Response to Cote's Post

Cigarette's have been embedded in my head as something that is extremely unhealthy for the human body and can damage many of the human body's organs. In my opinion it does not really matter how the cigarette company advertises its products because regardless the people who want or need to buy that product will. It is no secret that cigarettes are bad for people and it is kind of scary to see how well the tobacco industry does even though it produces such an evil product. Although sometimes I guess you can argue that having cigarettes with "light" and "ultra light" in it sound misleading, and makes people think that it has less harmful chemicals in it, but regardless people know they are harmful.

In my opinion I do not believe the packaging matters. Do you?

Summer Fun

With summer right around the corner many advertisements that have been popping up everywhere are about amusement and theme parks. The other night while watching television there was at least three commercials that came up that discussed parks to visit this summer such as Universal Studios in Orlando Florida, Six Flags and Seaworld. Many companies realize that now is the time to put out advertisements about special promotions. Universal theme parks are now offering this new VIP pass that customers due have to pay a premium for, but the price does reflect all the lavish things a customer would receive. For example customers get free breakfast and lunch and unlimited snacks all day as well as cutting the lines for rides and who does not like that? Many parks are offering these great packages and even provide a tour guide! In my opinion this is a great way to get consumers excited and make them want to experience these fabulous parks.

Do you believe the company actually sees a positive return in revenues by doing this process?

Response to Drew's Post

After reading Drew's post about tourism and how it can help states generate income to fix roads and invest more money on schools  I think this form of advertising is nothing, but positive. Last summer I was at a complete lost of where to find an internship and than on television I saw and advertisement about Florida and all the wonderful things it has to offer. After seeing the commercial I took action and decided to get an internship with a healthcare company in Tampa, Florida. If I had never seen the ad about visiting Florida on the television I would have never even considered doing an internship down there. The way the camera portrayed Florida made it seem so appealing and just exactly what I needed.

Comedy Central through Twitter

Talk about social media taking over...next week Comedy Central is hosting a five day festival which will almost all take place on Twitter. The idea is that all of the comedians present will be posting little routines that they perform via Twitter and hash tagging as many things as possible. There will be many segments of the comedy routines that are donated to social media especially the new phenomenon called Vine which is owned by Twitter. Vine is this video posting website or app that allows you to take six video snip its at once to create this funky video. One particular skit that will take place is called "Vine Dining" and is all about the new vine video and social media. Although the concept is cool because people will be able to watch the videos whenever many fear that it will take away from people actually watching the real Comedy Central show.

Should people be concerned or should they just accept that this is the reality of the new world?

Response to Drew's Post

After reading Drew's post about Boston Strong it definitely made me take a moment to think about making a contribution to this foundation. After a community living through such a huge disaster is absolutely heart wrenching, but supporting the cause is something everyone can do to show their support. This awful tragedy occurring definitely brings more awareness to the city and some companies are taking advantage of this awful occurrence. However I do not believe that companies are being greedy in marketing along side of the tragedy, in my opinion I think it puts the company in a positive light because it shows they care. I think many people all over and especially the people of Boston would appreciate the support from companies!

Do you believe by participating in Boston Strong it would put the company in a negative light?

Lay's Potato Chip Contest

The talk of the town lately is Lay's Potato Chip flavor contest. This contest was created to get the public involved in the creation of a new flavor that would thrive on the shelves and knock the competition out. The concept was called "Do us a flavor" Lay's received millions of submissions of interesting and funky new flavors that America would want to try and after a panel of judges sat down to process of elimination the decision was made...well almost. Judges narrowed it down to three flavors; Chicken and Waffles, Cheesy Garlic Bread, and Sriracha. The final decision is left to America! Lay's has taken the traditional form of advertising and used social media to entice customers and America to vote. In order for people to participate and get active Lay's even offered a cash prize of $50,000 to sweeten the deal. This competition has taken over and everybody wants a piece of the action. The competition appears all over Facebook, Twitter, T.V. and newspapers. America is waiting patiently to see if the flavors will be permanent or just a one hit wonder to increase their sales.

Do you think even if it is a one hit wonder it was a good marketing and financially savvy idea?

In Response to Haley's Post

After reading Haley's post about the Pipeline it was something that I was familiar with because of an Earth and Climate class I've taken. I was only familiar with the pipleine in the sense that I knew it was used to transport oil from Alaska to the states, but I never knew the other liquids that were transported with it. This idea seems good in theory a different way of transporting goods and materials, but I know how bad the process would be for the environment. In my opinion I don't think the pipline is a good idea and I would not be able to support it.

