Mattel EMEA’s Post

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about #KamalaHarris's #chucksandpearls and what the look can teach us about #branding. It's been a few years since women wore this combo to honor the inauguration of the first woman VP of the US, but the look remains fresh, as ascendant as the woman it represents. Chucks and pearls will never NOT be cool. Why? Tension, I tell you. If you have no imagination, Chucks and pearls don't go together. They're opposites. They clash. That's a good thing, though. Because if you are someone with a progressive attitude, someone who is interested in being #iconic, or iconoclastic even, then you WANT that kind of dissonance. You NEED that fuck-you. "Chucks and Pearls" is brilliant because it's an oxymoron. Elegantly gritty. Masculine femininity. Both elements are classic but in opposing ways. Priss meets punk. This is revolutionary, world-changing energy. 💣 It calls to mind one of my favorite clients ever, BUSCEMI. About a decade ago, before every #luxuryfashionhouse on earth walked #streetwear down their runways, this genius #sneakerbrand created $1200 high tops inspired by the #birkinbag. 👟 At the time, their tagline was "Obnoxiously High Quality." 👟 I changed it to OBNOXIOUSLY ELEGANT. I wanted to crystalize the oxymoronic idea of combining high and low culture in one irresistible, utterly unique brand at the beginning of its outsize influence on the #fashionindustry. If you're working on building a brand and you can't think of a #brandstory that is interesting and makes sense, start thinking about doing something that makes NO sense. Challenge yourself to create interest by combining two opposing ideas in an undeniably cool way. Some of the most intriguing brand stories of our time are built on this kind of tension. Liquid Death comes to mind. What else? What other brands do you love for their oxymoronic attitude? . . .

Women: "We need PPE that's created for our bodies and keeps us safe" AWSAM (Alliance of Women's Safety Apparel Manufacturers): "Hold my beer....er, whisky" No. More. Excuses. AWSAM will help you find ✔ PRODUCTS your employees need ✔ at PRICEPOINTS that fit your budget

Title: Stitching Stories: Women Veterans and the Art of Sewing Description: In this episode, we delve into the world of women veterans who have found solace, purpose, and community through sewing. From intricate quilts to fashionable garments, these women share their stories of how sewing has helped them navigate life after service. We explore the therapeutic benefits of sewing, the challenges they’ve faced, and the beautiful creations that have emerged from their hands. Join us as we stitch together the narratives of these inspiring women veterans.

Title: Stitching Stories: Women Veterans and the Art of Sewing Description: In this episode, we delve into the world of women veterans who have found solace, purpose, and community through sewing. From intricate quilts to fashionable garments, these women share their stories of how sewing has helped them navigate life after service. We explore the therapeutic benefits of sewing, the challenges they’ve faced, and the beautiful creations that have emerged from their hands. Join us as we stitch together the narratives of these inspiring women veterans.

When I speak, I love to wear a great wrap dress. Especially one from the legendary Diane Von Furstenberg who created the iconic dress. 💃🏻 As a designer, she was a trailblazer in the fashion world… and so much more. Celebrating strong women, here are some lessons we can learn from this amazing icon ⭐️Resilience: DVF faced setbacks but rebounded, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of challenges. ⭐️Individuality: Celebrate your uniqueness; DVF’s iconic wrap dress exemplifies the power of a distinctive, timeless style. ⭐️Confidence: DVF encourages self-confidence; her designs and life reflect the belief that confidence is a key element of success ⭐️Empowerment: She champions female empowerment, emphasizing that women should be independent, strong, and true to themselves. ⭐️Adaptability: DVF’s success spans decades, highlighting the importance of adapting to changing trends and circumstances. ⭐️Leadership: As a businesswoman, DVF’s leadership serves as an example of steering a brand with vision and purpose. ⭐️Generosity: DVF’s philanthropy and mentorship underscore the importance of giving back and helping others succeed. So grateful for all these women who opened the door for me and others to achieve our dreams. Who is a woman you admire? Comment below 👇 #strongwomen #womeninbusiness #girlboss. #dvf

Every Black woman business owner is helping break barriers. Even with plenty of work ahead of us, I’m so proud to see the number of Black women paving a path for the next generation of entrepreneurs, by tking matters into their own hands, breaking stereotypes, and creating value for their communities. I came across this excellent article in Entrepreneur that showcases some trailblazing Black women business owners and what helped them break barriers. We can certainly learn a thing or two from these ladies! #BlackWomen #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOwners

