In Response to Jonathan Tomachick

Do you find yourself doing the same when you shop? Have you ever had to cut another shopping trip short because of splurging for sale items the week prior?

I definitely find myself doing this when I'm shopping, especially at the grocery store. There are so many deals like the 2/ $5 specials at Market Basket. Even though I don't need twice the amount of food that I'm purchasing at the time, I feel like I need to buy it because of the sale. These specials trick consumers into buying more when they really don't need it.
Another store that does this is Victorias Secret. When I'm shopping online, there are constantly in-site pop ups that offer deals like "Spend over $50 and get a free beach bag!" and other promotions like this. Even though I'm aware of what's going on, I'll consider spending that extra few dollars in order to get the deal.

Do you know any other stores that use the same promotion technique as Victorias Secret does?

In Response to Dan Driscoll

Will our postal services increase productivity and success when and if we peak out of this recession, or is this the beginning of the end of the Postal Service?

Personally, I would love to have Postal Service stay running on Saturdays. Saturday postal service allows that one extra day to get something delivered that you've been waiting for, instead of having to wait for the entire weekend. The internet has rapidly grown within the past 5 years, allowing consumers to purchase different products online instead of physically going to the store. If the postal service were to completely desist, how would online shoppers get their products? 
Although Saturday postal service would be ideal to keep around to many online shoppers, it does make sense to save that $2 billion annually if they stop. I think that we need to keep people working as much as possible through this recession, and Saturday shifts for delivery workers should stay existent.

Do you think that Saturday postal service is beneficial or not?

Apple's Brand Image

As we all know, Apple is an extremely successful company that has taken over the technology market. If you look around in a classroom, the majority of students own a MacBook, even though they're priced at over $1,000 each. Apple has done an outstanding job creating their brand image- sleek, simple, and user friendly. They've taken off with the idea that simplicity is what sells, and their sales have sky rocketed. Every Apple store is sleek, white and simple, allowing all of the attention to fall onto their products.
Because Apple has been so successful within the past 5-10 years, other companies have begun to jump on the band wagon and create the same image as Apple has. For example, Windows has completely updated their look, creating a freakishly close resemblance to Apple's. Simplicity has benefitted Apple tremendously in both advertising and with their products in general.
Do you think that a simple look could work for any company, or can it only work for a select few?

Here's an example of the new Window's store compared to Apple's.

Banner Ads on Google

Today I read an article about Google and the use of banner advertisements that come up on the side of the website. There are two different views on how useful these advertisements are, and if they're really beneficial or not. Some statistics say that banner ads have less than a .01% click through rate, even though some companies pay thousands of dollars for their ad. Another statistic states that the average internet user is bombarded with 1,700 banner ads per month. This made me look back and try to remember any specific ads that I've seen on the side of Google. Every time I use Google for something, I will never click on the banner ads on the side, mainly because they don't apply to me, and because I don't know how reliable they are.
I know that many people are told not to click on any side banners or pop up ads because they're fake, sometimes containing viruses and bugs for your computer. I think banner ads are a complete waste of money for most companies that use them, and they should definitely find another way to advertise their product or service.

Click here to learn more stats about banner ads:
http://blog.hubspot.com/horrifying-display-advertising-stats

In Response to Melissa Moriwaki

How do you think this will effect doughnut customers? Will they still think of Dunkin Donuts when looking to find a doughnut if DD's isn't marketing towards doughnut eaters anymore? How will this effect Dunkin Donuts?

If Dunkin Donuts strays away from marketing and producing doughnuts in the future, I don't think it will dramatically effect the company's success. Personally, I don't know many people who go to DD to specifically purchase doughnuts anymore, although it might just be because of my age. I think that society is strongly encouraging everyone to eat healthier, along with providing children with healthier options as well. Even though DD's breakfast sandwiches aren't the healthiest choice, they aren't full of sugar like doughnuts are. The majority of DD customers are loyal ones who count on the fast food chain to provide them with their morning coffee on their way to work every day.
I think that customers will definitely still think of Dunkin Donuts when they're looking to find a doughnut, even if DD isn't marketing towards them anymore. The chain's name includes the word doughnut, and even in 20 years from now when doughnuts aren't a popular food product anymore, I think people will still assume that they can purchase doughnuts here.

