Celebrating Mothers' Day, the Eden Way

When I first saw Eden Nature Park’s poster about their Mother’s Day Special, I was impressed. Most resorts, restaurants and hotels can have a “special” for the Easter Sunday, Christmas or Kadayawan, but the Mothers’ and Fathers’ days are usually less celebrated. (Wait, there’s a grandparents’ day too.) A little greeting, some flowers, a thoughtful kiss-and-hug; and most of the time, you’re good to go. Obviously, Eden Nature Park believes otherwise.

Just before I entered their Vista Restaurant, I saw a bright and beautiful set-up made by Eden to highlight the love that everybody’s favorite woman deserves. There was a huge tarp with a sweet message for mothers, dozens of custom-made floral centerpieces and a registration table for the raffle draws that came later. I looked through the prizes: vegetable gift packs, Rachelle Ann Go CDs, artistic bottles and paintings. Hmm. Maybe I should’ve pretended to be a mom too! Haha!

Registration started as early as 10AM. More and more families filled the restaurant as we were enjoying the light-and-easy ambiance—a little bossa music on the background, lots of air kisses filling the atmosphere. It also helped that the weather that morning was a little cloudy, so we didn’t break a sweat while waiting. 

Around half an hour before noon time, their sumptuous buffet lunch was served; and the short program began.

There was a thank-you message for, pretty much, all the moms who always help us make our lives a little bit easier for us. After that, there was another thank-you message to all the families who held their mothers in such high esteems, as a reward for years and years of sacrifices, love and care. After the semi-sentimental talk, the fun started to kick in.

The previously mentioned prize items (artistic bottles, paintings, Rachelle Ann Go cds and vegetable gift packs) were given to around fifteen lucky moms. Seeing the moms beam in happiness as they collect their gifts was priceless.

The truth is, one gift, one lunch and one day isn’t enough to celebrate our mothers’ selfless love. That is why Eden Nature Park extends Mother’s day to a week! Last May 14, 2011 (Saturday), Eden Nature Park also held a gourmet dinner to cap off their Mother’s Week. They gave more surprises for the families who joined the celebratory  weekend with them. What’s one more day to show mommy you love her, right?

Wait, what about daddy? Fathers' day is drawing near, you see. Eden has something for everyone's Superman too! Call Eden Nature Park (tel. no. 299-1020) for more information on their Fathers' day special.

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More pics from the Mothers' Day special:

See how full the Vista Restaurant was!

The excited mommies flock to the registration table.

Eden's Marketing Officer announces the winners for the  Mothers' Day raffle.

One proud mommy shows off her prize: a painting made by Eden's very own in-house artist.

Photo Credits: DJ Tadena

Many thanks to Eden Nature Park

Globe Announces Executive Moments

          

           Globe Telecom has announced management changes with the movement of Consumer Sales Head Ferdz dela Cruz and Consumer Marketing Head Menchi Orlina. Dela Cruz will be taking up a position within the Ayala Group while Orlina will immigrate to the United States.

           Dela Cruz has been with Globe for the past 8 years serving in various capacities as Head of Consumer Wireless and more recently Head of Consumer Sales. During his stay in the company, he spearheaded the refresh and redesign of the new Globe Stores, which changed the concept of telco retailing in the Philippines. Dela Cruz also led the development of sales efficiency tools that helped engage Globe retailers in achieving sales targets.

           Orlina joined Globe in 2008 as Head of Consumer Broadband and eventually served as Head of Consumer Marketing. She championed the launch of Globe Tattoo, which has now become the fastest growing broadband brand in the country. Orlina engineered various brand initiatives for Globe Postpaid, TM, and Globe Prepaid. Orlina also led the rollout of the company’s CRM efforts that included rewards and targeted offer programs for subscribers.

          Effective July 1, 2011, new executives will join the management team of Globe to help drive continued growth and sustain momentum for the company. Ramon Ralph Matriano, former VP for Sales of Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Branded Consumer Food Group will be the Head of Consumer Sales. Chee Loo Fun, a Malaysian native and former Head of Channel Marketing from Maxis Communications Berhad, will serve as Senior Adviser for Consumer Marketing.

Globe Labs Unveils Mobile Apps Contest

          

           Globe Telecom recently launched MobApp Hunt 2011, a program for Filipino developers to showcase their creativity in building mobile applications for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone devices. The program aims to recognize and reward local talent in building innovative mobile applications that build on top of network services like mobile broadband, short messaging, voice and location based services

          MobApp Hunt 2011 is being spearheaded by Globe Labs – created in 2008 to expose the company and its partners to emerging technology and innovations as well as identify and develop unique applications that can be commercially introduced in the fixed and wireless consumer market. It aims to usher in the latest information and communication technologies at the earliest market-relevant time to consumers.

