Clown of the billionaires

You probably have seen clowns in your life while you were laughing in a circus tent. But if you were asked if clowns can change the world what would you answer? Probably you wouldn't believe in ordinary clowns with super power. Sounds ludicrously? I'd like to introduce you Mr. Guy Laliberte, a man called the clown of the billionaires.

He was born in 1959 in Canada and as a young boy he was taken by his parents to Ringling Brothers and to the Barnum & Bailey Circus show, and he just fell in love with the circus. It's how he started dreaming about becoming a circus star. He started as accordion player, stilt walker and fire-eater, finally founding out his own business – Circus du Soleil in 1984.

He started with a small group of talented artists and his friend - Daniel Gauthier. Quite original was the fact that Laliberte quit engaging animals into shows and every next show was amazingly created with theatre and artistic casing.

Originally Cirque du Solei was prepared for one-year project – a Holiday Festival – supported by the government on the occasion of Canada's 450th anniversary, but after a great success the government wanted Laliberte to show performances in other parts of the country. During that time Gilles Ste-Croix assisted him and from their cooperation a phrase appeared that Lalibere became the father of Cirque du Soleil, and Ste-Croix is the grandfather.

Since that time this Circus have been seen by more than 90 million people worldwide and its popularity grows each year.


The name „Cirque du Soleil” means circus of the sun. Laliberte came up with this idea being in Hawaii and observing their culture. He was inspired how Hawaiian people and their interpretation of the sun. He realised that he understands a spirit of circus just like they see the sun, and it is contained in two words which are „energy” and youth”.

The organization performs on five continents using mobile cirques. Of course they have stationary circus too, however if you want to see the show, you should buy a ticket a few years earlier.

One of the element of their show is „The Wheel of Death” - one of the most dangerous and spectacular circus machine.



After success Laliberte didn't turn into the ordinary entrepreneur, but he participated in the creation of every Cirque du Soleil show.

Laliberte became also the first Canadian space tourist, which cost him around 35 billion dollars, but it wasn't just a pleasure trip. This space flight was aimed to focus people’s awareness and eyes of the world on world water issues, poverty and organisations that help people, just like (his own) OneDrop Foundation or Oxfam.
He connected with 14 countries that time. He called this 120-minute performance a „poetic social mission” in space, which surely was a big event.



What does he do in the meantime? He founded an anti-poverty One Drop Foundation as I mentioned before, which cares about access to water in the poorest parts in the world. He has already donated over 100 million dollars.

„Dreams can come true, if we all engage in their creation, our will, energy and creativity. One drop, one step, we all can change the world” - says Laliberte and as we can see on his example, we can.

He is working with James Cameron to produce 3-dimensional motion picture, cooperating with Reebok in fitness program called „Jukari Fit to Fly”, and works on the project „Safewalls” which is an affair with artists.

Guy Laliberte doesn't want to retire his artistic life and prepares a lot of projects for the future, for example Cirque du Soleil is developing its third show based on music of Michael Jackson on October 2011.

At the end I'd like you to see the short show „Alegria” which means „joy”:



What do you think about Guy Laliberte?
Do you like circus or maybe you are afraid of clowns?
How did you like the „Algeria” show?


You can read and watch more here:

Here you can read more about types of shows in Cirque du Soleil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Cirque_du_Soleil
http://www.onedrop.org/en/foundation/guy-laliberte-dream.aspx
I reccomend their official homepage: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/welcome.aspx
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/theatre/story/2009/10/01/f-guy-laliberte-backgrounder.html
http://www.onedrop.org/en/default.aspx
http://www.safewalls.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lalibert%C3%A9
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cirque+du+soleil&aq=0

April Fools Day

April Fool’s Day is quite popular and celebrated by many countries so probably everyone has heard about it and recognizes it as a day full of jokes. But have you ever considered who started it and what is exactly April Fool’s Day for?

The beginning is uncertain but beliefs say it started in the sixteenth century, around 1582 in Europe as an side effect of introducing new calendar called the Gregorian Calendar by Charles IX. As a result January 1st became the first day of the year. But many people didn't hear about it, others didn't want to accept changes and they were continuing to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1st. This is the reason why there were called fools and they became the victims of several jokes just like invitations for fake parties or stumble across salt in the sugar box. There are other sources that say April Fools' Day comes from pre-Christian times, when the first day of May was the sign of coming summer, time to treat the plants and those who were doing it prematurely; they were called „April fools”.

