Want to look younger?

Anti-Aging BreakthroughIn a remarkable turn of events, one of the strangest in the history of cosmetics women across the countries are putting a stretch-mark reducing emulsion called StriVectin-SD on their face to get rid of fine lines, wrinkles and crow's feet.

And, if consumers sales are any indication of a product's effectiveness, StriVectin-SD is nothing short of a miracle. Scientific Breakthrough or Dumb Luck?Although StriVectin-SD’s functional components were already backed by clinical trials documenting their ability to visibly reduce the appearance of existing stretch marks (prominent because of their depth, length, discoloration and texture)…

"the success of StriVectin-SD as an anti-wrinkle cream was “dumb luck,”" says Gina Gay, spokesperson for Klein-Becker, StriVectin-SD’s exclusive distributor.

I would say that women should be very carefuly when they want to try a new "miracle cream". It is not possible to get rid of every wrinkles, and simply have a great teen face in a couple of months! Nevertheless, those kind ok creams pove their efficiently in reducing the effect of ageing, on condition that they eat healthy and take care of their life rythm.

Fairtrade

Aid organisations were among the first to promote fair trade by enabling third world producers to sell their goods - usually handicrafts - directly to the Western consumer, often in their charity shops

The first Fairtrade consumer guarantee - the Max Havelaar label - was launched in the Netherlands in 1989.
Today there are labelling initiatives in 17 countries, mainly throughout Europe and North America.

Brands have gone from strength to strength: now on offer are fair trade roses from Kenya, footballs from Pakistan and organic chocolate spreads, as well as coffee, tea and vegetables.

A packet of tea with the fair trade premium may cost 40p more than other brands, but many of us happily pay the extra in the knowledge that tea farmers in the developing world are not being exploited.

So fairtrade products are sold because people seem to be ready to make efforts in order to help those who are in the need... But how can we be sure the extra price we pay is really redistributed?

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day did not start out as the day when individuals expressed their love for one another. However, over the last few decades, it has evolved into the second-largest card-giving holiday of the year. Along with cards, this popular festival of love and romance is also synonymous with chocolates, fully booked restaurants, roses, and a lot of symbolic gifts.

But does a couple realy need a special day to prove their love? Personally, I am aware that valentin's day is all above a commercial day. Nevertheless, I can't imagine my boyfriend just forget to reserve me a little attention on that day! Or just saying "with us it's love each day"... Even if, of course, it is... BUT! I don't expect a gift, but maybe a card, and some candles... Something romantic on this romantic and commmercial day.

So I can say I am a victim of marketing techniques when it deals with my feelings... I know that and I consider myself to be enough clever not to mix that day with another personal occasion, I nerver do a big effort or never buy anaffordable gift for him. It's just a day I feel I couldn't consider as a normal day.

Thank you marketers ;)

Fashion girls

Fashion-conscious consumers in the US are overwhelmingly female, live on the east or west coast, and are more likely to use American Express for their purchases, according to an analysis by Experian Simmons.

The research, which defines fashion-conscious consumers as those who read fashion-related magazines, examines several of this demographic’s characteristics as they relate to shopping behavior and decision-making, as well as the stores in which they are likely to shop, the products they are apt to buy, and the method of payment they most often use.

Key research findings about fashion-conscious consumers:

* Women, in overwhelming numbers vs. men, rely on fashion magazines to help them determine their shopping lists.
* Fashion magazines appeal to all ages and there is near equal distribution among age groups.

* Those who aren’t married are 14% more likely to be fashion-conscious.

* Younger consumers use a number of magazines to help with their decisions, while somewhat older shoppers tend toward Instyle and Glamour.

* The preferred payment method of the fashion-conscious is American Express: Four of the top five credit cards used in the last 30 days were Amex cards.

Kids would be computer savvy

According to a study from Experian Consumer Research, MarketingCharts reports, an overwhelming majority (89%) of all kids age 6-11 in the US spend a lot of time on internet.

The Simmons Kids Fall 2007 Full Years Study found that because today's kids have grown up in the age of online communication, networking, the internet, cell phones, digital music and digital cable, they have had different childhood experiences compared with other generations. This makes them more likely to react differently than their older counterparts to advertising and marketing initiatives.

Overall survey findings:
* The majority of kids are computer savvy and spend a significant amount of time online.
* Computer time is enjoyed fairly similarly across age groups and gender.
* Top activities for kids haven't changed much over the years and still include going to the movies, spending time with family, and playing sports.
* Most kids tend to pursue leisure activities that are social in nature, but a significant percentage of girls and the youngest kids still enjoy more alone time doing artistic activities and reading books.

The study also found that while kids may not currently spend much money, they are very likely to influence their parents' purchasing decisions.

Celebrities' fragances

These days it seems every singer or actress is developing & promoting her own signature scent :

Britney, Paris and ... Donald Trump are flooding the markets with their signature scents & just in time for the holidays.

"Just like Britney, her new signature scent, 'Curious,' is bold, sassy & all about fun"

"We had originally planned to launch Paris Hilton's perfume early next year but we pushed it up because Paris is such a big name right now," said Frank Buttacavoli, chief operating officer with Fort Lauderdale.

