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CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE
Biz Trends to Watch For in 2011/2012
What is it about your business that makes people smile? How do you give back to mother nature? And how do you combine those things with social growth? Do you deliver information in such a way that people become convinced they must buy your product?
Keep an eye out for the four trends I describe below in 2011/2012. They prepare you for what to expect and how to act regarding your customers. If you anticipate these trends you can make them your strengths and have fun with them! You can start right away by asking yourself the questions I pose in this article. If you want more information, please let me know at esmee@studiobranding.nl. The visual article is to be found here.
1. Reflection
Something changed over the last few years across the globe; the focus has shifted from personal success to social interaction. We’ve started to value relationships and maintaining those relationships more than ever. Spiritual activities, books and philosophies have soared in popularity as well. It seems that we are rethinking how to spend the time we have in our precious lives. As we look to spend our time in more socially and spiritually conscious ways, we seek out activities that reflect this new train of thought. Initiatives like ‘Networking Festival”, a 3-day networking event where you can meet new business partners and friends at meet-ups & workshops, are examples of this new trend. Another is ‘Unity Express’, a train that drives through Europe and strives to generate close relationships between like-minded people. It’s about exchanging services, helping each other, and ultimately benefitting mother earth as well. Personal growth and meaningful connections are what we are longing for. We are in the highest layer in the Maslov pyramid.
Take this trend into consideration in your business practices. Highlight the personal aspects as well as the social values your product or service offers. Show what can be accomplished for mother earth. Key things to think about include:
2. Ecotechnology
As we treat life more as a precious phenomenon, we want to know more about the food we buy in the supermarket and what we put in our bodies. That places eco-technology at the forefront of our thoughts. We think about where the food comes from, how it’s made, and whether it’s environmentally friendly. For example, if we discovered the fish on our grocery store was endangered we probably wouldn’t buy it. Holland’s Marqt and Ruudmaaz supermarket is ahead of this trend, providing customers with background information on products as well as local farming information. Across the globe, seasonal products are becoming the preferred choice, and people are increasingly growing their own food, particularly herbs and veggies, at home. Modern technology goes hand in hand with this thinking because it enables us to live more efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly lives. Many people choose their products based on the optimal combination of technical efficiency and eco-friendliness. One such product is the Ibasket, a machine that washes and dries at the same time and automatically turns off.
Regardless of your company, you can probably incorporate the main concerns of eco-technology somehow. Think about the quality and quantity of information your brand delivers. Think about what information can influence the buying process for your customer. Key ideas to keep in mind are:
fairness and transparency
do-it-yourself
food technology with advanced information
hyper intelligent machines let us handle more efficiently
3. Smile Factory
Given the current state of the world, it’s natural for people to feel insecure about the future and seek comfort in nostalgia. We also look for warmth in our families and friends to compensate for the tough environment. Both the media and politics tend to evoke “the good old days,” idealizing a time when life was more simple. It makes sense then, that the average customer desires trusted, time-proven items like handcrafted goods and traditionally made products.
Families in particular are actively seeking out products and businesses that provide comfort, that make them smile, and that create a sense of nostalgia. A wonderful local example is a ‘cognactheek,’ a shop exclusively filled with special types of brandy, sold with love. Another popular example is a gourmet bakery that makes delicious specialty breads with funny names like ‘bommy and pinsy’. These breads are well known for their certain medicinal qualities ranging from improving your digestion to giving you shiny hair.
Regardless of your business, you absolutely have the ability to make people smile. Notice what aspects of your services or products have this happy-inducing quality and keep them going! Advertise those aspects and use great visuals to make them really stand out. Key ideas to think about are:
make people forget insecurities and smile
tradition and handcraft
detail makes the difference
4. Connection
The modern individual chooses to be connected all the time. There are some individuals who are so good at managing their connections that they actually make a profit from it! They’ve created huge networks, smartly leveraged certain relationships, and ultimately created value from their connections. Many companies are jumping on the social media/ networking bandwagon too. I predict that, within a couple of years, customer social values, as well as online network values, will be adopted in the way shareholders are treated as well. Business people aren’t the only ones benefiting this boom in connections. Students are being educated for jobs in this arena that don’t even exist yet. Particular ‘underground societies’ and movements can establish themselves rapidly with these new connecting tools. Being connected 24/7 contributes to the fact that we will work on a profit and priority basis in new work streams, because we can work always and everywhere. Organizations will set-up new ways of connecting with everyone that has an opinion to solve worldwide problems in a more democratic way. Successful utilizations of this concept include BetterMeans, Stand-up Inspiration, and 7 Days of Inspiration.
