Flawed Logic
I was going to write about the Garden State Plaza Mall in NJ but instead am ranting about this.So I'm sure we've all been there. You're sitting in the doctor's chair. Most likely somewhat exposed - literally. A boob threatening to peak out under your flimsy hospital gown. Trying to stay warm from the cold examination room. You tell your doctor that something is just not right and they respond with,
"Oh, sure, I'll do a test for that."
"Great," You respond with relief that whatever was ailing you will be discovered and cured.
Days later, you hear nothing from your doctor which means everything was fine. And you feel fine.
But then you get a bill from your insurance. Not covered. $675!!!
WTF ?!%$#@
So you mean if I had just waited TWO days without asking my doctor to perform any tests, I could have saved $675?!?!
You're outraged. In what universe is it okay to give someone a service of some kind only to find out afterwards what you owe? No estimate. No idea that it will even cost you money. Plumbers and contractors guilty of this are kept in check through Yelp reviews. But who keeps medical services in check?
So you call your doctor's office. Five transfers and fifteen minutes later, you get transferred to the billing department of the lab.
You have the bill in your hand that itemizes the procedure costs. Over $3,000. You have no idea what any of this means but are racking your brain trying to figure out how any of this could add up to that.
You bring this up to the billing administrator.
Her response, "It doesn't matter. We charge this to the insurance company and they adjust it. They tell us that it should be $675 because they won't pay that cost."
Your response, "So you charge them as much as you can get away with and then they adjust it to what should make sense?"
Awkward pause. I've caught the billing administrator in trying to explain the flawed logic of hospital and lab costs.
And you continue.. "So without the negotiating power of the insurance company, I'd owe $3,000."
Response, "No - well.. we'd figure something out."
You continue. "If I was getting a haircut and the hairdresser told me that I'd look good in this cut - and I said go ahead. Then his salon charged me an outrageous amount for that - beyond what he knew would happen. They wouldn't be in business anymore. In fact, it would be considered bad business. Except I'm not in a hairdresser's chair and this is my health. Potentially my life, and you're viewing me as a source of profit. How does any of this make sense? How is any of this even moral?"
At which point - you've reached a standstill because the administrator has no response. In fact, they probably even know that you're right and the system is FUBARED. And anything she says will probably incriminate her in some way.
Finally, the administrator responds with "The next time you're at the doctor, call your insurance company first and see what's covered before getting any procedure done."
You think about this. This makes sense. Okay. Then you think about it some more. To which you response, "I'm not a doctor. How would I know which tests to ask about? How would I be able to make the decision over whether or not it's worth it to get a test done or wait? How would I know if I'm making the decision between paying an extra $50 or $500? How does any of this make sense?"
You hang up the phone completely defeated - wondering why in this day in age - where the most detailed information about cost is available through a simple Google search - this still happens. And then you log on to your bank account - visualizing that $675 no longer in your account. Money that could have been used for a vacation. A month's worth of food including eating out. A payment to a school loan. But instead, it's mainly going to cover the costs of our screwed up medical system - money to maintain absurd overhead - equipment instead of doctor's intuition / patient time. High medical malpractice insurance. High administrative costs negotiating with insurance company. You are understandably distraught.
And then you contemplate moving to Canada or Europe and wondering how - with a country that has gotten so much right - they could have gotten something so wrong.
POP!
I interrupt your ponderings about Beyonce (conspiracy theories?!), Jay Z and Solange to bring you something that might bring a few tears to your eye.Can definitely imagine this being the next Pharrell Happy phenomenon. And nice reference to Michael Jackson's 1991 video Black or White (remember when it was considered progressive and modern!? Justin Timberlake celebrates Michael Jackson in Love Never Felt So Good.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG08ukJPtR8]
The Future of Advertising - As Told Through My 2010 Miami Ad School Application
Inspired by Faris Yacob's recent post, I decided to re-read my Miami Ad School Planning Boot Camp application from June 2010. Four years later, my thoughts on how advertising will and should evolve has not changed. This thinking is even reflected in how I answered WARC's 2014 Admap Essay contest on building brands in the digital age, which I can proudly say they added me to the shortlist. Below is my response to one of the application questions - word for word (recently edited for readability and not content). I think many of these predictions will come true ahead of schedule.
How would you evolve the state of advertising to be successful in the year 2020?
CLIFF NOTES
1. Sophisticated customer tracking tools will play a critical role in which products and ads we serve to customers. Customers will be in control of their data and willingly share it in exchange for tailored products and marketing.
2. Ad agencies will be fully integrated with less silos between disciplines such as brand building, digital, innovation, mobile or even employee engagement.
3. The integrity of a product and organization will be paramount as increasing transparency pulls the curtain on what marketing can mask.
4. The role of advertisers will be to entertain, inspire, add value to your life or even serve as a community creator - fostering connections between likeminded individuals.
5. The need for strategic thinking, creativity and brand building won't go away.
In 2010, companies can already track their consumers through browser cookies, smartphones, social networking sites, online shopping, rating sites, and many more devices. By 2020, marketers will have more sophisticated measuring and monitoring tools to predict exactly what brands you relate to, down to the exact style of dress you want, before you even knew you wanted it. Consumers will profit from their private information by selling it to marketers, negating privacy issues. By 2020, I will never receive an ad that wasn’t meant for me.
In order for advertising to be successful in the year 2020, advertisers will need to change their organizational structure. They will need to rely heavily on strategic thinking and continue to develop their client’s brand. Most importantly, advertisers will need to work with clients to offer added value to the consumer, either through the ads themselves or products development. Ads will be engaging, entertaining and social.
Currently, most clients have a long roster of agencies: their digital agency may be based in Boulder while their AOR is in New York. Within an ad agency, coordinating every aspect of the process is challenging – even harder and less efficient when you’re working across multiple agencies. In order for advertisers to be successful in 2020, agencies need to go back to a time when all aspects of advertising were under one roof. The very definition of advertising will change to fall under the umbrella of communications and even innovation, blurring the lines between public relations, product innovation, entertainment and social media. Advertising agencies will become strategic think tanks, understanding their consumer and directing all other branches of the process; digital, print, television, web, media, etc. to interact with the particular consumer - based on their behavioral preferences. Collaborators from all stages of the process will sit in on the initial brain storming session so, for instance, the lead creative understands what the media team can do to execute their vision in the appropriate fashion. While this may resemble an in house agency, I believe it needs to remain separate in order to foster a culture of innovation, allowing strategists to pull inspiration from multiple sources and stay fresh. In keeping with the theme of integration and innovation, advertising agencies will be more horizontal and collaborative with the understanding that good ideas can come from anyone in the organization.
In addition to leading the strategic process, to be successful, advertisers will consult on all aspects of a client’s business that interact with consumers - from the retail floor to customer service, ensuring that the brand’s integrity is held throughout. With the rapid spread of information, there will be no room for disingenuous campaigns that falsely reflect the product or service. The ad agency will not create the retail experience but they will work closely to lead the firm that does.
