Semi-Surreal and Almost-Funny

On my way to work this morning I got a violation ticket for squeezing in through the subway doors! Yep, the police officer made the train stop, got me out of it and engaged me in a semi-surreal dialogue:

- Did you know that you have just violated section 1050.6 of our city rule of conduct, by squeezing yourself through the subway doors?
- No, I didn't.

- Yes, you did. I saw you doing it.
- I meant I did not know I was violating the code xyz.

- It's not xyz, it’s section 1050.6 of our city rule of conduct.
- Ok. No, I didn’t know I was violating any section of any codes.

- Can I have your documents please?
- Sure. (and as I tried to open my wallet, I rested my other hand in my pocket)

- You are not supposed to put your hands in your pockets yet.
- What? Where do you want me to put them? On top of my head?

- This is not funny young lady.
- (I stayed quite. Infuriated, but quite)

- I see you are a visitor to this country. When do you intend to leave? (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
- What does this have to do with me squeezing myself through the subway doors?

- I asked you a question. For how long are you in this country?
- (ok, I realized this was clearly a lose-lose situation, unless I was willing to fight it all the way through, get to work really late, etc, etc. Nope. “I have bigger fish to fry” I thought. Decided to swallow the sour taste of injustice and simply reply: "I'm here for one year"

- What's your phone number?
- 617...

- You mean "917"
- No m'am, I meant "617"

- Are you sure?
- Yes, m'am. This is a Boston number.

- Ok, then. (She writes the violation ticket and hands it to me)
- (I get the ticket, ask her if I could now put my hands back in my own pocket... and leave)

VIOLATION TICKET: $25
ABUSE OF POWER: Shameless
FOR EVERYTHING ELSE: Not enough taxpayers $

big idea

Last year, I submitted an idea to Google's 10^100 project (a call for ideas to change the world).

To select the 5 ideas receiving $10 million in funding, Google is inviting the public to vote on the best "big idea" bucket.

Mine is part of the "Drive Innovation in Public Transport". If you think this is a big idea bucket, please vote for it here :o)


All "big idea" buckets are here: http://www.project10tothe100.com/vote.html

Starting Up

Again a long hiatus since I last blogged... (should probably make this my default start sentence; or at least change "cup of tea" for "sporadic sips")

An insane amount of things have been happening. In a "cup shell": I am starting a business aiming to reinvent the gift giving experience; and am back at BBDO "as a waitress" (like those wannabe artists waiting tables in LA to make ends meet ha; except that I really love my patrons and the great meals I'm serving -- very cool strategic planning project I've been working on btw). Story short, yes, I've been working 3 shifts: 9-7 at the agency; and 9 onwards at home. My husby has been incredibly supportive and the best cheerleader I could have ever hoped for!

Re my start up, while the whole shebang is still very confidential, I can say that it's a fairly disruptive and exciting idea :o)

I am currently working on building my team (designer, illustrator, and PR checked); creating my brand (essence, manifesto, visual identity; mascots...) and communication strategy; living and breathing the development of web applications, web design and development; overseeing the development of my product prototype; sourcing manufactures; figuring my distribution chain; filing for my trademark; talking to lawyers and potential investors; meeting with invaluable mentors (real angels); searching for a web developer/designer...

And, most recently..... looking for QUITE TIME, after all, I need to keep myself sane, "remember to savor the journey = do not get inebriated by it", and ensure I enjoy this exciting ride. The quotes, by the way, have been the contribution of a very precious mentor from whom I have been getting invaluable guidance.

The work has been intense, the lessons immense; and I hope to write more about them here.

"Freedom to Blog"

Again, a lot has happened since I last blogged. It's been a year and a half since I moved to the lovely jungle, aka NYC. According to a friend, "here, you need to evolve very fast not to be outrun by the lion". NYC is where the Forest Gumps and Lolas run; where over 8 million multi-cultured folks run; where Silvia has been running too. You gotta love it though (I do!).

