I really felt that the Marketing Plan assignments were a very applicable way of learning the course material because we had the opportunity to consider all the theories we had learned about in the context of a real company. Especially with our video assignment, it gave us the chance to offer recommendations to the firm (based on what we had researched and the targeted segments we had selected for the previous assignments) that were reasonable and realistic to be applied in in real life.

Our team was wonderful. In fact, I think that in our section, our team was the only team that still sat together and regularly interacted with each other up until the last day of the course! Like any team assignment, the challenging part was that all of us had differing ideas and visions and some of us were even so headstrong to proclaim others’ ideas to be unintelligent. However, after discussing again and again (and not only on the topic of our assignment, but also pointing out if someone’s feelings have been hurt and all the other emotional aspects of teamwork) we were able to function as an amazing team after the first 1 or 2 meetings.

As for myself, I really tried to let go of the typical “team leader” position that I am usually stuck with due to unenthusiastic team members, and I felt like this helped our team function almost flawlessly. Different team members just kind of naturally became in charge of things (Seung Hyung booked all of our meeting rooms and times, Yvette took all the meeting minutes, I monitored our facebook group which was our main source of communication, etc.) and at different stages in an assignment, each of us took on different roles.

I really only have two important takeaways from this teamwork experience:

1. Always assume the best of members, be it their capability in performing their part or their willingness to take on a role

2. Communicate frequently.

That’s all for now. This class was a blast, the assignments were educational (in an interesting way! haha), and our team was super.

So… this is it. To be honest, when Tamar told us that we were going to be writing blogs about the material we learned in class at the beginning of the semester, I was a little confused. “You mean, we have to actually find real life examples and apply stuff???” I thought. But to my surprise I had no difficulty in finding interesting material online about the things we were talking about in class, and I have to say that it was a very enjoyable experience.

During lectures when we were talking about some sort of marketing model or theory I always had an example in my mind from a store I had recently visited, or read about and for me that was the best part of the course. It made understanding the material a lot better and with that example, everything just kind of made sense (when I know that I would have been totally confused without it!). I feel like the blogs were a way of expressing what you had thought in class if maybe you didn’t want to speak up in class or if there wasn’t enough time to share your example. It was just really great know that you understand the material, but not only that, you understand it well enough that you can actually see it in your day-to-day life.

This course was a blast and I am so sad that it is coming to an end! :'( But at least now every time I go shopping everything I see will remind me of all these theories we’ve gone over… and I am not sure it that is good or bad. haha.

This post is a reply to Tema Frank’s blog post on the Canadian Marketing Blog by the Canadian Marketing Association titled, “Death of a Salesman… Let Prospects Sell Themselves.” The blog post talks about the decreasing necessity for sales people because research has shown that 29% come to their job unprepared and with very little knowledge about the product they are selling. Instead, companies are investing in more automated systems and online services that can provide consumers with all the information they are looking for, which has actually made companies a lot more profitable than hiring sales people.

I think that this is very true and it is not at all difficult to believe that automated systems would increase sales even more. When people are looking to fulfill a need, it usually is best to look online for all possible options first because asking a sales associate in stores may not always give a useful answer. Also, personal selling is more likely used for bigger ticket items, products that require a lot of involvement from the consumer during their use, and products that are risky. This way, the sales associate is able to answer any questions the customer may have and address any concerns. However, even with these types of shopping products, one sales person will not know everything there is to know about all the products in the product category that the consumer is considering and so it is almost impossible for the consumer to make the absolute best decision based on the advice given. If all the information is available on the web and companies make sure that it is user friendly, and search friendly, consumers are more likely to trust their own judgement and decisions and sales will increase for the company.

This post is a reply to my classmate, Carol’s post on the “What Will your Last 10 Years Look Like” commercial by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The commercial can be viewed below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo6QNU8kHxI

This commercial was launched as part of the foundation’s “Make Health Last” campaign and it’s main purpose, as my fellow classmate also points out in her blog post, is to encourage the elderly to go for risk assessments and to donate to the foundation. Although the message is very clear, I would have to agree with Carol that it seems like the Heart and Stroke Foundation is almost blaming the sick and elderly for being sick and not taking care of themselves earlier. The targeted segment for this TV commercial is the group of aging population who are still healthy and who still have a chance at staying healthy; however perhaps they failed to see that although their action-inspiring message would reach this group of healthy elders, it could be interpreted in completely different and blaming way by the group of sick elders.

