Interview with Emerging Markets World
Here's a very short vid taken last 2011 with Emerging Markets World. I am so so so proud to share this with you, Fascinofiers! Now, here it is.....
Here's a very short vid taken last 2011 with Emerging Markets World. I am so so so proud to share this with you, Fascinofiers! Now, here it is.....
Please do visit and LIKE the YouTube post here! Thanks a lot! :)
Marketing Fascino
Product line? Check.
Product name? Check.
Logo? Check.
Store? Check.
Legalities? Check!
Fascino has been out in the market
for exactly 4 years today! Oh, how time flies
so fast. But, how come that within these
years, Fascino remains a baby who is still struggling to grow up? With everything completed, what is still
lacking?
Yes, through word of mouth,
Fascino had become known. But this was
only limited to family, friends, and friends of friends. We hadn’t realized that there’s still a wide
market out there to reach out. And the
question was answered. “Marketing” is what
Fascino needs.
Then we started out putting
Fascino online. We had it on Friendster,
Multiply, and Sulit. So far, marketing
online had been effective. Much more with
the advent of Facebook, we got costumers not just from Ozamiz but also from
other places outside Ozamiz. We also
included a page for Fascino here in my blog so more people came to know it. However, there are still some people who
don’t have a flair for the Internet so we had to find for other means to market.
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| LIKE our Fascino by Maria Rosalia fan page! |
As a women’s vanity line, Fascino is eligible to sponsor beauty pageants. So we invaded Miss Ozamiz Tourism. Since 2009, we already have three Miss Fascino’s namely:
Then it was time to go too
public! Fascino went out to join the city
parade for the City Charter Day Celebration every 16th of July. Spectators just got crazy over Fascino
samples!
Since Fascino had gone out too
publicly, we decided to become more public through media exposure. So we had Fascino on local TV through KNC
Channel 17. Here are some shots from our
TV ad:
So people came to know Fascino by
mind. And those who came to try Fascino
knew it by heart. Valued customers are
now our top endorsers. So I couldn’t say
“no” to them every time they ask me for sponsorship. Then we had fun marketing Fascino. It doesn’t just make our products known but
also let us socialize and meet more friends.
See you in the next Fascino public exposure!
Since today is Fascino Scents' 4th birthday, we feel so generous to give back to our valued customers. And since we sold a total of 25 bottles for our One-Day SALE today, we're giving away not just one but TEN Fascino bottles for free! Just follow the steps below:
1. Click the Tweet and Share buttons below this post.
2. Click LIKE on Fascino by Maria Rosalia's Facebook Page HERE.
3. Post a short message about your favorite Fascino scent on YOUR Facebook Wall along with a link to this blog post. Don't forget to tag @Fascino by Maria Rosalia and make your post option public to qualify for the contest.
Simply copy the URL above this blog post and paste it along with your status update. Click POST and VOILA!
Get creative with your answers and you will get a bottle of Fascino scent! Send your entries before March 30, 2012! Good luck! :)
With the success of The
Fascino Cravings Collection, my Medina students requested me to make some
scents that smell like viands. The
scents of strawberry, chocolate, and melon already had them hungry and they
kiddingly told me to also make scents of mechado and adobo. According to them, they will just smell the
cologne while eating rice so they can save money for their meals. I understand them for I also experienced
living by myself during college with a really tight budget. “Sounds terrific!”, I also told them
kiddingly. But how could I make such
scents? There are no essential oils that
could create these viand-like scents.
On the other hand, my elementary classmate, Ilda Mae
Montemor also requested me some personalized scents. One is Green Tea that I had recently done successfully
(see My Fascino – Aromatherapy Specials). The
other is a citrusy sweet blend that I had a really hard time cooking up so I
quitted! And the last is a blend of
blackberry and vanilla. Upon doing ten
proportions of these oils, the two couldn’t really give a good scent. So I decided to separate them and add more
berries (blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry) to the blackberry to make it sweeter.
Now I have another two new scents, the berry scent and the vanilla
scent!
