cake marketing

Guest Blogger – New Work Experience Mathilda Hjorth

mathilda — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:26:21 +0000

I’m sad to see my time at Cake coming to an end, but I’m glad that I got the opportunity to work with Katie on some really fun and interesting projects. It’s been a great few months and I almost don’t want it to end!

What keeps you motivated? -It’s hard to stay motivated, but whenever I feel unmotivated I think of travel and how short life is. I always look to the future as a way to get through the present. I’d hate to look back in 20 years and only see myself sitting in front of the computer or TV
What is your favourite way to unwind? -I love a good book, exercise, and music. If I’m feeling stressed or angry it’s easy to get away from it all with a jog or a book!
What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them? -Keeping motivated is really difficult, especially when I have a lot of work ahead of me; but the feeling I get when a project is finished, even if it’s a personal project, is way better than the few extra minutes of doing nothing.
What is your favourite aspect of marketing? -I love the technical side of things, how campaigns work and how ideas come together. It’s so interesting and exciting, even if it doesn’t always feel like it when you’re part of the machine.
What is your favourite brand and why? -I’m completely in love with Locher’s, a Paris based Jewellery Company with some really unique and hilarious pieces. Definitely not something to wear to a board meeting, but great for a cheeky bit of fun with the girls.
What are your goals for this year? -This year I hope to get into a marketing course I’ve been eyeing for a long time, I’m also moving overseas in June, so I hope that goes really well! My biggest goals are just to enjoy life, make a lot of new friends, and to see more of the world.

brands we love: Illamasqua Cosmetics

mathilda — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:03:35 +0000

This week we talk about Illamasqua, a British company that has made a big splash in the make-up industry in the past few years, and why we’re loving it

Logo: The Illamasqua logo isn’t particularly clear about what the company produce, instead it looks like a mysterious symbol; interesting enough to catch the eye and clean enough to look professional.

How we met: On a shopping trip with a girlfriend we stumbled upon a glossy black stall in Myer with every colour eye shadow and lipstick we could ever dream of, it was love at first sight.

Why we are still together: Illamasqua’s cosmetics are high in pigment, soft on skin, and just so outrageously flamboyant that I could never part with them. They also recently dropped their prices as a show of leadership in the Australian market where other cosmetics companies have up to a 200% mark up.

Look from the Human Fundamentalism campaign spring/summer 2012

Favourite memory: The first time I had foundation matched to my skin tone; the girls were so lovely, and gave me a makeover even though I told them I was only able to buy the foundation. I always feel at ease and among friends at their booths.

Why do I love them overall: They care about their customers and even hold make-up classes for anyone interested; they’re not overly expensive but high quality, and their customer service is amazing. This is make-up for everyone, bright enough to stand out and subtle enough to blend in, they have products to suit everyone.

guest blog by Bronwyn Thirkell – One Sunny Day

matt — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:10:19 +0000

Bronwyn Thirkwell

From an early age, I loved to write. I was enthralled with books and was encouraged by my author mother to write every emotion/moment down. For a while, I lost this enthusiasm, but when my daughter was born three and a half years ago, I put pen to paper once again. Soon, I found any spare moment I had, I was writing. It began with a diary of motherhood, then quickly formed into the completion of my first book “I Survived High School and All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt” (due for release early next year.) I began researching children’s literature and was saddened to hear that literature levels inAustralia are on the decrease. I decided I needed to find a concept to get children excited about reading, and parents excited about reading to their children. I was tired of hearing from other mums and dads that they rarely read to their children through lack of time.Readingto my kids is my favourite part of the day and I couldn’t imagine not doing it.

One sleepless night, I decided I wanted to form a children’s book club – somewhere children could gather to share their favourite books. The next morning, I saw a program about Australian tourism and the decreasing number of Australian’s holidaying within this country. I decided to combine the two issues, and One Sunny Day was born.

One Sunny Day in Lennox Head

The One Sunny Day book series is a look intoAustralia’s best towns for small children. Using rhythm, rhyme and repetition (the three R’s), the books display localised images and encourage children to explore their home town. For those visiting, they are able to take home a keepsake that will remind them of a wonderful holiday in a beautiful town.