After playing trick the fool should say „April Fool”. It's a signal for a victim who realizes the true. Generally the whole celebration is done in the sense of humor and doesn't accept any true harm, so we should be careful in our hoaxes although the stranger joke is the better joke. Success is achieved if our victim falls in joke even for a moment.

But in several countries April Fool’s Day may look different. For example: In Mexico it is celebrated in December 28. In England jokes are played only till midday. Moreover that day requires special vocabulary. For example if you are fool you are called 'gob', but a trick can be also played on you, in that situation you are a noodle. In France this day is called a fish and regular hoax is to send friends a present made up in the form of the fish. In Scotland this day is called Gowkie Day or Hunt the Gowk and it lasts for 48 hours. Our Polish „prima aprilis” is from Latin, which obviously means April First. Various hoaxes are prepared by people, the media (which sometimes cooperate to make the "information" more official) and even public institutions.

That was history and culture part, but now we can go to a more pleasant thing: jokes.

The typical jokes include setting every clock in the house in the wrong time, putting toothpaste between the sides of cookies ect. but I picked out for you the 7 biggest jokes I liked from the worlds list:

1. Alabama Changes the Value of Pi

On Aprils 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter you could read an information that the Alabama State legislature decided in democratic voting to change the value of pi from 3,14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3,0. Alabama legislature ended getting hundreds of calls from people protesting against this change.

2.The Left-Handed Whopper

Also in 1998 Burger King announced the information of a new sandwich in their offer: Left-Handed Whooper especially created for 32 million of left-handed Americans. The Whopper included the same ingredients as the original one, they were only rotated about 180 degrees. The best thing is that a lot of people requested that kind of sandwich, and the others were ordering normal Whoppers „their own right handed version”.

3. The Derbyshire Fairy

Lebanon Circle Magic posted on March 2007 a few pictures of an 8-inch mummified creature resembling a fairy! Accompanying article explained the creature has been found by a man walking along an old road in Derbyshire. Text and images spread fast around the internet and portal received a lot of mails and even more visitors on their page. Next day the author and owner of the site – Dan Baines confessed to reporters and his followers that was a hoax and the creature was made by himself, but even after he said the truth, he continued to receive numerous emails from enthusiasts of little fairy.

4. Big Ben Goes Digital

The BBC reported that Big Ben was going to be changed for a digital version. The British were shocked and BBC ended getting loads of mails and calls from angry people. Can you imagine digital Big Ben?

5. YouTube... 100 years old.

You could feel shocked using YT this year on Aprils First, because all films were changed with special filter making them to look and sound older.

6. World of End Tomorrow

On March 31, 1940 people could read horrible information, as the Franklin Institute announced - the world would end the next day. The radio station KYW seized on the information and started to spread panic with such a message: "Your worst fears that the world will end are confirmed (...) the world will end at 3 P.M. Eastern Standard Time tomorrow. This is no April Fool joke.(...)"
The reaction was immediate and history spread around people. The author of the joke – William Castellini was the Institute's press agent and he „just” intended to use the fake information to show his new book at the institute titled „How Will the World End?”. After this cause, the Institute dismissed Castellini.

7. Introducing Gmail Motion

And 5 from Poland this year:

1. Nobel Prize in Literature for Jaroslaw Kaczynski...

...for report about Poland – 116 pages of deep analysis.

link: http://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/1,103087,9359855,PO__Kaczynski_do_literackiego_Nobla__Za__Raport_o.html

2. Our president shaved his moustache!

Because his wife ordered him to do it. Info from http://www.fakt.pl/Komorowski-bez-wasow-zona-kazala-mu-zgolic,artykuly,100087,1.html

3. Malysz will play in.. Ranczo

Our popular Adam will play in a special episode of Ranczo – Polish series. It is the news from se.pl, source: http://www.se.pl/seriale/ranczo-adam-malysz-zagra-w-serialu_178363.html

4. Our government will fight against... sugar pirates!

Minister of agriculture announced that he will fight against illegal plantation of while beets . He said that illegal farmers should be aware of consequences like destroying crops, forfeit and even jail since money from selling sugar can be used to financing terrorism and he announced strict controls in sugar factories.

