The content provides more specific information on travel routes, places to see, things to do, and some of the Kiwi hospitality to be experienced along the way.

Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced a reorganization of its sales and marketing operations in a bid to woo more customers in areas such as artificial intelligence and the cloud by providing sales staff with greater technical and industry-specific expertise.

The company unveiled the steps in an email to staff Monday that was obtained by Bloomberg. Commercial sales will be split into two segments, one focused on the biggest customers and one for small and medium clients. Employees will be aligned around six industries: manufacturing, financial services, retail, health, education and government. They’ll focus on selling software in four categories: modern workplace, business applications, apps and infrastructure and data and artificial intelligence.

Microsoft is in a pitched battle with Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. for customers who want to move workplace applications and data to the cloud, as well as take advantage of advances in artificial intelligence.

The company, which has not overhauled its sales force in years, wants to tailor those teams better for selling cloud software rather than desktop and server solutions.

« There is an enormous $4.5 trillion market opportunity across our Commercial and Consumer businesses, » according to the email, which was sent by Worldwide Commercial Business chief Judson Althoff, global sales and marketing group leader Jean-Philippe Courtois and Chris Capossela, the company’s chief marketing officer.

The memo didn’t mention any job cuts. People familiar with the plan said last week that the changes will result in some job losses.

In the consumer and device sales area, the Redmond, Wash.-based company is creating six regions selling products such as Windows software and Surface hardware, Office 365 cloud software for consumers and the Xbox game console. The group will also focus on new areas such as the Internet of Things — a term used to describe Internet connections to home appliances and devices such as thermostats and burglar alarms — voice, mixed reality and artificial intelligence.

Microsoft will track metrics including large companies deploying Windows 10, sales of Windows 10 Pro devices and competition against Alphabet’s Chromebooks and Apple Inc.’s iPads.

Microsoft aims to expand its consumer business by creating « desire for the same creativity tools » that people have at work through Surface, Windows devices and Office 365, according to the memo.

« In addition, gaming is growing rapidly across all device types and is evolving to new scenarios like eSports, game broadcasting, and mixed reality content and we will drive growth in this category as well, » according to the memo.

Business on 07/04/2017

Entries open: 3 July 2017
Entries close: Midnight, 31 July 2017
Shortlist announced: Week of 18 September 2017
AMASA Gala Evening: 12 October 2017

The AMASA Awards exist to celebrate successful ‘all-rounder’ media campaigns; ones which are based on sound insights, underpinned by great ideas, followed through with perfectly executed strategy to achieve outstanding and measurable results – all the while celebrating innovation.

Once again we call to all media practitioners’ countrywide to show off their best work implemented between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017 in order to inspire the industry as a whole and give their media ideas and campaigns a longer shelf life. The renowned Roger Garlick Grand Prix will be awarded to the best work presented overall.

Please note: Your client’s approval for you to enter their campaign is essential. Please ensure one of your supporting documents is a signed letter of consent from the client for you to enter the campaign on their behalf.

The categories for the Amasa Awards include:

1. Best Trade Marketing
2. Best Pro Bono Campaign
3. Best Use Of A Small Budget (less than R150k)
4. Ignition Award for Students (students only)
5. Best Integrated Campaign: FMCG
6. Best Integrated Campaign: Transport
7. Best Integrated Campaign: B2B
8. Best Integrated Campaign: Financial
9. Best Integrated Campaign: Public Services
10. Best Integrated Campaign: Travel, Entertainment and Leisure
11. Best Integrated Campaign: Retail (includes e-commerce and QSR)
12. Best Integrated Campaign: Media
13. Best Integrated Campaign: Other Consumer Goods (including durables and telco)
14. Best Branded Content Campaign
15. Best Experiential/Event Campaign
16. Best Online Campaign
17. Best Social Media Strategy
18. Best Use of Mobile
19. Best Use of Technology/Data
20. Best Sponsorship
21. Best Contribution by a Media Owner
22. Best Tactical Use of Media (new category in 2017)

How to enter:

1. Please view the call to entry video at www.amasa.org.za/amasa-award/.
2. You can fill in the AMASA Awards entry form at www.amasa.org.za/amasa-award/.
3. Entry forms and supporting material will only be accepted in digital format.
4. For any further information about the AMASA Awards entry process, the ceremony as well as sponsorship opportunities, please email: Ilsa Grabe (moc.liamg@1ebargasli) or Sean Press (az.oc.aidemtcatnoc@namsserp).

