January 24, 2012

Dear Alla Girshman

Let me first say that I have no idea who you are, except that a simple Google search states that you live in Staten Island, NY.  If this is in fact the same Alla Girshman, I’m not quite sure.

What I would like to say is: you suck.  Either by chance or by maliciousness, you went into an AT&T store and added yourself as an authorized user to my account.  You are not.  Thankfully, the AT&T alert system informed me of this change, and I was able to remove you from the account.  Please know that I will be increasingly vigilant and will be recording all data, in case any formal investigation (either criminal, legal, or otherwise) needs to be filed.

I would also like to thank you.  You were the tipping point for me in terms of phone spam.  For whatever reason, I have been getting ads on my call phone, both calls and texts, and it’s quite bothersome.  Therefore, I’ve decided to start blogging about people (names, numbers, etc.) who are soliciting me and/or breaching my privacy.  It’s only fair that those who bother me will get a dose of my small, but fervent “online justice.”  Maybe my blog will even appear on the first page of Google results.  And you are the person who inspired me to stop lying down and taking it, and to start taking action.  So thanks.

I’ll be updating this entry with further information of people/companies who suck.  Hopefully, there won’t be any more. :)

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November 19, 2011

Cinderella Wedding

I’m at the ripe age of 27 and everyone around me seems to be getting engaged and married.  Especially for my friends, I’m genuinely happy for them- including the fact that I get to put on a fancy party dress and attend all these fabulous weddings.

That being said, I’m wondering what’s exactly is the point of marriage?

During my MBA, I’ve been taking a rather interesting class called Opportunity Identification by John Doggett (he recently kicked butt on a CNN interview).  In class, Doggett compares entrepreneurship and starting a business to relationships.  In both cases, you dedicate your soul and emotions into making the start up a success or the relationship work.  Trust is paramount in both a business partnership and a marriage.  You end up spending an incredible amount of time together.  But businesses and marriages alike fail.  More often than not, in fact.

It’s one thing to fall in love and want to share your life and create life with someone.  It’s another thing all together to merge assets, figure out what you want out of life (career, relationships, families) versus what the other person wants, and spend 50+ years with the same person day in and day out.  Sure, just because there’s a huge risk doesn’t mean the risk isn’t worth taking.  But thinking you’ll spend the rest of your life with someone doesn’t mean that it’ll happen.

Professionals switch jobs and more importantly locations and ambitions more and more.  Relationships that work for one year or one decade may not work in another.  Babies get made whether there’s a marriage license in the picture or not.

As we continue to be more connected and transitory, people can afford to support themselves, and the western world is becoming more individualistic than ever, will we still need the institute of marriage?

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Okay, maybe this is my cynicism and spinsterhood coming out.  Maybe when I do fall in love, I’ll dream of having the Cinderella wedding with a big puffy dress and all that crap.  But I don’t think my line of questioning is wrong.  Relationships and marriages with just love doesn’t work.  There’s has to be companionship, similar goals in life, and a willingness to make adjustments and sacrifices. That doesn’t happen very often, and even if something works in one moment, time increases the chances that all of those things between two people won’t stay aligned.  While there is a lot of amazing experiences to be derived from a relationship, marriage is a formality.  The merger of families and assets will need to get redivided in a divorce.  A ring on a finger doesn’t prevent cheating, for males or females. Children live more and more in non-nuclear, complicated family constructs.

So let’s forget about the marriage.  Have a “wedding” to celebrate your love but not a marriage.  Let’s not say “to death to us part” when we mean “for the time being.”

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August 12, 2011

Hot Sauce in the Mail

This is a story about how great customer service and trust in your consumers can get you a long way.

I went to the Chelsea Market for the first time a few weeks ago.  My roommate at the time is a huge foodie, and we decided to explore together.

While wandering around the market, a guy (Jon) had a table near the basket shop and asked us to sample his hot sauce.  For those of you who don’t know me, I’m obsessed with spicy food and am always looking for new hot sauce.  So I said yes.  The sauce was pretty good; beyond just spice, it also had flavor. I casually asked if this was his spiciest variety.  He said no, I don’t have any on hand.

