Your current Caribbean Island infrastructure is a product of your aspiration

During our latest marketing meetings we have been discussing the current state of our Islands infrastructure and how this affects tourism. More and more we have been getting reactions from tourists that our Island is losing its identity and becoming a destination just like everything else. We have the same architecture, the same franchises etc.

The internationalization (Americanization) of our Island can be considered both a good thing and a bad thing. Some people don’t like to find things they can find back home and others appreciate the comforts provided that are “just like home”. Fact is, we can’t change what we are right now. Problem is that we could end up in a “blame game” pointing fingers at who is at fault for letting our infrastructure develop into what we have now.

English: Logo for Esso (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In my opinion we are all responsible for our Islands infrastructure, design , look, feel and development. As a small Island we have been influenced strongly by neighboring countries and cultures. Especially the U.S.A. This is mainly the result of Aruba housing one of the largest oil refineries in the Region from the 1920’s to the mid 80’s. This refinery was run by Esso, a large US corporation. Esso invested large amounts of money into the Island and trained most of its local workers. They even built a colony for its expats which was a copy of what they had back home. These factors determined the aspirational benchmark for locals. This went on even after the refinery lost its importance and during my youth in the late 80’s through the nineties.

The point I am trying to make is that we were looking at the US as a target. A target for how we wanted to design our world (Island).  Whatever we saw on TV or in the movies, was something to aspire to and all local things became inferior or not worth it (in our minds). I remember when I was a little kid, we would rent videos that were just cartoons that were recorded via Satellite dish TV (by the few people who had one).  These videos included the commercials, mostly of toys. And our desire for these  toys grew and all the American brands such as Mattel, Hot wheels, Tonka and Fisher Price became “wannahaves”.  The same happened to our parents and ourselves when we turned adults. At some point I remember how proud we were to be able to tell a tourist that we have all the popular American fast food chains on the Island. This made us modern, and we felt that we were part of the developed world. We aspired to be like the US, and we made sure that our Island was developed in just that way.  

Currently a trend in tourism is “authenticity” and culture. Tourists want to escape what they have at home and experience new things and exotic cultures and locations. This puts us in a slight disadvantage, as we have been building and designing our Island to be a kind of copy of Miami.

Funny thing is that through social media I am seeing that especially my generation (30 -40 yrs.) is longing for originality, typical Aruban Nature, architecture, products etc. And we are all now complaining about the “Americanization” of our Island. Point is, we al wanted to be like that…..so we have only ourselves to blame. And yes, I mean you, all of my fellow Islanders who used to be brand conscious, and behaved like we were in a perpetual “saved by the bell” kinda world or teens wearing sporting goods of US teams that we have never heard of or seen playing and as if we were walking the streets of New York. Did we not all want to go shopping once a year at all the Malls in Florida? Well, that’s how we ended up with an Americanized Island.

So we should stop complaining and make sure that if we are now into different things, such as local criollo and typical things, we just have to do it. Restore your grandparents cunucu houses instead of building something new, Start making pan bati instead of driving to Wendy’s drive through. Have a beer at your local rum shop instead of going to South Beach. Teach your kids to play marbles (kiniki) instead of taking them to watch  cars, Toy story etc.

We are all responsible for what and where we are now. If we want to change…..we just have to be that change.

Don't succumb to stress, reflecting on your business or career the Caribbean way

There is a reason people in the Caribbean do not have a lot of problems with stress. we take things easy. Although this is regarded in some cultures (western capitalist) as not being professional, it does have its advantages. The current trend is: being able to adapt your professional life to your private lifestyle. The younger generations are combining these more easily by the day.

Ancient wisdom, religions and sages always recommended to be still and listen to your surroundings. Now if you work in the Caribbean you have an advantage. My colleagues for example have offices with ocean view. Talk about being blessed. However, this can also be applied in other regions. In Holland where I live, there is a small park nearby with a little lake. When weather allows, I often go there and take my 30 min. break. The Challenge there is to switch off for a while and look to what is there and "listen". In reality nothing really happens. The birds and ducks just look at you for a second and go about their business. However, it creates space for creativity and good business ideas and solutions.

What does this have to do with the Caribbean? I hear you think. Well, nothing and everything. We Caribbeans have limited ground space and often gaze at the ocean out of lack of Panoramas. It is my unproven conclusion that this might be one of the factors that gives us the tranquility to take things easy and someway somehow manage to do good business with the rest of the world. We are, still one of the most desired Holiday destinations.....

Our gift to you:

Related articles

• High Season in the Caribbean (pilatesandreikiinparadise.com)
• 10 Budget Caribbean Islands (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)

What they don’t teach you in Marketing class

Marketing is a widespread “phenomenon”. When I started my studies, it was still relatively new and specific. Nowadays, it seems, everybody is a marketer. Or at least feel they are. I remember one professor telling us: “forget everything you have learned, throw away all your marketing books. Just use your common sense”. Marketing for him was 90% common sense and 10% application of theoretical knowledge. (just like Yoda tells Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: let go of your feelings….feel the force).

