#Lidl you were the CHOSEN ONE

[ryuki-blogs]

Lidl didn't have garlic butter.

1458 dead, 28794 injured.

#top 10 anime betrayals #Lidl you were the CHOSEN ONE #at least they had schupfnudeln and vanilla rolls #still #spam

[possessed-nia]

thank you for the tag @thatgirlfromhotelcalifornia!!! luv u <3

1. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, what or whom would you go as?

could do lydia from beetlejuice but prolly the cartoon version, maybe misa from death note? or lidl grimes met gala 2018 x)

2. What are your choice of toppings on a hamburger? And do you prefer gas or charcoal grilling?

don't mind the ketchup and mayo, last time i cooked burgers i also added fresh garlic and some curry powder,was delicious. Also love the sauce in tasty cheese from mcdonald's!!Any veggies go for me (i do love some pickles), i don't think i have a preference in grilling but i don't like burger king one's, it feels like fake smoke

3. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask?

i would ask my president how he's doing honestly, he's been through a lot with the war, can't even imagine the stress he has

4. It’s your first day of vacation, what are you doing?

def trying out some food and it would mostly be a chill day,just look at what i have around the area i live

5. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies?

mandatory salty snacks!! can't go through a movie with just sweets and i do prefer more chips or popcorn

6. Which do you dislike most: pop-up ads or spam email?

pop-up ads esp if they are in the middle of my screen or mess with the reading

7. What do you think Captain Hook’s name was before he had a hook for a hand?

captain annoying, i kinda hate looking at him dunno

8. Rock, paper, or scissors?

rock

9. How long was it from ‘the first date’ until the proposal of marriage? How long until the wedding?

not there yet

10. Which is worse, being in a place that is too loud, or too quiet?

too loud especially if those are primarily kids' noises

11. What is one quality that you really appreciate in a person?

honesty but not the one where they are being an asshole about it

12. At the good old general store, what particular kind of candy would you expect to be in the big jar at the counter?

tbh i see it not as the candy but those small chewing gums

13. What is the most distinguishing landmark in your city?

in my native city it's def Cossacks Sich, love this place <3

14. Everyone hears discussions that they consider boring. What topic can put you to sleep quicker than any other?

mostly any that i'm not interested in and don't care to be interested in, could even be fandoms of my friends, i don't mind hearing about them occasionally bu i can't hold the convo for more than 5-10 mins

15. How many times did it take you to pass your drivers test?

never done any heh

16. If you had to have the same topping on your vanilla ice cream for the rest of your life, what topping would you choose?

peanut butter and maybe salted caramel, but peanut butter alone would be enough

17. What food item would need to be removed from the market altogether in order for you to live a healthier, longer life?

chips because i'm addicted to them

18. You are offered an envelope that you know contains $50. You are then told that you may either keep it or exchange it for another envelope that may contain $500 or may be empty. Do you keep the first envelope, or do you take your chances with the second?

hm, i'll keep the 50 i think but also depends on my gambling mood :D

19. If you had to choose, which would you give up: TV, or internet?

def tv, don't have any already

20. Who is your dream girl or boy from movies/tv?

not from live action stuff is obviously matt from death note and i don't even wanna elaborate on that don't think i even have any dream char from any live action stuff

21. Have you ever met a celebrity?

yes c:

22. What kind of lunch box did you have as a kid?

just a translucent one with the green lid c:

dunno who to tag honestly, if you see this and want to do this feel free to put me as the one who tagged you <3

#q&a #tag

[borisbubbles]

15. SWEDEN

Hanna Ferm - “Brave”

In the year 2020, the social scientists at Sveriges Television faced their biggest challenge yet: Convince the Swedish voting public to crown a female Melfest winner.

This was a task that would require a near-Herculean amount of effort, of course. No degenerate male (--Tenko Chabashira) should be given a remotely decent song so they could inevitably plunge into the abyss. All alpha females however should be given a STRONG EMPOWERMENT ANTHEM! 

Enter Hanna Ferm, who has <<A Completely Unique Never Before Seen Staging Concept by Sasha Jean-Baptiste>> and the EMPOWERMENT anthem of our decade!!!! 

She then took the stage, and-

BRAVE NOW

I FUCKING SLAPPED A RABBI

I’M ALL GAY NOW.

AIN’T NUTTING GONNA STEP ON MY BRAIN NOW. 

...

...

. . .

15. SWEDEN

Dotter - “Bulletproof”

 In the year 2020, the social scientists at Sveriges Television faced their biggest challenge yet: Convince the Swedish voting public to crown a female Melfest winner.

This was a task that would require a near-Herculean amount of effort, of course. No degenerate male (--Tenko Chabashira) should be given a remotely decent song so they could inevitably plunge into the abyss. All alpha females however should be given a STRONG EMPOWERMENT ANTHEM, so that if the Chosen One failed, one of her lesser sisters could pick it up.

ENTER DOTTER, who blew the competition out of the fucking *Kattegat* with her sultry-sex laser lapdance

I’M NOT BULLETPROOF

I’M NOT BULLETPROOF

*HOOT-HOOT*

Clearly someone who exudes so much femininity and glamour easily snatched Sweden’s wig away and she-

oh.

15. Sweden

The Mamas - “Move”

Entry Analysis

and suddenly the Mamas came out of nowhere and won ahead of the two hot favourites.

I honestly... have no clue how this happened? Not that I’m complaining, after *all the fucking MEDIOCRE-TO-AWFUL MEN* SVT had put is through over the years, I was more than pleased to witness that 2020′s Melfest had turned into a feministic battle royale of various women in differing stages of ‘sass’ grinding the beta manfolk into soylent paste. Loved it.

What, I didn’t love however, is the end result, oops! Yes, I like ‘Move’ and The Mama’s are, probably by default, my fave Swedish entrant since Måns, 

However... 

‘Move’ is just so... plain?  

Honestly, if this were any country other than Sweden, would we even have paid attention to ‘Move’? It’s your average inconspicuous disney soulpop. You could rewatch “Hercules” and stumble upon a “Move” every 20 minutes or however far apart the Muse scenes are. Generic cliché soul remains generic and cliché even under Sweden’s flag, folk, I am so sorry to tell you. 

However, my main gripe with ‘Move’ is largely that it beat Anna and Dotter and well... that doesn’t fucking matter anymore? If I’m going to be deprived of Anna and Dotter, I’d rather have them lose fair and square to a likable, if vastly inferior entry, than to have them conned out of Eurovision by what Queen Senhit refers to as “Il Maledetto Virus”.

So all there’s left for me, is to enjoy “Move”, which I do. I like the Mamas, whose materal warmth permeates through every note and transforms “Move” into... well, almost a good song. 

I suppose I’ll add an addendum for “In the middle” because the ONLY scenario where I’ll be discussing that song here is if it wins Melfest 2021 and it won’t. Why won’t it win? Well 1) it’s worse than “Move” and as I just established, “Move” isn’t that good. 2)  Eric Saade Hurricane Clara will take ZERO prisoners when she takes Sweden by Klingenström and wins the televote!!!! 3) Eric probably still wins anyway, continuing the Swedish trend of mediocre male Melfest winners. lol. Sigh.

NF Corner

Since I already linked Hanna and Dotter, I’ll start with them.

Hanna fell under the category of “amusingly bad” for me. Yes, “Brave” is a really bad song, come on now, you must realize this by now, yes? It’s your typical Laurell Barker pseudofeministic bullcrap, dime a dozen. It was a fave simply because it closed semi four. 

What amazes me (and secretly, amuses me), is the speed at which the basics seemed to realize it was no good? Usually it takes Sweden snatching a top five spot before they realize it. Oh well, the sweet prerogative of being a woman participating in Melodifestivalen.

Dotter otoh. Man, I was OBSESSED with Annamazing and I didn’t expect anyone to claim her spot as my fave in Melfest 2020, but then Dotter came, saw and conquered. "Bulletproof” is the perfect song for bedroom karaoke purposes and one that just *oozes* feminist power without forcing it. 

Naturally, a kick-ass woman was never winning a Swedish NF, courtesy of the Austrian Jury (the basics were convinced the Austrian Jury downvoted Dotter by accident but like... look at where Austria is located on a map and tell me *that* is a region known for good Eurovision taste.) Still, “Bulletproof” holds up to this day! I am sure that if Bulletproof had won Melfest and Eurovision 2020 would have gone through, Sweden would have come top 3 and maybe even won. Hopefully “Lidl Tort” can pull an upset on Friday!!!!

And now we talk about Anna:

Anna Bergendahl - “Kingdom come”

Honestly, this song is just “Ashes to ashes” but with an act? Which: 😍 I love ‘Kingdom  Come’ to bits and I especially love how Anna manages to ground her song as a moment. If Dotter hadn’t been there (and if Eurovision hadn’t been cancelled), I would have been SO annoyed by her being robbed twice in a row, but at least she got the recognition she deserved this time around. SLAY MY SWEET GOBLIN PRINCESS!!! (I’d say “queen” but she’s younger than I am o_O)

And, perhaps shockingly enough, I liked a male-fronted act this year? No, not Felix, lmfao - “Boys With Emotions” was a walking seizure and that’s merely refering to the bit you could hear. No, I am of course taking paypur’npenn, riding u leddersh about everyone’s favourite granny magnet:

Victor Crone - “Troubled Waters”

The years have been kind to the memory of Victor Crone because I was looking forward to seeing him in Melfest. Fortunately, he did not disappoint either. “Straight Guy Kui Tuuled Pöörduvad” was the perfect recepticle for Victor Golden Retriever-like personality. He was fun, good and most importantly, harmless. I’M ON MY WAYYYY THRU TRAWLED WAAAAATERSH. 😍 

Freaky Friday Factor

In Melodifestivalen 2020, Sweden literally produced the most anti-Melfest Melfest everrrrr. To a point that it makes 2019′s DISGUSTING RESULTS (reminder: four female acts, all of which were good, were the bottom four, over fucking GARBAGE such as Nano and Bishara 🤢, might I add.). SO YES, I am happy the backlash forced Christer to specifically put together a Melfest that would always crown a female winner, and then his pet fave lost, and then the fan fave ALSO lost in two shocking upsets is just the icing on top. Good job on entertaining me, Sweden, your reward is four Senheads. 

