#MyFeelingsInThreeWords

I have not blogged in what feels like forever, but scrolling down my worldwide trends on twitter #MyFeelingsInThreeWords really caught my eye.

So I thought I’d start off with exactly that,

#IFEELBLESSED! 

As much as I may complain and have a good rant about the power cuts that we have been experiencing and just how inconvenient they are – i.e.

a/ when you finally get to the gym after sitting in traffic after a long day’s work to realize no machines are working

b/ when you mission home after a unproductive gym session and get in the shower but all you get is a lot of cold water and then realize, oh yes the geyser also runs off electricity

#loadshedding!

But then after all the ranting and the lights come back on, I stop for a second and think to myself how irrelevant those ‘problems’ are.  From a roof on top of my head, to the warm bed I sleep in at night, I feel so fortunate to live the life I do. From being able to pursue the work that I love, being surrounded by people who inspire me and to be able to live a happy, healthy life with the most amazing family, I want to slap myself for complaining about such minor inconveniences. This is when I realize just how blessed I am.

In between the moaning and groaning that creeps into your day-to-day life, it is so important to sit back and think about how fortunate you are. To just take a minute to appreciate life and think about how many people out there go with no electricity for days or even weeks at a time. To remember that food is seen as a luxury for a large number of people, not only in this country but all around the world and health is what many people pray for.

This is not to make you feel sad but instead, to feel grateful for what you have. It just feels like a  good time to reflect on what really is important in life and for each and every person to count their blessings.

Rumour has it that this is my first post of 2015… HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR ❤

 

#BlackFriday

For those of you who have never heard of the trending term… #BlackFriday is the huge sales day in the US that follows the Thanksgiving holiday. This is the time of the year that is regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
The term originates from the idea that on this day, retail stores have enough sales to put them “in the black” – an accounting expression that refers to the act of recording losses in red and profits in black.

A few years ago #BlackFriday was adopted by the UK and today, the country’s largest retailers expect millions of people to descend on their stores to pick up a bargain. This day is fast becoming a world sensation!

Great news for all South Africans:

#BlackFriday has arrived at our local supermarket – Checkers!! This is the first food retailer in South Africa to cut prices up to 50% off on a range of selected general merchandise, food and liquor items. So tell your friends, family, domestic workers…. Tomorrow, consumers will have access to unbelievable specials at Checkers supermarkets and hypermarkets throughout the country 🙂

This is not only a great opportunity to buy food or general merchandise on sale for oneself but more importantly, it allows for food to be bought and donated to those in need.

Rumour has it, Google has improved its browser search functionality to prepare for Black Friday!

#transcendingtrending xxx

#MessageToSelf

This hashtag has been trending worldwide for a couple of days now! I personally have a close connection with it as I love motivational and inspirational quotes, most of which can be adapted to a situation and therefore, can be seen as a great #MessageToSelf.

I find the best motivation to be self-motivation! No one wants you to reach that goal or get that job just as much as you do. In my opinion this applies to whatever you aspire to achieve… You can either be your own best friend or your own worst enemy in the process of achieving it.

As Jordan Belfort quotes,

“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullsh*t story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.“

A #MessageToSelf is always a good idea! I have decided to share a few of mine, ones that I try to tell myself and practice on a daily basis.

Lastly and most importantly, for everyone out there…

#transcendingtrending xxx

#GetMeTo21

This is Jenna, lets help get her to 21!

I celebrated my 21st birthday last year with no worries in the world… Planning ahead seems so easy when you live your life in perfect health. The very sad thing is however, not everyone does.

There are approximately 4,300 South African adults and children awaiting a life-saving organ and cornea transplant, yet only 0.2% of the population are registered as Organ Donors.

Although it is a shocking statistic we can change this, there is the opportunity to build a foundation of public trust and confidence and to instill a willingness and enthusiasm in all South Africans to offer the gift of life through organ donation. If organ donation is not something you feel comfortable with, spreading the word is just as good!

A campaign #GetMeTo21 has very recently been launched, this campaign aims at getting more people to sign up as organ donors. The hashtag was not only trending on twitter in SA yesterday, but was also mentioned on local radio stations.

You might be asking the question what is it all about? The paragraph below is taken from the #GetMeTo21 web page.

“I’m Jenna, I’m 19 and as you probably already know, you‘re invited to my 21st.
You might think this is all a bit odd, because you probably don’t know me. But the more people who join me, the more likely it will be that I can join you – because for me to make it to 21, I need a new set of lungs.
So please sign up as an Organ Donor to celebrate with me – join me and keep inviting all of your friends!”