In September/08 I was invited to join BBDO-NY's planning team; and despite being a bit reluctant to join the planningsphere, that's what I did. Really enjoyed it btw; and found BBDO to be an incredibly fun place to work. I've indeed enjoyed myself a lot in what was unfortunately a very short period of time. On December 19, BBDO-NY laid off en masse, and I was "en massed". Last in, first out. Darn, where was Tarzan?

Yes, I was quite sad, specially since I was enjoying it so much. The happy part is that during my 4-month-long stint there, I got to work on a pretty cool project (from start to finish), and get to know awesome folks.

Yes I'm back on the job search dance. The difference now is that the music is somewhat out of tune; the floor, pretty slippery; and there is an absolute lack of dancing partners out there!! If in the past I was bombarded with recruiter calls and interview offers, now it's been quite slow.

Oh well, according to Nietzsche, the Overman must be bred. Time to go from chock to reinvention mode. Traditional job hunting? Forget about it. Time to put the riffle away, learn some Tai Chi and order a bag of reinvention to go.

Right now, my goal is to ensure I keep myself warm amidst the hiring brrrr, catch up on my readings, have coffee and food for thought with interesting folks, and most importantly, explore opportunities within the crisis (this deserves a new post alone). "Never waste a good crisis", says Hillary Clinton. I couldn't agree more. Bz plan writing: that's what I've been up to.

The Color of Voice

I've just started a blog to post my mother's [post-stroke] paintings and encourage her to keep up with the happy work. Take a peek when you get the chance: www.thecolorofvoice.blogspot.com

Havaianas Wings

It's not the first time I catch myself playing "innovation" with my pair of Havaianas by accessorizing them in different ways. This time I converted them into spaghetti strap sandals by swirling spare black bra straps around my legs and connecting them to my white Havaianas.

I'd be curious to find out whether Havaianas' core target (girls 18-25) strive for individuality and self-expression, while nurturing the desire to be perceived as fashion innovators. Judging from the highly innovative fashion sense of Gossip Girl's young characters and its amazing success amongst girls 18-25… I am tempted to think so.

Assuming this theory holds true… I could see Havaianas taking its current colorful and joyous positioning to yet another level: that of adding creative wings to enable self-expression. I could picture girls partaking in many different forms of self-expression through their pair of Havaianas: wearing colorful toe socks with their Havaianas during the winter, attaching flower pins to them during the summer, matching their toe nail polish to their Havaianas, having bling blings tied to the straps, soles revealing cool stickers, etc…

Such positioning would lend itself to endless activation possibilities in product placement, events, consumer-generated design-it-yourself competitions, and so on…

In any case, regardless of being on or off with my "target assumption"…I see Havaianas as a super sexy brand infused with lots of imaginative possibilities…

** In response to Georgiana and Michelle's comments, here you go: **

Happy Crutches

Two years ago my knee failed on me, and after a chain of X-rays and MRIs I was diagnosed with chondromalacia - “a degenerative condition of the cartilage surface… especially common in soccer players”.

For those who know me, this probably sounds like an oxymoron. For those who don’t: let’s say I am not quite the epitome of Ronaldinho… but rather the clumsy Brazilian who can’t play soccer to save her life.

Anyhow… after physiotherapy, 2 months on crutches, Celebrex and many ice cubes later, my knee seemed to have quenched its thirst for care and attention, and I slowly got back to my [somewhat sporadic] exercise track.

Last weekend, my knee started crying out loud again after an innocent work out. And there I was, on a Saturday night desperately looking for a pair of crutches to save my dinner plans.

After finding out that most pharmacies do not carry crutches, and that surgical supply store hours are quintessentially from 9 to 5, I decided to take a peak at Craigslist…

What wasn’t my surprise to come across an actual neighbor of mine donating her pair of crutches!!! Suddenly, the haunted thought of Ms.Chondromalacia stealing my mobility gave way to the awesome thought of Ms. Mary giving me back my Saturday night.