I LOVE MY TOP 14!!! YAY!!!

#Eurovision #Eurovision Song Contest #Eurovision 2020 #Sweden #The Mamas #Move

[snapsbysio]

Reportage Photographers

Brian Yurasits is an oceanic/marine conservationist/scientist who has dedicated his life to protecting marine habitats all across the globe. He advocates for sustainability to help stop the cluttering of plastics and other harmful materials on the worlds beaches. 

He spends his time undergoing rigorous clean up operations on beaches and catalogues the atrocious sights he sees on these beaches. He has his photos on the popular sight ‘Unsplash’ free to download and save. This fact is amazing to me. He doesn't profit off of these images he takes. He displayed them for free and allows news organisations and others to use these for free in order to get the word out about oceanic conservation. 

I chose him to research specifically as he also comes across thousands of disposed masks, relating to my chosen topic. This image is one such example:

A face mask found during a beach cleanup in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.

This image, in my opinion, perfectly displays the harsh realities of improper mask disposals. The theme of my chosen exploration. My favourite detail of this image is the way you can see the grains of sand tucked away within the folds of the mask, which suggests that this mask has buried (Read: INFESTED) itself into nature like a deadly parasite. The light is coming in at a 45 degree angle from the upper left of the image, which highlights the masks shape and colour. It is alarming that the mask should be a mixture of light and darker blues, almost blending in against the same colourings present in the sea and sky, further adding into my vision of infestation.  

Chris Packham, much like Brian, is a photographer who keeps the environment at the centre of his work. In fact, this quote by the man himself may prove effective in granting some insight into his beliefs:

‘People who litter are unwittingly helping to kill and injure the wildlife we all love. As a naturalist, I’m only too aware of mankind’s impact on the natural world and litter is one very visible example of this. Not only is it unsightly but it seriously affects wild animals both on land and in our oceans.’

Chris launched ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ The pictures were commissioned by the supermarket chain Lidl UK, which will be donating £500,000 from the proceeds of its single-use carrier bag charge to the new initiative designed to inspire young people to reduce litter and waste and improve their local parks and green spaces.

An example of his work:

Your eyes are automatically drawn to the red and yellow of the McDonalds chip box and the chips. This the the focal point of the image, seeing how it is focus. The green lines in this photograph illustrate how your eyes are then led from the central object (The chips) and up “Higher” in the photograph as you see the blurred shapes of the birds, hungrily swarming the food packaging. This shows that nature is drawn to these things and it is out duty to ensure that our wasteful ways do not effect the world. 

[nei-ning]

I’ve been listening a lot of videos from The Tarot Priest from Youtube. She offers free pick a card readings this way. So far EVERY.SINGLE.READING what I’ve watched, has been SPOT ON! Every single one! No matter what the subject has been - and when the subjects have been same, the message ALWAYS has been the same regardless what deck / cards she’s been using / I have chosen based on my intuition.

So last night I was listening one of her video (about higher self) after picking a deck. I had my headphones on and listening her was so extremely calming and relaxing. At some point I had fallen asleep and I had a same dream what I had when I was a kid. Tho I didn’t know what it meant back then.

In the dream I was walking in a shop called Lidl. I was feeling so light and happy, hearing my small heels hit the floor with every step, as I was heading towards the cash register. There was a path, very similar to those what you see on airports with blue band, which lead to the cash register. Above the band lines were big clear plastic “windows” so at one point, when I was walking straight, I saw my own reflection before I turned and saw side profile as well.

I looked different but I knew it was me. After a second or two I realized it wasn’t my current physical me, but my higher self / future me. And DAMN, WASN’T SHE PRETTY! She had a little shorter hair than I currently have, and the color was a mix of light orange / caramel. Hair was as a ponytail behind of her head, but there also was part of the hair which was hanging free on the left side of her head. Hair’s length was a bit below her jaw.

She was also a lot slimmer than I am, from the face too :’D But she had her boobs and butt, ahah! And how she carried herself! Head held high, back straight, slight smile on her face, love and happiness in her eyes. God, she was gorgeous!

So I dare to believe that is also my future self. I can be that, but it requires me to start to work more on myself - just like the cards have been telling me over and over again.

To get to know myself more, get more self-esteem and love towards myself, stop fearing and worrying since I have nothing to fear or worry, free myself from doubts etc. and just surrender, trust, believe and know all is always well. If / when I can achieve all that (can take years tho), everything else just clicks in their place in my life. More love, joy, happiness, abundance, friends, and miracles starts to manifest in my life.

I have to say I feel so happy and excited currently! Something what I haven’t felt in a LOOONG time!

#text #spiritual stuff #higher self #neis dream #the tarot priest #pick a card #I highly recommend the priest! #She's the best what I have managed to find so far #But if she doesn't feel good or right for you then let it be #there is someone else for you then :) #21.7.2020

[timeoutotour]

Clear Sky, 27°C

Pantano de Peñarroya, 13710, 13710, Cdad. Real, Spain

Monday 27th May 2019

Reservoir dogs

The title seem to sum up the last couple of days. As we have moved ever closer to the interior regions of Spain , so the temperatures have started to increase ever so slightly each day . Not so you would notice if looking at the weather stamps on the journal but you can feel it , and there is no respite to be had other than perhaps the shade of a tree. This morning we were one of only two vans to have stayed at the reservoir overnighter and our young German friends were on their travels before we had even thought about serving breakfast. Still, we didn't have a young baby as a wake up call , and for that we are grateful. So apart from the occasional runner we had the place to ourselves until the cars of optimisitic fishermen started to arrive at about 100ohrs. We were need of services and I had identified a free aire about an hours drive away which I thought may suit us well. Whilst driving along the dual carriageway we came up behind another van that in my opinion was making fairly good progress so I saw no need to overtake. I pretty much stalked this French registered vehicle up to and including the point when it turned off onto the slip road and into the town. I commented to Rhian that the van was probably going where we were going, and despite a difference in opinion by our respective sat navs, where we parted company for a short while, we arrived at our chosen aire to find the same French vehicle already in situation. I acknowledged the driver as I pulled in and he did likewise but probably also reached for his wheel brace , thinking me to be a homicidal stalker ! We tended to our services and then had a light lunch before I walked to a nearby (5 min walk) Lidl for some bread. When I returned, we had a long 'chat' with the very nice French couple Jean jacques and Louise , who were on their way home to the Bordeaux area after spending the winter months touring Morroco. We enjoyed trying to make conversation despite the fact that their English was on par with my French i.e. Not great , but Rhian also got involved using google translate. After about an hour with our new French friends we were once again on the road and 45 minutes later found ourselves once more at a reservoir in view of a castle. I feel that this will be a recurring theme whilst we we traverse central Spain. Tomorrow morning we have made a date to swim in the reservoir before it gets too busy and on that minor bombshell I wish you a very

Beunas noches

Powered by Journey Diary.

[the-heaminator]

LIDL YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!?

[chfaiq5k-blog]

Examples of Social Marketing Campaigns You Can Learn From!

In the world of social media campaigns, this was a year which saw many brands going beyond simply marketing their products and rather, taking their campaigns further to connect with their audience. The success of the most viral social media campaigns recently could be attributed to their ability to touch on the values of their audience while at the same time, addressing controversial issues taking place at a particular moment in time. Although this seems to be the magic formula lately when it comes to determining whether a social media campaign with being an overnight hit or fizzle out, there are other ways brands are choosing to approach how they market their products, deliver their message, and express their core values. Many focus in on targeting the customer in the optimum moment of the buying cycle, while others aim to draw attention through humorous videos, posts that play on words or through a use of strong static visuals. Take a look below at 12 clever and inspirational examples of viral social media campaigns, in no particular order, that have been released in recent years.

• Heineken | World’s Apart | #OpenYourWorld (Viral Video)

• McDonald’s Vs Wendy’s (Twitter)

• LlDL Avoracle (Viral Video)

• Marshalls PinPals | #MarshallsSurprise (Viral Video)

• iHeart Dogs ( Facebook ad 0% off)

• Make A Wish Foundation | #ShareYourEars (Instagram/Facebook)

• WealthSimple (FB/IG/Youtube/Twitter)

• Airbnb | #LiveThere (Video & Static Visuals)

• Dacia (Facebook)

• Burger King on Net Neutrality (Viral Video)

• Girl Scouts (App/Twitter)

• ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (FB/ Shared on various social platforms)

12 Inspirational Examples of Viral Social Media Campaigns

All of the below examples have become striking successes with their audiences across their chosen platform(s) and beyond. For further information on the scope & insight into the reach for some of the best examples of social media campaigns, take a look below.

Heineken | World’s Apart | #OpenYourWorld

The Heineken campaign, with their video addressing the differences between individuals of varied opinions and their ability to connect and interact, was an incredible example of a purpose-driven campaign. The power in this campaign came from the message it shared and the real-life scenarios portrayed and played out. The campaign evoked emotion and was able to captivate the viewer, no matter from which walk of life they came from. Heineken succeeded in creating brand awareness and boosting sales from their ad which was relatable to everyone, no matter where you were from, what your background was or what your beliefs were. In the end, we are all part of One World even if society tries to separate us and move us World’s Apart. Whether you’ve bought into the Heineken brand or not, this captivating and emotionally evoking ad manages to connect you to its message long enough that you’ll be reaching for a Heineken the next time you’re pondering the world or find yourself in a discussion with someone of differing views.

#1 Takeaway – Connecting to the personal experience is key to attracting the attention of a wide audience.