Please note: we will accept a maximum of five supporting documents per entry, excluding the entry form. These include photographs, video, sound bytes or PDF documents or video to support your entry. (Only up to 2MB, anything larger should be sent via WeTransfer to moc.liamg@1ebargasli.)

Entrants are welcome to enter the same entry into various categories if they wish. Entrants are also encouraged to submit a supporting video entry to accompany their entry form but this is not a requirement.

Campaigns entered should be authentic, signed off by the respective client and entries should indicate how the campaign delivered on the quantifiable goals set and generated sound commercial results.

Cost to enter is R1,500 excluding VAT. All entries to be accompanied by proof of payment. (Banking details are on the entry form.)

Dates:

Entries are open 3 July and will close on 31 July.

After the closing date a judging panel led by industry representatives will shortlist the entries which will be announced in the week of 18 September 2017.

Final winners will be announced and celebrated at the AMASA Awards Gala Evening on 12 October.

Additional info on each category:

• Best Integrated Campaign (This will be by client category as per below):

Entries into this category must show that they utilised multiple types of media (two or more) in the creation of the campaign (e.g. screens, digital, outdoor, etc.). Entries will be judged on how well they have integrated the chosen media types throughout the campaign, and must demonstrate how successfully the different formats complement and build on each other to communicate the brand’s overall message. Judges will be looking out for evidence of media neutral planning where the best insights and thinking has resulted in a media mix that demonstrates creativity, consistency of brand message and achievement of the client’s objectives. Please ensure to specify any third-party contributions on the entry submissions.

• Best Integrated Campaign: FMCG

Beer, wine, spirits, liqueurs, cocktails, tea, coffee, still and carbonated drinks, juices, mineral waters, chocolate, sweets, chewing and bubble gum, potato crisps, nuts, milk, yoghurt, ice cream, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, margarine and spreads, cakes, biscuits, desserts, sugar, jam, honey, peanut butter, bread, flour, baking ingredients, breakfast cereals, meats, fish, seafood, soups, delicatessen, fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta, sauces, oils, spices, herbs, pre-cooked and prepared meals, baby foods and milk, detergents, cleaning products, air fresheners, insecticides, foil and other food packaging, light bulbs, batteries, paint, varnish and wood protectors adhesives, tools, garden tools, pet food and pet care products, soap, shower and bath products, deodorants and body sprays, skin and nail care products, oral hygiene, toilet paper, tissues, nappies, shaving products, insect repellents, diet products, adhesive plasters, skin remedies, condoms, pregnancy tests, contact lenses, vitamins, alternative therapies and medicines virility drugs.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Transport

Cars, jeeps and four-wheel drives, pick-up trucks, vans, lorries, motorbikes, tyres, auto products and services, spare parts, accessories incl. in-car hi-fi, petrol stations, petrol, oil, breakdown and servicing companies, car dealerships, car finance and leasing.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Other Consumer Goods (including durables and telco)

House and garden furniture, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, cookers, microwaves, kitchen utensils, appliances and crockery, glassware bed and table linen, baths, showers and toilets, wall and floor coverings, televisions, camera, video cameras, film, hi-fi, personal stereos, CD players and MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players, personal phone equipment incl. mobile phones and smartphones, tablet computers, musical instruments, sports equipment, bicycles, boats and caravans, toys, board games, computer games, game consoles, home computers, clothing, footwear and accessories, sportswear, handbags, belts, luggage, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, spectacles.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Financial

Banks, building societies, credit cards, current and savings accounts, mortgages and loans, investment companies, health and building insurance, car insurance, pension and retirement plans, real estate investment, building development, road construction.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Public Services

