In Response to Ethan

Do you think conspicuous consumption will become worse as time goes on? Or have we reached the peak?

There is no doubt that conspicuous consumption will become worse over time. Social status is important to such a great number of people and buying name brand things is just part of life. Being seen with a certain logo or brand name makes people feel better about themselves. Why wear a nameless product when you can wear a popular brand? Price does not seem that important to many of the consumers either. Like the video said, people are not just keeping up with the Jones' anymore; they are trying to one up the Jones’. That often means buying really expensive things. These spending habits are making more and more people sink into deep debt. How will these consumers who are in debt ever be able to get out of it if they keep up these spending habits?

JCPenney's New Martketing Approach

            This past February, the popular shopping store, JCPenney, introduced a new marketing technique. The store is focusing on “Fair and Square” pricing. There will only be three types of pricing, which will be indicated by colored price labels. Red ticketed items will be the store’s everyday “fair” pricing stock. White ticketed items will indicate month-long values, which are typical purchases consumers make that particular month. Third will be what is called “Best Price Fridays.” The “Best Price Fridays” will offer the best priced items on the first and third Friday of each month. These pricing techniques are simple and easy for the costumers to follow. JCPenney prides itself on their customer service and with these simple techniques it will allow them to spend more time with the customers. Along with the new prices, the store is becoming less cluttered with wider aisles and less signage. I believe the new marketing approach is a good one. You can take advantage of the sales without using a coupon like before. How do you think the customers will react to the new approach?

In Respone to Alex Purdy

What do you think about the new smaller iPad 3?

There are so many brands that are coming out with similar tablets to the iPad. I think it is necessary for Apple to create a newer one but when it comes to making it smaller I am not sure if it is a good idea. The size they have right now is perfect. It is nowhere near the size of a laptop screen but not as small as the iPod touch. People are looking for something that is easy to carry around and lightweight. The way ti is right now fits perfectly in a backpack, pocketbook, or briefcase. Making it smaller, I think, will make it look too much like an electronic reading device, like to Nook or Kindle. Apple should keep the new iPad the size the current ones are. What ways do you think these brands of tablets can make themselves stand out against their competitors?

NFL and Nike

This football season all players in the NFL will be sporting new uniforms. The former uniforms were by Reebok and now Nike has taken over. Reebok had had a contract with the NFL for a decade. The new uniforms are more form fitting and have slight variations to the old ones in regards to logo, fabrics, and more vibrant colors. Nike’s “swoosh” logo will be in the same place as the old Reebok logo. Players are really enjoying the new uniforms; they allow for better movement and are lighter in weight. Michael Vick, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback stated, “It's awesome. It's a great opportunity for Nike, and it's a great opportunity for the NFL.” Nike’s name will be all over the television come football season. This is a fantastic marketing opportunity for the brand. Do you think it was a good decision to make uniforms with new designs or does it go against the history of the NFL?

In Response to Molly

How do you think this new series will affect the business at Denny's?  Will the attempt to appeal to a younger crowd work?

Creating these mini web series was a great move by Dennys. If their target market is to 18-25 year olds, reaching them on sites like Facebook and CollegeHumor was wise. Making the point that the diner is open 24 hours will bring in a lot of business from the college-aged viewers. That age group is known to stay out late and a late night snack is just what they want. Do you think these ads are appealing to people who are not in that age group?

Burger King vs. McDonalds

The struggling fast-food giant, Burger King, has recently made changes to their menu to get more business. The ten additions however are extremely similar to some of the menu items at its competitor, McDonalds.

Burger King decided that in order to get more customers they needed to add menu items that were more appealing to a broader range of people. They have added specialty coffee drinks, smoothies, snack wraps, salads, and chicken fingers. McDonalds have had all of these for a while now. The thing that struck me most about the similarities was that Burger King is even calling their new chicken wrap a “snack wrap” just like McDonalds already called theirs. Burger King is not denying that their new menu items are very similar to their competitor’s. Why do you think they made their new menu so similar to McDonalds? Do you think that they will get more business now with the new items offered?

Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts

Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts are both very successful coffee shops yet have two completely different target marketing groups as well as marketing techniques. Most Starbucks can be found in cities and are marketed towards a more upper class demographic. Most Starbucks encourage you to come in and sit down and enjoy your coffee in a relaxing setting. Many people even bring their homework and computers to do work with the wifi that is offered. Dunkin Donuts on the other hand is marketed towards the average everyday working person who wants to enjoy a cup of coffee on the go. Like their slogan says “America Runs on Dunkins”. Rarely do you see people sitting in a Dunkin Donuts doing work. They swap their laptops for donuts and eat on the go. Why do you think Starbucks targets a different demographic?  