Based on their strategic insights, advertisers will introduce the right products for the right people, popping up in their daily lives without being intrusive. It will aggregate information from your social networking sites, online persona and previous purchases to determine which brands you affiliate with and which potential new brands interest you. In fact, customers will be rewarded by points they can use to buy products for giving out more of their data – thus ensuring that products will be marketed to them more efficiently. Advertisers will turn into highly trained personal assistants, presenting you with your every need as you go about your daily life. Mobile and geo-location services will be key to alerting you what you need, when you need it and when you’re near it to get you to the purchase. Brands will create stronger communities as they are starting to do now – turning our global economy into a small town feel and giving people the connections that we all seek.
Advertisers will start conversations, entertain, challenge and excite their consumers. They will create social games that engage consumers with the brand. They will NOT be replaced by Google search or Facebook recommendations because consumers need that brand recognition (that comes in the form of advertising) to choose a brand out of the large sea of products. And brands need advertising to differentiate their product. As the tide is shifting now, the customer and advertiser will work together to create better products. This is how I would evolve the state of advertising to be successful in the year 2020.
Ethics and Brand Building In the Digital Age
Recently, I went after a job on a client that made a huge environmental blunder decades ago which has tarnished their reputation ever since. At first, I was hesitant, but then I did more research and learned the client had donated an incredibly large sum of money to charity and is working to improve their sustainability practices. During the interview, the strategy director mentioned the client knows they need to improve their sustainability practices - not just talk about it for PR's sake, but actually do good things.
As marketers, we're faced with this dilemma on a regular basis. We can feel good about working on clients like Nike, Google and Starbucks - knowing we're pushing not only a superior product but supporting sustainability or even an innovative employer. But the real opportunity is in getting those clients who once put profit first and foremost, to put customers first. It's getting those organizations who didn't care about sustainability to become more sustainable. Or those who weren't innovative to change their organizational structure to support innovation. It's getting the person who was a total jerk - the guy who said "my way or the highway" to realize that kind of behavior doesn't get him friends in this day and age. Is it black and white? Are certain organizations not worth helping? Is a culture of greed or lack of values so engrained that as marketers, we're better off letting them die as brands or can they be saved?
Or in the words of Olivia Pope's father on Scandal, are we, as cultural strategists, here to bring clients into the light?
Spring Forward
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Helping Brands Deliver in A Mobile-First World: Interview With Scott Schmidt
I worked with Scott Schmidt while at M&C Saatchi Mobile, developing mobile media strategies for clients and working together to win new business. Scott recently joined the newly created PIVMO, a mobile marketing and analytics company after having worked as a media supervisor and previously a digital strategist planner. The mobile industry has grown at a staggering pace since you've been in the industry. How have you noticed the conversations around mobile shifting and maturing during this growth?
Definitely - things are beginning to take shape but still not where they need to be. You’ve seen new mobile-first brands skyrocket faster than any other platform I’ve ever seen. I’ve also seen consumers just really fall in love with the technology from streaming Netflix on their phone and casting to the TV, or reading articles on the train, or sharing their social status…. it just makes things in life so much more convenient to a person. The largest issue is many clients still don’t grasp this, don’t have mobile ready websites or apps and they’re getting late to the party. Facebook really blew the media eyeballs open in 2013 with over half its ad revenue now coming from mobile. I like to compare it to social media a few years back, when every brand was still deciding if they should have a Facebook page, or Twitter page, but if you were one of the brands that committed to it, then you obviously saw them reap the rewards. As for the actual media side of things, it’s still a small portion vs. digital budgets and the main reason for that is either 1) they don’t have a mobile ready product or 2) they don’t really understand the mobile media landscape to get strong results from it. 2014 is the first year mobile traffic is going to overtake Desktop PC traffic. Consumers have already made their transition - it’s time for brands to start understanding how to connect with their consumers in a mobile first world [pullquote]Consumers have already made their transition - it’s time for brands to start understanding how to connect with their consumers in a mobile first world. [/pullquote]
What are some of the more surprising ways that advertisers and media buyers are able to target mobile users?
Mobile is a whole new world for targeting, and this is mainly due to apps being the experience consumers are choosing vs. browsers. Apps are just a much richer experiences to consumers, and because of this, cookies are not available. So when you talk about targeting in mobile, you don’t have that cookie trail available on browsers. What do you have in apps? You have something called ‘Device IDs’ or other ‘IDs’ being put into place to track devices anonymously. It’s a really messy space which is why many advertisers don’t get the performance / targeting they’re looking for. The best advertisers are using 1st party, 2nd party and 3rd party data based on device ID, registration data or other data that is properly matched to devices. It’s EXTREMELY important to understand how the data is captured and how it’s matched to the way you serve ads to those users.
What makes it even a larger issue in mobile today is you have to buy from Publishers directly, Ad Networks, and also Demand Side Platforms to get the scale and performance you need. I expect this to consolidate over the next few years. On the bright side - consumers are sharing their data at astounding rates through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and other apps which help advertisers truly understand their audience. Imagine that: users are telling you what they like, how they’re engaging – and brands just need to listen and provide that experience. It’s a lot easier than it sounds!!!
What is an average click rate and how does that compare to other forms of media?
This is a loaded question, but Click rates are much higher on mobile vs. desktop, many say this is due to ‘fat finger’ syndrome but in reality if you have a great ad, and a great user experience the results outweigh desktop without question. I’ve seen click rates range anywhere from 0.3% to 20%. Either way, click rates should rarely be the measurement for your brand, you should be looking at other things like app installs, in-app events, engagement, brand lifts, social chatter, etc…
How much do organic installs (i.e. installs from customer interest vs. influenced by ads) play in an app's install success rate?
Organic installs are huge, but you can’t get those installs without awareness. Whether you’re using TV, social, mobile, or desktop you need to create awareness. The tricky side is on iOS where the volume of downloads effects your ranking. And with a higher ranking, you are maintaining more visibility and ultimately organic downloads. It’s important to build a loyal base which can be done through ads with the right targeting, creative and measurement.
Through mobile, brands have the opportunity to specifically reference a variety of factors in their messaging based on their mobile data - from the time of day, current temperature, location, etc. How often are these tactics used and are they more successful?
These tactics are used by the brands that are ahead of the curve and they’re definitely more successful. It really all depends on the clients’ goals and KPI’s they’re trying to achieve. Retailers are jumping on the horn for location data to drive brick and mortar sales, but in reality I see a lot of brands do this just to say they’re doing mobile. This is why understanding the data is the biggest factor when buying media in mobile. Other elements you’ll see is dynamic creative - saying you’re a block away from the nearest store, or a countdown to an upcoming sale. I’ve seen entertainment networks leveraging countdowns for upcoming shows and adding it to your calendar, and some brands incorporating real-time social data such as tweets during big events like the Superbowl. If the data you’re using for these ads aren’t accurate, imagine the issues you face. You could be in Los Angeles getting an ad for a nearby store in NYC.
What are some of the more innovative mobile media campaigns you've seen more recently?