In 24 hours just under 900 people signed up on the #GetMeTo21 page. Pretty incredible! I believe that this campaign is truly inspiring and something we can all be a part of, whether it may be by signing up or just using the hashtag to spread the word. The choice is completely yours!

Click on the link below to join her in signing up as an organ donor OR to simply find out more about this worthy cause:

www.getmeto21.com

Rumour has it, just by spreading the word you can save a life!

#transcendingtrending xxx

#HeForShe

Emma Watson- UN Women Goodwill ambassador (Picture taken from The Independent)

British actress Emma Watson’s speech at the UN headquarters in New York has inspired millions all around the world. This subject matter has always been of great interest to me, which is why I decided to complete a two and a half year Gender Studies course at the University of Cape Town during my undergraduate degree. Having left university with a much clearer understanding of what exactly ‘Gender Equality’ epitomizes, what it means to be a feminist and the extent to which gender inequality still persists in the twentieth century; I believe I have become a lot more knowledgeable on this subject matter and encourage others who may not be as familiar with this topic to become more knowledgeable too.

The truth is that not everyone is aware of the gender inequalities individuals’ face. What people don’t realise is that Gender Inequality is a global concern, one that has prevailed through generations. On the 20th of September, the British actress called on men and boys around the globe to join the movement for gender equality during a moving speech she made, standing as the U.N. Women Global Goodwill ambassador. The actress spoke about the launch of the new UN campaign called “HeForShe”, a campaign that aims to gain the support of as many men and boys as possible to help reach equality between the sexes. Emma Watson’s incredible speech has gained wide reach across the globe and I am confident that by spreading the word it will continue to do so.

If you have not had a chance to listen to the inspiring speech, below is the YouTube link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-xqeTvD3as

I urge everyone to help spread the word, we need to get the #HeForShe hashtag out there!

To all the boys and men out there, below is the HeForShe website that allows you to join the solidarity movement. By joining the HeForShe Commitment, action is taken against all forms of violence and discrimination faced by women.

http://www.heforshe.org/#take-action

“It’s time to unify our efforts. HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other of humanity, for the entirety of humanity.”– HeForShe

#transcendingtrending

#WhatTheHeck

#WhatTheHeck WHERE HAS 2014 GONE?

As cliché as it sounds I have to say… this year really has flown by. It feels like yesterday that I walked through the Red & Yellow doors to begin a new chapter in my life, the beginning of the end, the start of my Post Graduate Diploma. Here I am 9 months in, 2 months to go… Student life is slowly drifting! #WhatTheHeck, where has time gone?

The Ogilvy SA graduate programme was announced towards the beginning of the second term, and wow what an exciting journey it has been! From knowing very little about blogging, I now think about my next blog post almost every day and look so forward to finding the perfect hashtag to explore and write a post about. I find it hard to believe this grad programme has come to an end… #WhatTheHeck where has time gone?

I recently got a phone call from a friend in the UK saying she had just seen my sister (Daniela) in a DOVE advert on MTV! #WhatTheHeck, Dani made her international TV debut!!! What incredible news 🙂

 

The Dove ‘Oxygen Moisture’ advert on the MTV music channel in the UK. (Dani is in the middle)

 

Ironically, the amazing Ogilvy & Mather produced this Dove Oxygen Moisture commercial right here in the beautiful Mother City. What I really love about Dove advertising is that it is centered on the ‘Real Beauty’ campaign, a marketing campaign that was brought about in 2004 by Ogilvy Brazil, after market research indicated that only 2% of women regarded themselves as beautiful. The campaign’s mission was and still is to change the status quo of the stifling stereotypes of beauty and instead offer a broader, healthier, more democratic view of beauty. I feel that this campaign has not only produced unbelievable feel-good adverts but more, interesting discussions. The ‘Dove Real Beauty Sketches’ is one that comes to mind. For this reason, I would have to say I could not be a more proud sister, so beautiful inside and out, Daniela really is such a true representation of Dove Beauty.

 

 

Rumour has it, I feature in the GOODLUCK #WhatWouldWeBe music video, well… only two seconds right at the end! But… #WhatTheHeck, I made my music video debut : )

#transcendingtrending xxx

 

 

 

#TopBrands2014

This trending hashtag really caught my attention today. I may find this subject more interesting than others, as I study marketing and advertising and am so attracted to anything slightly related to the topic. However, I do feel it is something everyone can relate to, as there is no doubt in my mind that as you are reading this, a particular brand is popping up in the back of your mind. Whether it is your own or someone else’s; whether it may be local or international, we all somehow connect to a brand.

