I came across this blog because it is very popular. The president is Scott Stratten, which many people, including myself, have seen or heard on Twitter. My favourite aspect of this blog is that he not only does written blog posts, but, he also posts podcasts which people can listen to. Many of the posts are easy to understand, and are relevant to much I have learned in Comm 101. Some podcast topics include: the importance of ethics, the power of a brand and how to use social media effectively with your business. His most recent podcast, How to succeed at failing at public speaking, was very helpful because of our upcoming final presentations. Stratten classifies the 3 types of people who speak: those who can speak and can improve, those who are great and can improve, and those who can’t and shouldn’t. Unfortunately, some people fall under the last category and may benefit from his advice.

Want to listen for yourself? Begin at 11:30

Some tips I found useful from the podcast:

– Practice hard words. Where you falter, alter.

– Choreograph your hands, but don’t be overly conscious about them.

– Over-rehearse the first minute of the presentation so you can begin strong

– If you have more bullet points than you have fingers on your hand, you have too many.

Check out his blog here

There has been much criticism about Lululemon’s activewear clothing. Many say that their fabric is too sheer, making their pants see-through and unflattering on most people. It is hard to justify unloading $100 dollars for see-through yoga pants. Competitors such as Athleta, Victoria’s Secret, and stores such as TJ Maxx, which provide cheaper alternatives, have benefited financially from Lululemon’s downfall.

Its all about brand positioning. While competitors know that Lululemon is ultimately a leader in the industry, there is much to gain from this situation. Competitors have the ability to promote quality and durability in their products and essentially slap Lululemon in the face. Competitors can learn from Lululemon’s mistakes and therefore discover what consumers truly value in activewear clothing.

However, while competitors build off of Lululemon’s weaknesses to further their brand, they still lack the consumer loyalty that the Lululemon company possesses. Consumer loyalty must be built overtime through strong shared value, customer relations, and good value propositions, which, the company has achieved over the years with their success.

Read more about it here

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The Blackberry smartphone has a unique messaging system known as BBM (Blackberry Messenger). This messaging system was formerly exclusive to Blackberries, however, they recently released BBM as a downloadable app to Android and iPhone users. The wild demand for this app resulted in a wait list to receive a “pin,” in order to use the app.

My friend Bailey rationalizes that Blackberry has hit an all-time low of a 1.7% marketshare because BBM was not first to the market (Whatsapp beat them), and BBM is no longer a distinguishing factor for using a Blackberry. Read her whole blog post here.

I completely agree with Bailey. The expectations for smartphones are high and consumers are always looking for innovation and value in these products. One way to create value is by establishing Points of Difference (PoD). For Blackerries, BBM was their PoD. The exclusive messaging system was an appealing concept that gave value to Blackberry users. Making it available to virtually everybody devalues the product because it no longer has a strong PoD. Apple iPhones are always designing new iOS updates for their users, expanding their app store, and making their design as attractive and durable as possible. These Points of Difference make Apple iPhones a more desirable product over Blackberries.

Check out Bailey’s Comm 101 Blog!

Read the article here

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With the holiday season around the corner, retail stores prepare for the big rush. However, Abercrombie & Fitch may not be seeing as many customers in their perfume scented stores this year. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reported another double-digit drop in quarterly same-store sales.

Since the retail company was established, it was known for its preppy style and super skinny jeans. However, Chief Executive Mike Jeffries has put the company in a bad light with his recent statement that the company’s tiny clothes were only made for “cool and popular” kids, resulting plummeting sales.

Abercrombie plans to finally carry sizes above large by spring. While it will be hard to recover from the bad reputation it currently has, this is a smart move in the long-run. It is important for Abercrombie to protect its brand by showing that everyone can wear their clothes. The exclusivity that this company was going for is a thing of the past. There are many alternative retail stores that teens can shop at such as American Eagle, H&M, and Forever 21, which, all carry diverse sizes. Expanding their customer segments will increase sales and it is probable that the company will come out on top once again.

News from here

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With the Vancouver Canucks hockey season well underway, Vancouverites are eager to fill the seats of Rogers Arena to watch the team that they love (and hate) play. Many of the energetic spectators expect to enjoy the game with beer, however, the lineup just to buy a 12-ounce beer is extensive and tedious to most. Is the long wait for a drink worth the risk of missing a sweet goal?