One of the coolest campaigns I’ve seen recently was by Toys R Us in which they promoted gift buying to parents utilizing a voice recognition advertisement. Once you opened the ad, you had to speak and tell them about the child you’re shopping for, what you think they liked and then it recommended an item that you could buy instantly. Also received an ad last week, saying ‘Hey you at the agency’ in which they geo-fenced and audience targeted me explaining how they targeted the ad in a video. That’s hardcore stuff, but it really catches your eye and leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Then you have the larger brands running ads that are fully immersive such as Virgin Atlantic where you could walk into the plane, view its seats, and have a 360 view. iPad ads are some of the most beautiful ads you’ll see on any channel.
What goes into planning a mobile media campaign? How much of it is understanding target behaviors vs. understanding what kind of spend will lead to conversions? Vs. having the knowledge of various ad networks?
A LOT goes into planning, and this all depends on what the client is trying to achieve. Planning includes the media placements you’re buying, the type of ad units you’re buying (banners, native, video, rich media, audio, etc…), creative, the data you’re leveraging and the tracking available. Since data is a huge thing in mobile, it’s important to understand where each network, publisher or demand side platform is getting that data and how they’re matching it to the targeting. Let’s say for example you want to geo-fence an area for a retail store, you want to ensure all the location data you’re receiving is accurate, and in real-time. On the flip side if you’re a new brand that wants to understand who your consumer is in mobile, you can still run broad and measure / optimize against different devices, operating systems, device models, geo, connection speed, gender, age, etc… the list is really endless. As for spend leading to conversions, in the past it was always a better choice not to spend a premium for data since it was not really there yet in mobile, this is changing rapidly - BUT still not for everyone.
Let's pretend you work for a digital ad agency. A big brand comes to you and says they want to develop an app. What are some questions you ask them related to media?
First question is what took you so long? Lol, no but seriously it’s important for the brand to understand the app’s usage:
- Is the app meant to be a complete user experience like their web properties?
- Is it for acquisition purposes or awareness?
- What are their media goals / KPIs?
- Are you planning on implementing any analytic / 3rd party tracking solutions for media or in-house tracking?
- What has worked in other channels – desktop, TV, radio, print, etc…
- Who is their target audience? Are they open to testing beyond this?
- What devices and operating systems will it be available on?
Based on this we can build a plan and measurement to execute against so it aligns with their brand, but also aligns to mobile consumer expectations.
What kind of data can you get about people and their mobile habits from media campaigns? Is this information even fully utilized by clients to better understand their customer?
I think this is the MOST important aspect of mobile media campaigns. The value of the data is priceless (maybe not truly priceless but you get the point) vs. any other channel. Mobile is truly the consumer, it gives information on the type of content they consume, the locations they visit, their social habits, transactions they make and other devices they connect with. It’s a device that encompasses everything about a person. [pullquote]Mobile is truly the consumer, it gives information on the type of content they consume, the locations they visit, their social habits, transactions they make and other devices they connect with. It’s a device that encompasses everything about a person.[/pullquote]Very few brands are utilizing this to understand their consumer because they’re a bit jaded by how mobile was a few years ago or they’re just not getting the right education from their agency / marketing solutions.
How can creative agencies and mobile media agencies better work together to create more effective ads to customers? Which creative agencies do you feel are leading the charge on mobile?
Creative is really the key to mobile. Digital somewhat hurt themselves over the years by just spamming impressions and measuring backend analytics to the point where we forgot about the consumer experience. Most consumers are blind from seeing an ad 50 times on desktop before making a purchase, vs. seeing a TV commercial or even a video commercial online that created the awareness. Mobile is a groundbreaking technology that should be thought of as a place to engage users in an intimate way. You literally don’t need to send the consumer anywhere to make an impact, I’ve seen campaigns where users will open an ad and interact with it for over 5 minutes. You’re talking about a consumer interacting with a brand on their most personal device and spending a penny to the dollar vs. say a TV campaign. There’s so many creative agencies out there that do great work, but I’ll say actual providers are leading the charge since they pioneer the technology, them being Celtra, Phluant and some of the other rich media guys out there.
How is PIVMO different from other mobile media agencies? What need are they filling that other mobile media agencies haven't?
I think where PIVMO excels at is allowing seamless integration to a brands business and what they’re doing in other media channels and being able to simplify the process for them. Since we’re still quite a new company, we have a fresh perspective on things as our founders are not only coming from mobile, but also digital, out-of-home and TV. We’re also not tied to any large overhead structure, which allows for great service, innovative ideas and the ability to react to trends much, much, faster. Mobile media is still extremely complicated, which requires dedicated experts, multiple media tactics, tracking and optimization techniques to achieve success. We actually have built an internal solution to streamline all the reporting from our partners called PIVTrax, which I will say is probably the biggest differentiator vs. our competitors. Lastly, we understand that media is only one side of the coin, we’ve partnered with some amazing companies to offer UX design / enhancements that will ensure your brand is ready for a mobile first world!
Asking the Wrong Questions, Why Sustainability Is the Answer
Publishing my essay for ADMAP's 2013 Prize that answers the question:
"Can brands maximize profits and be a force for social good?"
Before the invention of traditional advertising, companies lived and died by their reputation. A good reputation depended on having both quality products and customer service. There was an emotional connection between ones neighbor, the shopkeeper, the products and even the manufacturing process itself. But with Henry Ford’s invention of the assembly line, we have lost that connection with the manufacturing process, the earth and even each other. Fortunately technology has brought that connection back. Companies have discovered that considering the environment and labor force in the supply chain has delivered measurable cost savings. Research has shown that consumers seek brands that give back to society. And business case studies have been made that show how businesses can enter new markets from sustainability efforts. The question we should be asking brands as marketing and business professionals is not, can brands maximize profits and be a force for social good, but why are they ignoring this proven path towards sustainability and continued profitability.
The foundation for life, water has also been recognized as a critical component to manufacturing and the supply chain. A recent report by The Carbon Disclosure Project, a group that monitors corporations’ greenhouse gas emissions, stated that “analysis indicates that current “business as usual” water management practices and levels of water productivity will put at risk approximately US$63 trillion, or 45 percent of the projected 2050 global GDP (at 2000 prices), equivalent to 1.5 times the size of today’s entire global economy.” The effects of climate change are clearly evident in challenges companies have had to face from water risk. More than half of Global 500 respondents, from a 2012 CDP study, experienced detrimental water-related business impacts from flood and associated financial costs as high as US$200 million, up 38% from last year. While the science around climate change is still being debated, the predicted effects of frequent extreme weather such as floods and droughts can affect many aspects of the manufacturing process from cotton crops to equipment damage from flooding. It is not a huge leap to assume that this number may increase after the final costs of Hurricane Sandy are all accounted for.
Fortunately, for every alarming statistic, there are companies that are leading the practice in water conservation. Both General Motors and H&M have significantly reduced the amount of water used in their manufacturing process. Companies are even reporting that water-based initiatives have offered new opportunities from increased brand value (40%) to entirely new business opportunities. Levi Strauss has been a pioneer in water reduction during their manufacturing process, introducing Water<Less jeans in 2011. While sales figures on the jeans have not been released, they have increased their manufacturing of the product from 1.5 million in 2011 to 29 million in 2012. Levi’s has recognized that the initiative is in line with both their business goals and consumer values. They continue to evolve their sustainable product offerings. Like Levi’s, Unilever has pioneered water-related sustainability efforts to appeal to their current consumers and enter entirely new markets. A few years ago, they developed a fabric conditioner that only requires one bucket of water for rinsing instead of three, gaining a 60% increase in usage from 2010.
