In response to Kaley DeBoer

So what I question is whether or not having a twitter account or a Facebook page for a company is actually beneficial? Do you believe social media marketing is beneficial, or do you think it hasn't quite reached it's maturity enough to be successful?

As previously stated in a previous blog, I believe that Social Media is very beneficial for marketing.  The ease of connection with consumers makes it faster to connect with them and get out information about new products.  In the age of twitter and facebook, all it takes is one quick tweet saying the iPhone 6 is coming out, within 20 minutes that tweet would be seen by millions of people.  The buzz one tweet can create is larger than anything a marketer could do without social media.  

Looking back before social media, it is hard to understand how companies got attention to their business.  I believe that in 5-10 years, there will be a whole new social media that changes marketing even more.  Technology is moving so fast and companies will keep taking advantage of it.  

Facebook's advantages for Marketers

Everyone knows Facebook.  The site has generated a success that was never imaged.  Business's have discovered the pros of creating Facebook pages as a way to create buzz for their company.  Putting a page on FB for any company will help them connect to their target market through word of mouth.  When you see that your friend liked a company it will increase your interest and make you look at the business and like it yourself.

Having special coupons on FB will give more reason to get more people to like your page and keep the company growing.  Do you think that in 2014 every company should have a FB page?

In response to Sarah Allen

How do you think marketing managers choose the appropriate price for a product? What factors do they take into consideration when setting a price?

When it comes to Pricing, I believe that many factors come into play.  Cost of goods sold and all other expense will dictate the break even cost so companies will make sure to be over that and make a profit.  Another major impact on pricing is competition.  In order to compete, you must be in the same price range as the competitors.  You can make your product cheaper to try and sell more, or higher to give your product the sense of being better than the others.  

Regardless of which path you take, Pricing is a very important P that cannot be over looked when it comes to introducing a new product,    

Eco friendly products

The environment is falling apart, and companies have seen this as an advantage to create a new line of products.  Pilot Pen company has created the B2P, Bottle to Pen, pen that is made with 89% recycled material.  The market for this product is very high because everyone wants to save the earth, so Pilot makes these pens more expensive because they can get away with it.

Do you think it is right for these environmentally friendly pens to be more expensive than regular pens?

In response to Chris Naples

Do consumers seek a common, generic experience in their products so much that they are willing to pay a premium over other similar offerings in order to get it?  Also, does Apple's single template marketing help to reinforce this idea of a generic experience?

I have touched on the Apple marketing idea before and would love to elaborate on it.  Apple is so simple with their ads that they really allow their product to do the talking.  I believe that Apple is at a point in their lifecycle that they have establised themselves as the "elite" producer in electronics.  

Consumers are willing to pay a premium for any Apple product, iPhone, iPad, iPod, because they know that they cannot get a better product anywhere else, and everyone whats the best.  If Apple were to raise all of their products by $100, they may lose 1% of their market, but the other 99% will still pay the extra just to have the Apple logo on it.  

Marketing through Sports

Lately there has been a big push for sport teams to rebuild stadiums.  When a new stadium is built, there needs to be a lot of money which comes from sponsors.  Large company see this as a great oportunity to really get their name out and associated with a big city sport team.  

One of the most recent teams to build a new stadium is the New York Mets with the building of Citi Field.  Citibank took on the responsibility to finance the creation of the new ball park in order to get their name on it.  

Is this a good promoting strategy for a company?  What if the team isn't a winning team, does that reflect poorly on the company?   

In Response to Will Ferguson

Question: Do you think gender specific marketing is sexist? 

Will makes a great point as to gender specific market and how it is just targeted to its potential customers.  I don't believe that it is sexist at all.  Why would you target a Cosmopolitan magazine towards a male when it is strictly a female magazine?  It isn't being sexist, but smart.  As a Marketer you want to do whatever it takes to reach your target market, and if you need to reach females, it is important to get there attention with bright, pink colors.  

Apple Marketing

At this point, it is safe to say that just about 90% of college students have a smartphone.  About 60% are members of iPhone nation.  Steve Jobs reinvented the way we communicate and use our phones and now we can text, FaceTime, and even complete homework assignments, such as blogging, on them.  With new iPhones coming out just about every year, Apple markets them very well and makes sure to get the message across that a "new and improved" iPhone is coming out.

Apple's simple commercials show the iPhone is use performing a task that will make the users life easier.  This simple form of marketing is successful because there aren't any extra bells and whistles going off.  When people shop for a phone they want one that will do a job the best.  Apple shows that the iPhone is the best and that is why they have the most popular phone on the market.      

In Response to Joe Littlewood

Alcohol Marketing:

In Joe's blog he talks about the restrictions that are given to alcohol companies when it comes to advertising on TV.  I agree completely with all of these restrictions.  Alcohol is such a dangerous drug that kill people every year, so the fact that these restrictions are given make perfect sense.  Too many ads subliminally are targeted towards minors and the marketers know it because they see a future consumer and want to get to them as early as possible.  I believe that, like cigarettes, alcohol should not be aloud to be advertised  on television because it is just too harmful.