To aid this dilemma, the Canucks made a submission to the B.C. government liquor-policy review. They simply want to let fans buy bigger beers in more places for longer hours.

This will be beneficial to the Canucks and Rogers Arena. Selling liquor in more areas will allow them to serve more customers faster, generating more revenue. Additionally, they can create more revenue streams by selling liquor in the stands, which, will cater to those who cannot afford to get out of their seat at all and miss any action. Tickets are usually sold out for each game and they are currently losing a lot of potential revenue with the inefficient way of selling liquor.

Check out the full article here

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Nearly every smartphone user these days has the popular photo sharing app, Instagram. However, Facebook Inc. is planning to integrate relevant advertisements into Instagram users’ home feed, much like they successfully did to Facebook’s timeline.

My friend Shomas reasons that these ads will not interfere with Instagram’s growth, and that it will follow in the same path as Facebook. Read about his opinion here.

However, while Facebook users compete to have the most friends, likes on a page, and pokes, Instagram users do quite the opposite. Instagram profiles can be private. Only those who you approve of may view your photos. When you choose to follow somebody, it is not certain that they will follow you back, unlike Facebook friend requests, where you and your new “friend” immediately have full access to each other’s profile. As a whole, Instagram is more selective and personal. Facebook news feeds can be filled with status updates of people you have only met once, and pages you clicked “like” on just to try and win a contest. That being said, it is more natural to scroll past an advertisement in the never-ending Facebook newsfeed of your 500 friends.

Instagram users value their “follow-to-following ratio” by making sure they are truly interested in the profiles they follow. Integrating advertisements into their home feed strips away the users’ power to only view what they think is worthy.

Check out Shomas’ Blog!

Read the full article here

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In Kent, Washington, a Tesla Motors Model S electric vehicle ran into some debris, causing  the front of the lithium-ion battery powered car to catch fire.

“The Model S has received high safety ratings in government crash tests, and independent automotive publications have praised the car for its performance and safety features.”

Investors acted promptly as the company’s shares decreased by 6.2% immediately following the viral video of the burning video, which received 2 million views in two days.

The electrical vehicle has had much success where “everything was going their way,” said Karl Brauer, an analyst with the auto-research firm Kelley Blue Book. Since the beginning of the year, Tesla experienced a 400% increase in the price of their stock. The market is impacted significantly from events such as these, but is a 6.2% decrease a serious loss?

The company is deciding whether or not to make changes to the car to prevent further damage. However, the dangers of electrical powered vehicles are becoming more prevalent. Will Tesla Motors protect their brand? Or will consumers lose faith in Tesla Motors and abandon the electrical vehicle market altogether.

Read more on the story here

Designer Marc Jacobs at his last show

American designer Marc Jacobs is leaving the multibillion dollar French company Louis Vuitton to focus on his own brand, ending a 16 year tenure.

Louis Vuitton Chief Executive Michael Burke states, “We’re doing what’s good for Marc and his company… Marc’s wish is to take it to the next level.”

The company is competing with formal LVMH designer Michael Kors, whose company sold 47.2 million shares, raising $944 million, since it listed on the stock market in December 2011. Both Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors fall under similar price ranges and target similar diverse age groups ranging from teens, young adults, and women. With such similarities, it will be a battle to see who comes out on top. In the feat to “take it to the next level”, could Marc Jacobs consider repositioning the competitor so consumers see them in a different light?

Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman says, “It’s important to know how to exit, as well as arrive, and it’s going to be exciting to see how this impacts on the creativity in his own line.”

Article and picture from here

With the rising global demand for Ford Motor Company’s vehicles, it spent $700 million to retool its assembly plant in Oakville, Ont., in order to expand and improve its manufacturing capability. The investment will secure 2,800 jobs at the plant, however, many more jobs will be indirectly created from the plants operations.

Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, describes the investment as “a welcome boost to the economy and the automotive sector.”

Ford aims to shift to a “global platform” with more standardization of their products across the international markets.

With upgrading the plants technology and efficiency, they want to quickly respond to changing consumer demands in the automotive market. The methods of manufacturing will become much more flexible with the ability to switch from one vehicle model to another without having to shut down production for long periods. This ties directly to the job of an operations manager. The goal is to ensure that the organization is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and that the goods and services produced meet client or customer needs.

Ford is looking to where the market is headed, and they see growth in their global market.

Check out the article here

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