Consumer telecommunication services, internet service providers, cable and satellite, TV providers, directories, Yellow Pages, postal services, electricity, gas, power and water companies, private education, private healthcare and clinics, optical, medical and dental services, prescription drugs, hearing aids, hospital aids, hospital and dental equipment, psychiatrists, sex therapists, plastic surgeons, etc.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Travel, Entertainment Leisure

Transport, travel and tourism, airlines, train and bus companies, cruise lines, travel agencies, tourist boards, hotels, resorts, city and bus company promotion, car hire, travel passes, leisure and theme parks, gyms, health and diet clubs, sporting events, music festivals, orchestras, exhibitions and shows, nightclub, bars, museums, art galleries, cinemas and theatres, golf and country clubs, lotteries and gambling.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Retail (includes e-commerce QSR)

Stores including home shopping, restaurants, fast food, department and specialist stores, supermarkets DIY stores, drugstores, opticians, hairdressers, beauty salons, laundry service, estate agents, photo-processors, TV, video and other rental stores, mail-order companies, online shopping and auctions.

• Best Integrated Campaign: Media

Newspapers, magazines and supplements, books, records, CDs and cassettes, DVDs and Blu-ray discs, TV and radio stations, networks and programmes, movies.

• Best Integrated Campaign: B2B

Business phone and computer equipment, office furniture and stationery, accountancy, conference and events services, business postal services, courier services, employment agencies, agriculture and manufacturing equipment.

• Best Branded Content Campaign

This category is about content creation and it open to all brands, agencies and production organisations that are dealing with brands in order to devise, create and distribute branded content. The work could be executed in the TV sector or within the online video market. It could be via publications or through apps. The work could be ‘native’ or exist as independent scalable content. Judges will be looking for content that fits with the brand strategy and addresses a clearly defined marketing challenge as well as having a ‘fit’ with the brand’s values. Judges will be looking for innovative creation of intellectual property (IP). How that content is leveraged – whether through licensing and rights selling or through engagement in social media, as evidenced by shares, likes or other engagement metrics will be an important ingredient for making your entry a winner. This is all about ‘owned’ media.

• Best Experiential/Event Campaign

This category recognises brands that deliver an experiential campaign for consumers via events, stunt advertising, guerrilla marketing, projections, and roadshows or through sponsorship of an existing events property. The experiential campaign will be physical in its core, but can have virtual angles around it.

• Best Online Campaign

This category is looking for entries that have understood and integrated themselves into the digital landscape. It covers all digital media, from web, mobile/app, blogs, IPTV, gaming and search through to affiliate marketing and is looking for great examples of interaction using digital media’s unique properties. Judges are looking for strong campaigns which successfully utilised digital media in a creative and innovative way and executed with high quality to promote the brand and brand message for its target audience.

• Best Social Media Strategy

This category rewards innovation in social media strategy. The winning campaign should be able to demonstrate great results in utilising social media. This could either take the form of a social media platform, an online initiative using existing or a new social networks, or finally, a campaign where an initial idea or experience and message is actively distributed and/or adapted by a participating key audience to positive brand effect using social channels. Entries will be judged on the creative use of social platforms and a sound understanding of online consumer behaviour and all entries should be backed up by substantive metrics that prove campaign success. Judges will be looking for examples of fantastic consumer-driven campaigns, community building, targeting, engagement and conversational marketing strategies.

• Best Use of Mobile

Innovative use of the mobile channel to reach and engage consumers is key in this category. Any form of mobile media will be considered, including mobile apps, .mobi sites, mobile content or any form of mobile advertising, provided they show how the advertiser has used mobile in a creative and engaging way to obtain great results on clear objectives.

• Best Use of Technology

Awarded to the campaign that is seen to exploit new technology to its full potential in the marketing world. The winning campaign will be able to demonstrate a good brand/technology fit and show innovation in the use of the new technology to reach an audience. This category is open to any existing media channel, and any new one created by the use of the technology. Judges will be focussing on the innovative nature of the technology and how it has been applied to a marketing challenge.

