Azy Does NY

I have always wanted to go to New York, but have yet to have made it. Dear friends of mine artist, Ricky Watts and his fantastic girlfriend, Noe just went. They took with them my "Azy Does It" promotional button and Noe took Azy's picture everywhere! It's kind of like I was there. So thoughtful, so cool, so funny. It's just plain RAD. Loves!

Interaction Can Rebuild Trust

Oh yes, Marketing. The glorious field is also an undeniable curse. Once interested in it, there is no going back. Every consumer product is up for subjective criticism, and you can longer watch an ad without having an opinion or go to the movies without pointing out product placement. I had professor in college warn me that such a day would come. He was my Media Criticism teacher, a smart man, who taught me how to decide which way an ad was skewed and to recognize underlying messages in story content. In one sense I am grateful, in another cursed. No longer interested in TV and barely relaxed enough to get through a whole movie, my subjective criticism haunts me.
I now notice if there are only Audi's featured in a film or that Snapple changed their packaging. But, are consumers noticing? Maybe. But are they influenced to buy because of it? Probably not. I find consumer behavior fascinating. But let’s face it, the good ol’ consumer just isn’t as fun to watch anymore and isn’t as easily motivated either. While the behavior is still interesting, it’s very different. We have found ourselves in the midst of uncertain times where consumers, myself included in this, aren’t spending the way they used to. What once worked in ads before doesn't anymore. Or maybe it does, but just not for right now. The best ads these days feature a very simple quality that most advertising was lacking for a long time: Honesty.
I think about my fellow consumer often. Mostly because I am one and it’s my job. My first thought is, “What would I want to hear and why?” The “what and why” are the trickiest part of a system I had adopted from Journalism early on. In trying to comprehend a target audience, I embrace the 5W's, the “who, what, when, where, and why.” And really, when you think about it, this rule can be applied to any situation involving people and communication. In the case of Journalism it's a structure for an interview, or maybe simply an outline to better understand the audience reading. In the case of Marketing, apply them to your product, and again to simply understand your audience's buying behavior. Merely knowing your audience and what they are about is the key to any act of enticement.
This is where I believe we failed so long ago, not only media but society at large. There is no trust anymore, only skepticism. If social media has taught anything about marketing and promoting, it's that people trust their peers. WOM (word-of-mouth) is still a very effective vehicle – now more than ever, consumers rely on people they trust for the answers. Companies need to become a part of the conversation but must do it in an honest way. Start caring about your customers again by practicing a little CRM (customer relationship management) in other words: interact with them. Still aren’t convinced? Consider this, in a time so riddled with ads, where some consumers are immune and others out of tune, and everyone and everything is uncertain, wouldn't it be nice to just be able to trust?

Need New Fits? Trust in the Celestials, Celes Clothing Company

Anytime I see something cutting edge I’m on top of it, like a cherry on a sundae. When I came across Celes Clothing Company it was their pop art style lips design that I first noticed – so Warhol, so bright, so me, so different. When I caught word that they were launching their new website this year on April Fools’ Day, I wanted to write a little something to give it a push. Since gentle pushes is what I do best.

Celes Clothing Company was founded in 2001 and is based down in Southern California, in the founder’s hometown of Santa Paula. Currently, a lot of what Celes Clothing is doing comes straight out of the bay, right here in San Francisco. The name “Celes” came from the word, “celestial.” Celes Clothing’s founder, Gabe Chavez thought of it one very clear, starry night following a soccer practice. As he was jotting down potential names for the company in his sketch book, he glanced up at the sky and thought, “Celestial” which later morphed into “Celest” and finally found its true title in “Celes.”

“It’s a really simple story, but the idea behind it is enormous. When someone is having a rough day they don’t look down, they look up for help and motivation,” Gabe explained. His passion for Celes originated years ago, while in middle school. “I remember thinking how interesting it was that everyone was wearing some kind shirt, you might think this was a simple observation, but it really got me thinking, about how cool it would be to have these people wear a shirt that I designed.” And so the dream was born and the brainstorming began, and this was the embryo of what would be Celes Clothing Company.

Celes now is a company with multiple designs for casual skate clothing and decks. They focus on skateboarding as an art form and have an awesome new website: www.celesclothing.com. I was incredibly impressed with the art direction and interactive nature of this site. Not only does it exist as a place to purchase, but it acts as a social site as well, offering many other facets, like a Music section, the Celes Skate Team, and Celes Underground.

While the company encompasses many arts, skating is its true basis. Currently Celes skate team has one solo member, Frank Oliva, myspace.com/bighairfrankthetank. “Celes has gone from having about five sponsored skaters to our current team: count of one! Some people might think that this isn’t a team at all, but I’d rather have one skater that is committed and having fun, then a whole team that only wants to receive free stuff now and then.” They are currently offering sponsorships to qualifying candidates who would like to be a part of the Celes family. But, they select their team members very carefully.