Does anyone think that this will negatively effect the Dunkin Donuts chain? If so, how?

In Response to Brook Callaway

Do you think that K Mart has a clever way of keeping viewers interested in what they are trying to sell?

Personally, I think K Mart is extremely clever in advertising their products this way. The "Ship My Pants" ad campaign catches viewers attention, because clearly most of us are assuming that the people in the commercials are saying something else. Generally, I believe that K Mart has had a downfall in both popularity and customer sales, so this attention is exactly what the company needs. I haven't heard anything about K Mart for the longest time until my roommate showed me this commercial the other day. They're using humor in order to advertise the company, and specific products in general. Although in some cases humor isn't the appropriate path to take in order to promote a business, K Mart successfully pulled it off.

Has anyone seen any other commercials that have used a clever strategy to grab the viewers attention/ did it grab yours? What was it, and why did it do so?

Alex and Ani Bracelets

Recently, there has been a high demand in the New England area for the new Alex and Ani bracelets, a jewelry line that used recycled gold and silver to produce charm bracelets. Since we've been discussing profit in class, I wanted to look further into the Alex and Ani company and it's profits over the past year.
On average, the popular charm bracelet costs $28, although there is a decent size selection of jewelry that can cost up to $58. Within the past year, and Alex and Ani store has started a new location near my hometown in Portsmouth, NH where I have purchased all of my bracelets. It has come to my attention that the gold is easily rusted off whenever they get wet, even in the slightest bit. I finally discussed this with one of my friends the other day, and she told me that her mom works at Alex and Ani, and that each bracelet that runs for $28 each, costs only $3 or less to make. The gold is painted onto each bracelet, and that's why they tend to rust so quickly.
Although this information is becoming more publicly known, the company still has a loyal group of customers that will continue to purchase Alex and Ani products, regardless of the over pricing.

Target & Social Responsibility

In honor of Earth Day, Target stores are giving out free reusable Target bags to all customers that purchase anything from the store. These bags are full of small goods like dish soap, Annie's graham crackers, laundry detergent, Burts Bees moisturizer, and coupon books. Last year these stores did the same thing on Earth Day. They gave out millions of reusable bags that come with a 5 cent discount every time they're used. Target claims that over the past year, 80 million red reusable bags have been used in substitution for plastic bags, and they are estimating that these numbers will continue to grow throughout the next year.

Target took social responsibility by handing out these reusable bags for free. Along with being socially responsible, they've created a self image by implying to its customers and the rest of society that they care about being environmentally friendly.

Are there any other businesses or companies that you know if that are taking an extra step to be environmentally friendly on Earth Day? If so, which ones?

In Response to Matt DaCosta

Do you think it is smart for Corporations to use Twitter or Facebook? What about small local businesses? In what way could a small business, such as Fritz, utilize a Twitter account to maximize business and market its product?

I think that it's extremely smart for corporations to use Twitter and Facebook. Basically any positive way to advertise a business or company will be beneficial, whether it's online or in the public eye. Small, local businesses can benefit from Twitter and Facebook as well, although I think Facebook would be a bit more helpful in certain situations. For example, if someone "likes" Fritz's on Facebook, that information will show up on other friend's newsfeeds. Also, the person who "likes" Fritz on Facebook can be the first to know about any promotions, deals, or events coming up before anyone else does. It's a win-win situation for both the business and the customer.
Twitter, on the other hand is different. I will randomly see "promoted" tweets that come up on my newsfeed from businesses/companies that I don't follow. Companies can go to Twitter and pay them to put their tweet onto every Twitter user's feed. I don't necessarily think that small, local businesses will go to that extent, although twitter can benefit them in smaller ways.

Does anyone who uses Twitter or Facebook follow a local business in Keene? Do you think the business having either account has benefitted them?