Buttacavoli added that the company is also developing a signature scent for teenage tennis ace Maria Sharapova

Industry watchers point out that celebrities and perfumes are a match made in retail heaven. To the stars, the multi-billion dollar fragrance market is a lucrative opportunity to mint money. But more importantly, it's the fragrance industry that's really in need of some star power to lift sagging sales.

A original approach is to catch a rising star of the moment while they're hot, like the star of NBC's reality show "The Apprentice," Donald Trump.
"Donald Trump is a definition of the American success story. He's more than a business name. He's an American icon. The allure of his lifestyle is unmistakable," said Jennifer Mann, spokeswoman for Aramis Fragrances & Designer Fragrances.

Haircut

After years of Wags sporting nasty nylon extensions, the return of the bob is a welcome one. It’s hard to get wrong and it’s very easy to wear. Now, the bob is being sported by all kinds of stylish women, just as it has been in any of the past hundred years.

Its debut came in 1909 when the young hairdresser Antoine de Paris chopped the actress Eve Lavallière's hair to make her appear younger for a role on stage in the French capital. The stylist was then bombarded with requests for the look from women who felt it would liberate them from the tedium of preparing the long, elaborate locks that were then in fashion. And so the bob was born.

Today the trend is real, and some celebrities adopted this harcut : Victoria Beckham, Katie Holmes, Rihanna, Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow... they really start the new fashion hair, which is now following by a lot of citizens.

So we don't make new fashion, it always a cycle from the past.

"If you hear Thunder, forget counting. It's already too late!"

The ThunderBolt Storm Detector is Storm Safety Technology to carry with you anywhere. Thunderstorms and deadly lightning can suddenly come out of nowhere, catching people off guard and unprepared. "Sooner or later, everyone who works or plays outdoors will get caught in this predicament."
Fact is, when you hear thunder, you’re already in range of a lightning strike. With ThunderBolt, you will be warned to take shelter long before you’re in danger! Not a weather radio, ThunderBolt is a self-contained device that gathers data independently of any other weather source.
Truly, the “Science is in your hands.” Used and trusted worldwide, ThunderBolt technology is the Ultimate in Storm Detection

Hum... here is my personal opinion :

I wouold say it is practice if you have neither the television nor the radio, and cannot see the sky, nor hear anything... Or especially practice if you are afraid of being stuck by the lightning at anytime! :)

Mineral Makeup

There's a new rock star in cosmetics: mineral-based makeup.
Beauty marketers are rushing to mine the trend with more foundation, blush, eye shadow and other cosmetics with natural-sounding "mineral" formulations and ingredients. The products with finely ground minerals are being promoted as sheer, "natural" looking and less irritating to skin than chemical-based products.

A third of women said they wanted mineral-based makeup in a 2007 survey by market researcher Mintel.
The industry has responded with a barrage of mineral-based cosmetic products: 451 in 2007, vs. 132 in 2005 in the U.S. market, according to Datamonitor's Productscan Online.

But is it really healthy? Or is it only a new way to attract new consumers?

Dermatologist Leslie Baumann, author of The Skin Type Solution, is critical of any claim the makeup is healthier. "It is mainly marketing hype. The minerals in it have never been shown to be beneficial for your skin."

"The idea is that it's healthy and natural and beautiful — and that it lasts," senior product manager Erika Kussmann says.

=> Do we will to forget the orange face and green eyes and use more natural makeup for more natural women?

Ohio university

Here I am : Athens, Ohio, just close to the campus of Ohio University!

For sure, it is totally different from NYC... ! The first time I went to town, I wanted to buy me some clothes (or at least have a look of what I could afford) and I was really surprise that most of stores are especially for student who are studying there... that implies clothes with the logo OHIO UNIVERSITY on it! I had never seen that in my all live, that so crazy for me!

In France we also have t shirt of the colors of our school, but actually you don't buy them; you get them because you 're volonteer in a association or you were participating at a special event.

Here in Athens every student is proud to show in which university he or she is, and wear ohio clothes during normal day.

I find it both funny and also very important for the "campus spirit" : if you like the university where you are studying, you will be proud to show it. And that's also a way to attract new students...

The succes of Ikéa

"Affordable solutions for better living", this is the slogan of Ikea.

Founded in 1943 in Sweden, IKEA is now the world's largest furniture manufacturer. IKEA is a privately-held, international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world. The company also pioneered flat-pack design furniture at affordable prices in the world.

This success results from the identity of the brand :

Much of IKEA's furniture is designed to be assembled by the consumer rather than being sold pre-assembled. This involves two advantages : first, it permits an important cost reduction, which was repercuted on the sale prices. Then, the flat-pack distribution method allowed an easier transport from the store to a customer's home .

Finally, IKEA provides furnitures for a very large public : from a large to a smaller house, for a design and useful decoration, for people from 20 to 50 years old who can have the catalog for free!

Definitively, IKEA succeeded in both giving the opportunity for bying products as a reasonable price and allowing people from middle class to have access to design furnitures. Kamprad (the fondator of the firm), refers to the concept as "democratic design," meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (and also environmental design) : "The intended result is flexible, adaptable home furnishings, scalable both to smaller homes and dwellings as well as large houses".