M@rketing!

The video below demonstrates RIM’s recent marketing strategy to reposition it’s products to become a social device instead of just a strong business phone, which has been Blackberry’s key image earlier in this past decade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX5YsU8sir4

However, according to this Globe and Mail article, Research in Motion clearly needs to rethink it’s marketing strategy to survive.

RIM has recently suffered major criticism from not only the press, but also the investors as it’s value has fallen 74% over the past year on the stock exchange. This is a reflection of both the investor and consumer’s lack of faith in the Blackberry product. A result of stagnating innovative prowess in a market now dominated by Apple, untimely service blackouts, and faulty hardware, RIM has become a victim of falling behind in a rapidly moving technological age.

With a newly appointed CEO, and now a newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer, RIM is now attempting to restore faith in it’s consumers. RIM will attempt to re-deliver the once lethal dependance on the “Crackberry” to it’s loyal customer base once again. With a “focus more on consumer marketing”, RIM’s new marketing strategy, and destiny, will depend on it’s “ability to turn around the consumers’ perceptions of the brand” – in hopes of not only retaining their current user-base, but also gain market share against the many dominant players in the marketplace.

Marketing Strategy, Awesome.

Ability to engage the target market, Awesome. 

Communicating the brand of a great product, Awesome. 

Everything about this video, Awesome.

– –

This clip, which was used to promote UBC’s Annual Student Leadership Conference which draws over 1,000 UBC delegates every year, displays many aspects of effective marketing in today’s society. There are a few characteristics of this video that makes it so great in achieving it’s purpose.

In today’s fast pace, quick-access-to-information environment, consumers do not value just receiving quick e-mails and IMs, but also quick messages in an ad-dominated world. With a bombardment of information all around, the ones that can get the message to the consumers efficiently oftentimes are the most successful. This video is a great example of that. The SLC Marketing team was able to pack a catchy punch in just 37 seconds. Targeted at UBC students, who oftentimes don’t have more than 5 minutes to get between one class to another, 37 seconds is more than appropriate. In addition to an Awesome song that flows perfectly to match the beat of the changing images, the effective quotes captures two essential characteristics of the conference itself: student representation and everything that makes UBC… of course, Awesome.

Meme’s, punch-lines, and trending topics on Facebook and Twitter is what dominates social media today; and this naturally affects the way marketing strategies need to be redefined to reach the realms on the consumers. Understanding that students, besides spending an abundance of time studying, also spend an abundance of time on social media, and therefore was able to create a trending word that captured the attention of many students.

This kind of advertising is what makes Marketing… Awesome.

Love it.

Past: I was born in Vancouver in 1992 and spent the first 6 years of my life living in Montreal, Quebec. I then moved back to British Columbia in grade 1 where I grew up in Abbotsford, the place that I now call home. I went to a local public high school and a fact that not many people know about me is that I spent a lot of my time in high school on athletics despite my stature: I played both football and competitive rugby for both my school and local club.

Present: I now live and go to school at UBC! I am pursuing my Bachelors in Commerce and am enjoying being actively involved on campus. I am currently involved in student politics for the Commerce Undergraduate Society and competing in case competitions has become a developing passion of mine over the last few months. I really enjoy school, and I don’t hide the fact that I am a huge nerd. An interesting fact today is that I have 4 other siblings: Sister, 22. Brother, 18. Sister, 15. Sister, 6 (I named her Summer).

Marketing Experience: I am a consumer and I’ve been bombarded by advertising everywhere that I spend my time: social media, school, textbooks, movies, and even youtube now. However, after my summer job with Red Bull this past year, I’ve learned that marketing extends from product development, to sales, and well beyond just the advertising that we see. Working in the Brand Management department, I spent a lot of time assisting in data analysis and coordination of marketing initiatives in the Vancouver area – it was, without a doubt, the funnest work experience I’ve ever had.

Future: Despite having gained experience working with a global brand within their Marketing Department, being a Teaching Assistant for the OBHR department here at school, and having a strong interest for the capital markets, I have recently decided to go into the public accounting profession to pursue the CA designation. This summer, I will have the exciting opportunity to intern with KPMG in the Vancouver office. My mid-term career goal is to receive the CA, and then move into consultancy or business development – I am sure only time can tell. Ultimately, in the long-run, I would like to be the CFO of the Vancouver Canucks (I know, how specific =P). However, I try not to forget about the short-term which is why I am currently making the most of my university years.

Carpe Diem, latin for “Seize the Day”, is my life motto.

Second one from the left.

So Why this Picture?: I think this picture best reflects both my life and my character.

#1. I have a hunger for achieving my goals and being highly ambitious; this photo captured the time in my life where I graduated from high school and was making the transition to the university of my choice, getting there through dedication, desire, and hard work – three qualities that hold close to myself when working towards goals.

#2. I am a life-time scholar and will always seek to acquire knowledge to continue to learn and grow as an individual.

#3. Friends and family are the ones I want to spend my time with in times of joy and success, not materialistic things like money. They are the ones that motivate me to work hard and inspire me to reach my potential as an individual. It is through their support that I have, and will, be successful.

#4. “Just don’t worry and be happy, things will work itself out”-kind-of-mentality.

#5. I have weird, but awesome friends from high school that are not still with me at UBC. Interesting fact: I have had the opportunity to sleep on a bunk bed as roommates over the last year with 2 of them – great experience.