Watch with your eyes close

Leo Burnett's predictions for 2009, courtesy of AdRants....watch with your eyes closed (aka LISTEN) unless you want a migraine. And yes, I am serious.



When I worked at MaPS, we were asked by a huge credit card client to produce a report in which our complex factor analysis was complemented by the recent predictions of Faith Popcorn. For those of you who don't know about Ms. Popcorn, check out her site here. Senior management rolled their eyes, but I always thought the predictions were pretty cool....and (sometimes) spot on.

As a marketer, you have to continually balance research and intuition. The research is either there or it's not, but the instinct...that's, to quote a modeling agent, the intangible "x-factor" that some people have, and some people don't.

What do you think of predictions, be they from Leo and crew or Ms. Popcorn? Tasty treats...or overcooked garbage?

Skirting the workout issue

What do you guys think about workout skirts? They look like tennis skirts, and they've been getting a lot of play time off the court as more and more women don them on the treadmill. My friend Kim swears by them. "They're more comfortable," she claims. "And they cover my butt."

Running in a skirt? Hmmmm.....

Until I moved down south, I never wore skirts. Never ever. Seriously -- I was in jeans or pants 99.9% of the time. I even wore pants when I went on my daily jogs, thanks to the frigid Boston weather. I loved pants, especially jeans -- they are super comfy and you don't have to shave your legs. Um, perfect!

Sadly, my exclusive love affair with pants waned after my first Houston summer. Realizing that 99 degree weather wasn't conducive to denim (or any fabric at that) I stocked up on the shortest skirts and shorts I could find. And with the exception of having to shave (which I still often skip), I have thoroughly welcomed my new wardrobe addition.

That said, I still think sweating in a skirt is a bit....strange. What do you think? Would you hit the gym in a workout skirt? Or would you feel like a poser Maria Sharapova?

Where do you want to wake up?

A friend sent me this. It's really cool.


Fifty People, One Question: Brooklyn from Crush + Lovely on Vimeo.

Single ladies, I can't hear y'all!

Dating, NYC style.










Check out the full Gawker post here...... and then be thankful if you're gay, in a relationship or don't live in NYC.

Please pray for the recovery of my beloved Honda Fit....

Short post today. I'll let the photos do most of the talking.

Yes, my baby was hit. While parked. I don't want to get into it, but it happened last Saturday and I am still annoyed. It is currently in the shop getting fixed. In the meantime, I am stuck with an ugly Dodge Caliber. Boo.














And now that we are on the subject of cars....I stumbled on this European Honda Jazz commercial below. (For those of you not in the know, the Jazz and the Fit are the exact same car. It's called the Fit in parts of Asia and North and South America, and it's called the Jazz in Europe, Oceania, South East Asia and Africa. Honda was going to call the Jazz the Fitta in Europe, but due to some language issues, that was scraped. Apparently, Fitta is the Norwegian word, for, well, never mind. You'll have to click here for more info on that subject.....)

And now, check out the US Honda site here. (If a video doesn't start when you get to the page, click on Start the Tour.)

It is pretty interesting how different the campaigns are. In the US it's all about fun, fun, fun....but the European ad poses the vehicle almost as a luxury car. (And trust me, folks -- it's not.) But the 180 degree marketing strategy totally makes sense -- Americans are more spendthrift and buy cars more often than our European counterparts. Fun is just as important, if not more important, than functionality, especially since we spend 100 HOURS A YEAR (!!) commuting.

Anyway, just some thoughts late at night. Time to crash -- the job search continues tomorrow! Bleh. And, I really need a job now....my unemployment is on hold for the next few weeks. Apparently, turning down an offer and then heading to Argentina isn't considered an effective job search. Who knew?

Lipstick, mascara, and the economy have a threesome

Have you heard of the lipstick index?

For those of you unfamiliar with the economic theory of Leonard Lauder, the former CEO of make-up giant Estee Lauder, here's the gist: when the economy goes sour, as it did after 9/11, lipstick sales go up. The reason? Even in tough economic times, women want to splurge and treat themselves. But they're broke, so they forgo the $200 jeans and $800 handbags, instead dropping cash on cheaper designer loot, like $20 lipsticks.

Lauder's index isn't HBS-level theory. But it kind of makes sense, especially in America, where many women (especially young, single and urban ones, like myself) have the unfortunate tendency to rack up major credit card debt on uber-luxurious and way too expensive duds. But when 401Ks disappear and employers start firing workers, even the spendthrift youth of America start to button up and watch their wallets. (Louis Vuitton wallets, natch!) Confronted by a desire for a luxury but the bank accounts of a priest, they make sacrifices: "If I can't buy the Chanel purse, then I'll just buy the Chanel lipstick." Essentially, brand name lipsticks replace brand name clutches.