Then I thought of adding another scent so I could make
another collection. And since Christmas
is fast approaching, I brainstormed on what scent that would fit the
occasion. Suddenly, I remembered that baking
and serving apple pie is England’s tradition for Christmas so I looked for an
apple essence oil. Luckily, I found one
so I have the third scent, the apple scent.
And in order to grant my students' viand requests, I decided to create food-inspired
scents again out from these experiments.
So now, let me introduce to you my new line of scents, The Fascino Christmas Goodies:
Berry Crumble – is a mixture of sugared berries that tingles your imagination of its fruitiness and sweetness. Girls just love wearing sweet scents and if you love Strawberry Ice Cream (see My Fascino – The Fascino Cravings Collection), this one is a surely must-try and must-have!
Vanilla Cake – is a scent of warmth and softness that also connotates purity and simplicity. Vanilla is actually a spice used as a flavoring agent in cooking. It gives a comforting milky scent that perfumers discovered its potential in perfume-making. For this, it is commonly used as a base note in most perfumes for its lingering attitude. For a more festive Christmas, include this in your shopping list!
AROMATHERAPY SPECIALS
With the hassle of everyday living, we long to be in a place
where we can experience calmness. But
our respective jobs, duties, and other responsibilities don’t allow us to do
so even just for a while. As an offer to
a quick escape, Fascino had created the Aromatherapy
Specials. Studies show that pleasant
aroma can calm our senses due to the chemical reactions it creates to our
bodies. But this aroma does not just
come from any random scents. This comes
from nature so we have:
Lavender – contains linalyl esters that
stimulate the olfactory nerve, slowing down the activity of the nervous system
thus making you relaxed. It reduces
anxiety and lifts your mood that creates more positive energy in you. So try it now and be relieved from your
stress!
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| Lavender |
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| Green Tea |
MISS B KOJIC ACID SOAP
Miss B Kojic Acid Soap is packed with vital nutrients to
make the skin fairer and younger-looking!
Its main ingredient is kojic acid that comes naturally from fermented Japanese
rice wine or sake. It contains the enzyme tyrosinase which
triggers the production of melanin that lightens the skin and removes dark
spots and freckles.
The second main ingredient is glutathione, known as the
master anti-oxidant. It contains three
essential amino acids which detoxifies the skin cells thus slowing the aging
process and preventing the early occurrence of wrinkles.
And the third main ingredient is placenta. It is rich in hormones and proteins that
moisturizes the skin making it soft and smooth.
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| Skin Whitening and Anti-Aging |
THE FASCINO CRAVINGS COLLECTION
Boys will definitely go loco over these sweet and scrumptious scents! Let him have a bite on you with this luscious creation. Spray on any of the Fascino Cravings Collection and let him crave for more of you!
Strawberry Ice Cream - Strawberry is fondly called as the Nature's Love because they're heart-shaped that make your taste buds fall in love. Its juiciness, sweetness, and redness just spells love, love, love!
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| Strawberry Ice Cream |
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| Chocolate Frosting |
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| Milky Melon |
FASCINO BODY ESSENTIALS
When I registered my business name at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) last February 5, 2009, their Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist, Jane Marie L. Tabucan suggested to add something to the name "Fascino". According to her, it would be better to put a "surname" to it that would give an idea on what Fascino is all about. She thought of plenty of words like Scents, Perfumes, Fragrances, Colognes, etc. But she suddenly had a vision that I would not just be making fragrances only. She said that maybe in time, I would also be doing soaps, lotions, and shampoos. So, it would be better if the name registered must be all about these stuffs.
Instantly, she exclaimed "Why not have it as Fascino Body Essentials?!" Then it clicked! It sounded good, it was not yet in their database of names, and it was approved! So, we had it! Fascino Body Essentials as our business name.
Eventhough we already had Fascino Body Essentials, we hadn't manufactured soaps, lotions, shampoos, and the like yet for I became busy with my teaching career. After resigning from Misamis Union High School (MUHS) and after two years of having the name, Fascino Body Essentials now have its vision become a reality.
The Fascino Body Essentials were launched last August 22, 2011! We now have hand sanitizers, lotions, and shampoos in three variants namely, chocolate frosting, milky melon, and strawberry ice cream. Although I hadn't successfully formulated the soaps yet but I know in time, we're gonna have them for all Fascino patronizers!