News from http://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Rzad-bedzie-walczyl-z-piractwem-cukrowym-2307699.html

5. Teleportation became a reality.

As TP S.A announced – in Orange Labs in Issy-les-Moulineaux, after three years of research scientists were able to accomplish first teleportation in the history. They have sent 50 cent coins between two special portals.
http://www.blog.tp.pl/korporacyjny/entry/teleportacja_sta%C5%82a_si%C4%99_faktem

Do you know any cool jokes perfect for April Fools' Day, what is your favorite one?

Do you like this holiday or you would like to stop it ?

Which joke from presented ones you liked the most?

What pranks do you consider inappropriate?

More:
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/April_Fools_Day_-_Origin/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools%27_Day
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

X-treme sports Part 1/3

Hi everyone,
I would like to tell you about extreme sports.
What are they?Why do people practice them?
How does it affect them?

So let's start from the beginning, ie from the definition. As there is
no clear definition we will use the definition used by the insurance
companies:"The extreme sports are considered to be the disciplines that require
extraordinary skills, courage and ability to cope in very risky, often
life-threatening conditions."source: http://www.ergohestia.pl/_items/owu/owu-hp-2042.pdf

Insurers list extreme sports such as:
bungee jumping, BASE jumping, caving, sports aviation (except sports
balloon, parachuting and paragliding), mountain biking, motocross,
riding jet skis, motor boat racing.

At this point many of you are probably wondering what is so "extreme"
in mountain biking for example, or why other sport fields such as ski
jumping and diving have not been mentioned.

The answer is simple, insurance companies classify them as high-risk
sports, but not extreme. It only means that when practicing these
sports less fatal accidents take place and people could be less
harmed. But does this mean that they are easier or less spectacular?
Of course not!

According to the popular definition, there are much more extreme
sports. Some even consider playing poker as one, because like other
disciplines it requires skills and can provide a lot of adrenaline
especially when high stakes are involved.

In the next part, I will present some interesting sports and their
main representatives. But I will not list all categories classified as
extreme sports.

Why?
The reason is simple - there are too many! In addition, the rate of
their creation and the rate of development of existing ones are so
great that even in this very minute a new extreme sport might be
created!
We already know roughly what we're dealing with, let's consider now
why people are risking their lives and health?

In the name of what?

What is the objective pursued by them?

Extreme sports have been admired ever since, because they deliver
excitement and adrenaline to the viewers of all ages. Even when being
a child, a person feels the need to catch attention, to be admired, to
impress others, to gain self-fulfillment . If we were talking about a
normal sport I would add that above it all comes health, but in this
case, it probably does not work ...Another reason is a longing for adventure, and ....

Nowadays people do not climb the trees to find a shelter from the
tiger and not worry about catching something to eat, we lack an

ADRENALINE!

adrenaline. For most people, the adrenaline is associated with
unpleasant stress during a job interview or during the exam.
However, ask anyone who has experienced a great adventure such as,
parachute jumping, rafting or flying in the air on a motorcycle doing
most extraordinary acrobatic movements.

Everyone (some after a while) will tell you it was great!

Personally, I was afraid of heights. Last year I was rock climbing in
Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska to learn to climb with the bottom
assurance. I was scared as hell but I overcame that fear and I can
assure you - I have never felt happier and more alive in my whole
life!


Extreme Sports surround us and they have become an integral part of
mass culture. Most obvious examples are the festivals organized by Red
Bull ( X-Fighters), ski jumping that was popularized by our Adaś and
F1 races which have gained recognition due to Robert. Extreme Sports
appear in the advertisements (eg MountainDew), on the streets
(skateboards, roller skates, bmx-y), on holidays - seaside
windsurfing, kitesurfing, snowboarding in the mountains.

Extreme sports have become an integral part of our lives.
Some might say at this point:




"Yes, but it is only for youth, older people are not doing anything
like that at all."
Nothing could be more incorrect!
Well, trips to PaintBall, rafting or hiking combined with elements of
rock climbing have become popular in companies. This form of active
rest integrates a group and forms close bonds of trust and
partnership.

Next time I will present you the titans of extreme sports, people which most of you should known. I will introduce to you the gods among men, who reached the sky!