McDonald’s Vs Wendy’s (Twitter)

The Twitter comeback from Wendy’s in response to a tweet by McDonald’s, on May 30th, 2018, which announced that by mid-2018, all their quarter pounder burgers at the majority of their restaurants would be cooked with fresh beef, was met with huge applause by Wendy’s audience. The Wendy’s comeback was applauded for the way in which they responded as they did so in a way that was perfectly aligned with their brand values. The comeback was this, ‘So, you’ll still use fresh beef in MOST of your burgers in ALL of your restaurants? Asking for a friend’ The closing statement has to be the most humorous way to sign off. Needless to say, the tweet response, unleashed a positive response to Wendy’s brand and forced those, who favor McDonald’s to take a second look at their new announcement.

#1 Takeaway – Keeping close eyes on the social media channels of the competitors can give you the upper edge when you spot an opportunity to catch them off guard and respond in a clever way to information they have released.

LlDL Avoracle

The German global discount supermarket chain launched a clever campaign on Facebook and Twitter 2 years ago that leveraged the popularity of the avocado. They played on the unpredictable outcome of whether when opening an avocado, the pit will rest on the left or right side and created a relatable experience that functioned to predict the winner of soccer matches. The Avocado Oracle drew a huge amount of attention as followers grew on the LIDL pages to watch whether the Avoracle would correctly predict each match.

#1 Takeaway – Utilizing knowledge of popular items at the time you create and launch your campaign can provide you with added leverage, making your campaign appear more attractive in front of the customer.

Marshalls PinPals | #MarshallsSurprise

Like many people, including Kate Albrecht who is a home decor and lifestyle expert on Youtube, wandering the aisles of Marshalls can feel like paroosing a Pinterest board. Marshalls decided to launch the #marshallssurprise campaign where they selected some of their followers to be the center of a surprise visit. They had each visit filmed, compiled the videos and from this released a single video which went viral. The video features social media influencers surprising followers of Marshalls with a box of real-life goodies that represented items that appeared on their personal Pinterest boards.

Their campaign video caught the attention of their audience and resulted in over 12 million views. The campaign was shared across Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

#1 Takeaway: Bringing to life exactly what your customers are envisioning and then personally connecting it with them will definitely create the attention you’re looking for.

iHeart Dogs

The iHeart Dogs website quadrupled their sales from Friday to Tuesday following the release of their Black Friday sale in 2017. They accomplished to stand out in the news feeds throughout Facebook, with their eye-catching campaign. The iHeart Dog brand focused on brand loyalty for their campaign and choose to promote a 0% off all their products ‘sale’. For every product sold, iHeart Dogs would double their meal donations made to dog shelters. The success of their campaign is largely in part due to the way it was so perfectly aligned with their brand values. Rather than devalue their product by reducing the price and instead offering what essentially was a no discount sale, their loyal following became even more invested in the iHeart Dogs brand and developed a stronger connection to the brand as a whole.

#1 Takeaway – Utilizing holiday days with social media marketing tactics can boost your social media campaigns exponentially.

Make A Wish Foundation | #ShareYourEars

Disney Parks and The Make A Wish Foundation, partnered together in 2016 to run a holiday campaign that would spread joy and raise funds to help wishes come true to children with critical illnesses. The campaign was such a hit, they continued to run it the following year. For every photo taken, with Mickey Mouse Ears or creative ears, and shared on either Facebook/Twitter/IG with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, Disney Parks would donate $5 up to a maximum of $1 million dollars for the charity. There was such overwhelming support that Disney decided to double their donation to $2 million. The Disney Parks’s #ShareYourEars campaign not only functioned to raise brand awareness but also improved their brand’s image and the customer perception.

#1 Takeaway – Purpose driven campaigns to raise money, function best when a campaign is created that encourages participation. See ALS bucket challenge (#12) for a similar example.

WealthSimple

Not many people like talking about money and frankly, it’s because many of us don’t have an idea even about the basics. The video campaign from WealthSimple, shared on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter, centered around interviewing everyday people and asking them what came to mind when they thought about money. The aim was to bring notice to the fact, we all could use a little more information and education when it comes to our finances. WealthSimple’s subtle yet unspoken message of how they can be the ones to help us put more focus on our finances and shift the way we think about investing was clever, to say the least. Their ability to speak their message without injecting a sales pitch is one of the aspects that made their ad so successful. Within 5 months, their viral video had over 1,800,000 views.

#1 Takeaway – Rather than trying to sell a product, the more effective approach may often be simply selling the idea that’s linked to your product, it will come across in a less sales like way too!

Airbnb | #LiveThere

With the primary objective of creating awareness by spreading a single message that travelers across the world resonate with, Airbnb released their campaign, LiveThere. Their aim was to encourage and inspire their target audience to engage in authentic holiday experiences by living like a local in the places they traveled to. Although the main objective of the campaign was to build awareness around what the brand was about, they also were aiming to build on their popularity. In some cities such as Berlin and Barcelona, Airbnb has come under fire around their offerings. Airbnb took this feedback from the population and spun their brand strategy in a direction that wouldn’t only resonate with the travelers but with the locals in each city as well.

#1 Takeaway – Shifting the positioning of your brand messaging slightly can reveal more layers to it which in turn can provide your brand a boost in popularity with not only the target audience but those directly affected by their engagement with your platform (ie. hosts and locals)

Dacia Campaign (Facebook)

One of the fastest growing car brands in Europe made waves recently with their direct response Facebook ad campaign which was focused on generating leads and improving brand awareness. They used Facebook algorithms and data gathered from user’s behavior to optimize their campaign based on where the customer was in their buying cycle. This ad campaign is a terrific example of how the moment in which you present your ad is often more important than the actual ad you put out. In the case of Dacia, their success was in a large part due to their ability to maximize the impact of their campaign by using optimization techniques. They succeeded in utilizing Facebook’s Boosted Posts feature in order to promote their content and extend its reach while targeting both desktop and mobile users.

#1 Takeaway – The leads gained through Facebook driven campaigns have been proven to create a following of loyal and engaged customers for a brand.

Burger King on Net Neutrality

The Burger King brand knows how to cleverly capitalize on the current events taking place. Late into 2017, net neutrality was repealed in the USA and in 2018, Burger King took the opportunity to speak their brand message, equality for all, by explaining net neutrality with a whopper burger example. If you missed the boat and are asking what net neutrality is, it’s the idea that everyone should have equal access to internet content.

Take a look at the campaign video to watch net neutrality play out.

#1 Takeaway – Zoning in on the current political news to demonstrate a brand’s message is the approach Burger King took with their ad on net neutrality and proved highly successful.

Girl Scouts | App

The Girl Scouts are best known as a non-profit organization in the USA that produces and sells cookies to help raise funds for community projects. When the organization’s social media team noticed that customers were having a difficulty locating their local cookie representative they wanted to run a Twitter campaign to help. The focus of their campaign was to bring attention to their easy to download the app which would link customers with the cooking finder tool, thus solving one of the main concerns of their customers during cookie season. Their objective to increase app downloads was exceeded, gaining almost 20,000 app installations and increasing their customer conversions.

#1 Takeaway – Scarcity in marketing may be an old style marketing technique but it still succeeds in increasing sales conversions in comparison to many new age methods of marketing. Using old style marketing with new age tech can be a real game changer.

ALS IceBucket Challenge

Although not a recently run campaign, the ALS IceBucket Challenge (started in 2014) has to be one of the most successful campaigns that have been released on social media. The ALS IceBucket Challenge raised a little over 115 dollars for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a condition which many people had never even heard of before the campaign. They were not only able to raise an incredible amount of money but they increased awareness around ALS even more than they could have expected!  The challenge encouraged participants to pour buckets of ice cold water over their heads and then challenge a minimum of three others to do the same and make a donation to the ALS Association.

#1 Takeaway – The positive use of social pressure to increase publicity and encourage donations is highly effective as seen in the ALS IceBucket Challenge campaign.

Are you Inspired?

The various examples of social marketing campaigns speak to the incredible power that social media viral marketing has, including its ability to increase brand awareness, generate leads, and lead to increased sales. The next time you’re putting together your social media marketing strategy, keep these campaigns in mind and remember what made them a striking success, it’ll for sure help you drive your campaign to succeed too! And if you need help in promoting your Kickstarter campaign, get in touch here.

This content was originally published here.

[paper-soul]

New Project Brief : Pick, Pack and Sell

For the next project we will be creating packaging and adshel posters for our chosen product sets. We have to chose the product set out a list that has been given to us. The different product set options are: 

1. Pluses and Grains: red lentils, quinoa and couscous  2. Sugar: Granulated, golden caster and Demerara  3. Cotton wool: pads, balls and pleated  4. Flour: Plain white, self raising and bread flour  5. Rubber gloves : regular, extra tough and sensitive.  6. Energy saving lightbulbs: Spiral, candle and classic  7. Bon bons: strawberry, lemon and apple  8. Plasters: fabric, waterproof and cushioned  9. DIY: screws, pins and hooks

So, for the first step, I decided to visit different super markets around town such as Tesco, Lidl, Asda, Holland and Barrett as well as look online to explore and examine the existing packaging that exists for the various product sets. 

1. Pluses and Grains: red lentils, quinoa and couscous

thoughts: I noticed that most of the packaging for this product set consisted of plastic bags that either weren't resealable or had flimsy stickers for re sealing. The packaging was also impractical when it came to pouring out the product- it would spill everywhere. Most people would pour the product into another container-this shows the bad design-the packaging should be functional. 

2. Sugar: Granulated, golden caster and Demerara

thoughts: The packaging for sugar was mostly all paper bags that were not re sealable. This made them very impractical just like the pulses and grains packaging. The packaging was also quite boring- no fun illustrations or imagery - probably because people will always buy sugar no matter what- so don't feel the need to make packaging interesting or attractive. 