Fascino Hand Sanitizer kills 99.9% of many common germs and bacteria in as little as 15 seconds while gently moisturizing skin to keep hands soft and smooth, even with frequent use. Fascino Hand Sanitizer is designed to fit today's busy lifestyle, with strap that dangles in your bags. When soap and water aren't available, trust Fascino Hand Sanitizers!
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| Fascino Hand Sanitizers |
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| Hand Sanitizers w/ Bag Straps |
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| Fascino Hand and Body Lotions |
Fascino Shampoo removes oil, dirt, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair. It gently cleans hair without stripping out so much sebum as to make hair unmanageable. For shiny, smooth, and soft hair, use Fascino Shampoo. And catch his attention by flipping your damn good hair!
Fascino Body Essentials in Three Variants:
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| Fascino Shampoos |
Fascino Body Wash gently cleans the skin that eliminates dirt, bacteria, and other irritants. It is less harsh than soap and contains moisturizers that can trap water in the skin. Plus, it is more convenient to use! Just pour a small amount into your bath sponge, make it into a lather, and apply on skin. After rinsing, you'll be refreshed and you'll be ready on the go!
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| Fascino Body Wash |
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| Milky Melon |
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| Strawberry Ice Cream |
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| Chocolate Frosting |
THE FASCINO VERSIONS
After launching Fascino last 2008, our boarders, Hope "Er2x" Flores and Vincent "Enteng" Velonta requested me to formulate their favorite designer scents. They asked me to imitate Hugo Energize and Dunhill Desire Blue. After a month, I had them on my scent list!
Afterwards, customers were looking for other scents that they knew like Lacoste and Victoria's Secret. Per customer request, Fascino now have 15 designer scents! Customers can now have a reach of their much-coveted designer scents at a very low price.
The Fascino Versions are as follows:
Masculine:
1. Hugo Energize - irreverent, uninhibited
2. Dunhill Desire Blue - aquatic, clean
3. Lacoste Red - tenacious, dynamic
4. Armani Night - futuristic, seductive
5. Cool Water Men - fresh, adrenaline & explosive energy
6. Polo Sport Men - sporty fresh
7. Chanel Bleu - fresh, romantic
Feminine:
8. Victoria's Secret Sweet Temptation - flirtatious, tempting, teasing
9. Dolce & Gabbana The One - sensual, sexy
10.Salvatorre Ferragamo Incanto Dream - spirited, invigorating
11.Polo Sport Women - sporty fresh
12.Burberry London - elegant, cosmopolitan & modern London lifestyle
13.Bath & Body Works Cotton Blossom - clean, fresh, powdery soft
14.Calvin Klein Euphoria Blossom - confident, sexy, chic
15.Lacoste Touch of Sun - dynamic, energetic, fresh floral cocktail
For your scent request, visit Fascino Boutique at Gomez St. (beside Mom's Sweet Delight), Ozamiz City or contact us at 09275132983 / 09306350290 / (088) 564-4735. For faster transactions, post on our wall here: http://www.facebook.com/fascinobymariarosalia
MY FASCINO'S FIRST CONTEST WINNERS
Congratulations to Deborah Lim and Lynne Jane Comonsad for winning My Fascino's first contest! The answer to the question of "What is the scent of Fascino's first best seller?" is BABY BLUE! They will receive any Fascino Scent of their choice. Keep on reading maryrosalieo.blogspot.com. Who knows next time, you'll also be the winner!
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| LJ and Deborah |
THE FASCINO SCENT LIST
Capture senses, exude beauty, and express yourself with Fascino Scents! A new line of fragrances that are custom-made to suit your personality and lifestyle. With long-lasting fragrances at very
affordable prices, you’ll surely say that it’s a promise in every bottle!
Now, pick a scent that best defines you!