Half the cost of business is in the supply chain. The supply chain is also responsible for 70 percent of greenhouse-gas emissions from manufacturing companies. While most members of the United Nations Global Compact of Sustainability surveyed by Accenture agreed that sustainability should be integrated into all aspects of operations, just over half, actually achieved sustainability. The path to reducing emissions has already been paved; 40 percent of CDP members have reported financial savings from their emissions reduction activities. Companies have even benefited from developing smarter transportation routes or partnering with other companies to reduce fuel costs from deliveries.
No sellable good can be harvested, created or transported without the touch of a human hand or at least one to guide the machinery. And yet, many companies treat their workers like machines, with no feelings, human needs or compassion. But for a moment, let us put our humanity aside and pretend that labor is just a line item in the manufacturing process. Most machines would have a short lifespan if they were kept running without proper maintenance. The cost of replacing them would far out weigh the cost of fixing them. But workers are not machines. While they require more “maintenance” and time off than the average machine, they also have the capacity to do so much more. BSR, a corporate responsibilities consultancy, published the results of several case studies where they helped improve the working conditions in factory and agricultural settings in Central American and the Dominican Republic. By helping to improve the lives of the workers, they also helped improve the business. Productivity increased while operating costs and turnover decreased.
Look no further than your local Whole Foods, Starbucks or trendy café to understand how consumers feel about fair labor practices. The sale of Fair Trade products has grown globally about 30% every year, even during a recession. Apple came famously under fire after The New York Times created a shocking expose of Foxconn’s working conditions. Faced with consumer pressure, investigations by NGOs and continued NYT articles about the factory, Apple eventually worked with Foxconn to improve labor conditions. If Foxconn does not serve as enough of a lesson, economics will. Over the next decade, it will be absolutely imperative for companies to learn how to develop more sustainable labor practices, especially in the China. The IMF predicts in a 2013 paper that between 2020 and 2025, China will experience a labor shortage economy. This shift could even signal the end of cheap goods.
What is supply without demand? A critical component to profitability is revenue. The Guardian conducted a study in 2010 on consumer attitudes and perceptions on sustainability. “…79% indicated that a company offering products and services with low environmental impacts would be more likely to win their loyalty” and felt the same factors would help them develop loyalty. Over 70% thought that energy, manufacturing and transport companies are not environmentally friendly or have little concern for the environment. No follow up papers have been published but one can guess that sentiments would be similar given the man-made and climate change-related disasters that have occurred since it was published in June 2010.
“People’s willingness to buy, recommend, work for and invest in a company is driven 60% by their perceptions of the company, and only 40% by their perceptions of their products.” Kasper Ulf Nielsen, an executive partner at the Reputation Institute
Businesses have lost valuable consumer trust over the last decade. Trust in business fell from 53% in 2011 to 47% in 2012 and customers cited that businesses did not meet their expectations due to their practices. Trust for business is slowly rising to 58% according to the 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer. In fact, business is trusted more than government in more than half the 26 markets surveyed. The Edelman Trust Barometer also found that societal factors like treating employees well, has “ethical business practices” and “addresses society’s needs” are attributes associated with future trust. The most telling finding as it relates to the general public’s interest in social good is that Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) remain the most trusted institution.
The increase of concern for the environment and societal ills is due to the historically high levels of information that the average person has access to. In 2011, Google published a pivotal free eBook called ZMOT, Winning the Zero Moment of Truth. The book describes a shift in how consumers make purchasing decisions. Once influenced by branding, advertising and public relations, consumers can now have access to detailed product information, company policies and even customer reviews before purchasing an item. While the book is mainly focused on a behavioral shift in purchasing, it also signals a cultural shift. We can no longer cite ignorance as an excuse for our behavior. We have an increasing proliferation of tools like the GoodGuide to tell us at the point of purchase how sustainable a company’s policies are. If we cannot find it on Google, our social network can act as a resource for influencing our purchasing decisions.
Consumers have a growing appetite for finding more meaning in their purchases. Inn the United States, we find a growing interest in hand crafted goods, fueled by Etsy, eBay and other peer to peer ecommerce sites. Customers are also experiencing a greater connection to their farmer with the proliferation of local farmer’s markets across the country.
Global viral campaigns like KONY reveal that there is a cultural pressure to align oneself with social initiatives. Non-profits like Charity Water allows us to see the benefits of our philanthropy, showing us that we do not have to be wealthy to make a positive societal impact. The one-to-one model of Tom’s and Warby Parker has made it cool to identify with a label, as long as that label gives back to society. And indulging in Ben & Jerry’s makes eating ice cream a little less gluttonous when one considers all their CSR initiatives. Finally, countless personal care brands have worked to match their manufacturing process to their newly created “natural” image.
While the debate over being a force for good and making a profit is still being debated, a few companies have taken off in developing their sustainability practices, paving the way for others. Patagonia has become a thought leader in creating sustainability practices, especially for clothing brands, publishing The Responsible Company in 2012 as a guide for businesses. They have strived to greatly increase the quality of their products and promote thoughtful consumption over disposable goods. In 2011, on the most famous American shopping day of the year, Patagonia urged their customers not to buy their products. Their program, Common Threads, urges consumers to reduce, repair, reuse and recycle their clothing. Their initiatives are working, both for creating sustainability and a profitable business model. Despite the extreme economic woes over the last five years, their revenue is set to nearly double.
Another pioneer of sustainability is Unilever. During the keynote speech given at The Marketing Society Conference in November 2011, CMO Keith Weed cites population growth as a strong driver for Unilever’s sustainability efforts. In addition to their commitment to reduce their carbon footprint by modifying their supply process, they have also spearheaded non-profit initiatives. For example, their disinfectant soap, Lifebuoy founded the first ever Global Handwashing Day in 2008 with the United Nations and other partners. In addition to improving hygiene and preventing disease, the initiative promoted usage of the product, gaining sales and growing market share.
Starbucks is another global example of companies promoting sustainability. While their impact on the environment is debatable given the proliferation of used Starbucks coffee cups, their commitment to labor is not. They have worked to make their supply chain sustainable, including a commitment to farmer labor practices. Starbucks rallied their customers through Create Jobs for U.S.A., offering customers a braided wristband in exchange for their $5 donation towards the Community Development Financial Institutions. Howard Schultz is a businessman and while it is clear that he may care more about sustainability than other CEOs, he is still interested in long-term profitability. A study done by UCLA in 2012 found that "adopting green practices isn't just good for the environment, it's good for your employees and it's good for your bottom line. Employees in such green firms are more motivated, receive more training, and benefit from better interpersonal relationships. The employees at green companies are therefore more productive than employees in more conventional firms."
When one looks at the overwhelming evidence, it is clear that maximizing profits and being a source for social good are synergistic goals for companies. Creating a more sustainable supply chain reduces costs. The knowledge that the company is being a source for good both motivates employees and consumers, increasing productivity and revenue. Companies have adjusted their business models to succeed in dramatic market shifts from introducing ecommerce to developing a social media presence and offering their customers utilities through mobile. Why should adjusting to sustainable business practices be any different? The health of society and business depend on it.