3. Cotton wool: pads, balls and pleated

thoughts: All the packaging-boring simple plastic bag. The packaging should have a dispensing system and maybe use more sustainable materials. 

4. Flour: Plain white, self raising and bread flour

thoughts: Very similar to sugar packaging- paper bags that aren't re sealable. Impractical- product would spill everywhere- would need to put flour into different container. Some of the packaging had nice illustrations. There is a need for packaging for products like this to be plastic or glass jars or boxes that are spill proof that you could pour out of and also put measuring cups or spoons into.

5. Rubber gloves : regular, extra tough and sensitive.

thoughts: Packaging for most only a plastic bag that carries one or two pairs of gloves- there should be multiple and also a dispensing system. If only one pair then still a different material other than a plain plastic cover. 

6. Energy saving lightbulbs: Spiral, candle and classic

thoughts: Most bulbs come in card boxes with an image of the bulb or a cut out so you can see the bulb- these are important so you can clearly see the product before buying it. Packaging could be made more interesting and eye catching-appealing to different audiences. 

7. Bon bons: strawberry, lemon and apple

thoughts: There is a huge variety when it comes to the types of packaging that exists for bon bons including different colour schemes, materials and target audiences. Some bon bon packaging seems to be aimed at kids and have various silly illustrations whereas some packaging seems to be more mature and minimal as it is aimed at an older audience. 

8. Plasters: fabric, waterproof and cushioned

thoughts: The packaging for plasters is mostly just a rectangular box made of card. The packaging should include a dispensing system for emergencies- maybe some fun illustrations to make them less daunting. 

9. DIY: screws, pins and hooks

thoughts: All the packaging- either just plastic bags or card boxes- very boring and the target audience is usually male. Packaging should be made appealing and seem less daunting for women and younger people as well. 

[globalsource-blog]

Rotterdam -> Berlin, Part 2

Welcome back to Global Source! Apologies for the long wait between this post and the last; this blog is supposed to be a well-oiled machine but sadly life gets in the way sometimes. I have spent the last week recovering from a pretty gnarly collision where I was bashed off my bike and into the air by a taxi (Manchester city centre is far from Dutch in terms of the respect afforded to cyclists). I’ve been on painkillers and wearing a sling for a dislocated shoulder, but am RECOVERING and OTHERWISE UNHURT. Having taken a few days off my studies / pretty much everything else that requires movement or concentration, I’ve ended up spending a lot of time on more creative pursuits - look out for an upcoming post where I’ll share some of the bits I’ve made.

Anyway, enough excuses, let’s get back to it. When we left off, myself, Stan and Arthur had just settled down for the night in some beautiful Dutch woodlands. Feeling pretty fresh after a surprisingly comfortable night’s sleep (cycling 100km will work miracles for your sleep cycle), I woke around 6:30am, shivering a little in my thin summer sleeping bag (ever the optimist, I went for ease of transport over warmth). After not long, my better-equipped companions had also yawned their own greetings to the rising sun, and we were soon stood around stamping our feet and peeling a handful of satsumas each. 

A quick morning stretch and a vague attempt at a jog through a very misty field led to us being ready to start the day’s ride with a quick ten or so kilometers down the road to the historic town of Amersfoort. We spent about half an hour cruising around, admiring the medieval buildings, canals and cobbled streets (nicer to look at than to ride over), while hoping to stumble across a shop (or indeed anything) that might be open on a Sunday. Eventually a friendly local barman pointed Stan in the right direction, and not only did we acquire the components necessary for a round of sandwiches, but also made the acquaintance of a colourful local character who insisted that he was in fact the king of England. In deference to his noble heritage, we made him a gift of a can of Grolsch, and he sent us on our way with blessings.

A few miles down the road we came across a really special sight, something which I’m sure none of us will ever forget. Having chosen to head North-East through a national park, we came to a junction with a strange signpost; one of the arrows, decorated with a small plastic gnome, pointed down a thin, winding path straight into the trees. Following this path for about five minutes brought is to what I can only describe as a gnome forest. On all sides, posed in miniature castles and on the branches of trees, were hundreds, if not thousands, of miniature gnomes of all descriptions.

What a magical (if slightly disturbing) scene. If only Stan had learnt the ways of pig-taming from this fella, his trackies might still be in one piece. 

Moving swiftly on....

After escaping the enchanted forest, we stopped for lunch next to a beautiful clearing full of what looked like heather. Cheese sandwiches with the last of the sriracha sauce which Stan had brought with him in a special keyring (fantastic idea, if anyone is reading who plans to get me a Christmas present) and a round of Frisbee added up to an hour well spent under some glorious sunshine. As Dutch tourists and locals cycled past, we exchanged greetings, smiles and waves, with many approving nods at our piles of tents, bags and other gear. 

We spent the afternoon navigating a series of gravelly trails, firstly uphill for what felt like a long time having had nothing but flat since Hook of Holland, then soon after into a very long downhill stretch, taking us flying down into Apeldoorn like three runaway locomotives. On the edges of town we came across a lovely park with a bridge in the style of a Japanese garden and a strangely beautiful green lake.  

Obviously, this called for nothing less than a Solero (greatest ice-lolly of all time, I will fight any man who disagrees) while listening to this song (greatest ice-lolly-eating soundtrack of all time; same rules apply as above):

Once we’d spent a very pleasant hour or so in the park, and once Stan had finished trading insults with some local scallywags (”swear to God, mate, if that kid comes any closer he’s going in the lake”), we carried on our merry way into Apeldoorn. Once there, Stan bought more ice creams, since the gorgeous weather more or less dictated this as mandatory, as well as getting us some free sporks and some outstanding own-brand Snickers bars (among other more nourishing bits) from Albert Hein, a very fine chain of supermarkets to be found in most Dutch towns. With dinner bagged up, we headed out of town along a pretty tree-lined avenue, on one of Holland’s many excellent bike paths. Having now more or less found our rhythm, we were steaming along at around 25km/hour, feeling fit and fast as the countryside flew past in greens and flashes of yellow rapeseed on either side. 

However, it was not to last. As we came to a narrowing in the bike path, disaster struck: with Arthur safely in front, myself and young Sands soon became aware that the friendly proximity within which we’d been laughing and joking for several miles was no longer workable; we were going too fast down too narrow a path to be laughing any more. We straightened up for a few seconds, but then somehow we managed to hook our handlebars together, and in less than a millionth of a nanosecond, so quickly that even a hundred video referees couldn’t have decided whose fault it was, we came crashing to a very abrupt halt. 

Besides a few scrapes and scratches up my left side and a couple of bruised egos, the only thing damaged was Stan’s front wheel, which as you can see was turned into a giant mechanical Pringle (this is his favourite Pringles flavour hence the joyful expression). Obviously, this meant we’d need a new wheel, and being around 6pm already it was unlikely we’d get back to Apeldoorn in time to find a bike shop still open. As luck would have it, a friendly Dutchman who was giving his son a driving lesson had seen our crash, and came rushing over to help, even driving Stan back to town and helping him negotiate with the manager of an already-closed shop. Playing the charity-bike-ride card seemed to work; about half an hour of roadside frisbee later, Arthur and I were rejoined by a very happy Stan holding a shiny new wheel. We cycled down the road a little way and decided to pitch up for the night in the corner of a lush green field, where we’d seen a huge white stork flapping about the long grass.   

Free sporks being put to great use 

This long grass stabbed us in the back. Gorgeous and green in the evening, cold and covered in dew (but still green in all fairness) in the morning. This kind of thing is all about learning curves. 

With very soggy feet, we set out quickly the next day after a couple of brioche rolls each, hoping to shed the water in our shoes and socks by blazing a trail along some long, open roads with huge green fields on either side. We stopped and had instant noodles for lunch in a playpark, just across the road from a petrol station with the alarming name “Firezone”.

As we ate lunch the sun managed to break through the morning clouds, and pretty soon we started to regain feeling in our feet. Setting off again, we were all feeling pretty strong as we followed signs to the German border town of Nordhorn, rapidly ticking off the final kilometers we’d be cycling on Dutch soil (towards Berlin at least). As if to lead us to the Brandenburg Gate, as we came within touching distance of the border an honest-to-God eagle flew right over our heads and straight on to the East. Admittedly, it was a very straight road, so in terms of giving directions the spirit of Germany could have chosen a trickier spot to manifest itself, but the excitement it inspired as we crossed the border was worth any number of wrong turnings down the line. Once in Germany, we bought food for dinner and breakfast (we’d been in the country for at most five minutes when we found a Lidl) and pitched the tents in time to enjoy the sunshine of our first evening in Westphalia. As the sun set, the waxing moon became brighter and brighter in the sky, bathing the grove of trees around us in a silvery light that was more than enough to see by.

The next morning I woke early again. The night had been a cold one; when I went into the adjacent field to stretch my legs, the furrows were frozen solid. A cold mist hung over Germany’s western edge; we had another 500km to cycle, and all our bodies were just beginning to feel the strain. However, without a shadow of a doubt, all three of us knew we’d make it one way or another. As Stan had told us earlier in the day in a moment of doubt, “Lidl’s that way mate”. 

Find out how we got there in the next post.

