In Response to Cody Crawford

In Cody's post, he talks about how people in the US go out to dinner searching for more than just a meal, but also an experience. I definitely agree with what he is saying. I find myself wanting to go out to lunch or dinner with my friends and family when there's nothing else going on. Eating your meal is one thing, but I also consider going out to dinner as a social aspect as well. 

A business's atmosphere is a key factor for many people when they dine out. Like Cody mentioned, there could be two of the exact same restaurants, but people will choose the one in the environment that makes them feel comfortable and relaxed. Dining out is a luxury that many people don't necessarily partake in all the time, so when they do, they should get everything that they are paying for. If the atmosphere in a restaurant is unwelcoming and cold, potential customers could just cook themselves a meal in their own homes. 

Would anyone be willing to pay for dinner at a location with a poor atmosphere?

Failing In a Global Market

After discussing global marketing strategies in class for the past week, it brought me back to the intro to management course, and how we looked at  Wal-Mart as an example of a global company. Although Wal-Mart is an extremely successful company for multiple reasons, it didn't consider a few sociocultural and economic forces, especially in Japan. When the company first launched in Japan, Wal-Mart assumed that people there had the same wants and needs that consumers in countries like the US and Canada do. After doing a little bit of research, a couple articles mention that Japan has a higher demand for smaller, local businesses rather than large ones. Wal-Mart came into the country thinking that just because they are successful in many other countries, they would be the same here as well.

Before entering Japan, Wal-Mart failed to scan and analyze their environment. Japan is a highly populated country with a high income rate. Wal-Mart carries low quality and low priced products, items  that aren't in high demand in Japan. Does anyone have another example of a company that went into the global market and failed? What did they forget to consider before doing so?

Different Commercial Series

After responding to a blog post about effective strategies in advertising, I started to think about other creative approaches that companies use to get their product out there. Along with using humor, I think that commercials that have different series is a great way to get peoples attention. One commercial series that comes to mind is the Captain Morgan commercials. The company combines humor and creativity to promote their rum. The commercial that urges customers to use a designated driver shows a pirate in a tiny row boat, pulling a larger boat full of drunk pirates and women is a funny way to address a serious matter.

Another example of a company that uses this marketing strategy is Progressive Insurance. The woman in all of the commercials, Flo, has created an image for herself and the company. It almost makes customers and viewers look forward to the next commercial, like you would with a TV show. Does anyone have another example of a company that uses this technique?

Here's the link to the Captain Morgan commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj-W0ookFnQ

In Response to Nick Vita

Do you think that humor is the best way to advertise on TV these days, or does it make a company look less serious than it should?

Personally, I feel like humor is an extremely effective way to advertise on TV. We are bombarded with commercials every single day, and it's almost to the point where we ignore them. Humor is a great way to grab someones attention. I don't think that it makes a company look less serious than it is if the company uses appropriate humor that fits well with what they're selling. 

There have been multiple occasions when someone has looked up a funny commercial online to show me. Funny ads get people talking, and even if they don't know what the company is trying to sell, they've caught the consumers attention. Are there any specific humorous commercials that caught your attention lately?

In response to Katie Longchamp

While looking through a few other blog posts, I saw that people were focusing a lot on cause- related marketing. Cause- related marketing is a great way to market your company while supporting a non-profit company at the same time. Last year, AT&T got together with TOMS, a non-profit company that donates a pair of shoes to children in need with every pair of shoes they sell, and launched a successful commercial.

In the commercial, the founder of TOMS shoes, Blake Mycoskie, is in a third world country helping children out by providing them with a pair of shoes. He continues to explain how his business wouldn't be where it was today without his cell phone carrier to assist him along the way. As we all know, not all children have the simple luxury of owning a pair of shoes. AT&T, one of the worlds largest mobile carriers, not only supports TOMS but also aids the company in advertising what they do. I think that cause-related marketing is a great way to get smaller, non-profit organizations recognized as well as a smart strategy for larger companies (like AT&T) to show their core values.

There are so many other examples of cause-related marketing that we tend to overlook every single day. Does anyone remember seeing a commercial like this within the last year that really stuck out to you?

Here is the link to the commercial:
http://bx.businessweek.com/cause-related-marketing/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmatthewalberto.com%2F2012%2F07%2Fatttoms-shoes-commercial-is-a-great-example-of-cause-related-marketing%2F

Can a T-Shirt Change the World?

The Product (RED) marketing campaign has been going on for quite a while now, and although the proceeds go towards the global fight against HIV/AIDS, there is a handful of people who believe companies participating in this campaign are just in it for the image. Personally, I see both sides of the situation. From Gap's point of view, they can improve their brand image by supporting this marketing campaign along with making a profit. The company even offered to donate 100% of the proceeds to the Product (RED) fund, but they turned it down and said they only wanted 50%. Every business needs to meet a social responsibility, and Gap saw this as their opportunity to do so. On the other hand, I see how critics look at it as Gap being hypocritical. In the US, customers see Gap as being helpful and considerate of people in need, however most of us are unaware about other negative issues that Gap supports in other countries, like supporting and using sweatshops that go against labor laws. In a way, I feel like Gap is contradicting its values and morals.

Different types of technology that has helped spread the word about the Product (RED) campaign are the red iPod touch, the Motorola red Razr flip phone, and the Beats by Dre (RED) headphones. Most of these technology products are available for a limited time only.

The fact that the amount of money spent on the marketing campaign was 3/4 the amount that was given to the charity could certainly backlash against the campaign. Some consumers may look at this information and think that Gap is just using Product (RED) to advertise themselves, rather than doing it for their social responsibility. That being said, both the campaign and Gap could definitely lose supporters and loyal customers due to unexplained rumors. If I'm on the fence about where Gap stands in this situation, how many others are skeptical also?

In response to Cody Crawford

I completely agree with Cody when he says that relationship marketing is a good strategy to use while trying to keep customer satisfaction. Relationship marketing and customer satisfaction go hand in hand, seeing that they are both concerned with listening to what customers want/need. A company that uses relationship marketing as one of their strategies, like most airlines do, is more open to hearing what their customers have to say compared to one that uses more of a production orientation strategy. Customers are also more prone to keep coming back to a company that uses relationship marketing because it makes them feel like their business is appreciated, and they aren't just being scammed.