Unexplained Mysteries

Everyone likes mystical and dark histories, especially when they are real and we can't explain them rationally.
A lot of people can just look at us like on lunatics and find out semi-realistic explanation but it only ruins mood and our joy from telling this stories. There are plenty of them, but in my first part of presentation I'd like toshow you some of them. Let's start!


Disappearing Lake

In Patagonia, Chile, there was a big lake. It had about 5 miles. Nothing special. But one day, on May 2007 it just disappeared. Just. Only a 30 meter deep pit was left. Last time a geologist was checking this lake on March and nothing seemed wrong with it. What happened during 2 months to make from lake a tiny stream? It was shocking. There were suggestions about an earthquake which drained the lake but there were no reports of any earthquakes. UFO enthusiasts didn't wait and concluded that a spaceship drained the water, but the problem is it is unsolved to this day.



Fish Falls

The phenomenon was observed in Ethiopia in the year 2000 where millions of fish fell from the sky. Shocking
was the fact some of them were alive! It created panic amongst religious people. Unfortunately it was extremely hard for scientists to explain this case. They had a theory that tornado or storm lift fishes from the ponds and took them away, but it was a weak explanation because at most times it only rains there. The Case is still not solved.






Crop Circles

Quite a popular cause. People divide into three groups: first group believe it's work of UFO, second group doesn't believe the first group, and the third one which doesn't care at all.

But the thing is interesting. Crop circles have been observed in almost all parts of the world since 1990s. People who don't believe say it is a manmade show and effect of their experiments. But how can we know?





Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's triangle is an area of water in the North Atlantic Ocean in
which a large number of planes and boats have gone missing in mysterious circumstances.

Popular culture has connected these disappearances to the paranormal or activity by extraterrestrial beings.
One explanation pins the blame on technology leftover from the mythical lost continent of Atlantis but these
are supernatural explanations. When we look at natural or scientific explanation it looks different. There are a few theories like powerful hurricanes, human error, rogue waves, gulf stream, deliberate acts of destruction or
compass variations.

Atlhough people made a lot of ideas and did many researches there is still no answer for this unusual number of
disappeared planes in this area.




Faces of Belmez
Can you see faces at these pictures? They are not acts of arts of some begging artist, but forms that have
appeared in Pereira family home for twenty years! They have different expressions and arriving time. They also
disappear after some time! Investigations discovered human body from under the house, but even exhumation didn't stop face trips.






Raining Blobs

1994 year. Oakville in Washington. Instead of refreshing rain, people were witnesses of gelatinous blobs falling
from the sky. After that inhabitants of the small town started to develop flu-like symptoms. But one smart
guy sent a sample of the blobs for testing. What was surprising, the blobs contained human white blood cells.
After further analysis they discovered two types of bacteria, one from human digestive system. But they still didn't solve the problem and blobs became a great mystery. No one can tell the connections to the mysterious sickness....




Have you enjoyed these stories?

How you could explain some of these mysterious?

Do you know any cool stories like these ones (but real)?



You can read more here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6225676.stm

http://listverse.com/2010/01/14/10-more-enigmas-that-defy-explanation/

http://www.horizontalimage.com/2010/11/29/10-unexplainable-mysteries-of-the-world/

http://listverse.com/2008/11/17/10-more-mysteries-of-the-unexplained/

http://www.dailycognition.com/index.php/2008/03/13/top-20-unsolved-mysteries.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_triangle

Mind Trics: Walt Dysney Creativity Strategy

People who knew Walt Disney said that there were actually three Disneys: the dreamer, the realist and the critic. The problem was however, that you never knew who of those three you would see at the meeting.

Walt Disney’s strategy of creativity was developed by Robert Dilts, one of the co-authors of Neuro Linguistic Programming. Fallowing the methodology of NLP cold ‘modeling’ Dilts made a behavioral model of unconscious thought processes of the creator of Mickey Mouse.

To learn this model you need to find three different places in which you will be using a different mindset. Three different places and three different mindsets are the most important key factor of this process.

Instructions

1. Dreamer

If you want to try out Disney’s strategy of creativity, find some nice place where you can fully become a dreamer. Find that favorite chair, sofa, or a coffee shop. The place should have some open space that allows you to forget about work, responsibilities and obligations. Let this be a space reserved just for moving into a dream world, free from the rational and critical thinking, which you can do somewhere else. Great artists are often called visionaries. This is because they think using images, they see in their mind pictures of things they want to create. Likewise, create a big, colorful pictures and watch them closely. When you are done dreaming will move to a different place with a different emotional state.