• Best Sponsorship

This category includes campaigns which include promotion of a brand’s value and position by going beyond traditional advertising channels, and utilising the generation of content, e.g. seamless integration of a product in a television programme, or advertiser-funded programming (AFP). This category is looking for examples that best utilise sponsorship as the major communication strategy. The judges will be looking for the part of the campaign owned by the agency that contributed most to the success of the sponsorship.

• Best Contribution by a Media Owner

This category recognises the efforts of media owners in their work with advertiser clients to connect with their audiences. Judges are looking for partner behaviour; creative application of ideas and innovative strategies. Entries will be judged on the level of creative thinking, consumer insight, and success for the client. The winning campaign could be a multi-platform strategy or a single marketing execution. The entering company must be the media owner.

• Ignition Award

The Ignition Awards is aimed at current students and rewards the best example of work submitted from media and advertising students.

• Best use of a Small Budget (less than 150k)

This category recognises the efforts around the most creative/far-reaching campaigns with shoe-string budgets. The judges are looking for ingenuity when it comes to getting clients the most bang for their buck!

• Best Pro Bono Campaign

This category honours outstanding campaigns that were developed on a pro bono basis – from environmental protection to wildlife conservation to child abuse, to road safety. The judges are looking for campaigns that have not only raised money but those which have publicised important issues.

• Best Trade Marketing Campaign

Primarily for media owners, Best Trade Marketing Campaign seeks to celebrate the exceptionally creative trade campaigns typically targeting media agencies and clients direct. Submissions will have to be clear on what the objectives of the campaign were and how they managed to achieve what they set out to do. Judges will be looking for originality, innovation and a clear understanding of how the execution linked back to the organisation’s media offering.

New!

• Best Tactical Use of Media

Entries for this category are for the tactical use of one media channel only. What the judges are looking for is the entrant’s capability to use innovative thinking to make one particular media channel stick out and deliver results for the client.

By: Allison Turner Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

With the growing trend of advertising on social media, it is rare to see a big business organization that does not make use of one social media platform or the other to promote their goods or services. Millions of businesses have resorted to the various social media platforms to reach out to their target clients or customers. Of all the available social media platforms, Instagram is great for stand-alone images and video under one minute.

Instagram, launched in 2010 by Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom, with a current membership of 700 million monthly active users is a very prominent platform due to its use of photos and video. The features of this social networking app allow you to make your account public or private.

Statistics have shown that 80 percent of Instagram users come from outside the United States making this a great platform for international marketing. Instagram is used by 31 percent of American women and 24 percent of American men; 28 percent of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram making it a great tool to market to the younger generation. The fashion consciousness in youth and the urge to keep up with what is in vogue makes Instagram appealing to them. Since they will be able to see the latest trends, what their fashion and music icons wear, they tend to become active members.

Over the years, visual marketing has proven to be a more effective method than oral or written ads. With the aid of good graphics messages are easily passed. The video clips have also proven very effective. Studies have shown that a good marketing video will convince prospective customer more than just mere writing. A short video can be used to pass messages at the same time as entertaining the viewer. Videos on Instagram get two times the engagement of photos making video one of the best ways to use your marketing dollars.

Obviously any Instagram user would have come across the use of hashtags on pictures or videos at one point or the other. Though some persons make use of hashtags for fun, businesses today use it to help brand and market their companies as well as to keep track of their brand through social media. Hashtags are shown to boost engagement; using just one hashtag boosts engagement 12.6 percent. The uses of hash-tags on Instagram have helped in making some businesses go viral and get nationwide attention. Look for what’s trending and get involved with the conversation through a hashtag. Once a person clicks on a hashtag, he automatically sees all public posts and uploads containing the hashtag. This helps to boost the visibility of a business.

