Category: Marketing

National Restaurant Association 2011

Chicago!!!! That was the location of this years NRA (not national rifle association) trade show. The venue was McCormick Place in downtown Chicago, which is a beatifully huge convention center. Brands from all over the country attended as exhibitors, showing off what they can offer and people from all over the world attended to see what the exhibitors have to offer such as suppliers, distributors, hotel chains, food chains, and many small restaurants.

Good Health Natural Foods was vendor number 6476. Unfortunately our booth was not located in the Natural and Organic Pavillion (like I wished, having more traffic), even though our company is a provider of natural snacks. I had the opportunity to go to help out a co-worker of mine that lives in the mid-west. This was the first time I met her from our company but she was very patient and helpful and we had a great time.

There were hundreds of exhibitors there showing their products or services. Groupon had a two-story booth!!!! There were plenty of mascots there including a talking Heinz robot that attracted people to their booth. It didn’t necessarily bring customers over to try sample products but it’s a good tactic to stand out in a sea of competitors.

Nice mascot, unlike some others I saw. Their booth had a great cinnamon bun!

I met plenty of wonderful people there. Our company’s booth was located across from La Rosa’s Famous Cannolis. They had so many new potential leads with giving out free cannolis! Had one myself 🙂 Another booth next to our was Rumaino Cheese. Founded in 1921, Rumaino cheese is a leader in organic cheeses. Everyday of my four days there, I sampled their organic medium cheddar cheese multiple times during the day. It is awesome! I also got to meet the fourth generation Rumaino, Coby. He and his uncle were at the show manning their booth. Great people the Rumianos and they gave me free cheese to take back to NC! Everyone that knows me knows I LOVE cheese! #win

My experience in Chicago was long, yet short-lived. Although I was in the windy city, I didn’t get a chance to see as much of it as I’d hoped. My days were filled with working. I did however get to shop the entire Magnificent Mile and travel to the top of the John Hancock Observatory. I was 94 floors above the windy city and it felt amazing knowing I had the best view in Chicago. Two things I wished I could have also gone to were “THE EDGE” at the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) and went to The 900 shops. I also had a chance to see the Navy Pier. My co-worker and I had lunch as Riva’s restaurant located on the pier and it was great. Next time, I will get on the Ferris Wheel.

Chicago Skyline from the Navy Pier

The taxi drivers are really nice! They are also the best drivers in Chicago! Traffic, for that particular weekend was amazing and their driving skills impressed me. I also just learned that a childhood friend just moved to Chicago so next time, I will definitely get to see Chicago, at it’s best!!!!

New chapter

May 6, 2011. That was the day that I graduate The University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor’s of science degree in marketing. I never thought that day would finally come but when it did, it actually came fairly fast.

I remember the day I moved into Moore-Strong meeting my three, yes three, roommates. I also remembered my parents crying their eyes out when they realized their little baby is leaving the nest. I was growing up and moving to college was a big step towards being an adult. Now three years have passed since then and I have the memory of my family seeing me walk across that stage to accept my degree.

Along my four years I’ve had internships, jobs, and countless times living in Jackson Library or #clubjackson as some of us use to say. Group projects, countless papers, and hundreds of quizzes/exams/tests are finally out of my schedule (at least until I go to graduate school). I can now focus on my career of being a marketing assistant at Good Health Natural Products. Check out their brands and products at http://www.goodhealthnaturalproducts.com (new website is currently under construction). The company I’m with now will allow me to do everything within my major, which I love! I also get to do a little traveling, which I absolutely love!

Seeing all the graduate students at my graduation made me realize that I do want to go to graduate school in a few years. I’m not sure which program to do but I would rather do a program that will allow me to obtain a master’s in under 2 years. I’ve been looking into one particular program but I have a while to decide. I just hope that I can grow and prosper into a successful business woman that I sought after to become.

With all that is going on in my life, I will continue to pray to God and thank Him for my many blessings. I also would not be where I am today without the guidance and comfort of my family and friends. I thank everyone who has had a positive effect on my life and I am grateful for it. Thank you and I will continue to make you proud.

Women and Media

I am taking “Introduction to Sociology” at UNCG and one of our assignments this week was to watch a documentary called “Killing Us Softly” by Jean Kilbourne. Jean Kilbourne has realized back in 1979 that the media has displayed women in a certain “eye” in the media. Advertisements, commercials, and movies are all subject to women display as an “object” rather than a “subject.” Women are lesser than man is in the media. The media degrades women more so than it degrades men.

Look at the image above. Can you see how this can offend women? A man has a woman pinned how and the woman looks as if she is trying to get free, which is why her lower body is off the floor. There are other men standing around her, as if they were waiting their turn. In addition, there are others, plenty of them. Some communicate violence towards women as the one shown above and others portray women as a perfect image that everyone should maintain: flawless skin, certain hairstyles, small waist, and small butt or sometimes and bigger bottom, and big breasts. This is why so many women starting in adolescence are having eating disorders. Before a girl hits puberty, she is comfortable with the way she looks. During puberty, she has insecurities and questions her body because of how the media or how everyone else says their body should be. “You’re too fat”, “you’re too skinny” are terms a girl in middle school should not have to hear from fellow classmates. Why is it so hard to accept people the way they are. Without touch-ups, make-up, and Shapeups, the models and celebrities would be just like 99% of the rest of the world, normal and that should be ok but is it? NOOOOOO! The media holds them on a certain pedestal that if they do not have clear skin, or a small body frame, then they will criticize and shun them.