I believe this arises from the problem that the 2 segments (healthy elders, and sick elders) are too closely related and so it is very difficult to distinguish between the two. Both groups are around the same age range (most likely baby boomers or older), they live in the same environment (Canada), they both want to live for a longer period of time, and most likely they both have family members they do not want to leave behind. By distinguishingsolely based on that fact that one is still healthy and the other is already sick is not strong enough to really put these people in 2 different groups, especially when marketing something so sensitive.

When the new Nearly Naked Foundation by Revlon came out, many beauty gurus on Youtube claimed it to be a great duplicate for high end foundations because of their very similar textures, coverage, and wearing power. As a result of this similarity and the fact that consumers can purchase it at a fraction of the price of high end alternatives, this new foundation has been gaining a lot of attention in the blogging and YouTube world.

Drugstore cosmetics companies operate in a very intensive distribution intensity and Revlon is no different. However, Revlon has chosen to mainly focus on two main product categories: lip products and face products. Revlon sections of the drugstore also have samples and testers for every product which is unlike most drugstore makeup brands who do not offer this service. Revlon products also tend to be priced on the higher end of drugstore products however, depending on the store that is carrying this brand, promotional discounts and markdowns do occur as well. In many stores, the new Nearly Naked Foundation is placed right next to the very well loved and known ColorStay Foundation which is also by Revlon, leading regular and loyal customers of the ColorStay Foundation to notice it and perhaps try this new foundation. This product is also available to be ordered online through the Revlon website and because customers would have trouble finding their shade since there are not sample testers to try, the company has developed an interactive system whereby the customer can find their appropriate shade by answering a couple of very simple questions online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1NJQ1LwTS4&list=UUXGVsie-SIk3e3wJmUTyEhw&index=2

What does VIB stand for, you ask? Very Important Beauty Insider of course! The one-stop shop-all, high end beauty store that carries everything from skincare and makeup to manicure essentials and hair styling must-haves has ever since, been top notch in adding value to its products and shopping experience for consumers. Walk into a Sephora store and the first thing customers notice is the availability of samples for every product in every shade/colour so that consumers can find the perfect one for themselves. In addition, Sephora also offers the expertise of beauty gurus in-store who can help customers find a product that is suitable for them. Walking out of the store with the classic black and white shopping bag with bright red tissue paper stuffed in the top also fulfill’s people’s esteem need. The Sephora brand is like a promise to it’s beauty insiders of quality,and valuable products that they can feel confident in using; if any product falls short of the customer’s expectations they can easily return it through the hassle-free return policy, thus building the trust between the company and its consumers.

In addition to the shopping experience in stores, Sephora also offers websites for both the US and Canadian populations. Products online feature a detailed description as well as many customer reviews from those who have purchased the product before. These reviews make searching for information much easier for a potential buyer which adds value for the consumer. Sephora also provides professional beauty tips and trick, including how to use certain products, through its YouTube Channel which allows customers who have bought their products to get the most out of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_VspfsdMbk&list=PLY7g-CCAa6E5zLNib5m90uiXw5OEVQgGz&index=3

A recent article from ABC News highlights Coca-Cola’s new defense commercial regarding health concerns and obesity. This 2-minute long commercial titled “Coming Together” addresses the company’s efforts to increase health awareness when consuming soft drinks. Upon reading this article, it seems that Coca-Cola is trying to change people’s views of the company, originally from a producer of the junk-foods category to a health conscious firm that cares about the physical well-being of it’s consumers. This is well depicted through their new commercial which features families consuming green salads at dinner and active children playing sports and other healthy activities that come to mind.

But isn’t it still ethically wrong to paint something that is still unhealthy in a light that makes it seem to be what all the most health conscious people are consuming? I think it is. As discussed in the article, sugary soft drinks are “empty nutrition and don’t tell the body that it is full” so technically a person can drink a lot of soft drinks, still be hungry, but has already exceeded their suggested daily sugar intake. This can lead to serious health concerns such as diabetes and obesity. Since the product is not a healthy product, the company shouldn’t be promoting it as if it were! Children, teens, and even adults may get the misconception that just because this version of the pop is less unhealthy than the one before so therefore it must be healthy. I think the way Coca-Cola is trying to market themselves is morally wrong because it is trying to get people to perceive its products as something it is not. Their commercial is very misleading and may actually accentuate the dietary concerns in North America and across the world.