Do you think this system would be worth the environmental damage?

Bieber's Debit Card for Teens

Found within the Advertising section of the New York Times was an article about Justin Bieber. Who this world famous celebrity who makes millions of dollars, but he remains true to his humble roots. Even though he has so much money his goal right now in life is to promote budgeting money for teens. He has just recently signed a deal with a debit card company called SpendSmart card which is owned by Mastercard. This debit card is a line solely designated to teens to teach them to budget money and make them learn that they cannot spend more than they earn. The credit card company thought who better to promote this teen debit card then the biggest pop teen out there. This move was extremely smart and savvy because teens idolize Justin Bieber and want to follow his every move. If teens see him backing this card they are obviously going to get their parents on board and make them sign up for the SpendSmart debit card. It was also a savvy move because this pop star came from a rough background with money and is the perfect celebrity to preach about smart spending.

Do you having Justin Bieber backing this project was a savvy business move?

Response to Drew's Post

After reading the blog about brand marketing I know that I am one of those people who shops sometimes and looks for specific logos that I know are trendy and popular. At this school we even notice that many college students wear the same things based on brands and logos. Almost everyone has a North Face jacket and almost every girl on this campus has a pair of Uggs. We all have purchased these pieces of apparel because we all wanted to fit in and go with the crowd and wear what is popular. A company having a logo attached to it, it a fantastic idea because it makes the customer links the logo or symbol to the company. This makes them recognize the brand everywhere they go which in my opinion is a phenomenal strategy.

Louis Vuitton Model

I think that everyone is well aware of the one of a kind designer Louis Vuitton. The fashion accessories that this designer puts out are amazing pieces that are sported by celebrities and highly wealthy individuals or at least that is how the company use to be perceived. Now this luxury designer has all accessories made in highly automated factories that literally pops out hundreds of the same bag. This company has lost that hand made feel to simply satisfy the needs of the public. One company that has stuck with the hand crafted model is Hermes. This company is known for designing luxurious scarves and handbags. This company takes the time to individually make each scarf and bag for the customer that is going to purchase it. One bag takes around 13 hours to make. That right there shows commitment to a customer because this company clearly cares about the quality that they put out. Hermes refuses to use highly automated factories to produce their products because they do not want to lose the status of their company name.

Do you think that Hermes is making a smart business decision in not using an automated system? Do you think that them not using the automated system could potentially make them lose money?

In Response to Haley's Post

Whenever you walk into a Barnes and Noble it is standard that a person will see a Starbucks located in it as well. The two are very closely associated with one another because it is the perfect situation who wouldn't want to go browse for books with a nice hot cup of coffee in their hands to sip on. The marketing strategy behind this is fantastic because it seems both companies are benefiting from this relationship. The only thing I  can think of in today's day in age is that Barnes and Nobles has recently had scares of closing because many electronic book devices are taking over, but as long as they can push through both companies will be fine. Another relationship that is similar to Barnes and Nobles and Starbucks is Target and Starbucks. Every single time I come across a Target store a Starbucks is located right inside. It seems that Starbucks is on top of their marketing techniques because they try to reach a variety of people everyday and keep them satisfied.

Public Relations

Public Relations is an element apart of the promotional mix that helps identify issues that may be of public concern and execute programs to gain public understanding and acceptance. Marketing managers are in charge of setting up solid public relations campaigns that target certain markets. Many of these campaigns are designed to make the corporation appear positive to the public. Many corporations do publicity through press releases especially when they are about to launch a new product or open a new store. Having the proper and savvy publicity can take a product or a service to a better level. There are a variety of public relation techniques used and they consist of product publicity, corporate communication, public affairs, and crisis management. One that I find extremely important is public affairs which is building strong ties with your local community. By doing this local people would be aware of the company and want to support it because they put an effort into getting to know their customers.

Would you agree that public affairs is the most important form of public relations?

Response to Drew's Walmart Post

After reading Drew's blog about Walmart and it pricing strategies I thought about how I do not know how society would function without this store. People of all different wealth's shop at Walmart because they can receive name brand product for less money than other retailers. I believe that Walmarts pricing strategy is working well and doing a fantastic job of supply needs and wants to customers. Of course people are all about saving money these days because of our economic standing so even the littlest price cut is beneficial because every penny counts!

Why are they able to knock cents off the products?

