Blog 1: Cracking the Coconut

I see a world full of color. I don’t particularly like the crazy fast paced life, like and unlike many others. I wish there would be a movement of “let’s slow down, long enough to actually notice other people.” Perhaps by doing this, we would be able to in fact improve the lives of “the other 90%,” as Jeff Mulhausen spoke about in class. (Side note: That was one great talk. It really provided some insights to us students about how we can make a difference if we open our eyes to the problems and not just try to reach for the money…) As was talked about in the “Persona Lifecycle” article, understanding the user is extremely important into developing helpful personas and truly addressing the issues. So let me provide some deeper insights into someone like me that could be valuable for marketers:

1.) Because of traveling to many countries, including England, Mozambique, Argentina, and Guatemala, I have become a more culturally understanding person. There are many others, like me, who are interested in what other cultures can teach us, which broadens our horizons. We might even be mentally transformed by what we see and learn. Not only do I enjoy spending time in these countries, but I also like bringing home various souvenirs. Traveling so much is not an option for many. However, some brilliant minds have brought the experiences to the customer. I think a great example of this is The Rainforest Café, where the customer can experience being in a “rainforest” while enjoying their dinner.

2.) I am a people person. People persons enjoy meeting people and understanding the world from different perspectives. However, I would rather have fewer deeper intimate relationships than many superficial ones. (I think this would be a preference for most people). I think in this day, the word friendship has lost some of its deeper value. I mean, people don’t really have “1,346 friends” like Facebook says. Creating an experience or product that brings more value to relationships would work well for people like me. For example, Argentina really markets their “Día de los Amigos” or “Friendship Day”. I studied abroad in Argentina for 3 months, and I remember that many stores were selling products specifically for Día de los Amigos. These products helped reinforce the special bonds in friendship.



3.) I am a health nut, and I love my smoothies. Sometimes getting all the nutrients essential for a healthy diet is hard for a college student. I am constantly trying to find the most effective/efficient way to get my daily nutrients in “on-the-go” drinks. Lately, I’ve been using “Amazing Grass” in juices, but I’m still looking for something tastier than wheatgrass!

4.) Tae Kwon Do made me a pretty perseverant/disciplined individual. Gyms can draw people like me in, especially when they show their dedication to making me, their customer, satisfied with their facilities and trainers.



5.) I have a heart for those in need. I am part of Nourish International – Austin Chapter, in which we raise money through on-campus ventures to work on an international development project, which we implement in the summers. By being a part of this organization, I have become more aware of global issues, and I am always looking for ways to get involved in projects locally or globally. There are probably non-profits who are looking for people like this. However, since there are SO many organizations that do “good work”, it’s important for them to market themselves and create an appeal that will show why people should help them out.

6.) Finding out new information brings me joy. The world just has so much information, and it’s a rare day when we don’t find out something new. However, while some college students dread studying for their classes, I actually have enjoyed many (but not all) of mine. Although I do like life to run at a slower pace, I love having quick access to information when I need it or want to find out something. (The IPod touch is a great invention for people like me…although I don’t have one yet!)

7.) Music sings to me 24/7, whether it’s in my head, while I’m playing guitar, piano, or sax. It can lift my spirits when I’m having a not-so-good day. Life has just been a bit sweeter with my IPod. It’s helped me when I just need to finish running another mile, or when I’d like to listen to soothing music before bed. Having this gadget so handy really makes me smile.



8.) Because my handwriting is messy and I write so many notes in my classes, it’s often been a challenge to go back and study my notes. In a few of my Spanish classes last year, I’d record the professor and go back and try to listen to the lecture again. But this method took too long. (It’s hard for me to catch everything in my Spanish classes, especially because it’s not my native language). I recently heard about this SmartPen. You can press record on your notebook and write down key notes from the lecture while the professor is talking. Then, when you want to go back and review what the professor was talking about, you just click on the word with your pen, and you can hear the context of those key words you wrote! This would most definitely be helpful for someone like me.

9.) I hold sleep dear to my heart, and having a comfortable bed just makes my day 10X better. I can tell that marketers have really tried to address the comforts needs of people like me from the wide variety of mattresses available, such as the Tempur-Pedic Matresses.

10.) I am an independent young woman. I don’t like to depend on anyone, except God, because I think it will make me a not self-sufficient person. However, I’ve realized that there are just certain things that will take me entirely too long to do, even with a manual, such as assembling wooden furniture. IKEA has done a great job of catering to people, like me, who want easy-to-assemble products.

Phew! Actually thinking about what’s important to me and valuable to marketers actually used a lot of brain power, but it certainly helped me learn more about myself.