“Through MobApp Hunt 2011, we are creating a venue to develop and commercialize the ingenuous creations of our mobile developers, as well as provide them tools to hone their talents further,” said Blue de Venecia, Head of Globe Labs. “Globe Labs has always been at the forefront of extending support to Filipino innovations especially in the field of information and communications technology. With MobApp Hunt 2011, we will continue to engage our mobile developers by giving them opportunities to showcase their innovations both here and abroad.”

            MobApp Hunt 2011 is open to all individuals and companies registered with the Globe Labs Developer Community. Registration can be done online via the Globe Labs Developer Portal at www.globelabs.com.ph where proposal forms can be downloaded. Participants can be individuals or teams, where teams can have a maximum number of 5 members. Submission of proposals is slated until May 23, 2011.

            Announcement of accepted proposals will be on June 6, 2011. Successful developers will have six weeks to create their applications. Participants will also get the chance to attend various trainings, and technical and user interface workshops to help them improve and enhance their creations.

Successful developers will get the chance to have their apps published on myGlobe Free Apps or iTunes (for iOS apps) and receive Php50,000 as reward for each app published.

MobApp Hunt was successfully introduced to the developer community last year with the primary goal of tapping the skills and talents of Filipino developers in the different mobile platforms such as Android, BlackBerry, iOS, MIDP2.0 and Symbian/QT.

For inquiries, visit www.globelabs.com.ph/pages/mobapphunt.aspx.

Your New PR Girl Reviews the Nokia X3-02

The handsomest yet…from Nokia.

I’ve never been fond of Nokia phones. In fact, I used to think Nokia phones are generic, boring and…stupid. (Sorry Nokia.) A lot of their units even look cheap to me as compared to their other counterparts (other brands). However, those negative thoughts/ feelings changed when I met the slick, handsome and fabulous Nokia X3 02.

The Impression

The Nokia X3 02 is a marriage of class and function. It’s Touch-and-Type feature is something that really worked wonders for me. I won’t have to worry about overusing the touch feature while I can also type with ease because you type using the candybar phone format (pretty normal). The touch feature is outstanding (almost like Apple) and the keypads are soft enough for a heavy texter to love.

The interface is the same Nokia user friendliness; so you won’t have to worry about getting lost. You’ll find your way in a few days. As a solid Sony Ericsson user, I was first abrasive (yes, that’s the word) when I got this unit because I usually got lost with the mid-range Nokia phones. I only knew how to use the ones which are worth P2000 below only. You get the idea.

The Features

This handsome baby boasts of crisp pictures because of its high quality 5 megapixel camera and a 2.4” touchscreen display at 240 x 320 (qgva) resolution. One downside though—no flash. However, image and video quality is great when used with apt lighting.

Since it’s an XpressMusic phone, the Nokia X3 02 bursts with power whenever I use it to listen to music. With other phones, I had to set the volume to at least 60% just to make it audible on an open space. With the Nokia X3 02, I was surprised that I only had to use 30-40% of the volume capacity to hear the same quality of sound. I also found myself loving the dedicated music button at the keypad AND THE 3.5 mm AV connector. I can use my fab Skullcandy headsets with it.

By the way, it’s a WIFI phone too. And supports all the regular bullshit that usually comes with it—HSDPA, GPRS, Bluetooth, etc. Lovin’ it enough?

The Power

I can’t have enough good things to say about this baby. It comes with an internal memory of 50 MB and a microsd card slot that can support up to 16 GB of storage. That’s a lot of songs, pictures and even movies there, yo.

The Look

The Nokia X3 02 is available in five stylish looks—white silver, dark metal (black and brown), petrol blue, pink and lilac. ANYONE can have their very own Nokia X3 02 and feel good about themselves. I got the dark metal one. I like the way it looks so slick, shiny and, well, black. Professional. Solid. Handsome.

The Life

According to the Nokia website, the Nokia X3 02 can do up to 300 minutes of talk time or 430 hours of standby time. As a moderate to heavy user, I had to charge every other day. Honestly, this is quite a hassle for me since the charging takes 2-3 hours as compared to my Sony Ericsson T700, which takes only 1-2 hours and I only had to charge every 3-4 days.

The Verdict

Somewhere between like and love. It’s my first time to rave about a Nokia phone. Price ranges from P7500 to 8500.

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I got this, by the way: (but the pic is from yugatech, yo. Don't hate me yugatech, yo.)

Is Your Business Ready for Social Media Marketing?

Nowadays, the Internet can easily make or break many business efforts. There are a lot of small companies which have created resounding names through online rave reviews and there are also many big time companies whose sales have dwindled because of some bad reviews that proved to be influential, and was made even more influential because of the influx of bad experiences from other clients. Due to this impact, more and more businesses have increased their comfort using social media, and have treated it with more seriousness and tact that ever.

