Dear reader,
It is the eleventh hour, both figuratively and literally, as I am beginning to write this post at exactly 11:11 (make a wish!), and as Research Showcase is just around the corner. We have only a month left to prepare and polish. Research Showcase is becoming ever more a reality.
Research Showcase is one of the biggest events of the year. Basically, all ISM students put together a tri-fold reflecting the work done in the year so far, and invite the greater public to come by and observe and engage with it. If you remember, in a previous post I talked about putting together a display-board plan. This week, I must make that plan a reality.
However, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, here's the recap of what I did this past week:
1) I set up several interview with an advertising agency in Dallas (which I am extremely excited about).
2) I re-watched the video recording of my Research Speech (and made many notes of what to improve on).
3) I started technically planning my board (figuring dimensions of things, cost, etc.)
I doesn't sound like I did anything super remarkable, but I have to remind you that ISM is not all glamour and success. ISM is hard work and getting stuck and picking your brain. And sometimes, the week just seems so slow. But weeks like this are what make up the backbone of my journey. Weeks like this are where I have to force myself to focus, to keep pushing. Weeks like this are what help me prove to myself that I am wholly committed to this endeavor, because if I can grind through the grit, I can bring myself one step closer to success. Weeks like this are the best, and simultaneously the worst.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
11/10 Weekly Update #10: Tentatively Tenacious
Dear Reader,
This past week has been progressive. I wish all weeks were like it.
Firstly, I presented my research speech, a 10-12 minute spiel on what I've learned about Marketing/Advertising so far. This is important because it is the longest speech I've given in my entire life. I have never, ever had the undivided attention of the room for that long. It was thrilling, and nerve-wracking, and such an adrenaline rush. With this speech, I really feel like I'm beginning to unlock what I can do as a speaker. Before this week, I did speeches that were mainly below 5 minutes. But now that I know I can give a speech for an extended period of time, there are so many more possibilities to explore. The reason this post is titled tentatively tenacious is because that's how I feel about my speaking at the moment. I already am a strong speaker, but I have plenty to improve on. I want to become a stronger one, and so I'm planning on strategically trying out some new, unorthodox things in my next speech. Tentatively tenacious. Carefully aggressive.
Secondly, I had an amazing interview which led to an impromptu second interview, bumping my total number of interviews up to 11 (so sadly, I couldn't use that for the pun in the title as originally planned...but it's okay). This interview opened up some more opportunities with me which I will be exploring soon. Although time is beginning to run out for me to find a mentor, I'm not panicking because that's no use.
Thirdly, I've started watching the TV series Mad Men. No, this isn't an accomplishment, but I really like the series. Aside from the dramatization, it's got quite a few good tidbits about advertising and marketing, and it offers a unique glimpse into the ad agencies of the past. Racism and sexism aside (not that they should ever be put aside), the ad agencies of old are fascinating and we still learn a lot from them today.
And so, I am one week closer to the end of my journey. I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am.
Until next week,
Eileen Bau
This past week has been progressive. I wish all weeks were like it.
Firstly, I presented my research speech, a 10-12 minute spiel on what I've learned about Marketing/Advertising so far. This is important because it is the longest speech I've given in my entire life. I have never, ever had the undivided attention of the room for that long. It was thrilling, and nerve-wracking, and such an adrenaline rush. With this speech, I really feel like I'm beginning to unlock what I can do as a speaker. Before this week, I did speeches that were mainly below 5 minutes. But now that I know I can give a speech for an extended period of time, there are so many more possibilities to explore. The reason this post is titled tentatively tenacious is because that's how I feel about my speaking at the moment. I already am a strong speaker, but I have plenty to improve on. I want to become a stronger one, and so I'm planning on strategically trying out some new, unorthodox things in my next speech. Tentatively tenacious. Carefully aggressive.