RedBubble Site
I briefly interrupt my blogging to supply a link to my RedBubble account. So if you want a bit of inspiration, get as excited about cats who stick out their tongues as I do, or feel you'd like to support my art, please check out my shop:
HERE
Tulum Travels: Part 3
On my last night in Tulum, I took the advice of someone I had met at my Tulum hostel and check out the Papaya Playa Project hotels. It was a bit more expensive ($180 with taxes) than Uno Astro Lodge but I think I had lucked out with my tent at the first resort. Papaya Playa is a grouping of cabanas with straw thatched roofs and mosquito-net-enclosed, canopy beds that go for about 3/4 of a mile along the beach. I believe it's technically in the jungle of Tulum and getting to your cabana requires walking through a windy, rocky, path through a canopy of trees. My cabana was towards the opposite end of the bar / restaurant and beach resort. The beach seemed a bit less remote than my previous resort, but with a coral reef near the shore. It seemed less free-spirited than Uno Astro with a few topless bathers despite the prominent sign reminding beach-goers to wear clothing. I was surrounded by couples and gay men - dashing any hopes of finding romance in Tulum.
The restaurant and bar had a stunning view of the ocean. It's modern, slightly rustic interior and fashionable clientele reminded me of some of the more upscale bars of Williamsburg. The food was delicious and slightly more affordable than restaurants closer to Uno Astro but the wifi was frustratingly unreliable. I suppose one shouldn't be on wifi during a Tulum sunset, but such is the downside of not having planned the next leg of my journey.
My final day, I connected with some expats - a dancer / fitness instructor / writer who previously lived in New York but now switches between L.A., Portland and Tulum. Tulum seems like the perfect place for those wanting to carve their own unique path - one that involves the serenity and beauty of the ocean with the culture and opportunities that a growing destination affords. She mentioned that her competition as an instructor has increased once word got out that you can teach yoga in Tulum. She also told me about the complete disparity between the beach area and town. I saw this contrast from my cab ride to the bus station, as the driver drove a few blocks East of Tulum's main street, through rows of small shacks, a reality that seemed the polar opposite from Tulum's securely guarded beaches.
I took the two-hour bus ride to Cancun and stayed at a lodge called El Rey del Caribe near the bus station recommended to me by someone else in my Tulum hostel. [Side note - you haven't lived until you've seen a Vin Diesel movie in another language. Once you've seen one.. you've seen them all.] The accommodations were fine but finding a suitable restaurant for my last meal in Mexico was a whole other story. The guy recommended a semi-fast food joint a few blocks from the hotel - not what I imagined my last meal to be. I recognized Americans from the hotel who sternly informed me that the food sucked and I should hightail it out of there. So at the advice of the hotel receptionist, I headed to what he said was a five minute walk (10 minutes) across multiple two-lane highways in the shady part of Cancun, at night, to the most touristy establishment ever. I bravely sprinted across the streets wondering what my mother would say and lived to tell the tale. The food was gross but at least there was a mariachi bands (Olay!).
All in all, there is no question that I will be back. It seems like a no-brainer, easy to reach, vacation destination that offers the perfect balance of escapism with a bit of culture and nightlife. It's a great spot to go alone, as a couple or even as a family. And was the right amount of Vitamin D to help me get through what seems like our never ending winter. Tulum will always hold a special place in my heart.
TRAVEL TIPS:
If I could have done things differently, I would have spent my last night in Playa Del Carmen instead of Cancun. The airport is actually about a half hour south of the main Cancun city and Playa is only 45 minutes south so you're better off getting one more day at the beach and better food in Playa.
And as adventurous as it was to not plan ahead, in the future, I'd at least book a hotel for two-three nights instead of one. Some major beach time was lost as I moved from one hotel to another. On the other hand, maybe that's why I managed to avoid getting sunburned.
It was an amazing solo vacation but, especially near the beach, very expensive - a cost that would be better split in two.
Hybrid Strategist For Hire
I don't think I've ever used my blog to promote my professional services but here it goes.
Strategist for hire.
I'm looking for a full-time position as a brand planner / account planner in NYC but open to immediate freelance as well - even working remotely. I'm adept at:
Research - including desk research, consumer (quant and qual), competitive reviews, trend spotting - basically anything that goes into leading up to the strategic development for a pitch or creative briefs.
POVs on digital and cultural trends - colorful, informative and engaging decks that sway clients into embracing new ideas, technologies and directions.
Market landscape and background debriefs - Anything that goes into preparing senior leadership teams for strategic development, pitches and major client meetings.
Creative development - Planting creative seeds, guiding them in a strategic direction.
I've worked across a variety of categories from CPG to credit cards and banking on pitches, global digital strategies, innovation strategy, mobile media, etc. I've primarily worked with ad agencies including JWT, R/GA, Razorfish, M&C Saatchi Mobile and many others. I'd consider myself a big picture thinker and more of a planner but have a fairly deep knowledge of digital and how our behaviors have evolved through digital. I've helped win new business - most recently Google Enterprise and PUMA. I'm resourceful, very fast but thorough, and have been told I'm a creative director's dream for my ability to channel my creative background and bring the consumer to life. For more information on my work background you can check out my LinkedIn or my consulting website.
I've worked directly with global senior leadership teams and have turned around projects within short deadlines. Most importantly, I love a new challenge and the opportunity to add value to both clients and their customers.
Contact me at molly@mollyaaker.com for more details.
But don't take my word for it..
Molly proved to be a vital resource to both the new biz and strategy group at JWT NY. A natural born investigator, she left no stone unturned in her quest to help unearth insight in the areas of brand DNA, audience, culture and competitive. Hugely diligent and a very hard worker. I highly endorse Molly as a value add to any project.
Robin Bardolia, Chief Strategic Officer of JWT North America
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Molly is a passionate, eager and hard-working member of the team. She is ready to tackle any task given to her, and proactively seeks ways to further engage in the business at hand to drive next steps forward. Whether taking to the streets to perform live on-the-fly "focus groups", pulling together research for global brand snapshots, or supporting strategists on new business pitches, Molly contributes a massive appetite for unearthing insights on brands and consumers alike. This came into play in our recent new business pitches for Google and PUMA (both wins). Molly takes direction well and is resourceful even when given minimal guidance. It is refreshing to work with someone who brings dimension to research; Molly's scrappy entrepreneurial spirit and writing & photography talent add that very texture.
Emilie Vasu, Director of Business Development at JWT
Tulum Travels
I really lucked out with my resort choices on the beaches of Tulum. The resorts along the beach are much more expensive than those in town and need to be booked in advance during key vacation times. On my first night, I stayed in Uno Astro Lodge, at the advice of some random girl I met in Playa Del Carmen. It's not well known by the cab drivers and I wasn't even able to find it on Google Maps, but for those trying to find it - it's one resort North of Ahau Tulum. Aside from the location being absolutely stunning, I got a fantastic deal - they put me in one of the artists' tents because everything else was booked. I didn't have electricity and had to share a bathroom that was outside - but for $70 a night, that was a small price to pay for such a special place.