More importantly, Jon said, “If you give me your address, I’ll mail you a bottle of our habenero sauce and you can pay me back later.”

“Sure.” I’m only living in NYU dorms for the summer, so giving him my address was a fairly small risk.  Besides, he’s a nice guy, and even if he turned out to be a bit nuts, we have security guards for a reason. If he didn’t send it to me, no big deal.

I gave him my mailing address and completely forgot about the whole incident.

A few weeks later, I checked my mailbox and was completely surprised that this random guy had trusted me and sent me a bottle of his habenero sauce.  It would have been easy of me to ignore his invoice, enjoy the hot sauce, and forget about it.  I mean, I’m moving in a few weeks.  What was he going to do?

I didn’t.  I emailed him back and asked how to best pay for it.  A quick transaction later, and I was happily enjoying my bottle, guilt-free.

But this is an unbelievable story.  Of course, I told my friends (and am telling you now).  What are the chances in the one of the most jaded cities in the world that one stranger would trust another and really put himself & his product out there?

So here’s some free publicity for you.  Thanks for the hot sauce and for the story.  Best of luck in your endeavors! :)

Jon, thank you so much for the hot sauce. If you would like me to remove your contact information from this blog, please let me know, and I'd be happy to do so. :)

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August 11, 2011

The Best of My Summer In New York

My summer in New York has been absolutely amazing.  As I’m wrapping up my brand marketing internship, I’m thinking back on the amazing things I got to do (and eat) this summer.  Here are some of my favorites. :)

Best thing about wandering around the City: street art

Best thing about New York summers: street fairs + the fresh watermelon they sell there

Best lazy moment: even the grocery store 2 blocks down will deliver to you at 4 in the morning

Best surprise: friends are always dropping by to visit… in a tie with getting hot sauce in the mail

Best outdoor activity: boating in Central Park

Best out of Manhattan activity: walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO & hanging out for the day

Best view of the City: @Deutsch ad agency near Chelsea Market

Best way to get out of the City: Bolt bus

Best $12 I ever spent: Alexandar McQueen exhibit @the Met

Best way to get to the beach: in a BMW convertible after my intern presentation with one of my best friends from Texas driving. :)

Best nightly activity: hanging out on a stoop with friends watching trendy people walk their dogs

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The Food Section!!

Best ramen: Ippudo (10th and 4th Ave. Be ready to wait 30 min to an hour)

Best Caribbean: Boca Chica (1st and 1st. The ropa vieja is the shiznit + the caipirinhas= amazing)

Best roast corn: The green something or other in Chelsea Market

Best ice cream: Magnum (Ok, so it’s a Unilever product & I worked there this summer but I spent my own money buying the addiction-inducing double caramel piece of heaven, and I’d honestly do so even if I didn’t work there.)

Best overall bao: Baohaus (Norfolk + Rivington or 14th and 2nd Ave)

Best pork bao: Momofuku Noodle Bar (10th and 1st Ave but don’t order the ramen. Just get the bao & go to Ippudo for the ramen)

Best Lasagna/pasta: Eataly (23rd and 5th Ave)

Best dessert: Chikalicious (10th and 2nd Ave)

Best soup dumpling (tang bao): Joe Shanghai (Pell by Bowery)

Best brunch place: Gemma (3rd and Bowery)

Best homemade ice cream: Sundaes & Cones (10th & 3rd Ave. Try their strawberry cheesecake + taro scoops. Perfect combo.  Also, there’s corn, wasabi, & black sesame. Hmmmm.)

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Out of New York

Best molecular gastronomy place: Marigold BYOB (45th & Larchwood)

Best drive ‘in the country’: Atlantic City Express way

Best random trip: rediscovering Old City Philadelphia with my cousin from Beijing + friend

 

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July 15, 2011

What Does Success Mean to You?

I’ve been thinking a lot recently of what does success mean to me?  It’s an incredibly difficult question.

via Flickr, photo attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloshbennett/619307160/

There’s this pressure, maybe mostly self-induced, that says I have to have everything.  Everything being the cliche of great career, great friends, amazing boyfriend/girlfriend, a wonderful family, etc.  But do I need to ‘have it all’ in order to be successful?  Do I even want it all?