Now, no matter how easy signing up on Twitter and Facebook may be, many businesses still lack maturity towards social media. Most of the think like this: “Hey, Twitter and Facebook really worked for others, and they’re free, so let’s do it!” However, it’s not that simple. Even though signing up may be mechanically easy, keeping your account alive and positive takes a lot of work. And if you pass out, that would be very bad for business.

So that, passing out, and other social media mistakes, must be avoided. To determine if your business is really ready for social media, here are some pointers:

Don’t get too excited; you’ll drown yourself. Those who are new to social media follow a lot of businesses and public figures around, trying to get a hold of their market and establishing “presence”. They follow many users, use all the tools offered, and register many accounts all at the same time. What usually happens here is that every account might not be maintained properly and if the other accounts didn’t work well, one might just lose hope in social media in general. Remember that social media needs consistent, focused effort. Stick to social media platforms which worked for others—Twitter and Facebook—and build your online presence upon them. And don’t forget your website!

Train your social media account handlers well. Okay, almost everyone is on Facebook right now. Twitter is not rocket science as well. Social media may look like a piece of cake, but really, it’s not. And the most important part of the game is your handlers. Don’t let the new employee handle and manage your accounts. No; not even if he has 50,000 friends on Facebook. Remember, whatever he does, it will reflect on your business’ reputation. Social media is too valuable to entrust in the hands of a newbie. Instead, educate someone who knows the company’s ins and outs, goals, products and services how to use social media.

It’s STILL business. Treat social media as an inherent part of your PR (Public Relations); not just an extra thing-to-do for when the people are bored. Recognize that it WILL need a budget, a carefully mapped-out strategy, and yes, the results may be fairly calculated at the bottom line. Of course, remember that all of these things won’t happen overnight. Have realistic expectations all the time.

For easier appreciation, I'll leave you with a nice illustration of how social media marketing works:

Those are some of the most important things about social media which I want to get out in the open. Most multinational companies, those who usually spend for major R & D are making big waves in social media already. I’ve written PR for multinational companies and Davao-based ones, and here’s what they had in common: treating social media seriously. So, for businesses out there, do exactly that. I swear, it will all work out fantastic in the end. (And contact me if you need some PR done! Hahaha!)

Love,

Your New PR Girl

yournewprgirl@gmail.com

Nivea Introduces their Pure and Natural Line

(No, I'm not the girl in the ad. Although most of the time I wish I am. Haha!)

I’ve always been a fan of those pure, natural, organic stuff. And all similar adjectives. They make me feel like I’m doing something good for the environment as much as I’m doing something good for my body. When Nivea sent me goodies featuring their Pure and Natural Line, every single cell in my body went happy-dancing.

So here it is, the entire line. Consists of the baby wipes, 150ml spray deo, the 25ml and 50ml roll-on deos and the 40ml deo stick.

Here are these babies’ prices:

25ml roll on – P50

50ml roll on – P89

40ml stick – P155

150ml spray – P170

50pc pack, baby wipes – P150

Who is it for?

Nivea Pure & Natural Products use gentle and pure ingredients that respect your skin’s nature; so you don’t have to worry about sensitivity problems and irritations that are known to be associated with some artificial and chemical ingredients. This range is suitable for all skin types; even to extra sensitive skin. Basically, it’s for EVERYONE.

What does it do?

Nivea Pure & Natural Products are inspired by nature, but they also draw on Nivea’s 100 years of skin care expertise and commitment to the highest quality standards. This means that the Nivea Pure and Natural range offers a pleasant and affordable way of looking after you naturally and doing your bit for the environment, while enjoying the highly effective are one’s come to expect from Nivea.

The Fast Facts

The deo range is a powerhouse of all natural deo protection that boasts nature identical and anti-bacterial active ingredients that ensure 24 hour intensive protection without clogging one’s pores. Pretty cool, huh? Those big words and all, hehe.

I started using one of them and I love the scent! I use Nivea for underarm care (extra whitening deo roll on, the pink one) and I think the refreshing scent from the Pure and Natural line is one extra thing to look forward to everytime I finish bathing. Even my partner uses it now!

*0% Aluminum

*0% parabens/ preservatives

*doesn’t clog pores

*black shirt-friendly

*dermatologically tested

*non comedogenic

On the other hand, the NEW Nivea Baby Pure and Natural Wipes are moistened with organic chamomile to gently cleanse and soothe our babies’ bottoms. Personally, I also find this loot helpful during nights when I feel like I’m too lazy to wash my face (oops, don’t let me be your bad influence). Can’t help but love them; they’re 100% biodegradable, which means they’re totally flushable, and they’re based on natural cotton.

