Cross-Cultural Twitter Interview With Caroline

Twitter Interviews – #CKinterview

Today’s Twitter Interview is with Caroline, also known as @ohh_la_la on Twitter. Just like yesterday, we are going to start off here, and continue on Twitter later today with #CKinterview. The transcript of the Twitter part of this interview will be added below shortly after it finishes on Twitter.

Caroline is an international marketer based in the UK. Ohh la la is a cheeky strategic marketing agency with international b2b and social marketing expertise. Our strategic marketing solutions ooze total va-va-voom!

This is part 1 of a 2-part interview with Caroline at @ohh_la_la – Join us on Twitter at 18:00 GMT for the second part of this interview. You can follow us on Twitter with the hashtag #CKinterview

Cindy King: Hi Caroline, for those who don’t know you, can you please tell us something about yourself. Where do you come from, and where do you live now? What you do in life?

Caroline: I am a French native who grew up on a farm in the South West of France, near Toulouse before moving to England fifteen years ago. Whilst it rains a lot in Yorkshire, it is a beautiful part of the world. During that period I have worked as an export marketing manager for a number of large companies including PLCs as well as smaller businesses, focusing on international trade. Most recently I set up Ohh la la Ltd, a strategic marketing agency that supports small and medium size businesses. To relax I enjoy swinging a golf club or cycling up the Yorkshire hills.

Cindy King: Apart from France & the UK, have you lived anywhere else?

Caroline: I lived near Chicago when I was a student for a couple of months. As soon as I started working traveling around the world became part of my life and I stay in a number of hotels regularly : the Mandarin chain in Asia was one of them and the Sheraton in Europe another one. Those hotels became my second home.

Cindy King: Do you speak any foreign languages? Do you feel close to any particular cultures?

Caroline: One of the great things about the French education system is that it encourages students to learn a number of foreign languages at a very young age. I speak English and Spanish fluently as well as French obviously. I am currently learning Russian and Italian.

Whilst I am French, the culture I feel closest to is the English one. I love the British sense of humour, its sense of individuality and its entrepreneurial spirit. Not to mention the food!

Cindy King: So how much of your cross-cultural experience is related to your professional experience?

Caroline: In 1992 I graduated from the European School of Management in Toulouse (ISEG) in international trade. The three years I spent studying for that degree gave me the opportunity to undertake several work placements around the world. Those provided me with my first cross cultural insight. I have since worked as a marketing manager across a number of regions. A crucial part of those roles involved working closely with distributors. They played a crucial role in my cross cultural awakening. Every time I visited a distributor he made sure that I saw the local life and gave me precious insight into their culture that I soaked in like a sponge. This knowledge and unwritten understanding proved invaluable when developing promotional campaigns.

Cindy King: Is there a story behind your interest in international business?

Caroline: As a child I grew up in a very rural part of France. This isolation left me to imagine what life would be like in other countries. Very quickly I discovered that the way to escape from a conventional life would be to gain skills in international trade. There is no doubt that my independant spirit and my studies combined with my ability to learn foreign languages allowed me to experience a fulfilling career in international marketing.

Cindy King: How did you pick up your cross-cultural skills?

Caroline: Strong communication skills were paramount in helping me develop international marketing campaigns and picking up cross cultural skills. Whilst talking is essential, listening is even more important. Equally the ability to observe when you are in a foreign environment provides a wealth of information on the local culture. But I have always found that in doubt asking a question with a smile helps clarifying any cultural question I may have.

Cindy King: Is there anything else about your international background that you’d like to share?

Caroline: Acceptance, tolerance, humility and open-mind are essential qualities when engaging on the international scene.

Cindy King: Let’s talk about your blog… How did you come to blog? Is there a story behind your blog?

Caroline: I am a newcomer to blogging ! My trigger point to start a blog occurred earlier this year when I attended a new media workshop and I realised just how crucial it was for my business to keep one to be part of the social media scene and share my views on the world of marketing.