A little background.  I just finished my first year of MBA at McCombs at University of Texas (hook’em horns!).  My internship is going fabulously: I love where I work, with whom I’m working, and what projects I’m accomplishing. There’s still one more MBA year to go, and although a year seems long, recruiting is already starting.  Already, friends and family are asking where I’m going next in life.

Career-wise, I think I have a great grasp.

  • Marketing: I just spent 5 minutes starring past a fruit cart to analyze the ad behind it.  Oh, wow, the perfect splash of cider behind the product bottle must have taken hours to set up an shoot.  I wonder if the brand manager was on the photo shoot.  They’re making a really bold statement; this isn’t how we normally think of cider.  How are they trying to position themselves? What’s their reach?  Only urban channel strategy or nationwide?
  • Technology: About half hour ago, I completely lost my train of thought and couldn’t keep my attention on a really important meeting because I got an invite to Photovine.  ‘Nough said.
  • Consumer Packaged Goods: I’m spending half my summer nerding out over plastic varieties and couldn’t be happier.  I spent a good chuck of lunch with my intern buddy talking about the taste spectrum of a Magnum ice cream bar and how we should do consumer testing on the process of lavishing over a Magnum.  (Definitely got the “girl, you crazy” look.)  I mean seriously, was I made for this or what?

Answer: working in CPG in a marketing capacity with a fair mix of digital.  Got it.

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Family and kids and stuff?… Looking put together and feminine?… Um, I have boobs; does that count?  That’s where I’m completely lost.

There are too many people on the earth already.  Do I really need give birth to feel like I’m success (I left out the article on purpose) or have experienced life to the fullest?  Aren’t some people just not meant to have kids?  I can think of so many ways I’m going to fuck up my imaginary child.  If I don’t have a child when I’m still young, will I regret it when I can’t anymore?  Are children really about love and joy, or is there a tinge of “OMG, someone has to take care of me when I’m old and senile”?

No idea.  Maybe I’ll find someone and immediately develop an urge to procreate. Maybe.

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I wonder.  What does success mean to other women?

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July 6, 2011

Daily Deals Emails, I’m Dumping You for Mobile.

Not including work.  Not including school.  Not including spam.  What do you get emails about?

I get about 50 emails a day from Groupon, Yipit, PLNDR, Borders Rewards, Ralph Lauren, Barneys New York, Heartsy.me (it’s like Groupon for Etsy), and so many more.  It became a morning ritual to delete all these crazy emails.  Then, an after lunch ritual as well.  It’s too much.

The irony is that I already look up the content that I care about.  Even though I rarely buy anything on Gilt, Ruelala, or Hautelook, I check their mobile app weekly.  I’ve bought more via Groupon mobile than on their website, and never have I seen a Groupon email and jumped at the opportunity.  In short, everything I can get via email, I can get via my smartphone.  So please stop sending me discount/OMG, it’s a SALE!/group buying emails.  And for heaven’s sake, please stop auto-subscribing me.

[I just unsubscribed to Yipit and immediately got another email; apparently, there's another level of unsubscribe I needed to go through to never hear from them again.  Sorry, that makes me less likely to buy from you compared to the other 300 "me too!s" out there.]

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Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely instances for email.  Emails from all my accounts, i.e. credit cards, etc. to ensure I’m still running smoothly and haven’t turned my credit into a single digit number… they’re a great thing.  Emails from certain online groups, i.e. community managers or MeetUps or Ivy+, with updates are fine.  Even Hubspot emails (before they started emailing me multiple times a week- thanks, but if I really wanted your content, I’d subscribe to your blog; stop it already) were marginally interesting and informative.

But daily sales emails… please for the love of all that is un-evil, stop sending them and just make an app.  In fact, please make a universal shopping app, so I don’t have to log into the 20 different apps per day in order to check my deals.  Just one place.  Giving me information when I want.  On my phone.  Allows me to purchase.  Does not bother me with silly emails that are for all practical purposes useless.