When thinking about your own business in relation to this trend, consider how your brand connect with customers. Think about how you shape value in those moments and messages. Also think about the media you use to get that message across. Key ideas to keep in mind are:
sharing is multiplying
always and everywhere
it’s all about value
___
Article written by Esmée Schonfeldt from Studio Branding for CRAVE Amsterdam. Studio Branding investigates signals of the street and translates them to concrete influences for the branding of labels and companies. It delivers three services - trend research, image research and brand development – led by Esmée Schönfeldt.
Jonge Gezinnen Beurs is Big Business!
Yesterday, CRAVE visited the Jonge Gezinnen Beurs 2010 in the trade mart Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. The fair is for pregnant women and mothers of babies and toddlers. It’s big business because a lot of emotions are exchanged for sweet and expansive baby ware. A few CRAVE Business women are present:
Meetup with Liza from MumsMarket
Liza Hollingsworth of Mumsmarket sells new baby and childrenswear that is donated by fashion brands to create funding for charities. Her webshop gives every mom a good reason to buy because you choose yourself to which charity you want your spending to be donated to. The tradefair sponsors are helping Liza to sell the clothes, but much more can be found online at www.mumsmarket.nl. Are you a producer or retailer with a stack of left overs? Make sure you connect with Liza and gain value for mothers and charities.
Busy times for Mira’s Trotse Moeders & Club van slechte huisvrouwen
Mira Ahles owns the community of proud mothers and she offers a place for dialogues on babycare and motherhood. In addition she sells all kinds of smart and loving baby gadgets. The stand is big and busy and Mira flies like a fairy across the place. Her proudness of motherhood moved into a confession of being a bad housewife. Simply because her heart is with working and caring and not so much with cleaning and washing. The confession turned into a big discussion and an even into a large blogging community of women alike. And that’s what Mira does, connecting women through online media.
Consults for the mind and the mood
There are various pavilions that entertain you with learning and doing. CRAVE visited Susan Gorel, a booth in the spiritual pavilion, that used integrated numerology, astrology and tarot to give personal insights. Let’s say that in summary is that CRAVE Amsterdam is about to become one of a kind. The second consult was a workshop for styling tips for parties and seasonal events like Christmas. We enjoyed the tips on how to decorate a dining table and practiced with styling a napkin. We will reveal one secret, less is more! Find out more info on their website.
CRAVE life connections
Many fairs are a pleasure to visit since it’s all about inspiration and connecting with people alike. CRAVE will visit some more “beurzen”. Let us know where you will be present so we can announce it and we may visit you. CRAVE will be present at the Sustainable lifestyle event Indisha together with A beautiful Story and Lotus Living on November 21st in Amsterdam. Meet up?
Vintage for the little ones – bieq
It’s vintage for little ones ! Angelique Roelofsen started bieq a few years ago. Her passion for handcrafts made this Dutch brand succeed. It evokes nostalgia and shows care and attention. Her brand sells completely hand-knitted items, everything made of pure merino wool. Merino garments are light weight, breath well and are non-irritant to the skin. Those are all important qualities, especially for toddlers and babies. Specialized in baby hats, they also sell a wide range of mittens, clothing and beautiful baby-blankets.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
cherish, stylish, pure
What are your most popular products or services?
wide range of hand-knitted hats, mittens and the newly designed baby-blankets.
People may be surprised to know…
that really nothing is produced by machines, but everything is hand-knitted !
What or who inspired you to start your business?
my passion for handcraft and design.