Would banning alcohol from TV ads be going too far?

Infomercials

We have all seen them.  Whether by flipping through channels, or to entertain yourself at 3am, infomercials are all over TV and aren't stopping anytime soon.  These 5-20 minute advertisements get you to fall in love with a product and get you to call in by phone and buy the item, but if you call in the next 10 minutes you will get one FREE!!!!

With annoying hosts that talk way too fast and act way to excited about everything, these infomercials can lead customers away more than bringing them in.  What is your take on this infomercials? Are they a good marketing tactic for a company?

In Response to Joseph Maturo

THE NEW RACE IN MARKETING

Joseph blogged about the competition with PS4 and Xbox 720.  These are the two most prestiges gaming consoles on the market and are sure to "wow" everyone with their next generations.  When asked which console I prefer, the answer is easy, PlayStation.

The PlayStation is better in my opinion for one clear reason, Blu Ray.  Being a huge movie fan, I want to watch my movies in the best quality possible, and the fact that I can use my gaming console to do that makes my life much easier.  Another bonus is that PlayStation Network is FREE!!! No monthly memberships needed to play with my friends on line.

Who knows what each company has up their sleeve for the future of gaming, but I am very excited to find out.

iPhone game advertisement

We have all seen the annoying ads that come up when we are trying to play Words with Friends, Solitaire, or even the new hit Mini Putt MatchUp.  Ads are annoying and can ruin your day, but luckily, for a small fee of $0.99 up to $2.99, you can purchase the ad free version of the game.  Buying the game is a hassle and no one wants to waste a buck on a silly iPhone game, but is it worth it??

  The 30 seconds wasted for these advertisements is wasted opportunity cost.  If I didn't have to sit around and wait, I could be done faster with my game and move on to more important things, such as homework or sleeping.  When you are playing 10 people on Words, 30 seconds adds up to 5 MINUTES!!! 

If you were told you were going to have to wait 5 Minutes for advertisements, are you going to consider spending the dollar?????  

In Response to Christian Torti

"Apple iWatch, Wearable Devices Seen Taking Off"

Apple is always the first to take technology to the next level, so there is no surprise that they want to take a normal item, a watch, and turn it into a iWatch.  After reading about this product, it just seems ridiculous and pointless.  There is no need to have a computer on your wrist when everyone has iPhones that do the same thing in a much more convenient device.  I am starting to think that I am in a movie taking place in 3050 where robots are taking over the world.  Technology is a great thing to have, but in my opinion, too much technology will only lead to computerized robots taking over the world and putting the human race in the ground.       

Dunkin Donuts Product Promotion

It's Back!!!

Dunkin Donuts just re-released the delicious Angus Steak & Egg Sandwich.  This product came out last spring but was taken off the menu during the summer to make room for newer products.  The Angus Steak sandwich was such a big hit that DD decided to bring it back around as a new addition to the menu and bring in more customers.

I think that bringing this sandwich back was a great idea for Dunkin because it brings change to the menu that many people go to every morning and will be a pleasant change.  Having products around for a couple months than taking them off the menu make it seem like a "special" at a fancy restuarant and makes customers want to come in and get it before it goes away.

Do you agree that these types of "seasonal products" are successful?

In Response to Joe Littlewood

What do you think product placements role is in television?

After reading about how the TV show "Chuck" and how there was advertising from Subway, all that comes to mind is Subway's role in the Adam Sandler classic film "Happy Gilmore".  Subway became a sponsor for Happy and paid him to do commercial.  This product placement in the movie was humorous but also was a great ad for Subway because of the huge success of the movie, Subway's name was put out there and made everyone want a "Cold Cut Combo".

This strategy is used in many shows and movies and I think can be good as long as the product isn't overly advertised than it just gets annoying.

Pop up ads online

We all know the annoying pop up ads that appear on just about every web site we go to, and we all get annoyed with them, so why do companies use them?

In my opinion, although annoying, these pop up ads do help in getting a businesses name out their.  For the split second that the ad pops up, before we exit out of them, we see the company name and that is a success for most.  I know that for me, if I see a pop up ad I try to pay no attention to it and disregard whatever product or service they are trying to sell me because all I think of is spam.

Do you think that pop up ads have a bad reputation as spam or can be a useful marketing tactic for some companies?  

In response to Even Miller

I agree completely that face to face communication is the best form of communication.  This generation has become so dependent on cell phones and texting that we are losing simple communication skills that are key when it comes to business.  Giving up my cell phone would be an easy task and for how ever long as needed.  My phone has become more of a job now, having to try and text back as fast as possible and keep up with all the different social medias that I would love to just get a way from it all for a while and go back to the simple ways of life we used to live.

Advertising on Uniforms

When it comes to a professional sports team and their jerseys, no one wants a big brand name advertisement on them, but that is exactly what we are begging to see.  The MLS has had to sell into the large brand name on the front of the jersey strictly because the league doesn't make enough money and needs to get income any way possible.  