His theory hasn't been holding up lately. Even though we're in the midst of the worst recession since 1929, lipstick sales are plummeting. In fact, the entire make-up industry is facing some serious financial hardships; by mid-2009, L'Oreal, the go-to drugstore cosmetics line, will lay off 500 US employees. Ouch. But there is a silver lining: mascara. Mascara sales have been up for the last few months. Why? Many analysts are crediting new mascaras with vibrating bristles for the increase. Um, weird, but I digress. Here is an article about it: http://tiny.cc/yLGcS. Is a Mascara Index on its way?

A couple months ago, I resisted dropping dough on a fab BCBG dress....but I did buy my fave Dior mascara. Now that the economy is in the dumps, what substitutions are you making? What's your lipstick index item?

DISCLOSURE (meant mostly for the 'rents and grandparents): Yours truly is a huge cheapskate who doesn't spend carelessly. She also pays off her entire credit card bill every month and has no debt....except for that damn car.

Writing samples galore!

Yesterday, I had an interview at an oil and gas company. At the end of the interview, I was asked to produce a few writing samples. One question the company wanted me to answer was:

Write 500 words on something that you’re passionate about. Objective is to grab readers’ attention, as well as demonstrate your writing skills.

Wow. 500 words, 24 hours, and an infinite number of subject possibilities.

After about 12 hours of procastination, I settled on traveling as my subject. It makes sense given my upbringing, and heaven knows I have done a lot of it lately. So I'm posting what I wrote below - my brain is too shot to write about anything else (like how my PARKED CAR was hit and severely damaged. Yeah, we'll discuss that another day...)

So enjoy the little essay below! It's definitely not my finest work, but I don't think it is half bad. And if you see any mistakes, DO NOT let me know. 'Tis too late to make any changes, and ignorance is bliss for chica.

XXOO,
Me

They say people travel for a variety of reasons. Some travel to see their families. Others travel to learn new things. A few travel for the simple pleasure of taking pictures.

I travel because it is my passion. I travel because it brings me home.

I come from a military family. My parents lived in Europe when I was born, and by the time I was one, I had visited more countries than most Americans see in a lifetime. My family moved back to the states when I was two years old, and my childhood was shaped by my father’s changing assignments. Every two years, like clockwork, a moving van would appear at the house in which we lived, ready to pack up our belongings and take us somewhere new. I have called three countries, seven states, and thirteen cities home. I have visited much of the world and all but four states.

Some people might find this sort of upbringing unsettling, erratic and confusing. I loved it. I thrived on the novelty of every new location, embracing the distinctive cultures and new accents, the varying landscapes and disparate terrains. As a tow-headed child in the California desert, I climbed sand dunes and chased tumbleweeds. My pre-teen years were spent in southwest Louisiana, where I discovered gumbo and acquired a slight southern accent. In New York, I lived on the Adirondack Mountains, climbing them in the summer and skiing them in the winter. I felt like the luckiest girl alive, exploring the world and experiencing new locales, each one so different from the last, each one distinctly unique.

Eventually my father retired from the military and our constant relocations ceased. I began to appreciate the stability of living in one place, and I threw out my moving boxes once and for all. However, my thirst for traveling and exploration remained unquenchable. As a college junior studying in Paris, I re-experienced my first European travels. In between semesters at the Sorbonne, I danced flamenco in Seville, devoured Florentine gelato, and tasted Riesling in Berlin. College graduation only fueled the fire; funded by employment that paid more than $10 an hour, I hiked in Patagonia, snorkeled in Micronesia, and camped in Alaska. Every vacation day became sacred, each one providing me with another opportunity to explore and experience something new. Traveling became an integral part of who I was and what I did. Traveling became me.

If you met me today, I would tell you that my home is in Houston. It’s where I reside and work, where my friends live and where my parents come when they visit.

But traveling is my real home, the place I am most myself. Traveling has helped mold me into the woman I am today, and it will shape the woman I am to become. Traveling is who I am and what I need to be myself. It is my passion. It is my home.

New Year's Resolutions, the gym, and screw the a**hole who took my parking spot

So the new year has arrived! And with it comes the annual migration of guilt-ridden souls to the gym. They swarm to the nearest treadmill, set the speed to a nice, comfortable jog and try to sweat off their excess holiday weight and 6 months of wasted gym membership fees.

Usually, I think it's great when people get off the couch and start moving. But when they all do it at once (January 1, anyone???), it strikes a nerve in me. Why? Because they take my spinning spot, they take my parking spot, and they make me wait 30 minutes for treadmill.

Yesterday I forwent my morning gym ritual in the name some extra shuteye. I came thisclose to eschewing the gym altogether, but my pants were feeling a bit a tight, so I knew I needed to haul my booty to Fit for a 5:30 spin class. All was well on the way there -- I was humming along to some Madonna, daydreaming about dinner (hey, it's what gets me through the class!) and feeling pretty all-around fabulous. Then I got to the parking lot. And there was not one free space. I kid you not. No.parking.at.all.

I whipped around to the other side of the building and parked near a pizza joint. Great, just what I need to get motivated -- the smell of delicious pepperoni pizza. I was tempted to forget the workout and just chow down on some good ol' Italian pie, but I resisted and walked around to the front of the building. It was now 1 minute to 5:30, and I knew I was in trouble. The class may be completely full.