Who is your role model or mentor?
not one particular person, but I see there is market for my business and my passion is really satisfied by bieq, so I keep on going !
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
not to just trust anyone and also read the fine prints..
How do you spend your free time?
with my family (boyfriend Steven and our two children Seb (11) & Puck (8)) and friends.
What is your indulgence?
have a drink with friends, gardening, jogging and …working on bieq
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
doesn’t matter as long as I am with friends. Of course, a nice location, sunshine and some bubbles always makes it even better !
Keep tabs on Angelique’s latest creations online:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Hello, Summer!
How many times a year do we utter the words, “If only there were more hours in the day…”? Well, on the summer solstice, you will get your wish since today, the sun shines longer than any other day of the year. Today of course also marks the official start of summer, and with it, we celebrate all the best things about this much-anticipated season! To welcome the return of flip-flops, barbecue’s, vacations and more, we’ve compiled a list of activities to do in order to take advantage of those extra minutes of sunlight. Grab your friends and family and head out – you won’t want to miss a second of your summer solstice celebration!
A picnic is a simple no-brainer for a summer occasion, but you might decide to get a little creative for the special occasion by coordinating a late-night sunset picnic in your city’s most scenic setting. Bring a playlist of songs with the word “sun” in them to set the right mood.
If you’re an avid outdoors-woman, you’ll want to really maximize your extra minutes of rays! Head out for an evening hike, run, or bike ride and extend it a little longer than usual. You’ll get an extra boost knowing that this is the only night you’ll be able to savor the sunlight during your routine workout.
Spending your solstice doing water activities is an excellent idea if you live near a body of water. Boating, surfing, kayaking, or even just lounging beachside will give you that summer glow you’ve been missing all winter. Plus, watching the sun lower over sparkling waves is a sight that can hardly be beat, and one you’ll want to store in your memory for the next winter.
Say Mother Nature decides to throw you a curveball and sends rain instead of shine, well don’t let that stop you from enjoying the spirit of the day. Curling up with a book and hot tea can be relaxing during a summer rainfall or storm especially if enjoyed from a patio or porch. If the day is more gray gloom than thrilling boom, head to your local arboretum or greenhouse to get your tropical nature fix.
Daddy’s Day is Almost Here!
Father’s Day is around the corner and every year its the same. We ponder WHAT to get our dear dads for a gift. We all know that whatever we hand them they’ll be thankful for; but we always want to push the envelope! When we are pressed for time and don’t have the effort left to make something extremely sentimental, here is some advice from your friends at CRAVE on what to do that will make him smile.
Try and remember what your dad is passionate about. Is he an outdoors-man? Cook? Tech-savvy? Music lover? With some passion he has in mind its always easier to direct your gift towards a certain theme and come out successful. It will help you avoid spending hours shopping with no clue of what to get as well as guaranteeing that he will appreciate the gift and the thought you put into it.
If still stuck on where to begin with finding a gift, maybe go in a different direction then a simple gift from the store. Does your dad love a certain comedian or band? Grab tickets to a concert.
Dad’s love knowing you want to spend time with them, so if time allows, do an activity that involves doing something together. Time spent is more precious than any other gift money could buy!
Remember first and foremost that its your dad’s day! All that truly matters is that you make sure to tell him he’s special and you love him.
CRAVE Buzz Party at Joline Jolink Atelier
Seduced by the wines of Golden Grapes and enchanted by the new spring collection of Joline Jolink the CRAVE entrepreneuresses came in masses to meet each other, meet the CRAVE concept and have fun.
The wines of Golden Grapes from South Africa were a hit for a good reason. Their superb taste accompanied the night, easing the rainy mood and the conversation. Thank you Suzanne Moen for sponsoring the night!
It was a privilege to be in a famous Dutch designer atelier and enjoy her new spring collection: “For women with something to do” – what a great slogan and how in touch with the women present at the party. We thank you Joline Jolink for your warm welcome in your atelier and for baking your famous tart for us. The participant ladies there also received a goodie bag at the end of the evening with a surprise 25€ off of any purchase till 31 Dec 2010!
