duminică, 28 august 2011

Sharing my love for Leeds

In a room, on the 12th floor, in a flat that I share I see the light of the city that I learned to love and I know that I don't even know this city well. I don't know its people, I don't know all its road. I know only the roads that go around the city centre and the university campus, I know only the roads that bring me back to my room from two or three main clubs that I can afford to go. I don't know this city as I thought I would after one year of leaving here, his secrets are still his and that is why I know I will come back, one day I will come back to Leeds, just to see other students having barbecues, having picnics or barbecues, having dinner parties or theme parties or just students that are feeling home sick. I don;t know how much this experience will help me from a professional perspective, I certainly hope that will help me, but I know that this experience helped me to discover a part of me that I did not knew I have, that is a strength to link my soul to other people completely different from me, to people that leave in another corner of the world, that have different cultures, that speak different languages and that maybe even like different things, but people that feel the same and have something very important in common, the need to leave a foot print in this world, to come back to Leeds, and to scream from the 12th or 16 th floor, I was here and now...now look at me, I left but I know my way back. I have to thank my tutors, not only because of what they thought me, but also because of what I stole from them, their attitude towards little things, their way of not stressing so much, but of being serious and committed to what they do. I have to say that the M in Marketing is now a bit different for me, than it was before, and i have to thank also for this. I know a year is so little time, and passes so quickly. Just yesterday I talked with Eli, with my friend and she told me, I can't believe you are leaving this month, its like just yesterday we arrived here, in Leeds. For her and for me, Leeds is a begining for a new way of looking at things for a new way of leaving. Leaving Leeds, will be hard, because when I leave, my new friends will leave as well, my new amazing friends, that are so different but that learned with me, not only marketing, but learned with me how to talk my language, and thought me how to speak theirs, I don;t mean only words like - chudo, gandmara ( that for me mean nothing but i heard that in hindi are quite bad:P) or nazdrave, or zelenium or omorfi mou,abrazos etc, I don't mean words I mean feelings, I mean sharing a look, sharing a thought sharing a drink and sharing a memory. I mean becoming friends. Even with the people that I had not become friends, I know that in a way I will think of all MA Advertising and Marketing, because I will think about that feeling that I had, that changed me a bit, and I think that in a way we all, that were here in Leeds, in 2010-2011, shared. To conclude, I look at the city lights, I wonder if my flat mates came back from Cranfields  and I worry about my dissertation, but most of all, I dream about the future with my new strength that raises from my heart, the feeling that link me to this people that in a way seem so different from me but that in the real way they also love Leeds.

sâmbătă, 20 august 2011

Vida Pasada

recuerdos que me ahogan, recuerdos que cantan su proprio dolor, recuerdos que me toman del mano y me envian en un espacio extrano, en un futuro que nunca va hacer, recuerdos que me acompanan siempre. recuerdos que luchan cada momento para sobrebibir. recuerdos que no quieren morir en el nada de mi deception.

A vosotros recuerdos de mi vida pasada,
los escribo y pido ....
que me dejen un sonrisa en la manana.
que me dejen mi fe, mis suenos y mis amigos.
pero que no me dejen ese amor que aun siento,
se lo lleve con vosotros en ese futuro que nunca va hacer.

big bad cat

a little mouse is in the corner of my window. 
a little mouse is in the aisle of my heart.
a little mouse is running from the big bad cat.
a little mouse is covering his ears
and the same mouse is pulling his own teeth out.
he is scared and he runs till reaches another corner of my window 
he follows the labyrinth of my soul, 
goes up to my spirit, runs down through my body, 
he sees my hail and my heaven,
he sees my darkness, but he is not scared, he likes it there.
he sees my light and he stops. he can't handle my light. 

why are you running little mouse? 
why are you running and towards what? 
this window is all that you will ever see. 
this window is all that you will ever have
he is looking for a whole:
                                        beneath my darkness and above my light. 