The entrance was like a Jimmy Choo 50% off sale. Men and women, young and old, cramming three people at once into the front door. I pushed my way through and ran up the stairs where I met the backside of my enemy -- another woman in cycling shoes and Spanx-tight bike shorts.

She was ahead of me, but my legs are long, so we reached the class at the same time. Our eyes met -- who would give up? I thought briefly about my "sorta" new year's resolution (be nice....remember?) but this was no time for kindness. I was here to sweat, not become Mother Theresa. So I ignored formalities (she was technically there first) and threw open the class door, surveying the crowded room. There was one seat left. Who would get it? Would I need to reenact the scene below with my new spandex-wearing enemy?




I know, the suspense must be killing you. Although it kind of ruins the story, the instructor gave up her bike, so in the end we both got seats. However, I was relegated to the far side of the room, so I couldn't see myself in the mirror as I pedaled away. (I am sure that sounds conceited, but watching myself really helps with my technique. I swear!)

Class was over an hour later and I was home soon after, stuffing my face with some delish mac n'cheese. But the whole ordeal was just annoying. A class shouldn't go from 10 people to 40 in one week...and how dare that new guy take MY usual bike! Fortunately I'll only have to deal with this insanity for another couple of weeks...come February, the gym will be back to its normal, empty self. God bless broken resolutions.

XOXO,
Jen

Wait, what does that say?

I took this pic a while back but stumbled upon it a few days ago. Notice anything?














No, not the empty seats (this is Minute Maid park, after all...) but check out the stadium signage.

Quick background: the sign is supposed to prompt you to go to a special web site and sign up for an MLB credit card. Here is what the site says:

"Fans can choose an MLB^TM Extra Bases^TM credit card bearing the MLB^TM logo or the logo of their favorite team. Each time the card is used for a purchase, the cardholder earns one point for every dollar spent. Accumulated points can then be redeemed for an incredible spectrum of unique rewards that only MLB^TM and its 30 teams can deliver, many of which are exclusive to this program. And every reward at every level embodies the excitement and thrill of even getting closer to America's national pastime."

Problem -- the web site is called Astros Extra Bases, and when written out as a web address, it becomes.....astrosextrabases.com.

The first word I saw when I looked at the billboard was SEX. Yes, SEX. Yikes. Not the most family friendly way to communicate the "excitement" or "thrill" of "America's national pastime." And I'm not the only one with a dirty mind -- in my scientific study of 5 people, EVERYONE saw the word sex first.

Anyway, on to the critique: I have no idea who in his right mind would have approved this signage. But the copy should have been written with some lower case letters, like this: AstrosExtraBases.com. This simple change would erased any message confusion...and kept innocent minds (like mine!) out of the gutter.

I suspect this is a generic sign in the ballparks of all the teams that B of A sponsors. The agency probably just replaces the team name. Astros Credit Card, Red Sox Credit Card...B of A doesn't care. But this simplistic name swapping technique didn't work out well for the Astros, or any team whose name ends in an "s" I suppose.

So the moral of the story: be safe, wear protection (baseball gear protection you pervs!) and always review your copy.

Bowling!

But first, a quick recap of New Year' Eve. The video below pretty much sums it up.



I know what you must be thinking -- CRAZY NIGHT, right? Sadly, not really. With the exception of our little American Idol contest (starring Marc Flores), NYE 2008 (or is it NYE 2009? I can never get the date thing straight) was pretty tame. We started with pizza at my house before downing some amazing pear martinis chez Kimberly. Right before midnight it was off to Tom's for a more, er, traditional New Year's bash (requisite beer pong included). Although Tom's party was ready and prepped for a hard night out, I was home by 1:30 and asleep by 2:30. And, get this -- I was up at 10 AM on New Year's Day to hit the gym! It was an awesome start to a new year!

Now, back to bowling!

As some of you know, my boyfriend Christian was in town this weekend. We had a great time watching movies, running around Memorial, and eating delicious grub...but the best part of the weekend was BOWLING! A bunch of us headed over to this new bowling spot called 300. Think wannabe Lucky Strike. Yeah, it kind of sucked. But despite the hour long wait, the cheesy fluorescent lights, and the strangest music mix ever (Usher followed by Daryl Hall & John Oates) we had the best time! Until yesterday, I hadn't bowled in probably 15 years, but I am definitely going to hit the alleys more often. It's fun! Plus, yours truly came in 2nd place. Not too shabby, huh? Maybe I should forget the job search and join the USBC...

Some pics below. ENJOY!














Marc. Maybe he thought I was filming again?














Julie (or Jewel, as Marc likes to call her) after her strike! Go Julie!



















Kim, about to bowl. In all honesty, she should have beat me. She was GOOD.














Me and Chris and my new handbag, which I LOVE.














Kim and Mike and Marc in the background. We played in couples, and Kim and Mike won since Mike slaughtered all of us. He is REALLY good.