We met a lot of successful and gutsy lady entrepreneurs and we connected them with each other. Our ever growing Dutch female community has been enriched with the new ladies present at the CRAVE buzz party and we hope they will also be featured in our CRAVE Guide of Women entrepreneurs you MUST know.
Check out the pictures from the Buzz Party for a closer look!
Christmas Shops
The holiday season is right around the corner. What better time of the year than now to show the ones you love how much you care and appreciate them.
Cristina Stoian from CRAVE amsterdam put together this great list of gift shops to explore in Amsterdam for your Christmas shopping. They are all women owned and they have superb decorated Christmas windows that get you in the right holiday spirit.
De Amsterdamse Muis, situated in the lively Haarlemmerdijk they have the most amazing Christmas decorations. You will find everything inside for your interior decoration, including an amazing collection of Christmas decorations. They sale candles, artificial flowers, old furniture and old glassware. They even have a beautiful collective item antique chandelier. Furthermore, many cans and unique dishes, both past two. You will find here the most unique and classy present. Check them out on Haarlemmerdijk 36.
Madelief flower boutique is ideal for getting your Christmas flower arrangement. All bouquets are made with love and care. The skill and love for the profession makes it really easy for Madelief to advise and create personal flower arrangements.
“Thanks to our customers our business has flourished for 20 years. To create and arrange, being enthusiastic and full of ideas, we are always ready for the future.”
Affaire d’Eau has a collection of stylish but above all original and special gifts, carefully gathered together for you. The collection includes soaps, scented candles and bath oils made from old recipes. The packaging of their products are inspired by old designs which confers your gift a classic, vintage look with an extra elegance. Check their amazing website, where they also present unique pieces of antique bathrooms and accessories for bathrooms from Imperial, Victorian, Art Nouveau or Art Deco times. Where original bathroom items can’t be found anymore, Affaire d’Eau tries to find the best replica’s of the originals.
It is sheer pleasure to discover this original collection from Fates, consisting of unique bags, scarves and jewellery. Using only natural materials and exclusive designs, Fates brings together distinctive luxury fashion accessories of a contemporary yet timeless style, where each tells its own very special and unique story.Discover where they come from and meet the artisans who create them.
Their collection is created according to the principles of Fair Trade, with an active concern for people, animals and the environment.
Pompon was voted for the best flower shop in Amsterdam in the Parool. There you will find original flower bouquets, pure and simple, with an unique style. The bouquets look like they are inspired by paintings from old masters from the 17th century. If you are looking for something special and not ordinary, then you’ve come to the right place.
The windows of Pompon are very striking and expressive. In the store you see a lot of natural elements, so much attention to the wonderful vases and pots.
Here are some of the photos taken of the beautiful Christmas windows in Amsterdam.
Express Yourself – Amsterdam’s Best of Thank You Cards
Have you ever walked into the standard grocery store, browsed through the greeting cards section in hopes of finding something decent with which you could express your gratitude, and instead found yourself deeply disappointed with the tacky designs and cliché messages that they offer? We have! So we’ve investigated the small local businesses that know their stuff when it comes to stationary good and accessories. Take a look!
BLOND-AMSTERDAM started in 2001 in Femque and Jannekes first ever studio at the Spuistraat in Amsterdam. The colourful and sometimes naughty style of the earthenware and paintings immediately appealed to a large audience. The personal illustrations are carefully created at the girls shared desk.
The reason for the enormous popularity: Blond Amsterdam represents a certain attitude to life: light, positive, naive, cheerful and accessible.
“4CARDS was born in April 2006 after my own need for hip, cool and fresh designs for a birth announcement and wedding invitation. I love to design birth announcements, wedding invitations and other cards as it is always for a very special occassion. People trust such an important card to you which is very special to me. Our style is colorful, fresh, hip but also sweet and soft.” – Muriel Idema
Daskas®, the place to go to for unique gifts and presents. Daskas has been on the Haarlemmerstraat since 1990, one of the quaintest shopping streets in Amsterdam. Conveniently located near Central Station and the Jordaan, our customers include local residents, tourists and people visiting Amsterdam for the day.