Cell Phone Plans & Elasticity of Demand

Today in class, we were discussing the elasticity of demand, and talking about certain products and if they were inelastic or elastic products. It made me think of cell phones and cell phone plans, and how more and more people today have a smart phone. Cell phone carriers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless have been known to raise their prices for plans, especially data plans. Our society has become extremely dependent on our cell phones and technology in general. Pretty soon it seems like people won't be able to do their day to day activities without their cell phones and expensive data plans.
Although some people are against the new smart phone era, I definitely think that cell phone plans are in elastic demand. Our generation has already witnessed multiple price raises in data plans, no matter what carrier we use.

Does anyone disagree with me about cell phone plans? Do you think that the more data plan prices rise, the fewer people will purchase them?

In Response to Jade Brulotte

Do you agree, or think that the company will stay successful because they are so strictly online-based?

Personally, I think that online-based companies aren't in any real danger just because they don't have a physical store. The internet is more popular today than it ever has been, and online shopping is convenient and easy for consumers all over the world. If anything, I think that having a physical store on top of an online store could only help the business. Looking at the direction that society is turning, online-based stores/companies will stay successful. 
For example, Etsy is a business that started online, and then decided to expand and start a store in NYC. Etsy is an extremely successful online-based company that started up without a location store.

Are there any other companies/businesses that are online-based that anyone knows of? Are they successful, or do you see them failing in the near future?

In Response to Parker Hayne's Post

Do you think it's wrong that house hold cleaning supplies always feature a women in the advertisements? 

Personally, I don't think it's wrong that many cleaning supply commercials feature women in them. Although some people may look at it as sexist, a lot of the time the women in the house are the ones cleaning and making sure that the house stays nice. Cleaning supply commercials are taking a more old fashioned approach, implying that women are the ones who clean. Society is constantly changing, and old fashion approaches to many different things are starting to go out the window. Within the next ten years, I definitely think we will see more men in cleaning supply commercials. When a company starts to market their product, the first thing they need to do is think of their target group. In this case, women are the smartest target to advertise cleaning products to.

Has anyone seen any commercials that are just targeted towards men, when they could/ should be targeted at both men and women?

AEO Skinny Jeans Commercial

Within the past few weeks, Amercian Eagle Outfitters has launched an ad campaign for their new line of "skinny jeans" showing young adults wearing the jeans, doing every day things. The commercial was a huge hit, receiving millions of YouTube views. This got people talking about the company, until many people started to question if the jeans were actually real or not. American Eagle eventually admitted to the public that the jeans that were being advertised were actually just painted onto the people, and they weren't actually selling them.
This technique was a great way to get people talking about American Eagle. Whether the jeans were real or not, they do sell skinny jeans in general. Thinking back on the past few weeks, I remember seeing this video all over different sources of social media. The ridiculously "skinny jeans" in the commercials caught consumers attention, bringing this company's name back into the public eye again.

Did anyone see this commercial online when it came out? Do you think that AEO made a smart decision by marketing their brand this way?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfNF57jHbFc

Advertisements on YouTube Videos

Recently, I've been noticing more and more YouTube videos that require you to watch at least 5 seconds of an advertisement before you can watch the video you wanted. There has been a lot of discussion about how annoying these required commercials are, and how more and more videos on YouTube are starting to have them. Although they are an annoyance to many impatient viewers, like myself, I think it's a very smart way to market your company/organization. Whether it's positive or negative attention, that business is getting a potential consumer to watch their commercial for 5 seconds or longer. There are some occasions when I find myself getting hooked on some of the commercials, like upcoming movie trailers.

Has anyone else been noticing the rapid increase of commercials on most YouTube videos? Have any of them caught your attention for longer than the required 5 seconds?

In Response to Ashley Borjeson

What are the biggest influences on consumer buying decisions in your opinion?

The biggest influences on consumer buying decisions in my opinion are definitely what I see around me every day. We all know that technology has continued to rapidly advance, and new devices are coming out all the time. Especially in our generation, I think our friends, family, and classmates are a strong influence on what we purchase. Like Ashley mentioned, the iPhone is a great example of this. Over the past two years, Apple has made the iPhone more available to consumers, especially since newer editions are coming out even faster. I've heard so many people ask their classmates or friends why they chose an Android over the iPhone. 
Personally, when I see my siblings purchase something, I'm curious as to why they bought it and what it offers. Although advertisements for new products are effective in influencing consumers, I think that who we surround ourselves with every day is the main influence on buying decisions.