*contains organic chamomile

*100% natural tissue and biodegradable

*0% alcohol and parabens

*0% perfume

Coming soon in fabulous stores near (the fabulous) you…the Nivea Pure and Natural line. Don’t be the last to grab your loot!

Love,

Your New PR Girl

and 

Nivea Philippines (http://www.facebook.com/NIVEAforWomenPH)

3 Most Common PR Mistakes

The PR (Public Relations) business may be easily defined as the business of making your client look good. Whether you’re doing PR for a product, a service or an organization, the end goal of your project is always “to make it look good”. Or look better.

My first encounter with Public Relations was way back in college. I spent an entire semester reading about it, studying it and learning how important it is in business. Now that I’m out of college, I bump into it almost every day until I realized that I fit snugly in this industry. So, armed with a Marketing degree and experience in advertising, I ventured into Events Management and covered many PR experiences.

Now, because I’m in this business, I regularly had to keep reading and keep learning so I can get ahead of the competition. For those who want to start a career in PR, or those who want to be better at their business’ PR, here are the top 3 most common things that they must avoid:

Saving the Meaty Part for Later

Many writers disregard (or forgot!) the reasons why the inverted pyramid as a story writing format became a classic. For those who didn’t know about this, the inverted pyramid is a style of writing where the most important data of the story is placed at the top and then the information that follows afterwards are just the supporting details. In “importance grading”, it’s like an inverted pyramid because the bigger side is at the top. Every PR story or advertisement should follow this. See, it’s good to also “save the best for last” but a lot of people really don’t have time to wait around for what’s going to appear next.

This principle is especially useful in the Internet world. Studies show that you only have less than 5 seconds to impress your first time page viewer. If you don’t get his/ her attention by then, remember that it also takes a fraction of a second to click that close button at the upper right corner of the window.

Impress, satisfy and ignite interest from your audience as soon as you can. When you got that running smoothly, everything else will follow.

“We” instead of “You”

Look at your company profile. Do you constantly talk about how long you have been in the business, how good you are, how many customers you’ve served, et cetera? Do you fill your copy with “we” instead of “you”? Many businesses think that the best way to impress their audience is to brag about themselves. Though this may spark interest as well, the best way (really) to incite action from your viewer is to drop the benefits part. After all, what comes after you impress them? Do they walk away with the good impression? Shouldn’t they do something?

Answer these questions: What benefits do they get from your product/ service/ organization? How will it help them? What kinds of feelings must your PR effort (may it be a picture, an ad, a statement or a press release) leave on your viewer?

Releasing an Advertisement, Not a Story

Now, for the tricky part, many businesses do PR to advertise something, instead of telling a story. See, people now have become smarter buyers.  They know which ends some companies would go just to make a sale, or make themselves look good in public. This is why, you need to take a softer approach in PR. You must showcase your business as something that has an identity of its own, with its own stories to tell. 

For example, if you’re releasing a story about your latest Bantay Bata project, tell a story on how your business appreciates the value of keeping the children on the right track when it comes to education, well-being and their physical growth. Tell a story on how your business is relevant to the community by saying how this value is relevant to the community. Stuff like that.

So yeah, those are just top 3 of the most glaring mistakes that businesses commit whenever they do Public Relations. Keep these in mind and you’ll surely find the other PR trappings easier.

For comments, topic suggestions and all kinds of weird reactions

Hello! This is YOUR NEW PR GIRL!

Hi! I'm glad you forced your way here. Don't worry; in the coming days, you won't feel that coming here will be as difficult as how you arrived. Haha! I'm just so awesome you can't help but revisit me all the freakin' time. Okay, too cocky, change topic.

Anyway, last year I taught Marketing for Ateneo de Davao University. Had only three classes and I had a great time while at it. Students got used to my bubbly self (although they hate that I'm a grammar Nazi during their essay exams) so they started asking if I keep a blog. I wanted to give them the link of my other blogs but they're just too vulgar controversial for them to read (and remember). Haha! So VOILA! This site was born! *throws confetti* This year, I'll be teaching Business Administration (Management) and a Branding class so I'm sure that I'll be filling this blog with many useful Marketing and PR doodles.

This blog will be used by me and for me. I will talk about things which are worth talking about. Most of the time, I'll be talking about Public Relations and Self Improvement. Basically, things I want to yap awesome PR about, and things which help you, as an individual, create good PR for yourself. Sometimes, when I have too many Tequila shots, I also write about stuff I end up deleting the day after. Oh you know the drill.

Visit me often, yeah? Show me some looooove.


Love in the name of lip gloss and my bouncy curly hair,

Your New PR Girl <3