In many ways I do agree with him. There are many people out there who can be considered marketing geniuses, without having a formal degree in marketing. But, for all us “licensed” marketers, these can be some comforting words. I think it was in Tim Harfords book "The Undercover Economist" where he said something like:
I might not be as good as Einstein or other famous people, but at least I do the best I can at what I do best, and that is my contribution to this world

Lets look at the classical marketing approach of 80-20. Try to achieve 80% of marketing goals by using 20% common sense or theory? It will bore in the likes of around 70 - 30. In any case, just apply the percentage-mix you feel works best for you. This is what they don’t teach us in school or marketing courses.

Every person who has endured, survived and accomplished any kind of marketing course is sent into this world with a manual of theories, models and other stuff he or she can apply. This is always very noticeable with newcomers in any organisation. They start right away applying some model in order to achieve a goal which it should lead them to. This is all very good. That’s why they learned that stuff and why they have been hired and everybody is happy (at least that was in a nutshell my first start at where I work).

Then after a while you start noticing that your knowledge and implementation of these models mixed and based on common sense…..don’t always get approval. Something is wrong. The model indicates that in situation A one should apply model X and based on market trends, data and statistics, the logical outcome and therefore action should be AX. Still you meet resistance and negative feedback. How do you deal with this? Nobody taught me this in school?

Marketing, for a large part is what some call: “a people’s business”. And whilst theoretically we have been thought what the definition of People’s business is, we have not been trained on how to deal with this when things don’t go as planned.

Many times there are different people involved in determining the decision or direction of a marketing objective, strategy or tactic. They all have their own respective common sense, knowledge and experience. However….it’s a people’s business. They also have their own interests and desires that get included into the equation. Sometimes these “personal” factors defy common marketing sense and any existing model or theory. Yet, depending on the person, they can be very decisive in determining the chosen direction. As a marketer caught in the middle one should also have a certain level of political and diplomacy skills. How to reach a consensus where common marketing sense, partly based on facts and figures, can still please some of the personal desires. Sometimes it takes a little bit of pleasing in order to get the big plans rolling.

Scene in BBC's mini series ROME. Where Mark-Anthony and harras Octavian (Julius Ceasars Heir) for having pleased the poor people. However, Octavian sees the bigger picture:

Mark Anthony: What have you done?

Octavian's mother: What is the reason of this? You are giving the plebs their money!!
Octavian: I have promised it. I am sorry I have not told you before, I knew yo'd object. I have decided to enter public life, and this is a great way to introduce myself to the people.
Mark Anthony (very angry): That will be seen as a direct challenge to ME!
Octavian: Yes...but that isn't y intention at all. I suggest we make a public display of unity. That when you leave politics and I step in, you will be protected by me from your enemies in the senate. And I can provide that.
Mark Anthony: Who the **** do you think you are?
Octavian's mother: He does not have the money.
Octavian: I was able to borrow it in advance of my inheritance.
Octavian's mother: ...How much..did you borrow?
Octavian: Not much in the grand scheme of things?
Mark-Anthny:..How Much...?
Octavian (calmly answers): 3 million sesterstius

Here Mark Anthony and Octavian's mother completely flip out. Because that was a substantial amount of money back then. And to just give it away to the poor people.
Octavian's line always stayed with me: "Not in the grand scheme of things". He went on being one of the longest sitting roman rulers and set Rome on a course of prosperity.

As a marketer, one should always keep the end result in sight. It is essential that you create a track record of achieving results by keeping your focus. Because you can please people as much as you want, but at the end of the day, if you cannot deliver results all the pleasing has been in vain. And in the big bad business world, your actions to please can be easily set aside as being: It’s business…nothing personal. So even if you get fired, your achievements will not go un-noticed and will help you get back on your feet.

It is essential that you develop a 6th sense, if you will, for knowing exactly how to determine your marketing decision mix (based on facts vs. based on pleasing key people). This can only be achieved through experience. If someone wrote a textbook on this and schools started adding this to their curriculums, it might help a bit. But reality is never as exact as books make you believe.

So again, what my professor told me a couple of years ago is very useful:
“Forget everything you know and learned about marketing. Use your common sense”.
Determine for yourself why and who do you have to please and to what extend. Whilst never betraying your true marketing sense and instincts (integrity) for achieving real results.

And as Sir Richard Branson says: everything is allowed, as long as it is legal.

Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, a Caribbean Social Media success story

For the past couple of months I have been a FaceBook fan of the Donkey Sanctuary Aruba . The amount and quality of interaction with their fans really impressed me. By well use of new "free" social media to promote themselves an reach their goals, in my opinion, they really got it right.
This is a good example on how using social media can be an important tool for small Caribbean organisations in communicating, exposing themselves & reaching goals on an International playing field.