Masculine:
1. Captivate her senses with light and refreshing LEONARDO Sophisticated, Marine fresh
2. Stay cool and refreshed with CAMILO Sporty, Citrus fresh
3. Seduce her with MANLY Heartthrob, Citrus fresh
Feminine:
4. Entice him with alluring ANTONIETA Elegant, Sweet, Strong
5. Stay young and innocent with BABY PINK Charming, Floral fresh, Light
6. Be in full bloom with the ladylike TRES MARIAS Prim & Proper, Shower fresh
7. Intoxicate him with a taste of CHAMPAGNE Fierce, Sweet wine, Strong
8. Glow like the radiant SUMMER SUNSHINE Outgoing, Citrus fresh
9. Be delectable with tangy GRAPEFRUIT Sassy, Fruity, Sweet
10. Fascinate him with sweet and luscious RASPBERRY KISS Flirt, Fruity, Sweet
Unisex:
11. Be versatile with the Unisex scent of BABY BLUE Adventurous, Green fresh
12. Be delightful with dainty POWDER BLISS Powder fresh, Vanilla
Baby Cologne:
13. Smell like baby with ELLA Baby fresh, Light
Gossip Girl Collection:
14. Sweep him off his feet and rule over him with Queen B BLAIR Aristocrat, Floral fresh
15. Exude beauty and let him fall in your charms with sweet S SERENA Stunning, Sweet
I'll be giving away any Fascino Scent! Just answer this question:
"What is the scent of Fascino's first best seller?"
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| Get one of these! Join now! |
Name:
Age:
Address:
Answer:
Promo is until August 31 only. Reminder: EMAIL your answer and DO NOT comment here.
The winner will be notified by email also. So, send now!:-)
FROM THIS TO THAT: THE STORY OF THE FASCINO LOGO
When I started experimenting on fragrances last 2008, I hadn't thought of labels, names, and logos. I just enjoyed playing with them and when I started selling them, I pondered that there must be a name for unlabeled bottles would bring out confusions of what's stored inside. Then the first word that came out from my mind was “Fascino”.
Originally, Fascino was already in used last 2006 as a nametag for bags and accessories. I was working in Cebu at that time when my high school classmate/college boardmate/friend, Hermesa B. Murillo and I paired up for a little business. We bought bags and accessories at wholesale prices at Cebu’s business district, Colon-Carbon and sold them to officemates and relatives. It was just the typical buy and sell business. But we had our products personalized with the name Fascino.
Fascino is an Italian word for fascinate. I came across to this word when Mimi and I started thinking and looking for our little business’ name. We were at SM when I took a dictionary and just landed on the page with fascino on it. And voila, Fascino had became our nametag!
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| Fascino's First Logo |
Unfortunately, with lack of marketing skills and experience, our little business didn’t go that far so we just concentrated on our respective jobs. Then year 2007 came when I quitted my job and went home.
So the fragrances came into being and with Mimi’s permission, I used our name Fascino and image poodle.
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| Fascino's Second Label |
Soon after, year 2009 came when I decided to put up a store. Fascino patronizers suggested that the labels must be fashion forward in order to compete in the market. So I redesigned a better poodle – something that depicts super girlish stuffs. It's a poodle admiring herself in the mirror with perfume bottles on the dresser. And this time, our label was already the transparent plastic one.
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| Transparent Labels in Colored Bottles |
However, with the ups and downs of Fascino, we consulted a Feng Shui expert, Celia “Ate Babes” Potenciano highly recommended by Ate Dinah Herrera & Ate Grace Inolino. That’s the reason of the rearrangement and repainting of the store as well as the birth of Fascino’s new look. She was the one who suggested putting on some water element on the logo since colognes and toilettes’ element is water. And to make Fascino more Italian, she added “by: Maria Rosalia” to signify my chef-d'oeuvre!
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| Fascino's Current Logo |
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| 1-mL Vials |
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| 50-mL Eau de Toilette |
HERE COMES THE FASCINO STORE
Through word of mouth, Fascino Scents spread all over Ozamiz! From dealers to customers to customers’ friends to other friends! Then people started texting me where they could purchase another Fascino bottle (I put my phone number on the labels). I texted back, “From the dealer whom you bought your Fascino.” But 90% replied, “I don’t know the dealer.”
So I displayed Fascino products at Joint Outdoor Culture, my cousin Ompoy’s shop. It only did a bit good because the scents were in contradict with his items which were camping stuffs. The story was still the same – customers looking for a place to buy Fascinos and dealers coming to our house for their orders.