Secondly, I had an amazing interview which led to an impromptu second interview, bumping my total number of interviews up to 11 (so sadly, I couldn't use that for the pun in the title as originally planned...but it's okay). This interview opened up some more opportunities with me which I will be exploring soon. Although time is beginning to run out for me to find a mentor, I'm not panicking because that's no use.
Thirdly, I've started watching the TV series Mad Men. No, this isn't an accomplishment, but I really like the series. Aside from the dramatization, it's got quite a few good tidbits about advertising and marketing, and it offers a unique glimpse into the ad agencies of the past. Racism and sexism aside (not that they should ever be put aside), the ad agencies of old are fascinating and we still learn a lot from them today.
And so, I am one week closer to the end of my journey. I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am.
Until next week,
Eileen Bau
Sunday, November 2, 2014
11/3 Weekly Update #9: Nine in the Afternoon
It's nine in the afternoon/
Your eyes are the size of the moon/
Dear reader,
Yes, I know, nine is not in the afternoon. What I am alluding to (it is a bit obscure) is a song. Nine in the Afternoon is a song by Panic! At the Disco, a pop/rock/punk/vaudeville band. The reason that I bring it up is because there is one particular line in that song which happens to fit in perfectly with my yearlong theme of exploring the "final frontier", or breaking boundaries:
You could 'cause you can so you do.
In other words, why not? Why not do everything you can do? Why not put 500% effort in everything? Why not take risks? Why not become anything you want to be?
I tried to keep this in mind as I progressed through this past week. Lately, we've really started becoming more defined. Some in the ISM program have already found mentors, and all of us have done display boards designs and compiled the beginnings of a portfolio. Slowly, but very surely, we are determining our personal brands for the year.
In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Of course, all of this is necessary to be successful. But one of the things I hated about defining myself is that it closed off possibilities. For example, I knew that my theme colors were going to be black, blue, and purple. This doesn't mean I can't use other colors, but I knew that black, blue, and purple would have to be more prominent (unless I changed it).
However, as the week progressed on and I could feel myself becoming boxed in, I decided to change my perspective. Instead of viewing my decisions as limiting, I embraced them as opportunities for why not? Why not keep black, blue, and purple and the theme colors but also put a separate rainbow section in my board to break the monotony? Why not use my decisions to open up new realms of possibilities? People say that as one door opens, another closes. That may be true, but as one door opens, so does an infinite amount of other doors in the new hallway you've discovered.
Until next week,
Eileen Bau
Your eyes are the size of the moon/
Dear reader,
Yes, I know, nine is not in the afternoon. What I am alluding to (it is a bit obscure) is a song. Nine in the Afternoon is a song by Panic! At the Disco, a pop/rock/punk/vaudeville band. The reason that I bring it up is because there is one particular line in that song which happens to fit in perfectly with my yearlong theme of exploring the "final frontier", or breaking boundaries:
You could 'cause you can so you do.
In other words, why not? Why not do everything you can do? Why not put 500% effort in everything? Why not take risks? Why not become anything you want to be?
I tried to keep this in mind as I progressed through this past week. Lately, we've really started becoming more defined. Some in the ISM program have already found mentors, and all of us have done display boards designs and compiled the beginnings of a portfolio. Slowly, but very surely, we are determining our personal brands for the year.
In the beginning, I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Of course, all of this is necessary to be successful. But one of the things I hated about defining myself is that it closed off possibilities. For example, I knew that my theme colors were going to be black, blue, and purple. This doesn't mean I can't use other colors, but I knew that black, blue, and purple would have to be more prominent (unless I changed it).
However, as the week progressed on and I could feel myself becoming boxed in, I decided to change my perspective. Instead of viewing my decisions as limiting, I embraced them as opportunities for why not? Why not keep black, blue, and purple and the theme colors but also put a separate rainbow section in my board to break the monotony? Why not use my decisions to open up new realms of possibilities? People say that as one door opens, another closes. That may be true, but as one door opens, so does an infinite amount of other doors in the new hallway you've discovered.