Just like every other thing in life there is competition in business. Instagram, though popular isn’t the only platform available. Faced with this, Instagram added a Stories feature in 2016 similar to Snapchat’s, one of its major competitors. In releasing the Stories feature that allows users take multiple video clips or photos and thread them together, Instagram has successfully been able to keep its users from moving to its competitors thus retaining a huge user base. A huge user base means a huge market audience for marketing and this is good for business. When reviewing where your business focus needs to be in social media marketing, consider Instagram, a great visual platform reaching the younger generation and the International markets.

About Allison Turner

Allison Turner, a resident of Delray Beach, Florida, brings over 20 years of experience in a variety of industries where she honed her skills in management, customer service, event planning, marketing, and communication. At BCoSF, Inc, she brings her passion for creativity, finance and management to the company. Using her drive for perfection and time management skills that she learned as a Division I College Athlete, she brings consistency, focus and passion to her work with businesses. For more information, visit http://bcosf.com.

July 3 Incyte Corp

* Japan ministry of health, labor and welfare (mhlw) grants
marketing approval for olumiant® (baricitinib) for the treatment
of rheumatoid arthritis

* Incyte- ‍japan marketing authorization of olumiant
triggers $15 million milestone payment from lilly to co, which
co expects to recognize, in full,in q3 2017​
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Under the JOBS Act, small companies now have two methods of equity crowdfunding to raise millions of dollars in capital online from the general public. Unfortunately, most people think that all a company needs to do is post a cool video, some fancy graphics and some engaging text, and the investment money will start pouring in. Wrong.

As one of the foremost experts on crowdfunding, I have seen this time and again. When companies ask me why their equity crowdfunding campaign failed, the answer is nearly always the same — they did not market the offering correctly. Crowdfunding is not the « field of dreams. » Just because you build it, does not mean investors will come. Companies have to drive investors to their equity crowdfunding campaign with effective marketing.

Related: What We Can Expect for Equity Crowdfunding in the Year Ahead

Ever wonder why you looked at that gadget on Amazon, and for the next two weeks you are suddenly bombarded by ads for that gadget or similar products every time you are online? Welcome to the wonders of digital advertising. Someone is paying to serve you those ads, knowing you are a highly likely buyer based on hidden bits of data called pixels and cookies some company was kind enough to attach to your computer while you browsed. By looking at anything online, you have become a hot lead to someone trying to sell you something.

The same logic works for equity crowdfunding. If your company is funding a new product, for example, it’s easy and cost effective to put ads in front of potential investors, based on data of their prior online habits. A crowdfunding marketing plan involves many aspects, but these five tips related to digital marketing are essential to equity crowdfunding success.

1. Use Facebook ads.

An effective Facebook ad campaign allows a company to effectively target likely investors based on Facebook users’ location, demographics and interests. Stephanie Heinatz, CEO of The Consociate Group, is not only a public relations guru with a special expertise in the digital marketing space, but has also successfully marketed several equity crowdfunding campaigns. “Facebook is the number one platform in social media marketing where you can target a customized audience. No more wasting money on a megaphone of messaging to who-knows-who. Facebook is like picking up the phone and selling directly to someone.”

Related: 8 Reasons Facebook Will Beat All Other Digital Marketing Channels This Year

2. Use “lookalike” audiences.

If you have an email database of customers or investors, you can create a lookalike audience and serve ads to them on Facebook. Delray Wannemacher of First Look Equities is a financial industry veteran whose success in driving investors to equity crowdfunding offerings comes from delivering ads to lookalike audiences created from his proprietary investor database. Wannemacher exemplifies this with a case study showing the impact that a well-designed, targeted audience ad campaign can have on a crowdfunding offering. “One Facebook ad campaign we ran showed an improvement on the amount of investments per day of 252 percent, with the average investment being three times higher than before the campaign.”

3. Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

The most basic form of SEM involves paying for certain search terms and having Google drive traffic to your crowdfunding campaign based on what you paid for. Heinatz explains « With SEM, we know somebody is a potential investor based on their search terms, so you are directly reaching out to people who have already identified themselves as someone looking to make a purchase or an investment.”