Then I decided to put up a kiosk in a department store that gives easy access for patronizers to buy again, provides convenience for my dealers to place their orders, and showcases the products to introduce them to new customers. So we opened the first Fascino store on June 5, 2009 – after a year and 3 months of Fascino’s birth. Our place was a cramped corner at Centrum Department Store. On the other hand, we also put displays at Basecamp (still a camping shop), Public Mall. Then there were three Fascino places – Joint Outdoor Culture, Centrum, and Basecamp.
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| Happy Church's Senior Pastor Nanay Elvie Go opened the first Fascino Store |
After the opening day, days at Centrum were definitely a crawl. We cannot compensate with the P10,000 rent for a month. It was really big an amount that our sales couldn’t attain. So, we just finished our one month rent and packed-up.
Fortunately, my cousin Vian decided to open up a laundry shop at Mommy Becky’s place at Gomez St. where our first house was. She was the one who requested Uncle Yayang, owner of Mom’s Sweet Delight to give back the space to us. So, Vian also gave space to me.
After renovations, we opened on August 5, 2009! The place was not crampy anymore so we also displayed some clothes, bags, and slippers. This time, Fascino was already a little boutique! Gladly, dealers and customers now have a place to go to wherein they can have a scent of Fascino!
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| Fascino Boutique at Gomez St., Ozamiz City (beside Fold 'Em and Hang Laundry Shop) |
A year and 3 months had passed again and Fascino was still growing. So we celebrated our thanksgiving to God on November 6, 2010! Aside from that, we also launched Fascino’s new look and shot Fascino’s first television advertisement.
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| Fascino's New Look! |
My journey with Fascino is a typical roller coaster ride – ups and downs and mostly downs. No, I should not say that! I am just so thankful to God that until now, we’re still standing. Various stores in our neighborhood had already closed down but Fascino is still open, still striving, and still spreading fascinating scents! And all these we owe to all Fascino users who believe in our products and just couldn’t do without them! My great gratitude to all of you! You know who you are…..:-)
At the advent of Fascino, I was a data-entry encoder at Medina College. That was my first job in Ozamiz after quitting my job as a Research & Development Laboratory Assistant in Cebu. I know it's both ends - from a very highly paint formulator to a very lowly encoder! But I chose to experience it! I wanted to do things that are very far and contradicting from my being a "chemical engineer."
Anyway, I met new people in this job. I fondly called them as my "jologs" friends. I never enjoyed having friends like them in my entire life! For I always chose whom I'm gonna friends with and I did chose the intellectual ones, the well-bred, and the good ones. But I'm not saying that my "jologs" friends are not good. In fact, they're the ones who gave a differently real and true friendship to me!
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| Kinneth Medina |
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| Marytel Pilapil |
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| Sarah Mabia |
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| Hayde Manaba |
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| Judy, Edesa, Naomi, & Sir Franie |
With our different backgrounds and characters, we complement each other. We laughed a lot, we made stuffs that beyond my imagination I couldn't do, and just enjoyed each other's company. In our three months of being together, I learned that being happy is just simply being true to yourself!
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| First Ever Fascino Models For Free |
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| Thank you so much, guys! |
HOW FASCINO STARTED
Fascino was born on March 24, 2008 at the very heart of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. It started out as a mere experimentation in our kitchen. With a very small capital, I developed four scents and sold my first batch of products to friends and relatives.
Unexpectedly, people came to love the fascinating scents and recommended the products to other friends.
Then the Fascino fever began which encouraged me to develop other scents. Now, Fascino Scents are available in fifteen (15) fascinating variants and still counting!
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| Me with my first four scents - Manly, Baby Blue, Champagne, and Summer Sunshine Credits to Kinneth Medina for the Photoshop Job |
With hard work, dedication, and teamwork, Fascino Scents had expanded and still continues to grow!
Our goal is to provide a wide variety of scents that would suit each individual’s personality and lifestyle, to give livelihood to our locality, to promote the name of Ozamiz City, and to be the first and leading scent manufacturer in Mindanao.
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