Are you a business owner with an exceptional product or service ? We have 3 gift guides planned for Valentines & Galentines Day, International Women's Day and Mother Day. We invite you to showcase your offerings in our upcoming gift guide! We celebrate diversity and empowerment, and your product or service could be the perfect fit. Why Submit? 🚀Visibility: Get your product in front of a diverse and engaged audience passionate about supporting businesses with a purpose. 🚀Empowerment: Align your brand with our mission of empowering and celebrating women. We value unique, high-quality products that resonate with our community. 🚀Networking: Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and consumers. Gift guide inclusion opens doors to potential collaborations and partnerships. There is a charge of £100 to cover the cost of each guide. In return you will get: 💓 Your product or service listed on the guide and shared on social media and our mailing list (distribution of 50,000) 💓 An invite to join an Instagram live about your products or services Form is here: https://lnkd.in/eZSQP958

Generally, I am a libertarian, and absolutely believe in fiduciary responsibility and a duty of financial advisors to warn their clients that their investment choices might not maximize returns. I have no issue if a person wishes to invest in companies (single stocks, funds, etc.) with an ESG agenda do so, but it should be after complete disclosure by an advisor as to the pros and cons of such a decision. In the absence of client guidance, the goal should be maximizing returns - it’s like a DNR order for a patient; without one, the default response will be to make all medically-reasonable efforts to preserve life. I’ll discuss this further in my upcoming FREE PDF when I launch Retiring Fed -“You Can’t Afford To Get It Wrong” later this year. Please feel free to peruse my responses within the original string, and offer respectful, thoughtful comments if you wish. Here’s an article I found germane to this discussion; a caution to advisors and fund managers who veer away from their fiduciary responsibility in pursuit of their vision as to what THEY think their investment/marketing strategy should be. https://lnkd.in/eQwqQCep

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It might have been the summer of Barbenheimer but I just met #Barblingo. This is post II from this week at WARC Contagious. In addition to callouts yesterday on creative vs dull ads and their dollar values, there were two other great presentations that were not only inspiring but also gave me #instantcred with my 13 yr old daughter when I returned home - with a brand new Barbie in my Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity tote no less!! (Her quote: "you go to conferences and they give you free Barbies!? That is SO cool!"). Swag aside, presentations came from brands that shared a special moment together this year in the hit film. But this isn’t a post about movie integration, (though Duolingo made more out of :05 of film than any brand ever) but rather individual lessons from two brands at opposite stages of market tenure. First Barbie, she turns 65 this year (!!), and though we all know about the film (Barbie ®), her reinvention started a few years prior after a near total collapse -- a downfall from the fact that they fully lost sight of her customer, and the culture around her. She hit rock bottom in 2014 as she was featured on the cover of SI swimsuit issue right as Dove hit the bullseye with real beauty campaign. From there it was a massive regroup and reset at Mattel. Even with their company size and history, they were not guaranteed to come out of it but boy did they. With clear strategies and priorities, clarity in mission and (super important point here) a willingness to change. Barbie, though still with fair and reasonable detractors, has reversed its trajectory and is now one of the most diverse doll lines in business. Nathan Baynard - thanks for the deep insight! (My 13yr old watched the unwrapping of the Down Syndrome Barbie and cried with joy for her). Now, the upstart brand, Duolingo, who joined Barbie on the pink carpet for the world premiere and is one of the most savvy social media brands on the planet. They are also absurdly good at brand integration from app tile, to product functionality to social media marketing; but this post is mostly about how they use social to spread the word and retain customers. I came home to tell my daughter about Duo at WARC and she told me ‘that’s why I do my lessons every day and keep my streak going, I don’t want you and mami kidnapped in a basement!’ Had I not sat through James Kuczynski presentation at Contagious, I would have been a big blank face but I got the gist now. And the great thing about their social strategy, it is aligned with what consumers do with the app - they both test and learn. If Duo misses the mark, they learn why and apply. It’s really a great case study for a social-first brand and I’m sure there are lessons we can all apply, regardless of category or brand. https://lnkd.in/eb6TGebc Christopher Frank Ernest Lupinacci Jae Goodman Jeff Hansen #brandbuilding #socialinfluence #marketingandadvertising Dentsu Creative Carolyn Murphy