The hotel is perfect for yoga, meditation, or anyone interested in a having a bit more spiritual self-reflection while sunning themselves on the beach. The crowd was a mix of hippie artists, yoga instructors, New Yorkers, a young student on an extended trip, German families.. quite a range but generally those who are fairly zen and free-spirited.
I only spent one night there but felt my entire being shift to a more relaxed state during my stay. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's a magical place. There's a peacock named Phoenix who likes looking at himself in the mirror regularly (self reflection?), free-spirited children running around - enthralled by the ocean rather than their electronic devices, and regular meditation sessions led by the resort.
I met two women, both named Alison and both living in Williamsburg (weird) but otherwise, kept to myself. There was really no pressure to become part of any of the activities or talk to those around you. And the actual beach was equally free-spirited. Technically, it's illegal to go topless or skinny dip in Mexico (Catholic country), but according to the internet, rules along the Tulum beaches have relaxed with an influx of Italian tourists over the years, accustomed to topless bathing. Along the beach near my resort, there were a few who went topless (me included), and one guy who jumped into the water naked but had his bathing suit nearby. I still regret not doing the same.
While I felt off the grid, I didn't feel lonely or disconnected. Rather than stress over figuring out life's meaning or my high purpose, I was able to just be. Feel the white sand under my feet, the sun on my body, hear nothing other than the waves. Ironically, my wifi connection was excellent - better than any other place I stayed. There's something surreal about checking Facebook while in a candle-lit tent, listening to the guy next to you play his guitar. Of course at some point, I turned my computer off and read a book.
But if I was there longer, I could see myself finally tackling the better part of my novel. Their breakfast is well-known and according to the manager, Nicole Kidman once ate there. I took a yoga class in the morning which turned into a private lesson for only $15.
They have a beautiful covered, outdoor space which they use for various classes, ranging from meditation to African dance. The yoga instructor was excellent and the setting might have ruined me for all future yoga classes in New York City. I also explored other hotels and shops within a ten minute walk from the resort. There's one, long road which features shops, trendy restaurants and other resorts. While they mostly featured clothing and gifts native to Mexico, there were also a few upscale stores reminiscent of Nolita in their selection and clientele.
There is no question that I will visit Uno Astro Lodge again.
How To Build A Brand In The Digital Age
When we talk about building brands in the digital age, so many advertising folks make it seem complicated. Is it about upping your content strategy or investing in mobile? Using customer data or developing an engagement strategy? What the hell does engagement strategy even mean?! But really when we take a step back, we realize that building brands in the digital age is SIMPLE.
It's about putting the customer first by understanding their needs.
What does that mean? Now more than ever, every customer touch point is digital. Every interaction with a brand can get broadcasted across various social channels through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Information can be spread like wildfire and reputation is key. Digital is a tool like anything else - so understanding a person's overarching needs as it relates to that category is key without segmenting out their digital behaviors.
So how would this play out with a newly created brand in the digital age? Recently, I received a box from Oscar Health insurance. Oscar is a new startup health insurance company that I chose to try out because bigger health insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare have shown time and time again how dishonest their practices were. Whether through burying information deep inside the fine print or having poorly made websites that are impossible to navigate, bigger health insurance companies have shown that they are not customer focused. I don't get the sense that they see me as any more than a being that generates revenue.
But Oscar has proved so far that they are different. In order to build their brand, they are building their reputation one customer at a time. When I first signed up, I received a phone call from them asking if I had any questions. On the flip side, I remember with my old insurance, even getting on the phone with an actual human being was such a hassle that I imagined their system was purposely set up so customers would give up on this task. Oscar's website is easy to navigate and clear as to what they offer whereas previous insurance websites were at least 5 years behind in design and technology.
So why is this box so important and how is it part of building a brand in the digital age? In the box, every aspect of the plan is clearly laid out and it's easy for me to find what I'm looking for. It feels personalized and almost precious which speaks to this trend of valuing physical objects (anti-digital) and of Millennials, especially, searching for meaning in the digital age. Instead of receiving a standard, generic, large envelope that will eventually become buried and lost among my papers, I have a bright blue box that can nicely reside among my files or even be used to store something else. The box itself relies on high quality design, forgoing cheesy stock images for peppy colors and expressive type to relay information. While it's too soon to tell how they're doing, they're off to a good start and gaining interest in the process. If similar disruptors like Warby Parker are any indicator, Oscar may be the health insurance solution for the biggest generation in the United States - and an industry ripe for disruption will find a leader.
Motivational Life Lessons
I'm still trying to adjust back to the land of gray skies and New York City weather. Have also been dealing with an annoying administrative issue that has greatly thrown me off track. And.. I've been distracted by watching back to back episodes of House of Cards. I finally understand what all the hype is about. It is a fantastic show. While the morality of the main character is questionable (to say the least), he does dole out some pretty powerful advice. Like for instance, points out that doing people favors or giving things to people has its own reward and signals power. Also, while his methods are a bit beyond questionable, there is no denying his unwavering determination and resilience. I'll try and absorb that. In the same vein, I just found a link to these motivational screen wallpapers. I honestly don't know what to choose but this certainly put me in a better mood yesterday. Fortunately, today is a new day.
On Mexican Time
According to my mother, my first word was "Hola." I have a long history with Mexico, despite the fact that my skin practically glows in the sun and I barely learned any more Spanish than the above. My grandparents retired in San Miguel de Allende and every year for ten years, my family would make the 10-plus hour journey to San Miguel. First a 5-6 hour plane ride to Mexico City, and then a 3 hour car ride from there. While I was always jealous of friends whose grandparents were a short car ride or flight away, the experience of visiting Mexico was truly priceless. I remember the smell, the tastes (sour tamarinds), the feel of walking on cobblestones. The site of donkeys walking alongside old VW Bugs. Walking underneath the covered outdoor walkway that separated my grandparent's kitchen and living room - and the thrill of doing that during a thunderstorm.
So when I arrived in Tulum after Playa Del Carmen, I finally started feeling like I was in Mexico. I got off the bus and dragged my suitcase across a two-lane road towards a cafe sign that said wifi. The coffee and company was good but the wifi was not. Twenty minutes into my arrival, Mike, an expat from Florida and recent owner of a clothing-optional resort, introduced himself to me and offered to help me find a hostel for the night. And then I met Cody, another expat, who called himself a treasure-hunter-pirate, a horticulturist, wise in the medicinal properties of plants. He proudly listed the various children he had living in the States, one being a porn star, and gave me a number if I wanted to reach him.
At the advice of Mike, I walked a few blocks to the nearest hostel, which might be so new that I still can't find the website. For $40, I had my own room and bathroom and two beds - more than I needed and at a price I didn't mind paying. I showered and set off into the town.
Tulum is incredibly easy to navigate. It's one long strip with most shops on one side and I can imagine side streets that will continue to get built up as the town gains popularity. Perpendicular to the main street is the road to the beach – which is either a ten-minute cab ride or twenty to thirty minute bike ride depending on which beach you’re headed to. Tulum is definitely a hippie enclave, a stark contrast from Cancun and the outdoor American mall that Playa Del Carmen has become. On the main street, you’ll find plenty of inexpensive trinkets from woven and beaded bracelets to hats and sarongs. I didn’t do any research on food before heading out and could have probably found cheaper, better choices but the portions were satisfying, and food was both fresh and affordable.