I know this may sound way too Pollyannish… but I somehow went from super frustrated, to quite excited (thanks to the possibilities created by online communities...). And then, just like that, the soccer challenged Brazilian was ready to drink to her newly acquired pair of "vintage looking" birch colored crutches.

Re the knee… I’ve been betting on the ice-celebrex-physioterapy-crutches-patience combination, taking in the doctor hopping dance and waiting to be diagnosed with some sort of condition specially common to innovation consultants…

In Plain English

Want to help friends and coworkers understand social media, convert them to podcasting, social bookmarking, or perhaps twitter? These fabulous videos may help:

Social Media in Plain English

Podcasting in Plain English

Social Bookmarking in Plain English

Twitter in Plain English


What else would you like to see "in plain English"?

Bring It Back!!

When cult brands start significantly growing their businesses, they invariably reach the conflict of short term growth & short term profit VERSUS long term growth and sustainable profit. And here goes another story...

Helen Ip, great friend and fabulous blogger, has just brewed her frustration over Starbucks' decision to discontinue its almond syrup on a funny post entitled “A Little Less Love For Starbucks”.

I right away recalled that yet another friend had recently vented over another Starbucks product discontinuation (organic milk) and decided to google the subject.

It seems like they have always been discontinuing a series of flavors based on sales volume, while instructing its baristas to offer alternative options. Check this out.

Apparently, nothing sounds more plausible than having slower-moving items being discontinued; after all, mass brands cannot afford to please everyone and ought to put the Pareto Principle to work (20% of its product offerings generating 80% of sales).

What happens is that big mammoth brands are struggling in a market where consumers progressively resist what they see as bland ubiquity and lame massification. And while Starbucks stock sinks, Howard Shultz fights to bring its hipness and edge back.

Yes, Starbucks urges to bring its cult-flair back; and cult brands can not afford to rely on a lame 80-20 rule, as their most valuable customers (trend setters spreading loyalty values) refute the one-size-fits-all approach, seeking individualization instead.

One of the most important reasons SBUX has managed to successfully become consumers' "3rd place" is that it's developed an emotional ritualistic connection with them through their everyday unique coffee orders (such as Helen's "iced tall two-pump almond latte with whole milk, please").

By favoring mainstream combinations to the detriment of "customized" ones, Starbucks shoots itself on both foot with the same bullet: (1) It imposes a disruption on consumers' routine, obviously frustrating them (the subject has been constantly brought up at Starbucks Gossip website - consumers' "4th place"?); and (2) distances itself from having the edge back...

Are lower inventory costs worth the negative impact of customer dissatisfaction on the brand? SBUX's better off stepping up to the cup fast before “little less love” turns into “much less profit and brand relevance”...

Bring back Helen's almond syrup!!

ShamPooPoos...

Once in a while, my minimalist self kicks in and wanders around my shoe box apt tossing the unnecessary – from old shoes to lidless tupperwares, to a dozen branded mugs. When I got to the bathroom I realized I had not less than 9 half-full bottles of shampoo! And the next thing I know, I catch myself both trying to justify their existence and ideating about a new brand of shampoo...

EXISTENCE CRISIS
After 2-3 weeks my hair seems to simply get tired of my shampoo and no longer respond to its “super” formula; what forces me to keep on alternating amongst different brands…

IN THEORY
I got curious to learn if it was just me, and went on Googling the subject. Apparently, a lot of people do switch shampoos to give their hair a break, since “a shampoo seems to work better if not used for a while”. Apparently what happens is: each shampoo leaves some residues behind, which piles up and makes our hair look dull after a while. A second shampoo then, not designed to leave the residue of the first shampoo, ends up washing old residues away, making our hair look nice again… But not before attaching its own residue… And next thing you know it’s time to switch again…

WHAT ABOUT...
Whether the above explanation is legitimate or not, I think consumers shampoo-switching behavior is worth paying attention to... And that made me wonder: What about a bottle containing an assortment of shampoo formulas in the shape of bath oil beads? Shampoo beads could even be sold individually so that you could cherry pick what to refill your [beautifully designed] shampoo bottle with :o).