The first book in the series “One Sunny Day in Lennox Head”, tells the story of a mother waking her child to explore Lennox Head’s most child friendly hotspots – Lake Ainsworth, Seven Mile Beach, The Boat Channel, ‘In The Pink’ ice creamery and the playground. The stunning, well recognised illustrations by Karen Etherington, captivate children and excite them, which encourages further reading. Through the book club, children can meet and re-enact the book and become the character within the pages.

The hope is to release a new book every three months. “One Sunny Day in Ballina” will be out in October.

What keeps you motivated? – My children. I want the very best in life for them both and other children like them, and I believe the base to that is good morals and a general understanding of literature.
What is your favourite way to unwind? – I love a good glass of wine, great food and even better company. I also love lying in bed with my kids and recapping our day or sitting by the outdoor fire with my husband and having a chat over a beer.
How do people find you? – People can find me through my website www.onesunnyday.com.au or through my blog North Coast MUMblings. People can find my books in a number of stores in the Northern Rivers, including the post office.
Biggest Challenges - My biggest challenge would be juggling work around family life. I always maintained I wanted to be a ‘stay at home mum’ for the first three years of my children’s life so I struggled going back to work when my son was only one years old. In order not to jeopardise time with the kids, I work crazy hours while they sleep – often I am on the computer til 1am then up with the kids at 6am. Sleep deprivation is the downside to being an author, even when not on the computer, my mind is always racing. I’m just lucky that I love what I do.
What is your favourite brand? – It’s not so much a brand, but I love the children’s author Julia Donaldson. What she has done for children’s literature is amazing and I respect her immensely.
What has been your biggest marketing success? – The launch for “One Sunny Day in Lennox Head” saw around 700 people gather to read and view my book. The buzz it created both on the day and afterwards was phenomenal. I was touched by the kind things people had to say and it reinforced what I am trying to achieve.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known when establishing your business? – I wish I had known that people believed in this concept. Having lived on one wage for the last four years, this project was a bit of a financial risk. Keeping everything local has meant the costs have been higher and I sometimes questioned if I was doing the right thing. The support I have had since launching has been great and whether the books sell or not, I am happy that I’ve been able to highlight the importance of reading to young children. It makes it all worth it.
What is your proudest achievement so far? – I guess it would have to be that I’ve managed to write one and a half novels and three children’s books as well as writing for Coastal Kids Magazine, without compromising family life. I am still able to be there for my children and my husband when they need me and I’m proud that I’m giving it a go. To create a career that keeps me at home and accessible is important.

Guest blogger: Candice Naughtin from Westfield

mel — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:57:51 +0000

Candice Naughtin won the Stylist’s Apprentice with Westfield this year and is now working for them, as well as studying to be a stylist. She is one to watch! She told Cake all about her work in the fashion industry so far.

What keeps you motivated?

Many things keep me motivated – trends and fashions come and go so quickly and I love the thrill and excitement of fashion so this always keeps my mind active and motivates me more and more, I am addicted to Fashion.

What is your favourite way to unwind?

I love to unwind by hitting the gym and then having a sauna to relax after and I love having coffee and catch ups with my friends.

How do people find you?

People can find my blog or follow me via Westfield Garden City Facebook page and the Westfield website (Garden City – Fashion Blogs) or Candice Lee Styling

What have been your biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge so far was the Westfield Garden City, Stylist’s Apprentice competition. Being behind the camera was really hard for me at first because it’s something I have never done before and speaking in front of lots of people is also very hard for me but I am slowly learning to deal with my nerves.

What is your favourite brand?

I love lots of different labels but my favourite would have to be sass and bide and Wildfox Coture both very unique and high quality. I also love the stories behind the designers (Sass and Bide- Heidi Middleton & Sarah Jane Clark) (Wildfox Couture- Emily Faulstitch & Kimberly Gordon) on how they got to where they are now.

What is your biggest marketing success?

My biggest marketing success so far would have to be winning the Stylist’s Apprentice for Westfield and an internship with STYLE magazine. I started with Style magazine recently and helped on a photo shoot in Brisbane city which is very exciting, I have been at Westfield for over a month and I love every aspect. I love VM days (visual merchandising), working with Sara (the head stylist and her Style Team), pulling looks for various photo shoots and parades etc and I also love working with the marketing and events side of Westfield. My first official day I worked with the one and only GOK Wan, where he preformed five LIVE makeovers on stage and it was amazing to meet and work with him. I also worked with the events team where we had Johnny Ruffo perform his latest single live on stage and also had a brief interview with Johnny about his style and what was next for him. So I have been very busy!!