In Response to Jaycelyn

I believe that instead of spending money on a product that does not exist, they should spend it on marketing one that does. It seems like a waste of money and time on a product that people cannot even buy. The product that the commercial advertised was for cologne that can come straight out of a smart phone. This is clearly impossible and will never happen. The only benefit I can think of is that the advertisement is still getting the company’s name out there. Why do you think companies promote a product that does not exist?

In Response to Chris

Would you shop locally in Keene? Do you already?

Buying locally is so important to boosting the local economy. Keene offers so many great locally owned businesses especially in the down town area. I try to buy locally as often as possible, especially since Keene State is so close to a lot of the stores. I prefer to go to the small coffee shops and restaurants because there is better quality. The people who work and own those shops truly care about the products they are selling. The big chain stores do not have the same passion and dedication to pleasing their customers. Although the prices can be higher than the chain stores, I would rather give my money to the small businesses that need it more. Many of the Keene State students go to the chain stores because of their low prices. How can we get more college students to go to the small locally owned businesses? 

Kony 2012

The internet has a power of being able to spread an idea or mission across the world in such a short amount of time. Kony 2012 is a campaign by Invisible Children to raise awareness of the child enslavement that is happening in Uganda. Joseph Kony is the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army and is the one who is enslaving the children. The goal is to capture him and return all the victim children home.

The campaign created a video about the horrible crimes and it has stretched across the internet via youtube, with over 86 million views, Twitter, and Facebook. It is hard to find someone who hasn’t heard about this campaign but prior to the video, very few people knew exactly what was going on. It is amazing how social media sites are capable of spreading such awareness to so many people. People across the world are becoming a part of the campaign and doing what they can in order to stop this terrible crime.

With the amount of people around the world that are members of these social media sites, do you think that this crime can be ended quicker than it would be without the video being spread across the internet? How else can people get involved in this campaign?

In response to Matthew Vest

Technology is hugely important to people in our society. They always want to be up to date on the latest new gadgets, phones, and tablets. The iPad 2 release sales do not surprise me at all. Yes, the country’s economy is not the best right now but that is not preventing tech-savvy people to buy new products. These types of people will spend whatever the cost is to buy these products. I believe there are people out there though who do not know very much about technology and simply buy these fancy products just for image. Do you agree some people buy the newest technologies to portray a certain image?

Hungry For Capitol Colours

Long gone are the days where you could find your favorite character from a film on a lunchbox or action figure. Today, hit movies are promoting their characters and film on merchandise like makeup, nail polish, and other beauty supplies. The recently released film, based off the hugely popular book, “The Hunger Games”, is marketing through all these beauty supplies. The extras in the movie are all wearing nail polish from the “Capitol Colours” line by the brand China Glaze. These colors are available for purchase so you can “become” the characters from the film. I believe that this nail polish line will be marketed towards a younger age crowd because younger people idolize characters from movies more than adults do. Do you think more sales will be made because people liked the nail polish in the movie or because people want to be like the characters?

In Response to Michael Thompson

Could this new law in France open an entirely new market for in-car breathalyzers?

I absolutely think this will open an entirely new market for in-car breathalyzers. I am sure not many people happened to have one in their car but now that it is mandatory, everyone will. The breathalyzer business will skyrocket once they are necessary in every car. The price they are currently going for are very affordable at only $2. I would not be surprised if some companies will raise the price on theirs because they know people will have to buy them no matter what. It is a great idea for car companies to put in the breathalyzer in their new cars to save buyers from purchasing one since it’s already in the car. I think that it would be wise for the United States to come up for a law similar to this to reduce the number of deaths due to drunk driving. Do you think the US will do something like this? How could they market the breathalyzers?

Advertisements on Facebook

            As if Facebook hasn’t changed enough recently, be prepared for more. Facebook plans to add even more ads to people’s newsfeeds, mobile feeds, and even when you log off of your account. With the old setup they had, ads were only shown on the side of your homepage, but with the soon to be necessary “timeline” users will see ads all over their screens.

