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oozey mess
Cosmic Funnies

if i look back, i am lost
Jules of Nature
NASA

izzy's playlists!
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
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YOU ARE THE REASON
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
almost home

roma★
sheepfilms
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
Claire Keane
noise dept.
occasionally subtle
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
DEAR READER

Origami Around

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@londonrdv
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Put your shoes on and run away, run, run until you reach the beach. #summer #nike #sunnies #knot #details #accessories #fashion #beach
Interview #5 - Matchnode
I would like to thank Chris Madden from Matchnode for taking time for this interview out of his schedule. Getting the latest and a bunch of tips about social media once again have been very helpful in guiding me.
So first of all, what is Matchnode?
Matchnode helps your (local or global) business find customers on the Internet. We start by learning your business as far as what your goals are, what you have tried or are already doing marketing-wise, and implementing a digital strategy to further those goals. If part of your goal is to grow your business and getting more customers, we often can use our digital tools to increase the traffic and drive more sales, reach, whatever your goal or conversion may be.
How often do you use technology?
Everyday, every hour, I / we have to enforce breaks from the screens so it is not every minute!
Commercially speaking, where is the incentive for people to use social media?
If your business has a solid foundation and therefore a message that already resonates with a core group of customers, then social media and paid promotion through social channels are the best tools going for amplifying your message to more people similar to your customers, especially to your customers' network of friends, which is really low hanging fruit as they may have already heard about your business through word of mouth. A negative way to describe those people are customers who are falling through the cracks: they know of and are interested in your business, but they need to be found and offered a small nudge to become a customer.
What is the most important online activity in your experience?
Using it as a tool to facilitate those interpersonal connections and experiences that deepen life's meaning and enjoyment.
Do you think we can just keep up the trends? or do we have to find new ways to stand out?
Well, "keeping up" is a good choice of words relative to being a digital marketer, as we learn something new everyday (if you don't, that's a problem). However, sometimes "standing out" for us might mean offering a better sense of service or communication with a client or customer. Everyday we think and talk about balancing creativity in problem-solving with a more analytical approach to measuring and proving a concept with numbers.
What are your favorites places in Chicago that are online effective?
I use the internet as a tool to find the places, and then when there I find those businesses are most effective and enjoyable when I'm not looking at my phone! Some are: Piece Pizza, Roots, Village Yoga Chicago, Lincoln Hall, CIMMfest, Birchwood Kitchen, The Dailey Method, The Gage, Revolution Brewing, I could keep going...
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to manage this social media area, what would it be?
Keep using it as a way to connect with people--good job!
Follow Matchnode team on Facebook ;)
Interview #4 - Robert Rose
As the Chief Strategist at the Content Marketing Institute, Robert Rose shared with me some of his helpful insight. A very big thank you to him for those expertise advice.
How often do you use technology?
Every day…. Marketing does not lack for technology these days. The real question is how marketing uses technology. Most of the time marketers only use a very small percentage of what tools will actually do. The result is that we often overbuy to solve new problems, and this contributes to the overload of technology and this becomes a vicious circle. Most marketers could use a deep breath when it comes to how much technology they have vs. what they really need.
Commercially speaking, where is the incentive for people to use social media?
Well assuming you mean for marketing purposes - the incentive is that it can be a direct line to consumers. The ability to use social media to have conversations with consumers - means that we can not only engage them at different stages of their journey, but we can use the data we gather to improve everything we do (products, service, engagement etc..).
What is the most important online activity in your experience?
It’s using the ease by which we can engage customers to deepen our relationships with them. Consumers now expect that they can reach us through different online channels. The internet enables a lot - from making transactions easier, to providing more information to engaging in conversation. So, everything we do online should be from the perspective of how do we improve those experiences and deepen the relationship with our customers.
Do you think we can just keep up the trends? or do we have to find new ways to stand out?
No - regardless of the trends - the focus should always be to find ways to differentiate. This means we have to not only differentiate against our competitors - but against all the things that distract our audiences from engaging with our brand.
What are your favorites places in Los Angeles that are online effective?
Hmmmm…. Not sure about this one…. Sadly I’m on the road so much I don’t get to experience much local right now. :-)
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to manage this social media area, what would it be?
Sure - my one piece of advice is to stop using Analytics and data as a way to develop more transactions and instead as insight into how we can develop deeper relationships with customers. instead of focusing on how to get “more” - focus on how to develop deeper or better relationships with potential and existing customers.