We see it here with the Seattle Sounder's jersey sporting a giant XBOX 360 Live logo on the front and center with the team logo small and in the upper right corner.  Although this branding idea isn't new in soccer, European Club teams all do the same thing, it isn't common for other, more profitable sports such as the MLB, NBA, and especially the NFL.  

But guess what, the NFL is selling in now too.

Although this is just the practice jersey, it is the start of an epidemic that could be seen in game jerseys any time soon.  For such a profitable business it is sad that they have come to advertising on uniforms just for more money.

Do you agree that the NFL should stop the advertising on uniforms?

In response to Arthur Brockelman

Arthur brings up a great question about companies advertising on YouTube and the fact that the ads can be skipped.  I strongly believe that this advertising is very beneficial for a company.  Although sometimes when I am on YouTube I will skip the ad because I have no time to waste and have no desire to watch an ad, but regardless I will still see the start of the ad and the name of the company.  Most of the time just seeing the companies name is enough, because you will remember that ad when you watch your video on YouTube because in a way it is a part of the video.

I have caught myself actually watching full 2 minute long ads before a video because the commercial was catchy enough that it got my attention and really made me interested in the company.  Even if only 1-10 people have that affect from the commercial, I believe that that is a success for any company trying to get their name or product out to new customers.    

Do you disagree with me or feel as if companies should invest in YouTube advertisements?

Humor in Commercials

If you are you are to watch TV these days you know that commercials are taking a more comedic approach to get their names out.  Some make you LOL and some just make you want to change the channel so you don't have to see that annoying commercial anymore.  One commercial that stands out to me and a lot of my friends is the Dikembe Mutombo "Geiko" commercial.  Mutombo is a retired NBA player know for his size and blocking shots, so Geiko knowing that they can target any Basketball fan took advantage of his skill and made it into a successful ad.  

Watch the Commercial by clicking the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_0fyUYB3cA


Although I am not looking at getting Geiko right now, this commercial makes me laugh every time and I know every time that its Geiko that put the ad out so that way the name is always in my head.

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?

In response to Jade Brulette

When it comes to the case of the RED T-shirt, I believe that all of the proceeds need to go to the charity. This was supposed to be a huge fund raiser and it ended up being just a good when with Gap keeping over 50% of their profits. That is millions of dollars that could have saved even more lives but instead went to an already successful business.


The biggest shock to me is that Bono himself told Gap to keep that amount of profit. He claims to be this "superman" lifesaver but instead is telling a big name corporation to keep more money than they donate?? Something doesn't seem right. The t shirts were going to sell regardless and that alone would bring people into the stores and make them look around and buy more products. Gap would have helped their image much more if they took zero profit and more people would support the cause and the store by buying other shirts and jeans.

Do you agree that keeping over 50% over the profits was a bad move for for Gap's business and their ethics?

In Store Marketing

I was able to be exposed to the marketing world as a junior in High School where I took a year long class that ended with an Internship at the local shoe store, Ted's Shoe and Sport.  I had a job to arrange the skateboard section in a way that was appealing and drew a lot of attention.  Working with Ted helped me with some knowledge and pointers that only an experienced business man would know.  He told me that it is important to put the "New and Popular" shoes in the middle of the display because it was eye level and easier for the customer to see and be attracted to.  This display helped the store sell out on the newest Nike SB's in just 2 weeks.  

  
Being exposed to this business as early as I was gave me a good insight on the world that I would be going into as a Management major at KSC and was a good jump start to my career.  Marketing is a field that I enjoy and would love to continue with once I am out of Keene state and working. 

Have you had any experiences that have lead you to want to continue in a career in Marketing and if so, what was it?     

In Response to Ashley

I agree completely with this quote from Ashley, "Giving the buyer facts up front helps them feel more comfortable doing business with that company".  It is very important to give the customer the full details on the product so that they wont have any issues when they get the product because they will know exactly what they are expecting.  I know this to be true because when dealing with buying products from online shops such as eBay or Amazon if you receive a product with a defect and the seller does not say anything about it than you can take actions and sue them for false advertisement.  

Has anyone ever had this happen to them, and if so what actions did you take? 

The interdependence of Satisfaction and Value

Every good business knows that the customer is always right.  This is why businesses will base their entire marketing plan around giving the customer the best product or service their can.  When it comes to customer satisfaction and customer value I believe that these two are interdependent and play a key role with one another.  

In order for a customer to be fully satisfied, they need to know that the money they spent on a product or service was worth it and improved their lives.  For example, if I am a customer and looking to purchase a new laptop, I need one that will fit my needs as far as performance goes and stay in my budget.  Once i find that product I will confidently be able to make the purchase and be satisfied because I know that the laptop is exactly what I wanted and the benefits of the laptop in my everyday life will be well worth the money. I don't see how satisfaction can occur with low customer value because if someone does not feel like the money they spent was worth the product it would just be a waste of money and I can't say I know too many people who are okay with throwing money away.