Supply Chain Management

A upcoming form of management that many companies are starting to adopt is known as Supply Chain Management. This is a system that coordinates all the activities performed by supply chain members into a seamless process. This form of management seems to be highly beneficial because it helps managers see efficiency and strengths and shows where improvement need to be made. This process is customer driven because it can immediately respond to supply and demand issues. Many companies that participate in this form of management see lower inventory, transportation, and packaging costs. These companies also see high revenues coming in. By incorporating this process into a company it is a better way of staying ahead of the competition this is due to the fact that this process always is putting the customer first.

What companies out there are using supply chain management?

Response to Drew's post about consumer decision making

Ever since I was a little girl I can almost always recall having Treseme haircare products in our household. My mother always purchased these products because one they were moderately priced, two they worked amazingly on all different types of hair, and three they were easy to obtain because these products were available at every drug store or grocery store. Now that I am an adult I still find myself picking up the same products these days such as Treseme mousse "extreme hold" and "extreme hold hair spray". It is almost nearly impossible for me to purchase any other products. Clearly my families loyalty is to the Treseme brand and will forever be. It a little funny even though I do not personally know the owners of the Treseme company I sometimes feel guilty purchasing other companies products.

Do you ever feel guilty for betraying a brand loyalty you have?

A phenominon that has taken over this world is the Iphone. This amazing piece of technology has become useful to people in their everyday lives. It seems as though now most people cannot even function without being connected to their Iphones. Not only does the Iphone help with personal usage for  a person such as delivering emails, online banking, and social media apps. The Iphone is extremely useful to businesses by having companies apps available within the Iphone app store this makes the company more appealing because it is easily accesible. This piece of technology is a huge productivity tool for businesses and their employees. The Iphone allows for the employees to always be alert and paying attention to business even when they are not physically within the office. Another reason why business owners love the Iphone is due to the fact that it can be used as a marketing technique. Making advertisements on a special Iphone app called Four Square this displays advertisements for numerous companies. It seems to get the attention of many different types of people which can lead to better business.

Do you think that these apps are worth paying for on a personal level and a company level?

Response to Drew's Post

Nike is one the most well known sports apparel brand name on the market. Everbody wants to identify somehow with the Nike "shwoosh". I think that Nike does a fantastic job of branding themselves because the entire world wants a piece of it. The comapny Nike has developed a good brand mark and a slogan which is "just do it". By developing these two key pieces of information the company is taking the necessary steps to be successful or continue to grow and be successful. The product that Nike distributes is extremely easy to identify from competitors. I can not think of a single shoe company that has a more distinct and recognizable symbol then Nike.

Why do you think people respond so well to the "shwoosh" symbol?

Blimps for Advertising

Have you ever been laying on the beach soaking up the sun when all of a sudden this huge rush of a motor is hovering above you? When you finally look up what you are seeing is something called a Blimp. A blimp is a the combination of two things it has the buoyancy of a hot air balloon and the technology of an airplane. This is a form of advertising that some companies use to grab the attention of a huge crowd. It is a pretty good idea because it is nearly impossible to ignore and most of the time people are extremely interested in seeing what banner is following the Blimp. The hope of most of these companies is that people will see the blimp advertisement and then it will trigger something in their minds to purchase whatever the blimp is trying to sell. I have a first hand experience with this.. at the beach over the summer the famous company Dunkin Donuts put out a blimp going over Jones Beach in Long Island, New York. The banner displayed the saying " cool off with a coolatta"! This instantly made me want an ice cold coffee. I would say that blimps for the majority have a positive impact on people and businesses.

Have you ever had fell victim to the positve affects of a blimp?

Response to Drew's Post

Today almost everywhere you turn there is a Starbucks on every corner. The green straw has become a trademark for people in America as well as for everyone all around the world. I believe that regardless of where the Starbucks is located there is always going to be some similarities. The smell of coffee brewing and the quiet spunky setting is something everyone can relate to and enjoy. If I were to travel to Rome and stop in a Starbucks I would imagine that I would find a similar setting and feeling to the coffee shops in America. The only thing that would be different is the product I believe because in order to sell something it has to be designed around the customers and people all around the world have very different ways of making their coffee.

Global Marketing

The concept of global marketing is about targeting markets throughout the world. In today's day in age it is imperative for businesses to expand globally in order to survive. A company that has become a trademark in America is Dunkin Donuts. We all know the saying "America Runs on Dunkin" , but it really should be " The Globe Runs on Dunkin". This is because not only is the company pleasing the taste buds of Americans, but they are satisfying the needs of majority of the nation. While reading chapter five I came across how Dunkin Donuts makes donuts flavored for what people like all around the globe. In Korea Dunkin Donuts puts out a curry flavored donut. Now to me that does not sound to appealing, but to many others it probably sounds delicious. It is such a smart business idea to go global because of all the added profits you could make from it, but you have to make sure it is done properly and that company owners are catering to the needs of all people and not just one specific group.

