The Kmiec Ramblings
Opinions And Ramblings By Adam Kmiec On All Things Media

Tag Archive: Shopping

What’s In The Box Doesn’t Matter

Written on December 26, 2011 by in Cora, Events, Family, John
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One of the truly wonderful things about having kids and becoming a parent is the authenticity you get to experience when engaging with your kids.  Yes, kids lie, that’s true.  But, ask a child if she likes the dinner you’ve plated, that’s based on some new recipe, and you’ll know the truth.  Ask an adult the same question and you’ll be met with a very politically correct answer.  Well, unless of course, you ask me :)

Christmas is one of those occasions where we seem to always try and out do one another, keep up with the Jones’ and impress with labels. Labels, you ask? Yes, labels. We’re all guilty of it, even I am. Under the Kmiec tree this year, there was no Louis, Jimmy or Tory.  Nada on the Prada, MK and Hermes.  Sorry, not a single item from Armani, Versace or Gucci – yes, we avoided the holy trinity. No Christian, Coach or Coco. Also, I must confess, there was no Lexus under the tree either.

Now, mind you, this is no assault on the wealthy, chic or stylish.  Without the label segment, we wouldn’t have people to gawk at, velvet ropes to envy and of course nothing to lust for.  And this isn’t me being above such items or brands.  I’m the first person to encourage purchasing 1 quality purse over 50 cheap ones.  Ditto on shoes, watches and umbrellas (trust me on this one).

No, this is more about the observation that kids don’t care what’s in the box, what the label is on the gift or the logo they’ll be displaying. And with good reason…they couldn’t tell you the difference between Coach and and Couch.  If anything they care more about the wrapping paper…or rather the joy of unwrapping their present. They’re equally as satisfied with 1 gift as they are with 100.  Seriously. I’ve watched this up close for 4+ years now.  It’s a really amazing thing to witness.  Honestly, it leaves me wanting to be as genuinely label disinterested as they are.  But, alas, though I’ve witnessed this authenticity and I’m a marketer, even I fall prey to label love…but I’m getting better!

There wasn’t a single present under the tree for me.  That’s what happens when you become a dad!  The likelihood your 4 year old is going to hop in the car, visit the mall and pick you a present that she paid for with her credit card…is…well…unlikely.  But, what I did get this Christmas was something much better than any company could provide:

John, Cora and Dad

I got to see those smiles and feel the real Christmas magic that we yearn for after watching a movie like Love Actually. Besides, if they were wearing a label it would say my name anyhow :)

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Thinking Before You Buy

Written on December 6, 2011 by in Marketing & Advertising
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Roughly 9 months ago I wrote in a post titled, The Disposable World,

Of late I’ve been taking stock of a lot of things that all seem to be tied together. I know that seems vague and classically introspective, as if I’m trying to sound deep. I’m not. I promise. To sum it up, I think we live in a very disposable world – our mindset is always on short term, rarely on long term.

I’m not a tree hugging sort of fellow, but I do believe in not purchasing unnecessarily. I don’t do trinkets, nick-nacks or tchotchkies. When I buy something, I usually am willing to “over pay” for quality…something that’s timeless and will last. It’s the reason I’d gladly pay the seemingly outrageous price of a Burberry Trench that will last me more than a decade (I’m currently at 7 years) than several Michael Kors knockoff versions over the same time period. Generally what you pay is what you get. It’s what makes me shake my head at all the people who buy and wear Tory Burch shoes, Marc Jacobs bags or cheap sunglasses. I’d rather have a few items that will last than 100s that I’ll “go through” every season or year.

I think that’s why this new ad from Patagonia resonates so much to me:

I’ve never owned a single thing from Patagonia. I was always more of a Nike or a Columbia guy. That is, until this weekend. After seeing the ad, I did some digging to learn more about their Common Threads philosophy and their Ironclad Guarantee. I encourage you to read both…they’re over the top impressive and set a bar for every retailer. Well after doing some homework I looked at my coat closet and decided it was time to donate a Nike jacket I had that was similar to the Patagonia R3. I purchased an R3 and couldn’t happier. Next up is a thicker, warmer jacket for the winter that will protect from the wind and elements. That will replace a Columbia jacket that I’ve had for over 10 years.

Don't Buy This Jacket

I recognize that this campaign from Patagonia could all be marketing and not authentic. Either way, it’s working on me. I’ve bought in and I plan on getting others to do the same. Smart.

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People Can Change

Written on March 16, 2011 by in One Photo A Day
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I’ve always been a guy who wore brown shoes or black shoes…besides sneakers of course. I’ve avoided grey shoes like the plague. Well, until the other day when I purchased my first pair ever. These are from Cushe, who is quickly becoming my go to brand for shoes. I love how comfortable and light weight they are. Give them a try. Nordstrom just started carrying them. I highly recommend.

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Sunglasses At Night

Written on February 18, 2011 by in One Photo A Day
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Picked up a new pair of shades. I’ll be wearing them often as the weather gets a bit warmer.  I’ve never owned a pair of Ray Bans.  I’ve always been a Oakley guy. But, after a few mishaps with some Oakley sunglasses I finally decided to switch brands.