Until next week,
Eileen Bau
Sunday, October 26, 2014
10/27 Weekly Update #8: I Eight It All
Dear Reader,
This past week I have been very hungry. I have consumed copious amounts of food...and it's not because of soccer season. I believe that the reason I have been so ravenous is because of ISM. How?
This past week, we drafted designs for our display boards. These display boards are the standard cardboard tri-fold, which we have creative latitude to design, and we will be using them at Research Showcase and Final Presentation Night.
As a highly creative person, I knew I wanted my board to stand out. As an aspiring marketer, I knew that in order to make my board stand out, I needed to strategize.
I determined that my target audience would be other students, teachers, parents, and professionals. This board would be mainly presented during time where people are floating around, and it would be one of many of display. Not only will it have to be visually pleasing, it will have to make an impression on the viewer.
So, the reason why I was so hungry is because I brainstormed, for a very long time, about what to do with my board. My brainstorming consisted of walking around the room, stretching, and other movements that probably used up as much energy as my brain was.
After spending time in my think tank, I knew that in order for my board to be memorable, it need to be a) interactive, b) personizable, or c) both. Making it personizable would be too hard; multitudes of people would be walking by it, so I chose to make my board interactive.
Thus, the drafted design for my board includes a special part that asks the audience to leave their mark on my board. I won't go into specifics for now, but I will say that this component will definitely be useful--both for me and my audience.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
This past week I have been very hungry. I have consumed copious amounts of food...and it's not because of soccer season. I believe that the reason I have been so ravenous is because of ISM. How?
This past week, we drafted designs for our display boards. These display boards are the standard cardboard tri-fold, which we have creative latitude to design, and we will be using them at Research Showcase and Final Presentation Night.
As a highly creative person, I knew I wanted my board to stand out. As an aspiring marketer, I knew that in order to make my board stand out, I needed to strategize.
I determined that my target audience would be other students, teachers, parents, and professionals. This board would be mainly presented during time where people are floating around, and it would be one of many of display. Not only will it have to be visually pleasing, it will have to make an impression on the viewer.
So, the reason why I was so hungry is because I brainstormed, for a very long time, about what to do with my board. My brainstorming consisted of walking around the room, stretching, and other movements that probably used up as much energy as my brain was.
After spending time in my think tank, I knew that in order for my board to be memorable, it need to be a) interactive, b) personizable, or c) both. Making it personizable would be too hard; multitudes of people would be walking by it, so I chose to make my board interactive.
Thus, the drafted design for my board includes a special part that asks the audience to leave their mark on my board. I won't go into specifics for now, but I will say that this component will definitely be useful--both for me and my audience.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
Sunday, October 19, 2014
10/20 Weekly Update #7: Lucky Number Seven
Dear Reader,
Seven is an especially important number to me. Not only is it my favorite number, but it has also been the number on the back of my soccer jersey for the past couple of years. I've always believed that seven really is lucky, and it's been proved once again this week.
Although I only had one interview this week, and didn't have anything major like last week's Business Symposium, I consider this week lucky because it gave me what I needed most: time. With all of the preparation that had gone into Business Symposium and conducting 3-4 research interviews per week for the past two weeks, I haven't really had time to sit down and absorb everything I've learned.
This week, I wrote several assessments over my previous interview and Business Symposium. Not only do these assessments serve as documentation, they're also a tool for me to re-visit what I've learned and to file it permanently in my mental storage. This week has been all about mental growth and planning. Sometimes, the most productive weeks are the least productive weeks on paper.
In other news, I have finally placed the order for the books What Great Brands Do by Denise Lee Yohn and Aaker on Branding by David Aaker, which were recommended to me by a very esteemed professor I interviewed. I am ridiculously excited to start reading them. Hopefully, Amazon lives up to its brand promise of fast shipping. Wish me luck.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau (#7)
Seven is an especially important number to me. Not only is it my favorite number, but it has also been the number on the back of my soccer jersey for the past couple of years. I've always believed that seven really is lucky, and it's been proved once again this week.