P.S. Our JustGiving page is still live. If you’re reading this and have enjoyed the blog, but still haven’t made a donation to Doctors Without Borders, it’s not too late!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/standelakersey

#long distance #standelakersey #fundraiser #cycling #lidl #wildboar #camping #wild

[a-lbeit]

february 2017 faves

imma start doing monthly favourites (yes i feel pretentious spelling it that way but i like spelling it that way so!!!!!!) bc i started noting some faves of mine down in february and i kinda want to post them so i have a record other than in the notes app. so imma just do this at the beginning of each month (2 right now from feb and march) until i don’t feel like it anymore!

the alt NPS: when this popped up, i was very happy about it. obviously, the current administration has the potential to seriously maim the future of the environment, and it’s so goddamn important to get real (and helpful) facts about climate change and the status of the epa (and other governmental environmental organisations). although i’ve only been to a couple small state parks, the nps is so incredibly wonderful (sidenote: my main goal for next year is to go to badlands national park during spring break) and i’m grateful that something that preserves the unfathomable natural beauty of the us exists. even the thought of it being downsized makes me well up. i’m so proud of the group of national park and noaa (and members of any other organisation) employees who have chosen to take part in what i believe to be one of the most crucial parts of the resistance.

milk chocolate digestives: they’re only 44p at lidl for about 20 cookies, and they taste so delicious. back in february, they had them in larger packages (maybe 35 cookies or so?) for like 85p. either way, it’s a damn good deal. eating a couple (or half a pack) of these is the perfect end to a day.

mini eggs: brand name or knock-off, it doesn’t matter. thank god for mini eggs. the candy shell is a delight, and the chocolate is better than regular chocolate. this is why i love late winter and early spring.

sing street: love this movie. i love the characters, and i’m a sucker for a movie that’s set a couple decades in the past and focuses on the music scene of the time. regarding the characters: i really enjoyed how conor/cosmo wasn’t afraid to wear makeup or have a blond streak in his hair while in school, and i loved that the bully (barry) and the protagonists became friends in the end--and i liked how a bit of the bully’s difficult home life was shown. also, darren’s accent was quite interesting and he was one of the funnier characters, i think. and of course, like everyone else, i’m in love with eamon. the music (both the chosen songs and the originals) was sensational. honestly, i didn’t like the ending as much, but other than that, it was a really wonderful film. when i went to dublin, i visited a couple of the more prominent filming locations, and i’m glad i saw this movie before going, because those spots were some of the most peaceful and were some of my favourite parts of the trip.

“pop muzik,” m: it’s one of those songs that you can walk in time to the beat of and feel invincible while doing so. i learned about it because it was featured in sing street, and i’m glad i did. it’s new wave at its best--vocal style similar in style to “rock lobster,” wacky lyrics, a brilliant intro, really nice music, and it’s even still relevant. now that it’s april and i’ve listened to it too much, i’m not as into as i was, but it’s still on my playlist. fave lyric: hard to say, but i think “Dance in the street, anything you like/ Do it in your car in the middle of the night.”

#faves #favorites #favourites

[loiswolf]

Day 45 July 16 Castlecove - Tralee 107kms

Day 45 July 16 Castlecove - Tralee 107kms

Am amazing day today cycling the Wild Atlantic Way around the Ring of Kerry.

The ride was beautiful right from the start.

I didn’t think I would make the distance today simply because I had to keep stopping to admire the view and take photos. So, sorry, you are going to be bombarded with even more photos today.

There was a gentle 10km climb to start with. Again, the hills were easy today. Maybe my experiences in England have turned me into some kind of hill climbing machine...but really, there were lots of hills today and none of them were hard.

I stopped to take photos before

And after

This sign.

I thought it was funny that they specified “no fog”, if you wanted to see the view. I had been thinking on my approach that it would be an amazing place to stay.

Riding up to the next view point I could see people there so I pedalled fast to get there before they left so I could get them to take my photo.

Both times the group who were there passed me in their car they tooted their horn which played a silly tune and waved out the window. Of course I waved back.

Next I had a wonderful 10km downhill run. Gliding down the smooth road on Shirley ( she’s a sweet ride!) with the stunning views out over the water was almost like being in a dream. Such a surreal experience which I’ll remember for a long time.

My aim for morning tea was Cahersiveen. Thinking I only had about 5kms to go I was surprised to see the road sign said it was still 10kms. When I cycled closer I was comforted to see someone has written in white paint underneath, “my arse”. I love the Irish!

It was only 6kms to Cahersiveen and I had already chosen my venue. It was a little French patisserie and I enjoyed a surprisingly cheap coffee and pastry. Good thing it was cheap. I was on a budget today because I was very low on cash. I had €7.30 to last me all day.

Google maps wouldn’t plot the route for me today ( it’s only one of the most famous roads in the world!) so I had to do the maps in two parts.

Off again after an enjoyable break and it was back to more amazing views.

Even though the scenery was so spectacular one of today’s highlights was meeting Pat the farmer. I had stopped to take yet another photo when Pat came walking up from his shed carrying a bucket. He wanted to know what I was all about. Of course I complimented him on the view he lived with every day and he replied,

“ I don’t goddamn even notice it!”.  I’m sure he would notice it if it wasn’t there.

After our conversation I wanted to take his photo. I asked him to smile and he said,

“Noo, I don smile much”. He was a classic Irishman and I loved meeting him.

That’s one of the things cycle touring is all about .

Nearly every bend presented me with more photo opportunities.

.

Finally the spectacular scenery eased off and was able to concentrate on getting to my next stop at Killorglin. I just bought a coffee and sat at an outside table munching on yesterday’s pretzel and giggling at the photo of Pat. It was just so him!

I knew I had a big hill to climb before Tralee and once again it presented no problem. Really, I can even sing while I’m cycling up these hills. The only hitch I had was when I cycled too close to a hedge to let a car by ( there was a lot of traffic today) and a thorn tore my forefinger open. It’s ok now but I think I left a trail of blood drops all along the road.

It was all downhill into Tralee. However I had matters to attend to before I could find my accommodation. First stop Lidl for some basics. I used my card there but I needed honey and they sell theirs in glass. Next stop an ATM to get some cash then a different supermarket to get that honey. Yes! All done and I just had to find my BnB. I had lost all sense of direction roaming around town and it took a little while to find the right road. What I thought was the name of the road turned out to be the name of the area. I had just figured out the road to go down when I was approached by a very friendly Irishman and his friend. He admired my setup then wanted to organise dinner, lunch , tomorrow at the pub, anything really. I managed to get away without making any commitment and found my BnB.

My room is a strange one with a shower but no toilet. I can cope...I’ll have to. It has a fridge just outside. Yay! I’m here for two nights because I am long overdue for a rest day. They also predict rain for tomorrow. They actually predict rain for the next 8 days so I’ll have to work on putting out lots of sunshiny vibes before then.

Anyone want to call, or write to me would be most welcome. Just so I know there’s someone out there. It’s [email protected] in case you’ve forgotten!

[troop2017]

A little further east through the mountains (on very good roads it has to be said) we arrived in Humilladero for visiting Antequera and El Torcal, both situated a little way south of our chosen site (La Sierracilla – which was lovely despite some reviews almost putting us off..)

Humilladero itself appears to be a fairly new town, laid out largely in grids, with lots of plots that have not yet been built upon – great for a run!  However, click on the link above to discover a little more about the town (something we failed to do during our visit 😦 )

What we did discover a little of was the recreation area located behind the campsite.  We walked a little way in but if we had carried on we would, apparently, have scaled the mountain behind and had a good view of the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra.  This was somewhere that we did manage to find 🙂

A couple pitched up next to us had cycled there the previous day but we chose to take the little car for the short (about 4 miles) trip to the lake which is famed for it’s flamingos.

There are miles of walks around the lakes, and we set off to our right, walking about a mile before we got frustrated at our inability to get close to any flamingos… We could certainly hear them.  And we could see them in the distance, but there was no way of getting closer to the water.  In frustration we turned around and headed back to the visitor centre, at which point Calv refused to walk anymore, so I headed off in the other direction by myself and phoning him 5 mins later to tell him I had found flamingos 🙂

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Definitely worth a visit 🙂  On leaving the visitor centre we drove some way further around the lake stopping off at various viewing points along the way (there are lots of these areas).  Unfortunately we didn’t come across anywhere where we could see the flamingos any better than we already had.  Overall we were a little disappointed if I’m honest.

This area is big on olives and olive harvesting (with lots of factories presumably producing olive oil).  We saw a lot of harvesting going on which was fascinating – we watched the process of laying a massive sheet around the trees (using a tractor, you wouldn’t have been able to do it by hand), and the ‘shaking’ machines that clamp the tree and, well, shake it!

On the way home we were in search of a supermarket and google maps was telling us that we would find one in the village of La Fuente de Piedra (The Stone Fountain).  This proved to be incorrect, but we did find a lovely little village centre where we sat for lunch in the sun.  Again bordered by another olive processing factory (there are so many in the area).

We also visited Antequera and it’s Dolmens.  Antequera itself is far bigger than I imagined but, apart from finding a Mercadona (there was more than 1, + Lidls etc.) we  only visited the old town.  We actually approached from the south having tried to visit El Torcal on our 2nd day.  Being a Sunday there was no parking in the visitor centre car park, and we were directed to park at the bottom of the hill and take a bus up (there was, of course, a fee for this).  We smelled a scam (it turns out we were wrong, but there are several parking scams operating in Spain) so decided to return another day.

On the way back to Antequera we stopped in a recreation area and headed off for a walk to take in the scenery.  Calv was a little reserved and eventually, after about 10 mins, said to me ‘have you left things in the car’?  Which I had.  He was a bit concerned for some reason so we headed back.  All was okay though.  We carried on to Antequera, making our way through the old town (I think you could probably say we were lost) and eventually finding somewhere to park on Calle Fresca.

We wandered around finding the minimal remains of the old castle and then eventually finding the main plaza, Mirador Plaza de Santa Maria, on which stands the Colegiata de Santa Maria la Mayor and Alcazaba.  After a bit of indecision we decided to visit the alcazaba (we have visited a fair number of alcazabas…) but it was worth it, with lots to see 🙂  The majority of the complex has been pretty much rebuilt, although there is a photo below that includes a small section of wall that appears to be original.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Colegiata de Santa Maria

Roman Thermal baths of Antequera looking towards the Colegiata

Castle remains, Antequera

The Alcazaba walls of Antequera

From inside the alcazabar at Antequera

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Once again tired and ready for a relaxing evening in the van we headed back to the car.  Where we were both surprised to find that we hadn’t locked our doors….  Very strange.  When we arrived back at the van and went in the boot for something we found that the parcel shelf had been pulled out.  Now we knew that someone had broken into the car (we then realised that they’d used a screwdriver on the passenger door, as we had a little trouble using the key in this side).

