GO PORTUGAL!!

Disclaimer: Yes.. I am a football fan and I scream and jump and cry when my team is on the field.

Being in Dubai and watching the world cup is not the same as in Portugal. There arent any balconies and windows with portuguese flags nor people honk their horns because Maniche scored or even all night long because we won. Also, I dont eat bifanas or eat snails (eheh.. yes we do eat them and they taste lovely) while drinking some beer and watching the game. And, almost forgot, not all newspapers have the national football team on the cover all month long (well, none has it...)

However, there is another "mystique" to it, another feeling that makes it all even more special. We have the World Cup games on our TV so we watch almost everygame.. we cheer for Argentina because of Romi, Australia bacause of Alex, Brazil because of everyone, Czechs because of Jana and Adriana, and the list goes on.. I guess I never saw that many international football games in my life.

Also, being far away, brings all the "saudades" feelings up to the surface... I have my flag on my living room, sing along the national anthem on the way to work, and I smile when the cameraman focus some nice "typical" portuguese (por outras palavras: o belo do tuga, o tuga rustico, com o garrafao na cabeca, o belo do pelo no peito e a barba por fazer... eheh. lindos!!) during the match. And of course, having great friends that send me pics like this are priceless. Thanks Ciro!!

I have to admit that I couldnt come from anywhere else in the world.
GO PORTUGAL!!!

PS - My prayers are with the portuguese team. But it seems I am not the only one.. :)

Sony Bravia

If I was rich right now I would buy a nice Sony Bravia. Just like it.

(I am not, so I got myself a JVC)

Anyways, that is not the reason behind this story.

The other day I was on my way to the gym (for the first time in ages) and ended up stopping for a while in front of the window shop staring at my future nice Bravia TV.

And then.. I was struck in awe.. It seems that when you get your TV there are some complementary items coming with it.. And no, its not a Sony Digital Camera, or a nice branded watch... It is...

A sweat shirt, a mug and a sport bag!!! - "Of course", all made in China, with lauzy embroidery and printing.

So, I ask myself a question: Who do you target when you are coming up with a promotion like this?

I mean; if I am able to pay at least 10.000 Dhs for my TV, I am probably not the type of people that would exactly show off my new Sony Bravia Sweatshirt (especially if the embroidery is even worst than majority of my fake Gucci ones), right?!

After a long time of reflection only one (twisted) answer comes to my mind: Maybe it is a "customized" promotion. Maybe it is adapted to the country reality and society!!

Afterall, you might just want to share your happiness (directly resulting from the fact that you have now a top of the range TV) with your houseboy/maid/cleaner/office boy/gardener/ and give them a couple of freebies. "There you go... hope you like your Bravia mug! Cool stuff, hein? By the way.. the Porsche is already needing some cleaning".

Well, I am not a mkt guru as such, but there is something about this promotion that is just strange. Well, at least ,next time, get a little bit better quality sweat shirts and mugs. So that they go hand in hand with the quality product your are promoting/trying to sell and target the actual buyers.

Sometimes...

you just have to step up to your responsabilities and become more mature, even if not exactly planned that way:

Past weekend I had a husband and a blonde 12 year old daughter.

I have to admit I kind of enjoyed it.

Tomb Raider

No.. I havent become invisible forever or decided to leave this blog unattended.

But not having internet at home for a week does make it hard for blogging. Tried with the calculator and my new watch, but it didnt work.

Sorry, being random again. For those who didnt understand the joke (I do try to tell people that my humour is tipically portuguese, so that I have an excuse, but I guess most of them are starting to realise that it is more of an individual thing than anything else) I was kind of saying that I tried to blog through my calculator and my watch but it didnt work.

Anyways, just to say that I am alive and kicking and that in the interval of the World Cup euphoria, the last days of beach (as the weather is getting warmer) and lots of press releases to prepare I will try to write something soon, even if random.