For those of you who are unsure about what exactly this trending topic is about here is a brief summary: The Sunday Times Top Brands survey is currently in its 16^th year running, with the past six successful years being in partnership with independent research house, TNS South Africa, as well as the longest operating consumer brand survey in South Africa.

3500 adults aged 18 years and older were interviewed as a part of the total sample. The array of categories ranged from grocery stores, to long-term insurance, to petrol stations, to soft-drinks, to cell phones, to a number of other categories.

Trevor Ormerod, GM of Advertising and Strategic Sales at Times Media Group explained how “being voted Top Brand in a category is a huge accolade for companies, because it indicates they’re hitting the ‘sweet- spot’ with the consumer. An award shows that a brand’s marketing activity is successful in gaining the traction required to foster brand loyalty and longevity, and positioning it on a good path for delivering results to company shareholders as well.”

The results were announced this afternoon, with the legendary international drink Coca-Cola SA being voted the overall favourite brand, followed by Koo in second place and KFC SA in third. Coca-Cola SA also walked away being the winner in the Social Investment category and second place for the Green Award.

This result does not surprise me at all and in fact I recently got asked the question, “What is your favourite brand and why?”, below is how I responded:

Coca-Cola: A brand so universally recognized and one that I have always loved. From its iconic logo and bottle design to the memorable ads and campaigns coke produces, I find this brand to be one of a kind. Not only does Coca-Cola provide a ‘moment of happiness’ when you take your first sip out of that cold can on a hot summers day, but that satisfying and pleasant moment is so successfully carried out all the way through to the brands brilliantly executed campaigns. For example, Coca-Cola’s moment of happiness campaign in Pakistan and India left me, along with millions of others, with such a happy heart. These personal experiences in different cities and communities that offer hair-raising moments make this brand such a well-recognized and valued brand.

Below are a few more amazing #TopBrands2014 results:

Grand Prix Awards:

The Green Award: Eskom

Sports Clothing Brands: Nike

Top Brand Agency of the Year Award: FCB (FOOTE, CONE & BELDING)

 

B2C: (Business to Consumer)

Micro Lenders: Capitec SA

Cellphone category: Nokia RSA

Telecommunications service provider: Vodacom

Fast-food restaurants: KFC SA

Family sit down restaurants: Spur

Grocery Stores: Shoprite SA

Retail Banks: Standard Bank Group

Loyalty programme: Pick ‘n Pay

Long-Term Insurance: Old Mutual SA

Short-Term Insurance: OUTsurance

Petrol Station: Engen SA

Cars: Mercedes Benz SA

 

Visit the @ST_TopBrands twitter handle for more information about the Sunday Times #TopBrands2014.

Rumour has it, the full results of the Sunday Times #TopBrands2014 will be published in the Sunday Times edition of 31 August 2014.

Until next time,
#transcendingtrending 🙂

 

#socialmedia

Like I have said in my about section of this blog, I am undeniably a social media enthusiast and my zest for life urges me to find meaning and value in everything that captures my attention. Our society has become so engulfed in social media… to find out what everyone is talking about is literally just a click away #trending.

Ironically, what has been trending for quite some time now is #socialmedia. Facebook, Twiiter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, Snapchat, a blog… Yes, it scares me to think I have all of the above, not to mention whatsapp and viber.

Its even more scary to think that Facebook was founded in 2004, (that is only ten years ago) and already has over a billion monthly active users worldwide, with a 15 percent increase year over year. Five new profiles are created every second! As the Business Insider explains, Social Media is currently at the top of Internet activity. As a marketing student, it is very interesting to know that 42% of marketers report Facebook to be extremely important to their business.

 

 

As much as I love all my social media platforms, I have decided to take a closer look at PINTEREST… My personal Pinterest profile in particular! I absolutely love this social media platform and am more than happy to sit for hours on end just browsing through different boards and adding pins to my profile here and there. I thought as a blogger, Pinterest would be an exciting way of getting to know me a bit better. I currently have 5 boards on Pinterest and have decided to add a favourite pin from each one onto this blog post:

Style:

I have the most pins on my style board. I love this outfit!

Tasty Things:

A delicious cheese board with all my favourite things.

Quotes:

This is such an inspiring quote.

Sunsets & Rainbows:

An incredible rainbow I saw on the way to University.

Natural Beauty:

The beautiful Amalfi Coast in Italy.

