Super Brain Yoga?

Here's an article about a yogic exercise

Super brain yoga. It's the latest energy therapy that combines movement and breath with specific hand placement on certain parts of the body and leg movements. The exercise involves a person holding each ear lobe and breathing in a certain manner while squatting at the same time to activate the brain. Research has shown that there are points along the ear that correspond to different parts of the body, said Connie Williams, a super brain yoga instructor in Gulf Breeze.

I'm fascinated by articles like this. Years ago this would have been way too 'out there' to get into a paper like the Pensacola News Journal. But, today yoga is so popular, and putting any phrase together with yoga seems to bring in readership. Now, on to the next question...does it work?

This is the heart of the matter. How does a consumer choose what works and what doesn't when this sort of information is 'pouring' into the public awareness?

Changing How We Keep Score

For some time, it has been apparent to me that we have to change the way we keep score if we are going to alter the corporate model for business to be more socially contributory. Too often, talking to business people, or the general public, the rote answer to why businesses can't consider more than the 'cash' bottom line, I hear them say, "that's our legal obligation to the shareholders'. All true, but it begs the point. Shareholders establish the parameters under which the corporate entity operates.

This new model -'B-corporations' sounds very promising to me. I love the idea of a legal structure that binds us as participants to a broader 'bottom line'. (The link is to an NPR podcast from Marketplace.)

As a yogically oriented business person, we MUST consider way more than the 'cash' bottom line. This structure suggests a possibility for a firm foundation for doing just that! I'm looking forward to watching where this goes.

Rich (Raghurai)

'Yoga' Apparel-Maker IPO - Communication Challenges and the Marketplace

Once again we are seeing that the yoga 'industry' is framed in the public awareness through the high profile IPO of Lululemon. Lululemon is a maker of high end 'yoga clothing', based in Canada.

This quote from a second article is somewhat revealing of how the yoga market is viewed in the financial world. Note bold is mine:

David Howell, president of consultancy Associate Marketing International, said Lululemon has few limitations to mass-market potential beyond its prices. (Yoga pants cost $70 to $100.)

"They don't sell inexpensive items, so it limits their market a bit, but people do tend to reach a bit to buy there. There is a lot of status attached to what you wear in exercise class."

Here's another quote from this Financial Post article, from Luke Sklar, founder of Toronto-based market research firm Sklar Wilton & Associates. The focus speaks for itself.

"They are on the short list of great Canadian retail success stories. They deserve to be very successful. I think they do a fantastic job rooted in high-quality product with a great look. Luon (a proprietary stretch fabric developed by the retailer and contained in most of its athletic clothing) holds up, and women are convinced that it makes their butts look better."

As marketers and business people seeking to thrive in the marketplace, while remaining true to our yogic foundations, we constantly strive to communicate through the mindset that fosters this sort of emphasis.