2. Realist

Sit at your desk or a place in which you usually work and become a realist. Focus on how to put in action what you imagined in the previous step. This step deals with the practical issues, try to divide the project into simple steps and analyze how to perform them. When you have finished you can go to a different place to enter a different emotional state.

3. Critic

As before, you should find a suitable place, which will be different from previous steps. When you become a critic, you focus on how to avoid making a fool of yourself. Analyze if that idea, the investment is good for you. The critic state is necessary to prevent you from taking the wrong decision, your responsibility is to ensure your safety. When you change into a critic you should check everything from the beginning till the end, paying attention to the weak elements and predicting what could go wrong. Reviewing the consequences and side effects. When you criticize elements of the project, remember that you are making it better. When the critic is satisfied you can go to a different place to enter a different emotional state.

4. Dreamer

Return to the space reserved for the dreamer. See how the modifications made by the realist and the critic changed your original idea. Will you achieve what you wanted to achieve when you first thought about it? What do you think about it now? Test as it looks. If something you like is missing or needs to look another way, apply relevant amendments. When you are done, move to the place of a the realist.

5. Realist

Include the corrections made in the previous step of the way of their implementation. When finished, go to the place of a critic.

6. Critic

Is there anything still to be improved. Think it over, again pay attention to all possible eventualities.

Repeat steps 4, 5, 6 until the dreamer, the realist and the critic are satisfied.

7. Combine it all now. You worked as three different people. Now please combine it all together. This can be done going through these three places in which you worked.

Now, you can turn your dream into reality.

World of Silence – Deaf Movies

Every day we watch many movies with sounds, music, talking, but what happens if you see a film in which there is only sign language and a little bit music? Would you turn it off or switch to other movies with the sound in it? Do not do it. Try to watch these movies. They'll show true life of deaf. It may be interesting. Why? Because you know, life in the World of Silence looks different from life in the World of Sound.

Movies about deaf are popular in USA, but in Poland – no. Why?

I think because the people who can hear know little or nothing at all about the disabled people and exactly the World of Silence. People know about some disabled: physically disabled, blind, mentally ill, but what about deaf? They don't know much about them.

Now I'll present to you some movies about deafness and deaf people:

CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOOD, USA

This is a romantic-drama film about hard love between speech teacher and deaf woman. It shows that they can be together despite the difficulties, barriers...

Through deaf eyes , USA

Documentary movie tells the story of deaf culture in USA from the 19^th century to present.

DEAF LIFE, POLAND

"Deaf Life" is based on two major themes. The first one illustrates the problems faced by people affected by the dysfunction: isolation from the world of sounds, lack of understanding, sometimes scornful laugh ... The second topic of hearing proves that the lack of hearing does not constitute a barrier to their success, even dance.

SEE THE SILENCE, POLAND

Kasia is a sensitive teenager who dreams of becoming an actress. This is her story,which is the main theme of the new web series Fri: "See the silence. " The show presents her relationship with the family, contacts with peers, his first love. Actors do not use words, but are fluent in sign language.

And now please tell us your impressions after watching the trailers of the above films. What do you think is the difference between "normal" movies, except that the main language is sign language?

Word of mouth: Threats/Opportunities PART 3/3

As the last part of my presentation I would like to point out that although WOMM seems to have no weaknesses, it might sometimes give an opposite, to expected, result. Using WOMM may seem easy, a company just has to create a topic for discussion and the customers will do the rest themselves. Well it is basically true, but one has to remember that customers might not always react in the way a company would like them to. It is very important to use WOMM in a right way as it works every time either in companies’ favour or not.

The bad effect on the image of the company may have the unethical WOMM practices.
Nowadays customers are very sensitive and don’t like to be bothered by false information. Faking WOMM is not only ineffective but also unethical. Many marketers reject all tactics leading to deception, dishonesty or manipulation.