Come inside and pick up a glass.
First, Threadless might have one of the best laid-back headquarters in Chicago. Wow. I was surrounded by bright colors, awesome walls, lots of decoration and tee-shirts all over the ceiling. This was such a fun place to be and that must be a great place to work too.
So as a newcomer in the Windy City, I can't really say if Absolut Limited Edition tastes like Chicago, but it tastes so damn good! I tried very nice Rosemary and Olive flavored cocktails, with a hint of thyme. So I opted for Cherry Ginger "Italian Ice" and some Chicago Gypsy. Each of them was made with fresh juices and some nice syrups. The rainbow of flavors seemed never ending. And obviously, there was the Vodka Lemonade. Of the three, I was surprised how much more I liked the simplicity of the Lemonade better than the others. It reminded me the taste of summer and long and lazy days by the pool.
One thing I loved too was live music performance by The Hood Internet. From Daft Punk to Donna Summer, everything went right, the guys topped the charts.
I'm glad my Twitter research led me to this event, it was definitely worth it. It involved all my favorite things: tasty food, nice cocktails, wonderful decor and super cool music. Well done to the people responsible for the branding and marketing. I went home amazed, full (and a little bit tipsy). Great experience overall!
I still don’t know if the vodka captured the essence of Chicago but I completely felt in love with Absolut. Maybe because of this Limited-edition city-flavored that represented the brand or all the magic from the music chosen, the location full of light and those original walls. But there is that heritage that Absolut owns in its soul and veins and always manages to show smartly.
There is no doubt now that I totally heart Absolut. The world's most iconic vodka keeps bringing creative thinking and adding value which have been inspired to reach my goals. Conspire to inspire - You will gain so much benefits you would experience from working with those people. It's such an engaging brand where I would love to belong and I would be pride in being part of this kind of marketing team, for sure. But as the future is not a given, I might need to go ahead and prove how much I would like to create mine with them.
Absolut / Chicago-Bration / Part 1 - Outdoor
Last Thursday night I was lucky enough to attend the Absolut Chicago-Bration. Absolut was celebrating the new limited edition Absolut Chicago with an amazing day full of cool activities. I had the chance to experience a great party at Threadless headquarters, with a lot of tasty food. So let's focus first on what happened outside...
While I was sipping a very nice Absolut Vodka lemonade, its unique lavender flavor totally won over me. Then my heart couldn't make up its mind between chicken, beef, vegs and cheese. It was all about tasty chicken and a nice sauce on top from Porkshop. Some fantastic Ratatouille and Cheese-Spinach empanadas from 5411empanadas which were a little bit of heaven. Plus pesto and spicy tomatoes sauces were pretty awesome too. And finally mouth-watering beef sandwiches from Chubby Wieners. Their fries n cheese were also a standout.
Even if it was cold outside all the food warmed me up considerably. The atmosphere was super-trendy and funny. Okay, it wasn't the place to eat with good table manners and delicacy but who cares, I've never had such nice food that came close to the awesomeness that I experienced in Chicago.
Thumbs up to Absolut for this original appetizer show.
Interview #3 - Binny's Beverage Depot
Binny's Beverage Depot provides fine wine, spirits, beer and beverages, cigars, and gourmet gifts available in 29 stores in Illinois. I thank Hilary Jurinak, Communications Coordinator, for granting me this helpful interview.
How often do you use technology?
Work related? We only operate online during store hours. Personal? Always, besides when I'm asleep of course.
Commercially speaking, where is the incentive for people to use social media?
In the case of the beer, wine and spirits industry, there are plenty of incentives. A few examples are rare beer releases, new products and industry news. Our customers utilize Twitter a lot in this regard. It's easier to direct them to one of our locations for the product they're looking for versus having them calling one or many of our 30 locations. It's basic customer service.
What is the most important online activity in your experience?
Twitter. The one on one engagement is personal and effective. You can reach so many new customers by monitoring, listening and responding in real time.
Do you think we can just keep up the trends? or do we have to find new ways to stand out?
Yes and no. Chasing trends pushes you away from focusing on succeeding at current trends. I think it works on a case by case basis for what messaging you're trying to effectively communicate to certain audiences. But of course, it's always important to keep an eye on the new trends to see what's working for others.
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to manage this social media area, what would it be?