            I have recently grown annoyed with Facebook with all of their constant changing of layouts and how to navigate around pages and I am sure others are too. I do not think this is a wise change for Facebook. Nobody goes onto Facebook to look at ads, it is for social networking; connecting with friends, looking at pictures, and seeing what people are up to. The ads are supposed to bring in money to the company, who is currently valued at $75- $100 billion. Facebooks seems to be more concerned with money recently, than how their users are reacting to their changes.

            Do you think that Facebook will lose users do to the soon to be increase in ads? Will users begin to switch to other social media sites, like Twitter, who do not show as many ads?

In Response to Georgianne's Post

Do you believe as I do that understanding your weaknesses and their ability to address these issues and move forward with their planned TV marketing ideas will help Asics succeed in building its brand?

           

     When it comes to making their brand more well known, Asics has a lot of work ahead of them. I have heard of the company before but have always decided on buying more popular brands like Nike. Advertising has a huge part in that. Nike and Addidas both put out many commercials and advertisements in magazines and billboards. I have rarely ever seen one for Asics. Nike not only specializes in sneakers for serious runners but also normal people who like to keep active. I believe this is important in the marketing strategy Asics plans on having. They can not only target serious runners, but normal people too. There are a lot more people who like to have sneakers and keep healthy than there are professional runners. If they target and advertise for both kinds of people, their sales will for sure go up. What can Asics do to become a top brand like Nike and Addidas?

Got Milk?

            “Got Milk” is a slogan known around the country to promote the consumption of milk. With national milk sales dropping since 2000 due to people drinking bottled water and sports drinks, the Milk Processor Education Program is planning on bringing milk back by announcing their latest Milk Mustache campaign featuring Salma Hayek.

Salma Hayek was chosen because she is bilingual- she speaks both English and Spanish. These ads will be able to reach more people, especially aiming towards Hispanic mothers. You will be able to see Hayek in television ads and in magazines. ‘“I think she’s going to get a lot of people’s attention,” Ms. Mercado said. “She’s Mexican, she’s the real deal. She does bring a lot of authenticity.”’

The goal of the campaign is to remind people the importance of adding milk into their diet especially during breakfast time. Would you be swayed to drink more milk because of the person who is on the advertisement? What else could the milk companies do to promote drinking the product?

In Response to Molly's Post on Modeling

Do you think this gap-toothed phenomenon will soon be a thing of the past? Or will it stick around and make a name for itself?

Fashion and modeling trends are constantly changing. I believe this gap-toothed phenomenon is fantastic. Children, especially girls, look up to models and want to be just like them. Showing these imperfections like having a gap between your teeth proves that nobody is perfect and everyone has their flaws. This trend though will not last long, nothing is the fashion industry ever does. If the same trends were always in fashion, there would be no fashion industry.

Tide Laundry Pods

Doing laundry is a routine chore that we do not change up very often. Proctor and Gamble thinks it is time for a new and more exciting way to do laundry with their new creation. Tide is the leading detergent brand in the country and it plans on broadening their line of products by launching Tide Pods. These pods consist of liquid detergent, brightener, and stain remover all in one. This is convenient and simpler than standard detergent.

            The ad for this product is bright, cheery, and young. The theme “Pop in. Stand out” is in the ads and the meaning of “pop” has multiple meanings. You can pop the pod into the washer and it will add a pop of color to your clothing. The target audience is for young, technology savvy, consumers.

            All the ads contain bright colors with energetic, attractive models. "The 'pop' motif is repeated in phrases that appear in the ads, among them 'Get ready to pop your laundry,' 'Pop of fresh,' 'Pop of clean' and 'Pop of hello gorgeous.'" Do you think this campaign is going to be successful in targeting the younger audience by using these phrases and colors in the ads? Will people be open to trying something new or just stick to their usual detergent?

In Response to Chris's Post About Starbucks

Do you think you will see alcohol sold at your local Starbucks anytime soon? Would you buy a beer or a glass of wine with your coffee? Do you think there will be any problems with people mixing too much caffeine and alcohol?

I do not believe that I will be seeing alcohol at my local Starbucks anytime soon. I think this is a crazy idea and am surprised that the stores that have already been selling beer and wine have been successful with it. The Starbucks that are around me are typically filled with people who are rushing to get to work and are stopping quick to grab their morning coffee or people who are sitting with a newspaper relaxing. I would never even think to get a glass of wine or beer at the stores. If I want to unwind after a days work I would rather go to the bar or out for dinner and drinks with my friends, not to a coffee shop. When it comes to any problems with people mixing too much caffeine and alcohol, I do not think it will be an issue. Nobody wants to have a coffee and a glass of wine, that is just disgusting. I too am interesting to see how successful or not this plan will be.