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The Aviator Chair Is Mine

Written on February 10, 2011 by in One Photo A Day
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I first learned about the Aviator Chair from one of my favorite sites, Uncrate.  They described the chair as follows:

Don’t have what it takes to become a real pilot? Live out your WWII fighter pilot fantasies in the Aviator Chair ($1,300). This unique seat features riveted aluminum sides with a leather top rail, a distressed whiskey leather seat with a ribbed leather center area, a kiln-dried frame for longevity, and plastic feet to protect your precious floors from the inevitable inadvertent slide.

Yes, $1300 for a chair. Well technically, right now it’s $1695.  I paid less than $1300. I had a magic number in mind and when it hit the magic number I ordered it. You have to understand I’ve been lusting for this chair for roughly 4 months. So when it hit the magic number, there was no turning back.

It feels great finally having something I lusted after for so long. Now I can just sit back and enjoy.

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Let There Be Light

Written on January 17, 2011 by in One Photo A Day
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My new lamp arrived today.  Well, technically, it arrived 5 days ago, but I finally made it back to Chicago to actually pick it up, unpack it and put it together.  I’m pretty excited about this lamp. It took roughly 60 days for it to arrive after I ordered it…a second time.  Yes, there’s a story for that.  Anyhow, I was able to say goodbye to a lamp that just didn’t fit and say hello to one that does.

This shot really pushed the limits of the project.

  1. I almost ran out of time.  I spent most of the day on the go in poor weather, so the camera stayed home.
  2. With my choice to not use a Flash for the project, I had to dial up the ISO, slow down the shutter speed and open up the aperture.  You can see a lot of grain.

Let’s see what’s up next.

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Finally My All-Clad 8″ Non Stick Is Here

Written on January 8, 2011 by in One Photo A Day
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I’ve been lusting for an All-Clad (client) 8″ Non Stick, Brushed Steel frying pan.  This is the perfect size pan for making two over easy eggs.  I’ve wanted this pan for a long time, but held off purchasing it.  Not entirely sure why, since I’ll be using it a lot!  So today, I finally broke down and purchased it from Williams-Sonoma.  She’s gorgeous.

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Ahh Lust

Written on July 22, 2010 by in Photo
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Never Compromise

Written on August 7, 2009 by in Misc., Shopping
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I had a beer this evening with my good friend and colleague Mike Fetrow.  Part of our discussion centered around the face people know they need the quality of $300 boots, but would rather purchase $100 boots because it’s all they can afford right now.  If you will, rather than buy the quality product what they really need (usually costs more)…something that will last them years, people would rather simply “save” their money and spend much less on an inferior product.

Well, you know what they say; you get what you pay for.  My mom was a big believer in buying quality handbags.  Her opinion was that it was cheaper in the long run to buy a quality bag than a cheap low quality one.  The reason being, you’d need to replace the cheap bag so frequently that you’d eventually end up paying more than the quality bag’s cost.

For what it’s worth in our discussion, boots were a proxy for websites.  As I was driving home I got to thinking about other items that you shouldn’t skimp on.

  1. Watches
  2. Shoes
  3. Belts
  4. Sunglasses
  5. Socks (trust me)
  6. Mattresses
  7. Pillows
  8. Towels
  9. Silverware
  10. Wine Glasses
  11. Speakers
  12. Office Chairs
  13. Vodka

Eclectic list…but I think it’s a good one.

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Men Don’t Do The Victoria’s Secret Thing This Year

Written on February 10, 2009 by in Marketing & Advertising, Misc., Shopping
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I promise you that there is nothing more expected and boring than giving chocolate, flowers, and the obligatory special something from Victoria’s Secret for Valentine’s Day.  I suggest you pass on the genericized pseudo lingerie from Victoria’s Secret and instead up your game with offerings from Agent Provocateur. As this video demonstrates, there’s just a little something better about Agent Provocateur.


Find more videos like this on AdGabber

In all seriousness, I admire Agent Provacateur. They carefully manage their brand at every touch point.  The in store experience is amazing.  But, you won’t find these stores in every city.  Instead they’ve chosen to be selective about which markets to enter.  For example, you can most definitely find them in Sin City.  Their website delivers the type of sultry messaging and I’m sure generates the desired behavior from visitors.

Recently they started tweeting and blogging.  Their tweets and posts are right in line with the brands soul.  For example, a recent blog entry was titled The History of The Thong.  Again, they get who they are and they’re delivering.  Bravo.

While Victoria’s Secret has become the boring, expected, and conservative brand, Agent Provacateur has continued to own SEXY and be seen as something special.  So with that in mind, I urge you all to consider being bold this year for Valentine’s Day and foregoing the traditional Victoria’s Secret present for a real treat that will make a serious statement.

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Head of Social Media at Walgreens. Interactive marketer, innovator, boat rocker, continuous learner, movie lover, risk taker, dad and all around good guy. I'm always up for a spirited conversation. These are my thoughts and ramblings, not those of my employer.
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