Share the Love
February 19, 2008 by Jean Mercedes
Filed under Business
Holidays like Valentine’s Day last week make excellent case studies about international business. Some creative (often American) marketeer came up with a way to increase flower and chocolate sales and in the meantime it has spread around the world like a pandemic.
Valentine’s Day is not a big deal in Germany where I live. School children do not pass out cards to everyone in their class. Spouses do not get irate if they don’t receive any flowers. So I had to smile when I heard one of (German) colleagues say that he usually doesn’t buy flowers for his wife on February 14th, but this year he did. He has been working together with a new team in France and over there, if you don’t buy something suitable for your wife, she may not let you in the door when you get home.
Wow, who needs Internet marketing when you’ve got international word of mouth working for you?
Unfortunately, I didn’t hear this story until February 15th, so my present to my sweetie was one day late.
How big is Valentine’s Day where you live?
Image from 4four.at
I’m amazed at how Halloween has taken off in Germany. When I lived there it was still somewhat of an exotic curiousity, but I’ve heard that it has become quite the party evening, albeit largely for adults, rather than children.