"Great for You" Options at Walmart

With healthier eating choices being promoted all over the country, Walmart too has joined in. Walmart is planning to label the healthy options they offer in their stores. Right now they are only labeling their in store brands, Great Value and Marketside, as well as produce. These labels are green and have the words “Great for You” written across. This system is not to pressure customers to buy certain items but it certainly helps determine what products are healthy choices.

Walmart put this system in place after promising to “improve the nutritional quality of food it sells.” Along with their already low prices, they have even further dropped the prices of produce. Walmart is putting in great efforts to promote and market these options to make America more fit. Do you think by putting these labels on healthy food that customers will be more likely to buy them? What other ways could Walmart market healthy options to its customers?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/business/walmart-to-add-great-for-you-label-to-healthy-foods.html

In response to Aislynn Sherry

Since so many people are in constant interaction with the internet, whether it be on a computer or even on their phones, I think it is a great idea for the companies to do this. It is saving them millions of dollars and are probably getting many views. I do feel though that the commercials seen on game day are still important to have. Some people even watch the Super Bowl just for the commercials. Many of the commercials are flashy and creative and are remembered for the commercial rather than the product. Sometimes they can be overkill and not appropriate but they are still getting attention and the product is getting seen and thought of by the viewers. Why do you think companies make their commercials so much flashier for the Super Bowl than they do for any other commercial they make during the year? Do you think they would have greater sales during the year if they did?

Grocery Store Marketing

I have never noticed the amount of marketing techniques grocery stores use until a recent trip to one. I went for one reason and that was to pick up a loaf of bread. I not only left with a loaf of bread but numerous other items I did not necessarily need. On my way to the bread aisle I passed tempting food items located at the end of each row. I couldn’t help but buy some of these items especially since the majority of them were on sale, and being a college student I am always looking for a good deal. I then realized that these stores purposefully put the necessities, like bread, milk, and eggs, produce, and meats, on the perimeters of the grocery store. That way you must walk by all the tempting, not so necessary items and are more likely to buy them.

After leaving the grocery store, I went to research more on this discovery. I found an article all about the display tricks grocery store use to increase sales. The article explains that this is thoughtfully done and there are even more hidden tricks the stores use. Another ploy they use is putting certain things at eye level. The more popular items, which are usually more expensive, are located right at eye level to adults while the sugary more unhealthy items are located lower of the shelves so children can see them. By using these tactics, the grocery stores hope to bring in more profit. Do you believe the tricks work? Have you ever fallen for these tricks?

In response to Mike Fratea

I believe that all the P’s are important, especially promotion. Promotion gets the product out there and lets people know more about it. Place and price are important too, but people are less likely to even look at those things if the promotion of the product does not look appealing.

Myself As A Product

Product

I would market myself to a future employer as unique, energetic, friendly person who is dedicated and determined to be successful with each job I do. Being the organized person I am, each job will be carefully done with attention to details a main focus. I come along with many options. I can be serious and focused, or I can be funny and have a great time.

Place

I am from North Attleboro, Massachusetts. This town is an easy drive or quick train to both Providence and Boston, making transportation not an issue at all. If a further location is needed, costs may rise.

Promotion

I would promote myself both in-person, including interviews, and via internet sites like Facebook and Twitter. I would like to promote myself in a positive, professional way. Proper dress is required in order to be taken seriously, as well as a mature attitude.

Price

With the previous jobs I have had, I have a lot of experience with customer service, organizing events, and communicating with a variety of people. I do not expect the highest pay since it will be my first real job, but I do expect a decent salary due to the quality work I produce and dedicated nature.

Marketing, Advertising, and Propaganda

Marketing, advertising, and propaganda all intertwine within each other. Marketing is the broadest of the three. It is the science of selling a product or idea. Marketing contains many different components and it is necessary to take them all into consideration. Advertising is a branch off of marketing. All of the parts of marketing have to be done before you can actually advertise something. For example you need to find the audience you are trying to sell to. Propaganda provides very persuasive information to sway a consumer and typically shows the negative or shocking information or facts.