Browsing Tag

beauty

How Axe Is Changing Attitudes About Gender

Axe Is It Ok For Guys

I still remember how excited Unilever’s team was when they announced that Axe was going to send some lucky guys to space. My peers shared their enthusiasm when we watched a teaser video together at Queen’s University in 2013, but that was the last time I really thought about the brand.

Axe just released a new ad that challenges common stereotypes about young men, which I love. This video makes me rethink what Axe stands for and I admire how it has the power to change consumers’ views about gender. In a way, this ad is long overdue. It’s 2017! Of course it’s ok for guys to wear pink (and not just on Wednesdays). So what if a boy doesn’t like sports?

I wish Axe didn’t have to include a question about depression because it should be obvious by now that guys have mental health issues too. The best article I read on Bell Let’s Talk Day was written by a local male marketer and that was one of many stories.

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Hotspot: Miraj Hammam Spa (Shangri-La)

Caudalie spa reception-exterior-D-1200px-sRGB

My invitation for a facial at the Miraj Hammam Spa inside Toronto’s Shangri-La hotel could not have come at a better time, as I had a chance to exfoliate my skin a few days before a portrait session.

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Instagram Inspiration: Happy New Year

Many top brands were eager to help consumers ring in the new year. Overall, I noticed that brands posted more GIFs and short videos this year, which signals progress. Last year’s round up included only three posts and this year’s list includes three categories to help marketers with content development on Instagram.

I hope you’ll bookmark this for future reference and maybe even print it in colour to discuss at your next brainstorm meeting!

Inspiration for Small Businesses

While evaluating posts in my feed, I looked for simple posts that small business owners can learn from and treat as templates for future holiday posts. With the right stock photo and some text overlay in a program like Adobe Photoshop, a post that looks like this one from Aroma is fairly easy to create.

Hot On The Street - Happy New Year - 2015 - Aroma - Instagram

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Next Issue

I like to read at home.

Introduction

Rogers’ Next Issue magazine subscription service and app legitimately changed my life this past year. At first, the transit ads for software that’s essentially ‘Netflix for Magazines’ made the trial tempting, but it wasn’t until I was offered an extended trial as a Klout perk that I recognized its true value.

I’ve always enjoyed reading magazines for the articles, pictures and tips. I’ve always had at least one annual subscription to a print edition (or at least since the days of Teen People and YM!). I’ve always liked reading.

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Spark Sessions

With Marketing Director Jenny Jovanovic (Crazy Style Love)

Spark Sessions Marketing Director Jenny Jovanovic (Crazy Style Love)

The blogging world has become very saturated, so it was worthwhile spending the weekend at the second annual Spark Sessions conference to learn how to differentiate myself.

The opening keynotes by Andrew Sardone, Editor at Globe Style Advisor and Vanessa Craft, Beauty Director at ELLE Canada launched the event by describing bloggers as entrepreneurs. Vanessa inspired bloggers to become idea entrepreneurs and leverage our blogs to influence how readers think and behave. “Blogging is storytelling with a megaphone,” she said. Think about the power that comes with being a blogger and consider your future legacy.

Winnie Chan explored various legal issues that are relevant to blogging like CASL, disclaimer policies and copyright infringement. Though it was interesting to hear a lawyer’s perspective about what we do on WordPress, I would’ve preferred to see more visual examples of do’s and don’ts. Likewise, Maxine McDonald from Langton PR helped us understand which information is fundamental to include in media kits, but she didn’t show any examples of media kits she likes.

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