4. Twitter and LinkedIn ads.

With these two popular social media sites, Heinatz emphasizes context over content. “Twitter is a fast moving headline source, but you can use Twitter advertising to promote and grow your community. LinkedIn ads work best in a B2B context and can be used to drive people to a lead generation page for the right crowdfunding offerings.”

5. Email marketing.

While email marketing may not be as sexy as newer marketing tactics such as social media and video, it can still be a huge factor in driving a successful equity crowdfunding offering. Rob Clarke and Andrew Eckard of Lin Digital have spent almost a decade crafting successful digital marketing strategies for local, regional and national businesses, and both agree that email is a crucial factor in driving conversions. Eckard explains, “There are plenty of digital platforms available to deliver your message, but good old fashioned email marketing continues to offer one of the best opportunities to build relationships and drive sales.” Clarke added, “Early momentum is crucial in any crowdfunding campaign, and building your email list to engage people in what you are doing before asking them to invest or contribute will put you at a huge advantage on launch day.”

Related: Email Marketing Is Nearly 40 Years Old. How Can We Keep It Thriving?

Digital marketing is an essential part of every equity crowdfunding offering, just as it has been for rewards-based crowdfunding. Working with the right professionals with the correct strategy and knowing who to target is the key to success. One last tip from your favorite crowdfunding expert: Digital marketing is a process that takes time. Most say it takes a potential investor seeing an average of five ads before they make a decision to invest. Converting digital advertising is a process, so start early in the crowdfunding campaign.

Kendall Almerico

Kendall Almerico is a crowdfunding JOBS Act attorney with law firm of Almerico Law in the Washington, D.C. area. He is CEO of BankRoll, a JOBS Act equity crowdfunding platform.

Read more

Homecoming star has caused a lot of grief for the Marvel marketing machine and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who keep a famously tight lid on plot secrets and details to build up anticipation for their growing slate of movies.

With his own collection of figures, Holland knocks out Thor with a smaller version of Mjolnir, egging Hemsworth playfully with a “What I know is that I can also wield the hammer”. It’s gotten so bad that Marvel is not allowing Holland near the Avengers: Infinity War script for fear of him ruining their 10 years of work and 16 films building up to the climactic crossover movie.

Benedict Cumberbatch has officially begun filming for Avengers: Infinity War. I know who the villain is, but that’s it.

He added: “They don’t let me read anything because I’m so bad at keeping secrets”. Now, global treasure Tom Holland has attempted to one-up him during a hangout with Entertainment Weekly to promote the premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming. All I’m saying is, she’s probably a much better mentor for you than Scott Lang is and you should reconsider your A-team just a little bit.

As adorable as it is to watch Holland delighting in a bit of make-believe, I’ve got to ask: what’s the problem with Black Widow, my dude?

Marvel Studios decides who directs a film based on a character’s genre and type of story they’re in, so we’re similarly thinking the same way of who would be flawless for a Spider-Man or an Avengers game experience.

Disney XD has debuted a new TV spot for their upcoming animated series Marvel’s Spider-Man, set to premiere later this summer.

“All Holland will say on the subject is, “‘Infinity War’ needs no teasing… Spider-Man: Homecoming will soon be released on July 7.

Whenever Richard Craver posts new content, you’ll get an email delivered to your inbox with a link.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Viet Nam News

Bảo Hoa

If you were a small business owner, would you rather be known for the quality of your service or some flash in the pan marketing stunt?

There are millions of ways to promote a product or service – that’s how advertisements and discount coupons came about – but the really creative promotions relate to the nature of the product or service, and elevate it in such a subtle way that makes consumers fall for it without being aware they are doing so.

That’s my opinion on advertising, marketing, and PR – all that promotional stuff. And that’s why a recent, ‘shocking’ marketing stunt – repeated shamelessly at three service businesses in the capital city – distresses me greatly.

Gone were the days when a hotdog business hired someone to wear a funny hotdog costume, standing in front of the store and inviting customers to come in. In an attempt to get more exposure to customers, a hair salon, a restaurant and a nail salon in Hà Nội recently hired some buff male staff to, well, expose themselves to customers by strutting around topless, save for a tie.  

