A Squared Group just installed the latest ‘exhibit’ in the White Space concept store next to the Gap flagship store on 54^th St and 5^th Ave in Manhattan.

In case you missed it, the last couple of months in the space featured a Ballet Studio complete with mirrors and barres. 

New York youngsters were invited to ‘Drop in, Dress up and Dance!’.  Budding ballerinas donned Gap Kids’ new line of tutu-inspired tulle skirts with ballet slippers, and picked up some tricks from some of Ballet Tech’s top teachers. 

The newest incarnation of the space features a partnership with Havaianas, the buttery-soft rubber flip flops from Brazil. 

As a special treat, New Yorkers will be able to adorn flip flops purchased in the store with a personal accent: initials, rhinestones and other embellishments that staff will attach to their sandals on the spot.  On weekends, the customization possibilities will be turned up a notch when shoppers can mix and match thong and sole colors for the sandals too. 

Fun!  Open now through June 13.

This past weekend, A Squared Group attended the Mom 2.0 Summit in Houston, Texas. There were some really great ideas generated though the panels and conversations over the course of the weekend and some valuable take-away messages for both bloggers and marketers.

Guy Kawasaki was a guest speaker in the first keynote conversation.  He suggested a need to shift the paradigm from marketing to Moms to marketing with them.  He proposes that instead of dictating the reasons that bloggers should be enthused about a brand or product, marketers should re-imagine their approach as an open conversation.

One recurring attitude that I heard echoed throughout the conference was that a blog should not be shaped around overtly promoting a product.  Obviously, there is a goal to monetize product posts but when written in an overtly sales-driven tone it loses an authenticity that is necessary to engage readers.  Instead, a product or brand-related post should convey the writer’s unique personal experience and genuine enthusiasm in their own voice.

 Ultimately, the middle ground between monetizing and remaining authentic is matching sponsorship to content.  The hook that both bloggers and marketers should endeavor to use was eloquently expressed through a metaphor from panelist Holly Buchanan, author of the Soccer Mom Myth.

 Holly likened the cupcake to the emotional connection that marketers need to establish between a blogger and the brand.  I think that the same metaphor can also be used for the unique and authentic content that a blogger needs to have on their blog in order to attract and keep readers and sponsors alike. 

Barbara Jones evoked another great analogy when she likened the social media world to the Wild West.

A suggested avenue for bloggers to create meaningful content is through partnerships with charitable organizations and non-profits.  This gives bloggers a vehicle for social responsibility and a story to tell that demonstrates an emotional connection to their brand.  For non-profits, the benefit of partnering with bloggers does not have to behoove funding and donations since it raises awareness and discourse about their cause.

 Another valuable insight emphasized throughout the conference was the assertion by Moms that as primary purchasers they should not only be pitched for products that only speak directly to motherhood or being a woman.  Given the diversity of challenges that parenting implies, it follows that mothers should also be considered targets for products such as batteries and Gatorade which are conventionally marketed to men.

The ultimate take-away from Mom 2.0 is a need for brand and bloggers to forge real relationships in order to create a true and authentic message.  The protocol and rules of engagement are constantly evolving as new technologies emerge.  Marketers and bloggers need to carve out a common ground where both can benefit by pairing relevant brands and products that match to the ideology and personality of the individual blogger.