However, all’s well that ends well, as we had taken absolutely everything with us when we parked up (after Calv’s ‘feeling’ earlier when we were out for our walk), so the rotten b*****s got nothing 🙂  Small victories and all that!

On our way to El Torcal the next day we went via the Dolmens of Antequera, which are ancient burial mounds which are free to visit (although you must get a ticket first..!)  There are 3 to visit – Menga, Viera and El Romeral.  These monuments are UNESCO world heritage sites, and will take up maybe 45 minutes of your day (including the drive between them).  Still, worth a look 🙂

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Finally though we made it the best visit (one of the best of our whole trip to Spain), El Torcal – a landscape of limestone rock formations through which there are several trails to walk.  We had done the right thing in wearing our walking boots; the walk, of course, takes you through the formations and there are many areas never touched by the sun and so the mud never dries out!  We did see a lady walking barefoot – she’d obviously worn completely inappropriate footwear and was with a much younger man; I thought maybe her son, Calv disagreed…!!  Either way seeing here walking through this terrain barefoot made me cringe – it wasn’t always an easy walk and the mud itself (I don’t like mud) would have given me nightmares (yes, I have nightmares about mud 😦 )

We also spotted an ibex on top of one of the formations – it waited patiently whilst we scrabbled for cameras, but moved the minute we had them!  Of course 🙂

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There were many other trails to walk and we will almost definitely return next time we’re in Spain 🙂

Next stop back to the coast at Cala de Mijas to meet up with Steve and Denise for a couple of days (they were still at Cabopino).  I promise to be better at getting this blog up-to-date – please bear with me!!

    Antequera and El Torcal A little further east through the mountains (on very good roads it has to be said) we arrived in…

#alcazaba #antequera #camping sierracilla #dolmens #el torcal #flamingos #Hiking #Humilladero #La Fuente de la Piedra #Laguna de la fuente de piedra #limestone formations #Motorhome #spain #spain parking #travel #Walking

[spider-charlotte]

I’m a journalist in my mid 20s who lives in London. Not a combination which traditionally implies lots of disposable income!

Yet everyone needs a holiday sometimes, so my boyfriend Frazer and I whizzed away to Brussels for three nights at the end of September.

We got (I think) fairly good prices for our travel and accommodation, and spent less than €150 when we were out there, which could easily have been reduced further if we’d not brought back gifts for our catsitters or sampled plenty of beer.

In fact, we loved Brussels even more than Paris, which for many UK travellers seems to be the pinnacle of European city breaks.

Here are a few tips on how to enjoy Brussels without spending half your savings.

Travel

Eurostar does a youth fare for under 26-year-olds and we’re both 25, so it seemed the perfect time to get a slightly cheaper fare while we still could.

The trip was only two hours on the train – the same as just going from King’s Cross to York – and Eurostar says the youth fares cost from £28 one way (ours were £35). A cheap and easy trip.

The legacy of Tintin was immediately obvious after getting off the Eurostar

Accommodation

Airbnb is my new favourite thing.

We stayed in a lovely studio apartment right in the city centre, less than a 10-minute walk from the Grand Place,  costing us £209 for three nights. I had been searching for hotels and was struggling to find anything near the centre for anywhere near that price aside from hostels with shared facilities.

What’s more, the hosts left us two Belgian blonde beers in the fridge and a handy book of restaurant, bar and attraction recommendations. What more could you want?

Food

We used some of the above recommendations, and I did a lot of TripAdvisor searching too, which meant I could immediately decide if something was for us based on the cost ranking.

The ‘best pizza in Brussels’

On our first day, we went to get the best pizza in Brussels at Nona, according to our Airbnb hosts – and I think they were onto something, as it was genuinely amazing proper Neapolitan wood-fired pizza (between €6.90 and €13.90 each).

For more traditional Belgian food, we tried Fin de Siecle which was just around the corner from the flat and another one of our hosts’ recommendations. We had a waiter who explained all the vegetarian options on the menu to me (in English!) and his top five traditional Belgian dishes to Frazer. I had a delicious moussaka and he had a ham and potato dish (about €15 each) together with some thirst-quenching kriek (but we’ll come to that below).

Drinks at Fin de Siecle

Earlier that day, we had a pretty cheap lunch as Frazer tried some famous Belgian fries with mayo at the Maison Antoine kiosk in Place Jourdan. I didn’t, because the fries are generally made with beef dripping, so I just got a couple of pastries in a patisserie opposite. This cost us under €5 each.

Another lunch was at the Waffle Factory. There was a mixture of locals and tourists inside, and I’d chosen it because it seemed pretty well reviewed online. We tried the waffles two different ways on different days – the Brussels waffle with Nutella on top (probably the typical waffle you’d picture in your head) and the waffine, which had the Nutella INSIDE. (No, you don’t have to have Nutella, but we’re chocolate fiends). A nice cheap lunch, and fun to people-watch out of the window while getting chocolate all over your face.

The Nutella waffine

The Belgian waffle with Nutella

Dinner that night was at Monk, a cool bar with a small pasta restaurant in a back room. It only does spaghetti in four varieties plus a special, but it does it well, and for a good price. Oh, and the bread was divine. Carb alert!

We also went to (a very busy) Lidl on our first day to get some bread, milk, cheese etc so we could make easy and cheap breakfasts, which helped too.

Drink

A large part of our enjoyment of Brussels was enjoying different Belgian beers at various bars and restaurants, arguably the most unnecessary expense of the trip but so worth it.

Various varieties of Kriek were our favourite, although I had a couple of great blonde beers too.

The coolest bar (but definitely not cheapest) was Delirium, which holds a world record for having the most beers, while Monk, Moeder Lambic and Mappa Mundo had great vibes and drinks too.

Activities

This was the main way we kept our budget down – by not paying to actually do very much!

We paid €7 each (for 12-25s) to visit the Comic Strip Museum which provided a morning of fun with Tintin (though more of him please!), the Smurfs, Dickie, and Asterix and Obelix. We also paid €7 each (adult tickets) to tour Cantillon Brewery, a traditional family brewery which has been running since 1900. The price includes a taster of two different beers at the end of your self-guided tour.

Visiting The Smurfs

Hanging out with Asterix and Obelix

Testing beer at Cantillon Brewery

Other than that, we mostly just wandered around Brussels on foot, taking our time to explore. We visited the European Parliament for free, doing one of the audio tours into the hemicycle and then going to the interactive Parlamentarium museum.

The hemicycle at the European Parliament

There are lots of murals to spot around Brussels

We got a fantastic free view of the city, all the way across to the Atomium, by using the glass lift from the Marolles district up to the Palais du Justice.

With Mannekin Pis

We saw the trio of urinating statues – Mannekin Pis, Jeanneke Pis and Zinneke. We explored the Grand Place, Galeries St Hubert and surrounding areas and shops, including going chocolate shopping. We sat in Parc St Leonard near the European Parliament.

Most enjoyably, we stumbled across two free concerts – one by a group of middle-aged singers in Place St Gery near our flat on a Wednesday afternoon, and the other a huge concert in the Grand Place which was screened live on Belgian TV and seemed to have some quite big music stars. It would definitely be worth checking to see if you could time a trip with any other free concerts or events.

Crooners at Place St Gery

Concert in Grand Place

Overall, Brussels has great food, great drink and an enjoyable, chilled out vibe. And it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune either, despite all the fancy hotels and restaurants for the EU diplomats.

My top tips for visiting Brussels I'm a journalist in my mid 20s who lives in London. Not a combination which traditionally implies lots of disposable income!

#Airbnb #Belgium #Brussels #City break #Europe #Eurostar #Travel

[noplanwithavan]

CROSSING CONTINENTS

We were only supposed to be going around Europe. But when you stand in Tarifa, on the southern most tip of land, and spy the pillars of Hercules, it’s hard to resist a leap across the Strait of Gibraltar. From this part of Spain, Africa is so close you can pick out the shape of towns across the water. And after sunset, the pinprick of tiny houses. A steady proliferation of lights rolling out along the horizon. So, Morocco it was to be.

After reading several horror stories about the border crossing on blogging websites, Marcus prepared for our attempt with military precision. There were detailed instructions on how we must head to a Lidl’s carpark in Algeciras and only purchase ferry tickets from a guy named Carlos. When we arrived in the anointed spot, there was a smartly dressed young man in sunglasses parked nearby. I half expected this to be our mystery agent, running a business from a German supermarket out of his car boot. But no. It turned out the Carlos we sought had an office just around the corner. Tickets purchased, the next stage was even more critical - stocking up on enough booze to last a month in a dry country. I did try feigning interest in a suggested period of abstinence. But only half-heartedly. And it was not well received. That night we prepared for the big early morning push. Marcus enacting a full-scale dress rehearsal of the assault. “There are 3 stages,” he explained. “And I need you to be familiar with all of them. Immigration, Vehicle Registration and Customs.  It can be a nightmare. Up to 4 hours waiting. The trickiest bit will be buying car insurance on the border, so we really need to be on the ball.” Duly briefed, I studied the cautionary tales on websites he had marked out.

We’d chosen the new port - Tanger Med - to make the crossing. And after an easy sail, we drove off onto dry land and met with…nothing. There were no hordes, no confusion, no chaos at all whatsoever. Registering the vehicle and buying insurance was remarkably easy. Only 90 Euros for a month. And all over in a flash. The girls seem put out, complaining, “You told us we’d be able to watch 2 and a half movies while we waited!”