Although I only had one interview this week, and didn't have anything major like last week's Business Symposium, I consider this week lucky because it gave me what I needed most: time. With all of the preparation that had gone into Business Symposium and conducting 3-4 research interviews per week for the past two weeks, I haven't really had time to sit down and absorb everything I've learned.
This week, I wrote several assessments over my previous interview and Business Symposium. Not only do these assessments serve as documentation, they're also a tool for me to re-visit what I've learned and to file it permanently in my mental storage. This week has been all about mental growth and planning. Sometimes, the most productive weeks are the least productive weeks on paper.
In other news, I have finally placed the order for the books What Great Brands Do by Denise Lee Yohn and Aaker on Branding by David Aaker, which were recommended to me by a very esteemed professor I interviewed. I am ridiculously excited to start reading them. Hopefully, Amazon lives up to its brand promise of fast shipping. Wish me luck.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau (#7)
Sunday, October 12, 2014
10/13 Weekly Update #6: Sixth Sense
Dear reader,
Disclaimer: I cannot see dead people. I can, however, see colors. Not anything like van Gogh, or a full-on synesthete, but I associate certain colors with certain moods and certain sounds and certain places and certain ideas and...well, the list goes on.
Colors are an extremely important part of marketing and advertising, because they make up an integral part of the way consumers perceive a product. Especially in the packaging of a product, colors can often make or break a consumer's decision. If you think about it, there has been a billion instances in your life where this has happened. For example, why did you buy the shirt you're wearing right now? How about the car in your garage? The tomatoes in your refrigerator? Of course, color is not the only determinant of purchasing, but it does have bearing on the decision.
For me, this past week has been a purple-gray week. Purple is for the feeling of accomplishment that came with writing a pretty darn good resume, conducting 3 research interviews impressively, and having a ball at Business Symposium (more on this later). Gray (or grey, if you're in England) is for the whirlwind of activity that has passed, and for the oncoming storm (read: Tri-fold Presentation Boards, Interview Assessments, mentor searches... ).
Business Symposium was basically a giant networking event and mock interview opportunity. ISM students took the initiative to introduce themselves to professionals and strike up conversations, and perhaps make a few contacts. Mock interviews consisted of intense 20 minute one-on-one sessions that were meant to simulate a job interview. For me, this was so much fun. I love being able to present my work, and I love having the challenge of impressing strangers. It is thrilling to be able to re-create yourself and tailor your image for every new person you meet, like an adjustable phoenix. Kind of. Honestly, meeting with actual professionals in the field is an enlightening experience and it is so much more memorable than any textbook or article. This week completely blue my mind away.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
Disclaimer: I cannot see dead people. I can, however, see colors. Not anything like van Gogh, or a full-on synesthete, but I associate certain colors with certain moods and certain sounds and certain places and certain ideas and...well, the list goes on.
Colors are an extremely important part of marketing and advertising, because they make up an integral part of the way consumers perceive a product. Especially in the packaging of a product, colors can often make or break a consumer's decision. If you think about it, there has been a billion instances in your life where this has happened. For example, why did you buy the shirt you're wearing right now? How about the car in your garage? The tomatoes in your refrigerator? Of course, color is not the only determinant of purchasing, but it does have bearing on the decision.
For me, this past week has been a purple-gray week. Purple is for the feeling of accomplishment that came with writing a pretty darn good resume, conducting 3 research interviews impressively, and having a ball at Business Symposium (more on this later). Gray (or grey, if you're in England) is for the whirlwind of activity that has passed, and for the oncoming storm (read: Tri-fold Presentation Boards, Interview Assessments, mentor searches... ).