There are certain WOMM strategies that are considered unethical. Word of Mouth
Marketing Association as unethical lists these bellow:

• Spam - Sending bulk or unsolicited email or other messages without clear, voluntary permission.
• Comment spam - Using automated software ('bots') to post unrelated or inappropriate comments to blogs or other online communities.
• Shilling - Paying people to talk about (or promote) a product without disclosing that they are working for the company; impersonating a customer.
• Stealth marketing - Any practice designed to deceive people about the involvement of marketers in a communication.
• Defacement - Vandalizing or damaging property to promote a product.
• Falsification - Knowingly disseminating false or misleading information.
• Infiltration - Using fake identities in an online discussion to promote a product; taking over a web site, conversation, or live event against the wishes or rules set by the proprietor.

Source: www.womma.org

Many of you probably have come across some of the unethical WOMM strategies. I personally hate getting spam to my e-mail.

What are your thoughts about unethical WOMM practices?
How often are you bothered by them?
Do they influence your attitude towards the company and its product?

Japan is a REALLY strange country!

So... Now I'll present some interesting things about Japan, because I'm a Japan-maniac ;) My interest in Japan began when I was barely eight year old. And since then I have collected everything related with Japan. I really LOVE everything from the Country of Cherry Blossoms! Well... almost everything ;)

There are some strange things that are normal in Japan, but for Europe and USA not so!

Vending machine

In the picture above there is a vending machine. Why is this so different? Well… they are everywhere. Within a 3 minute walk I'll see at least 4. Some are sneaky and are hiding around the corner. Some have hot and cold drinks. I’ve even seen one of that vending machine sell regular size + large size drinks for the same price.

Some even make noises and it makes me feel that they’re taunting me. You can get coffee, tea, soda, juice and I haven’t looked but I wouldn’t be surprised if you could get soup and milk.

Umbrella machine

This is the same thing as vending machine, but... you can buy an umbrella when it's a rainy day and you just don't have an umbrella with. Now very popular are transparent umbrellas ;) I've one at home, I brought it a souvenir ;) Interesting, duh! BUT! Everything is available via vending machines: Drinks, hot drinks, hot food, t-shirts, used underwear, alcohol, cigarettes, toys, porn, and who knows what else...

Weird, but cute bentos boxes

Bento - is a meal in which a single portion is packaged. This is usually bought at a convenience shop, but it seems that the lunch prepared by a housewife for her husband or children to take with also qualifies.

Necktie USB Air Conditioning

http://www.thanko.jp/product/usb/cool/usbnecktie.html/

If someone works in a building without air conditioning, or the AC breaks down at some point they may appreciate this thanks to a product: It’s an USB-powered necktie that cools down with a built-in fan. Interesting... and crazy!

Sushi- the Japanese tradition.

http://www.joemonster.org/filmy/7123/Sushi_japonska_tradycja

This is pretty damn funny video showing how you should act in the Japanese sushi restaurant ;) I laughed really hard!!!

Boyfriend Pillow

Marriage is unfashionable for Japanese women. But of course they still like the comfort of a relationship. Even when they don’t have one. Enter an inventive product: The Boyfriend’s Arm Pillow. It’s the ultimate sleeping partner: It doesn’t snore, doesn’t make demands, is comfortable, and, as happy customer Junko Suzuki put it: “It keeps holding me all the way through. I think this is great because this does not betray me.” For me it's a strange idea...

And finally I present a 12 minutes video “Japan – The strange country” about Japan, it covers everything from strange cultural mores to equally strange economy. An interesting thing about it is the fact that the creator of caricature was Kenichi Tanaka, real Japanese! And he says: "By the way, please don't call me a racist, because I am one of short, small eyes Japanese." His motivation in creating the piece was to show a Japanese audience how strange they're to foreigners (UE and USA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo2EBGVEsvk&feature=player_embedded

I hope you enjoyed!

I encourage you to comments and exchange information!

Word of mouth: Viral and Buzz Marketing PART 2/3

Although there are many types of WOMM in my presentation I would like to focus on two of them which are Viral and Buzz Marketing.

What are they and how do they work?

Buzz marketing involves an original, often wacky idea that is meant to generate publicity. It becomes more and more popular as traditional advertising just doesn’t get customers’ attention anymore. It becomes very challenging for marketing specialists to get customers to notice their advertisements. Consumers are getting better in avoiding commercials as there are too many of them all around. Buzz marketing has been created to get customers’ attention in an unconventional way.

Here is an example of buzz marketing created by one of the insurance companies.