AT&T Ad Campaigns

Recently on TV, the AT&T commercials with groups of children have been a huge hit. Commercial series like these are an extremely successful way to market your business. AT&T chose to use children in their commercials, knowing that the majority of their target market like kids. These specific commercials are successful because they're both funny, and they attract other people who haven't seen them on TV to look them up online. Even if the consumer isn't looking at the company that's being marketed right away, they'll eventually notice afterwards. A few of these AT&T commercials have millions of views on YouTube.

Here's a link to one of the newest commercials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3RrtWPyJY&WT.srch=1&wtPaidSearchTerm=new+commercial

Has anyone seen any other commercials in a series like this that have been extremely beneficial for the company/organization?

In response to Julianne Braverman

In Julianne's post, she asks if we think we would be able to get through a couple days or a week without our cellphones and being connected 24/7. As much as I would like to say that I could, I am completely dependent on my phone every single day to get things done. Ever since I got a smart phone, I feel like I am constantly able to get in touch with anyone I need to, it's almost like a security blanket. There are those days when I sometimes forget my phone at home when I'm out, and it feels so weird when I don't have it.
Being so dependent on technology and my cell phone is definitely not a good thing. If there were ever an emergency and I needed to know someone's number off the top of my head, I wouldn't be able to do it. Ten years ago, everyone was so much better with remembering numbers by heart, and also with directions. I find myself feeling safer when I have my phone when I drive places, because I know I have the Maps App to help me if I get lost.
Does anyone else besides me feel like our generation is getting worse and worse with directions due to our dependency on GPS devices? What other apps help us get through our daily activities?

Branding and Packaging

After our class discussion the other day about branding and packaging, it really got me thinking about how I chose a product in the store when I know nothing about it. For example. I'm always really interested in different wine packaging and labeling. I don't know much about wine in itself, so when I get a chance to go to the store, a lot of times I find myself picking up a bottle that has an appealing design. I'm sure many other people do the same thing with all different types of products. I think that it's just human nature that we pick something up that is appealing to us when we don't know exactly what we're looking for. Many people don't realize the time and effort that is put into the design of packaging. Like we discussed in class, along with looking good, packaging has to be sturdy, protect the product from damage, but also be cost efficient. There are so many creative ways to package products now a days, but many people just look past it.

Here's a link that shows examples of unique packaging ideas, number 7 really supports what I mentioned above.
http://www.boredpanda.com/creative-product-packaging-part3/

Can anyone think of a time when they bought something primarily due to the packaging? If so, what was it?

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.

Customer Value vs. Customer Satisfaction

Are customer satisfaction and customer value interdependent or mutually exclusive? Can satisfaction occur simultaneously with low customer value?

Customer satisfaction and customer value are technically two separate concepts, although they are interdependent with one another. Customer value requires a business to earn and gain the customers trust with both products and/ or services that are reliable. In order to do so, businesses need to supply facts and reasoning on their products to back up their pricing. Also, they should offer their products and/or services at prices that are realistic in order to ensure the customer that they're getting exactly what they are paying for. Once these requirements have been met, the customer will then feel as though they are valued and can trust the business they are purchasing from. 

Customer satisfaction, on the other hand, requires businesses to meet customers needs as well as meeting their expectations of a product. Customers may get hooked on a companies service at first glance, but the company may not exceed the expectations that the customer initially had in the first place, leading to customer dissatisfaction. With customer satisfaction, the main idea is not to sell products, but to keep customers content with what they are receiving. With that said, customer value and customer satisfaction do relate in a way because they are both concerned with what the consumer wants and needs, rather than solely having a sales or production orientation. 

Satisfaction can occur simultaneously with low customer value in certain situations. Many customers buy products at low prices primarily due to the price. A large amount of them understand that if they are getting a product that is half the price as the same product being sold somewhere else, the value is probably not very high.