I have presented my
book at the European Social Marketing Conference in Espoo, near Helsinki, at
the Aalvar Alto University. This was my first sensation: to be in those Alto
buildings. I could understand the appreciation that our great architect Álvaro
Siza has for Alto. We feel all his modern beauty and intelligence in the
smallest touches: the stairs, the handrails, the doors, the windows... And the open
spaces, the movements inside the buildings...
I took with me some copies
of my book (proof copies I did in Lisbon, because those from Amazon were not
ready yet) and the first one was for Jeff French, of course. It was a great
pleasure to see again this old friend that helps me so much in my British research.
My presentation was not
done in very good conditions. The room was small and it was the last one in the
afternoon sessions, without time for questions and conversation. And the
projection doesn’t work with pdfs. When I was prepared to show the framework of
the British national policy on social marketing, it didn’t work. But I hope
that people understood my point and how passionate I am talking about these
things. Two fellows from New Zealand, in the front row, told me at the end that
they wish I had been his teacher. Also at the end, Jeff French, who chaired the
session, apologized for the lack of more time and declared his support for my
book.
I appreciated the
presence in my presentation of two Portuguese fellows, Sara Balonas and Ana
Sofia Dias. Sara is an experienced woman that mixes teaching (at the Minho
University) with her own company’s work, which is really good for me. She seems
a very good person. I have seen her again, walking in Helsinky, just in front
of the Cathedral, when I was coming from the new Allas Oy sauna and hot pools. My
experience with the presence of Portuguese in international social marketing
conferences is not very good. They were always very unpleasant to me, showing a
certain bad mood (I don’t know why: envy? fear? dislike?). The worst case was with
a certain woman from Oporto, a Gerard Hastings’ pupil. Someone I really don’t
like. Arrogant, rude, ugly. But let her go. You know: with this one, it is my
seventh international social marketing conference, so I am prepared for
everything.
This Espoo conference
was a good collection of presentations and some stimulating questions. Just
mention some that I listen: Adrian Bauman presented his very interesting concept
of social counter marketing; Ellen O’Donoghue presented Change4Life (a true and profound British intervention) results; Anurudra
Bhanot bring us marvellous products for behaviour change in India; Marsha Smith
shows us the beautiful Super Kitchen
project; Jeff French stressed the role social marketing can play in social
policy and strategic development… I think my book is a contribution in this
last topic.
During the conference, I
begin to receive some feedback and comments about my book that I’ll cover in
the next text.
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