.........the big bad cat is smiling from the opposite corner. "let him look".   

miercuri, 17 august 2011

Sunt "mm" si mi-e bine!

un prieten m-a intrebat azi "cum sunt ? cum ma simt? " i-am spus ca sunt bine. ce altceva ii pot spune ? normal k sunt bine. How are u? I am fine, of course I am, I have to be, and I am. totusi....atunci cand imi intreb prietena din taiwan daca este bine, imi raspunde "mm", for her that means yes, for me that means so so, deci cand m-a intrebat i-am raspuns "mm". Sunt mm si mi-e bine. "mm " si acest " mm" ramane impietrit acolo undeva pentru o vreme doar pentru ca "mm" e "mm" si nu va fii niciodata altceva. 

Prietenelor mele care intre timp s-au apucat de fumat

ma prefac in scrum de tigara, ma rastorn intr-o scrumiera, lejer si in reluare. ating suprafata neteda si ma intind acolo, linistit. sunt in sfarsit un scrum de tigara. n-am fumat niciodata, dar mereu mi-am dorit sa fiu un scrum de tigara. Sa imi traiesc viata incepand cu o tigara. N-am fumat niciodata  pentru ca nu suport mirosul de tigara pe maini sau pe buze, dar mereu mi-a placut ideea de a fuma o tigara, linistit, singur, cu gandurile tale. Fara sa arati nimanui ca fumezi, fara sa vrei tu sa fii acolo, cu cei 6 colegi ai tai, fumand doar ca sa te duci in pauza de tigara. Mi-am dorit mereu undeva adanc sa fumez dar mi-e imposibil, urasc mirosul de tigara si mi-e frica sa nu mor de cancer. Mama, care a fumat de la 17 ani, mi-ar spune ca e putin probabil si ca tigarea e cel mai "light" viciu din lume. Ei bine.. mama stie la fel de bine ca mine ca atunci cand fumeaza ea, asa este, dar daca m-as apuca eu, mama mi-ar spune- nu m-ai vazut pe mine ce greu mi-e sa ma las, cum sa te apuci? e cel mai greu viciu din lume. Greu sau usor... scrumul de tigara, scuturat usor, atingand scrumiera are ceva din marul ala interzis pe care il dorim cu toti uneori mai mult, alteori mai putin.

duminică, 14 august 2011

Taraganeli ale vremurilor noastre

taraganim micile treburi ale casei.
taraganim marile discutii
taraganim inceputurile
si nu taraganim indeajuns sfarsiturile
taraganim orice mica scuza pana ce devine mare
taraganim libertatile si mai ales taraganim responsabilitatile
taraganim cupolele de fier ale spiritelor noastre
taraganim invataturile din plictis si din deznadejde
taraganim relatiile pana ajungem sa le taram in urma noastra
taraganim cafeaua de dimineata pentru ca nu ne grabim
spre o lume taraganita de alti.
taraganim vremurile astea
si taraganim clipele de azi pentru ca nu putem trai altfel decat asa -
Nu lasa pe azi ce poti face maine, sau poate mai bine candva saptamana asta....  

Copaci ai firii de pe urma

Copaci se imbratisau deasupra fruntii mele...

2 prieteni buni si singuratici ce isi rasfira bratele si ma ignora. Il strig indepartandu-ma-hey, nu iti mai amintesti de fruntea asta inalta? cu ea te-am lovit in primul an de facultate, cand ma intorceam din Cismigiu si m-am suit in carca ta, si m-am iubit dupa o frunza albastra, cu un barbat brunet si scund si te-am lasat apoi pentru 2 ani, si m-am intors tacuta si te-am lovit din nou cu fruntea mea, in coasta ta cea neagra. m-ai ignorat si atunci cum o faci si acum. Am strigat a disperare si m-am lasat sa cad usor, m-am chircit pe iarba din jur si lacrimi de aur au cazut in jurul tau. Iar tu ai facut ce faci mai bine. Ai tacut. M-a ridicat tacerea ta din iarba. M-a ridicat tacerea ta spre cer. M-a ridicat incetisor spre lumea ce vuia in jurul meu. Atunci ti-am observat intaia oara, prietenul de vizavi. M-am invartit in jurul vostru incet, nu mai stiam sa merg, nu mai stiam sa fiu, dar ma-nvarteam incet. Si atunci am regretat ultima oara acea frunza albastra si acel barbat plapand.
Ma intorc cu sufletul in cuie, ma intorc in carca ta, sa ma cari spre casa sa ma dai la stele sa ma dai la timpul cel dintai, sa ma reversi in mare si sa ma inveti ce stii tu mai bine, Sa ma inveti sa tac. M-am reintors la tine si deasupra fruntii mele, esti tu si prietenul tau. M-am reintors la tine si cutremur iar lacrimi de argint in jurul tau. M-am reintors la tine, ca sa ma inveti sa fiu. Si ma ignori din nou.