While exploring the town, I ran into Cody and a young Mexican woman who according to Cody, was from the mountains. He proclaimed, in English, that he wanted to put a baby in her because she was so beautiful, but couldn’t because she already has one growing inside her. After letting me photograph her, she asked for my name so she could find me on Facebook. Facebook isn’t going away anytime soon and we should be glad. It’s truly a gift to be able to connect with people from all over the world with such ease and get a glimpse into someone else’s life – even if that just means only browsing their feed occasionally.
I spent the rest of the evening hanging out in the lounge area in my hostel, searching for hotels near the beach. While there, I met a Canadian couple who advised me to stay in town and bike to the beach to save money, but I had my heart set on having a more relaxing vacation. After an hour or so of searching with no luck, I finally typed in the name of a resort that was given to me by a Colombian girl while sitting in Starbucks while in Playa Del Carmen. I was in luck – they had one room left and within my price range.
TRAVEL TIPS:
Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with anyone in a café or hotel-common area. I found throughout my trip that the advice of a stranger regarding where to stay saved me hours of research on the internet.
Most places have fairly reliable wifi but oftentimes only in the common areas because the signal can’t penetrate the thick, Mexican, stone walls. This can be annoying when going outside at night means battling mosquitos but on the bright side, you're likely to meet people.
Bring mosquito repellant – preferably natural, because many parts of the Yucatan, especially Tulum, are extremely eco-conscious, encouraging travelers to bring biodegradable shower products.
Speaking of eco-conscious, in most parts of Tulum, you can't throw your toilet paper in the toilet and need to put it in the trash. This is weird at first but based on my experience and others through Trip Advisor, it surprisingly doesn't smell since the garbage is taken out daily.
Getting Warmer - NYC to Riviera Maya
It's been a strange few weeks for me. After an awesome six month run, my freelance with JWT ended at the end of January. It was a fantastic experience - I met smart people and got the experience of working for a "big traditional" agency. I also contributed to two major new business wins (Google Enterprise and PUMA). And then was hired to work at JWT Inside - their employee engagement agency for one project. But then last Thursday, it was my last day - except there's always the possibility I could come back for another stint. So kind of a weird - goodbye but maybe not goodbye.
While I was trying to tie up any loose ends, finish my project, say my maybe goodbyes, etc. my friend messaged me on Tuesday saying she's in Playa Del Carmen - I should visit. It just so happens that I'm on my other friend's flight benefits since his sister just had a baby and isn't likely to travel but I've barely used them - other than U.S. flights. The weather was really starting to wear on me.. even this charming couple on the Upper East dressed like they never left the 1970's or the East 70's wasn't enough to keep my spirits up in the cold.
Fast forward to Saturday morning at 4am - I drag my suitcase ten minutes to the subway in 25 degree weather wearing a light fall jacket and manage to check in literally three minutes before they close checkins on international flights. My adventure has gotten off to a great start. The flight is full with one standby seat available and the guy who had priority decided to take a later flight. I wish him all the love and karma in the world.
I sit next to a couple pushing 80 - both with some major hearing loss. I know this because they speak so loudly that even the guy across the isle with the noise-canceling headphones can hear them and gives me a sympathetic laugh. But I can't complain as I imagine my bare feet dipping into the sand. The couple wisely advises me not to study or think too hard and to get some sun. I greatly respect the wisdom of my elders.
The crowd at Cancun makes for some interesting people-watching. Retirees going on group trips, quickly changing into warm-weather clothing. I learn that nothing gets more friendly attention in Mexico than a single woman. If I had stayed any longer at the map booth - I would have received a proposal.
TRAVEL TIP: Take the Ado bus to Playa Del Carmen or even Tulum. It runs fairly frequently (I only had to wait a half hour) and only costs about $10 vs. the $70 for a car service. I realized I made the right choice when I was the only non-Spanish speaker on the bus.
I arrived in Playa Del Carmen with only a vague idea of where my friend's apartment was and a meeting time but it was incredibly easy to figure everything out. Playa basically has one main road that doesn't allow cars and goes for about a mile or less. You feel like you're walking in a huge outdoor mall. I dragged my suitcase over the cobblestone streets wearing a black t-shirt, jeans and sneakers in the 80 degree heat and easily located my friend by using one of the three Starbucks' wifi. I suppose there are some benefits of globalization.. I'm also pretty sure that the main drag had more free wifi than all of NYC.
The above is how I felt after squishing my feet into the sand. After two days and nights in Playa walking around what I felt was not really Mexico - more like South Beach / the Jersey shore, I decided it was time for me to check out Tulum. On Monday, after kicking around the idea of leaving on Tuesday - I decided why wait - saw that the bus was leaving in an hour, packed and sweated my way to the bus station. A 45 minute bus ride has led to a world of difference.
As I write this, I'm sitting in a hostel in Tulum, chilling with a Canadian couple and young Guatemalan, getting tips on what to see and do. This -after meeting a guy who owns a clothing-optional resort and horticulturist who can grow and identify about every plant / herb that's ever been used for.. medicinal purposes and seems to be an expert in native medicine.
On to the next chapter. There's a word for this... YOLO.
How Childhood Play Leads To Creativity
Just read this article, Give childhood back to children: if we want our offspring to have happy, productive and moral lives, we must allow more time for play, not less - written by Dr. Peter Gray, research professor of psychology at Boston College. His thesis is that it's human, even animal nature for children to play - an act that helps them develop a myriad of skills from conflict resolution to creativity. But this ability to play is being threatened by education systems around the world, replacing free times with schooling or unorganized play with formalized athletics. Anyone who's watched a cat video featuring more than one kitten knows that constant play is critical to understanding a person's physical and emotional boundaries, among other skills learned.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLDbGqJ2KYk]
Gray makes the point that
"... Even more than in the past, creativity is a key to economic success. We no longer need people to follow directions in robot-like ways (we have robots for that), or to perform routine calculations (we have computers for that), or to answer already-answered questions (we have search engines for that). But we do need people who can ask and seek answers to new questions, solve new problems and anticipate obstacles before they arise. These all require the ability to think creatively. The creative mind is a playful mind."
As I came out of working on a Saturday yesterday, an act that is by no means rare in the working world, especially the fast-paced world of advertising, I found myself craving a bit of play, of creative inspiration. Just as children's playtime is being threatened, adults find themselves increasingly working all hours. In New York, it's not uncommon for the phrase "I had to work over the weekend" to be some form of bragging, or even considered a right of passage to success. But how does this effect our ability to be creative or make original connections? At Miami Ad School's Planning Boot Camp, I remember our first Weekend Workshop teacher taught a class on the overall strategic process - informing us that the trick to coming to an insight is to walk away from the work at hand after absorbing every bit of information you could. Take a walk. Go for a run. Go to a museum and as your focusing on something else, connections will be made in your brain.