And there I was getting carried away, “ideating” about product packaging, scents, formulas, partnerships, endorsements, POS strategy and the whole dance... Meanwhile my “complementary” 9 bottles of shampoo-poos have escaped the toss-away-list…

Playground

As I get excited about the 3G iPhone launch (July 11th is just around the corner!), I can't help but once again be amazed by Apple's tireless ability to c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y innovate its pipeline. Amazed and... inspired to come up with a silly (but rather fun) exercise: brainstorm about potential Apple "add-on features" :o)

What about green iPod cords that help fight global warming [X% of its sales destined to the cause, a la Livestrong]?

And by the way:

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Filling it Up

It’s been a while. A lot happened. I’m back bloging.
The scoop: I resigned from Nitro in March, gone to Brazil for family matters, and have recently come back to NYC. Now I am taking in the job search cha cha and seizing what this amazing city has to offer. As far as blogging goes, I’ve decided to add a bit of a twist to it, and make it more about “innovation” than “branding” (perhaps more about “A.D.D.” than “mundane stuff”); after all, I’ve irreversibly fallen in love with the works of new product development and brand creation and need a garage to brainstorm (babble) about ideas before my husby goes crazy with my “what-about” and “why-not” false-rhetoric questions (I usually do want his feedback…)


So today I'll babble about "TWO-IN-ONE":

As our lives get busy squared, we seem to be always looking for ways to do more things in less time... As a result, some people end up reading the paper and putting makeup while on the toilet (a.k.a. 3-in-1); others constantly manage to type on the computer while talking on the phone and eating a banana for lunch… Some may call it multi-tasking, I call it life-automatic-piloting! In any case... don’t you sometimes wish you could truly cope with just 3 hours of sleep a night, or have someone run to the toilet for you? I do… But since wishful thinking doesn’t help much, I sometimes wonder if some of my mindless basic needs couldn't be fulfilled at the press of a button via some cool product innovation...

Why do we need a toothbrush AND a toothpaste anyways? Can't there be a brush already filled with paste to be released at the press of a button? What other 2-in-1 type of products could help us simplify our daily lives (without turning us into pathetic lifeless morons) like the guy who devisded the above throne?

Gifteriences Anyone?

I've always been a fan of giving "experiential gifts" and this ad got me thinking about my Christmas present list. I realize that the number of "experiential giftees" this year is significantly disproportional to the number of gift ideas I have come up with thus far.

Here are some previous executions: a bottle of Brunello to be savored over dinner at Maison Cavalcanti; a half populated photo album with pictures of the giftee; a fashion retailer gift certificate accompanied by a complimentary personal shopper (whose name starts with "C" and ends with "avalcanti"); blank canvas and two painting lessons; a poem (you know by whom); a book about the history of chocolate coupled by mouthwatering pieces of Michel Cluizel's; Boston Zagat's guide featuring recommended dishes and drinks at some of my favorite places;"City of God" movie tickets and a DVD "voucher"; Whole Foods gift certificate + "Cooking For Dummies"; CD with cherry picked Bossa Nova songs + ticket to attend Caetano Veloso's concert; IKEA dresser + assembly help; and the list goes on... Ideas?

In the meantime, I'll keep on dreaming about a brown bag and a box of tissues :o)

Kiss of Death

So today the New York Times brings a fairly interesting article on how rock bands have been endorsing all sorts of products and engaging in bad taste merchandising partnerships to compensate for record label revenue decline.

Yes, they have been plastering their names everywhere – from Bon Jovi’s cabernet sauvignon and Kiss’s Kasket(an actual coffin adorned with the band's logo and pics of band members), to Kevin Federline’s Nationwide insurance commercial.