What do you know now that you wish you had knew when you were starting out?

There is nothing I would say I wish I could change or knew or have done better since entering the fashion world! Everything happens for a reason and I believe you learn the most from not being perfect. I am currently in the last six months of my studies which has been the best fun, my teachers have been amazing.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

My proudest achievement so far is the above – joining the Westfield Garden City Team and STYLE magazine.

Guest blogger: Christian Morrow, artist and writer (and more!)

mel — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:04:09 +0000

Christian Morrow grew up in Sydney and has lived here on the North Coast since 1997. Aside from working full time as a journalist he also maintains an art practice selling works in Sydney, Melbourne, Bangalow and the Gold Coast.

After graduating from Sydney College of the Arts Christian spent 15 years working as a professional recording musician working in Australia and the US. After leaving the music industry, he started a furniture making business. After this Christian went back to university and studied journalism before working at a university in media, marketing and content development.

Throughout all my careers Christian have continued painting and in the last four years he has re-established his art making practice with four successful exhibitions over the last two years.

What keeps you motivated?

Creating the next body of work keeps me motivated. Even though I plan the work it is always exciting to see what emerges as I progress.

What is your favourite way to unwind?

My painting studio is also crowded with a drum kit, amps and guitars and a sound system so in between painting I play and write music.

How do people find you/ your business?

I have four galleries that sell my work in Bangalow, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. I rely on my galleries to have a database of potential buyers and an effective website. I rely on the galleries to find buyers and market my work.

What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?

Finding the time to develop my art practice while still working full time to pay the bills. The only way to overcome this problem is to work hard. Andy Warhol used to say words to effect, “Every day you just have to turn up and do the work.”

What is your favourite brand and why?

Apple – aside from the great design and brilliant marketing I especially like the camera and the Voice memo functions in my iPhone. I use the phone like a journal.

What has been your biggest marketing success?

The exhibition of my paintings I staged at my own house. I used photocopied invitations and Facebook and wound up getting about 80 people there. I didn’t have any paintings on sale but used it as an opportunity to get feedback on my work for a later exhibition in Sydney. It really sorted out which were the best realised works and it helped make the Sydney show very successful.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were establishing your business?

I don’t think there is any information I know now that would have been useful back then. Information only becomes useful with experience and back then I would not have known that this information was useful because I did not have the experience and so on.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

In my art practice – it’s every time I sell a painting.

Thanks Christian!

Brands We Love: The Lane (wedding inspiration website and styling)

mel — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 04:57:48 +0000

LOGO: It is simple, not too fussy which can happen in a specific industry. I think the name and the logo are both really clever because they are simple, stylish and encompass a lot of things to do with weddings!

How we met: I actually learned about this website from Katie – before our Pinterest obsession was our love for The Lane scrapbook! I show every woman this website as soon as they get a ring on their finger, it is ESSENTIAL.

Creator of The Lane, Karissa Fanning

Why we are still together: Well, I guess because I am not engaged and all of my friends are getting engaged? Haha! It is also a fabulous event inspiration website as well.

Favourite memory…

The first look I took at the site with Katie is number one, and how thankful all of my friends are when I show them the site when they get engaged. It is like a secret that everyone knows about.

Why do I love them overall?

I think the creator of The Lane, Karissa Fanning, has taken every element of every woman’s dream wedding and rolled it into this site. It is easy to navigate but it is more than a wedding site- it is a directory, a destination and also an aspiration. You can actually get your wedding styled by The Lane (it ain’t cheap) but you know that your wedding would be the most amazing wedding if you did!