Celes Clothing also sponsors up and coming bands. Their website’s Music page is used mainly to promote and expose theses musicians. Gabe’s hope is that it will eventually act as a blog for sponsored bands to discuss whatever they want to. “As with our skateboard sponsorships, we take music sponsorships very serious and delicately,” he told me. Right now, Celes sponsors the band End Transmission, myspace.com/endtransmissionrock. Members include two of Gabe’s childhood buddies, “They are funny, creative, and serious about their music so I believe it was a good decision to have them on board with Celes. Sponsorships just really depend on how good the band is, and how well they fit in with the Celes lifestyle and attitude.” Soon the band Reborn, from Tijuana, Mexico will be joining the Celes family. “They are a Classic Rock / Metal band that will be breaking necks and driving peoples ears crazy with their melodic music,” Gabe told me. Check them out on MySpace: myspace.com/tjreborn.

Of all Celes’ ventures and the different avenues their company and website explore, I was most impressed with their concept for Celes Underground. Celes Underground division will partner with artists of various types in designing one original shirt – that’s right only Uno. Gabe explains the sheer brilliance of the project: “Celes Underground will be a very unique branch off of Celes Clothing. One of a kind t-shirts will be designed not only by Celes, but by collaborating artists, bands, skaters, and anyone you can think of. Because these shirts are one of a kind (and by that I mean only one will be made ever) each will tell a story.” Pure genius. They are to act as collector’s items, each will come with their story in a booklet, will be featured in a custom package, and numbered. Any artists interested in the Celes Underground project can email: underground@celesclothing.com.

Celes is also currently looking for models. Their recent venture the Celes’ “Exposure Series” proved to be a great success and now they are coming up on the “Exposure Series 2.” Skate decks will feature different models from different cities and cultures. Models will receive you guessed it: exposure, and also lots of promotion on their new site. Her persona will be featured on the deck and the coolest part: the deck itself will be named after her! Contact: Celesmodel@celesclothing.com for more information.

Celes is not Gabe Chavez’s only passion he also skates and loves soccer. These elements facilitate the motivation behind the concepts for his designs. Most all of the designs are currently of Gabe’s creation. But he does receive a lot of help from his friends, Sergio Oseguera, Alex Puga, Miranda Ko, Michele Oralnado who are also a part of Celes Clothing Company.

To purchase Celes merchandise, you can do so at their website, www.celesclothing.com or through their MySpace, myspace.com/celesclothingco. Search for them on Facebook, by looking for "Celes Man." Jump on it like I did, before the herd.

Wait, I’m a Writer? My name is in Four G’s Magazine!

What did you want to be when you were a kid, a Cowboy or an Indian? I wanted to be a divorce attorney. “Little girl from broken home wants to help dissolve marriages peacefully,” the headline read…

I changed my mind quickly when I grew up. In college I took on journalism but never said I wanted to be a writer. All I said was, “I want to have a job where I can write” and I am very fortunate to have a career in marketing that allows me the luxury of doing so. I love my job, but sometimes I miss journalism – interviewing interesting subjects is an exciting experience. And as a writer, there is something to be said for seeing your work in printed form – holding something tangible, in your hands, with your name on it. Something about that byline makes it all worthwhile, and this is why writing for Four G’s Magazine was such an honor.

The magazine is truly a work of art – from cover to cover; each page is bright with color and rich with content. And while the mag contains subject matter that doesn’t necessarily reflect my views or opinions, I respect it, and am incredibly proud to have been part of it. Four G’s creativity and uniqueness gives it a standalone quality that makes it unlike any other magazine I’ve ever seen. It’s the type of book you could look at on numerous occasions and notice something different with each glance.

Four G’s Magazine is the innovative brainchild of its creator Andy Souza, whose imagination and perfectionism have led him to produce an exceptional product. His diligence and dedication to his craft are admirable and I value the opportunity of working with him. Andy’s critique of my work and meticulous attention to detail encouraged me to strive to write better, and the end result is an article I am quite proud of.

Four G’s Magazine’s basis is art and I will always take on anything for art’s sake. My contribution was an article written on San Francisco hip-hop artist, TOPR. The experience of meeting and interviewing him, and then writing a piece about his life and music was truly an honor. To read it you must first buy the mag at: www.fourgsmagazine.com . Do yourself a favor and buy it anyway, it truly is something special. Trust me; you’ll notice right away, its superiority sets it apart from the rest.

*The Four G’s Issue Release Party is Saturday, March 7^th, Club 6, in San Francisco. For more details please visit: www.myspace.com/fourgsmagazine or www.fourgsmagazine.com

Voter Perks: free coffee, beer, ice cream, pie or sex toys

I made sure to take care of voting first thing this morning, as I knew it would kill me to wait until after work. As confident as I feel in my choices, I am still a bit nervous. I fear that if the other candidate is selected, I might be forced to leave my homeland. As an American, I feel fortunate and as a Californian, very proud. So, this is a bold statement. Let’s put it this way, I will be depressed for days on end if the results are not what I had hoped.
In the meantime, while the anticipation beats us down, we can enjoy some election day perks! A bunch of businesses are handing out freebies today if you can prove by sticker or ballot stubs that you've voted.

For full info please read:
Election Day Perks: Businesses Hand Out Freebies to Voters
"...Among others, big businesses like Starbucks (coffee), Ben & Jerry's (ice cream), Krispy Kreme (star-shaped doughnuts with red, white and blue sprinkles) are handing out tasty treats..."

Pretty nice of them in our financial state, and just what I need: a sugar rush and more caffeine while I wait to hear the fate of my country. It's really too bad the other freebies aren't available near me; they sound a bit more relaxing.

If you haven't already... GO VOTE!