It is very true that out-of-control online piracy and the ongoing experimentation of digital music distribution have totally changed the paradigm in the music business; and as a result… musicians do need to adapt not to fall off the revenue cliff. But how much is too much? Some of these partnerships just seem totally out of place and absolutely at odds with the band’s vibe and message…

Any thoughts? Can you think of any thoughtful X kiss of deathish pairings between musicians and products/ commercials/tv shows/movie soundtracks...etc?

Organization Behavior Class

I've just been interviewed about my current job (for the purpose of a Boston University's MBA OB class), and since some of you have been asking me how everything is going at new-job-land... I thought I'd post my answers here.

Tell me about your role/position and background? Position: Business Growth Associate at an ad agency’s innovation business unit. Role: develop new products, brand positioning, channel strategy and brand architecture.

How did you come to this role? What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position? I quit strategy consulting (after 4 years at Deloitte & Touche) after a position bridging bz and brand strategy. I was hired by Nitro Group and just started last Monday.

What do you enjoy most about this role? What do you enjoy least about this role? Enjoy most: fun and challenging tasks; creative, smart and nice people; sexy brands and great clients. Enjoy the least: there is not too much processes in place yet (but that can also be pointed as an opportunity).

What are the five most important requirements of your role? (1) Creativity - from identifying a disruptive way to solve for a business problem, to coming up with effective ways to extract “consumer truths”; (2) openness to look at a problem from different angles and learn from different points of view; (3) ability to work well individually as well as play the midwife of ideas; (4) be a good listener, while also a good communicator.

What talents or strengths do you possess that help you succeed in this role? I am eager to learn and willing to give and get as much as possible.

Think of someone you know who has been extremely successful in this role. What made that person so successful? He has a clear goal in mind – to own his business in the near future. As such, he is constantly observing, judging and learning from everything and everyone around. By staying focused on his goals, he is able to leverage on his passion and motivation, get ahead of the learning curve and deliver great results. He is also able to easily navigate the jungle, after all, everything is seen as an opportunity to grow.

Now think of someone who was unsuccessful in this role. Why wasn’t that person successful? What was missing? I have not yet met this person (I’ve just joined the business a week ago). But I think that lack of passion, curiosity and resilience can blow it for anyone.

What is the environment like in which you work? (e.g., the working atmosphere, the people you work with)? The company is growing fast, and lots of new hires make it a very much collegiate, evolving work environment.

What do you enjoy most about this environment? What do you enjoy least about this environment? Enjoy the most: lots of creativity in the air, and bz strategy on the ground (it feels sort of where Bz Consulting meets Madison Ave). Enjoy the least: we have the Dove chocolate account, so there are chocolates all over the place (and I am a chocoholic on rehab :o)


If you could do it all again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change? I would have jumped into the 2B (brand + bz) space earlier. But it took me a while to figure whether 2B or not 2B...

On The Right Path (check)

I've just accepted a brand strategy position at NITRO GROUP's innovation business arm, a.k.a. Left Blue Sky. No, I have not jumped into chemical engineering, Grandma. I'll be working with new product development, channel strategy and brand analytics. It will likely provide me with the Bz + Brand convergence I've been seeking. Pretty exciting work, people and clients. Pretty excited Silvia.

BTW, it is exciting to write that "The opinions expressed here are my own, and have nothing to do with Nitro".

Gazilion of Brazilians

Today, over one million people went to 6th Ave and 46th St to celebrate the Brazilian 4th of July, a.k.a "Brazilian Day". There were a gazilion of brazilian-americans in the heart of Manhattan drinking beer and caipirinhas (on the streets, like in Brazil!), shopping for Brazilian goods, dancing and singing to the sound of famous Brazilian bands. I almost feel embarrassed to confess that during my seven-winter-long stint in Boston, this was the very first time I took part on such energizing event. Fascinating.

What stroke me, though, was the semi-meager sponsorship set up, mostly overtaken by two Brazilian brands catering to the Brazilian market (e.g., TAM airlines and Brazco). Where were the Brazilian brands catering to Americans who fancy the Brazilian flair (e.g., Havaianas and Brahma)? I am very tempted to think that the informal Brazilianist "connectors" were attending the event... And also, where was the creative guerrilla?