Yet, if the new modern port felt out of keeping with our expectations, driving out, all doubt evaporated. This was undeniably different; undeniably Africa. The landscape may have looked familiar - with the holm oaks, olive trees and fertile hills we had come to associate with Spain. But the inhabitants - everything about them - could not have seemed less European. The first thing you notice is the lack of other cars. Then the human traffic along the open road. This is not a diligent, head-down, procession along neat pavements. It is a pedestrianisation of the wilderness. Miles from anywhere, wandering or squatting by the roadside, we are greeted with friendly waves or salutes. And always by men - many dressed in the traditional pointed hooded Djellabas. Women it seems do not stray far from the towns.

Snaking our way along the Mediterranean Coast our plan was to aim South, slicing through the middle of Morocco towards the desert. Navigation became trickier, and we were forced to reply on paper maps. This foreign continent off-limits to our Sat Nav.  There were long days of driving, but with them the chance to see the beauty of this country played out before us. Both Marcus and I have travelled to Morocco before. Yet still, despite knowing what to expect, I was surprised by the strength of the contrast. Through the Riff Mountains towards the blue city of Chef Chaouen we showed the girls the tell-tale signs of a different, harder, existence. Women washing in the river, rubbish strewn indiscriminately, donkeys used as both working farm animal and the main source of transport. In the towns, young children unaccompanied in packs, and the collective throng for water where life revolves around the fountains and wells. It is only here too that you realise quite how much you are left alone in Europe. If we had felt in Spain that it was hard to break through that layer of an outsider, to truly meet some locals - in Morocco this was not to be a problem. The immediate solicitous enquiries begin as soon as you venture out. Sometimes women stop to touch the girls hair, or stroke and kiss their cheeks. At one point I am out with Lulu and a group of teenage boys hand me their phones asking for a picture. At first I think they want me to snap a group shot of them. But then they indicate towards my daughter. “Can we have one with her in it?” they ask. It seems my blonde-haired beauty is somewhat of a celebrity spot in these parts. Naturally she plays along benignly - flashing a grin as they pose rakishly beside her.

Chef Chaouen, with its streets and houses painted so convincingly blue that at times you feel you are walking around the bottom of an empty swimming pool. With the smell of Kiff smoked without fear or discretion alongside mint tea. From the hill behind the city, watching the minarets light up at sunset as the eery reverberation of “Allah Akbar” echoes out. Elsie particularly liked the sound of this call to prayer, so strange to her ears. “It’s as if they are making their voices all wobbly, and talking with a mouthful of marbles,” she declared.

The further south we go, the stranger and more exotic this land becomes. There is the delicious street food - bought by weight, and measured on old-fashioned scales. Savoury chickpea cakes and eggy maize slices, stretchy, oily bread, and another variety with tentacles that looked like a giant crumpet. Once when buying vegetables, a vendor was momentarily stumped. Failing to find the appropriate measurement to weigh and price our goods she cast around and opted for a potato instead. How much does a potato weigh? I thought. And what if I wanted to buy potatoes. Potatoes weighed by potatoes, how would that work? We had a taxi ride in Fez which turned into a game of hide-and-seek from the tourist police. Drivers are only licensed to carry 3 passengers. Undeterred by the prospect of a fare they still took us but bundled Elsie into the passenger seat-well. On the way back it was Lulu’s turn - and they thought it was great fun, keeping their heads down and popping up again when the coast was clear. We saw people living in cave houses in Bhalil and stopped to feed Barbary apes in the cedar forests of Azrou. Some of the towns we stopped in were far off the tourist track. Here the usual hassle-factor melts away and you are left to wander. With no supermarkets to shop at, it is either the small hole-in-the-wall shops or striking lucky and finding its market day. We rely on a smattering of French to get by, but sometimes my GCSE-level attempts fail miserably. With the small stall-holders, their wares packed high and tight to the ceiling, you can only point and try and indicate what you’re after. For cheese, there is only “Laughing Cow”, and other luxury goods like butter cannot be found. I tried once and kept getting offered tinned sardines instead. Not quite the same thing. Here the people we met did not ask to be our guide or have goods or services they wanted to show us. Here among the Mid Atlas and Midelt, the people who stopped to chat would only ask shyly at the end if we had any clothes or shoes for their children.

From Er-Rachidia (which another traveler had talked at length about and which Marcus had mistakenly heard as “Er..Richard Gear”) we continued to a date-palm oasis in Meski. Here we were befriended by a shop owner named Mohammed. A truly remarkably fellow with a laugh like Frank bruno, and a cunning knack of ingratiating himself. After a few days exploring the wonder of this landscape - the network of mysterious waterways feeding the palmeries, the sight of ruined kasbahs straight out of the pages of a children’s adventure book - we paid Mohammed his inevitable commission and headed for the desert.

The drive to Merzouga, through a series of towns built from the earth, palmeries nestled within canyons, looks like something from the wild west. Gradually it breaks down to reveal something bleaker, the horizon extending to vast rocky wilderness. This is crystal and fossil country. The girls exclaim in excitement as the landscape glistens and glitters, but depressingly it is not because of any rare jewels. For as far as the eye can see, the twinkling play of light comes from millions of shards of discarded glass bottles thrown from the roadside. We teach the girls a lesson in haggling, after a stop off to buy precious stones goes horribly awry. A man Marcus is dealing with quotes 100 Dirhams (10 Euros) as a starting price. Marcus demurs, saying he only has 30. Overhearing this Lulu scampers back into the van and comes running out bearing the required note, only to be shooed away urgently by her father. She collapses in tears, terrified at what this means. “But why is Daddy lying?” she asks me.

Finally we make it to the desert - the first sightings of camels - as the dunes of Erg Chebbi appear in the distance. There is the obligatory camel ride off into the dunes, camping just out of sight of the town in a Bedouin style tent. By night it is cold - minus 2 degrees - and we huddle together under piles of blankets and the weight of fear that we may be bitten by scorpions. Daybreak brings relief and a trek up the dunes to watch the sunrise. The girls dressed in all their winter gear, including ski mittens. We stay for another day, camped right at the edge of the dunes. And it is wonderful to look out onto this vast scene - it’s changing colours and contours throughout the day. Marcus heads off to scale a dune in the distance and the girls decide they’d like to go for their own desert picnic.

This is the farthest south we will go, and from here it is time to turn West, back through Ouarzazate and the Todra Gorge to the UNESCO Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. The location for so many movies, including “Gladiator” and more recently “Game of Thrones”, sat in a dreamlike, unreal landscape. It’s easy to feel like you are in a film set, with epic battles played out across these plains. We meet other vanners, an international cotterie who’ve met and befriended each other along the road. Immediately they encircle us in their group, exchanging stories and advice. There is that familiar pull of kinship. It never fails to inspire how the hand of friendship extends so warmly in such places. With ease we slip into sharing the evening with them - pressed together around a fire in an abandoned ruin, sheltering from the wind. There is a German man among them. And as the night draws on, through some indiscernible but irrefutable way, we just know that he is their proxy-leader. His beard seems to state it too. In keeping with the setting he wears it in the style of a Dothraki Ksar.

Crossing the lines of snow ploughs, we make it through the Tiz n-Tichka Pass of the High Atlas. From the desert just a few days ago we are now blinded by white. We pull over to give the girls a chance to stretch their legs sinking in the snow and sledging on their bodyboards. Then on to Marrakech to meet my family. It is such a treat, to be back among the comforts and familiarity of home. This is a week of blessed relief. But it is not because of the relative luxury of the Riad, paid for generously by parents. Nor the expensive meals out - though thank you Dad and Gwilym! It is the change in dynamic, the break of our routine. For in truth, we needed this. I’m not sure if its the relentless driving, or the stresses which can build up from a life of so many small deprivations, but things have become a struggle. Nerves are strained, tantrums are becoming a daily routine. Rather than co-operating it feels at times, like we’re battling against this place and each other. To illustrate, think of the ultimate dream cooking triangle of any kitchen - sink, fridge, cooker. Ours involves, sink, fridge, and… toilet. You can’t cook if someone needs the loo - there just isn’t the space to open the door behind you and do both, so you need co-operation. We thought we made have engendered this spirit by now, but often not. Pushing, shoving, screeching often wins out. And the home-schooling is not going great guns either. There are fantastic lessons about history everywhere along the route. The girls love it when I make up stories to elaborate on our surroundings - the Reconquistador story of Guzman the Good in Tarifa, the Islamic art of the Alhambra witnessed by a young Catherine of Aragon, tales of the Nelson’s battle from Trafalgar beach at Caños de Meca - but formal learning is much harder. Sometimes I’m inspired and manage to connive ways through play, but often it ends with arguments. One of the girls is particularly resistant, and in fact things have become so sour that we’ve decided its now proving counter-productive. I’m hugely thankful to my mum for giving her patience and time during her week in Marrakech. She showed me what to expect and how not to push. It’s a lesson for me as much as it is for them. And we’ve yet to find the right balance. Despite all we see, all the experiences we undergo, there are doubts. Are we doing the right thing? Is this too much for them? Would it not just be easier to pack up and head for home.

[chfaiq5k-blog]

Examples of Social Marketing Campaigns You Can Learn From!

In the world of social media campaigns, this was a year which saw many brands going beyond simply marketing their products and rather, taking their campaigns further to connect with their audience. The success of the most viral social media campaigns recently could be attributed to their ability to touch on the values of their audience while at the same time, addressing controversial issues taking place at a particular moment in time. Although this seems to be the magic formula lately when it comes to determining whether a social media campaign with being an overnight hit or fizzle out, there are other ways brands are choosing to approach how they market their products, deliver their message, and express their core values. Many focus in on targeting the customer in the optimum moment of the buying cycle, while others aim to draw attention through humorous videos, posts that play on words or through a use of strong static visuals. Take a look below at 12 clever and inspirational examples of viral social media campaigns, in no particular order, that have been released in recent years.