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Counter-argument: I’m assuming that lots of people aged 35-55, who love sending ‘funny’ images via email, playing Farmville, and posting a thousand status updates a day are the same people who will actually click-through on those emails.  And for the 5% or 7% or 9% click-through rates, the entire email campaign becomes worthwhile.  But consider this, will the other 90+% of your audience become sick of your antics and indifferent to your brand?  Just because the other 90% doesn’t report you as spam or doesn’t do anything but delete your email doesn’t mean the users themselves are not secretly resenting the annoyance of your presence.

 

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April 17, 2011

fat.

I’m fat. Sure, technically, I’m the US average.  So many people/friends think that I’m “not that fat” or “beautiful just the way that I am.”  But I’m fat.

It’s every day.  Every person.  Fat is like race or gender or any other physical difference discrimination, except that no one polices discrimination on weight.  No matter what you think.  You, and very much I, judge people based on their appearance. And I get judged for being fat all the time.  It’s harder to find someone who is attracted to me physically.  Certain classmates don’t even make an attempt to introduce themselves, much less care about who I am.  Going out drinking and being hit on is a rarity at most.  Even your guy friends would never put you under the same consideration set.  And no matter how much people tell you fake it and have confidence, it’s all about confidence and how you carry yourself… it’s not so simple. It’s not true.  You will always eliminate a huge subset of people because you’re fat and because they judge you on your fatness.

I feel like I get faced with judgment all the time.  I fear walking to my table at a restaurant because I’m afraid I won’t fit between the chairs.  I don’t even hit on hot guys because they’re way out of my league and would never notice me anyway.  There’s so much make-up and manipulation that has to happen with each outing and each photo app, not to get my “best side” but to get my “not fat side.”  I’m bombarded with others and me judging myself.  I feel disgusting and unpretty and not-worthwhile.

Yes, the reasoning can be made that you can never not be black or not be asian.  You can lose weight.  But it’s not as easy as people make it sound.  Additionally, it makes the whole self-esteem part worse.  I get judged and judge myself not only because I’m fat but also because I could technically lose the weight and not have to deal with the issue.

But why can’t I be okay the way that I am?  How much differently would I perceive the world, if I felt like I actually belong?  Is it just my fat or is it something in my personality that just isn’t cool enough? I don’t know.

I just want to be accepted.  I just want to be able to feel beautiful, truly beautiful.  Inside and out.  And I don’t know if anyone will ever love me being the way that I am.  If I’ll be okay with the fact that they may have “settled” for someone who’s fat because I’ll never know.  If I can love me for the way that I am.

UPDATE: my friend just sent me this link.  It’s not just me talking nonsense.  Fat people get paid less. Linkie

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February 28, 2011

Superbowl Ads: An Anecdotal Experiment

It’s been weeks since I last blogged about the Superbowl.  In an effort not to taint my research, I haven’t read my last blog entry.  These are the ads I still remember (unaided recall):

  • Biggest impression and first ad that comes to mind: the Doritos finger sucking ad.  The guy licking Doritos cheesy residue off his co-worker was so visceral that it’s the first ad I remember every time someone says Superbowl.  So by my definition, Doritos had the best ad. Congrats to Frito-Lay & PepsiCo.
  • Eminem Brisk: disclosure being I’m working for Unilever this summer as a brand intern and Lipton Brisk is owned by Unilever, so it naturally makes sense that it’s the second ad that comes to mind.
  • I like the Coca-Cola border crossing ad, where two guys temporarily redrew country border to share the Coke experience.  I’ve been a loyal Coke drinker since childhood.
  • Adrian Brody with Stella Artois: there weren’t too many ads geared at women, so easy one to remember
  • Audi’s ad about rich people and “hit ‘em with Kenny G.”  Hilarious.  Innovative.
  • By association with Eninem, the Detroit ad.  I believe it was about the city and not any specific car company, but for some reason, I associate the ad with Chrysler.
  • There was a pretty cool ad, where a car gets abducted by spies, then god of the sea, then aliens.  I thought was a really nice brand but ended up being a Korean car company?  The problem with that ad is that it’s visually memorable, but to me, the brand wasn’t.  Hence, its fatal flaw.  Of course, other people may have remembered the brand, but I don’t.

