Elewa notes, is looking at the interpretation of fashion, visuals of global trends. I don’t think they will replace the runway. That’s like saying photos could replace figurative painting. They’re two separate but related art forms.  

The Most Beautifullest Thing in the World...

In addition to being one of my all time favorite songs (YouTube it), I truly believe the most beautifullest thing in the world is pretty skin. Women are really taking great skin for granted. A flood of fantastic makeup products, tools and easily available enhancements, seem to push skin care products down the line. Between fake eyelashes, bronzer, botox and filler, you could get a whole new face at Walgreens. But seriously, once you take off all the makeup, you really do want to have a great dermis. Here’s another thought, the better you take care of your skin, the better base you have to bear all of those accoutrements. What’s difficult, however, is finding the right skin care program. 

As a Man Thinketh…

Shawn Achor believes that wearing rose-colored glasses is good for you and he has research to prove it!  “CNNMoney reported a survey that indicated 84% of Americans are unhappy with their current job.” Well, says Achor, those people just need to change the way they think about things. Remember when you complained about eating broccoli and your parents would say, “There are children starving in the world.  You should be thankful for what you have.” According to Achor, that philosophy also applies to being unhappy at work.

Photography can make all the difference

With the pervasiveness of short attention spans, it’s critical to catch a consumer’s attention quickly and hold it for as long as possible in a 2-dimensional medium. Visual impact is critical! Photographer Greg Lotus is exceptional at manipulating our wandering imaginations. His photos challenge us to decipher what he’s communicating just for the fun of it.

The Greatest PR Opportunity in the History of Media

Empires have been built on this one media opportunity. Publicists could spend major budget on landing this one feature. Will this phenomenon ever exist again? CNBC did an entire special on the power of Oprah to influence consumers to buy into a brand idea.  Click the pink links to watch.

 “I’m hard pressed to think of a stronger brand than Oprah. And I’ve studied 200 years of brands.” Harvard Business School Professor Nancy F. Koehn to Bloomberg News on May 19 (PR Strategist, Summer 2011)