 

So that is just a peak preview of my Pinterest profile, if you like what you see you are more than welcome to follow my boards: http://www.pinterest.com/leilaosato/

At the right time and place (ie. not at the dinner table ;)), social media really is so incredibly useful! From helping you find a job, to building and marketing a brand, to connecting or staying in touch with people near or far… Social media has it all! No wonder the growth stats of all these platforms are so exponential.

Despite the number of obvious benefits that social media brings about,  it is a double sided blade and can just as easily damage the reputation of people, brands and places. We all know just how fast an extremely funny 9gag or vine is able to travel, the same goes with negative reviews! Rumour has it, social media “trawling” or the process of digging through a political candidates online history to find nuggets that can be used against them, is becoming a commonplace. So always think twice before you share, upload, comment or tag people 🙂

#transcendingtrending xx

#ThrowbackThursday

 

Two of the most unreal moments of my life, at two different festivals, on two different continents…

Catching Tiesto’s headphones! #TBT

It boggles my mind to think this really happened, but somehow it did. Among the tens of thousands of people at Stereosonic Brisbane, Australia in 2012 and then again at Ultra Cape Town, South Africa at beginning of this year, 2014… I got extremely lucky and managed to catch Tiesto’s signed headphones! Picture me on someone’s shoulders, in a chanting crowd, headphones in my hands (after a lot of pushing and shoving), while the final song played of the closing set.  This happened at both music festivals, although the second time round was déjà vu  at its best.

Tiesto’s headphones from STEREOSONIC ’12

Tiesto’s headphones from ULTRA CPT ’14

The odds or the chances of catching the worlds best DJ’s headphones not once, but twice are probably one in a million, making this memory (in fact, the memories of catching each one) something I will never forget!

I must admit, I could hardly believe it myself. After the second pair of headphones I caught, I decided to tweet @tiesto and share my story! I even managed to get a retweet :):) (Yes, that does make the story even better!)

My tweet the morning after ULTRA CPT.

I feel like this throwback is something very exciting that has happened in my life and is worth a share, in fact, it proves the point that anything is possible… Even the most weird and unimaginable things 🙂

Rumour has it, the headphones may be up for grabs!

PS. Keep making and capturing memories, you never know when a good #TBT could come in handy 😉

#transcendingtrending

#BeforeIDieIWanna

This was trending worldwide yesterday!

What a statement… Another amazing thought to take a few minutes to think about.

What came to mind was a big black chalkboard with these five words in bold as the heading! I’ve seen these around: at friends houses, on the streets of Cape Town and of course, on Instagram and Facebook.

A homemade “Before I die I want to” chalkboard. Done by my special friend Olivia Krok 🙂

This simple yet profound statement always catches me off guard and I often wonder… Is it morbid to think about these things? But soon after I realize, no, its not! It’s not sad to think about life and the inevitable. In fact, its rather enthusing to think of the weird, wonderful, exciting things you hope to do or accomplish in your lifetime.

So I asked myself the question, where did this whole “Before I Die I want to…” chalkboard concept come from and here is what I found.

A Taiwanese American artist by the name of Candy Chang embarked on this project in 2011. It all started with the loss of a loved one, which brought about a great amount of grief and depression. After some time had passed, she started feeling grateful for the time they had shared together and with more time, she began to find clarity in her life by contemplating the inevitable, death. This is apparently a powerful tool to regain perspective and serve as a reminder of the things that make our lives meaningful. However, she could not keep up this perspective on life because as we all know, it is very easy to get caught up in our day-to-day lives and we often forget what really matters to us. For this exact reason, Candy Chang wanted a daily reminder. Not only of what was important to her but also what was important to the people around her. She decided to paint the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood in New Orleans with chalkboard paint and stenciled it with a grid of the sentence “Before I die I want to _______.” This open ended question was left in the public domain, unfinished, inviting anyone passing by to pick up a piece of chalk, reflect on their lives and share their secrets, wishes and hopes.

Candy Chang’s “Before I die…” painted on the abandoned house in New Orleans.

It is amazing to think that in just one day, all 80 prompts that Candy Chang left blank were filled! Since that day, this interactive wall has been adopted by thousands of people, in different cities, all around the world…

Every “Before I die I want to…” filled out.

This trending #BeforeIDieIWanna makes me think of a million chalkboards, with a million different hopes and dreams written all over.
As Candy Chang quotes:

“We don’t bump into every neighbour, so a lot of wisdom never gets passed on.”

This is so true and for this exact reason I hope these secrets, wishes and hopes continue to be brought to life!

Lets try get more chalkboards or walls out there, lets keep this #trending topic going and regain perspective of our meaningful lives…

#BeforeIDieIWanna give back!

#transcendingtrending