And another one, many of you might have seen it as it took place in Warsaw. TVN created it in order to advertise a new series being released. There were several cars placed all over the city, all had the same writing on them with a telephone number. When one called the number, the voice informed that if you want to find out whether Adam found his dream girl you need to watch “Usta Usta”.

Here are the links to a few more examples of this type of marketing:

• Billboard and outdoor ads (1)
• Billboard and outdoor ads (2)
  
• Billboard and outdoor ads (3)
• Billboard and outdoor ads (4)

As far as viral marketing is concerned the way it works may be similar to buzz marketing although it is a little bit different.

The purpose of viral marketing is to create a content (often in the internet) that causes so many emotions that customers just can’t help themselves not to share it with others. Companies often release interesting videos on YouTube, share funny pictures.

For example TP S.A. released a video that is a parody of its competitors – Netia -
commercial. Probably many of you have seen it because some of your friends (as mine have) might have posted it on their facebook walls.

Here is the Netia commercial:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeS75NoIhEs

and here is the TP parody:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYq-RJKk9YI
  

Here are a few more examples of viral marketing videos, that some of you might have come
across earlier if not I encourage you to watch them.

• Jingle Bears - Save Santa!
• AXE Virtual Hair Action
• Skittles Touch: Cat
• A hunter shoots a bear!
  

The questions I would like to ask you at the end of this part of my presentation are:

1. Have you come across any types of viral or buzz marketing?
2. Have you ever spread virals? (e.g. via fb)
3. Do you find this types of marketing effective? If so, what makes them effective?
   

Word of mouth: introduction PART 1/3

As we are exposed to advertising in more and more different and surprising ways, in my presentation I would like to pay attention to one of (in my opinion) most interesting types of marketing – the Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM).Before showing you what WOMM is and how it works, I would like you to answer a few questions:

• How do you look for information about the product you have never used?

• Whose judgment do you rely on most?

Research shows that 95% of customers’ choice of a product is based on an opinion of someone they know who has tried the product themselves.
Source: www.kevinharrington.com

You may ask what it has to do with WOMM? Simple, this is what WOMM is based on. WOMM is a kind of marketing that uses the fact that people like to take others’ advice before buying a product. WOMM is what people do every day unintentionally. Naturally when we went to a restaurant and enjoyed time spent there we often tell our friends about it, we encourage them to try it too. Or if you see a good movie you often recommend it to your friends. That is what WOMM is all about.

The purpose of WOMM is not to create opinions. It’s to make customers happy with a product and create opportunities to share this happiness with their surroundings. An important part of WOMM is reaching influential individuals, trendsetters, people on whose decision others rely on the most, and convince them that the product the company is selling meets their needs perfectly. Once a company does that, the rest happens naturally, people talk to each other and share their opinions about products they’ve used recently. Techniques that WOMM uses are based on consumer satisfaction, and that’s what makes it so
successful.

The basic elements of WOMM are:

• Educating people about the products and services
• Finding people most eager to share their opinions
• Providing tools making sharing information easier
• Studying how, where, and when customers share opinions
• Listening and responding to supporters, detractors, and neutrals.

Source: www.womma.org

At the end of this part I would like to ask you:

1. What do you think about this type of marketing?
2. Do you think it is effective?
3. Have you ever bought anything or gone somewhere influenced by WOMM?
   
   

World of Silence – deaf people. Part One.

There are always the sounds around us, from birth we are accompanied by different kinds of sounds. The barking of dogs, talking people, music... Can you imagine complete silence? There aren't any sounds, not higher or lower sounds, it's nothing!

Have you ever tried to cover your ears and stand all day without sounds? I bet you didn’t. You live with these sounds and they create you.

But there is a World of Silence next to your World of Sound! In the silence there live deaf people, the hearing impaired, hearing loss and deaf. They spend their whole life in silence, from birth until death.

And now, a small medical explanation of deafness: it is a complete inability to receive sounds. It can be congenital, acquired or genetic.

Congenital deafness - may be caused by, among others: the mother's disease during pregnancy (especially in the first 12 weeks of gestation), and toxic factors damaging the fetus (such as drugs, stimulants) and hormonal disorders.

Acquired deafness - caused by mechanical injuries arising during childbirth. It also causes factors in the further development, including: acute or chronic ear disease, infectious diseases, diseases of high fever (meningitis), antibiotics, chemical injury, mechanical and mental.