Always have your consumer/customer in mind. Listen and acknowledge their requests, questions and feedback. It's free advice. These social resources are here for them to take advantage of and they want to connect with you and your brand.
(Google images)
Interview #2 - Roti Mediterranean Grill - 10 S Riverside Plaza - 33 N Dearborn St - 310 W Adams St, Chicago
So you get around 8000 likes on Facebook, 2000 followers on Twitter… Tell me a little about it. How does it work? It seems not to be enough today to offer good and healthy food? Do you run a specific social media marketing strategy?
When communicating our brand via social media we always keep the customer in mind. What would make their day better? What would be useful during their busy day? What do they really want to know about Roti? Questions like that lead us to post stories about our food and where it comes from, close up food shots (to hopefully stir up their appetite), the nutritional value of our menu items, stories about our team members, etc.
Commercially speaking, where is the incentive for a place like yours to use social media?
We love to use social media not only as a platform to inform people of why we love the food we serve but also as a customer service tool. We love to hear back from our customers and make it a priority to review all feedback that we receive.
Do you just keep up the trends? or do you try to find new ways to engage people?
We love to send out random 'surprise and delights' to our most loyal social media followers, giving that person a free meal. We also send out contests and make sure to provide as much varied content as possible. Keeping your social media followers on their toes is important to staying top of mind.
I personally thank Stacey Efstathiou, marketing coordinator at Roti Mediterranean Grill for her contribution to this interview that greatly guided my work.
Interview #1 - Big Star Chicago - 1531 North Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622
Recently, I decided that I wanted to start interviewing bars/restaurants/stores which have positively surprised me in marketing and this place was one of them. My insights were greatly enriched by my dialogue with Jenna Liberman, Marketing and Public Relations Manager at One Off Hospitality Group. I really thank her for her professional input.
So you get around 16000 likes on Facebook, 13000 followers on Twitter… Tell me a little about it. How does it work? Do you run a specific social media marketing strategy?
To be honest, we don't follow a precise social media marketing strategy. We try to be consistent, authentic and relevant in all of our social media efforts.
Commercially speaking, where is the incentive for a place like yours to use social media?
We view social media as a continuation of the service and hospitality we offer in our restaurant. Also, unlike conventional forms of media, the audience must volunteer to see our content. They are an active and interested audience, the perfect outlet to share information with directly. We frequently use social media to promote upcoming events and specials, as well as foster our community.
How often do you use technology?
We post on Facebook about 4x per week, Twitter daily, Instagram about 5x per week and our group's tumblr frequently.
What is the most important online activity in your experience?
We utilize them all for different purposes. Do you just keep up the trends? or do you try to find new ways to engage people?
We are constantly looking for new ways to engage users, but avoid posting for postings sake. We try to remain relevant and authentic in every post. Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to a bar/restaurant just starting out in the social media area, what would it be?
Be consistent. Use a consistent voice, post consistently and consistently respond to every question asked.
(Google images)
Burger, burger, burger, here's the hymn. But when it comes to make a choice, what would you be yours? While you can enjoy a briochey bun from Byron and some real french fries, you could eat a juicy burger and nice crisy chips. Some people say Byron burgers are simply better than any other mass-produced (and obviously mass-marketed) burgers. And they do such amazing milkshakes. But how could you really compete with the cheesiness from Shake Shack burgers? Burger, burger, burger, well, it's always a tough decision.
BURBERRY - DIGITAL SWAGGER
It is important to keep an eye on some brands whilst London Fashion Week is in full swing. When talking about digital marketing activity, it is common for people to think that Burberry is synonymous with innovation. And it's completely true. Can you remember Burberry Kisses? It is a nice way to capture a kiss and send it to a friend in a digital letter.
Burberry recently teamed up with bloggers and launched Art of The Trench, showcasing famous Burberry Trench coat and people who wear it.
Burberry goes further in opening this morning the #BeautyBooth. By tweeting #BeautyBooth, you can have a little sneak peak from the backstage and see your favorite models. Once again, the famous brand is doing digital marketing differently. Burberry keeps amazing us and experiencing new things.
As Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer, said: “We have a mutual passion for creating beautiful products and unlocking emotive experiences through technology. We’re inspired by what this could mean for the future as we continue to explore the merging of physical and digital experiences.”