So if you find yourself actually having a few minutes to yourself during the workweek, go outside. Take a walk. Actually make use of that game room your company installed years ago. Flip through the magazines at your local magazine stand. Go to a museum. Or dip onto a store-filled street. Because in the world of creativity, success doesn't just come with sheer willpower and hard work but rather, freeing up your mind to play.
The Real King Of The Jungle Ignores Reality
If' you've been following the news lately, you'd know there's been some recent controversy around a man who won a hunting auction to shoot a rare rhino in Africa. At my first glance while reading the headline, I let out an audible urgh, imagining the anger I felt over the recent lion hunter Melissa Bachman hunter images. But then I actually read the article. Buried towards the end was the little known fact that this type of hunting is sanctioned by conservationists as maintaining the health of the herd. The Guardian goes into more detail than CNN, stating that:
The Safari Club's executive director, Ben Carter, has defended the auction, saying all money raised will go toward protecting the species. He also said the rhino that the winner will be allowed to hunt is old, male and nonbreeding and that the animal was likely to be targeted for removal anyway because it was becoming aggressive and threatening other wildlife.
So the key facts here are that this specific rhino doesn't produce and not only is he depleting the resources of healthy, producing rhinos, but he is threatening other wildlife through his aggression. Plus he would have been likely removed. Sounds like if this were a human, we'd either lock him up in jail or kill him with a lethal injection.
We all die. Rhinos die. In probably much less humane ways than a swift bullet. Thoughts of my endless lion-video watching over the holidays flashed into head (don't ask). I imagined a pack of lions attacking a giant beast, slowly taking the beast down as they kicked and struggled. If they were lucky, a bite at the neck would cut off feeling and function early in their struggles.
While it's disturbing to see this struggle, who am I to judge lest I'm a strict vegetarian (I'm not). The lion has to eat or will die as well. Our food is killed for us - enabling us to completely detach ourselves from this natural, everyday cycle of life and death. Never having to make those death blows means never having that feeling of one species' life being drained as our ability to live another day is fulfilled.
People look at these hunters with such hate, often confusing them with having the same motivation as poachers - commenting on how disgusting it is that these hunters take pleasure in taking another species' life. 
We have entire industries based on the pleasures that come with taking another species' life. It's called the restaurant industry. The food industry. The cookbook-writing industry. It's the pleasure that comes every time you bite into a steak. Or a burger. Cooked to perfection - leaving no trace of the original being that provided you with this pleasure.
So where does this all fit into strategy and planning? CNN captured people's inability to look at all the facts and sensationalized pre-conceived notions to tell a story. But maybe the real story is why we're demonizing this man. Are we jealous that he has the bravery and means to tackle what we are afraid to admit? That our very existence involves taking the life of another being? If not directly through the foods we eat, then through the habitats that we've taken over, the pollution we've created and the resources we've depleted. They die so we can live. But unlike this man, we choose not to confront this basic truth.
My Earth-Shattering Revelation About Tinder
I recently went on my first two Tinder dates - two different guys but oddly enough, both had the same name and were the same age. I was hesitant to try Tinder because I had heard it's "Grinder for straight people," i.e. just a hook up app. But a few months ago, I ran into someone who adamantly told me it had evolved into a regular dating app and he had met his girlfriend through it. I set up my profile and and selected the right pictures, then started swiping. And swiping. And swiping. And then discovered that in this very new world of Tinder, there are TINDER MEMES! I said TINDER MEMES! About every thirty swipes or so (don't judge me), one comes across a guy hugging a tiger. This is a thing. This thing has its own Tumblr. I don't even know where to begin. If I were an anthropologist, I'd say this is a very thinly veiled attempt to convey their masculinity and wealth in one single picture. I mean - I don't think they let you hug the tigers at the Bronx Zoo.
The funny thing about this supposedly revolutionary new dating tool is that in place of algorithms, witty profiles and the appeal of specific dating destinations, the process for choosing a match is actually more akin to real life. When you're at a crowded bar, you can't scan the room looking for someone whose wit catches your eye. Or find any clues regarding your compatibility other than subtle non-verbal cues related to someone's appearance.
Like real life, it has even become common practice on Tinder to acknowledge that you're attracted to someone but do absolutely nothing about it. Long-time users may have over 1,000 matches but have only spoken to a handful. It's like an unexpected flirtation on the subway with someone that ends the minute they get off at their stop. Perhaps it's the fear that the real life romantic version of them won't live up to what we've quickly allowed ourselves to imagine.
So how did my dates go? Well - on the first date, completely at a loss over what to say - I opened with,
"This is my first Tinder date. I thought it was a hookup app but someone told me that now it's a regular dating app."
I'm not one for subtleties. There was a long pause as my date searched for a tactful response. I fully expected him to respond by telling me it was a hookup app, and then promptly end the date. But instead the date proceeded in a way that tells me that there are still varying expectations of what it's for. It didn't go anywhere. The second date was not a match either but at least I discovered two new wine bars.
I've never had much luck meeting and dating guy I've met at bars and don't know women who have but perhaps Tinder is the equivalent of going bar hopping to find romance. We shall see...
Above The Clouds
The New York Times just released their 52 Places to Go in 2014 and now my head is spinning with travel envy. In a previous life, I would have thought - blah blah blah, life is so unfair. I'll never be able to afford this. Blah Blah Blah. And then crankily look at the travel photos of a few people in my social network who have somehow managed to find the time and money to travel the world every few months.
But I recently started reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (see below) and I think this book is going to change my life. I'm only on page 96. Actually, I think someone could have told me everything that the book says a few years ago and up until now, I wasn't ready to hear it. So the first habit or tenant is:
We are responsible for our own effectiveness, for our own happiness and ultimately, for our circumstances.
Or something like that.
What?!? Are you kidding me? Don't my genes shape who I am, my family background, my parents, my economic circumstances?! I've spent a significant amount of time trying to search for clues as to who I am and who I should be by looking at the stories of my ancestors. If my grandfather, mother, father, sister are / was a writer, does that mean I have a writing gene? If my great uncle, grandmother and mother have / had artistic talent, should I be utilizing that talent as well? Am I related to Napoleon? (that's a whole different story)
So far, I have found nothing linking me to a hidden family fortune or long lost, European family castle (if only), but I did find that in every generation of my family - there was someone who overcame a great struggle, powering through hardships not just to thrive but to survive. My great, great grandmother left her home in Norway as a teenager to come to America and while traveling by boat, managed to renew the faith of her fellow travelers when all hope was lost. Another ancestor lost a child while traveling from Switzerland, through Canada to Minnesota only to be rewarded for their journey with the additional hardships of living in one of the coldest states of North America. And that's just on my father's side of the family.
At first, the thought of being responsible for our own circumstances is kind of upsetting. It's overwhelming to think that there's no special plan, or crazy event in our future that will throw us on the path to greatness. But in actuality, it's about the most empowering way you can look at life. You have just freed yourself from waiting around for something great to come about. You have freed yourself from envying those you think have better luck than you - because in reality, you make your own luck. You have just freed yourself from thinking that Jesus, God, or your mother will save you. They may give you the strength and guidance to tackle new challenges but certainly don't orchestrate the future. Because..
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Oliver Wendell Holmes
That being said - I'm looking for a travel buddy this year. Who's game?
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