cake : etcetera

katie — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:13 +0000

Have a strategic marketing plan. Don’t be scared by the terminology, this simply means having a road map clearly outlining where you want to go with your business and how you want to get there. By then breaking the plan into smaller, manageable stages you will achieve your goals and not be overwhelmed. Without one your business will run like you are on an endless backpacking holiday – aimless, short term and fun but as the dollars dry up you find you have to move back in with your parents to pay off the credit card.
Measure: Now that you have your plan put a few things in place to work out if your actions are working and to what extent. Monitor where your customers are coming from (website, referrals, print advertising) so that you can determine where to continue to invest your marketing dollars and their return on investment. With online marketing, this can be very simple, for example, Google analytics, website statistics and even Facebook page insights.
Know your target audience: the easiest way to do this is to imagine them as a person. Male, female, age, where do they shop, what kind of car do they drive, what’s their income, do they have a young family, what do they do for a living and how do they spend their spare time? Once you have a clear understanding of who they are and their needs and desires you can better meet them.
Social media/networking is not free: like any part of your business you need to invest in social media. For example, while it is free to set up a business Facebook page you need to allocated time to ensure that your page gives your fans what they need, is engaging and dynamic.
Research: linking back to measurement and getting to know your target audience you will need to do research at different stages in your marketing plan. Simple tools to help your business gather important insights are in store or online surveys (Survey Monkey), online analysis of your website (Google Analytics) or social networking page (Facebook Insights).
Strategic alliances: use your established networks and join with complimentary businesses to maximise both businesses impact. This could be through packaging services or products together, sharing advertising costs without diluting your brand or co-producing an event. Eg: cooking school and local deli.
Domain name: register your business’ domain name, and others that are very similar which you can then divert to your website. Be sure to include the .com and .com.au domain extensions of your website so if there is any confusion by people seeking you out they will still find you.
Rebranding: be wary of rebranding your business. Seek advice of a marketing expert and really consider the strategy behind rebranding. Is it that you just want to update a tired logo or are you looking at the bigger, long-term picture and rebranding is an essential component? Too often businesses completely rebrand and experience backlash from their existing customers and confuse their potential clients.
Email signature: this is a simple, yet highly effective marketing tool for your business, yet so often neglected and unused. Place a simple weekly reminder in your diary to update your email signature to make sure it is dynamic and adds value for your business and those who receive your emails. One week it can drive traffic to your latest blog, the other promote the latest products in store or direct your clients and suppliers to an interesting article.
Smart phones: step out of the dark ages and ensure your website can be viewed on smart phones. Hand held devices with Internet capabilities are mainstream and your site needs to be adaptable and accessible.
SEO is vital! If you do not understand the concept and technicalities seek out an SEO specialist or web design company that is proficient in this area. You can not afford to ignore it.
Consistency is key! Imagine McDonald’s branding, specifically the golden arches, were purple above their stores, blue on the packaging, a bland brown on their website. Imagine their staff uniforms looked like casual Friday everyday and their TV adverts were produced using a handheld cameras. This is not the making of strong branding displaying clear brand values and a long term strategy. Keep your brand consistent in every element where it is featured. Business is hard enough without confusing your customer.
Window dress: when was the last time you walked out of your store and looked at it? Not just the front, but now look at it from a completely different perspective - from across the road, three shops down to the left and from the windows in the opposite building four floors up? Do it today. Your window is one of your most important advertising spaces and should be a key seller from every angle. Make it alluring, make it stand out from the crowd, make it work it’s little butt off for your business!
Relationship management: the most cost effective marketing is to retain your existing client base, rather than seeking out new clients. This requires by building long term relationships with your clients and the simplest way to do so is to keep a database. Start with just contact details and from there build with relevant information such as their past purchase history and even note their interests for future reference. Actions such as a birthday card or a personal email to let them know about a free service due on their product or new product in stock are simple, inexpensive yet highly effective.
Media: keep copies of all instances where your business is featured in the media. This is fantastic content for your website/social media pages/blog and also a great source for testimonials.
Invoicing: your invoices are another great opportunity to communicate with your clients. While of course they play a pivotal role in you getting paid they also provide an instance when you must contact your client so why not pop a copy of your latest newsletter in the envelope, a flyer with exclusive deals for ongoing clients, or add a personal handwritten note commenting on something specific about the job you did for them or business.
Facebook page:Set up your business on Facebook as a business, not a person! Not only is it good to be abiding by Facebook laws (businesses should not be able to obtain people’s personal information nor privately solicit customers), there are several reasons to be page and not a person. First of all, a page looks more professional. Second, you get counted by ‘likes’ not ‘friends’. Third, the statistics in the back end of being an administrator are invaluable to a business, you can tell what posts people liked the most, how many people saw it and even where they are from. If you are currently a person on Facebook and want help on making the switch, contact us.
Leverage: Use established time or events to maximise opportunities for your business. This could be things like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter or perhaps local events. It is important to stay true to your business rather than appearing to cling to anything, so make sure it relates to your business as well.