If I briefly analyze all their marketing tactics, I must draw a conclusion: Burberry shares everything with their fans all around the world through social media channels. The closer they are to their fans the greater the impact. I'm still positively surprised by how this authentic leading British luxury brand can have such high levels of interaction and closeness. Embracing digital world by constantly innovating as much as they do must be the key of success...
If you keep looking for a smart way to promote something new, I think one of us got it right. We all know how Nestlé brand is well-known but the it still reaches people's hearts by revealing an appropriate and truly smart message. Except that KitKat is going to be the name of the new operating system of Google, I've been especially amazed by their recent video and website. There's no doubt that sophistication and innovation play an important role in maintaining brand awareness. Believe the hype and go for parody, it's funny how it looks when big brand try to mimic others!
Queens of Hoxton - Rooftop time
Refresh your routine, get a jug of Pimms and have a seat. Off-duty, there's nothing better than chilling at a rooftop on a London summer evening. So if you're looking for a nice spot to come with friends afterwork, Queen of Hoxton is evening's easy answer. Their rooftop overlooking Shoreditch is a largely trendy space where hotdogs will make good finger food while chatting with fellow and enjoying the laid-back vibe. It's time to have a last drink on a roof before hibernation, so check out for upcoming special nights!
http://www.queenofhoxton.com/rooftop/
On a random Thursday off work I visited L’eau à la Bouche on Broadway Market, a really nice shop full of tasty things where there's a delicious spread of food and drink to tempt you inside, whatever you feel like doing.
You can find a wide range of authentic French products such as good wines, cheese and meats and some yummy cakes too! The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is really cosy… It seems to be the perfect place for a long and lazy lunch. So take a seat and pass the time with amazing treats, it's well worth a shot!
Okay, you remember Emily? Well, we stopped by Birthdays (which is actually a nice place to enjoy gigs and a couple of drinks) but really cool for a burger as well. So, sit around the table with some of your friends and order a Pyschic burger. That’s what I did.
Toasted brioche bun topped with onion ring, delicious sauce, melty cheese, tasty beef which come with crispy fries. Verdict? I completely feasted on this burger, cooked how you want, juicy and full of flavors. Aside from the food, there’s something about this place that makes you happy. Trends come and go but Birthdays feels like nice place to be. Upstairs is bright, fun, with a stylish decor, very edgy and totally different from the basement, which hosts a lot of fashionable live musics. Music, burger, whatever they’re doing in Birthdays, they’re really doing it right.
Then, we leave the place with a big smile… and a guilty conscience. What? Did you say calories? Fat? Who cares, we’ve got that burger smile.
Don’t miss out on this mouthwateringly generous burger, just pop in to Birtydays!
See you next London Rendez-vous*
ALWAYS BE CURIOUS - Marketing rule
So what’s going on in London? What is the exciting news? By exciting, I mean really cool, stonking, because we all know about Kate Middleton’s pregnancy parade style.
Well, today is Royal Ascot Opening day. I know that you’re actually into the sneakers trend but this time, you should stow them away. Pair your stilettos with a no-easy-to-wear dress and put on your chapeau. The bigger, the better. All-smiles you are, you can hit the place.
If cheesy-glamourous events are not your things (that’s kind of how it feels, right?), you may be much more into designers ones. Lucky you, London Collections Men week is upon us. Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Paul Smith, Tom Ford, do you really want me to mention all those names ? I think you definitely aim to remember. #LCM is the key to be sure you don’t miss a thing.
You can also swap men for women. I mean, girls. This is the way how Marc Jacobs thinks Cara Delevingne, calling her “a dwarf. She seems to be too small for being legally part of his shows. Who knew Marc could be sooooo mean? What is not to love Cara Delevigne? She is truly the best on every level. Everbody loooooves Cara.
So fresh fashion news are popping up. Much more than you expected and in case you feel tired of them, just go for a run, be bikini-ready when the sun comes out. But what’s the rush with your body, slow, relax and enjoy healthy snacks with Graze. Get your guilty-free box!
Just to remind you, Wimbledon and Glastonbury are coming. We all know Wimbledon means tennis and Glastonbury goes with music, but it’s not only what’s going on the court or on the stage. You have so much to see during the tournament, off the court indeed. Keep en eye on them, and catch all the fashionable people who stopped by those events. Visiting Wimbledon this year or heading to festivals? It’s almost time. Let me know ;)
See you next London Rendez-vous *