Do you think that expanding globally is always a positive business move, if not what are some of the disadvantages?

In Response to Drew's Post About Regulations

Personally as a consumer it I believe that regulations are a good thing. Without having regulations things would be complete and utter chaos. Almost all industries would be allowed to advertise and display false information. The Food and Drug Administration is a must in my eyes because what people put in their bodies is extremely important. Having false nutrition and ingredient information could be potentially dangerous. All regulations that our used today are needed because they protect the safety of the people.

Don't you think a world without regulations would be chaos?

Flash Mobs

A form of promotion and advertising that has really taken off recently because it is super catchy and fun is...Flash Mobs! This is when a group of people assemble suddenly in a public place and perform some funky dance to grab peoples attention. These gatherings have been done quite frequently, but recently they are being done to promote businesses. The reason why I believe this idea works is because it grabs the attention of many different people and is not a form of advertising that is seen everyday! Companies that have experiemented with this technique are T- Mobile, AT&T, and Budweiser. All these companies have nothing, but wonderful things to say about this technique because it is new and fresh!

Is a flash mob an effective form of advertising?

Response to Drew's post about social media

Today nearly everyone has a Facebook or a Twitter and sometimes even both! It is nearly impossible for most people to make it through an entire day without signing into Facebook to see the latest pictures or logging into Twitter to see the latest tweets by our favorite celebrities that we follow. Social media has blown up in recent years and is becoming beyond popular. You can reach a variety of different people all over the globe. As someone who has worked for a clothing store and the store has participated in putting coupons on certain sites to advertise new arrivals or promotions, it is safe to say that it worked extremely well because the amount of customers that came in with the coupons from Facebook was amazing. The only drawback that I see with social media is that it only reaches specific age groups and does leave out senior citizens.

Do you think social media is still worth it even though it does not reach everyone?

Superbowl Commercials

People all over the country sit down to watch the Superbowl because it is an American tradition, but besides watching the intense game and amazing halftime shows people gather around to watch the new commercials companies put out. This year companies such as Budweiser, Oreo, Taco Bell, Go Daddy and Doritos put out the most memorable ones. Although many of the commercials were not what people were expecting and in fact a little disappointing. People's Magazine put  out a review and were highly dissatisfied, especially with the Oreo commercial. The commercial took place in a library that is typically known as a rather quiet location and there are two nerds who start fighting over which part of the cookie is better the actually cookie part or the cream. The whole things breaks out into this huge ordeal where everyone in the library starts fighting and the police and fire department are called and pure chaos happened. In my opinion it does not make any sense why a cookie company would advertise all these bad things happening over their product. I think it puts their company in a negative light. One commercial though that was very well received was the Budweiser commercial about the brotherhood between a man and his horse that was taken to be a Clydesdale. This was a rather touching commercial and is definitely one that will stick out in my mind. The commercial featured a catchy song and told a beautiful story along the way.

What were your opinions about the Superbowl 2013 commercials? Did anyone else find them disappointing?

Response to Janell Post

After reading Janell's post about customer satisfaction versus customer value, are views seemed to match each others. I believed that the two are interdependent and that you cannot have one without the other. The two simply go hand in hand. After researchng the two topics it seemed that they both did contain the same components. I do also find it hard to believe that a customer could value a product, but not be satisfied with it. The only thing I can think of that could make them mutually exclusive would be that if a customer valued the company and was satisfied with the goods or services up until a specific point like when a new product or service was launched.

Customer Satisfaction Versus Customer Value

Customer Satisfaction versus Customer Value

In my opinion customer satisfaction and customer value are interdependent. I believe that customer value is built off of customer satisfaction. When customers are satisfied with a good or service that is provided from a company it builds up the value of that good or service. It is highly important to make sure that issues and problems customers have with a good or service are addressed immediately to ensure that they stay loyal as well as promote the product or service. By paying attention to customer satisfaction it sets you aside from competitors and ensure that business does not decline as well as assists in predicting growth. Customer value is based off of how well a product performs and does the job it was promised it would do. Customer value is valuable for a company to have because it helps predict how a companies product will perform in the market place. I do believe that it is possible to have customer satisfaction with low customer value because because many customers can be satisfied with a product, but it doesn't mean that the product or service is providing all of the needs and wants of a customer.

Do you think that one is more powerful over the other?