Sau poate asa stii tu sa ma inveti sa fiu din nou.

joi, 11 august 2011

De ce "mici" oameni din China sunt mai "mari" ca restul lumii?

Am trait mereu in Romania, cu exceptia ultimului an. Cand oamenii din jurul meu pomeneau cuvantul " chinez" de obicei o faceau cu un zambet pe buze, facand "misto " de filmele chinezesti, de accentul lor, de limba lor, de inaltimea lor si de... ei bine ...sa spunem alte elemente care dupa cateva sticle de bere ajung intr-un fel sau altul intr-o conversatie intre tineri prieteni, cel putin in anumite conversatii. Totusi lasand asta in urma, cred ca singurul lucru despre care romanii nu glumesc referitor la cultura chineza este mancarea chinezeasca si cultul muncii pe care il au atat de bine inradacinat. Cand ma gandesc la oamenii care gandesc asa, cand ma gandesc la marea de oameni care ma asteapta acasa si care mare spumega de glume mai mult sau mai putin serioase la adresa lor, imi dau seama ca eu sunt norocoasa pentru ca eu am avut un mic telescop si am folosit telescopul acesta sa pandesc o mica sau mare comunitate de chinezi, un telescop al mintii si al retelelor sociale poate. Sunt norocoasa pentru ca la o scara foarte mica am putut sa imprumut mici elemente ale culturii lor. Ei au sa cada si se vor ridica. Ei au sa cada si pentru multi va fii ca si cum n-ar fi cazut, pentru ca Lao a spus intr-o carte cu putine pagini, a spus de ce sa plangi pentru ceva ce inainte nici nu a fost acolo? de ce sa plangi pentru ceva ce deja stii cum sa traiesti fara? Cred ca daca privim asa lucrurile, singurul lucru pentru care suntem indreptatiti sa plangem sunt parintii si bunicii nostri, pentru ca ei au fost mereu acolo, pentru ca nu stim cum sa traim fara. Este o filozofie de viata. Prietena mea, Yuni mi-a zis ca sa imi exemplifice acest concept- Look Moda, if I am here with you eating this dinner, I accept it and I am happy, but if tomorrow I can't eat it again, why to be sad, when yesterday I did not even knew that I could eat this dinner today with you." Mi-e greu sa inteleg cum anume sa nu ma agat de oameni sau de lucruri. Inteleg conceptul, il inteleg si cred in el cu anumite rezerve, dar cred in el. Totusi, cum anume se poate sa ai ceva pentru mai mult de cateva luni, sa fie al tau, sa tii la el, poate chiar sa il iubesti si apoi sa nu fii trist, sa te inveti pe tine insati sa dai drumul, sa accepti, poate sa fii trist dar nu deprimat, sa dai drumul fara sa fii furios fara sa iti ridici mari intrebari, fara sa iti faci tot felul de scenarii in cap despre cum a fost, ce am facut, ce n-am facut sau ce ar fii trebuit sa fac. Cu siguranta, daca chinezii pot pune filozofia asta, macar 10% din ea in practica, cu siguranta sunt mai "mari" ca restul lumii, si au un cap deasupra mea si a celor ca mine.