That’s about it.  Of all the ads that played during the Superbowl, these companies are successful in my mind because they created an impression that I could remember, if prompted.  My biggest question is whether that influenced my buying decision.

During the last few weeks, I haven’t changed my buying pattern to purchase Brisk, Stelle Artois, and certainly, not any cars.  Especially with a big purchase like an automobile, I’m unlikely to change my perception because of ads on TV.  In terms of Coca-Cola, I did a blind taste test in my brand class and have actually bought less Coke. Not only have I realized that I can’t tell the difference, but Coke Zero costs 40% more than the HEB brand, and Pepsi is more readily available in the vending machines at McCombs.  So I’ve changed my buying habits and am less likely to go out of my way to purchase Coke products.  Lastly, I’m not usually a chip purchaser, and the only reason I’ve eat more bags of Doritos than usual (2 more individual size packs to be exact) is because it was part of the packed dinner provided by Hertz during a campus visit.

So in my own opinion, Superbowl ads are interesting, general buzz, and may help with brand equity, but at the end of the day, I’m not any more likely to purchase a product because of ads during the Superbowl.  At most, it reaffirms my brand loyalty to products and services I already use.  At worst, I don’t remember what brand that one car commercial was supporting.

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February 7, 2011

Super Bowl 45 Ads Galore

I’m going to be honest.  Packers, Steelers, I don’t really keep up with football.

… But for those who are still reading, I do religiously follow the Superbowl for the ads, the sense of community, and sometimes even the half time show (especially when Usher makes an appearance).

As an experiment, here are my initial reactions to the Superbowl ads.  I’ll come back a while later and see if I can do some unaided recall.  Just a few things before I being: 1) I’m approaching this as a consumer and not a marketer-as much as I can separate the two; 2) I’m female, so most of the ads- read PepsiCo- probably were targeted towards me; and 3) I already have attachments to the brands that I love, so some ads reinforce, while others detract no matter how amazing they are.

The Best

Chrysler: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120523

Volkswagen Passat: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120562

Doritos: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120571

Kia: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120558

Coca-Cola: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120559

Stella-Artois: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120553

The Worst

Coca-Cola: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120554

Movie sequels: Transformers, Fast & Furious, Pirates

The Ehhh…

GoDaddy.co: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120608

E*Trade: http://www.hulu.com/adzone2011#50120574

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January 30, 2011

User Experience and Why I use Citi

It feels like 90% of people who graduated around the time that I did have a Citibank Platinum Dividend credit card.  And over the years, I’ve come to rely on their customer service as a benchmark for other companies. For the record, I’ve not been solicited to post this and am not getting anything from them (although I would appreciate some bonus points, if any Citi employees are out there reading… j/k… not really). :)

I started using their credit card over 5 years ago.  On a month to month basis, I have no contact with the company.  I pay my bills online.  I periodically get marketing emails from them about balance transfers, which I ignore.  I don’t usually go over my limit and have always paid the full amount on my card.  But there have been a few occasions over the years, where I’ve had to call them.

This is why I like my Dividend card and will likely never switch (unless Citi gives me a reason):

  • If I do have to call them, I simply say “Agent,” and the computer transfers me.  No messy navigating through a long menu (thanks but no thanks AT&T) or call back during normal business hours (… and you wonder why you’re having issues, NY Times?) or lengthy hold times (USPS).
  • There isn’t a huge amount of up-selling.  Yes, I’m calling b/c I have a question or problem.  Please don’t bug me with the sales pitch.
  • The quality of customer service reps is excellent.  They’re always courteous and have a full grasp of the English language.

That’s it.  I don’t care about Citi’s rates or credit limit (although I have doubled it over the years) or any of the other ‘product’ features.  I just want my interactions with them to be short, convenient, and pleasant, when I choose to be in touch.

Why is it so hard for other companies to emulate this?  Why don’t they think it can be part of their competitive strength and a key differentiator between them and everyone else?

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