On June 6, a video of bare-chested male staff in a Cầu Giấy hair salon went viral. Wearing nothing on their torsos except a black tie, and with the salon’s name written on their chests, the staff were filmed greeting customers and doing simple tasks like washing and drying hair.

Two days after it appeared, the video attracted 27,000 ‘likes’, 26,000 comments and was shared 129,000 times. The video itself was liked 140,000 times and received some 2 million views.

Most female viewers appeared to appreciate the marketing move. A number of social media users from Thailand, China, South Korea and Laos also watched and shared the post.

Photos and videos of two similar stunts were posted on social media on May 30 and 31.

One took place at a restaurant on Thái Hà Street, in which a group of male staff with the words “These are ribs” written on their naked torsos brought trays of grilled ribs to customer, and another at a nail salon where three well-built Vietnamese and foreign men – wearing nothing but briefs – painted the nails of female customers.  

Seriously – what in God’s name is this?

I mean, is there the slightest resemblance between half-naked men and hair, food or nails?

Clearly, they need to create some impressive, explosive stunts to “wow” customers and pull them into the stores – I get it – but to me it’s just weird and gross. The stunt says nothing about the expertise of the business owners, and to be honest, it even feels a bit unhygienic around food.  

But did it work? Probably.

The photos and videos not only turned into virtual sensations but actually attracted customers to visit the hair salon. Kim Anh, a marketing executive at a company in Thanh Trì District decided to call the salon and book a hair appointment by one of the male staff despite the distance between her workplace and the salon.

“I called them up and asked about their charges, but they said those male staff will not be serving again anytime soon,” she told Vietnamnet online newspaper.

Trần Thái Linh, a twenty-something from Đống Đa District, actually came to the rib restaurant to experience service by the half-naked male staff after seeing videos of them online. To her disappointment, she was told they only appeared on that particular day to present their restaurant’s latest dish.

“The restaurant seems to have hit the bull’s eye, because, what woman does not love beauty?” Linh said.

“Most of those who share photos and videos of the male staff online are women. They even asked each other to go to the restaurant together,” she told Vietnamnet.

The owner of the hair salon in Cầu Giấy District said the staff are only allowed to show their bodies like that on a number of special occasions. On regular days they appear in decent clothes like pants and white shirts.

“We threw the event just to create a fun, relaxing atmosphere for customers. It wasn’t a promotional trick,” he told the Zing online newspaper.

Nguyễn Minh Hoàng, in charge of marketing for the restaurant on Thái Hà Street, said it was a private event held to introduce new dishes for 120 young customers aged 18-35. However, he did not anticipate them giving tickets to family and friends, which resulted in children and elderly people showing up at the event, he said.

“We couldn’t ask them to leave, so the show must go on,” he told the Vietnamnet. “This promotional idea has been implemented in several countries, and we also intended to make it a private event, but we couldn’t foresee everything.”

I don’t know what psychological effects these marketers aimed to have on customers, and I don’t know whether they would last in the long run.

But I will remember the unnerving sensation upon seeing photos of those naked torsos flying around the internet.

And I would probably cover my eyes if I happened to arrive at that hair salon on the days those half-naked men were there.

Creativity and cutting-edge ideas are important to society. So is common decency. — VNS

Honestly — who doesn’t love a good beauty hack!

9GAG shared this video of a woman who purchased a « Blackhead Pore Vacuuming Sucker » from China — and many were amazed to see how incredibly it worked.

MORE: We Guarantee You’ve Never Seen This Much Earwax

The girl takes us through the suction phase — where she warns viewers to be careful to not leave « hickey marks » on your face — to cleaning out the dead skin cells and more. she warned the tool hurts most when used around the eyes and does NOT work on your lips as a means to make them appear fuller.

MORE: This Man’s Wife Popped His 4-Year-Old Pimple and We Can’t Look Away

She cleaned up only half of her face so we would be able to see what a difference the product really makes and honestly, we are so impressed — however the gross part comes at the end when you take a close look at what REALLY came out!

Check out the 14-minute video!

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