big questions, small and artificial answers

A friend that I used to work with asked me today what do I think is the purpose of life. We were in a Chinese restaurant, full with people that were celebrating, with woman that had babies in their arms and with husband that discussed business with other husbands. This man is part of a very different culture, he was raised in a communist rein while I was raised by people that were also raised in a communist rein, so practically from a "western" point of view, I had an advantage, however this man shocked me when he asked me this, and I forgot to mention, today was his birthday, we were celebrating him. He just asked me- what is the purpose of life for me. I said that I read a lot of philosophers, and they all tried to find a response to this question but they did not. Some of them just gave up, some of them just keep trying until they knew that they have no reason to know, maybe if they knew they would die instantly, maybe life would loose its charm, or just maybe they will seize to become. After smiling I asked, why do you ask, and he told me, because I am just thinking about this. I said that I just don;t know, I did not thought about this things for ages, but if would be to give him a simplistic answer that would be" finding balance". Then I walked to my flat, again i forget my keys, my sweet and lovely flat mate had to come and pick me up, I went into my room and I thought about the people that think about this big concepts of life and death and the purpose of life, and I felt limited, I felt that at a certain point since teen years and present I've given up this big thought, I just said, leave this thoughts to bigger man, but as my friend asked me I understood that this balance that i look for in my life has to have a more specific definition, I could not explain exactly what I mean by balance, I could not explain why is this balance so important for me, except for the fact that at present I feel its lacking from my existence. I could not tell him because I do not know what exactly is more important for me. I told him I want to balance my personal life with my professional life, but when this words touched the air, I remember a discussion I had years and years ago, when I was just 15 or 16 years old, with my best friend, at her kitchen table, she told me I don;t want to be mediocre, I am scared of this, but just one year a go she told me again, its inevitable, I want to be happy, I need to be mediocre. Now its my turn, later then her, but I swear I am so afraid of being exactly what I tend to be- mediocre. And this balance- to have a good personal life and an average professional life, it's exactly this. A  professional successful person, is most times a person without balance. Now it depends how you judge success. My mother sees her life as a success, because she manage to raise my sister an me, and she did it well, she has a family and she knows that its a solid thing. This is her success and for her this was and is her purpose. Getting into my dissertation topic, and discovering a lot of flows, I discovered new flows in my way of looking at things, my friend asked me a simple but yet so complex question, and then another friend told me " when I will grow old I want to be happy", actually the purpose of life is to be happy, but the question, the multiple unending questions remain... What makes us happy? and for how long?

duminică, 7 august 2011

The Best Relationship Marketeer That Ever Lived- Santa Claus

When I think about the year that passed and about all the information I had to accumulate, I can summarize the majority of things with three words- segmentation, targeting and customization. This are the new laws in any marketing related area. This is what the new marketer has to know very well and has to be able to implement in a way or another. In order to do this we have a lot to learn from.... Santa Claus. Yes, its true, Santa Claus is the best specialist in direct and relationship marketing. He has a "business" and he has " employees", in a sense he provides a service a very well thought service. Think about it. Santa Claus receives thousands of letters every day- this is a river of qualitative research, and in those letters children express their wants and their needs, the insight Santa Claus has its amazing. But he does not stop there, no, he wants to know every child, he wants to know everything that is why he uses the latest information gadgets, he sends his elfs in missions all around the year, to find out exactly what are the circumstances, what is the global picture. Then he has the competitive advantage, he knows everything, he has the information and he builds his own criteria- so the first stage arrises- Segmentation. Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice. He takes care of the nice children and he sends amendments to the naughty children. He never forgets anybody. Every child is in his list, but he knows exactly in what category. There are different types of customers, and you can not have the same type of relationship with them all, so you have to prioritise your customer. Santa Claus has on his loyalty ladder, the parents, the children, the elfs, the rain dears and the non believers- that are the lowest on his priority but his objective is to change their perception in 6 mounths, if not they will always stay non believers. Santa Claus Targets! but not as marketers do, in groups, he does it individually, every new child is a new target.  Then Santa Claus makes customizations, he puts the name of the child on the toys or on the bags, he hides it where the child wants and he eats or does not eat the crackers and the milk in the night time according to every house's rules. Santa Claus would be the perfect marketeer. But how the perfect marketer does not exist, Santa Claus has also a big problem, he cannot mantain his competitive advantage for much longer. Every Santa from every Mall looks like him, every parent thinks he is Santa and he acts like it and the toys- the product, needs innovation. His strategy should be innovation and not cost reduction! Santa all my respect, you are the best in relationship marketing but be careful if you don't keep up with marketing strategy soon you will become just a fairy tale.

