True American experience for international visitors? How about White Castle… This blurb on Brandfreak about endearing images of Twinkies in popular media reminded me of past attempts to showcase our culture to international visitors. For David from Paris, we spent the week trying to find the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. We tried Potbelly’s (sidenote–best day ever was being…
DetailsIn the past three days, direct to my in box, without having to lift a finger, I’ve received info about an amazing symposium on Stereotypes of Women in the Middle East, info on a workshop for Cultural Competency Facilitation Skills, a note from a friend in St. Louis re-connecting me to a mutual friend in…
DetailsThere are many reasons to learn about other cultures. While some may be ‘cramming’ to prepare for a business trip to China next week, I was thinking more about an interest in learning about another culture in general. Granted in today’s fast-paced purpose driven business world where meaning is communicated in 140 character snippets, learning…
DetailsI came across this quote today, and it reminded me of the value of intercultural communications based on knowing and embracing one’s own identity, first voice, and respect for others. “I, with all my abilities, potentials and talents both physical and spiritual, am unique in the universe. Amongst all those alive today there is no other…
DetailsJust when I thought I had covered all the angles of the “N” word, my son came back with another. I had only left the table at the restaurant for only five minutes, but when I came back, my son wanted to leave. “He said…wait” he stopped as someone walked in the door and…
DetailsI never realized how “American” I was until I had to do business in Brazil a number of year’s ago. After sitting through a nearly two hour lunch and then retreating for a ‘cafezhinho’ (shot glass sized cup of delicious, syrupy sweet, strong coffee) with still no mention of the business about which we had…
DetailsNancy Olson as Betsy Carlisle in 1961’s The Absent Minded Professor vs. Anna Faris as Sam Sparks in 2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs…We’ve come a long way, right? Not really. One of the joys of having kids (or borrowing other people’s kids) is for the excuse to indulge nostalgic yearnings by re-watching favorite childhood…
DetailsAs someone who can get a little too much caught up in a ‘true confessions’ trap when looking at unconscious bias, I always admire someone who can talk about stereotypes and prejudice in a way that is humorous, but makes a point. That would be Maz Jobrani, an Iranian-American stand-up comedian who “is breaking down…
DetailsMy dad and I came to an impasse again recently. It happens whenever we get into a conversation about race. Or more specifically, a conversation about something that happened in the news or real life where people of different races were involved. As in “they believe this way” from him, and “you can’t call an…
DetailsI know I talk about about how important it is in advertising to have characters who reflect/look like your target market, but the young man in this ad for the Chevrolet Aveo captures me perfectly…Just ask any mother (parent) who has tried to get their child off to school on time in the morning! The young/hip guy having this…
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