Guest blogger: Natalie Barovsky from Photography by Natsky

mel — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:09 +0000

Natalie Barovsky is hardly ever seen without a camera attached!

Natalie Barvosky, better known in the Northern Rivers as Natsky was born and grew up ( according to her, not too much) on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. A certified tomboy from an early age who loved to escape into books and her imagination, having the odd adventure up a tree or her rusty old scooter. She skipped university life and got her first employment in a bookshop.

Her other career paths have included Graphic Artist, Ballroom & Latin Dance Instructor, Motorcycle Spares & Accessories Manager and Hi Fi Retail, all based on various obsessions over the last 20 plus years.

Nat escaped Sydney’s rat race and moved to the North Coast in 2000, falling in love with Lismore’s community, married her soul mate Nick in 2003 and started dabbling in photography in 2007. This soon became an all-encompassing passion. Every minute was spent thinking about taking photos and playing with ideas. The camera became a permanent appendage and over time, people started offering money for photos. By 2009, what started as a hobby became a full time business and photography by NATSKYemerged. Specialties revolve around weddings and music/event photography, the two very different subjects appealing to her romantic side and her love of live music.

What keeps you motivated?Life. I adore my work and the life I have. People enjoying the photos I have taken for them, rainbows, experimenting with photo ideas, yummy food, live music, new camera gear, the people I meet taking photos, travel, roller skating…there is so much in life to experience how can I not be motivated?

What is your favourite way to unwind?

Roller derby shots by Natsky

After a fairly hectic end to 2011, I decided I needed to find a de-stress mechanism which ideally would involve exercise and encourage some physical fitness. I find the gym mind-numbingly boring and my husband refuses to take up tango classes with me, so I have turned to roller derby! I have become obsessed and I find those few hours a week rolling on eight wheels are keeping me sane…and my legs would look fantastic in a pair of heels right now…if I ever wore them!

How do people find you/ your business?

I hope they find me talented, creative, happy, friendly yet professional, relaxed yet efficient!

They tend to discover the business organically through friends and referrals and I have a growing number of repeat customers. A happy customer is the best kind of advertising and I love that people are booking me based on my work, not a price point. I also have an online presence with a website, a blog and a following on Facebook which accounts for around 30% of my business.

What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?There have been 2 hurdles and both based around my personal perspective rather than business management problems.

Firstly, I couldn’t understand why people were loving the way I photographed things. There are after all thousands of photographers around…what was so special about my images? I have since stopped trying to work this one out. I look at things my way and if people are liking it, that’s great. I no longer need an answer to why.

Nat is always putting her body on the line for the ultimate shot!

Secondly, I initially undervalued my work and couldn’t believe that people wanted to pay me to do something I loved. It started as a hobby remember. Everybody else saw me as a professional photographer except me. However, when you meet somebody for the first time and they know your work and name, rather than you, it makes it real!

Perception is such a strong, relevant thing in our lives affecting and altering everything we do. Looking at a problem or issue from a different perspective will quite often remove the problem or will at least provide a solution to fix it. My glass is always full…sometimes air, sometimes water or both…bit it’s always full. Me climbing a wall or laying on my back to take a photo, shows a different perspective to the norm and maybe, just maybe, this is part of the appeal of my photography.

Should make that 3 challenges…never have enough TIME!

What is your favourite brand and why?

Hmmmm…difficult to answer as I am not much of a brand following girl. I use products or services because they suit a purpose, rather than because I love a particular brand. Brands I currently use…Nikon, Leica, Peugeot, Apple Mac, Sonus Faber, Rega, Reidell, Kata, Eizo, Manfrotto, Vegemite, Nordost, Atom Wheels, TSG Safety Gear

Nat photographing the Back Alley Gallery in Lismore

What has been your biggest marketing success?

My husband! I don’t advertise but he will tell anyone and everyone about his talented wife the photographer. He is wise, adorable and sincere and I think this is why people take notice.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were establishing your business?