Ohh La La is a cheeky little marketing agency and it its crucial for that all the marketing communication tools I use to communicate with my audience carry the va va voom factor. With that in mind my blog was developed to keep the French connection that I have. I have given the blog a multicultural twist by using well know french words and sayings.

Cindy King: What sort of people do you meet through your blog? Businesses? International?

Caroline: My blog has been a terrific way to meet business people from around the world and because of that it has become very addictive. The people that interact with on the blog are eager to share international marketing practices.

Cindy King: Have you noticed any current trends in the conversations you have through your blog?

Caroline: Social media, social media, social media! … and how to deliver cost effective marketing campaigns.

Cindy King: How have you found social media helps to connect with an international audience?

Caroline: The advent of Twitter has provided me with a first class ticket to people and businesses from around the world. Twitter provides the most open and instant platform to connect and interact with anyone at all who is on there. I really think that Twitter has revolutionised on-line communication. Blogging allows me to expand on themes raised on Twitter. For that reason having a blog is essential to complements a presence on Twitter or other social media platforms such as Linkedin.

Cindy King: What other online activities to do you do besides blogging?

Caroline: I use Facebook as a means to communicate with all my friends and advocate its’ use as part of certain marketing strategies for my clients. Linked in provides me with a way to launch myself as a brand.

Cindy King: OK, let’s change subject a bit to get to know you a bit more…What foreign language would you like to learn?

Caroline: Chinese without doubt ! I recently read an article about business and opportunities out there and I feel that kids in the UK should be taught how to speak Chinese or Spanish rather than French !

Cindy King: Which foreign destination would you like to go on vacation?

Caroline: Thailand without a doubt ! A wonderful destination, gentle people, delicious food, rich cultural heritage, beautiful beaches and great weather too. What more can I say ?

Cindy King: Is there any foreign country where you would like to live for a while?

Caroline: I would love to live in South America, possibly in Peru. Although I have never been, the founder of the charity I provide marketing support to (Mysmallhelp) is currently ou there and from what she has told me and I have read about, I would love to go.

Cindy King: What cultural stereotype bothers you the most?

Caroline: Stereotypes full stop ! Stereoptypes are fuelled by ignorance and usually come from people who have been further that the end of their street but feel that they …know it all. Comments like French people live on frogs…

Cindy King: Do you have a favorite movie that could help people understand cultural issues?

Caroline: Lost in Translation is quite interesting in that way. Bob Harris is an American film actor, far past his prime who visits Tokyo to appear in commercials. He meets Charlotte, the young wife of a visiting photographer. As they experience life in Tokyo, they suffer both confusion and hilarity due to the cultural and language differences between themselves and the Japanese.

Cindy King: What’s your favorite music from a different culture?

Caroline: Gurjele – an ethnic band from New Caledonia.

Cindy King: Where would you travel just to eat the food?

Caroline: Not very far to France for sophisticated cuisine… and Asia for the beautiful mix of sweet and sour.

Cindy King: Is there anything that really grabs your interest in international news right now?

Caroline: The economic down turn is going to leave a strong legacy whatever happens next in a lot of countries leading us to re-assess how we live our lives and conduct business. Sustainability, sharing and cross cultural fertilization are big themes

Transcription Of Part 2 – The Twitter Interview

This is an interview series of the people I recommend you follow on Twitter for the cross-cultural and international business insights in their tweets.

More Twitter Interviews

• Charmayne Paul – @psitutor
• Lucy Chatburn – @pocketcultures
• Doreen Iannuzzi – @DoreenatDMS
• Donna Jackson – @wisequeen
• Chris Cotter – @CotterHUE
• Jack Yan – @jackyan
• Silvia Cambié – @XCulture
• Bill Ward – @DR4WARD
• Thierry De Baillon – @t_de_baillon
• Seshu – @PicSeshu
• Neil Urquhart – @culturematters
• Klaus & Flavia Westerwelle – @transdomo
• Donagh Kiernan – @dkiernan
• Christian Hoeferle – @hoeferleconsult
• Deborah Swallow – @DeborahSwallow
• Steve Roesler – @steveroesler
• Matthew Bennett – @matthewbennett

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