erica nardello

For a little over a year now I've been struggling to find clothes that fit. Sure, everyone deals with the none-of-my-jeans-look-good-on-me syndrome, but this is different. Nothing fits. I've considered shopping in children's sections of stores and wearing muumuus, but -- fear not -- I refuse to subject others to that painful sight. So a friend suggested I check out some other stores. Enter Boden.com: a cute, modern website for men's, women's and children's clothing. I placed my order for two tops, hoping they would balance out my just-out-of-college-but-now-I'm-supposed-to-be-a-professional wardrobe. Unfortunately, the curse continued and they just didn't fit. I put them back in the packaging, indicated that they were "Too Large" on the return form and sent them back.

I haven't placed another order, haven't called Customer Service, haven't even been back to Boden.com. Yet somehow I receive a Boden catalog at my home every week. Yesterday I came home to a 167-page Summer 2011 catalog in my mailbox. 'Here you go, Erica -- 167 pages of clothing that doesn't fit you, delivered right to your door!' I appreciate the effort, but that is ineffective marketing at its most inane. Instead of sending 100+ pages to every person who's ever placed an order on Boden.com, why not take note of the information on the return forms and market only to those who have kept their order? Why bother asking customers what's wrong with their order if you're not going to use that information to improve the customer experience and save your corporation valuable dollars that could be spent elsewhere?

In an age where everyone is paranoid about companies tracking their online movements and making their experiences more personalized, I wish Boden would track the fact that their smallest tops were too large on me, determine that I am not in their target market, and decide that marketing to me is no longer appropriate or effective.

Gotta have sweet? Gotta have unicorns. ...wait, what?!

That's right. A big plush unicorn is now delivering the viral video goodies to remind you that Juicy Fruit isn't just some stick of gum you chewed in the '90s. It's the sweetness you need in your life - like watching a unicorn fall in love with Sarah Silverman (and her admittedly horse-like features).

But it also packs that punch that can only be found in a serenading unicorn version of "Gangsta's Paradise."

Ahh, Juicy Fruit. How will Fruit Stripe gum ever compete with you now?

A recent marketing stunt from DDB France placed giant black boxes throughout Paris to spark interest and command attention. By pushing the mysterious red button, Voyages-scnf.com's machine asked, "If you could leave now, where would you go?"

And much like Coke's Happiness Machine, Voyages-scnf.com's Escape Machine granted travel wishes to those who were brave enough to push the button. The problem remains, however, that giant suspicious boxes in a major world metropolis don't always go over well. Those who never tested the box or witnessed the stunt completely missed the messaging and the point.

When fashion chain Superette (and its apparent band of short shorts enthusiasts) needed to draw attention to its recent sale, it called upon DDB New Zealand to think big.  Its latest campaign uses an untapped medium to spread the word -- "virgin thighs," exposed by the short shorts trend and as yet unbranded by competitors.  According to Ads of the World:

With both men and women now wearing their shorts at breathtaking heights, fashion chain Superette was presented with a unique opportunity to draw attention to their sale on short shorts. DDB Auckland ads were placed on the virgin thighs that are exposed in this latest trend, by putting indented plates across the inner city and fashion district bus stops, mall seats and park benches, so that when people sat down the message was imprinted on their thighs.

This meant that as well as having branded seats, a veritable army of free media was created for Superette, with thousands of imprints being created and lasting up to an hour. Plus, by the nature of where the ads were placed, only the hippest young cats were seen advocating the brand.

IT'S BRILLIANT. Because honestly, ladies, how many times have you sat on a woven beach chair or a wicker seat sans cushion and walked away feeling self-conscious about the oh-so-obvious and unsightly marks it left on your legs?  So why not put that real estate to good use for your brand or your client?  Sure, it's risky.  Get the wrong gal bearing that message and you might have girls avoiding Superette like the plague.  But it's novel enough to make a serious, lasting impression. Literally.

A new campaign from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene alerts New Yorkers to the perils of punch and the downside of soft drinks. Using subway posters and 30-second commercials to highlight how sugary beverages can lead to weight gain, the department asks "Are you pouring on the pounds?"

Each sugary beverage can add up to 250 calories to an already over-the-top diet. After the 2009 Community Health Survey found that 700,000 New Yorks suffer from diabetes (and more than 1 million are on their way to the same fate, suffering from pre-diabetes), the department had to take action and inform the public, according to the press release.