sâmbătă, 6 august 2011

The other

I remember that when I was little and I used to go with my parents to the sea side my father used to always argue with my mother over the same thing- " Why do you feel the need to bring so much luggage? We are staying just for a couple of days" My mother would smile and say: " admit it - you are afraid she won't handle it". The "she" element is essential because this is how my father related with his car, all his cars. Whenever we would go on the road he first would sit in the driver's seat and tell her- you can do it, I know you can. And then we would drive for hours until reaching the sea side. Later, in a lecture at Uni one professor was discussing a theme in  car advertising, the idea of the car being like a mistress, like the other woman, and he gave us a very good example of a car ad that had convey this message very well. When I found this ad I thought about his story, and thought that the majority of men at some point in time tend to prefer their cars over their wives or girlfriends, because at least with their cars they know that they are able to win any argument.  I like this ad also because of the social message, that everyone, no matter the age or nationality should Never have unprotected sex! unless you are in a long time relationship, both of you were tested and you don't mind having babies:)

joi, 4 august 2011

smart ads 3: Beetle, special delivery

The ads for Beetle have a history of being interesting and revolutionary. This ad is again unusual. Such a complicated principle, such an easy way to show the car, the target audience and to put it in a green natural environment. I love the subtleness as well " by special delivery". This ad delivers a message, the brand is recognisable and the way the message is conveyed is so unexpected that becomes creative. 
Another great one. 

smart ads 2 - Viagra Ad

I love this one. It taps into men wishes of being always magicians in bed, of being in charge of the situation, of the relationship. The woman is asleep, is in a trance brought to her by the much elder man. He does not need to touch her to get her there. The sexual connotation exists but they are so subtle that it becomes a bit funny. My first reaction when seeing this ad was to smile. The " love pil " was doing wonders, a win-win situation. I love the originality of the ad, for me this is a creative ad, shows another way of looking at a well known problem for older man and it is not embarrassing for them, its just there.   
To the ad agency that made it: I salute you ! 

smart ads




This are totally different ads, on the same theme, anti smoking. They are both impressive and original. They are both interesting and original. The first one it's ironical and funny in a sad way. The second one is simple and plain, but at the same time the message its very clearly conveyed. Finally, the third one is different, it shocks and it makes you think, it uses a sweet child to make it more of an impact to parents that smoke, and that man hand that the child has makes a statement. "I am smoking through your hand, you are hurting me and you don't even know it".

marți, 2 august 2011

Simple is better

most times you can express your self best in the simplest way possible, most times too many words change the sense of our expressions. 

luni, 1 august 2011

Ego de printesa

Pasesti pe coridoare inguste,
cu pantofii tai de dans
cu zambetul sters
si cu vioara in pantec, ce parca zbiara spre noi ceilalti- da da, ma stii, sunt eu cel de ieri.
Nu te rusinezi.
nu te sfiezi de nimic si de nimeni,
te infrunta din drum doi boieri rataciti,
le-asterni cativa galbeni si pleci linistit,
nu te sfiezi de nimic si de nimeni.
Sunt batrani ce se mira, te cearta si zbiara,
 sunt copii ce te alearga din vreme in vreme,
sunt adulti ce privesc inspre tine piezis,
 esti singur si te ascunzi acolo unde te simti bine.
.... intre cele doua sinapse ale sufletului meu.