I had the opportunity to interview Desiree Eldering, who manages the FB fanpage for the Sanctuary. She shares the following with us:

TT: When was the Donkey Sanctuary established and how long have you been active on FaceBook?
DE: The donkey sanctuary was established on April 1997 and we have our FB page since July 2009 and started by an adoption parent as Aruban Donkey Sanctuary. This had its limits cause I couldn’t write as Donkey Sanctuary Aruba. So in February this year I made a new page which is Donkey Sanctuary Aruba. It took me a while before I was really a fan of the whole idea and now I try to post everyday something on the page.
TT: For a fanpage of a Non-Profit organisation on a small Island, you have a large number of followers, who are also very active. what in your opinion is the main reason for their engagement on your page?
DE: I think because I try to keep it is as positive as possible, don’t point a finger to what is wrong, or complain and react on what people write. I ask people specifically to place their pictures (when they have visited us) on our wall.
TT: What level of priority does the managing of your fanpage have in your daily to-do list?
DE: I check the page every day, but taking care of the donkey sanctuary itself has a bigger priority.
TT: Is there a big difference in the amount of interaction/visits of your fanpage in comparison to your website?
DE: Oh yes it is. Like you say there is interaction. We do appreciate our website as well though, cause that is more like giving information.
TT: Can you tell us of any special stories, or occurances that happened as a result of your fanpage?
DE: I learned a lot about donkeys in other places, donkeys in general on FB. We have donkeys been adopted because of the stories on FB, orders in our e-shop and I even designed a logo for Walk with donkeys on Crete…..
TT: In what way has your fanpage helped you achieve your goals as an organisation?
DE: It helps us to grow. We started 13 years ago with 10 donkeys and today we take care of 106 donkeys. People become aware of us and visit us. Not only because of FB but also our website, so Internet in general helps us to grow….
TT: As an organization operating in the Caribbean, targetting an international audience, what advice can you give to others regarding facebook fanpage management and developement?
DE: Try to post something positive (even try to give a positive twist on a negative event/situation) every day. Answer people who respond on your post. Do not complain or whine and ask questions, so you invite people to interact with you. Make it personal. People like it when they are remembered or appreciated.

http://www.facebook.com/donkey.sanctuary.aruba

Grotere kaart weergeven

Claiming a (our) spot

Throughout history many regions, countries, continents and societies had their claim to fame and some still do. The Chinese had their various Dynasties, England their empire and industrial revolution, and currently we are living in the age of democracy and technology mainly distributed by the USA.
All my life I had been reading and learning about all these amazing nations and their people. The accomplishments and contributions to the world. I can remember that we always looked up (and with good reason) to other "western" cultures and never questioned and worse of all, rarely pushed and stimulated our own creativity and contribution to this world.

Working in the destination marketing business, promoting the Caribbean and my home country Aruba"target=_blank" , we always define our unique selling points such as: nice beaches, excellent weather, good food, friendly people etc.
It is actually while having deeper converstaions with our audience that we truly promote our "unique" people, customs, technologies and philosophy. Also our role in this worlds history. Two examples I love most are the contributions of two tiny islands and their people to the founding and defense of the USA.

The first country in saluting and accepting the newly formed United States of America
In the North-west part of the Caribbean you;ll find St. Eustatius, one of the Dutch Antilles. Their nickname is "The Golden Rock". It was given to them for making a fortune on selling and providing weapons for the American freedom fighters under George Washington. As soon as he won the war against Britain, the (then Dutch) Governor saluted an American ship with 11 canon shots, officially recognizing the newly formed United States of America. Read more: http://www.statiatourism.com/history.html

The largest producer of Fuel for the American and Allied forces during WWII
During the years the world was at war, a small Island called Aruba, under Dutch rule was host to a large American Oil refining company: LAGO Oil & Transport Company
The production of this facility provided 75% of the Fuel for the Americans in the Pacific.
Read more: http://www.bevrijdingintercultureel.nl/eng/antillen.html#wo2

The nice things about these stories is that all the people involved were a mix of Europeans, Americans, Africans and indigenous people and all other possible mixes that one could find on the islands.
Therefore one of the unique selling points of the Caribbean, at least in my opinion, is that the Islands are too small for anyone to be left out. Every person on those Islands have been directly or indirectly invloved. Wether it was people in high and official positions or common citizens performing tasks that were just small gears in a much large machine, but nevertheless very essential.

Caribbean people are known to be humble. But after learning more and more about our history we can be proud and claim our spot in the range of nations and regions mentioned earlier who contributed to this world.
And the uniqueness of being small will help us stay down to earth, becuase in the Caribbean there will always be someone who knows you and your background and be telling you:
"I know you, I remember you stealing fruit from the neighbour in your underpants after school. So you are a Director of a company now? nice......I think we still have that picture of you playing in the field with all the other neighborhood kids"