"Building on a previous campaign, sugar content is measured in 'packets' to illustrate how a daily routine of just a few sweeted drinks can cumulate to a whopping 93 packets of sugar by the end of the day," the department's website said. "These excessive amounts of sugar would amount to almost 1,400 empty calories of pure sugar – that's nearly ¾ of the daily recommended calories for most adults."

And while the concept is cute and the posters are beautiful, you can't deny that the 30-second spots, from the drinkingsugar YouTube channel, are effective. I don't normally support using fear tactics to make a point, but in this case I'll make an exception. I may not be a New Yorker, but that will NOT be my foot!

Screen cap from brushwithstyle.com

I always try to pick a cute toothbrush after a visit to the dentist, I've never looked for one online before. Until now. Reach by Design has partnered with celebrity stylist Brad Goreski and interior designers Celerie Kemble and Tom Delavan on 'A Brush With Style.' The stylists curated designs -- which I assume means that they selected their favorites of the toothbrush designs presented to them -- and provided a little insight into their inspirations and personal styles through behind-the-scenes photos and videos.

In my world, Brad Goreski can do no wrong. So I cannot resist his bright, plaid Penelope toothbrush. Or his explanation in that adorable, chic bowtie and jacket combo.

After sustaining serious losses in 2009 and recouperating in 2010, J. Crew aims to reclaim its place in the sun. A three-part online video campaign on jcrew.com entitled "Made in Italy" reinforces the value of J. Crew's products from start to finish by taking customers on a tour of the Italian factories and mills that create its products.

"There is an artisanship and a creative sensibility that exists here in Italy that doesn't really exist many other places," says Jenna Lyons, the brand's executive creative director, in the second video. " At the end of the day there aren't that many people actually making and taking the same care and quality. That's why we're here -- because we want to preserve and continue that kind of production."

While the last video will not be unveiled until March, the second of the three videos was launched today on jcrew.com, according to Women's Wear Daily's Jean E. Palmieri:

Entitled “About a Thread Count,” the video follows Frank Muytjens, head of men’s design, and Jenna Lyons, Crew’s president and executive creative director, to two of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious mills, Thomas Mason and Crespi, to learn more about the evolution of the company’s men’s shirts and suits. The video includes interviews with Silvio Albini, a fifth-generation member of the family that runs Thomas Mason, as well as Francesca Crespi, the first woman to run the Crespi mill, which has been in the same family for more than 200 years.  Last month, the Italy video was “About a Shoe,” while the final one, “About a Print,” tours Ratti & Canepa and will debut in March.

The question now is whether or not this campaign reestablish the perceived value and sense of craftsmanship in the J. Crew brand?

The latest campaign for Christian Dior's Miss Dior Chérie fragrance stars the brand's sophisticated new ambassador, Natalie Portman. After showcasing her versatility (and eerie-appeal) in 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan, the campaign helps the actress and mommy-to-be regain her role as one of America's sweethearts.

"In 1947, Christian Dior said that he wanted a 'fragrance that smells like love' and conceived Miss Dior as the brand's manifesto for youth and sophistication," according to a recent Teen Vogue interview with the new brand ambassador. From the sleek and sweet bow in her hair and on the bottle's neck in the print ads, to her effortless sexiness in the Sofia Copolla-directed TV spots, Portman was clearly a perfect choice for Dior.

What do you think of the new Miss Dior Chérie? Is Portman perfect here or would another celeb be a better fit?

Thank you Subaru Canada. Just... thank you.

For the past several months I've been looking for a new moisturizer. My requirements seemed basic enough: smooth texture, hydrating, SPF. But with all the overpowering scents, crazy chemicals and slimy consistencies, it proves that finding a moisturizer isn't as easy as every unknowing man thinks. I ended up purchasing Boscia's Oil-free Daily Hydration SPF15 moisturizer, but was ultimately dissatisfied.

For a hydrating moisturizer, my skin felt oddly dry. I didn't know what it was, but I knew that this Boscia moisturizer wasn't for me. My search for the perfect moisturizer continued, but two weeks ago, I decided to give Boscia another chance. Maybe it was a fluke. But two days of using the Oil-free Daily Hydration SPF15 reminded me why I'd thrown it to the bottom of my makeup bag, next to the neon blue eyeshadow. I quickly sent out a tweet, mostly as a reminder to myself, about it:

So my full-size Boscia Vital Daily Moisture SPF15 mosturizer arrived today. I'm looking forward to seeing the results and hopeful that this time around, Boscia will make me a believer. All thanks to a few tweets from the company.