Business Symposium was basically a giant networking event and mock interview opportunity. ISM students took the initiative to introduce themselves to professionals and strike up conversations, and perhaps make a few contacts. Mock interviews consisted of intense 20 minute one-on-one sessions that were meant to simulate a job interview. For me, this was so much fun. I love being able to present my work, and I love having the challenge of impressing strangers. It is thrilling to be able to re-create yourself and tailor your image for every new person you meet, like an adjustable phoenix. Kind of. Honestly, meeting with actual professionals in the field is an enlightening experience and it is so much more memorable than any textbook or article. This week completely blue my mind away.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
Sunday, October 5, 2014
10/6 Weekly Update #5: Fifth Dimension
Dear Reader,
We all know that the first dimension is a line, the second dimension is any flat figure, and that the third dimension is an object. The fourth dimension is time itself. But what about the 5th dimension?
It has been said that the 5th dimension is the tesseract. Of course, this is completely theoretical. The tesseract is a funky concept. If you imagine all of time as a string, and you place a tiny person on one end of the string and ask her to walk to the other end, it would take forever (literally). But if you take the string and touch the two ends together, then the tiny person can just hop on over to the end of time. Or to any point in time, wherever you've made the string touch. That's the tesseract: bending time (and probably space).
So what does this have to do with ISM? Well, ISM is sort of like a tesseract. Through my research, I can take little, temporary hops to the future and see what it might be like to work in the marketing field. I don't have a time machine, but I do have research interviews. This past week, I have had the opportunity to interview 2 professors at Southern Methodist University, both very experienced and very skilled in their marketing subdivision. They were able to provide me with invaluable insight and information, not only about marketing, but also about what college courses I should take, what options I have that are related to marketing, and life advice in general.
Because of this experience, I was able to form a clearer picture of what it could look like for future me in the marketing field. Hence, a small time-hop. Mentally, through what I learned from my research interviews, I can place my own tiny person at a future point in time and consider, is this really what I want to do? If I learn nothing at all this year, (which is impossible, since I've already learned so much) at the very least I will know whether or not I want to pursue marketing for real.
Apart from dabbling in theoretical science, which is totally related to marketing, I have still been preparing for Business Symposium. Refining my resume, beginning a portfolio, and improving my professionalism have been the top three things I've done this week. Business Symposium is actually this upcoming Friday, and I will have the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of professionals and go through mock interviews. The upcoming week will probably be the toughest week yet, since it will be my first real experience with professional networking. Let the games begin.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
We all know that the first dimension is a line, the second dimension is any flat figure, and that the third dimension is an object. The fourth dimension is time itself. But what about the 5th dimension?
It has been said that the 5th dimension is the tesseract. Of course, this is completely theoretical. The tesseract is a funky concept. If you imagine all of time as a string, and you place a tiny person on one end of the string and ask her to walk to the other end, it would take forever (literally). But if you take the string and touch the two ends together, then the tiny person can just hop on over to the end of time. Or to any point in time, wherever you've made the string touch. That's the tesseract: bending time (and probably space).
So what does this have to do with ISM? Well, ISM is sort of like a tesseract. Through my research, I can take little, temporary hops to the future and see what it might be like to work in the marketing field. I don't have a time machine, but I do have research interviews. This past week, I have had the opportunity to interview 2 professors at Southern Methodist University, both very experienced and very skilled in their marketing subdivision. They were able to provide me with invaluable insight and information, not only about marketing, but also about what college courses I should take, what options I have that are related to marketing, and life advice in general.
Because of this experience, I was able to form a clearer picture of what it could look like for future me in the marketing field. Hence, a small time-hop. Mentally, through what I learned from my research interviews, I can place my own tiny person at a future point in time and consider, is this really what I want to do? If I learn nothing at all this year, (which is impossible, since I've already learned so much) at the very least I will know whether or not I want to pursue marketing for real.
Apart from dabbling in theoretical science, which is totally related to marketing, I have still been preparing for Business Symposium. Refining my resume, beginning a portfolio, and improving my professionalism have been the top three things I've done this week. Business Symposium is actually this upcoming Friday, and I will have the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of professionals and go through mock interviews. The upcoming week will probably be the toughest week yet, since it will be my first real experience with professional networking. Let the games begin.
Until next time,
Eileen Bau
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)