Genetic Deafness / Hereditary - when deafness occurred previously in other family members and depends on specific genes.

I'm deaf; I have very deep hearing loss in both ears, which was genetically caused. This strange thing because nobody in my family for several generations back had no hearing loss or was deaf. Doctors explained to me that I might have received the defective gene from my parents. I can "hear" sounds with hearing aids. I can normally communicate with people only through a long and exhausting speech and hearing rehabilitation. It took me almost 20 years before I learned to communicate so that hearing people think I'm just like them, but in reality I am not. This sometimes makes funny situations :)

Deaf can't hear sounds that is why they don't hear the speech, but they have their own language for communication, which is sign language, also called the language of butterflies, because it is very beautiful, full of dynamism and life as well as elusive.

Sign language has its own characters corresponding to the words. Sign language has its own individual grammar which is different from any other spoken languages and is the visual-spacious language. In Poland there are two sign languages: PJM - Polish Sign Language (PJM is from “Polski Język Migowy”) and SJM - System Sign Language (SJM is from “System Językowo-Migowy”).

What is the difference between the two languages? The first is the natural language of the deaf, it is a visual- spacious language, and the second is an artificial language which has most characters from PJM, but the grammar of the Polish language. I know that can be somewhat confusing.

Below I’ll show a couple of links to PJM signs:

PJM finger alphabet if someone wants you can learn it ;)

about grammar PJM i SJM with subtitles

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a short PJM lesson

It might be interesting that in Poland in most provinces PJM is slightly different, and that is because the deaf continuously introduce new signs into their language. Later they distribute them at meetings, conferences, events and similar actions. Additionally, each country has its own sign language. You could say that there are as many sign languages as there are spoken ones. You'd probably be wondering how deaf people from different countries can communicate along? Fortunately, there is ISL, which allows you to communicate practically with all deaf in other countries, even China and Japan!

Now I will tell you briefly about savoir-vivre of the deaf, which can be in handy in the future if you get along with deaf:

-speak calmly, slowly and clearly, because some of the deaf can read the movements of the lips. --Stand in front of deaf people that show your lips. DO NOT cover the mouth, DO NOT turn away from a deaf person, DO NOT talk with pursed lips, DO NOT speak too fast because they might not understand you! Communication is MOST important!

-but if you don't understand it enough have a sheet of paper ready and a pen or write in a cell phone in the box at SMS.

-being in the room it is best to be in good light source, because they will see your lips or will be able to read in good light.

-or talk to you through an interpreter

If you knew this basis, the deaf will be very grateful to you for facilitating communication:)

Below there are a few humorous images of the website http://www.thatdeafguy.com/ related to the Deaf savoir-vivre :)

for the rest I am inviting you to look at the link above! I really recommend it!

And the Polish sites view this website http://www.szok-art.blogspot.com/ Leads it a deaf artist :)

Although the deaf can't hear, but many can achieve many things in different areas. At work, the arts, and even in music and dance. I'm not kidding! They are deaf dancers, singers and DJ's. In the Polish version “You can dance” a deaf boy: Damian Piasek was participating in the elimination. In German edition of You Can Dance the third place won a deaf dancer: Tobias Kramer. Here is a link to his performance at the YCD: http://www.clipfish.de/special/supertalent/video/3425342/der-gehoerlose-tobias-kramer-beim-supertalent-2010/

You may be wondering how they can "hear" music, you see they feel it by the vibration and rhythm! This is cool!

Deaf can also sing but in their sign language ;)

Just the way you are, song Bruno Mars, singing in BSL (British Sign Language) by deaf man

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Colors of the Wind, Edyta Górniak song, singing by deaf girl, Necia

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Signmark, The Letter

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Poker face, Lady Gaga song, hearing sang in BSL (British Sign Language)

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Party in the USA, song Miley Cyrus, singing in ASL (American Sign language)

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„Let's it will hear us”, deaf played on the drums

Below are some interesting links as well. Enjoy~!

Support Sign Language

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Deaf Childhood

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Is Your City... "Deaf-Friendly"?

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action „Sign with us”

And finally...

What it's like to be Hearing in a Deaf world.

In the end I'd like to invite you in my sign language, I wonder if you could understand :)

I encourage you to ask questions and comments!