• Heineken | World’s Apart | #OpenYourWorld (Viral Video)

• McDonald’s Vs Wendy’s (Twitter)

• LlDL Avoracle (Viral Video)

• Marshalls PinPals | #MarshallsSurprise (Viral Video)

• iHeart Dogs ( Facebook ad 0% off)

• Make A Wish Foundation | #ShareYourEars (Instagram/Facebook)

• WealthSimple (FB/IG/Youtube/Twitter)

• Airbnb | #LiveThere (Video & Static Visuals)

• Dacia (Facebook)

• Burger King on Net Neutrality (Viral Video)

• Girl Scouts (App/Twitter)

• ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (FB/ Shared on various social platforms)

12 Inspirational Examples of Viral Social Media Campaigns

All of the below examples have become striking successes with their audiences across their chosen platform(s) and beyond. For further information on the scope & insight into the reach for some of the best examples of social media campaigns, take a look below.

Heineken | World’s Apart | #OpenYourWorld

The Heineken campaign, with their video addressing the differences between individuals of varied opinions and their ability to connect and interact, was an incredible example of a purpose-driven campaign. The power in this campaign came from the message it shared and the real-life scenarios portrayed and played out. The campaign evoked emotion and was able to captivate the viewer, no matter from which walk of life they came from. Heineken succeeded in creating brand awareness and boosting sales from their ad which was relatable to everyone, no matter where you were from, what your background was or what your beliefs were. In the end, we are all part of One World even if society tries to separate us and move us World’s Apart. Whether you’ve bought into the Heineken brand or not, this captivating and emotionally evoking ad manages to connect you to its message long enough that you’ll be reaching for a Heineken the next time you’re pondering the world or find yourself in a discussion with someone of differing views.

#1 Takeaway – Connecting to the personal experience is key to attracting the attention of a wide audience.

McDonald’s Vs Wendy’s (Twitter)

The Twitter comeback from Wendy’s in response to a tweet by McDonald’s, on May 30th, 2018, which announced that by mid-2018, all their quarter pounder burgers at the majority of their restaurants would be cooked with fresh beef, was met with huge applause by Wendy’s audience. The Wendy’s comeback was applauded for the way in which they responded as they did so in a way that was perfectly aligned with their brand values. The comeback was this, ‘So, you’ll still use fresh beef in MOST of your burgers in ALL of your restaurants? Asking for a friend’ The closing statement has to be the most humorous way to sign off. Needless to say, the tweet response, unleashed a positive response to Wendy’s brand and forced those, who favor McDonald’s to take a second look at their new announcement.

#1 Takeaway – Keeping close eyes on the social media channels of the competitors can give you the upper edge when you spot an opportunity to catch them off guard and respond in a clever way to information they have released.

LlDL Avoracle

The German global discount supermarket chain launched a clever campaign on Facebook and Twitter 2 years ago that leveraged the popularity of the avocado. They played on the unpredictable outcome of whether when opening an avocado, the pit will rest on the left or right side and created a relatable experience that functioned to predict the winner of soccer matches. The Avocado Oracle drew a huge amount of attention as followers grew on the LIDL pages to watch whether the Avoracle would correctly predict each match.

#1 Takeaway – Utilizing knowledge of popular items at the time you create and launch your campaign can provide you with added leverage, making your campaign appear more attractive in front of the customer.

Marshalls PinPals | #MarshallsSurprise

Like many people, including Kate Albrecht who is a home decor and lifestyle expert on Youtube, wandering the aisles of Marshalls can feel like paroosing a Pinterest board. Marshalls decided to launch the #marshallssurprise campaign where they selected some of their followers to be the center of a surprise visit. They had each visit filmed, compiled the videos and from this released a single video which went viral. The video features social media influencers surprising followers of Marshalls with a box of real-life goodies that represented items that appeared on their personal Pinterest boards.

Their campaign video caught the attention of their audience and resulted in over 12 million views. The campaign was shared across Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

#1 Takeaway: Bringing to life exactly what your customers are envisioning and then personally connecting it with them will definitely create the attention you’re looking for.

iHeart Dogs

The iHeart Dogs website quadrupled their sales from Friday to Tuesday following the release of their Black Friday sale in 2017. They accomplished to stand out in the news feeds throughout Facebook, with their eye-catching campaign. The iHeart Dog brand focused on brand loyalty for their campaign and choose to promote a 0% off all their products ‘sale’. For every product sold, iHeart Dogs would double their meal donations made to dog shelters. The success of their campaign is largely in part due to the way it was so perfectly aligned with their brand values. Rather than devalue their product by reducing the price and instead offering what essentially was a no discount sale, their loyal following became even more invested in the iHeart Dogs brand and developed a stronger connection to the brand as a whole.

#1 Takeaway – Utilizing holiday days with social media marketing tactics can boost your social media campaigns exponentially.

Make A Wish Foundation | #ShareYourEars

Disney Parks and The Make A Wish Foundation, partnered together in 2016 to run a holiday campaign that would spread joy and raise funds to help wishes come true to children with critical illnesses. The campaign was such a hit, they continued to run it the following year. For every photo taken, with Mickey Mouse Ears or creative ears, and shared on either Facebook/Twitter/IG with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, Disney Parks would donate $5 up to a maximum of $1 million dollars for the charity. There was such overwhelming support that Disney decided to double their donation to $2 million. The Disney Parks’s #ShareYourEars campaign not only functioned to raise brand awareness but also improved their brand’s image and the customer perception.

#1 Takeaway – Purpose driven campaigns to raise money, function best when a campaign is created that encourages participation. See ALS bucket challenge (#12) for a similar example.

WealthSimple

Not many people like talking about money and frankly, it’s because many of us don’t have an idea even about the basics. The video campaign from WealthSimple, shared on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter, centered around interviewing everyday people and asking them what came to mind when they thought about money. The aim was to bring notice to the fact, we all could use a little more information and education when it comes to our finances. WealthSimple’s subtle yet unspoken message of how they can be the ones to help us put more focus on our finances and shift the way we think about investing was clever, to say the least. Their ability to speak their message without injecting a sales pitch is one of the aspects that made their ad so successful. Within 5 months, their viral video had over 1,800,000 views.

#1 Takeaway – Rather than trying to sell a product, the more effective approach may often be simply selling the idea that’s linked to your product, it will come across in a less sales like way too!

Airbnb | #LiveThere

With the primary objective of creating awareness by spreading a single message that travelers across the world resonate with, Airbnb released their campaign, LiveThere. Their aim was to encourage and inspire their target audience to engage in authentic holiday experiences by living like a local in the places they traveled to. Although the main objective of the campaign was to build awareness around what the brand was about, they also were aiming to build on their popularity. In some cities such as Berlin and Barcelona, Airbnb has come under fire around their offerings. Airbnb took this feedback from the population and spun their brand strategy in a direction that wouldn’t only resonate with the travelers but with the locals in each city as well.

#1 Takeaway – Shifting the positioning of your brand messaging slightly can reveal more layers to it which in turn can provide your brand a boost in popularity with not only the target audience but those directly affected by their engagement with your platform (ie. hosts and locals)

Dacia Campaign (Facebook)

One of the fastest growing car brands in Europe made waves recently with their direct response Facebook ad campaign which was focused on generating leads and improving brand awareness. They used Facebook algorithms and data gathered from user’s behavior to optimize their campaign based on where the customer was in their buying cycle. This ad campaign is a terrific example of how the moment in which you present your ad is often more important than the actual ad you put out. In the case of Dacia, their success was in a large part due to their ability to maximize the impact of their campaign by using optimization techniques. They succeeded in utilizing Facebook’s Boosted Posts feature in order to promote their content and extend its reach while targeting both desktop and mobile users.

#1 Takeaway – The leads gained through Facebook driven campaigns have been proven to create a following of loyal and engaged customers for a brand.

Burger King on Net Neutrality

The Burger King brand knows how to cleverly capitalize on the current events taking place. Late into 2017, net neutrality was repealed in the USA and in 2018, Burger King took the opportunity to speak their brand message, equality for all, by explaining net neutrality with a whopper burger example. If you missed the boat and are asking what net neutrality is, it’s the idea that everyone should have equal access to internet content.

Take a look at the campaign video to watch net neutrality play out.

#1 Takeaway – Zoning in on the current political news to demonstrate a brand’s message is the approach Burger King took with their ad on net neutrality and proved highly successful.

Girl Scouts | App

The Girl Scouts are best known as a non-profit organization in the USA that produces and sells cookies to help raise funds for community projects. When the organization’s social media team noticed that customers were having a difficulty locating their local cookie representative they wanted to run a Twitter campaign to help. The focus of their campaign was to bring attention to their easy to download the app which would link customers with the cooking finder tool, thus solving one of the main concerns of their customers during cookie season. Their objective to increase app downloads was exceeded, gaining almost 20,000 app installations and increasing their customer conversions.

#1 Takeaway – Scarcity in marketing may be an old style marketing technique but it still succeeds in increasing sales conversions in comparison to many new age methods of marketing. Using old style marketing with new age tech can be a real game changer.

ALS IceBucket Challenge

Although not a recently run campaign, the ALS IceBucket Challenge (started in 2014) has to be one of the most successful campaigns that have been released on social media. The ALS IceBucket Challenge raised a little over 115 dollars for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a condition which many people had never even heard of before the campaign. They were not only able to raise an incredible amount of money but they increased awareness around ALS even more than they could have expected!  The challenge encouraged participants to pour buckets of ice cold water over their heads and then challenge a minimum of three others to do the same and make a donation to the ALS Association.

#1 Takeaway – The positive use of social pressure to increase publicity and encourage donations is highly effective as seen in the ALS IceBucket Challenge campaign.

Are you Inspired?

The various examples of social marketing campaigns speak to the incredible power that social media viral marketing has, including its ability to increase brand awareness, generate leads, and lead to increased sales. The next time you’re putting together your social media marketing strategy, keep these campaigns in mind and remember what made them a striking success, it’ll for sure help you drive your campaign to succeed too! And if you need help in promoting your Kickstarter campaign, get in touch here.

This content was originally published here.