Girl From Uppernema

So yesterday, I officially moved to NYC!
And speaking about moves... my first one was to go bar hopping in the upper west, my new neighborhood. Then? Drink down some shots, get up on stage and sing Girl From Ipanema. Too many shots....and then a snapshot...

This second paragraph is to confess that I didn't remember the lyrics and pathetically made it all up. Besides my struck husby (the snap shooter) and a couple Brazilian friends (the pee-in-the-panters), nobody else noticed though...

Notes:
I can't sing to save my life
The place was NOT a karaoke bar
For everything else, there is mastercard.

Thoreau is calling

After half a day of de-junking, I started thinking about how we, human beings, tend to accumulate an excessive amount of unnecessary stuff throughout our lives. Stuff requires maintenance, sorting, organizing… time that could rather be spent jogging, reading, singing, traveling, thinking, blogging…

It is way easier, though, to simply discard things when we know we can afford them back... So, in a way, it paradoxically takes more money to have less... As Thoreau’s proverb goes: “a man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."

Keeping things simple, certainly takes discipline and sanity, that's for sure. Seriously, the amount of "stuff" I’ve come across this morning almost drove me insane. “Should I throw this way? Donate it? But what if I need it in the future?”

So today, I’ve decided that for every piece of stuff I bring in, one must go out. I will try to (more often than not) ask myself whether my to-be acquisition will likely create or reduce the clutter around me (ok, shoes do not count!)

Yes, life should be simple. Why do I need 14 (!!!!!) cell phone chargers anyways? “Hummm, maybe I should keep three”, I thought. “One, Silvia, One!”, shouted my Thoreauvian side, before tripping over the charger cords...

My next book ought to be "Walden"

I KEA. Do You?

Yesterday I spent over 6 hours at an IKEA store, one of my favorite retailers of all times. It is never (ever) a dull experience, regardless of the inevitably overwhelming nature of moving in and out...

They manage to wrap us up in a 360-degree retail experience – from their cafeteria to their Smaland, “a place where kids can climb, roll, and watch movies”. Kids get to play, but most importantly, grownups get to play as well. Playing home has never been so cool.

But the main reason why I like them so much is that they have been effectively innovative in every single way. While others zig, they zag! (and not just for the sake of it).

Positioning: "It is not about furnishing your house, but making it a better home". And it is not about furnishings that last 10 years... but about being able to afford changing the look of your home from time to time! Yes, IKEA has convinced shoppers around the globe to purchase furniture meant not to last many years, so that folks keep on replacing them with new IKEA stuff!

Product Line: In order to avoid producing too many product variants (therefore hurting their economy of scale), IKEA has somehow managed to seduce Americans and change their attitude towards flat pack furniture. The one piece wardrobe suddenly gives way to pieces of wood, metal and lots, lots of screws, accompanied by an effectively 100%-visual (no words at all!) guide to help you assemble it yourself. There are all sorts of jokes about IKEA’s bz model, but at the end of the day, people do fall pray to their "assemble, and save".



Service: The customary sales associate model gives way to a customer associate model, in which we are the ones to pick and pack. The experience of locating the aisle and bin where your to-be couch is located is somewhat filled with [good] adrenalin. The thought of whether the couch you cherry picked is available, most often than not, gives room to a It’s-there!-smile (as they absolutely rock on inventory management).


Communications: When it comes to their comms… I believe their ups and downs (ups: “dinning table”, and “Every Day Fabulous”/ down: their way-too-Swedish "IKEA Lamp"), have been definitely outweighed by their viral word-of-mouth. The reason? Their brand strategy is driven by a strong business strategy to ensure they deliver on their brand promise. No wonder Mr. Ingvar Kamprad is the fourth richest man in the world.

And towards the end of my journey, I could not resist but capture the above grandpa taking a nap at one of IKEA’s comfy chairs, while Mrs. Grandma kept on shopping... Maybe he did not KEA too much...