Trust your instincts and make your own rules. There may be established norms for the industry/business that you are entering into, but if it doesn’t feel right, you will never succeed. Do what works for you and the rest will fall into place.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

On a business level, being made media sponsor for the Lismore Lantern Parade, my favourite community event in the entire universe! I have always given the Parade

One of Nat’s iconic shots of the Lismore Lantern Parade

coordinator Jyllie Jackson a copy of the photos I take on the night, free of charge. The parade website got a makeover this year and my images feature heavily. As a way of saying thank you, I was made a media sponsor. I was so chuffed and excited and thrilled to be included as part of this amazing event. I still grin when I think about it!

On a personal level…hmmmm…haven’t climbed Everest, no children, haven’t overcome any major tragedies…I just live simply and love the ones who love me…and that’s enough.

See more of Natsky’s work:

http://www.natsky.com.au

http://bynatsky.blogspot.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/photographybynatsky

http://natsky.photomerchant.net/

Guest blogger: Tara Castellan, freelance stylist and teacher

mel — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 07:04:46 +0000

Tara Castellan, stylist

Tara Castellan is a trainer at the Australian Institute of Creative Design and a freelance Stylist. She have been teaching Cert III Styling, Fashion Business and Merchandising, and Personal/ Wardrobe Styling for three years. Styling encompasses everything from putting together campaign shoots for designers, window dressing and visual merchandising to wardrobe audits and personal shopping for private clients. She has worked in the fashion Industry for over 16 years (originally from Sydney) and headed to the Gold Coast five years ago. She was lucky enough to get some amazing opportunities up here right from the start, and one of them was to write a fashion article for a local magazine. The directors of the school happened to read it and contacted her to do some guest speaking to a few classes, and that in turn lead her to teaching!

What keeps you motivated?

My unwavering love of all things fashion. Recently I was in New York to get some fresh ideas and do a little shopping. I was lucky enough to meet some great people in the industry and was invited to some Fashion Trade shows which were very inspiring. Being able to travel and meet different, creative people also keeps me motivated.

What is your favourite way to unwind?

I am so lucky to have the beach at my doorstep, so I head there everyday without fail. Day trips to Byron, dinner with friends, checking out local markets, shopping, cooking…the simple things in life.

How do people find you/ your business?

Facebook page (Tara Castellan), phone 0422 510 795 or LinkedIn (Tara Castellan )

What have been your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?

Biggest challenges working in an industry that to those who don’t know it, or have not worked in it deem it as “airy fairy”. Fashion is a billion dollar business globally, a part of everyone’s life in some form, and has an amazing history. It’s great to be able to work with, and educate people on why this is, and when it translates to sales from a window display for a client or a student getting a distinction then I am happy.

What is your favourite brand and why?

Tara sourcing inspiration on her recent trip to NYC

If you saw the “likes” on my FB page and my wardrobe you would see that there is no way I could say just one brand! Top 5? Lanvin, ALC, Marimekko, Missoni, and a newly discovered label Manoush.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were establishing your business?

When you are starting out, you try to do as much as you can with as many different people as you can. Some of those people may have turned out to be a little unsavoury in terms of their business practices etc. I wish I had been a bit more selective to who I helped out and worked with. But you live and learn!

What is your proudest achievement so far?

I have had so many! Seeing my styling work in magazines, receiving positive feedback from happy clients, teaching students who have gone on to do great things in their careers ( Mel! ) , creating beautiful images or windows with all different types of creative people…the list could go on.

Thanks Tara! xx Katie and Mel

Brands we love: MAC Cosmetics

mel — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 06:34:45 +0000

LOGO: It is sleek and professional, maybe not quite informative of what they do on first look, but their products over time have made the label recognisable.
How we met: Through my makeup obsessed friend, who will not be named. I got my first mascara recently and I know that I am hooked.
Why we are still together: It is a new relationship but I find it hard to find a mascara I like, so I will stick around!
Favourite memory…

MAC and Barbie collaboration in 2007

Every time, whether or not I have purchased or if I am looking for myself or someone else, I go to a M.A.C counter, the service is always amazing, the staff are always funky and you get more than enough help. The experience really adds to the whole brand.
Why do I love them overall?
It is a makeup staple that professionals use – I love lots of makeup brands (Napoleon, The Body Shop, OPI, Innoxa, Chanel…) and M.A.C complements everything in my makeup chest and is premium quality at mostly reasonable prices. And their campaigns are always absolutely stunning representations of their product, and what you can (try) to do with them.